Tilapia Dump

SEE BELOW FOR RECIPES

Melissa

Entree Tilapia and Vegetable Packets
Source: Woman's Day Magazine April 17, 2010

Comments: Wow, this one was definitely fun to make because it involved so many different ingredients. Many that I had never heard of or worked with. You should see us at the grocery store, the three of us, looking for these (what we think are odd) ingredients. We finally asked the manager of Stater Brotherswhere to find the capers. HaHa! But this really wasn't a difficult recipe and it turned out deeeelicious!! The fish was sooo moist and tender. We all agreed though that it might have too much salt with the salt on top and the capers as well. I recommend just a dash of salt on top before it cooks and then adding more to taste afterwards. Definitely a dish I will be making for years to come. The fish was so yummy and the presentation was beautiful! I was proud of myself. Thank you Sis for finding this recipe for me =)

Janice: Wow Lissa, I am so proud of you. I am not sure I would have attempted this as of yet. It seemed liked this recipe took a long time to make, but I know it wasn't. I love the idea that this was really a meal in itself. We had a lot of fun watching Lissa make these. This was a very delicious meal. I really will try it someday, ha ha!

Tammy: I have to say that I loved watching Lissa make this one. There was so much to it and it just looked like fun. I can't wait to make this one for the family. Impress your guests with this one for sure :) The fish was fabulous! Beautiful andso healthy!! Lissa had to use a shallot (just fun to say), capers and thyme for the first time with this recipe. We learned a lot about the ingredients. For one, shallots are not any fun to cut. They sting your eyes just as an onion does! Maybe I shouldn't laugh at one's pain, but it was quite entertaining to wat

ch Lissa cut these. Also, this recipe called for asparagus and Mom doesn't like them. Well, really, Mom doesn't really like many things. And my husband thinks I'm picky? Shhhh! Don't tell her that I said that :) Ha, ha!!!!

Janice

Side Dish:Grant Street Pilaf

Source:

Comments: I liked the rice dish, although it did not go over so very well. It was very different and that is what we are trying in endeavours for our cooking trials. I made a mistake because the recipe called for the can of chunks of pineapple, but it was supposed to

be in heavy syrup. I bought the one that was in pineapple juice so I think it made the rice a little too sweet. I am not sure I would try this recipe again. Oh well!!!!!

Tammy: This recipe was a little weird for me. Not really in a bad way. Just very different. I can't decide if I really liked it or not. I think I might have liked it better without the big chunks of pineapple in it. Just the rice with the sweet syrup. Yeah, that would work better for me. The rice on it's own was good. Have I said yet that Mom is picky? She doesn't like green onions either. However, she picked a recipe that called for green onions. She is trying things though. I have to giver her that :) Love Ya Mom!

Lissa: First of all, mom bought the pineapple chunks in juice rather than in syrup like the recipe calls for. In the end, I thought this rice was very different, in a good way. I love pineapple and I really like brown rice so I loved the combination - however I don't think it would be for everyone. The pineapple made the rice sweet and might not satisfy all tastebuds. But, I really thought it was tasty and I'm curious to see how it would have turned out if mom had bought the pineapple chunks in syrup rather than in juice. It is so hillarious to watch mom cook because she really doesn't prepare and doesn't measure precisely, she just goes with it. LOL

Tammy

Dessert: Easy Dump Cake

Source: Easy Everyday Recipes Cookbook

Comments: Yay!!!! I have finally used my bundt cake pan. What an accomplishment. It has sat in my cupboard collecting dust for years, never used. What a shame. Especially when you see how pretty a cake looks when it comes out of this pan. I am a fan of the bundt :) It looked like a cake bought at the store. Not only was it pretty, but it was delicious too. I loved this recipe. So easy and the Chocolate Glaze for the top was to die for. It stayed shiny and hardened up a little. Perfect presentation. Lissa said that she could have done more of the frosting. That is a call of preference. If the glaze is too much for you you can leave it off and just put powdered sugar on it. I am no longer afraid of the bundt !!!!!!

Janice: This dump cake was very very good. I am not sure why they call it a dump cake because it was a real cake. I am a very very big chocolate person and the fact that it had chocolate chips in it made it even better. Tammy added the drizzle of chocolate to the top which was great too. I think you could add several types of toppings to this cake although it did not call for it in the recipe. Great job.

Lissa: Seems like the theme for us saying, "I'm really not a ______ person." But I truly am not a cold cake or just really cake person, in general. However, I love love sweet desserts and chocolate so I liked this dessert very much. Sis served the cake warm with the chocolate sauce on top and it was delicious. The chocolate chips in the middle were supper yummy too! I would like to try it myself with a few variations...yup peanut butter =) I was thinking either peanut butter chips in the cake or adding peanut butter to the melted sauce on top. Yum Yum!!

Recipes

Tilapia and Vegetable Packets

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ready in: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 cups baby spinach

4 tilapia fillets (6 to 7 oz each)

8 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

8 oz thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into lengths about 2 in. long

4 tsp each capers and shallots

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

8 to 12 thin slices of lemon

Directions:

1. Place oven rack in center of oven. Heat oven to 425 degrees. You'll need a rimmed baking pan and 4 pieces of parchment paper or nonstick foil (each about 16 in. long).

