Tomato Basil Soup

 I can't find the exact recipe I used but I think this is pretty close. I liked it because it uses canned tomatoes rather than fresh ones.  There are lots of recipes using fresh tomatoes but this is the time of year we love soup and don't have fresh tomatoes!

Heat 1 T olive oil and 2 T butter in heavy cooking pot or dutch oven (the enamel coated kind).

Add 2 chopped onions and saute 5 -7 minutes slightly brown.  Add 2 - 4 cloves diced garlic, depending on how much you love garlic!  Saute. Can add 1 T Italian seasoning if desired.

Add 2 28 oz cans chopped or crushed tomatoes.  They recommend San Marzano tomatoes but I just used what I had.

Add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth.

Bring soup to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes with lid slightly ajar.

Add 12 leaves or 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves.  If you don't have fresh, you can use dried, but fresh is yummier.

Remove from heat and blend the soup.  You can use a regular blender and add the soup in stages.  Or you can use an immersion blender, which works great and is much easier.

Add 1/2 heavy cream and 1/2 grated Parmesan cheese (not the kind in the can but the kind in the bag that is fresh.  Or grate a chunk of Parmesan cheese.)

Salt and pepper to taste.

We really liked this and I think we may have added a slight amount of crushed red pepper.  Add spices that you like! Great with grilled cheese sandwiches!

 Zucchini Boats

Cut four small zucchini in half length-wise and scrape out the insides with a spoon. A grapefruit spoon works great if you have one.   Leave a 1/4 " shell.  Chop the zucchini insides and set aside.  Chop a small onion.  Cook 1# sausage with the zucchini and onion about 10 minutes in a frying pan on the stove until sausage is cooked through.  Pour 1 1/4 cups Prego (or other spaghetti sauce) in bottom of 9 x 13" baking pan.  (I used the whole jar of Prego-2 1/2 cups and like the sauciness!)  Place the zucchini shells on the spaghetti sauce and fill with the sausage mixture.  Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella cheese over top.  Cover with foil.  Bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes and serve.  

This is a great recipe to use zucchini and even most non-zucchini-fans like it!

Low Country Boil

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning

2 Tbsp garlic salt

5 lbs small red potatoes (cut into bite-size pieces or put them in whole)

12 ears of corn, shucked & broken in half or thirds
4 lbs kielbasa sausage (cut into bite-size pieces)
5 lbs shrimp (for max convenience, choose tail off, peeled, deveined)
2 sticks butter, melted (16 Tbsp)

Directions:

Use a large stock pot, around 30 qt, with removable basket. Add about 15 qt water, Old Bay seasoning, and garlic salt. Heat to boil. (It will take a while for it to boil!)

Add potatoes. Boil for about 10 minutes. (They should be getting softer, but still medium hard.)

Add sausage. Boil about 5 minutes.

Add corn. Boil 7-10 minutes. 

Add shrimp. Boil for a few minutes. If the shrimp is pre-cooked (ours was), it just needs to get hot. Otherwise, just boil it until it turns pink.

Pull out the basket, and move the food to the serving area. Traditionally the table is covered with paper or newspaper, so you can "throw" the food on it from the basket. And then the food is spread out for easy access. But a large bowl works just fine!

Pour the melted butter over everything. (OR - everyone gets their own small dish of melted butter to dunk food in). If a large bowl is used, stir everything gently so the butter coats as much as possible.

This recipe is very forgiving, so just about all the quantities can be adjusted as you want. Just make sure there's enough space in the pot for all the food!

Celeste's Tomato Soup

Historian's Note:  This recipe was created, taste tested, and perfected by Celeste back in 2014.

Instructions:

Start with a can of your favorite Tomato Soup as a base.  Whether it be Campbell's or Progresso or Western Family.  Add to a sauce pan and prepare as directed.

Add the following ingredients (sprinkle and adjust to taste):

• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Italian / Pizza Seasoning
• 1/4 tsp "Season All" seasoning
• 1/4 tsp Pepper

Heat soup to hot, but without boiling.  

Now cook up some tasty grilled cheese sandwiches and enjoy!

NOTE:  The purpose of the seasoning is to enhance the flavour and give it a restaurant or home-cooked zest!

Lanny's Salmon and Sauteed Asparagus with Bacon and Onion

 Lanny's Salmon with Sauteed Asparagus with Bacon and Onion

Both of these are very good and the Asparagus can be a main or side dish.

Lanny's Salmon

Rinse and pat dry 2 - 3 # salmon.  Place skin down on sprayed foil in bottom of broiler pan.

Mix 1/2 C mayo, 1/2 C sour cream, 3 T minced parsley, 2 T mustard, 2 T minced dill week, 2 t freshly squeezed lemon juice and grated lemon rind.  Pour over salmon.  Salt and pepper.

Top with thin slices of tomato and onion.

Preheat oven to 350'.  Bake 20 - 30 minutes. Makes about 6 servings.

Sauteed Asparagus with Bacon and Onion

Cut 1# asparagus into 2" pieces. Cut 1/4# bacon into 1/3" pieces with kitchen shears.

Fry bacon in large frying pan till almost done. Slice 1 red onion into 2" slices and cook in bacon grease till soft.  Add asparagus and cook 5-7 minutes until tender.  If needed, add 1-2 T olive oil.

Add juice of 1 lemon and salt and pepper to taste and cook 1 minute.

Makes 6 side servings or 2-3 main dish servings.

Summer Garden Salad

 

Summer Garden Salad

Chop tomatoes and green peppers. Crush saltines and add Miracle Whip.

I usually use 2-3 tomatoes and 1 green pepper with about 1/2 sleeve of crackers and probably about 1/2 Miracle Whip.  This can be a main or side dish.  My mom used to make it and we now eat it for a main dish in the summertime when our garden produce is ripe!  Yummy!

Garden Vegetable Medley

 Summer Veggie Medley--1st photo

Using a wavy vegetable cutter, slice 2 -3 zucchini and 2-3 yellow summer squash and add a diced onion to melted butter or olive oil in a frying pan. Stir fry and steam (with lid on) until veggies are tender.  Salt and pepper and add grated cheese of your choice.  Cheddar or Parmesan are both very good.

Variation--2nd photo

I used zucchini, mushrooms, onions sauteed in butter and added chopped tomato toward the end.  Salt and pepper and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Just use your imagination---and your garden veggies!

Instant Pot Beef Roast

Instant Pot Beef Roast

This was a 2 - 3 pound cross rib roast so times can increase based on size of roast.

 Cut roast into 3 - 4 pieces.  Salt and pepper each side and sear each side on Saute setting of pressure cooker. Remove from pressure cooker and scrape any pieces on sides and bottom of pressure cooker.  Turn pressure cooker off.

Place roast back in pressure cooker.  Pour 1 C au jus (I made from a package) over roast and close pressure cooker.  Pressure for 1 hour and let release naturally.

This was very tender and flavorful.  We used the leftover meat and au jus with Pandemic Bread for yummy French Dip Sandwiches.

