Gotta Have That Recipe!

Amy's Butternut Squash Soup

2012-01-28T10:50:00.000-07:00

This was a big hit at the cookie exchange potluck. It's amazing!

Butternut Squash Soup
1 onion, chopped
4 T. butter
6 c. peeled and cubed butternut squash
3 c. water
4 c. chicken broth
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 (8 oz) block of cream cheese

Saute the onions in the butter until tender and then add the squash, water, broth, and spices. Boil until tender. Then put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Tip: Try using light cream cheese or laughing cow wedges in place of the cream cheese to cut down on the fat and calories.

Thanks for sharing, Amy!

-Alicia

Mediterranean Spinach

2012-01-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

I haven't tried this but it looks really good. I'll post a review after I tried it. Tiff wanted me to post it here. Let me know if any of you try it before I do.

Mediterranean Spinach

1/2 cup green onion, sliced
clove garlic, pressed
1 1/2 teaspoons dill, chopped
2 medium roma tomatoes, chopped
1 1/4 lbs spinach, rinsed and drained, stems removed
3 -4 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon capers
pepper

Directions:

Combine onions, garlic, dill and 1/4 cup water.
Stir-fry over medium heat until onions are soft and almost all liquid has evaporated.
Transfer mixture to bowl and stir in tomatoes.
Keep warm.
Add half the spinach to fry pan and 1 Tab water.
Stir-fry over medium heat until spinach is just beginning to wilt.
Add remaining spinach, stir-fry until all spinach is wilted (2 minutes) With slotted spoon, transfer spinach to a platter and spread out slightly; discard liquid from pan.
Top spinach with tomato mixture Sprinkle with Feta and capers.
Season to taste.

Feta Dip or "Feta Bruschetta"

2012-01-13T17:27:00.001-07:00

I found this recipe on Pinterest. Took this pic from there. This dip is SO good and super easy. A huge crowd pleaser. Serve with plenty of thin sliced baguette. Yum!

Feta Dip

olive oil
1 block (8 oz) of feta cheese (Don't buy the pre-crumbled kind. It is a little dry.)
3-4 Roma tomatoes
1 bunch of green onions
2-3 tsp. Cavender's Greek Seasoning
1 baguette (If there are kiddos around, get 2 baguettes. We ran out of bread before we ran out of dip.)

1. Wet your platter generously with olive oil. (I think I used about 1/2 cup.)
2. Dice the green onions and tomatoes and throw them on the olive oil.
3. Crumble the feta cheese and throw that on the platter.
4. Sprinkle the Greek Seasoning on top. I use about 2-3 tsp. (If you can't find it, you can sub with oregano and a little pepper and some salt to taste or just come borrow some Greek seasoning from me.)
5. Mix it all gently together.
6. Serve with sliced baguette.

Lime Chicken Tacos

2011-12-20T12:21:00.000-07:00

These Tacos are so good, they are really easy to make and we love them with the flour Tortillas from Costco that you cook yourselves. YUM!

- 1 ½ lbs Chicken breasts, cubed

- 4 tbsp Red Wine vinegar

- 1 lime juiced

- 2 tsp white sugar

- ½ tsp salt

- ½ tsp pepper

- 2 cloves garlic

- 2 tsp dried oregano

- Flour tortillas

- Diced tomato

- Shredded Cheese

- Shredded Lettuce

- Saute Chicken in a pan over medium heat for about 20 min or until no longer pink. Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic and oregano. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve in a warm tortilla topped with chicken, lime juice lettuce, cheese and tomatoes.

Pretzel Salad

2011-11-04T17:00:00.000-06:00

I'm always asked to bring this to every holiday party. It's crunchy, creamy, sweet and salty and really pretty on a plate. Enjoy!

Pretzel Salad

Ingredients:
1 c. crushed pretzels
3 T. sugar
1 c. pecans, coarsely chopped
1 stick butter
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 (8 oz.) tub Cool Whip, thawed
1 c. powdered sugar
1 large box strawberry Jello
2 cups boiling water
1 (16 oz.) bag frozen strawberries

1. Melt butter and mix with crushed pretzels, pecans and 3 T. sugar. Press into 9x13 pan. Bake 8-10 min. @ 350 degrees and let cool.

2. Beat cream cheese, Cool Whip and powdered sugar together. Spread mixture evenly on top of pretzel mixture, being sure to cover completely, leaving no cracks for the Jello to seep through in the next step. Place in fridge for 30 min.

3. Dissolve Jello in boiling water and add frozen strawberries. Stir until Jello begins to thicken slightly. Pour over cream cheese mixture and refrigerate two hours before serving.

tips: I sometimes use more pretzels and pecans because the pretzel crust is my favorite part. And more of the cream mixture to make it "fuller". That's Will's favorite part. But it's wonderful as is, too.

Veggie Ravioli Soup

2011-11-03T18:26:00.004-06:00

I got this recipe off of Allrecipes.com, but I tweaked it a bit to what I had on hand. Madi loved it! She said she wished they served it at school! Really easy too!

