Green Chili Chicken

 I made up this recipe last night and everyone liked it.

Melt butter in a cast iron pan over medium heat.

Add raw chicken breasts.  

Season chicken breasts with garlic salt and black pepper.

After awhile turn the chicken breasts over and season other side with garlic salt and black pepper.

In a separate pan make a sauce with 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1/2 block of cream cheese and 1 small can diced green chilies.  Cook over medium heat until cream cheese is melted and sauce is heated through.

Pour sauce over chicken.  Continue cooking on stovetop or place cast iron pan in oven to finish cooking.

Cook until chicken reaches an internal temp of 165 F.

Before serving sprinkle the top with smoked paprika and Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning.

If you do not want it spicy, then leave off the creole seasoning.

Pumpkin Bread

 This is a Christmas favorite from Amy G.

Butter Toffee with Roasted Almonds

 A Christmas treat recipe From Natalie S. from her blogpost found on doodlecraftblog.com

You can find additional pictures and instructions on her blogpost.

Ingredients:

2 sticks (1 cup) Real Butter

1 1/3 cups of Granulated Sugar

4 Tablespoons of Corn Syrup

4 Tablespoons of Water

Roasted Almonds to line the tray

(spread on baking sheet...about 275* for 30 minutes or so, turning every 10) 

And a silicone baking sheet...or aluminum foil lined baking sheet

You also need a thick bottomed pan.

(not a copper bottom...they burn too fast)

Instructions

Line a jelly roll pan with a silicone baking sheet or aluminum foil.  Chop almonds.  Put a single layer of chopped almonds on the baking sheet.

Place butter, corn syrup, sugar and the water in your thick bottomed pan.  Turn the heat on high.  Stir it gently as it melts together...stay close because this is a very quick process.  

It will begin to foam and bubble...it will rise high in the pan.  Stir it continuously.  

Then it will begin to thicken and pull back inside the pan.  

Let it rapid boil and stir it continuously.  Then, almost all at the same time...it will get quite thick, turn tan color and begin to smoke!  It's done!!!  Remove from heat immediately!   

Pour directly on top of the chopped almonds.  Or just on a baking sheet if you don't want nuts.  You can dip in chocolate if desired, but we love those roasted almonds.  Toffee is actually best if left overnight.  It's so hard to wait until the next day to even taste a sample...but it's tastier if you do.  

Pistachio Pie

 From Hilary P.

Ice Cream Rice Krispie Dessert

From Hilary P.

Crust

1 C. Butter

 1 C. Brown Sugar

3 C. Rice Krispies

1 C. Shredded Coconut

1 C. Chopped Walnuts or Pecans

1 (12 oz) Package Frozen Raspberries

Middle Layer

1 (2 qt) Carton Vanilla Icecream

Topping

1 box Raspberry Danish Dessert (or Strawberry)

Crust Instructions

Melt butter and stir in brown sugar.  Mix in the remainder of the crust ingredients.  Press 1/2 of the mixture into a 9X13 pan.

Middle Layer Instructions

Cut the container from around the ice cream.  Take the block of ice cream and slice into sections. Press ice cream into the pan to cover the crust.  Pour remaining crust mixture on top of the ice cream.  Place in freezer for 30 min.

Topping Instructions

Prepare danish dessert as directed on package.  Use as garnish on dessert.  Chocolate or carmel are also great toppings.

 

Spritz Cookies

 This is Ashley B.'s favorite Christmas treat.  She says that she always makes them with almond extract and not vanilla.  You will also need a cookie press.  Ashley says, "Of all the treats my Mom made every year, spritz cookies are the ones I long for and make."

Makes: 5 dozen cookies

1 C. butter or margarine, softened

1/2 C. sugar

2 1/4 C. all-purpose flour (DO NOT use self-rising flour)

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tsp almond extract

Heat oven to 400.  Cream butter and sugar.  Blend in remaining ingredients.  Fill cookie press with 1/4 of dough at a time.  Form desired shapes on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake 6-9 minutes or until set but not brown.

