North Pole Pretzel Treats

I see you

1. In as much as Amanda and these chocolate prezel treats have consented together in wedlock, and have witnessed the same before this company, and pledged their vows to each other, by the authority vested in me by the Blogging world, I now pronounce them married forever, never to part.
   
   
   Bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels
   M&M's
   Hershey's Hugs
   
   
   Preheat oven to 170'. Set about 80 pretzels on a cookie sheet, then top each with a Hug. Bake for 6 minutes until the chocolate feels soft when touched with a wooden spoon. Remove from oven and quickly press an M&M into the center. Cool for a few minutes, then place into the fridge to set for about 10 minutes. 
   
   

Potatoes au Gratin with Cumin and Chili Powder

Now that's homestyle cookin'!

Here in Mormonville, Utah we're famous for three things. Jello, casserole, and funeral potatoes. Jello is the nastiest creation ever conceived. What sick, twisted person figured that blending cow/pig hooves and connective tissues, sugar, and green dye would make a our children jump with joy? And casseroles. All your fridge's leftovers baked into one massive crust. But funeral potatoes (more commonly known as au gratin) are what we Mormons do best. Potatoes topped with tons of cheese. Yum. This was the most delicious creamiest potato recipe I've ever had!

3 medium potatoes- peeled and sliced thinly
3 medium sweet potatoes- peeled and sliced thinly (or just do 6 normal potatoes)
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp chili powder
1 clove garlic
1 tsp salt
1/4 black pepper
1/4 tsp garam masala (1 TBSP cumin, 1 1/2 tsp coriander, 1 1/2 tsp cardamom, 1 1/2 tsp ground pepper, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp nutmeg)

Whisk together everything but potatoes. Make a layer of potato slices in a deep baking dish and pour over some sauce. repeat until all ingredients are used up, ending with the sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 355' for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until golden brown (make sure the potatoes are done). Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Coconut Chicken With Thai Peanut Sauce

The peanut butter sauce is what makes this chicken Thailicious

Dear Diary-
I'm fairly certain my roommate is secretly Gollum. How do I know? Immediately after I lifted the coconut chicken out of the oven, she got down on all fours and hissed, swiping at me screaming, "IT'S ALL MINE you stupid fat hobbit!" The rest of the night she spent muttering "my precious" while stroking the coconut encrusted chicken and laughing maniacally. I believe have created a food monster...I think it's my responsibility to destroy it...TO MORDOR!

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
3/4 cup coconut milk
3 tsp fish sauce (didn't have any so I used 1 tsp soy sauce)
2 limes- divided
1/2 bread crumbs (panko style) (Or if you're me, toast some bread and rip it to shreds)
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
3 TBSP honey
3 tsp chili paste
1 garlic clove
1/8 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp sesame oil
Water
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 450'. Brush a metal baking sheet with olive oil. Cut chicken breasts into 2-inch wide strips. Combine coconut milk, 1 tsp fish sauce and juice of 1 lime in a Ziploc. Add chicken and stick in the fridge for 15 minutes. On a large plate, combine bread crumbs, coconut, salt, and pepper. Mix well.

In a small mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, remaining 2 tsp of fish sauce, juice of the other lime, honey, chili paste, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Mix well. Thin out to desired consistency with as much water as you need.

Roll marinated chicken in the coconut mixture, coating well. Lay on baking sheet. Drizzle 1 TBSP olive oil over chicken and bake for 15-18 minutes or until chicken is done. Serve with peanut sauce!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

All part of a complete breakfast!

Here's what happened when these came out of the oven. "One ah ah ah! Two ah ah ah! THREE ah ah ah!.......SEVEN ah ah ah!" Let's just say my gut is a happy gut. :) The roomie said her mom always stuck in chocolate chips, while mine never did. It's always a gamble with my pride to do something my roommate suggests, but I got an awesome recipe for my blind trust. Maha.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 TBSP vanilla extract
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup buttermilk (4 TBSP milk and 1/4 cup plain yogurt)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350'. Lightly grease muffin tin. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the eggs one at a time, beating well with one addition, then stir in vanilla. Mix in mashed bananas, sour cream and buttermilk. Combine flour mixture into sugar/banana mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into muffin tins. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Mushroom Ragout on Toast

'Shrooms. Also used for cooking.

This was an experiment. I had my doubts about how this would taste. The idea reminded me of biscuits and gravy, except crunchy. My suspicions were thankfully dashed however, when I tasted the goodness that was this recipe. Very tasty.

