Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

1 package Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Pineapple Supreme Cake Mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup firmly packged brown sugar
1 (20 oz) can pineapple slices, drained
*Red Maraschino Cherries, drained and halved

Preheat oven to 350 F

Melt butter in ungreased 13x9 inch pan.  Sprinkle brown sugar evely in pan. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place maraschino cherry halves, cut side up, in center of pineapple slices.

Prepare cake mix following package directions for basic recipe. Pour batter evenly over fruit in pan. Bake at 350 for 43 to 48 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 5 minutes in pan. invert onto heat resistant serving plate.

* I use whole Maraschino Cheeries but have used them halved also.

Veggie Dip

This was the dip that I brought to the Relief Meeting last night!

Veggie Dip

  1 cup Sour Cream
  2/3 cup Mayo
  1 tsp Dillweed
*1 tsp Bon Appetit
  1 tbsp Dried Onion
  1 tbsp Parlsey Flakes

Mix all together and chill

*This is a spice. I haven't been able to buy it here in the south.  I have only been able to buy it in Utah.  So if you know of someone that lives in Utah or maybe a Northern State have them look for it and send it your way.  I have also made it without it and it's just as good.

Pita Bread

I saw this post on Heatherly's FB. Hope she doesn't mind me posting it here;). Thought it would go great with Nellie's Tzatki sauce.

This recipe come's from healthycooking.suite101.com

With childhood obesity and type two diabetes on the rise, parents are looking for school lunches that are both wholesome and mouthwatering. Making whole wheat pitas at home is quick and easy. Let the children help measure, stir and knead. Make it a family affair and the kids will enjoy having a say in what goes into their school lunch box.

Ingredients for Homemade Whole Wheat Pita Bread

• 5-6 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups very warm water
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey, (optional)

Instructions for Making Whole Wheat Pita Bread

1. Stir 2 cups of flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl.
2. Stir in water gradually and beat until smooth.
3. Add ¾ cup more flour and beat.
4. Stir in enough additional flour to make soft dough. Beat well.
5. Turn out onto a floured board.
6. Knead until smooth and elastic.
7. Form the dough into a ball and let rise, covered, in an oiled bowl until doubled. About 1 hour.
8. Punch down and let rest 30 minutes covered with a damp towel.
9. Divide into 12 equal pieces and shape into balls.
10. On a floured board, roll out each ball to a 5-6 inch circle.
11. Pre heat oven to 450 degrees. When heated, place dough circles on cookie sheet.
12. Bake until puffed and bottoms are brown, about 5 minutes.
13. Makes 12

sausage and peppers

Depending on the size of family you are cooking for this could feed two to twenty. Just add more tomatoes and sausages as needed.

2-9 cans of stewed or chopped tomatoes (Preferably basil garlic)
3 bell peppers (Red, Green and orange) chopped
1 Chili pepper chopped
1 jalapeno chopped
1 med onion chopped
Italian seasoning (oregano, basil, garlic)
2-6 packages of Italian sausages (you can even use bratwursts)

Add all the above ingredients to the crock pot, cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6. Serve over white rice, enjoy! (if you are short on time you can boil sausages, add ingredients and cook for about 30 mins or so)

Southwestern Eggrolls

(this is maybe my favorite thing ever)

Ingredients:

2 tbl oil

1 chicken breast

2 tbl minced green onion

2 tbl minced red pepper

1/3 C frozen corn kernels

1/4 C blak beans, rinsed/drained

2 tbl frozen chopped spinach

2 tbl diced jalapeno

1/2 tbl fresh minced parsley

1/2 tsp cumin

1/3 tsp salt

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 pinch cayenne

3/4 C monterrey jack cheese

5 6 in flour tortillas

1 qt oil

Directions:

• Rub 1 tbl veg oil over chicen. cook chicken 5 min per side medium heat.
• Heat 1 tbl oil and stir in onion and red pepper. Sautee about 5 minutes.
• Dice chicken add to onion and peppers. Add remaining ingredients (through cayenne pepper). Sautee maybe 5 more minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in cheese.
• Spooned into warmed tortillas and wrap them closed, like a burrito.
• Freeze for 4 hours.
• Deep fry in quart of oil (375 degrees) 10 minutes each.

