Sunday, August 3, 2014

Easy Pineapple Salad

2 small packages lemon instant pudding
2 cans pineapple chunks
1 lg. coolwhip

Drain pineapple juice into a separate bowl. Mix lemon pudding into juice. Add pineapple chunks and cool whip. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Lime dressing

1tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 shakes of hot sauce

Blend and toss on salad.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Yummy Granola

9 cups quick oats
1 can coconut milk
1 c coconut oil
1 c honey
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 T cinnamon

Set oats aside in a large bowl.  Combine everything else in a sauce pan, heat just until coconut oil is melted.  Add sauce to oats and stir until well mixed.  Spread out mixture evenly onto two sprayed cookie sheets.  Bake @ 170* for 4-6hrs.  Break up mixture with a spatula every 2 hrs.

This is seriously the best granola ever and it's healthy too!  It's not too sweet and the texture is awesome.  Danny and my kids eat this right up! I cheated a bit and raised the heat a bit in order to cook it a little faster and it turned out great.  I cooked it at 275* and it was probably about 1 1/2hr.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Pomegranate Jelly

3-1/2 cups  pomegranate juice
1/2 tsp. butter or margarine
1 box SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin
5 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl
Make It
Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
Measure exactly 3-1/2 cups juice into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot.
Stir pectin into juice in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 5 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)
 
*Note: I just used POM juice from the store, rather than mess with the actual pomegranates.  Quick and easy. 
 
Recipe from Kraftrecipes.com

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Lillian's Yummy Corn Puff's

1 Cup Butter
1 Cup Karo Syrup
1 Cup Sugar
1 8oz. Bag of Corn Puffs

Place butter, karo syrup, and sugar in pan. Barely bring to a boil -  remove immediately and pour over corn puffs. Keep covered until ready to serve.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Grandma's Pecan Rolls

Grandma’s Pecan Rolls

 

Fondant:

4 C sugar
2 C whipping cream
1 cube butter
1 T Karo syrup

Place two cookie sheets in the fridge or freezer to chill them for about an hour. Don’t butter them!

Melt the cube of butter in a large, heavy pan. Butter the sides of the pan as the butter melts. Add the cream and karo syrup, stirring until warm. Slowly add the sugar, being careful not to touch the sides of the pan with the spoon. After all the big lumps of sugar are gone, put a lid on the pan and let it come to a boil. When it’s at a full boil, put your candy thermometer in and cook and stir until it reaches soft ball stage(228°-230°). Watch sides of pan for sugar crystals.

Pour the candy onto your chilled cookie sheets. Let it cool, then start working the candy, (you are basically beating it) (a meat fork works best) until it changes texture and thickens. Sometimes the candy may still feel too sticky to form into logs. If so, put it in a glass dish in the fridge to cool first. If it goes a little hard, just mold it with your hands. Shape into 8 large or 10 small logs.

Immediately wrap each log in foil lined parchment paper, foil side out. Place in the freezer until you are ready to cover with caramel. Placing the wrapped rolls in a gallon baggie will help prevent freezer burn.

Caramel:

3 C sugar
3 C half and half
1 ¼ C Karo syrup
1 C butter
1 C flour

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Pour 3 (8 oz.) bags of pecan cookie pieces (just very tiny pecan pieces), evenly covering both pans.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and continue cooking for a few minutes. Set aside. In another small saucepan, slowly warm 1 ½ C half and half. Keep warm, but do not boil it. Put sugar, syrup and 1 ½ C half and half in large pan. Stirring constantly over medium heat, bring to boil. Continue stirring until it reaches soft ball stage (215°). Slowly add the warmed half and half, stirring constantly. Bring it to a boil until it reaches 220°. Slowly add the flour and butter mixture, stirring constantly until it reaches 215°-220° again. This may take quite awhile, and be careful not to burn the caramel on the bottom of the pan.

Pour caramel evenly over the two pecan lined cookie sheets. Using a wooden spoon or a butter knife, carefully spread the caramel until it covers the entire pan. Let it cool until it is easy to handle.

Get the fondant centers out of the freezer. Place one at a time onto the caramel, cutting a piece large enough to roll over the center (a butcher knife works well). Use your hands to seal the caramel and push the pecans into place. Cover the finished logs immediately in parchment paper and then again in plastic wrap. Place each finished roll into the fridge or freezer, depending on how fast you will be using it. Again, if keeping in the freezer, it’s best to put the wrapped rolls into a gallon baggie to prevent freezer burn.

