Cedar Fort Recipes

The DUTCH OVEN Dessert Cookbook

2010-08-02T12:46:00.000-07:00

White Chocolate Berry Bread Pudding
Praline Pudding Cake
Root Beer Cake
Upside Down Cranberry Crunch
Apple Pecan Cobbler

Cobblers, crisps, cakes -- and more! The Dutch Oven Dessert Cookbook is filled to the brim with scrumptious recipes that will complement any meal and satisfy any sweet tooth. With its simple yet delectable recipes, this book is the perfect gift for family, friends, and, of course, yourself.

BONUS: A temperature conversion chart makes it easy to prepare any of these tempting treats in either a Dutch oven or conventional oven!

Order THE DUTCH OVEN DESSERT COOKBOOK

Beyond Oatmeal: 101 Breakfast Recipes

2010-07-30T15:34:00.000-07:00

French toast,

waffles and muffins,

sweet breads and sticky buns;

all the mouth-watering breakfast treats

you dream of are right here.

No more stale cold cereal.

No more lumpy oatmeal.

Deluxe breakfasts are just a few

quick ingredients away!

Even better, breakfast foods aren't just for breakfast anymore. Breakfast, lunch, brunch, dessert, or even a snack; these recipes work for just about any time. Whether you're a beginner cook looking for quick and easy meals or a seasoned chef on the lookout for fresh and creative new ideas, look no further! These tasty dishes are sure to please even the pickiest of eaters and impress your guests.

Is there more to breakfast than just oatmeal? Absolutely! Let Beyond Oatmeal: 101 Breakfast Recipes make your mornings sweeter. Say no to boring breakfasts and get ready for mouth-watering morning delights. Yes, there is more to breakfast than just oatmeal; much more!

As a child, author and chef Carlene Duda thought everyone ate oatmeal for breakfast. Because she hated the thick, lumpy goo, she vowed that when she had a family of her own, she would not feed them oatmeal! She made it her mission to be the quintessence of gourmet breakfast chefs everywhere. With 101 delicious original recipes, Beyond Oatmeal is the culmination of that mission, guaranteed to delight chefs of all ages!

order BEYOND OATMEAL: 101 BREAKFAST RECIPES

The Cast Iron Chef

2010-07-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

Like Dutch oven food but don't have time to cook? Or do you just not have the right recipe for what you're craving? Dust off your Dutch oven and prepare your taste buds for mouthwatering Dutch oven food. With the Cast Iron Chef, you'll find cooking with a Dutch oven is easy, efficient, and, best of all, delicious!

In this handy book, chef Matt Pelton outlines the ins and outs of Dutch oven cooking, from seasoning your oven to choosing your heat source, and shows you tips and tricks on how to adapt recipes and cook Dutch oven food in the comfort of your own kitchen. With its wide range of dishes, this book covers staple recipes like meats, potatoes, soups, and breads, but also brings to your table a variety of favorite ethnic dishes. You'll find your options are endless when it comes to cooking with a Dutch oven. Whether you're firing up the coals or using your kitchen stove, Dutch oven cooking is more versatile than ever before. The only thing set in stone is the potential for great-tasting food!

CHEESE STEAK

A family favorite, this can be served on bread as a sandwich, with potatoes, or with rice. It goes well with a pepper or another green vegetable.

1 small sweet onion, chopped

2 lbs. beef, sliced thing

salt to taste

1 tsp. coarse black pepper

juice from 1/2 lemon

1/4 lb. sliced Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese

Heat just enough oil to make the bottom of your Dutch oven glossy. Add the onion and fry until they are clear. Add the meat while the Dutch oven is hot. Stir-fry until the meat is beginning to brown. Add the remaining ingredients. Broast or roast for 15-20 minutes at a low temperature, 200-225 degrees. Layer cheese on top.

Order THE CAST IRON CHEF here.

Cowboy Casserole

2010-07-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

COWBOY CASSEROLE

makes 6-8 servings

This casserole is also delicious without the meat if you prefer a vegetarian entree.

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

2 ribs celery, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

1 small onion, diced

2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 cup black olives, sliced

3 1/2 cups cooked rice

1 qt. home-canned tomatoes OR 2 (14.5-oz.) cans commercially canned diced tomatoes

1 tsp. salt

Black pepper

1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

Tabasco sauce to taste

optional garnishes:

grated cheddar cheese

additional sliced black olives

additional chopped green peppers

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a deep skillet over medium-high head, brown and crumble ground beef. Remove from skillet and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the grease. Saute celery, green pepper, and onion until softened. Add chili powder and saute until fragrant. Stir in beef, olives, rice, tomatoes, salt, pepper, Worcestershire, and Tabasco sauce. Bring to boil.

Spray 13x9-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Place mixture in dish and bake about 1 hour, or until heated through. Serve with optional garnishes.

This recipe comes from STARTING WITH A QUART OF TOMATOES. A book that offers the how-to for growing your own tomatoes, canning them, and then cooking with them. There are soup, sauce, casserole, pizza, and bread recipes!

Starting with a Quart of TOMATOES is available on our website.

Breakfast in a Cookie Jar

2010-07-19T09:58:00.000-07:00

"Don't eat dessert first,

you'll spoil your appetite!"

That's what Mom always said, right?

Well, don't tell her we said this,

but Mom was wrong.

Now you can have your dessert for breakfast!

This scrumptious collection of healthy, easy-to-make cookies and breakfast bars will start your day off right. Nobody knows breakfast better than Carlene Duda, author of Beyond Oatmeal and Completely Breakfast, and now she's done it again! Perfect for picky eaters, these recipes are family friendly and easy on your budget. Indulge your sweet tooth with the Blueberry Breakfast Bars, Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies, German Chocolate Snack Bars, or Triple Peanut Chunk Crunch.

Stop the mad dash for toaster pastries slathered in fake frosting. With Breakfast in a Cookie Jar, you can provide your family with a variety of homemade alternatives that are just as easy to eat on the run and so much more nutritious. Best of all, these treats aren't just for breakfast - they also make the perfect after school snack, half-time energy booster, or midnight munchie.

So go ahead, get caught with your hand in that cookie jar. Breakfast has never tasted so yummy!

Order BREAKFAST IN A COOKIE JAR

Wonderful Wheat

2010-07-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

Need to use your food storage but not sure how?

What to beat the high cost of food?

Learn the ins and outs of cooking with wheat.

Use this cookbook to make nutritious, delicious foods at home.

Wonderful Wheat: Hearty Grains for Healthy Homes gives wheat a new look and a new taste with recipes for breads, crackers, soups, meats, cookies, and more! Learn how to make whole wheat pretzels, graham crackers, muffins, and casseroles. This recipe book takes you back to the basics: using wheat in everyday cooking for healthy, simple, and inexpensive meals. It also includes affordable ideas for making common household products, such as teeth whitener, cough suppressants, deodorants, and insect repellent.

The perfect book for families with food storage and those wanting to save money, Wonderful Wheat is an indispensable addition to every home.

ANNE CASBEER is the oldest of four siblings. She spent most of her young life in the New England states of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a BS in food and nutrition. As an officer in the army she interned at Walter Reel General Hospital in nutrition and became a registered dietitian. She worked as a registered dietitian in the army and was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant.

Get your own copy of

Wonderful Wheat today!

Daily Meal Planner

2010-07-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

Finally, there's help for the

menu impaired!

With Daily Meal Planner, busy homemakers will no longer have to dread hearing the question that has haunted them for centuries: What's for dinner?; Author Joan Day Brady makes menu planning a snap with a year's worth of seasonal suggestions, including meat, salad, soup, and seafood recipes. In addition, she includes sections on desserts and breakfast, along with handy ideas and helpful indexes. Daily Meal Planner truly is a busy homemaker's answer to simplified meal planning.

15% OFF for the
Daily Meal Planner !!

The Zucchini Houdini

2010-07-13T07:54:00.000-07:00

ZUCCHINI - the Rodney Dangerfield of vegetables - just gets no respect. The hardy vegetable seems to pop up everywhere from sandwiches to doorbell ditches.

Finally, The Zucchini Houdini is here to rescind your perception , rescue your pallet, and save this little wonder veggie's reputation. Zucchini is efficient, packed full of vitamins and fiber, and is delectable in everything from main dishes to soups to salads - especially desserts! Filled with dozens of tasty and healthy recipes, this book will show you how to create wondrously tempting dishes, such as:

ZUCCHINI AVOCADO SALAD
SPICY MEATBALL AND ZUCCHINI SOUP
SWEET AND SAVORY SKILLET ZUCCHINI
ZUCCHINI PARMESAN CHEESE BAKE
CHOCOLATE NUT ZUCCHINI BREAD
ZUCCHINI SALSA
AND MANY MORE!

The Zucchini Houdini is sure to please everyone and finally bring honor and deference tot he long green vegetable. With such fantastic creations, your neighbors will beg you to doorbell ditch zucchini anytime.

CREAMY ZUCCHINI CRANBERRY SLAW

This sweet and zest salad is perfect for summer days.

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup sour cream (fat-free sour cream or plain yogurt can be substituted)

3 Tbsp. honey mustard dressing

3 large carrots, julienned

1 medium zucchini, julienned

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 tsp, salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, and dressing. Add carrots, zucchini, cranberries, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Chill at least an hour. Serves 4-6.

The Zucchini Houdini is available now 15% off

Cedar Fort Scratch & Dent Outlet for 75% off

2373 W. 700 S. Springville, UT 84663

Just Add Water

2010-07-12T08:47:00.000-07:00

Just Add Water has long been recognized as an excellent source for delicious, easily prepared recipes that use dehydrated foods. Its long-term popularity continues because it utilizes foods and recipes that families really like to eat, and because it adapts dehydrated food components into familiar and well-liked basic family meals. It’s brief and concise, but it tells homemakers the essential information they need.

Just Add Water includes information about the characteristics and advantages of dehydrated food and how to use it effectively, how to plan a year-long food storage program, and fifteen chapters of recipes that cover everything from preparing fruits and vegetables to making soaps.

Few books provide so much useable information so concisely as Just Add Water. It’s a book that rightfully deserves a place on every homemaker’s bookshelf and belongs in every kitchen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Best-selling author Barbara Salsbury, a nationally recognized personal preparedness expert, is one of American's leading authorities on self-reliance. For more than twenty-five years, she has been teaching, researching, and developing practical preparedness solutions based on experience and in-depth research.

She has been an emergency preparedness consultant for several cities, including San Francisco. Currently she is a personal preparedness consultant for the city of Sandy, Utah.

Barbara is the author of two national newsletters and the producers of three videos. Her eight books include Just in Case, Just Add Water, Beating the High Cost of Eating, and It's Time to Plan, Not Panic.

She has lectured extensively and conducted many workshops and seminars for civic, professional, and church groups, including Education Week at Brigham Young University. She has had several weekly TV Programs on consumer affairs courses and has been a regular on a national cable television program

as a consumer specialist. She is a veteran of the national television and radio talk show circuit.

Barbara is active in church and community. She and her husband, Larry, live in Sandy, Utah. They have two children and seven grandchildren.

“Cheesy” Noodle Ring
   1-8 oz. pkg. noodles, cooked
   1 c. shredded American cheese (or dry Cheddar)
   ½ c. soft breadcrumbs
   ¾ c dry milk + 1 ½ c. water
   1 Tb. dehydrated parsley flakes + 1/8 c. water
   ¼ c. egg solids + ½ c. and 1 Tb. Water, beaten (to equal 2 eggs)
   Salt and Pepper
   2 Tb. chopped pimiento
   2 Tb dehydrated celery + ¼ c. water

Reconstitute dehydrated products. Scald milk. Mix all ingredients well. Put into greased mold or ring. Put mold in a pan of water and bake 30-35 minutes at 350º. Fill center with creamed tuna, chicken or beef. 6 Servings.

Purchase Just Add Water

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2373 W. 700 S. Springville, UT 84663

Table for One

2010-07-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

Maybe you're a college student, maybe you're single, or maybe your kids have all left the house - whatever the situation, TABLE FOR ONE is the perfect solution. Bursting with tasty recipes and gorgeous photographs, this revolutionary cookbook will forever banish your TV-dinner blues. Each delicious dish is perfectly scaled to fit your lifestyle and could easily be doubled to make room for more at the table.

As a full-course cookbook, TABLE FOR ONE offers everything from soups to side dishes to sugar cookies. You'll love the:

Shrimp Gazpacho
Pomegranate Glazed Pork
Butternut Squash Risotto
Garlic Mashed Potatose
Carrot Cupcakes
English Trifle

With tips and tricks that will teach you how to buy, store, and prepare just enough food for a singles serving, TABLE FOR ONE is an essential guide to graduating from Ramen noodles to ramekins. With Camille Funk's expert advice, you'll soon become your own personal chef. So stop denying yourself the deliciousness that could be yours and set your table for one today.

Stay posted for a recipe from the book. Can't wait??
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From Mountaintop to Tabletop: The Complete Guide to Cooking Wild Game

2010-07-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

Produce Great-Tasting Wild Game Every Time!

Every year thousands of sportsman harvest wild game without knowing how to properly dress, cure, and cook the meat. The result is poor-tasting venison that often goes to the dogs--literally.

In From Mountaintop to Tabletop, Matt Pelton shows us why venison is the preferred dish of royalty worldwide. Using easy-to-understand instructions, never-fail recipes, and age-old secrets from hunters and cooks all over the world, he teaches us how we too can perfect the art of cooking wild game.

"So many people out there have not learned the art of cooking wild game, and if they only knew how, they would enjoy hunting so much more," the author writes. "I have tried to recapture that art., breaking it down and explaining the process of preparing and cooking venison--from the time you pull the trigger until you serve the meat for dinner."

With From Mountaintop to Tabletop, you'll soon be preparing rich, flavorful venison--every time!

Matt Pelton grew up in Levan, Utah. This small community in central utah is an ideal setting to pursue a passion for hunting. Matt was fascinated with wild game from the time he was a small child. He spent many hours watching his father butcher deer and elk, and Matt was always there to help cook. Determined to breat out of the mold and find out all there is to know about cooking wild game, he has wrked hard to gone his cooking skills during the past ten years.

