Turkey Noodle Soup

We baked up a good tasting turkey the other day. The only problem with baking a yummy turkey is what do you do with all of the left overs? Well, I decided to make some homemade soup and it was yummy in my family's tummy.

TURKEY NOODLE SOUP
turkey stock (see below on how to make it)
4 C carrots, chopped
4 C onions, chopped
4 C celery, chopped
turkey
5 garlic cloves, chopped
a 16 oz. bag of bow tie pasta
grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

First, you need to take the left over turkey bones and the meat stuck to the bone and put it in a large pot. Cover the turkey bones with water. Add a bunch of cut up carrots, onions, and celery to the pot. I put in about 2 cups of each. Add a few cloves of garlic too. Bring the stock base to a boil then let it simmer for about 4 hours. After the stock has simmered strain all the extras and chunks from the broth. Pour the broth into a new pot. Add the rest of the carrots, onions, and celery. Add 3 cloves of garlic too. Bring the broth and veggies to a boil then let them simmer until the veggies are soft yet still bitey. Add the turkey meat pieces and the bag of noodles. Let the soup cook on medium heat for another 10-12 minutes or until noodles are al dente. Remove soup from heat and let sit for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in a bowl with Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the soup.

Mom's Sugar Cookies

Gramma MAS had a few holiday traditions. Our favorite was her homemade sugar cookies. Well, my mom has kept that tradition alive. She altered Gramma's recipe a bit and it creates the most moist, light sugar cookies in the world. I can never get them quite right though... maybe she's holding out on a secret ingredient?

MOM'S SUGAR COOKIES
1/2 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
2 eggs
2 T heavy cream
1 t vanilla
2 1/2 C flour
1/2 t salt
1/4 t baking soda

Mix flour, salt and soda in a bowl. In a separate bowl cream butter, sugar, eggs, cream and vanilla. Combine the flour mixture with the creamed ingredients and mix well. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 2 hours. After the dough has chilled preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll the dough out onto a slightly oiled or floured surface until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out the cookies with cookie cutters then place on a lightly sprayed baking sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until barely golden on top and edges. Let the cookies sit on the sheet for a few minutes after you remove them from the oven. Transfer them to a wax paper lined cooling rack. Let the cookies sit for about 30 minutes before frosting them.

CREAMY COOKIE FROSTING
1 C powdered sugar
1/4 t salt
2 t vanilla
2+ T heavy cream
food coloring or coloring paste

Blend the sugar, salt, vanilla and cream on high until mixed. If you need to, add some more cream to achieve the desired consistency. Tint with coloring. Spread on cooled cookies. Enjoy!

Harvest Chili

I love autumn time. When the weather begins to cool off, leaves turn color, and the pumpkins line the houses along the street I know it's time to eat chili. Here is an easy, and somewhat healthy recipe to satisfy your fall food cravings.

HARVEST CHILI

1 pound of extra lean ground beef
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large can of pinto beans
1 can of red kidney beans, drained
1 can of black beans, drained
1 can of Ro-tel brand tomatoes and green chiles
1 can of El Pato brand tomato sauce
1 can of stewed tomatoes, drained
1 can of crushed tomatoes
1 pouch of taco seasoning
1 can of tomato sauce
1 t basil

optional ingredients:
cheese, grated
green onions, chopped
olives, chopped
sour cream

Brown the beef with half of the onions, peppers, and garlic in a large skillet. Drain the beef mix. Put the beef mix into a slow cooker. Add all of the other ingredients and stir. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Spoon into bowls, top with cheese, green onions, olives, and a dollop of sour cream then serve.

Sweet Potato Chicken Corn Chowder

3 cups milk
1 cup Jiffy yellow corn muffin mix
3 T. butter
1 onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced fine
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
4 cans chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 " cubes
2 sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
3 cups frozen corn
1/2 cup chopped fresh 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 30 seconds. Add broth, chicken and sweet potatoes. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until sweet potatoes are just tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in milk and muffin mixture and simmer until soup thickens, about 10 minutes. Add cheese and corn and cook until cheese begins to melt, about 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve while still warm.

Cornbread

So, for years I've made the old standby Jiffy cornbread. The problem is I can never get it to turn out moist. Today I baked up some old fashioned, homemade cornbread. It was wonderful, if I do say so myself! The great thing is if you don't have time to do it all from scratch you can use the Jiffy mix too. I've done both and they are scrumptious. The secret is: just add some creamed corn! You gotta love it.

CORNBREAD (The made-from-scratch version)
2 C yellow cornmeal
1 t sea salt
1 T sugar
1 T honey
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 C buttermilk or milk
1 T sour cream
2 eggs
1 C creamed corn
2 T canola oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, salt, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix well. In another large bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, creamed corn and oil, whisking together to combine thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture and stir to combine. If the batter will not pour, add some milk to the batter. Pour the batter into an oiled ten inch cast iron skillet or an 8x8 sprayed baking dish. Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes.