1 lb mushrooms
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp thyme or rosemary (I didn't have thyme)

Slice mushrooms, place in a huge frying pan with oil. Add salt and pepper and saute until mushrooms are brown (about 15 minutes.) Slice garlic and toss in for 30 seconds. Add red wine and cook for another 30 seconds. Add broth, cream, and thyme. Cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat. it should thicken up. Toast your toast and spoon mushroom mixture on top.

Original recipe here

Crock Pot Applesauce

This is a horrible picture. My apologies.

I had this applesauce at my friend's house and it was so simple that I winged it (wung it?) at home a couple weeks ago. It makes an extremely healthy treat that warms your bones on the cold nights.

6 apples, skinned and diced

Sugar to taste (I use about 2 TBSP)

Cinnamon to taste (I use about 1 tsp)

Stick the diced apples, cinnamon, and sugar into a crockpot on high. Every 30 minutes or so, stir and smash with a potato masher (or if you're a cheap-wad like me, a pastry blender). Taste and make sure the sugar/cinnamon taste is what you want. Once the apples become a nice mushy consistency, depending on how chunky you like your applesauce, remove and serve hot! I usually cook mine about 2 hours.

Celery and Potato Soup

Because sometimes you just have a ton of celery in your fridge.

1 TBSP olive oil
3 cups celery (sliced)
2 cups potatoes (diced)
1 cup onion (chopped)
1 tsp garlic (minced)
2 cans chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 milk
1 TBSP Dijon mustard

Heat oil in large saucepan. Add celery, potatoes, onion, and garlic. Cook about 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Blend half the soup in a food processor and poor into the remaining mixture. Stir in milk, water, and Dijon. Heat 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese if desired.

Peanut Butter Popcorn

A anthropomorphic peanut shell sporting a monocle. Just creepy.

I've been obsessed with monocles ever since I saw Mr. Peanut amble across my television set with his surly cane and raised eyebrow. But now that I think about it...Planters just got it all wrong. I mean, how unrealistic is that guy! No one dresses like that these days! Not to mention, peanuts are BROWN! DUH!

2 cups unpopped popcorn
1 1/2 cups dry-roasted peanuts (it's really not the same without the peanuts)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla

Pop corn and remove unpopped kernels. Stir in peanuts. In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, honey, and corn syrup. Bring mixture to a boil, and continue boiling for 1 minute. DO NOT boil too long, or your popcorn will be hard. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over popcorn immediately and stir to coat.

Original recipe here

Belgian Waffles and Fresh Strawberry Syrup

Enjoy your squarely-indented edible thing...

I was shoved unceremoniously into the 6 foot stack of Oster Belgian waffle makers this Black Friday at midnight. Was a waffle maker really worth enduring a bunch of bloodshot, screaming, greedy women in nappy sweats stomping on my body? Yes. As I caressed my new waffle maker and read the instruction manual in both English and Spanish the next morning, I learned normal waffle batter doesn't cut it with Belgian waffles. You need yeast and egg whites to create the light fluffiness between the square indents. So, here is the best recipe I found, as well as a to-die-for topping.

1 pkg active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm milk
3 egg yolks
2 3/4 cups warm milk
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
3 egg whites

Dissolve yeast into 1/4 cup warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, 1/4 cup of warm milk, and melted butter. Stir in yeast mixture, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Stir in remaining 2 1/2 cups of milk alternately with flour. Beat egg whites until they form soft peaks and fold into batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour in a warm place. Now bake in your waffle iron! Usually 1/2 cup batter for each waffle.

P.S. These are very freezer friendly. I wrap them individually and pop a frozen one in the toaster when I need a fast breakfast in the morning. :)

Original recipe here

Fresh Strawberry Syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 sugar
2 cups strawberries, hulled
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Small pinch of salt

Puree strawberries and set aside. In a medium sauce pan, boil water and sugar until clear. Add strawberries, lemon zest, and salt. Bring to a boil and lower temperature until mixture at a high simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Syrup will thicken as it cools.

Original recipe here

Spinach Egg Cups

These muffin cups would make a superb and impressive appetizer. Although they look complicated, I'd say they are a 3 on the scale of recipe difficulty. I've liked spinach my entire life, but apparently these wee cups make spinach a rare delicacy for green-haters. The best part about this small meal-in-a-convenient-cup-shape? The moist, delicious, dippable, runny yolk. RUN BABY RUN!