Mandarin Orange Salad

 

Mandarin Orange Green Salad

This makes a large salad that even the kids loved!

Stir 3/4 C sliced or chopped almonds with 1/4 C sugar over medium heat till brown and sugar dissolves.  Set aside.

Combine 1 C diced celery, 1 head chopped Romaine lettuce, 1/2 head chopped iceberg lettuce and 3 whole chopped green onions in large salad bowl.

Dressing:  1/2 C oil, 1/4 C sugar, 1/4 C vinegar, 1 t salt, dash pepper and dash Tabasco.  Shake in a jar and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Toss salad with 2 cans drained Mandarin oranges, dressing and almonds and serve.

Chocolate and Mint Creamy Holiday Pie

So, I may have barrowed from several different recipes to come up with this particular confection. I will just list the steps I used to create my particular version.

Warning to the wise: this pie is super rich so divide into 12 small pieces, eat slowly and keep a tall glass of milk nearby. Also, read all steps before starting, since the first time I attempted this I may have put the butter step out of order. It still turned out fine, but turned out better the second time, when I put it in the right order. 

Ingredient list:

Premade Oreo crust (tho, if you know how to make your own, you are welcome to.)
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4  tsp peppermint extract (I also have used mint extract as well, they both taste great)

3-5 drops green food coloring (optional)

1 cup frozen whipped topping thawed to room temp. (or I suppose you could substitute real whipped cream if you had it)

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon of Sugar 

2 2/3 Tablespoons of corn starch

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp good vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups Milk

1 1/2 Tablespoon butter

7-8 Thin-Mint-Girl-Scout cookies(optional) may also substitute mint grasshopper cookies.

Andes Mint cooking bits. (Found in the baking aisle next to chocolate chips.)

• Step 1: Starting Mint Cream layer
  In a mixing bowl, whip together Softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.
  
  
• Step 2:
  Add Food coloring(optional) and the peppermint extract. Blend.
  
  
• Step 3:
  Fold in the 1 cup whipped topping into the mint cream cheese mixture, until completely blended.
  
  
• Step 4:
  Spread evenly in premade Oreo pie crust (should fill half way) place in refrigerator.
  
  
• Step 5: (Optional) 
  Crush Thin Mint cookies in a bag with a rolling pin.(at least that's how I did mine) then sprinkle the powdered results evenly onto the mint cream half. (the outer chocolate doesn't matter and will probably stick to the bag, it's the powdered inside that you want)
  
  
• Step 6: Making the Chocolate pudding part.
  Combine cocoa powder, sugar, corn starch, and salt in a medium sauce pan. Whisk well.
  
  
• Step 7:
  Gradually add milk and vanilla to dry ingredients til well blended.
  
  
• Step 8: Cook over medium high heat . Stir constantly. Once Mixture has come to a soft boil, boil for 1 minute or until thick. Will not thicken when it cools, so make sure it is thick before removing it from heat.
  
  
• Step 8:
  Remove from heat and add butter. Continue whisking it til the butter is all the way blended in.
  
  
• Step 9: 
  Pour over Cookie and Cream Portion of Pie. Add Andes mint pieces on top in even layer.
  Refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
  
  
• Step 10:
  Enjoy with a tall glass of milk! If you are lactose intolerant, this recipe is not for you. Eat slowly, because a little goes a long way. I like to add a little Dollup of whip cream on the top for cuteness. (see picture above)
  
  
  

Perfect Pumpkin Pie! (perfectly serendipitous and delicious!)

Bursting with homemade flavor, this remarkably simple pumpkin pie recipe is now my very favorite!  Deliciously rich and flavorful, it tastes incredible with the accompanying homemade pie crust and served with real whipped cream!

I haven't made a pumpkin pie from scratch in nearly ten years, so this recipe saved me!  It turned out fantastic and received a big thumbs up from my whole family!  

Credit goes in large part to Sally's Baking Addiction website for many great ideas! Sally has apparently baked pies for many years, and calls this her favorite pumpkin pie recipe.  I enjoyed her approach, and found it straight forward to make.  Although I am a seasoned cook myself, it always helps to stand on the shoulders of those who have perfected their craft on whatever you are trying to bake! :-) 

Pie Crust

Let’s start with the pie crust.  As Sally said, "every pumpkin pie has to start with a stellar pie crust!" I absolutely agree... few people like a dry, flavorless crust!  This pie crust recipe uses a mix of shortening and butter so you get the most buttery tasting, tender, flaky (so flaky) pie crust!  And it really is easy to make!

This crust is made with a few simple ingredients: flour, salt, cold water, and fat.  There are strong opinions out there for butter crust vs. shortening crust vs. lard crust. Lard isn't easy to come by for most people– though it does makes a tasty crust!  If you want a crust recipe that stands the test of time, use a combination of shortening and butter.  Not all fats are created equal, though! 

• Why shortening? Its high melting point aids in creating flakiness. Flaky, tender, melt-in-your mouth crust. 
• Why butter? Butter gives "unparalleled, impeccable flavor." Nothing beats butter. 
• Use both to create a crust that is full of tender flakes and rich in buttery flavor.

Pie Crust Ingredients

• 1¼ cups white flour (spoon & leveled)
• ½ tsp salt (standard table salt)
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 6 Tbsp vegetable shortening, chilled
• 1/3 cup ice water

Use Cold Fat in Pie Crust

Why does temperature matter? Keeping your pie dough as cold as possible helps prevent the fat from melting. If the butter melts inside the dough before baking, you lose the flakiness. When the lumps of fat melt in the oven as the pie bakes, their steam helps to separate the crust into multiple flaky layers– as explained above. Warm fats will lend a hard, crunchy, greasy crust instead of a nice tender flaky crust.

I followed Sally's recommendation of putting the shortening in the refrigerator as well.  We store ours in the pantry, so I simply measured the amount I needed and placed it in the refrigerator until I needed it.  I also followed her recommendation to "cube" the butter measurement, and placed that in the fridge too!

You want it part frozen and very, very cold!

Pie Crust Directions 

1.)  Start with flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold fats. 

• Use a pastry cutter (which I do not have - a potato masher worked fine!) or two forks to cut in the fats.
• Cut in the fats until the mixture resembles coarse meal. 
• You should have some larger pieces of butter and shortening when you’re done.

2.)  Ice water! Measure 1/2 cup of water in a cup. Add ice and stir! 

• From that, measure 1/2 cup of water (with some ice). 
• Drizzle the cold water in, 1 Tablespoon at a time
• Stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon after every Tablespoon added. 
• Do not add any more water than you need to. 
• Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps. 
• I used a little over a 1/3 cup of water.

If too much water is added, the pie dough will require more flour and thus become tough. If too little water is added, you’ll notice the dough is dry and crumbly when you try to roll it out and handle it.

3.)  After the ice water is added, it must be formed and chilled:

• Transfer the dough to a floured work surface.  Flour your hands.
• Fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully mixed into fats.
• Form it into a ball. The dough should come together easily and not be overly sticky.
• Flatten into a 1-inch thick disc using your hands. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days. Or freeze!

