Oreo Dessert

This is a not-so-great picture of a really great dessert. Holly made it for Father's Day and everyone loved it. I had my camera on hand so here is the pic.

Oreo Crust


1 package of Oreo cookies
1 cube butter
Place oreo cookies in a ziploc bag and crush cookies down to small chunks or crumbs. Melt butter and mix with cookie crumbs. Grease bottom of 9x13 pan. Put cookie crumbs in pan and pat down to cover bottom of the pan. Bake at 350 for 7 min.

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
1 jar chocolate fudge
1 jar caramel
dry roasted peanuts
1 tub cool whip

Set ice cream out to soften. When soft, spoon over crust and spread evenly. Freeze for 30 minutes. Next, warm chocolate fudge in microwave and pour over ice cream. Then, pour caramel over chocolate. (do not need to use whole jar for either choc or caramel) Sprinkle peanuts over caramel and chocolate. Freeze until ready to serve. Spread cool whip on top just before serving. Tastes like a peanut buster parfait from DQ!!

SOPAIPILLAS

These are "you can't eat just one". My husband can eat more than...well let's just say he can eat a LOT of these yummy little breads. I like them best with strawberry jam since I'm not really a honey lover.

SOPAIPILLAS

5 ½ c. flour
2 t. salt
2 t. sugar
1 ½ T. baking powder
½ c. + 1 T. shortening

Oil for frying. Fill pan with approximately 2-3 inches of oil. Heat to medium heat

Work all ingredients together with pastry blender or a knife until shortening is worked into flour and is about the size of small peas. Add 2 c. water and knead until smooth. Add a little more flour if dough is too sticky. Cover with damp cloth and let rise for one hour. Pinch off into small amounts, about the size of a ping pong ball. Roll fairly thin. Fry in hot oil, turning when each side is browned and puffy. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or serve hot with honey and butter.

Bajio Chicken

I found this recipe on my new favorite recipe blog. There is something about chicken and carbonation that is just so right. The Sprite in the recipe makes the chicken tender with a little bit of sweetness. I loved this chicken! Might be my new favorite! We served it as a salad but it would be great as taco or quesadilla meat as well.

4 to 5 boneless chicken breasts
6 oz. Sprite
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbs. cumin
1 4oz can diced green chilies

Put all ingredients in crockpot and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Shred chicken and serve.

BBQ Meatballs

This is a Pioneer Woman recipe. In other words, guaranteed to be tasty. Meatballs:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

3/4 cup oats

1 cup milk

3 Tbs. finely chopped onion

1 1/2 tsp. salt

black ground pepper to taste

*Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix really well. Roll into golf ball-size balls (I used a cookie scoop) and place on a cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet in freezer for 5 minutes. Remove from freezer and dredge in flour. In a skillet over medium heat, brown meatballs in canola oil until brown. Place into a baking dish.

Sauce:

1 cup ketchup

2 Tbs. sugar

3 Tbs. vinegar

2 Tbs. Worcestershire

4-6 Tbs. finely chopped onion

dash of Tabasco

*Pour over meatballs and bake for 45 minutes at 350.

Flour Tortillas

My beautiful and talented sister-in-law, Carrie, learned how to make flour tortillas at an Enrichment night. She couldn't believe how easy and yummy they were so she showed the rest of us girls how to do it. She was right...they are so easy and so good!

3 cups flour

4 1/2 Tbs. oil

1 1/2 tsp. salt

*Mix together with hands then add:

1 cup really hot water (heat up in microwave)

*Mix again really well with hands. Tear off golf-ball-size pieces of dough and roll out into a circle (easier said than done) on a well-floured surface. Cook in skillet on stove for a couple of minutes.

Dulce de Leche

I got this recipe from this blog that my sis-in-law told me about. I love this blog because it is full of yummy recipes! Anyways, this delicious caramel sauce was very easy to make and was a hit with everyone. You just have to plan ahead. We poured it over ice cream and fresh, warm apples. But it really could go on anything - brownies, pie, ice cream. Yum. Yum.

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Place unopened can of condensed milk in a saucepan. Fill with water to come about 3/4 of the way up the sides of the can. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low simmer, partially cover saucepan with lid and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Turn can over at halfway point(45 min). When finished, allow the can to cool in the water until it comes to room temperature. Open can and pour into bowl. Add vanilla and stir. Mixture will be thick and taste like caramel. Cover and refrigerate or use right away. Mmmm.

Homemade Play dough

I'm not a big fan of store-bought play dough. I don't like the way it smells. So when we had an "I'm so bored" Summer moment the other day, I decided to try my hand at making some. Super easy and not super smelly.
2 cups flour
2 cups water
1 cup salt
2 Tbs. oil
4 tsp. cream of tartar
*Cook on stove, stirring constantly, until it adheres together like dough. Dump onto a cutting board and knead. Cover and cool in refrigerator for a few minutes before letting kids play with it. You can also add food coloring if you want different colors. Stores well in the fridge if covered.

Caesar Salad

I got this recipe from my "Favorites" cookbook. I love this cookbook! Anyways, we had this salad for dinner served with garlic bread. It was another yummy, lite summer meal that was easy to make. We all loved it! Looks like it will become a regular at our house.