Matt now resides in Provo, Utah, with his wife, Katie, and their children--Megan, five, and Tristan, three. When he isn't working, Matt can be found in the mountains hunting, fishing, or simply enjoying the outdoors. Matt's children have already developed a passion for hunting and the outdoors, watching hunting shows with their daddy and helping to prepare dinner almost every night.

Come in and visit

Cedar Fort Scratch & Dent Warehouse

2737 West 200 South Springville, UT

get this book and many others at 75% off

order From Mountaintop to Tabletop online for 15% off

Home and Food Dehydrating

2010-07-07T13:51:00.000-07:00

This valuable book has become a standard text for owners of home dehydrators and is held in high esteem in the food storage industry and by home users everywhere. It presents the basic principles of the dehydrating art with clarity and provides many useful tips, a host of valuable suggestions, and dozens of delicious recipes for all types of meals.

After explaining the nutritional aspects of dehydrating foods, dehydration methods and basic techniques are examined in detail. The use of preservatives is considered in simple terms. Explanations are then given, which tell how to dehydrate various types of foods. Some chapters are devoted to dehydrating fruit and making fruit leather. Others tell how to dehydrate vegetables, herbs, and meats.

Methods for storing the food after it has been dehydrated are also given. Then come the recipes - simple, delicious, and exciting! They cover the entire array of menus, too: breads, desserts, meats, milk shakes, cakes, dressings, pies, soups, cereals, fruits, sauces, vegetables, cookies, ice creams, toppings, and one-dish dinners.

Home Food Dehydrating, a valuable basic guide to the techniques of food preservation, belongs on every homemaker's bookshelf. It holds the keys to success in this vital homemaking art.

Most of the information presented here has been developed by research in our own kitchen. we do not claim this book to be all inclusive. We caution the readers and uses of this book to be aware of the fact that BEST results are only achieved through accurate control of temperature and air flow. This, of course, can be achieved in several ways, but we feel that a well-designed commercial dehydrator will produce the best results, and if used according to our recommendations, produces a delicious product, as many users have discovered...It is our hope that this book will be a motivating guide to help people enjoy and utilized the full potential of the foods that are available. May you have a happy and delicious experiences!

~Jay and Shirley Bills (The Authors)

CHICKEN A LA KING

Soak: 1 1/2 cups cooked dehydrated chicken chunks in

2 cups water until reconstituted

Soak: 2 tablespoons dehydrated green pepper in

1/4 cup water until reconstituted

Melt in top of double boiler over direct heat: 2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Add: reconstituted drained green pepper

1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Lift out pepper and mushrooms,

Blend into fat: 1/4 cup flour

Add: 1 1/3 cups cream or evaporated milk

1 1/3 cups good strength Chicken Broth

2 bouillon cubes heated to boiling in 1 1/3 cups of water drained from reconstituting chicken

Add: salt and pepper to taste

Cook with constant stirring, still over direct heat, until sauce boils and thickens.

Add: reconstituted drained chicken

1/2 pimiento, cut in strips

green pepper

mushrooms

Place over boiling water, cover and cook until chicken is heated through. Serve hot over toast, biscuits, crisp noodles or boiled rice. Yield: 5 servings.

Home Food Dehydrating is available at www.cedarfort.com or in the Cedar Fort Scratch and Dent Warehouse!

Independence Day Desserts

2010-07-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

Patriotic Pie

what you need

1-1/2 cups boiling water, divided

1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Berry Blue Flavor Gelatin

1 cup ice cubes, divided

1 HONEY MAID Graham Pie Crust (6 oz.)

1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin, or any red flavor

1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

make it

STIR 3/4 cup of the boiling water into dry blue gelatin mix at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add 1/2 cup of the ice cubes; stir until ice is melted. Pour into pie crust; refrigerate 5 to 10 min. or until gelatin is set but not firm.
MEANWHILE, stir remaining 3/4 cup boiling water into dry red gelatin mix in separate bowl at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add remaining 1/2 cup ice cubes; stir until ice is melted. Cool 5 min. or until slightly thickened.
SPREAD whipped topping over blue gelatin layer; cover with red gelatin. Refrigerate 2 hours or until set. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Frosty Fireworks

One way to make a splash this Fourth of July is by treating your kids to tall glasses of Patriot's Punch. Simply fill an ice cube tray with a red or blue fruit-flavored beverage (such as Powerade, Gatorade, or Kool-Aid) and let the cubes freeze solid. Then drop three or four colored cubes into each glass, pour in flavored seltzer water or clear soda, and watch the special effects. As the cubes melt, colored bubbles will swirl through the seltzer.

Ingredients

Red or blue fruit-flavored beverage

Seltzer (flavored or plain)

July 4th Grilled Favorites and Summer Sides

2010-07-01T12:06:00.000-07:00

Sweet and Hot BBQ Chicken

    ½ cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce
    2 Tbsp. honey
    1-1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce
    ½ tsp. garlic powder
    1 broiler-fryer chicken (3 lb.) cut up

HEAT greased grill to medium heat. MIX all ingredients except chicken. GRILL chicken 35 to 40 min. or until done (165ºF), turning occasionally and brushing with barbecue sauce mixture for the last 10 min.

Serve with grilled vegetables and a fresh fruit salad.

Fiesta Fajitas

Grilling mom Judith Fertig, who's coauthored six cookbooks about barbecuing, offers this tasty twist on fajitas that replaces hard-to-find skirt steak with equally appetizing pork tenderloin. Once the meat and veggies are grilled and sliced, you can leave the rest of the preparation to everyone else. Add a kid-friendly kick to the dish with Fresh Pineapple Salsa.

Ingredients
        * FOR THE MARINADE:
        * 1/3 cup canned pineapple juice
        * 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
        * 2 cloves garlic, minced
        * 2 teaspoons cumin
        * 1/3 cup vegetable oil
        * 1 teaspoon salt
        * 1/4 teaspoon pepper
        * FOR THE FAJITAS:
        * 2 pork tenderloins (about 2 pounds), trimmed of silver skin
        * 2 large red onions, cut into 1-inch-thick slices and threaded lollipop-style on skewers
        * 2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into quarters
        * 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into quarters
        * Olive oil for brushing
        * 8 flour tortillas, wrapped in foil

Instructions
       1. Combine the marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag, then add the tenderloins and toss them to coat. Place the sealed bag in the refrigerator and allow the tenderloins to marinate for at least an hour, but preferably overnight.
       2. Prepare the grill for cooking. Brush the onion skewers and bell peppers with olive oil. Grill the vegetables until they are soft, about 20 minutes, and the tenderloins, turning them occasionally, until the centers register 145º, also about 20 minutes. Transfer all the food to a baking sheet and allow the tenderloins to rest for 5 minutes.
       3. Meanwhile, remove the onion slices from the skewers. Chop them and the bell peppers, then arrange the vegetables on one side of a large serving platter. Slice the tenderloins into strips, then arrange them beside the vegetables.
       4. Heat the foil-wrapped tortillas on the coolest part of the grill, turning them several times until they are warmed through. Serve the grilled vegetables, tenderloin strips, and tortillas with small bowls of the Fresh Pineapple Salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. Serves 8.

Fresh Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients
        * 2 cups fresh pineapple, chopped
        * 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
        * 1/2 cup cilantro
        * 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
        * 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or less for a milder taste)
        * Salt

Instructions
       1. Place all of the ingredients but the salt in a blender or food processor and pulse until the ingredients are mixed but still chunky.

Grilled Packet Potatoes

Ingredients
        * 8 red or russet potatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
        * 8 green onions, chopped with some of the green, plus more for garnish
        * 2 cloves garlic, minced
        * 4 tablespoons olive oil
        * Salt and pepper

Instructions
       1. Prepare the grill for cooking. Place two 18-inch-long pieces of heavy-duty foil on a flat surface. Divide the potatoes, green onions, and garlic between the two pieces of foil, keeping the mixture in the center of each sheet. Drizzle the potatoes with the olive oil and season them to your liking. Gently toss the ingredients on the foil, then fold and crimp the foil along the sides to make a flat packet (make each packet a uniform thickness for even cooking).
       2. Grill the packets for 15 minutes, then turn them over and grill them for 10 minutes more. The potatoes can be served directly from the foil packets, sprinkled with additional green onion. Serves 8.

Red, White, and Blueberry Fruit Salad

Tossed in fresh lime juice and garnished with mint, this combination of juicy strawberries, diced apples, and fresh blueberries makes a refreshing treat on its own. Spoon it over vanilla ice cream, and you've got an instant and irresistible dessert.

Ingredients
        * 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
        * 1/4 cup honey
        * 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
        * 3 cups fresh blueberries
        * 1 quart fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
        * 3 medium apples, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

Instructions
       1. In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, honey, and mint. Add all of the fruit and toss to combine. Let the fruit salad set for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serves about 8.

These holiday recipes come from www.kraftrecipes.com and www.familyfun.go.com

4th of July APPETIZERS!!!

2010-06-30T15:17:00.000-07:00

Fresh Tomato Salsa

     3 tomatoes (1lb) chopped
     ¼ cup finely chopped red onions
     ¼ cup chopped cilantro
     1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
     ¼ cup Kraft Italian Dressing

Combine all ingredients. Serve salsa with tortilla chips, NABISCO Crackers or assorted cut-up fresh vegetables.

All-American Summer Dip

     1 container (16 oz.) BREAKSTONE’S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
     1 envelope GOOD SEASONS Parmesan Italian or Italian Dressing Mix
     ½ cup chopped roasted red pepper or 1 tsp jarred roasted garlic (optional)

Mix ingredients until well blended over; cover. Refrigerate several hours to blend flavors. Serve with red pepper strips, jicama strips, radishes, cherry tomatoes, and tortilla chips.

Crispy Cheese Stars

     Flour tortillas
     Sliced cheese (cheddar, provolone, or mozzarella)
     Chili powder or paprika
     Star shaped cookie cutters, 2 different sizes

1. Heat the oven to 350º. Use the larger cookie cutter to cut out stars from flour tortillas (about 5 per 10-inch tortilla). It's easy for kids to do if you use a rolling pin to roll back and forth over the cutter. Bake the stars on a foil-covered cookie sheet for 5 minutes.
2. Use the smaller cookie cutter to cut out an equal number of cheese stars from the sliced cheese and place them atop the tortilla ones. Bake the stars for 2 more minutes or so until the cheese melts.
3. Sprinkle the stars with chili powder or paprika and let them cool before serving.

Eating CLEAN and GREEN

2010-06-28T14:41:00.000-07:00

We posted about this cookbook a few months ago, but I thought it would be great to mention it again.

Jillayne Clements and Michelle Stewart's message to you: "Don't let processed, refined foods that have been stripped of their nutrients be the primary fuel for your life. Give your body what it naturally needs!"

Michael Cutler, MD, "These recipes go hand in hand with scientific and clinical evidence that a whole-food lifestyle is the first key to physical healing...the foundation of true health is to implement nutrient-rich, mostly raw whole foods - making meals from 'scratch' and using ingredients from mother earth!"

Clements and Stewart offer some convincing reasons to use this book, and honestly share that it does take a little time and effort to prepare whole-food meals, but it's worth the effort just to have the extra energy and healthy family. Plus, the pros outweigh the cons, such as:

PROS

There's absolutely no comparison with flavor.
Upon implementing the concepts of this book, you may normalize your weight.
If you're gluten or starch intolerant, sprouting , or souring, grains beforehand digests most of the gluten and starch so you don't have to.
Say goodbye to all the unpleasant gas, bloating, and cramps associated with improperly prepared food.
This diet can help minimize food allergies.

CONS

It takes extra time, practice, and planning at first.
You may have too much energy.
You won't have the opportunity to catch up on magazine reading while sitting in the doctor's office with sick kids.

LAVENDER LEMONADE
20 cups cold filtered water
1 1/3 cups raw blue/amber agave or pure maple syrup
12-24 ice cubes
2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 8 organic lemons)
1 drop lavender essential oil, therapeutic grade
1 organic lemon, sliced and seeded

Stir the agave or syrup into the water to dissolve. Add the icecubes. Juice the lemons and strain them. Add the juice to the sweet water mix, Add the sliced lemon for an attractive look in a clear glass pitcher. Keep refrigerated.

TASTY TREASURE
Typically, sprouted grains need more moisture in recipes than regular flour, but we find that humidity, temperature, and dehydration-time all play factors into how moist or dry flour is. Most of these recipes were prepared using sprouted wheat or a combination of spelt and kamut. Kamut flour alone tends to be drier and requires a little more liquid. Spelt is wetter and requires less water.

This cookbook is currently available at the Cedar Fort Scratch and Dent Warehouse located in Springville for 75% off, or The Diet Rebel's Cookbook is also available 15% off online!

Flexitarian?

2010-06-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

Flexitarianism is a primarily plant-based diet composed of grains, vegetables, and fruits, which also occasionally includes protein from lean meat, fish, poultry, or dairy. This diet is low in saturated fat and high in fiber, and because of the emphasis on produce, it meets the recommended intake for fruits and vegetables and the vitamins and minerals they contain. The health benefits are unrivaled: studies show that people using this approach generally weigh less and reduce their risk of hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and prostate and breast cancer.

In Spice Up Your Life, the recipes reflect this dietary approach. The recipes are easy to prepare, tasty, and healthy. The ingredients are available in supermarkets, farmers’ markets, organic and health food stores, and specialty Asian/Indian markets. Every recipe starts with an introduction, so you know how the dish is supposed to taste, look, and feel. You’ll find flavorful vegetarian appetizers, side dishes, chutneys, sauces, and main entrees, along with chicken and fish entrees. The dessert section is simply divine, with delectable treats like strawberry kulfi and almond panna cotta.

