Party Punch

 This is a super easy one! 

 It's a 1:1 Ratio

1 bottle of Raspberry Lemonade (I used the Winco Brand)

2 liter of Sprite

Mix and serve  

Super Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting

 Dry Ingredients

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

2 Cups Sugar

3/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

Wet Ingredients

2 Eggs

1 Cup of Buttermilk

1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 Cup Sour Cream

1 Cup Hot Water

Method

Preheat oven to 350

Grease you sheet pan

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients.

Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and sour cream.  Mix until smooth.

Slowly stir in the hot water (batter will be thin)

Pour into pan and tap gently to release bubbles.

Bake in a half sheet pan (12x18) for 18-23 minutes

Fudge Frosting

1/2 Cup Butter

1/4 Cup of Milk

1/4 Cup of Cocoa Powder

3-4 Cups of Powdered Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

Pinch of Salt

Method

Melt butter, milk, and cocoa in a saucepan

Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth.

Pour and spread over warm cake for a classic glossy finish

Tomato Soup & Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Tomato Soup

1/3 Cup Olive Oil (Extra Virgin)

5 Large Carrots - Pealed and coarsely chopped (2 3/4 cups)

1 Large Yellow Onion - Coarsely chopped (2 cups)

1 Tablespoon of Dried Basil

3 (28 oz) cans Italian Style Whole Tomatoes in puree

1 3/4 Cups of Chicken Broth

2 Cups Heavy Cream

Salt & Pepper 

2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil - cut in fine ribbons

Method:

Heat a 6-8 quart saucepan over medium heat, add oil and coat bottom of pan.  Add carrots, onion, and dried basil.  Saute, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 10-12 min.  Season with salt and pepper (1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper)

Add all three cans of tomatoes and broth.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer (uncovered) for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat, puree soup with an immersion blender in the pot (or use a blender)

Return soup to pan. Stir in cream and keep warm on low heat.  Season to taste with salt and pepper (usually 1 tsp of salt & 1/4 tsp pepper) and add ribbons of fresh basil and enjoy.

Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

1 Package of King's Hawaiian Savory Butter Rolls

Sliced Cheddar Cheese - (Cut each slice in 4)

8 Tablespoons of Butter

1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan

1/8 tsp Salt

3/4 tsp Granulated Garlic

1 Tablespoon of Fresh Parsley (Finely chopped)

Method:

In a medium bowl, mash together butter, parmesan cheese, salt, and granulated garlic until combined.  Then stir in finely chopped parsley.  

Slice rolls like you would a loaf of bread.  Spread butter mixture on one side of each slice, add 2 small squares of sliced cheddar cheese, and top with another buttered slice to make a sandwich.  Then you can fry multiple in the pan, just like you would any other grilled cheese sandwich. 

We served the soup and sandwiches at Madison's baby shower and they were a big hit!

Carla's Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Makes two pies

Ingredients:

2 boxes Pillsbury Pie Dough (Refrigerator Section)

2.5 lbs of cubed Cooked Chicken - set aside

1 cube of Butter

1 medium Onion - diced (can omit if you don't like onions)

3/4 cup of Flour (approximately) - I used a little less than 3/4 of a cup

2 cups of Milk or Half/Half

1 cup Chicken Broth

1 small jar of Alfredo Sauce

1 Tbs. Minced Garlic (I left this out)

1 can of Cooked Carrots (drained)

2 cans of cooked diced Potatoes (drained)

1 can of Corn (drained)

1 cup of Frozen Peas

1/2 tsp Salt

Pepper to taste

Prep:

Spray pie pan with non-stick spray and add bottom pie crust.  Pierce 6-7 times with a fork and set aside.  Pour 2 cups of milk or half/half in liquid measuring cup.  Pour 1 cup of chicken broth in measuring cup.  Dice onion and set aside.  In a strainer, pour the can of carrots, potatoes, and corn and set aside.

