Gratuitous Recipes

Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

2011-03-20T06:59:00.000-07:00

This recipe is very easy but you need to be quick. Have all the ingredients pre-measured before you start for better results.

Combine in a medium sauce pan:
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 cube butter or marg.

Bring to boil and boil for just two minutes--stirring constantly. Too long, they'll be dry. Too short, they wont set up. (Start timing the two minutes right when it starts boiling even if the cube of butter isn't completely melted.)

Immediately take off the heat and mix in:
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups quick oats
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt

Quickly spoon onto wax paper with a cookie scoop. They set up as they cool and do not need to be refrigerated. This makes a few over two dozen when using a 2inch cookie scoop.

YUM!

(I never claimed they were healthy. At all. Even a little.)

These ones are perfect

This batch got cooked a tiny bit too long, so they came out dry and a little crumbly. But still delicious.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Balls - A Blast from Some Person's Past

2010-04-30T19:21:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but these remind me of childhood. Not even my childhood necessarily. But somebodies... (is "somebodies" even a word?)
(Thank you for the recipe, Laura C!!! Good luck with your PCS!!!)

Peanut Butter Balls

1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup raisins or craisens
(I'm not gonna lie--I add 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips.)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup applesauce
2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup

Mix all ingredients together and form into one inch balls on wax paper. (I use my trusty cookie scoop.) Refrigerate until firm.

These also remind me, a tiny bit, of what we called "Numeral Dough" when I was little. I remember we made it in first grade and my mom also made it for us a few times. It was a mixture of equal parts Peanut Butter, Karo Syrup, and Powdered Sugar (I THINK that's it...). You mixed those three things and it made a soft dough you could roll into snakes, form letters, and then eat. I LOVED Numeral Dough. Yum!

Mix one of these recipes up and tell me if it makes you feel nostalgic!

Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-03-07T04:43:00.000-08:00

Our close friends here are some of the healthiest people we've ever met. They are definitely good influences on us in the nutrition department. (We actually eat veggies now!) This recipe comes from Janeen--the healthiest of them all--who also has a website with tons of health information and lots of recipes. This is one of the recipes from her site. (www.nutritionwise.org)

Just one warning: If you are making these for your family for the first time, do not say "Hey everyone! I made Chocolate Chip Cookies!" They'll be looking for the Crisco/Egg/White flour version and be sorely disappointed. (I may or may not know this from being the disappointed one.)

Try this instead; "Hey guys! I have a super healthy treat for you!" They'll be all bummed. Until they see the chocolate. Then they'll eat 'em and eventually become addicted.

You've been warned.

Janeen’s Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 cups whole (old fashioned) oats

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups walnuts or pecans, chopped fine or ground (toasting is an option)

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Mix in separate bowl;

1 cup apple sauce

1 cup maple syrup or honey

4 Tbsp. water

1 Tbsp. vanilla

Combine wet and dry ingredients and let sit for 5 minutes. Drop spoonfuls on baking sheet. These cookies do not “spread” so I like to flatten them a little.

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. It's hard to tell if they're done, but they do start to brown on the bottom. Let cool for 2 minutes before removing from sheet.

You can also experiment by adding cashews, cocoa or carob powder, raisins instead of c.c.’s, and/or peanut butter.

The only unhealthy ingredient in this recipe (besides the salt...and possibly sweetener...) is the chocolate chips, and we all know, chocolate could NEVER be bad. So enjoy these with a clear conscience!!! (I know I do.)

This recipe has been doubled so it makes a LOT!

Enjoy!

Caramel Syrup

2010-02-05T18:34:00.000-08:00

I love this so much better than maple syrup!!!

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar (I've used all brown before. Same diff.)

1/2 cup water

1 cube butter

Bring all ingredients to boil and remove from heat. Then add:

1 tsp vanilla

Incredibly unhealthy and delicious on German Pancakes and French Toast!!!!

Recipe from my cousin Kimmy. Maker of all things sweet and delicious.

Chunky Sweet Potato Stew a.k.a. Dragon Stew

2010-01-04T01:14:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from Joel Fuhrman's "Eat for Health: Book Two". It was quick and easy to make but I knew the boys were going to take one look and throw a fit. They did.

