Posts
All Comments
This is Echo's other salmon recipe. Also incredibly good, especially when oranges are in season and really flavorful.
This is one of my favorite ways to cook salmon. I got this recipe from my sister Echo and it was sooo good! Hopefully Erica can put on a better picture when she makes it sometime.
This is a recipe that Emily posted earlier. It's the exact same recipe that Emily put on here.. but on my version I like to add some bacon and onions.
3 cans Chicken Broth
2 cups whipping cream
red pepper flakes (to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)
1-2 cups chopped kale
3 to 4 potatoes scrubbed and cut into thin slices (skins left on)
1 lb Johnsonville mild italian sausage (shaped into small rounds, browned, and de-greased)
Who doesn't love Muddy Buddies? They are such a perfect little comfort food. I can't claim this recipe as my own... I just used the recipe on the Chex box. Start to finish.. 10 minutes. Can't beat that.
9 c. Chex cereal (rice, corn, wheat.. or any combination of the 3)
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
This is actually a previous post... I just took a new picture.
This dish is SO easy to make and the clean-up is even easier! It is low-fat, high in fiber, and VERY flavorful. This is Jared's favorite chili, we make it all the time! I love adding sour cream, cheese, avacadoes, and tortilla chips... the nice thing about this chili is you can be as creative as you want! You can also add tomatoes, chopped onion, cilantro, salsa, guacamole, olives, or anything else you'd like!
1 can kidney beans (15 oz.)
1 can black beans (15 .)
1 can refried beans (15 oz)
1 can Mexican style chili beans (15 oz)
1 can corn (15 oz)
1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz)
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
1 can chilies, chopped (4 oz)
1 c. water
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix
1 lb. lean ground beef
½ c. onion (finely chopped)
Brown meat and onion. Put in large cooking pot and add all remaining ingredients (Do not drain) Simmer for 20-30 min. You can also brown the meat and onion, then combine with all remaining ingredients in a large crock pot on high for 2-3 hours.
We grilled up these burgers the other night and served them with Cheesy Grilled Jalapenos. Jared went to a 'guys night' type thing and this is what they served at it. These burgers are delicious! Maybe guys night isn't such a bad thing ;) The picture I took above is before I put on the lettuce, onion and tomato. I wanted you to be able to see the melted cheese and avocado.
1 Lb ground beef
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1 whole garlic, roasted (to roast garlic, cut top off garlic so you can see the cloves, place entire garlic on a big sheet of tin foil, drizzle some olive oil over it, wrap up tightly and bake in the oven at 400 degress for about 30-35 minutes)
1/2 c. cracked pepper corns (putting the peppercorns in a food processor works great)
1/4 c. kosher salt
1 c. shredded lettuce
4 slices havarti cheese
1/4 c. onion, diced (optional)
4 slices tomato (optional)
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. mayo
1/4 c. stone ground mustard (we actually used dijon mustard and it tasted great!)
4 hamburger buns
Combine honey, ground mustanrd and mayo in small bowl. Mix well into honey mustard. Cover and set aside.
Combine the ground beef, roasted garlic, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and ground mustard in bowl. Use hands to mix ingredients and then divide into 4 equal parts and create patties. Combine cracked pepper corns and kosher salt and generously sprinkle on patties. Gill patties until done. Top with Havarti cheese and avocado. Dress bottom bun with honey mustard, lettuce, onions and tomatoes. Place finished patties onto bottom buns, place top bun on and serve!
A more guiltless version of my previous Buffalo Chicken Salad recipe...
1 Lb chicken
1 bottle Frank's Buffalo Chicken sauce
lettuce
3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
1/2 c. grilled corn kernels (optional)
cheese, shredded
sunflower seeds
ranch or blue cheese dressing, to taste.. you can use low fat dressing if you are into that kind of thing.
Heat oven to 375-degrees. Cover chicken in Buffalo Chicken sauce and place on a greased pan. Place in oven and bake about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Cut chicken into slices and place in a large bowl. Stir in more Buffalo Chicken sauce until chicken is well coated. Shred lettuce and place on plate. Add chicken, egg, avocado, corn, cheese, sunflower seeds and top with ranch or blue cheese dressing.
The key to making hard boiled eggs is to not over boil. If the eggs are too hot for too long you will get that greenish-grayish ring around the yolk. Here is a simple recipe to get perfect hard boiled eggs every time.
here's what you need:
eggs (use eggs that are at least 3 days old.. if they are really fresh they don't turn out as good)
1 tsp. Kosher salt
water
Fill a pot with COLD water. Add eggs (making sure there is just a single layer on the bottom of the pot) and salt. Bring water to a boil. Once water is boiling, reduce heat to medium and boil for about 3-5 minutes (no longer than 5 minutes). Cover pot and remove from heat. Let sit another 10-12 minutes. Strain water from pot and run COLD water over the eggs until the eggs are cool to the touch. Strain excess water from eggs and peel OR refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
Now that you know how to make hard boiled eggs, deviled eggs will be a snap. If you want to be creative or add different flavors, try adding a little hot sauce, curry, or relish.