Debra's Roll Recipe and a Tutorial

Preheat oven to 350°
In a large bowl, combine 1 C warm water and 2 T yeast.
In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine 1/3 C oil, 1/3 C sugar, 2 T salt and 2 C milk.  Warm until the milk starts to bubble just around the edges of the pan.  Do not boil.  Set aside to let cool. 
When it is about room temperature (20-25 minutes), add the milk mixture to the yeast.
 
Add 1 C of flour at a time, until the dough is too thick to stir anymore.  Dump onto a floured surface and knead until soft dough forms. 
Place dough into a large, greased bowl.  Be sure to grease the top of the dough too!  Cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled (about an hour).  Punch down and roll our into a large rectangle. 

Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into rectangles about the size of your finger and thumb in an "L" shape. 
Melt some butter in the microwave and use a pastry brush to coat the tops of the rectangles.  Roll up and place on greased cookie sheet. 
Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled.  Bake for 17-20 minutes until golden on top.  Butter the tops of the rolls with the remaining melted butter and a pastry brush.  Remove from pan to cool, so the bottoms don't get mushy. 

Debra's Rolls
2 T yeast
1 C warm water
1/3 C oil
1/3 C sugar
2 T salt
2 C milk

350° for 20 minutes

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Pumpkin Fudge

- Brent

3 cups granulated white sugar
3/4 cup melted salted butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1Ž2 cup canned pure (unsweetened) pumpkin
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
One 12-ounce package white chocolate morsels (chips)
One (7-ounce) jar marshmallow crème
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Line a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil. Spray with nonstick spray.

2. Stir together first 6 ingredients in a 3 1/2- quart saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer registers 234° (soft ball stage) or for about 12 minutes.

3. Once mixture reaches 234°, remove from heat and quickly stir in the white chocolate, marshmallow creme, pecans (if using) and vanilla until well blended.

4. Pour into the prepared pan. Let stand 2 hours or until completely cool; cut fudge into squares.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Family Tree Restaurant Scones

- Tara

1 1/2 C. very warm water
1/4 C. shortening
1 TBSP sugar
1/4 C. evaporated milk
2 TBSP yeast
1 tsp. salt

Mix above ingredients together, let stand for 5 minutes.
Add 3 C. Flour

Mix and knead until soft dough.
Cover and let rise for 20 minutes. Shape into scones and fry at 375 degrees.

These make great Navajo tacos!
And are wonderful served with honey butter, or sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. 



Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Chewy Coconut-Lime Sugar Cookies

-Kale

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of one large lime, finely minced
3 tbsp lime juice
½ cup unsweetened toasted coconut
1/2 cup sugar for rolling cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Using a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and very fluffy.
4. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, lime juice and lime zest.
5. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients and toasted coconut.
6. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and roll in sugar. Place on lined cookie sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart.
7. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned.
8. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

**I got this recipe from www.mybakingaddiction.com

Coconut Tres Leches Cake

-Mom

1 1/2 C flour + 1 tablespoon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 C sugar
5 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract (1 1/2 tsp for cake--1/2 tsp for whipped cream)
1/2 tsp coconut extract (1/4 tsp for cake--1/4 tsp for whipped cream)
1 C half and half or cream
1 C sweetened condensed milk
1 C full-fat canned coconut milk

Whipped Cream: 2 C whipping cream, cold + 3-4 T powdered sugar
Garnish:  2 C toasted flaked coconut + maraschino cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat butter until smooth and creamy.  Add in sugar and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.  With the mixer on low speed add in each egg one at a time, mixing to combine and again scraping down sides.  Add in 1 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp coconut extract, mixing until combined.  With the mixer on low, add dry ingredients in three increments, only mixing until just combined and no dry spots remain.  Pour into greased 9x13 inch pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.

While the cake is cooling, whisk together the coconut milk, half and half and condensed milk.

Once the cake has cooled, poke holes in it (make sure they go almost to the bottom) using a toothpick, skewer or fork.  Slowly spoon the milk mixture over top. If you have a turkey baster or meat injector, you can inject the cake with the milk. 

Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

To frost:  In the bottom of your electric mixer, beat whipping cream until peaks form and it is stiff enough to use as frosting.  Mix in the rest of the vanilla and coconut extract and powdered sugar.  Place in the fridge until ready to use.  Once ready to frost, spoon on top of cake.  Then sprinkle with toasted coconut.  Best when refrigerated.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Oatmeal Pancakes

-Soon

2 C Oats
2 C. Buttermilk
2 Eggs
1/4 C. Butter
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Brown Sugar
1 TBSP Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 TBSP Palm or Cane Sugar

Combine oats and buttermilk in a large pot. Cover and let sit over night on the counter. Combine the remaining ingredients and mix well. Cook on a hot oiled griddle. Test center to see if they are done.

Best when served with Buttermilk Syrup

Pot Roast

-Tara
I haven't tried this recipe yet. It's on the menu for Sunday dinner. It sounds super easy, and looks super yummy!

1 pkg. McCormicks Slow Cooker Savory Pot Roast Seasoning
1 C. Water
1 pkg. Au Jus Seasoning
1 can of Pepsi/or Coke
1 Boneless Cross Rib Roast

Place your roast in the Crockpot, mix 1 c. water with McCormicks Pot Roast Seasoning. Pour over the top of the roast. Add the whole can of Coke or Pepsi. Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or HIGH for 4 hours. Very important: Do not lift the lid!!! Right before you are ready to serve your roast sprinkle the dry Au Jus Seasoning over it. Let it sit for a few minutes and then pull it out - slice and serve! 

I copied the recipe off of my friends blog

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

-Kale

1 TBSP chia seeds (optional)
1 C coconut milk
1 C frozen blueberries
1 C raw spinach
1 large banana

**I made this for breakfast for my kids today and even the one that made a big fuss over blueberries and spinach (ew!) ate it all!!!!

This serves 2 people.  193 calories per serving.

Zucchini Bread

-Kale

1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 1/2 C white flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1/2 C canola oil
1/2 C applesauce
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
3 tsp vanilla
3 C grated zucchini
1 C chopped walnuts (optional)

1.  Spray two 8x4 pans.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2.  Sift flours, salt, baking powder, soda and cinnamon together.  Set aside.
3.  Beat eggs, oil, applesauce, vanilla and sugars together in a large bowl.  Add sifted ingredients and mix well.  Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined.  Pour into prepared pans.
4.  Bake 40-60 minutes.  (55 minutes usually works best for me)  Cool in pans on rack for 20 minutes.  Remove bread from pan and completely cool. 

Monday, May 7, 2012

Cherry Pie Bars

-Tara

1 3/4 c. sugar
1 c. butter
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 - 21 oz. can cherry pie filling

Icing:
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 TBSP milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla or almond flavoring

Cream sugar and butter together. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Add baking powder, and flour 1 cup at a time, mixing well. Spread 1/2 batter on ungreased cookie sheet. Drop pie filling by tablespoons onto batter. Spread it around a little bit. Now drop the rest of the cookie dough on top of the pie filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Cool, and drizzle powder sugar icing back and forth across the top. Serve!

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Clean Eating Caramel Corn

- Brent

1/4 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. honey
8-10 c. cooked popcorn

Place honey in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, when foam rises 1" remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Pour over cooked popcorn and serve! Tastes just like caramel corn!

Friday, May 4, 2012

Blueberry Cobbler

-Tara

1 can blueberry pie filling
1 white cake mix
1 1/2 C. Sprite
Cool Whip

Grease 9 X 13. Spoon blueberry pie filling in bottom of  pan. Mix white cake mix (dry) with Sprite. Spoon over the top of blueberry filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve warm with cool whip. Works great in a dutch oven too!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Yummy Frozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites

I got this recipe off of pintrest, However I added more chocolate chips.

3 bananas, sliced
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips
nuts (optional)

Melt peanut butter and chips in microwave, 1-1 1/2 minutes.  Dip bananas in chocolate with toothpick and place on wax paper.  Place in freezer for 1-1 1/2 hrs. and enjoy.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Yummy Beef Quesadilla

1 1b thinly sliced beef
mozzarella cheese
avocado (sliced)
sweet peppers (diced)
tortillas
salt & pepper

Season beef with salt & pepper, let sit for 15 mins.  I used the Forman to grill beef lightly.  Slice beef once it's cooled.  Pan fry tortilla,  in a small amount of butter, top with cheese, avocado, peppers, & beef.  Enjoy.