Soft Sugar Cookies

These cookies are soft and have a yummy flavor!  They are a Hislop family favorite; the recipe comes from Grandma's friend Eddie Ward.  When I was growing up, my mom would decorate them very nicely with frosting. I don't really like to use or eat frosting, so I sprinkle them with jello powder and they take on the color and flavor of the jello.

Cut together with knives (I use my Bosch):
5 C. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 C. butter
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder

Make a well in the center and add:
1 C. sour cream, to which 1 tsp. baking soda has been added
2 beaten eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix.  Refrigerate a little before rolling out and cutting.
Bake at 425° for 4-6 min.  Do not let edges get brown.
If you are using jello, you might want to cover your pan with aluminum foil. If not, it washes.
Enjoy!

Hot Cereal

This is more filling and tasty than plain oatmeal.  I used to hunt down alot of different grains, but now most stores that sell bins of grains have a 6 grain cereal (rolled) that is great.  This is yummy with peaches or apples! Healthy and yummy!

Ingredients:

About 7-8 C. 6 grain cereal mix
About 2 C. rolled oats
About 2 C. cracked hot cereal mix, like the Bob's Red Mill (this one has flaxseed)
      sometimes you can find something like this in bins, too
About 2-3 Tbsp. cinnamon, to your taste

Mix it all in a big bowl.  Keep in airtight container.  Cook as any other hot cereal, on the stove or in the microwave.

Three Bean Cassoulet

I first had this at Aleasha's.  Dad really likes dishes with beans and tomatoes. I usually add more diced, flavored tomatoes to make it more liquid and soup-like. Cooked cut up meat could also be added to be more of a stew.

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz.) can stewed tomatoes, undrained, cut up
(I add another can of diced, flavored tomatoes)
1 (15.5 oz.) can butter beans, drained
1 (15.5 oz) can northern beans, drained
1 (15.5 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained
1 C. finely chopped carrots
1 C. chopped onions
2 garlic closes, minced
2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf

Combine all ingredients in 2 quart slow cooker; cover.  Cook on high setting 30 minutes.  Reduce to low setting; cook 5-6 hours or until vegetables are tender.  Remove bay leaf before serving.

Optional oven directions:  Heat oven to 350°.  Combine all ingredients in ungreased 2 quart casserole.  Bake at 350° for 35 to 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.  Remove bay leaf.

Wholesome Joes

Aleasha made these from a Pillsbury cookbook.  They have become a healthy, yummy staple for dinner. I change the recipe a little.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground turkey or beef
1/3 C. chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
( I also add a can of diced tomatoes, some with peppers)
1/2 C. uncooked lentils
2/3 C. water
1/4 C. ketchup
(I also add about 2Tbsp. worcestershire sauce)
1 tsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/2 dry mustard (I have used reg. mustard)
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 whole wheat sandwich buns

In large skillet over medium-high heat, brown turkey with onion and garlic; drain well.  Stir in remaining ingredients except sandwich buns.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer 40-45 minutes or until lentils are tender.  Spoon onto bun.

Seventh Heaven Bars (aka 7 Layer Bars)

Everyone loves these; they always disappear quickly.  Thanks, Stephen, for the new name!

Ingredients:

1/2 C.butter

1 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs

1(14oz) can sweetened condensed milk

about 1 1/2 C. chocolate chips

about 3/4 C. white chocolate chips

1 C. flaked coconut

1 C. chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350˚.  In 13 X 9 pan, melt the butter in the oven or melt butter in the microwave and pour into the pan.  Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over butter and press down.  Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crumbs.  Top with remaining ingredients, amounts according to your tastes.  Press down.  Bake 20-25 min. or until lightly browned.  Cool.  Cut into bars.  

Cream Cheese for Brownies

This cream cheese batter can be added to any boxed or from scratch brownie recipe.

For a 9 X 13 pan:

Cream together 4 Tbsp. butter and 6 oz. cream cheese.  Gradually add 1/2 C. sugar; cream well after each addition.  Blend in 2 eggs, 2 Tbsp. flour, and 1 tsp. vanilla. Set aside.  After mixing the brownie batter, spread about half of it in a 9 X 13 pan.  Spread the cheese mixture over the top; spoon on remaining brownie batter.  Zigzag through batters with a spatula to marble.  Bake according to brownie instructions, possibly adding more time.

Apple Muffins

I first made these muffins when I was in high school and a friend was spending the night at my home.  They were so yummy! I love the apples and cinnamon (I am usually generous with the amount of apples and cinnamon I put in!)

Ingredients:
1 3/4 C. flour
1/4 C. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 egg
3/4 C. milk
1/3 C. cooking oil
1 C. peeled and chopped apple
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:
Stir thoroughly first 5 ingredients; make well in center.  Blend egg, milk, oil, and apple; add all at once to dry mixture.  Stir just till moistened.  Fill greased or papered muffin pans 2/3 full.  Sprinkle with mixture of the 2 Tbsp. sugar and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Bake at 400 about 20 min.  Makes 12 muffins

Peanut Butter Cookies

This recipe is from Grandma.  The cookies are nice and soft if you do not let them brown on top.  You can add Hershey's kisses to the top after baking if you do not criss cross them with a fork.

