Becky Higgins - Recipes to Share

turkey sandwich

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:54:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but I find myself remembering that certain foods exist once in a while. Like sprouts. My friend mentioned them the other day and I remembered that I actually quite enjoy sprouts and needed to reintroduce them to my sandwiches.

Hello, sprouts. Nice to taste you again. (Actually, I think it's more of a textural thing for me.) Anyway, this is the way I'm enjoying a turkey sandwich for lunch these days.

TURKEY SANDWICH

whole wheat bread
mayonaise
tukey, thinly sliced
Harvati cheese
cucumbers, thinly sliced
avocado, sliced
sprouts
salt & pepper

chicken-corn-blue cheese salad

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:05:00 +0000

Okay, so that's kind of a lame name for a salad but who cares? I'm just focused on the yum factor.

Most of the recipes I share are ones I either found online or in a magazine or from a friend. I don't consider myself original in the kitchen by any means. That's not where I am creative. But I saw this concept somewhere and David & I improvised and changed things up a bit. I guess that makes this recipe our own little creation.

CHICKEN-CORN-BLUE CHEESE SALAD

[ dressing ]

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. honey
salt & pepper

[ salad ]

6-8 c. loosely packed baby mixed greens
2 large tomatoes, sliced into wedges
2 c. shredded pieces from a rotisserie chicken (pick it up at the store already cooked)
1 c. sweet corn, thawed if frozen
1/3 c. crumpled blue cheese
1/2 c. glazed walnuts or pecans

Put the salad together. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Toss the dressing with the salad and serve immediately.

apple pear salad

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 13:50:00 +0000

In our family, we love Costco for many reasons. The most recent reason? This recipe. Came across it in The Costco Connection magazine, actually. Made this for the first time last night and oh. my. goodness. We are so hooked. Absolutely, positively our new favorite salad. Thank you, Costco.

APPLE PEAR SALAD

[ dressing ]

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. orange juice
3 Tbsp. pecan halves, chopped (we prefer glazed pecans)
2 Tbsp. honey
Sea salt
Black pepper, ground

[ salad ]

6 c. loosely packed baby mixed greens
1 apple pear, halved, cored, and sliced into thin wedges
*NOTE: We used a pear and an apple, which worked just fine too
1/3 c. pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries
1/3 c. feta cheese

butter-pecan sweet potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:57:00 +0000

This recipe comes straight from marthastewart.com, where we have found some of our very favorite recipes. We are sweet potato fans, and this version is so savory and sweet, but not in an "overloaded" way.

BUTTER-PECAN SWEET POTATOES

8 medium sweet potatoes (5 lbs.)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
coarse salt
2 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1/3 c. pecan pieces
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel potatoes and halve lengthwise; slice crosswise 1/2 inch thick. On a baking sheet, toss potatoes with olive oil; season with coarse salt.

2. Transfer half the potatoes to a second baking sheet; cook both sheets until potatoes are tender, tossing occasionally, 25-30 minutes.

(Note: To make ahead (up to 5 hours) prepare recipe through step 2. Cool; cover and refrigerate. About 15 minutes before ready to serve, proceed with recipe.

3. Sprinkle with butter, brown sugar, pecan pieces, and cayenne pepper, dividing evenly. Bake until sugar is caramelized and hard, about 10 minutes. Gently toss; serve immediately.

mom's chocolate chip cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:32:00 +0000

I don't know that I need to say more. They're Mom's cookies, so they're the best. My mom is known for a few things. Counted cross-stitching is one of them. Chocolate chip cookies is another. And it's no wonder. Everyone loves them. And she makes them all the time. For all sorts of occasions. For every occasion.