2. To make each packet: Place 1 cup spinach in center of parchment paper. Top with a tilapia fillet. Brush fish with 1 tsp of olive oil. Scatter 1/2 cup of the asparagus on and around fish. Scatter 1 tsp each of the shallots and capers, and 1/2 tsp of the thyme over top. Drizzle with another tsp of oil; sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of the salt and 1/8 tsp of the pepper. Top fish with 2 or 3 slices of the lemon.

3. Bring long ends of paper together and fold down 3 times to make a seam. Place on baking pan and tuck ends underneath. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 4 packets.

4. Bake 15 minutes until packets are puffed. Open 1 packet to test doneness. If fish isn't opaque at center, reseal packet and return to oven. Check again after 5 minutes.

Grant Street Pilaf

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

20 oz can Dole pineapple chunks, in syrup

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp grated ginger root

2 cups water

1 cup long-grain brown rice

1/2 tsp rosemary

2 tbs butter

2 tbs chopped green onion

1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

Directions:

1. Drain pineapple syrup into sauce pan. Add water and bring to a boil

2. Stir in rice and rosemary. Cover and simmer 35 to 45 minutes, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

3. Mix in pineapple chunks and remaining ingredients and heat through.

Dump Cake

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Ready In: 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

1 (5.9 ounce)package instant chocolate pudding mix

4 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup water

1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flower Bundt pan

2. In a bowl, mix yellow cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, vegetable oil, sugar and water. Gently fold in the sour cream and chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan.

3. Bake for 55 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Chocolate Glaze for Cake:

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a double boiler over hot, but not boiling water, combine chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup. Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, then add vanilla.
2. Spread warm glaze over top of cake, letting it drizzle down the sides.

Stir Fry Explosion!

ENTREE:
Tammy
Shrimp Stir Fry
Food Network Magazine
(Recipe Below)

Comments: Shrimp Stir-fry  . . . sounds so easy right?  That is exactly what I thought!  In fact, it was really easy until it came to putting the ginger in the oil.  As soon as I did that, my pan exploded! No exageration!!   Oil splattered everywhere!  It was splattering so much, I had a hard time getting close to it to turn the heat down.  What is up with that?  I followed the recipe to a tee.  No one said anything about ginger becoming explosive once it hits the oil!  That would have been really nice to know!  DON'T  have it on high heat, I warn you :) For me, the term "main dish" is synonymous with disaster.  Good thing it still tasted great.  Other than the mess left on my floor, stove, wall, and microwave ...  I loved this recipe :)  It was delicious and very healthy.  I paired it with some steamed rice to give the meal a little more substance.  My husband would have liked more of the sauce for the rice.  I could double the sauce next time.  YUM!!  However, I do look forward to the first time my main dish night goes off without a hitch :)  By the way, I was so totally NOT freaking out as my mother and sister would have you believe.

Janice:  This was a great recipe.  And it looked so easy to make that even I think I can make it on my own.  I love shrimp anyway and this could be made with chicken or beef etc.  There was an exciting moment in the preparing of the stir fry when the pan was too hot and the ginger ended up all over the counter, stove etc.  Tammy was freaking out, but in the end it turned out great.  I think the recipe was a little off for that one incident because it called for a very HOT pan before ingredients were put in.  I am very proud of Tammy and Melissa for all their efforts to make this time as fun as possible and a learning experience at the same time.

Melissa: Stir fry is one of my favorite entrees and I love shrimp so it was a perfect dish for my tastebuds! I loved the flavor, paired with white rice and it was perfect! Easy and quick (even though the shrimp marinades for 1 hour). The mushrooms were very tasty paired with the shrimp and snap peas, although any vegetables would be great. Loved loved this meal and it was so great watching sis freak when the hot oil started squirting the garlic and ginger all over her stove and microwave hahaha sorry sis but that was classic!!! So something I would have done - cuz I'm usually the one making the huge mess. Can't wait to watch that back on the video!!


SIDE DISH
Melissa
Cauliflower Gratin
Food Network Magazine


Comments: Yum Yum! If I must say so myself. I added extra cheese and so they were super cheesy and so good! This is a great way to add flavor to bland cauliflower, although not the healthiest haha (but we aren't going for that anyways). I think this side dish would be great with any entree and the kids like it too! Although, maybe this was a little too easy (shh!! don't tell mom and sis...otherwise they will challenge me next time. Ahh!!!)

Tammy: I hated this recipe,  YUCK!    Just kidding.  It really was delicious.  I mean really delicious! But it was WAY too easy!  I mean really Lis, who do you think you are?  You think you can just get away with making something sooooo easy??  Oh no girl ....  you better watch out!  I'm on to you.  Ok, but I will give you credit for cutting the cauliflower.  Truly, Lissa, had never cut a cauliflower before.  Really!  She had to ponder it for a little bit to get the courage for the first cut.  Cheers to Lissa!  Her first head of cauliflower, conquered!!!!!