1 C. butter
1 C. creamy or chunky peanut butter
1 C. sugar
1 C. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

1. In mixer, beat soft butter with peanut butter. 
2. Add sugars gradually and beat until fluffy.
3. Add eggs and beat.
4. Add flour mixture and beat in.
5. Cover dough and refrigerate 1 hour. (Unless it is really soft, I never have the patience for this step!)
6. Shape dough into balls; after placing on cookie sheet, use a fork to gently criss cross.  If you are going to put a Hershey kiss on top, leave as a ball.
7. Bake at 350 for 5-6 min.  Just lightly browned on the bottom, not on top.  If you are doing the kisses, put them on as soon as you take them out of the oven. Let cool a little before removing from the pan. Store in airtight container to keep them soft. Makes about 4 dozen.

Brazilian Lemonade

We went to Emily's house last week for dinner and fireworks and our beverage was Brazilian lemonade. It was delicious-it tasted just like Tucano's lemonade! Tonight we are having some friends over for dinner so I am going to make this drink along with the honey lime fajitas-sweet and yummy!

Brazilian Lemonade
4 juicy limes (try and find ones with thin, smooth skins; they’re the juiciest and the thin skin cuts down on the chance of your drink being bitter)
1 c. sugar
6 c. cold water
6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk
Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. This step can be done ahead of time.
Wash limes thoroughly with soap (I just use hand-dishwashing soap or regular hand soap); you need the soap to get the wax and pesticides off of the limes because you’re using the WHOLE lime, baby. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.
Place 1/2 of the limes in your blender.
Add 1/2 of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you’ll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water. Add sweetened condensed milk; DO NOT leave this step out unless you will die of a horrible sweetened condensed milk allergy because this is the secret ingredient! You may want to taste test it at this point; I used giant, thick-skinned limes tonight and didn’t test it and it came out a little bitter. If it’s bitter, just add some more sugar and maybe a little more milk.
Serve immediately over lots of ice. This does not keep well, so don’t make this in advance (although you can cut the limes, mix the sugar water, and measure the sweetened condensed milk in advance). Serves 4, although I can pretty much guarantee you that people will want more; I usually plan on 1 1/2 servings at LEAST per person.

Tortellini with Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes

Here is another light recipe that is perfect for the summer evenings. We get sick of having meat around these parts, so this recipe creates a nice break from meat.

Tortellini with Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

• 1 (9-ounce) package fresh three-cheese tortellini
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach

Preparation

Cook tortellini according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

While tortellini cooks, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds.

Add tomatoes, broth, basil, salt, and baby spinach to pan; cook 2 minutes or until baby spinach wilts. Stir in tortellini; cook 1 minute.

Mango Quinoa Salad

Here is a yummy recipe to use quinoa in. David claims that quinoa is probably what the Nephites ate to get buff. This is a fresh, healthy recipe, and by eating this amount of quinoa I promise that you won't turn into a Nephite woman with bulging bicepts. I believe mangos are in season right now because I bought some fresh ones at the store that were on sale and very delicious. I also added more of the oil, vinegar, and lime to give it more flavor. Then I added some chicken to the salad to make it more dinner-esque.

Mango Quinoa Salad
2 cups cooked quinoa at room temperature, or chilled
1 14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium mango, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1 handful chopped cilantro (about 1/2 cup)
4 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
*Quinoa can be cooked in water or broth. I suggest using vegetable or chicken broth for enhanced flavor, but plain water works great too.
Place cooked quinoa in a large bowl. Add mango, red pepper, green onion, black beans, and cilantro. In a small bowl combine vinegar, olive oil, and lime juice. Whisk until smooth and pour on top of salad. Toss to combine and add salt and pepper to taste. Chill for at least one hour before serving.
Here is a stolen picture of the dish:

Fruit Dip

Fruit Dip

Ingredients:
2 cups cottage cheese, pureed in food processor
2 containers lemon yogurt
1 cup whip cream
1/2 cup EggBeaters
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1-2 lemons or oranges - squeezed for juice

Puree cottage cheese, vanilla, EggBeaters, yogurt, and squeezed lemon juice in food processor until completely smooth. (EggBeaters is the best brand and flavor. Other brands do not have a great flavor, but you can test.) (Please try to use yogurt that does not have corn syrup. If you use plain yogurt, just add more lemon and a little honey.)
Whip cream in separate container.
Fold whip cream into cottage cheese blend. (The volume of whip cream should never be greater than the volume of the cottage cheese-yogurt blend. It seems to work best when the whipped cream is about 1/3 of the total product or about 1/2 of the size of the cottage cheese-yogurt blend.)
Keep refrigerated until used.

Stir-Fried Apples

Stir-Fried Apples

Ingredients:
8-12 Apples, depending upon how much you want
1/2 cup apple juice, if needed
1-2 cups Oatmeal (old fashioned is preferred)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup honey
2 teasponns cinnamon
1 cup diced pecans

Precook oatmeal is a separate pan.
Use different types of apples for different flavors and textures. Peel and slice apples. Stir fry in butter until apples have reached desired softness texture. Add oatmeal and stir. Add apple juice if needed. (There may be enough juice from the apples so that no additional juice is needed.) Add maple syrup, honey, and diced nuts. Keep stirring until thick and gooey. Add cinnamon last and stir briefly. (Cinnamon will add to the gooiness; thus, you do not want to add it too early. Cinnamon will also lose flavor and become distasteful if cooked too long.)
Serve while warm, topped with Breyer's vanilla ice cream.

Save leftovers and refreigerate. It is delicious when cold for a snack the next day.