(So the deep frying part you'll have to experiment with . We've done these with egg roll wrappers which we prefer to the tortillas. I've also just wrapped up the stuff in a burrito and cooked it in the oven at 375 for 10 minutes so the tortillas are crispy (don't have to freeze to do this). You can also just bake egg rolls if you don't like deep frying.)

Baked Artichoke-Spinach Dip

Ingredients:

1/2 C shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 C dairy sour cream

1/2 C mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese

1 to 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard

Dash White pepper

1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped

1 C loosely packed, coarsely hopped spinach leaves

1/2 C finely chopped red onion

Pita wedges, thinly sliced French bread, and/or assorted crackers

Directions:

Combine mozzarella cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, 1/4 C of the parmesan cheese, mustard and pepper. Stir in artichoke hearts, spinach, and onion. Spread mixture evenly into a 9-icnh pie plate. sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 C parmesan cheese.

Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven about 15 minutes or until heated through.

(make ahead directions-prepare as above. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours. Uncover and bake about 25 minutes.)

Creme Brule French Toast

This is our breakfast tradition on Christmas morning. I also make it for brunches and I have been known to make it for dinner when I've really had a craving for it!

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbs corn syrup
1 loaf Challah bread
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups of half and half
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

In a small saucepan melt butter and add sugar and corn syrup over moderate heat. Stir until smooth. Pour into a 13x9x2 baking dish. (I usually make 1 and half the amount of sauce. I have tried doubling the amount and that can be too sweet but I do prefer adding an additional half amount of the sauce)

Cut 6 slices from the center of the bread about 1 inch thick, reserving the rest of the bread for another use. Arrange the bread slices in the dish that the sauce was poured into, squeezing them slightly to fit.

In a bowl whisk together half and half, eggs, salt, and vanilla until they are mixed well. Pour over the bread evenly. Wrap the dish and chill it for 8 hours or up to one day.

In the morning preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring the bread mixture to room temperature (about 20 minutes) before placing into oven. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes or until puffed and edges are a pale golden. Serve hot.

Note: You can get Challah (pronounced Holla) at Market street. You just have to call in advance and order it. It's $3.99 a loaf and the bread is what really makes this dish yummy. You could probally use other types of bread but I haven't tried any.

My Hawaiian Haystack Style

I was cleaning out my email when I found this recipe from Melanie Hill. It tasted so delicious at Lorraine's baby shower. I hope you don't mind me posting it here Melanie!!

Ingredients:

2 cups of white rice

1 can of already cooked white chicken breast (flake before adding)

OR 1 cup of already cooked shredded or cubed chicken (depending on how you like the consistency of your meat to be)

2 cans of Pineapple Tidbits or chunks ( save the juice! )

2 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup

2 cups of chopped celery

2 cups of cheddar cheese

1 cup of coconut (optional)

Chowmein noodles (optional topping, or for those that don’t like rice)

Start cooking your rice, whether on the stove or in a rice cooker.

For Sauce: Drain your pineapple very well and save the juice, add the juice to a medium size cooking pot and place on stove. Add the cream of chicken soup. Mix and heat at a medium setting, stirring occasionally. After 5 minutes add chicken, I have found the canned chicken to be easy and doesn’t cost that much more. I flake this just before adding to the pot. Continue to have this heat to a boiling. Once it is boiling, put on simmer until ready to serve.

While your Sauce is heating: Chop your celery and place in dish to serve, grate your cheese and place in dish. You can also have coconut in a dish as an optional topping. You are ready to go as soon as your rice is cooked.

This will serve 6-8 people.

How to make a Hawaiian Haystack: On your plate place a scoop of rice or if you don’t like rice put some Chowmein noodles down. Add Whatever toppings you like, but if you are going to have cheese add next so that when you add the sauce next it melts the cheese. After the sauce, add any of the other toppings you want. Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

This recipe doesn't have anything to do with Christmastime, except that it's so EASY and SO good that it will make any hectic holiDAY merry and bright. If you have a can opener, you can make this!

2 cans Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles
2 cans chicken broth
1 can refried beans
1 can whole kernal corn
1 can black beans
2 cups shredded cooked chicken

Corn chips
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Combine all ingredients except corn and beans in a crock pot and cook for about 6-8 hours. Shred chicken and add corn and beans. Serve with tortilla chips and top with cheese.

