Cookie Sheets and Cake Pans

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

2012-01-25T21:17:00.001-06:00

I made a batch of these muffins for a Christmas party, and they were snatched up in no time! While we usually associate pumpkin with the holidays, I love it all winter long... These babies are fantastic, and are a crowd-pleaser to boot.

Filling:
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 c powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla

Muffins:
3 c flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
1 TBSP plus 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 eggs
2 c sugar
2 c pumpkin puree
1 1/4 c canola oil
1 tsp vanilla

Topping:
1/2 c sugar
5 TBSP flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 TBSP cold butter, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 350° and fill 2 muffin tins with paper liners.

Whip together ingredients for filling until smooth. Cover and refrigerate while you work on muffin batter.

For muffins, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda. Set aside. In another bowl, combine eggs, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla and oil. Mix with electric mixer on low until blended.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix slowly until combined.

For topping, combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl. Add in butter pieces and cut into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or fork until coarse and crumbly. Keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

To assemble muffins, fill each muffin liner with about 2 TBSP of batter. Spoon 1 TBSP of cream cheese filling into the center of each liner (on top of the batter). Cover the filling with additional batter, covering cream cheese completely. Sprinkle with 1 TBSP of streusel mixture.

Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before eating (filling will be VERY hot) and store in an airtight container.

Comments from the cook: I didn't need to change anything from the original recipe...and they turned out perfectly! I did have to make a make-shift version of pumpkin pie spice at the last minute (thank you, all-knowing internet for helping me make a quick substitution!). I'm looking forward to needing a reason to make these again...

Original recipe found here (helpful step-by-step pictures available there!). Ingredient list and most of directions taken from her site.

Baked (not fried) Chicken Parmesan

2012-01-08T20:00:00.003-06:00

Chicken Parmesan is a hands-down favorite around here (only behind pizza, I would submit). We'd been wanting to try a baked Chicken Parmesan for a while... and found this one to make after church today. It's a winner!

3 chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat and sliced into cutlets
2 c marinara sauce, warmed
3/4 c mozzarella cheese, grated
---
1 1/2 c Panko crumbs (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
---
1/2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 TBSP salt
1/2 tsp pepper
---
3 egg whites
1 TBSP water

Combine bread crumbs and olive oil in saucepan, and cook over medium heat until golden brown. Allow to cool for a few moments, then add Parmesan cheese.

Combine flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Set aside.

Whisk egg whites and water together in a shallow dish and set aside.

Dry chicken cutlets with paper towel and season with a bit of (additonal) salt and pepper. Dip in flour mixture, and shake off excess.

Next dip in egg mixture, until all flour has been thoroughly moistened.

Next dip in bread crumb coating. (You may need to press down on the cutlets to make sure that crumbs stick to them.)

Place foil over a baking sheet, then place a wire baking/cooling rack over the foil-covered sheet. Spray rack with non-stick spray, and place coated chicken on rack. Spray tops of coated chicken with non-stick spray. Bake at 475° for 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked thoroughly.

Add 2 TBSP marinara sauce to tops of each cooked cutlet, then top with cheese. Bake for 5 more minutes.

Serve over spaghetti or pasta of your choice.

Comments from the cook: We hardly changed anything from the original recipe, except for using a Parmesan-Romano cheese blend...which turned out to be amazing. We served our chicken over spaghetti, and used extra marinara sauce to add more flavor.

Hope you love this as much as we did!

Recipe found at BrownEyedBaker.com, here.

Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls

2011-12-21T16:55:00.001-06:00

This recipe comes from a cookbook that my mom got me for Christmas a few years ago. They're called Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls because the main ingredient is a boxed cake mix...and when I read it, I was sold! The finished product is moist and delicious, and even a cake-lover like me couldn't tell a cake mix was involved. Cheating the system without consequences!? Yay!

1 white or yellow cake mix (I used white)
2 pkgs yeast (or 4 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp salt
2 c flour
--
4 1/2 c flour
4-5 TBSP butter
cinnamon sugar, to taste
frosting of your choice

Combine first four ingredients (cake mix, yeast, salt, and 2 c flour). Add 2 1/4 cups hot water. Mix. Add 4 1/2 c flour and knead until well mixed (it took about 4-5 minutes in my KitchenAid, but by-hand is fine for a similar amount of time).

Let rise until doubled (somewhere between 1-1.5 hrs).

Push down and roll onto flour surface into giant rectangle.

Soften butter and brush over rectangle. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll up and cut into 1 1/2 inch slices.

Let rise until doubled on cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

Frost while still warm with frosting of your choice.

Makes about 18 rolls.

Comments from the cook: The original recipe called for 3 cups of flour in the 2nd set of ingredients, but I found that it needed closer to 4 1/2 cups. Other than that, this recipe is just as easy as it sounds, and the result is awesome.

My favorite made-from-scratch frosting consists of whipping together about a TBSP of Crisco, a splash of milk, a dash of salt, a bit of vanilla, and as much powdered sugar as it takes to get the consistency you're going for. (Vague enough for ya?!)

Originally found in the "Worldwide Ward Cookbook" by Deanna Buxton. Recipe attributed to Noryne Moss, and adjusted slightly by yours truly.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

2011-12-19T14:59:00.000-06:00

This recipe has been in my "to make" folder for years now. I got it from a former co-worker, who brought it for lunch one day. I didn't need to taste it to know that I needed a copy of the recipe. Fast forward about five years, and it turns out I was right. I'm only kicking myself about not having made it sooner.

While this soup doesn't make for a very beautiful photograph, the taste is enough to put vanity aside! :)

Original recipe calls for DOUBLE these quantities...which would be enough for you to eat for at least a week. Also, don't be intimidated by the number of ingredients. The final product is worth it!

1 TBSP canola oil

1/2 c chopped onion

1 tsp minced garlic (or 2 cloves)

1 (4oz) can diced green chiles

4 1/2 c water

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tsp beef bullion (I used 2 cubes)

2 tsp chicken bullion (same)

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 TBSP A-1 sauce

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

12 corn tortillas

3 c cheddar cheese, grated

1/4 tsp paprika

Saute onion and garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients (except tortillas, cheese, and paprika). Bring to a light boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 min.

Cut tortillas into 1/2 inch pieces, and grate cheese.

After the 20 min of simmering, add tortillas, cheese, and paprika.

Simmer uncovered 10 minutes.

Comments from the cook: I had a 7oz can of green chiles, and used the entire can. Next time I'll probably opt for a few less, but it's certainly a way to amp up the flavor. I also just used 2 cups of grated cheese instead of 3. The flavor of the soup is so good that the cheese isn't the main attraction, and I think I'll add even less next time.

Reheats really well the next day (with a bit of extra water added).

Originally shared by John Wadley, former co-worker at Provo Craft.

Minestrone Soup

2011-12-08T17:19:00.000-06:00

My mom has been making minestrone soup for years, and somehow I hadn't tried it until a few months ago. I LOVED IT. Minestrone is a bit like "Ghoulash", in that it seems to mean something different in each household. This is my version, and the ingredient list is as complete as possible for a "maybe a little bit more of this, little bit more of that" recipe.

1/3 lb ground beef *
1/4 of a white onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp basil
1 1/2 tsp oregano
5-6 c water
3 cubes beef bullion
4-5 carrots, chopped
28 oz can diced tomatoes
15 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp onion salt
1 tsp garlic
15 oz can kidney beans
15 oz can green beans
1/2 of 15 oz can yellow corn
4 servings pasta, mini-shells shown above
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh Parmesan cheese

Brown ground beef and onion in stock pot until thoroughly cooked. Add remaining ingredients (except kidney beans, green beans, corn, and pasta), cover, and cook at a low boil until carrots are thoroughly cooked.

Prepare pasta separately (my preference is to make it a bit al dente, so that it doesn't get too soft later) and add to soup after carrots have cooked.

Add green beans and corn and simmer over low heat until ready to serve.

Comments from the cook: This was my first time making minestrone soup, and I was thrilled with how it turned out. Brian had to work late that night, and I knew it was my chance to make a big batch of "girl soup".

I experimented quite a bit with flavors, and you'll want to do the same. In the end, mine was a bit thick, and I should've added a bit more water. But, thankfully, this soup freezes amazingly...and you can always add more water when you thaw it out and re-heat it.

My mom serves this with fresh Parmesan cheese and warm bread.

This makes a gigantic batch, but we (Claire and I) loved it so much that it seemed impossible to have too much around! I realized the other day that we no longer have any in the freezer, so it must be time to make some more...

* We usually divide our ground beef into 1/3 lb increments, but you're welcome to use whatever amount you prefer. My mom says that Italian sausage also tastes really good in this recipe!

Originally shared by my mom, Alane, who got her version from a dear friend, Donna Harris.

Pepperoni Pizza Muffins

2011-12-01T10:35:00.000-06:00

When I found this recipe online, I KNEW we would need to try it. I don't know anyone who loves pizza as much as Brian and I do, so it was worth a shot. I made them one Friday night, and they were excellent. Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Yum! These would be perfect for a party or get-together with friends...

3/4 c flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 TBSP Italian seasoning
pinch of salt
pinch of red pepper flakes
3/4 c milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup sliced pepperoni (quartered)
marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease mini-muffin cup pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, Italian seasoning, salt and red pepper flakes. Mix in the milk and egg. Stir in mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and pepperoni.

Let stand 10 minutes.

Stir batter and pour into muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Serve with marinara sauce of your choice.

Comments from the cook: I made these into full-size muffins (instead of minis) and the recipe made 12 muffins. I baked them for about 25 minutes, and they were perfect.

The original version of this recipe (by Rachael Ray, apparently) did not call for salt or red pepper flakes...but the version I used had them, and I thought they tasted great!

Recipe found here. Ingredients and majority of instructions taken from her site.

Pumpkin Pie Bars

2011-11-27T19:30:00.000-06:00

This recipe comes from one of my old roommates from BYU. She and I lived together our junior year, and I recall that she was studying dietetics. We always teased that because she studied dietetics, anything she made was "healthy", and thus safe for consumption!

1 pkg yellow cake mix (save out 1c mix)
1 lb. 13oz. can pumpkin
2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
2/3 c milk
1/4 c white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 TBSP softened butter
1 egg
1/2 c melted and cooled butter

Combine cake mix, 1 egg, and 1/2 c melted butter or margarine and press in bottom of 9x13 pan.

Mix pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, eggs, milk, and pour over cake mix.

On top of this crumble the following mixture: 1 c reserved cake mix, 1/4 c white sugar, cinnamon, and 2 TBSP of butter.

Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes. Top with whipped cream or ice cream. Serve chilled or warm.

Comments from the cook: Pumpkin pie always seems to be a obligatory part of Thanksgiving for us, but we've decided that this dessert is taking it's place. :) The cakey crust on the bottom makes these a fantastic alternative to pumpkin pie. We like to make these for holiday parties with large groups, where lots of people can help eat it!

We prefer this chilled, with whipped cream on top. Delish!

Originally shared by Brenda Malone, roommate from The Park Place, 2002-2003. Text taken from Brenda's original recipe.

Cheesy Stuffed Shells

2011-11-21T09:29:00.001-06:00

My sister-in-law made this recipe for us quite a while ago (2006, when did you become so long ago!?) and I found it in my recipe binder this last winter, and resurrected it. YUM!

24-30 jumbo pasta shells
2 eggs
1 (15oz) container cottage cheese
2 c mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp dried parsley leaves
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 cups marinara sauce

Cook jumbo pasta shells as directed on packaging. Run cool water over them to halt further cooking.

Pour 1/2 cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and garlic salt. Stir until combined.

Spoon a heaping spoonful of filling into each pasta shell. Place in pan, and cover with remaining marinara sauce. Cover with foil.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove foil, and cook for 5-10 more minutes, or until bubbly.

Comments from the cook: This is an excellent recipe that we love at our house. We think the leftovers might even be better than the fresh product!

I use canned marinara sauce for this recipe, but made it with Brian's homemade sauce a few times ago. It was excellent!

Originally shared by my SIL, Meredith, and adapted from a recipe found in one of her cookbooks (source unknown).

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

2011-11-14T20:43:00.000-06:00

My mom told me about these muffins quite some time ago... They're SO EASY - only 3 ingredients! And the taste? Fabulous. I even stockpiled on pumpkin this Fall (heaven forbid there be a shortage again), just so I could make these muffins anytime I wanted...

1 spice cake mix
1 (15 oz) can solid pack pumpkin
1/2 bag mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
water (optional)

Combine cake mix (powder only - no need to add the oil or eggs) and pumpkin with mixer until well blended.

Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon into greased muffin tins.

Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes, or until they pass the "clean toothpick" test.

Comments from the cook: I add about 1/2 cup water to the batter to make it a bit thinner. I suppose if you were going to make these into cookies instead of muffins, you'd probably want the batter to be the original consistency (no water added). But, while we're on the subject, I'll just go ahead and admit that I'll probably always make these into muffins rather than cookies. Muffins sound less guilt-inducing than cookies, no? :)

Also, spice cake mixes can be a little harder to find, but rumor has it that a yellow cake mix will also work and taste fantastic. My mom even used a carrot cake mix once in a pinch.These are a great treat with a cup of hot chocolate in the dead of winter...

Makes about 24 muffins.

Originally passed on from my mom, Alane. (As you can see, she did hers in mini-bundt pans, left out the choc chips, then added caramel frosting and a pastry-dough cinnamon-sugar leaf to hers. MAN, she's always taking things to the next level... I love it!)

S'more Cups

2011-11-13T18:21:00.000-06:00

Another Pinterest find! I believe, whole-heartedly, that recipes that produce anything s'more-like are worth trying at least once. And these little "s'more bombs" are sure to make more appearances in the future!

7 whole graham crackers (1 cup finely crushed)

1/4 c powdered sugar

6 TBSP butter, melted

3 (1.55 oz) Hershey bars

12 large marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350°. Crush graham crackers in plastic bag, and mix with powdered sugar and melted butter in small bowl.

Place 1 TBSP of crumb mixture into the bottom of mini muffin pans (makes enough for 24). Press crumbs down with back of measuring spoon to create a shallow cup. Bake 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbling.

In the meantime, break 2 of the Hershey bars into rectangles. Remove pan from oven and place one rectangle into each cup.

Cut large marshmallows in half crosswise using kitchen shears and dipping them in cold water. Place one marshmallow half, cut-side down, into each cup. Return to oven for 1-2 minutes, or until marshmallows start to puff up.

Remove from oven to cooling rack. Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then remove s'more cups from pan. Cool completely for 40-60 minutes.

Melt remaining Hershey bar in microwavable bowl (melt for about 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds). Dip tops of s'more cups in chocolate and allow to cool.

Makes 24.

Comments from the cook: It was less expensive to buy one jumbo Hershey bar, so that's what I used. I cut each rectangle in half, and used small squares in each s'more cup...and they didn't seem short on chocolate at all :) I also chose to flick the chocolate across the top instead of dipping them.

These were amazing right after baking/cooling, and were also pretty good the next day (after being rewarmed in the oven for a few minutes).

Originally found on Pinterest, linked to awesome this website.

Hearty Beef Stew

2011-11-11T09:01:00.000-06:00

I wanted to make beef stew the other day, and the seasoning packets at our local grocery store were nearly $3(!), so I tried my hand at homemade. I cracked my Betty Crocker cookbook for a few pointers, and the result was great! For the record, we won't be buying packets ever again...

1 lb beef stew meat

1/2 medium onion

10-12 baby carrots, sliced

1 cup beef broth

1/3 c flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp marjoram

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

6 russet potatoes, cut into 1" chunks

6 c water

Brown stew meat in a frying pan, and add to CrockPot. Add sliced onion, carrots, and potatoes.