~Bindu Grandhi, Spice Up Your Life

“An incredible collection of well-seasons, flavorful, and healthy recipes. It will truly SPICE UP YOUR LIFE!”
              -CHEF EMERIL LAGASSE, celebrity chef, top-rated restaurateur, national television personality, and established cookbook author

Tomato and Yogurt Curry
The beautiful, rich-red tomatoes are flavored with the sweet and spicy combination of coconut and curry powder, while the walnuts add extra nutrition, flavor, and crunch. It is then cooled down with the creamy taste of yogurt. This dish is not only visually appealing, but also delicious.

    PREP TIME: 15 minutes
    COOKING TIME: 15 minutes
    SERVES: 4

    3 Tbsp. extra light olive oil
    ½ tsp. mustard seeds
    2 green chilies, stemmed and split in have lengthwise
    1 large onion, peeled and chopped
    ¼ cup walnuts, chopped
    1 heaping tsp. curry powder
    2 large beefsteak tomatoes, chopped
    2 Tbsp. fresh or frozen (thawed) shredded coconut*
    1 cup yogurt
    1/8 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1.    In a medium skillet on low heat, add the oil and mustard seeds, and cover. When the seeds stop sputtering, remove the cover. Add the chilies, onion, and walnuts. Keep your face at a safe distance, because the oil can spatter, and sauté until the onion is lightly golden brown (about 6-8 minutes).
2.    Add the curry powder and tomatoes, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the tomato is tender but not too mushy. Turn off heat and allow the mixture to cool about 10 minutes.
3.    Add coconut, yogurt, salt, and cilantro.
4.    Serve with Indian bread or plain rice.

NOTE: This dish can be prepared in advance. In step 3, do not add the yogurt. Reheat the curry to lukewarm and then add yogurt before serving, otherwise the yogurt will curdle.

    *You can substitute powdered, unsweetened dried coconut.

Go to www.theflexbook.com for recipe demonstrations, or purchase your own copy of Spice Up Your Life!

Completely Breakfast!

2010-06-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

Summertime = Smoothie-time!

Wake-Up Smoothie

    1 large banana, peeled and sliced
    1/2 cup respberries
    1 cup strawberries, hulled
    1/2 cup orange juice
    1 cup plain yogurt

COMBINE all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.
MAKES 2 smoothies.

Smoothie Tip

To keep it healthy, there are lots of small substitutions you can make to lower the fat content of your smoothies. Use skim milk or soy milk instead of regular milk, or use frozen yogurt instead of ice cream or whole milk. Add nutrition with some wheat germ or protein powder. You can also reduce calories by avoiding sweetened frozen fruit. Use fresh fruit instead.

Pink Smoothie Deluxe

1 cup ruby red grapefruit juice

2 cups sliced bananas

1 1/2 cup frozen strawberries

1 cup orange juice

1 cup crushed ice

COMBINE all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

MAKES 4 smoothies.

Smoothie Tip #2

Add the liquid to the blender first, to prevent the blades from getting stuck.

As well as smoothie recipes, Completely Breakfast has a huge assortment of dishes: breakfast casseroles, quiche & frittatas, omletes, eggs, french toast, pancakes, waffles, and butters & toppings! This book follows Carlene Duda's popular Beyond Oatmeal: 101 Breakfast Recipes. Duda's award-winning recipes have been published in newspapers and copyrighted by C&H Company.

Completely Breakfast is currently available in the Scratch and Dent Outlet at Cedar Fort, Inc. for 75% off!! Come in and get a copy at 2373 west 700 south Springville UT 84663 or buy Completely Breakfast for 15% off online.

100-Day Pantry

2010-06-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

Store it. Use it. Replace it.

One constant families can count on is the possibility of life-altering change. You never know when you may face unexpected unemployment or become the victim of extreme weather conditions or other natural disasters. But even in the wake of all this uncertainty, you and your family can enjoy peace of mind with this invaluable emergency preparedness cookbook by Jan Jackson. Complete with customizable recipes that use only ingredients you can store for up to two years in your pantry and helpful tips on how to rotate your supplies so you'll never have to worry about wasting food, 100-Day Pantry will ease your conscience and your budget.

Regardless of whether life's storms come by way of job loss or hurricane, you'll stay safe and sound with the 100-Day Pantry.

Inside you’ll find:

    *     Over 125 recipes using only ingredients you can store in your pantry for up to two years

    *     Tips on rotating your pantry supplies so you’ll never have to worry about wasted food

    *     Recipes geared for your family size so you can cater to your family’s needs

For Example....

African Chicken
    Serves 4-6

Cans/Jars
    2 (14-oz.) cans chicken broth
    1⁄2 cup extra crunchy peanut butter
    1 (10- or 15-oz.) can chicken, undrained

Dried:
    1⁄4 cup dried celery
    1 cup dried onion
    1⁄2 cup dried bell pepper

Grain/Pasta:
    1 cup quick-cooking rice

Seasonings:
    1 dash hot pepper sauce, optional

Directions:
    Pour 1 can of broth in a large pot and mix with peanut butter. Add all remaining ingredients, except rice, and bring to a boil. Stir in rice, turn heat to low, and let sit ten minutes or until rice is done, stirring once.

For Everyday Meals:

    Replace dried vegetables with 3 ribs celery, 2 onions, 1 red pepper, 1 green pepper, all thinly sliced. Omit 1 can broth. Cook rice separately, in water, then add at the end, or serve mixture over rice.

    Jan Jackson was born and raised in Sacramento and attended schools there through junior college. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sociology in Utah. For the next ten years, she worked in the medical computer industry, conducting sales presentations and training seminars in hospitals throughout the country.
    Ever since high school, Jan dreamed of writing, drawing, or singing but thought she had no talent. She finally realized that such things do not necessarily spring forth unbidden but can be discovered and developed. She considers herself a late bloomer. When in her thirties, she left the business world to raise her children, and she was able to do intermittent freelance work—writing, drawing, and singing. She sang for ten seasons with Utah Opera Company.
    Jan loves to read, especially cookbooks. Widowed in 2004, Jan now lives in Idaho. She has a son in Utah and a daughter in California.

A new release this month from Cedar Fort, Inc. Get 100-Day Pantry here!!

Chocomize!!!

2010-06-11T14:18:00.000-07:00

We’ve talked about Monica’s blog Lick the Bowl Good before, and it must be done again! She does it all! She makes hundreds of things and then tells everyone about it. So credit for today’s post and the pictures included - must go to Monica. Check out her blog - she also has great Father's Day ideas.

I was on her blog the other day and she had a Chocomize Chocolate Review. It’s chocolate – I had to see what that was about. There is a website, www.chocomize.com, where you can custom make your our chocolate bar. Choose from dark, milk, or white chocolate, and then add up to five different ingredients of your liking. These extras could be: nuts, grains, candy, spices, herbs, or beef jerky! The chocolate has a base price of $3.85 and any extra ingredients cost 50 cents to $3.90 extra. You even get to make up a name for your bar!

What a great Father’s Day gift. Hurry! Time is running out...so go to Chocomize and order a chocolate bar or visit Monica's blog to get fabulous ideas for your Dad!

Sweet Summer Treats!

2010-06-10T14:28:00.000-07:00

It's time to try something new, so start with some new summer treats! These fun recipes are from www.kraftrecipes.com. They're super easy to make and they sure look delicious! So, try them and let me know what you think!

Jellin-Melon-Snacks

What You Need!
    1 cantaloupe, cut lengthwise in half
    3/4 cup boiling water
    1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Cherry Flavor Gelatin
    1/2 cup cold water

Make It!
    REMOVE seeds from melon halves; cut thin slice from bottom of each. Scoop out melon flesh, leaving 1-inch-thick shells. Place upside-down on paper towels to drain.

    ADD boiling water to gelatin mix; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water. Refrigerate 15 min. or until slightly thickened. Pour into melon shells.

    REFRIGERATE 3 hours or until gelatin is firm. Cut into wedges.

Kraft Kitchens Tips
    Special Extra: Add 2 cups chopped fruit to thickened gelatin before pouring into melon halves. Since fresh or frozen pineapple, papaya, kiwi, figs, guava and ginger root all contain enzymes that prevent         gelatin from setting, never use them in gelatin recipes. But you can use any canned fruits or juices since the canning process kills this enzyme.
    Variation: Prepare using a honeydew melon and JELL-O Lime Flavor Gelatin.

Cheese and Fruit Kabobs

What You Need!
    1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese, cut 16 cubes
    16 seedless red grapes
    16 small fresh strawberries
    4 kiwi, peeled, quartered
    1 container (4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Pudding Snack
    1 container (6 oz.) strawberry low-fat yogurt

Make It!
    ARRANGE 1 each cheese cube, grape, strawberry and kiwi chunk on each of 16 small straws or wooden skewers.

    SERVE as dippers with the pudding and yogurt.

Kraft Kitchens Tips
    Size-Wise: Enjoy your favorite foods while keeping portion size in mind.
    Family Fun: Let the kids assemble their own kabobs!

Frosty Strawberry Pops

What You Need!
    1/3 cup KOOL-AID Tropical Punch Flavor Sugar-Sweetened Soft Drink Mix
    4 cups fresh strawberries

Make It!
    BLEND ingredients in blender 2 min. or until smooth; pour into 6 paper or plastic cups. Freeze 1         hour.

    INSERT wooden pop stick into center of each cup. Freeze 3 hours or until firm. Remove pops from cups before serving.

Kraft Kitchens Tips
    Prepare using your favorite flavor of KOOL-AID.
    How to Remove Tops from Fresh Strawberries: Pinch tops of strawberries, then twist berries to remove tops. Or, use a table knife to cut out the tops.
    How to Measure the Drink Mix: Use a dry measuring cup to measure the drink mix, then level top with a straight-edged table knife.

Fruit-n-Cheese-Bites

What You Need!
    18 TRISCUIT Crackers
    1 pkg. (6 oz.) KRAFT Cracker Cuts Sharp Cheddar Cheese
    3 fresh strawberries, each cut into 3 slices
    1   kiwi, peeled, cut into 9 slices

Make It!
    TOP crackers with cheese.

    PLACE strawberry slices on half of the crackers and kiwi slices on the remaining crackers.

Kraft Kitchens Tips
    Substitute 6 oz. KRAFT Sharp Cheddar Cheese for the KRAFT Cracker Cuts. Cut cheese into 9 slices, then cut each slice crosswise in half.
    Prepare as directed, using TRISCUIT Reduced Fat Crackers or RITZ Crackers.

You can also find all of the nutritional info on the Kraft website.

SparkPeople

2010-06-08T14:59:00.000-07:00

SparkPeople is an amazing website that really helps you with transitioning to a healthier lifestyle. You create an account, and from there you can browse for some great and healthy recipes, even sign up to have a new recipe emailed to you daily! Use the recipe calculator – add a recipe and calculate the nutritional value. Talk with other people who use the website to get ideas, or read articles on wellness, nutrition, and keeping motivated. See what’s popular – cooking tips, recipes for whole grains, or learn how to cook fish. And to help you keep track of your exercise and calorie counting goals, use the nutritional tracker, fitness tracker, and measurement and weigh-in charts.

So, today’s recipe comes from www.sparkpeople.com. Enjoy!!!

Red Hot Fusilli

This lively low-saturated fat pasta dish contains lots of tomatoes and herbs and very little oil.

Ingredients
    1 T olive oil
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    ¼ C freshly minced parsley
    4 C ripe tomatoes, chopped
    1 T fresh basil, chopped or 1 t dried basil
    1 T oregano leaves, crushed or 1 t dried oregano
    ¼ t salt
    ground red pepper or cayenne pepper to taste
    8 oz. uncooked fusilli pasta (4 cups cooked)
    ½ lb cooked chicken breasts, diced into ½-inch pieces (optional)
    Also try: roasted red peppers, sliced red peppers, thinly sliced onion, olives, mushrooms, shrimp, or whole wheat pasta.

Directions
1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Sauté garlic and parsley until golden.
2. Add tomatoes and spices. Cook uncovered over low heat 15 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Add chicken and continue cooking for 15 minutes until chicken is heated through and sauce is thick.
3. Cook pasta in unsalted water. Drain.
4. To serve, spoon sauce over pasta and sprinkle with coarsely chopped parsley. Serve hot as a main dish and cold for the next day’s lunch.

Yield: 4 servings—Serving Size: 1 cup

Nutritional Info (amount per serving)
    Calories: 311.7
    Total Fat: 6.3g
    Total Carbs: 30.2g
    Dietary Fiber: 2mg
    Protein: 33.3g

Meal Plan Monday

2010-04-05T09:48:00.000-07:00

Another Monday, another meal plan!

I really don't like Monday's except it's fun to plan meals out and look forward to good meals!

Do you like Monday's?

Monday April 5th

Chicken Parmesan

Tuesday April 6th

Pita Pizza's

(Pizza made on Pita Bread. It's super good!)

Wednesday April 7th

Mini Meatloaf made in Cupcake Tin's

Mashed Potatoes

Thursday April 8th

Leftovers

Friday April 9th

Eat Out

Saturday April 10th

Grilled Chicken Tortilla's with Cheese and Shredded Lettuce

Easter Dinner

2010-04-02T08:51:00.000-07:00

I'm going to share with you a few of my favorite recipes found on Allrecipes.com. (No, they aren't a sponsor of us or anything, I just love the variety of recipes!)

Main Dish

Honey Glazed Ham

Ingredients

1 (5 pound) ready-to-eat ham
1/4 cup whole cloves
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
2 cups honey
2/3 cup butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Score ham, and stud with the whole cloves. Place ham in foil lined pan.
In the top half of a double boiler, heat the corn syrup, honey and butter. Keep glaze warm while baking ham.
Brush glaze over ham, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Baste ham every 10 to 15 minutes with the honey glaze. During the last 4 to 5 minutes of baking, turn on broiler to caramelize the glaze. Remove from oven, and let sit a few minutes before serving.

Side Dish/ Appetizer

Deviled Eggs (My personal FAVORITE!)

