Quick Italian Hot Rolls

Ingredients:
1 1/2 C flour
2 packages/2 TB yeast
2 TB sugar
2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 C water
1 C milk
1 egg
2 TB butter/margarine, melted

1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
2-3 C flour

2 TB butter
1/4 C Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl combine 1 1/2 C. flour, yeast, sugar, garlic salt, italian seasoning. Mix well.

In a sauce pan heat milk, water and butter until warm--butter doesn't need to melt. Add to flour mixture. Add egg. Blend at low speed until it moistens. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed.

By hand, gradually stir in 1/2 C. Parmesan and enough flour to make firm dough. Knead on well-floured surface until smooth and elastic for 3-5 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to greased top. Cover and let rise in warm place for 15 minutes. Punch down dough. Divide into equal pieces, form into balls. Dip tops into melted butter and 1/4 c. cheese. Place in well-greased pan. Cover and let rise in warm place for 10 minutes. Bake for 18 minutes at 350F or until golden brown. Remove from pan to cool.

I haven't had a lot of luck with dinner rolls, but I've had spectacular success with these. You'll LOVE them. Yum.

Rainbow Jello

This is a family recipe from Eric's paternal grandmother. I've only made it twice because of how long it takes to make -- but it is so yummy, and so fun to look at. :)


Rainbow Jello Salad

6 or 7 small packages of jello (lime, lemon, orange, strawberry, raspberry (blue), cherry and black cherry)
Sour Cream (at least 2 pints)
Whipped Cream

Directions:
Add 1 cup boiling water to lime jello. Stir to dissolve. Divide in half, add 2 tbsp water to ½ jello and pour into 9x13 pyrex cake pan. (The clear pan will add a dramatic look to your jello)* Tip pan to cover evenly. Chill to set. Keep the 2nd half of the jello in a covered container on the counter so it does not set. After the first layer has chilled, add to the remaining half of jello 1/3 cup sour cream. (Whisking works well). Pour over clear set jello. Chill to set. Start second jello the same with adding 1 cup boiling water, stir to dissolve. Then let it set (covered) on the counter until it cools. Then divide the jello in half, add 2 tbsp water to ½ of the jello and pour over set jello. Repeat process from * until the rest of jello is used. Top with cool whip or whipped cream and chopped nuts (optional). Be sure each layer is set before adding next layer. Tip pan to spread evenly.

Each layer takes about an hour to set before you can add the next layer. (I saw another similiar recipe that said to let each layer set for 20 minutes. The important thing is to make sure it is set.)

Crunchy Coconut Chicken

This recipe is super yummy and super simple. I served it with rice and corn, but I think it would be equally tasty on a salad.

1 c flaked coconut
13 vanilla wafers, crushed
2 1/2 pounds chicken
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 c butter, melted

On a plate, combine coconut and vanilla wafer crumbs. Dip chicken in egg, then coat with coconut mixture. Place in a shallow baking dish; drizzle with butter. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until done. 4-6 servings.

*I used chicken tenders and they cooked in about 30 minutes.

Strawberry Jammy Jam

Today I made jam. Yes, grandmother dearest would be proud. I had 9 pounds of strawberries to do something with so we have been eating them nonstop. It was a very simple and easy recipe. And the final product was {give to your neighbors} worthy.

4 cups of crushed strawberries -I did this in my blender
4 cups sugar - I only used 3 cups
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

In a large heavy sauce pan, mix sugar, berries and lemon juice. Stir on low heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high and bring mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil, stirring often until the mixture reaches 220 degrees F (105 degrees C)
Transfer to hot sterile jars. Process any unsealed jars in a water bath. If jam is going to be eaten right away, don't bother processing, and just refrigerate.

To test for jelling
Place 2 plates in the freezer. After about 10 minutes of boiling, place a teaspoon of the liquid of the jam onto a cold plate and return to freezer for a minute. Run your finger through the jam on the plate...if it doesn't run back together then its ready to be canned!

(I couldn't find my candy thermometer, I believe its in the toy box upstairs and didn't want to look for it so I just did the plate test and it worked fine.)
I ended up with 4 1/2 eight ounce jars of jam.

Bean Chip Dip

* I will post a picture next time I make it!

