From Lisa Bearnson's website.
8 C. Chocolate Chex cereal
3/4 C. packed brown sugar
6 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 C. MINI Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
1 C. mini marshmallows
1/2 C. caramel bits
1 Tbsp. heavy cream
1/2 C. milk chocolate chips
1/2 C. white chocolate chips
1 tsp. coarse sea salt, optional
Pour measured cereal into a large microwaveable bowl. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. In 2-cup microwaveable measuring cup, microwave brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup uncovered on high for 1-2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until melted and smooth. Stir in baking soda until dissolved. Pour caramel mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Spread on cookie sheet. Cool 10 minutes. Break into bite-sized pieces. Make sure Chex mixture is cool to the touch (so candy doesn’t melt). Evenly sprinkle mini peanut butter cups and mini marshmallows over the Chex mixture. In a small microwaveable bowl, microwave caramel baking bits and cream uncovered on high for 1 minute or until chips can be stirred smooth. Use a spoon or fork to drizzle over Chex mixture. Repeat with milk chocolate chips and again with the white chocolate chips. If desired, quickly sprinkle coarse sea salt over all the Chex mixture while candy drizzles are still wet. Refrigerate until set. Break apart and store in tightly covered container.
Cheesy Ranch Tater Tots
From Fantastic Family Favorites. Tastes like a loaded baked potato.
1 32-oz. bag frozen tater tots (or French fries)
1 C. sour cream
1/2 C. Ranch dressing
1/4 C. milk
1 C. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 C. real bacon bits
1/4 C. green onions, sliced
Salt and pepper
Cook tater tots according to package directions. While tater tots are baking mix sour cream, dressing, and milk in small bowl. Spread three-fourths of the sour cream sauce onto a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange cooked tots on top of sauce. Drizzle remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle cheeses, bacon, and green onions on top. Place under broiler until cheeses are melted. Serve immediately.
Notes: I use Ore Ida extra crispy tater tots, Daisy sour cream, Ken's Steak House Ranch dressing, and Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Recipe Pieces.
1 32-oz. bag frozen tater tots (or French fries)
1 C. sour cream
1/2 C. Ranch dressing
1/4 C. milk
1 C. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 C. real bacon bits
1/4 C. green onions, sliced
Salt and pepper
Cook tater tots according to package directions. While tater tots are baking mix sour cream, dressing, and milk in small bowl. Spread three-fourths of the sour cream sauce onto a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange cooked tots on top of sauce. Drizzle remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle cheeses, bacon, and green onions on top. Place under broiler until cheeses are melted. Serve immediately.
Notes: I use Ore Ida extra crispy tater tots, Daisy sour cream, Ken's Steak House Ranch dressing, and Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Recipe Pieces.
Asphalt Pie Brownies
Slightly adapted from Our Best Bites.
1 box brownie mix, baked in a 9x13 pan
1-1/2 quart mint chocolate chip ice cream
1 C. dark or semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. heavy whipping cream
15-20 Oreo cookies, crushed
1 8-oz. container Cool Whip
Andes mints, optional
Caramel sauce, optional
Slightly undercook brownies (refer to recipe notes). Cool brownies completely and place in freezer to chill. Soften ice cream until it can easily be stirred with a spoon. Spread softened ice cream over brownies in an even layer. Return pan to freezer to chill. Pour whipping cream into small saucepan and add chocolate chips. Cook on low heat stirring constantly until chocolate chips are melted. Remove from heat and let chocolate cool until close to room temperature. Drizzle in an even layer over ice cream. Sprinkle crushed cookies evenly over chocolate and lightly press in with your hands. Spread Cool Whip over the cookies in an even layer. Freeze at least several hours, until firm. When ready to serve, let sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes to soften. Sprinkle with chopped Andes mints and drizzle with caramel sauce, if desired.
Notes: I used the Ghiradelli Chocolate Supreme brownie mix and baked them for 25 minutes. I used Tillamook Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream and Cool Mint Oreo cookies.
1 box brownie mix, baked in a 9x13 pan
1-1/2 quart mint chocolate chip ice cream
1 C. dark or semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. heavy whipping cream
15-20 Oreo cookies, crushed
1 8-oz. container Cool Whip
Andes mints, optional
Caramel sauce, optional
Slightly undercook brownies (refer to recipe notes). Cool brownies completely and place in freezer to chill. Soften ice cream until it can easily be stirred with a spoon. Spread softened ice cream over brownies in an even layer. Return pan to freezer to chill. Pour whipping cream into small saucepan and add chocolate chips. Cook on low heat stirring constantly until chocolate chips are melted. Remove from heat and let chocolate cool until close to room temperature. Drizzle in an even layer over ice cream. Sprinkle crushed cookies evenly over chocolate and lightly press in with your hands. Spread Cool Whip over the cookies in an even layer. Freeze at least several hours, until firm. When ready to serve, let sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes to soften. Sprinkle with chopped Andes mints and drizzle with caramel sauce, if desired.