Method:

In large pot you will start a roux by sauteing the onion in the cube of butter.  When the onions are translucent and starting to caramelize, add 1/2 cup of flour.  Use a whisk and stir to combine and cook the flour for about 20-30 seconds. This will resemble a paste. Then add about 1 cup of Milk or Half/Half and stir with the whisk to incorporate.  Add 1 cup of Chicken Broth, again while stirring constantly with a whisk. Then add about 1/8 cup of flour, again....while stirring constantly with a whisk.  Then you will add the last cup of Milk or Half/Half (Keep Stirring).  Now add the jar of alfredo sauce and garlic (if you choose) and stir to combine.  This should be the texture and thickness of gravy. Add salt/pepper, carrots, potatoes, corn, frozen peas, and chicken.  Stir to combine.  I added more salt and pepper at this point.  Your sauce should now resemble the picture above.

Note: If you don't want to add the onion, just leave it out and make the roux with the melted butter and follow the same instructions adding more milk and flour if needed.

Scoop mixture into prepped pie pans leaving it domed in the middle.  Add top pie crust, folding under the overlapping edges, and then pinch to seal. Pierce top of pie with a fork about 10 times. 

Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes.

Note:  This is a great recipe to make ahead and freeze.  If you are baking a frozen pie, pull it out and leave it on the counter for a couple hours before you put it in the oven.

Parri’s Finger Steaks

Parri’s Version Finger Steaks - Stan Approved 😂

This recipe will feed about 4-5 people.  I recommend you triple or quadruple it for large family gatherings.  A doubled batch fed around 6 people at my house.

Step 1:

Batter/Marinade

1 Egg

2 cups Buttermilk

2 Tbs. Montreal Steak Seasoning 

1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Powder 

1 1/2 lbs Boneless Beef  Sirloin - Cut into strips 

Note:  I cut into strips and then cut them again lengthwise down the middle

Method:

Beat together the egg, buttermilk, Montreal steak seasoning. Add 1/2 cup of flour and baking powder and mix with whisk until consistency of pancake batter.  Add the beef strips and toss until well coated.  Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Step 2:

Flour Mixture:

2.5 Cups of Flour

2 tsp Garlic Powder

Salt/Pepper to taste 

Method:

Add flour mixture ingredients to bowl and mix.  Remove steak strips one at a time from buttermilk batter and allow excess to drip off.  Dredge each piece in the seasoned flour and place on a parchment lined (or wax paper) baking sheet and freeze at least one hour or overnight.  I prepare everything the night before and cover the floured strips in the pan with Saran and foil and keep it in the freezer until the next day.

TIP: Use small tongs not hands for pulling strips out of batter and tossing in flour 

Step 3:

When you are ready to cook them, add 2-3 inches of canola oil in a deep pot (I used my enameled cast iron pot and it worked great) and heat oil to 370 degrees.  Or you can use my handy wooden spoon trick to check the temp.  See tip below.  Add frozen battered/floured steak strips and fry for around 4 minutes or until golden in color. 

Remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined sheet pan while you continue frying the rest.  

TIP - Oil is ready when you put the handle end of a wooden spoon in the oil and it bubbles around the wooden spoon.  Use this trick each time before adding more strips to fry.

Cane’s Sauce Recipe (for dipping)

1/2 Cup Mayonaise

1/2 Cup Ketchup

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Mix and store in the fridge 

Hawaiian Style Smoked Pork Ribs on the Traeger

Hawaiian Pork Rib Rub (Enough for one rack of ribs, double if you have two racks)

3 Tbs. Brown Sugar
2 Tbs. Sweet Paprika (I used regular)
1 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Coarse Sea Salt (Hawaiian Sea Salt Preferred)
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and apply to rack of ribs (be sure to pat dry the ribs first)

Traeger 3-2-1 Method

Preheat Traeger to 180 degrees for 15 minutes.  Add pork ribs, bone side down, straight onto the grill.  Smoke for 3 hours.

After 3 hours remove ribs from the grill and turn heat up to 225 degrees.  Wrap ribs in parchment paper (tightly) and then in foil and return to grill (bone side down) for 2 hours.

After 2 hours remove ribs from grill.  Peel off foil and parchment paper.  Brush ribs with drippings and then with bbq sauce.  Toss out parchment paper and foil and return the ribs back to the grill (bone side down) for 1 hour at 225 degrees and then they are done!