NOTE:  Having visible specks and swirls in your pie dough is GOOD!  They are the fats from the butter and the shortening which will help ensure a flaky pie dough!

Rolling Out Pie Crust

After your dough ball has chilled, start preparing your pie. Roll out the crust. Always use gentle force. When rolling dough out, always start from the center and work your way out in all directions, turning the dough with your hands as you go.

Roll the dough to fit a 9-inch pie dish. I rolled the dough into a 12-inch circle.

Pumpkin Filling

• Eggs: set the pumpkin pie filling and give it the rich, luxurious texture.
• Heavy Cream: makes pumpkin pie luxurious and silky smooth. It’s thick, creamy, and absolutely heavenly in this pumpkin pie recipe. By using a ratio of cream with milk, the balance is perfect, and also lets you use the rest of the heavy cream to make homemade whipped cream.
• Cornstarch:  A starch thickener is one of the most important ingredients in a pie filling.  Makes it a little sturdier and firm.

Ingredients

• 15oz can pumpkin puree (about 2 cups)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ¼ cups packed brown sugar
• 1 TBSP cornstarch
• ½ tsp salt
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup milk 
• Egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk

Instructions

1. Prepare the pie crust according to the steps listed above.
2. For the pumpkin pie filling: whisk the pumpkin, eggs, and brown sugar together until combined.
3. Add the cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, black pepper, cream, and milk.
4. Vigorously whisk until everything is combined.
5. Preheat oven to 375°F.
6. Roll out the chilled pie crust: 
• Remove pie dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. 
• Make sure to turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls. 
7. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish. 
1. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. 
2. With a small and sharp knife, trim the extra overhang of crust and discard. 
• Crimp the edges with a fork or flute the edges with your fingers, if desired. 
8. Brush edges lightly with egg wash mixture. 
9. Par-bake the crust for 10 minutes. 
• If using parchment paper, carefully remove the parchment paper/pie weights.
10. Pour pumpkin pie filling into the warm pre-baked crust. 
• Only fill the crust about 3/4 of the way up. 
• (Use extra to make mini pies with leftover pie dough scraps if you’d like.) 
11. Bake the pie until the center is almost set, about 55-60 minutes give or take. 
• A small part of the center will be wobbly – that’s ok. 
• After 25 minutes of baking, be sure to cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil or use a pie crust shield to prevent the edges from getting too brown. 
12. Check for doneness at minute 50, and then 55, and then 60, etc.
13. Once done, transfer the pie to a wire rack and allow to cool completely for at least 3 hours.
14. Serve pie with whipped cream if desired. 

Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

A slice of the finished pie!

Additional Hints

Spices: Instead of ground ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, you can use 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Be sure to still add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon.

Pie Crust: No matter if you’re using homemade crust or store-bought crust, pre-bake the crust. (Step 5.) You can use graham cracker crust if you’d like, but the slices may get a little messy. Pre-bake for 10 minutes just as you do with regular pie crust in this recipe. No need to use pie weights if using a cookie crust.

To prevent browning of the crust (although I did not do this, and it turned out fine):

• Line the pie crust with parchment paper. 
• Crunching up the parchment paper is helpful so that you can easily shape it into the crust.
• Fill with pie weights or dried beans. (Note that you will need at least 2 standard sets of pie weights to fit.) Make sure the weights/beans are evenly distributed around the pie dish. 

Avoiding Cracks in a Pie

A great pumpkin pie requires precisely the right amount of baking time (about 55-60 minutes).  Remove it when the center of the pumpkin pie is still slightly wobbly. It will set as it cools. Careful not to overcook; overcooking it will cause the filling to crack.

Fresh or Canned Pumpkin in Pumpkin Pie?

I have heard that canned pumpkin puree works best in pies, so if you are unsure, save yourself lots of time and trouble from scooping out your own pumpkin pulp!

Not only does the "pumpkin from a can" tend to hold its shape better, the texture tends to be smoother and the flavor from the can tends to be better too!  I've tried real pumpkin pulp myself, and many people agree that it tastes grainy and more bitter.  Sally said that she "prefers using fresh pumpkin puree in savory recipes, not desserts."

Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: 

• Pumpkin pie freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. 
• Pie crust dough freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
• You’ll also begin the pie crust the night before as well (the dough needs at least 2 hours to chill; overnight is best). 
• The filling can be made the night before as well. It may even be preferable it that way. Sitting overnight gives the spices, pumpkin, and brown sugar flavors a chance to infuse and blend. It’s awesome. Cover and refrigerate overnight. No need to bring to room temperature before baking.

Butternut and Acorn Squash Soup

 Ingredients: 

• 1 acorn squash
• 1 butternut squash
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 1/2 T olive oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves (these don't need to be chopped or minced or anything)
• 1 can (family size - 22.6 oz) cream of chicken soup
• 1 t nutmeg
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 t red pepper flakes

Directions:

Cut acorn and butternut squashes in half and scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down in a baking dish and bake for 45 minutes at 350°.  (The butternut squash was not yet squishy at that point, but it still worked out fine!)

Put onion & garlic cloves at the bottom of large pot with the olive oil (at least 5 quarts probably - we used Ben's stockpot which was 10 quarts and it was about half full). Cook at medium heat for about 10 minutes until onion is translucent-ish. Put into your food processor or blender. 

Add the cream of chicken soup, nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar, and red pepper to the onions and garlic in the food processor.

When the squash is done, add about 1/3 to the food processor (something like that - we loaded the food processor 3 times so 1/3) and pulse until reasonably smooth. Add to pot. Keep filling & dumping the food processor with squash until there is no more.

Cook on medium heat on the stove for a few minutes.

It was so creamy and yummy with rolls! We made the "Pandemic Bread" recipe as rolls and they complemented it perfectly. Very filling!

2020 Pandemic Bread

This bread is super easy to make and only takes 1 hour from start to finish!  We started making it during the 2020 Covid-19 Corona Virus World Pandemic.  (This recipe was on the internet as Easy Peasy French Bread.)   It was very comforting to have warm, homemade bread.  And, this is such good bread, we have been loving it!  Enjoy!!


1-- Mix together:

• 1 1/2 C very warm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon yeast

Let sit for about 10 minutes while yeast foams.

2--Add:

• 3 1/2 - 4 cups flour

3--Knead until the dough is smooth.

4--Shape into oblong loaf and place on baking pan.  Set on stove while preheating oven to 400 degrees and let rise 20 to 30 minutes.

5--Using a knife, score the top of the bread lightly like French bread.

6--Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Eat warm and keep leftovers in a Ziplock bag.

Monson Tacos - Soft Tortilla Shells with Ground Beef and Potato!

Taco's at the Monson's was a family favourite growing up for as long as I can remember!  To help ease the food budget (back when you could obtain incredible value with the remarkable "triple coupon" days), my Mom would grate a potato and mix it into the ground beef.  It really helped the meat to go further with limited means.  It also added a great deal of flavour and kept the ground beef moist... yummy!

