Sunday, September 16, 2012

Peanut Butter Blossoms

48 Hershey Kisses
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tbs. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375*

Beat shortening and pb in large bowl until well blended.  Add 1/3 cup sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy.  Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well.  Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls.  Roll in sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 min. or until lightly browned.  Immediately press a chocolate into the center of each cookie.  Remove from pan and let cool on rack.  Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Canned Apple Pie Filling

4-5 cups of sliced apples
3/4 cup water
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 cup Sugar
1/8 tsp walt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbs. corn starch

Boil apples until barely tender.  Add sauce to apples and bring to a boil.  Place apple mixture into canning jars, and and water bath for 25 minutes.  Just pour this filling into a pie shell and bake.  It's better than the store bought apple pies.

(Carol Hansen)

Pear Pie

Mix together:
6 medium pears, sliced
3 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbs. flour

Place in unbaked pie shell and top with crumble topping.

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp mace
1/4 cup butter

Bake @ 425* for 30 - 40 minutes

(Carol Hansen)

Lemon Meringue Pie

1 1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. corn starch
1 1/2 cups water
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
3 Tbs. butter
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 drops of yellow food coloring (optional)

Need one baked pie shell.  Preheat oven to 400*

Mix sugar & cornstarch in large saucepan.  Stir in water gradually.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thicken and boils.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Stir at least half of the hot mixture gradually into egg yolks and blend quickly with a whire whisk.  Blend into hot mixture in saucepan.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Remove from heat; stir in butter, lemon peel, lemon juice and food color.  Pour into pie shell.

Spoon meringue onto hot pie filling, carefully sealing meringue to edge of crust.  Bake until light brown, about 10 minutes.  Let cool.

(Carol Hansen)

Cherry Pie

1 Qt. cherries
3 Tbs. flour
2 cups sugar
1 Tbs. vinegar
1 tsp. almond extract
Red food coloring, if desired

Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.  Check for desired tast and thickness.

*She loves freezing pitted bing cherries and making Bing Cherry Pie. 

(Carol Hansen)

Chocolate Pie

2 cups milk in double boiler, or cook in heavy pan on medium heat.  Mix 1/4 tsp. salt, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 Tbs. cornstarch & 3 Tbs. cocoa.

Add enough milk to dry mixture to make a smooth paste.  Add two egg yolks beaten slightly.  Add this to the milk in the pan and cook until thick.  Add 1 tsp. vanilla.  Pour in baked pie shell.  use remaining egg whites to make a meringue, if desired.

Variation
She likes to eat this pie warm with whipped cream on top.  Make it festive by pouring a few M&M candies on the top of the whip cream before serving.

You can also line your pie shell with sliced bananas and pour the chocolate pudding over the top.

(Carol Hansen)

Butterscotch Pie

Melt 1 Tbs. butter in large skillet, allow to fry until lightly browned.  Add 1 cup brown sugar and 4 Tbs. milk.  Let cook for 5 minutes.

In a separate bowl mix 3 slightly beaten egg yolks, 1 heaping Tbs. flour and 1 cup of milk.  pour some hot mixture into the egg mixture, mixing quickly with a wire whisk.  Return mixture to brown sugar mixter and cook until thick.  Pour into the pie shell.  Use remaining egg whites to make a meringue, if desired.

(Carol Hansen)

Pineapple Jello Pie

1 1/2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
2 eggs beaten (not frothy)
1 cup sugar

Bring to a boil over medium heat

Add 1 pckg. small lemon jello.  Cool on counter, not in refrigerator.  Whip one can of chilled evaporated milk and fold into pineapple mixture.  Place in graham cracker crust.  Makes two pies.

(Carol Hansen)

Banana Cream Pie

Cut one banana and place in bottom of baked pie shell.  Mix 1 small pckg. of Jello vanilla instant pie filling and prepare as usual, stirring one minute.  Add 2 cups of vanilla ice cream, slightly softened.  Mix until smooth.  Pour into pie shell and top with whip cream before serving.  Chill 1-3 hours.

Variation
She likes to add her bananas to the top of the pie instead of the bottom.  That way they don't get mushy if you don't eat it right away.  Another variation is to add a few frozen raspberries to the top of the pie along with the bananas.

If you want coconut cream pie, just brown some coconut and sprinkle it on top or mix plain coconut in as you blend the ingredients.

(Carol Hansen)

Apple Pie

6 cups tart apples
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbs. butter

Peel, core and slice apples to desired thickess.  Shake apples in a back with sugar mixture and pour into pie shell.  Top with butter.  Bake @ 450* for 10 minutes then reduce to 350* for 30 minutes.