Janice:  Sooooooooooo proud of Melissa.  This was a yummy dish.  I am not a real fan of cauliflower, but this was yummy with all of the ingredients added to make it great.  It was funny though because the dessert I was making had to be baked at a temperature of 375 degrees and this dish at 350 degrees.  We had two ovens working at the same time and the dessert was put into the 350 oven causing it to not cook as solid as it should have been.  It was still good.  So, in turn, the cheese on this dish was starting to burn before it was close to being done.  We placed tin foil over it to keep it from getting any browner before it was done, but that is part of learning to be a cook.

DESSERT:
Janice
Bake Sale Lemon Bars
allrecipes.com
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 36 small bars

Comment:  We were very short on time deciding what to cook this time, so I was charged with making lemon bars.  I have never made a dessert like this before.  It was super easy.  The filling was not as lemony as other lemon bars that I have had.  I liked them very much and would try them again, but maybe adding a tad more lemon juice.  The dough had to be spread evenly over the bottom of the pan, but it wasn't an easy task.  It was hard to tell whether all areas were even.  I don't know how you get around that trick!!!  Also, there was the problem of switching the temperatures between this and the cauliflower dish.  I don't think the filling cooked enough due to this.  Overall, goooooooooood job.

Melissa: I was expecting these to be like the lemon bars that I've eaten before, very tart. However, these were not - although they were yummy, they weren't tart and didn't have much of a lemon flavor. Maybe if we hadn't switched up the oven temperatures, the middle would have cooked longer and the crust would have tasted less like dough. I was happy that mom tried another dough that had to be spread in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan and made it work =)


Tammy:Watching Mom cook is so much fun.  I mean, she is truly out of her comfort zone much of the time.  She makes Lissa and I laugh constantly.  One thing we have learned about Mom is that exact measurements and following the directions to a tee, is not always what she does.  Sometimes she just makes her own judgement and goes with it.  That may or may not always work out :)  It sure is fun to watch though!  Another thing, Mom is picky!  But she is broadening herself by trying some of the things we make that she would not normally eat.  You go Mom!  As for the Lemon Bars ...  they were good.  Not amazing, but good.  They weren't really lemon bars like I know them.  The lemon flavor was very mild.  Due to your preference, that could be good or bad.  Overall, pretty good recipe :)

Recipes:

Shrimp Stir Fry

Ingredients:
3/4 pound medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 egg white
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon cornstarch
whole snap peas
quartered mushroom caps
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tbsp peanut oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 to 2 tablespoons minced ginger ( used only one thank goodness :)


Directions:
1)Whisk egg white, Chinese rice wine and cornstarch. Toss with shrimp, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2)Drain excess marinade from shrimp.
3)Heat 1/4 peanut oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp, slowly stir until almost opaque (30 seconds to 1 minute). Transfer to a plate, discard the oil and wipe out the pan.
To Make Sauce Mix: chicken broth, sesame oil, 1tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp corn starch.
4)Heat the pan over medium heat, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, garlic, ginger, pinch of salt and sugar. Stir fry about 30 seconds. Add the vegetables, starting with the ones that take the longest to cook (peas about 3 minutes, mushrooms about 1 1/2 minutes). Stir fry until crisp-tender.
5)Add the shrimp and sauce and stir until the sauce is thick and the vegetables and shrimp are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Thin with chicken broth if needed.

Cauliflower Gratin

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower florets
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded gruyere
1/3 cup breadcrumbs

Directions:
1)Place cauliflower in 2 quart baking dish
2)Whisk cream, mustard, salt. Then pour over the cauliflower.
3)Sprinkle gruyere and breadcrumbs on top.
4)Bake at 350 for until tender, about 45 minutes.

Bake Sale Lemon Bars

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup confectioners sugar for decoration

Directions:
1)Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9x13 inch baking pan
2)Combine the flour, 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar, and butter. Pat dough into prepared pan.
3)Bake for 20 minutes, until slightly golden. While crust is baking, whisk together eggs, white sugar, flour, and lemon juice until frothy. Pour this lemon mixture over the hot crust.
4)Return to oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust top with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares.

Actually Delicious Turkey Burgers

Janice: Main Dish
Actually Delicious Turkey Burgers
Source: Allrecipes.com
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Servings: 12

Ingredients:
3 pounds ground turkey
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely diced onions
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix ground turkey, seasoned bread crumbs, onion, egg whites, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Form into 12 patties.
2. Cook the patties in a medium skillet over medium heat, turning once, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C).

Comment Wow!!! I was so proud of myself.  I am not bragging..........but I thought that these were just great.  I loved the flavor that the ingredients gave them.  I would have to cut the recipe in half to make them for two people.  The patties would complement almost any side dishes.  GREAT JOB if I don't say so myself!!!!!!!!!

Comments by Melissa: These were actually turkey burgers and .... they WERE delicious!!  I loved them.  Usually when you substitute turkey for beef the meat turns out bland.  But, these were very tasty.  We only added a slice of cheese, no other condiments necessary.  These looked easy to make and I would definitely make them when I have company over.  It was so funny to watch mom get her hands in the mix and get all dirty haha.  I am so proud of Mom.