Some sausage... The recipe calls for Italian sausage, but I used this stuff we get at Costco, but you can use any type of meat you'd like. This sausage just adds some extra flavor.

Can of diced tomatoes
2 cups sliced carrots
about 1 cup frozen corn
some frozen broccoli
three cans beef stock
one large onion
2 cloves garlic
1.5 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 cups ravioli (I got mine in the bulk section at Winco) or tortellini

Put this all together and put it in your crock-pot for about 3-4 hours or you can simmer it on the stove for about 45 minutes or until the veggies are soft. I topped our soup with some shredded Parmesan cheese. Good luck!

Steel cut Oatmeal with milk and berries

2011-10-27T20:49:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

2 cups water
2 cups soy milk or skim milk
1 cup steel-cut oats
1 cup fresh berries
1 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
4 teaspoons brown sugar

Directions

1.In a medium saucepan, bring the water and soy milk to a boil. Add the oats, cover and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, until the oats are tender. Uncover and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the oatmeal is creamy, about 3 minutes. Spoon the oatmeal into bowls and top with the berries, yogurt and 1 teaspoon brown sugar.

Makes 4 servings

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

2011-09-30T21:30:00.002-06:00

Ingredients

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Molten Chocolate Cake!!!

2011-09-30T21:28:00.003-06:00

Ingredients

1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter
Granulated sugar, for the ramekins
1/2 (6-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, plus a little more for dusting
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Special equipment: 6 ramekins or aluminum souffle cups

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Melt 1/4 a stick of butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Paint the inside of 6 ramekins or aluminum souffle cups with butter. Coat the inside of each ramekin with granulated sugar. Reserve.

Put the remaining stick of butter and chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl. Set the bowl on a saucepan filled with about 1-inch of boiling water. Be sure that the bowl is not touching the water. Gently stir the butter and the chocolate together until melted and the mixture is smooth. Turn off the heat and reserve.

Combine the eggs, yolks, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer. (This can also be done with a hand beater.) Beat the egg mixture until it doubles in size, and gets very thick and very pale.

Gently whisk the melted chocolate and butter into the egg mixture. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently stir in the flour. Pour the batter into the prepared ramekins. Arrange the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 14 to 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven and let rest for 3 to 4 minutes.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

2011-09-28T21:19:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
4 eggs
1 cup shortening
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup instant vanilla pudding mix
1/3 cup instant butterscotch pudding mix
1 teaspoon salt
7 to 8 cups all-purpose flour

FILLING:

1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

   ICING:
      3 tablespoons water
      2 tablespoons butter, softened
      1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
      2 cups confectioners' sugar
      1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the eggs, shortening, pumpkin, milk, sugars, pudding mixes, salt and 6 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down; divide in half. Roll each portion into a 12-in. x 8-in. rectangle; brush with butter. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough to within 1/2 in. of edges.

Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seams to seal. Cut each into 12 slices. Place cut side down in two greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Bake at 350° for 22-28 minutes or until golden brown.

Cream Cheese Frosting

   8 oz cream cheese softened
   2 cubes butter, softened
   6-8 cups powdered sugar
   2 tsp vanilla

Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies

2011-09-28T20:56:00.002-06:00

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup , softened butter
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling
                                     1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
                                                 2 tablespoons butter, softened
                                                    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
                                                         1 teaspoon vanilla
                                                       4 cups powdered sugar

Combine flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.

Combine brown sugar and 1/2 cup butter in large bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Add pumpkin, milk, egg and vanilla; beat until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture. Beat until well mixed.

Drop batter by level measuring tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until set and lightly browned around edges. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheets; remove to cooling rack. Cool completely.

Combine all filling ingredients except powdered sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar, beating well after each addition until creamy.

Spread 2 teaspoons filling onto bottom-side of 1 cookie. Top with another cookie, bottom-side down. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Sprinkle filled cookies with powdered sugar.

*Substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves. If you don't have pumkin pie spice.

Orange Julius!!

2011-09-24T20:47:00.003-06:00

We made this a lot when I was younger and I loved it! Pretty good!

6 oz. frozen orange juice
1 cup milk
1 cup cold water
1/4-1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
10-12 ice cubes

Combine everything in a blender and turn it on....

Alicia's Pumpkin Chocolate Chips Muffins

2011-09-22T15:31:00.008-06:00

Mix together 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin, 1 box cake mix (white, yellow, or spice) and 1 cup chocolate chips. Fill muffin cups and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. If you're feeling fancy, drizzle with melted Nutella. ;)

Kayelynne's Pumpkin Turkey Chili

2011-09-22T15:31:00.007-06:00

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 can corn
1 can black beans
2 small cans tomato sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 Tbs. cumin
2 Tbs. corriander
11/2 t. honey
2 Tbs.orange juice
1 dash salt
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS:
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and saute the onion,
green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and garlic until tender. Stir
in the turkey, and cook until evenly brown. Drain, and mix in
tomatoes, beans, corn,tomato sauce, orange juice,honey, and pumpkin.
Season with chili powder, pepper,cumin, corriander, and salt. Reduce
heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Serve topped with Cheddar
cheese and sour cream.