Add beef broth and water (6 cups is an estimate...I just added enough to partially cover the vegetables, so they would cook thoroughly).

Add spices and flour. Stir together until mixed.

Allow to cook in CrockPot for 3-4 hours on high.

Comments from the cook: Brian works out of town on Wednesday afternoon/evening, and always needs to take dinner with him. Beef stew is one of his all-time favorites, so I threw this in the CrockPot a little before noon. I was nervous that it wouldn't be done soon enough, but by 3:45 it was perfectly cooked.

I also loved that this stew didn't require any kind of thickening! Adding flour in the initial stages is all you need to do, and the thickness is perfect after 3-4 hours.

Many ingredients/quantities taken from "Betty Crocker's Cookbook - Beef Stew" recipe (found on pg 465)

Chile Verde Burritos

2011-11-06T11:30:00.003-06:00

I went to a Relief Society mid-week activity on easy freezer meals, and this is one of the recipes that was shared by the teacher. I knew it sounded like something we'd like, even though it forced me to make amends with my Crockpot. It has quickly become one of our favorites, and I think you'll like it too!

1 TBSP oil

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, diced

6 boneless pork loin chops

7 oz. can diced green chiles

16 oz. jar salsa verde

19 oz. can green chile enchilada sauce

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

juice of one lime

salt and pepper, to taste

flour tortillas

Chop onion and bell pepper. Saute in oil (and add garlic) until vegetables are softened.

Add pork, then sauted onion and bell pepper to Crockpot. Continue to add green chiles, salsa verde, enchilada sauce, all spices and lime juice to mixture. Stir together.

Cook on high for 5-6 hours if pork is frozen and 4-5 hours if meat is defrosted.

After pork is thoroughly cooked, shred. Put back into the sauce and add salt and pepper to taste.

Comments from the cook: This recipe makes a LARGE amount, so I have always preferred to half everything. Doing so makes for about 5 burritos at our house, which is enough for us (plus leftovers). You can always make the full recipe and freeze the rest, according to our freezer meals teacher...

I have a very hot Crockpot, so I cooked this recipe for about 2 hours on high, then switched it to low for the remaining 3-4 hours. I also used a pork roast, which worked fine (except for my FATAL error of buying it bone-in...and having to remove the bone myself. Remember how I hate touching meat? Gag, barf, die.)

In order to amp this up even more, we ate our burritos enchilada style. We put the meat and sauce into tortillas, added a little bit of mozzarella cheese to the insides, rolled them up, covered them in sauce, topped them with more cheese and baked them at 400° or so for about 10 or 15 minutes...just to melt the cheese.

Originally shared by JoAnna Moss, freezer meal extraordinaire. :)

Feedback

2011-11-04T14:43:00.004-05:00

So, the question is...

Have you made any recipes you've found on this silly little food blog? If so, what did you make, and were you pleased with how it turned out?

I'd love the feedback, and would love for you to introduce yourself too :)

Love,
A

Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

2011-11-02T22:10:00.003-05:00

Sugar cookies are a holiday favorite, and Halloween ushers in the need for a good cut-out cookie recipe. These are Martha Stewart's, and we like them too! :)

1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature

1 c sugar

1 egg

1 TBSP vanilla

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 c flour

Whip butter and sugar together on high speed for 5 minutes with electric mixer. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt until combined.

Add flour 1 cup at a time, and mix only well enough to combine.

Divide dough into 2 portions and refrigerate in flattened discs (between plastic wrap).

Dough will be slightly crumbly when cold. Quickly form into a ball with hands (try not to warm it up completely), then roll out on a floured surface. Roll out to 1/8" thick, and cut with cookie cutters.

Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes. Cool on a cooling rack, and frost with your favorite frosting.

Comments from the cook: My mom made these last Valentine's Day, and they were delicious. Mine were a TAD overdone (I prefer soft cookies), but the frosting always softens them a bit...especially on the 2nd day.

Love the flavor of these cookies! My husband always looks forward to decorating these with a MAN's touch...hence the cookie covered in only M&Ms!

Originally found here.

Brownie Batter Cupcakes

2011-09-21T20:12:00.000-05:00

These may look like ordinary cupcakes, but MAN ALIVE, they're nothing but ordinary... Dropping a frozen mound of "brownie batter" into the middle of a fancy chocolate cupcake before baking it certainly can't send you in the wrong direction, I say!

Brownie Batter:

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup milk
1 devil’s food cake mix

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 mins until well combined.

Using a cookie dough scoop (or small spoon), drop rounded balls of batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze overnight.

(Makes about 30 dough balls.)

Cupcakes:

1 devil’s food cake mix
1 small pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1/3 c canola oil
2/3 c applesauce
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 325°. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners.

Combine all ingredients in mixer and mix on medium speed for 2 mins until well combined.

Using a large scoop (about 3 tbsp) drop batter into the cupcake liners, filling about 2/3 full.

Remove brownie batter mounds from freezer and press into the cupcake batter. Bake for 22-28 mins. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Makes about 30 cupcakes.

Frosting:
You'll never guess which one I used... :) Click here to find it.

Comments from the cook: My in-laws were here for the weekend, and I had been waiting for about a month to try these out. I knew we needed to have LOTS of mouths around to help eat these...or we'd have been in a whole heap of trouble!

The original recipe called for 1 cup of oil, and I substituted part of it for applesauce (I have a hard time pouring 1 cup of oil into ANY recipe...amazing or not!). The original recipe also called for chocolate chips in the cupcake batter, but I forgot to add them, and never felt like final product was lacking anything. Much the opposite, actually! Obviously, the chocolate frosting from the HoHo cake has become my new favorite. If you wanted to use the frosting from the original recipe, you certainly could. I just never hesitate to stick with something I KNOW will work...

These were good the first day, but were even more amazing the next evening. The brownie centers softened and the frosting was more set up.

Oh, and one last thing... I had ONE more cupcake than I had dough balls, so I threw a frozen ball of chocolate chip cookie dough into the center of the last cupcake. It was INCREDIBLE. Perhaps an idea for next time. :)
Originally found on Pinterest, which linked it back to this site (recipe said to have been adapted from Cook's Illustrated).

Density Bars

2011-09-11T19:12:00.001-05:00

Our dear friends, M+B, made these for us mannnnny years ago...and I've been meaning to make them for a long time now. They're called "Density Bars" for a reason, so if you make them, be sure to make sure there's milk in the fridge! :)

1 c brown sugar
1 c white sugar
1 c butter
2 eggs
1 c peanut butter
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
2 c quick oats

Preheat oven to 325°.

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs; beat until smooth. Add peanut butter and blend.

Sift together flour, soda, and salt; add to sugar mixture and mix until smooth. Add oats and vanilla.

Put into 9x13 pan (I use a jelly roll pan, which has sides that are just 1" high). Bake at 325° for 20 minutes.

**Frost with chocolate frosting of your choice.

Comments from the cook: YUM. These are excellent, and their mere existence in your house can make you do careless things that you wouldn't otherwise do (one bar in each hand, alternating bites!).

**I would recommend using the chocolate frosting from the HoHo cake (found here). We had a little bit of it left over in the freezer, and used it to frost a few of these. It was delicious. When it ran out and I took these to a little shin-dig, I needed another frosting...so I used some hot fudge (the kind you put on ice cream) from my fridge.

I put the hot fudge in my KitchenAid, then added a splash of milk, a little vanilla, and a bit of salt. Then I added powdered sugar until I got it to the consistency I wanted. In retrospect, the taste was good...but I should've just gone with another batch of the HoHo cake frosting. :)

Special thanks to my dearest friend Brittany, for introducing us to these little darlings. They're now part of my arsenal!

Originally shared by the fabulous Brittany. Most text taken from her original recipe.

Éclair Cake

2011-09-06T21:41:00.001-05:00

Brian's family has a dear friend named Vickie. She makes the most mouth-watering desserts ever, and her wedding present to us (6 short years ago) was a packet of her recipes. We've taken good care of them, and this is one of our very favorites.

Cake:
1 box graham crackers, unbroken (generic ok)
2 small boxes instant french vanilla pudding
3 1/2 c whole milk
1 (8oz) container CoolWhip

Frosting:
2 unsweetened liquid chocolate packets (or 2 - 1 oz. squares unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled)
2 tsp corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla
3 TBSP softened butter
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
3 TBSP milk

Spray bottom of 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

Line bottom of pan with whole graham crackers.

Beat pudding mixes with 3 1/2 c whole milk for 2 minutes at medium speed. Blend in CoolWhip.

Pour half of pudding mixture over crackers.

Place second layer of graham crackers over pudding, and pour remaining pudding mixture over crackers.

Cover pudding with third layer of crackers. Mix frosting, then pour over crackers and spread evenly.

Refrigerate for at least 8 hours and serve chilled. (If possible, chill for 24 hours, as crackers soften more and more with time.)

Comments from the cook: I didn't have unsweetened chocolate on hand (a certain FSP is probably to blame!) and our grocery store wanted an arm and a leg for a package of it. But I remembered that the Hershey's cocoa has directions for substituting cocoa (+ oil) for unsweetened chocolate. So, I did that, and couldn't tell any difference. And it was much cheaper!

I'm sure you could probably get away with using sugar-free pudding and reduced fat milk (and CoolWhip) in this recipe. But, if I remember clearly (and I do), I was told from VERY early on that this cake shouldn't be tinkered with! And so far, there've been no complaints about how it tastes...so we'll just continue to leave well-enough alone. :)

Originally shared by Vickie L, dessert master and family friend

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

2011-08-28T19:29:00.003-05:00

I found these online, and knew that Brian would LOVE them. I made a batch for our anniversary last week, and they were a hit. They will be a great, inexpensive treat next time we need to take dessert to a BBQ...

1 lb strawberries, washed and hollowed out
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3/4 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 c whipped topping
4-6 graham crackers
1 TBSP sugar

Wash strawberries. Using a small paring knife, hollow out insides. Allow to dry on towel.

Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in mixer and beat until smooth. Add vanilla. Then fold in whipped topping.

Crush graham crackers in plastic bag (with rolling pin) and add tablespoon of sugar to mixture. Place in bowl.

Place cream cheese mixture in freezer bag, cut corner off of bag, and pipe into strawberries. Dip in graham cracker mixture.

Serve chilled.

Comments from the cook: The original recipe for these looked really good. When I started mixing it together, I tasted the mixture and thought it needed a little bit more sugar. I also added whipped cream to create a lighter texture (akin to our favorite cheesecake recipe).

Instead of making an entire batch at once, we prepared these a few at a time, and just left the ingredients in the fridge. This made for nice fresh berries each time. Delicious!
Originally found here. Recipe found here.

Butterfinger Blondies

2011-08-24T16:36:00.004-05:00

This is another one of the recipes I found on Pinterest. We had a friend from Utah stay with us one night last week, and thought it would be fun to try these out when he arrived. They were excellent!
1 c butter
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp coarse sea salt
2 c coarsely chopped Butterfinger Bars (approx 16 “Fun Size” bars)
Butterfinger pieces for topping

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and sugars together. Add the vanilla and eggs until mixed.

Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to mixture.

Stir in chopped Butterfinger pieces.

Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray. Spread dough in pan, and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool completely. Top with frozen yogurt and additional candy pieces.

Comments from the cook: The original recipe (found here) calls for a buttercream frosting on top, but my general preference is that frosting live on top of CAKE. :) So we topped these blondies with frozen yogurt and extra candy pieces, and they were delicious.

The texture of the Butterfinger candy softens and disappears in the bars during baking, so adding them on top brings back the texture you expect from a Butterfinger dessert...a step I wouldn't recommend skipping.

I undercooked these just a bit, and they fell after baking. If cooked for the full 25 minutes, they will be quite a bit thicker.

Originally found on Pinterest, and posted here (some text taken from site).

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

2011-08-21T10:02:00.001-05:00

I recently joined Pinterest, and I LOVE IT. The number of gorgeous-looking, mouth-watering recipes is enough to do a girl like me in! I found these cupcakes a few weeks ago, and knew I had to try them. The cupcakes and icing turned out perfectly, and I'll be making these again for sure. (And I'll honestly say I'm in love with this picture - that we took on our kitchen table yesterday!)

Cupcakes:

1 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c canola oil
2 egg whites
1/3 c thawed frozen Pink Lemonade Concentrate
1/4 c buttermilk
3 drops red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350°. Put paper liners in muffin tins.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.

If you don't have buttermilk, make the substitute (1/4 cup milk and just under 1 tsp lemon juice) and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.

Combine sugar, oil, egg whites, and lemonade concentrate in mixer. Whisk until combined. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk (3 additions of flour mixture, 2 of buttermilk) until smooth.

Add 3 drops red food coloring (or amount desired) to color batter.

Pour into liners (about 3/4 full) and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out cleanly.

Allow to cool before frosting.

Pink Lemonade Frosting:

3 c + 3 TBSP powdered sugar
1 stick butter (at room temperature)
1/8 tsp salt
3 1/2 TBSP pink lemonade concentrate
2 drops red food coloring
pink sanding sugar

Combine powdered sugar, butter, salt, and lemonade concentrate together. Whisk until smooth. Add food coloring until desired color is reached.

Pipe onto cupcakes, and dust with sanding sugar.

Makes 9 cupcakes.
Comments from the cook: I doubled the recipe for cupcakes (and made 18), but left the quantities as they were for the frosting. I found the amount of frosting to be perfect for the double-batch of cupcakes, and mine were generously frosted.

I added more lemonade concentrate to both the cupcake batter and icing than the original recipe called for (text above indicates increased quantities), but you could scale back a bit if you're going for more subtle flavors.

Originally found on Pinterest, which directed me to the recipe posted here (some text taken from her site).

Toffee Cowboy Cookies

2011-07-24T20:20:00.001-05:00

As a general rule at our house, we try to wait for weekends to bake goodies. And, this weekend? We wanted something GOOD, but needed it to be something with ingredients that were already in our cupboards. So I went for a Cowboy Cookie recipe, threw in some toffee bits, and voila!

1 c butter, softened
1 c brown sugar
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 c oats
1 c milk chocolate chips
1/2 c milk chocolate coated toffee chips

Cream the butter and sugars together until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla.

Sift flour, baking soda and powder, and salt together. Add to batter.

Stir in oats, chocolate chips, and toffee bits.

Spoon onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 ° for 10-12 minutes.

Comments from the cook: Toffee has an amazing way of really jazzing up a cookie! I cooked these for just over 9 minutes, because I prefer cookies super-chewy instead of crispy. They turned out perfectly, though they always look like they might be underdone when they first come out.

As is usually the case, refrigerated dough will take a little bit longer to cook, but cooks up wonderfully also.
Original "Cowboy Cookie" recipe found in the Worldwide Ward Cookbook by Deanna Buxton (nuts omitted and toffee added). Some instructions/text taken from cookbook.

Ice Cream Cake

2011-07-14T22:02:00.001-05:00

My husband loves ice cream cake. So, this year, I decided to tackle one for his birthday. I found this recipe in an issue of the Food Network magazine, and it turned out wonderfully. Mine didn't look as glamorous as theirs, but that's something I can work on with more practice :)

2 1 1/2-quart containers vanilla ice cream
2 rows from a package of Oreos (white stuff removed and discarded)
1 (7 to 8oz) bottle Magic Shell ice cream topping
1 1 1/2-quart container chocolate ice cream
5 cups whipped cream (Cool Whip)
sprinkles (optional)
9-inch springform pan

Put springform pan in the freezer for 15 minutes. While it gets cold, allow one container of vanilla ice cream to soften at room temperature.

Remove springform pan from freezer, and proceed to spread a 1/2 inch thick layer of softened vanilla ice cream on the bottom and up the sides of the pan. (If the ice cream gets too soft, return to the freezer.) Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.