This is a super easy method but it does take about 6 hours.

ENJOY

Disneyland Churros

Italian Sliders

This is a new variation of the ham sliders I found and they were a big hit!  I would reccommend doubling the recipe

Ingredients:
12 Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (King's Hawaiian)
1/4 cup pesto
1/2 pound of ham
1/4 pound salami
1/4 pound pepperoni
1/4 pound provolone cheese
1/4 cup sun-dried tomoatoes

Glaze:
4 Tbs. Butter
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp. Garlic powder

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  While keeping the rolls intact, cut them in half.  Place bottom half of the rolls in a  greased 9X13 pan.  Evenly spread pesto on the bottom half of rolls.  Layer ham, salami, pepperoni, provolone cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes.  Place top half of rolls over everything.  Melt butter in microwave safe dish and then mix in italian seasoning and garlic powder.  Brush glaze over rolls and cover with foil. Bake covered at 350 for 25 minutes then remove foil and cook an additional 10 minutes.  Cut individual rolls with a sharp knife and serve.

Ham & Cheese Sliders

These are sooo good and easy to make for a crowd!

Ingredients:
24 Hawaiian sweet rolls (Kings Hawaiian)
1 lb. Black Forest Ham
1 lb. Swiss Cheese
Mayonaise

Glaze:
1 stick Butter
2 Tbs. Brown sugar
1 Tbs. Dijon Mustard
1 Tbs. Poppy seeds
1 tsp. Onion powder
2 tsp. Worcestershire Sause
1/4 tsp Salt
Pinch of Black Pepper

Method for Rolls:
Lightly spray and 11X17 pan or 9X13 for a 1/2 batch with baking spray.  Cut the sliders in half (while attached, don't break apart).  Place bottom half into the bottom of the dish and spread mayo on the top half and set aside.  Cut cheese slices into quarters and layer on the individual rolls (cheese, ham & then cheese again)  Add top half of rolls into the dish and brush generously with the glaze.  cover with foil and cook at 350 for 25 minutes then remove foil and cook an additional 10 minutes.  Take a knife and cut the rolls into individual portions and serve.  Delicious!

Method for Glaze:
In small microwave safe dish heat butter in microwave until melted.  Stir in remaining ingredients and then brush over the top of rolls after they are assembled.

Stacy's Bruschetta

Ingredients:
6 tomatoes (chopped) - I like to use roma tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
Salt to taste
Basil
Olive Oil (good quality)
Balsamic Vinegar
Italian or French bread

Method:
Chop up 6 tomatoes.  Add 2 cloves of crushed garlic.  Add salt to taste.  Use a 3 to 1 ratio of Olive oil to Balsamic Vinegar.  Shred basil into small strips.  Stir together, taste and make adjustments as needed.  toast small slices of Italian or French bread brushed with Olive Oil.  Top bread with bruschetta and add small pieces of mozzerella  if you want.

DaLene's Chocolate Crumb Bars

In a double boiler, melt:
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz. pckg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 Tbs margarine or butter
Then add 2 tsp vanilla and set aside to cool

Mix:
1 cup softened margarine or butter
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2.5 cups flour
3 cups quick cooking oats

This mixture will be crumbly.  Grease 11X17 pan.  Press 2/3 of crumb mixture into pan.  Spread chocolate mixture over the crust.  Drop remaining 1/3 of crumb mixture over top.  Bake at 350 for 15 min.

Mouse's Dinner Rolls

Anything Mouse touches turns to gold!  I don't think I have ever tasted anything she has made that I haven't loved and begged for the recipe.  These rolls are amazing!

Ingredients:
4 cups milk
1 1/4 cup of sugar
1 cup real butter
4 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
4 pckgs rapid rise yeast
4 eggs
About 14 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter softened

Method:
In Saucepan melt 1 cup butter over low-medium heat.  Once melted add milk, salt, sugar, water.  Stir to blend ingredients.  Heat liquid until scalding.  Remove from heat.  Insert thermometer and watch for temp to cool to 125 degrees.

Meanwhile, in large mixing bowl add 4 cups four, 4 pckgs of yeast and whisk until well blended.  Make a well in the center and set aside.