Stanton Christmas Cheeseball

(makes one large, or 2 small)

1 8oz. package cream cheese (left soften to room temp)
5 oz. of grated sharp cheddar cheese
pinch of salt
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. sugar
2 green onions chopped
1/2 of a green pepper chopped
2 oz. jar of pimento (drained )

Mix all together, shape into ball(s) and refrigerate overnight.

Roll in chopped walnuts or slivered almonds right before serving.
Goes great with Wheat Thins, Ritz etc...

Sharee Isaksen

Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast

Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast

Ingredients:

12 slices white bread, crusts removed
2 packages (16 ounces total) cream cheese
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed
12 eggs
2 cups milk
1/3 cup maple syrup or other syrup.

Sauce:

1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon butter

Preparation: Cut bread into 1-in cubes; place half in a greased 13- x 9-i x 2-inch baking dish.Cut cream cheese into 1-inch cubes; place over bread. Top with blueberries and remaining bread. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Whisk in milk and syrup, blending well. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 25-30 minutes more or until golden brown and the center is set.

In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; add water. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in blueberries; reduce heat. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until berries have burst. Stir in butter until melted.
Serve sauce with French toast.

Serves 6 to 8
( I have tried it with peaches too) Very YUMMY!

Sky-High Brunch Bake

I got this from a Kraft Foods magazine. It's relatively simple, yet seems semi-impressive. Oh, and tastes good too!

Ingredients:

1 pkg (17.3 oz) frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

6 eggs

1 C ricotta Cheese

Dash hot pepper sauce

2 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained

4 slices cooked bacon chopped

1 1/2 shredded cheddar cheese

1 C chopped red peppers

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400. Unfold puff pastry sheets and roll out one sheet to about an 11 inch square and one to about a 12 inch square.
• Line bottom and side of greased 9-inch springform pan with 12-inch pastry sheet
• Beat eggs in medium bowl with wire whisk. Reserve 1 tbsp eggs; set aside. Add ricotta cheese, pepper sauce, and spinach to eggs in bowl; mix until blended.
• Layer half each of the bacon, cheese, spinach mixture and red peppers in pastry-lined pan. Repeat Layers.
• Place remaining pastry sheet over mixture; fold and tuck pastry edges into pan to enclose filling. PInch edges to seal.
• Brush surface with reserved egg; pierce pastry several times to form vents or slits, which will allow steam to escape during baking. Bake 45 to 55 min. or until top is golden brown. cool 10 min. Run small knife around edge of pan before removing.

Makes 12 servings.

melt in you mouth sugar cookies

This is one cookie I remember making with my mom at Christmas time. It always seemed like so much fun to get to press the cup in the cookie dough!!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 C flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 C butter, softened (no substitutions)

1/2 C confectioners' sugar

1/2 C granulated sugar, plus

2 tbl granulated sugar

1 egg

1/2 C vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter, confectioners sugar, and 1/2 C granulated sugar on medium speed about 2 min or until creamy. Reduce speed to low, beat in egg, then beat in oil and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture just until blended, occasionally scraping bowl.

Place remaining 2 tbsp sugar in a small bowl or saucer. Shape dough by rounded tsp into 3/4 inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Dip punch cup or glass with raised or cut design on bottom, or coarse side of meat mallet into sugar in bowl, use to flatted each ball into a 1 1/2 inch round (I use food coloring in the sugar to color the cookies).

Bake 10-11 min until edges are golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Store cookies in tightly covered container at room temp up to 1 week or in freezer up to 3 months.

sweet chex mix

got this recipe from good friend Janae Black. it's a favorite and an easy treat to make for neighborhood christmas treat gifts.

1/2 box corn chex

1/2 box rice chex

1/2 box golden grahams

2 C coconut

1 C silvered almonds

mix above ingredients together

Sauce

3/4 C butter

1 C sugar

1 C white karo syrup

pour sauce over dry ingredients

stir

pour a single layer on waxed paper to set.

Healthy Christmas Tree Snack

I saw this at gourmetmomonthego.com and thought it was so cute I had to start with it!! Plus I love sugar snap peas. ((I don't have to list the recipe do I??)) There was one suggestion to cut cheese slices into ornament shapes to decorate the tree with. Fun.

