Sunday, February 24, 2008

Recipe Site Tips

Here are a couple of tips to makes browsing our new recipe site a little easier:

1. Use the search box in the upper-left corner to quickly find what you are looking for. Enter your search term in the white box and then click the "SEARCH BLOG" link.

2. The "labels" list on the left hand side will help you narrow down the posts to just those with the appropriate label. Say you're looking for salads - simply click the "Salad" link and all salad recipes will be displayed.

3. If you like a recipe or would like to leave some feedback, click the "comments" link below each post and you can leave a quick message. Some great ideas for comments would be recipe variations, success stories, and general positive remarks.

Happy cooking!

Creamy Chicken Soup

Submitted by: Erica Williams

This is the delicious soup that was served at the Golden Ages Tea Party.

4 chicken breasts - cooked and cubed
4 cups chicken broth
2 carrots - cooked
2 cups cubed potatoes - cooked

In a small sauce pan, saute:
1 cup cut celery
1 small onion - chopped

1 pint sour cream
1 (26 oz) can cream of chicken soup

Optional ingredients (I always add):
1 small can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup grated cheese
1 cup frozen peas

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and heat thoroughly on medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

February 2008 Recipe Group

What a fun night!

Valentine's CupcakeWhen: Wednesday, February 20th @ 7:00 PM
Place: Ashley Garback’s (4188 West Liberty Creek Drive)

Tonight's Recipe Group was a huge success! We had a great turn out and all of the recipes where absolutely amazing.

A big special "thanks" to Ashley Garback for opening her home and hosting this wonderful event.


We have posted some of the dessert recipes from tonight's group. If your recipe isn't here, please email it to Erica Williams and we will get it posted right away. Once again, thanks for coming out and supporting our recipe group. We look forward to seeing everyone again in April!

Chocolate Eclairs or Cream Puffs

Submitted by: Debbie Hermansen

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup boiling water
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs

Heat oven to 400°. Melt butter in 1 cup boiling water. Add flour and salt all at once; stir vigorously. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball that doesn't separate. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each until smooth.

Prepare a greased cookie sheet.

For Eclairs: If you have a pastry bag with a large round tip, you can squeeze the mixture out into bar type shapes--small or large if you make each bar thicker and longer.

For Cream Puffs: Drop by heaping tablespoons about 3 inches apart.

Bake at 400° until golden brown and puffy, about 20-30 minutes, depending on the size. Remove from oven, cool on rack. To fill with cream, split the sides with a sharp knife, then fill a pastry bag with thick pudding and squirt into middle. Frost top with chocolate frosting or Ganache.

Warm Nutty Caramel Brownies

Submitted by: Stephanie Maxfield

1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 pkg. (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1 pkg. (18-21 oz) brownie mix (plus ingredients to make cake-like brownies)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1 cup salted mixed nuts, divided
5 rolls of Rolos (40 pieces total), divided

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease bar pan. Chop 1-1/2 c. chocolate chips. Combine brownie mix, water, oil, eggs, and 1/4 c. brown sugar. Fold in chopped chocolate. Pour batter into bar pan & spread evenly.

2. Chop nuts. Combine half of the nuts and remaining 1/2 c. brown sugar; sprinkle evenly over brownie batter. Bake 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

3. Meanwhile, cut 16 Rolos into quarters. Place remaining 1/2 c. chocolate chips in microwaveable bowl & microwave on high 1 minute or until melted, stirring after each 20-second interval. Spoon melted chocolate into resealable plastic bag; set aside.

4. Remove bar pan from oven. Immediately press remaining 24 Rolos evenly into brownie in four rows of six caramels each. Sprinkle quartered Rolos and remaining nuts over brownies. Trim corner of chocolate-filled bag; drizzle chocolate evenly over brownies. Serve warm. Serve with ice cream, if desired.

Yummy Holiday Fudge

Submitted by: Janet Smith

20 oz. Hershey chocolate bars
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Melt Hershey bars completely, stirring carefully so as not to burn. Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Put in buttered 9x9 pan and cool completely.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Balls

Submitted by: Erica Williams

1 cup peanut butter*
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme
1 1/2 cups crisp rice cereal
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
4 teaspoons shortening

In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter and marshmallow creme; add cereal and stir until well coated. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and shortening. Microwave, uncovered, for 1-2 minutes or until chips are melted; stir until smooth.

Roll cereal mixture into 1-in. balls; dip in chocolate. Place on a waxed paper-lined pan. Refrigerate until set.

*Don't use reduced-fat peanut butter.

