Our Fun Life!

Frozen Cranberry Salad

My friend Barb  asked me for my recipe that she saw on my food LO- here it is!! Bill likes this more than ice cream!! Enjoy!

Frozen Cranberry Salad

1 8-oz. pkg Low-fat cream Cheese (do not use non-fat), room temperature

2 Tbsp. Sugar

1 16oz. can Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

1 8oz. can Crushed Pineapple, drained

1 c. Low-fat Cool Whip (do not use non-fat)

1 c. Chopped Pecans

Beat cream cheese and sugar till smooth. Add in cranberry sauce and pineapple and mix till combined. Fold in cool whip and pecans.Fill a loaf pan and freeze. Scoop out frozen mixture into dishes.
OR
Line loaf pan w/ plastic wrap, fill, freeze, dip frozen pan into warm water to loosen and turn out onto a plate, remove plastic wrap.
OR
Double the recipe and fill a 13 x 9 x 2 dish.
OR
Fill cupcake papers so frozen individual salads may be stored in freezer zip-lock bags and only the number needed can be taken from the freezer.

Serve Frozen!!!!

Meatball Soup

Meatball Soup

Made this up the other day when I was searching for something to make for dinner. The kids asked me to add it to their recipe book!

Saute some chopped onion and fresh garlic, throw in some frozen cooked meatballs, cover w/ water, add in enough chicken base to taste, bring to boil, stir in dried brown rice, cover pot and simmer until rice is tender.  Add  one frozen package of chopped spinach, a can of petite diced tomatoes and it's juices. Add more water if necessary. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in some Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, some dried oregano, 3 Tbsp. dried parsley, a bit of ground cumin, and a can of Italian beans. Yummy! 

My Grandma's Peach Cobbler

My Grandma would make peach cobbler every time I visited her and I loved it so much I would even eat it for breakfast! I bought some fresh peaches the other day. Last night I peeled and cut them all up and made the cobbler. It was delicious! I have also made it with a pint of fresh strawberries and 3 stalks of fresh chopped rhubarb and another time with a frozen bag of fruit found in the freezer section of the grocery store that contained a strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, and blueberry blend. Both of those are just as delicious!
 
My Grandma's Cobbler

2-4 c. sliced fresh or frozen fruit
1 c. sugar
Mix together in a bowl and let sit at room temperature for 30 min-2 hours.

Place 1 stick of real butter in a DEEP bowl and place in a 350* oven. (Make sure the bowl is deep since the batter will rise and fall during baking)

Mix Batter together:
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. milk

When the stick of butter is melted, remove bowl from the oven. Pour in the batter..DO NOT STIR..then drop in the sugared fruit...DO NOT STIR...place back in the oven. Bake for 1 hour 15 min to 1 hour 30 min. or until a knife poked all the way into the middle shows no uncooked batter.

Let cool to room temperature so it comes together; otherwise it will be runny.
It will be gooey, fruity, and chewy. Serve warmed with vanilla icecream.

 

Christa's Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is one of my favorite soups! I made up this recipe yesterday. Bill, Helen and Hunter went nuts over it. They begged me to write it down. I will include it in their recipe book.

Christa's Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

1 Whole Chicken

1 Large Onion, diced

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 Fresh Serrano Peppers, stemmed and minced

1 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil

1 lb. 12 oz. can Petite Diced Tomatoes, undrained

3 Tbsp. Chicken Base

2 tsp. Kosher Salt

2 tsp. black pepper

1 large bunch Cilantro, stemmed

Garnish:

Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Avocado slices

Tortilla Chips or Strips

Lime Wedges

Directions:

1. Place whole chicken in a stock pot, fill pot with water just until the chicken is covered by one inch. Add in 1/3 of the diced onion. Bring to a low boil. Partially cover pot and cook until done- approximately 45 min-one hour. Remove from heat.

2. Remove chicken and place onto a large cutting board. Cool. Skim off any foam or fat that collected on the surface of the chicken stock in the pot.