MOM'S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2/3 c. shortening
2/3 c. butter (not margarine)
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped nuts
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix thoroughly first 6 ingredients. Stir in remaining ingredients. Drop on ungreased baking stone. Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 375 degrees. This is a single recipe which makes about 7 dozen. Mom always makes a double batch.

best buttermilk pancakes & butter syrup

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:15:00 +0000

First of all, I want to be crystal-clear that this recipe is right from Martha Stewart's website. In fact, here's the direct link. I just wanted to share this because it's the recipe we decided to try for Sunday brunch yesterday. And it's unanimous. They are undeniably amazingly yummy. This is so going down in the Higgins' Favorite Recipes. David was the main chef, actually, so total kudos to him.

BEST BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

[ Makes nine 6-inch pancakes ]

2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 c. buttermilk
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus 1/2 teaspoon for griddle

Heat griddle to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons butter; whisk to combine. Batter should have small to medium lumps. Heat oven to 175 degrees (for keeping the finished pancakes warm). Test griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If water bounces and spatters off griddle, it is hot enough. Using a pastry brush, brush remaining 1/2 teaspoon of butter or reserved bacon fat onto griddle. Wipe off excess. Using a 4-ounce ladle, about 1/2 cup, pour pancake batter, in pools 2 inches away from one other. When pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute. Repeat with remaining batter, keeping finished pancakes on a heatproof plate in oven. Serve warm.

Says Martha's people: "The key to fluffy pancakes is not to overmix the batter; it should not be beaten smooth. If serving these pancakes with bacon, reserve half a teaspoon of bacon drippings to grease the griddle instead of butter."

---

And here's a perfectly complimentary -- and equally healthy (ha!) -- recipe to top those pancakes. This comes from my sister-in-law Heidi (thank you for sharing!).

BUTTER SYRUP

1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 stick butter
1 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Melt together whipping cream, butter and sugar over low heat. Slowly increase heat until the mixture barely comes to a boil. Add vanilla & baking soda. Turn off heat while whisking continually until ready to serve.

red velvet cake

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 06:13:00 +0000

I grew up on red velvet cake. Well, not exactly. It's not like we ate it all the time. But it was always a very special dessert and I learned to love it from an early age. Diane and her mother Helen are two ladies from my hometown who make the best red velvet cake. Imagine my delight when I recently received a letter in the mail from them, complete with a handwritten recipe for their red velvet cake!

I just made the cake for the first time this week. Red velvet perfection. Had to call and tell them right away (after the baby shower, where it was consumed). And ... of course ... I asked if this was a family secret, or if I could share. And sweet Helen (84 years young) said something like "At my age, there's no point in keeping any more secrets." Amen! Love her attitude.

Then again, I'm a big fan of sharing recipes. How do you think I got all my best ones? Because people are willing to share.

RED VELVET CAKE

[ CAKE ]

1/2 c. Crisco shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. cocoa
2 oz. red food coloring
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. buttermilk
2 1/2 c. cake flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. vinegar

Cream together shortening, sugar and eggs. Make a paste with cocoa and food coloring and add to the cream mixture. Mix salt and vanilla with buttermilk, add alternately with flour to creamed mixture. Mix soda and vinegar and fold into mixture. (Do not beat … fold only.) Bake in two 9" layer pans for 30 minutes at 350.

[ ICING ]

5 Tbsp. flour
1 c. milk
1 c. granulated sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 c. Crisco shortening
1 tsp. vanilla

Cook flour and milk until thick. Stir constantly. Make sure you cool milk and flour mixture (in refrigerator). Cream together sugar, butter, crisco, and vanilla well with electric beater. Add flour and milk mixture. Beat until right consistency to spread. This should get fluffy like whipped cream.

mom's cole slaw

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:29:00 +0000

Anytime you see a "Mom's" in front of a recipe name, it seems a little more reputable, doesn't it? In this case ... for sure. Love my mom's cooking. And the fact that she's out of the country for a year and a half means I don't have the chance to eat any of her yumminess anytime soon. Sigh. So somehow this got me thinking about her cole slaw. If she can't make it for me, I guess I gotta do it on my own. As a child and young adult, I wanted nothing to do with it. Then one summer (a few years ago), I gave in and tried her chili dogs with cole slaw.