Comments by Tammy:Lissa is right.  These were fabulous!  I have given up the red meat, so I was thrilled to try this one.  Oh my gosh!  They had such a great flavor.  I can't wait to make them myself!  Yum, yum.  It is making my mouth water to think of them :)  Like Lissa said, watching Mom mix it with her hands was quite funny.  She just stared at it, contemplating,  for several minutes before deciding she had no other choice.  I can't believe it!  My mom made an awesome burger, from scratch!  Go Mom!!!

Tammy: Side Dish
Old Fashioned Onion Rings
Source: Allrecipes.com
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 3 mins
Servings: 3

Ingredients:
1 large onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk, or as needed
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
seasoned salt to taste
1 quart oil for frying, or as needed

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C)
2. Separate the onion slices into rings, and set aside.  In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt
3. Dip the onion slices into the flour mixture until they are all coated, set aside.  Whisk the egg and milk into the flour mixture using a fork. Dip the floured rings into the batter to coat, then place on a wire rack to drain until the batter stops dripping. The wire rack may be placed over a sheet of aluminum foil for easier clean up. Spread the bread crumbs out on a plate or shallow dish.  Place the rings one at a time into the crumbs, and scoop the crumbs up over the ring to coat.  Give it a hard tap as you remove it from the crumbs.  The coating should cling very well.  Repeat with remaining rings.
4. Deep fry the rings a few at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove to paper towels to drain.  Season with seasoning salt, and serve.

Comments:Do you ever eat something from a restaurant and say to yourself, "I would love to make those, but they seem way too hard."  That is how I have always felt about onion rings.  The thought of attempting them scared me, so I never tried.  Boy, was I wrong.  These were so easy and they turned out really delicious.  They were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  I loved them! I was so proud of myself. That is what I love about what we are doing.  Cooking with Mom and Liss, inspires me to try things I might not have ever tried otherwise. Fail or no fail, at least we are trying.   One thing that I learned from my "fish fiasco" is to make sure your oil is at the right temperature.  I made sure this time it was, so I used my deep fryer so I could set the temperature.  They only took a minute or two on each side.  YES!!!!! WINNER!!!!  I know, I am a little over exuberant over onion rings, but hey, that is what life is about, right? Soaking up even the little successes.

Comments by Janice: Scrumptious!!!!!!!  I am not an onion liker usually.  I will eat them mixed in a recipe when you cant taste them.  These onion rings literally melted in your mouth.  They were also not greasy as you might think they would be.  I loved them.  I would like to try them myself if you can believe that.  Bravo!!!!


Comments by Melissa: These looked like they were fun to make, I've never used a deep fryer before - so I want to try them. It was funny to watch Sis explore this recipe and doubt herself the whole way through. But we learned our lesson that the deep fryer is way easier than frying in a pan when you need to have the oil at a specific temperature. HaHa  They were so good.  Not greasy and not a strong onion flavor.  Good Job Sis!

Melissa: Dessert
Mini Black-Bottom Cheesecakes
Source: Delish.com
Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Cook Time: 20 mins + 15 minutes to cool
Servings: 12

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil spray
24 plain chocolate wafer cookies (preferably Nabisco)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
8 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup fromage blanc (6 ounces) (at room temperature) - can substitute queso fresco
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup seedless raspberry preserves (warmed)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with foil baking cups and spray the cups with vegetable oil spray.  In a food processor, crush the chocolate wafer cookies.  Add the butter and process until fine crumbs form.  Spoon the chocolate cookie crumbs into the prepared baking cups and press with the bottom of a glass to compact.  Bake for 5 minutes, or until almost set.  Leave the oven on.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the fromage blanc, then add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.

3. Pour the cheesecake batter into the baking cups, filling them three-quarters full.

4. Bake the cheesecakes for 15 minutes, or until slightly jiggly in the center.  Remove from the oven and spread 1 teaspoon of the warmed raspberry preserves on top of each cheesecake.  Transfer the muffin tin to the freezer and chill the cheesecakes until set, about 15 minutes.

5.  Remove the cheesecakes from the pan and peel off the foil baking cups.  Transfer the cheesecakes to a platter and serve.  The mini black-bottom cheesecakes can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Comments: I was a little disappointed because I wanted these to taste like cheesecake...but they didn't.  Even still, they were yummy and looked so great!  Very fancy.  When you take a bite incorporating all the flavors together its very flavorful, but if you just each the cheese center...not very flavorful.  I think since we used Queso Fresco the cheese center didn't taste like cheesecake - it was more bland, not sweet.  Maybe if we had an actual cheesecake center it would have been much sweeter, or if we would have just used more preserves on top each bite would have been great.  Still, overall it was very fancy, yummy and great if you want to impress.

Comments by JaniceThese little desserts presented so pretty.  They are like a fancy restaurant or a bakery would make.  I liked them very much considering what Tammy and Lissa thought.  The filling was not as cheese-cakey as maybe we would have liked, but with the raspberry filling they were great.  As a side thought other fillings could be used such as strawberry, blueberry, etc. 

Comments by Tammy:If you are looking for something really sweet, as my husband was, this is not your answer.  It is mildly sweet.  This reminded me of one of those fancy desserts that you get at a fancy restaurant, that is good but doesn't blow your mind.  They were very tasty and very different.  I agree with Lissa, if it tasted like cheesecake, I would probably be over the top for these, but they didn't.  The cheese part is quite bland.  But, take a bite with the crust, cheese and the preserves and it is yummy.  If you make these, be sure to have enough preserves on top so that every bite has all three flavors, and you will be very happy.  This is one of those desserts where people will think that you slaved over them for a long time.