Thanksgiving Basics

Here are some basic, no-frill, but tried and true recipes for Thanksgiving.

ROLLS
This recipe is from Liz Zimmerman. A cute young mom and wonderful cook in my last branch. I like that it doesn't add extra fat (just from the milk) since all of the rest of my Thanksgiving recipes are full of butter. Makes 32 big, fluffy rolls.
2 T yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp salt ( I prefer 1 T salt)
2 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
1 cup very hot water
4 cups flour
3 1/2 cups flour

Mix yeast in 1/2 cup water and let stand while mixing sugar, salt, eggs and can of milk. Add hot water and yeast mixture. Mix, then add 4 cups flour, beat well. Add 3 1/2 cups more flour (may need more). Let rise until double (1 - 1 1/2 hours?). Punch down. Divide into 4 parts. Roll each part into a circle, cut into 8 pie shaped wedges with a pizza cutter or knife. Roll from wide end, place on greased sheet. Let rise until double. (The first sheet is usually ready by the time the rest are assembled.) Cook at 400 degrees for 12 min. Brush with butter while hot if desired.

I also use this recipe as a cinnamon roll base. Just roll into rectangles instead of circles, spread with butter and liberal amount of cinnamon/sugar, also raisins and chopped nuts if you like, roll like a jelly roll and slice with dental floss.

BREAD STUFFING
This recipe comes from the Lion House recipe book and makes a lot. You can cut it down for smaller meals.
1 cup butter or margarine
3/4 to 1 cup chopped onion
2 cups finely chopped celery
3 to 4 quarts stale bread cubes (Just leave your bread bag open so it dries some.)
Salt to taste (the recipe says 1 T but I always go with half that or less)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning

Heat butter in large skillet: add onion and celery and cook until transparent but not brown (about 10 min.) Add bread cubes (1/4 to 1/2 half inch cubes) and seasonings. Heat until butter is absorbed, stirring constantly. This makes a somewhat dry stuffing. If you like it moist (I do) add 1/3 to 1 cup chicken or turkey stock or water. This stuffing is supposed to be put into your turkey and baked. I prefer to spread it in a baking pan and bake it for 15 min. or so, just until crunchy on top.

APPLE PIE
From Lion's House again.

Pastry for 9-inch 2 crust pie (see below).
4 to 5 cups tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (I like JohnnyGold)
1/4 to 1/2 cup water (depending on how juicy your apples already are)
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
1 to 2 T flour
12 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 T lemon juice
2 T butter or margarine (if you don't use a butter based crust)

Steam or simmer apples gently in water until they wilt and begin to become transparent (to partially cook). Combine the sugar and other dry ingredients. Mix well. Spread half over the pastry-lined pie pan. Lift apples from cooking liquid into crust. Add 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture. Sprinkle with lemon juice and dot with butter. Roll, fit and seal top crust. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Bake on lower shelf of oven at 425 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. (I use a pie shield for the outer edge of the crust or you can put strips of aluminum foil on outer edge to keep it from over browning.)

RHOTON FAMILY'S FAVORITE PIE CRUST
This is a recipe I've toyed with and it changes periodically. Here's the current version. I usually can get 3 "discs" from it which makes one 2 crust pie and one 1 crust pie. If you haven't rolled out a crust before maybe just use it for one 2 crust pie so that you have lots to work with. Sprinkle the leftover pieces with cinnamon sugar and bake for extra treats.

3 cups flour
Scant teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup cold butter (not margarine)
3/4 very cold water

Place flour in bowl and stir in salt with a fork. Cut in shortening and butter with a pastry cutter until largest pieces of butter are the size of peas. Sprinkle water around the bowl and blend softly with a fork until moist. Don't over mix. It should still appear somewhat crumbly. Pour 1/2 or 1/3 of mixture on a piece of plastic wrap. Pull up the edges and press lightly into a disc shape. Repeat to make 1 or 2 other discs. Chill while you make the filling.