Oh. My. goodness.

Okay. Seriously amazing. So fresh. So tasty. The perfect compliment to the heavy dog & chili. Wanted to heat 5 chili dogs on the spot. Anyway. Fast-forward a couple years. Last time my parents were visiting us in Arizona, I requested that she make the good grub again. Only this time I would pay attention to how she made it. I took notes. Problem is ... she doesn't measure for many of the things she makes. It's "a little of this and a little of that". Ugh. I'm a total recipe follower.

So -- getting to my point: I have finally done it. I have MADE my mom's cole slaw! So easy. And I measured as I added ingredients so that it could become an actual recipe that can be followed. Yay for knowing how much of what goes in!

By the way, when we made this, we ate it with ribs.

MOM'S COLE SLAW

1 head cabbage
3 large carrots
2 1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. sugar
salt & pepper to taste

Chop the whole head of cabbage with a food chopper. You want it chopped really, really fine. Do the same with the carrots and add those to the chopped cabbage. The add mayo to desired consistency. Add the sugar and salt & pepper to taste.

oreo delight

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:51:00 +0000

I don't usually love pudding, but in the context of this recipe, it's not bad. In fact, I find this to be rather tasty.

OREO DELIGHT

35 Oreo cookies (1 whole pkg.) - I prefer mint flavor
6 Tbsp. margarine, melted
1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
1 (12 oz.) tub Cool Whip, thawed
3 1/4 c. cold milk
2 pkg. instant Jell-O pudding
optional: more crushed Oreos or Andes Mint baking chips to sprinkle on top

Mix crushed cookies and butter in medium bowl. Press firmly onto bottom of 9" x 13" baking dish. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Beat cream cheese, sugar, and 2 Tbsp. milk in medium bowl with wire whisk until blended. Stir in 1 1/4 c. Cook Whip. Spread over crust.

Pour 3 1/4 c. milk into bowl. Add both pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk for 2 minutes. Pour over cream cheese layer. Let stand 5 minutes. Drop remaining Cool Whip over pudding and spread. Sprinkle more crushed Oreos or Andes Mint baking chips on top. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

buckeye bars

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:51:00 +0000

This is excellent when you need that peanut-butter-and-chocolate fix.

BUCKEYE BARS

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, softened
3/4 c. crunchy peanut butter
22 NILLA Wafers, crushed
2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 of 8-oz. tub COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (Do not thaw.)
3 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

LINE 8" square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Beat butter and peanut butter with mixer until blended. Mix in wafer crumbs. Gradually add sugar, mixing well after each addition. Press onto bottom of pan.

MICROWAVE Cool Whip and chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min.; stir. Microwave 15 to 30 sec. or until chocolate is melted; stir until blended. Spread over peanut butter layer.

REFRIGERATE about 2 hours. Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting to serve.

fruit & poppy seed salad

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:26:00 +0000

This is probably our favorite "everyday", low-maintenance salad around here.

FRUIT & POPPY SEED SALAD

1 pkg. baby spinach or mixed greens (about 8 oz.)
1 pkg. strawberries, hulled & quartered
2 apples, diced
1 medium cucumber, cute in half & sliced
craisins
sliced toasted almonds
bottle of poppy seed dressing (we like Briannas brand)

Put the greens in a large bowl. Add all of the sliced & diced fruit. Add a little dressing at a time so it's not too much and then top with the sliced almonds just before serving (to keep them crunchy).

creamy mushroom & chicken soup

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:51:00 +0000

I love this + my family loves it = it's a keeper.

Found this recipe in Family Fun magazine, actually, and all of the ingredients appealed to me. Made it. Loved it. I've added this to our favorites, which means I'm happy to share it too (with my personal modifications).