6 hard boiled eggs
2 Tbsp. Mayo
1 1/2 tsp. mustard
pinch of sugar
1/2 tsp. white vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
paprika
Peel eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Remove and mash yolks with mayo, mustard, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper. Scoop a little of the mixture and stuff inside egg whites (if you want to be fancy you can put the mashed up yolks in a plastic bag, snip off the end and pipe the yolks into the egg white... or if you want to be really fancy you can use a cake decorating bag and put on a large star-tip). Sprinkle with paprika and serve!
This is one of the easiest grilled appetizers ever. Jared had them the other night at a grilling party with his buddies and raved about them. Don't think that because these are made from jalapenos they will be crazy hot. If you remove all the seeds they should actually be pretty mild. These make a great side dish or appetizer to burgers!
7-8 jalapenos
Colby Jack cheese, rectangled (Instead of cubed... I know that's not a word but I don't know how else to describe it!)
fresh cracked pepper
Ranch dressing
Chop stems off jalapenos, cut in half (lengthwise), then remove all seeds. They should look like little green boats. Place a rectangle of cheese inside each boat. Grill on low-medium heat until cheese is melted and the outside of the jalapeno is a little charred. Remove from grill and sprinkle on some fresh cracked pepper to taste. Serve immediately with ranch dressing for dipping.
Good news FavFamilyRecipes followers... I got a new camera so I can actually start taking decent food pictures!!! Slowly but surely I will go through my old recipes (while still adding new ones) and take new pictures so you can actually SEE how good these recipes are. Welcome to the new and improved Favfamilyrecipes!
This recipe comes from SmittenKitchen.. it is one of the best peanut butter cookie recipes I have had.. and they are easy. Jared and his Dad actually made these! I just took the picture.
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature (smooth or chunky)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup chocolate chips
For sprinkling: 1 tablespoon sugar, regular or superfine
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter and chocolate chips. Place sprinkling sugar — the remaining tablespoon — on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Using a fork, lightly indent with a crisss-cross pattern (I used the back of a small offset spatula to keep it smooth on top), but do not overly flatten cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.
Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
I made these about a month ago when I was babysitting in Arizona. The kids loved making the umbrellas and palm trees. My niece, Claire, planned the luau and said she wanted to make "Luau Cupcakes" for the party. I wanted a way to include the kids in making the cupcakes without the huge frosting mess... so I invented these. They were a hit!
12 cupcakes, prepared & cooled (I just used yellow box cake)
1-2 cans white frosting (depending on how much you like frosting)
imitation coconut extract
blue and green food coloring
crushed graham crackers
For the umbrellas and palm trees:
white printer paper
green construction paper
crayons
glue (or tape)
toothpicks
First of all, make the umbrellas and palm trees (or get the kiddos started on them). You do this by drawing 12 circles on the white paper (I used the lip of a plastic cup that was about 4" across). Color each circle in to look like umbrellas. Cut out each circle, then make a single, straight 2" cut that goes from the outer rim to the middle. Slide one side of the slit underneath the other to make a slight cone shape. Glue of tape so it stays in place. Poke a toothpick up through the middle.
For the palm trees, cut out 4-5" squares from the green construction paper. Fold 2 opposite corners together making a triangle. Then fold over again, making a smaller triangle. Cut down the sides making zig-zags, then up the other side (it should look like a jaggedy "V"). Kind of like you are making a paper snowflake. Unfold paper and it should look like the top of a palm tree. Glue a toothpick to the middle (or just poke it through) and that's it!
Now for the fun part. Mix the frosting with a few drops of coconut extract and some blue and green food coloring until you get an "oceany" color. Spread on each of the cupcakes. Next, sprinkle on some of the graham crackers in a circle at the top (I actually used a small, round cookie cutter, placed it on the cupcake, put the crumbs in it, then pulled the cookie cutter off.. that made for a perfectly round "island"). Place an umbrella and/or palm tree in each "island" then serve immediately.
Jared made this for me after I got home from my trip to Arizona. He had the salad before at a place called Cafe Trio in Salt Lake City and decided that he wanted to re-create it for me. It was a delicious salad! Once again I am impressed with the culinary skills of my husband. It has the perfect blend of bitter, sweet, crunchy, and juicy.
1 c. walnuts
1/2 c. sugar
3-4 c. fresh mixed greens (or about 1 bag)
1/2 c. grapes, sliced in half
1/2 c. crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
balsamic vinaigrette
Place walnuts and sugar in a skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves into a light brown liquid and evenly coats the walnuts. Remove walnuts from skillet, and spread them out on a sheet of aluminum foil to cool. Place mixed greens in a bowl or on individual plates and sprinkle with grapes, Gorgonzola, and candied walnuts. Add balsamic vinaigrette to taste.
This is a great meal for chilly Fall weather! Yeah, I realize you could probably make these without the recipe. I just wanted to post it for a meal idea.
1 c. chili, hot
2 hot dogs, grilled (we like to use Nathan's or Hebrew National)
2 hot dog buns
optional:
2 slices cheese
chopped red onions
sliced jalapeno
sour cream
Place hot dogs on buns, pour half of the chili over each dog. Add any/all optional toppings. Enjoy!