In the meantime, pulse the Oreos in a food processor to break into large crumbs. Add the Magic Shell topping and pulse until the crumbs are moist, about 5 pulses; set aside.

Let the chocolate ice cream soften at room temperature, about 15 minutes. Spread over the vanilla layer, firmly packing the ice cream into the pan. Spread the chocolate crumb mixture over the chocolate ice cream. Freeze until set, about 1 hour.

Remove the remaining container vanilla ice cream from the freezer 15 minutes before assembling the final layer. Spread the ice cream over the crumb layer, packing it tightly, then smooth the top. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

To remove from springform pan, wipe the outside of the pan with a hot cloth, then run a hot knife around the inside; unlatch and remove the side. If the ice cream cake is too soft, refreeze 20 minutes.

Spread 3 cups whipped cream over the top and sides of the cake. Freeze until set, about 20 minutes. Put the remaining 2 cups whipped cream in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip; pipe along the top and bottom edges of the cake and decorate with sprinkles. Return to the freezer; remove 15 minutes before serving.

Slice with a hot knife.

This cake melts quite quickly after the assembly process, and was somewhat messy when sliced. It needed to be returned to the freezer immediately after slicing.

On day 2, however, the cake was solid and sliced much more cleanly (besides it being much colder and more difficult to get a knife through).

Comments from the cook: This was a hit! We shared it with Brian's family, and will be sure to find a group to share it with if we make it again. It makes a sizable cake!

After a bit of a miscommunication (my oops, Debby!), we ended up with whipping cream instead of Cool Whip for the frosting...and I tell you, it was an awesome mistake! I whipped up enough whipping cream (added a bit of powdered sugar to sweeten) for about 3 cups and then folded in some Cool Whip (about 2 cups) to balance the richness. In the end, it was fantastic...

Around here, we're just trying to figure out how to celebrate next year's birthdays a bit sooner! This one may become a tradition...

Originally found here. (Most text and ingredient list taken from there.)

HoHo Cake

2011-07-09T17:46:00.001-05:00

I recently discovered this awesome recipe website, and found this beauty of a recipe. We tried it the other night, and it is everything you'd want from a HoHo cake :) It's super rich, really moist, and makes a HUGE pan full.

For the cake:
1 chocolate cake mix (original recipe calls for Devils Food)

For the white layer:
1 c butter
1/2 c milk
3 c powdered sugar
1 TBSP vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

For the chocolate frosting:
1/2 c butter
3/4 c cocoa
3 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
8-10 TBSP of water, added one at a time

Prepare cake mix according to directions and bake in a jelly roll pan (what we call a cookie sheet - with sides) at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

Remove from oven after it passes the clean toothpick test, and allow to cool for 30 minutes.

While it cools, prepare the white layer. Cream butter and gradually add milk and vanilla. Add powdered sugar and salt. Beat until mixture is thick and spreadable (mine needed a lot more powdered sugar...almost twice what the recipe called for). Spread on chocolate cake. Freeze for 15 minutes while you make the chocolate frosting.

For chocolate frosting, cream butter and vanilla. Add cocoa powder and powdered sugar (mixture will be dry and powdery). Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until frosting is smooth (mine took about 9 TBSP).

Serve chilled, and store leftovers in fridge.

Comments from the cook: I didn't have a chocolate cake mix on hand, so I got super ~~ambitious~~ desperate and made this one from scratch.

As mentioned previously, my white layer required almost 6 cups powdered sugar. The texture wasn't right, but I stuck with it (I didn't want to waste the butter!).

Other than that, this recipe was worth the steps, and we have really enjoyed the results!

Originally found here (ingredient lists and some text taken from her site...though my cake-stacking skills need some work to look like the original!)

Bacon Tomato Capellini

2011-07-07T09:14:00.002-05:00

Holy grown-up bacon recipe! I saw this recipe on Tasty Kitchen, and thought it sounded amazing. Grown-up food with bacon as a main ingredient?! How could it fail, really? Turns out, it couldn't. A.MAZ.ING.

1 pkg (16 0z) bacon
¼ c bacon grease (from the bacon you cook)
1 large can (28 oz) diced tomatoes (we prefer petite diced)
¼ c fresh basil, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
½ bunch green onions, chopped
1 tsp salt (optional)
1 box (16 oz) capellini or angel hair pasta

Fry bacon in a large frying pan until done, but not crispy. When finished, allow bacon to cool on a paper-towel-covered plate. (Reserve 1/4 cup of bacon grease.)

When bacon is cooled, tear or cut it into small pieces. Set aside.

Pour tomatoes into large bowl. Mix fresh basil in. Set aside.

Put 1/4 cup bacon grease back in pan, and heat to medium. Add minced garlic and green onions. Once garlic has turned to a tan color, add the bacon pieces. Saute at low heat for 10 minutes.

Pour in the bowl of tomatoes and basil. Stir together and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt if necessary.

Meanwhile, in a large pot, boil pasta. Drain noodles and set aside.

Right before serving, toss bacon/tomato sauce with noodles. Top with fresh Parmesan cheese.

Serves: 6-8

Comments from the cook: I made this dish on Sunday, and it was enough to eat for 3 nights! It is an excellent leftover, and reheats very well.

I didn't have green onions on hand when I made this, so I just used a dash or two of onion powder as a substitute.

We loved this, and will definitely be adding it to our recipe arsenal!

Originally found here, on this amazing recipe website.

Kid's Candy Cookies

2011-06-17T16:37:00.001-05:00

I recently found this recipe in the May issue of The Food Network Magazine. I DIED when I saw them, and had to try my hand at making them. I made a few changes to the list of ingredients, and love how they turned out!

2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 sticks butter, at room temperature
1 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1 tsp salt
1 TBSP vanilla
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
1 c plain M&M'S
3 oz mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup toffee pieces
3/4 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine the flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.
Cream the butter, brown sugar and white sugar in mixer on low speed until incorporated, then increase to high speed and beat until light and fluffy.
Add the salt, vanilla, whole egg and egg yolk to the mixer; beat until thoroughly combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Mix in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, toffee pieces, peanut butter chips, and M&M's.
Bake the cookies until the edges are golden brown and the centers are no longer wet, 11 to 13 minutes. Cool completely before serving.
Comments from the cook: These were a major home-run at our house, and will find their way to many BBQs and parties from now on...where they can be enjoyed but SHARED! A whole batch is too big for 2 of us :)
Originally found here (most of text taken from site), adapted to our tastes and on-hand ingredients.

Ultra-Lemony Lemon Bars

2011-06-09T15:11:00.003-05:00

Crust:
3/4 c butter (cold)
1 3/4 c flour
3/4 c powdered sugar
3/4 tsp coarse salt

Slice butter into small pieces. (Original recipe says to freeze butter, then grate it.) Combine with other crust ingredients and work with a pastry cutter (or maybe a fork?) until crumbly. Press into bottom of a 9x13 pan. Freeze for 15 minutes. Then bake at 350° for 16-18 minutes.

Filling:
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/3 c granulated sugar
3 TBSP flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c milk

Whisk eggs, sugar, flour, and salt together. Then add lemon juice and milk. Stir together, then pour over hot crust.

Reduce oven heat to 325° and bake for about 18 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.

Dust with powdered sugar. Serve chilled.

Comments from the cook: I was dying to make lemon bars a while ago, and called my mom for a recipe. This is the one she gave me. (I think she said this one is from Martha Stewart, though I wasn't able to find it on her site.)

I usually find that lemon bars don't have much kick. But these babies have 3/4 cup lemon juice...and they have plenty of kick!

My only word of caution? These really are best when they're chilled. When left out and eaten at room temperature, they are a teeny bit "egg-y" tasting. At least that's what I thought. But, when they're cold? Good grief, they're good.
Originally found in a Martha Stewart cookbook.

Are you making one?

2011-04-21T15:12:00.002-05:00

I've got my cake mix, frosting, and sweetened coconut all ready to go... (note to self: buy jelly beans and licorice for the face!)

Question is...are you making a bunny cake this weekend too?

Super-Soft Snickerdoodles

2011-04-14T21:22:00.002-05:00

1 c shortening (or butter)
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cream of tartar
cinnamon-sugar mixture (1 TBSP sugar + 1 TBSP cinnamon)

Preheat oven to 400°.

Cream shortening, then gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs; beat well. Stir in vanilla.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, soda, salt, and cream of tartar. Add to creamed mixture and stir until well blended.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll through cinnamon sugar mixture**. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake for 6 minutes at 400° or until lightly browned.

Comments from the cook: I'm a huge fan of soft cookies. And, to me, Snickerdoodles HAVE to be soft.

I searched for a Snickerdoodles recipe for a while, finally found this one, and loved it. Why? Because of the oven temperature and cook time. Cooking them at 400° for only 6 minutes (MAYBE 7 min) cooks them just enough to be done...and leaves them extra soft inside.

**My least favorite part of making these has always been rolling them through the cinnamon-sugar mixture. We keep a small shaker with cinnamon-sugar in it, and I just sprinkle that over the cookies after they've been rolled into balls (instead of rolling them through it), and then one more time after they've cooked. Almost the same result, but much easier!

Originally found here. Some text taken from the same site.

Fluffy White Cheesecake

2011-04-06T21:42:00.000-05:00

Crust:
1 package graham crackers
3-4 TBSP melted butter
3 TBSP sugar

Filling:
2 (8 oz.) pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 small container whipped topping

Crush graham crackers in ziploc bag with rolling pin. Add sugar, then melted butter. (Leave in bag. Seal after sugar and butter are added, then knead with hands to blend.)

Press crust into bottom of 9x9 pan. (Add more butter for a more solid crust.)

Whip cream cheese with mixer until smooth. Add sugar and mix until blended.

Fold in whipped topping. Pour over graham crust.

Allow to refrigerate overnight and serve with fresh fruit or pie filling.

Comments from the cook: This recipe is one that my mom has been making for as long as I can remember! It's super easy, and is always a crowd pleaser.

When I made it this time, the crust was a bit more crumbly than I usually prefer, so next time I'll add a bit more melted butter. I have also added more whipped topping in the past, and stretched it to a 9x13 pan.

My favorite topping is cherry pie filling, but Brian likes fresh strawberries best. He won this time. :)

Originally shared by: Alane Sleight, my mom!

Key Lime Bars

2011-03-28T16:40:00.004-05:00

1 white cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 egg yolk
4 eggs
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon lime zest

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Reserve 1 tablespoon cake mix.

Pour remaining cake mix, melted butter and egg yolk into a large bowl. Blend for 1-2 minutes with an electric mixer until well mixed and crumbly. Press mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

While crust bakes, whisk together 4 eggs, condensed milk, lime juice and reserved tablespoon of cake mix until smooth.

Stir in lime zest. Spread the lime mixture over the warm crust. Return to oven and bake an additional 20 minutes or until topping is set.

Cool completely and refrigerate until cold before serving. Top with whipped cream and zest, if desired.

Comments from the cook: I found this recipe on this cool site (along with dozens of other recipes I'd like to try!) and knew I needed to give it a whirl. My mom and I made them while we were in Utah, and they were very tasty.

I used the juice from 5 limes, and it still wasn't enough to fill 2/3 cup, so I used lemon juice for the remainder. Also, the zester we had made pretty large pieces...and the bars needed whipped cream on top so they wouldn't look like quiche bars! :)

These were excellent. Try them out!

Originally found here on this site.

Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

2011-02-23T17:52:00.000-06:00

Cupcakes:
1 dark chocolate cake mix (+ cake mix ingredients)

White gooey filling:
4 TBSP butter, room temperature
1 c powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 TBSP heavy cream
1 cup marshmallow creme

Chocolate ganache:
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c heavy cream
1 TBSP butter
2 tsp vanilla

White frosting (for squigglies/words):

1 stick butter
2 TBSP milk
2 c powdered sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

Prepare cupcakes as directed on back of dark chocolate cake mix (using cupcake papers). Allow to cool.

For the filling: Using a mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition. Beat in the marshmallow creme; set aside or refrigerate.

For the ganache: Place the chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl. Heat the cream and 1 tablespoon butter until just boiling, then pour over the chocolate; let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla; let stand until cool but still glossy and liquid.

Now that your ganache is cooling, spoon white gooey filling into an icing bag with a star tip attached (or a freezer bag with a star tip, if you're like me!). Poke star tip through the top center of the cupcake, then squeeze until the cupcake gets heavier. If extra white stuff pools at the top, scrape it off with a knife. (You want the tops to be smooth.)

Once ganache is cooled but still glossy, dip tops of cupcakes into ganache. If desired, dip more than once for thicker chocolate layer. Cool in fridge.

For the icing: Using a mixer, beat the remaining 1 stick butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, the milk and confectioners sugar until smooth, adding more milk if needed. Spoon into a pastry bag with a small tip. Pipe onto the cupcakes to decorate. (This recipe makes LOTS of icing. You can always freeze the rest and use it on the next batch!)

Makes about 24 cupcakes.

Refrigerate any leftovers (if you have any!).

Comments from the cook: I'd seen these beauties before, and knew that they would be a wonderful treat when our families were both in town right before Valentine's day. So I set out to make them...

And, I don't know WHAT happened, but the cupcake recipe on the site listed below did NOT work for me. In fact, the result was a horrific mess in my oven, a waste of 24 suuuuper cute cupcake papers (biggest tragedy), and a somewhat traumatic memory. :)

But that's what cake mixes are for! And, for the record, the dark chocolate cake mix made for amazing finished cupcakes. Easy peasy...and no mess!

After completing the cupcakes (icing and all), I removed the cupcake papers. The ganache I made was somewhat runny, and ran down the sides of many of the cupcakes. They looked a LOT better sans papers. But, just so you know... removing the papers will make the cupcakes more prone to drying out if you plan to store them for a while.

These were fun to make, and the taste? OUT OF THIS WORLD.

Originally found here. Most text taken from the same site.

Raspberry Swirl Blondies

2011-02-14T17:24:00.003-06:00

2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c butter
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c raspberry jam

Heat oven to 350°. Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in bowl and set aside.

Melt butter in microwave. Stir sugar into melted butter until dissolved. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture and stir until combined.

Pour batter into pan. Drop spoonfuls of jam into pan and swirl with knife or toothpick.

Bake 25-30 min or until toothpick comes out clean.

Comments from the cook: I tried this recipe after finding it on a cooking website. My dad loves all things raspberry, so I made them for him...and he LOVED them. They are wonderful!

Originally found here. Text taken from the same site, and changed slightly.

Ooey Gooey Cheesecake Bars

2011-01-22T14:35:00.002-06:00

1 yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 stick of butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar (1/2 of regular bag)
1 pkg (8 0z) cream cheese, softened

Combine yellow cake mix, one egg, and stick of butter to form a crust. Smush into bottom of 13x9 pan.

Combine two remaining eggs, powdered sugar, and cream cheese and pour mixture over crust.

Bake for 35-40 min in 350° oven. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and allow to cool.

Comments from the cook: I got this recipe from an old roommate when I was at BYU. It's also commonly known as Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, or Ooey Gooey Lemon Cake (when made with a lemon cake mix instead of yellow). It's a tasty one, and the crust gets me every time... Mmmmm!

Originally shared by Tierra Phillips, Clover Haus roommate circa 2005

PW's Mozzarella Sticks

2011-01-05T19:42:00.002-06:00

8 sticks mozzarella string cheese
1/4 cup flour
1 egg
1 1/2 TBSP milk
1 cup Panko Japanese bread crumbs
1/2 TBSP parsley
salt
canola oil
marinara sauce

Prep:

Unwrap string cheese. Cut in half.

Put flour in small bowl/plate.

Mix egg and milk in a small bowl, stirring with fork.