CORNBREAD (easy Jiffy version)
2 boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix
1 T sour cream
1 T honey
1 can of creamed corn

Follow the directions on the Jiffy cornbread boxes. Add the sour cream, honey and the can of creamed corn. Mix well. Bake according to Jiffy cornbread box directions. Pour into an oiled 10 inch cast iron skillet or a sprayed 8x8 baking dish. Make sure a toothpick comes clean before you take it out of the oven. So easy, huh?

Extras: To make it extra yummy (and fattening) you can add a cup of cheddar cheese to the mix. Also, a can or two of green chiles can add some flavor if you want to spice things up.

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

Here is a wonderful recipe that creates light, fluffy whole wheat rolls... and you thought it was impossible! Seriously, this roll recipe is awesome if you want to a bit healthier cinnamon rolls. Have fun!

SHAR'S WHOLE WHEAT CINNAMON ROLLS
3 C fresh ground whole white wheat flour
1/2 C buttermilk powder or powdered milk
1/4 C potato flour
1/3 C vital wheat gluten
3 T SAF instant yeast
3 T dough enhancer

In a Bosch mixer, with a dough hook, mix on speed 2 for several minutes to ensure the powdered dairy will not lump. Add the following ingredients, in order:

3 C warm water, 115 degrees
1/2 C honey or xagave
1/2 C canola oil

Mix for 2-3 minutes on speed 2. Remove bowl from mixer, cover and let sponge for 15-20 minutes until the dough doubles in size. Put bowl back on mixer then add:

2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 T sea salt

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Continue to add fresh ground flour until the dough starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl but never picks up the bottom. The dough will be sticky. Knead on speed 2 for 6-7 minutes until the gluten develops.

To form the cinnamon rolls do the following:
1) Oil your hands and counter then roll out dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick and 12 inches wide.
2) Spread with room temperature (soft) butter, about a stick or two.
3) Sprinkle with brown sugar, around 2+ cups.
4) Sprinkle generously with cinnamon or sweet spice blend.
5) Loosely roll the dough about 2-3 times, starting with the long side.
6) Cut the roll with dental floss to be about 1 and 1/2 to 2 inches thick.
7) Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet.
8) Turn the oven off. Place rolls in warm oven and let rise and double in size. (20-30 minutes)
9) Remove rolls from oven, preheat to 350 degrees. Bake rolls for 20-25 minutes. Make sure the rolls in the center are baked through before removing from the oven.
10) Remove rolls from oven. Frost while still warm with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe:
2- 8 oz. cream cheese packages
1 stick of butter, softened to room temperature
2 t vanilla
powdered sugar

Cream the first 3 ingredients with a mixer. Add powdered sugar by the cup until you have a fluffy, soft consistency. If you want to extend the frosting add some milk.

Hint: If you want to freeze the cinnamon rolls for a later date bake them for 12 minutes at 350 degrees, then remove from the oven and cover with plastic. Freeze. When you're ready, remove rolls from freezer, let sit for 20-30 minutes then bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Frost and serve while warm.

Zuppa Toscana

Every so often Rob and I get the chance to dine at Olive Garden. Almost every time we eat there Rob orders the Zuppa Toscana soup. I found the recipe for the soup and gave it a try, it was scrumptious and simple to make. It's the perfect heart-warming soup for an autumn evening.

ZUPPA TOSCANA
1 pound of mild Italian sausage links
1/2 package of bacon
1 onion, chopped
4 potatoes, chopped with skins left on
3 C of kale, chopped
3 cans of chicken broth
2 C heavy whipping cream

Place the sausage in a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cooked through. While the sausage is baking cook the bacon, place it on a paper towel, pat the grease off and then crumble it. Drain the excess grease out of the pan you used to cook the bacon then saute the onions until clear in the same pan. Remove the sausage from the oven, pat of excess grease, then cut into bite sized chunks. In a slow cooker place all the ingredients and stir. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Serve hot and enjoy. Yields 6 servings.

Stephanie's Corn Chowder

My sister-in-law Stephanie makes a mean chowder, corn chowder that is. This was fairly easy to cook and tasted so warm and lightly rich. Great soup for a fall afternoon.

STEPHANIE'S CORN CHOWDER
4 C potatoes, peeled and diced
1 C carrots, diced or grated
1/2 C celery, diced
1/4 C onion, chopped
2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 C milk
1/4 C butter
1/4 C flour
1 bag of frozen corn, thawed
1/2 C Parmesan cheese, grated

Cut up vegetables. Place in a large pot. Pour water over the vegetables until just covered. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add flour to make a paste then add the milk to it. Stir until a thick, smooth sauce forms. Add the cheese to the sauce and stir. Pour sauce into the vegetable pot and stir until mixed. Add corn then stir and serve while still warm.