Prepare pans by lining cookie sheets with foil and butter pans and set aside (you will need about 4 cookie sheets)

When liquid reaches 125 degrees pour into mixxing bowl and whisk until smooth (all yeast should be dissolved and no lumps)  Add 4 eggs and whisk until smooth and well incorporated.  Add 2 more cups of flour mixing with your hands to moisten and well combined.  Continue  adding remaining flour beating to moisten and well combined.  When enough flour is added the dough will not be too sticky, it will form a dough ball.

Sprinkle flour on bread board, remove dough from bowl and knead about 10-15 minutes on the bread board.  Shape into dough ball and place in buttered mixing bowl and cover with a tea towel and allow to rise 1 hour or until or until double in size.  Punch down.  Pinch some dough from the dough ball and shape dough into rolls and place on buttered cookie sheets to rise.  Allow to rise until double in size (about one hour or a little longer)

Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven immediately and brush with melted butter

Mir's Sugar Cookies and Royal Icing

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups (four sticks) of sweet cream salted butter
3 cups of Confectioner's Sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Almond extract
5.5 cups All-purpose flour
3.5 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt

Method:
Cream together softened butter and confectioner's sugar.  Crack the egg into a separate bowl, and add the flavoring.  I use emulsions, but extract also works well.  Add that to the butter sugar mixture and mix until the egg is thoroughly incorporated.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add little by little to the mixture.  I can tell the dough is ready whit it no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.  When I touch it, it has a little give, but does not stick to my fingers

Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick, use flour for dusting as necessary.  Then, cut and bake at 400 degrees for 7-8 minutes.  This version makes 4-5 dozen

Notes:
This dough DOES not need to be refrigerated before rolling it out, that is the best part.  It does need to rest a little after mixing, it will firm up a little bit after a minute or two.  Decorate the cookies the next day, the surface seems to be prettier the next day.


Royal Icing Flowers (Step one of iced cookies)

Ingredients:
2 egg whites
1 tsp lemon juice
5 cups Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
3 tsp water (approximate)

Method:
Mix egg whites and lemon juice.  Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing in between.  add almond extract and whip.  Add water if needed.  Frosting needs to pretty thick to hold the structure of the piped flower.  Use a piping bag and flower tip and pipe away.  Let dry and store in ziplock bags.

Royal Icing Piped Borders (Step two of iced cookies)

Ingredients:
3 egg whites
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Almond extract
5 - 5.5 cups of Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp water

Method:
Mix egg whites and lemon juice.  Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing in between.  add almond extract and whip.  Add water if needed.  Use this frosting to pipe borders prior to flooding and then also after flooded cookies are completely dry to add accents.

Royal Icing Flooding (Step 3 of iced cookies)

Ingredients:
6 egg whites
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp of Almond Extract
8 cups of Powdered Sugar

Mix together on low.  Use to flood piped cookies.  Let dry for 24 hours on counter top before adding accents and additional piping.  Use piping icing to glue flowers on the cookies.

.

Mouse's Bakery Frosting

Mouse's Bakery Frosting

Ingredients:
2 lbs C&H Powdered Sugar (no generic)
2 sticks Danish brand butter
1 cup of crisco
3.5 tsp Watkins Vanilla (Found at Walmart & Winco)
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream (40% preferred)
Dash of Salt

Method:
Cut butter into tablespoons and add to mixer.  Add 1 cup of shortening.  Beat together until smooth.  Add half of the powdered sugar and beat until creamy.  Add 1/4 chilled heavy cream and vanilla.  Beat until smooth.  Add remaining powdered sugar about a cup at a time.  Beat until smooth.  If you need to add extra cream, only add 1-2 Tbs. at a time.  Too much and your frosting will loose its structure.  Add a dash of salt with the last couple cups of powdered sugar.  Beat on med/high for 10 minutes until light and fluffy.

Mouse's Raspberry Filling

Mouse's Raspberry Filling

Ingredients:
2 bags of frozen raspberries
1.5 cups of Sugar
3 Tbs. Cornstarch

Method:
The night before dump bags of frozen raspberries into a bowl and sprinkle one cup of sugar over the top and let them sit on the counter to thaw.  As they thaw, it will draw the juice from the berries.  Keep an eye on the berries, don't let them get to room temperature.  Once they have thawed put them in an airtight container and put them in the fridge overnight.  Putting them in the fridge too soon may not yield enough juice.