I have passed this recipe onto my own family, and it is loved by all!  Although two of our kids have gone through phases where they don't care for taco's, it is one of our core family meals that sees a constant rotation in our menu selection each month.  My wife thought the idea of grating a potato was really strange, until she tried it!  To this day, we always prepare our taco meat with a potato.

It may seem unnecessary to capture such a simple recipe, but it's nice to have it written down for all posterity so that our children and grandchildren know the proper way to make it.

The way my family prepared taco's differs from the mainstream, but it makes it uniquely delicious!  And it is very nutritious, as you can throw in a heap of vegetables on top of the meat!  Here are a few differences that you may not be used to:

1. As the ground beef is starting to brown, grate in a small potato!
2. We use ketchup instead of salsa!  I don't remember ever having salsa until I was 16 or so.
3. We use soft-shell tortilla shells to "roll up" the taco.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of Ground Beef
• 1 small russet potato (or half of a large one)
• 1/2 of an Onion, chopped fine
• 1 Green Pepper, chopped (larger chunks)
• Green or Red Lettuce, shredded
• 1 tomato, diced
• Grated Cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, or taco blend... your choice!)
• 1 package of Tortilla Shells (white or wheat)
• Generally we use either "Mission" or "Lynn Wilson"
• Generous helping of love!  (my youngest daughter reminded me of this important ingredient!)

Directions:

1. Lightly brown 1 pound of ground beef on the stove using medium heat
2. Drain excess grease.
3. Add grated potato (medium-sized grater) to the hamburger
4. Sprinkle "season-all" spice to taste
5. Cover and let cook until potatoes and meat are cooked through.
6. Shred lettuce, dice tomatoes, and chop up the peppers and onions in advance.
7. Serve hot with recommended toppings/ingredients, or choose the ones your family likes best!

Hints & Tips:

• I will sometimes add a couple Tablespoons of water as the meat mixture is cooking to keep the meat and potatoes moist.  I hate dry, crispy hamburger on my tacos!
• If the meat mixture becomes too moist (i.e. potatoes are gooey), simply uncover and continue to cook on medium.
• Let your children to the chopping of the veggies and tomatoes!  Fun for them, and saves time!
• Warm the tortilla shells.  Quick and easy to do in the microwave.  I used to place them on a plate, with each tortilla shell separated by a paper towel.  
• Recently I learned that they don't stick to each other much, so I just put the whole package in the microwave. (everyone likes 'em warm)

Italian Parmesan Chicken (aka Miracle Whip Chicken)

Here's a recipe Mary picked up while we lived in Provo, and she has adopted it as her own over the years.  It is a family favorite, and quick and easy to make!  Probably not authentic, but tasty all the same!  I recently searched for this recipe in every cookbook we own, and I finally found it!  I have added my sweetheart's modifications, since she adds 'em by taste and memory, so enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Parmesan Grated Cheese
• 1/3 cup Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
• 1 - 2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts (raw).
• 1 Tbsp Water
• Dash of Italian Seasoning (¼ to ½ tsp)
• Dash of Garlic Power (¼ to ½ tsp)

Directions:

1. Thaw 1 to 2 pounds of boneless chicken breast.
2. Quarter meat to provide manageable serving sizes.
3. Place chicken in small baking pan (e.g. cake pan) lined with tinfoil
4. Stir together equal amounts of Miracle Whip Salad (increase sauce to ½ cups each if needed)
5. Add water and seasoning to Parmesan whip mixture.
6. Spread sauce over chicken breasts evenly.
7. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, or until well done (no pink!).

Recommendations:

• Serve over Mashed Potatoes!  The sauce becomes the gravy!
• The chicken does not need to be pre-cooked or even browned.
• Quartered/thin slices of chicken are recommended to insure doneness when cooking.
• Feel free to substitute mayonnaise if you did not grow up with the tangy zip of Miracle Whip!

Original recipe is credited to Sharese Mohlman

Michael's Simple Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Preperation Time : 20 minutes
Churn Time : 40 - 60 minutes (depending on ice cream maker)
Yield : about 1 quart

This recipe starts with a story... making homemade ice cream really began for me back when I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, in the Great Ohio!  It was there that I had my first opportunity to experiment with homemade Ice Cream.  :-)

Growing up, I do not recall ever having had homemade Ice Cream.  My father did experiment with a couple of tasty recipes sort of like ice cream, but we did not own an ice cream maker.  Actually, the icy cold recipe that my Dad was famous for was homemade pressurized Root Beer made from Hires Extract and dry ice!

For many years (during our time living in Orem and Provo), my Father owned this large, heavy, steel pressure cooker that was perfect for making root beer!  At least, that's all I ever remember it having been used for.  It had clamps on the sides to secure the lid, and a pressure gauge that rather got my imagination going because I remember the "red danger" zone.  One of my early real-world physics lessons occurred the first time my father demonstrated the art of carbonating root beer in the kitchen!

I watched with fascination as my Dad added the necessary water, sugar, and extract.  Then, after dropping in the block of dry ice, he quickly clamped the lid down!  The pressure built rapidly, so if he wasn't quick enough, the mounting pressure would "pop the lid" and he would have to clamp it down again.  A small steel stem rose from the surface of the lid, and allowed the carbon dioxide gas to escape.  This kept the pressure cooker from exploding.   To keep the pressure just right, you placed a little steel weight on the escape nozzle.  Once placed, the hissing immediately ceased, and the pressure would build!  Presently it reached a point at which the pressure actually lifted the steel weight, which would then start "dancing" on the nozzle, making little hissing sounds.  This equalized pressure prevented a balance of carbon dioxide (released from the melting dry ice) from escaping, effectively infusing it within the root beer brew.  :-)

As a young boy of nine or ten, I remember sneaking into the kitchen whilst the root beer was pressurizing.  I was fascinated with the little weight as it hissed and danced, and presently I realized that if I pushed it down, my own strength stopped the carbon dioxide gas from escaping!  What joy!  What fun!  I closely watched the pressure gauge as it steadily climbed.  Growing concerned, I released it after a few moments, and the weight would dance frantically for several seconds, and then slow back down.  Fascinating!  Fortunately I wasn't foolish enough to hold it down too long.

Although I do have a memory which is likely a dream.  In it, I was helping prepare for my Dad's birthday party while a batch of my Dad's famous root beer was being prepared.  Nobody was monitoring the pressure cooker, and the weight somehow became jammed.  The pressure built and built unchecked.  Then we heard a loud BANG!  The house seemed to shake just a bit, and it sounded as though a train had derailed.  Running into the kitchen we saw the pressure cooker with dry ice mist billowing up while root beer rained gently from the ceiling.  Looking up, we saw the steel lid of the cooker stuck in the ceiling!  The pressure from the explosion had sent the lid sailing right up into the ceiling, embedding it firmly in the underlying sheet-rock!  After that, the pressure cooker always sort of scared me.