But with much bribery ("No Crystal Light until your food is gone!") and coercion, they tried it, and actually sorta liked it, both finishing their whole bowl!!! VICTORY!

(Although Sam would only take a bite along with a bite of toast and Max said "It was good but I don't want it again." Hmmpf. I'm totally making it again..)

Here it is:

Chunky Sweet Potato/Dragon Stew

Serves: 2 - Prep Time: 25 minutes (It served 5 the way I made it. And it was super good served with toasted Rudi's Organic, 7 Grain with Flax bread!)

Ingredients

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, thickly sliced (I will dice it smaller next time. The boys didn't like the stringy onions)

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 14-ounce can stewed tomatoes with juice (low or no salt) (I used no-salt petite diced tomatoes)

1 large sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (Mine was super large!)

1/2 cup canned garbanzo beans or white kidney beans (low or no salt), drained. (I used the whole can.)

3/4 tsp dried rosemary (Didn't have any. Left it out.)

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds, or cut into bite-sized pieces

black pepper, to taste

Mrs. Dash seasoning, to taste

Since I used a HUGE sweet potato and the whole can of beans, I needed a little more liquid. So I added half a can of low sodium chicken broth.

Directions:

Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook about 5 minutes, until slightly softened, separating slices into rings. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

Mix in stewed tomatoes with juice, sweet potatoes, garbanzo beans and rosemary. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Add zucchini. Cover and cook until sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Season to taste with pepper and/or Mrs. Dash.

One Serving Contains (if you follow the original recipe exactly...)

Calories: 286.5; Protein 9g: Carbohydrate 48g; Fat 8.5g; Sodium 73.1mg

Enjoy eating a healthy, flavorful meal with no guilt!!!

Thick and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

2009-12-16T19:36:00.000-08:00

Doug is the one who likes to try new recipes in this family. I like to stick to "tried and true" so I don't waste my time or ingredients. But I must admit, using America's Test Kitchen recipes leaves very little room for error. They've tested a million different ways to make the recipe so they're SURE the one they give you will turn out. And we have ALWAYS been pleased with the results. These cookies Doug made were no exception; adorable, chewy, and delicious!

(Instead of frosting them, I just made a runny powdered sugar glaze and dipped them in it. They turned out perfect.)

Happy Holidays!!!

Thick and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

from "The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book"

(Thanks for the awesome Christmas present Jay-Bird! We love it!)

3 cups (15 ounces) all-purpose flour

3/4 cup packed (5.25 ounces) dark brown sugar

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

12 Tbsp (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup light molasses

2 Tbsp milk

1. Process the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt together in a food processor until combined, about 10 seconds. Add the butter and process until the mixture is very fine and sandy, about 15 seconds. With the machine running, add the molasses and milk in a steady stream through the feed tube and continue to process until the dough comes together, about 10 seconds.

2. Divide the dough into 2 even pieces and roll each out to a 1/4-inch thickness between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Leaving the dough sandwiched between the parchment, stack them on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, 15-20 minutes.

3. Adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. Working with one piece of dough at a time, transfer it to a clean counter and gently remove the top sheet of parchment. Stamp out cookies using cookie cutters. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets with a thin metal spatula, spaced about 3/4 inch apart.

5. Bake the cookies until they are light golden brown and show a slight resistance to touch, 8-11 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking. (Do not overbake.)

6. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

Faezer's Peanut Butter Pie

2009-11-25T04:33:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for a yummy new recipe that will likely become a family favorite, you've got to try this. It ain't easy, but it's WORTH IT!!!

First, here is the history of this tasty treat. I’m relying on memory here, so I hope I get it right. My mom, Faezer, first made this in college for her boyfriend. (Not my dad.) She got the recipe from hismom because it was his favorite dessert. I think she said his family was from “the south”. (So maybe that's where it originated.) We’ve had it every year for Thanksgiving my whole life and it’s DEFINITELY a family favorite. YUM!!!!!

World Famous Peanut Butter Pie

First you need one baked pie crust. (Although we usually double the recipe and make two.)

Step 1: Custard Filling

2 cups scalded milk
½ cup sugar
3 Tbsp. butter or marg.

