Thursday, November 20, 2008

Christmas Bread

I think the name is Christmas Bread because it is green. It looks like bread but it is really a super MOIST cake. It is a perfect to make to take to a new neighbor wrapped in plastic. My friend Colleen made me some and we really did enjoy it. Very Easy!!

Christmas Bread

1 yellow cake mix
1 3.5 oz box of pistacchio pudding
1 cup of sour cream
1/4 cup of water
1/2 cup of oil
4 eggs


Mix all together, put in 2 bread pans, then sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top, cook at 350 for 40 minutes. Take out and cool

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Three cheese chicken penne pasta bake

The good old kraft magazine comes through again. This was a hit with the kids and I actually liked, plus it is low fat, calorie. I was happy because I cut the spinach up kind of small and the kids ate the spinach. I told them it was just seasoning and they went with it.

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake

1 ½ cup multigrain penne pasta, uncooked
1 pkg. (9 oz.) fresh spinach leaves
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces (really small for my kids)
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1 jar (14 ½ oz) spaghetti sauce – we like the marina sauce from Albertsons Organic line
1 can (14 ½ oz) can diced tomatoes (petite cut), drained
2 oz (1/4 of 8 oz pkg.) 1/3 less fat Neufchatel cheese – (low fat cream cheese)
1 cup mozzarella cheese, divided, (2% milk or skim)
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375. Cook pasta, adding spinach to boiling water for the last 1 minute. Cook and stir chicken and basil in large nonstick skillet on medium high heat, 3 minutes. Add sauce and tomatoes; bring to boil. Simmer 3 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in Neufchatel cheese. Drain pasta mixture well. Return to pan. Stir in chicken mixture and ½ cup mozzarella. Spoon into 2 qt baking dish. Bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 3 minutes.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Chipotle Chocolate Chili ! !

OK so I made this chili because sometimes I just get sick of the usual chili. Ben was thinking it sounded sick but then he tasted it for the first time the other night and loved it. I love how it is different. It really is goo and good enough that Aunt Emily requested it!! You have to like the smokey chipotle taste to really appreciate it. I made my first batch to hot for my likes (Ben loved it). I took a chili from the can and diced it and added it to the chili. I probably won't do that again!!

CHIPOTLE CHOCOLATE CHILI

1 lb lean ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, minced
2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I learned at enrichment if you don't rinse your can beans that is what makes you fart)
1 can beef broth
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (NOT Nesquick! That would be very bad)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
Chipotle sauce (from the can of chipotle chilies)
1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate (1/2 unsweetened baking cube), chopped (This is optional, use to taste as needed; be careful because too much will make your chili bitter, I used exactly 1/2 of a baking cube)
3-4 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Chopped green onions
Light sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese

Heat some olive oil in a large soup ot over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic, bell pepper, and ground turkey until meat is cooked through. Add salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, brown sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, tomatoes, beans and beef broth. Add all of the chipotle sauce from a small can of chipotle chilies. Heat to boiling and then reduce to a simmer (uncovered), stirring occasionally, until thickened as desired (30 - 40 minutes). If desired, add some chipped chipotle chilies. Add 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar and a small amount of chopped choclate. If necessary, add more red wine vinegar to cut teh sweetness of the chili. This is where you can play around a little with the flavors. (This is where I followed the recipe, the only thing I did different was add the actual chili which, again, I probably would not do)

When thickened and seasoned as desired, serve with chopped onions, sour cream and shredded cheese.

Oh and this is from http://www.ourbestbites.com/. I love that website!!

Pumpkin Bars !!

I made these this past weekend for Adam's Baptism and our families really LOVED them, especially Uncle Aaron :). I have had this recipe for years. I stole it from a friend of mine in Idaho Falls. This is another one no matter where you take it, everyone ALWAYS wants the recipe. It really is the BEST!! I went out and bought a HUGE cake pan for this recipe, but a deep cookie sheet will also work. Or really ANYTHING will work. I just love the frosting that the thinner the bars are the more you can enjoy the frosting.

PUMPKIN BARS

Mix:
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1 2/3 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin (16 oz)

Add:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon

Mix well. Pour into a sheet size baking pan and bake at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes.

Cool the cake completely and then frost with:

FROSTING:
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
1/4 cup softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 lb powder sugar

Mix well