Sweet Berry Bruschetta

So I've heard a few people in the ward tell me how yummy these are, and therefore I had to try!  They did not disappoint, that's for sure :)  I had high ambitions of waking up Sunday morning and making these for breakfast, but there were 2 problems...A) 9:00 church, and B) I am NOT a morning person.  So when all was said and done we ended up eating them for dessert Sunday night instead.  They are so yummy and would be a great breakfast for a special occasion, but easy enough to have any day!  The recipe comes from Melinda Christensen.

10 slices french bread, 1/2 inch thick
5 tsp sugar, divided
6 oz. fat free cream cheese (I used the lower fat kind)
1/2 tsp. almond extract
3/4 c. fresh blackberries
3/4 c. fresh raspberries (too expensive!  Strawberries were a nice substitute :)
1/4 c. slivered almonds, toasted
2 tsp. powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting

Place bread on an ungreased baking sheet; lightly coat with cooking spray.

Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar. Broil 3-4 inches from the heat for 1-2 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, almond extract, powdered sugar, and remaining sugar.

Spread over toasted bread. Top with berries and almonds; dust with powdered sugar.

Asian Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Oh how I love a good juicy pork tenderloin!  I'm sure you couldn't tell,  but I've made a lot of them lately.  They are so versatile and delicious, why not?  This recipe comes from My Kitchen Cafe as many of my pork tenderloin recipes do.  If you've missed out on her other yummy pork tenderloin recipes, try Brown Sugar Spiced Tenderloin or my favorite, Chili Rubbed Pork with Apricot Glaze.  This one is right up there, though.  It was a good change from my usual Asian chicken recipes, the glaze is amazing!

3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
3 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
2 pork tenderloins, trimmed of excess fat and any thin silver skin
1 scallion (green onion), white and green parts, thinly sliced for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a small roasting pan (or use a 9X13-inch baking dish) with foil and lightly oil the foil. This is important because the glaze has a high sugar content and will scorch during roasting.

Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 tablespoon ginger, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper in a self-sealing plastic bag and mix to dissolve the sugar. Add the pork tenderloins and close the bag. Toss the meat in the bag to coat it with the marinade. Marinade for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.

Remove the pork tenderloins from the marinade and place in the roasting pan. Drizzle about half of the marinade over the pork. Discard the remaining marinade. Roast for 15 minutes. Baste the pork with the marinade in the roasting pan. Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer reads 150-155, about 25 minutes more. The marinade will eventually thicken and scorch, but the foil will protect the pan, so don’t worry. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes.

While the pork is resting, bring the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 tablespoon ginger, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 minced garlic clove and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper to a boil over high heat in a small saucepan.

Cut the roast pork crosswise on a slight diagonal into thin slices and arrange the overlapping slices on a platter. Drizzle the hot marinade over the pork, sprinkle with the scallion, and serve immediately.

Santa Fe Burger

Have you ever seen the show The Best Thing I Ever Ate?  Well, Claire Robinson told of a burger from Bobby's Burger Palace (yes, Bobby Flay's Burger Palace) that sounded awesome!  This was the one.  Only a few ingredients, but so great! It is our first burger of the year, and I'm sure it won't be the last time we will be eating it.  The cheese sauce is so yummy, we dipped our Spicy Potato Wedges in it as well!  I actually found the recipe on Racheal Ray's site. 

1 large poblano chile
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup whole milk (2% worked great :)
8 ounces monterey jack cheese, coarsely grated (I had some colby jack on hand)
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
4 hamburger buns
1 cup crushed blue corn tortilla chips (lets be honest, I'm not gonna buy a whole bag for 3 burgers...regular corn tortilla chips are fine!)

1.Preheat a grill or grill pan to high. Add the poblano and grill until charred on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Place in a bowl, cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Peel, halve and seed the poblano, then coarsely chop.

2.Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour for 1 minute. Add the milk, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the cheese until melted; season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

3.Shape the ground beef into 4 patties; season with salt and pepper. Grill until charred on both sides, about 8 minutes for medium.