3 Tbsp. flour
Pinch of salt
3 egg yolks (save the whites)

Scald 2 cups of milk in a heavy pan. (It’s scalded when foamy bubbles start to form around the sides and it starts smelling “cooked”. Use Med/MedHigh heat and stir constantly.) Add sugar and cold butter then set aside to COOL. (So that flour and eggs won’t go lumpy.)
When the milk mixture is room temp./cool add flour, salt and egg yolks. (Don’t try to save time by pre-mixing the flour and yolks. It will only lead to pain and suffering.)

Step 2: Peanut Butter Topping

½ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup peanut butter (Fae says crunchy is best)

Mix until it is as fine as meal. Put 2/3 of mixture in the bottom of crust. The other 1/3 is for sprinkling on top of the meringue.

Step 3: Meringue

3 room temp. egg whites (see! I told ya to keep ‘em.)
3 Tbsp. powdered sugar

Put room temp. egg whites in clean glass bowl or measuring cup. Mix well on high, gradually adding 3 Tbsp. powdered sugar. When it comes to stiff peaks, pile on top of custard filing, spreading meringue to edges of pie crust to prevent shrinking. (Fae always does it perfect so there are pretty little peaks all over the whole top.) Sprinkle remaining P.B. topping over meringue and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes until little peaks are golden brown. Refrigerate until it’s dessert time. ENJOY

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2009-11-15T21:10:00.000-08:00

Tastes like it came from your favorite Americanized Chinese restaurant!

(Warning: NOT HEALTHY!!! NOT for every day consumption!!!)

3 lbs. Chicken sprinkled with garlic salt

(I usually cut it into smaller strips.)

Dip in cornstarch and then beaten egg. Fry in oil until golden brown (not done) and place in 9x13 baking pan. Mix ingredients for sauce.

Sweet and Sour Sauce:

1.5 cups sugar

1/2 cup vinegar (I use Apple Cider Vinegar)

4 Tbsp. ketchup

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

Pour sweet and sour sauce over the meat and bake at 350 for 1 hour being careful not to burn sauce.

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies EVER

2009-11-15T20:59:00.000-08:00

2 cups shortening

2 cups sugar

1 cup brown sugar

4 eggs

4 tsp. vanilla

3 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

5 cups flour*

3-4 cups chocolate chips

Cream together shortening and sugars. Beat in eggs and mix for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, salt, and baking soda and mix. Slowly add flour and chocolate chips. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. These are cookie perfection!

ENJOY! (And send ME some!)

*Occasionally I add half whole wheat flour but they're not as perfectly/unhealthily delicious that way. If you want healthy cookies, make a different recipe.

Snobby Joes

2009-09-08T04:30:00.000-07:00

They're better than the rest of the Joe's.

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked lentils

4 cups water

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced small

1/2 -1 Green bell pepper, diced small (Really small)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp chili powder (more to taste)

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

8 oz. can tomato sauce

1/4 cup tomato paste

3 Tbsp maple syrup (or honey, in a pinch)

1 Tbsp yellow mustard (If you like gross things. I personally leave it out.)

Whole Wheat rolls or hamburger buns

Directions

Put the lentils in a small sauce pot and pour in 4 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until lentils are soft. Drain and set aside.

About 10 minutes before the lentils are done boiling, preheat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onion and pepper in the oil for about 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and saute a minute more.

Add the cooked lentils, the chili powder, oregano and salt and mix. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Cook for about 10 minutes. Add the maple syrup and mustard (yuck) and heat through.

Turn the heat off and let sit for about 10 minutes so that the flavors can meld. Or eat immediately if you can't wait.

Fae's (half) Whole Wheat Bread in a Bosch

2008-10-28T23:22:00.000-07:00

We LOVED it when my mom made homemade bread when we were growing up. We'd come home from school to a delicious smelling house and bread, butter and honey laid out on the kitchen counter for our after-school snack. We usually got to eat about two of the five loaves, and the others were given away; to a friend, neighbor, sick person, whatever...This bread was pretty popular in the ol' hood.

You're not going to get Fae's illustrations to help you make this (like I have on my hand written/drawn copy) but this should suffice!