Jenn's Pumpkin Cheesecake

2011-09-22T15:21:00.006-06:00

Amy's Pumpkin Bars

2011-09-22T15:16:00.003-06:00

Fresh Peach Pie

2011-09-10T21:04:00.002-06:00

I have used this recipe for a couple years now and I never get complaints. It's easy too!! I have used fresh peaches and canned, either way is good! Hopefully you can enjoy this recipe while all the yummy fresh peaches are being harvested around the valley!

Pastry for a double-crust 9-inch pie
5 cups fresh sliced peaches (about 9)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter

Heat oven to 425 degrees
Mix peaches and lemon juice
Stir together sugar, flour, and cinnamon
Mix with peaches
Turn into pastry lined pie pan
dot with butter
put top crust on
Make slits in top crust and seal edges (I make the slits before I put it on the top)
Cook for 35-45 minutes. Watch your pie and when you notice the edges turning brown line the edges with tin foil so the edges don't burn.

Lemon Spinach Salad

2011-08-30T22:03:00.002-06:00

Dressing:
            3T fresh lemon juice
           3T sugar
          1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
           1/2 tbsp grated lemon rind
            1/4 cup canola or light olive oil
In blender combine lemon juice, sugar, mustard, grated lemon rind and oil. Pulse until mixture is combined, thickened and sugar is dissolved.

Salad:
       3 cups fresh spinach
       1 cup fresh strawberries ,sliced
       1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
       Feta cheese to taste

In a large bowl, toss together spinach, strawberries, nuts and feta. Toss with enough dressing to coat.
* If you are not a fan of feta cheese you can substitute it for chopped avacado.

Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

2011-07-14T21:30:00.004-06:00

Here's the recipe you guys wanted me to post!!! If you want to come over and grind some fresh wheat flour just give me a call! Enjoy!

3 ½ Cups WW Flour
1/3 Cups Wheat Gluten
1 ¼ T Yeast

MIX FOR ONE MINUTE

2 ½ Cups VERY Warm Water (Add all at once)

MIX FOR ONE MINUTE AND LET REST FOR 10 MINUTES

1T Salt
1/3 Cup Honey
1/3 Cup Oil
1 ¼ T Lemon Juice

MIX FOR ONE MINUTE

3 Cups WW Flour (mix well after each cup)
Knead or Mix for 10-15 Minutes

Shape into 2 loaves and place in bread pan. Let rise in the
Oven until dough is about 1 inch above the pan. Turn oven to 350 degrees and set timer for 30 minutes.

Oreo Cookies!

2011-07-05T11:22:00.002-06:00

Whenever I make these they're a hit!! Here's the recipe.

2 boxes of devils food or chocolate fudge cake mix
1 cup shorting
4 eggs

Scoop dough onto cookie sheet in one inch balls. Cook at 350 for 9 minutes. Don't over-bake or they won't be soft and chewy... I use cream cheese frosting for the center. Yummy!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2011-06-27T12:09:00.003-06:00

These are really good!! Makes 2 servings and is 282 calories per serving. Enjoy!

1 cup chicken
1/4 red pepper
2 green onions
3 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise
3 tablespoons light sour cream
1/4 cup feta cheese
2 teaspoons dill weed
4 romaine lettuce leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Banana Bread or Muffins

2011-06-25T16:48:00.002-06:00

I found this recipe online and I love it. There are lots of bananas in it so the bread is really moist. If you make muffins it makes two dozen and is 107 calories per muffin..

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cups brown sugar
2 beaten eggs
2 1/3 cups mashed bananas

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown! YUM!!

Fresh Lemonade

2011-06-16T21:51:00.001-06:00

5 lemons
5 limes
5 oranges
5-6 cups cold water
3/4-1 cup of sugar, to taste

Juice all the fruit, then I poured mine througha stainer because I don't like the pulp. Add the water and sugar to taste. It really depends on how sweet/tart the citrus are and how much juice you get out of them. Also it depends on how sweet you like your lemonade! Serve ice cold and enjoy!

Yummy Pasta Salad!!!

2011-06-06T13:58:00.001-06:00

I had this at my Nephew's baptism on last Saturday night and I needed the recipe!! So good!!! I'll post a picture when I make it!

Combine:
2-3 cooked chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) - shredded or cubed
1 box curly noodles, cooked and cooled
½ pound seedless grapes, cut in half
2 apples, cubed
3-4 green unions, diced

dressing:
1c. mayonnaise
1 c. miracle whip
2 T. milk
2 T. sugar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 T. lemon juice
salt to taste

Refrigerate. . I just add as many grapes and apples as I like. Same as the chicken sometimes I add a lot and sometimes I add a little. :)
ENJOY!!

Oreo Cupcakes!

2011-06-06T13:48:00.004-06:00

Brittany Pedersen gave me this recipe and they were pretty good and really easy. Sandra wanted me to post the recipe!

MIX:
One box of any chocolate cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
Oreos

Put one tablespoon cake mix in the bottom of the cupcake liner then put the oreo on top and then fill 3/4 full. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes.