1 thawed and drained bag of cut-leaf spinach
3 oz cream cheese
1 TBSP Parmesan
2 TBSP shredded mozzarella
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 8-9" crust (or use 1 biscuit-dough can) (I used a homemade wheat pie crust)

Microwave mixture for 1.5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Roll crust/biscuit dough into 6" circles and tuck into a greased muffin tin. Line each muffin cup with the spinach mixture. Crack one egg in each. Bake at 425' for 17-25 minutes. Make sure the egg-white is done.


More pictures and original recipe here.

Pumpkin-Pecan Squares

A hungry ceramic pumpkin admires a holiday treat

Once upon a time, my cooking-addict mother and I happened upon the Disney of cooking stores: WILLIAMS-SONOMA. I about wet myself upon entering the store after smelling the delicious aroma pervading the surrounding atmosphere. I learned they were making Pumpkin-Pecan Squares and an angelic aproned grandma handed me a tiny taste. They were the most sophisticated treat I ever laid tongue on. A recipe was innocently laying beside the samples. I grabbed it, and clenched it in my hand, making sure no one would ever separate us. And no one ever did. The end.

If you make these, I give you my promise everyone who eats them will fall in love with you.

1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick (8 TBSP) unsalted butter, melted
3 eggs
1 jar pumpkin butter (see my recipe for pumpkin butter if you don't want to spend a fortune on Williams-Sonoma pumpkin butter)
2 TBSP milk
1 TBSP flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
4 TBSP cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350'. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan. Reserve 1 cup of cake mix in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together remaining cake mix, melted butter and 1 egg. Pour into prepared pan. In another bowl, stir together pecan pumpkin butter, remaining 2 eggs, and milk. Spread mixture over cake batter. Add flour, sugar and cinnamon to bowl with reserved cake mix and stir to combine. Add cold butter pieces. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until pea-sized crumbles form. Crumble the mixture on top of cake. Bake 40 minutes or until cake is golden. Transfer pan to wire rack and let cool. Cut into 36 squares.

Pumpkin Butter

'Ello my freshly canned and spicy pumpkin butta! 

If ever there was a food that captured Thanksgiving and Christmas at the same time, it's homemade spiced pumpkin butter. And before you question me on 'what the crap you are supposed to DO with pumpkin Nutella', let me correct your erroneous thought. Bread, cheesecake, pie, spread, muffins, marinade, soup, smoothies... only a fraction of the possibilities. (Click here for recipes!) The reason I'm SO excited about this, is because pumpkin butter is perhaps the most intense and most delicious thing I've ever made. The spices, and the lemon/orange zest bring out such flavor you would never find in a normal pumpkin sauce.

Zest of 1/2 orange and 1/2 lemon in wide strips

1 large can (29 oz) pumpkin puree plus 1/2 c water

2 cup brown sugar OR 1 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup mild honey or light corn syrup

3 TBSP fresh orange juice (strained)

3 TBSP fresh lemon juice (strained)

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp ginger

pinch of cloves

1/2 pecans or walnuts, VERY finely chopped

Simmer zest in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes. Drain and mince very finely, but only use 1 TBSP. Discard the rest. Combine zest in saucepan with all other ingredients except nuts. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, stirring often until thick. (About 15 minutes). Stir in nuts. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Ladle into jars and *pressure-can, or let cool and use in recipe.

*Note: Thanks to my mom for pointing this out... If you want to can your pumpkin butter, you MUST pressure-can it (vs. give it a boiling bath) or you'll die a horrible and gruesome death by that ole' killer: botchulism. Thanks mom.

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

Why are pecans and pumpkin so good together!?

I'm kinda obsessed with pumpkin if you haven't noticed. I'm embracing the holidays and want my little apartment to smell like spices and pumpkin all the time! I didn't want to make another treat though, [see my increasingly fattening belly] so I settled on a breakfast food.

2 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup steel cut oats

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 cup packed brown sugar (more to taste)

2 cups milk

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup cooking oil

1 cup pecans, lightly toasted and candied

Preheat oven to 400'. Lightly grease a baking dish, set aside. In large bowl, combine oats, powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and sugar. In another bowl, combine milk, pumpkin puree, and oil. Combine wet and dry mixtures. Place mixture into a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and gently stir. Fold in 3/4 cup pecans. Bake for another 20 minutes or until top slightly browned. Serve warm with remaining pecans and maple syrup!

