Chocolate Cake

I will never, ever use a different recipe for chocolate cake again. I have seriously never had a cake like this. This is the BEST.....for all of you chocolate lovers.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

11 oz semi-sweet chocolate

2/3 cup butter

6 lg egs, seperated

2/3 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9" springform pan, line the bottom with buttered wax paper; dust with cocoa & shake out excess. Slowly melt chocolate & butter together in a heavy saucepan over low heat; COOL. Meanwhile seperate eggs into 2 large bowls. Beat yolks for about 1 minute; slowly add sugar & continue beating til thick & lemon colored. Beat whites until they just begin to peak. Add cooled chocolate mixture to egg yolks and blend thoroughly. Pour the chocolate & egg yolk mixture into egg whites & fold gently til completely blended. Pour batter into prepared pan & bake 40-45 minutes. Cool 1/2 hour before turning out onto serving plate. Frost with......

Chocolate Glaze

1/2 cup whipping cream

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

4 oz unsweetened chocolate

4 oz milk chocolate

Chop chocolate. Simmer cream and butter. Reduce heat; add both chocolates & stir until smooth. Let stand until cool, but still pourable, about 1 hour. Spoon glaze over cake. Refrigerate cake, but serve at room temp. Serve with spoonful of sweetened whipped cream.

To Decorate....cut a peice of wax paper that covers top of cake. In the center draw the outline of a leaf (use a real leaf). Cut it out-lay the paper over cold cake & shake a little powdered sugar over. Carefully remove wax paper. You can do this with hearts too!

Honey Nut Stir-Fry

We like this because it is different from regular stir-fry! I have done chicken instead of pork and I usually add more veggies (peas, broccoli, etc.)

1 pound pork steak or loin or boneless chicken breast

3/4 cup orange juice

1/3 cup honey

3 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

2 Tbsp Vegetable oil, divided

2 large carrots sliced diagonally

2 stalks celery sliced diagonally

1/2 cup cashews

Hot cooked rice

Cut pork in thin strips, set aside. Combine O.J., honey, soy sauce, cornstarch, and ginger in small bowl, mix well. Heat 1 T. oil. in skillet over medium heat Add carrots and celery; stir fry about 3 minutes or until crispy tender-DO NOT overcook veggies. Remove vegetables; set aside. Pour remaining oil in skillet. Add pork, stir-fry about 3 minutes. Return vegetables to skillet; add honey mixture and nutes. Cook and stir until sauce comes to a boil and thickens. Serve over rice. Seves 4-6.

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms

While I was home in Utah, I was able to catch a few episodes of food network....my favorite. This recipe was from Rachel Ray and we made them with steaks.....so good!

8 portabello mushroom caps (the huge ones)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing mushrooms
1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained well
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 egg yolk
1 clove garlic, grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg about 1/8 teaspoon
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat grill to medium-high and oven to 425 degrees F.

Using a damp towel, brush mushroom caps to clean. Using a pastry brush, coat the caps with extra-virgin olive oil and grill with lid down or roast about 5 to 6 minutes, turning once, until tender but still firm at center.
Wring the spinach out in a clean kitchen towel. Separate the spinach with your fingers and combine with artichokes, ricotta cheese, egg yolk, grated garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and nutmeg.
Remove mushroom caps from grill.
To portion-control the filling, divided the stuffing into 4 parts then just split each of those evenly between 2 caps. Sprinkle the caps with Parmigiano and cook 5 to 6 minutes more in the preheated oven to set filling and lightly brown tops. Serve Warm!

-Nicole

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Warning:This recipe makes alot!

Made this yummy tex-mex dish the other night...I absolutely LOVE this and so did my husband...it is especially perfect for chilly winter days!!

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbs margarine or oil of choice

3 14 oz. chicken broth or bullion

1 can cream of chicken

1 can cream corn

2 t. cumin

3 Tbs cilantro

1 chopped onion

2 Tbs flour

4 cups half & half or milk

1 cup salsa

6 chicken breasts, cooked

1 pkg. taco seasoning

Tortilla chips

(Cheese, Avocado, Tomato, etc)

In a large pot, saute the garlic and onions in the margarine or oil for 5 minutes. Add flour and stir well one minute. Add broth and milk. Return to boil and then cool. Add cream of chicken, corn, salsa, chicken, cumin, seasoning, cilantro. Stir and heat for 15 minutes.

Serve by putting chips, cheese, avocado, tomatoes, etc in a bowl and serve soup over the top...(or put them all on top of the soup).

YUM!!!

Yummy Caramel Popcorn

2 cups brown sugar
1 cube butter
1 cup karo syrup
1 tsp baking soda

2 bags microwave popcorn (the more butter, the better)

Cook up the microwave popcorn first. Take all the kernels out.

Put first three ingredients in 2 qt. saucepan. Melt together and boil for 30 seconds (I start timing right when there starts to be bubbles, it doesn't seem like very long, but don't go over!)

Take off heat, stir in baking soda and pour over popcorn and mix. Enjoy! It is so yummy and addictive.

Thanks for starting this website nicole, I have already tried some recipes and plan to try lots more!

-Amanda Bailey

Chops and Beans

Emilee gave me this recipe this afternoon and I can't wait to try it. She said that a fresh green salad works wonderfully with it to complete the meal. This is one of Brad and Emilee's favorites. I can't wait to try it next week! P.s. I love that this is a crock pot meal.

