Oven Baked Chimichangas

Ingredients:

2/3 C Salsa
1 t. Cumin
1/2 t. Oregano
1 1/2 C Shredded Beef or Chicken
1 C Shredded Cheese
2 Green Onions, Chopped
6 Tortillas
1 T Melted Butter

Directions:

Mix first 6 ingredients. Put 1/2 cup of mix on tortillas, fold sides in then roll from bottom. Place seam side down on cookie sheet and brush with butter. Bake @ 400 degrees for 25 minutes. They are good reheated, if there are any left.

Serve with sour cream!

Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo

Thank you to the Olive Garden website, from whom I stole this image.

This is a copy-cat of one of my favorite Olive Garden dishes. They use filet medallions, but I've used slices off a chuck roast and a cheap flank steak. Both were delicious. Feeds 4, or 2 with huge leftovers.

You will need:
Some kind of steak.
Balsamic vinegar (something like 1/2 cup)
Black pepper
Fettuccine (make your own if you can)

For the sauce:
1 pint heavy cream
1 stick (1/2 C) unsalted butter, room temp
About 1 cup fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, Asiago, or a combo (I like the combo)
About 4 oz spinach (frozen is fine. But thaw it first.)
Gorgonzola cheese

1) Set the steak out to rest and press the freshly ground black pepper into the meat on both sides.

2) Pour balsamic vinegar into a small pan and reduce to a syrup (you might need more. I don't measure)

3) Cook pasta while you are doing everything else.

4) In a high-sided saute pan or medium pot, combine the heavy cream and butter and heat until thickened, whisking occasionally. When thickened and slightly reduced, add in the grated parm-regg/asiago cheese and let melt. Then add in the spinach, fresh ground black pepper, and some of the Gorgonzola crumbles.

5) Reserve half of the balsamic syrup and use remaining half to brush steaks on all sides. Transfer to a hot pan and cook to desired done-ness. (I usually cook them until medium-rare and then remove, let sit, slice against the grain into very thin pieces, and then transfer back to the pan for a few seconds before serving to get to medium-well.)

6) Add the pasta to the sauce and let sit for a minute to absorb the flavors. Plate, add the steak, drizzle with a little of the remaining syrup and top with some Gorgonzola crumbles and black pepper. Salt to taste at the table*.


*Note: I have started cooking without salt to reduce the sodium intake in my household. With the pungent cheeses and vinegar, the addition of salt (on the meat before cooking) can be too much. I strongly suggest letting the flavors meld together and then adding salt if you feel it's necessary. I do, my husband never does.

Quick Yeast Rolls

I made these a couple times in the last two weeks, because my husband eats most of them before I get them to the table. I found the original recipe on allrecipes.com and I've been playing with it. Because that's what I do.

Prep Time: 1.5 Hours
Cooking Time: 10 Minutes
Serves: 8 (huuuuuuuge) to 12

Ingredients:

2 T butter or shortening
1 heaping T sugar
1-2 T honey
1 C hot water
2.25 tsp yeast (1 packet)
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt
2.25 C flour (I've experimented with all white flour and half white, half whole wheat. Both have been delicious. I add a little more honey to the whole wheat rolls.)

Directions:

1) Mix butter, sugar/honey, and hot water in a large bowl. Cool to lukewarm and mix in yeast until dissolved.

2) Mix in egg, salt, and flour. Let rise until doubled.

3) Divide the dough. Now you can be creative. The dough should be sticky. Really sticky. Like, scrape-off-your-hands-with-your-teeth sticky. My favorite has been to dust my fingers with flour and then drop the dough into a (buttered!) round cake pan. I tried making 8 rolls but they were bigger than my head, so I think 12 works better. You can also butter or grease muffin cups and drop the dough ball into the muffin cups. DO NOT ADD MORE FLOUR THAN YOU NEED TO TO GET THE DOUGH INTO THE PAN. If you leave it sticky, you will end up with beautiful, soft, fluffy deliciousness. If you add flour because you think it doesn't look or feel like bread should (I understand this concern. Ignore it.) you will be eating little golden-brown baseballs.