We are all winners!

Melissa: Main Dish
Spinach and Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
Source: www.AllRecipes.com
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup vegetable broth
12 dehydrated sun-dried tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) package uncooked penne pasta
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bunch fresh spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a small saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Remove from heat. Place the sun-dried tomatoes in the broth 15 minutes, or until softened. Drain, reserving broth, and coarsely chop.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place penne pasta in the pot, cook 9 to 12 minutes, until al dente, and drain.
Place the pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir until lightly toasted.
Heat the olive oil and red pepper flakes in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the garlic 1 minute, until tender. Mix in the spinach, and cook until almost wilted. Pour in the reserved broth, and stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Continue cooking 2 minutes, or until heated through.
In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta with the spinach and tomato mixture and pine nuts. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Comments: I was a little nervous about this recipe because, of course, I have not made anything like this before...a recipe that calls for pine nuts and dehydrated sun dried tomatoes?? Ahh! I bought wheat noodles to make the recipe even healthier and it turned out great! I felt like a real cook =) haha because I was using 2 pots and 2 pans and things were cooking at the same time. It was fun to make and super yummy to eat. Couldn't tell the difference with the wheat noodles and I don't like tomatoes at all, but the ones in this recipe were delicious! I was so proud of myself. We finally have a winning main dish and I made it!!! HAHA Go me =)

Comments by Tammy: Go You!!! I am proud of Lis on this one. This is a recipe I will definitely use again. It was really yummy and very healthy. Probably not a hit with little ones, but will make a nice impression for the grown ups. I don't think I would change anything. Recipe can be versatile with the veggies though. Would be great with broccoli and maybe some mushrooms. This was Lissa's first time trying sun dried tomatoes. I have been trying to tell her that they are nothing like a fresh tomato. We are a family of tomato haters, sorry. But sun-dried ones are sooooo good. She tried it and loved it. What can I say? Lissa did such a good job that I have nothing to make fun of. Darn! Oh well, there is always next time :) Ha, ha!!!

Comments by Janice:  Congratulations.  We finally had a winner in our main dishes.  This was very tasty and very healthy.  I enjoyed it very much.  I would make this on my own also.  There are many vegetables that could be used with this recipe also.  Lissa was very nervous because of our past booboos.  But we succeeded with a winner.  I was also very proud of her.

Janice:  Appetizer

Swiss and Bacon Squares

Source:  Best Recipes by Ceil Dyer

Makes 6-8 servings

2 cups Bisquick Baking Mix

1/2 cup cold water

1 8 oz. package natural Swiss cheese slices

1 lb. bacon, crisply fried and crumbled

4 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp. onion salt

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Grease baking dish, 13 x 9 x 2 inches.  Mix baking mix and water until soft dough forms:  beat vigorously 20 strokes.  Gently smooth into ball on floured cloth-covered board.  Knead 10 times.  Pat in dish with floured hands, pressing 1/2 inch up sides.  Top with cheese slices, overlapping eges; sprinkle with bacon; mix remaining ingredients; pour over bacon.  Bake until edges are golden brown and knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Makes 6 to 8 servings as a main course or 12 to 16 servings as an appetizer.

Comments:  This was a very interesting appetizer to make.  First of all, the recipe called to put dough into a 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish and spread to fit with 1/2 inch up the sides.  Well I couldn't get the dough to stretch that far.  What to do now?  Then decided to use a smaller baking dish 8 x 8 x 2, which worked okay for the dough but that made the dish too thick and had to bake for almost 3 times the original time.  (I don't know what the answer was!)  But, live and learn.  After all of this, the appetizer was very yummy.  I would make it again.  Also, a number of different ingredients could be used if a variation wanted to be done.

Comments by Tammy:  I thoroughly enjoyed watching Mom struggle with what to do, I have to be honest.  I mean, really, that is what makes our cooking nights so much fun.  All of the mistakes :)  Even though she struggled with the dough and the baking time, this dish actually turned out really delicious.  She left a corner of it without bacon for me, and it was really good.  I loved how thick the biscuit turned out on the bottom.  I definitely would not call this an appetizer though.  It was a meal in itself.  Perfect breakfast or brunch dish.  Yummy!  Way to go mom.  Sorry I laughed at your distress :)

Comments by Lissa:These were yummy!  I would definitely make them if I had company over for breakfast.  It turned out to be really good, thick biscuits on the bottom with cheese and bacon on top mmm mmm =)  I was proud of mom for trying something new and it was hilarious watching her figure out what to do with the dough because it wouldn't fit in the big pan.  Good Job mama!

Tammy: Dessert
Magic Peanut Butter Middles
Source: Allrecipes.com
Submitted by Stephanie
Serves: 15

Ingredients and Directions: IN a small bowl mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1/2 tsp baking soda.