Poppy Seed Dressing

O the sweet goodness of poppyseed

 My poppyseed dressing is inspired by...Panera. I visited the restaurant in California this summer and ordered their awesome poppyseed dressing with hand-tossed salad, strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges, and chicken. It was delicious to say the least. And now that I'm spoiled with the sugary goodness, my palette won't accept balsamic vinegar, ranch, asiago, or any other "disgrace" to the name of dressing. Sigh. What am I going to do with him?

3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 onion, grated, juice reserved (or 1/4 tsp onion powder)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 TBSP poppy seeds

Blend all ingredients in a blender. Cover, refrigerate, and toss with a fresh fruit-and-Romaine salad!

Italian Pizza (Pizza Napoletana)

Fresh. Flavorful. Fabulous.

This stuff is authentic Italian. No meat, (especially no pepperoni), no tomato sauce, lots of tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and olive oil. It's so fresh and yummy you can probably eat the whole pizza yourself. Cuz I do.

Pizza dough (thin)

6 TBSP olive oil

1 1/3 cups mozzarella

3 Roma tomatoes cut into 1/4-inch slices

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1 large garlic clove, minced

10 fresh basil leaves + extra for garnish

1 tsp salt

Drizzle 3 TBSP of oil over dough. In order, sprinkle cheese, tomatoes, Parmesan, basil, another 2 TBSP olive oil, and garlic on pizza. Bake at 500' for 10 minutes. Drizzle 1 TBSP oil over cooked pizza. Sprinkle with basil garnish and salt.

PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps

Crunchy veggies atop crispy lettuce...what could be better.

You know...I've actually never been to PF Chang's. WHAT?! Travesty, I know. Yet, I know how to create to-die-for lettuce wraps that rival the restaurant's. Wrap your head around THAT one you overpriced Chinese bistro!!! Meh heh hehhhhh. :)

3 TBSP oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup water chestnut

2/3 cup mushroom

3 TBSP chopped onions

1 tsp minced garlic

1 head of iceberg lettuce

Stir Fry Sauce

3 TBSP soy sauce

3 TBSP brown sugar

3/4 tsp rice wine (or red wine) vinegar

Special Sauce

1/8 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 TBSP soy sauce

1 TBSP rice wine (or red wine) vinegar

1 TBSP ketchup

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp hot mustard

1 tsp water

1 tsp garlic

Make the special sauce by combining ingredients in a lidded Tupperware and shaking profusely. Set aside. Bring oil to high heat in a frying pan and saute breasts for 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan. Mince chicken, chestnuts and mushrooms to the size of small peas. Add another TBSP of vegetable oil to the pan. Whisk all stir-fry sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Add chicken, garlic, onions, chestnuts, and mushrooms to the pan. Add stir-fry sauce and saute the mixture for 3 minutes. Serve in lettuce cups and top with special sauce.

Pumpkin Pancakes

I'm gonna eat choo!

Halloween is pretty much the funnest cooking holiday. Boy does my roommate get sick of the pumpkin I manage to integrate into breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. :) Her scream of delight when she saw these little breakfast jack-o-lanterns probably scared me more than anything else on Halloween. These are super fun to make and have an amazing pumpkin spice flavor too! Make 'em for your kids. Make them WITH your kids!

2 cups flour

3 TBSP brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

2 TBSP vegetable oil

2 TBSP vinegar

*1/4 cup chocolate chips (depending on how you want to decorate)

*Green and orange food coloring

Combine all ingredients but pumpkin, chocolate chips, and food coloring. Mix well. Add pumpkin and mix just until combined. Take 1/4 cup of batter in a small bowl and mix in desired amount of green food coloring for the pumpkin stems. Mix in orange food coloring in the big bowl. Prepare your griddle. Take 1/4 cup of orange batter and immediately place about 1/2 tsp of green stem on top. Creatively place your chocolate chips and fry until golden brown on both sides!

Warm Ginger Apple-Pear Topping

For some reason, tons of sugary maple syrup pooled on a pancake doesn't appeal to me anymore. I crave more sophisticated breakfast toppings. When I tasted this topping right out of the pot, I almost died. Holy toast! It's sweet, but not too sweet and the unique ginger flavor melds extremely well with a pancake! I will never touch maple syrup again!