Notes: I used the Ghiradelli Chocolate Supreme brownie mix and baked them for 25 minutes. I used Tillamook Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream and Cool Mint Oreo cookies.
Hearty Vegetable Soup
From the October 2007 issue of Good Housekeeping.
1/2 lb. carrots, sliced
2 C. onions, chopped (from about 1-1/2 medium onions)
2 lg. stalks celery, sliced
1 lg. clove garlic, crushed with press
1 28-oz. can whole tomatoes in juice
3 C. sliced green cabbage (from about 1/4 small head cabbage)
6 oz. green beans, trimmed and each cut into thirds
3 C. chicken or vegetable broth
3 C. water
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
12 oz. zucchini, sliced into half-moons (from about 1-1/2 medium zucchini)
1 6-oz. bag baby spinach leaves
1. Coat 6-quart stockpot (or 1 large saucepan) with nonstick cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, add carrots, onions, celery, and garlic; cook 8 minutes or until vegetables soften, stirring occasionally.
2. Add tomatoes with their liquid, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Add cabbage, green beans, broth, water, salt, and pepper; heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to high; stir in zucchini and spinach and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.
Yields 14 cups. Each cup: About 45 calories, 2 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 1 g total fat (0 g unsaturated0, 4 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 410 mg sodium.
Notes: I used the pre-packaged cabbage for coleslaw instead of buying a head of cabbage. Frozen vegetables can be substituted for fresh vegetables. Freeze the portion of the soup you don't want to use. This is a basic soup. I haven't tried them, but variations can be found on the Good Housekeeping website.
1/2 lb. carrots, sliced
2 C. onions, chopped (from about 1-1/2 medium onions)
2 lg. stalks celery, sliced
1 lg. clove garlic, crushed with press
1 28-oz. can whole tomatoes in juice
3 C. sliced green cabbage (from about 1/4 small head cabbage)
6 oz. green beans, trimmed and each cut into thirds
3 C. chicken or vegetable broth
3 C. water
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
12 oz. zucchini, sliced into half-moons (from about 1-1/2 medium zucchini)
1 6-oz. bag baby spinach leaves
1. Coat 6-quart stockpot (or 1 large saucepan) with nonstick cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, add carrots, onions, celery, and garlic; cook 8 minutes or until vegetables soften, stirring occasionally.
2. Add tomatoes with their liquid, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Add cabbage, green beans, broth, water, salt, and pepper; heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to high; stir in zucchini and spinach and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.
Yields 14 cups. Each cup: About 45 calories, 2 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 1 g total fat (0 g unsaturated0, 4 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 410 mg sodium.
Notes: I used the pre-packaged cabbage for coleslaw instead of buying a head of cabbage. Frozen vegetables can be substituted for fresh vegetables. Freeze the portion of the soup you don't want to use. This is a basic soup. I haven't tried them, but variations can be found on the Good Housekeeping website.
Marshmallow Brownies
I hesitated to post this recipe. I love marshmallow brownies, but I haven't quite figured out how long these should cook. They always seem kind of undercooked to me. So for now this recipe is just posted so it's easy to find.
Brownies:
1 C. butter
1/3 C. cocoa
2 C. sugar
4 eggs
1-1/2 C. flour
2 tsp. vanilla
1 10-oz. pkg. mini marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl, blend butter, cocoa, and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in flour and vanilla. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove brownies from oven and sprinkle marshmallows over the top. Bake brownies for 7 more minutes.
Frosting:
1/4 C. butter, softened
2-1/2 C. powdered sugar
1/3 C. cocoa
1/3 C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
In a mixing bowl, beat ingredients together. When smooth, spread over cooled brownies. Let brownies stand for 1-2 hours before cutting.
Brownies:
1 C. butter
1/3 C. cocoa
2 C. sugar
4 eggs
1-1/2 C. flour
2 tsp. vanilla
1 10-oz. pkg. mini marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl, blend butter, cocoa, and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in flour and vanilla. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove brownies from oven and sprinkle marshmallows over the top. Bake brownies for 7 more minutes.
Frosting:
1/4 C. butter, softened
2-1/2 C. powdered sugar
1/3 C. cocoa
1/3 C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
In a mixing bowl, beat ingredients together. When smooth, spread over cooled brownies. Let brownies stand for 1-2 hours before cutting.
Lasagna Soup
Very slightly adapted from Our Best Bites.
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
3 C. chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, optional
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
28-oz. can diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
2 bay leaves
6 C. chicken broth
8 oz. cooked pasta, such as fusilli (corkscrew), mafalda (ribbon), or farfalle (bow-tie)
1/2 C. chopped fresh basil OR 1 heaping Tbsp. dried basil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
shredded mozzarella cheese, optional
8 oz. cottage cheese
1/2 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
dash black pepper
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage. Use spatula to break sausage up into bite-sized pieces and cook until browned and cooked through. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. If using dried basil, add it at this point. Cook for about one minute, until fragrant. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate.
Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring soup to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. If using fresh basil, stir into soup right before serving.
