Homemade Pizza

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Here's a way to make a healthy homemade pizza for your family.  Feel free to personalize it to your tastes.  This amount makes either one large (14-16") thicker crust or two very thin crusts.  Since I'm trying to watch my calories I normally split it into two crusts and roll it very thin.  This makes our ingredients go further too! :)

Crust:

• 1 (1/4 oz) pkg active dry yeast
• 1 c warm water
• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 c flour (can substitute whole wheat flour)
• additional flour for kneading
• small amount cornmeal

In a medium mixing bowl combine yeast and warm water.  Let sit until yeast foams, about 5 minutes.  Stir in oil & salt.  Add flour, 1/2 c at a time, mixing with a large spoon, until dough comes away from the side of the bowl and holds together.  Sprinkle a little bit of flour onto a large cutting board or pastry board.  Turn the dough out of the bowl and knead about 5 minutes, until it's smooth and springy, only adding enough flour to keep it from sticking to the board.  Form dough into a ball and place in a medium bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm place.  Let rise until about doubled in size, about 2 hours or so.

To make the pizza, preheat the oven to 475 degrees.  Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and flatten with your hand.  Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough outward from the center.  Form dough into a circle or rectangle (whichever shape your baking stone or pizza pan is).

Sprinkle baking stone, pizza pan, or baking sheet with a small amount of cornmeal.  Lay the crust on the stone or sheet.  Top as desired.  The BBQ chicken pizza shown in this picture was made with about 1/2 bottle of BBQ sauce, some mozzarella cheese, grilled chicken, and red onions.  You could also use pizza sauce and any other toppings you like such as pepperoni, sausage, ham, peppers, etc.

Once the pizza is topped, let it rest about 10 minutes for a crispier crust.  Bake pizza for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melting & browning a bit.  If desired, sprinkle with sliced fresh basil.  (If adding fresh basil don't add until after the pizza comes out of the oven so the basil doesn't burn.)

Russian Tea Cakes

These are messy, but delicious!

• 1 c butter
• 1/2 sifted powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/4 c flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 c finely chopped pecans
• Additional powdered sugar

Cream butter in large mixing bowl.  Gradually add 1/2 c powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Stir in vanilla.  Combine flour, salt and pecans in another bowl.  Gradually add to creamed mixture, blending well.  Chill until firm.  Shape dough into 1" balls and place about 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Roll in additional powdered sugar while still warm.  Cool on wire racks and roll again in powdered sugar.  Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Yum Yum Bars

This recipe came from my aunt Barb Mastley.  The name says it all... they're definitely yummy!

• 1 German Chocolate cake mix (just the mix, not prepared according to the package)
• 3/4 c butter
• 1/3 c evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed milk)
• 1 c chocolate chips
• bag of caramels, unwrapped
• 1/3 c evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed milk)

Mix together cake mix, butter and 1/3 c evaporated milk.  Spread 1/2 on the bottom of a 9x13" cake pan.  Bake for 6 minutes at 350 degrees.  Meanwhile, melt together the caramels and 1/3 c evaporated milk.  Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the bars in the cake pan.  Spread caramel mixture over that.  Spread remaining cake mixture over that.  Bake 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees.  Let cool.  Cut & serve.  For variety sprinkle chopped peanuts over bars.

Green Bean Casserole

This is the classic casserole that many people make at holiday times.  Although many people make this with frozen or fresh cut green beans, my family prefers the french cut green beans for this dish.  In fact, this is about the only way I can get my husband to eat green beans.  This is the amount for a single recipe.  For a larger crowd I would double or triple the recipe.

• 1 can French-cut green beans, drained
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can French Fried onions

Layer 1/2 of the green beans on the bottom of a 1-qt casserole dish.  Spread 1/2 of the cream of mushroom soup on top.  Sprinkle 1/2 of the onions on top.  Repeat layers. (If you were making a double batch you would put the whole can of beans on the bottom of a 2-qt casserole, and so on.)  Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until casserole is bubbling and it looks done.  Enjoy!

Flour-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

I discovered this recipe many years ago after my Grandpa learned that he was sensitive to gluten and I wanted to be able to make a cookie that he could eat at Christmas when the rest of us were pigging out on cookies.  They're very easy to make, and surprisingly enough, you don't really miss the flour.

• 1 c creamy peanut butter
• 1 c sugar
• 1 egg

Mix ingredients together in a medium bowl.  Roll into 24 balls and place on a cookie sheet.  Flatten with a fork.  Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes.  Cool on wire racks.

Rainbow Cookies

These are a fun and colorful way to enjoy some color with your cookies.  Normally you would make these in rainbow colors, but you could also make the layers with just red and green for Christmas.