3. Remove the chicken meat and discard the bones and skin. Shred or finely chop the chicken meat.

4. Bring the chicken stock back up to a slow boil. Meanwhile in a separate pan, sauté over medium heat the remaining onion in the vegetable oil for two minutes. Add in the garlic and serrano peppers. Sauté two to three more minutes or until the onion is translucent.

5. Add the cooked vegetable mixture, petite diced tomatoes and their juices, chicken base, and diced chicken to the chicken stock. Simmer for ten minutes. Stir in the kosher salt, black pepper, and cilantro. Remove from heat.

6. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish each bowl with tortilla chips, a tablespoon of sharp cheddar cheese and avocado slices. Place a lime wedge on the edge of the bowl. Serve immediately.

7. Extra chips may be served on the side. Squeeze the lime wedge over the broth to give the soup a tasty kick.

Serves 8-10

Notes:

1. The soup can be made ahead and frozen for future use. Prepare through step five omitting the cilantro. When ready to serve, thaw, bring to a simmer, stir in the cilantro, and continue with step six.

2. Fresh jalapenos can be substituted for the serranos.

3. Do not substitute regular salt for the kosher salt.

4. I highly recommend the lime- it doesn't taste the same without it!

5. Fried corn tortilla strips can be used instead of the tortilla chips.

 

Christa's Carrot Cake

Christa's Carrot Cake

Set oven to 350*. Grease and flour cake pan(s).

In a large bowl, stir the following ingredients together:

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 1/3 c. shredded carrots

1 c. vegetable oil

16 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a separate bowl, stir the following ingredients together:

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. pecans or walnuts, chopped

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and gently stir to combine. Do not overmix. Pour into prepared pan(s).
Bake 2- 9inch cake pans for 25-30 minutes or a 9 x 13 pan for 30-35 minutes. Insert toothpick to test for doneness. Cool to room temperature and cover with icing. Refrigerate.

Icing:

In a mixing bowl beat the following together until smooth:

1 c. butter, room temperature

4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 lb. powdered sugar, sift if necessary to remove lumps

Carolyn's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Our friend Carolyn makes the best chocolate chip cookies. She was published with the tip of shaping your cookie dough balls, placing them on a baking sheet, freezing them, then placing the frozen cookie balls in a zip-locked bag. The cookie balls are ready to be baked for unexpected company! Awesome Carolyn! There is nothing like a hot batch right from the oven. Thanks for sharing your yummy recipe!!!

Carolyn's Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. light brown sugar

2 1 /2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 c. milk chocolate chips

 

Beat the butter in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add in the sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Cream together. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add slowly to the creamed mixture. Stir in the chips. Shape into walnut-sized balls and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 350* for 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and the centers are still a little gooey.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

I took this cake and the following salad to a neighborhood celebration recently. This cake is wonderful! Kristina on 2peas posted it and then my friend Tracy made it and also gave it a thumbs up. I made it with several modifications and it was scrumptious. I plan to make another one this week for the grandparents during their visit.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

1/2 cup soft margarine
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder  
1/4 cup cocoa
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup chocolate chips
2 cups shredded zucchini

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into 9 X 13 baking pan. Top with 1 cup chocolate chips and 1/4 cup sugar. Bake 40 minutes at 325 degrees.
My Modifications:
I used butter instead of margarine; 2 tsp. of vanilla instead of one; buttermilk instead of sour milk; 1/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder; used milk chocolate chips; omitted the 1/4 c. choc chips in the batter; and I greased and floured the pan before adding the batter. Mine baked for almost 50 minutes.

Marinated Veggie Salad

Marinated Veggie Picnic Salad:
2 English cucumbers, halved and sliced
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 c. cauliflower, chopped
1 small red onion, cut into slivers
3/4 c. black olives
3/4 c. green olives
1 c. grape tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed
Toss everything together with the dressing. Let marinate 2-3 hours, tossing every 30 minutes. Place in serving bowl and top with 2/3 c. basil and tomato feta cheese.

Dressing:
3/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 large garlic clove
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried chives
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. Kosher salt
2 c. olive oil
Place the vinegar, dry mustard, and garlic clove in a blender and begin to blend. While the blender is on, slowly pour the olive oil in through the opening in the lid to emulsify. Stop the blender and add in the remaining ingredients. Pulse once or twice. Taste to check seasoning.

