Emily - October 2007

Chicken Pot Pie

3 c. water
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. carrots, diced small
2 1/2 c. diced potatoes
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 c. frozen peas
1-2 large cans chicken
2 chicken bouillon cubes
milk
4 tbsp. butter
5 tbsp. flour
Marie Calendar's Pie Crust (they come frozen, but you need to thaw it)

Bring water and salt to boil in large saucepan. Add carrots & cook 4-5 minutes; add potatoes & onion & cook 4-5 minutes; add peas & cook 5 minutes.

Drain hot liquid from vegetables into a large measurer & stir in bouillon until dissolved. Add enough milk to equal 3 cups.

In saucepan, melt butter; add flour & stir until smooth. Gradually stir in vegetable juice/milk mixture. Heat until thickened, stirring constantly.

Combine vegetables, thickened liquid & chicken. (Mixture will thicken as it cooks.) Pour into 9x9. Cover with pie crust & bake @ 450 degrees (I know it seems to high of temp., but it's not!) for 25-30 minutes or until browned.

Emily - September 2007

Pretzel Salad

2 c. crushed pretzels (not too fine)
3 Tbsp. sugar
¾ c melted butter

Mix together and press in 9x13 pan, bake @ 400º for 5-7 minutes. Cool.

Mix:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained

Add:
1 (8oz) carton Cool Whip.

Cover and put in refrigerator. Spread onto crust when completely cooled and put back into refrigerator.

Mix until dissolved:
2 c. boiling water
1 large pkg. strawberry jell-o.

Then add:
20 oz. frozen sliced strawberries, thawed. Put in refrigerator to set until thickened. Pour over cream cheese layer. Set completely in refrigerator.

Brittany - September 2007

Orange Cranberry Pork Roast.

It taste gourmet but it is really fast & easy to prepare. It has the most delicious flavor you'll love it!

3lb Pork Roast

1 can of Cranberry sauce

1/4 c. of Honey

2 tsp Orange Zest

1/4 c. Orange Marmalade

1/8 tsp Ground Cloves

1/8 tsp Ground Nutmeg

Salt and Pepper

Season the Pork Roast with salt and pepper, place it in a crock pot. Mix up the other ingredients and pour over the pork. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. To sever slice the pork and place on a platter. It is nice to garnish the dish with thinly sliced oranges and parsley springs. I sever it with mashed potatoes (you can use the left over sauce for gravy).

Amber - July 2007

LAYERED ICE CREAM CAKE

15 chocolate and cream sandwich cookies (such as Oreo)
1 tablespoon milk
8 to 9 ice cream sandwiches, depending on size
1 pint mint chocolate chip ice cream
1 pint vanilla frozen yogurt
1 pint strawberry ice cream or frozen yogurt
1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions
1. Coat bottom and side of a 9-inch round springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line side with waxed paper, using spray to help adhere to pan. Trim paper to height of pan.

2. Finely crush 12 of the cookies in a food processor. Add milk; pulse just until mixture holds together. Set aside.

3. Unwrap 4 ice cream sandwiches. Working quickly, cut each in quarters. Stack strips of sandwiches on end, packing them snugly together, around waxed-paper-lined pan. Repeat with remaining sandwiches to form a stand-up edge. Spoon cookie crumbs into center of pan; press firmly over bottom. Freeze 1 hour.

4. Remove all 3 flavors of ice cream or frozen yogurt from freezer and let soften for 15 minutes at room temperature. Transfer mint ice cream to a small bowl and stir until good but firm spreading consistency. Repeat with vanilla and strawberry. Remove pan from freezer. Spread mint ice cream on bottom, then top with vanilla and strawberry, spreading all layers level. Top with thawed whipped topping, swirling top decoratively. Crush remaining 3 sandwich cookies and sprinkle over cake. Return to freezer; freeze overnight.

5. To serve, remove side of pan, then waxed paper. Cut into wedges.

Shelbie - July 2007

TRI_COLORE ORZO

1 pound orzo pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
2 cups fresh arugula (about 3 ounces)
3/4 cup crumbled ricotta salata cheese (or feta cheese)
1/2 cup dried cherries
12 fresh basil leaves, torn
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and put the pasta on a large cookie sheet. Drizzle the pasta with 3 tablespoons olive oil, toss, spread out, and set aside to cool.
Once the orzo is cool, transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently to combine. Serve.

Shelbie - July 2007

CHICKEN OR STEAK WITH BALSAMIC BBQ SAUCE

For the Balsamic BBQ sauce:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the chicken or steak:
4 pieces chicken (any combination of breast or leg-and-thigh pieces) or 4 pieces of New York strip or Club strip steak
Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the BBQ sauce:
Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and stir until all the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by 1/3, about 15 to 20 minutes.
For the chicken or steak:
Place a grill pan over medium heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Lightly coat with some of the BBQ sauce using a pastry brush. Place the meat on the grill. Place the remaining BBQ sauce, still in the small saucepan, over low heat or on the edge of a gas or charcoal grill and allow to gently simmer while the meat cooks.