Frosting:
1 stick of butter
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons milk
4-5 crushed oreos

Mix together and frost your cupcakes after they have cooled from the oven.

Jackson's "Chocolate Sandwich"

2011-06-06T13:39:00.003-06:00

My Mom made these for us when I was young and I loved them. I have started making them for my kids and they too love them. No cooking required!!

Graham Crackers
Chocolate Frosting
Airtight container

Put the frosting on the cracker, put it in your airtight container and let sit over night. The next day your crackers will have softened and they taste yummy!!

Chicken and Rice, Mmmmm!

2011-05-26T19:48:00.002-06:00

Madi told me tonight that this is one of her favorite meals. After hearing that I thought I'd post the recipe! It's super easy and really good too! Here ya go!

3-4 chicken breasts (I pound mine flat so they're more tender)
One box of Rice-a-Roni (4.3 oz, any flavor you'd like)
2 Cups water
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
8 oz. of sour cream (I use less than that. It depends on how tangy you want it)
2 teaspoons Minced garlic (or however much you want)

Mix the rice and season packet, water, soup, sour cream, and garlic together. Pour in a 9X13 baking dish. Put the chicken on top of the rice mixture. Cover with foil and cook at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Take the foil off and let it cook a few more minutes so the rice can thicken up. I hope you like it!!

Broccoli Beef

2011-05-20T20:48:00.000-06:00

This is a quick and easy dinner that is very tasty too! My kids didn't like this but Cabot and I loved it. Next time I make it I will try not adding the ginger becasuse I think that's the flavor my kids did not like.

Broccoli Beef
¼ c. soy sauce
1 T. peanut butter
½ c. water
1 T. cornstarch
2 tsp vinegar
¼ tsp pepper
1/8 tsp powdered ginger
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
2 T. oil
½ lb (or more) diced or cubed beef, chicken, or pork (I’ve tried pork chops & beef)
2 c. broccoli cut into small pieces
steamed rice
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, peanut butter, water, cornstarch, vinegar, pepper, ginger, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well and set aside. In large skillet or wok, heat the oil. Add beef and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes. Add the broccoli, and cook for another 3-4 minutes (or until meat and broccoli are almost done), stirring constantly. Add the sauce and mix thoroughly, then continue to stir until the sauce thickens. Serve over steamed rice.

Fettucini Alfredo Recipe

2011-05-05T18:55:00.003-06:00

Cammie Thorson brought this meal into us right after I had Abigail. Our family loved it and it was so easy so I thought I'd share. I am a major alfredo snob, but this is the best I've had that wasn't at a restaurant. I hope you like it!!

2 Tablespoons butter
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1.5 cups grated parmesan cheese
Garlic salt to taste.
Cornstarch for desired thickness (I didn't use any)
Chicken

Slowly bring the butter and cream to a boil. Once it has started to boil add the parmesan cheese and garlic salt. Stir until cheese has melted. Add the cornstarch if you want it thicker. When I made it, it thickened as it cooled so it was plenty thick for us. I topped it with the pre-cooked grilled chicken you can get at Costco. I hope you like it!!!

Fruit Pizza

2011-04-09T22:46:00.000-06:00

This has been one of my kiddies favorite dessets, plus it's fun to make. The recipie calls for a 10 inch tart pan but I could only find an 11 inch tart pan at Bed Bath & Beyond. It still gave it a thick crust. The dough is kind of a sticky dough so I sprayed the tips of my fingers with pam and then pressed it into the tart pan.

Dough:
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Frosting:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Fresh Fruit:
Strawberries
Raspberries
Blueberries
Pineapple
Peaches
Kiwi
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 10-inch round or tart pan with nonstick cooking spray. This will give a fairly thick crust. If you want a thinner crust, try using a larger pizza pan shape or a 9X13-inch pan (you’ll have to test this out since I’ve only used a 10-inch tart pan).
For the dough, in a large bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until smooth. Mix in egg, vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just blended. Press the dough into the prepared pan.
Bake the dough for 10-12 minutes, or until very lightly browned. Don’t overbake as the crust will become dry. Cool the crust on a wire rack completely.
In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the granulated and powdered sugar, vanilla. Spread on the cooled pizza crust to within 1/4-inch of the edges. Arrange fruit on top of the pizza. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and chill until serving time.

2011-03-02T21:26:00.000-07:00

3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups pesto (jarred or from your own favorite recipe)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise (I used light mayo with great results)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pine nuts
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is cooked to your liking. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature, tossing every once in a while to prevent the noodles from sticking to each other as they cool.

In a food processor or blender, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Cinnamon Almonds

2011-03-02T20:56:00.000-07:00

*Makes about 2 cups of candied almonds

1 egg white

1 teaspoon cold water

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups unsalted almonds

½ cup packed light brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a large (11X17-inch) rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, beat the egg white until stiff peaks form. Add the water and vanilla and beat again until stiff. Add the almonds to the mixture and stir gently to coat the almonds with the egg white mixture. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Add this mixture to the almonds and stir gently to mix well. Pour the almonds out onto the prepared baking sheet and carefully spread them out into a somewhat even layer. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for about an hour, stirring/flipping every 15 minutes, until the almonds look and feel dry. To check to see if the almonds were done, I carefully picked one up in my fingers and when I pressed around it, I didn’t get any wet sugar on my hands. The coating on the almond felt hard and crunchy. Cool completely before serving or packaging.

