Play Dough

My kids love play dough, but the store-bought stuff is too dry and crumbly after 5 minutes out of the jar. So I make it myself and it stays soft for months! Baby oil gives it a nice smell and makes it extra soft. 1 cup flour
1 cup water
1 tablespoon baby oil (cooking oil will work, too)
1/2 cup salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
food coloring (optional)

Whisk ingredients together in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture pulls away from the sides and has a "play dough" consistency. Knead until cool. Store in an air-tight container or ziploc bag for up to 3 months (or longer if it stays soft).

***NOTE: Due to the high salt content, the dough WILL SCRATCH a nonstick pan! Use an old pan or get one from a thrift store :)***

Dove Tempting Double Chocolate Cookies

Dove Tempting Double Chocolate Cookies

*prep time 25 minutes

Bakes time- 10-12 minutes

Difficulty- easy

Makes 24 cookies

1 bag DOVE PROMISES milk chocolate

1 cup (you can buy a bar if its 8 oz or a bag and just use 8 oz) DOVE PROMISES Dark Chocolate

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 cup flour

1 tsp almond extract (we used orange extract and it was EXCELLENT)

1/4 tsp baking powder

1. Coarsly chop the DOVE PROMISES Milk chocolate and melt in either in a bowl on top of a double boiler or in the microwave for 1- 1 1/2 minutes.

2. Stir the chocolate until smooth. Add the sugar, butter, eggs and almond (or orange) extract.

3. Stir in the flour and baking powder

4. Add 1 cup chopped DOVE PROMISES Dark Chocolate (not melted, just coarsely chopped)

5. Drop heaping tablespoons of batter on an ungreased cookie sheet

6. Bake in preheated oven at 350* for 10 to 12 minutes

7. Cool on the cookie sheet

Carrot Chowder

okay, this is one recipe not to judge by the name. it is SOO good. perfect for cold winter days. even better with warm fresh bread:). *** this recipe was from someone in dan's alpine ward and it won a national contest. its that good!***

Carrot Chowder
Brown 1 pound ground beef, drain fat.
add :
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green onion (some red is nice for color)
1/2 cup chopped green or yellow onion
simmer about 10 minutes or until tender

Add:
1 quart tomato juice
1 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups coarsely grated carrots
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
3 cloves of garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Bring to a boil, lower heat , cover and simmer until tender. (about 2 hours). Stir in 2 cans Cream of Celery soup, do not let boil.
*add some Swiss cheese on top of each  bowl (more than I showed in this picture, I just didn't want to cover all the soup)
Yield- 10 servings. freezes well
(**note- because I was so busy while making this soup, I didn't add the cream of celery on accident, and it was actually great even without it! we didn't even notice until I found the unopened cans!)

Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Stir in vanilla (and food coloring if desired); add flour and mix well.
Put through cookie press and form cookies onto baking sheets.
*Bake for 10 - 12 minutes.

Pumpkin Spice Donuts

Donuts:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour, divided

Spiced Sugar:
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
dash of salt

Cream butter and sugar, add pumpkin & eggs and beat well. Add baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, & buttermilk (buttermilk substitute: 1/2 cup milk + 2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar- let stand 5 minutes). Mix well. Gradually add 4 cups of flour until you have a soft dough- the consistency of sugar cookie dough. Roll out with remaining flour (only use enough so that they don't stick to the countertop) 1/4 inch thick. Cut into circles and cut smaller circles out of the center (if you have a "donut cutter" you can use that. I used a regular cup and a medicine cup from children's motrin). Keep center circles to make donut holes. Let the donuts rest for 15 minutes before frying. Fry in oil at 375 for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove from oil and drain on cooling rack with paper towels underneath. Immediately toss HOT donuts in spiced sugar until coated. Enjoy!!

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

One can Cream of Chicken soup

8 oz sour cream

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 tsp minced garlic

1 cup picante sauce, pureed (or one can of enchilada sauce)

1/2 cup chopped red onion

2 tsp chili powder

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

12 flour tortillas

1 large tomato, chopped

4 green onions, sliced

Chopped cilantro

Guacamole- optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9×13 pan with parchment paper. Stir soup, sour cream, cream cheese, garlic, picante sauce, red onion and chili powder in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, stir 1 1/2 cups of the sauce mixture with the chicken & 1 1/2 cups of the cheese. Spread about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam-side-down in prepared dish. Scoop remaining sauce over the filled tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Loosely cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes or until enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top with tomato, cilantro, and green onion. Add a dollop of guacamole, if desired.

Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce

I learned to make this fresh pasta sauce while living in Italy. Jerry is always begging me to make it, it's one of his favorites. It is very light, not thick or heavy like the usual spaghetti sauces you buy at the store. We often serve it with smoked sausage or kielbasa sausage. Don't forget to top it off with some great fresh grated parmesan ( I reccommend "Reggiano" parmesan or asiago cheeses) Mmmmmmmm, goooood!

8 medium vine tomatoes

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

1-2 TBS fresh minced garlic

3 TBS minced FRESH basil (or 1 TBS dried)

1 vegetable or chicken bullion cube

1 1/2 TBS sugar (or 1 tsp white stevia powder)

1 1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)

1/2 tsp ground pepper

Boil tomatoes in salt water until the skins break and begin to peel. Remove from water and drain. Cool slightly and peel skins completely off- Be careful, they will be HOT. Discard skins. Chop tomatoes and put in a medium saucepan. They will be VERY juicy- try to keep all the juice! Add spices, bullion cube, sugar, garlic, & oil. Simmer on low heat for about 45 minutes or until it is reduced by half. *I usually get my sauce started first and put my pasta water on to boil when my sauce begins to simmer.* You can leave the sauce chunky or you can puree it. It will be very light and a bit watery. Toss with hot pasta (or whatever else you like) and enjoy immediately. Top with fresh grated parmesan or asiago cheese.

Fresh Salsa/ Pico de Gallo

This is a special treat in our family- we often do "Salsa Sundays"- get a bunch of chips and some great steak and eat your heart out!

6-8 roma or vine tomatoes, chopped (by hand!)
1 red or vidalia onion, chopped
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
2-3 TBS minced garlic (to taste)
1-2 tsp chili powder (to taste)
dash of cayenne pepper (or more if you like it spicy)
salt & pepper to taste
juice from 1 lemon (you can use more if you like it extra juicy)
juice from 1 lime

Gently mix well and enjoy immediately!
Note: This salsa does NOT keep well- use within 2 days.

You can also "personalize" this salsa to what you like- add fresh corn kernels, chopped cucumber, fresh pineapple, Johnny's seasoning salt, etc. Sky's the limit!

Creamy Chocolate Fudge

This recipe is for a most delicious and SUPER CREAMY fudge! This is the first time I've used this recipe- I actually altered my grandma's recipe because I was missing some ingredients. Anyway it turned out SO great that I will definately do it again and again! This also makes the most wonderful hot fudge sauce :)
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cups sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 lb (1 stick) real butter

In a large pot, combine cream, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, & cocoa; whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture reaches a "meduim ball stage". The fudge will be thick and bubbly. To test it, drizzle fudge from the spoon into a cup of ice water. Using your fingers, gather the drizzled fudge together to form a ball. If it falls apart or is really mushy, it isn't ready yet. It should be slightly firm, but NOT hard. Test it frequently until you get the right texture. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and butter. ***If you are making hot fudge sauce, STOP here.... simply cool fudge and pour into a glass jar and store in the refrigerator. GENTLY reheat as needed.*** For regular fudge, tansfer to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer, on high speed, until it loses it's gloss- this will take about 10 minutes or so. Fold in nuts if desired. Pour into buttered 6X9 inch pan. Chill 2 hours, cut into squares and enjoy!

Chocolate ice cream

INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 egg yolks, beaten

1 2/3 cups heavy cream
1 cup half and half
1 tsp vanilla
a dash salt

DIRECTIONSIn large bowl, stir together half and half, sugar, cocoa, cream, vanilla and salt. Add beaten eggs, whisk all together until smooth. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

Oatmeal Cake

For Garry's Birthday I made his favorite cake from his childhood. I got the recipe from his Mom. I gotta admit, it's my new favorite too. "Try it, you'll like it!"