Basic Vanilla Homemade Icecream Recipe Mix

Recipe taken from Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Book and Modified by Mikael's Dad

Makes 1 qt mix (which fits in a 2 qt ice cream maker)

Eggs (2-8...see below)
3/4 C. White Sugar
2 C. Heavy Cream (Whipping Cream)
Whole milk (Possibly...see below)
Imitation Vanilla (2 tsp-3 T....see below)

In a mixing bowl whisk eggs

The original recipe calls for 2 whole eggs, but you can do 3-4 whole eggs for more creaminess or my Dad prefers 6-8 egg YOLKS...any work

Whisk eggs until light and fluffy or you are tired of mixing.

Add sugar to eggs slowly, whisking as you go.

Add cream slowly, whisking as you go.

Add enough milk so that the total mixture is 1 quart.  Sometimes depending on the size of your eggs you will not need to add any milk.

Add vanilla (even if adding other flavors or fruit).  A minimum of 1 capful (2 tsp).  If doing a straight vanilla icecream add 2 caps (1 T) up to 3 T. for a lot of vanilla taste.

Transfer mix to a pot.  Heat while stirring constantly with a whisk.

Use a thermometer to heat to anywhere between 140-160 F.  (Remember to stir constantly)

Remove from heat so the eggs stop cooking.  Allow to cool in pot in fridge (set pot on a hotpad) until it is cool enough to pour into a glass quart jar.

Pour mixture into quart jar.

Continue cooling using one of the following methods depending on how much time you have.  You must cool it to below 40 F degrees.  35-37 F is ideal:
Cool in the fridge overnight
Put in the freezer (but you must shake it every 20 minutes or it starts freezing and make ice crystals)
Put quart jar in an ice bath (ice and water in a big bowl...set the quart jar in the ice and water bath)

Once it is cooled you can put in your icecream maker and let it freeze.

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Note as a time saver:   Harmons sells a 1 gallon jug of Vanilla ready made icecream mix that you can pour right into your icecream maker.  It is good.  It tastes like Arctic Circle Soft Serve Icecream.

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Notes from Mikael:
I didn't follow directions very well and it turned out awesome.  Here is what I did...
Combine 2 whole eggs and 3/4 C. sugar in an electric mixer on medium high for 10 minutes. (Could probably do less).  In a pan combine that mixture with 2 C. cream and 1 capful imitation vanilla.  I did not add any extra whole milk.  Heat on Medium high until between 140-160 F.  I measured with an instant read meat thermometer.  Put pan in fridge to cool a bit.  Pour into 2 quart jars with lids (mine wouldn't fit in 1 quart jar).  Place jars in ice bath until mixture reads below 40 F.  Place jars in fridge until ready to use.

Pecan Pie

This is the best pecan pie I have ever tasted.  It is my Mom's recipe.  It is really quite simple also!

1 C. Light Corn Syrup
1 C. Light Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1/3 C. Melted Butter
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 Eggs, slightly beaten
1 heaping C. Pecan Halves
1 frozen 9" pie crust (or make your own)


Combine syrup, sugar, salt, butter, vanilla in a bowl and mix well.  (You do NOT heat it up on the stove).  Add slightly beaten eggs.  Add pecans.  Pour into unbaked pie shell.  Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 45-50 min.  Bake on a baking sheet in case it runs over.  It will seem a little runny when you take it out.  It will set up as it cools.  Allow to cool, serve with ice-cream or whipped cream.  It is very rich, you will only need a small slice.

Notes:
*** LIGHT corn syrup means the white colored, not dark colored corn syrup
*** This time when I went to buy corn syrup it was stocked by the pancake syrup instead of by the baking supplies.
***I just use a store-bought frozen pie crust, I think they are just as good as making it from scratch.

Chicken Pot Pie

Ashley B. brought this to our family and we all loved it...even the kids!  So I asked her for the recipe and asked if I could share it here!  Here it is...

I don't have an exact recipe, but I can give you the basics.  Mine are usually a tiny bit different each time.

2 pie crusts (the recipe I use is below, you just want one that isn't really sweet)

2 large chicken breasts (or more, whatever you want)

1 lb bag frozen mixed veggies, thawed (or whatever veggies you want, broccoli, zucchini, sometimes I throw leftovers in)

2-3 C diced potatoes, cooked

(maybe eyeball your chicken, potatoes & veggies to make sure they fit in the pan)

1/4 cup butter or oil

1/4 cup flour

4 cups liquid (milk, chicken broth, water + chicken bouillon; I use half milk and half water+bouillon)

Mix pie crusts and refrigerate.

Cook potatoes if you need to (boil, bake, microwave), cool and dice.  Sometimes I use frozen diced hashbrowns, whatever, just let them thaw a bit while you work.  Set aside.

Cook chicken - sometimes I cook the breasts whole by browning in a pan then finishing in the oven, then dicing.  sometimes I dice then pan fry.  whatever is easier for my day.  Season well, I usually use Montreal Steak Seasoning, because I'm lazy.  Set aside.

Roll out the bottom crust and place in the bottom of a 13X9 pan.  It doesn't have to be pretty, it doesn't even have to come up the sides, really.  Par bake @ 400F for about 15 min.  This isn't critical, but it makes the bottom a little less soggy, and Frank doesn't like soggy bottoms.  I don't even bother with pie crust weights, half the time I don't even prick with a fork.  It will bubble up, but it'll sink back down when you put stuff in it.

To make the sauce for the pie, I use the dirty chicken pan.  Add butter/oil and flour, cook over medium heat for a few minutes, letting the mixture bubble but don't let it brown, at least not a lot, a little is fine.  Add your 4 C liquid slowly, whisking as you go, bring to a low boil.  Mixture should thicken slightly, but it'll still be pretty runny, because it will thicken up inside the pie.  Season to taste here - salt, pepper, more steak seasoning, poultry seasoning, thyme, whatever you like.  This is what your pie will taste like, make it good!

Assemble the pie - once the bottom crust is out, everything goes in it.  Sometimes I stir it all together, sometimes I layer, it doesn't matter at all.  Roll out top crust & cover pie, doesn't have to be pretty.  Bake on the center rack @ 400F for about 60 min.   Everything is cooked except for the crust, so you're waiting for the top crust to brown to your liking.  Just keep an eye on it after 45 min or so. Let sit for 15ish min before serving.

I've done the same pie with beef - just use sometime that'll be tender, or cook a pot roast until tender & dice.  And use seasonings for beef.

Pie Crust - I've used my food processor and stand mixer for this.  I'm not that careful to not overmix and it hasn't been a problem.  This recipe is for ONE pie crust, and I don't double it, I just make it twice.

1 1/4 C flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbl sugar (I leave out or use less for a savory pie)

6 Tbl cold butter (I use salted), cut into 1/2 in pieces

1/4 chilled vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces

1/4 c ice water

Process 3/4 C flour, salt, sugar until combined.  Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps (dough will resemble cottage cheese with some very small pieces of butter remaining, but there should be no uncoated flour).  Scrape down sides of bowl, redistribute dough around blade/mixer, and add remaining 1/2 C flour.  Pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up. (I keep going until it looks like its all together, I don't worry about it).  Move to bowl, if using food processor.  Sprinkle water over the mixture, with rubber spatula, use a folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough sticks together.  Flatten into a 4 inch disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 min or up to 2 days.  (This recipe is wetter/stickier than any I've ever tried, but I can use tons of flour when rolling it out so that it doesn't stick, and it doesn't get too dry.)

Homemade Ranch (Quick and Easy)

This was fast and yummy!  All of my family even the kids liked it!