Ingredients

6 eggs
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon prepared mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
2 leaves of lettuce

Directions

Place eggs in a pot of salted water. Bring the water to a boil, and let eggs cook in boiling water until they are hard boiled, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Drain eggs, and let cool. Once cool, remove the shell, cut the eggs in half lengthwise and scoop out the yolks.
Place the yolks in a medium-size mixing bowl and mash them. Blend in vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. You may need to add more mayonnaise to hold the mixture together, but it should be slightly dry.
Carefully put the egg yolk mixture back into the egg whites but do not pack it. There will be enough mixture so the whites are overfilled. Sprinkle with paprika. Place on bed of lettuce and/or garnish with parsley. Cool before serving.

Rolls

Ingredients

2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2/3 cup white sugar
2/3 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

Place potatoes in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, and mash.
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
When yeast is ready, mix in 1 cup mashed potatoes, sugar, shortening, eggs, salt, and 3 cups flour. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough has become stiff but still pliable. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, and up to 5 days.
Deflate the dough, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, and form into rounds. Roll out each round to a 12 inch circle. Brush generously with melted butter, and cut each circle into 16 wedges. Roll wedges up tightly, starting with the large end. Place on lightly greased baking sheets with the points underneath, and the ends bent to form a crescent shape. Cover, and let rise for 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Dirt Cake!

(This would be fun for Easter because it's spring-y!)

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
3 1/2 cups milk
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
32 ounces chocolate sandwich cookies with creme filling

Directions

Chop cookies very fine in food processor. The white cream will disappear.
Mix butter, cream cheese, and sugar in bowl.
In a large bowl mix milk, pudding and whipped topping together.
Combine pudding mixture and cream mixture together.
Layer in flower pot, starting with cookies then cream mixture. Repeat layers.
Chill until ready to serve.
Add artificial flower and trowel. Enjoy!

Honey Mustard Chicken- for a crowd

2010-04-01T08:25:00.000-07:00

Honey Mustard Chicken- for a crowd

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Place chicken in a large, shallow baking pan. In saucepan, melt butter; stir in remaining ingredients and heat through. Brush glaze over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes or until chicken is golden brown. Baste with sauce frequently while baking. Delicious over brown butter pasta!

This recipe is from our cookbook "Stick Of Butter" by Angel Shannon. If you would like to purchase it, click on the picture and it will take you directly to the website.

Lick The Bowl Good...

2010-03-31T14:30:00.000-07:00

Lick The Bowl Good is an amazing food blog. It's just one woman. Making hundreds of things. Making thousands happy. Seriously. She is AMAZING. I'd really like to share her with you. Her name is Monica. Oh- and BTW. If you want to borrow her recipes or her photos, GIVE HER CREDIT! She had someone steal everything from her blog and claim it as their own. Please be courteous. She works hard to make her blog as amazing as it is.

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread. Do I even have to ask if this looks good?!

Raspberry Swirl Mini Cheesecakes Um, hello, these are PERFECT for a party. Love these.

Ok, chocolate lovers, this is for YOU!

Yes, that is Ferrero Rocher on top, with Nutella under it. Oh. My. Gosh. It looks amazing.

Not only is she good at sweet treats, but she is good at other foods too!

That glaze looks divine. These are "Finger Lickin Good"

And Last- but not least

Corn Bread Corn Dogs! YUM! I can't wait to try this one. It's SO easy!

Give Monica some love over at Lick The Bowl Good. She is amazing and has lots more yummy recipes to share. Thanks Monica for letting me spotlight you!

Easter is on my mind...

2010-03-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

Yay! I LOVE Easter. It's got good food, a good purpose to celebrate, and usually good weather! I love the traditions of the Easter egg hunts. In my home town, there is this family that has a HUGE beautiful yard that throws a huge Easter egg hunt every year. They go all out and make it crazy. I loved going! Anyway, since it's coming soon, I thought I would share some fun treats to make for the holiday. I hope you all have an enjoyable Easter this year and remember the reason we truly celebrate it.

Carrot Cake from Martha Stewart

Easter Egg Dipper Treats from Allrecipes

Easter Egg Nets from Allrecipes

Ducky Desserts from FamilyFun

Mmmm... Treats! It's horrible. I have a sweet tooth. ~~Not~~ good. :)

What Easter treats do you have planned to make this year?

Weekly Meal Plan

2010-03-29T09:23:00.000-07:00

Well, it's Monday again, and time to post the weekly meal plan! Just curious, do any of you use these recipes in your home?

Monday March 29th
Black Bean Quesadillas

Tuesday March 30th
5 Minute Southwest Layered Salad

Wednesday March 31st
Spaghetti and Meatballs

Thursday April 1st
Hoagie Sandwiches (Don't forget that it's April Fools! Do something fun!)

Friday April 2nd
Leftovers

Saturday April 3rd
Eat Out

Sunday April 4th
EASTER MEAL!

Starting with a quart of Tomatoes

2010-03-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

'Think about it, how many of your favorite foods start with just a quart of tomatoes? The answer more than you'd think. Of course there s the usual stuff: lasagna, spaghetti, or pizza sauce, but what about hot and sour soup, goat cheese enchiladas, or salmon in sesame crust?

Now you can make all your favorite dishes even better. The key is in the first ingredient. Starting with a Quart of Tomatoes will teach you how to can and cook with fresh tomatoes for a taste your family won t be able to resist.

With step-by-step guides for canning and prepping your tomatoes, as well as helpful hints throughout the book, even the least experienced canner can learn how to stock her food storage and be prepared for the future. There s even a chapter on what staples you should include in your pantry. But what good is food storage if you don t know how to use it? That s why inside you ll find a wide variety of recipes that all start with one basic: a quart of tomatoes. Try these for starters:

African Peanut Chicken Soup
Chile Rellanos Crepes
Chicken Cacciatore
Absolutely Not Hungarian Goulash

Kick off your next dinner with one of these healthy, inexpensive, and delicious recipes by starting with a quart of tomatoes.'

Want a glance into one of the recipes?! Well, you're in luck!

Light Cream of Tomato Soup

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 qt. home-canned tomatoes or 2 (14.5-oz.) cans commercially canned tomatoes
dash of sugar
1 (14-oz._ can low-sodium chicken stock
1 bay leaf
2 pieces white sandwich bread, crusts removed, cut into small cubes

To adjust seasonings
sugar
salt
lime juice

optional seasonings
dash allspice (for a sweeter soup)
fresh basil (for a bright, herbal flavor)

Directions: Heat olive oil in a heavy, three quart stainless steel saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until soft and fragrant. Add sugar, tomatoes, broth, and bay leaf. Simmer 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Ladle in two batches into blender and puree each batch carefully with half the bread cubes. Strain into saucepan. Taste and adjust seasonings. Heat through and serve as is or with optional seasonings.

Like the recipe? Get Starting with a Quart of Tomatoes on our website!

Taking care of your health- Information on Hypoglycemia and Diabetes

2010-03-25T11:24:00.000-07:00

Someone e-mailed me about the other day about my personal blog. I had written on my personal blog about the fact that I get migraines and I had heard that a hypoglycemic diet helped with them. Well, that person e-mailed me and wanted to share an article with me about the subject. I thought it was pretty interesting. I think taking care of your health is extremely important. Because this is a food/recipe blog, I thought that health had to do with that- since you have to watch what you eat. I hope this article is useful information to you like it was to me.

Here’s a Quick Way to Prevent Hypoglycemia Using Fitness Exercises

What effect does exercise have on glucose levels?
Did you know that you can easily manage your diabetes just by engaging in exercise? There are exercises that have a good effect on the glucose levels of those suffering from type 2 diabetes. When you engage in exercise, you expend a lot of energy from the glucose found in your muscles. At first, the body simply uses up the glucose which is traced from your muscles’ glycogen. It is in your bloodstream where this glucose is found. Engaging in exercise means your blood glucose levels will not get lower. Additionally, your body also releases additional glucagon and hormones. These are important because they break down your liver’s stored fats, turning it into more glucose you can expend. Engaging in exercise means your body improves; it develops a better sensitivity when it comes to insulin, as well as allowing you to be more in control of your glycemic index.

Why is the effect of exercise on glucose levels important to those with type 2 diabetes?
Exercise indeed has a good effect on a patient’s glucose level. This is good news for people who have type 2 diabetes. A lot of research indicates that patients of diabetes gain more control over their glycemic as soon as they get used to a regular exercise program. On the other hand, people who do not engage in exercise find no improvement on their glycemic control. Since exercise improves your insulin sensitivity, you will also need less medicines in order to control the levels of your blood sugar.

Should patients with type 2 diabetes exercise more often or differently than otherwise healthy people?
There are, of course, people who become at risk for hypoglycemia due to the combined effects of their diabetes and engaging in high stress exercise. This happens during exercise and after it, too. If you think about it though, people can also be at risk for hyperglycemia simply for having poor control over their diabetes. Therefore, the leaders in this field recommend engaging in moderate exercise for a minimum of 2 hours and 30 minutes, or 90 minutes if they want to do vigorous exercise.

What type of exercise is best for type 2 diabetes patients?
When it comes to exercise, the kind of exercise that is used is not as important compared to the frequency of the exercise. There are also some studies showing that if you participate in both weight training and aerobic activity, you get even more benefits as a result.

When should patients be discouraged from exercising?
Of course, sometimes patients should not engage in vigorous exercise especially when they have cardiac conditions or they are more prone to developing injuries as a result. It is better if they start of slow and get used to a light intensity program instead.
How might a patient be encouraged to exercise?

You can encourage patients to exercise slowly and surely until they adapt to it.
About the Author - Su Rollins writes for hypoglycemia diet menu, her personal hobby blog focused on tips to prevent and cure hypoglycemia using the right diet and nutrition.

New Cookbook: Diet Rebel's Cookbook

2010-03-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

I am SO excited about this new cookbook coming out!! We published it here are Cedar Fort, and it comes out next month. It's by Jillayne Clements and Michelle Stewart.The back of the book says...

"Jillayne Clements and Michelle Stewart bring new meaning to the phrase, "You are what you eat" in The Diet Rebel's Cookbook: Eating Clean and Green. Don't let processed, refined foods that have been stripped of their nutrients be the primary fuel for your life. Give your body what it naturally needs! The Diet Rebel's Cookbook reveals the benefits of eating whole, natural foods as a regular part of your diet and includes recipes and preparation tips that will help your body get the most out of what you eat. Learn how to use whole grains, natural sweeteners, and fresh ingredients on a regular basis, and impress your friends and family with recipes that are both delicious and healthy. Now, eating right, feeling good, and enjoying what you eat is possible for you and everyone you love!"

Here is a recipe from it that I want to share with all of you:

Yogurt Sauce

1/3 cup plain yogurt

1 tsp. agave

1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix Yogurt, agave, and cinnamon together. Serve stirred into apples, or serve over the top of Apple Breakfast Wrap.

Like Diet Rebel's Cookbook? Check it out on our website!

Weekly Meal Plan

2010-03-22T12:13:00.000-07:00

It's Monday. The beginning of the week. Blah. At least it's sunny though right?! That's a definite plus. So, here is what's on the menu for the week.

Monday March 22nd

Pot Roast

Tuesday March 23rd

BBQ Chicken Salad with Cilantro Dressing

Wednesday March 24th

Egg Salad Sandwiches

Thursday March 25th

Beef Stir-Fry

Friday March 26th

Left Overs

Saturday March 27th

Dine Out

Cranberry Pork Roast

2010-03-18T12:59:00.000-07:00

I have followed this blog called "Sister's Cafe" for quite some time now. I love it! It's just a group of sisters and their mom posting amazing recipes on their blog. This recipe really caught my eye- and I wanted to share it with you! It seems really simple.

It's called Cranberry Pork Roast.

The Recipe:

1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1, 2-4 lb roast (I used pork in the picture above)
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
salt and pepper

Place the rings of onion in the crock pot. Sprinkle the roast with salt and pepper to taste (I really didn't put much salt on). Place the roast on top of the onions. Next add the 2 Tbsp. of soy sauce, just pouring over the top of the roast. Dispense the cranberry sauce on top of the roast. Cook on low for 6 hours. About one hour before serving, shred the pork with two forks. That way it will soak up all the juices and be tender, delicious when you serve it.

Ok guys- don't forget to go visit their blog- The Sister's Cafe.

Happy Baking!

Check out our giveaway!

2010-03-17T15:34:00.000-07:00

Check out the giveaway we are doing on the books blog:

St. Patrick's Day Treats

2010-03-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

Here are a few fun recipes I found for St. Patrick's Day. Enjoy!
*If you click on the words underneath the picture, it will take you to the link for the recipe.

St. Patrick's Day Flag Cookies

Taste The Rainbow Cupcakes

Sweet Shamrock Pretzels

Clover Cupcakes

Clover Cookies

Rice Krispies Treat Shamrocks

St. Patrick's Day Grasshopper Fudge Cake

Lucky Lime Float

So, there ya have it! 8 recipes that can easily be made for your St. Patrick's Day Dessert. They all look super yummy to me...

Mario Facione Fireside

2010-03-17T07:45:00.001-07:00

I know this isn't food related, but incase any of you would like to know:

Mario Facione, author of "From Mafia to Mormon" will be giving a fireside Saturday, March 20th, 2010 at 6:30 PM in the Stake Center on 450 E. 5600 S. Murray, UT.

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to go- Mario has an amazing story and you will be truly edified.

They will be meeting in the Relief Society Room.

Weekly Meal Plan- Healthy

2010-03-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday! I had a great weekend. I ate junk all weekend though.. not good. We had family staying for the weekend and we just pigged out! So, this week, I'm going to focus on healthy foods. Hope you enjoy!

Monday March 15th

Tri Pepper Salad

Recipe at AllRecipes.com. This only has 35 Calories a serving and 0.5 grams of fat!

Tuesday March 16th

Angel Hair Pasta With Peppers

This recipe is from AllRecipes.com. It only has 224 calories and 3.1 grams of fat.

Wednesday March 17th

St. Patrick's Day!

Beef and Irish Stout Stew

This recipe is from Allrecipes.com. Ok, so this one isn't the healthiest recipe- but it's a recipe in honor of St. Patrick's Day! It looks really good...