Add a few shakes of salt (from the salt shaker) to a small bowl or plate holding the Panko crumbs.

How to:

Roll cheese through flour to coat.

Dip flour-coated cheese in egg/milk mixture so that egg/milk is absorbed into flour coating.

Roll through Panko crumbs to coat.

When finished coating, place prepped cheese sticks in freezer for 20-30 min (to flash freeze).

Fry in 1-2" canola oil until golden brown. Allow to dry on paper-towel.

Serve with marinara sauce.

Makes 16 mozzarella sticks.

Comments from the cook: I found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman's website, and INSTANTLY knew that these would become a favorite at our house. Brian loves cheese sticks more than most appetizers, so we gave them a try! They turned out AMAZINGLY, and we've made them multiple times since and have not been disappointed!

How-to found here, printable version here. (Special thanks to PW for a never-ending supply of amazing recipes!)

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

2010-12-15T20:48:00.004-06:00

3/4 cup butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg yolk
1 c sugar
2 c flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup crushed Oreos
3/4 c chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350°.

Cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar together. Mix in egg yolk and vanilla.

Add flour and salt, a little at a time, until thoroughly mixed. Fold in Oreos and chocolate chips.

Bake 11-14 minutes, until bottoms are slightly browned.

Comments from the cook: Holy Oreo cheesecake goodness! I found this recipe on a website that I love, and knew I had to try them. The original recipe called for 4 oz of cream cheese, and I accidentally threw in the entire brick (80z!). I didn't realize my mistake until the next day, when I didn't have any cream cheese for my bagel. :)

These cookies have that tart/tangy taste that cream cheese is best at creating... and would be perfect for holiday neighbor gifts. Mmmm!

I'd recommend baking these up after a night of chilling the dough in the fridge. The Oreos soften overnight and are easier to work with that way...but if you can't wait, they're still excellent immediately!

Originally found (and most text taken from) here - slightly modified (not necessarily on purpose!)

PB Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-10-03T17:14:00.000-05:00

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine butter and sugars and blend until smooth. Add peanut butter, vanilla, and egg.

Add flour, baking soda and salt (sifted together).

Mix in oats and chocolate chips.

Form tablespoon-sized balls and cook for 10-12 minutes.

Comments from the cook: This recipe came highly recommended from my mother in law, Debby. She was given the recipe by one of Brian's cousins, and I'm glad they eventually made their way into my kitchen!

These cookies reaffirm my belief that the marriage between peanut butter and chocolate is as steady and unbreakable as ever! :)

I didn't have creamy peanut butter on hand (which I usually use in recipes), but the chunky stuff worked quite well, and adds even more texture to these little darlings.

Originally shared by Debby Mathias, found online here

Pumpkin Muffins

2010-09-27T10:07:00.000-05:00

Dry ingredients:

3 1/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Wet ingredients:

1 cup oil
4 eggs
2/3 c water
2 cups solid pack pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray muffin tins with cooking spray or line with cupcake papers.

Combine dry ingredients. Then add wet ingredients. Stir until no longer lumpy.

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until they pass the toothpick doneness test!

Brown Sugar Glaze:

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
few shakes of salt from the salt-shaker
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk

Melt butter in medium bowl. Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved.

Sprinkle salt in. Add powdered sugar. Mixture will be chunky (and resemble oatmeal!).

Add milk and stir until dissolved.

Dip mostly-cooled muffins upside-down in glaze, or wait a few moments and spread on with a knife.

Makes 36-40 muffins.

Comments from the cook: Pumpkin muffins = Fall. And, I fought everything in me to hoard the solid-pack pumpkin I found the other day...but these muffins? I'm no match for them, I tell you.

This is a huge recipe, and makes a LOT of muffins. My mom usually makes loaves, and just bakes them for longer. From what I remember, she usually made some loaves with walnuts. Just smother your bread/muffins with butter before eating, and you can't go wrong. Mmmmm-hmmmm.

This glaze was my first attempt at a non-cream-cheese frosting, and it is quite sweet. A brown sugar flavor without the thickness of frosting...

Originally a recipe from my mom. I managed to misplace it (or never wrote it down in a safe place), and then found a close facsimile online, here. (Mom, if yours is different, please email me IMMEDIATELY!)

Banana Streusel Muffins

2010-09-18T19:29:00.004-05:00

Muffins:

1 cup flour
1/2 c granulated sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 TBSP (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup plain yogurt)
1 lg egg, lightly beaten
1 lg banana, mashed
1 tsp vanilla

Topping:

1 TBSP cold butter, cut into pieces
1 TBSP brown sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 TBSP flour
salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a loaf pan or muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Stir in the melted butter and plain yogurt. Add the egg and beat for 1 minute. Add the banana and vanilla. Stir until well combined. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan or into muffin tin (makes about 12 muffins).

Make topping by mashing together the tablespoon of cold butter with the tablespoon of flour, the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Distribute the topping evening over the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes for loaf or 20-25 minutes for muffins, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from loaf pan or muffin tin.

Comments from the cook: A.Maz.Ing. These muffins represent one of my few cooking ventures since I've been so sick and pregnant. They are fantastic, and the streusel topping is to DIE FOR.

I doubled this recipe, and it made about 20 muffins. I've always been a fan of streusel, so I actually did a little more than the recipe called for. That can't hurt anything, right??

Best served with Mylanta...or your juice of choice! :)

Originally found on this website, taken from this book. (Most text taken from website).

Jell-O Cake

2010-06-02T08:25:00.000-05:00

1 white cake mix, made as directed
1 small pkg sugar free strawberry Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup very cold water
1 small pkg vanilla pudding
1 small tub whipped cream
milk

Cake:
Prepare cake as directed. Allow to cool 2+ hours. Using fork, poke holes in cooled cake. (I do them about 3/4" apart...)

Boil 1 cup water and stir into strawberry Jell-O until dissolved. Stir in 1/2 cup very cold water until all powder is dissolved.

Pour Jell-O mixture over holes in cake, and allow to cool in fridge for a couple of hours.

Frosting:
Prepare small package of vanilla pudding according to pie filling directions. Place in fridge and allow to thicken for 5 minutes.

Fold a small container of whipped cream into pudding mixture.

Cover cake with frosting and serve chilled.

Comments from the cook: Hardly an original! A favorite that my mom always made when we were growing up, Jell-O cake is the perfect dessert for a BBQ or picnic (as long as it can stay chilled until you serve it).

Betty Crocker calls this "Poke Cake" and her recipe calls for raspberry gelatin. We've tried lots of different red flavors, and have never found one we didn't like.

A Sleight family favorite, shared by my mom since the 80s!

California Burritos

2010-05-08T14:55:00.005-05:00

2 lbs Carne Asada (recipe below)
4-6 small potatoes
Homemade Pico de Gallo
sour cream
shredded cheese
6-8 uncooked tortillas
canola or olive oil

Carne Asada:

2 lbs steak, cut into small pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
2 limes, juiced
2 TBSP white vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup olive oil

Cut steak into small pieces. Combine all other ingredients in large bowl, and add steak. Allow to marinate overnight.

Fry in skillet over medium-high heat until browned.

Potatoes:

Cut potatoes into 1/2" cubes. Add 2 TBSP canola or olive oil to pan and cook in skillet over medium-high heat until some edges are slightly browned. Add 1/2 cup warm water and cover until potatoes are cooked thoroughly. Flavor with salt to taste.

Pico de Gallo:

Prepare Pico the night before and allow to sit overnight.

Assemble:
Cook tortillas. Add sour cream to bottom of tortilla. Add Carne Asada and potatoes. Sprinkle with cheese and cover with Pico de Gallo.

Serve with Mexican rice or tortilla chips.

Comments from the cook: This recipe is our Cinco de Mayo tradition! When Brian served his mission in San Diego, he discovered the miracle that is the California burrito. Nothing fancy...just lots of steak, cheese, and potatoes. After we were married, he found a local place (called Beto's then) and managed to eat one almost every time I went out of town.

They quickly became one of his favorite indulgences, and it only seemed appropriate that we try to make them ourselves. We've enjoyed them with friends for the last 3 Cinco de Mayos and plan to eat them for many years to come!

Moment of Silence...

2010-05-03T11:19:00.003-05:00

April was a whirlwind.

Easter.
My mom coming to town.
My birthday.
My in-laws here for a visit.
My husband's first doctoral recital.
A head-cold to end all head colds.

So, here we have May.

I'm dying to make a batch of Pink Lemonade Cookies (you'll LOVE these) and have a few things up my sleeve...

More recipes to come. Promise.

Chicken Pasta Salad

2010-04-21T11:56:00.001-05:00

(Hello, first real food pics from my new lens. You are beautiful. The end.)

4 svgs farfalle (bowtie) pasta
3 svgs garden rotini pasta
1 chicken breast
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/2 cucumber, cut into 1/2" chunks
pasta salad seasoning, to taste

Prepare pastas as directed. Drain and run under cool water until room temperature (or cooler if desired).

Cut chicken breast into small chunks and pan fry over medium heat. Add 1 TBSP of Italian dressing to chicken chunks when chicken is almost finished cooking.

Toss chicken, cucumber, and pastas together.

Add dressing (amount is really up to you, and depends on your tastes) and pasta salad seasoning.

Best when served chilled for an hour or so. Serves 6+.

To rejuvenate the next day, toss with a bit more salad dressing and another couple of shakes of pasta salad seasoning.

Comments from the cook: I debated whether or not to post this recipe. It's not really MY recipe. It's just 6 ingredients. Nothing is really homemade (unless you call browning a chicken breast HOMEMADE). But we eat it (or some version of it) at least once a week in the summertime. And I'm the boss of this very food blog, so I can post whatever I want! :)

If you read my other blog, you'll know that pasta salad seasoning is a BIG DEAL to me. My mom found a seasoning called "Salad Elegance" long ago (made by Johnny's), we got hooked on it, and then I moved to Utah. It was hard to find there, but not impossible. And then the place I always bought it stopped carrying it. So I did what any normal person would do. I ordered a $30 2.5-lb tub of it. And I've not been happier with a purchase ever since.

McCormick makes a version called Salad Supreme (sold in the spice section), which will work, if you don't have access to the loveliness that is Salad Elegance. My observation was that McCormick's SS has more celery salt, and is not as light tasting...but we ate it when times were hard and Johnny's got the boot from our local store. Until we took matters into our own hands, that is.

Variations of pasta salad are endless. My mom has added fresh tomatoes and olives to hers before. We also do a version that is just spaghetti noodles, cut-up pepperonis, chunks of cheese, Italian dressing, and Salad Elegance (for dinner when we're trying to UP the taste and HOLD the healthy!)

Either way, this is one of our favorites. And, I tell you, I've never been happier to own $30 of a spice.

Originally made by my mom, Alane Sleight.

French Silk Pie

2010-04-18T17:55:00.001-05:00

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate (3 - 1 oz. squares)
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 pint whipping cream
1 TBSP sugar
1 deep-dish pie shell, prepared as directed
1 Hershey chocolate bar

Melt unsweetened chocolate and allow to cool 5-10 minutes (or use pre-melted, squeezable packets).

Cream butter and sugar. Add unsweetened chocolate and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until blended.

Add eggs one at a time, beating with electric mixer for 5 minutes after each one.

Pour chocolate mixture into fully-cooked deep-dish pie shell.

Beat whipping cream with 1 TBSP sugar until firm.

Top pie with whipped cream and refrigerate at least 4 hrs before serving.

Decorate with chocolate curls if desired. (Grate Hershey bar with carrot peeler, running peeler down the edge of the bar to form curls.)

Comments from the cook's wife: This pie. Ohhhh, this pie. French Silk Pie is one of Brian's absolute favorites, and this recipe came from a family friend of his (and now mine), Vicki Luker. While our preference is always to go with a pastry crust, Vicki's original recipe calls for an Oreo or chocolate graham cracker crust.

This pie is one of Brian's favorites to make, and I've never discouraged him! While you're at it, you may even want to make two of these babies. They are sure to disappear in the blink of an eye! Some recipes discourage doubling, but this one doubles without any problem.

Originally shared by Vicki Luker, the Minnesotan Queen of Dessert.

Teriyaki Kabobs

2010-04-13T10:00:00.001-05:00

Marinade:
1 cup water
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup sugar
1 tsp garlic
2 TBSP green onion, chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

To be skewered:
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 small onion
1 fresh pineapple
fresh chicken breasts (frozen ok, defrosted)
steak (stew meat ok)

Potatoes:
3 russet (or red) potatoes
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 TBSP olive oil

Combine marinade ingredients in glass bowl. (Separate into 2 medium bowls if doing separate containers for chicken and beef).

Cut meat (chicken and beef) into 1" pieces and place in marinade. Refrigerate and allow to sit for 2 hrs.

In the meantime, cut potatoes into 1" pieces and boil for 4 minutes. Drain and allow to cool and dry on dishcloth for about 30 min. When cooled, toss in about 3 TBSP olive oil. Add rosemary, thyme, sea salt, and pepper.

Cut veggies and pineapple into 1" pieces.

Assemble skewers. Grease skewers slightly (dip your thumb and index finger in oil and run it down the skewer) before adding meat and veggies.

Alternate veggies, potatoes, meat, and pineapple as desired.

Heat grill to hottest temperature, and cook skewers evenly over fire. Rotate as needed.

Don't have a grill? Have one and it gives out? Broil them in the oven! Place skewers on a cookie sheet, and cook on top rack. Watch them closely and turn them every couple of minutes in order to avoid overcooking.

Comments from the cook's wife: This really is Brian's recipe, so I can't say much...beyond how much I LOVE these, and how much you need to try them!

The measurements for the marinade are not set in stone. If you don't think it's enough, double it. If you only want to make a few skewers worth, make a bit less. Brian learned to combine sugar, garlic, soy sauce, ginger, and green onions from a man on his mission, and has never been the same since! We have eaten many-a-meal with that sauce as a base, and look forward to more in the future.

We use metal skewers (we upgraded a year ago), but the inexpensive wood ones also work. We read online that they need to soak in water for about 30 minutes ahead of time. This apparently keeps the wood from burning as quickly.

Kabobs are very filling, but making a few extra might be just what you're looking for. They make for EXCELLENT leftovers. (Just push the meat and veggies off the skewer with a fork, and store them in an air-tight container. Reheat for 3-4 minutes in the microwave and enjoy again!)

A CookieSheets&CakePans original.

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

2010-04-05T10:50:00.002-05:00

2 (1 lb) cartons fresh strawberries
1 bag Ghiradelli milk chocolate chips
3 squares almond bark (or about 2/3 white chocolate chips)
1 tsp canola oil

Wash strawberries and allow them to dry completely before dipping. (I let mine dry on a kitchen towel overnight.)

Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper and set aside.

Use a double boiler to melt chocolate chips, adding about 1/2 tsp canola oil to bowl of chips before melting.

(Don't have a double boiler? No sweat. You can melt the chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl. In order to avoid burning/overcooking the chocolate, you'll want to melt for 30 seconds, take out and stir, melt another 30 seconds, stir, etc...until they've melted completely.)

Dip strawberries in first chocolate flavor and place on wax paper-covered cookie sheet. Refrigerate until first layer has hardened.

Dip strawberries in second flavor if desired (chocolate may need to be reheated for a few seconds if it has thickened) and place back on cookie sheet.

Use a fork to "flick" chocolate across tops of strawberries.

Best when served chilled.

Comments from the cook: Another recipe that hardly needs an explanation! My dear friend Mary Ann made these for my outrageously-embarrassing bridal shower a few years ago (ok, five) and told me that the secret to these is in the little bit of oil (isn't it always?). She's a fantastic cook, so I always do what she tells me. :)

Shared by Mary Ann Hawes, my old roommate and friend.

Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad

2010-03-29T09:27:00.001-05:00

1-2 servings farfalle (bowtie) pasta, prepared as directed
1 pkg chicken breast pieces, plain
1 medium tomato, diced
mozzarella cheese, grated
lettuce
croutons
caesar dressing

Prepare pasta as directed. Rinse with cold water until pasta is cool to the touch. Drain.

Wash, dry, then tear lettuce. Dice tomato and grate cheese.

Cut chicken into smaller pieces if desired. (The pre-packaged kind usually comes in fairly large strips, so we generally cut them down into smaller bite-sized chunks.)

Assemble and top with caesar dressing of your choice.

Comments from the cook: This is one of our warm-weather recipes of choice! When we were still in UT, my co-workers and I frequented a place called Pizza Factory for office birthdays. This was my favorite dish there (served with their classic bread-twist). When we moved, I realized that I could re-create it fairly easily.

No fancy ingredients and no extensive preparation required. You can dry your own croutons, whip up your own caesar dressing, and grow your own lettuce if you really want to...but this one's an easy summer meal that you should really try. We usually use romaine lettuce, but only had iceberg around. Would be tasty with spinach leaves tossed in as well.

If you're trying to save a few pennies (packaged chicken is usually about $2.50), use an old-fashioned frozen chicken breast and prep your own chicken pieces in a skillet. Add a bit of salad dressing right before they're done browning for extra flavor.

A CookieSheets&CakePans original...kinda. :)

Brian's Pizza Hut Pan Pizza & Breadsticks

2010-03-22T10:41:00.001-05:00

Sauce:
1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
2 tsp dry oregano
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp dry basil
1 tsp garlic salt

Dough:
1 1/3 cups warm water
1/4 cup non-fat powdered milk
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups flour
1 TBSP granulated sugar
1 package dry yeast
2 TBSP canola oil (for dough)
canola oil (for pan)
cooking spray

Pizza toppings:
mozzarella cheese
pepperoni

Breadstick seasoning:
2 TBSP parmesan cheese
1 1/2 TBSP garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp onion salt

Combine sauce ingredients and allow to sit for 1 hr.

Put yeast, sugar, salt, and dry milk in KitchenAid bowl (or mixer of your choice).

Add water and mix well using whisk attachment. Let rest for 2 minutes.

Add oil and stir again. Let rest 2 more minutes.

Now using the hook attachment, add flour and stir until dough forms and flour is absorbed.

Remove from bowl and knead by hand for about 1 minute. Put back in KitchenAid bowl and knead with dough hook on medium speed for 4-5 minutes.

Roll out to 1/4"-3/8" for one large pizza and one small pan of breadsticks. Turn large (14") deep-dish pizza pan over top of dough. Press down hard (cookie-cutter style) to cut the dough. Use knife if cut is not entirely clean.

Collect cuttings. Roll out to same thickness, and turn small deep-dish pan (round 9" cake pan will work) over cuttings to slice.

After cutting and before placing dough in pizza pans, spray sides of pan with cooking spray. Add a small amount of oil to the bottom of the pizza and breadstick pans. Original recipe calls for a large quantity (tastes better, but a lot more fat!), but a thin coating to cover the bottom of the pan is sufficient.

Add dough to both pans. Cover with foil. Place in oven heated to lowest setting ("warm", usually) and allow to rise for 1-1 1/2 hrs.

Add sauce and toppings as desired, and cook at 475° until outer crust is brown.

For breadsticks:

Sprinkle with seasoning, then cook at 475° until edges of crust turn brown.

Comments from the cook: We were on a real knock-off kick for awhile, and this has become one of our staple pizza recipes. While the crust is not quite as chewy as Pizza Hut's pan pizza, the taste is very similar.

One of the most important things about this recipe is the pan. You must (read: MUST) use a deep dish pan. Using a flat pizza pan obviously won't work, but you can get creative otherwise. We've made it in a 13x9 pan before (and it worked perfectly) and have made it in multiple 9" round cake pans before too.

Funny story. Brian and I had been married about a year, and went home to be with my family for Thanksgiving. They wanted him to make this pizza (my brother, Neil, is the 2nd biggest pizza fan ever...behind Brian, that is) and we needed a large deep-dish pan in order to make pizza for such a large crowd. So we set out to find one. We didn't find anything in the pizza pan section at Wal-mart, until my mom was walking away. There was a large metal deep-dish pan sitting there that was PERFECT for the job. We needed 2, but only found the one...and figured we'd just use cake pans for the rest. We got to the register to find out how much the pan was. It rang up $3. Score! Best part? The description was PET DISH. ha! Sturdy, metal, and perfect for $3. When we returned from vacation, we went and bought 2 for ourselves. Still use them to this day. :)

Originally found online and adapted by Brian, the pizza king.

Strawberry Hot Fudge Cake

2010-03-15T10:06:00.001-05:00

1 chocolate fudge cake mix (prepared as directed for fluted/Bundt pan)
1 jar hot fudge topping
1 lb strawberries, sliced
applesauce (optional)

Prepare cake mix as directed. Substitute applesauce for oil - equal parts - if desired. (Makes for a super moist, lower-fat cake. If lower fat matters in a hot fudge cake, that is!)

While cake is cooking, rinse then slice strawberries. Allow to air-dry on towel until cake is ready for assembly. Pat dry if needed. (Wet strawberries will make hot fudge runny.)

Heat hot fudge for about 1 min in microwave or in small saucepan.

Pour hot fudge over cake. Cover with sliced strawberries.

Comments from the cook: An easy-peasy recipe that usually wows a crowd! This cake is easy, really tasty, and would be perfect to take to a BBQ or potluck.

A picture of this dessert was on my header in the early days of this blog (are we in the old days now?) and the recipe seemed a bit too easy to post. After making it again, I realized that there was no reason not to share it. How in the world could something be too easy!? Good grief.

The first time I made this, I overcooked the cake slightly, and it was too dry for my liking. Probably should've soaked the cake in milk before eating. :) But the second time was a huge hit, and it was delicious. Enjoy!

A CookieSheets&CakePans original (if it's possible to take credit for assembling 3 ingredients...)

Easter Bunny Cakes

2010-03-12T07:19:00.010-06:00

1 white cake mix (prepared as directed)
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
1 tub store-bought frosting, flavor of your choice (vanilla for us)
food coloring
assorted candies

Prepare cake mix as directed for (2) 9-inch pans. Allow to cool.

Cover the back of a large cookie sheet or a large piece of cardboard with aluminum foil. Place one of the cooled cakes in center of sheet. This will be the bunny's head.

The other cake will be used as the bunny's ears and bowtie. Use the following diagram as a cutting guide for your cakes. Then assemble.

Frost with vanilla frosting. Edges of cake will be more difficult to frost, so use frosting generously in these areas. Warning...this step can be messy! (If you're looking for an easier solution, use a fluffier frosting. A whipped one would be perfect for the job...)

After fully frosted, press coconut flakes into frosting. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and a couple of drops of water to bowl of coconut and stir until evenly colored.

Embellish with jelly beans, licorice, and other candies. Cake shown above is coated in Oreo crumbs.

Comments from the cook: This is one of my favorite Easter traditions - something my mom started many years ago. I usually make a coconut bunny (my fave!) and a plain version (for Brian). I try to have a (BIG) group of people over to help eat them...though I'd rather do all of the work myself. :)

If you wanted to get all fancy-shmancy, you could make the cake from scratch, try different flavors, or even use that fluffy white frosting recipe. That would REALLY take this up a notch...and you would probably want to avoid having anyone over to help you eat it. :)

Check out a few other bunnies here. And if the whole project seems a bit too daunting, do what we did in 2007...and just make cupcakes!

Tradition started by Mom Sleight.

Have you?

2010-03-11T11:50:00.003-06:00

Have you tried the honey-wheat bread found here yet?

I made it again last night. Takes about 2 hours start to finish. I'm telling you...if you haven't made it yet, you should.

Love. At. First. Bite.

Also, I have a picture/recipe for an Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana knock-off that we ate and LOVED. Do you want?

Fluffy Lemon Cheesecake

2010-03-07T09:30:00.001-06:00

Crust:
32 graham crackers squares (16 full sheets)
2 TSBP powdered sugar
1/2 cup margarine/butter, melted

Crush graham crackers to desired consistency. I prefer mine to be in larger pieces for this recipe...so I crush them in a plastic bag with the rolling pin rather than with the food chopper.

Add margarine and powdered sugar. Line the bottom of a 9x13 pan with HALF of the mixture. Set the remaining crust mixture aside.

Filling:
2 pkgs (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 small pkg lemon Jello
1 cup water

Add water to Jello and heat in microwave for 3 minutes. Stir until dissolved, and allow to cool to room temperature.

In the meantime, pour evaporated milk into a medium sized bowl -and trust me...choose one a little bigger than you think you'll need! Detach your beater(s) from your mixer and place it/them in the bowl, partially immersing it/them in the evaporated milk. Place in the freezer for 30 min or until evaporated milk starts to crystallize.

If you have a handmixer and a countertop one...you can do this step while the evap milk is in the freezer and Jello is cooling. If not, skip this step and come back to the cream cheese after you're finished with the evaporated milk. Combine 2 softened cream cheeses in your countertop mixer and beat until smooth. Add sugar and whip until smooth. Once at room temperature, add Jello to cream cheese mixture gradually. Add 1/4 of the mixture, and beat until mixed. Repeat until finished.

Once your evap milk has crystallized, remove it from the freezer and reattach beaters to your mixer. Whip until stiff (took mine about 3 min and nearly outgrew the bowl before my eyes!).

Fold whipped evaporated milk into lemon/cream cheese mixture by hand with rubber spatula. Do not overbeat.

Pour over crust. Top with remaining crumbs.

Refridgerate (or freeze) for at least 2 hours before eating. Best when chilled overnight and served the next day.

Comments from the cook: Hello, springtime! This is the perfect dessert to usher in a season of light and fluffy desserts...when we bid farewell to hot fudge for a few months. :)

As you can see, this recipe requires a bit of choreography! If you have two mixers, you can do two things at once...which saves a few minutes. If you don't have two mixers, just finish with the evaporated milk, set it aside, and then work on the cream cheese mixture.

I cheated and added a few drops of yellow food coloring, because mine didn't look quite as yellow as my mom's does. Next time, I will probably add 2 lemon Jello packets to bump up the flavor. And if you're not a fan of lemon, try another Jello flavor! I'm sure strawberry or raspberry would be fantastic, and orange might even be tasty.

I used one low-fat and one fat-free cream cheese. I also used fat-free evaporated milk and my lemon Jello was sugar-free. Certainly full-sugar and full-fat ingredients will taste a LOT better, but this combo slashes the calories and fat. More guilt-free!

Originally shared by my Grandma Tibbitts.

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

2010-02-28T18:54:00.002-06:00

3/4 c shortening
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1 egg
1/4 c water
1 tsp vanilla
3 c uncooked oats
1 c flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Cream shortening, sugars, egg, water, and vanilla.

Add dry ingredients and mix well.

Add assorted baking chips (milk chocolate and butterscotch shown above) and/or raisins.

Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes.

Makes about 5 dozen.

Comments from the cook: When my older brother was in cub scouts, my mom discovered this oatmeal cookie recipe in the Bear Cub handbook. It has always been her go-to oatmeal cookie recipe, and was a household favorite when we were growing up.

I prefer to use milk chocolate chips and butterscotch chips (and raisins in the ones that are JUST FOR ME - Brian hates them). If that combo doesn't suit you, try my mom's style out. She uses Craisins, white chocolate chips and coconut. Tasty!

Original recipe courtesy of the Bear Cub handbook.

Beef Enchiladas

2010-02-24T19:43:00.004-06:00

8 flour tortillas
1 can refried beans
1/2 lb ground beef, browned (ours were low on meat, so double if you'd like)
1 large can enchilada sauce (I used Las Palmas, mild)
1 packet McCormick enchilada flavoring
1 cup cheddar cheese

Warm enchilada sauce in medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add McCormick packet to enchilada sauce and stir well. Follow directions on McCormick packet (cook 10 minutes).

Spread about 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce in bottom of 9x13 pan.

Next, assemble!

Start with tortilla. Add a heaping tablespoon of refried beans to the shell and spread across length of shell.

Add ground beef. Add about one ladle full of enchilada sauce to tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese, then close. (I do this by lifting up both edges of the tortilla, bringing them together, then folding the two halves to the right and tucking them underneath as you place the finished enchiladas in the pan...so that the edge is at the bottom of the pan. But you can do whatever is easiest for you!)

Use remaining sauce to cover enchiladas, then sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

Bake at 425° for 20-25 minutes. Cover with foil if tops start to brown more quickly than you like.

Makes 8 enchiladas.

Comments from the cook: So, what's with the sauce, you ask? We usually just use tomato sauce and the McCormick seasoning...but decided to take it up a notch this time! You may even want to add a bit of water to thin it out too.

We use/ration the uncooked tortillas (available in UT at Costco) that we bought at Christmas...and they are excellent!

Serve with lettuce, sour cream, and any remaining refried beans.

A CookieSheets&CakePans original!

Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

2010-02-22T19:29:00.006-06:00

1 lb fresh strawberries (1 carton)
10 vanilla cupcakes
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 small tub whipped cream
1/2 bag frozen strawberries
2 TBSP sugar

Cream cheese mixture:
Allow cream cheese to warm to room temperature. Mix with mixer until smooth, then add 1/4 cup sugar. Whip until smooth. Fold in whipped cream and do not overbeat.

Strawberry syrup:
Defrost 1/2 bag of frozen strawberries (can be done with fresh, if you have them) and mash. Add 2 TBSP sugar and stir until combined. Mixture should be thin with chunks.

Break cupcakes into bite-sized pieces, and slice fresh strawberries.

Now assemble!

Start with half of cupcake pieces. Place in bottom of glass bowl. Cover with half of fresh strawberries. Pour half of syrup over strawberries. Add half of cream cheese mixture to top of strawberries. Repeat, saving a few strawberries for the top.

Chill for 2-3 hours. Serves 6+.

Comments from the cook: I made this last night to share with friends, and it was a hit! The cupcakes were left over from another activity (made with applesauce instead of oil), and were starting to lose a bit of their freshness...but even cake headed downhill will make a good trifle! My mom uses bakery-style muffins - usually the cream cheese crumbly or poppy seed ones - broken up in her trifle recipe, and some people even prefer to use pound cake.

I used low fat cream cheese and whipped cream, and the results were still fantastic. This dessert is good the first day, and even better the next!

A CookieSheets&CakePans original!

Restaurant-style Salsa

2010-02-21T15:25:00.006-06:00

1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes with juice
2 cans (10 oz) Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chiles)
¼ cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 whole jalapeno, diced
¼ tsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cumin
½ cup cilantro
½ whole lime juice

Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like (10 to 15 pulses).

Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.

Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips or cheese nachos.

Comments from the cook: I found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman Cooks. I followed it exactly...except for leaving the jalapeno seeds in (which she does, and I would never dream of). It is fantastic. Akin to the salsa at Chili's that we can never seem to get enough of.

It makes a FULL blender's worth, so make sure you've got lots of chips on hand and a little bit of help to eat it. :)

Originally found on The Pioneer Woman Cooks website. (Text taken from her site.)

Brian's Thin-Crust Pizza & Breadsticks

2010-02-18T21:50:00.005-06:00

1 cup warm (but not hot) water
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1 1/2 tsp sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup oil
1/2 tsp salt

Add yeast and sugar to warm water. Stir until dissolved.

Add sugar/yeast/water mixture to a mixing bowl containing remaining ingredients (flour, salt, and oil).

Mix with dough hook on medium speed until dough forms a ball and no longer sticks to sides of mixing bowl.