(Carol Hansen)

Blackberry Pie

2 quarts fresh or frozen blackberries.  Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of sugar depending on sweetness desires,
4-5 Tbs. corn starch, and 1 Tbs. lemon juice.  Add some red food coloring for bright color.  Bring to a slow boil over medium heat and check for sweetness and desired thickness.  Top filling with a few slices of butter and bake @ 400* for 10 min.  Reduce heat and back @ 350* for 25-30 min. 

P.S. Coat crust with flour and sugar

(Carol Hansen)

Vanilla Wafer Crust

Mix together 1 1/2 cups fine vanilla wafer crumbs (about 36 wafers) and 6 Tbs. melted margerine.  Press into pie pan and chill.  *I like to add a little brown sugar to enhance the taste.  The crust stays together better if it is baked a little.

Recipe Courtesy of
Carol Hansen

Graham Cracker Crust

Combine 1 1/4 fine graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar (I like brown), and 6 Tbs. melted margerine.  Mix together and press firmly into pie pan.  bake at 375* for 6-9 minutes or until edges are browned.

Variation
Chocolate Cookie Crust - Don't add anything but margerine and bake like the graham cracker crust.  This is a great shell to layer ice cream in for summer pie.

Perfect Pie Crust

This is Judie's super easy, perfect every time, pie crust.  This will make enough for two double pies.

Cut together:

3 cups of flour
1 1/4 cup shortening
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Beat 1 egg, add 5-7 Tbs. ice water, and 1 Tbs. vinegar.  Add to flour mixture, lifting together gently with a fork.  Brush the edges with egg yokes and sprinkle with some sugar.  Bake @ 425 for 12-15 min.

Paije's famous Asiago Bread

Caution....you will want to eat the whole loaf!

1 cup Asiago Shredded Cheese
1 cup Shredded Jack Cheese
1/2 cup Mayo
1/2 bunch of Green Onions (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (minced) or about 2 tsp.
1/4 cup melted butter

Stir all the ingredients together and spread over cut french bread.  Bake 375 until cheese is bubbling and golden on top. 

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Meatball Subs

I've made these a few times now and everyone loves them.  

Italian Meatballs
Favorite Pasta Sauce
Monterey Jack Cheese/Provolone or Cheddar
Hoagie Buns
Butter
Garlic Salt

Heat meatballs in a shallow dish @ 375 until internal temperature reaches 165.  Add pasta sauce on top of meatballs about half way through.  Butter hoagie buns and sprinkle with garlic salt.  Place hoagies under the broiler until edges are golden brown.  Add meatballs to sub and top with your favorite cheese.  Place back under the broiler until cheese melts and VOILA!  Super easy, quick dinner.

Stacy's Lemon Drink

1 Tbs. citric Acid (fred meyer carries it in bulk spice section)
1 Tbs. lemon flavoring or extract
2 cups sugar
1 gallon of cold water

Mix until everything is dissolved and add freshly sliced lemon and lime if you want.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Cafe Rio Recipes

Cafe Rio Chicken

1 small bottle kraft zesty italian dressing
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 Tbs. cumin
3 cloves garlic (minced)
5 lbs chicken breasts

Cook all together in crock pot for 4 hours, shred meat & cook an additional hour

Cafe Rio Pork

1 pork roast or pork loin
1.5 cans coca cola (classic)
1 cup sugar
1 (7 oz.) can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
1 tsp. (heaping) dry ground mustard
1 tsp. (heaping) cumin
1 tsp. garlic (minced)

Remove chilis from the can of adobo sauce (if you leave them in it's much hotter).  Add all ingredients (except pork) in a blender.  Rinse can of adobo sauce with coke to get all the sauce out.  Blend until well mixed.  Place pork in a crock pot and pour sauce over it.  Cook on low 7-9 hours or until pork pulls apart with a fork.

Cafe Rio Rice

3 cups water
4 tsp. chicken bouillon
4 tsp. garlic (minced)
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 can green chilies
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbs. butter
1/2 onion
3 cups rice

Blend cilantro, green chilies & onion together in food processor.  Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients.  Simmer covered for 30 minutes.  Or just dump in a rice cooker.

Cafe Rio Dressing

1 pckg. buttermilk ranch dressing
2 tomatillos
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 clove of garlic
Juice of 1 lime
1 Jalapeno (I leave this out)

Make ranch dressing as per packet instructions.   Take the husks of the tomatillos.  Use the seeds of the jalapeno if you like spicy dressing (I don't add any).  Use a food processor to blend all ingredients together well and then refrigerate.

Assemble however you like.  We love the cook at home tortillas from costco.  Add cheese and black beans and chopped lettuce.

Thanks Kathleen!