Whole Wheat Bread

I've always wanted to be a great bread baker. Alas, my attempts over the years have never been quite earning of the "great bread baker" title. My loaves always turned out a little bit off. Well, I got a Bosch mixer a few weeks ago so I've been experimenting. The first batch was too heavy, the second batch was a bit lighter but still no dice, the third batch was just right. Hooray for me and the wonderful Bosch mixer! Here is the recipe that turned out just right for me.

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
8+ C fresh ground whole wheat flour, to start with (10-11 C of wheat will mill enough flour for this recipe)
1/3 C vital wheat gluten
1/2 C potato flour
1/2 C powdered milk or buttermilk
4 T dough enhancer
5 T SAF instant yeast
2 T sea salt
1 C canola oil
2/3 C honey or xagave
6 C warm water (approximately 115 degrees)

In Bosch mixer with dough hook, sift dry ingredients together on speed 1 for 1 minute. Add warm water, oil, and honey. Mix on speed 1 and add wheat flour until the dough pulls cleanly away from the sides and bottom of the bowl. Be careful not to add too much flour. Dough should be sticky.
Knead on speed 2 for 8 minutes. Check the consistency of the dough. If the dough is too sticky, add some white flour to soak up the moisture. If it's too dry add a dew tablespoons of water. Mix for another 2 minutes. Check the dough again. If it feels right you need to check if the gluten has developed. Do this by grabbing a small ball of dough, flattening it in between your slightly oiled palms, and pulling the dough to see if it makes an elastic window. It should not tear holes but stretch. If dough is ready turn oven on to 200 degrees.
Place dough on a lightly oiled surface. Divide dough into 4-5 equal pieces, depending on how much you yielded. Roll and shape loaves. Place in sprayed, non-stick bread pans, 8.5" x 4.5" size. (I also like to divide one of the dough pieces and form 4 little loaves, the 5.5" x 3" size, they're the perfect size for little children). Turn the oven off and place the loaves into the oven to proof. Let them rise for 20-30 minutes of until each loaf has risen about 2 inches above the top of the pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until the internal temperature of the bread is 200 degrees. Serve warm or cool on a rack. If the bread is completely cooled you can place it in freezer bags and freeze it for up to 30 days. Enjoy!

Wicked Witch Fingers

We all know that the Wicked Witch was green but who knew her fingers could be so tasty?

WICKED WITCH FINGERS
Dough:
3/4 C warm water (115 degrees)
3 t SAF dry active yeast
1 T buttermilk powder or powdered milk
1 egg
1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 C soft butter
2 T sugar
1 t salt
1 t Italian seasoning
1 t garlic salt
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t green food coloring
2+ C flour

Topping:
1 egg white, beaten
1/2 package of shredded Italian cheese blend
sliced almonds
1/4 C melted butter

In a Bosch mixer combine all the dough ingredients in order, except at first add only 1 cup of flour. Mix until blended. Add the rest of the flour. On speed 2 mix the dough until it pulls clean away from sides and bottom of bowl. If it's too dry add a bit of water, if it's too wet add a bit more flour. (Turn on the oven to 200 degrees). Knead on speed 2 for 6-8 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic like. Pinch off balls of dough, place onto a lightly oiled surface and roll into bread stick shapes. Place bread sticks on a sprayed baking sheet. When all the bread sticks are formed turn the oven off and place the bread sticks in the oven to proof. Let the bread sticks rise, about 20-30 minutes, until about doubled in size. Pull bread out of the oven. Brush the bread sticks with the egg white, sprinkle the Italian cheese blend over the bread sticks then gently push a sliced almond into the tip of each bread stick. Bake the bread sticks at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Pull the bread out of the oven and brush with melted butter. Serve warm or let cool and store in an air tight container.

Eyeballs a la Fork

This recipe was in Family Fun and I just had to try it. It was trickier to pull off than I thought! Good luck and make sure to really keep your eyes on the white chocolate... hee hee hee!

EYEBALLS A LA FORK
2 dozen doughnut holes
1 bag of white chocolate chips
2 T milk
24 milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tube of red decorator's icing
24 strong plastic forks

Place the doughnut holes on the prongs of the forks. Melt the white chocolate and milk in a small saucepan until smooth. Dip a doughnut hole into the chocolate and coat well. Push a chocolate chip into the coated doughnut hole, using the tip to push inside the doughnut. Place doughnut and fork in a glass to set. Repeat until all the doughnut holes have been dipped. Let them sit for at least an hour or two. After the chocolate coating has set use the red decorator's icing to draw eyeball lines on the doughnuts. Let sit so the icing can harden. Serve when ready.

Monster's Brew

When I was growing up there was a house in our neighborhood that always served homemade root beer for Halloween. Naturally, I associate homemade root beer with Halloween now. I was so excited to give this a try and luckily it turned out great.