Cover (moistening surface of dough with a bit of oil, if desired) and allow to rise for 1 hr 30 min.

Roll dough out.

Recipe makes enough dough for 2 large pizzas... or an extra large pizza and a small pan of breadsticks.

Bake crust only at 450° just until slightly browned. Add sauce and toppings, and return to oven until cheese is melted and pizza appears to be done.

For breadsticks:

Roll out, sprinkle with garlic salt, oregano, basil, and parmesan cheese. Add a bit of mozzarella if you're feeling crazy!

Comments from the cook: Another one of Brian's masterpieces! This recipe came from the same guy that gave him the awesome sauce recipe found in this recipe, and has been one of our favorites for a few years now.

And, beware...this crust can make a person fall in love with thin-crust!

Super-Thick French Toast

2010-02-14T10:49:00.002-06:00

French toast:

3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 loaf french bread, sliced into 1" slices
cinnamon sugar mixture

Heat griddle to 400°.

Combine eggs and milk. Whisk together with fork until combined. (I used a pie plate to prep this in...)

Dip french bread into mixture one side at a time, saturating.

Sprinkle hot griddle with cinnamon and sugar mixture (just covering area that one bread slice will take up).

Place saturated bread directly over cinnamon sugar mixture.

Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of saturated bread.

Flip and brown both sides until thoroughly cooked.

Comments from the cook: I like cinnamon in french toast, but have never liked how the cinnamon sits on top of the egg mixture and doesn't coat evenly. Using a sprinkling of cinnamon-sugar (we have a small shaker of it) and applying it directly to the soaked bread was the perfect solution!

Top with syrup or real whipped cream and strawberries. Makes 10-12 slices.

--

Butter syrup:

3/4 cup evaporated milk (fat free ok)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup corn syrup
1 TBSP butter
1 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium high heat.

Heat at a rolling boil 2-4 minutes, until desired consistency is reached, stirring constantly.

Comments from the cook: Sometimes maple is a little strong for my tastes, so I wanted to try my hand at a butter syrup. I cooked my syrup on and off for about 4 minutes in hopes of getting the right texture. I boiled it, stirred it, took it off the heat to cool slightly, then would put it back on the heat when the texture seemed too thin. After several rounds of doing so, I overcooked it just slightly and my syrup was a little bit thicker than I was going for. But the taste was fantastic!

Our attempt to knock off the only-in-UT Kneaders french toast...and thus a CookieSheets&CakePans original!

Button button...

2010-02-08T21:10:00.003-06:00

Check out my new button! (on the sidebar)

If you want to add it to your blog, do the following:

Log in to your blog.
Click on layout.
Add a gadget.
Choose an HTML/JavaScript gadget.
Place it where you want it in your blog layout.
Copy the HTML code (that's underneath the button on my sidebar) into the "Content" box and leave the "Title" box blank.
Click Save to take you back to the blog layout.
Click Save changes, and voila!
(yours will be a bit smaller than mine. mine is gigantor!)

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

2010-02-07T19:41:00.003-06:00

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter plus 2 TBSP, softened
2 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract, divided
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt, divided
3 cups oats
2 cups milk chocolate chips
8 oz sweetened condensed milk

Set oven to 350°. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, 1 cup butter, eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, flour, baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt and oats. Mix well. Press 3/4 of the oat mixture into the bottom of the pan making a crust.

In a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and 2 Tbsp butter. Melt over low heat. Once smooth, take off the heat and add 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp salt. Pour over oat crust and smooth evenly with a rubber scraper. Crumble reserved oat crust over the chocolate mixture.

Bake for 25 minutes or until top is slightly browned. Cool before cutting.

Comments from the cook: I found this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs (Rookie Cookie), and it took a few times for me to get it just right. I overcooked it once or twice (beware) and they were JUST RIGHT this time. Then again, I've never thrown two sticks of butter at something and not been at least moderately pleased with the outcome. :)

Give this one a try if you've got a real craving for ooey-gooey-fudgy-goodness. And make sure you've got milk in the fridge first!

Text taken from (and recipe found on) Rookie Cookie's website, here.

Hamburger "Stuff"

2010-02-05T06:57:00.005-06:00

4-6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can water
approx 1lb ground beef, uncooked
salt and pepper, to taste

Use mandoline (fancy name for slicer) to slice potatoes, carrots, and onions. Or, if you're the old-fashioned type...use a knife and cutting board. :)

Place ground beef (defrosted if originally frozen) in bottom of roast pan. Cover with potatoes, carrots, then onions.

In a separate bowl, combine soups, salt and pepper, and water. Mix until smooth.

Pour soup mixture over other ingredients.

Bake covered at 350° for 3-4 hours. Makes 4-6 servings.

Comments from the cook: My mom made this for us last summer...and it was fantastic! It's a great, inexpensive substitute for pot roast - particularly for those of us that don't need a big roast that might take days and days to eat (even after we've cut it in half!).

This is an excellent dish to throw in the oven before church. I even tried this in my CrockPot, and cooked it on high for about 4 hours. The potatoes were much softer and the entire dish was a bit mushy compared to the oven-baked version. It still tasted good, but I liked the results better after baking it in the oven.

Disclaimer: Sometimes it's hard to get a good photograph of food that tastes really good, but isn't as appealing to the eyes. :)

Originally shared (and named) by my mom, Alane.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

2010-01-31T17:42:00.003-06:00

1/2 c shortening
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
3 mashed bananas
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
2 c flour
1/2 bag (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs one at a time. Add mashed bananas and mix until smooth.

Add dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Add chocolate chips and mix just until blended.

Pour mixture into muffin tins (greased if not using papers).

Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

Comments from the cook: Somehow in college, the page from my Betty Crocker cookbook that had banana bread on it disappeared. When Brian and I got married, a banana bread recipe was (fantastically enough) actually part of his dowry. (Do men have a dowry?) This is his mom's recipe, and it's a go-to one for us. Could be because we seem to be a dead-banana harvesting FACTORY around here. We just never get to the last one before it dies a terrible death and moves to the freezer. But, not all death is terrible...as dead bananas make the best muffins!

I generally don't like to add an entire bag of chocolate chips to any recipe. I use half a bag for these, and they're fantastic.

Best when served warm...and perfect defrosted after a bout in the freezer. (Would you expect anything less from a recipe made from dead bananas that live in the freezer for AGES before they become muffins??)

Originally shared by Debby Mathias (by way of Brian Mathias' dowry).

Orange Chicken

2010-01-29T07:05:00.006-06:00

(Made with fresh chicken breast chunks)

(Made with frozen tenderloin chunks)

Chicken and breading:

1 TBSP oil
1 egg
1/4 c flour
1/4 c cornstarch
salt and pepper, to taste
2 large fresh chicken breasts, cut into large chunks (Tenderloins will also work, but pieces will obviously not be as thick. Same goes for frozen chicken.)

Combine egg, oil, and salt and pepper in medium mixing bowl.

Add chicken chunks to mixture and stir together, making sure that all pieces are coated.

Add flour and cornstarch to mixture.

(Don't be fooled. These steps must happen in this order. And the mixture may not look right to you, but it works. Promise!)

Heat oil on stove. You'll need it to be medium high to high, but not the highest heat. It needs to be hot enough to crisp the outside, but not so hot that the outside gets charred and inside isn't thoroughly cooked. (Remember my outrageous paranoia about meat not being thoroughly cooked?!)

Cook thoroughly and set chunks on plate covered with paper towel (to allow excess oil to drain).

Sauce: (**Makes enough for 2 installments...so cut ingredient amounts in half, or go with these quantities and freeze the rest. Freezes like a dream!**)

1 1/2 cups water
4 TBSP orange juice
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 1/2 TBSP soy sauce
1/4 cup plus 1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1 rounded tsp chopped green onion
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 TBSP plus 1 tsp cornstarch
4 1/2 TBSP water

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine all of the sauce ingredients, except the cornstarch and 4 1/2 Tbsp water. Stir often while bringing mixture to a boil. When sauce reaches a boil, remove it from heat.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and 4 1/2 TBSP of cool water. Stir until cornstarch has dissolved. Pour this mixture into the sauce and set the pan over high heat. When sauce begins to bubble and thicken, remove it from heat.

Toss chicken chunks with half of the sauce (freeze the rest!) and serve over sticky rice.

Comments from the cook: Hello, and welcome to orange chicken heaven. Since we moved to Kansas, we haven't have access to Panda Express or the fab Chinese that we loved at Smith's in Utah. I stumbled upon this recipe, and my new-recipe-trying husband dove right in one night when I was under the weather. He touches the meat in this family (he really loves me), so he's technically the expert on this one. I've made the sauce, so I can take a LITTLE bit of ownership...

We use more orange juice than the original recipe calls for (quantities already adjusted above), and use all cornstarch instead of arrowroot. If you have it around, click on the links below to fancy up the recipe (then email me and explain to me what-in-the-world you're doing with arrowroot in your cupboards).

We have been searching for an easy orange chicken recipe for a while. Well, guess what? If you want good orange chicken, it takes a little work! Love, love, love this recipe. Am SURE you will too...

Endorsed by so-incredible photographer, Tara Whitney, on here (and she found it here). Some text taken from these websites.

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-01-24T11:36:00.006-06:00

2 cups minus 2 TBSP cake flour
1 2/3 cups bread flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt (I used the grinder attached to my sea salt spice container to grind salt to the perfect texture)
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 c) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 TBSP granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 bags (18 oz) semisweet chocolate chunks
sea salt

Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours. (I didn't have the patience to cool the dough overnight and it was still AMAZING!)

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.

Scoop generous-sized mounds of dough (about the size of golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie.

Sprinkle lightly with sea salt (I used the remaining coarse salt that I used in the dough itself) and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Comments from the cook: My mission in life has been to find the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Just a tiny bit of crisp, and a LOT of chewiness. I've tried quite a few, but they never seem to quite do it for me. And then these cookies came along! I'm not kidding you, folks. They are phenomenal. For some reason, I thought that $2 or $3 worth of ingredients would magically transform into the perfect cookie. Well, it turns out that a few dollars more may be required.

This recipe calls for cake flour AND bread flour...neither of which I had on hand. I'm the stingy type with grocery money, but these are worth every penny. I also used Nestle Chocolate Chunks instead of chips. I like the size and shape of them a little better. The next time I make these, I will likely add a little less chocolate (maybe just one bag). I also had sea salt on hand (weird, I know) and the grinder on top was perfect for the texture called for in this recipe. Check out the link below to find other alternatives if you don't have sea salt.

My first batch was slightly overcooked, and my 2nd attempt (after the dough had cooled overnight) was perfect. A friend told me once that you should cook cookies until the shiny dough in the center goes away. Well, my take-away is that you should take these out right before that shininess disappears completely.

Originally found here (and attributed to Jacques Torres)

Almost Betty's Chili

2010-01-21T18:19:00.004-06:00

1 lb lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lg can (28oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (16oz) chili beans in sauce, undrained
1 can (15oz) tomato sauce
2 TBSP chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Brown beef in medium sauce pan with onions.

Combine all other ingredients, and cook in Crock Pot for 6-8 hours on Low.

Comments from the cook: I'll admit it. I've always been afraid to make homemade chili! Brian doesn't care for beans, but likes chili...when it's just right. I've been afraid to try my hand at it for that reason. I found this recipe on the Betty Crocker website, and thought I'd dive right in.

Betty's recipe calls for twice as much beef and onion. I thought such a large helping of beef might grow hair on a person's chest(!), so I opted out. And, as some of you know, I HATE onions. Love the flavor, but I hate when a dish is full of the soggy little devils.

We ate this with saltines and a bit of cheese on top. A new favorite!

Originally found here on the Betty Crocker website. Adapted to fit our tastes...

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

2010-01-18T21:18:00.002-06:00

5 medium potatoes
2 TBSP margarine (we use Brummel & Brown butter substitute)
6 TBSP sour cream (we use low-fat)
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup milk

Peel and boil potatoes. Mash with margarine, sour cream, and milk. (We use a hand mixer to mash...)

Mix in garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Comments from the cook: I've been wanting to try mashed potatoes with a new spin. The sour cream and garlic take these babies up a notch, and we LOVED them.

Maybe you've noticed that 75% of my recipes have potatoes as a main ingredient. Did I mention that my parents are both from Idaho, and that my dad grew potatoes for 10 years? That's enough to convert a girl for life!

A CookieSheets&CakePans original!

Homemade Toffee Popcorn

2010-01-18T21:12:00.003-06:00

1 stick butter or margarine
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup Karo syrup
popcorn kernels, unpopped

Pop about 3/4 cup popcorn using air popper (or microwavable is fine too!).

Combine sugar, butter, and Karo in medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil and cook until soft ball stage.

Pour over popcorn and stir immediately until all popcorn is evenly coated.

Comments from the cook: More of my Kryptonite! My mom made this for us on Sunday nights when we were kids, and we gobbled it up. It's excellent when served warm, and is even really good the next day (if it lasts that long!). Original recipe is twice this much, and makes 2 large bowls full.

Originally shared by my mom, the popcorn queen.

Brian's Homemade Pizza

2010-01-18T20:59:00.012-06:00

Sauce
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1 clove minced garlic
1 1/2 TBSP fresh basil, minced (or the equivalent of dried basil)
1 TBSP fresh oregano, minced (or the equivalent of dried oregano)

Simmer for 30 min, stirring occasionally.

Crust
1 1/4 cup warm water
1 TBSP yeast
2 TBSP sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water.

Add sugar, salt, and 2 1/2 cups flour. Mix to form dough.

Add more flour (up to a 1/2 cup) if needed to pull together. Mix about 3 minutes.

Let rest for 10 minutes in bowl.

Flour your pizza peel and sprinkle it with cornmeal. Work the dough with your hands to stretch it before laying on your pizza peel. Roll it out a bit more if needed. Let it rest for another 10 minutes on the peel after you've rolled it out.

Add all toppings BEFORE transferring dough from pizza peel to hot pizza stone (heated to 450° in oven).

Cook for 12-15 minutes.

Comments from the cook: I married a man who CANNOT get enough pizza! The only thing he loves more than making it? Eating it! He has been adding recipes to his quiver for a while now. This crust is one we tried just over a week ago. We are in love with the taste, and it's a quick one!

Brian got this sauce recipe from a man that visited the bell-tower at BYU a few years ago. The man owned the first pizza delivery restaurant in SLC. While this was not the recipe he used in his restaurant (too time-consuming, says he!), it was his personal favorite. Brian and I have yet to find a sauce recipe that matches it.

Also, we use dried spices in the winter time. Fresh ingredients are best, but one must find alternatives in winter!

Originally shared by Erica and the unnamed bell-tower pizza man.

Lit'l Smokies

2010-01-10T11:02:00.008-06:00

1 pkg Lil' Smokies
1 lb bacon
1/4 c (or less) brown sugar
toothpicks

Cut bacon strips in half.

Wrap bacon around smokies and pierce with toothpick (to hold them together).

Sprinkle with brown sugar.

Bake at 375° until brown sugar starts to brown. Broil for extra firmness.

Comments from the cook: These are HARDLY a January food! They're great for parties and are super easy. We used pre-cooked bacon for ours and the cook time was much shorter.

A Mathias-family favorite...

Homemade Reese's

2009-12-18T16:38:00.010-06:00

1 pkg graham crackers (approx. 12 full crackers)
1 c creamy peanut butter
1 c butter, melted
3 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 pkg milk chocolate chips
1 tsp canola oil

Crush crackers into a very fine powder. (Using a food chopper or blender is all but required to get the right consistency.)

Stir in melted butter and peanut butter.

Add in powdered sugar.

Still until mixed well. Press into bottom of an 9"x13" pan.

Melt chocolate chips in double boiler or microwave. Add a tsp of oil to the chocolate, so that it will be a bit softer when it hardens.