• 1 (17 oz) roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
• Food coloring
• Sugar (optional)

Allow dough to soften at room temperature.  Divide dough into 4 equal parts.  To first portion of dough, add 2 or 3 drops of blue food coloring and mix well so you have blue dough.  To the second portion, add 2 or 3 drops of green food coloring and mix well so you have green dough.  To the third portion, add 2 or 3 drops of yellow food coloring and mix well so you have yellow dough.  To the fourth portion, add 2 or 3 drops of red food coloring so you have red dough.  On plastic wrap or waxed paper, shape the blue dough into an 8" long log.  Press dough slightly to flatten the bottom while keeping the top and sides rounded.  Cover the log carefully with the green dough, making sure you keep the semi-circular shape.  In the same manner, layer the yellow and red doughs, gently pressing the layers of dough together.  Wrap and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Using a sharp knife, slice the roll into 1/8" slices.  (You're cutting the log into 36 slices, so I would suggest making score marks with the knife before cutting at the half-way mark, then in half again, then each section into thirds, then thirds again to get even slices.)  Place cookies about 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Sprinkle with sugar if desired.  Cool slightly on the cookie sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool.  Makes 36 cookies.

Chinese-Style Fried Rice

I'm not sure where this recipe originally came from, but this is the rice my Mom used to make quite a bit when I was younger.  It's a great dish to serve with Chow Mein, or pretty much any Asian-inspired meal.

• 1 3/4 c water
• 1 1/2 c Minute rice
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1/3 c chopped onion
• 2-3 Tbsp soy sauce

Bring 1 1/4 c of the water to a boil in a saucepan.  Stir in rice.  Remove from heat; cover & let stand 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, cook the egg in butter in a 10-12" skillet until set.  Add onion & the rice.  Cook & stir over medium heat until rice and onion are lightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Combine the remaining water & soy sauce and stir into the rice.  Makes about 3 cups or 4 servings.

Banana Bread

Anybody that knows my Dad knows how much he LOVES bananas, so much so that my aunt & uncle gave him a whole crate of bananas as a gag gift for my parents' wedding and then again for their 25th anniversary.  After my parents' 25th anniversary party we had to figure out what to do with all of those bananas so they didn't go to waste, so I ended up making a whole bunch of banana bread.  This is the recipe I used.

• 1/2 c butter (can use shortening)
• 1 c sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 8 Tbsp cold water
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 1/2 c flour
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
• nuts (optional)

Cream together butter and sugar, add eggs and cold water.  Mix to combine.  In another bowl combine baking soda, baking powder, and flour.  Add mashed bananas to wet mixture and stir well.  Stir in dry ingredients a little at a time until incorporated.  If desired, add some chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans.  Lightly grease 2 loaf pans or spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Divide batter evenly between the loaf pans and bake at 325 degrees for about an hour.

Stina's Simple Salad

Stina's Simple Salad

My grandma Stina used to make this salad a lot in the Summer.  It also would be a good holiday salad since it's red and green.  It's a good one to make when you have fresh cucumbers and tomatoes from the garden and you want a quick and easy side dish.

• 2 large cucumbers (can substitute zucchini)
• 2 medium-large tomatoes
• 1/4 c mayonnaise (If you want it sweeter you can substitute Miracle Whip.)
• 2 Tbsp sunflower nuts (optional)

Slice cucumbers into a small bowl.  Chop tomatoes and add to cucumbers.  Stir in sunflower nuts and mayonnaise.  Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to let the flavors blend.

Kari's Ham & Veggie Soup

My husband loves my soups and is always asking me to tell him how I made it so he can make it sometime either when he goes snowmobiling with the guys or on a night when I'm not home.  The problem is I usually just use whatever I have on-hand and kind of estimate, so I can tell him what I put in it, but not necessarily how much of each ingredient.  This is from the one time I actually measured.

• 8 c hot water
• 6 tsp chicken bouillon granules (You can substitute 6 chicken bouillon cubes.)
• 5 medium potatoes, peeled
• 3 large carrots, peeled
• 4 ribs celery
• 2 small or 1 large onion
• 1 lb ham
• 1 c dry white beans
• dried oregano
• garlic powder
• dried parsley
• black pepper

In a Dutch Oven, dissolve bouillon granules in hot water.  Dice potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and ham and add to Dutch Oven.  Rinse & drain beans and add to Dutch Oven.  Sprinkle oregano around the perimeter of the pan twice.  Do the same with the garlic powder.  Sprinkle parsley and pepper around the perimeter of the pan once each.  Stir well and heat to boiling over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Cover and simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Hot Chili Dip

This recipe came from my friend Jeni (Frank) Outlaw.  It's absolutely incredible!  Note for my family & friends who have experienced this dip: this is the "B____" dip.  You know what I mean. ;)

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 lbs Velveeta, cubed
• Garlic powder or garlic salt to taste (I usually substitute a clove of garlic, minced.)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 small cans tomato sauce
• 1 small can jalapeno peppers or green chiles, (depending on how hot you want the dip to be) finely chopped

Fry the ground beef and onions together and add garlic.  Put the mixture together with the remaining ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low just until the cheese is melted.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Note: This amount will fit in a smaller crock pot.  I usually make a double batch when I bring it to potlucks and make it in my 5 or 6-qt crock pot.  People love the dip so much it's pretty much all gone within not too much time even if I make a double batch.