Cake ingredients:

1 1/4th cup boiling water

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup butter, very soft

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Frosting ingredents:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
6 Tbs canned milk or light cream
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut

Step 1:
Pour boiling water over oats, mix and cover then set aside.
Step 2:
In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar together with a wooden spoon.
Step 3:
Whip eggs and vanilla together with a fork, then add to the butter and sugar mixture.
Step 4:
Add warm oatmeal to the mixture above, stir until smooth.
Step 5:
Mix the dry ingredients together, then add to the mixture above. Mix it all together, pour into a 9x13 greased pan (a round spring form pan works well to), bake @ 350 for 30 to 35 minutes.
Step 6:
Frosting... Melt everything together in a sauce pan. Stirring constantly until it is all melted and bubbly. Poor over the cooled cake and smooth it all out.

Panko Halibut

This is a favorite at our house. Its super simple (so simple I'm not sure why I'm posting it), but also can be time consuming. If you've got the time and the patience to make it, you will be very pleased with the results!

1 box of Panko, Japanese style breading (you can usually find it in the Oriental section in the grocery store.)

flour

2 eggs

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

oil for frying, I use canola

Halibut, cut into 1 inch cubes

Dip the halibut into flour, coat well, shake off the excess. Dip into egg then toss in panko crumbs. Fry until golden brown. Drain onto newspaper or parer towels.

Cinnamon Rolls

I just LOVE this recipe! The frosting, especially, is soooo delicious! These bake up really big and beautiful- very impressive :) I have also made these into Orange Rolls and it turns out marvelous! The dough is the same- just a different filling & frosting (I have included the Orange filling & frosting at the end of the recipe).

Dough:

1 1/4 cup warm milk

1 TBS active dry yeast

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg, well beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

4 1/2 cups flour

Melt butter and allow to cool until warm, add the milk, yeast and sugar. Allow to rise for 10 minutes. Add the beaten egg, vanilla, salt, & flour to form a soft dough. Knead for about 5 minutes. Rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Filling:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

3 TBS cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Roll the dough into a 18 inch square. Spread the softened butter over the dough with a rubber spatula and then evenly distribute the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Be careful to leave a 1" edge clean (to seal roll). Wet the clean edge with milk to make it sticky. Roll up and use dental floss or thread to cut into 1 1/2 inch slices (makes 12). Line your baking pan with parchment paper. Place rolls into baking pan 1/2 inch apart. Let rise in a warm place about 20 minutes. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes until lightly browned.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Cream together and spread over warm rolls.

Orange Rolls- use the same dough, but use this filling instead:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1-2 TBS orange juice concentrate (to taste)

2 TBS grated orange peel (optional)

1 tsp vanilla

Mix butter, sugar, orange juice concentrate, orange peel, and vanilla. Evenly spread over dough. Roll up and slice. Bake as usual.

Orange Frosting:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 TBS orange juice concentrate (you can add more to taste if you wish)

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

Cream together and spread over warm rolls.

Mardi Gras Jambalaya

2 pounds smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped red onion
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
3 bay leaves
2 cups long-grain white rice (Uncle Ben's works best)
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
6 cups chicken Stock
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup chopped green onions (green and white parts)
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Heat the sausage, 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, and the oil in a large stock pot and cook, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, salt, cayenne, and black pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and bay leaves and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes give off some of their juices, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the thyme & chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Season the shrimp with the remaining 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. Add the shrimp to the pot and cook until they turn pink, about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let sit, covered, for 15 minutes. Add the green onions and parsley to the jambalaya and stir gently. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Adjust the salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Serve directly from the pot.

Wheaty dinner rolls

1 TBS active dry yeast

4 TBS sugar

1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 TBS olive oil
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups white flour

In a large mixing bowl, combine water, milk, sugar, & yeast. Let stand 5 minutes. Add salt, egg, oil, and wheat flour; beat well. Gradually add white flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough into a greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down, form small balls. Place on a baking sheet and allow to rise for about 20 minutes. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Brush with butter.

