Chicken Cordon Bleau Casserole

I'm going to try this someday.  Recipe from Carol Cook.

Dice cooked chicken and ham, add 1 C cheese (cheddar or swiss) and put in bottom of baking dish.  (I used about 3 C ham and 2 cups chicken - use whatever you like more) Then set aside.

Saute 2 TBSP onion in 1/4 cup butter then add 1/3 C flour to make a paste.  Gradually add 2 C milk stirring constantly.  Boil for 1 minute.  Add 1 t dill weed and 1/8 t mustard then pour over meat mixture.

Mix 1 C bread crumbs, 1/4 t dill weed,  2 T butter, and 1/4 cup cheese together.  Then put on top of dish.  Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350. 

Hope this makes sense - let me know if something is confusing :) I thought it had a little to much onion so you might want to change according to what your family likes. I questioned the dill but it added ALOT and I am glad I put it is!!!"

Pumpkin Cake

Mmmm! My favorite pumpkin recipe--it's really easy too. Serve with COOL WHIP!

Bottom Layer:
1 pkg yellow cake mix (reserve 1 C for topping).
1/2 C melted butter
1 egg

Filling:
1 can pumpkin pie mix
2 eggs
2/3 C milk

Topping:
1 C reserved cake mix
1 t cinnamon
1/4 C sugar
1/4 C butter

Grease bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Combine ingredients for bottom. Press into pan. Prepare filling by combining ingredients and pouring over bottom layer. Mix topping as you would pie crust--cut soft butter into mix, sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle topping over top. Bake at 350 for 55 to 60 minutes.

Sausage, Cheddar and Apple Strata (adapted from Cooking with Shelburne Farms)

(Serves 6-8)

* ¾ pound (5 to 6 cups) cubed crusty bread, such as sourdough or multigrain
* 4 medium shallots, sliced
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 3 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
* 1 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)
* 1 pound Italian-style sausage, removed from casings if in links
* 4 eggs
* 1 quart (4 cups) half-and-half
* ½ teaspoon salt
* freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the bread cubes on a large rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 15 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.

Meanwhile, saute the sliced shallots in the olive oil in a skillet until translucent and starting to brown. Add the sausage to the skillet and cook until no longer pink, breaking up into pieces with a fork. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Whisk together the eggs and half-and-half in a bowl with the salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and set aside.

Lightly grease a 9×13 (or equivalent) baking dish. In the bottom of the baking dish, spread half of the sausage/shallot mixture, half of the cubed apples, and half of the cheddar cheese. Top with the toasted bread cubes. On top of the bread cubes, layer the remaining sausage/shallot mixture and the remaining cubed apples. Pour the half-and-half mixture over the dish, pressing the bread cubes down gently so they all get moistened. Top with the remaining grated cheddar.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown on top and set.

Apple Cake--Ora Davis

1 1/2 C sugar
1 C vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 C flour
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1 t vanilla
1/2 t salt
1/4 t nutmeg
3 C chopped apples
1 C chopped walnuts

Mix eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients and add to mixture. Add apples and nuts.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes in a bundt pan until a toothpick comes out clean.

Betsy's Rolls (from Courtney)

My mom is famous for her rolls. I grew up eating them and being in the same room when she made them but never paying much attention. I think I tried to make them once when we lived in California but that was my career-era and I wasn't much on cooking. Then once we moved to Phoenix, I just had her make them for me anytime I needed them.

As I was preparing for my first Thanksgiving on our own, I decided the homemade rolls were a must. I had her make some while she was here for Halloween and tried to pay better attention. Since then I have made them 4-5 times - each time I call my mom fewer times during the process. I felt a little better at Thanksgiving when I realized at least a few other people were also calling her for the play by play.

The recipe originally was called "Louise's Rolls" from The Junior League of Salt Lake City's Heritage Cookbook (the one with the patchwork cover). As I was looking at the recipe, I was thinking about all of the little things my mom does differently. I decided for posterity's sake (and with her permission, of course) that I should document the "real" recipe and instructions. As I was thinking about this post and looking closely at the actual directions, I kept calling her and saying "what temperature do you bake them" or "how much yeast do you use" and the answer was always something different than the actual recipe so I think it's safe to rename the recipe: "Betsy's Rolls."

