Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup butter

• ⅓ cup chopped onion

• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 ¾ cups chicken broth

• ⅔ cup milk

• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can peas and carrots

• ½ (15 ounce) can whole new potatoes, drained

• 1 (14.1 ounce) package double-crust pie pastry, thawed

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• Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion, flour, salt, and pepper in hot butter until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

3. Pour in broth and milk; bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in chicken, peas and carrots, and potatoes.
   

4. Press 1 pie pastry into the bottom of a 9-inch, deep-dish pie pan. Pour chicken mixture into pie pastry. Top with remaining pastry and press edges together to seal. Cut several slits in top pastry. Place pie on a baking sheet.

5. Bake in the preheated oven until crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let pie cool and filling thicken at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting.

 

"Damn Delicious" Roasted Vegetables

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cup broccoli florets
• 2 cups cremini mushrooms
• 2 cups chopped butternut squash
• 1 zucchini, sliced and quartered
• 1 yellow squash, sliced and quartered
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, or more, to taste
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.
• Place broccoli florets, mushrooms, butternut squash, zucchini, squash, bell pepper and onion in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet.  Mix together  olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and thyme; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Gently toss to combine.
• Place into oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until tender.*
• Serve immediately.
• *Baking time may need to be adjusted depending on the thickness of the vegetables.
• If you are mixing different vegetables on the pan, you will want to make sure they finish cooking in the same amount of time. Here are some tips:
• Round Root Vegetables (Beets, Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes). Cut these vegetables on the smaller size (about 3/4-inch pieces), as they tend to take longer to roast.
• Long Root Vegetables (Carrots, Parsnips). Similarly, these veggies take longer to roast. Cut any thick ones in half lengthwise, then cut them crosswise into 1 1/2-inch slices
• Cruciferous Vegetables (Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Broccoli). Cut Brussels sprouts in half, and remove the stems. Cut broccoli and cauliflower stems into small rectangular pieces, and slice florets into pieces that are about 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick and 1 1/2- to 2-inches wide.  
• Soft Vegetables (Green Beans, Asparagus). These veggies roast quickly, so you can leave them as is (discard the ends of the green beans and woody stems of the asparagus). 
• Bell Peppers (Green, Red, Yellow, Orange). Core the peppers and cut into 3/4-inch pieces or 1/2-inch strips. 
• Onions (Red, Yellow, or Sweet). Cut off the stem end, then remove the paper and waxy layers. Cut off the root end, then slice the onion in half from end to end. Cut each half lengthwise into about 4 wedges. 
• Cherry Tomatoes (or Grape Tomatoes). Leave whole. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper, as the yummy juices will become sticky and caramelize.

Christmas Candy Cane Cookies

 Yield 20 cookies

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
pinch of salt
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup candy canes - crush fine
Optional -Red and green sugar sprinkles

Directions 

1. Crush enough candy canes to make 3/4 cups course powder.  
2. Mix 1/2 cup crushed candy cane powder with cream cheese.  Once fully mixed put into a zip lock sandwich bag and push to the tip of one side.  Chill in frig until cookie mixture is prepared. 
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
4. Mix together softened butter, vanilla until creamy. Add powdered sugar to the butter mixture.  Once incorporated add salt and flour.  Mix.  
5. Add small amounts of water, tablespoon at a time, until the dough sticks together but is not sticky.
6. Prepare cookie sheets with nonstick spray or silicone mat. 
7. Scoop dough into a small cookie scooper.
8. Place your thumb in the middle of the dough, still in the scooper, to make a well for the cream cheese mixture.
9. Take cream cheese bag out of the frig an cut the tip of the bag 1/4 inch back. Squeeze a small amount of the mixture in the well. Just a small amount like the size of a pea or edamema.
10. Pinch the cookie dough tightly around the candy can mixture to seal it inside. Release from scoop and roll ball in your hands to make a round ball.  Place on cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes. 
11. Mix remaining powdered sugar and crushed peppermint candies in a small bowl.  You can add red and green sugar to the mixture if desired.
12. As soon as the cookies are finished cooking, take out of oven and carefully cover with the powdered sugar.  
13. Cool on cooling rack, not a a solid surface.