4) Preheat oven somewhere between 350 and 425. My oven cooks them perfectly at 350, but mine is stupid. Let the rolls rise again until doubled (remember, though, they will continue to rise in the oven).

5) Bake for 10-ish minutes until they are just barely browning on the top. Best served warm with butter.

Eclair Dessert

One of my childhood favorites!

Ingredients:

2 small packages instant vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
1 package of chocolate frosting (or make your own)
8 oz cool whip
1 box graham crackers

Directions:

Stir pudding mix and milk together and let set for 5 minutes. Fold in cool whip. In a 9x13 pan layer graham crackers. (I usually break some to get them to fit right). Then layer on 1/2 of the pudding mixture. Layer twice more and then spread frosting all over the top (Heat frosting in microwave for about 1 to 2 minutes. It will help the spreading process.). Let set overnight for best results ...or at least 3 hours if you can't wait that long!

Slow Cooker ~ Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:

2 Cans Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 Cup water
1/4 Cup lemon juice
2 Teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1 1/2 Teaspoons garlic powder
8 large carrots, thickly sliced
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
8 Cups hot cooked egg noodles
Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In slow cooker mix soup, water, lemon juice, mustard,
garlic powder and carrots. Add chicken and turn to coat.
Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours or until chicken is
done. Serve over noodles and sprinkle with cheese. Serves 8

lemony Bars

I got the primary recipe from allrecipes.com under the title "The Best Lemon Bars". I have made a few changes, but basically they are the same.

Crust

1 Cup softened butter

1/2 cup white sugar

2 Cups all-purpose flour

About 1/4 tsp Cinnamon

Filling

4 eggs

1 1/2 Cup sugar

4 Tbls Flour

1/2 Cup Lemon/Lime Juice - Any mixture of the two also works

1: Preheat oven to 350

2: Blend crust ingredients together and press firmly into the bottom of a 13 X 9 pan ungreased.

3: Bake crust for about 20 minutes or until slightly brown around the edges.

4: While crust is baking whisk together filling ingredients. Adding the eggs last. Whisk until the grainy texture of the sugar has dissolved.

5: Remove crust from oven, pour filling over top and bake another 20 minutes or so. Until a tooth pick comes out clean.

6: (optional) I like to sprinkle the finished product with sugar and carmelize it using a kitchen torch or broiler.

Enjoy

BBQ Beef Sandich

I actually wrote down a recipe while I was making it. Everyone should be very proud. A few who know me should have fainted away by now. So here it is.

In a Crock Post on low add:

2 lbs stew meat chunks

1/2 to 3/4 of large red onion chopped

2-3 garlic teeth finely chopped

1/2 Cup red wine (or red wine vinegar)

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Tbl Mustard Powder

1 tsp Chili Powder

1 Tbl Worchestershire

1 6oz can Tomato Paste

1 1/2 tsp salt

Mix up and allow to cook for about 9 hours covered. Smash meat chunks with fork or potato masher until they are all broken up. Serve with Deli rolls or my favorite Ciabata rolls.

This is a sweet BBQ. The wine will make it sweeter, the vinegar a little tangier. If you like more spice add more Chili or pepper to the mix.

It is quick easy and yummy.

Sukiyaki

A ward friend of mine made this at a get
together last week. It is so fabulous!


Sukiyaki-Ashley H.

1lb. round steak or roast beef cut in thin strips 2"x1"
1 large onion, cut in quarters, then eighths lengthwise
3 stalks celery cut 1/2" diagonal pieces
4 carrots, cut lengthwise
10-15 mushrooms cut lengthwise


Sauce:
1/4 cup oil
dash garlic salt
1 cube bouillon
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water

Using 2T oil or more, brown meat; add onion and sauce. Cover and simmer 3 minutes. Add carrots & cover & simmer 5 minutes. Add celery & mushrooms, cover 3 minutes. Stir after each addition. Thicken with 1T cornstarch to 1/4 cup water. Stir until glossy. Serve immediately.

Optional: Serve over rice.

Carmel Apple Dib

This is easy, delicious and fun. Even gets kids to eat apples!

1 8oz package of Cream Cheese

3/4 to 1 cup Brown Sugar

1 tsp vanilla

You may add nuts, toffee bits, or even chocolate.

Just mix together and serve.