Betsy's Rolls

2 packets yeast

1 Tbsp sugar

Warm water to dissolve yeast

1 cup milk

1/2 butter or margarine, melted (I use butter) - the original recipe calls for oil

1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp salt

approx. 5-6 cups flour

Step 1:

Put yeast and sugar in a large plastic cup (I doubt the cup needs to be plastic this is just how she does it), cover with warm water and stir with a fork. Set aside.

Step 2:

Put milk in a glass container and microwave for 2 minutes or you can scald it on the stovetop in a small pan. After scalding the milk, put the stick of butter in the container of milk. This melts the butter while also bringing the temperature of the milk down so it won't cook the eggs. Set aside.

Step 3:

In a mixer, combine the sugar, eggs and salt.

Step 4:

Add the yeast mixture and the milk/butter mixture to the mixer and mix everything together.

Step 5:

Add the flour 2 cups at a time. Mix well after each addition. Once all the flour is added, mix for at least 4 or 5 minutes. When I asked my mom how much flour she used, her only directions were "it's more than the recipe says" (Louise says 4-5 cups, sifted). She makes these so often that she just knows when the dough is the right consistency. I'm not that good so I started at 4 cups and then added flour 1/4 cup at time until I decided that 5 3/4 cup is right for New Jersey. We don't sift either.

The dough should pull away from the side of the mixer. If you have too little flour, the rolls won't hold their shape. If you have too much flour, they are too dry. My mom instructed that if I added too much flour, I could add another egg.

Step 6:

Leave in mixer, cover and let raise for about an hour.

Step 7:

Run the mixer (I do this on the lowest setting) for a few revolutions. This is supposed to make the dough finer.

Step 8:

Roll out the dough on a floured surface. The first time I made these, I spread butter on the top of the dough. I was planning to make part of the dough into cinnamon rolls and got ahead of myself. I like the extra butter so I still do it that way. My mom does not (unless she is making cinnamon rolls).

Step 9:

Form rolls into desired shape. My mom usually does knots so I do too. Using a sharp knife, slice the dough into strips (approx 3/4 inch wide) and then cut the strip into 3 or 4 smaller sections. Tie each piece in a knot and tuck the ends under the roll. Place formed rolls on a greased pan.

Step 10:

Let rolls raise another hour or so.

Step 11:

Bake at 350 degrees until light brown - maybe 10 minutes or so.

Notes:

This recipe usually makes enough for two nights of rolls for our family as well as a batch of cinnamon rolls. After I form the rolls into knots, I will put enough for that's night meal on one greased pan and let them raise for dinner. For the rest, I grease a pan and put the rolls on a cookie sheet. I cover the cookie sheet with foil and freeze (don't let them raise for the second time before freezing). Once the rolls are frozen, I take them off the cookie sheets and put them in ziploc bags (laid out flat) in the freezer. I then just take out as many rolls as I need. The rolls need about 2-3 hours to thaw and raise after being frozen.

My mom typically doubles the recipe in her Bosch. I have the basic-sized Kitchen Aid and it's a bit small to double so I don't. When doubling, you don't need to double the yeast (my mom says Pam Craig who is a wonderful homemaker told her that). The original recipe calls for two packets of yeast (or 1 1/2 Tbsp) - my mom says she uses 2 Tbsp of yeast when she doubles.

I guess these rolls make the house smell good too because a friend just stopped by to pick up her kids and she asked if I'd made rolls because the house smelled so good. I was surprised she could tell since it had been two or three hours since I baked them.

Salmon Chowder

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups diced potatoes
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 2 (16 ounce) cans salmon
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk (i used heavy cream)
• 1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn
• 1/2 pound Cheddar cheese, shredded (i skip this)

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery, and garlic powder until onions are tender. Stir in potatoes, carrots, broth, salt, pepper, and dill. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat. Cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
2. Stir in salmon, evaporated milk, corn, and cheese. Cook until heated through.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

The yummy stuff you need, also, if you make these, you MUST bring me one, it's the RULE!
1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1/3 cup granulated sugar 
1/4 cup packed brown sugar 
1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
2 eggs 
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted & slightly cooled 
1/2 cup milk 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly grease or line 12 muffins cups.