Thursday March 18th

Marinated Grilled Chicken

This recipe is from allrecipes.com. It doesn't have information on the nutrition facts, but it looked pretty healthy. And soo good!

Friday March 19th

Eat Out- Somewhere healthy.

Saturday March 20th

Leftovers

Thirsty Anyone?

2010-03-12T08:14:00.000-08:00

In our cookbook "Spice Up Your Live" by Bindu Grandhi, there are a few drink recipes. I think they are fun because they aren't just your regular pop or water or lemonade. They are all fun and easy to make- but unique and yummy. Here are a few of my favorites:

Lime Soda

You will need:
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp. salt
4 tsp. sugar
16 oz. club soda
ice cubes
Garnish: slices of lime
Directions: In a small pitcher, add lime juice, salt, and sugar. Add one-fourth of the soda and stir. Add ice and rest of soda and garnish with a slice of lime.

Tropical Island Delight

You will need:
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup guava juice
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream, softened
1Tbsp. honey
Garnish: slices of pineapple
Directions: Add all ingredients to a blender fitted with a steel blade. Blend until creamy. Garnish with pineapple and serve in tall glasses with ice cubes.

Mango Swirl Smoothie

You will need:
1 1/2 cups milk
8 oz. vanilla low fat yogurt
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped (or 1 cup frozen mango)
1/8-1/4 cup sugar (optional, depends on sweetness of the mango)
Garnish: 4 fresh mint leaves
Directions: Combine all the ingredients into a food processor or blender fitted with a steel blade. Cover and blend on high speed until smooth. Pour into tall glasses with ice cubes. Garnish with mint leaves and serve.

If you would like more recipes like this, check out SPICE UP YOUR LIFE at our website.

Oreo and Fudge Ice Cream Cake

2010-03-10T09:28:00.000-08:00

I got this yummy recipe from 'better than burnt toast'. I like the recipe because it's easy to make and delicious to the taste! This screams summer BBQ to me. Can't wait for that...

1/2 cup fudge ice cream topping, warmed

1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed, divided

1 pkg. (4 serving size) chocolate pudding

8 oreos

12 ice cream sandwiches

Pour the fudge topping into a medium bowl. Stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping with a wire whisk until it's well blended. Add in the dry puddingmix; stir 2 min. or until well blended. The consistency of fudge topping can vary depending on what brand you purchase. If your fudge topping mixture is too thick to spread evenly, stir in 1/4 cup milk. Chop oreos into chunks. Stir in the pudding mixture. Arrange 4 of the ice cream sandwhiches side by side on a 42x12-inch peice of foil; top with half of the pudding mixture. Repeat the layers. Top the pudding mixture with the remaining 4 ice cream sandwhiches. Frost the top and sides with the remaining whipped topping. Bring up sides of foil. Freeze at least four hours before serving. Let stand at room temperature to soften slightly before serving. Makes 12 servings.

Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes with Whipped Cream

2010-03-09T09:29:00.000-08:00

This recipe is taken from 101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 minutes. Wendy Paul, the author, is amazing- and has come up with some outrageously good recipes for cupcakes! All of which are so simple!

Here is what you will need for this one:
1 box yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1 cup half and half
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 package (4 oz.) instant banana cream pudding mix
1 recipe whipped cream
sliced bananas for garnish

How to make it?

Mix together cake mix , eggs, half and half, lemon extract, and pudding mix (powder only).

Pour batter into paper liners and fill 3/4 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Remove from pan and allow cupcakes to cool on a wire rack.

Top with whipped cream and sliced bananas to garnish.

Easy recipe huh! If you liked this, you will love the rest of her book.

Buy 101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 Minutes on our website.

Meal Plan Monday!

2010-03-08T13:27:00.000-08:00

Did you make a meal plan this week? Share it with us!! We would love to hear from you.

Sorry I am posting this a little later than usual. I had a dentist appointment this morning. I have two baby cavities.. yikes! Looks like I need to stop eating all that good stuff....

Monday March 8th
Tuna Sandwiches
Sliced Tomatoes
Fresh Apples

Tuesday March 9th
Sloppy Joes
French Fries
Baked Beans

Wednesday March 10th
Baked Ham
Carrots cooked in Orange Juice
Potato Salad

Thursday March 11th
Leftovers

Friday March 12th
Eat Out

Saturday March 13th
BBQ Short Ribs
Rice
Green Salad

Enjoy this week's meal plan- and remember to share with us yours! Add your link below.

Breadstick Snails

2010-03-04T10:12:00.000-08:00

This is so cute and easy to make. This would be fun to make for a kids birthday party if you are serving dinner. I got this recipe from Parents.com and there are tons more cool recipes like this. Check it out!

Ingredients

1 tube (11 oz.) refrigerated breadsticks
1/4 cup purchased basil pesto
Coarsely shredded carrots

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll dough and separate at perforations into strips. Spread strips with pesto and roll up into a coil, leaving a curved end, so it looks like the head of the snail. Secure with a toothpick. Place upright on a baking sheet.

2. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden. To serve, use the tip of a sharp knife to poke holes for antennae; insert two carrot slivers. Refrigerate for up to 2 days; reheat at 350°F. Makes 12.

Themed Birthday Party Cakes

2010-03-03T08:42:00.000-08:00

I know I already shared some cool cake designs but I wanted to share some more cool ones I found.

If you are looking for a cake for a princess themed party- this is it!

Celebrate with a cake shaped like Cinderella's castle on her next birthday.

Ingredients

2 baked 9-inch square cakes
Pink frosting
4 baked cupcakes
4 ice-cream cones
Pink frosting
Green colored sugar

4 Hershey's Kisses
Necco Wafers
M&M candies
2 cups Jell-O
1 cup shredded coconut, tinted with green food coloring
1 graham cracker

Instructions

Place one of the square cakes on a large platter. Frost, then layer with the second square cake.
Place the cupcakes on top of the cake in each of the four corners. Top each cupcake with an inverted ice-cream cone. Frost the cupcakes and cones. Score the frosting with a fork to make the textured castle siding.
Now, add candies. First, sprinkle the green sugar on the cones, then top each cone with a Hershey's Kiss. Outline the top of the cake with Necco Wafers. Create a castle door with more Necco wafers and M&M's.
Surround the cake with the blue Jell-O and a ring of the green shredded coconut.
Finally, place a graham cracker drawbridge over the moat, and invite the party guests to dig in. Serves 8 to 10.

All boys party with this bug cake! Boys will love this.

Mother Nature never tasted so good!

Ingredients

1 dome cake (baked in a 2-liter bowl, such as Pyrex)
1 baked 13" x 9" x 2" cake
3 to 4 cups chocolate icing

2 to 3 cups crushed chocolate cookies (we combined chocolate graham crackers, fudge cookies, and chocolate wafer cookies)
Plastic bugs, spiders, and snakes, washed and dried

Instructions

Arrange the round cake atop the rectangular cake, as shown, securing in place with icing.
Cover the cakes with the icing, then sprinkle on the cookie crumbs. Decorate with the plastic bugs, spiders, and snakes. (For safety, remove the toys before serving.)
Tip: For the dirt, you can pulse the cookies in a food processor.

Going Bowling for the party? Then this is the perfect cake!

You're sure to strike everyone's sweet tooth with this clever party cake.

Ingredients

2 baked 13-by-9-inch cakes, any flavor
1 3/4 cups plus 1/4 cup of white frosting
Yellow food coloring
1 cup of brown chocolate frosting

2 strips of Fruit by the Foot fruit leather, each about 20 inches long
Gumballs in different colors
1 strip of black shoestring licorice, about 9 inches long 7 chocolate chips
10 bowling pin candles (available at party stores)

Instructions

On a large platter or cake cardboard measuring at least 26 inches long, line up the cakes end to end to form a long rectangle. Trim the cakes as shown.
Trim 2 big cake scraps to 4 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide and stack them on the sides of the wide end of the cake to make the bowling ball rack. Use a little frosting to adhere them if necessary. If the small pieces are crumbly and therefore difficult to frost, apply a light coating of frosting and chill the pieces until it sets. Stick the pieces in place and frost again.
To create a varnished wood look for the lane's flooring, mix the 1 3/4 cups of white frosting with 12 drops of yellow food coloring and 1 cup of chocolate frosting. The overall color should resemble peanut butter. Frost the entire cake, except for the tops of the racks; frost those with the 1/4 cup of white.
Trim 2 strips of fruit leather to fit along the edges for the gutters. Place the gumballs in the rack, add shoestring licorice for the foul line, and arrange the chocolate chip lane arrows about a third of the way up the lane. Set up the bowling pin candles at the narrow end of the cake. Light as many as the birthday child's age. Serves about 20.

Enjoy!

These cakes are from FamilyFun.com.

Onions and Tears

2010-03-02T08:01:00.000-08:00

I really HATE onions. And, I hate cutting them. I always tear up. They are so strong. Today when I was looking at some cooking tips, I found this and thought it was so interesting! It tells you how to avoid the tears when handling onions. I found this on Food Reference.com.

ONIONS & TEARS

There are many methods recommended for cutting onions to avoid tears. Each method has its supporters. Try each of them, if one works for you, use it.

Methods:

• cut the root off last;

• refrigerate before cutting;

• peel them under cold water;

• have a fan behind you or alongside to blow the vapors away;

• place a piece of bread on the knife tip to absorb the fumes;

• chew gum while peeling and slicing onions.

• hold you breath and cut them as quick as you can

• have someone else cut them for you!

Why we cry when cutting onions.

Onions produce the chemical irritant known as syn-propanethial-S-oxide. It stimulates the eyes' lachrymal glands so they release tears. Scientists used to blame the enzyme allinase for the instability of substances in a cut onion. Recent studies from Japan, however, proved that lachrymatory-factor synthase, (a previously undiscovered enzyme) is the culprit (Imani et al, 2002).

The process goes as follows:

• Lachrymatory-factor synthase is released into the air when we cut an onion.

• The synthase enzyme converts the sulfoxides (amino acids) of the onion into sulfenic acid.

• The unstable sulfenic acid rearranges itself into syn-ropanethial-S-oxide.

• Syn-propanethial-S-oxide gets into the air and comes in contact with our eyes. The lachrymal glands become irritated and produces the tears!

So, there you have it! Ideas on how to avoid the tears when it comes to cutting onions!

Meal Plan Monday

2010-03-01T14:34:00.000-08:00

I wanted to start a new thing for this blog. It's called "Meal Plan Monday". Since we have been posting meal plans every Monday, I wanted to know what all of you put on your menu too! If you want to participate, All you have to do is copy the text in the box above and post it in your blog on Monday when you share your meal plan. Below is a place for you to add your link to your blog if you have created a meal plan today. I promise to look at every single post and I will share my favorite recipes that were posted through out the week. Good luck! I am so excited to be starting this! Share it with all your friends!!

Weekly Meal Plan

2010-03-01T09:56:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend. Did anything fabulous happen for any of you? I got together with a few old friends and had a yummy mexican dinner last night... It was a lot of fun. Here is your menu for the week:

Monday March 1st (Can you believe it's MARCH?!)

Chinese Orange Chicken

Recipe found HERE

Tuesday March 2nd

BLT Wraps

Recipe found HERE

Wednesday March 3rd

Bowtie Pasta with Creamy Garlic Alfredo Sauce from Ragu

You can also put chicken and broccoli in this. SUPER YUMMY!!

Thursday March 4th

Leftovers

Friday March 5th

Eat Out

Saturday March 6th

Pot Roast

Potatoes and Carrots

Dinner Rolls

Enjoy!!

By the way, today I found a great guide for Meal Planning over at The Project Girl. You can print it out- free!

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTOUT

Adobe Photoshop Cook

2010-02-26T13:12:00.000-08:00

Ok, this video is amazing! So cool! In a fantasy world, Adobe could whip up a good recipe too. :) Enjoy this video I found on Youtube.

On Tonight's Menu: Fettuccine Alfredo

2010-02-25T08:12:00.000-08:00

For tonight's meal on the weekly meal plan it's Fettuccine Alfredo. I thought I would share a few recipes for it and you can see what one you like the best. All examples are from Allrecipes.com.

Ingredients

10 ounces fettuccini pasta
1/2 cup butter
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 egg yolk
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dried parsley

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fettucine pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
In a large skillet melt the butter and add the chopped garlic. Cook on low for about 5 minutes, stirring often, making sure not to burn the garlic.
Pour about a 1/4 cup of the heavy cream into a small bowl. Add the egg yolk and beat together; put aside. Pour the remaining cream into the frying pan. Increase the heat to medium-high. As the cream starts to boil, mix rapidly using a whisk. Slowly add the cream/egg mixture. You do not want the egg to curdle. Continue whisking until well blended.
Add 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese and continue to mix the cream. Pour in the remaining Parmesan and the parsley, mix until smooth. Immediately remove from stove. Serve over cooked pasta.

Ingredients

24 ounces dry fettuccini pasta
1 cup butter
3/4 pint heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 dash garlic salt
3/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fettuccini and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
In a large saucepan, melt butter into cream over low heat. Add salt, pepper and garlic salt. Stir in cheese over medium heat until melted; this will thicken the sauce.
Add pasta to sauce. Use enough of the pasta so that all of the sauce is used and the pasta is thoroughly coated. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

8 ounces dry fettuccine pasta
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 pinch ground nutmeg

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
In a medium saucepan, combine cream cheese, Parmesan, margarine, milk, garlic powder and basil and stir over low heat until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 minutes. Toss sauce with pasta and sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve.

Also on the menu was Garlic Bread. Here is an awesome recipe I found!

Ingredients

1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
1/3 cup olive oil
6 tablespoons finely chopped fresh garlic
5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Roll out pizza dough to form a 10x16 inch sheet of dough. Cut the sheet into 3/4 inch parallel strips. Then cut these strips in half making about 24 pieces. Tie each strip into a knot and place these knotted strips of dough close together in a greased pan.
Bake in preheated oven until golden brown. Remove the knots from the oven, place them in a big bowl. While the knots are still hot, drizzle them with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic, cheese, parsley, red pepper and salt. Toss well and serve.