MONSTER'S BREW (aka Root Beer)
3 C sugar
3 C dark brown sugar
1 bottle of root beer extract
6 liters of club soda
2 liters plus of cold water
10 lbs. dry ice

In a large container, such as a cooler or cauldron, mix sugars and 2 liters of water until the sugar is dissolved. Add the bottle of root beer flavoring. Stir then add the club soda. Mix and taste. If it's too sweet add more water. If it's not sweet enough stir in more brown sugar until the taste is right. Once you feel the taste is right drop in 4-5 lbs. of the dry ice. Let it "brew" for about an hour. When it's ready to serve add the rest of the dry ice and it'll look like a creepy concoction for all your guests to enjoy.

Poison Apples

One of my favorite things on Earth is a good caramel apple. How could I resist making some for Halloween desert?

POISON APPLES
10 organic Granny Smith apples, organic ones don't have a wax layer
2 bags of Kraft caramel bits
2 T water
2 T milk
butter or non-stick spray

Optional toppings:
crumbled Oreo cookies
diced nuts
mini-marshmallows
chocolate chips
candy sprinkles
M&M candies
melted chocolate

Remove any stems from the apples. Push a craft stick into the bottom of each apple. In a medium saucepan, on medium heat, melt caramel bits, water, and milk until smooth. Dip each apple in the mixture then place onto buttered/sprayed wax paper sheet. Let sit for at least an hour or two before serving. If you want to add toppings you'll need to roll the caramel covered apple in the desired topping right after it's been dipped. You can even drizzle melted chocolate over the apple too. Have fun!

The apple above was done by my four year old son, isn't it a beauty?

Frankenbrownies

This treat is so simple it's frightening! I stumbled upon this idea on the Betty Crocker website and had to give it a try.

FRANKENBROWNIES

1 box of brownies, prepared according to package
1 can of vanilla frosting
green food coloring
1 small bag of candy corn
1 small tube of black decorator's frosting
1 bag of mini-marshmallows
1 bottle of chocolate sprinkles

Prepare the brownies in a 13"x9"pan then let them completely cool. Carefully cut the brownies into 12 equal pieces. Drop some green food coloring in the can of frosting and stir until blended. Frost the brownies with the green frosting. Sprinkle the chocolate sprinkles on the "top" of the Frankenbrownie "heads". Cut 12 marshmallows in half to make 2 circles. Place the halves to make the whites of the eyes. Use the black decorator's frosting to add the pupils to the eyes and draw mouths. Stick candy corns in the sides of the brownies to add some monster bling and you're done. Yummy yet creepy too!

Mini Mummies

I found this recipe on Picky Palate. It's really easy and doesn't wrap up too much of your time... pun totally intended.

MINI MUMMIES
12-14 hot dogs
2 cans of Pillsbury crescent dough sheets

Roll out the dough sheets onto a lightly oiled surface. Cut the dough into thin quarter to half inch size strips. Start at the end of a hot dog and wrap the dough around until it runs out. It took 2 and a half strips to wrap each hot dog. Make sure to leave a small space for the "face". Place wrapped hot dogs on a sprayed baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool then dot mustard to make eyes on the mummies. Serve.

Ghouly Guts and Bat Blood

My mom always served us this devilish dish before we headed out trick-or-treating. With a little help from our imaginations, and food coloring, we turned regular old spaghetti into a monstrous meal.

GHOULY GUTS
1 package of spaghetti pasta, prepared al dente according to package
green food coloring

After preparing the pasta add some green food coloring and stir. Coat the noodles until green.

BAT BLOOD
Prepare a batch of tomato sauce and just call it bat blood. I have a good recipe for sauce already posted in case you need one.

White Dinner Rolls

SHAR'S WHITE DINNER/CINNAMON ROLLS
3 C unbleached white flour
1/2 C buttermilk powder or powdered milk
1/4 C potato flour
3 T SAF instant yeast

In a Bosch mixer with the dough hook place the above listed ingredients. Mix on speed 2 for several minutes so the powdered dairy will not lump up. Now add, in order:

3 C warm water, 115 degrees
1/2 C honey or xagave
1/2 C canola oil
3 eggs, slightly beaten
2 T sea salt

Continue to add unbleached flour until the dough starts pulling away from the sides of the mixing bowl but never picks up the bottom. This dough will be sticky. Knead on speed 2 for 5 minutes or until the gluten develops. Put the dough in a large, sprayed bowl and let rise until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Shape dough into small "golf" sized balls. Place balls close together on parchment lined baking sheet, about 24 dough balls should fit. Brush with a egg wash made up of 1 egg beaten with 2 T water. Turn oven off and place dough into the oven to rise until double in size (25-30 minutes). Remove from oven and preheat to 350 degrees and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Shar's Whole Wheat Bread

In my attempt to become a great bread baker I took a class at Shar's Kitchen Center. If you live in the Phoenix area, this is a great place to take FREE baking classes. Here is the wholesome, health conscience recipe that I got at the class. Oh, and it's delicious bread too!