Note: Can substitute apple for pears, or do a combination of both

1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
4 pears (and/or apples), peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 TBSP butter

Stir sugar and cornstarch in a sauce pot. Add fruit and next 3 ingredients. Bring to a boil over med/high heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 min, reduce heat to med/low and simmer. Stir often for 8-12 minutes or until fruit is tender. Stir in butter and serve immediately.

Original recipe link here

Creamy Cinnamon-Butternut Squash Soup

I realize this soup looks like melted caramel. It's not.

This gourmet concoction will make your house smell divine while simmering. It doesn't smell like squash should be the main ingredient in this, but strangely enough...it is... Seriously though, my roomie and I absolutely LOVE this soup. I made more the other day just to freeze for some winter day when I'm yearning for fall again.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lbs peeled, seeded butternut squash, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large onion, cut into large dice
1 TBSP butter
1 pinch sugar
3 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk
salt and pepper

Heat oil in sauté pan. Add butternut squash and onion, sauté until squash turns golden brown (7-8 minutes). Reduce heat to low. Add butter, sugar, and garlic. Cook until all veggies are a caramel color (about 10 min). Add broth. Simmer for one minute on high. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered until squash is tender (10 min). Puree until very smooth in a blender. Return to pan, add enough milk so the mixture is as soupy or thick as you want. Salt and pepper to taste. Eat with warm fall apples for a finishing touch!
Original recipe link here

Indian Okra

Okra. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

I dedicate this recipe and post to my dearest father. A man of phenomenal stomach powers, he is able to eat anything remotely edible save one small thing. Okra: those mucilaginous green pods of moist and somewhat sticky proportions. As a child, instead of monsters in my closet, there were okra stories of horror. Until now, memories of the slimy fuzziness deterred me from the Southern veggie. Because of my father, I didn't even know what this vegetable looked like until today at a ripe old 21 years. It looked at me, this fuzzy jalapeño, and I pinky-promised it's pathetic existence would go unnoticed, no more.

3 TBSP butter
1 med. onion, diced
1 lb sliced, fresh okra (1/4 inch slices...see picture if you were as confused as me)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
salt to taste

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, cook til tender. Stir in okra, tomatoes, and seasoning. Cook and stir for a 2-3 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, until okra is tender.

Note: Make sure to soak your cut up okra in vinegar for about 15 minutes to relieve the slimyness beforehand.

Cinnabon Replica

The scrumptulescent sugar/cinnamon mixture is what makes this delicious treat unforgettable

I used to hate shopping for clothes as a kid. Hated it. My very patient mother would lead me through each store in the mall, and when our minds (my mother) and bodies (me) were exhausted, she rewarded me with half a Cinnabon. All those cursed stores were suddenly worth it. My mouth is watering just remembering it. I found a recipe I believe mimics this tastiness perfectly. Good luck fellow cinna-lovers.

1 cup warm milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup butter, melted
4 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 tsp yeast

1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 TBSP cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

Frosting

3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Mix in sugar, butter, salt, and eggs. Add flour and mix well. Knead into a large ball. Put into greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour in oven. Meanwhile, combine sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled (about 30 minutes).

Preheat oven to 400'. Bake rolls about 15 minutes in oven until golden brown. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls and proceed to heaven.

Caramel Corn (Missionary Caramel Corn)

This stuff makes a great home theater treat. Too bad it's always gone before the movie trailers finish! This version of caramel popcorn will definitely stay gooey until it's gone. The 'mallow addition creates a light and fluffy popcorn coating that will have you craving more. A word of caution...you might eat the whole bowl yourself. Trust me. I speak from experience. *ashamedly hanging head*

5-6 cups popped, unsalted, unbuttered popcorn- (amount depends on how gooey you like your popcorn)
1 stick butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
10-12 large marshmallows

In a large saucepan melt butter, add sugar and marshmallows. Stir quickly until marshmallows melt into a thick, light brown mixture. Pour on top of popcorn and quickly stir in until all 'corns are coated.

*The name "Missionary Caramel Corn" comes from the recipe's origin. My father served a LDS mission in California, and got this recipe from someone on his mission. Apparently it was a big hit!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Doesn't that perfectly cooked mushroom just scream, EAT ME!?