4.Place the burgers on the bun bottoms and top each with some warm cheese sauce, chopped poblano (we just mixed the chile in with the cheese) and tortilla chips. Set the bun tops in place.

Spicy Potato Wedges

These oven fries are so good, you won't want to dip them in anything!  They have so much wonderful flavor packed in, they make the perfect side dish....in our case, burgers :)  The recipe made its way to my table via Taste of Home, one of my favorite sites for everyday cooking.

1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3-1/2 pounds large red potatoes, cut into wedges (I used good old russets)

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients; add potatoes and toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer on greased baking sheets.

Bake at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning once. Yield: 8 servings.

Strawberry Petit Fours

Sorry I am posting late this week...I've been feeling a little under the weather along with most of my family, but I'm back!

Say hello to a dang cute little Valentine treat that comes together in a FLASH!  I do appreciate all the heart-shaped treats floating around, but these are just a bit different!  It's a  little take on the chocolate covered strawberry, a Valentines favorite.  Enjoy!  

Strawberry Petit Fours

You will need the white chocolate oreos {or you can dip your own oreos...I used white chocolate candy coating}. Then spread a layer of wildberry or any other berry cream cheese (I used strawberry) , top it with a half a strawberry--- and finish it off with a drizzle of choclate (melted semisweet chocolate chips).

Recipe Source:  just a little adaptation from the back of the White Chocolate Oreo Box :)

Chicken Corn Chowder with Sweet Potatoes

Looking for a good corn chowder recipe?  Look no further!  The Sister's Cafe shared this recipe quite a while ago and I am just getting around to making it.  It is great!  I love the sweet potatoes, they are pretty much amazing.  It makes me sad for Spring to come SOLELY because soup season will then end for a few months.  Oh well, there are more things to look forward to like SUNSHINE!

3 cups 2% milk
1 cup corn muffin mix (example: Jiffy)
2 T. butter
1 onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 quarts chicken broth
2 small chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 " cubes (I used 2 cans of the Sams Club chicken)
2 large sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
3 cups frozen corn (not thawed)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (or 2 Tb dried parsley)
salt and pepper, to taste

Mix milk and muffin mix in bowl until well combined. Meanwhile, heat butter in large pot over medium heat until foaming. Add onion and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth, chicken (raw) and sweet potatoes. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is cooked and sweet potatoes are just tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in milk and muffin mixture and simmer until soup thickens (can take up to 10 minutes although mine thickens immediately) Add cheese and corn and cook until cheese begins to melt, about 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. *Does not freeze well - ruins the texture!

Breaded Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce

Watch out Olive Garden!  This definitely reminds me of something you'd get at a restaraunt, maybe even better!  The best part, the whole meal was ready in 30 minutes...gotta love that :)  This would be a great meal to use for entertaining/Sunday dinners/a quick weeknight meal/whenever!  We had it with some pasta and veggies, and it was perfect.  Thanks to Real Mom Kitchen for sharing...this chicken will make an appearance on my dinner table again soon :)

4 chicken breasts (I used about 10 chicken tenders instead)
flour (about 1/2 cup)
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
salt
black pepper
3 Tablespoon butter (can use 1 Tbsp more if needed)

Sauce:

1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 (4 oz jar) sliced pimento peppers, drained
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (I used 1 Tbsp. dried)
black pepper

1.Place eggs in a shallow bowl. Place flour in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine both bread crumbs with salt and pepper to taste.

2.Coat chicken with flour. Then dip in egg, then coat with breadcrumb mixture.

3.In a skillet over medium heat, fry chicken in butter, on both sides, until the juices run clear, about 15 minutes (or if you are using tenders, just a few minutes on each side). Remove from skillet and keep warm.

4.Add the broth to the skillet; bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir and scrape to loosen browned bits from pan.

5.Stir in the cream and pimentos (If using dried basil add this now); boil and stir for one minute. Reduce heat; add the Parmesan cheese, basil and black pepper to taste. Simmer and stir until heated through. To serve, pour the sauce over the chicken.