Gumdrop Cookies

I think the original name for these cookies is "Jewel Top Jumbles".  I'm not sure where it came from originally, but this is one of those cookies that we make every year at Christmas time.

• 1 c butter, softened
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/2 c brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 3/4 c flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 c miniature gumdrops, halved

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease a cookie sheet.  In a large bowl, combine butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs; blend thorougly.  Sift together flour, baking soda and salt and stir into butter & sugar mixture.  Mix in gumdrops.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2" apart on prepared cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown.

Banana Cream Pie

I don't know if this is technically considered a pie since it's made in a springform pan, but it's yummy whatever you choose to call it.

• 24 graham cracker squares (2 1/2" each)
• 1/2 c butter, melted
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 (12 oz) container Cool Whip, thawed
• 1 (3.4 oz) pkg instant vanilla pudding
• 1 c sour cream
• 3 medium ripe bananas
• 1/3 c chopped pecans

Finely chop graham crackers - you should have about 2 cups of crumbs.  Mix graham cracker crumbs with butter and sugar in a medium bowl.  Press evenly over the bottom and about 2/3 of the way up the sides of a springform pan.  In another medium bowl, combine Cool Whip, pudding mix and sour cream.  Stir vigorously with a whisk and spread half of the filling into the crust in the springform pan.  Thinly slice bananas and layer evenly over filling in the pan.  Spread remaining half of the filling over the bananas.  Finely chop pecans and sprinkle over the top of the filling.  Refrigerate until set, at least 30 minutes, before serving.  To serve, remove ring from side of springform pan and cut into 12 slices.  Makes 12 servings.

Pina Colada Cake

My mom used to make this cake a lot in the summer for potlucks.  I'm not a big coconut fan, but I LOVE this cake!

• Yellow pudding cake mix
• 1 can cream of coconut base
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can crushed pineapple, drained
• 8 oz Cool Whip

Prepare and bake cake mix as directed on the box in a 9x13" pan.  Cool and poke holes in the top.  Combine cream of coconut and sweetened condensed milk and drizzle over the cake.  Combine crushed pineapple and Cool Whip and spread over the cake as frosting.  Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Tropical Glazed Grilled Turkey

I'm really looking forward to this summer and grilling season, so here's a great grilled turkey recipe.

• 1 lb skinless turkey breasts
• 1 (15 oz) can sliced pineapple
• 1/4 c honey
• 1 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt

Drain pineapple, reserving juice.  Combine honey, 2 Tbsp pineapple juice, butter, and spices.  Pour remaining pineapple juice over turkey breasts and let stand for 15 minutes while the grill is heating.  Remove turkey from pineapple juice and grill over hot coals for 4 minutes on one side, brushing with honey glaze.  Add pineapple slices to the grill, turning to brown on both sides and brushing with the glaze.  Turn turkey breasts, brush with more glaze, and top with pineapple.  Cook for another 3-5 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink in the center.  Note: When the weather doesn't cooperate to grill outside, this can be made inside on a griddle or an electric grill such as a George Foreman grill.

Tortellini Soup

This is a really yummy and colorful soup.  It's one of the only ways I can get my husband to eat green beans, cauliflower and broccoli. :)  This makes 8 (1 1/4 cup) servings.

• 2 tsp oil
• 1 Tbsp dried basil leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 c chicken broth
• 1 1/2 c chicken or cheese tortellini (I usually use cheese tortellini)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 c green beans, cut
• 1 c California Blend vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, carrots)

Heat oil in large saucepan (I usually use a Dutch Oven) over medium-high heat.  Add basil and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add chicken broth, tortellini, salt & pepper; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium.  Cover and simmer 10 minutes.  Add tomatoes, green beans and California Blend and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Coke Chicken

I got this recipe from my friend Shelley Moore when I was in college.  She used to make this on dates when she wanted to impress a guy with her cooking skills.

• Boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken tenders
• 1 c ketchup or 1/2 c ketchup and 1/2 c BBQ sauce (I usually use the ketchup/BBQ sauce combo for more flavor)
• 1 (12 oz) can Coke or Pepsi
• 1 tsp brown sugar

Mix sauce ingredients and spread over chicken in a skillet.  Simmer for 30 minutes uncovered, then 30 minutes covered.  STIR OFTEN TO PREVENT BURNING THE SAUCE!