In a small bowl, combine the cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
To serve, place a generous dollop of the cottage cheese mixture in each soup bowl. Add spoonful of cooked pasta, and then ladle the hot soup over the pasta. Let soup sit for a minute to melt the cheese on the bottom of the bowl. If desired, sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.
Notes: As suggested in the recipe, I use sweet turkey sausage. Take the sausage out of the casing before cooking. I use a knife to cut the casing down the middle and then just drop the sausage into the pan. The original recipe called for 8 oz. ricotta cheese instead of 8 oz. cottage cheese. I don't like the taste of ricotta cheese, so I substituted the cottage cheese (I think it's less expensive, too!). The first time I made this soup I used farfalle pasta. Farfalle pasta doesn't really hold the soup, so I tried penne pasta the next time. The penne was hard to eat with a spoon. Next time I make this soup I will probably try shells.
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
3 C. chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, optional
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
28-oz. can diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
2 bay leaves
6 C. chicken broth
8 oz. cooked pasta, such as fusilli (corkscrew), mafalda (ribbon), or farfalle (bow-tie)
1/2 C. chopped fresh basil OR 1 heaping Tbsp. dried basil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
shredded mozzarella cheese, optional
8 oz. cottage cheese
1/2 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
dash black pepper
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage. Use spatula to break sausage up into bite-sized pieces and cook until browned and cooked through. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. If using dried basil, add it at this point. Cook for about one minute, until fragrant. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate.
Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring soup to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. If using fresh basil, stir into soup right before serving.
In a small bowl, combine the cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
To serve, place a generous dollop of the cottage cheese mixture in each soup bowl. Add spoonful of cooked pasta, and then ladle the hot soup over the pasta. Let soup sit for a minute to melt the cheese on the bottom of the bowl. If desired, sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.
Notes: As suggested in the recipe, I use sweet turkey sausage. Take the sausage out of the casing before cooking. I use a knife to cut the casing down the middle and then just drop the sausage into the pan. The original recipe called for 8 oz. ricotta cheese instead of 8 oz. cottage cheese. I don't like the taste of ricotta cheese, so I substituted the cottage cheese (I think it's less expensive, too!). The first time I made this soup I used farfalle pasta. Farfalle pasta doesn't really hold the soup, so I tried penne pasta the next time. The penne was hard to eat with a spoon. Next time I make this soup I will probably try shells.
Chicken-Fried Steak with Cream Gravy
From one of my new favorite magazines: Food Network Magazine. This is from the January/February 2013 issue (Volume 6, Number 1).
Cooking spray
1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1/4 C. 1% milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Hot sauce, to taste
3 C. cornflakes, crushed
1-1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, divided
1/2 tsp. garlic powder, divided
4 cube steaks (4 ounces each)
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 C. low-sodium beef broth
1/4 C. fat-free (or low-fat) half-and-half
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Pour the flour onto a dinner plate. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and a few dashes of hot sauce. Place the cornflakes, seasoned with 3/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, and 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, on a second dinner plate.
3. Season the steaks with the remaining salt, freshly ground pepper, and garlic powder. Dredge them in the flour, patting off any excess, then dip into the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off. Finally, dredge them in the crushed cornflakes, pressing lightly to help the flakes adhere.
4. Place the steaks on the prepared baking sheet. Spray the tops of the steaks lightly with extra cooking spray. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a small cup, mix the cornstarch with 1 Tbsp. of the beef broth and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. In a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch mixture with the remaining beef broth and the half-and-half. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Let the gravy boil, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Season generously with pepper and serve the steaks smothered in the gravy.
Notes: If I made this again, I would put the steaks on a rack while cooking so the bottoms would be crisp rather than getting soggy from the steak juices. Also, if the gravy becomes too thick (or lumpy), thin with additional beef broth.
Cooking spray
1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1/4 C. 1% milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Hot sauce, to taste
3 C. cornflakes, crushed
1-1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, divided
1/2 tsp. garlic powder, divided
4 cube steaks (4 ounces each)
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 C. low-sodium beef broth
1/4 C. fat-free (or low-fat) half-and-half
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Pour the flour onto a dinner plate. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and a few dashes of hot sauce. Place the cornflakes, seasoned with 3/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, and 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, on a second dinner plate.
3. Season the steaks with the remaining salt, freshly ground pepper, and garlic powder. Dredge them in the flour, patting off any excess, then dip into the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off. Finally, dredge them in the crushed cornflakes, pressing lightly to help the flakes adhere.
4. Place the steaks on the prepared baking sheet. Spray the tops of the steaks lightly with extra cooking spray. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a small cup, mix the cornstarch with 1 Tbsp. of the beef broth and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. In a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch mixture with the remaining beef broth and the half-and-half. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Let the gravy boil, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Season generously with pepper and serve the steaks smothered in the gravy.
Notes: If I made this again, I would put the steaks on a rack while cooking so the bottoms would be crisp rather than getting soggy from the steak juices. Also, if the gravy becomes too thick (or lumpy), thin with additional beef broth.