Mmmm... Enjoy your Italian dinner tonight!

Honey Pecan Pork Chops

2010-02-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't posted for a few days! I haven't been feeling well... but, I feel much better today. Today I found this delicious looking Honey Pecan Pork Chops... I just may have to make this sometime. Enjoy! This recipe was from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds boneless pork loin, pounded thin
1/2 cup all-purpose flour for coating
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions

In a shallow dish, mix together flour, salt and pepper. Dredge pork cutlets in the flour mixture.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add chops, and brown both sides. Transfer to a warm plate.
Mix honey and pecans into the pan drippings. Heat through, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over cutlets.

Weekly Meal Plan

2010-02-22T09:59:00.000-08:00

Monday Feb. 22
Pigs In A Blanket
Baked Beans
French Fries

Tuesday Feb. 23
Mini Meatloves
Pasta Salad

Wednesday Feb. 24
Sweet Pork Burritos
Cilantro Rice
Chips and Queso Sauce

Thursday Feb. 25
Fettuccine Alfredo
Cheese Garlic Rolls
Garden Salad

Friday Feb. 26
Eat Out

Saturday Feb. 27
YOYO (your on your own) or leftovers

Enjoy!!

Mini Meatloves- from "Girlfriends On The Go"

2010-02-19T10:03:00.000-08:00

I love this recipe from "Girlfriends On The Go." You can make this in bulk and freeze it as well for extra dinners which is something I like. Here is an example of what they would look like (the picture was taken from abc.com on good morning america.)

Doesn't that look delicious!? It's bite size and perfect with some potatoes and veggies.

Here is the recipe we have:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup ketchup

2-3 Tbsp. brown sugar

3/4 tsp. dry mustard

1 egg, beaten

3 tsp. worcestershire sauce

2 cups Chex cereal, crushed

2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 garlic powder

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 lbs. ground beef

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, and dry mustard. Set aside 1/3 cup of this mixture for the topping. Add egg, Worcestershire sauce, crushed cereal, onion powder, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and pepper to mixture. Crumble in ground beef and mix all together. Press meat mixture into 12 muffin cups (about 1/2 cup each). If freezing, see directions below. Otherwise, bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Spoon remaining ketchup mixture on top and bake 10 minutes longer or until meat is no longer pink.

ENJOY this delicious recipe!

You can purchase Girlfriends On The Go by going to Cedar Fort's Website!

Secrets to making PERFECT cookies!

2010-02-18T10:28:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to share this with you! I found this really awesome site that tells all the secrets of baking the perfect cookie/treat. I sometimes get frustrated when I make a recipe and it doesn't turn out the way I wanted it to. It never looks or tastes the same as the original. Well, now I know why! I really thought this was useful. I will share a few tips on here from the website and then you will have to go there to read the rest.

*picture is from google images!

-READ your recipe carefully before you start- and make sure you have everything.

-Use good tools and utensils. Assemble all the bowls, pans, and utensils you will need to use before you start.

-Use the correct pan size for it. Recipes are carefully calculated as to yield and changing the pan size also alters the baking temperature and time. Larger, shallower pans need increased heat; smaller pans need decreased heat.

-Use the TOP ingredients and assemble them all before you start. Check expiration dates of baking powder and baking soda (something we tend to forget to do). For testing purposes, baking soda should bubble when added to vinegar and baking powder should bubble when added to hot water.

Want to read more? I do! So go check out the website: What's Cooking America

Check it out!

2010-02-17T14:57:00.000-08:00

I'm participating in "Whatever Goes Wednesday" over at Someday Crafts! Check it out.

Wendy Paul has a NEW book coming out!

2010-02-17T12:05:00.000-08:00

So, I am not sure I have told you all about this or not, but Wendy Paul, author of "101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 Minutes" is coming out with a new book!! It's going to be called "101 Gourmet Cookies for Everyone." I will give more details when I hear about it. Hope you are all as excited as I am!

Mothers and Daughter's Afternoon Tea Party

2010-02-16T10:23:00.000-08:00

In the Domestic Diva's Cookbook, it shares recipes and ideas for all kinds of party themes. I thought it would be fun to share a mother/daughter tea party idea. Here is what the book suggests:

(By the way, these pictures were found on google images and are just examples of what you could use.)

-Search thrift stores for tea cups if you don't have any.

-Find a big hat and tea party clothes to dress up in.

-Decorate the table with flowers and other fun things to set the mood.

-and Eat yummy food!

Here is their menu idea:

Assorted Tea Sandwhiches

Scones with Mock clotted cream or lemon curd

Toffee Pecan Bars

Brownie Tarts

Wonderful Little Walnut Cakes

Chocolate Crinkle Cups

Caramel Acorn Cookies

Pretty in Pink Lemonade

French Hot Chocolate

Here is a recipe from the book that we are going to share today: Pretty in Pink Lemonade

Ingredients

Juice of 6 large lemons (1 1/2 cups juice)

Juice of 2 limes (1/2 cup juice)

1 1/4 cups sugar

6 cups of water

1 cup fresh raspberries

Lemmon and Lime slices for garnish, optional

In a 2 quart pitcer, combine the lemon juice, lime juice, sugar, and water. Stir to dissolve.

Add raspberries: cover and chill overnight. (The longer it sets, the pinker it is.) Serve over ice.

Yield: 8 to 9 Servings

For more recipes from this book, purchase The Domestic Diva's Cookbook on our website!

Weekly Meal Plan

2010-02-15T10:52:00.000-08:00

Monday Feb. 15th
Pork Chops
Mashed Potatoes

Tuesday Feb. 16th
Hot Dogs
Chips
Veggies

Wednesday Feb. 17th
Lasagna
Tossed Salad

Thursday Feb. 18th
Cheesy Potato Soup
Breadsticks

Friday Feb. 19th
Dine Out

Saturday Feb. 20th
Tacos
Chips and Salsa

No-Bake Treats

2010-02-10T10:01:00.000-08:00

No Bake Cereal Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar
1 cup white corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups crispy rice cereal

Directions

Bring sugar and syrup to a boil. Add peanut butter and stir well. Remove from heat. Stir in cereal.
Pat into a 9 x 13 pan.
Ready made chocolate frosting tastes good spread on the top.

No Bake Deluxe Hamburger Cookies

Ingredients

24 vanilla wafer cookies
12 small peppermint patties
4 drops green food coloring
12 medium green gumdrops, sliced
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
4 small rolls of apricot fruit leather
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Directions

Place the coconut and the food coloring in a bowl with a lid. Shake till all coconut is covered. Set aside.
Place 12 of the vanilla wafers flat side up on a cookie sheet. After unwrapping all of the peppermint patties, place them on top of the wafers.
Unwrap the fruit roll-ups (optional) and cut into squares. Place on top of the all of the patties to look like cheese. Then place the sliced gumdrops on the top of that. Add the coconut.
Place the other half of the wafers over the top of the coconut. With a small kitchen brush lightly paint a VERY small amount of water on the tops of the cookies. Finally shake or sprinkle a small amount of sesame seeds over the wafers.

No Bake Cheese Cake

Ingredients

3/4 cup finely ground graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup pecan sandies cookies
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons white sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries (optional)

Directions

In a bowl, mix together crushed cookies and graham crackers with melted butter and the 3 tablespoons sugar.
Press into a 7 inch springform pan. Place in refrigerator until ready for use.
In another bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/3 cup of sugar and lemon juice.
Whip cream, and fold into cream cheese mixture.
Spread into pan.
Top with sliced strawberries (optional). Freeze for 1 hour, covered with foil.
Place in refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars- NO BAKE

Ingredients

3/4 cup finely ground graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup pecan sandies cookies
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons white sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries (optional)

Directions

In a bowl, mix together crushed cookies and graham crackers with melted butter and the 3 tablespoons sugar.
Press into a 7 inch springform pan. Place in refrigerator until ready for use.
In another bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/3 cup of sugar and lemon juice.
Whip cream, and fold into cream cheese mixture.
Spread into pan.
Top with sliced strawberries (optional). Freeze for 1 hour, covered with foil.
Place in refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.

By the way, all of these recipes are from allrecipes.com. I'm a huge fan!

Avacado Ranch Turkey Sandwhich

2010-02-09T09:55:00.000-08:00

My sister-in-law Sharese Mohlman gave me this recipe. Yummy! Enjoy.

Avocado Ranch Turkey Sandwhich

1 Avocado, pitted, peeled, and mashed

1/4 c. Ranch Dressing

1 tsp. Lemon Juice

Butter or margarine

Sliced Deli Turkey

Crispy Cooked Bacon

Sliced Tomato

Sliced Colby-Monterey Jack Cheese

2 Slices Sourdough Bread per sandwhich

Combine avocado and Ranch dressing in a bowl and a tsp. of lemon juice. Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. With butter side down top bread with grilled turkey, bacon, tomato, cheese, and dressing. Then top with a slice of bread butter side up. Place sandwhich on a frying pan or grill. Turn once until cheese melts and bread is crisp.

Weekly Meal Plan

2010-02-08T08:18:00.000-08:00

Monday Feb. 8th

Turkey Breast Roast

Mashed Potatoes & Gravy

Veggies

Rolls

Tuesday Feb. 9th

Baked Salmon

Asparagus

Green Salad

Wednesday Feb. 10th

Hot Dogs

French Fries

Thursday Feb. 11th

Lasagna

Baked Banana Squash

Tossed Green Salad

Friday Feb. 12th

Dine out

Saturday Feb. 13th

Tacos

Chips

Velveeta Dip

Sunday Feb. 14th

A Special Valentines Day Dinner!

Reminder: 6 days till the Vday Contest is over!

2010-02-08T07:13:00.001-08:00

In case you forgot or hadn't heard, Here are the guidelines and details once again. You have 6 more days till the contest is over!

From January 14^th to February 14^th, Cedar Fort Inc. will be holding a contest for the most creative Valentines Day box!

Valentines Day is coming up- and for those of you who have kids, and like to make Valentines Day boxes for their school, this contest is for YOU! This contest is open to ALL ages! From boxes looking like Turtles, to Curling Irons, to Guitars to Cute Mailboxes, you name it; they are ALL welcome in this contest!

All you have to do is:

-Make a CREATIVE Valentines Day Box

-Send a picture to gmohlman@cedarfort.com

-Check back at our blog: www.cfibemyvalentine.blogspot.com to see it posted

-Let all your friends know about the contest, post it on your blog if you can

I will accept entries until 11:59PM on Feb. 14^th, 2010 (Valentines Day).

The Winner will be chosen on Monday, February 15^th by the end of the day.

Through out the month of this contest, I will be posting pictures of the boxes that are submitted so you can vote on your favorite one! If you have a blog or website and would like a link to be included with the picture, please make sure to e-mail them with your picture and I will post it!

You can all be included and are encouraged to comment on boxes. You will be helping me choose the top 5, and I will choose the top 3 from there. Leave a comment on your favorite box to let me know you vote for it.

Now for the fun part: What’s in it for you?

PRIZES!!!

Grand Prize Winner will get:

A Package of 25 books retailed at $350. Package Includes:

Alvor

Bone Warrior

Mario’s Conviction DVD

Spice Up Your Life

Soul Searching

Spare Change

Chosen

Trust In The Lord

Celestial Companions (Game)

GoSpel (Game)

Return to Mormonville

Nobody’s Better

Making Precious Things Plain

My World

Spirit Of Fire

Sneezles and Wheezles

Nobody’s Better Than You Mom

My Work and My Glory Journal

Adventures With the Word Of God

Joseph Speaks

The Golden Verses

Call Me Little Echohawk

That Ye May Prosper

Always The Elf

A Child Is Born

2^nd Place Winner will get: Copy of Hashbrown Winters, and Hashbrown Winters and the Mashimoto Madness written by Frank Cole. You will also receive a coupon for 20% off any one item on our website: www.cedarfort.com

3^rd Place Winner will get: The Jimmy Fincher Saga Books (4 books in the series)

RULES:

-The boxes CANNOT be store bought

-You can only vote 2 times

-Your picture MUST be of you or someone holding the box so I know it wasn’t from the Internet. (You don’t have to show your face if you don’t want to. It can just be of your arms holding it)

- Along with your picture, you MUST include your contact info in the e-mail such as: e-mail, address, blog, etc.

Last but not least, BE CREATIVE AND GOOD LUCK! Call us for questions: 8014894084

Gillian Mohlman

Cedar Fort, Inc.

Blog Design/Social Networking

Send Entries to: gmohlman@cedarfort.com

Let's Talk "Kid Friendly"

2010-02-04T10:36:00.000-08:00

If you have kids who are picky eaters (I am one of the pickiest eaters out there! I promise you...) then this is the post for you! Today I am going to post "Kid Friendly" recipes!! If you have any you would like to share, PLEASE DO!! I would love anything you have to say. Parents.com has TONS of kid-friendly recipes- and that is where I got all of these! Check them out!

Ok, first one. PIZZA!!!!

Almost everyone likes Pizza. I got this picture from Parents.com. All you have to do is: get some french bread, put some ragu sauce on top, cheese, and any toppings you want! It's lots of crust, and super yummy!

Chicken Ranch-y Kabob

What a cool idea! Make some chicken nuggets and mix them with a few veggies you can dip in ranch. Put them on a kabob, roast them, and serve them! This makes it more fun for kids. This was from Parents.com.

Rainbow Rotini

There are so many ways to make pasta. I found this one on Parents.com

Ingredients

6 ounces dried multicolor rotini
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (15 ounces) no-salt-added cannellini beans, drained
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions 1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, sauté chicken in olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 12 minutes or until done, turning once halfway through. Cut into small pieces and set aside.
2. Add onion and garlic to skillet, stirring for about 4 minutes or until tender. Mix in chicken and remaining ingredients; heat through. Remove from stove and gently stir in pasta.