Dad's Gameday Nacho Cheese Dip

This is the Nacho recipe that my Dad makes for a snack while watching most football and baseball games.

• 2 lb Velveeta, cubed (You can substitute the low-fat Velveeta, but don't use any other kind of cheese because it doesn't melt as smoothly.)
• 8 oz jar salsa
• 8 oz milk (Dad usually just measures by filling up the salsa jar with milk after adding the salsa to the fondue pot.)

Combine all in a fondue pot and turn on to the low or cheese setting.  Allow to melt, stirring occasionally.  Once melted, serve with tortilla chips.  Note:  If you don't have a fondue pot you can make this in a medium saucepan cooked over low heat. 

Shrimp and Crab Dip

I got this recipe from my friend Jena Willey many years ago when she made it for the 1985 Superbowl.  We still serve it for many football games and other family events.

• 1 can tiny shrimp
• 1 can crab meat
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 c sour cream
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp minced onion
• 12 oz jar seafood cocktail sauce
• chives or green onion, chopped (optional)

Drain shrimp and crab meat in a colander; mix well to combine once they're well drained.  Cream together cream cheese, sour cream, garlic and onion.  Spread cream cheese mixture on the bottom of a 9" square container. (The square Tupperware container works well for this since you can cover and refrigerate it until you are ready to serve the dip.  I have also used a round serving platter.)  Spread the shrimp and crab on top of the cream cheese mixture.  Spread the seafood cocktail sauce on top.  Sprinkle with chives or green onions if desired.  Serve with crackers.

Pistachio Pudding Salad

This has been one of my favorite fruit salads since I was little. 

• 1 (3 oz) pkg pistachio pudding mix (Don't prepare the pudding - just the mix.)
• 1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip
• 1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 c mini marshmallows
• 1/2 c chopped nuts (optional)
• 1/2 c chopped maraschino cherries
• a few cherries cut in half to garnish the top of the salad (optional)

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl.  Chill at least 2 hours before serving to let the flavors blend.

Serving suggestion: Arrange cherry halves in the bottom of a jello mold, then place the salad mixture on top.  Chill, unmold to serve.

Tequilaberry Salad

This is very similar to the signature salad at the old Tequilaberry's restaurant.  It's so yummy I actually had it served at my wedding reception dinner!  I've brought it to several potlucks and there is rarely any left to bring home.

• 1 head lettuce, chopped (Romaine is best, but iceberg lettuce will work nicely also.)
• 1/2 c cooked bacon, crumbled
• 1/2 c raw cauliflower, cut up into small pieces
• 1/2 c Parmesan cheese

Dressing:

• 1 1/2 c Real mayonnaise
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/2 c milk

In medium salad bowl toss together lettuce, bacon, cauliflower and Parmesan cheese.  Beat dressing ingredients together and drizzle over tossed lettuce, etc in bowl.  Toss well and serve.

Cavitelli

This recipe is from my friend Carol.  She made it quite often and it's delicious!  This is a perfect midweek meal ~ it's easy, yummy, and budget-friendly.

• 1 lb hamburger
• 1 (28 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 of a large jar taco sauce
• 16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (When I've made this recently I've cut the amount of mozzarella to 8 oz and it still tastes yummy.)
• 8 oz small shell macaroni (My husband has an aversion to shell pasta for some reason so I usually make it with elbow macaroni.)

Brown hamburger and cook noodles according to package directions.  In a 9x13" pan combine hamburger, spaghetti sauce, taco sauce, and macaroni and spread across pan so it's an even thickness in the pan.  Sprinkle shredded cheese on top and bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes until cheese is golden brown and the casserole bubbles.  Note: For a little extra kick I usually add a couple shakes of Frank's Red Hot Sauce to the pan with the spaghetti sauce & taco sauce.

Dirty Banana

This was our favorite drink from our honeymoon in Jamaica.  We loved it so much we watched how the bartenders made it so we could make it ourselves when we got home.  Even though there's no chocolate in it, it tastes sort of like a chocolate banana shake with a kick.  This is as close as we could get to the original.

• 6 shots Rum Cream Liqueur
• 2 shots Coffee Liqueur (Blue Mountain Coffee liqueur is best, but Kahlua can be used instead)
• 1 whole ripe banana
• splash grenadine

Fill a blender container about 1/2 way with ice.  Add the remaining ingredients and blend well.  This makes 2-4 servings, depending on how large your serving glasses are.