Next day place the berries in a strainer over a large bowl and drain all the juices.  Save the juice (you should have about 1 cup) and pour in a small saucepan with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar.  Add 3 Tbs of cornstarch and whisk until completely blended.  Once blended, turn on medium heat and cook until thickened, stirring occasionally so it doesn't burn.

Let cool and gently fold in the raspberries.

Store in airtight container in the fridge until you are ready to use.

This is Mouse's creation.  She said she cooks the juices and not the berries because when the berries are cooked, you get a jam/jelly taste.  This recipe tastes like fresh fruit

Outback Steak House Garden Salad

Outback Steak House Garden Salad

Salad:
Romaine lettuce - washed and chopped
Red onion - sliced
Outback croutons - I buy a bag at Outback for around $5.00
Cucumbers - sliced and cut in half
Grape tomatoes - cut in half lengthwise
Shredded Cheese (thick not thin)

Spicy Ranch:
1 heaping tsp. Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix (Buttermilk recipe)
1 cup of mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp coarse ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl.  Mix well.  Cover bowl and chill dressing at least 30 minutes before serving.

Candy Clay/Molding Chocolate

Candy Clay/Molding Chocolate

Ingredients:
12 oz. bag of your preferred color of candy melts
1/4 cup light corn syrup

Method:
In a microwave-safe bowl add candy melts and microwave in 30 second intervals stirring in between. It usually takes 3 times at 30 seconds to melt the chocolate.  Stir to smooth out.  Add corn syrup and gently stir from the outside in, using a folding method. Stir until soft serve ice cream consistency.  Don’t over stir.

Once finish pour mixture onto a large piece of plastic wrap and spread it out with a spoon to flatten.  Add another piece of plastic wrap on top and flatten out even more.  Seal and leave on counter for a few hours until completely cool.  It will be hard, don’t worry.  Start kneading and it will soften right up and you can mold it into whatever shape you would like.

Marshmallow Fondant

Marshmallow Fondant

Ingredients:
8 oz. mini marshmallows
2 Tbs. water
4 cups powdered sugar
Food coloring (optional)

Method:
Place marshmallows and the water in a large microwave-safe bow.  Microwave on high for 1 minute, until marshmallows are puffy and expanded.

Stir marshmallows with a rubber spatula until they are melted and smooth.  If some unmelted marshmallows remain, return to microwave for 30-45 more seconds, until the marshmallow mixture is free from lumps.

If you want colored or flavored fondant, you can add several drops of food coloring at this point and stir until incorporated.

Add powdered sugar and begin to stir with the spatula.  Stir until sugar begins to incorporate and it becomes impossible to stir anymore.

Scrape the marshmallow sugar mixture out on to powdered sugar sprinkled surface.  It will be sticky at first, totally ok.

Dust hands with powdered sugar and begin to knead the fondant mixture like bread dough, working the sugar in the marshmallow with your hands.  Continue to knead until fondant smooths out and loses its stickiness.  Add more sugar if necessary.  Make into a ball, wrap in Saran Wrap and let rest for a 1/2 hour on counter.

Steaks Vidinhar Style

Steaks Vidinhar Style

Rib eye steak - Costco
Sprinkle with:
Olive oil
Garlic Powder
Hawaiian Sea Salt
Pepper

BBQ on high and then turn heat to medium.  7-8 minutes on each side for Costco thick steaks.  Slice and serve

Shrimp Vidinhar Style

Shrimp Vidinhar Style

Ingredients/Method

Raw shrimp thawed (Bruce buys it from Costco)

Metal Skewers - 5 shrimp on each skewer

Zest of one lemon - sprinkle over skewered shrimp

Drizzle skewered shrimp with olive oil

Sprinkle with:

Hawaiian Sea Salt

Black Pepper

Garlic Powder

Chopped parsley 

Cook on the BBQ on medium heat, 3-4 minutes on each side until pink