In case an acorn squash happens into your possession, choose to forgo the traditional brown sugar/butter method and mix it up! My very-hard-to-please roommate took one skeptical taste of this scrumptious stuffing and her eyes bugged. In a good way. After scraping her squash-crust bowl clean, she begged me to make this again. Heh heh. Mission accomplished. :)

1 acorn squash, cut in half and seeded
3 TBSP butter
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 1/4 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp parsley
1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350'. Place squash cut side down in glass dish with the dish bottom barely covered in water. Cook in microwave for 20 minutes. It should be almost tender. Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan and add celery and onion. Sauté about 4 minutes, or until tender. Stir in mushrooms and cook 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and parsley. Spoon the mixture in the squash-middles and cover with aluminum foil. Cook 15 minutes in the oven. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese. Stick back in the oven until cheese is golden brown on top.

Roast Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers

This was a pleasant surprise. My roommate chose a couple healthy recipes for us to try (on yet another health kick...hopefully this one lasts more than a week), and the last couple attempts have failed miserably (think grilled popcorn chicken and teriyaki pineapple gone horribly wrong). So, much to my surprise, my tentative taste buds were thrilled when this very healthy dish was a hit!

1 tsp salt, divided

1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed

1 tsp pepper, divided

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried oregano

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 TBSP olive oil, divided

2 cups thinly sliced red bell pepper

1 cup thinly sliced green bell pepper

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

1 cup chicken broth

1 TBSP balsamic vinegar

Note: On account of having only the most basic ingredients, I didn't put in the fennel seed OR rosemary. And it still tasted completely awesome. Do with that knowledge what you will.

Set oven to 450'. Heat a largish skillet over medium-high heat. Combine 3/4 tsp salt, fennel seeds, 3/4 tsp pepper, garlic powder, and oregano in a bowl. Brush chicken with a bit of oil, and rub spice combination into chicken. Put 2 tsp oil into skillet and add chicken. Cook for 4 minutes (until browned). Turn chicken over, cook 1 minute. Place chicken in a greased baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes or until done.

Heat remaining oil in pan. Add bell peppers, green onions and rosemary; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in broth and scrape those yummy flavorful brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar, the remaining salt and pepper, and cook 3 minutes (stirring frequently). Serve over chicken!

Tomato and Basil Soup (5 Stars)

Once upon a time, I went to Zuppas and had the most amazing Tomato Basil Soup of my life. I've tried to recreate it ever since that fateful day, and this is the closest I've ever got. Reader's sidenote: This summer I had the pleasure of attempting to nurture a infant basil plant. It was a humbling experience, as I killed it before it actually produced large, usable leaves. I used the tiny leaves I could glean to make this soup. The fresh basil is the finishing touch that makes this soup so incredibly fresh and flavorful.

1 TBSP olive oil
1 med onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
About 4 large fresh tomatoes, diced in small chunks
5 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup loosely packed basil (fresh) thinly sliced (if you must, 1 1/2 TBSP dried)

Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add onion and garlic and sauté until softened (about 5 minutes). Add tomatoes and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Cook until slightly thickened (about 25 minutes). If the soup isn't as thick as you'd like, shake a container filled with 1 TBSP cornstarch and 3 TBSP water, and add to the simmering soup. It should thicken up beautifully. Puree about half the chunky soup and add back to the original soup. (I like a little chunk in my soup, but if you're a smooth-soup kinda person, just puree it all.) Season with salt and much pepper. Stir in basil. Serve immediately with toasted bread!

Note: Doesn't make a whole lot...because the water boils down a ton...

Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's been a while since I posted a recipe. I'd like to say I have a good excuse, but in reality, summer laziness prevails. My apologies to the loyal followers of this blog. All 2 of you. With no further ado, let's discuss ALMONDS! I love almonds. I really do. Too bad the college budget doesn't allow many nuts to inhabit the dark spaces in my cupboard. These yummo bites differ from normal cookies on account of the crunchy texture of roughly chopped nuts. Thanks to Taste of Home for this recipe!

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1 cup sliced almonds

Cream butter and sugars in a mixing bowl. Beat in egg and vanilla. Dump in the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix togetha very well. It may seem a bit more goopy than normal cookies, but trust me. The chunks will keep the cookie from oven-melting. Stir in chocolate chips and almonds. Drop by a teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375' for 9-11 minutes. Enjoy the nutty goodness.