Brandy Slush

This is a great beverage to make when you're planning to have a large group (adults over 21 of course ~ lol).  My mom and my aunts used to make this quite often when we had family gatherings.  You need to be sure you make this at least 1 day before you plan to serve it though so it has time to freeze.

• 7 c boiling water
• 1 1/4 c sugar
• 2 c hot tap water
• 4 tea bags
• 1 pt brandy
• 2 (6 oz each) containers frozen lemonade concentrate
• 2 (6 oz each) contaners frozen orange juice concentrate

Add sugar to boiling water, stir to dissolve.  Set aside to cool.  In a separate bowl combine hot tap water and tea bags.  Let sit 5 minutes, remove tea bags from water.  In a 5-6 qt ice cream bucket combine cooled sugar water and tea water. (Be sure the sugar water is completely cooled before moving on or the alcohol in the brandy will be boiled off.)  Add brandy, lemonade concentrate and orange juice concentrate and stir well.  Place in freezer and allow to completely freeze.

To serve, use an ice cream scoop to scoop out frozen slush and add to a glass until about 3/4 full.  Add 7-Up, Sprite or Ginger Ale to fill glass.  Stir to combine and enjoy!

Apple Snicker Salad

This is another great salad to make for potlucks.  It has a good combination of sweet, tart and a little salty taste from the peanuts.

• 1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip
• 3 Snickers candy bars, cut into small pieces
• 2 (8 oz) cans crushed pineapple, drained
• 1/2 c peanuts, chopped
• 3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped

Combine Cool Whip & pineapple in a medium to large mixing bowl.  Fold in the apples, Snickers & peanuts.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.  Makes about 7 cups of salad.

Fresh Black Bean and Corn Salsa

I bring this salsa to many potlucks and it goes over very well.  There are usually several people asking for the recipe.  I like it because it not only tastes yummy, but it's also healthy and low in fat and calories.

• 2 (16 oz) cans black beans, rinsed & drained
• 1 (24 oz) pkg frozen corn (I have also substituted canned corn in a pinch.)
• 1 (1 oz) pkg taco seasoning
• 1/2 c very finely chopped red onion
• 1 very finely chopped jalapeno (You can vary the spiciness of the salsa by how many of the jalapeno seeds you leave in.)
• 3 large tomatoes, diced
• 1 bunch cilantro, very finely chopped
• Juice of 2 fresh limes
• 2 avocados, diced (These are optional.  My husband isn't a big avocado fan so I usually leave them out.)

Mix the frozen corn and taco mix.  Then prepare and add the rest of the ingredients and mix gently.  Serve with chips.  Note: You'll want to make this at least 2-3 hours before you plan to serve it to give the corn time to thaw and the flavors time to blend.

Hot Cocoa Mix

This makes a large batch of hot cocoa mix.  Especially since my mom gets the ingredients in bulk for me at Sam's Club, it's a much more economical way to enjoy our cocoa than buying it premade at the store. Living in Minnesota with the cold winters we drink a LOT of cocoa around here! :o)

• 4 c powdered milk
• 8 c powdered sugar
• 2 c coffee creamer (I usually use the plain creamer, but you could vary the flavor of the cocoa by using a flavored coffee creamer.)
• 1 c unsweetened baking cocoa

Place all ingredients in a VERY large bowl (I use my huge Tupperware mixing bowl ~ I believe it's called Thatsa Bowl) and mix thoroughly.  Place in airtight containers until ready to use.  I normally store some in an empty baking cocoa container because it happens to have a plastic lid that makes it easy to serve from, and then I'll store the rest in a Tupperware cereal container.  I've also stored it in canning jars, which makes it easy to give as gifts.

To serve, place 2-3 Tbsp (or to taste) into a coffee cup and fill with hot water, stir.  Enjoy!

Swedish Apricot Nut Bread

This is my mom’s recipe.  She has made it for several family holiday gatherings.

• 1 c dried apricots
• 1/2 to 1 c brandy
• 1 c sugar
• 2 Tbsp softened butter
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 3/4 c chopped walnuts
• Grated rind of 1 lemon (Make sure you only grate the rind/zest and not the white part.  The white part is very bitter.)
• 1/2 c orange juice
• 2 c flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Soak apricots in brandy to cover for 2-3 hours.  Drain, reserving 1/4 c brandy and cut each apricot into 6 small pieces.  Cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Add egg and lemon rind and beat until mixture is smooth and well-blended.  Add reserved 1/4 c brandy and orange juice.  Sift flour with baking powder and salt.  Resift into batter gradually, stirring between additions.  Fold in nuts and cut-up apricots.  Butter an 8″ loaf pan, line with buttered brown paper (or parchment paper) and pour in batter.  Let stand 20 minutes.  Bake in prehated 350-degree oven for 1 hour or until top is golden brown.  Turn out of pan while hot, peel off paper and cool on a wire rack.  Let mellow 24 hours before cutting.