SHAR'S WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
6 C warm water, 115 degrees
2 T sea salt
2/3 C canola oil
2/3 C of honey or xagave (xagave is better for diabetics)
3 T dough enhancer
1/3 C vital wheat gluten
3 T SAF instant yeast
6 to 8 C of fresh ground flour to begin with

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. The recipe is designed to be used with a Bosch mixer using the dough hook. Combine the ingredients in order starting with the water going down until you add the flour. Turn the machine to speed 2 after you've added all the ingredients. Watch the dough and add flour until the dough pulls away from the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl. When you can see the sides pull clean as well as the dough coming clean from the bottom you know you've added enough flour. Do not add too much flour, but if you do add a bit of water to fix the consistency. The dough should be very sticky and should not come together at this point but the bowl should be "clean".
Knead the dough on speed 2 for 8-10 minutes or until the gluten is developed. Again, if the dough seems dry add a few tablespoons of water making sure the sides of the bowl stay clean. If the dough starts sticking add a tablespoon of white flour to fix it. Take a small ball of dough, roll it, flatten it between your oiled palms into a pancake type shape, then take the edges of the dough and slowly pull it apart. You should be able to make it quite thin and elastic like without getting a big hole in the dough.
Oil your hands and counter. Remove dough from mixer and divide it into 4-5 large loaves (8.5"x4.5"), weighing 1 lb. 14 oz. each, or 9-11 small loaves (5.5"x3"), weighing 12 oz. each. Shape the loaves and place in well sprayed pans. Turn off your oven. Place pans in the oven to proof and rise. This usually takes 25-30 minutes. When the dough has risen about 2 inches above the pan it is ready to bake.
Remove dough from oven then preheat to 350 degrees. Bake bread for 30-35 minutes or until the internal temperature of the bread is 200 degrees. To do this remove a bread pan, take the loaf out of the pan, insert an instant read thermometer in the bottom center of the loaf. If it is not 200 degrees place back in pan and bake an additional 2-5 minutes and check again.
Cool bread on cooling racks. Place bread into freezer bags and place in freezer. The bread can be frozen for up to 30 days and keep all the nutritional value.

Carol's Mac 'n Cheese

If I'm gonna have mac n cheese make it Carol's please! My friend Carol makes the best macaroni and cheese there is. Her awesomely simple recipe is sure to put cheesy mustaches on your children's smiling faces.

CAROL'S MACARONI & CHEESE

16 oz. bag of large elbow macaroni or similar pasta
4 cans of cheddar cheese soup
2 cans of evaporated milk
Cheddar cheese, shredded

Cook pasta al dente, drain then place in a non-stick sprayed casserole dish. In a bowl whisk the soup and milk until blended. Pour that mixture over the pasta, then stir, coating the noodles well. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Pull dish out of the oven and stir in desired amount of cheddar cheese. Place back in oven for about 10-15 minutes, until the top of the dish gets a nice bit of golden color. Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes. Serve while still warm.

White Chicken Chili

I always fall for fall time. I adore the rich, earthy colors, the nutty spices that are used in the kitchen, as well as the cooler weather. One of my favorite fall foods is chili. This year I decided to try something new and make a batch of white chili. I have to admit I was nervous when I started. I found a recipe, made a few improvisations, and waited to see if it would turn out. Luckily, it did!

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI
4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 T olive oil
1 T garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 cans white beans, rinsed & drained
2 cans of green chiles
1 t chili powder
1 t oregano
1 t salt
1 t white pepper
1 can of chicken broth
1 can of corn, drained
1 C sour cream
1/2 C of heavy cream

In a skillet fry the onions and half of the garlic in the olive oil until clear and fragrant. Combine all of the ingredients, except for the sour cream and heavy cream, in a crock pot. Cook on the low setting for 3-4 hours. Right before you want to serve the chili add the sour cream and heavy cream and stir well heating all the way through to prevent lumps. Serves up to 10.

Sausage Ratatouille

My children love to watch the movie Ratatouille. Last time we watched it I thought about how I had never actually eaten ratatouille. I was intrigued, to say the least. To my utter delight the October issue of Family Fun magazine had a recipe for ratatouille. I studied the recipe, made a few minor changes, and cooked me up some yummy ratatouille. It was definitely a good experiment!

SAUSAGE RATATOUILLE
4 links of light Italian sausage
6 T olive oil
1 eggplant, peeled and diced
2 zucchini, halved and sliced
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 T tomato paste
2 T fresh parsley, chopped
3 T fresh basil, chopped
salt
pepper
1 bag of grated Italian cheese mix

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Puncture the sausages in many places then place in boiling water. Cook on a low boil until cooked through (around 14 minutes). Put sausage on a paper towel covered plate and let cool. Slice sausage to desired size. Over medium-high heat warm 4 T of the olive oil in a deep skillet. Add the eggplant and zucchini. Saute until lightly brown but not soft (around 7 minutes). Transfer the eggplant and zucchini to a bowl. In the same skillet over medium heat warm the remaining 2 T oil. Add the onions, half of the garlic and peppers. Saute for 3 minutes. Stir in the rest of the garlic and sausage. Saute for another 3 minutes. Add the can of diced tomatoes, then the eggplant and zucchini mix. Stir, turn the heat down to medium-low, then partially cover the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, parsley, half for the basil, then salt and pepper to taste, stir and simmer for another 5 minutes. Place a serving of ratatouille on a dish, sprinkle with some of the cheese, then top with a dash of the remaining fresh basil. Serve and enjoy.