Cranberry-Jalapeño Salsa

 Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

• 1 (12-oz.) package fresh cranberries
• ⅓ to 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 to 3 chopped green onions
• 1 seeded and chopped jalapeño pepper
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Tortilla chips
• Garnish: lime wedges

Directions

Instructions Checklist

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  Pulse cranberries and sugar in a food processor 3 to 4 times or until coarsely chopped, stopping to scrape down sides. Add chopped green onions, chopped jalapeño pepper, grated fresh ginger, lemon juice, and salt; pulse 3 to 4 times or until chopped. Stir in chopped fresh cilantro. Cover and chill 2 to 24 hours. Serve with tortilla chips. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

Recipe from Healing Food- UCSD shared by Val Willardson

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The Perfect Lemon Bar ( a bit more healthy)

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup softened butter

1/2 cup white sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

lemon zest

4 eggs beaten

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 lemons, juiced

lemon zest

Original recipe calls for 1 cup butter and not to grease pan.  Do one or the other.

Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9" x 13" pan and set aside. 

In a medium bowl, blend together butter, sugar and 2 c flour and zest from 1 lemon.  Press into the bottom of pan, not a hard press.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden and firm.

Remove from over and set aside.

In another bowl whisk together the 1 1/2c sugar, 1/4 cup flour. pour into that bowl the lemon juice and beaten eggs and lemon zest.  Mix well.  Pour over baked crust while crust is still hot.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.  The bars will firm up as they cool.   After bars are cooled you can sprinkle with powder sugar.

Refrigerate left overs with a good covering to keep any moisture out - up to 5 days.

Thai Chicken Curry with Pineapple

 

This chicken curry is made with coconut milk and sweetened with pineapple.

Modified recipe from an All Recipe- entry 10/22 so

Ingredients 

2 teaspoons curry powder 

2 teaspoons curry paste 

1(13.5 ounce) can coconut milk 

4 Tablespoon packed brown sugar 

1 cup chicken stock 

4 chicken thighs OR 2 chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces 

1 brown onion cut into bite sized 

½ cup chopped carrot, cut at an angle into ½ inch pieces 

½ cup frozen peas 

½ cup chopped red bell pepper cut into bite sized 

1 bunch chopped cilantro 

3 green onions chopped (garnish) 

3 Tablespoon cornstarch 

2 Tablespoons cold chicken stock 

 ¾ chopped fresh pineapple, canned if needed 

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook and stir the curry powder and curry paste in a saucepan over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour the coconut milk into the saucepan and mix well. Stir in the brown sugar, and 1 cup chicken stock.

2. Place the chicken pieces, onions and carrots into the saucepan with the curry sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the chicken is cooked though, about 10 minutes. Add the frozen peas and peppers and continue to cook until vegetables are tender.

3. Whisk together 3 Tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of cold chicken stock. Stir cornstarch mixture into the curry. Mix the pineapple into the curry and cook until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Serve over Rice and top with green onions and cilantro.

Serve Over Rice

Mexican Chopped Salad - from Jodi

 

Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing Servings: YIELD Makes 4 servings Ingredients Salad: • 2 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce • 1 can (15.5 oz) black beans, rinsed and well drained • 3/4 cup chopped seeded tomato • 3/4 cup chopped peeled jicama • 3/4 cup fresh corn kernels, uncooked (or frozen or canned) • 3/4 cup thinly sliced radishes • Half a ripe avocado, diced • 1 red bell pepper, chopped • 1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese Honey-Lime Dressing: • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice • 1/4 cup olive oil • 2 tbsp honey • 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro • 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced • 1 tsp chopped jalapeño pepper (use canned for less heat) Steps 1 Toss all salad ingredients in a large bowl. In separate bowl, mix dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over mixture and toss again. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Aunt Val's Rich Chocolate Zucchini Bread

 

Makes 1 Regular 9-b-5 inch loaf pan or 2 Medium Loaves - 4 Small Aluminum loaf for gifts.

1 cup all purpose flour 

1/2 c Dutch process cocoa or unsweetened 

1 t baking soda

1/2 t sea salt

2 large eggs at room temperature

1/4 c unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1/4 c melted coconut oil 

3/4 c packet brown sugar

1 t pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 packed shredded zucchini 

3/4 cups chocolate chips, your preference the darker the better but not 100% cacao (I mix and match)

1/4 mini dark chocolate chips 

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease and set aside loaf pans

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and sea salt. Set aside

3. In a large bowl, add the eggs, melted butter, oil, vanilla extract and brown sugar. Stir with wooden spoon until smooth, so not over mix.

4. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, again do not over mic.  Stir in the shredded zucchini until just combined.  Stir in the 3/4 cup of chocolate chips.

5. Pour batter into prepared pan(s).  Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cups of mini chips over the top of the bread.  Bake for 50-60 minutes (for a full loaf pan) or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, you might have some melted chips on the toothpick which would be fine. You just don't want gooey batter.

6. Remove the pan from the oven and set on a wire cooling rack.  Let cool at least 15 minutes.  May be frozen :)

Re-published Award Winning Key Lime Pie

Double Winner!! 2022 El Cajon Stake Pioneer Day Pie Contest

1987 Stake Pie Contest

Key Lime Pie

For crust - OR make it easy and buy the graham cracker crust! You can cheat here.

• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs from 9 (2 1/4-inch by 4 3/4-inch) crackers
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For filling - You can not cheat here, you do not have to use Key Limes but do not use pre -squeezed, this must be from real limes.

• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk - Carnation ONLY
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh Key Lime juice  (8 - 10 Limes)
• 2 t grated lime peel, plus more for garnish
• 4 egg yolks, beaten until foamy

For topping

• 3/4 cup chilled heavy cream
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl with a fork until combined well, then press mixture evenly onto bottom and up side of a 9-inch (4-cup) glass pie plate.
Bake crust in middle of oven 10 minutes and cool in pie plate on a rack. Leave oven on.

Make filling and bake pie:
In a large bowl whist yolks until fluffy. add in the condensed milk and whisk to combine well.  Add juice and zest, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula  (mixture will thicken slightly).  Pour filling into crust and bake in middle of oven 15 minutes. Cool pie completely on rack (filling will set as it cools), then chill, covered, at least 4 hours.

Make topping:
Just before serving, beat cream and sugar  in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Serve pie topped with cream and a twist of lime.

Submitted by Shauna Oakes

Easy White Chicken Enchiladas

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• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
•  ½ cup sour cream 
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 1 teaspoon chili powder 
• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast 
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers, drained 
• 8 (8 inch) flour tortillas 
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray
2. Mix soup and sour cream in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.  Add the onion and chili powder and sauté until tender.  Stir in the chicken, chili peppers and a few tablespoons of the soup mix.  Heat through. 
4. Spread 1/2 cup of the soup mixture in the baking dish.  Spoon about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla.  Roll  up tortilla and place, seam side down, in the baking dish.  Spoon remaining soup mixture on top. and sprinkle cheese on top.
5. Bake for about 20-25 minutes.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins - Mel's Kitchen Recipe

• 1 2/3 C all purpose flour
• 1 C sugar
• 1 T pumpkin pie spice
• 1 t baking soda 
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 C canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 C salted butter, softened to room temp
• 1 C mini Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Add all ingredients in one large bowl except chocolate chips, mix until no dry streaks.  DO NOT OVER MIX.  Stir in Chocolate chips
3. Scoop batter evenly into muffin tins to about 2/3 - 3/4 full
4. Bake for 18-25 minutes until the tops spring back lightly to the touch.  Remove from the muffin time and let cool completely on a cooling rack.
5. Makes @ 24 - 30 mini muffins

Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

 

·             2 cups rolled oats (blended)

·             2 cups flour

·             1 t baking powder

·             1 t baking soda

·             ½ teaspoon salt

·             1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)

·             1 cup granulated sugar

·             1 cup light brown sugar

·             2 eggs

·             1 t vanilla extract

·             12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

·             4 ounces milk chocolate (grated or finely chopped)

·             1½  cups  chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS:

1.    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.

2.    Blend the oats in a food processor or blender to a fine powder. In a medium bowl, whisk together the blended oats with the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3.    In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until incorporated. With a rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate chips, grated chocolate and walnuts.

4.    Roll the dough into 2-ounce balls (or about 2 heaping tablespoonfuls worth) and place about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time until the edges are set but the center still looks undone, about 10 minutes. Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheets. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days (they can also be frozen for up to 2 months).