Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Blueberry Almond Cheesecake Tunnel


The first time I made this Kristin was over and we had just gotten home from picking blueberries. Once we started putting this together I had to run to the store 2 separate times for ingredients, but it was so worth it! This is a very special coffee cake.-Sarah

filling
1/4 cup sugar
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 egg
3 T. flour
1/2 t. almond extract

cake
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 t. vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
3 cups flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 cups blueberries

glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 oz. cream cheese
2-3 t. milk
1/2 t. vanilla
1 T. blueberries
  • For filling beat cream cheese until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.
  • In a mixing bowl combine sugar, butter and vanilla beating until creamy. Continue beating, adding 1 egg at a time, beating well after each. Reduce speed to low.
  • Mix flour with other dry ingredients, add to mixer alternating with sour cream till well mixed.
  • Stir in blueberries.
  • Spoon half the batter into a greased bundt or tube pan. Make a well in the center and fill with cream cheese mixture. Spoon remaining batter over filling.
  • Bake 50-65 minutes.
  • Make glaze, beating until smooth. Mash blueberries well and add to half the glaze mixture.
  • Drizzle with white glaze and then with blue.

Baking Mix

A couple of my favorite recipes call for Bisquick, but I don't always have it in the house. That's when I rely on this recipe. I use it in place of Bisquick in any recipe.-Sarah

8 cups flour
1 1/4 cup powdered milk
1/4 cup baking powder
1 T. salt
2 cups shortening

  • Combine all dry ingredients.
  • Cut in shortening until well mixed.

Fruit and Cream Pie






This recipe called for raspberries, but I tried it with blueberries and I think both would be awesome! This was a big hit with my family and I'm sure it will be with yours!-Sarah

crust
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
5 T. melted butter

filling
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 t. milk
1 t. vanilla

top layer
3/4 cup sugar
3 T. cornstarch
1 1/3 cup cold water
1/4 cup Jell-O powder
3 c. fresh berries
  • Combine crust ingredients and press into a lightly greased 10 inch pie plate.
  • Bake at 350 degrees 9-11 minutes. Cool crust.
  • Combine filling ingredients and spread over crust.
  • In a small saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch and water until smooth. Bring to a boil, cook and stir until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in Jell-O. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate until slightly thickened.
  • Stir fruit into gelatin mixture. Spoon over filling and refrigerate until set.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Lemon Sour Cream Cake

This is delicious. I posted the frosting recipe I made it with, and it is awesome, but I also think this cake would be awesome with pudding frosting made with lemon pudding. (recipe on blog) -Kristin

1 box lemon cake mix
1 c. sour cream
3/4 c. water
3/4 c. oil
4 eggs
1 small package lemon instant pudding

1 c. butter, softened
4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice (juice from one lemon)
1 t. packed grated lemon zest

  • Preheat oven to 350 and grease 2 cake rounds or a 9x13 pan.
  • Mix together all ingredients on first row and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
  • Pour batter into cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes being careful to not over bake.
  • Remove from oven, set aside and let cool completely.
  • Beat softened butter and 4 c. of the powdered sugar; beat well and add remaining ingredients. If you want thicker frosting, add more powdered sugar till desired consistency. I thought 4 cups was perfect.

  • Frost when cake is completely cooled.

  • Garnish with raspberries if desired.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Asian Spinach Salad


This is an awesome salad. I love it because it doesn't use the Ramen noodle seasoning package like most recipes similar to this. The seasoning package for Ramen noodles contains a lot of MSG, and I do not handle that stuff well...so....I am excited for this recipe. -Kristin

8 T. olive oil
4 T. sugar
3 T. unseasoned rice vinegar
3 T. soy sauce

2 (3 oz.) package Ramen noodles, coarsely broken 1 c. slivered almonds
3 T. sesame seeds
1 (10 oz.) package ready to use baby spinach
1 large bunch of green onions, chopped
  • Whisk 6 T. olive oil, sugar, vinegar and soy sauce in small bow to blend; season with salt and pepper and set aside.
  • Heat remaining 2 T. oil in skillet over medium high heat and add the noodles, almonds and seeds. Stir continuously until browned. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.
  • In a large bowl mix together the spinach, green onions and the noodle mixture.
  • Stir in the sauce mixture.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Canned Sweet Pickle Relish


I am super excited about this recipe for homemade sweet pickle relish- especially with the abundance of cucumbers this time of year from my garden. We love sweet relish on burgers, hot dogs and especially love it in tuna! This recipe makes enough for 3 quarts or 6 pints. -Kristin