Norwegian Christmas Salad

One year my mom and aunts had a bright idea to figure out all of the many nationalities of them and their spouses, and have at least one food from each of the countries for our Christmas meal.  This is one of the Norwegian salads we found.  It’s yummy!

• 1 pkg lime Jell-o
• 1 c hot water
• 1 c crushed pineapple (drained)
• 1 c walnut meats
• 1 (3 oz) pkg cream cheese
• 1/2 to 3/4 c maraschino cherries, chopped
• 1 c whipped cream

Dissolve cream cheese with Jell-o and hot water.  Beat until creamy.  Let stand until it begins to thicken.  Then whip well.  Add whipped cream, cherries, pineapple, and nuts.  It will look kind of runny at this point.  Refrigerate until set.  This can be made the day before serving.

Quick Cranberry Salad

In our family we call this salad “Cranberry Fluff”.  I’m not a big fan of cranberries, but I love this salad.  In fact, for many years this is the only way my mom could get me to eat cranberries.

• 3 c whole fresh or frozen cranberries (fresh chops up better)
• 2 1/3 c miniature marshmallows
• 1/2 c chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans work best, but we've also used sunflower nuts)
• 1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 8 oz Cool Whip (the Extra Creamy variety is best)

Put cranberries through food chopper, using coarse grind.  Chill 2 hours.  Add marshmallows, pineapple and nuts.  Fold Cool Whip into the cranberry mixture.  Spoon into bowl, cover and refrigerate or freeze in 8″ square baking pan or a jello mold.

Lefse

My Sister-in-law Melinda and Cousin Heidi making lefse in 2007

One tradition we have in my mom’s family around the holidays is making lefse.  For those that aren’t familiar with this delicious Scandinavian tradition, lefse (pronounced LEF-sa) is similar to a tortilla made with potatoes. 

My great-aunt Lois used to make this for the whole family every Thanksgiving and Christmas.  She helped me earn one of my badges in girl scouts by teaching me how to make lefse when she stayed at our house one Christmas Eve.  Unfortunately, Lois passed away before teaching anyone else, so I inherited all of her lefse supplies including her griddle.  Since then I’ve taught the rest of the family, so we’ve made a new tradition of making lefse together every year. 

This is the recipe that came with the lefse griddle.  I’ve updated and simplified the directions somewhat.  The amounts listed are for a double batch.  When we make this for the whole family we normally make 4 double batches so there is enough to enjoy during the family gathering plus enough for each family to take some home.

• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup (1 whole stick) butter
• 2 cups milk
• 6 cups Hungry Jack potato flakes (the ones in the red box)
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 c flour

Heat water in the microwave until boiling (usually takes about 8-10 minutes on high).  Meanwhile, combine potato flakes and salt in a very large bowl.  (I use the HUGE Tupperware mixing bowl for this ~ I believe it’s called the Thatsa Bowl or something like that.)  When the water is boiling add the butter to the water and stir until butter is melted.  Add milk to water & butter.  Add to potato flakes & salt in the huge bowl.  Stir until somewhat combined.  Work in the flour with your hands.  When flour is worked in shape into balls.  Some people like to make larger dough balls that take up the whole lefse griddles.  We prefer to make dough balls slightly larger than golf balls so the lefse is a good appetizer size.  Cool dough in refrigerator. (If you have more than one layer of dough balls put a slightly damp paper towel between the layers so it doesn’t dry out.) 

When it’s cooled roll out dough slightly thicker than pie crust on a well-floured pastry board.  Use a lefse spatula to lift the dough off the pastry board and onto a lefse griddle preheated to 500 degrees.  Cook on each side a couple minutes.  Cool on a plate and dust off flour.  Put in a cake taker and freeze until ready to serve - be sure to put a damp paper towel on the stack in the cake taker after every 4 pieces.  Thaw in refrigerator for at least 24 hours before serving.

Notes:

• Don’t use any other brand of potato flakes.  They don’t turn out as well or taste quite as good in the lefse.
• Many people serve lefse with butter and white sugar, but we discovered that it tastes better with butter and brown sugar instead.  This is also great to make a wrap sandwich instead of using a tortilla.  Yes, many Scandinavians eat lefse with lutefisk, but that’s another story. lol
• Make sure to use plenty of flour when you’re rolling out the dough.  It tends to stick to the rolling pin and/or pastry board if you don’t use enough flour.
• I inherited my lefse griddle, but you can buy them at most hardware stores and at Target.  I don’t know if they have the accessories like the lefse spatulas (the long turning sticks), but I recently found a couple websites that have them.  One that looks like they have most of the accessories you’d need as well as several choices of griddles at reasonable prices is www.lefsetime.com.