In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in melted butter, milk, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.

Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean. Serve warm.

Beer Bread

• 3 cups flour (sifted)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
• 1 teaspoon salt (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
• 1/4 cup sugar
  
• 1 (12 ounce) can beer (I used lemon lime soda.)
• 1/2 cup melted butter (1/4 cup will do just fine)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix dry ingredients and beer.
3. Pour into a greased loaf pan.
4. Pour melted butter over mixture.
5. Bake 1 hour, remove from pan and cool for at least 15 minutes.
6. UPDATED NOTES: Sifting flour for bread recipes is a must-do. Most people just scoop the 1 cup measure in the flour canister and level it off. That compacts the flour and will turn your bread into a "hard biscuit" as some have described. That's because they aren't sifting their flour! If you do not have a sifter, use a spoon to spoon the flour into the 1 cup measure. Try it once the "correct" way and you will see an amazing difference in the end product.
7. The final result should be a thick, hearty and very tasteful bread, NOT A BRICK! ;).

Kalua Pork

5 lb. pork butt or shoulder (we like Boston butt roast best)

1 T. liquid smoke

1 clove garlic, crushed

3 T. Hawaiian salt (sea salt--fine, not coarse)

The night before the big feast, cut slits in pork and rub with sea salt, garlic and liquid smoke and place in crockpot. Add in inch of water. Turn crockpot on low and leave it to cook for 10-12 hours, flipping pork over halfway through. Take meat out of crockpot and shred with two forks.

Hawaiian Rib Sauce

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 c. brown sugar (I use 1/2 cup)

2 T. molasses

1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce (optional------I used a couple of good shakes)

2/3 c. lemon juice

3/4 c. catsup

2 tsp. ground ginger

2 sm. jars strained baby food apricots

2 sm. jars strained baby food pears-pineapple

(For the fruit, I just use regular canned apricots, pears and pineapple, about the equivalent of 1/2 cup of each, drained)

Mix all ingredients and simmer 5 minutes. (I puree the fruit in a blender and add the rest and give it a whirl before simmering on the stove.)

Coconut Bread

Beat in a bowl: 4 eggs, 2 c. sugar, 1 c. vegetable oil, 2 tsp. coconut flavoring (extract)

Beat well

In separate bowl, sift: 3 c. flour, 1/8 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. salt

Add sifted ingredients to cream mixture alternately with 1 c. buttermilk.

Fold in 1 c. flaked coconut and 1 c. nuts (optional, but macadamia are great)

Bake at 325 for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. (It takes 1 hr. 15 min in my oven. This batter fills two large loaf pans. When I make if for Christmas gifts, I can get 5 small loaves.)

Glaze: 1 c. sugar, 1/2 c. water, 2 T. butter

Bring to a boil, boil 5 minutes, add 1 tsp. coconut flavoring. Pour evenly over warm bread. Let it sit for several hours before cutting. Yum!!

Jay's Waffles W/Hot Cinnamon Sauce

Waffles:
5 1/4 C flour
3 T baking powder
3/4 t salt
6 egg yolks (set whites aside)
5 1/4 C milk
1 1/2 C oil

Mix all ingredients, beat egg whites until fluffy and fold into other ingredients.

Hot Cinnamon Sauce:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup whipping cream

mix together but not cream, Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat and then cook for 2 minutes Remove from heat and pour 1/2 cup cream and cool for 30 minutes. It's runny at first but after 30 minutes it's just right. Serve over french toast and or waffles. Enjoy!

Warm Chocolate Melting Cake

I had this EVERY night on my cruise to the Bahamas...so I asked for the recipe!

Dark chocolate 12.5 oz.
3 Cubes Butter
10 Eggs
1 1/4 C Sugar
1 1/4 C Flour H&R

Melt chocolate and butter, mix eggs and sugar and whisk for a few minutes...add the flour, add egg mix to chocolate mix. Pour into greased mould. Bake directly in the oven at 400 degrees..I'm going to have to translate this...for 14 minutes. Dust with pwd. sugar and serve with ice cream. Note--make sure eggs are at room temp and choc is warm enough while making the mixture.