But that's not the story I was going to tell... 😏  The actual story occurred much later, when I was 20 years old.  While I was serving my mission, my missionary companion and I found an old wooden ice cream maker in the closet, left from a previous missionary.  Unfortunately it had a leak in the barrel, and it was a "manual crank" ice cream maker.  We prepared the recipe that came with the box, and then we poured ice along the sides of the canister, but we didn't know it required salt to lower the melting point of the ice.  We used sweetened condensed milk in the recipe, so it was extremely rich.  It sure looked like it would make delicious ice cream!  We sealed the canister and excitedly took turns churning it!

Well, we were novices at the art of ice cream making, and after nearly an hour of taking turns cranking it, we eagerly opened the aluminum container to see what we had produced!  we couldn't figure out why the ice cream mixture hadn't risen!  On the contrary, it had actually sank!  Well, it was fairly cold, and it did look sort of like ice cream... but it was DENSE!  Very, very dense!  Years later I realized that because of the difficulties we encountered, and the lack of rock salt having been added, the ice cream maker never froze it properly.  The temperature never got cold enough.  The ingredients also settled and became more compact, rather than filling with the necessary tiny air bubbles and expanding as it should have.  That's the secret to making it creamy!  Instead we ended up with a dense, circular slab of frozen cream, probably 200 calories per tablespoon!  Instead of making 1½ quarts of creamy ice cream, it made 2 cups of collapsed, super rich calories.

So, after that I gave up on homemade ice cream... for about two decades.

Then, fairly early on in my marriage, when my oldest daughter had just entered Elementary School, I chanced upon an electric ice cream maker at a local thrift store!  I purchased it excitedly, brought it home, and sadly discovered that the motor was weak, and it promptly burned out on my first attempt to make ice cream.  So, I donated it to our local landfill.  Discouraged, I decided ice cream was much easier to buy!

Then a few years ago, I decided to try my luck once more and purchased an electric RIVAL ice cream maker from a garage sale down the street.

It had a cute invisible penguin on the side of the basin that appeared and darkened when the temperature dropped and became cold enough.  Hoping that the proverbial "third time" was the charm, I tested it for the first time last summer.  And it worked!!!  It made delicious ice cream.  But it took some effort and research to understand what worked, and what didn't.  I had read through a dozen recipes, discounting the more complex recipes as unnecessary for my needs.  In fact, I disregarded any recipe that required boiling the milk and cream first (i.e. scalding the milk), as heating it too long or high would ruin it!   And even if you cooked it just right, you would still need to wait additional time for it to chill.  Often a couple of hours or even overnight.  While this technique does make it creamier, I have found that chilling it alone--and bypassing the additional steps--makes it plenty creamy.  The physical churning process of an electric ice cream maker does just great.  Perhaps I am missing out on true old-fashioned ice cream this way, but the time I save by skipping and chilling the cream makes it well worth it.  I still chill the canister.  In the end, my "express" approach is very yummy!

And now... for the rest of the story!  Or in this case, the actual recipe!

First, let me say how delicious homemade ice cream is!  Keep in mind, though, that the cost of ingredients (including bagged ice and rock salt) is more expensive then just purchasing a half gallon from your local grocery store.  But what a fun family activity making ice cream from scratch can be!

Someone once said, "Ice cream is usually considered to be junk food."  And certainly the mass-produced stuff sold by the cardboard or plastic carton definitely falls into the category of something we shouldn’t eat very often.  It is yummy enough, and I have bought many dozens of cartons through the years.  Unfortunately, many store-bought ice creams contain all sorts of fillers and chemicals– and often low-quality, skim milk.  So, the biggest advantage of making homemade ice cream is the quality ingredients you have the option of using.  I suppose it almost turns into a "healthy food." Almost!  ;-)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream 
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 – 3/4 cups of sugar
• 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 vanilla bean (optional- see note below)
• Combine the milk, sugar, and vanilla beans (if using) in a blender.

Recipe Adjustments:

• Half'n'Half works great too!
• For greater nutrition, try skipping the cream and using 4 cups whole milk instead!  It worked just fine.
• The vanilla beans are optional- however they do add a nice bit of extra flavor, as well as the classic “bean specks.”

Ice Cream Preparation:

• Wash and dry all parts and equipment that will come into contact with the ice cream.
• Except the motor drive assembly, of course... don't wash that!
• Place the metal canister in the freezer to get it chilling.
• Combine the milk and cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt.
• If using a real vanilla bean, thoroughly blend until the bean is chopped into teeny tiny pieces!
• Blend until everything is combined.
• Pour chilled ice cream mixture into cooled canister.  
• Important!!! Fill Ice Cream canister only 3/4 full!  Mixture will expand during freezing.
• Place canister in your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Ice Cream Machine Instructions:

1. These directions are fairly standard, so give 'em a whirl, but please use your device instructions if you have them!  If not, do a search for your ice cream maker model on the World Wide Web.
2. Insert DASHER (aka plastic beater) into canister, centering it in the bottom indentation.
3. Place cover on Canister.
4. Gently set canister into Ice Cream Bucket.  Ensure that canister is centered and that it engages with the bottom of the bucket.
5. Place Motor Drive over ice cream canister so that the stem of the dasher engages the shaft of the motor drive (top).
6. Rotate canister slightly until the motor drive engages the cover of the ice cream canister.
7. Fit the four tabs (bottom of motor drive) into the matching set of holes found on the top edges of the bucket.  Rotate the motor drive counter clockwise to secure to bucket.
8. Plug the power cord into a convenient outlet; make sure the cord is placed so that it is protected from the feet of wandering children or distracted adults.
9. Once plugged in, the motor will immediately engage.  At this point, the bucket should be empty except for the ice cream canister and mixture.
10. While the ice cream maker is running, distribute 2 inches of ice around the bottom of the bucket.
11. Sprinkle approximately ¼ cup of salt. uniformly over the first layer of ice.
12. Note that the dasher within the dasher does not move.  The ice cream canister rotates around it.
13. Continue to add layers of ice, with salt between layers, until ice level reaches the top of the rotating canister.
14. Churning should complete between 30 - 40 minutes, or until the motor stops (when thick).
15. Adding Mix-in's.  Five minutes before completion is a great time to add any mix-in's.
16. Unplug the motor and detach and remove the motor drive assembly.
17. Clear the ice and salt away from the top of the ice cream canister.
18. Wipe carefully to remove any accumulated salt and water before removing the cover.
19. Lift out dasher and scrape clean with a rubber spatula, or simply hand it to an eager child!
20. Pack ice cream down into ice cream canister since the dasher will have left air pockets.
21. Serve and enjoy!  Best and creamiest when fresh from canister, though it freezes well.

Adding Mix-in's :

There are two good ways to add your favorite mix-ins to an ice cream base! The first is to add them while the ice cream is still churning. Add your ice cream mix-ins just before your ice cream is finished. They only need to mix for a few minutes.  Five minutes should be plenty.

Alternatively, once your ice cream is complete, use a large spatula to gently fold the ingredients into your ice cream. This is a great way to handle more delicate ingredients like fresh berries. It also means you can make one batch of ice cream and turn it into several flavors. This is perfect for families with different tastes. Everyone can have their own special bowl of ice cream.  :-)

Mix-in Ideas :

• Chocolate Chips - classic flavour and one of the easiest options.
• Mini M'n'M's.  This is my children's favorite thing to add!
• Cookies & Candy - Break up cookies and candy bars into small pieces and they are perfect additions to many ice cream flavors!
• Cookies & Cream - most recognizable is small chunks of Oreo sandwich cookies.
• Fresh Fruit - Stick with fruits that have a great texture when frozen. Strawberries, cherries, and blueberries are great choices. Just give 'em a rough chop and toss them into your ice cream. Try tropical fruits like pineapple and mango, although you will want to dice these fruits into even smaller pieces.
• Nuts - Almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, and cashews all make great additions to ice cream. Think about how they are used in traditional flavors like Rocky Road. 

Important Points:

• Should the ice cream maker stop before the churning is complete, check to see if large ice cubes are jammed against the rotating ice cream canister.
• Since this recipe is completely uncooked, it is a good time to use raw milk and cream, if you have them. If not, then try to choose the best quality milk you have available.
• In case you missed it above, fill Ice Cream canister only 3/4 full!  Mixture will expand significantly during the freezing process.
• Some people swear that homemade ice cream is a great use of goats milk!  I haven't tried that.

Well, feel free to explore and enjoy the art of making ice cream in your own home!  Don't get too uptight and perfectionistic, the way I did when first giving it a try again last year.  I had been emotionally scarred from past failures, and was worried that I would make a mistake.  I needn't have worried.  As long as you follow the directions for freezing it properly in the ice cream maker (with ice & rock salt), the recipes are very forgiving.  Experiment, and stumble upon the next great ice cream flavour!

Ummm... do I win the prize for the longest recipe description?  ;-)
It was a journey... so hop on and enjoy!

Celeste's Tomato Soup

Celeste has been picking up the culinary touch during the past couple of years, and she has created her own blend of spices to enhance the traditional canned tomato soup!  It actually tastes quite good.  My main complaint with tomato soup fresh from the can (even Campbell's) is that it tends to taste bitter, and even a touch metallic, depending on how long it has sat in food storage.

Celeste likes extra flavour too, and her unique combination of spices tastes very good.  It actually reminds me of a basil tomato soup, and it greatly improves the canned experience.  So I made her measure out the ingredients tonight, and thus the recipe has been solidified! :-)  She makes her soup the way all great chef's do... she sprinkles everything into the soup until it tastes just right.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of tomato soup
• Italian Seasoning (sprinkled to taste)
• McCormick Season All Spice  (sprinkled to taste)
• Salt & Pepper added to taste (be conservative since the other spices include salt)

Directions:

1. Bring two standard sized 10¾ oz. cans of Tomato Soup to a simmer.
2. Excepting Progresso, most canned soups call for adding water or milk. Use water. 
3. Add the spices to taste.  These spices really make the soup more flavourful!
4. Have the cheese sandwiches grilling while the soup is heating
5. Only heat to a simmer, avoiding a boil.

Note:  Celeste often swaps one of the cans with Progresso 19 oz. "Hearty Tomato" or "Tomato Basil" soups.

Celeste's recipe goes very well with grilled cheese sandwiches (we cut them angle-wise into two triangles) and dip them in the soup.

Sesame Chicken and Rice

My children love the traditional modern Americanized Asian classic of "Sweet & Sour" Sesame Chicken that can be found at most Chinese/Japanese/Thai restaurants.  And what's not to like about sweet, deep-fried meat? ;-)

However, I was never raised with fried foods; my mother generally baked everything we ate... even fried chicken was oven-baked.  The only time my parents dusted off the electric frying pan and poured in some oil was when making homemade cinnamon-sugar doughnuts, or filleting trout and perch caught in the Deer Creek Reservoir when I went boating or ice fishing with my Dad.

So, I only fry on occasions as well.  I've tried a few different recipes for frying up sesame chicken, and they've been alright.  Most have been fairly intensive in preparation, so I haven't repeated them.  I have a lot of experience cooking and baking, and I love to tweak recipe's.  So how nice it was to stumble across this recipe!  Simple, fast, and requiring only minor modifications.

I did throw in half a can of pineapple tidbits, and substituted finely diced onions for green shoots.  Also, I didn't have any sesame oil; that's an ingredient I would like to add to or pantry.  The chicken came out tender and delicious!  And I'm pretty sure it wasn't rabbit.  As an aside, my wife has become quite adept at skinning rabbits, and when cooked right, rabbit taste like chicken!  So if you have some on hand to process, feel free to substitute some good rabbit meat for the chicken.  :-)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Chicken Breast Strips (or diced chicken)
• 1 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• ¼ cups Apple Cider Vinegar
• ⅓ cups thinly sliced green onions (or finely chopped yellow onion)
• 3 Tbsp each of Honey, Brown Sugar, and Sesame Oil
• 1 Tbsp grated fresh Ginger (or ¼ tsp ground)
• ¼ cup each of Flour and Cornstarch
• 3 Tsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds (optional, but recommended for appearance)
• 2 cups long-grained white rice, cooked.
• ½ can of pineapple tidbits (optional)
• Steamed vegetables (recommended!)

Instructions:

1. Place raw Chicken and 1 Tbsp soy sauce in a sturdy zip-lock bag.
2. In a medium bowl, combine 2 Tbsp soy sauce, vinegar, onions, honey, brown sugar, sesame oil, and ginger.  Set aside.
3. Sift flour and cornstarch and pour into the bag with the chicken marinade.
4. Shake and roll bag to coat Chicken; let your kids do this until Chicken is coated thoroughly!
5. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Stir-fry chicken tenders 4 - 5 minutes, or until no longer pink.  Don't over-cook!
7. Stir bowl of sauce mixture into pan of chicken, and add sesame seeds.
8. Stir until bubbly and thickened.  

Serve over hot rice!  2 cups of white rice can be easily prepared by rice to a boil in 4 cups of water, and then dropping heat to low for 20 minutes until water is fully absorbed.

As a mix-in, add a generous helping of pineapple to make it truly sweet  & sour!  My kids love it that way, and makes it more of a Hawaiian Chicken Stir-fry.

But feel free to expand on this recipe and steam whichever vegetables your family loves!  Fresh steamed broccoli, sliced carrots, water chestnuts, sugar-snap peas, peppers, and mushrooms.  It's a good way to sneak a salad into the main dish!

German Pancakes

Here is a recipe for a breakfast dish that I had never consumed nor heard of, but of which my sweetheart was familiar with.  Although it is great for the morning, we generally have it as a dinner course, partly due to the fact that it can be prepared so quickly!  :-)

While there are many variations to German Pancakes, some of which take more than an hour to bake, this one can be prepared and cooked in 30 minutes.  For those hectic nights that you want to prepare something quick, give this a try!

There are a myriad of recipes out there, and I'm not sure where our favorite disappeared to, but this comes close to matching what we like.  I took it from a Hyrum City Sesquicentennial cook book, with the recipe submitted by Eileen James in Hyrum.  I then doubled it and made some other modifications.  If you have some eggs available, give it a try!