Grandma's Caramel Recipe....

2010-12-11T16:54:00.002-07:00

Finally I got this recipe from my sister... Sorry it took SO long.

2 cups sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cubes butter
1 1/2 cups karo syrup (the karo brand works the best).

Bring to a boil on low/medium heat. Let boil until it's a soft ball stage. Tonight when I made them I boiled them for 14 minutes, but the time could vary. The color should be a light creamy tan/caramel color. After you're done boiling it let it stand for 5 minutes and then add 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Pour into a well greased cookie sheet and let set.

Vegatable Beef Stew

2010-10-21T18:37:00.002-06:00

I made this tonight and it was a hit! I got the recipe off of the Food Channel website, but then made some changes to my liking! I hope you like it! It was super easy!

2 tablespoons oil
1-2 lbs stew meat
flour
Small onion chopped
two potatoes chopped
carrots (however much you'd like)
one can of corn
one can of green beans
two cans stewed tomatoes (I put them in the blender to really smooth it out)
4 cups beef broth
about one clove of garlic (or a rounded teaspoon if you have minced garlic)

Warm the oil in a big pot. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Then toss it in a bowl of flour and cover the meat with the flour. put the meat, onions, and garlic in the pot and brown it for about 5-6 minutes. Then add the beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the bits from the meat. Add all the rest of the veggies and bring to a boil. Turn temp. down and let it simmer for about 2 hours. I added a couple shakes of Worcestershire sauce and some Franks hot sauce too. I really liked what it did to the taste. You may need to add some extra salt and pepper too.

Heavenly Whole Wheat Potato Bread

2010-10-20T18:59:00.000-06:00

We've eaten 3 loaves of this yummy bread in the last 5 days so I'd say it's a winner! The potato makes this bread stay so soft and the texture is perfect for sandwiches. No crumbs!

Heavenly Whole Wheat Potato Bread

1 cup warm water
1/4 c. canola oil
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 T. vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup dry instant potato flakes (or 1 medium potato, baked and mashed)
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast

I make this in my KitchenAid so I'll just put the KitchenAid directions here. You could do this by hand, also.

1. Mix the water and sugar in your KitchenAid bowl and then sprinkle the yeast on top of it and let it proof for about 10 minutes.
2. After the yeast is spongy, mix in the oil and salt and then slowly add both flours, vital wheat gluten, and potato flakes (or mashed potato) until flour is all incorporated. Then set the speed to 2 (with the dough hook) and let it "knead" for 2-3 minutes. (Chances are the dough may still be a little sticky but that's okay. This dough doesn't really clean the sides of the bowl like other breads I've made. You can pull it out of the bowl and knead it on the counter top if you want to but I just take the dough off the hook, form it in a ball and cover it with some cooking spray. Spray a little cooking spray in the bowl, too, and set the dough back in the bowl to rise. I set the bowl on top of the preheated oven and it doubles in size usually in about 30-45 minutes.)
3. Once doubled in size, roll out the dough into a rectangle and roll up and set seam side down in a 9x5 loaf pan. Let it rise again until it has risen above the sides of the pan. Bake in the oven @ 350 for 30 minutes.

2010-08-02T21:21:00.000-06:00

Coconut or Banana Cream Pie

- 1 small pkg vanilla instant pudding

- 1 can sweetened condensed milk

- 7 oz water

- 1/2 bag coconut ( for coconut cream pie) or 4 bananas ( for banana cream pie)

- 1 1/2 c heavy whipping cream

- 1 pie crust

Bake pie crust according to directions or make homemade. Set aside. On a cookie sheet spread out coconut and toast at 350* until golden brown turning every couple of minutes.

Whisk together pudding, sweetened cond milk and water for 2-3 minutes. Set aside. In another bowl beat heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Add to pudding mixture; then add the bananas or coconut. Pour into cooled pie crust and top with coconut or bananas. Refridgerate until ready to serve.

2010-06-13T20:01:00.001-06:00

These enchiladas were a hit at our house. They were really good and so easy to make. I used 3 cans of canned chicken instead of cooked chicken breast to save time.

*Serves 4-6

Filling:
   3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
   2 (4 oz.) cans of green chiles, lightly drained
   1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, cubed
   1 can white or black beans, rinsed and drained (you can really use any type of bean you prefer here)

Sauce:
   2 tablespoons butter
   1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
   2 tablespoons flour
   1/3 cup chicken broth
   ¼ cup milk
   ¼ teaspoon salt
   ¼ teaspoon pepper
   1 can (7 ounce) green chile enchilada sauce
   ½ cup sour cream
   8 ounces (about 2 cups) Monterey jack cheese, shredded

8 medium (soft taco size) flour tortillas
Handful of chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and green chiles. Mix well. Add the chicken and black beans. Mix to combine. Set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk. As you whisk and the mixture cooks, the flour will get less lumpy around the onions and the mixture will become smooth. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is bubbling and has thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the enchilada sauce and sour cream.

Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish. Spread about 1/4 cup of the sauce on the bottom of the dish. Fill each tortilla with about ½ cup of the chicken/cream cheese filling. Top with a small handful of shredded cheese, a couple tablespoonfuls for each enchilada. Save at least 1/2 cup cheese for the top of the enchiladas. Roll the tortillas up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue filling enchiladas until the dish is full (I can easily fit 8 enchiladas in one pan).

Pour the white sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the enchiladas are bubbling, hot and lightly browned. Sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top and serve.

Fudge-Iced Brownies

2010-04-28T20:55:00.001-06:00

This is my go-to brownie recipe. Really fudge-y and moist. And hard to resist.

Fudge-Iced Brownies
Brownies:
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Icing:
½ cup butter
5 tablespoons cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups icing sugar
Hot water

To make Brownies: Combine brown sugar, butter, flour, cocoa, eggs and vanilla in a bowl. With electric mixer, beat at medium speed until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly into a buttered 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake at 300F until just set, about 30-35 minutes. (It will take a bit longer if you are using a glass pan.) Remove from oven and let cool.

To make Icing: Melt butter in a saucepan; stir in cocoa, salt and vanilla. Heat mixture, stirring frequently, until boiling. Remove from heat and stir in icing sugar. (Mixture will be thick.) Add small amounts (1 to 2 teaspoons) of hot water at a time and stir until mixture is just thin enough to spread over brownies.

These are great warm out of the oven and even better the next day! Yum!

Egg-Sausage Bake

2010-04-18T21:49:00.001-06:00

These casseroles went quick at our brunch! Here's the recipe. It's so easy! Put it together the night before and then all you do is bake it in the morning. We have it Christmas morning every year.

Egg-Sausage Bake
1 lb. sausage ( I used turkey sausage. You can substitute ham, if you like.)
6-10 thick slices french bread
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4-5 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Fry sausage, drain and set aside. Butter 1 side of the bread and place (buttered side down) in well greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle cheese over bread. Combine beaten eggs, milk, salt and mustard and pour over top. Sprinkle sausage on top. Cover in foil and refrigerate overnight. To bake: Preheat oven to 325. Bake covered for 1 hr, then uncovered for 15 minutes.

(PS. I added a search box to our blog so you can find recipes easily. Just type in "granola bars" to find that recipe.)

Alicia's Cake and Frosting

2010-03-30T08:34:00.005-06:00

So, apparently, even though I found this recipe on the 'net, I can now claim it as my own, so I will! Here you go guys!

The Infamous White Cake

1 Duncan Hines White cake mix
4 egg whites
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 small pkg of instant vanilla pudding mix or white chocolate pudding mix (makes a whiter cake)
1 cup sour cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375. Mix together all the wet ingredients first then add the cake mix and pudding mix. Mix on medium for about 1 1/2 minutes. (Do not over mix. Too much air in the batter can make it fall in the middle while baking.) Pour cake batter into prepared pans and bake at 375 for about 15-20 minutes then take the heat down to 350 and bake until the middle of the cake springs back when touched.

Buttercream Dream Frosting

1 stick butter, salted

1 stick butter, unsalted

1 cup Crisco shortening

2 lb. bag powdered sugar

3 tsp. clear vanilla extract

5-6 T. cold milk

Instructions

Cream butter and shortening. Add clear vanilla extract then add confectioner’s sugar, a cup or two at a time. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple times while mixing in the sugar. Allow confectioner’s sugar to blend well then add milk. For thinner consistency, add more than 6 tablespoons of milk.

Holiday Bran Muffins!

2009-12-22T13:55:00.003-07:00

Some friends have asked for this recipe so I thought I'd post it. I've had these muffins for breakfast every Christmas for as long as I can remember! They taste so good and are good for you too!! Merry Christmas everyone!

Sloppy Joes From Scratch, YUM!!

2009-10-01T12:43:00.004-06:00

I have always loved this recipe my Mom makes. It's one of my "comfort foods" that I like to make.

2 lbs hamburger
1 small onion chopped
1/2 cup catsup
4 T brown sugar
2 T vinegar
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 sm. can tomato sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Fry hamburger and onion. Drain well. Mix all other ingredients with hamburger and onion. Simmer for few minutes. Serve on hamburger buns with some sliced cheese!!

All Day Beef Stew.. Crock Pot Recipe...

2009-10-01T12:38:00.004-06:00

I made this lastnight and Madi even ate it! Gary really liked it too... Jackson's another story. Anyhow, here's the recipe. It's really easy.

1 pound cut up stew meat
4-5 cubed potatoes
1 pound bag of cut carrots
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 envelope dry onion soup mix

Layer meat, potatoes, and carrots in the bottom of your crock pot. Shake the dry onion soup mix over the top. Mix the soups and tomato sauce together and pour over the meat and veggies.

DO NOT STIR!!!

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Quick and EASY Homemade White Bread

2009-09-21T13:28:00.002-06:00

This bread is good with any soups you plan on making this fall!! It's a sweeter bread and sooo yummy!!

First, set your oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together:

1 cup warm water
1 T yeast
5 T sugar

Let this sit for 5-10 minutes and then add:

1 t salt
3T oil
1 egg
3 1/4 C flour (If it's too sticky you can add more flour if you'd like. Don't add too much though or the bread will be heavier).

Let this mix in your mixing bowl for a few minutes and then place the dough in a bread pan. Now TURN YOUR OVEN OFF and put your pan in the oven to let rise. After it has risen about an inch above the pan turn your oven back on and set it to 350 degrees. Leave your bread in there while it heats. Bake the bread for about 30-35 minutes or until brown. Sometimes I put aluminum foil over the top of the bread about 20 minutes into baking it so it doesn't get too brown. I hope you like it!!

Three Bean Soup

2009-09-21T13:24:00.003-06:00

Here's the recipe you wanted Alicia!

1 lb ground beef
1 lb cooked bacon
1 cup chopped onion
1 1 lb can of: kidney beans & garbanzo beans
3 T white vinegar
1 t salt
2 15oz cans pork & beans
1 C catsup
1/2 C brown sugar
2 bean cans of water

Brown beef, drain off fat. Brown bacon & onions together, drain fat. Add all ingredients to crock pot. Stir & cook on low 4-5 hours. You can also do this on the stove top, but let it simmer for at least an hour.

Fresh Peach Syrup

2009-09-15T17:15:00.004-06:00

I made some of this today with the peaches I had.. It's so good!!

First take the skin off the peaches and get rid of the pits as well.. An easy way to get the skin off is to put it in really hot water for a few minutes, then the skin peels right off!

12.5 cups peach puree (I like to leave some chunks in it)
8 cups sugar
3 T lemon juice

Mix them all together and get it really hot. You don't have to boil it, just make sure the sugar has disolved. Put in quart jars and either steam them so they seal or you can just put them in the freezer and not worry about steaming them.. I hope you like this recipe...

Zucchini Cookies..

2009-09-15T12:40:00.003-06:00

I got this recipe from Cami Purtschert the other day. She gave me one when I was picking Emily up to babysit. I ate it and it was really good! You guys should give them a try.. It seems that everyone has tons of zucchini right now so you should be able to find some!!

Cami’s Zucchini Cookies

3/4 C. marg. or butter
2 3/4 C. flour
1 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cinnamon
1 solid cup of shredded zucchini
2-3 cups rolled oats (I used the quick cooking)

mix it all together

I cooked mine at 350 degrees, but the recipe calls for 375 degrees. It took quite a long time... about 15 minutes for them to be done (where they are barely starting to golden on the edges.) You will have to play it by ear. Top them with a cream cheese frosting!! Enjoy!"

2009-09-10T19:30:00.002-06:00

White Corn Salsa
- 2 cans black beans

- 2 cans shewpeg or white corn

- 1/2 medium red onion, chopped

- 1/4 c cliantro, chopped

- 1 avacodo

- 2-3 roma tomatoes

Drain beans and corn, combine in a bowl and dump on tray. Layer the rest of the ingredients in the order above. When ready to serve pour dressing over the top and serve with tortilla chips. I like to double the dressing for extra flavor.

Dressing

- 8 tsp lime juice

- 4 tbsp olive oil

- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp pepper

Homemade Granola Bars

2009-07-24T10:18:00.000-06:00

These granola bars are so easy! Better than store bought (and healthier, too!)

Homemade Granola Bars

1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies (can increase up to 2 cups)
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup light corn syrup or honey (I used 1/4 c. of each)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup raisins (optional) or chopped nuts (optional) or seeds (optional) or coconut(optional)
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Prepare a 13 x 9-inch baking dish by lining it with foil and spraying with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl combine Rice Krispies cereal, oats and raisins. (And any other fruit, nut or seed you choose to use.)
In a saucepan, stir the corn syrup or honey and brown sugar until just at a boil.
Immediately remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until well combined.
Pour over the dry ingredients in the bowl; mix to combine.
Mix in mini chocolate chips (if using). Work fast, the mixture hardens quickly.
Transfer the mixture into prepared baking dish, then using slightly wet hands push evenly down into the pan. (Be sure to press it all down firmly. I used the bottom of a measuring cup.)
While the mixture is still soft, for easier slicing take a sharp knife and slice into desired size bars.
Chill until firm.

Island Pork Tenderloin

2009-06-14T23:32:00.000-06:00

This is the absolute best pork dish I've ever made. Love it! And Will loves it. Everyone loves it! We just made 6 lbs. of it to share with the neighbors tonight and, as per their request, I'm posting the recipe. Enjoy!

Island Pork Tenderloin

For pork:

2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 pork tenderloins (2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds total)
2 tablespoons olive oil

For glaze

1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon Tabasco

Prepare pork:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Stir together salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon, then coat pork with spice rub.

Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until just beginning to smoke, then brown pork, turning, about 4 minutes total. Leave pork in skillet.

Make glaze and roast pork:
Stir together brown sugar, garlic, and Tabasco and pat onto top of each tenderloin. Roast in middle of oven until thermometer inserted diagonally in center of each tenderloin registers 140°F, about 20 minutes. Let pork stand in skillet at room temperature 10 minutes. (Temperature will rise to about 155°F while standing.)

(Tip: There is an awesome salad that goes really well with this pork. It's just 3 segmented naval oranges, 6 cups fresh baby spinach, 4 c. thinly sliced Napa cabbage, 1 sliced red bell pepper, 1/2 golden raisins and 2 ripe avocados. No need for dressing. Just use the extra glaze from the pork and voila, a beautiful, colorful, yummy gourmet salad.)

White Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

2009-06-14T23:23:00.000-06:00

Found this gem on a foodie blog and had to try it and they are fantastic. Sweet and salty. Great flavor combination. Try it for yourself!

White Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

6 tablespoons salted butter
5 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup dry roasted peanuts, salted
½ c. Reese’s peanut butter chips (the kind used for baking)
10.5 ounce bag mini marshmallows
5 ½ cups Rice Krispies

Spray a 13 x 9-inch rectangular pan with Pam.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the white chocolate and stir until melted. Add the marshmallows and stir constantly over the heat until completely melted. (If they start to scorch on the bottom, remove from heat and continue to stir, placing the pan back on the heat occasionally, stirring until smooth).

Remove from heat and add the peanuts, Reese’s peanut butter chips and Rice Krispies until well combined. A rubber spatula or flexible pastry scraper works best. Transfer mix to the prepared pan and smooth over. (I used my hand to push them down evenly into the pan). Drizzle bars with a little extra melted white chocolate. Let cool before cutting.

Cut into neat bars or squares with a sharp knife.

Cinnamon Rolls

2009-02-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

Not too shabby! This certainly is not a traditional recipe of mine. In fact, I've only made it once but I'm so proud of myself for successfully working with a yeast dough that I've got to post this. Made these for the young women in the ward as part of a lesson on Divine Roles. And let me tell you- these were divine "rolls!"

Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:
3 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 c. walnut or pecan pieces (optional)
1/4 c. raisins (optional)

Directions:
1.In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2.In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the cake mix and 3 cups of the flour; stir to combine. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. (Or you can knead with dough hook in Kitchenaid mixer. 2 minutes on speed 2.)
3.Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.
4.Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a 10x16 inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter over the rectangle; sprinkle on brown sugar and cinnamon. (Add nuts and raisins here if you like.) Starting from one of the long sides, roll up the rectangle and cut into 1 inch wide rolls.
5.Grease a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan. Place rolls in pan spaced an inch or two apart. Cover the rolls loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.
6.Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 12-15 minutes, or until rolls are golden.
7.Drizzle with your favorite icing while rolls are still warm. (I made a cream cheese frosting by mixing together 4 oz. softened cream cheese, 2 T. softened butter, 1 c. powdered sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla and a couple T. of milk.)

Ooey, Gooey, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-01-21T15:49:00.000-07:00

Every Sunday night, without fail, the boys and I put on our aprons and make these cookies. It's my favorite family tradition. The boys stand on their assigned stools and take turns adding the ingredients to the bowl. (Well, all but the eggs, that's mommy's job.) Once it's all mixed and ready, we eat raw cookie dough while waiting for the first batch to come out of the oven. The first cookies we eat warm out of the oven while watching America's Funniest Home Videos (part of the weekly tradition.) Because there just nothing like cookies, milk, and laughing at other's misfortunes. :) The next batch goes on a plate and to the neighbors. And the rest are put away to nosh on throughout the week. It's my all time favorite cookie recipe. Tried and true. (As a side: I usually sub half the flour with whole wheat pastry flour. I love what it does for the texture of the cookie. Makes it even chewier. And you can pretend that it's make it healthy. Whatever makes you feel good.)

Ooey, Gooey, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 3/4 cups flour

1/2 cup quick oats

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Cream butter and both sugars. (I like to cream them really well so I leave the mixer on while I do the next step.).

2. Mix all dry ingredients (flour, oats, baking soda and salt) in a separate small bowl.

3. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, to creamed ingredients.

4. Add vanilla. Mix well.

5. Add dry ingredients a little at a time until it's all well incorprated. (Mixture should be really thick and not real sticky. If too sticky, add extra flour 1 T. at a time until dry enough that you can pick up the dough and roll it without it sticking to your hands.).

6. Mix in chocolate chips.

7. I roll these into about golf ball sized balls and bake at 350 for 12-13 minutes. Take them out just as they are barely beginning to brown. The key is to not overbake these! Let them cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet and then transfer to wire rack.

8. Hint: If your cookies spread too much while baking, try putting the dough in the fridge for a while before baking up the next batch. If that doesn't work, add a bit more flour (1-2 tablespoons.)