Refrigerate until cool. Remove from fridge about half an hour before cutting, to allow chocolate on top to soften a bit. If cut too soon, chocolate will crack!

Comments from the cook: I added a bit of oil to the chocolate this year (in hopes of avoiding the cracking), and it helped a lot! However, it does make the finished product a little bit melty when you pick it up. But, these are to-die-for. Little kids love them, and a whole pan is a LOT.

My mom and I used to roll these into balls and dip them in chocolate, but eventually started putting them in a pan. Much easier, and a lot less mess. Yum!

A Sleight family Christmas tradition, adapted over time

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

2009-12-18T16:27:00.009-06:00

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c peanut butter (creamy)
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
white sugar (for rolling cookies in)

Cream butter, PB, sugars, egg, and vanilla.

Add dry ingredients.

Form into 1" balls, roll in white sugar, and place in greased miniature muffin tins.

Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes.

Remove from oven and quickly press a Hershey Kiss into the center of each cookie.

Cool and carefully remove from pans.

Makes about 3 dozen.

Comments from the cook: These cookies are a tradition for Brian's family, and he can't say no to them! Most of the text above is taken from the Cooks.com recipe, and the original recipe calls for a mini Reese's PB cup in the center of each. They are excellent that way...and super rich!

These cookies are a holiday favorite of ours, and we hope you like them too...

A Mathias family Christmas tradition, with a little help from the internet

Coconut Cream Pie

2009-12-01T13:54:00.004-06:00

1 large box vanilla pudding
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 bag flaked sweetened coconut
2 8oz containers Cool Whip
1 TBSP butter
pie crust

Add butter to medium saucepan. Add flaked coconut and brown over medium heat. Stir as you go, to allow for even cooking.

Allow coconut to cool on a plate (covered with a paper towel). Should take half an hour or so.

Prepare vanilla pudding according to pie filling directions. Cool in fridge for 5 minutes.

Stir in flaked coconut (saving 1/2 cup out for topping) and one small container of Cool Whip.

Pour mixture into pre-cooked pie crust (cook according to directions) and top with other container of Cool Whip and leftover 1/2 cup of coconut.

Best when prepared the night before...or after at least a few hours of refrigeration.

Comments from the cook: My FAVORITE. Not lying. Not exaggerating. My ALL TIME FAVORITE PIE. Even better when made in my mom's homemade crust. But, from what I've learned, most people aren't interested in making crust from scratch. So, just go ahead and settle with the store-bought kind. Granted, you won't know the full extent of the delicacy, but you'll get close enough to know what I've been ranting and raving about. MY FAVORITE.

Originally shared by my mom, a fellow ultimate-lover-of-all-things-pie.

Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies

2009-11-10T19:20:00.007-06:00

1/2 c sugar
1 c creamy peanut butter
1 c corn syrup
6-8 c Cornflakes (generic ok)

In large saucepan, combine sugar, peanut butter and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.

Add 6 cups of Cornflakes to large bowl. Pour hot mixture over cereal and stir. Add more Cornflakes if desired.

Spoon onto wax paper in small heaps. (You will probably need to drop them into heaps and then go back and form each one so that they'll hold together.)

Cool and store in airtight container when finished.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Comments from the cook: These are truly my own personal Kryptonite. I CANNOT leave them alone! They're easy, fast, and they're totally addictive...

Originally shared by my mom (this version found online long ago).

Peas and Potatoes

2009-11-07T13:24:00.010-06:00

6 red potatoes, diced
1/2 bag frozen petite peas (these are sweeter than regular peas)
6 c milk
1/4 - 1/2 c sugar
cornstarch

Dice red potatoes. Bring to a boil in medium sized pot. Boil until cooked thoroughly.

When potatoes are nearly finished cooking, add peas to boiling water also. This will cool water down, but bringing it back up to a boil should be enough to cook the peas and finish cooking the potatoes.

Drain water and put back in pot.

Pour milk over peas and potatoes until they are covered (may be more or less than 6 cups, depending on the size of your potatoes).

Add cornstarch mixture (about 2 TBSP cornstarch mixed with an equal amount of water or milk) to pot of milk, potatoes, and peas.

Cook on medium high (NOT high) until mixture starts to bubble and thickens. Be very careful not to allow the milk to burn in the bottom of the pan. (Burnt milk taste is the worst!)

Stir in sugar and allow to cool. Add salt and pepper as desired.

Comments from the cook: I imagine that my Grandpa must've really enjoyed this...especially after a long, cold day on the ranch! In order to add more cowboy approval-ness, I think my Grandma made steak or hamburger patties to go with it.

This is one of my favorite dishes, and it's even better warmed up the next day. I like it fairly sweet, with a dash of pepper to add a little kick.

Originally shared by my mom, who learned it from my Grandma Tibbitts (which would make this "how to feed a hungry COWBOY" food!).

Chicken Pot Pie

2009-10-22T19:07:00.006-05:00

1 pkg ready-to-bake pie crusts (2 included)
5 small potatoes
2 TBSP butter or margarine
2-3 TBSP flour
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
frozen peas
frozen carrots
chicken

Allow pie crust dough to defrost to room temperature. Put one crust in bottom of glass dish.

Cut chicken into small pieces and saute in a little bit of canola oil or cooking spray. Place on top of crust.

Dice potatoes (into 1/2" pieces) and pour over crust in dish. Add frozen peas and carrots to crust also, as desired. (Veggies are uncooked during assembly!)

In medium sauce pan, heat 2 TBSP butter or margarine over medium high heat. Once melted, add 2-3 TBSP flour to butter. Stir constantly, while adding 1 cup milk. Heat (and continue stirring) for 2 minutes. Mixture will thicken into a gravy.

After that 2 minutes is up, add 1 cup chicken broth and stir well until mixed (should only take a couple seconds of good stirring to be done). Remove from heat.

Pour gravy mixture over potatoes and vegetables in pan. Set aside.

Take your 2nd pie crust (that has not yet been used). Trim about 3/4" of crust off the edges. Place newly trimmed crust on top of the other to create a lid. Fold edges of bottom crust up and over.

Poke holes in top crust with a fork.

Bake at 375° for a hour or so. If top becomes too brown, cover in foil for remaining cook time.

Comments from the cook: I made this the other night, and only cooked it at 350 for about 55 min. The potatoes were still a little crispy, so we microwaved the whole thing for 3 minutes and they were perfect!

A CookieSheets&CakePans original! (Tutored by Cathy Green)

The real question...

2009-10-20T20:51:00.003-05:00

Have you tried anything you've seen on here?

If so, what was it? Did it turn out ok? Will you make it again?

Please reply. Would love the feedback! :)

Fresh Tacos

2009-10-17T17:43:00.011-05:00

homemade pico de gallo
1/3 lb ground beef
taco seasoning
sour cream
shredded cheese
shredded lettuce
corn tortillas
cooking spray

Brown ground beef. Season with taco seasoning, as desired.

Warm griddle to 350°. Spray both sides of corn tortillas with cooking spray. Cook on both sides until golden brown.

Assemble all ingredients.

Comments from the cook: This recipe is HARDLY an original, but it has become one of our top 3 dinner favorites. Fresh pico is at the heart of it, so how can you lose!?

Though they are ok (just ok) warmed in the microwave, we wanted to find a new way to enjoy corn tortillas. Obviously, they are best when fried in oil, but we wanted to find a way to cut calories significantly. Cooking spray is a great way to add a bit of flavor (we use the olive oil kind). They're an excellent alternative!

A CookieSheets&CakePans original!

Tacos in a Pan

2009-10-12T20:11:00.008-05:00

1/3 lb. ground beef, browned
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1 can Fiesta Nacho Cheese Campbell's Soup
milk (about 2/3 soup can worth)
tortilla chips
taco seasoning, to taste
lettuce
sour cream

Pour 1/2 bag of tortilla chips in baking dish (8x8 or gelly roll pan). Press down on them with your palm a couple of times to make pieces more bite-sized.

Mix cheese soup and milk together in a separate bowl. Pour over chips.

Brown ground beef, season with taco seasoning, and pour over chips (and soup mixture).

Sprinkle shredded cheese over top.

Cook in oven for 15-20 minutes at 375°.

Serve over lettuce and topped with sour cream.

Serves 4+.

Comments from the cook: Might call this the cousin to "Chili/Frito Pie". Probably not the best to eat this after recovering from a heart attack, or if you're at risk for one...but really tasty! :)

I used a house brand of tortilla chips this time that were not quite as thick as those we usually use. In the future, I won't deviate from the Santitas brand! They are a bit thicker and make for a crispier chip after baking.

One of Brian's favorite meals... Would be excellent garnished with fresh tomatoes, a little guacamole, or onions (if you like that sort of thing...).

Another hard one to photograph! But trust me, it's a winner.

Originally shared by Debby Mathias, my mother-in-law.

Baked Potato Soup

2009-10-11T17:03:00.008-05:00

1/3 c margarine or butter
1/3 c flour
3 1/2 c milk
2 potatoes (peeled, cubed, boiled to done-ness, and rinsed with cool water)
2 green onions, chopped
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
5/8 c shredded cheese
1/2 c sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter over medium (to medium high) heat and whisk in flour. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until thick. (Take care to not allow milk to burn in bottom of pan).

Stir in potatoes and green onions. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in all other ingredients.

Serves 4+.

Comments from the cook: Emily's original recipe is twice this size, so double it if you'd like!

When I made this soup recently, I tripled the potatoes (6 instead of 2) in order to make it go a little further. When reheating, add milk to thin it down. (It will be extremely thick after refrigeration, as you would assume).

Though difficult to photograph (!), this is an excellent recipe that we LOVE. Thanks for sharing, Emily! :)

Originally shared by Emily, my cousin's wife (cousin-in-law?!)

Sweet Wheat Muffins

2009-10-08T08:32:00.008-05:00

1 c whole wheat flour
1 c white flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 c brown sugar
1 c milk
2 eggs
1/3 c canola oil

Beat eggs. Add milk and canola oil. Stir.

Add brown sugar. Stir.

Stir in flours, salt, and baking powder.

Add 1/2 c walnuts (optional).

Cook for 15 minutes at 425°.

Makes about a dozen.

Comments from the cook: These muffins are great with a little bit of honey-butter. While we eat them for breakfast, they are quite dense and would be a great companion to soup or stew.

In the future, I am going to try to substitute applesauce for part of the oil...not because they don't taste really good (they do!), but why not cut down the fat if possible, right? I also may try to go all whole-wheat flour, as the name suggests. We'll see what happens...

p.s. Sorry for the brief hiatus! When I'm not happy with the photographs, I don't post the recipes. This one was a struggle. You want new stuff, and I want these little guys to appear in a better picture. You win!

Originally shared by Alane Sleight (Mom!).

Homemade Pico de Gallo

2009-10-02T10:16:00.011-05:00

10-14 Roma tomatoes
1 white onion
2 jalapeno peppers
3/4 bunch cilantro
fresh garlic
vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper

Dice and combine tomatoes, white onion, and jalapenos (seeds removed!).

Chop cilantro into small pieces. Add to tomatoes, etc.

Add about 1 tsp minced garlic. (We buy the kind in a jar, but you can use what you have. Amounts will vary based on whether you use fresh or powdered.)

Add 3-4 TBSP vinegar, 3-4 TBSP olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Makes 4-5 cups.

Comments from the cook: This is our ALL-TIME favorite fresh food. We make it for our annual Cinco de Mayo celebration and it is always a hit. Lately, we've been enjoying it over tacos and can't get enough of it.

Generally, I try to find some firm tomatoes, and a few that are more ripe. This recipe is best served the next day, as the flavors really come alive when chilled overnight. Unfortunately, it does not "keep" very well...and only lasts a couple of days in the fridge. That is, if you have any leftovers! :)

For a true onion-hater like me (it's a miracle I eat this, mind you), I like to keep the ratio of tomatoes to onions equal. Choose the size of onion based on your preference. Enjoy!
Adapted from a recipe found online, long ago

Peanut Butter Heath Cookies

2009-09-26T17:02:00.009-05:00

1/2 c shortening
3/4 c creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 c packed light brown sugar
3 TBSP milk
1 TBSP vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/2 c flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups (8 oz. pkg.) HEATH Bits 'O Brickle Toffee Bits, divided

Beat shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add egg; beat just until blended.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

Stir in 1 cup bits of Heath; reserve remainder for topping.

Drop by heaping teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. (I have tried these rolled into balls, and just heaped. The heaping spoonfuls seemed to have a better texture to me...)

Bake at 375° for 7 to 8 minutes or until set. Do not overbake.

As cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle each with remaining Heath bits.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Comments from the cook: These are INCREDIBLE and becoming a fast-favorite around here. Someone brought them to a choir rehearsal, and I died at first bite! I tinkered with it just slightly...as I prefer to sprinkle extra Heath bits on after cooking. Too many on the outside of the cookie, when cooked, will turn really tacky and hard to chew. We have enjoyed these with a smidge of ice cream between them too!)

Originally shared by Kathy Fredrickson. Found on the back of the Heath bits package!

Mom's Tuna Casserole

2009-09-23T17:59:00.005-05:00

4 servings elbow noodles
8 oz Velveeta (they have a new lower fat one!)
1/2 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c milk
1 can tuna, drained
crackers/chips, crumbled for topping

Boil elbow noodles to doneness. Place in Pyrex dish.

In a separate pan, heat Velveeta, cream of chicken soup, and milk. Stir until smooth. Add tuna to mixture and stir together.

Pour cheese mixture over noodles. Stir together to make sure all noodles are coated.

Crumble crackers or potato chips on top just to add a bit of saltiness and crunch.*

Bake for 30 min at 350°, uncovered.

Serves 4+.

* I like to think this step is what makes this a Mormon Mom recipe :)

Comments from the cook: Special thanks to Brian, who LOATHES all things fish, for letting me make this tonight. His fish-hating wife gets a hankering about once a year for a little bit of tuna, and this hits the spot. Brian ate a good-sized portion, and didn't even gag ONCE. He did need a few pieces of bread to get the tuna taste out of his mouth afterward, but I'd say that's pretty good progress!

Originally shared by you guessed it..Mom!

Fluffy White Frosting

2009-09-22T14:56:00.003-05:00

1/2 c water
1 1/2 c sugar
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

Add egg whites, vanilla, salt, and baking powder to mixing bowl. Beat on high speed (I used my KitchenAid) until stiff.

Measure water and sugar into saucepan. Heat. Boil for 30 seconds after it clears.

Add syrup (now very hot) to egg mixture, beating constantly. Continue beating on high 4-5 minutes.

Frosting will be very thick, but soft and easy to spread. It will begin to set up shortly after, so have your cake ready to go beforehand. Makes 6 to 8 cups (or more?)... plenty to cover a 2-layer cake. I just did the one layer (above) and had some left over.

Comments from the cook: Tasty when served warm, but AMAZING when served chilled!

Originally shared by Mary Sleight, my grandmother.

Hamburger Soup

2009-09-21T20:58:00.004-05:00

1 large can tomato sauce
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 can green beans
1/2 lb. ground beef
celery salt, to taste
season-all, to taste
water

In a large stock pot, brown hamburger. Stir in celery salt (I use about a TBSP).

Add tomato sauce and about 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Add season-all to taste.

Bring potatoes to a boil in a separate pot and cook until done.

Bring carrots to a boil in a separate pot and cook until done.

Combine all ingredients in stock pot and simmer for a few minutes.

Serves 4-6.

Comments from the cook: In the past, I have boiled the carrots and potatoes in the tomato sauce/hamburger mixture - covered. It takes longer, and can be really messy to keep opening it to test done-ness. The last couple of times, I have boiled each ingredient separately and have been very pleased with the minimal cleanup. More dirty pots, but less time scrubbing the stove-top!