Chops and Beans

2 - 1lb. cans pork and beans
1/2 C. ketchup

2 slices bacon, browned and crumbled

1/2 C. chopped onions, sauteed

1 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce

1/2 C. firmly packed brown sugar

4-6 pork chops

2 tsp. prepared mustard

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 C. ketchup

one lemon

1. Combine beans, 1/2 C. ketchup, bacon, onions, worcestershire sauce and 1/4 C. brown sugar in slow cooker.2. Brown chops in skillet. In separate bowl, mix together 2 tsp. mustard, 1 Tbsp. brown sugar and 1/4 C. ketchup. Brush each chop with sauce, then carefully stack into slow cooker, placing a slice of lemon on each chop. Submerge in bean/bacon mixture.3. Cover. Cook on low 4-6 hours.

Buttermilk Pancakes

We love this pancake recipe. A friend of ours worked at Magelby's Fresh and gave it to us. The syrup becomes frothy when you add the soda and is the best when drizzled over fresh fruit. We like to use the syrup over french toast and waffles too.

Pancakes:
Prepare the NIGHT before:
6 eggs

1 T. Baking Soda

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

1 quart Buttermilk

3 1/2 to 4 cups flour
Mix wet ingredients then stir in dry ingredients. Refrigderate. If thicker than desired in the morning, you may add a little more buttermilk.

Buttermilk Syrup:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 stick butter

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp soda

Bring sugar, buttermilk and butter to a boil in saucepan. Turn off heat and add vanilla and soda. Serve immediately over pancakes. Best drizzled over fruit!

Honey Lime Chicken

This is the easiest recipe in the world!!

You will need:

Chicken tenderloins

honey

lime juice

Put your chicken in a pan, with desired amount of honey and lime. Cook with lid on until chicken is done (it will look watery). Take lid off for a few minutes and juice will start to caramalize and brown on chicken! Sprinke with parsley for color. Enjoy!

Recipe posted by Liz Renzello

Yummiest.....Sweet & Sour Chicken

This might sound a little funky, but it was given to me and it's one of our favorites! Not to mention it is so easy to make and is quick!

1 cup apricot/pineapple jelly (smuckers makes this)
or you can get 1/2 cup of apricot jelly and 1/2 cup of pineapple jelly
(I've also seen recipes for just apricot if you don't want to buy both.

8 oz. Russian Dressing

1 can chicken broth

1 pkg Lipton onion soup mix

(this makes alot of sauce so you may have some leftover for a last minute meal idea)

Directions:
Mix all together on stove. In small bowl mix 1 TBL cornstarch & 2-3 TBL water. Bring to boil & then add cornstarch mixture to thicken.

Lay chicken breast in pan & pour sauce over top. Place in oven at 350 degrees for 45 min - 1 hour.

Serve over rice.


ENJOY! If you have questions feel free to email me at bryndeer@hotmail.com or have nicole call me :)

Yummy Sugar Cookies

With Valentines Day coming up, I thought this might be a fun recipe for everyone. This is the best sugar cookie recipe I have ever come across. The secret ingredient is the orange extract! But, if you have ever had them, you know that. I add a little more than the recipe calls for every time. Buttercream icing is also really yummy on them. I usually double the recipe (or triple for Easter :)), if I am taking them anywhere.

Sugar Cookies:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp orange extract
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp soda

Cream butter and sugar together. Add the rest of the ingredients as you do in most cookies. Roll out and cut. Sam says, "The thicker, the better!"

Cream Cheese Icing:
1 pkg cream cheese
1 T milk
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Soften cream cheese. Mix cream cheese, milk vanilla, and salt. Add powdered sugar gradually while mixing.

An AWESOME recipe from Emilee...

This recipe must be straight from Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill....yummy. It's name doesn't do it justice. We first made this for my Mom and Dad's anniversary dinner from the kids and I finally got the recipe from Emilee. Sam can't stop talking about how much he loved it last night and it is what gave me the extra push to start the blog. We made it with angel hair pasta instead of bowtie. Seriously, you HAVE to try this. So without Emilee's consent, here it is...

Chicken Pepper Pasta

1 lb chicken cut into chunks/strips
6 Tbl butter
1 med red Onion (wedges)
1 med red pepper (strips)
1 med yellow pepper (strips)
1 med green pepper (strips)
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cupfreshly grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp tarragon
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper1 pkg
(7 oz) bowtie pasta
1 1/2 c half & half

In a 12 inch skillet, melt butter until sizzling. Stir in onion, pepper, and garlic. Cook med high until pepper is crispy tender (2-3 min.) Remove vegetables from skillet with slotted spoon, set aside and add chicken, tarragon, salt and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked all the way through. Prepare pasta according to pkg directions; drain and rinse. Add vegetables, half & half, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese to chicken mixture; reduce heat to medium; continue cooking until cheese is melted. Add pasta, toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

This might be fun....

So.... I have been thinking about starting a recipe exchange blog for awhile now. It seems like every time the sister-in-laws get together we end up swapping recipes, talking about recipes, or kicking ourselves for forgetting our recipes to swap. Most of the time there is just too much fun going on when we all get together anyways! So, I thought we could share some of our favorites together here! If the idea flops...oh wells. If any friends want to join in...enjoy! If you want to share a recipe either email it to me or if you feel comfortable blogging(I know this is a stretch for mom) you can email me for the password for the blog!