2 cans corn

1 can black beans

1 can white beans

1 can pinto beans

1 can kidney beans

3 tomatoes

3 avocado's

1 dry packet of Good Seasonings Italian dressing

Drain the beans and corn and combine in a large bowl.  Cut up the tomatoes and avocado's and add the beans and corn.  Make the good seasonings Italian dressing according to the directions on the packet (vinegar, oil and water) and pour over dip.  Refrigerate to chill and serve with tortilla chips!  (Scoops tortilla chips are the best in my opinion!)  

This is a family favorite and between me and my sisters it is basically at every family get together!  Enjoy!  

Homemade Tagliatelle With Tomatoes and Spicy Italian Sausage

I saw this on Take Home Chef today and I am going to try it.  It looks dang good and I thought I would share it!  What would you guys use to replace the dry white wine?!?  

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine
6 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds), coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound spicy Italian sausages, casings removed, meat broken into bite size pieces
1 pound very thin asparagus, trimmed
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parley

Heat the oil in a heavy large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute or until tender. Add the white wine and simmer for about 3 minutes or until reduced by about half.

Stir in the tomatoes and sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon of salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer gently for about 45 minutes or until a chunky sauce forms, stirring occasionally and smashing tomatoes.

Add the sausage pieces and cook for 7 minutes. Add the asparagus spears and cook for about 5 minutes longer or until crisp-tender. Stir in the parsley. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve over preferred noodle and enjoy!

Choco Chip Cheeseball

I found this recipe at my mom's house in some random cookbook, it was sooo good! It's a nice change from the typical cheeseball, definitely not healthy though-the good stuff never is.

8 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 c. butter or marg. softened
1/4 t vanilla
3/4 c. powdered sugar
2 T brown sugar
3/4 c. mini semi-sweet choc chips
3/4 c. pecans or almonds, finely chopped.

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Gradually add sugars, beat until combineed. Stir in choc. chips. Cover, refrigerate 2 hours, place in plastic wrap, shape into ball. Refrigerate 1 hour, roll in nuts and serve with graham crackers. Or you can just serve it in the bowl as a dip.

Not Another Hotdish Please.

Everyone I know is having a baby right about... now.
Thus the reason for this post.
I can't drop off another hotdish of sorts to a new Mom, knowing that she has a freezer full from the rest of the good women in our ward who bring by a dish in the attempt to get the first look of the new bundle of joy.

I'd love it if I were creative & could come up with some amazing dishes for such occasions, but I've faced the music & it ain't pretty.

So here is my desperate plead, for everyone to post what they take to family with a new baby. All those tried & true recipes... you know the ones.

In return for yours, I'll share mine.

Chicken Salad
2-3 cups of small shells pasta
4 cups cooked diced chicken
2-3 stalks of diced celery
1-2 cucumbers diced
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
2 cups of grapes, cut in half
1 cup of salted almonds or cashews
salt & pepper

After the chicken & pasta shells have cooked & cooled, mix everything together with the mayonnaise. Salt & Pepper to taste & enjoy.

You really can't go wrong with this one, that is why it's a favorite of mine.

Yu-um.

Oatmeal chocolate chunk walnut bars

 I had made these for some neighbors when all the sudden there was hardly any left.

Paul was gone and the kids cant reach up to the counter.....IT WAS ALL ME! dangit.  But these are that good. Now I just might go make a batch....

1 3/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup oatmeal

3/4 cup butter or marg

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chunks

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375. Mix together dry ingredients and set aside. Beat butter, sugars, egg and vanilla till fluffy and add dry ingredients.  Stir in chocolate and walnuts. Spread in greased 9x13 inch pan and bake for 20-22 minutes until light golden brown. Cool and scarf down....oh wait, thats just me. 

Super Bowl Grape Jelly Meatballs

2 lbs. ground beef or ground turkey
1 C bread crumbs
Minced onion or chopped onion to taste
½ C milk
2 Eggs
2 Tbsp. Parsley flakes
2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Pepper
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Mix ingredients together and make small meatballs. Brown and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

SAUCE:
1 (12 oz.) bottle Chili sauce
1 (16 oz.) jar Grape jelly

Combine sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Spread over meatballs. Cook meatballs and boiled sauce in crock pot for 2 to 3 hours.

Can be an appetizer or we eat them for dinner over rice!