Chicken Club Stuffed Onion Bread

BREAD:

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 TBS olive oil
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 TBS sugar
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
3 1/2 - 4 cups flour

In a skillet, saute onion until it starts to carmelize, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine water, milk, sugar & yeast. Let rest for 5-10 minutes until it puffs up. Add 1 egg, salt, butter, oil, & 1 cup flour. Beat until smooth. Gradually add remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down dough, roll out into a rectangle. Put filling in the center and slice the dough on either side into strips- leaving the slices attatched to the center. Pull dough slices over the top, alternating sides to create a braided look. Beat remaining egg and brush over the top. Sprinkle with slivered almonds, poppyseeds, sesame seeds, or leave plain. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

CHICKEN CLUB FILLING:
3 cups cooked, cubed chicken
5 slices chopped, cooked crispy bacon
1/2 cup cubed ham
1 1/2 cups shredded swiss cheese
1/2 cup mayo
1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
2 TBS chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp chopped garlic
2 plum tomatoes, chopped

Gently mix until combined.

Swiss Chicken

This is a very easy dinner and can feed a crowd. The swiss cheese is delightful!

In a 9X13 inch pan, lay 8 chicken breasts. Place a slice of Swiss Cheese on each breast. Mix 2 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup with 2/3 cup water; pour over meat. Top with 2 cups (or more) dry seasoned stuffing. Drizzle 1/3 cup melted butter on top. Bake at 350 for 1 hour uncovered.

White Bean & Chicken Chili (soup)

White Bean & Chicken Chili
This was called a "chili" in the recipe that I found, but it was really more of a soup. It sounded really plain, (and therefore boring) but I tried it anyway. It got great reviews form Garry and Parker, the girls wouldn't try it. All in all, it was much better than I thought it would be, I will make it again and again. I altered the recipe a bit, and will post it as such.

1 lb chicken, cut into small cubes
1 can diced Green chilies
olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tsp cumin
2 cans white kidney or navy beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups chicken broth

Toppings: Shredded cheese, sour cream and minced fresh cilantro

Saute chicken and green chillies over medium heat, until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper, (I actually used "Weber's Kick'n Chicken" seasoning). Pour the chicken and chillies into a 3 quart slow cooker. In the same pan used to cook the chicken, saute the onions, garlic and Jalapeno. Sprinkle in the oregano and cumin. Cook for 1 or 2 min, until the onions are tender. place into the slow cooker. In a small bowl, mash 1 cup of the beans, then stir in 1/2 cup broth, stir until blended. Add to the slow cooker with the remaining beans and broth.
Cover and cook on low for 3 1/2 hours. Stir before serving. (I'm sure that this could also be done in a pot on the stove, everything is already cooked when it goes in.)
Sprinkle on your choice of toppings, enjoy.

Oreo Cookies

These are a new favorite!!!!!

Oreo Cookies:
2 pkg's cake mix (any chocolate, I liked using Devils Food Cake)
1 cup oil
4 eggs
Mix and roll into balls, place on baking sheet. Bake at 375 * for 10 minutes.

Filling:
1 pkg 8 oz cream cheese
4 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
(to add some color try dying the filling!) Here I have it dyed light green for Easter.

Once cookies have cooled, add filling! This simple recipe is delicious!!!

Loaded Pasta al Forno

Okay, today I tried something new and it turned out absolutely delightful! My family LOVED it! I'm not sure what to call it, though, besides "Pasta al Forno", which just means "baked pasta". So here's how you make it:

Ingredients:

6TBS butter

3TBS flour

1 cup cream

1 1/2 cups milk

2 lightly beaten egg yolks

1 1/2 cups shredded Asiago cheese

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

13 oz frozen broccoli florets

2 chopped green onions (about 1/4 cup)

2 chopped fresh tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 cup chopped onion

1-2 TBS chopped garlic

1 1/2 cups cubed ham

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 lb rigatoni pasta

In a large pot, boil water and cook pasta "al dente", about 9 minutes. In a medium pot, melt butter and whisk in flour to make a roux. Whisk in cream, milk, egg yolks, asiago cheese, nutmeg, salt, & pepper. Cook over medium heat until mixture gets creamy and cheese is completely melted and mixed in- DO NOT BOIL. In the large pot, combine the cooked pasta, sauce, frozen broccoli, green onions, tomatoes, parsley, onion, garlic, and ham. Pour into a 9X13 baking dish and evenly sprinkle shredded mozzarella over the top. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes.