Lori's Krispie Treats

1 bag butterscotch chips
1 cup peanut butter (or soynut butter)
8 cups Rice Krispies
2 tbsp water
1 bag chocolate chips
1 cup powder sugar
4 tbsp margarine

Melt butterscotch and peanut butter.  Stir till smooth.  Mix into Rice Krispies.  Put half of mixture into 9x13 pan.  Chill pan.

In a double boiler combine rest of ingredients until smooth.  Spread over chilled Krispies.  Spread remaining Krispie mixture on top.

Freeze.  Eat!  :-)

Karry's Almond Roca

42 soda crackers
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
12 oz chocolate chips (we like milk chocolate)
Chopped almonds

Line a cookie sheet with foil then spray with Pam. Place soda crackers on the cookie sheet. Mix together butter and sugar in a sauce pan. Boil mixture for 3 minutes. Pour mixture over crackers and spread evenly.  Bake at 350degF for 8-10 minutes or until mixture bubbles and crackers float. Let sit for 1 minute, then pour chocolate chips over the top. Spread evenly. Sprinkle nuts on top. Put in refrigerator to set. Cut into pieces.

(I don't put the almonds on due to allergies, but it still tastes great!)

Karry's Apple Crisp

INGREDIENTS:

10 cups all-purpose apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1 cup white sugar 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup water

1 cup quick-cooking oats (I used regular instead of quick cooking and it was much better - more crispy!) 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C).
2.	Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all.
3.	Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture. (instead, I tossed the apples with all of this, then poured it in the pan - so it evenly coated the apples)
4.	Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 45 minutes.

Christy's Pie Crust

I just learned the secret to making pie crust a couple weeks ago.

2 C. flour

1 C. butter (only the real stuff) straight from the fridge

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 egg

1 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar

3 Tbsp. ice cold water

Combine flour, salt and sugar. Cut the butter into tablespoons and add to the flour. Cut it in. This is the hard part, especially if you do it by hand (using two knives criss-crossing each other or a pie dough mixer) You can use a food processor if you have one that's big enough or a stand mixer. You want it to look crumbly.

In small bowl, combine egg, lemon juice and water. Dump into the flour mixture and kind of toss until it's all together. You really don't want a stirring motion here. Add more water as needed. The dough should stick together when you form it into a ball, but you don't want it sticky. I think I added an 2 extra Tbsp.

Separate into two balls and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 min. or more (if you have the time). The key to flaky crust is keeping that butter super cold.

Roll out dough on a well-floured surface, turning over once or twice while you roll. I like to roll between two sheets of waxed or parchment paper. That makes it way easier to transfer to the pie plate. 

Again, if you have time, refrigerate to get it all nice and cold again.

As for the filling, I just took it off the back of my tapioca box. I like to use tapioca with apple and peach pies because it keeps it from getting too juicy/runny. I think it works way better than flour.

Vickie's Cranberry Relish

1 Bag of fresh cranberries

1/2 small orange, unpeeled

1/2 to 3/4 c. orange juice

1 Tblsp. lemon juice

1 c. sugar

Process orange in food processor till finally ground (include peel).  Add cranberries and process some more till there are small bits of cranberry. Then mix all the ingredients in a pan, bring to boil on stove and then turn heat down and cook for about 45 minutes.  Cool and serve.  (Add red food color if it needs to be redder.)

Cheese Souffle Dip

3 8 oz. packages of cream cheese
8 oz. parmesan cheese, shredded
1 c. mayonnaise
1 package frozen chopped white onions, or 3 small/2 medium yellow onions

Mix everything in a small casserole dish. Bake at 350 F for 45 min. or until it starts to brown on top.

Yummy things to dip: crackers, toasted baguette slices, celery sticks.

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp soda
3 cups oatmeal
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups chocolate chips

Cream butter and brown sugar.  Add in eggs and vanilla.  Mix in dry ingredients, except oatmeal.  Stir into the butter mixture.  Mix in oatmeal.  Divide mixture in half.  To one half add 1/4 cup more flour for crust.  Press into the bottom of a jelly roll pan.  To the other half of the flour mixture add 1/4 cup more oatmeal and save it for the topping.

