Pop Up Pancakes

I have really happy memories of pop-up pancakes! We used to beg my mom to make them for us. I remember being so fascinated by the big air pockets. We would fight over who got the crispy corner pieces. I thought it was a fun idea to put them in muffin tins. They turned out great. Hope you enjoy! I sure did!

Pop Up Pancake Recipe - makes 24 muffins or fills a 9×13 baking pan

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• dash salt
• Preheat oven at 400*

I like to blend all the ingredients in my blender. I have tried to whisk it or even use the electic mixer, but it seems to get the most smooth with a blender. Then grease your muffin tins or baking pan. My mom likes to bake these in a jelly roll pan.

Bake them for 15 minutes, or until puffy and golden on top. Use a knife to pry them out, hopefully they were greased well enough and should pop right out.Now they are ready for toppings. I love syrup, powdered sugar, and fruit. You could even use fresh Strawberry Jam. We usually load it all on and dive in.

Momma Kaye's Coleslaw

There are a few things my Momma Kaye makes that just can't be duplicated: cracked wheat (hot cereal), her hearty, crunchy whole wheat cookies, her incredible 10 loafs at ta time whole wheat bread (I could eat a whole loaf myself!), and her coleslaw. (Just to name a few). Every once in a while, I really get a hankering for one of these things... recently it was the coleslaw. When I requested the recipe, this is what I got in an e-mail:

Momma Kaye's Coleslaw:
"Pour some lemon juice in a big silver bowl. Next pour a half a cup or so of sugar, a tablespoon of salt, a cup or so of pickle juice from the pickles, then dump a good amount of mayonnaise in and wire whip it all together. It's actually making my mouth water. Slice your cabbage into small pieces (some people grate it, but that's rather tedious)."

*I treasure this, because this is so typical of the way my mom cooks! A cup or so... Needless to say, I didn't duplicated it, but it did turn out all right. I think I was one of the only ones in my family who really loved coleslaw... man I think I'm going to dish up a hefty portion right now! :) If you like coleslaw- hope you enjoy this, and enjoy my sweet Momma's way of writing down recipes... don't forget the silver bowl. :) They always turn out when she makes them! She's an amazing and I love her! No one can whip it up our of thin air like she can! I wish I was with her right now putting up applesauce. I have some really happy memories of watching my mom work in the kitchen. :) Maybe that's why I love food so much! :) I love you mom! Thanks for the recipe!

*Also, I used some of the red cabbage and now that it has been sitting in the fridge for a day, it is the MOST beautiful fuchsia pink! If for no other reason, make it for the color! Delightful! :)

Chicken Crescents

My sister got this recipe from our cousin Christy. It was so easy and Doug told me to put it on our top 10 favorites. :) He really liked it. Be sure to serve it up with a hefty helping of veggies. :) You'll enjoy this simple, delicious recipe! Thanks Jess and Christy!

Chicken Crescents
4-5 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I used my crock pot Italian Chicken)
8 oz package cream cheese
2-3 tbs lemon juice
Salt and Pepper
1 container refrigerated Crescent Rolls (I used two, but maybe you can fill them up more than I did.)

*Mix all but the last ingredient in a bowl. Unroll crescent rolls and scoop mixture onto the widest part. Pinch and seal edges together. You can also roll in bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for about15-20 minutes. (Just watch until it starts turning golden brown.)

Fruity Homemade Ice Cream

Ok... so at a recent baby shower, I experienced "heaven on a spoon"! This was incredible! My mouth is watering now just thinking about it. I am so glad that my new friend Leslie took me serious and actually sent me the recipe, because this was unreal... I thought I would post it quick so that you could stock up on ingredients and make the yummy goodness soon! Sorry not to have a picture- I will make it as soon as I can get a hold of an ice cream maker. :) Won't be long. :)

Here are Leslie's tips:
"I kind of throw in whatever ripe fruit I have around the house in it. I usually add peaches and blueberries. I would definitely recommend either blending it all together in an actual blender or dicing very tiny all of the fruit. It just tastes better that way. If you actually blend it, it tastes just like a yogurt smoothie! Delicious! I have also found that if you don't have the OJ concentrate that you can just juice an actual orange and add some of the rind and it is just as good. But it is important to add actual LEMON (and orange if you use the orange) to the recipe, otherwise it doesn't have that ZING to it. Well, I hope you have fun with it!
Have a great day!"
-Leslie

Fruity Homemade Ice Cream

**This recipe is for a six quart sized ice cream maker.
If you have a smaller one just half everything.

1 quart whipping cream
4 cups sugar
1 pkg. frozen raspberries (12 oz.)
1 pkg. sliced sweetened frozen
strawberries
1 large can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple
4 bananas chopped
1/2 cup orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup lemon juice

Place all ingredients in big bowl and
stir till combined. Dump into ice cream
maker cylinder. Add milk to the fill line, leaving
1 ½ in. from the top. (Make according to your
ice cream maker instructions. If yours uses ice and rock salt,
I usually use either 1 1/2 bags of ice, or get a really big bag.) Enjoy!!!