CREAMY MUSHROOM & CHICKEN SOUP

6 Tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, chopped
3 Tbsp. flour
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
6 c. chicken broth
1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
3/4 c. sliced celery
3/4 c. chopped carrots
2 c. quartered baby red potatoes
1 c. chopped yellow squash
1 1/2 c. frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 tsp. thyme
2 c. light cream
3/4 c. grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish if desired
2 c. chopped cooked chicken

In a large post, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in the four, salt, and pepper and mix until smooth. Gradually add the broth, then turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil. Add the mushrooms, celery, carrots, potatoes, squash, corn, and thyme. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Add the cream, Parmesan, and chicken. Heat the soup for an additional 10 minutes, but do not let it boil. To serve, ladle the soup into a bowl and sprinkle it with more Parmesan, if desired. Makes about 15 cups.

classic chicken curry

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:48:00 +0000

If you don't know the flavor of curry, you must give it a try. This is an easy one, too. It's not hard to find a recipe online, but I got this particular recipe from my friend, Britney. The recipe I'm posting includes my slight modifications.

CLASSIC CHICKEN CURRY

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2-3 pieces)
2 Tbsp. curry powder (look among the spices)
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 1/2 c. (14 oz. can) low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Cooked white rice
1/2 c. fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
1/4 c. (1 oz.) almonds, roughly chopped (optional)

Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Cut it into 1-inch pieces and place in a bowl. Sprinkle it with the curry and cinnamon, toss, and set aside. Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and zucchini and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Heat the remaining oil in the skillet. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Add the broth, cream, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer. Return the onion and zucchini to the skillet and heat until the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. For a little stronger curry flavor, this is a good time to sprinkle some more of the curry powder into the liquid mixture. (I do.)

Divide the rice among individual bowls, top with the curry, and sprinkle with the basil and almonds.

Tip: You can vary the ingredients depending on what you have on hand. Consider substituting coconut milk for the cream, eggplant for the zucchini, cilantro for the basil, or cashews for the almonds.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

cafe rio pork salad

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:32:00 +0000

Cafe Rio is a fantastic Mexican grill found in Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. Their food is de-LISH and some friends found a great knock-off recipe for their famous salad. We've all been enjoying making this for years now. (This calls for a little shout-out to my Cleveland Coterie. Hey girls!)

CAFE RIO SALAD

There are 3 parts to the salad: the rice, the pork, and the dressing.

[ LIME-CILANTRO RICE ]

2 Tbsp. oil
4 c. long grain rice (6 c. water)
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
juice of 2 limes
2 tsp. crushed garlic

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add rice, cilantro, and garlic. Saute 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add water and lime juice and bring to boil. Then reduce heat and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed by the rice (about 20 minutes). You can also use a rice cooker if you have one.

[ CAFE RIO PORK ]

pork roast
1 (16 oz.) bottle of salsa
1 can coke
2 c. brown sugar

Place pork in crock-pot and fill it half way up with water. Cook roast on high for 5 hours. Drain off water. Cut pork in thirds. Mix together ingredients (salsa, coke, brown sugar) and put on top of pork. Cook an additional 3 hours on high. Shred pork with forks. Leave it on low until ready to serve.

[ CREAMY TOMATILLA SALAD DRESSING ]

1 packet hidden valley ranch buttermilk dressing
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. mayo or sour cream
2-3 tomatillas (peel off outer leaf/shell)
1 tsp. crushed garlic
¾ bunch fresh cilantro
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
juice from 1 lime (about 2 tsp.)
salt & pepper

Blend all ingredients in the blender. Refrigerate.

[ SERVING ]

Of course you can assemble everything burrito-style. I prefer salad-style. For one serving, I first put a tortilla on a plate (or a large serving bowl, like the pasta bowl shown in the photo). Then put rice, pork, some chopped lettuce, and the dressing. Finally, garnish your salad with shredded cheese, tomatoes, sliced avocados, or whatever you want.

