Basil Vinaigrette - from Doughty's Bistro

This is my all time favorite recipe that I took away from my restaurant days. I had to make this bi-weekly for the house salad. This recipe is quartered from the original - and it still makes a ton. (That should tell you how much of the stuff we went through!)

1/4 C. dried basil
1 C. olive oil
1 C. vegetable oil
1 C. red wine vinegar
3 T. minced garlic
2 t. salt
2 t. pepper
1/8 C. sugar

Put all ingredients in a deep bowl, and mix using an immersion blender, OR blend in a blender. Mix until it looks creamy. Refrigerate when not using. Keeps for months.
** We served the house salad with this dressing, spiced pecans, sliced red onions, and feta cheese. I'm drooling just thinking about it!**

Honey Glazed Baby Carrots

For my first post, I thought I would go with a vegetable. My kids eat this up and ask for seconds every time I serve it.

1 pound bag of baby carrots or (18 med. carrots, sliced)
6 T. butter
6 T. brown sugar
3 T. honey

In saucepan, cook carrots until tender. Drain and add remaining ingredients; stir well. Heat on low heat for five minutes to glaze well.

Note: I use a microwave steamer. After I cook the carrots and drain them (about six minutes in my micro), I add the remaining ingredients, cover and put it in the microwave for three minutes on power level three. Then I mix well and serve!

Yummy Popcorn!

This is one of my favorites...unfortunately, it's not mine! I totally stole it from our ward cookbook!

Make 2 Air poppers full of popcorn.
Heat:
1 c. Karo syrup
2 c. brown sugar
Bring to an even boil (med/hi) and keep stirring
Add:
1 cube butter
1 can sweet cond. milk
Bring back to a boil and boil 1 min.
Add:
1 tsp. vanilla
Dash of salt

Pour over popcorn in large bowl and mix evenly.
So Good!!

Cream Cheese Chicken

My husband begs for this recipe. It's one of the few entrees my kids will devour, no force feeding needed. (I'm not claiming that it's healthy though....)

4-6 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (frozen is ok)
2 packages of GoodSeasons Italian dressing mix
1 cube butter

Plop all of these ingredients in a crock pot - cook on low 8 hours, high 4 hours. Half hour before serving, mix 1 brick of cream cheese with 1 can cream of chicken soup. Pour over chicken, stir, and cook the rest of the time. Serve over rice.

Meatloaf w/sauce

Here is a super yummy and EASY meatloaf recipe. I think it would be yummy served with these mashed potatoes!

Meatloaf

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 egg
1/2 c bread crumbs (or oatmeal, or stale crackers)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 T. horseradish (optional, but it is really good!)
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients (you will need to mix it with your hands - so take your wedding ring off!). Shape into a loaf and put in a bread pan.

Sauce

1 tsp. mustard
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. ketchup

Combine all ingredients. Spread 1/2 of it onto the meatloaf.

Cook meatloaf for 45 minutes at 350. Remove from oven, spread remaining sauce. Cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Lemonade

I'm taking this (along with cookies) to a coupon party in our neighborhood tonight. I'm not a big soda fan, so when we get tired of the same 'ole things, out comes this favorite. It is so easy, and absolutely delicious. It's even better in the summer when it's hot outside!

2 C. granulated sugar
1 C. lemon juice (I get mine at Costco in the 2-packs)
Enough water to fill a gallon pitcher

Put sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer to gallon pitcher, adding water to fill. Stir and add ice.

Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

4-5 Medium potatoes {cooked & mashed}
1 T. butter
1/2 C. sour cream
3 oz. cream cheese
1 t. onion salt
dash pepper

Mix altogether. Bake at 350 for 3-40 minutes. Serves 6.

Poppyseed Chicken

So, this recipe my family got from some friends about 10 years ago, however, there is no poppyseed in it....Their family never used it, so we don't either, I'm sure you could just sprinkle it on top or something....

6 chicken breasts (boiled & shredded)
16 oz. sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cube butter
2 stacks Ritz crackers (mashed & crumbled)

Place shredded chicken at bottom of 13x9 pan. In separate bowl mix sour cream and cream of chicken, the spread over top of the chicken. Melt butter and mix with crumbled Ritz crackers. Layer on top of soup mixture. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Hot Dip

I wanted to start with a family FAVORITE so here you go....

1 lb. ground Italian Sausage {hot or mild} browned
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1/4 onion chopped fine
2 #10 cans stewed tomatoes - drained
2 sm cans chopped green chiles
1 t. garlic salt

Layer in crock pot in above order. Cook until heated all the way through. Stir & serve with tortilla chips.

My Grandma's Snickerdoodles

A few years ago for Christmas, my mom gave all of us a small photo album that she filled with all of her favorite recipes. I have loved having all of the "old" family recipes together in one place. My mom and my grandma used to make these all the time. They are super easy and super yummy!

Grandma's Snickerdoodles
1 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 c. flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 T. sugar


Mix together thoroughly the shortening, sugar, and eggs. Sift together and stir in flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt. Chill dough (I never do this and they turn out fine). Roll into balls about the size of walnuts. (I use the Pampered Chef small scoop.)

Mix together the 2 tsp. cinnamon and 2 T. sugar roll balls in mixture.

Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Chicken Tetrazzini

So my biggest dilemma is what will my kids eat besides nuggets, hot dogs and pizza? Needless to say, I am always on the look out. My Sis-in -law sent this one to me and it was a success! My children named it white chicken.
1 8oz pkg. Spaghetti noodles
2 to 4 cups cooked chicken
1 T minced onion
2 C grated cheese
2 C cream of chicken soup
1 C prated Parmesan cheese
3 T butter to saute onions
1 C sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Cook Spaghetti, saute onions, mix all together. Cover and bake for 40 min at 350, then uncover and bake for 20 more.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I thought I'd start out with my favorite food subject - dessert...and I just made them tonight so the recipe was out! My friend Kelly (Holla!) got it online somewhere, and it has replaced all others I've ever tried.

3/4 C. sugar
1 C. brown sugar
1 C. butter, room temp.
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs, room temp.
3 C. flour
3/4 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
1/2 - 1 pkg. semi-sw. choc. chips

*Use room temp. eggs and butter or it will definitely alter the taste and texture!*
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line cookie sheets with aluminum foil. (I love that part - throw the foil away when you're done and voila - clean pan!) Combine the sugars and butter. Mix until creamed. Add vanilla and eggs, mix well. Finally, add the dry ingredients, mix well. Drop walnut sized balls onto foil and bake 10-12 minutes. (Sometimes mine take longer - just watch your first batch) Y.U.M.