Dijon Pork Loin

I've been loving recipes from the Neelys lately.  This one was delicious as well.  It was so moist and tender!  Searing the loin before you bake it definitely helps keep the yummy juices inside.  I have been loving pork loins lately, generally less fatty than a lot of other kinds of meat and there is so much you can do with them!  I've been buying them at Sam's Club, and you get 4 for a relatively low price (generally about $4 a loin), which is about half of what they sell for in the grocery store, it is the perfect size for me and my husband and we have some leftovers he can take to school the next day. 

1 (3 to 4-pound) boneless pork loin (Mine was more like 2)
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley leaves
1 tablespoon freshly chopped chives
1 tablespoon freshly chopped tarragon leaves
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Season the pork loin with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, mix the vinegar, mustard and herbs together. Reserve mustard sauce for pork.

In a large ovenproof saute pan over medium-high heat, warm the vegetable oil. Sear pork loin on all sides. Brush with mustard sauce and roast in the preheated oven until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes (check it!  Mine needed about 7 or 8 minutes more). Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Rick's White Chicken Chili

So tonight was the chili-chocolate cookoff in our ward.  This was my hubby's contribution.  It is my Father-in-law's recipe that we've had quite a few times, and it is great!  You can never have enough chicken chili/soup recipes, and this is a great one to add to the collection.  I love food when it is colorful, I think it makes it more appetizing, and  this one with the reds, greens, yellows, and whites definitely make me want to eat it!  Also, there is nothing better than a rotisserie chicken, already cooked, flavorful and moist...makes for a quick dinner :)

4 c. rotisserie chicken
1 large onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 (4 oz) cans diced green chiles
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. dried thyme
6 c. chicken stock/broth
3-4 cans cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1-2 bags frozen white corn
salt and pepper, to taste
Garnishes: cheese, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro

In a large pot, saute onion, bell pepper, and celery in a little bit of extra virgin olive oil until tender.  Add in garlic and stir until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add green chiles, lime juice, cumin, thyme, and salt and pepper.  Stir in chicken then add broth.  Bring to a simmer.  Add beans and corn, simmer until heated through.  Add more salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish and serve with tortilla chips.

Banana Cake Cookies

This week has been clean out the freezer week.  I have been trying to come up with dinners that can be made out of whatever I can get rid of!  Dessert has been no exception.  I've had some brown bananas staring at me for a few weeks now, and cookies sounded good, so this is what I came up with after finding this recipe on Recipe Goldmine.  They really do taste like cake, and they are delicious :)

1/2 cup Crisco
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional

Icing:

3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk (may need up to 5 tablespoons)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

Cream shortening; add brown sugar, beating well. Add eggs and banana; beat well.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add to creamed mixture; mix well. Stir in pecans. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonsful, 2 inches apart onto greased cookies sheets. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Cool cookie sheets completely and frost.

Icing:

3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Milk

Mix confectioners' sugar, butter and vanilla extract together. Add milk to yield desired consistency, beating until smooth.



Parmesan Ranch Chicken

We've lived away from Utah for going on 3 years now, but I am still a devout follower of Good Things Utah recipes.  I have found quite a few keepers from the show and check it everyday!  This chicken is so dang good, very moist and juicy.  I used panko bread crumbs instead of cornflakes, it it was just crunchy and yummy as could be!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package dried ranch dressing mix
1 cup Parmesan, grated
2 cups corn flakes, crushed (I had some panko bread crumbs on hand, and used those instead)
3 tablespoon butter, melted

Combine corn flakes, parmesan and ranch dressing. Dip each breast in butter then roll in corn flake mixture. Place in bottom of shallow baking dish and bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes.

Neely's Lemon Pasta Salad

I have been finding so many recipes from the show Down Home With the Neelys lately.  This was one of them that caught my eye.  I love feta cheese in anything, so this definitely appealed to me!  We had the salad slightly warm, but I imagine it would be great cold as well to take to a potluck.  We had it as a side to some chicken, and it was perfect.  Be looking for some more Neely recipes in the near future.