Janet's Mint Truffle

Submitted by: Janet Smith

1 1/2 lb milk chocolate chips -- melt very, very carefully (I use adouble boiler)
3/4 cup evaporated milk -- add to chocolate mixture, beat and add
1/2 - 1 tsp peppermint extract -- to taste

Mix well, put in greased 9 x 9 pan . Let stand until firm, do NOTrefrigerate.

EASY!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Submitted by: Alesia Hanson

1/2 C Shortening
1/2 C margarine
2 C brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 C whole wheat flour
1 3/4 C white flour
4 Tbsp instant hot chocolate powder
1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
18 oz chocolate chips

Cream the shortening, margarine and sugars until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. Add dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by large spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.

I usually double the recipe and freeze a bunch of the cookies.

Caramel Fudge Cheesecake

Submitted by: Chrissy Garback

1 package fudge brownie mix (8-inch square pan size)
1 package (14oz) caramels
¼ cup evaporated milk
1¼ cups coarsely chopped pecans
2 packages (8oz each) cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
2 squares (1oz each) semisweet chocolate, melted
2 squares (1oz each) unsweetened chocolate, melted

Prepare brownie batter according to the package directions. Spread into a greased9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350 for 20 min. Cool for 10 min. on a wire rack. Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt caramels with milk. Pour over brownie crust; sprinkle with pecans. In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and sugar; mix well. Add eggs, beating on low speed just until combined. Stir in melted chocolate. Pour over pecans. Bake at 350 for 35-40 min. or until the center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 min. Run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool completely. Chill overnight. Remove sides of pan before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Yield: 12 servings

Time/Money Saver: Instead of cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and melted chocolate - use the premade cheesecake filling.

Pretzel Salad

Submitted by: Liz Francom

2 c. crushed pretzels
3 tbsp. sugar
3/4 c. butter
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 c. sugar
4 tbsp. drained, crushed pineapple
1 med. container Cool Whip
1 lg. pkg. raspberry Jello
2 c. boiling water
2 (10 oz.) pkgs. raspberries

1st layer: Mix 2 cups crushed pretzels, 3 tablespoons sugar, and butter. Press into 9 x 13 glass dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Let this completely cool before adding second layer.

2nd layer: Mix cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, 4 tablespoons drained crushed pineapple. Fold in 1 medium container Cool Whip. Add to pretzel crust.

3rd layer: Dissolve 1 large raspberry Jello in 2 cups boiling water. Add 2 (10 ounce) packages raspberries. Place in refrigerator 10 minutes or so that it is cool enough not to disturb the second layer when added. Refrigerate.

Best if served same day it is made.

Chocolate Bundles

Submitted by: Ashley Garback

Bundles:
1 sheet puff pastry
2 eggs
1 teaspoon heavy cream
8 chocolate kisses (recommended: Hershey's)
8 miniature chocolate candy bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unfold puff pastry and cut the sheet into 2 (4 by 4-inch squares). Beat eggs and cream together to create an egg wash. Brush pastry squares with egg wash. Place 2 chocolate kisses and 1 mini candy bar in the center of each pastry square. Repeat with remaining kisses and mini-bars. Pull corners of the square up around the chocolate, brushing edges with more egg wash, if necessary, to create a secure bundle. Brush exteriors of chocolate bundles with more egg wash. Repeat with remaining bundles. Place bundles on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Ganache:
½ cup heavy cream
4 ounces milk chocolate, broken into small pieces
Sweetened whipped cream, optional Fresh strawberries, sliced, for garnish Mint sprigs, for garnish

In a sauce pan bring the heavy cream to a boil. Place the chocolate pieces in a bowl and pour hot cream over top. Whisk until smooth.

Serving:
Puddle ganache onto a plate and place 1 bundle on top. Top with whipped cream and additional ganache, if desired. Serve bundles garnished with strawberry slices and mint sprigs.

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Christmas Party Salad

Submitted by: Erica Williams

By popular demand! This salad went like crazy at our 2007 Enrichment Christmas Dinner. This easy to make salad is sure to be a hit any time of year.

1 head romaine lettuce, cut- or one bag romaine lettuce
1 bag spinach
1 bag coleslaw
1 bag craisins
1 can honey roasted peanuts
1 bottle Briannas' Rich Poppy Seed salad dressing

Toss everything together and serve.

Friday, February 1, 2008

Coming Soon!

Check back for exciting new recipes and so much more! If you have a recipe you would like posted to the 8th Ward Recipe Group, please email it to Erica Williams. Be sure to include all of the ingredients and instructions, along with a title in your message. Thanks again!