In another large bowl beat together 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/4 cup peanut butter until fluffy. Add 1 tsp vanilla and 1 egg. Beat together. Set aside

To make the filling: combine 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 3/4 cup peanut butter. Blend well. Then roll filling into 1 inch balls ( you may want to refrigerate the balls for a little while). Then, with floured hands, shape about 1 Tbsp of the cookie dough around one peanut butter ball, covering completely. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten cookie, slightly, with glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 min. When cookies are done they should be set and slightly cracked.

Comments: These were the most fabulous cookies ever. I make peanut butter balls every year at Christmas, so this is a really nice twist on an old classic. They were a little time consuming. Wrapping each peanut butter ball with the dough definitely took some time, but sooo worth it in the end. To wrap each cookie, I took a small amount of dough and flattend it with my hands, then placed the ball in the middle and wrapped it with the dough. I couldn't figure out how to make sugar stick to the glass, so I just flattened the completed cookie and sprinkled a little sugar on top. If you eat them when they are still warm, you will be in heaven, guaranteed! Well, I guess guaranteed if you are a chocolate, peanut butter lover like we are in our family. You must try this one! Don't miss out! Let me tell you, when Lissa asks you to make something again, it is a very good sign :) Ssshhh, but she can be hard to please sometimes :)


Comments by Mom:  Unbelievably goooooooood.  These were one of the best desserts I have ever eaten.  We had no idea what to expect.  It looked like a challenge of a recipe, but I would make them in a heartbeat.  They were even good three days later just warmed up. 


Comments by Lissa:Oh my gosh!! These have to be my all time favorite cookie EVER!!!  Have I told you yet that we are peanut butter-loving family??  Well...In my opinion, this is one of the best peanut butter cookie recipes I've had.  I made something similar to this a while ago, but the peanut butter was on top of the fudge cookie and then I put chocolate frosting on top of that (so that is a yummy variation to this recipe).  But I like how these kind of surprise you because they look like a normal chocolate cookie, but when they are warm, the peanut butter surprises you and just melts in your mouth.  I ate 3 that night, two the next morning and I have been craving them ever since.  I wish they were a little less involved so I could make them every night!!! =)  These would be a grand slam at any party.

P.S. Sis is totally full of it!  I am NOT a picky eater.  I just DON"T like tomatoes, raw onions, pickles, mustard, ..... hahah

Main Dish Strikes Again!

Tammy: Main Dish
Parker's Fish and Chips
Source: Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook
2002
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: Supposed to be Under 10 Minutes

Ingredients/Directions: Lay 3 lbs. of cod fillets on cutting board. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper ( I didn't really use pepper because Lissa doesn't like it). Cut fillets in 1 1/2 x 3 inch pieces.

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup + 2 TBSP flour, 1 TBSP Baking Powder, 1 tsp Lemon Zest, 1 1/2 tsp salt. Whisk in 1 cup water and 2 XL eggs.

Pour 1/2 inch Vegetable Oil into a large frying pan and heat to about 360 degrees. Dip each fillet into the batter, then place carefully into hot oil. Don't crowd pieces. Keep oil between 360 and 400 degrees. Cook fish on each side for 2 - 3 min, until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Comments: Sounds so easy right? That is what I thought. This will be a definite winner...... wrong! Let's look at the many ways that I messed this one up. First of all, I asked for 3 fillets at the grocery store. Not 3 lbs. Big difference. I didn't realize my mistake until I was about to start cooking. I had to run to the store to get 2 more lbs of fish. The fish was really hard to cut. I don't know if maybe there was something wrong with the fish itself, but this was a challenge. Next mistake.... I didn't have a thermometer for my oil. Big, big mistake. Next time I will use my deep fryer that has a thermometer. Because of that, my fish took forever to cook. They shrunk to almost nothing. We called them "fish nuggets" and most of the pieces wound up chewy, not flakey as you would expect. Oh well! Chalk it up to lack of experience in fish cooking. Uuuuggghhhh! What I thought would be easy was a total pain. I might try a different fish next time. Maybe, it just wasn't very fresh. It was tough to begin with and I think that added to the chewiness of the end product. Also, the batter was good, but was not thick. I might try a different batter next time that is really thick and crunchy. I need a winner in the main dish category. I have tried it twice, and both times did not really work. Well, third times the charm :)


Comments by Lissa: Well...another entree bites the dust!  Haha I couldn't eat much of it because the flavor turned out great  but the fish was super tough for some reason, even when she cooked it for a shorter period of time. I give Sis props for trying to fry fish for the first time, but something definitely went wrong.  Maybe we had a bad batch of fish or used the wrong kind of fish....Any suggestions of the best fish to use?


Comments by Mom:  Overall I thought the fish turned out great.  It was very tasty.  I just think either we had one package of old fish or we cooked it too long.  Then the second package of fish was fresher and was not as tough as the first one.  Fish does not take very long to cook at all.  It seemed like it cooked forever.  Also using a deep fryer may have been the other secret. 