Peach Salsa Pork

This has a delicious combination of sweet and spicy and is great served over rice.  My husband loves this so much he requests it about once a week or so.

• 1 lb boneless pork loin, cubed
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 2-3 Tbsp oil
• 8 oz jar salsa
• 4 Tbsp peach preserves

Coat cubed pork loin with taco seasoning and brown in a little oil in a nonstick skillet.  Add salsa and peach preserves to skillet.  Stir to mix well.  Cover and lower heat.  Simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring often.  Serve over rice.  Makes approximately 4 servings.

Swedish Meatballs

This was my grandma’s recipe.  The directions weren’t very specific in the original recipe so I modified it a bit to clarify them.

• 1/4 c oleo or margarine (I would substitute butter here.)
• 3/4 c chopped onions
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/3 c milk
• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 1 1/2 lbs ground pork
• 1 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 2 c crumbled soft bread (You could use breadcrumbs in a can to save time.)
• 1/2 c melted butter
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 1 c boiling water
• 4 tsp flour
• 2 c light cream
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• pinch ground pepper

Melt margarine and add onion.  Saute until onion is tender.  Beat eggs and milk together in large bowl.  Add onions to eggs & milk.  Mix in ground beef, ground pork, allspice, nutmeg, 1 Tbsp salt, and crumbled soft bread.  Make small meatballs and place in shallow pans, such as cookie sheets.  Pour melted butter over the meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Turn and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  Remove meat from pans.  While meatballs are baking, dissolve bouillon cube in 1 c boiling water in medium saucepan.  Whisk in flour, light cream, salt and pepper and stir until lumps are gone and gravy is heated through.  Stir together gravy and cooked meatballs and serve.

Note:  To keep hot while serving I would suggest placing the meatballs in a crock pot on low heat.

Zuppa Toscana

This recipe is very close to the one made at Olive Garden - one of the reasons Olive Garden is my favorite restaurant!  I used the sweet Italian sausage when I made this the other day, and have also made it with just the spicy Italian sausage.  I would suggest using half sweet and half spicy sausage for a better balance.

• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 2 lg russet baking potatoes, sliced in half then in 1/4″ slices (I used smaller potatoes that we had from the garden, the equivalent of about 2 1/2 large potatoes.)
• 1 lg onion, chopped
• 1/2 can bacon bits (Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits is best)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 c kale or swiss chard, chopped
• 2 cans chicken broth
• 1 qt water
• 1 c heavy whipping cream

Cook sausage in a 300 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes.  Drain sausages on paper towels and cut into slices.  Place onions, potatoes, chicken broth, water, and garlic in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and cook on medium heat until potatoes are tender.  Add sausage and bacon.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer for another 10 minutes.  Turn to low heat.  Add kale and cream.  Heat through and serve.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Puppy Chow

This is one of the tastiest, most addictive snacks I’ve tasted.  It’s great for pot lucks.  This recipe says to use Crispix cereal, but you could substitute a variety of Chex cereals also.

• 9 cups Crispix cereal
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup butter (You can substitute margarine, just don’t use the reduced-fat kind.  It can cause the chocolate mixture to be clumpy and won’t coat the cereal evenly.)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Pour cereal into a large bowl and set aside.  In a 1-qt microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter.  Microwave on HIGH 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until smooth, stirring after 1 minute.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour chocolate mixture over cereal, stirring until all pieces are evenly coated.  Pour cereal mixture into a large resealable plastic bag with powdered sugar.  Seal securely and shake until all pieces are well coated.  Spread on waxed paper to cool.  Makes 9 cups.

Chicken Fajitas

This recipe also works for beef fajitas - I just normally make it with chicken.  This is one of our favorite meals.

• 3 medium or 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 medium to large onion
• 3 bell peppers (My husband isn’t really into green peppers so we usually stick with the red, orange and yellow, but you can use any bell peppers you like.)
• 1 packet fajita seasoning (The brand isn’t real important.  I’ve used Lowry’s and Carlita’s and been happy with both.)
• olive oil or vegetable oil
• soft tortillas
• sour cream
• cheddar cheese

Cut bell peppers, onion, and chicken into strips.  It’s a matter of personal preference how wide your strips are, but I normally cut the peppers & onions into 1/4 to 1/2 inch strips and the chicken into 1/2 to 1 inch strips.  Heat oil in 12″ nonstick skillet.  When oil is hot, saute peppers and onion in skillet until tender.  Remove to a bowl & set aside.  In the same skillet, cook chicken until no longer pink (you may have to add a little more oil to the pan).  When chicken is done, add the peppers and onions back to the skillet and combine with chicken and cook a couple minutes longer.  Add the fajita seasoning and stir to coat.  Cook about 1 minute more and remove to serving bowl.  To serve, spread a small amount of sour cream on a soft tortilla.  Top with chicken & pepper mixture.  Sprinkle a little cheddar cheese on top.  Roll up like a burrito or taco and enjoy!