Here is one for all of you out on the East Coast (there aren't any White Castle's out here in the West). I have only had a White Castle burger once, and it was long long ago.. but I remember that it was good. I found this recipe on the Cooking With Carrie Blog and I made a few changes. These turned out so good! And what's really great about them.. you can have them for lunch the next day-- just pop them in the microwave whole for about 40-50 seconds and they taste just as good as the night before! For those of you who have always wanted to try a White Castle burger... this recipe is for you!
1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1 onion, finely chopped
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1/2 cup milk
Sara Lee Classic Dinner Rolls (or the really soft small-sized dinner rolls from the bakery), sliced in half
Cheese slices (you can use Kraft Singles or sliced Velveeta cheese.. we used Velveeta)
In a large bowl mix (with your hands or a spoon) the hamburger, Lipton onion soup mix, peanut butter, and milk. Spread the meat mixture on a cookie sheet with a lip. Use a cup or rolling pin to roll over the meat to smooth it out.
Put it in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. The meat will shrink. Take it out of the oven and put the diced onions all around the edges to flavor the meat. Place back in the oven for about 15 minutes.
Take it out of the oven. If you want onions on your sliders then spoon them onto the meat from the sides. Add your cheese slices. Put it back in the oven for 7-10 minutes (until cheese is melted).
Then add the tops of your rolls (the bottom part of the rolls will just sit on the counter) and place back in the oven for about 5 more minutes. 
Take it out of the oven. Slice the meat with a pizza cutter and pick up the slider/top bun with a spatula and set it on the bottom bun.
There are few things I love more than a good croissant sandwich. For this we used fresh turkey leftovers from our Sunday dinner but you can use deli turkey if you want and I am sure it will still be awesome. Thanksgiving is coming soon.. this is a good one to keep in mind when you have TONS of leftovers!
4 large croissants
1/2 c. pesto (or to taste)
1-2 Tbsp. Mayo (or to taste)
1 lb. turkey (deli or leftovers)
2 tomatoes, sliced
Lettuce (or sprouts)
Combine pesto and mayo and spread evenly on each side of each croissant. Layer 1/4 lb. of turkey on each sandwich, add tomatoes and lettuce.
And the WINNERS are... Here are your random numbers:
4
12
Congratulations
Debbie and Amanda!
A special thanks to everyone who participated! Thanks for your comments! Keep checking back for more contests and giveaways!
______________________
I love quesadillas but I can't say that I have actually grilled them before. Now that I have grilled them I may never go back to the "old" way. There is just something about that smokey grilled flavor that just puts a regular ole' quesadilla over the top.
1 Lb steak
flour tortillas
Monterey Jack cheese
green onions, chopped (optional)
salsa
sour cream
Season and grill steak to desired doneness (I like to season with Montreal Steak Seasoning), then slice into thin strips. Place on tortilla, add cheese and green onion, fold over. Spray each side of quesadilla with cooking spray, then grill for abour 1-2 minutes on each side or until tortilla becomes golden brown and a few grill marks. Serve immediately with salsa and sour cream.
I served these with the Steak Skewers with Avocado Sauce. They were so flavorful! Sometimes vegetables get left out and people don't marinade them like they do meat.. what a shame. The marinade is what makes them so good!
Marinade:
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. onion, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Veggies you can use use:
mushrooms
summer squash
zucchini
peppers
onion
Combine all marinade ingredients and pour over cut veggies. Seal tightly in a Ziploc bag with the air pressed out of it as much as possible. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Thread vegetables on skewers and grill until veggies are hot and cooked through (to desired doneness).
This is a recipe I found and adapted from BH&G. They were really tasty! We threw in some jalapeno and red pepper flakes into the marinade so the steak would be nice and spicy (if you wanted I am sure you could do either the pepper flakes OR the jalapeno and it would still be great). The spice is nice because when dipped in the avocado sauce-- it has a nice cool flavor to balance it out. Remember to let your bamboo/wooden skewers soak for at LEAST 30 minutes before threading the beef on. We served these with Grilled Veggie Skewers.
5 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. granulated garlic
1 Tbsp. granulated onion
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
2 Tbsp. jalapeno, crushed or diced (optional)
3 Lb. beef top sirloin steak (1"-thick)
1 medium-ripe avocado, seeded, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 c. seedless (English) cucumber, coarsely chopped
1/4 c. cilantro, lightly packed
1/4 c. sour cream
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp ground cumin
In large bowl combine oil, granulated garlic and onion, oregano, pepper, and the 1/2 teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes (optional) and jalapeno (optional); set aside. Trim fat from meat. Cut meat in 1-inch cubes. Add meat to oil mixture; toss to coat evenly. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, for Avocado Sauce, in food processor combine avocado, cucumber, cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, 1 tablespoon water, the 1 teaspoon salt, and cumin. Cover and process until nearly smooth, stopping to scrape sides as necessary. Transfer to serving bowl.
Thread meat on skewers, leaving 1/4 inch between pieces. Grill 10 to 12 minutes for medium rare (145-degrees), turning to brown evenly. Serve steaks with avocado sauce and grilled veggie skewers.
