Cranberry Orange Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter softened (or for fluffier cookies use shortening)
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. orange zest
juice of 1/2 orange
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. craisins
1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 and line two baking sheets with parchment paper
In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and whisk together.  Set aside
In bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter (or shortening) and sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add yolk and beat until fully incorporated.
Add orange juice, then zest and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated.
Turn mixer to low speed, add flour mixture and beat until just incorporated.
Remove bowl from mixer, stir in cranberries and white chocolate chips.
Place 1 Tbsp rounds of dough onto cookie sheets.
Place cookies in the oven and bake, switching baking sheet positions half way through baking time, for 12-14 minutes (They should not brown.)
Remove from oven and let cool on pans completely, about 10-15 minutes.

Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup

I helped my mom put together a Stake Open House.  We had a variety of soups, including this one.  Delicious.

Makes about 2 quarts

Ingredients:
2 (14oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup finely diced onions
1/2 bay leaf
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 Tbsp. fresh oregano
1 Tbsp dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups half and half, warmed
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

In a large slow cooker, combine tomatoes, celery,carrots, chicken broth, onions, bay leaf, oregano, and basil (if using fresh oregano and basil; if using dried oregano and basil add those two ingredients in the last hour of cook time.)  Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.

About an hour before serving prepare a roux:  Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour; stir constantly with a whish for 5-7 minutes.  Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup from the slow cooker.  Add another 3 cups soup and stir until smooth.

Add all back into the slow cooker.  Stir and add Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt, and pepper.  Cover and cook on low for another hour until ready to serve.

Apple Butter Pork Tenderloin

My sister gave me this recipe.  We made it on Sunday, and it was divine.  Loved it and will definitely make it again!

Ingredients:
2 (1 1/2 pound) pork tenderloins
seasoning salt to taste
2 cups apple juice
1/2 cup apple butter

1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Season the pork tenderloins with seasoning salt, and place them in a 9x13 inch baking dish or small roasting pan. Pour apple juice over the pork, and cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil.
3. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven. While the pork is roasting, mix together the apple butter, brown sugar, water, cinnamon and cloves. After the hour, remove pork tenderloins from the oven, and spread the apple butter mixture over them.
4. Cover, and return to the oven for 2 hours, or until fork tender.

Yummy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Don't be discouraged, this recipe has a lot of ingredients but it is easy and delicious!

Ingredients:

1 c butter (melted)
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 c pumpkin
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
3 c flour
2 c chocolate chips

Beat butter, sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Add eggs. Mix well. Add vanilla and pumpkin. Mix well. Add baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Mix well. Add a cup of flour at a time. Add chocolate chips! Don't worry the mixture will look soft and gooey.

Spoon onto a greased pan. Cook 15-20 mins at 350 degrees. Enjoy!

Pork and Veggie Stir Fry with Peanut Orange Sauce

I tried this "Biggest Loser" recipe last night. It was restaurant quality; we loved it! I did use regular peanut butter instead of natural peanut butter. Also, when I do it again, I'll decrease the amount of ginger and red pepper (it had a little too much kick), and I'll serve it over rice. We also think it would be really good with chicken if you didn't have pork loin.

Serves 4
284 calories per serving

1 pound lean pork loin, cut into bite-size strips
4 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 pound snow peas
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoon natural peanut butter, no salt or sugar added
2/3 cup chopped fresh basil

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a large nonstick pan over high heat. Spray with PAM. Add to the pan. Stir fry until light golden brown and almost cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove pork from pan and set aside.

2. Spray pan with PAM again and add ginger. Sauté for about 1 minute and add onions. Continue to cook for another 4 minutes. Add snow peas and continue to cook until tender/crisp. Remove vegetables from pan.

3. Add orange juice concentrate and red pepper flakes to the pan and bring to a boil. Whisk in peanut butter and return to a simmer. Toss pork and vegetables with peanut-orange sauce and basil. Adjust seasonings, if necessary, and serve. Although no actual salt is called for in this recipe, please add it as you see fit.

White Chicken Chili

From Our Best Bites:

1 T Extra virgin Olive Oil
1 lb boneless chicken, cubed (about 3-4 boneless, skinless breasts)
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans Great Northern Beans
1 3.5 oz can green chilies
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t dried oregano leaves
1/2 t coriander
1/2 t salt
fresh cracked pepper
1 lime
1/2 C chopped cilantro
1 32oz box chicken broth

Condiments: (in addition to measurements above)
Sour cream
Chopped cilantro
Pepperjack or Jack cheese, shredded
Avocado
Tortilla Chips or make your own tortilla strips

In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add chopped onion and cook for about 2 minutes- just until it starts to become translucent. While onions are cooking, drain beans and rinse with cold water and set aside. Sprinkle chopped chicken with a little salt and pepper and add to pot. Add garlic as well. Cook until there's no more visible pink on the chicken, probably 3-4 minutes.