Cheese Enchiladas

Above is the flat, stacked enchilada.

Above is the rolled enchilada.

Gramma MAS grew up as a rancher's daughter in south-eastern Arizona. One of the many things she grew up with was great Mexican food. This recipe is modeled after the one Gramma MAS grew up eating, just a bit easier than the real thing!

CHEESE ENCHILADAS
1 large can of Rosarita red enchilada sauce
1 can of Ro-tel diced tomatoes and chiles
12 corn tortillas
shortening
salt
grated cheddar or Mexican style cheese
lettuce, shredded
tomatoes, diced
green onions, diced
olives
sour cream

Pour the enchilada sauce and diced tomatoes with chiles in a pot. Stir and let simmer on medium-low heat. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, on high heat, melt a spoonful of shortening. When it's hot add a corn tortilla. Fry it, turning it over after about 30 seconds, to get each side of the tortilla. The tortilla should still be somewhat pliable, not too crisped. Remove the tortilla from the pan and place on paper towels to cool. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Repeat until the tortillas are all fried.
For a flat, stacked style enchilada: Place a tortilla on a plate. Cover with cheese. Spoon sauce over the cheese. Repeat until you have 3 layers. On the very top add more cheese. Place in microwave for a minute to melt the cheese, if desired. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, sour cream, and an olive. Serve.
For the rolled style enchilada: Place a tortilla on a plate. In the center of the tortilla sprinkle a row of cheese. Roll the tortilla around the cheese. Repeat to form a second roll. Smother the rolls with sauce and cheese. Place in microwave to melt cheese, if desired. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, sour cream, and an olive. Serve.

Easy Tomato Sauce

A good pasta sauce is a staple in most homes. Growing up, my parents served many of the neighborhood children spaghetti. They somehow would smell the garlic and tomatoes and invite themselves to supper. This recipe is not gourmet, it's just quick, easy and good.

EASY TOMATO SAUCE
1 jar of garden style spaghetti sauce
1 can of tomato sauce
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of stewed tomatoes
1 T basil
1 t oregano
2 T Parmesan cheese
5 cloves of garlic, diced
1 onion, diced
1 lb. of extra lean ground beef (optional)
1 T olive oil
1 t garlic salt
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper

PASTA
1 bag of the pasta of your choice
water
2 T butter
1 T garlic salt
3 T Parmesan cheese

Pour oil in a deep saute pan and warm on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and the onions into the pan. Saute for a few minutes then add the beef. Add the basil, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Brown the beef until cooked through then drain any excess grease. Pour the rest of the ingredients in with the beef. Let sauce simmer on low heat while you boil the pasta according to package directions. When the pasta is cooked to al dente drain the water from it. Add butter, garlic salt, and Parmesan to the noodles. Stir to coat all the pasta. Place a serving of pasta on a dish then top with desired amount of sauce. Enjoy.

Mountain Fuel Cookies

When Rob's mother, Ivie, worked at Mountain Fuel in Salt Lake City she acquired this recipe. The Phippens grew up enjoying these chocolate sensations and always called them the Mountain Fuel Cookies. They are truly delicious and easy to bake.

MOUNTAIN FUEL COOKIES
1 box of brownie or chocolate cake mix
1/3 C shortening
2 eggs

FROSTING
1 C powdered sugar
1/2 t vanillla
1 T milk

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat until well mixed. Scoop out spoonfuls of dough and roll into balls. Place, about 2 inches apart, on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie is lightly browned. Place cookies on a wax paper lined cooling rack. While cookies are cooling prepare frosting. Combine all the frosting ingredients in a mixing bowl. Whip until mixed. You may need to add a bit more milk to get the right consistency. Once the cookies are cool you can make the "sandwiches". Place frosting in between 2 of the cookies making a cookie sandwich. Repeat until finished then serve.

*Note: A simple cream cheese or butter cream frosting is really good with the cookies too.

Thai Inspired Stir Fry

We love stir fry around my house. My children affectionately call it "chickie rice". They request it for dinner at least once a week. This past week I decided to add some flair to our stir fry. I used Jasmine rice and coconut milk to give our dish a Thai flair. It was so fun to taste the sweet and spicy in one simple dish. Give it a try!

THAI INSPIRED STIR FRY
Rice:
Jasmine rice
1 can of coconut milk
water

Stir-fry:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped
1 zucchini, diced
2 red bell peppers, cored & chopped
2 broccoli crowns, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 green onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
Any other veggies you'd like to add for flavor.
1/2 C Yoshida's sauce
1/4 C light soy sauce
2 t red pepper
1/4 t garlic salt

First, prepare the Jasmine rice according to package or rice cooker instructions. Substitute half of the water required with coconut milk. If you like the rice even sweeter only use the coconut milk, no water. While rice is cooking, warm a large, deep skillet. Pour soy sauce in skillet and warm. Add chicken chunks to medium-high heat. Stir. Add half of Yoshida's sauce, fresh garlic and garlic salt. Saute chicken until cooked through. Stir in all other ingredients. Saute, on medium heat, until the vegetables are cooked but still a tad bitey. Do not overcook the vegetables, they'll turn to mush! When the rice is done place a scoop of it into a bowl. Top with the stir-fry mix. Serve.

Scrambled Eggs

I know I'm not the only mom in the whole world that knows how to make scrambled eggs. That being said, scrambled eggs are one of my kids' favorite foods. Here is how I make 'em up!

SCRAMBLED EGGS
6 eggs
1/2 C of grated cheese
1/4 C milk
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
pinch of garlic salt

Crack the eggs open and pour contents into a mixing bowl. Add other ingredients. Mix with a whisk or fork until well blended. Coat a skillet with non-stick spray and set on stove at medium-high heat. Pour egg mix into the warmed skillet. Let sit for a moment then scrape and turn the eggs in the skillet. Keep doing this until the eggs are fully cooked. Serve with toast.

Dad's Mashed Potatoes

Making mashed potatoes is a serious business to my dad. If you add or alter them in anyway he accuses you of destroying them! The funny thing is, my Grandpa takes mashed potato making serious too. Must be a Smith man thing. Here is Dad's simple yet yummy recipe for flawless potatoes.

DAD'S MASHED POTATOES
Potatoes, peeled and cut into equal pieces
water, to boil potatoes in
1/4 C of milk
1/4 C of butter
1/4 C of sour cream
1 t salt

Place the potatoes in a pot of boiling water. Bring back to a boil then turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook for 35-45 minutes or until the potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork. Drain the water off the potatoes. Mash the potatoes. Add milk, butter, sour cream and salt. Mash a bit more then blend with a mixer until smooth. If needed, add more milk, butter, and/or salt to taste.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

A few years ago my mom asked me to find a new side dish for Thanksgiving. That very day I decided to watch an episode of America's Test Kitchen. They demonstrated this recipe for mashed sweet potatoes and I decided it needed to be a dish at Thanksgiving. We've served these sweet, creamy taters ever since.

MASHED SWEET POTATOES
4 T butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 T heavy cream
1/2 t salt
1 t sugar
2 pounds of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into equal pieces
1/4 t black pepper

Combine butter, cream, salt, sugar and potatoes in a large pot. Stir together then cook, covered, on low heat. Stir occasionally. Cook until potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork, 35-45 minutes. Remove from heat. Mash potatoes then beat until smooth. Stir in pepper and serve.

Fruit Salad

Gramma MAS loved compiling fancy fruit salads. My mom took her fruity fun a step further and added whipped cream and pecans to the top of the salad to make it truly irresistible.

FRUIT SALAD
1 cantaloupe, peeled and cut into pieces
2-4 oranges, peeled and cut into pieces
2-4 apples, cored and sliced into pieces
1 pint of strawberries, stems removed and sliced
1 jar of maraschino cherries, juice included
1-2 cans of pineapple chunks, juice included
1/2 bunch of green grapes, removed from stem

optional:
blueberries
blackberries
pomegranate seeds
mini-watermelon
peaches
Basically any fruit you'd like to add. The more the better!
pecans (to top the salad)

Make sure all fruit is washed, prepared and cut into bite size pieces. Compile the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir. Let sit for 10 minutes to let juices combine. In the meantime...

WHIPPED CREAM
1 carton of heavy whipping cream
1 t vanilla
1/4 C powdered sugar (more if you like it sweeter)

Pour cream into a mixing bowl. Add vanilla. Start beating on high with a mixer. Slowly add powdered sugar. Continue to beat until peaks begin to form in the cream. Beat until you achieve desired texture.

Serve fruit salad in a bowl. Top with whipped cream and pecans, if desired.

Date Pinwheel Cookies

Grandmother Scarlett loved baking these delectable treats for her grandchildren. My dad remembers running into her quaint house, passing her altogether, heading straight to her freezer and grabbing a cookie, then returning to give Grandmother a hug and a kiss, his mouth already full of date pinwheel goodness. Here is her authentic recipe, straight from our Alabama heritage to your kitchen!

DATE PINWHEEL COOKIE DOUGH:
1 C butter, softened
2 C brown sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
4 C flour, sifted
1/2 t salt
1 t baking soda

Cream the butter with a mixer. Add the brown sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Mix the flour, salt, and soda in a bowl. Pour the dry mix into the cream mix. Stir until well blended. Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator, about 2 hours.

DATE FILLING:
2 1/4 C chopped dates
1 C water
1 C sugar
1 1/2 C chopped pecans

Cook the dates, sugar, and water in a saucepan over low heat until thickened. It usually takes about 10 minutes. Add the pecans then let cool.

When filling is cool dough is chilled take the dough and divide it in half. Roll each half out, on a lightly floured surface, until about a quarter inch thick. Spread half of the filling on each dough half. Roll up the dough, like a jelly roll or cinnamon roll loaf. Wrap the two rolls in wax paper and chill in the refrigerator. After about an hour or two, remove the dough from the refrigerator. Cut the rolls, with a sharp knife, to be about a quarter inch thick. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray then place cookies on it. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes until the top is golden brown. Remove cookies from sheet and place on a wax paper lined cooling rack. Serve after the cookies are cool to the touch.

Grape Sherbet

Gramma MAS' aunt Lola invented this gorgeous grape sherbet as a foods project in college. Lola took her Aunt Rosa's grape ice cream idea and turned it into this yummy treat. The infusion of grape juice, sugar, and lemon gives it an original taste that is truly scrumptious.

GRAPE SHERBET
1 package of Knox gelatin
1/2 C cold water
1 C boiling water
2 C sugar
the juice of 4 lemons, freshly squeezed
1/8 t of salt
1 1/2 pints of Welch's grape juice
1 quart of half and half
1 can of evaporated milk

Pour the cold water into a small mixing bowl. Dissolve the gelatin in the cold water by stirring. Next, pour the boiling water over the cold water with the gelatin and stir. Pour the mix into the ice cream canister and add all of the other ingredients while constantly stirring. After the ingredients are mixed, taste it. You want the mix to be a bit sweeter and grapier than you'd prefer it to be. Add sugar and grape juice until you get to that desired taste. Put the canister into the ice cream machine and pack it with ice and rock salt. The usual ratio to do that is 2 inches of ice followed by an inch of rock salt, repeat until freezer is packed full. The freezing process usually takes around 45 minutes. Serve and then freeze left overs.

Note: this recipe is made in a large (5 quart) ice cream freezer. If you need to you can adjust the recipe to fit a smaller freezer.

Chicken Enchiladas

My cousin's wife ,Jennifer, gave us a chicken enchilada recipe years ago. After a bit of tweaking, Mom has perfected this rich and festive dish.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 large can of green enchilada sauce
1 small can of diced green chiles (optional)
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 small container of sour cream
corn tortillas
cheese, grated

Boil the chicken in a large stock pot until cooked. Let chicken cool, then shred. In a large bowl mix the sauce, soup, chiles and sour cream until blended. Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray. Line the bottom of the dish with the corn tortillas. (I cut mine the tortillas in half so they'll fit better). Place shredded chicken atop the tortillas, then put a layer of cheese and cover with the sauce mix. Cover that layer with a layer of tortillas and repeat until the dish is full. On the top of the casserole place a layer of tortillas and a lot of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, until warmed through. The cheese will look melted and the sauce should be bubbling.

*Hint: To make this dish healthier substitute fat free sour cream, whole wheat tortillas, low sodium soup and low fat cheese.

Sauerkraut

Gramma MAS' family starting bottling their own sauerkraut years ago. My parents still carry on this tradition every year. This year we decided to help them so we could learn how to do it for ourselves. I know you have to do it at least a few months before Thanksgiving. Yes, sauerkraut is a staple at our Thanksgiving dinner. Home bottled sauerkraut tastes quite different from the stuff bought at the grocery store. Anyway, if you want to give bottling sauerkraut a try here is the how to!

SAUERKRAUT

Ingredients:
heads of fresh, green cabbage
water
salt

Supplies:
food processor
stock pot
home canning jars, lids, & rings

Fill a stock pot with water and set on the stove to boil. Cut the heads of cabbage in half, from the stem section to the top. Cut out the hard cores. Slice down to fit in the food processor. Chop and move into a large bowl. After the cabbage has been run through the processor once, put it through a second time to achieve the correct texture and size. The water should be boiling by now. Firmly pack the cabbage into the jars. Place a heaping teaspoon of salt on the top of the cabbage inside the jar. Pour boiling water into the jar, atop the salt. Place sealing lid and screw on the ring. Wipe off the jar and let sit until the jar lid "pops". Set in a cool, dark place for a few months to ripen.

Pour a bottle of ripe sauerkraut into a pot. Fill the sauerkraut jar you just emptied with water and pour in the pot. Bring the sauerkraut and water to a boil. Turn the heat down to a medium-low heat and let the sauerkraut simmer for 30 minutes. Add butter, to taste, and simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve.


This is what the cabbage looks like after the first round of food processing.
This is the texture after the second food processing round.


Pack the cabbage in firmly.

A newly jarred bottle of sauerkraut next to a ripe bottle of sauerkraut.