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Sausages

This is an awesome meal made in the crock pot.

• 2 lbs Italian sausages
• 48 oz spaghetti sauce (2 regular jars)
• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp parsley flakes
• 1 c water

Place sausages in skillet and cover with water.  Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes and drain.  Meanwhile, place remaining ingredients in slow cooker.  Add sausages.  Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours.  Increase temperature to HIGH and cook for 1 hour longer.  Serve in hot dog buns or cut into bite-size pieces and serve over pasta.

Mozzarella Chicken

Here’s a great fast dinner idea.  This chicken is really good served over a bed of spaghetti noodles with a side of your favorite veggies.

• 1 c bread crumbs
• 3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 3 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• 4 chicken breast fillets
• 1 c flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 beaten egg
• 3 oz Italian salad dressing (I actually prefer the Zesty Italian Dressing.)
• 1/4 c margarine or butter (The original recipe calls for margarine, but I prefer the taste of butter better.  Go with what you like here.)
• 4 slices mozzarella cheese (You can substitute shredded mozzarella.)

Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley in bowl; mix well.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper.  Dredge chicken in flour mixture.  Dip into egg; coat with crumb mixture.  Melt margarine or butter in skillet.  Brown chicken in skillet with margarine or butter.  Place in 8×8″ baking dish.  Pour salad dressing over chicken.  Top with cheese slices.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese melts.

Italian Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This recipe takes a little extra preparation time, but it’s well worth the effort.  It tastes delicious and it’s fairly low in fat and calories.  Enjoy!

• 1 tsp olive oil, divided
• 3/4 c minced onion, divided
• 1/4 c (1 oz) chopped prosciutto or lean smoked ham
• 1 Tbsp grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp dry bread crumbs
• 1 1/2 tsp minced fresh rosemary, divided
• 4 (4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 c low-salt chicken broth
• 1/4 c dry white wine
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Rosemary sprigs, optional for garnish

Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add 1/2 c onion.  Saute 4 minutes.  Combine onion, prosciutto, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and 1 tsp rosemary in a bowl.  Stir well and set aside.  Cut a horizontal slit through the thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket.  Stuff about 3 Tbsp onion mixture into each pocket. 

Heat 1/2 tsp oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken.  Saute 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done.  Remove chicken from skillet.  Set aside and keep warm.  Add 1/4 c onion to skillet and saute 3 minutes.  Add 1/2 tsp rosemary, chicken broth, wine and garlic.  Bring to a boil.  Cook 5 minutes or until reduced to about 3/4 cup.  Return chicken to skillet; cover and simmer 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Serve sauce with chicken.  Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs, if desired.

Connie's Apple Dip

Our friend Connie used to bring this dip with apples to my aunt & uncle’s annual pool party.  She finally had to start making double and triple batches because it’s so good many years it was gone before it ever made it out of the kitchen. :)  It tastes like there’s caramel & peanut butter in it, but there’s none of either in the dip.  I brought it to a family gathering recently and so many people asked for the recipe I decided it was time to post it here.  Enjoy!

Here’s the recipe for a single batch.  Depending on the size of your group you may want to double or triple the recipe.

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 1/3 c brown sugar, packed
• Peanuts
• Apples

Cream together cream cheese, vanilla & brown sugar until combined.  Chop peanuts and sprinkle on top.  I didn’t list an amount for the peanuts because it’s up to your individual taste how much of the peanuts you want to use.  I just sprinkle enough on so it covers the top of the dip.  Cut up apples and serve with the dip.  Again, it’s up to you whether you use the Red Delicious apples or Granny Smith ones.  I’ve used both and they both taste great with this dip.

Chocolate Earthquake Cake

I got this recipe from my mom and it’s wonderful!  Note from Mom: Do not try to squeeze this into a smaller pan!  You want an earthquake, not a volcano!

• 1 c chopped nuts
• 1 (3.5 oz) can sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 box German Chocolate cake mix, batter prepared according to package directions
• 1/2 c butter
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1  (l lb) box or bag powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9×13″ cake pan.  Cover the bottom of the pan with the nuts and coconut.  Pour the cake batter on top.  Melt the butter in a bowl, add the cream cheese and powdered sugar.  Stir to blend.  Spoon over unbaked batter (you don’t have to stir it in).  Bake 40-42 minutes.

Note:  You cannot test for doneness with a toothpick or cake tester, as the cake will appear sticky even when done.  The icing sinks into the batter as it bakes, forming the white ribbon inside.