*My one complaint is that there needed to be more of the mustard/lemon dressing.  I may make double next time and see how it goes :)

Salt
1 pound corkscrew pasta (I used whole grain)
1 pound asparagus
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup freshly chopped dill leaves
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
7 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and rinse. Set aside.

In another large pot of boiling salted water, add the asparagus and blanch until bright green and slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or a spider and shock in icy cold water. Remove from the water and dry well.

Trim the ends of the asparagus and cut into bite-size pieces on the bias.

Whisk together the mustard, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Combine the reserved asparagus and pasta in a large serving bowl. Add the tomatoes, dill, peas, feta, and the mustard dressing. Toss with tongs to coat the salad well. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Pesto Herb Bread

It's been a while since I've baked up some bread...and this one sounded like a good way  to get me started up again!  The aroma this sent through my house as it was cooking was absolutely to die for!  I found this recipe while browsing around on This Chick Cooks.  It would be wonderful as a side to any pasta dish

3 1/4 cups bread flour (I have also used all purpose and it turned out great)
3 T sugar
1 T parsley flakes
1 1/2 t garlic powder
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (or 1 pack)
1 t oregano
1 t basil
3/4 t salt
1 cup water
3T milk
2 T pesto
2 t olive oil

Heat your water until its hot enough that you can stick your pinky in there for just a second (about 115 degrees, but I just test with my pinky) Mix water and sugar and add yeast. Let it sit until foamy- about 5 or 10 minutes.

Mix dry ingredients in a food processor. Add wet ingredients and run the food processor for a few minutes (You could also mix with a spoon and then knead it by hand- or you could even follow the dough setting for a bread maker)


Let the bread rise uncovered (30-40 minutes). Punch it down and then put the dough into a greased bread dish.  Spray the top of the dough lightly with cooking spray and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Heat a glass of water up in the microwave until its really hot and steaming and then put the bread in (with your microwave off) and let it rise 40-60 minutes.
 
Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Cover loosely with foil after 20 minutes and bake about 10 more minutes- or until the bread sounds hollow when you tap on the top. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for a few minutes and the remove from pan to finish cooling.

Croque Madame

I first saw this recipe on 30 minute meals with Rachael Ray.  She said it was a great late night snack.  I don't know about late night snack, but it was mighty tasty for dinner!  If you don't have swiss cheese, I've also used provolone and muenster and it works just fine.

6 tablespoons butter, divided

2 rounded tablespoons flour

1 cup milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 slices white bread
4 large eggs
4 slices deli-cut ham
4 slices deli-sliced Swiss cheese
Parsley, chives or thyme (any or all on hand), chopped

For the bechamel sauce: Place a small sauce pot over medium-low heat and melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute or so. Whisk in the milk and bring it to a bubble then drop the heat to low. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, nutmeg and Dijon. When the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, turn off the heat.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. When the butter melts, crack the eggs and add them to the pan, keeping the whites separate from each other. Cook to desired doneness, sunny-side-up to over-hard.

While the eggs cook, generously butter bread with the remaining butter. Keeping buttered sides facing out, build ham and cheese sandwiches; spreading béchamel on the insides of the bread and using 2 slices of ham and cheese for each sandwich.

Heat a second skillet over medium heat. Cook the sandwiches until golden, about 3-4 minutes, then turn. Cook them for 2 minutes more then transfer to plates, top with eggs and more sauce, garnish with herb of choice and serve with a knife and fork.

"Better Than You Know What" Cake

I have often heard this cake referred to as "Better Than Sex Cake," which I've seen a few variations of, but this one has always been a favorite. I fixed it for the missionaries last night, and had to switch the name to "better than scriptures" cake.  For some reason, the other name didn't seem quite appropriate :)  It is so easy, but oh so tasty.