Lyd Stew's Hearty Beef Stew

In the mood for a "comforting" hearty bowl of stew? This is my favorite on a cold day. I love to make a big batch and share it, because it is always best fresh and warm! I put down exact amounts, but it is a very forgiving combo- you can add more or use less and it will always turn out as a "comfort" stew. :)

Lyd "Stew's" Hearty Beef Stew
2 pounds stew beef
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 cups water (might need more or less, depending on how many vegetables you put in)
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Dash ground allspice or ground cloves (The secret weapon!)
3 large carrots, sliced
3 ribs celery, chopped
4-5 potatoes, chopped
1-2 cups of sliced cabbage (green or red)
2 cups chopped broccoli
2 cups chopped cauliflower
4 tablespoons cornstarch (More or less, just to thicken)

*In a big pot, Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Remove bay leaves if you used whole leaves. Add carrots and celery and other vegetables. Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer. To thicken gravy, remove 2 cups hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with a little hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Stir and cook until bubbly.

Costini

This is one of my favorites! It is so fast, easy, and completely delicious! Doug loves it- I think it is kindof a "man meal"- it is sort of like pizza, but better. :) My friend Emily- the one who introduced me to the Cafe' Rio dish, gave me this one as well. She has an amazing stash of good recipes and this is definitely one of them! You MUST try this! Your family will thank you for it!

Costini
1/3 Cup olive oil
1 Cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 Cup mozzarella cheese, grated
(If you're low on cheese, I substitute cottage cheese and it tastes good)
1 can tomato sauce
1 can olives chopped
Garlic chopped, or powder/salt
Chopped onions
Ham slices
French Bread

*Mix all ingredients except bread, add desired seasonings. Cut French Bread in half and spread mixture on top. You can also add cheese on top. Bake at 300 for 15 minutes.

Amberlee's Cut-Out Cookies

Amberlee was in charge of the Family Night Treat, and she said she wanted cookies with "pink Lola frosting" (Charlie and Lola). Here is a fun recipe we found. We doubled it and it turned out pretty good. I had little tiny cut outs, so that was fun- she said the stars were her favorite. They are kindof crunchy cookies with sort of a "glazed" icing, but it was fun to try.

Cut-out Cookies:
6 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1
1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Icing:
2 to 3 tablespoons just-boiled water
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
Food coloring, preferably pastes

Special equipment: cookie cutters
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and moving towards moussiness, then beat in the egg and vanilla. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and eggs, and mix gently but surely. If you think the finished mixture is too sticky to be rolled out, add more flour, but do so sparingly as too much will make the dough tough. Form into a fat disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Sprinkle a suitable surface with flour, place disk of dough on it, and sprinkle a little more flour on top of that. Then roll it out to a thickness of about 1/4-inch. Cut into shapes, dipping the cutter into flour as you go, and place the cookies a little apart on 2 parchment or silpat lined baking sheets.

Bake for 8 to 12 minutes; obviously it depends on the shape you're using and whether they are on the upper or lower shelf, though you can swap them around after about 5 minutes. When they're ready expect them to be tinged a pronounced gold around the edges; they'll be softish still in the middle, but set while they cool.

Remove the cookies with a flat, preferably flexible, spatula to a wire rack. When they are fully cooled, you can get on with the icing. Put a couple of tablespoons of not-quite-boiling water into a large bowl, add the sieved confectioners sugar and mix together, adding more water as you need to form a thick paste. Color,as desired. I think pastes are much better than liquid, not just because the range of colors is better but because they don't dilute the icing as they tint. Ice cooled cookies, as desired.

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

Doug pulled out the little Coleman grill my parents got him last Christmas, and we whipped this up! It was totally easy and delicious! I definitely recommend it. Also, I found it in a Kraft magazine and if you want to actually watch a video on how to make it here is the link:
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/grilled-bruschetta-chicken-106252.aspx

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken
1/4 cup Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing, divided

4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)

1 medium tomato, finely chopped

1/2 cup Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil leaves (I didn't have fresh, so I used dry)

PLACE large sheet of heavy-duty foil over half of grill grate; preheat grill to medium heat. Pour 2 Tbsp. of the dressing over chicken in resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to evenly coat chicken with the dressing. Refrigerate 10 min. to marinate. Remove chicken from marinade; discard bag and marinade.