1 c. mayo
1/2 c. sour cream
2 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp dried chives
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp sea salt (I used kosher salt)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 C. unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk or watered down heavy cream (I used milk)

Whisk all ingredients together except milk.  Add milk gradually until you reach you desired consistency.  Ideally refrigerate for an hour before serving.  But if that is not possible do at least 10 minutes.

Recipe taken from here https://www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/low-carb-keto-ranch-dressing/

Amy's Fruit Dip

Amy G. made this wonderful fruit dip for the Progressive Dinner Appetizer 2018.

1 C. Brown Sugar
8 Oz softened cream cheese

Mix and serve.

Olive Garden Toscana Soup (Zuppa)

Sister Nancy B. made this for our 2017 Progressive Dinner.

About 6 servings

1/2 lb. Italian Sausage Links
2 C. Kale
3/4 C. diced onions
2 potatoes, peeled and halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/3 C. heavy whipping cream
1 slice bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
salt
1 1.4 tsp minced garlic
4 C. chicken broth

Place sausages on a baking sheet and bake at 300 for 15-20 min.
Halve lengthwise, then cut diagonally into 1/2 inch slices.
Place onions and bacon in a 3-4 qt saucepan and cook over medium heat until onions are almost transparent, 3-4 min.
Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
Add chicken broth and potatoes.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 min.
Add greens, sausage, whipping cream and salt to taste.
Simmer just 5 min longer.
*This is a light soup.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Sister Nancy B. made this for the Progressive dinner 2017.  It was perfect for the crisp fall weather.

She got the recipe from https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/creamy-butternut-squash-soup/

Serves 8

• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger freshly grated is best!
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 8 cups butternut squash cut into 1 inch cubes (about 2 lbs butternut squash)
• 2 carrots sliced
• 1-2 cups heavy cream
• croutons optional
• roasted or candied chopped pecans optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar and spices to melted better and stir for 1 minute.
2. Add chicken stock and apple cider. Bring to a boil.
3. Add squash and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until squash and carrots can easily be poked with a fork. Check liquid in the pot while simmering. Add more chicken stock if necessary.
4. Pour all the contents of the pot into a blender. Puree until mixture is smooth.
5. Blend in 1 cup of heavy cream. Gradually add more until the mixture reaches the consistency of a creamy soup.
6. Pour the contents of blender back into the pot and keep warm until ready to serve.
7. After serving soup into individual bowls, garnish with croutons and chopped pecans.

Apple Cake with Caramel Sauce

Sister Nancy B. made this for the 2018 Progressive Dinner.  It was SOOOOOOO yummy!  It is super sweet, so serve small slices!

Apple Cake
1/2 C. margarine
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
3 C. grated, unpeeled apples (Rome) *
2 C. sugar
2 C. flour
2 tsp baking soda

Cream margarine and sugar.
Add eggs, mix
Add cinnamon and baking soda.
Add alternating flour and apples, mix altogether.
Bake at 350 for 30-35 min in a lightly greased 9 X 13 pan.

* If apples are really juicy after you grate them, drain off some juice.  If needed add 1 or 2 T. flour

Caramel Sauce
2 C. sugar
1 C. butter
1 C. cream
3 tsp vanilla
Cool whip (Goes on top)

Heat and melt sugar and butter.
Remove from heat and add cream and vanilla.
Serve sauce warm on apple cake.
Top with cool whip

Easy Key Lime Pie

This recipe is adapted from "Easy Key Lime Pie I" from Dinner2 from AllRecipes.com

10 egg yolks, beaten
(2) 14 oz cans sweetened condensed milk...28 oz total
1 C. key lime juice (different than lime juice)
9 inch prepared graham cracker crust
Cool whip and lime slices for the top

Preheat oven to 375
In a bowl combine egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk and lime juice.  (You do not cook the pie filling before pouring into the crust)
Mix well
Pour enough into graham cracker crust to fill the crust.  You will NOT use all of the filling.  The filling will NOT rise at all while baking.
Bake in preheated oven at 375 for 25 min.  It will still be jiggly when you pull it out.  It does NOT brown on top.
Allow to cool.
Top with whipped cream and lime slices.  (this is important...or this pie looks really plain)

Jacque's Strawberry Frosting

This recipe is from Jacque M. so you know it's good!  It is a light whipped cream frosting.