Roasted Potatoes

One of the kids favorite side dishes is roasted potatoes. I usually have to roast an entire 5 pound bag using 2 very large baking sheets! Leftovers are great mixed in w/ breakfast tacos.
It is a very easy recipe and very tasty. We prefer russet potatoes over red skinned potatoes.
Recipe:

OVEN ROASTED POTATOES
Oven to 425*.
Wash, scrub, and cube the potatoes.
Toss with a light coating of vegetable or canola oil.
Sprinkle generously with Kosher salt (do not use regular salt) and fresh ground pepper.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper (do not use tin foil as they will stick).
Spread out the potatoes on the baking sheet and roast at 425* for 25- 40 minutes or until browned (depends on the size of your cubes).

Notes:
~ I do not turn the potatoes because we like a good crust on the bottom that always forms when you use parchment paper.
~ I leave the skins on for extra nutrition.
~ Don't substitute olive oil since the flavor turns as high temperatures.
~ Sometimes we use different seasoning blends instead of the Kosher salt and pepper.
~ Kosher salt gives a clean flavor- it is the best thing IMO to cook with.

Fantasy Fudge + Juice Jigglers

Seems the kids are into fruit juice jigglers lately and you can't go wrong w/ some tasty fudge! Just used the recipes on the back of the Kraft Marshmallow Creme jar (I left out the nuts) and the Knox gelatin box. Tasty!

Fantasy Fudge (recipe from Kraft site)

3 cups  sugar

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine

1 small can (5 oz.) evaporated milk (about 2/3 cup)

1-1/2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, chopped

1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme

1 cup chopped PLANTERS Walnuts

1 tsp.  vanilla

PLACE sugar, butter and evaporated milk in 3-quart heavy saucepan. Bring to full rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil about 4 minutes or until candy thermometer reaches 234°F, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat.

ADD chocolate and marshmallow creme; stir until  melted.  Add walnuts and vanilla; mix well.

POUR immediately into foil-lined 9-inch square pan; spread to evenly cover bottom of pan. Cool at room temperature at least 4 hours; cut into 81 (1-inch) squares. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Fruit Juice Jigglers
(I used a citrus strawberry blend in this photo and last week made it with with white cranberry juice)

4 env. Knox unflavored  gelatin 4 c. Fruit Juice Sprinkle 4 envelopes gelatin over 1 cup of fruit juice. Let stand 1 minute. Boil 3 cups fruit juice. Add to standing mixture. Stir until gelatin is dissolved. Sweeten to taste. Pour into tray to chill. Cut into blocks.

Spicy Peanut Sesame Noodles

Well I made up this recipe last week and everyone went nuts over it and were begging for more so I made it again tonight and served it with some seared pork loin chops!!! Yummy!! It's a bit spicy but oh so good! Recipe is in MSWord. Enjoy!
Download spicy_peanut_sesame_noodles.doc

Love Spread

Well this appetizer is very rich, very pretty, and very tasty! Perfect for a large party. Leftovers can be warmed and served with chicken, shrimp, or pasta. After my girlfriends left last night, Hunter, Helen, and Bill devoured what was left. It got a huge thumbs-up! I made it in a heart-shaped dish that my step mother Kim gave me.   Download love_spread.doc

Fiesta Guacamole

It was my turn last night to host Bunko. Nothing like a bunch of teachers having a loud and fun time. Forgot to take pictures. Some of my recipes were requested so I will post them here. This guacamole rocks!! Follow the recipe exactly as stated.

Download fiesta_guacamole.doc

Recipe- Garlic Cheddar Chive Biscuits

Tracy asked me to post this quick and easy recipe...it's great w/ soup and salads. Is in MSWord....
Download garlic_cheddar_chive_biscuits.doc

20 Page Recipe Packet

Thought I would start my recipe section by including a packet I made for the local Seminary Wives Group when I was asked to be their guest speaker one month last year. This packet is 20 pages in MSWord and has great recipes....enjoy!

Download christas_cooking_tips_and_recipes_class_20_pages.doc