GRILL chicken on uncovered side of grill 6 min. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, cheese, basil and remaining 2 Tbsp. dressing.

TURN chicken over; place, cooked-side up, on foil on grill. Top evenly with tomato mixture. Close lid. Grill an additional 8 min. or until chicken is cooked through (165ºF).

*Note- I didn't have the Sun-dried tomato dressing marinade on hand, so I made my own marinade with vinegar, olive oil, salt, and a bit of garlic powder. It gave it a good taste, although I bet the sun-dried tomato would be really good it you have it. Italian would probably work well, too.

Bacon-Potato Salad

I like my potato salad very sparingly-- you know when "the sun is beating down on the mayonaise. Just, you never know." (Micheal Scott)Plus- I had a really bad expience at a reunion with potato salad as a child and it took me a while to even face it, but I am glad I did after this simple, tasty recipe. Something about bacon says you just can't go wrong! :) You'll like this one, even if you don't like potato salad much! :)

Bacon-Potato Salad
6-7 medium potatoes, sliced and peeled
1 cup cooked crumbled bacon
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup mayo

*Boil peeled and sliced potatoes. Saute onions and bacon. In a large bowl stir remaining ingredients in a large bowl. When potatoes & saute mixture cool, stir them into sauce and refrigerate.

Hamburger Rice Casserole

This is one of those that you find in those old Relief Society cookbooks and at first you really wonder, but it actually tasted really good. I added a few things, just because I can. :) Give it a shot!

Hamburger Rice Casserole
1 lb. hamburger
1 onion, diced
2 celery stalks
Salt & Pepper
Celery Salt
1 can cream of celery (I don't usually have that so I used cream of mushroom)
1 can cream of chicken
1 can water
1/2 cup uncooked rice (or if you want to speed up the process, cook rice first and don't add the can of water- then just cook until warm)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Chow Mein Noodles

*In a big frying pan, brown hamburger, onion, and celery. Salt and pepper it. Add remaining ingredients (except noodles), stirring over heat. Pour into 9x13 casserole dish. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes, top with noddles and bake for another 15-20 minutes.

Mushroom Quiche Lorraine

I discovered Quiche about a year ago... what a grand day that was! I had no idea I was missing out on such a delicious thing! Quiche Lorraine just sounds intimidating, but this is a really simple, fool-proof recipe I found in a simple and delicious magazine. I have also found that you can add or subtract just about anything.

Mushroom Quiche Lorraine
2 unbaked pastry shells or 1 really big deep dish (I like using two- it makes it go further.)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (or 1 small can drained)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tbs butter
4 eggs
1-1/4 cups half-and-half cream
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup grated cheese (I use mozzarella or Swiss)
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled (or real bacon bits)
(I also added diced green bell peppers last time.)

*Line unpricked pastry shell with foil around the edges. Bake at 450 for 8 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 375.
*Meanwhile, in a small skillet, saute mushrooms and onions in butter until tender. In a large bowl, beat eggs, cream and pepper. Add mushrroms and inions and stir in bacon and cheese.
*Pour into rust. Cover edges loosely with foil. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

BBQ Drumsticks

My Sweet mom knows what I love! I got this cookbook in the mail the other day and I have been pouring over it ever since! I have found so many fun new recipes to try! Thank you mom! This was an AMAZING recipe I found right off the bat! Oh boy howdy... It was good! I have never broiled anything before and man- was this worth every minute it took to prepare! I think the cinnamon is what tipped it over the edge for me! What a flavor! By the way... I found this whole package of drumsticks on sale for .95 a pound (pretty cheap for chicken!) so I probably spent about $4-5 on the whole meal. That's the way we like it... cheap and tasty!

BBQ Drumsticks
12 chicken drumsticks
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablestoons oil (plus some for drizzling)
1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons tomato pasted (I didn't have any so I used ketchup)
3/4 cup yellow mustard
3/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup chicken stalk

*Preheat oven broiler to high and situate the rack 6 to 8 inches from the heat sauce.
Place drumsticks on a slotted broiler pan and season them liberally with salt and pepper. Drizzle the drumsticks with a little oil and place under the broiler for 6 minutes. Flip them over and place them back in for another 6 minutes. While the drumsticks are broiling, start the sauce.

*Heat a small saucepan with a tablespoon of oil over high heat. Add onion, garlic, slat, pepper, chili powder, and cinnamon. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add honey, tomato paste, 1/2 cup of the yellow mustard, 1/2 cup of cider vinegar, the Worcestershire sauce, and 3/4 cup of the chicken stalk.