Then add green chilis- along with all of the juices in the can. Add beans, cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, and a few turns of fresh cracked pepper. Stir to combine and then add chicken broth.

Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and add the juice from one lime and the 1/2 C chopped cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream. Serve with condiments. If you don't have all those condiments- at least have sour cream! But honestly, it's best with everything :)


This is basically a twist on taco soup and is my favorite food storage meal yet! It was so good, quick and easy, and a perfect cold weather meal. It is more of a soup consistency than chili, so you could easily use less broth or add extra veggies to make it heartier.

There's a similar recipe in "I Dare You To Eat It" that includes canned corn and some celery. It also uses canned chicken, and if you used dried onion and garlic (I did) you could make the entire meal from food storage. It also makes it even quicker and easier. How awesome is that?!

Easy Homemade Bread

This bread is good and easy. You don't need a mixer just a big mixing bowl and wooden spoon.

Ingredients:

1/2 c warm water
2 tbl yeast
1/2 tsp sugar

Mix and set aside for 5 mins (until yeast is dissolved)

2 c hot water
3 tbl sugar
1 tbl salt
1/3 c veg oil
6 c flour

Combine remaining ingredients, yeast mixture and 3 cups of flour. Mix well.
Add remaining flour and mix. Leave the wooden spoon in the dough and let rest for 10 mins. Mix dough five times every 10 mins. Divide into two parts, roll out and then roll up like a jelly roll. Place on a greased baking sheet, cover with greased saran wrap and let rise until double in size.

Bake at 400 for 30 mins.

I was told you can also use this dough for almost anything such as dinner rolls, deli rolls for french dips, scones etc. You can probably use a loaf pan to make sandwich bread but I don't have a loaf pan so I haven't tried it this way. Just make sure you adjust the cooking time!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

OK, so our stake was issued a challenge on Sunday to live off of our food storage for 2 weeks. We decided to accept the challenge and it may get interesting! I'm going to try and post some of the meals we come up with that can be used to help rotate food storage. They won't be gourmet, but I think they are good things to have! We ate this tonight and I thought it was actually quite good, but I love tuna!

2 c. macaroni (or other noodles)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (10 3/4 oz)
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
2 cans tuna, drained
1 cup shredded cheese
1 cup frozen peas

Boil macaroni in salted water for 7 minutes and drain. Stir soup, milk, peas, tuna and pasta together in a 2 quart casserole. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, or until hot. Top with cheese.

Obviously, you could use regular milk but since we're rationing milk, we used evaporated. I also put some cheese (cheddar) on before baking, stirred that in, and topped with more after. Yay for food storage!

Bruschetta Chicken

This is one of Mike's recipes.  He used to make it for the Arbon's.

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 pkg. (6 oz) stove top mix for chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place tomatoes with their liquid in medium bowl.  Add stuffing mix, 1/2 cup hot water and the garlic.  Stir until stuffing mix is moistened.  Set aside.

Place chicken in 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle with the basil and cheese.  Top with stuffing mix.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Serves 6

The chicken cooks through, don't worry!  If you are a little nervous that it won't (like I always am), you can cook the chicken in a pan first then add it.

Hot Wassail

My mom always makes this once it starts to get cold outside.  Just the way it makes my house smell is worth having it simmering on the stove!

Ingredients:

1 8oz can frozen lemonade
1 8oz can frozen apple juice
1 8oz can frozen pineapple juice
1 8oz can frozen orange juice
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 cinnamon sticks
3 qts water
1 orange, sliced

Combine all ingredients in a large pot.  Simmer for 1 hour before serving. 

This recipe serves 20 people, so you can modify it for however many you want to serve. 

Crockpot Roasted Lemon Chicken

We had this for dinner tonight, and we both thought it was delicious.

Ingredients:

4-5 lb. chicken (or in our case 2 cornish hens)
1/2 cup chopped onion (we thought stuffing would be good too)
2 T. butter
1 lemon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. parsley

Directions:

1. Pat the chicken dry.
2. Stuff the chicken with chopped onion and then rub butter on it.
3. Put the chicken in a crockpot and squeeze the lemon juice over it.
4. Add the rest of the seasoning and cook the chicken on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours.

We had this with couscous and green beans.  I felt like we were feasting - so good :)

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

We love eating soup in the fall and this is a really good one.

Ingredients:

3 T. butter or margarine
2 large onions, sliced
1 T. curry powder
2 large butternut squashes, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cans (14-14.5 oz each) chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cups water

1. In 5 qt. saucepot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender, 18-20 minutes.  Add curry and remaining 1 tablespoon butter and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
2. Add squash, broth, salt, and water; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer soup until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Spoon one-third of mixture into blender; cover, with center part of lid removed to let steam escape, and puree until very smooth. Pour into large  bowl. Repeat twice more with remaining mixture.
4. Return to saucepot and heat through.

from: good housekeeping soups and stews cookbook

-Trish

Biggest Loser 100 calorie cupcakes

So we were watching Biggest Loser the other night, and they taught the contestants how to make 100 calorie cupcakes.  My ears perked up, because as you all know, I'm a little obsessed :).  I tried these today and made a few adjustments, but they were really yummy!