Ingredients:

•   ½ cup butter
• 1½ cups flour
•   ⅔ cup sugar
•   ½ tsp salt
• 6 - 8 eggs
• 3 cups milk

Instructions:

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cut butter into several pats and scatter them in a large glass cake pan.
• Heat pan for five minutes while oven is heating until butter is mostly melted.
• Increase heat to 400 degrees.
• Mix all ingredients together; if you have a large blender, that mixes it well!
• Blend until smooth.  Immediately pour into pan.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Edges will expand and firm up.  Center will be moist.
• Lower heat to 350 degrees until done (firm and light brown, but not scorched!)

Serves 6 - 8 people.

Cut into slices and serve hot.  Drizzle maple syrup or sprinkle powder sugar.  Enjoy!

Additional Notes:

• Previous recipes make a smaller amount, so the slices are thinner.  Because our family tends to consume this and still want more, this recipe variant makes extra thick slices.  
• If you want to experience the thinner  variety, or don't have as many mouths to feed, cut the ingredients back some... only 6 eggs, and less flour.
• Also, some recipes go WAY overboard on butter, calling for more than a cube of it!
• This version is healthier, though you can cut the butter even further if you like.
• Definitely use butter, not margarine!

POSTUM Drink

I have many memories of my father heating up a quart or two of hot water after ice fishing on Deer Creek Reservoir.  He added to that water a drink unlike anything else I have tasted.  It is not hot chocolate, nor is it coffee like some people incorrectly assume.  It is Postum.  It is a caffeine-free drink that would warm us to the very core.  It is made from whole wheat, wheat bran, and molasses.

We of course did not drink it straight.  My father would add a healthy amount of evaporated milk, and a few spoonfuls of sugar.  This turned it to a light caramel color that I have always associated with Postum.  My Aunt is also a big Postum consumer, and drinks it several times a week at night.

Not everyone likes it, but it is a safe drink, and 100% Kosher.  And it tastes great!  At least the way my father made it. :-)

Here is an approximation of my Dad's formulae:

1. Procure a container of Postum.  
2. Boil 16 oz. of water; remove water from heat
3. Add two rounded teaspoons of Postum
4. Mix until fully dissolved.
5. Add 1/3 cup Evaporated Milk
6. Add 1½ tablespoons Sugar (more or less to taste)
7. Stir until mixed.  Serve hot!

Serving Size: 2

NOTE:  Kraft ceased manufacturing of Postum back in 2007, but "Eliza's Quest Foods" purchased the recipe and Postum Trademark from Kraft and manufacture it once more, albeit on a more limited scale.

Guittard Shortbread Rounds with jumbo Chips

 Little Cookies with big chocolate chips that melt in your mouth!

Here's another recipe I recently picked up, and which found success at work.  I took it from the outside packaging of Guittard Chocolate Baking Chips.  These chips are jumbo sized, and seemed the perfect remedy (i.e. comfort food) to the cold I was coming down with.  They turned out different than I was expecting, but extremely easy to make.  Think of the shortbread cookies with almonds pressed down in the center, and you will have the foundation flavour that these cookies are built on.  Sprinkle them with powdered sugar when they are fresh out of the oven, and it's a tasty alternative to the traditional Chocolate Chip Cookie.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (6 oz.) jumbo Milk Chocolate Chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit
2. Cream butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at low to medium speed until light.
3. Gradually add flour until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips by hand.
4. If dough seems dry or crumbly, it will stick together when shaped with your hands.
5. Using the palms of your hands, roll rounded teaspoons of dough into 1-inch balls.
6. Place dough balls on ungreased cookie sheets and bake 13 - 15 minutes.
7. Cookies will still be pale.  Let stand 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheet.
8. Dust with powdered sugar for a touch of sweetness.

Yield:  3 dozen 1-inch round cookies

Oatmeal Cranberry (Craisins) White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Here is a delicious recipe for White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies!  I came across this earlier this year (2015) when in the mood for white chocolate chip cookies with a fruity burst of extra flavour.

This is more of a gourmet cookie recipe, but without the difficulty often associated with such confectionery delights.

Not fully content with the original recipe, I modified it some, but have unfortunately forgotten what each of those modifications were.  I added vanilla, of course, and some wheat flour.  I do recall that this recipe was an instant success with my entire family, and my colleagues at work were raving about the cookies all day long.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1½ cups white flour
• 1/4 cup wheat flour
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 2/3 cups Craisins (aka dried Cranberries)
• 2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 365 degrees 
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well.
4. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate mixing bowl.  Combine the oats.
5. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition.
6. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.
7. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
8. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top, and the edges are set.
9. Cool on sheet for 5 minutes, and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
10. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Yield: 2 dozen cookies.

The baking time is very important with this cookie recipe. You must watch the cookies closely! Take the cookies out of the oven at between 9 to 12 minutes. The cookies will appear soft and undone in the centers, but will eventually firm up as they set.  Allow the cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes on the baking sheet after you remove them from the oven.

Additional Notes:

If you have them, use silicone baking sheets!  We acquired our first silicone baking sheet as a gift sometime around 2010.  The difference in baking was incredible!  I quickly purchased a second baking sheet the next summer.  The cookies will not flatten out as much, the sheets do not require greasing, and the bottoms of your cookies will bake to the perfect firmness without burning.

NOTE:  I have located the other recipe I had referenced when I first baked these cookies, and attempted to recreate the perfect recipe from both.  I will test and update my own recipe the next time I bake it, as I will likely remember what I changed.  This recipe is close.  The extra wheat flour accounts for altitude, and add a smidgen of healthiness.  ;-)

Banana Shake

Here is an approximate recipe for the Banana Shake that I remember Dad making for us whilst living in Orem.  Perhaps Mom made it as well, but my memories were of Dad blending it up on many a hot summer day.

It is a fast, easy recipe, and I realized this evening that it had been a long time since I last made it for my children... possibly since before Sariah was born.  To many a happy smile, I blended it up as an appetizer for my kids while the casserole cooked...  Sariah was my official taste-tester, and after a sip (that turned into a long gulp), she immediately responded, "I want my own, Daddy!"

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe bananas
• 2 cups milk
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 6 ice cubes

Directions:

• Cut each banana into 2 or 3 pieces.
• Drop banana segments into your trustee Oysterizer blender.
• Add sugar and milk, altering milk quantity as needed for banana size variance, and desired concentration.
• Start blending, and add ice cubes a couple at a time.
• Serve to smiling faces.  Or, watch as a happy smile appears. :-)

NOTE:  While many Banana Shake/Smoothie recipes do not call for vanilla, I have always considered it an essential ingredient.  First, I love vanilla in deserts and drinks.  Second, while the banana flavour does over-power even a healthy dose of vanilla, the richness that results from using it is unmistakable.  Yum!

Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler

This is one of the easiest Dutch Oven Cobbler recipes I have tried, and recommended for a no-fail cobbler. I recommend you start with it.  Success in the Dutch Oven is easy!  And certainly very tasty after a long hike, or when the air becomes cool.