8 cucumbers
2 large onions
2 green peppers
1 red pepper
1/4 c. canning salt (pickling salt)
3 c. sugar
3 c. apple cider vinegar
2 T. whole celery seed
2 T. mustard seed
  • Cut all the vegetables into large chunks and place in a food processor. Pulse until all chopped very fine.
  • Place all the finely chopped vegetables into a large bowl and cover with water.
  • Let sit for 2 hours or more.
  • Drain the water off of the vegetables and press as much extra water out that you can.
  • Place vegetables into a large saucepan with the remaining ingredients.
  • Simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Fill clean pint or quart jars and process in hot water bath canner.
  • Process pints for 10 minutes and quarts for 15 minutes.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Sweet Pork

This pork is awesome! The sweetness with the salsa is perfect. I served it on tortillas with all the fixings. -Kristin

3 pound pork tenderloin
1 c. brown sugar
2 c. salsa

  • Trim fat off pork tenderloin and place in slow cooker.
  • Mix together brown sugar and salsa and pour over pork.
  • Cook on low for 8 hours.
  • Shred with two forks and return to crock pot and allow liquid to absorb.
  • Serve with tortillas and all the fixins!

Friday, July 10, 2009

Tart Cherry Pie


It's cherry season in Michigan and that means cherry pie! The boys and I pick every summer, and this is my official pie recipe. This recipe fits in my deep dish pie plate.-Sarah

1 1/2 recipes pie crust (on blog)

1/4 cup sugar
2 T. flour

5 cups washed and pitted sour cherries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 t. almond flavoring
1/4 t. salt
  • Place cherries in a bowl and add remaining ingredients. If cherries are frozen let them thaw with the other ingredients, and it will form a syrup.
  • Make pie crust. Mix the 1/4 cup sugar and 2 T. flour, spread over the bottom crust. Top with cherries and cover with top crust.
  • Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 30-40 minutes longer. (Make sure the filling bubbles and thickens before taking it out of the oven)

Italian Herb Pizza Crust


This is from a blog that I recently found. I adapted it a bit, and we loved the results! Even my kids loved it, and never said a word about the whole wheat flour. The orange juice seems weird but it's supposed to help cut the flavor of the whole wheat, I guess it worked!-Sarah

3/4 cup warm water
4 T. orange juice
1 T. yeast
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. onion powder
1 t. salt
1 t. basil
1 t. oregano
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour

  • In a bowl combine water, orange juice, yeast, seasonings and Parmesan cheese.
  • Stir in the whole wheat flour. Add the white flour until a soft dough forms, kneading in remaining flour.
  • Let rise for at least 1 hour, pat dough onto greased pan and top with sauce and toppings. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

Chicken Squash Bake


I tried this recipe tonight off of Tammy's Recipes and it was a huge hit- I am posting how I made it. I had thought the kids would complain because they are not big fans of squash, but all but one loved it. I love the cheese on top that is a bit crispy from being broiled and how it melts down into the veggies. I will definitely make this again. -Kristin

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
garlic salt
Lemon Pepper seasoning (or other of your choice)
3 large yellow squash, washed and sliced in 1/4 inch thick slices and the halved
6 oz. fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
2 T. butter
6 slices Provolone slices (or baby Swiss, mozzarella or muenster cheese)

  • Preheat oven to 375 and grease a 9x13 pan. Place chicken in and sprinkle both sides with garlic salt and seasoning. Cover with foil and bake for 60 minutes. (Or grill the seasoned chicken and follow the rest of directions.)
  • Before the chicken is done baking saute the squash in the butter till tender.
  • Add the spinach and cook and stir until just tender.
  • Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
  • When the chicken is done baking, remove and turn broiler on high.
  • Top the chicken with the cheeses slices and place under broiler until browned.