Note: I strongly prefer and recommend the uncooked tortillas over regular ol' packaged tortillas. Check the refrigerated section of your local grocery store. Our Costco carries them too. Just throw the tortilla in a pan over the stove top, give it a few flips, and it's cooked.

stuffed mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:24:00 +0000

One of my all-time favorite appetizers. And so easy to make! We all need EASY during the holidays, right?

STUFFED MUSHROOMS

1 lb. large mushrooms
1 lb. pork sausage (Jimmy Dean brand is great)
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1/4 c. stuffing mix (I prefer Pepperidge Farm brand)
garlic salt
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Remove stems from mushrooms and save about 10 stems. Brown sausage, add chopped onions and stems. Add cream cheese and stuffing mix; season with garlic salt and Worcestershire sauce. Stuff each mushroom caps with a spoonful of the mixture. Bake at 350 until water starts to come out of the mushrooms (about 10 minutes).

chocolate cake cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 04:19:00 +0000

These were today's after-school snack at our house. And the only way they could be easier is if I scooped the cookie dough right out of a pre-made cookie dough bucket. They're so quick to make. And, well ... very, very chocolately. If you're into that sort of thing.

CHOCOLATE CAKE COOKIES

1 box chocolate cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 c. oil (I prefer olive oil)
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together. Bake at 350 for 8-9 minutes. Yield: About 3 dozen cookies.

ham & swiss rolls

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:43:00 +0000

Love these little sandwiches, especially for entertaining. You can make them ahead of time, keeping them refrigerated until you're ready to pop them in the oven. So easy. My cute (birthday girl this week) friend Karolyn shared this recipe with me years ago and it's always a hit.

HAM & SWISS ROLLS

24 rolls
mayonnaise
12 thick slices deli ham (black forest)
12 slices Swiss cheese
1/2 c. melted butter
1 1/2 Tbsp. mustard
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Slice rolls in half so they open. Spread mayo on top and bottom of the inside of each roll. Assemble rolls with ½ slice of cheese and ½ slice of ham. Place all of these in a baking pan or stone. Mix together the melted butter, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and poppy seeds with a whisk. Brush this mixture all over the tops of the rolls and cover with tin foil. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until heated through.

oreo truffles

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:54:00 +0000

These simple treats are perfect for anyone who likes Oreos (we have a little Oreo fan club in our home). The kids can even help you roll these into balls. I haven't made these in a long time ... it's been a few years ... and just made them for a "girls night in" gathering that I hosted this week. Now I remember why I kept the recipe. Easy and yummy.

OREO TRUFFLES

2 sleeves Oreos
8 oz. softened cream cheese
Handful of white chocolate chips
Handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Crush the Oreos in a food processor (should be like crumbs). Pour into a mixing bowl/mixer. Add in the cream cheese and mix until well blended. Roll into balls. In a separate bowl, melt all the chocolate chips together and drizzle over balls.

Hint: Melt the chips in the microwave, along with a teaspoon of Crisco. Once melted, place them in baggie & cut the corner of the bag (a very small hole) and drizzle over the balls. Even better, use an icing bag if you have one. Store truffles in the fridge.

Yield: About 30 truffles

butterscotch apple dip

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:17:00 +0000

Fall is the perfect time for apples and a warm dip, isn't it? I tried this for the first time last night and loved it. I kept it warm in an itty bitty crock pot, next to the freshly cut apple slices.

BUTTERSCOTCH APPLE DIP

1 can. sweetened condensed milk
1 c. butterscotch chips
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. white vinegar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

In a saucepan over low heat, combine sweetened condensed milk, butterscotch chips, and salt. Cook & stir until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in vinegar & cinnamon. Serve warm.

black-bottom banana bars

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:02:00 +0000

Have a few extra-ripe bananas that are begging to be baked in something? My absolute favorite is banana bread (see my 9.25.07 post here in the recipe section). This recipe is another great option. Made a batch yesterday because I wanted to share something sweet with a friend who had a birthday.