Mix in Bosch with lid on:

5 cups hot water

7 cups whole wheat flour

Add:

2/3 cup oil

2/3 cup honey

2 TBSP. salt. (Don't leave out the salt! It's a flavor enhancer, you know!?!?)

Mix well then add:

2 TBSP. yeast

(to test your yeast, put it in 1/2 cup luke warm water with 1 Tbsp. sugar. If it bubbles up after a few minutes, it's good.)

Add: (optional)

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup powdered milk (if you're trying to use up some food storage)

Mix well

Add:

5-6 cups white flour (depending on if you added the 'optionals')

(put lid on Bosch)

Knead on medium (2) for 12 minutes.

After 2 minutes see if dough is pulling away from sides of bowl--if not add more flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough moves away from sides.

Dump dough on floured counter and separate into equal sized lumps. (5 if you're making large loaves, 10 if you're making small loaves.)

Shape into loaves and place in greased pans. Cover with a damp towel. Let rise until double in size.

Bake large loaves @ 350 for 30-35 minutes

Bake small loaves @300 for 20-25 minutes

Enjoy!!!

Susan's Scrumptious Spinach Salad

2008-04-14T08:17:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it. I'm a sugar addict. Always have been. Doesn't matter that too much sugar sends me spiralling into a hypoglycemic coma, I persist in over-indulging on a regular basis. So is it any wonder that my two favorite salads have sugar in the dressing? Yep, that's right. Even the healthy stuff I like to eat probably isn't THAT healthy, but oh well. You only live once...may as well die fat and happy.

Susan’s Scrumptious Spinach Salad

Salad:

1 large bag or 12-18 oz. of Spinach (It shrinks down a bit once the dressing is on it.)

2 cups Mozzarella or Swiss Cheese (I’ve never tried Swiss, but I hear it’s fab.)

1/3 portion of a Red Onion (Optional. I hate raw onions so this has never made it in.)

1 cup Craisens (Optional, but definitely recommended)

-----------

1-2 cups Chopped Bacon or Bacon-Bits (I used Maple flavored bacon once, and it was super yummy. Haven’t tried Bacon-Bits, but that would eliminate a step.) Add just before serving

Dressing:

¾ cup Sugar (I think you can probably add less and still be fine. Try it and see what you think.)

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tbsp dry onion

----------

1 cup Canola oil

1 tsp. Poppy Seeds

In a very large bowl, add cheese, onion, and cranberries to Spinach. Mix first 5 dressing ingredients in blender until well combined. Slowly add oil until just combined. Add poppy seeds and stir. Pour on Salad. Add Bacon just before serving. Enjoy!

Milk Chocolate Florentine Cookies

2007-12-17T17:33:00.000-08:00

These cookies are so darn good. So.so.so.so good. So when I made the recipe, I decided to double it. BIG mistake. They're a little time consuming and a double batch took me FOR-E-VER to scoop, spread, bake, cool, coat, and combine. The other thing I learned was to over-cook them a tiny bit. Or just make sure the whole cookie is golden brown. Not just the edges. They're better when they're super crispy.

When you're done, try not to eat the whole batch. They're that good!

Chocolate Florentine Cookies
from Nestle Toll House Best-Loved Cookies

2/3 cup butter
2 cup quick oats
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light or dark corn syrup
14 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups Milk or Dark Chocolate chips

Melt butter in medium saucepan; remove from heat. Stir in oats, granulated sugar, flour, corn syrup, milk, vanilla extract and salt; mix well. Drop by level teaspoon about 3 inches apart onto foil-lined baking sheets. Spread thinly with rubber spatula.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on baking sheets on wire racks. Peel foil from cookies.

Microwave morsels in uncovered, medium, bowl on medium-high (70%) power for 1 minute; stir. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10-15 second intervals, stirring just until smooth.

Spread thin layer of melted chocolate onto flat side of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, placing flat side against chocolate. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen sandwich cookies.