Mini Cheddar Burgers

These mini hamburgers are perfect for those little hands. They also won't waste what they would with a normal size of hamburger if they get full. Found this one at Parents.com

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds ground beef (90 percent lean)
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 small round dinner rolls (such as potato rolls or dollar rolls)
24 leaves fresh arugula or other leafy green, cleaned
12 slices sharp cheddar cheese (about 3 ounces total)
12 slices plum tomato

Directions

1. Heat gas grill to medium-high or prepare charcoal grill with medium-hot coals. In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, onion flakes, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, Italian seasoning and black pepper. Mix until well combined.

2. Shape seasoned beef into 12 small patties, about 1/4-cup mixture for each, forming patties that are 2-1/2 inches across and 1/2 inch thick.

3. Split the rolls in half and toast the cut side on the grill, about 1 minute.Transfer to a large platter. Top buns with arugula leaves.

4. Transfer hamburger patties to the grill and cook 2 minutes. Flip and cook 2 additional minutes or until cooked through. Top burgers with cheese. Slice should be roughly the size of the burger; if not, cut or fold it to fit. Grill until slightly melted, 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Transfer burgers to lettuce-topped buns and place a plum tomato slice on each. Serve warm. Makes 12 mini burgers.

What's on your menu with your kids?

A Sweet Treat: Chocolate Heart Cakes

2010-02-03T07:17:00.000-08:00

Only 11 more days until Valentines Day! Are you ready for it?! (Ok, so it doesn't need much planning...) But, if you are planning on making a fun OR romantic dinner for either your family or just your husband/boyfriend, this is a perfect dessert! I got this on Martha Stewart's website.

Makes six 4-inch heart-shaped cakes

1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons red food coloring
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup melted dark chocolate, for decorating
Speckled Cinnamon Frosting

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees with rack in the center of the oven. Butter an 18-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet, line with parchment paper, butter parchment, and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, food coloring, and 1/4 cup boiling water. Set aside to cool.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and shortening on high speed until smooth. Add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir buttermilk and vanilla into cocoa mixture. Into another medium bowl, sift together flour and salt. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture alternating with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until incorporated.
In a small bowl, mix together vinegar and baking soda until baking soda dissolves; mixture will fizz. Add to batter and mix until just combined.
Pour batter into prepared baking sheet, smoothing the top. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes, rotating pan after 10 minutes.
Cook cake completely on a wire rack. Using a 4-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 12 hearts.
Place 4 strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate or lazy susan. Place 1 layer on the cake plate. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the cake; top with another heart, bottom side up. Cover entire cake with a thin layer of frosting and transfer to refrigerator for 10 minutes. Repeat process with remaining ingredients.
Remove cakes from the refrigerator and cover each cake with a generous layer of frosting, smoothing as you go around to create a flat surface.
Place chocolate in a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip; decorate as desired.

From The Martha Stewart Show, February 2007

Mmmm... It sure sounds tasty to me. I think I will try it. What are your plans for Valentines Day?

Weekly Meal Plan

2010-02-01T08:29:00.000-08:00

Monday Feb. 1st

Cheddar Broccoli Soup

(I will post recipe later today!)

Tuesday Feb. 2nd

Baked Potato Bar

Toppings: sour cream, bacon bits, green onions, shredded cheese, ranch, chilli

Wednesday Feb. 3rd

Bacon Cheddar Hamburgers - From Better Than Burnt Toast

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 T prepared horseradish
1/2t salt
1/2t pepper
1/2t garlic powder
1/2 cup real bacon bits
4 hamburger buns

1. Preheat grill
2. Mix everything together with clean hands and form into 4 patties
3. Place hamburgers on patties on the grill and cook for 5 minutes per side or until well done. Serve on buns.

**I use fresh garlic

Thursday Feb. 4th

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Serve with Chips and Potato Salad

Friday Feb. 5th

EAT OUT

Saturday Feb. 6th

Hawaiian Haystacks

Enjoy this week's menu! Send me pictures if you make any of them!

Romantic Dinner For Two...

2010-01-27T11:13:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day is on a Sunday this year, so plan ahead if you don't want to eat out on Sunday! Plan a romantic dinner for the two of you with candles, dim lights, yummy food, and pretty decorations. Here are a few ideas to get your mind thinking:

FOOD: Cajun Seafood Pasta

From All Recipes

Ingredients

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup chopped parsley
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound scallops
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound dry fettuccine pasta

Directions

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
Meanwhile, pour cream into large skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until just about boiling. Reduce heat, and add herbs, salt, peppers, onions, and parsley. Simmer 7 to 8 minutes, or until thickened.
Stir in seafood, cooking until shrimp is no longer transparent. Stir in cheeses, blending well.
Drain pasta. Serve sauce over noodles.

DESSERT: Coeurs a la Creme

From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

Makes 8

7 sheets phyllo dough (7 by 13 inches), available in the frozen-food section of your supermarket
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 cup cottage cheese
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup plain yogurt
1 pomegranate, (optional)
12 edible sweetheart rose petals, (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a clean, dry work surface; cover remaining sheets with a damp kitchen towel. Using a pastry brush, brush phyllo lightly with melted butter. Place 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar in a fine sieve; dust phyllo with sugar. Top with a second sheet of phyllo dough. Brush with melted butter; dust with sugar. Continue this process with the remaining 5 sheets of phyllo dough.
Fold the stack in half, forming a 7-by-6 1/2-inch rectangle; transfer to baking sheet. Chill until the butter solidifies, about 10 minutes.
Using a coeur a la creme mold as a guide, cut out four hearts from the layered phyllo dough with a paring knife; remove excess dough from the baking sheet, and discard.
Bake phyllo hearts until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack until cool. Store in an airtight container.
Cut out four 6-inch squares of cheesecloth. Dampen squares with water, line the coeur a la creme molds, and set aside.
Place cottage cheese and 1 tablespoon sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Process until smooth, about 2 1/2 minutes. Add cream cheese; pulse until smooth, about 1 minute. Add yogurt, and pulse 15 seconds. Divide cheese mixture evenly among molds, about 3/4 cup per mold. Fold the overhanging cheesecloth over the tops. Place molds on an unlined baking pan, and transfer to refrigerator. Allow mixture to drain 4 hours or overnight.
If using, cut pomegranate in half, and reserve 2 tablespoons seeds for garnish. Transfer the remaining seeds to the bowl of a food processor; puree 30 seconds. Transfer puree to a fine sieve set over a medium bowl. Using the back of a ladle, push down on pulp to extract juice. Whisk remaining teaspoon sugar into juice.
When ready to serve, place the reserved phyllo hearts on plates. Lift cheesecloth from molds, and invert the cheese hearts onto the phyllo hearts; remove cheesecloth. Drizzle the juice over the assembled hearts. Garnish desserts with pomegranate seeds and rose petals, if using; serve immediately.

SETTING THE TABLE:

(http://www.delish.com/entertaining-ideas/holidays/valentines-day-recipes/valentines-day-table-decorations)

(http://celebrationsathome.blogspot.com/2009/02/valentines-day-table-for-two.html)

I hope that got your mind going. Good luck, hope it's a romantic dinner for the two of you!

Speaking of Cupcakes...

2010-01-27T09:47:00.000-08:00

We have been posting about Cupcakes a lot lately! Must be really good... :)

Anyway, for any of you who are reading this in the next 15 minutes, Wendy Paul, (Author of 101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 Minutes) is going to be on KSL this morning at 11 AM on the Studio 5 show doing Cupcake Bouquet's! This will only be for those Local here in Utah- but if you can catch it, that's great! I'm sure you can look it up on KSL after it's over. Enjoy!

The Cocoa Bean Cupcake Cafe

2010-01-26T07:59:00.000-08:00

I am so excited about this new cupcakery here in Provo, UT! Located in the in the center between UVU and BYU- it's got Wi-Fi for all you college kids who want a fun place to hang out with yummy food! It's called the Cocoa Bean Cupcake Cafe. They have amazing, beautiful and creative cupcakes ranging from 40 different flavors.

I had the Butterfinger Cupcake- with Butterfinger Frosting, Butterfinger Cake, and Butterfinger Candy bits on top. I am in LOVE! The cupcake was super rich- so make sure you get one of their DRINKS to top it off. Some of the yummy flavors of cupcakes are: Madagascar Vanilla, Better Than Whatever, Coconut Lime, Raspberry Chocolate Cheesecake, Butterfinger, and Ultimate Brownie. I have yet to try them all, but I ~~sure hope~~ know I will!

Let's talk drinks... Yep, you guessed it. They aren't caffeinated! They do not contain any coffee- but do have the rich cocoa bean taste. Check out their drink list Below.

(*This is their summer drink list, but you get the idea.)

They have just what you need to either warm up, or cool down!

It's the perfect place to lounge around and share a laugh or two with your friends- AND- get this! They sell t-shirts!

{for boys & girls}

All in all, I give this place 5 STARS! Really check them out! They are located:

1774 North University Parkway
{Brigham's Landing}
Provo, Utah
801-356-9493
8 a.m.-11 p.m. Mon-Thur
8 a.m.-midnight Fri-Sat
Twitter: @TheCocoaBean

P.s. I took ALL this info (besides my personal opinion!) from their blog- including their pictures! Be sure to CHECK IT OUT!

If you're looking for their schedule of what cupcakes will be made on which day- check out the picture below.

ENJOY!

Weekly Menu

2010-01-25T09:45:00.000-08:00

Monday Jan. 25th

Tin Foil Dinner

Green Beans

Fresh Fruit Salad

Tuesday Jan. 26th

Meatloaf

Mashed Potatoes

Candied Carrots

Tossed Salad

Wednesday Jan. 27th

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Tomato Soup

Potato Chips

Carrot Sticks

Thursday Jan. 28th

Stir Fry Chicken with Veggies

Lemon Herb Rice

Carrot & Cucumber Sticks

Friday Jan. 29th

Dine Out

Saturday Jan. 30th

Mexican Soup (Taco Soup)

Corn Chips

Green Salad

Sponsoring A Giveaway

2010-01-22T14:53:00.001-08:00

Hey All! This next week, we are sponsoring a giveaway over at Inspiring Creations

If you want a chance to win one of our cookbooks, check it out!

All the details are posted on her blog- and I would love for you all to check out her AMAZING designs and crafts she does! We are thrilled that Lindsey at Inspiring Creations decided to let us do a giveaway on her blog. She is also advertising our AWESOME Valentines Day Contest! Go enter! :) Again, the site to enter the contest is HERE.

5 Great Party Dips

2010-01-22T08:12:00.000-08:00

Today I am going to share a 5 recipes of dips. Dips are a perfect treat for parties, a snack, or an appetizer. I'm always looking for new and easy recipes for appetizers, so if you have any dips you would like to share, let me know. Thanks!

1. Seven Layer Taco Dip

Ingredients

1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
1 large tomato, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch chopped green onions
1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning mix and refried beans. Spread the mixture onto a large serving platter.
Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Spread over the refried beans.
Top the layers with salsa. Place a layer of tomato, green bell pepper, green onions and lettuce over the salsa, and top with Cheddar cheese. Garnish with black olives. Recipe from AllRecipes

2. Avocado, Tomato and Mango Salsa

Ingredients

1 mango - peeled, seeded and diced
1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced
4 medium tomatoes, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped red onion
3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the mango, avocado, tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, and garlic. Stir in the salt, lime juice, red onion, and olive oil. To blend the flavors, refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving. Recipe from Allrecipes.com

3. Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

Ingredients

2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
2 cups cinnamon sugar

Directions

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.
Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture. Recipe from allrecipes.com

4. Chili Con Queso

Ingredients

1 pound process American cheese, cubed
1 (15 ounce) can chili con carne without beans
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
Tortilla chips

Directions

Combine cheese, chili and chilies in a saucepan or fondue pot. Heat over medium-low, stirring frequently, until the cheese melts. Serve warm with tortilla chips. Recipe from allrecipes.com

5. Easy Guacamole

Ingredients

2 avocados
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ripe tomato, chopped
1 lime, juiced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Peel and mash avocados in a medium serving bowl. Stir in onion, garlic, tomato, lime juice, salt and pepper. Season with remaining lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Chill for half an hour to blend flavors. Recipe from allrecipes.com

Domestic Diva's Cookbook- Lemon Sorbet

2010-01-20T11:21:00.000-08:00

Cedar Fort has a book called "The Domestic Diva's Party Cookbook" written by Particia and Keely Hemming. It is the COMPLETE guide to throwing a fabulous and creative party once a month- and has tons of recipes to share! Here's the blurb on the back of the book:

"Want to throw a fabulous party but don't have enough ideas? The Domestic Diva's Party Cookbook has you covered! Each chapter is dedicated to a month of the year, giving you all the ideas you need to throw swinging shindigs all year long. Each chapter includes ideas for decorations, invitations, and all-inclusive menu plans complete with recipes. Becoming a domestic diva has never been so easy!"

So, today, I am going to share with you a yummy recipe from the book! Once you make it, send in a photo and we can all compare how they turned out! {enjoy.}

.lemon sorbet.

{ingredients}
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 cup fresh lemon juice

{how to make it}
mix sugar, water, and lemon peel in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice; chill 1 hour. Process mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacture instructions.

Have fun baking!

Healthy-Heart Sweet Tarts

2010-01-19T09:24:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe on Parents.Com and thought it would be the perfect dessert for a Valentines Day dinner! Plus- it's low fat. Can't get better than that!

Ingredients

1 package (15 ounces) refrigerated pie crusts
2 cups vanilla low-fat yogurt
3 cups diced strawberries
Whipped nondairy topping
Red crystal sugar

Directions 1. Heat oven to 400°F. Unroll both pie crusts and cut out 12 4-inch circles of dough. Press dough into the cups of a 12-cup muffin pan. Place an identical muffin pan inside the filled one (to keep dough in place while baking). Bake 12 minutes. Let cool completely.
2. Fill shells with yogurt and strawberries. Add a dollop of topping and sprinkle with crystal sugar.

Meal Plan

2010-01-18T09:28:00.000-08:00

Here is the meal plan for the week! Enjoy!