Crispy Chicken Wraps


Not really sure I like the name, but can't come up with a better one. The tortilla turns out very quesadilla like, chewy yet firm...not sure that Chewy Chicken Wraps would be an appealing name. ANYWAY...these are delicious! I love the bit of hot sauce in there, it adds a lot of flavor and the celery adds the perfect crunch. -Kristin

1/3 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
3 green onions, diced thin
1 large celery stalk, chopped fine
2 T. sour cream
2 t. hot sauce (I use Franks Red Hot)
2 c. diced, cooked chicken

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
6 (10 inch) tortillas
salsa

  • Mix all ingredients on the first list together.
  • Spread out the tortillas on the counter and divide shredded cheese among them leaving 1/2 inch border around the edges.
  • Evenly divide the chicken mixture among them down the center and then fold the tortilla over.
  • Spray both sides with olive oil cooking spray and place in a hot skillet.
  • Brown each side about 1 minute.
  • Serve with salsa.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Canned Tart or Sweet Cherries


I have been wanting to make these for years. My mother in law made them and kept them as a topping for ice cream in the winter. What a treat, almost makes me want winter...not quite, still too many things left to can! The top picture is Kristin's sweet cherries canned and the bottom picture is my tart cherries canned. -Sarah
I love the canned sweet cherries on plain yogurt, it is so delicious and so sweet without any extra sugar. -Kristin

3 1/4 cups sugar
5 cups water
washed pitted tart or sweet cherries

  • Fill canner halfway with water and bring to a simmer (180 degrees).
  • Mix sugar and water in a saucepan and stir until the sugar dissolves. Keep syrup hot.
  • Ladle a small amount of syrup in the bottom of the jars. Fill with cherries, packing them lightly.
  • Fill with syrup, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Top with caps and rings.
  • Place jars into canner, making sure there is about 1 inch water over the top of the jars (if needed add some boiling water).
  • Bring canner to a boil and start timer for 25 minutes.
  • Lower heat so the canner is simmering.
  • Remove the jars and listen to the caps pop! Let stand at room temperature 12-24 hours.

Mexican Eggs


I got this recipe off of the pioneer woman's website and it's a keeper! I'm always looking for new ways to fix eggs.-Sarah

eggs
salsa
cheese
cilantro
tortillas

  • In a greased skillet crack eggs, season with salt and pepper, and cook just until firm enough to flip over.
  • As soon as they are flipped over season them again, spoon on some salsa, and lay the cheese over. I used smoked provolone for the picture, but any cheese will be delicious.
  • Put a lid on the pan and turn heat to low. Cook until cheese is melted and eggs are desired firmness. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with tortillas.

Warm Ham and Swiss Wraps






I can't remember where I got this recipe, but it's one that my family has enjoyed for years. Perfect for a warm night.-Sarah

6 tortillas
1# sliced ham
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
3 cups chopped lettuce
1 med. tomato, seeded and diced
1/2 cup diced cucumber
2 green onions, sliced

Dressing
3/4 cup mayo
3 T. milk
2 t. sugar
1 t. mustard
1/2 t. celery seed
  • On each tortilla layer ham and cheese. Place on cookie sheets and cover lightly with foil. Bake at 350 degrees about 15 minutes until cheese is melted.
  • Combine lettuce and veggies.
  • Combine dressing ingredients.
  • Serve each tortilla with salad and dressing.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Chocolate Pudding Cake


This is a recipe that we figured out together and it's always a hit when we share it. We've been making it for years and years!-Sarah

1 chocolate cake mix
1 box instant chocolate pudding
2 cups milk
8 oz. Cool Whip

  • Bake cake according to directions in a greased 9x13 pan.
  • Poke the crap out of it with a the end of a wooden spoon.
  • Mix pudding mix with milk and spread over cake, pushing the pudding into the holes.
  • Top with Cool Whip.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Cinnamon Crown Bundt Cake


This is one of my favorite coffee cakes, it looks great too because it's baked in a bundt pan.-Sarah
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup milk
3 eggs
1 T. vanilla

1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
2 t. cinnamon

  • In a mixing bowl combine 1st 8 ingredients. With mixer on medium speed mix for 3 minutes.
  • Spoon half of the batter into a well sprayed bundt pan.
  • Stir last 5 ingredients into the remaining batter. Spoon over first layer in bundt pan.
  • Bake at 325 degrees 65-70 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes and invert onto plate.

Leah's Cheerios Snack Mix


This is my friend Leah's recipe. She brought this our church's poolside fellowship and it was such a hit with kids and adults! -Kristin

1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. light corn syrup
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
8 c. Cheerios
1 c. toasted almonds, whole
1-2 c. dried cranberries
  • Preheat oven to 275 and grease a jelly roll pan.
  • Combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt in saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until it bubbles around the edge, then cook for 2 minutes more.
  • Remove from heat and add baking soda.
  • Pour sugar mixture over cereal, almonds and cranberries and mix well.
  • Bake 20-25 minutes.
  • Let stand till cool, then break into pieces.
  • Makes 10 cups.