Cook the chicken about 8 minutes per side. Cook the steaks starting at about 4 minutes per side until a meat thermometer reads the desired temperature, 120 degrees F for medium rare, 135 degrees F for medium (about 6 minutes per side), 155 degrees F for well done (about 9 minutes per side). Continually brush the meat with BBQ sauce every few minutes. Remove the meat from the grill and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Serve with the heated BBQ sauce alongside.

Alternately, the chicken can be baked in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the chicken skin side up in a baking dish and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and spoon the BBQ sauce all over the top of the chicken. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.

Adrien - March 2007

CAFÉ RIO PORK

1 c. coke or dr. pepper (no diet)
¼ c. brown sugar
Juice from 1-2 limes
Chipotle red pepper seasoning- to taste
Pork Roast – bone in or boneless

Combine all ingredients in crock-pot. Cook for 8-10 hours on low. Shred
when tender enough continue to cook in sauce.

Serve on tortillas with cheese, beans, rice, lettuce, tomato & anything else you think sounds good.

Keri - February 2007

KERI'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 C. soft butter
2 eggs
1/2 C. cocoa
Mix, then add:
3 C. flour
1 C. sour milk (milk + splash vinegar)
Mix, then add:
1 t. baking soda
1 C. boiling water
Mix and then add 1 C chocolate chips (milk chocolate chips preferred)

Pour into 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 35 min. (This makes a very big cake...so I usually bake 2 cakes in my bundt pans when I make it - my bundt pans are pretty small. Or I half the recipe and just do 1 bundt cake. For bunko I made two round cakes and layered them. It's up to you.)

FROSTING

Heat on stove:
1 C sugar
5 T. butter
1/3 C milk
Stir and mix until smooth. Boil 1 min. Turn off heat and add 1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips. Cool and pour over cake.

Katie - February 2007

BANANA BREAD FRENCH TOAST

The following makes 1 loaf:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set
aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter
and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour
cream, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in nuts, and pour into prepared
pan.

3. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake
comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes,
then turn out onto a rack to cool.

Then just mix 1 package of cream cheese and 1 banana together and spread it
on the banana bread and cook it like French toast.


BUTTERMILK SYRUP

Bring to a boil:
¾ c. buttermilk
1 cube butter
2 c. sugar

Remove and add 2 tsp. vanilla.
Just before serving add ½ tsp baking soda.

Emily - January 2007

Raspberry Trifle Dessert

4 (10 oz.) Containers frozen raspberries
¼ c. cornstarch
½ tsp. almond extract
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 c. cold water
1 small pkg. (3 ½ oz) instant vanilla pudding
2 c. heavy whipping cream
¼ c. prepared orange juice
1 16 oz. frozen butter pound cake (Sara Lee)

Drain raspberry syrup into small saucepan. Add cornstarch and almond extract. Stir constantly on medium heat until thickened. (It takes awhile.) Fold raspberries into sauce. In large bowl, blend milk, water and pudding. Chill for 5 minutes. Whip cream, adding sugar to taste. Add to pudding mixture. Cut cake into 1”cubes. I usually take the cake out of the foil pan, and cut it into thirds horizontally. Then I put it back into the pan and cut it into squares. In 4 quart clear glass dish put in ½ of cake cubes. Sprinkle with 3 Tbsp. orange juice. Pour ½ of raspberry mixture and then ½ of pudding mixture. Repeat. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Make at least 1 hour prior to serving.

When I did this for bunko, I did it in individual sundae dishes.

Lyndsey - January 2007

UNCLE STEVE'S CHICKEN

*This marinates at least eight chicken breasts.

3/4 cup lite soy sauce
3/4 cup canola or olive oil
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1 Tbs. fresh pressed garlic
1 tsp. each of:
sage
rosemary
thyme

Bake covered at 350 for about an hour. Tenders usually take about thirty to forty minutes. You can use this chicken in pasta dishes, salads, pitas, wraps, burritos, etc.

*if you don't have the time to marinate it, it still tastes awesome if you just bake it in the marinade. I usually only marinate it for a couple of hours.
*It is really good grilled too.

Adrien - January 2007

CRANBERRY CAKE

1 Tbsp. margarine
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 package raw cranberries

Cream together with a spatula: margarine & sugar. Add milk, flour & baking powder. Add cranberries and mix. Batter will be very thick. Spread in 9x13 pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 or until light brown. Serve warm with sauce.

SAUCE

1 1/2 cubes margarine
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cups milk or evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Heat until sugar dissolves. Do not boil. Serve hot over cake.

*Sabrina wanted to make this cake this past weekend and couldn't find cranberries so she used raspberries and everyone like the way it turned out. She thought it was probably a little richer than the cranberries, though.

Lyndsey - January 2007

ARLENE'S RICE

1 cube butter (Lindsey only used a half of a cube)
1 chopped onion
2 chopped celery stalks
2 cups uncooked rice
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 1/4 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Saute onion, celery, and uncooked rice in butter until brown. Add chicken broth, salt, pepper, and almonds. Bring to a boil and cover. Turn to low and simmer for 1 hour or according to the directions for the rice (on the rice box.)