Originally shared by Alane Sleight, my MOM!

Brown Sugar Muffins

2009-09-21T20:47:00.004-05:00

1/2 c margarine or shortening, softened
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c milk
2 c flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Mix ingredients together and pour into greased muffin tins.

Bake 15-20 min at 375°.

Makes about 16 muffins.

Comments from the cook: These are my new favorite! They are nice and chewy, and are the perfect companion to homemade stew. Brian's mom even made them for breakfast sometimes. Their sweetness is just right, and they're likely to become a staple around here.

I accidentally used butter instead of margarine, and it browned the edges perfectly. Next time, I will probably try them with wheat flour, just to change things up...

Originally shared by Debby Mathias, my mother-in-law

Easy Crock-Pot Teriyaki Chicken

2009-09-20T18:45:00.004-05:00

5-6 chicken tenders (or up to 3 chicken breasts)
2/3 c soy sauce*
1 1/3 c water*
4 TBSP brown sugar
2 TBSP grated fresh ginger (or 1 1/2 TBSP ground ginger)
2 garlic cloves, minced

Place chicken in slow cooker.

Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken.

Cover. Cook on high 1 hour. Reduce heat to low, and cook 6-7 hours.

Serve over rice.

*This is a pretty salty recipe, naturally, with soy sauce as the base. Kirsten even suggested tinkering with the amounts. We made it with 1 c soy sauce and 1 c water most recently. It's still a little too salty that way, so if you try it, I'd recommend going with the soy sauce and water amounts listed here instead. If you try it before we do, let us know how it turns out!)

Comments from the cook: The picture above is more proof that we really do eat broccoli with everything!

Originally shared by Kirsten Burrup Pratt, a dear friend who made this for us once (who found it online).

S'mores Bars

2009-09-19T17:35:00.008-05:00

1/2 c butter, softened
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 c flour
3/4 c graham cracker crumbs (about 6 sheets of graham crackers)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4-1.5 oz milk chocolate bars
1 c marshmallow cream

Set oven to 350°. Spray an 8 inch pan with non-stick spray.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, graham crackers, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar. Beat until light and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Press half the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place the chocolate on top of the dough, breaking it up to make it fit. Spread marshmallow cream over the top of the chocolate. Gently press the other half of the dough on top of the marshmallow cream.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes and cut into squares.

Comments from the cook: We ate these warm with a little bit of soft-serve frozen yogurt on top. Delish!

Originally found on: Rookie Cookie's website (text taken from her website)

Quick and Easy Breadsticks

2009-09-19T17:25:00.005-05:00

1 TBSP (heaping) yeast
1 1/2 c warm water
1 TBSP (heaping) malted milk powder
1 TBSP honey
4-4 1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt
2 TBSP parmesan cheese (optional)
1/4 tsp garlic salt (optional)
1/4 tsp basil leaves (optional)
butter, partially melted

Mix yeast, warm water, malted milk, and honey together.

Add flour and salt to yeast mixture.

Roll out. Brush with partially melted butter.

Combine parmesan cheese, garlic salt, and basil leaves (optional). Sprinkle over top of buttered dough.

Using pizza cutter, cut dough into desired segments.

Raise 15 minutes.

Bake for 12 min at 400°.

Comments from the cook: We ate these with spaghetti, and they were excellent! Our first batch was a little on the thick side, and we will likely roll them out to be a little thinner next time.

Originally shared by Debby Mathias, my mother-in-law

Inside-Out Cookie Sandwiches

2009-08-26T19:03:00.005-05:00

1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use about half a bag)
ice cream

Preheat oven to 350°.

Mix sugars, butter/marg, shortening, vanilla, and eggs in bowl. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

Stir in vanilla and chocolate chips.

Drop rounded balls of dough on cookie sheet and cook for 10 to 12 minutes.

Cool slightly.

Scoop ice cream onto back of one cookie, add another cookie (a lid!), and enjoy.

Comments from the cook: While any ice cream will work, we tried this with Edy's Thin Mint Cookie half-the-fat ice cream. Incredible, I tell ya.

Originally adapted from the Betty Crocker recipe for "Inside-Out Chocolate Chip Cookies"
(I used semi-sweet chips instead of white, which the original recipe calls for...hence the Inside-Out name.)

Steak, Potato, and Green Chile Stew

2009-08-26T18:39:00.004-05:00

8 small potatoes, diced
1 lb. steak pieces (most sliced in half because chunks are often very large)
1 can diced tomatoes (we use petite diced...I don't like big chunks)
1 can tomato sauce
6 cups water
1 small can green chiles (we use peeled, diced chiles and prefer them to be mild)
1 tsp fresh garlic
1 can white corn
Season-All, to taste
onion salt, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste
beef bullion, 4 cubes

Brown steak in stew pot until thoroughly cooked.

Add 6 cups water, 4 bullion cubes, can of tomato sauce, and can of diced tomatoes to pot. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 25 minutes.

Add diced potatoes, bring to a boil, and cook over medium high heat until potatoes are done.

Add chiles, white corn, and spices to taste.

Serves about 8.

Comments from the cook: We love to eat this stew with wheat french bread (sometimes lightly toasted). Dennis, the originator of the recipe, makes it with fresh green chiles (the REALLY hot ones!) and cooks it in a crockpot all day. He serves it with tortillas or tortilla chips and a dollop of sour cream on top. His will make you CRY, so we toned it down to mild chiles :)

Originally shared by: Dennis Adlesperger, a former boss/friend from PC (His version is much hotter!)

Homemade Oreos (with REAL white stuff!)

2009-07-05T20:12:00.007-05:00

Cookies

1 dark chocolate cake mix
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons shortening

Filling

3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/3 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup shortening
2 tablespoons hot water

Preheat oven to 325°.

Blend all cookie ingredients with an electric mixer. Knead it with your hands until it reaches the consistency of dough.

Form the dough into balls about 3/4 of an inch in diameter and press them flat, 1/2 inch apart, onto a cookie sheet.

Bake for 6-8 minutes. Allow cookies to cool.

Combine all the filling ingredients and mix well with an electric mixer.

With your hands form the filling into little balls about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch in diameter.

Place a filling ball in the center of the flat side of one of the cooled cookies and press down with another cookie, flat side down, until the filling spreads out to the edge.

Voila!

Comments from the cook: These cookies are hugely popular with kids. The "white stuff" is almost exactly like the store-bought stuff too. The cookies themselves are not quite like the real thing, but they're easy...so close enough!

Originally found on the internet, source unknown

Chicken Parmesan

2009-06-21T19:35:00.004-05:00

8-10 chicken tenders (thawed)
1 large can Del Monte traditional spaghetti sauce (our favorite)
1 package Ritz crackers (wheat ok!)
1/2 to 1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp garlic salt
1-2 eggs, beaten
oil
mozzarella cheese

Thaw chicken tenders. Beat eggs in bowl and set aside.

Heat approximately 1" of oil to medium heat in saucepan.

Crush Ritz crackers in Ziploc bag. Add Parmesan cheese, oregano, basil, and garlic salt to cracker crumbs. Toss together in bag.

Dip tenders in beaten eggs and then in crumb mixture. Toss in bag until coated.

Fry coated tenders in oil just until browned. Use tongs to remove, and set on plate covered with napkin (to drain off excess oil).

Pour spaghetti sauce into 8.5x11 pan. Season with oregano, basil, and garlic salt as desired. Set fried tenders in pan, and cover with sauce.

Pour cheese over sauce and cover with foil.

Bake at 400° for 40 min.

Serve over spaghetti.

Comments from the cook: We prefer the Del Monte spaghetti sauce, but it's not available everywhere. We tried to "make our own" sauce by adding spices to plain tomato sauce when we made this once...and it wasn't quite the same. Your best bet is to stick with a brand you already like, and go from there.

Originally shared by Matt and Brittany Johnson

Goofballs

2009-05-31T18:50:00.005-05:00

1 package Kraft caramels, unwrapped
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup margarine
1 bag large marshmallows (50-60)
Rice Krispies cereal (generic ok)
bamboo skewer
wax paper

Freeze marshmallows in 9"x 13" pan before creating caramel mixture.

Combine caramels, sweetened condensed milk, and margarine together in double boiler. (Add a little water to thin out, as mixture gets very thick...)

Take marshmallows out of freezer a few at a time. Poke with skewer.

Roll through caramel mixture, coating each marshmallow.

Roll into Rice Krispies.

Allow to set up on wax paper and refrigerate.

Makes 50-60.

Comments from the cook: We like these the best when they're chilled. Kids love them, and adults can't seem to stop eating them either! They can, however, make the roof of your mouth a little sore. Perhaps you'd liken it to the Cap'N Crunch effect :)

Originally shared by Vickie Luker, Mathias family friend

Made-from-scratch Brownies

2009-05-31T18:36:00.005-05:00

1 cup melted butter or margarine
1/4 cup cocoa
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla

Mix butter, cocoa, eggs, and sugar.

Stir in flour, salt, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Spread in greased 13"x9" pan.

Bake at 350° for 35-40 min.

Comments from the cook: These are some of my all-time favorite brownies. They don't require any special ingredients, they're super soft and moist, and they make a great treat when paired up with frozen yogurt and hot fudge.

Originally found on the internet, source unknown

Honey Wheat Bread

2009-05-30T17:47:00.005-05:00

2 tablespoons yeast

1/2 cup honey

1 tablespoon salt

4 cups hot tap water

5 cups of whole wheat flour

3 cups white flour

Stir yeast, honey, salt, and water together.

Add flour and stir until no longer lumpy.

Spread flour on counter, and knead dough, adding a little flour as you go so that it doesn't get sticky.

Knead until smooth and elastic--probably about 10 minutes total.

Put back into bowl and spray sides with non-stick cooking spray.

Raise until doubled--about 55 min.

Cut into fourths and mold into 4 giant smooth mounds.

Put all 4 mounds on a cookie sheet and let rest about 15 min.

Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 min. Cover loaves with foil after 25 min baking.

Brush with butter.

Makes 4 loaves.

Comments from the cook: This bread makes for the most amazing sandwiches and toast! It, like many breads, takes very well to freezing...so save some for later too.

Originally shared by Alane Sleight, my MOM!

Fruit Salsa

2009-05-25T17:11:00.011-05:00

1-2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries (I did at least twice, almost three times this)
1 15oz can of pears
1 15oz can of peaches
2 small cans of mandarin oranges
1 15 oz can of crushed pineapple
4 kiwis
1 package sugar-free strawberry gelatin
1/4 cup boiling water
12 tortillas (we prefer the uncooked kind from Costco or Walmart)
cooking spray
cinnamon and sugar mixture

Dice all fruit and combine. (We blended most of the strawberries into a puree, and diced a cup or so just to add texture.) OR Option #2 - When we're not worried as much about what it looks like, we use our Cuisinart food chopper and just chop everything that way...

Bring water to a boil and combine with gelatin.

Pour gelatin mixture into fruit. Refrigerate overnight (or for at least 4 hours).

If tortillas come uncooked, place them on a griddle just long enough to cook them all the way through.

Cut tortillas into 6 slices with a pizza cutter. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Cook at 350° for 5-6 minutes, just until golden along the edges.

Makes 8+ cups of salsa.

Comments from the cook: This salsa would be a great garnish to an otherwise average dessert too! Ideas have been tossed around about serving it over cheesecake or even with frozen yogurt...

My mom took it up one notch and baked pie crust (with cinnamon sugar) instead of tortillas for the "chips". Cooked dough doesn't hold together as well, but the result was INCREDIBLE.

Originally shared by my mother-in-law, Debby Mathias

Mini Fruit Pizzas

2009-05-24T20:02:00.005-05:00

1 pkg pre-made sugar cookie dough
1 8 oz pkg 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1 small tub whipped topping
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 lb strawberries, sliced
1 small can mandarin oranges
1 small pkg blackberries

Prepare cookies as directed on cookie dough packaging. (I always try to undercook them just slightly...even though the first batch this time around was crispy.)

Cool cookies.

Whip cream cheese, whipped topping, and powdered sugar together.

Spread on cookies.

Top with fruit!

Makes 2 dozen+.

Comments from the cook: You may want to wash and drain fruits ahead of time and allow them to dry. Mandarin oranges, in particular, are fairly moist even after being drained. This causes fruit to slide around on the cookies a little and leave a bit of juice behind. Up to you!

A CookieSheets&CakePans original!

Cream Cheese Chicken

2009-05-03T16:29:00.005-05:00

1 8 oz package 1/3 less fat cream cheese (generic ok)
1 8 oz package fat free cream cheese
1 packet italian dressing seasoning (dry)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
12-14 chicken tenders
bowtie pasta

Soften cream cheese in microwave or leave at room temperature until soft.

In slow cooker, combine cream cheese and cream of chicken soup.

Add italian dressing seasoning packet to cream cheese/soup mixture.

Add 12-14 chicken breast tenderloins to slow cooker.

Cook on low for at least 4 hours.**

Serve over bowtie pasta.

Serves 6+. (We half this, and have enough for leftovers the next day).

**Lisa, the bearer of this recipe, said that she sometimes makes this recipe in the morning before work, so it will be ready when she gets home. If that is the case, she suggests leaving the heat on warm instead of low. Cooking the dish on low for that many hours can cause it to burn around the edges. Up to you!

Comments from the cook: This recipe is a little bit rich, so I would suggest serving it with mild sides. We choose broccoli because, well, we eat it with everything. :)

Originally shared by Lisa Hjorth, co-worker at Provo Craft

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies (that will change your life)

2009-05-02T13:11:00.005-05:00

1/2 cup shortening (we use "Crisco--All Vegetable" and never generic)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Beat shortening, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until creamy.

Then add 1/2 cup sour cream. Stir well.

Add flour, soda, baking powder and salt. Mix well.

Roll out on floured surface about 1/8" to 1/4" thick.

Bake** at 350° for 8-10 minutes.

**It's really important that you let these bake until they're done. I usually leave mine in for 11 minutes or so. I like them to be slightly golden on the bottom, and they need to have puffed up quite a bit. If you take them out too soon, they fall and are gooey. I leave them on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes or more, so that the bottoms stay intact.

Frosting:

Few tablespoons of Crisco
1/4 cup of milk
dash of salt
tsp of vanilla
1/2 bag of powdered sugar

Mix with beaters until desired consistency. This recipe is just a ballpark, and I add powdered sugar and milk until it's just right.

Cookies in top picture were just rolled into 1 1/2" balls and flattened slightly before baking. (actual size 3-4" across) Cookies below were rolled out and cut with cookie cutters. (actual size about 5-6" across)

Comments from the cook: These cookies are pretty much no-fail, as long as you cook them thoroughly. The majority of hits on this blog are for "sour cream sugar cookies", so a cookie this good must be highly sought-after!

Originally shared by Cathy Green, co-worker at Provo Craft

Sweet & Sour Chicken

2009-04-29T21:13:00.009-05:00

2 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 c soy sauce
8 oz can pineapple chunks or tidbits, including juice
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
chicken, defrosted and cubed

Brown chicken in oil. Add peppers and garlic.

In a separate bowl, combine cornstarch, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and ginger.

Add to chicken while pouring pineapple chunks (and juice) into pan.**

Bring to boil.

Serve over rice.

**If soy sauce mixture is poured over chicken first, it will thicken too quickly. To avoid this, add pineapple and juice BEFORE soy sauce mixture to avoid premature thickening.

Comments from the cook: The original recipe calls for sliced carrots also. One of us (not me) isn't a big fan of them, so we leave them out. Add other veggies as you see fit. The sauce in this recipe is fantastic, so the more, the merrier!

Originally shared by Melissa Bell, my former roommate