Ingredients:

5 egg whites
pinch of salt
3 T. honey
2 T. vanilla extract

1/4 c. nonfat greek yogurt

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1 t. baking powder

Frosting:

1 c. nonfat cream cheese

1 c. fresh raspberries (or I think strawberries would be good too!)

1. Preheat oven to 325

2. Beat egg whites until they begin to hold their shape

3. Whip in salt and honey until the whites hold a soft peak, then add vanilla.

4. Fold in yogurt

5. In another bowl, combine flour and baking powder and mix

6. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients a little at a time

7. Fill lined cupcake tins 2/3 of the way full

8. Bake for 15-20 minutes

For frosting:

1. Puree berries and fold into cream cheese.

2. Put a little dollap on top of each cupcake.

* So I thought the frosting was really tart.  I sprinkled a little powdered sugar on top to make it a little sweeter and I thought it was really good.  The cupcakes are really light and fluffy.  Mmmm.

Chicken Tortellini Casserole

Ok, since I have time today, I am going to just load up a bunch of recipes :)  Feel free to do the same whenever you get a chance.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
1 can chicken broth
1/2 c. white wine (optional)
1/2 tsp. crushed garlic
1 pkg. cheese-filled tortellini
4 oz. can mushrooms, drained
1 cube margarine
1/3 c. chopped green onions
1 c. sour cream
1 c. grated cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
grated cheese
bread crumbs

Boil chicken breasts in chicken broth, wine, and crushed garlic for one hour.  Turn off pot and cool.  Slice into bite-sized pieces.  Prepare tortellini per package instructions. Place chicken, cooked tortellini and mushrooms into a bowl and mix with the following sauce:

Sauce: Heat margarine, green onions, sour cream, grated cheese and soups.  Spread mixture into a baking dish.  Top with grated cheese and bread crumbs.  Bake in 350 oven for 20 minutes or until warm. 

Serves 6-8

Pumpkin Dessert

I made this one for Ammon's baby blessing.  It's a Cheney family favorite and oh so good.

Ingredients:

13 oz. can evaporated milk
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
20 oz. can pumpkin
3/4 c. chopped margarine
dry yellow cake mix

Mix together the milk, spice, sugar. eggs. salt, and pumpkin.  Put in a 9x13 pan.  Top with cake mix and chopped margarine.  Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes or until knife comes out clean.  This is really good with cool whip or ice cream.

-Trish

Healthy Turkey Vegetable Chili

We love this, and it's only 280 calories per serving!

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 minced garlic clove
ground red pepper to taste
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 large carrot, diced
1 large celery stalk, diced
1 small yellow pepper, seeded and diced
12 oz ground turkey
4 medium sized ripe tomatoes, diced
1 can white or black beans
4 cups baby spinach
black pepper to taste

Optional:
1/4 C fat free yogurt as garnish
fresh or chopped cilantro or chives to garnish

• drizzle oil on large saute pan over medium heat
• Add onion, garlic, red chili and saute until tender
• Sprinkle cumin and stir well. Add carrot, celery and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables begin to get tender.
• In seperate pan, brown the turkey, then transfer to vegetable mix.
• Add the tomatoes and beans and cook until tomatoes have broken down and most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir occasionally.
• Stir in spinach and remove from heat.
• Season to taste with black pepper.
• Serve with yogurt and cilantro.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

This is one of my new favorite soups and it's fairly easy to make.  I'll add a picture next time I make it :)

Ingredients:

1/4 c. butter
1 c. chopped onion
1 6oz. box Uncle Ben's Original Long Grain and Wild Rice
1 rotisserie chicken deboned and shredded
1 48oz. carton (6 cups) chicken broth
1 4oz. can mushroom pieces and stems, drained
6 T. sliced almonds
1 c. chopped carrots
optional - 1/4 c. flour
optional - 1 pint half and half


Cook the rice according to package directions.  Melt the butter in a large pot, add the onions and saute.  Add the rice and all the other ingredients.  If you are going to use the flour and the half and half, add those at the very end. Those two ingredients make it into a "cream of mushroom" soup.   I made this without those two ingredients to make it a bit healthier and more like chicken noodle soup.  It turned out to be really yummy!  I think it would be good either way.

Simmer for 20 minutes.

This also works really well as a freezer meal.  Just pour it into a 10-cup plastic freezer container, and freeze!  All you have to do is reheat it when you are ready to eat it. 

Makes 6 servings.

-Trish