Melissa: Side Dish
Serves 6
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 35 Minutes
Source: Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook

Ingredients/Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub 4 large baking potatoes, then cut them in half lengthwise, then each half into thirds. Place on a sheet pan with 4 TBSP Olive Oil, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp minced fresh garlic, and 1 tsp, minced fresh rosemary leaves. Toss all ingredients together, making sure all potatoes are covered with oil. Spread in a single layer, cut side down.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, turning to the other side after 20 minutes. Bake until they are lightly browned, crisp outside, and tender inside. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Comments: I thought these were going to be like french fries, but they turned out to just be potatoes. The flavor was great, they were super yummy! The only thing is that they were really big so I cut the potatoes in half and then cut each half into fours.  I would use these in addition to any entree, so easy to prepare and cook.  Looks like my potatoes were the winner of the evening.  Yesssss!!!  =)

Comments by Mom:  The potato wedges were extra yummy.  I thought they were great.  I want to make
them myself as they seemed super easy to prepare.  They had the greatest taste.

Comments by Tammy: Can I say, Yum?  These were great!  So delicious, so easy, and can go with almost anything.  I think the only thing that I might change is to let them cook a little longer to make them slightly crunchy on the outside.  That is completely preference though,  because having them soft is fabulous too.  Good job sister.  This one is definitely a keeper!!!

Janice:  Dessert
Serves 4-7
Prep Time:  15 minutes
Source:  Best Recipes by Ceil Dyer

1  6 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 6 oz. package butterscotch morsels
2 Tbs. peanut butter
4 cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal
Melt chocolate, butterscotch morsels and peanut butter
together in top section of double boiler over hot but not
boiling water, or in heavy saucepan over very low heat,
stirring constantly until well blended.  Remove from heat. 
Add Rice Krispies:  stir until well blended.

Drop by level measuring tablespoon onto waxed paper or
buttered baking sheets.  Let stand in cool place until firm.
Makes about 4-dozen Choco-Scotch Clusters, 1-1/2 inches
in diameter.

Note:  Mixture may be pressed into buttered 9 x 9 x 2 inch
square pan.  Cut into squares when firm.  Yields 3 dozen
1-1/2 x 1-1/2-inch Choco-Scotch Clusters.



Comments:  This was a very lite and delicious dessert.  Everyone seemed to love it.  It was so easy to make and it was such a hit.  I have already made it again.

Comments by Tammy:  This dessert was good.  I do have to say that the butterscotch flavor, personally, is not my favorite.  I think that I would have like it better if the butterscotch chips had been replaced by peanut butter chips.  My husband and daughter, however, could not get enough of them. I love the texture of them and the chocolate flavor.  It is one of those desserts where you could easily eat several servings before realizing you ate too much :)

Comments by Lissa:  This dessert was yummy and different, never tried anything like it before...that's for sure.  But, I agree with Sis though, butterscotch is not my favorite and I would have like to try it with peanut butter as well.  But what can we say, we are peanut butter lovers! However, I am very proud of Mom for straying away from the 5 ingredient cookbook and trying something different, even though I still think it was too easy for her.  But it was funny to watch her try and melt the chocolate on our make-shift double broiler (or whatever it's called).  Haha Love Ya Mom ;)



Search Engine Submission - AddMe

January 21, 2010

Tammy

Side Dish: Almost-Famous Cheddar Biscuits

Prep Time: 25 Min

Cook Time: 15 Min

Source: Food Network Magazine, Oct 2009 issue

Ingredients/Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mist cooking spray on a large cookie sheet. Make the Biscuits: Pulse 1 3/4 cup flour, 1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp baking powder, 2 1/2 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp salt in a food processor. Add 3 Tbsp vegetable shortening (room temp) and pulse until combined. Add 4 Tbsp cold, unsalted butter (cut into 1/2 inch pieces) and pulse until butter is in pea-size pieces. Add 6 oz. grated yellow cheddar cheese and pulse 2 to 3 times. Then pour in 3/4 cup whole milk and pulse until mixture is moistened and forms a shaggy dough. Turn dough onto a clean surface and knead until the dough comes together. Do not overwork the dough or the biscuits will be tough (this is what I feared the most ). Drop the dough onto the baking sheet in 1/4 cup portions, 2 in. apart and bake until golden. Mine cooked for 15 min.

While baking melt 3 Tbsp unsalted butter with one smashed garlic clove in a pot over med heat and cook for 1 min. Remove from heat and stir in 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley. When biscuits come out of the oven, brush the garlic butter over the top and serve. Makes about 12 biscuits.

Comments: Let me forward this by saying I was nervous about this recipe. This is supposed to be a copycat recipe of Red Lobster's cheddar biscuits. Being such a big fan of their biscuits, it was a scary endeavor. This is one of those recipes that I told myself I would try someday, but most likely would never get around to ( I have lots of those). But, this challenge that we have taken on, encouraged me to try it. Why let it just sit there unattempted? I had never made any kind of biscuit before and when it said if you overwork the dough it will turn out tough, I was sure that was where my biscuits would go. To the land of too tough to eat :) Actually though, this recipe was super easy. Who doesn't love to make something where the food processor does all the work for you? These actually turned out really good. Very good flavor and they weren't tough, YAY!!!! Were they as good as Red Lobster? No. However, I think that they could be really close if you double up the garlic butter and be very generous with the amount put on the biscuit. It soaks right into the biscuit. Yum. Also, when reflecting back on them this morning, I think I would take the advice of my 7 year old and cook them less time in the oven. One of the best parts of the Red Lobster ones is how soft they are. Mine were a little crispy on the outside. Maybe I would try to cook it at 12 minutes and see what happens. Regardless, I was proud of myself for taking this one finally on :)

Melissa: I was proud of sis for trying a biscuit recipe...I definitely won't be trying one of those anytime soon. I remember the one and only time I have ever tried to make bread sticks they turned out like 12 inches long and hard as a rock =). Anyways, these were very yummy. I don't know if anyone can make a Red Lobster biscuit just like they do - but these were close and if you double the garlic that's rubbed on top, I think it will be perfect.