BLACK-BOTTOM BANANA BARS

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. baking cocoa

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla; beat until thoroughly combined. Blend in the bananas. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide batter in half. Add cocoa to half; spread into a greased 9" x 13" baking pan. Spoon remaining batter on top and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until the bars test done. Cool.

quick peach cobbler

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 02:20:00 +0000

It's simple. It's quick. And it's super sweet. A small portion goes a long way.

QUICK PEACH COBBLER

5 (15 oz.) canned peaches, drained
2 boxes yellow cake mix
1 c. melted butter

Grease 9” x 13” baking dish and spread peaches. Mix melted butter with dry cake mix and crumble over the peaches. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

carrots & zucchini

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:32:00 +0000

This side dish is a personal favorite. I would prefer seconds of this over most desserts (sometimes). My childhood best friend, Lydia, introduced this to me about 12 years ago and every time I make it I think, we need to make this more often!

CARROTS & ZUCCHINI

baby carrots
zucchini
olive oil
grated parmesan cheese
dill weed (among the spices)

Boil the carrots so they're soft. Meanwhile, slice some zucchini. Heat a little bit of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the zucchini. Saute for a minute and then add the carrots (once they're soft) to the zucchini.

NOTE: You don't want the zucchini to get all mushy. They only need to be in the pan for about 5 minutes-ish. That means you'll want to boil the carrots well before putting carrots in the pan. Maybe 15 minutes or so before. Use a fork to test the carrots so they're "just right" for you.

Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese and dill weed over the vegetables and saute & stir for a few minutes until they're to your liking. Serve immediately.

chicken caesar pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:06:00 +0000

This is another cold pasta salad, perfect for summer. And one that I've loved and made many times over the years.

CHICKEN CAESAR PASTA

16 oz. box rotini
2 boneless chicken breasts
1 bottle Cardini’s original Caesar dressing
1 Tbsp. crushed garlic
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 Tbsp. Mrs. Dash seasoning
1/3 red onion, chopped

Cook pasta and drain. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and stir-fry in garlic & oil. Mix chicken in with the pasta. Add dressing, onion, and Mrs. Dash. Garnish with cherry tomatoes (optional: cut them in half).

crepes

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:37:00 +0000

The recipe for crepes is not hard to find, but it's just one of those things that we don't ever think about making. So we did this week. So easy. Filled them with whipped cream and fresh fruit (raspberries, blueberries and strawberries). Looked rather patriotic, just in time for the Fourth of July.

CREPES

4 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. flour
2 1/4 c. milk
1/2 stick (4 Tbsp.) melted butter

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk, stirring to combine. Add the salt and melted butter; beat until smooth. Heat a lightly oiled 9" frying pan over medium heat. Using a 1/4 c. measuring cup, scoop the batter into the pan. Immediately tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot. Fill with your favorite fresh fruit, rolled up in the crepe, and sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top.

garlic shrimp linguine

noreply@blogger.com (Becky) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:16:00 +0000

I love seafood, but don't cook with it often (SOMEone in the family isn't a big fan). But when David said he was kind of in the mood for shrimp, I was all over it. We made this together, tweaking a recipe we found on allrecipes.com. This is our version.

GARLIC SHRIMP LINGUINE

1 lb. uncooked linguine
3 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
6 Tbsp. cooking white wine
1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
4 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
salt & pepper to taste
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled & deveined

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes; drain. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat; add wine, cheese, olive oil, garlic, parsley, and salt & pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium high and add shrimp to skillet; cook for a few minutes or until shrimp begins to turn pink (do not overcook). Add whipping cream. Serve portions of pasta topped with shrimp & sauce. Garnish with parmesan cheese (we prefer shredded over grated for garnishing) and fresh parsley, if desired.