Summer Squash and Zucchini

The Roommate Diaries, Volume 3: The dreadfully uncultivated girl never has eaten a squash she liked. What a mockery of good cuisine. The finished product is way colorful (one of the many reasons why I love it) and the vibrant color apparently caught her eye, for she couldn't stop eating... The satire of this whole story? She continues to scorn me, yet loves everything I make. Score: fearless cook-3, roomie- 0.

2 lbs squash and zucchini, sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeds removed, sliced
2 smallish tomatoes or one large tomato, peeled and cut into wedges
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and sliced
1 clove of garlic, chopped
Olive oil
6 slices of cheese - cheddar
Basil, either dry or chopped fresh
Salt and pepper

Put onion, garlic, squash, and pepper into a large saucepan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Put on high heat and brown the vegetables to a golden sheen. While browning, sprinkle basil and salt and pepper on the vegetables. When vegetables are slightly browned, remove from heat, places cheese on top, and cover the pan.
In a separate fry pan, cook tomatoes for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Letting the juices evaporate) After 5 minutes, add the tomatoes to the rest of the vegetables and stir.
This recipe courtesy of Elise (Unlike most recipes I commandeer, I didn't change one part of this recipe!)

Roasted Cauliflower

The Roommate Diaries, Volume 2: One might wonder how on this extremely eco-friendly Earth to make cauliflower not taste like a dirty garden root. The answer? Drown it in other delectable flavors. The aforementioned dieting roomie has always hated cauliflower, but actually decided this way of preparing the bleached veggie was edible after sampling, then resampling, oversampling, secretly sampling, etc. Score: fearless cook-2, roomie 0.

1 cauliflower head
3 cloves garlic, minced
About 2 tsp lemon juice
About 2 TBSP olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (or more)

Set oven to 400'. Cut caluiflower into florets and put in a lightly greased caserole dish. Toss in garlic. Squeeze lemon juice over cauliflower (not too much or it will overpower) and drizzle each piece with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (more pepper than you think). Cook for 25-30 minutes, uncovered, until the top is lightly browned. Remove from oven and sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese!
This recipe courtesy of Elise

Sauteed Swiss Chard and Bacon

The Roommate Diaries, Volume 1: My exquisite roommate decided to go on quite a strict diet. "I ONLY EAT VEGETABLES NOW!" she screamed quietly. So, I bought some fresh veggies at the grocer and what did she do? Stuck up her haughty little nose. Hah. Little did she know what was in store for her palate. Swiss chard. One of nature's delicacies unknown or mistaken to the untrained eye. You either hate it or love it. Bacon. Another one of nature's delicacies. WITH THEIR POWERS COMBINED, a masterpiece was born.

1 bunch Swiss chard
1 TBSP olive oil
2 strips bacon (cut into 1/8 pieces)
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Slice the chard stems into 1-inch pieces. Stack the remaining leaves in a pile, roll together, and slice into 1/2-inch ribbons. Heat oil in a frying pan. Add bacon and saute until browned, keeping the fat. Add onion and garlic and cook until transluscent. Add the stems, cook for 3-4 minutes, then add vinegar and pepper flakes. Add the leaves in batches. They are way too fluffy to put in all at the same time. Once the leaves wilt down, add the next batch. Stir occasionally until tender, about 5 minutes. Enjoy the party in your mouth as two seemingly opposite food items collide.

This recipe courtesy of Patrick and Gina Neely

Creamy Spinach Rigatoni

Mixing chili powder and spinach sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. So naturally, in the pot it goes. Whaddayaknow? 30 minutes later, I can't even tell there's a Southern hemisphere spice in there! This dish makes you feel pretty good about yourself weight-wise, but doesn't make you feel like a health conscious Bunnicula. Note: I recommend fresh spinach, as frozen tends to be a bit on the slimy side.

2 TBSP flour
2 1/4 cup milk
3/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 TBSP olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb skinless, boneless chicken cut in 1 inch chunks
10-oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
3 TBSP Parmesan cheese
10 oz rigatoni pasta

Cook pasta. Gradually whisk milk into flour in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and whisk in chili powder, salt and pepper. Stir for about 5 minutes, until mixture slightly thickens, then remove from heat. In a large skillet, heat oil, add garlic and cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute. Add chicken and cook until browned. Stir in spinach. Stir in milk mixture, cheddar, and Parmesan, cooking until cheese has melted and chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken mix to a large bowl, add rigatoni and toss to mix!