Janice: These biscuits were srcumptious. I loved them. They were a little like my recipe, but we all decided that adding a litting more topping at the end would probably make them more moist. But, overall they didn't really need anything. Tammy was very nervous and I was nervous for her, but I new it would all come out all right in the end which it did.

Janice

Entree: Chicken Noodle Casserole

Source: The Four Ingredient Cookbook

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients/Directions: 1 (8 ounce) package egg noodles, cooked and drained 1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted 6 chicken legs or thighs paprika Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cooked noodles and soup. Place into a casserole pan. Arrange chicken on top of noodles. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until chicken is tender.


Comments: I was very pround of myself for having tried this recipe. However, I discovered that it was very dry. So the conclusion by me was that when I made that recipe again, I would put in more cream of mushroom soup so that it would not be so dry. Also to add some seasoning to the chicken. As we were talking about it later, it donned on Tammy that instead of doubling the recipe, I had quadrupled it. This meant that I would have needed to add 2 more cans of soup. No wonder it was so dry. Well, live and learn. I was funny when I thought about it. Next meeting I am going to really challenge myself and see what I come up with.

Tammy: Mom thought she doubled the recipe, but she had actually quadrupled the amount of noodles. She put in 2 lbs of noodles, but only doubled the other ingredients. Dish turned out pretty dry and the chicken was not seasoned. I think that if she had stuck to the recipe and had seasoned the chicken it would have turned out okay. Ok Mom, time to step it up a notch. Get way out of your comfort zone and do something really challenging. One thing that we all realized last night was out of the 3 times that we have done this, we have each had trouble on our main dish night. What is that old saying? "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree?" Ha, ha.


Lissa: We realized, after the fact, that mom had tripled her amount of noodles and not the rest of the recipe, so the noodles and chicken were both dry...and the chicken didn't have any seasonings. I think with the way the recipe was written and some seasonings on the chicken it would have been great! And, I love cheese so I think a little cheese on top would have been perfect. Sis and I both challenged mom to try a recipe that wasn't out of the "4 ingredients cookbook" so she can really try something that's different".






Melissa
Dessert: Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cool Time: 1 hour
Ingredients/Directions: 1 1/2 sticks of butter or margarine, melted 2 cups graham cracker crumbs 2 cups powdered sugar 1 cup of peanut butter 1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup peanut butter Melt on stove butter and 1 cup of peanut butter. Meanwhile mix together graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar in bowl. Stir in melted ingredients and spread into ungreased 13x9 inch pan (suggested to use wax paper on bottom). Place in freezer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile melt chocolate and remaining peanut butter in metal or glass bowl over simmering water. Then spread over prepared crust and refrigerate for 1 hour. Cut into squares and serve.


Comments: I loved, loved this dessert! It was super easy, even for me (haha) and I'm not sure how anyone could mess this up (other than maybe burning the chocolate, which I have done in the past). Of course, I'm not saying I didn't make a mess in the process LOL. I poured powdered sugar all down the front of my shirt and on my shoes and dumped the bag of chocolate chips all over the floor and counter. Don't ever expect me to be in the kitchen and not make a total mess, even if the recipe calls for one ingredient! My only complaint was that the chocolate was too thick on top and the crust was too thin, so I think that if I had just used 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips and only 1/4 cup of peanut butter for the topping, it would have been great and maybe try using a small square pan (like 9x9) so the crust is thicker because it was sooo good! Also, it is very sweet so very small portions go a long way, it probably could serve 15 people. Oh! And I would love to try it with crunchy peanut butter. Yum


Tammy: My sister makes me laugh every time we are in the kitchen together. We are a lot alike in the fact that we make a total mess when cooking. Luckily I got through last night unscathed, however I can't say the same about Lissa's shirt and shoes :) Regarding the recipe, can I just say, YUM! I loved them. Super delish and looked so easy. I think the amount of chocolate on top is a preference. I might try milk chocolate next time. Other than that, I would leave it as is. What we learned about dessert is that it tends to be much easier than the main dish. We have all been winners when it was our turn for dessert. Really though, dessert is the most important place to shine right? After all, it is the best part of any meal :)


Janice: Well my daughters are right. No matter what kitchen we are in we do have fun. In fact we always have the biggest mess when we are trying to put a meal together. Normally this would drive me crazy because I am sort of a neat freak, but for some reason I don't evey think about it then. I loved this recipe. Of course, I am a peanut butter and chocolate freak anyway.




Tammy:  Devyn wanted to get in on the action.  She made up her own recipe.  She stirred peanut butter with chocolate chips, crushed graham crackers, and roasted peanuts and put it on a graham cracker.  It was pretty good.  Loved the chocolate in it.