Mix together the sweetened condensed milk and the chocolate chips in a sauce pan.  Mix stirring constantly over low heat until chocolate is completely melted.  Pour over crust.  Top with remaining flour mixture.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until lightly browned (do not over bake).

Oreo Balls

1 Package Oreo Cookies (3-row package)
8 oz Cream Cheese
1 Package Almond Flavored White Chocolate Bars (I use regular white chocolate to avoid nut allergy issues) -  (use cheap chocolate as it usually gets creamier - don't use the expensive stuff)

Grind up the cookies in a food processor (including filling).  Then mix thoroughly with room temperature cream cheese (use hand mixer).  Roll into small balls and then freeze (at least 1-2 hours - overnight is fine too).  Microwave the chocolate on 1/2 power in 1 minute intervals until creamy and smooth (stir in-between heatings).  I melt typically 1 package at a time.  Dip and roll the frozen balls into the melted chocolate.  I use the small cocktail forks (toothpicks work too) to roll and pick up so I don't get fingerprints all over them.   (You can also dip the bottom half, then take a fork and drizzle chocolate on the tops).

Place on wax paper and let cool (about 10-15 minutes).  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Batch makes about 30-35 depending on how big you make them - I usually double the recipe and make a bunch.

Café Rio Pork Barbacoa Salad with Tomatillo Dressing

SALAD ASSEMBLY (from bottom to top) 

• Tortillas
• Cheese (we like to melt the cheese onto the tortillas)
• Cafe Rio Rice (Recipe below)
• Cafe Rio Black Beans (Recipe below)
• Cafe Rio Sweet Pork (Recipe below)
• Lettuce (NOT iceberg, use leafy green or Romaine)
• Diced tomato, onion, and cilantro (pico de gallo)
• Guacamole (optional)
• Sour cream
• Tortilla Strips (can be found by the produce section at Smith's)
• Parmesan cheese
• Cafe Rio Tomatillo Ranch (Recipe below)
• Lime wedge to sprinkle on top of salad (optional)

SWEET PORK

• 2 pounds pork
• 3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• dash garlic salt
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 can sliced green chilies
• 3/4 can RED enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness)
• 1 c. brown sugar
  

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight. Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

CILANTRO-LIME RICE

• 1 c. uncooked rice
• 1 tsp. butter or margarine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

BLACK BEANS

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/3 c. tomato juice
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

TOMATILLO RANCH

• 1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
• 1 c. mayonnaise
• 1 c. buttermilk
• 2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced (sold by garlic in produce section)
• 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
• 1 clove garlic
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 jalapeno (we like it SPICY so we kept the seeds in it, if you like it mild, just remove the seeds)

Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That's it!

Vickie's Noodle Salad

Take some colored spiral noodles.  Cook till almost done (not quite because they will finish softening in the frig. with the Italian dressing.

Add anything you want: cubed cheese, pepperoni or salami, green & red pepper, celery, olives.  The Italian dressing is the secret: the recipe comes from my Mom.

Take a dry mix of Italian salad seasoning mix. Add water, vinegar & oil as directed but then add in 1/2 tsp. dry mustard, 1 tsp. dry dill and a squirt of anchovy paste (usually in a refrigerated section: you may have to ask for it.)  Blend well and allow to refrigerate for awhile so the flavors blend.  Add as needed to the salad and let it sit in the frig.  Sometimes I think it's best to serve at room temperature.  The flavors are better.

Sis. Wade's Sugar Cookies

1 1/4 cup softened real butter

2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

5 cups white flour

1 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream together butter and sugar for a couple of minutes.  Add eggs and beat until fluffy.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder.  Alternately add dry ingredients with liquid.  Add flour as needed.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Chocolate Cake with Orange Frosting and Chocolate Drizzle

1 box chocolate cake mix
eggs and oil called for on cake mix
1 container (16 oz.) vanilla ready-to-spread frosting
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel
1 or 2 drops each of red and yellow food color
1/4 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips 
1-1/2 teaspoons shortening


Bake chocolate cake as directed.  Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Frost with EASY ORANGE FROSTING. Drizzle with CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE.