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies

These taste like, well, old fashioned cookies from a bakery or something! The family secret? Spices, spices, spices. These babies have a lot of weird spices that sound like they should be in a Starbucks frap, not a cookie. (It's a good thing.)

3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup shortening
2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp soda
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup water (if the dough is too floury)
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 400'. Cream fats and sugars for 4 minutes. Mix everything else in thoroughly. I usually use most of the water because I live in a desert (aka Utah) but if you don't need to use any, great! Drop by teaspoon on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and delicious-looking!

YIELD: This is a double batch! So expect a buttload of cookies!

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara

This is a weird recipe. Not gonna lie. I mean, when do you NOT cook eggs? And since when does a "raw" egg taste so good? And when did bacon and spaghetti taste SO delectable together? Oh man, you just have to bypass all the weird things about this dish, make it, and THEN your eyes will be opened. It's like a yummy heart attack on a plate.

2 TBSP butter
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 lb bacon (diced)
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (I use the cheapy kind from a can)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb spaghetti

Start boiling water for the spaghetti. Melt butter with oil in a small frying pan. When butter foams, add bacon. Saute over medium heat until well-cooked, but not totally crunchy. Try to siphon a couple teaspoons of the grease out, but part bacon grease is what makes the dish SO yummy. Keep warm.

Beat egg yolks in a large serving dish. Beat in cream, Parmesan, salt and pepper. (THIS DISH SHOULD BE QUITE PEPPERY). Make sure your spaghetti is cooking. Immediately after the spaghetti is done, drain, and dump in the egg mixture dish. Toss quickly. (The hot spaghetti coats and semi-cooks the eggs, so don't worry about getting sick) Add sauteed bacon and toss until mixed. Serve immediately and be prepared to gain a couple pounds.

Just so you know, this dish does NOT keep well in the fridge.

Greek Artisan Bread

I've never made a hard-crust bread, but always wanted to. Fascinatingly, this bread recipe is traditional Greek peasant bread. The entire process took three hours, but that was three hours of my life I would have wasted anyway. It was pretty easy, and not that different from normal bread. It's really dense, and hearty!

2 TBSP dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup flour
8 cups of flour
2 TBSP salt
2 1/2 cups lukewarm water
2 TBSP milk
2 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP honey (if you don't have honey, don't worry about it)

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. Slowly add the 1/2 flour and mix until all lumps are gone and it forms a thick liquid. Rise for 15-20 minutes.

Mix remaining flour with salt in in a large mixing bowl, and make a well in the center. Add oil, honey, milk, yeast mixture, and 2 cups of the water in the well. Pull in the flour slowly and mix with hands until the dough starts to form a ball. (Seriously, do it with your hands!) If you need more water, add small amounts from the remaining 1/2 cup. (I used about 1/4 cup) On a floured surface, knead until smooth and doesn't stick to your hands.

Put dough in a lightly oiled mixing bowl and roll until all sides of the dough are lightly oiled. Cover the bowl with 3 dishtowels: one dry, one dampened with warm water (wring it out people), and the other dry. Rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

Punch down and knead for 5-6 minutes on a floured surface. It will be extremely hard to knead, but keep going! Divide the dough into three loaves and form into round (or oblong baguette-shaped) loaves. Place several inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets and cover with the dishtowls again. Rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450'. Score the tops of the loaves 3-4 times and bake for 30-35 minutes until browned. Eat it with jam while it's still hot! YUM!

Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

I'm a poor college student. It's no secret. So naturally, I have a bottle of Ranch in the fridge, a .50 cent mayo container and that about totals it for my salad dressing collection. Sheesh, I just wanted a healthy salad dressing! Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (aka collar-man dressing [check it out!]) has always been my favorite dressing, so I attempted to recreate it. Usually I don't condone About.com but this recipe turned out pretty good! The dressing is super good on salad, but also amazing to dip in bread if you don't want a butter overload. Especially homemade artisan bread (see above...) or bread sticks. It does have a predominately olive oily taste, so I reduced the olive oil. You might want to substitute half the olive oil with canola. FYI- It'll coagulate in the fridge, but be good as new after a little 10 second zap in the microwave.

2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1 TBSP red wine vinegar
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 tsp brown sugar
1 garlic clove (crushed)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 TBSP water

Whisk everything together except olive oil and water. Slowly add olive oil and water and stir until everything mixed well. YIELD: About 1 cup of yummy dressing!