Ingredients:

   *  1/2 package Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix
   *  1 large can sliced peaches in heavy syrup
   *  1/4 stick butter, cut into thin slices
   *  lots of cinnamon

Directions:

1. Be sure to gather the following items before leaving on your trip:
      a.  ten inch Dutch Oven, oven gloves, lid lifter, long tongs, and lid stand
      b.  bag of charcoal and charcoal chimney
      c.  mixing bowl, can opener
   
2. Once at your destination, determine where you will cook and place the pot of finished cobbler.
      a. A metal pizza pan placed on top of trivets works well.  You'll need one for each Dutch Oven dish.
   
3. Start the charcoal in the charcoal chimney, or in the fire pit if one is available.
   
4. Open the box of cake mix and pour half of it into a bowl.
   
5. Slice the butter int thin slices and place them in a container of ice water (to prevent melting)
   
6. Place one ring of charcoal briquettes under the dutch oven
   
7. Open the can of peaches, and pour the peaches and syrup into the bottom of the Dutch Oven.
   
8. Add the cake mix evenly over the top of the peaches.  Do not try to stir the cake mix and peaches together.
   
9. Place the slices of butter on top of the cake mix in a checkerboard pattern.
   
10. Sprinkle everything with lots of cinnamon.
    
11. Place the lid on the Dutch Oven and put 1½ rings of charcoal on the top lid.  It should produce about 350 degrees.
    
12. Cook for approximately 40 minutes, rotating the lid about 180 degrees about half way through to make sure heat is oven. 

NOTE:  I make no claim to the originality for the actual recipe.  There are variations on it in some form in almost every Dutch Oven cookbook.  This happens to be one of the easiest cobbler recipes, and it is tasty and sure to please!

Cache Valley Chocolate Chip Cookies

I picked up this recipe from a friend in the Hyrum 14th Ward, Shauna Johnson, while exchanging recipes for a Ward Cookbook.  She also happened to be the photographer of our Family Portraits on two occasions.  Just because she was a great photographer does not mean that I promise these to be the best Chocolate Chip cookie recipe you have ever eaten.  I'm sure that the Mackay family recipe (also contained within this recipe blog) is, in fact, superior.  

But, I needed a quick recipe when my decades old recipe book went missing.  The cookies from this recipe are decent, especially if you follow the tasty enhancements I have introduced. ;-)  Some day I will find the recipe that my sweet sister (Michelle) sent me while on my mission.  It's a hot pink recipe card, and is the Chocolate Chipper recipe our multi-talented Mom mastered! :-)   I rather thought I had entered it here already (to no avail), so I will have to add it when I come across it again.  Then you can decide which recipe you like best.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 5 cups flour (4 cups white, 1 cup wheat)
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 12 - 16 oz. chocolate chips
• 2 cups rolled oats (raw, not quick cooking)

Directions:

• Cream shortening, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until fluffy.
• Mix in baking soda, salt, and four (just a little at a time), until well-blended.
• Mix in Chocolate Chips.
• Bake at 370 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes.
• Cool for 3 - 5 minutes; move to wire rack for cooling.

Yield:  6 - 7 dozen.  This recipe makes a lot of cookies, so plan on sharing!

Tips:

• If you have never used oatmeal in cookies before, try it!  It add's a thick fluffiness to the cookies that is both rich and satisfying.  No more flat cookies, even on the silicone sheets!  I added 2 cups rolled oats, whereas the original recipe rolled none.
• I swapped 1 cup of butter for the 2 cups of shortening.  Although fat is never healthy, natural fat seems desirable over artificial fat.  Shortening is best on a monetary budget, but sacrifices taste.
• I also replaced 1 cup of white flour with wheat flour, hoping to add a touch of nutrition.  2 cups wheat with 3 cups white would probably still taste great, but too much wheat flour tends to make your cookies increasingly thick and dry.  Find the balance that is right for your house.

NOTE:  Mom may already have posted the recipe I've been searching for... Oatmeal Chocolate Chippers

Katie Richey's Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

Here is a great recipe from a friend in our BYU 93rd Ward... where Mary and I attended while newly married.  Celeste was less than a year old at the time.  This easy-to-make treasure is from a friend of ours, buried in our Ward Cookbook all of this time.

Although the recipe calls for a chocolate cake-mix, it has the consistency of brownies, similar to most other "bar" confectioneries you may have tried.

Ingredients:

• 1 Chocolate Cake Mix
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips (semi-sweet)
• 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 cup Chunky Peanut Butter
• 1/4 cup Water

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix together cake mix (dry), eggs, and oil.
3. Mix in Peanut Butter
4. Stir in Chocolate Chips
5. Pat the mixture into a 9" x 13" pan.
6. Bake 14 - 17 minutes or until golden brown!

Please note that I added water to the mixture, which the original recipe did not ask for.  Depending on elevation, cake mix, and size of your eggs, this may not be necessary.  If you don't like how it turns out, try dropping/altering the amount of water you use.

Twice-Baked Potatoes (Speed Nuke Method)

Yes indeed, it is the delectable flavour of Twice Baked Potatoes... but in half the time!  Less than that, actually.  Thanks to the modern technology of microwave ovens, this is a recipe that produces potatoes that honestly taste every bit as good as the 2½ hour conventional oven approach!

In my opinion, the end-result is every bit as moist, creamy, and flavourful in the Microwave oven, and my children love them!  So unless you fear radio-active side-effects, this recipe is a great time-saver when you are scrambling for something to make when 6:00pm rolls around.

Ingredients:

• 4 - 6 large baking potatoes
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese + extra grated cheese!
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 4 strips of crispy bacon, crumbled or sliced (Michael's addition)

Directions:

1. Scrub and prick potatoes with a fork
2. Place on a glass plate or microwave-safe dish
3. Cooke 3 - 4 potatoes at a time on high for 6 - 7 minutes
• Cook until potatoes are tender!
4. Cut cooked potatoes lengthwise.  Let sit five minutes to cool.
• This is to avoid burned fingers in the next step! ;-)
• You still want the potato innards hot enough to melt the butter...
5. Scoop potatoes from shell into a mixing bowl.
6. Mash potatoes and mix with butter, milk, sour cream, shredded cheese, salt, and pepper.
7. Place potato skins on the glass plate or dish.
8. Fill skins with mashed potatoes mixture
9. Add bacon pieces/crumble to the tops of the potatoes
10. Sprinkle with additional shredded cheese
11. Microwave on high 1 - 2 minutes or until cheese is melted
12. Prepare to double the recipe next time when your family asks for more!

Recipe Etymology:  This recipe comes from a cook-book Mom gave Mary last Christmas as a gift for her birthday.  I first tried this last month whilst Mary was face painting, and I needed to make something quick for the family upon arriving home from work.  Entitled the "Quick & Easy Cookbook," it was just what I needed.  It has some great recipes within, including this one!   Yummy-yum yum!

Oh, and here is how they should have looked, were I to have used fuller sized potatoes,  took more time artistically placing the grated cheese, and adding the fancy green onions for a final garnish...