EASY ORANGE FROSTING: Stir together 1 container (16 oz.) vanilla ready-to-spread frosting, 1/2 teaspoon orange extract, 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel and 1 or 2 drops each of red and yellow food color, if desired.


CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE: Place 1/4 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and 1-1/2 teaspoons shortening (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil) in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 15 to 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth.

Christy's Cake Pops

Just bake a normal cake from a box. Let it cool completely. Blend it up in a food processor or blender and put into a bowl. Add about 3/4 container of frosting. Using the back of a metal spoon, mash the frosting in until it disappears. Make sure it's well mixed or you'll have portions that won't hold together.

 

Use a cookie scoop or just spoons to scoop the dough so it will make a ball 1-1.5 inches thick, roll it in your hands and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate for 45 min+ or freeze for about 15 min. You want them chilled but not frozen.

 

Melt candy coating as instructed in a deep, plastic bowl or cup. Dip a sucker stick about 1/2 inch into the candy, then place into one of the cake balls. This will make it stronger so it doesn't fall off the stick. Don't push it more than halfway in. Dip the entire thing into the candy coating. Gently rotate or tap to smooth the candy out.

 

If you want sprinkles or something else on it, now's the time to add it. Use styrofoam blocks or 2x4s with holes drilled in, or a cardboard box with holes poked in to hold the pops while they harden.

 

If you want cake balls rather than pops, just use a spoon to dip into the candy coating, then slide it back onto the wax paper.

Grandma Seaver's Cabbage Salad

1 bag of broccoli coleslaw (Or you could use 1 head of cabbage and 1 bunch of broccoli) - chop up
1 whole bunch of green onions chopped up
1 cup of sunflower seeds
1 cup of cashew pieces
1 package of chicken top ramen noodles - broken up

Dressing:
1/2 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of cider vinegar
1/4 cup of cooking oil (Canola)
Chicken seasoning packet from the Ramen noodles

Right before serving:
Poor the dressing over the coleslaw and onions.
Then add the noodles, cashews, and sunflower seeds.

No Bake Chocolate Peanut-Free Cookies

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cocoa
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter
1 cup soynut butter (can find at wal-mart, I like the kind sweetened with honey)
3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (must be quick-cooking)

In a large saucepan, combine sugar, milk, cocoa, salt, vanilla, and butter.  Mix well.  Bring to a boil and cover saucepan for 30 seconds to allow steam to wash sugar crystals down sides of pan.  Stir mixture and bring it to a hard boil that can't be stirred down for 1 minute.  Then remove from heat and stir in soynut butter until smooth.  Add oatmeal and mix well.

Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to let oatmeal absorb the liquid.

Drop mixture by spoonfuls onto waxed paper.  Let cool completely; store at room temperature.

Variations: can substitute 1 cup coconut for 1 cup oatmeal, or add milk chocolate chips after mixture has cooled.  I guess you can use peanut butter instead of soynut butter, but who would want to do that?

Pineapple Chicken

2 lbs/1 kg skinless chicken pieces
1 can (14 oz/398 mL) unsweetened pineapple chunks, undrained
1 tsp/5 mL dried rosemary
1/2 tsp/2 mL paprika
1/2 tsp/2 mL salt
1/4 tsp/1 mL pepper
1/4 tsp/1 mL ground ginger

Preheat the oven to 375F/190C.  Place the chicken in a baking dish. Drain the can of pineapple.Pour the pineapple chunks over the chicken. In a small bowl, combine the rosemary, paprika, salt, pepper and ginger. Sprinkle this over the chicken. Bake, covered, for one hour or until the chicken is no longer pink inside.

Karry's Tamale Pie

1 Pound Ground Beef

1 Medium (chopped) Onion

1 Can (drained) Corn

1 Can Creamed Corn

1 Can (drained) Olives

1 Cup Corn Meal

1 Can Large Enchilada Sauce

1 Can Large Diced Tomatoes

2 clove (minced) Garlic

1/2 Teaspoon Salt or more if needed

2 Teaspoons Chili Powder

Pepper To Taste

Shredded Cheese

Brown Ground Beef with Onion and Garlic. Rinse and drain beef. Combine all remaining ingredients (except cheese) and pour into a 9 x 13 inch pan. Cook about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Check half way through to make sure it has not dried out, if so, add water and stir. Add cheese to top- turn off oven and leave inside until melted.