1/2 C. mashed strawberries (fresh or frozen) (measure after mashed)
3 T. sugar
3 oz softened cream cheese
3/4 C. heavy whipping cream

Beat strawberries and sugar in mixer.  Add cream cheese and mix until smooth.  Add whipping cream and beat until stiff.

Pecan Pie

This recipe was from a woman in my home ward growing up.  It is the best pecan pie I have ever tasted.

Mix the following in a bowl
1 C. white corn syrup
1 C. brown sugar (I do light brown, but you can also use dark brown)
1/3 C. melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Add
3 whole eggs, slightly beaten

Add
1 1/2 C. pecans (6 oz bag is 1 1/2 C)

Pour into an unbaked pie shell.  Cover pie crust edges with tinfoil.  Bake @ 350 for a total of 60 min.  Remove the tinfoil 5 minutes before finished baking.  The pie will still be jiggly when you pull it out.  Cool and top each slice with icecream or whipped cream.  It is very rich, so serve small slices.

Dinner Rolls

This was the recipe my Mom always made growing up, so now this is the recipe I make as an adult.

Combine
1 yeast cake (2 1/4 tsp)
1/4 C. warm water
1 T. white sugar

In a separate bowl beat
3 eggs
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C. melted butter

After yeast is bubbly, combine both bowls.

Add
1 C. water
4 1/2 C. white flour

Mix well with large spoon

Turn out on floured surface.  Knead and add a little flour at a time until the dough is no longer sticky.

Prepare a large clean bowl by spraying with pam.  Place dough in the bowl.  Cover with saran covered with pam.

Allow to double in size.

Punch down and fix the way that you want to (ie: regular rolls, crescent rolls, etc).  When fixed the way you want, dip each roll in melted butter and place on a tray to rise a 2nd time.

Allow to raise until doubled again.

Bake at 375 for 12 min.

When the rolls come out of the oven, brush the tops with butter.

For sweet rolls add an extra 1/4 to 1/2 C. extra sugar.

(If making crescent rolls then 1 batch should be split into 2 balls before rolling out.  1 batch makes 24 LARGE crescent rolls.)

Christianne's Lemon Cake

This recipe is one of Christianne F's recipes, so you know it has to be good.

1 lemon cake mix
4 eggs
1 1/4 C. water
1 small lemon jello (4 serving size)
3/4 C. oil

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix all ingredients.  Pour into a greased cake pan (metal is better than glass because it is slightly larger so cake will be a little thinner).  Bake at 350 for 30-40 min.  Cool slightly.  Pour glaze over while still a little warm.

Glaze
Mix about 3 C. powdered sugar with lemon juice until you reach the desired consistency and amount.
(About 7 T. lemon juice).  Mix glaze really well before pouring over cake.

If you make glaze thin it will soak into the cake and it is sooooo yummy.

Serve small pieces, it is really sweet.

Rice Bowls

Hilary P. served these cute appetizers at the 2018 Girls Night Out Progressive Dinner.  

They were so fun and really yummy.

First she prayed a cupcake pan with pam and put the wonton skins in the holes and then sprayed the tops with pam again.  She baked until lightly browned.  Wonton skins (wonton wrappers) can be found in the produce section of grocery stores.

She placed some cooked white rice in the little bowls.

She topped the rice with Panda Express Teriyaki Sauce (Walmart carries it).

The meatballs were Aidells Teriyaki and Pineapple (from Costco).

Pictured is Panda Express Orange Sauce, but she used Panda Express Teriyaki Sauce.