3 stalks of romaine lettuce, torn into pieces
Parmesan cheese, grated or shaved
fresh ground pepper, to taste
croutons

Dressing:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
dash of garlic salt

Combine ingredients in a jar and shake well. Toss with lettuce, cheese, croutons and pepper.

Jen made this amazing chicken/pasta/pesto salad for a Hatch family gathering. She didn't have her camera, so I snapped a pic and told her I would put it on here and then she could add the recipe. If you like pesto, this salad is for you. Muy Bueno.

This Salad is really simple.

1 package of Penne Pasta Cooked
1 package of spinach
1 package of grilled chicken strips
1 Packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing (make according to directions)
1 jar of pesto (you can make your own but I go for easy and buy it)
1 pint of grape tomatoes
1 package of feta cheese

Combine pasta, spinach and chicken strips. Make Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing. Pour pesto and ranch dressing over other ingredients and mix well. (Add as much or as little as you want.) Add tomatoes and mix lightly. Add feta on top. Toasted pine nuts are really good on top to garnish. And Enjoy!

PARMESAN RANCH CHICKEN

This recipe has been a staple for our church group for quite a while. It is so delicious and easy...the two things you want, right? Last time I made it I didn't have any Corn Flakes crumbs so I used Panko Bread Crumbs and it was just as good. I always cook the rice in chicken broth for a better flavor. I prefer brown rice, but my picky husband likes the white stuff!!

PARMESAN RANCH CHICKEN
3/4 c. crushed corn flakes (or Panko breadcrumbs)
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 1oz. package ranch dressing mix
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pound to even thickness)
1/2 c. melted butter

In a shallow bowl, combine the cornflakes or breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and salad dressing mix. Dip chicken in butter, and then roll in cornflake mixture to coat. Place on a greased glass 9x13 casserole dish. Drizzle remaining butter over all. Bake, uncovered, @ 375 for 40 minutes. You don't have to drizzle the remaining butter, but it does taste better (of course it does, butter makes EVERYTHING better!)
Serve over brown or white rice.

Crockpot Stew Meat

I got this recipe out of my Cooking Bible, aka my ward cookbook.
Is there anything better than a good ward cookbook?

My only regret is that I didn't discover this recipe sooner. I love crockpot dinners...especially on Sundays, when everyone comes in the door from church starving like they haven't eaten in weeks. This dinner filled us up and made us all happy.

1 1/2 pounds stew meat

1 envelope brown gravy mix

1 envelope onion soup mix

1 can cream of mushroom

1 can cream of chicken

2 cups water

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped carrots

*Put in crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Mix well before serving over mashed potatoes.

Sweet Ham Sandwiches

This recipe comes from Heidi (Clouse) Allen; a culinary expert and caterer extraordinaire. I had these at a bridal shower and it was love at first bite.

white rolls or potato rolls

deli-sliced honey ham

provolone cheese slices

Sauce:

1 can crushed pineapple, drained well (save juice)

3/4 cup mayo

2 Tbs. brown sugar

little bit of pineapple juice

*Mix really well and then assemble sandwich with a generous spoonful of sauce.

Stir Fry Part 2

The other day Holly said to me, "I'm making stir-fry tonight." I said, "Hey that's funny, so am I!" (When you have a recipe blog with your sister, you tell each other everything you cook or bake and if it's already on the blog). So that evening when I started dinner I realized that I was out of sauce. Don't you hate it when you totally think you have something in your fridge or pantry and then you don't? So I decided to look online and see if I could find an easy homemade stir-fry sauce. I couldn't even tell you which website this came from because I looked at so many, but it was easy and tasty.2 bags frozen stir-fry veggies from Fresh and Easy

2 large chicken breasts cut into chunks

Sauce:

2-3 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup honey

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

*Mix sauce ingredients well and add chicken chunks. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. When ready to cook, heat a large skillet on stove. Add 1 Tbs. oil. Add chicken chunks (and a little sauce) and cook for 5 minutes. Add veggies and stir-fry until heated through. Cover and let sit for a few minutes. Serve over rice.

**If you are looking for a really delicious soy sauce...Brett's cousin told me about one and I love it. It's at Lee Lee's market and it's called Yamasa Tsuyu, naturally brewed soy-sauce based concentrate. Worth a trip out there.

Stir-fry

Tonight, we had chicken stir-fry with fresh vegetables for dinner. I love stir-fry in the summer because it's lite and there are so many good summer vegetables available. Thanks to my college roommate, Brooke, for introducing me to the best stir-fry sauce in the world!! It's called House of Tsang Classic Stir Fry Sauce(pictured below). It's the best and I never use anything else. Give it a try!

3 or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into small chunks
1 head of broccoli, chopped
3 carrots, sliced
2 zucchinis, sliced
1 bottle of House of Tsang Classic Stir fry Sauce

In saucepan, pour a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Add pieces of chicken. Cook until done. Add chopped veggies and sauce. I used 3/4 of the bottle of sauce. We are saucy people around here! Cover with lid and cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes until veggies are tender. Serve over rice.

*Use whatever meat you like, whatever veggies you prefer, and how much sauce you desire.