This is a Karry Seaver classic!  YUM!!!

Strawberry-Stuffed French Toast

This is our General Conference Sunday morning tradition - YUM!!!

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 T. vanilla extract
1/2 t. cinnamon
8 slices bread, white or whole wheat
3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced  (we use frozen mixed berries)
3 eggs, beaten
2 T. milk
4 T. butter, optional
2 T. powdered sugar, sifted

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon; mix until smooth. Spread one side of each slice of bread evenly with the cream cheese mixture. On the cream cheese side of four slices of bread, layer with some sliced strawberries evenly over the surface of each slice. Top each slice with a remaining slice of bread, pressing the cream cheese side down onto the strawberries. Press together gently to seal berries inside sandwich.

In a shallow bowl, combine the eggs and milk; mix well and set aside.

Preheat oven to 200°F. Spray a large baking sheet lightly with cooking spray and place in oven. Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray or melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium-high heat.

Dip strawberry sandwiches into the egg mixture, turning to soak each side. Place soaked sandwich in the hot skillet and cook on each side until browned. Remove sandwich from skillet and place on baking sheet in warm oven and repeat until all sandwiches are cooked.

Just before serving, cut each sandwich diagonally; top with remaining strawberries and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar. Serve with syrup!  (and sausage or some other protein to balance all the sugar/carbs)


Note - We just use our sandwich maker for these.  It's really messy but super easy! 

Grilled Sweet Peppers

2 pounds sweet baby (small) bell peppers (green, red, orange, purple, and/or yellow)*
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons good-quality aged balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

* If you can find baby bell peppers, use large peppers with stem end cut off and seeds removed.

Core, seed, and rinse peppers. Cut each pepper into fourths. In a large resealable plastic bag, place sweet pepper chunks.

In a small bowl, combine garlic, salt, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and pepper; mix well. Pour sauce over pepper chunk. Reseal bag and shake to distribute sauce.

Preheat barbecue grill. Remove peppers from sauce. Place peppers, smooth-side down, on hot grill. Cook 6 to 8 minutes (turning occasionally) or until lightly charred on both sides. Remove peppers from grill; either leave in chunks or slice into 1/2-inch-wide strips.  Arrange chunks or strips on a platter, alternating colors. Sprinkle
with crumbled feta cheese. (we skipped the cheese cause it sounded gross to me).

Makes 4 servings.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

INGREDIENTS

1/4	cup butter or margarine
1	cup packed brown sugar
1	can (20 oz) pineapple slices in juice, drained, juice reserved (I use 2 cans)
1	jar (6 oz) maraschino cherries without stems, drained
1	box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix (I use French Vanilla Cake)
	Vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). In 13x9-inch pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice, and arrange remaining cherries around slices; press gently into brown sugar.

Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 cup. Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.

Bake 42 to 48 minutes (or what it says on the cake mix box) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes (we usually eat it right away with whipping cream on top!) . Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator.

Tres Leches Cake

This is the three-milk cake, which actually has four types of milk. This cake is very sweet, so slice it small to serve 24.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup white sugar
5 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups whole milk
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup white sugar--you could probably get away with half this amount
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9x13 inch baking pan.
Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside.
Cream butter or margarine and the 1 cup sugar together until fluffy. Add egg yolks and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; beat well.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture 2 tablespoons at a time; mix until well blended.
Whisk (by machine) the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into the batter, and then mix just until blended.
Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Let cake cool and then pierce cake several times with a fork.
Combine the whole milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk together. Pour over the top of the cooled cake. It will look like you have too much milk, but let it soak in and then pour the rest on. Eventually, almost all the milk soaks into the cake.
Whip whipping cream, the remaining 1 (or half) cup of the sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla together until thick. Spread over the top of cake.
Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Serve cold and be sure to keep cake refrigerated.
I sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Fresh peaches, strawberries, or bananas might also be good. Really, though, the cake is great on its own. Enjoy!