Monday January 18th
Navajo Tacos
(Scones, Sour Cream, Onions, Tomatoes, Beans, Cheese, Lettuce, etc.)

Tuesday January 19th
Manicotti
Broccoli
Find the recipe Here.

Wednesday January 20th
Chicken Pot Pie

Thursday January 21st
Y.O.Y.O (You're On Your Own)

Friday January 22nd
Hoagie Sandwiches
Chips, Potato Salad, Fresh Fruit

Saturday January 23rd
Dine Out

Cooking For Two

2010-01-15T09:23:00.000-08:00

Cooking for two is harder than you think! It's only me and my husband at home, and I always over cook everything! Because of that, I decided to look around for a few recipes that cater to only two people. I picked a few, although there are thousands out there! Check out these great recipes below!

Basil Chicken Strips from Allrecipes

Cashew Chicken Wraps from Allrecipes

Green Chili Tomato Soup from Allrecipes

Taco Plate For Two from Taste Of Home

Sweet 'n' Spicy Pork Chops from Taste Of Home

Heartland Fried Rice

2010-01-13T09:30:00.000-08:00

Enjoy this Fried Rice Recipe!

Fried Rice

5 Eggs
1 stick butter
3 cups cooked white rice, unsalted and cooled
1/4 cup finely minched fresh onion
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup soy sauce

Add-ins

cubed chicken
frozen peas
sugar snap peas
cubed carrots
mushrooms
green onions

Melt 2 tbsp. butter in large skillet. Add the fresh onion and celery, cook until just soft. Bream eggs into a bowl and whisk together. Pour eggs into skillet with onion and celery ande scramble until firmly set, breaking the eggs up into small pieces.

Add remaining butter, soy sauce, and rice. Cook over medium high heat for about 20 minutes, turning rice over occasionally.

Yield: 6 servings.

Tip: Add-ins should be cut into small and uniform pieces for even cooking. Toss them in at the same time as the onions and celery... and don't forget to check your leftovers for add-in possibilities!

This recipe was taken from Angel Shannon's "Stick Of Butter" cookbook. You can purchase it on our website.

Fruit Pizza

2010-01-12T14:50:00.000-08:00

I found this fun recipe on allrecipes.com.

You can decorate the pizza however you want and you can also use whatever fruit you want. It would be a fun recipe to make with the kids! Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup cold butter
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups halved fresh strawberries
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup fresh blueberries
GLAZE:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

In a large bowl, combine flour and confectioners' sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press onto an ungreased 12-in. pizza pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until very lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over crust. Arrange the strawberries, oranges and blueberries on top.
For glaze, in a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in pineapple juice and lemon juice until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Cool slightly. Drizzle over fruit. Refrigerate until chilled.

Meal Plan For The Week

2010-01-11T08:42:00.000-08:00

Monday Jan. 11th

Lasagna

Corn

Fruit Salad

Tuesday Jan. 12th

Dine Out

Wednesday Jan. 13th

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Baked Potato

Green Salad

Thursday Jan. 14th

Homemade Pizza

Fresh cut Veggies

Chips

Friday Jan. 15th

Chicken Enchiladas

Velveeta Dip

Spanish Rice

Saturday Jan. 16th

Hot Dogs

Mac and Cheese

Jell-o Salad

Sunday Jan. 17th

Pot Roast

Carrots

Potatoes

These ideas came from the book "Daily Meal Planner" by Joan Day Brady. You can purchase it here.

Conversation Heart Cookies from Martha Stewart

2010-01-08T13:11:00.000-08:00

I found this cute cute CUTE recipe on Martha Stewart.com. I figured that Valentines Day is only a month away, and holidays always make it easier to get in the kitchen to make something fun! Does anyone have fun Valentines Day recipes?

Ingredients

* 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* Royal Icing
* Gel-paste food coloring (such as leaf green, lemon yellow, peach, red, rose, and violet)

Directions

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. With mixer running, add egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture gradually, beating until just incorporated. Divide dough in half; flatten each half into a disk, and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees with racks in top third and lower third. Let 1 disk of dough stand at room temperature just until soft enough to roll, about 10 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to just under 1/4-inch thickness, adding more flour as needed to keep dough from sticking. Cut out cookies with a 2-inch heart cutter, and place them 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roll out scraps once, and repeat. Repeat with remaining disk of dough. Freeze cookies until very firm, about 15 minutes.
3. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through and switching from top to bottom, until edges turn golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies will keep, covered, for up to 1 week.
4. Divide royal icing into 1/2-cup portions in small bowls. Tint each with a different gel-paste food coloring, starting with just a drop, mixing well, and adding more, drop by drop, to reach desired shade. Transfer 1 bowl of icing to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/8-inch round plain tip. Pipe the outline around edge of each cookie, then fill in with frosting. Poke air bubbles with a toothpick. Transfer decorated cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and let stand uncovered overnight until dry.
5. Arrange stamp letters to create desired phrases. (We stamped LUV U, UR A QT, BFF, LYLAS, B MINE, and 2GTBT.) Fold a paper towel into quarters. Squeeze a small amount of red gel-paste food coloring onto a paper towel, and press stamp in coloring. (You may need to blot stamp a few times on a clean paper towel if coloring is too thick.) Lightly press stamp on top of icing in center of each cookie. Let stand until dry, about 30 minutes. Stamped cookies will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.

From Martha Stewart Living, February 2009 | Send Me a Free Preview Issue Now!
Helpful Hint

We used a Cosco 2000 Plus Custom Stamp Kit (No. 614107), $24.99, from Staples.

Black Forest Cupcakes

2010-01-07T08:44:00.000-08:00

This recipe is from "101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 minutes" by Wendy Paul. This cookbook is 40% off this week. Take advantage of it!

You will need:
1 box chocolate cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. almond extract
1 large can cherry pie filling (set aside)
1 cup filling for topping

Mix together cake mix, eggs, sour cream, almond extract, and pie filling until cake mix i s moist. Do not overmix. Pour batter evenly in paper liners and fill 3/4 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 17-19 minutes or until barely done in center. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a rack.

Frost cupcakes, making a slight edge around the cupcake to hold the cherry filling.

Add 1 tablespoon filling to the top of each cupcake.

Frosting Suggestion:
Chocolate Ganache

You will need:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips

Heat cream in a saucepan until it comes to a boil

Remove from heat and pour over chocolate in a mixing bowl. Stir to mix together. You can pour it over your cakes ward, or allow to cool slightly and be spread like frosting.

Would You Pay $25,000 for a cupcake?

2010-01-06T08:36:00.000-08:00

I found this clip on Wendy Paul's (author of 101 Gourmet Cupcakes) Facebook profile. Would you pay that much for a cupcake!?

Calling all you recipe book lovers!

2010-01-04T11:04:00.000-08:00

Yes, this is for you, and YOU only! You are the first to know!

For a limited time only, you can recieve 5 of our BEST selling cookbooks for 40% off!

The special sale is from January 4th-11th.
You know what to do, order them online at www.cedarfort.com
When you check out, type in this code below, and remember, it IS CaSe SeNsItIvE!
Code: CFIrecipe
40% off EACH book
Books: 101 Gourmet Cupcakes, Breakfast in a Cookie Jar, Doin Dutch Oven, Spice Up Your Life, and Girlfriends On The Go- Meal Planning

If you have ANY questions at all, please don't be shy and call us at 801-489-4084 or e-mail me at gmohlman@cedarfort.com.

Happy baking!!

Remember, this only lasts until Jan. 11th! Don't forget!

Weekly Meal Plan- First one of the new year!!

2010-01-04T10:07:00.000-08:00

Here is your meal plan for the week of Jan. 4th-9th

Monday Jan. 4th
Frito Salad
-Frito Chips, Chile, Cheese, Lettuce, Olives, Onions, Tomatoes.. throw them all together and eat like a salad!

Tuesday Jan. 5th
Mozzarella sticks
Baked Spaghetti
Salad

Wednesday Jan. 6th
Breakfast Burritos
-eggs, tortillas, bacon, hash browns, and whatever else you like on them!

Thursday Jan. 7th
Tator Tots and Chicken Nuggets
(Going for easy here!) Carrot sticks

Friday Jan. 8th
Grilled Chicken Wraps
-Tortillas, Shredded lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, homemade ranch

Saturday Jan. 9th
Eat Out, or Y.O.Y.O!

Enjoy this week's menu. What's on your menu this week?

Back in full force!

2010-01-04T07:52:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas and New Years break. I know I did! I wanted to say a quick sorry to our readers for not posting as much lately! I took a break for Christmas, and then I went on vacation to Las Vegas for a few days. I am off vacation now and will be posting in full force! Thanks for being patient with us as we are trying to get these blogs up and running. We appreciate our readers and hope you all continue to come back and visit our blog. One question for you: What are your New Year’s Resolutions? Happy New Year!

Weekly Meal Plan December 28th-Jan 2nd

2009-12-28T13:31:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone! How was your Christmas?! Mine was fabulous. I enjoyed every minute of it, and relaxed lots! Because I ate horribly last week, I decided to do a healthy week. I am pretty picky so it's hard for me to find stuff that's healthy that I like. But, it's my new years resolution to branch out and eat healthy!

Monday December 28th
Garbanzo Bean Salad

Tuesday December 29th
Panini Sandwiches
Fresh cut fruit

Wednesday December 30th
Chicken Scaloppine
Roasted Garlic Potatoes
Green Beans

Thursday December 31st- Ok, you can eat bad today too. Last day to eat gross before the new years resolution starts! Happy New Year everybody!!!

Friday January 1st
Walnut Chicken Salad
(Gotta tighten that belt!)

Saturday January 2nd
Simple Clam Chowder

This week I used recipes from myrecipes.com. If you type in the title of the meal, it will bring up the recipe! They all look super yummy and healthy! I hope you all enjoy your week. I, however, am off to Vegas for a little trip. I wont be posting the rest of the week. Sorry for the lack of posts lately! With Christmas and now New Years coming on, I haven't been working much! If you would like to submit a recipe, please send it to gmohlman@cedarfort.com.

Hot Chocolate Recipe

2009-12-24T09:32:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from Allrecipes.com. It looks super yummy!

"Milk is heated with semisweet chocolate and crushed candy canes. Then each mug is garnished with whipped cream and a small candy cane."

Ingredients:

4 cups milk

3 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate,

chopped

4 peppermint candy canes, crushed

1 cup whipped cream

4 small peppermint candy canes

Directions:

1.	In a saucepan, heat milk until hot, but not boiling. Whisk in the chocolate and the crushed peppermint candies until melted and smooth. Pour hot cocoa into four mugs, and garnish with whipped cream. Serve each with a candy cane stirring stick.

Short Christmas Message

2009-12-24T09:17:00.000-08:00

Can you believe Christmas is tomorrow!? Wow. This year has really flown by. I just wanted to leave you a few words before the celebrations begin. This Christmas I have really been thinking about the true meaning of the season. Often times I forget why we really celebrate it. I get so caught up in the gifts, good food, and fun that I forget to stop to think about Christ. I think the reason why so many people say Christmas is their favorite time of year is because people change. They become nicer and more service oriented around Christmas. We do little acts of service every day and are generally happy the whole season. Why does it have to only be like that around Christmas though? President Thomas S. Monson says: "With the Spirit of Christ in our lives, we will have goodwill and love toward all mankind, not only during this season, but throughout the year as well." Like he says, we don't only have to be that way around Christmas. Make Christ the center of your life this next year and all those things will come easy to you. You will find yourself doing little acts of service without thinking about it. I challenge all of you to take the spirit of Christmas with you all year long, and remember why we celebrate Christmas after all.

Merry Christmas to you all- and happy blogging! We will be taking a break from the blogs until Monday, December 28th.

Happy Holidays!

Easy Enchiladas

2009-12-21T11:01:00.000-08:00

Easy Enchiladas

Submitted by Gillian Mohlman (Me)

This recipe was made for two people- so add accordingly!

You will need:

2 cans of Green Chile Enchilada Sauce

1 can of olives

1 can of refried beans

1 can of pinto beans

3 large chicken breasts

1 package of 8 flour tortillas

1 package of McCormik chicken taco seasoning

2 tablespoons of sour cream

2 cups shredded cheese

Place chicken breasts, 1 can of green chile enchilada sauce, and package of chicken taco seasoning in crockpot on low for 3 hours. (They can be frozen)

After 2 hours, stir up chicken a little bit. Add in sour cream and chopped up olives. Cook for another hour.

After the three hours are up, shred chicken. Cook the refried beans and spread on tortillas. Put on desired amount of shredded chicken, cheese, pinto beans, and extra enchilada sauce on tortilla.

Wrap up tortilla and place in pan. After pan is full, sprinkle cheese on top, pour remaining sauce and olives on top from the crockpot.

Cook at 400 Degrees for about 15-20 minutes, or until cheese melts and tortillas get a little crispy.

Add Sour Cream, Guacamole and salsa on top, and you have a fabulous meal!

Weekly Meal Plan December 21st-December 27th

2009-12-21T10:43:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it's Christmas this week?! Wow! This year sure has flown by so quickly. I'm sure you all are eating junk this week- but it's ok. I forgive you. I am too. You have to eat junk during the holidays -it's the only time you have an excuse to. This week the meal plan is shorter since everyone does their own thing on Christmas Eve and Christmas for food.

Monday December 21st

Easy Enchiladas (Recipe will be posted later today)

Velvetta Bean Dip and Tortilla Chips

Tuesday December 22nd

Breakfast for dinner!

Eggs, Bacon, Hash browns, Pancakes, Waffles, or French Toast

Fresh Fruit (Orange Slices, Apples, Pinapple)

Wednesday December 23rd

Hoagie Sandwiches

Turkey, Ham, or Whatever meat you like with any toppings like: Tomatoes, Lettuce, Pickles, Onions, and Olives

Chips

Thursday December 24th

Christmas Eve! Enjoy your family traditions. (We eat a ham and mashed potatoes meal)

Friday December 25th

Merry Christmas! Enjoy your family traditions. (We eat homemade Pizza!)

Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th

Eat left overs and enjoy the weekend!