Texas Sheet Cake

2007-12-06T06:55:00.001-08:00

For Maxwell's birthday this year he wanted a pirate cake. Originally, he wanted a Pirate SHIP cake and I was quite stressed about the amount of cake cutting and sculpting that was going to be involved. Then, a few days ago he asked for a Treasure Map cake. WAHOO! Something requiring a FLAT RECTANGLE! I immediately thought of using Texas Sheet Cake and found this recipe on AllRecipes.com. I believe it's called Texas Sheet Cake V. Anyway, it was super easy and tasted divine. Enjoy!

Texas Sheet Cake
INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 cup butter
1 cup water
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
--------------------------------------------------------
6 tablespoons milk
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10x15 inch pan. (Cookie Sheet)
Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix in the sour cream, then beat in the eggs. Set aside. In a saucepan, melt the butter, then stir in the water and 5 tablespoons cocoa. Bring mixture to a boil then remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly, then stir cocoa mixture into the dry ingredients, mixing until blended.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

For the icing: In a large saucepan, combine the milk, 5 tablespoons cocoa and 1/2 cup butter. Bring to a bowl, then remove from heat. Stir in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla, then fold in the nuts, mixing until blended. Spread frosting over warm cake.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2007-10-31T09:41:00.000-07:00

These are the PERFECT fall treat. I found this recipe via Stephanie's blog and it did NOT disappoint! They got rave reviews from friends and family alike!
Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
chocolate chips (as many as you want)

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients.
3. Bake for 22-24 minutes.

Chicken Gyro's

2007-10-16T05:24:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of my friend Jenni who adapted it from Epicurious.

1 - 2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 - 1.5 t. dried oregano
juice of 1 lemon
2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 t. fresh dill, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Add all of the above to chicken, stir and marinate at least 1 hour, can do overnight. If you want to grill, it works great on the grill. Otherwise heat large skillet to medium high and cook until cooked through. Serve with tzatziki in pita bread. I used to make my own tzatziki, but Fage does a pretty good job.

Nice and easy!

Crepes

2007-10-06T15:13:00.000-07:00

What can I say? Everyone likes Crepes. EVERYONE! (Except maybe Commies...I don't know about them, but they probably like 'em too.) When I was little (maybe 11?) My neighbor Janeen Nelson taught me to make these. She used a recipe from our Ward Cookbook, and since I happen to have my own personal copy of said cookbook, I still use the same recipe she used. In our book it's called "Swedish Pancakes". And it recommends topping with powdered sugar and that's it! Talk about BORING!!! Anyway, this is my most requested recipe because these Crepes are so darn easy and good. And because everyone loves eating breakfast for dessert...and vice versa.

So, have a Crepe party and be sure to send me fan mail when you suddenly have tons more friends. (Don't blame me if they're just using you for your edibles.) Here goes...

Crepes
Combine in a batter bowl in this order:
2 cups milk
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
Stir until perfectly smooth. (Some people like to do this step in the blender, but I find adding the milk to the bowl first and using a hand mixer works just fine.)
Next add:
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
Beat thoroughly. Pour about 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter into pre-heated pan. (I usually have the stove on Medium. Make sure the pan is non-stick or have "Pam" on hand if you need it.) Tilt pan so it spreads out thin and forms a circle to the edge of the pan. Cook until edges start to look rubbery. Loosen edges. Turn.

It will be pretty well cooked, so it only needs to stay on the second side a little longer. I usually turn the oven on "warm" and pile them on a plate in there until we're ready to eat.

Serve with any or all of the following:
Nutella(or) Hot Fudge
Peanut Butter
Jam
Bananas
Applesauce
Berries, Fresh or Frozen
Whipped Cream (I'm a Spray Whip gal myself.)
Ice Cream
Powdered Sugar
Powdered Sugar and Lemon Juice
Syrup
Cream Cheese
Anything else you can think of!!! Enjoy!!!

French Toast

2007-10-05T09:41:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law Lisa called from Hawaii asking for this recipe for her daughter's birthday breakfast. That means it MUST be good.

French Toast
for Challah or Sandwich Bread
From America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated

Though thick-sliced challah is best for French toast, you can substitute high-quality, presliced sandwich bread. Flipping challah is easiest with tongs, but a spatula works best with sandwich bread…To vary the flavor of the batter, add ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon or ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg with the dry ingredients, or substitute almond extract for the vanilla.