To roll out crust, wipe your counter with a wet rag then place a large sheet of plastic wrap on it. It will stick. Place the disc on the plastic wrap with another piece of plastic wrap on top. Toll with the dough between the two pieces of wrap. Roll until the dough is atleast an inch larger than the pie pan. Remove one sheet of plastic wrap and carefully put dough in the pan removing the other as you go. Fill as recipe indicates. If you are making a 2 crust pie, add the top crust, pinch the edges and cut a few small vents on top.
Note: You can use all shortening instead of butter. This works well if you want to make a more defined/decorative edge, it just doesn't taste as buttery.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Say Good-bye to Sweet Potatoes in a can!

In my experience people either love sweet potatoes or hate them. Maybe because they have only had them from a can, I have a hard time believing that someone could not like something covered in butter, brown sugar and marshmallows!! So if you feel like you want to give sweet potatoes another try, use this recipe it is my tried and true favorite, and it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without them!


5 good size sweet potatoes (or yams depends on which side of the country you are on
1 cube butter (yes real butter, come on this is Thanksgiving)
3/4 cup brown sugar
Cinnamon
nutmeg
1/2 bag mini marshmallows

Bake (not boil) sweet potatoes for about an hour until they are tender. Let them cool and they should just slide out of the skins. Now whether you like creamy or cut into chunks you either cube them or mash them, I do a bit of both, some chunks and some mashed, I like the texture of both. Place sweet potatoes in a 9x13 dish. Melt butter and pour evenly over sweet potatotes. Then take some cinnamon, and sprinkle on according to your tastes, and the same with nutmeg (if you don't like nutmeg omit). Now sprinkle the brown sugar over evenly and place in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, then take the marshmallow and spread over top, place in broiler til melted (this step takes just a few minutes, don't leave the oven, there is nothing worse than crispy marshmallows.
Serve and enjoy!

Cheesy Pumpkin Squares

2 Jell-O No-Bake Pumpkin Style Pie Desserts (in a box type mix)
10 Tbsp. Butter
4 Tbsp. Sugar
5 cups Cold Milk
8 oz. Cream Cheese
1 cup. Powdered Sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip

Mix the crust mixes from both boxes of the No-Bake Pumpkin Style Pie Desserts with the butter and sugar. Press the prepared crust into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.

Next, mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar together and fold in the Cool Whip. Put this mixture on top of the pressed crust.

Mix the Pumpkin mix from both desserts with the milk following the instructions on the back of the box. Pour this on top of the cream cheese layer. Cover it and refrigerate at least an hour (the longer you chill it, the better it sets).

If you want to make this into a round pie, or make a smaller square baker size, cut the cream cheese layer ingredients in half and use just one box of the Jell-O dessert mix.

This is NOT the recipe on the back of the Jell-O box. It is a bit more rich in the flavor of the cream cheese layer. I came up with it by combining the pumpkin idea with part of another layered dessert recipe I have and loved the results. I hope you love it too!

Funeral Potatoes

So honestly, traditional Thanksgiving dishes are not my favorite. I'll just come right out and say, I don't like mashed potatoes. But the following are three dishes that I have to have on Thanksgiving. They're probably not very Thanksgivingy to most people, but they are to me:)

This is one of the few potato dishes I like. This is a dish probably most of you have, but if you don't have it-try it. This recipe is always requested when I bring it somewhere and it's so easy to make.

Ingredients

1/2 C butter or margarine

1 lb pkg frozen cubed hash browned potatoes

1/2 C minced onion

2 C shredded cheddar cheese

2 C sour cream

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 C crumbs (bread or corn flake)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt margarine or butter. In a bowl, combine all ingredients, except crumbs. Spread mixture evenly in a greased 9 x 13 baking pan. Sprinkle crumbs on top, cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr. Remove foil last 15 minutes.

no mayo cole slaw salad

I have this recipe at a lot of mormon functions, so I'm assuming you have it. But in case you don't, this is definitely a favorite of mine.

Ingredients:

1 lb pkg. shredded cabbage

1 C silvered almonds

1 C sunflower seeds

4 green onions (including tops) chopped

1 3 oz pkg chicken flavor ramen noodle soup mix

dressing:

1/2 C safflower oil (i've always used canola)

3 tbs white vinegar

1/4 C sugar

flavor packet from soup mix

salt

Directions:

In large bowl, toss cabbage, almonds, sunflower seeds, and onions together. Thirty minutes before serving, break up noodles, add to salad mix. In small bowl, combine dressing ingredients. Toss with salad. Refrigerate. Mix well again just before serving.