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 jar caramel sauce (12 oz)
1 container Cool Whip
2 Heath or Skor candy bars, broken into small pieces (or toffee bits, 1/3 to 1/2 cup)

Bake chocolate cake mix as directed in 9 x 13 inch pan. When done poke holes in cake with wooden spoon handle. Pour 1 can Eagle Brand milk over top, then pour a jar of caramel sauce over milk. Let cool.  Frost with Cool Whip. Crush or break, in small pieces, 2 Heath or Skor bars, sprinkle over top of Cool Whip. Refrigerate. Simple and easy, but very good.

Chinese Teriyaki Chicken

Favorite of my daddy's. Sometimes I like to cut this chicken up and eat it like a rice bowl with some steamed veggies. It is definitely a comfort food for me and reminds me of home :)

4 lb. chicken tenders
½ c. soy sauce
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. margarine
¼ c. water
½ tsp. dry mustard

Combine in small sauce pan all but chicken. Mix well. Cook 5 minutes on medium heat. Place chicken in baking dish-meaty side down. Pour sauce over chicken. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Occasionally turn chicken and brush with sauce while cooking. Serve over rice.

Peanut Butter Bars

 

So, I've had this recipe on my blog since the beginning, but haven't had a picture for it.  I decided to re-post it now, because they are worth another mention!  This recipe comes from my mother-in-law, who got it from her mom, a retired school lunch cook.  I was always excited when these babies hit the lunch tray!   It is a combination of my hubby's two favorite ingredients in the world....peanut butter and chocolate.  In fact, he's the one that made these this time around!

Cream together:

½ tsp salt
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2/3 c. peanut butter
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla
1 c. brown sugar
Add:

2 c. flour
1tsp. baking soda
2c. oatmeal (quick)

Add creamed mixture and press in large cookie sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Cool and spread with peanut butter. Cool completely and frost with chocolate frosting.

Frosting

Bring to a boil:

1c. sugar
½ c. milk
1/4 c. cocoa
1/2c. butter

Then add:

2c. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla

Beat until smooth, let cool and thicken. Spread over peanut butter fingers.

Pear and Blue Cheese Porkchops

These sounded a little odd, but at the same time the reviews were awesome.  So I was forced to give these babies a try.  They are WONDERFUL!  The ingredients that I have never seen in the same sentence came together for a very yummy dinner!  I came across this one while browsing for new pork chop recipes and came upon this one at cdk kitchen.  Even if you are not a blue cheese fan, try them in this, it makes the whole dish.  I'm not a huge fan myself, but it is a must here!  The green peppercorns gave it an interesting twist, but they didn't come cheap...unfortunately.  It hit the spot on a night where the ice storms were raging outside!

4 boneless pork chops, 3/4-inch thick
Vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 medium firm, ripe pears (Bosc, Bartlett or Anjou)
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon crushed green peppercorns
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Brush chops lightly with oil and season with salt and white pepper. Cook, turning occasionally, until evenly browned on both sides and just done, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove chops to a serving platter; keep warm.

Meanwhile, cut pears in half lengthwise and core; do not peel. Slice pears in 1/8-inch slices. Melt butter in same skillet; cook pears in butter for 1 minute, stirring gently to coat completely with butter. Stir in the peppercorns and cook, stirring constantly but gently, for 2 minutes more. Spoon the pear sauce over chops. Sprinkle with blue cheese.

Breakfast Tacos

So this isn't so much a recipe, more of a meal idea.  I like the idea of switching up the normal ground beef, cheese, and lettuce taco every now and again.  Why not throw in some of your favorite breakfast foods!  Use your imagination and see what kind of yummy combos you can come up with!  For these particular ones, we used:

hot sausage
chunky hashbrowns with pepper and onions
bacon crumbles
5 eggs
sour cream
taco sauce
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
soft taco shells (flour)

I cooked up the sausage in a frying pan, and when it was finished, removed it.  Then cooked the hashbrowns in the sausage drippings, added the sausage back in, added some bacon crumbles, and cracked in 5 eggs and cooked until eggs were cooked through.  We piled them on the tortillas and topped with our favorite stuff.  Yummy :)