2 large eggs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cup milk
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
8-10 slices day-old challah, ¾ inch thick,
or 12-16 slices day-old high-quality sandwich bread
Unsalted butter for frying
(1 tablespoon per batch.)

Heat a 10 or 12 inch skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the eggs lightly in a shallow pan or pie plate; whisk in the melted butter, then the milk and vanilla, and finally the sugar, flour and salt, continuing to whisk until smooth. Soak the bread without over saturating, about 40 seconds per side for challah or 30 seconds per side for sandwich bread. Pick up the bread and allow the excess batter to drip off; repeat with the remaining slices.

Swirl 1 tablespoon butter in the hot skillet. Transfer the prepared bread to the skillet in a single layer; cook until golden brown, about 1 minute 45 seconds on the first side and 1 minute on the second. Serve the French toast immediately. Continue, adding 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet for each new batch.

***My SIL makes this in the blender and says it's much easier!***

Taco Stuff

2007-07-24T18:24:00.001-07:00

It was a typical foggy cold day in San Francisco. I was pondering what to make for dinner and had a sudden craving for something I hadn't had in years. Something my mom made whenever we had company in town. I quickly called for the recipe and put the ingredients on the shopping list. A few days later, I had TACO STUFF! The next afternoon, Doug took a plate out in the courtyard in family housing and our neighbor Marissa demanded a bite. It wasn't long before the meal became famous. It is still sometimes referred to as "Marissa's Taco Stuff."

1 lb. Ground Beef
1/2 - 1 onion
1 large can Tomato Juice
2 cans tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes (optional)
1-2 can(s) beans, drained (I like black beans)
1 can corn, drained (optional)
1/4-1/2 cup taco seasoning (to taste)
(McCormick Seasoning is the best in this case! The others have lots of fillers. I use one or two packets per batch.)

Cook the ground beef with onion and salt and pepper to taste. Dump it in a large pot. Continue to dump; tomato juice, sauce, tomatoes, beans, corn, and taco seasoning. Here's how I know I've added enough seasoning: It doesn't taste like tomato juice anymore. After that it's a matter of taste.
Next: bring it to a boil then turn down to med/low and let simmer. You can simmer it anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. My mom liked to leave it simmering on the back of the stove all afternoon. When you're ready to eat, serve it over chips. Top with shredded cheese, lettuce, sour cream, olives, green onions, etc. Yum!

German Pancakes

2007-07-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

German Pancakes

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Put 4 tablespoons butter or margarine in a 9x13 and stick it in the pre-heating oven. (The butter will burn if you're poky, so don't dwaddle. Marg is safer 'cause it wont burn.)

In a large mixing bowl (I like my 8 cup batter bowl with handle and spout) combine:
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
6 eggs
dash of salt (don't leave out the salt. It's a flavor enhancer, ya know.)

Beat together with electric mixer until smooth.
By now hopefully your oven is completely pre-heated and the butter has melted. Pull the oven rack out a bit and dump in your batter. Try to be quick so you don't let all the heat out.

Cook for 20 minutes. (Turn the oven light on so your kids can watch.)

Serve with your favorite pancake toppings. (I prefer applesauce, syrup, and spray whip...but that's just me.)
ENJOY!

Chocolate Mousse Cake

2007-07-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Mousse Cake

1 TBSP ground almonds plus additional to dust pan
10 ½ oz. Dark Chocolate (I use Ghirardelli 60% cacao)
1 ½ cups Sugar
1 ¼ stick unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
(Or just use salted butter, duh!)
5 large eggs
Powdered Sugar to dust top

Preheat oven to 350
Lightly spray Spring Form pan with cooking spray
Dust with ground almonds
Shake off excess
Set aside

In double boiler set at low simmer, melt the chocolate, butter, and sugar stirring frequently. Remove from heat. (I don't have a double boiler so I put a glass bowl over my sauce pan.)

In medium bowl, beat the eggs and ground almonds. Fold egg mixture into the chocolate mixture and stir until thickened--several minutes.

Pour the batter into the pan. Smooth the top and bake for 45 minutes or until the top is set and begins to crack. Remove the side of the pan and let cool completely. Dust with Powdered Sugar. Try not to eat the whole thing yourself.

Enjoy!!!