Brownies

So I have no idea where this recipe came from, all I know is that my mom has had it forever. The reason it became my signature item is because I was supposed to make them for the treats after one of my sister's ballgames. I am pretty sure I was only 10 or 11. Well after I baked them, the recipe said to frost with powdered sugar icing. I should have known better, but I just assumed that meant sprinkle with powdered sugar, so thats what I did, and now that is the only way I will eat them. Frosting just tastes like too much and these are perfect alone or with ice cream on top!

2 eggs
1 c sugar
1/2 c butter
3 Tbsp cocoa
1 c flour
1 pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla

Mix eggs and sugar. Add melted butter and cocoa and mix. Then add flour, salt and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Bake at 325 for 25-30 min. Dust with powdered sugar while still warm.

This makes a 9x9 pan
Doubled makes 9x13 add 10min to cooking time
Tripled makes a large cookie sheet pan. - add 20 min to cooking time

Spinach salad with poppy seed dressing

So I first had this salad at a bridal shower I crashed with my MIL Sherri and fell in love with it then. I had to find the recipe and luckily it was in her ward cookbook. I have changed things to fit our tastes, or I guess mostly mine!

1 pkg spinach
1/2 head of lettuce
1 small pkg of mushrooms-sliced
1/2 lb crisp bacon
grated mozzarella cheese

Toss all together

Dressing:

3/4 c oil
1/3 c vinegar
1/3 c sugar
1 Tbsp mustard
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 Tbsp poppy seeds

Mix all together and chill. Tastes best if it is chilled before serving. Typically you pour the dressing on the salad before you serve, but if you aren't going to eat all the salad in one sitting do not do this! The salad gets soggy and no one wants to eat it the next day. Plus then if you have Jayson at your house, then he will still eat some of the salad as long as your provide ranch!

Pizza Hut Pizza Dough

Here is our tried and true pizza dough recipe. After way too many times while I was pregnant with Carter wanting Pizza Hut, and them not delivering to Hyrum, well I just searched for a copycat recipe. I did change it to fit our tastes since it does call for way too much oil, and the flour wasn't mixing in well. We use it for everything from pizza to calzones to breadsticks.

1 1/3 c warm water
1/4 c non-fat dry milk
1/2 tsp salt
3-4 c flour
1 pkg dry yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp oil

Put yeast, sugar, salt and dry milk in a large (2 quart) bowl. Add water and stir to mix well. Allow to sit for 2 min. Add oil and stir again. Add flour and stir until dough forms and flour is absorbed. Knead for about 10 min. Let rise 30-60 min. Roll out to desired thickness and bake at 500 degrees for 10 min. Make sure to cook on a metal pan coated with olive oil. The more oil you add the more like the pan crust at Pizza Hut, but I generally just put a light coating on the pan.

Cresent Rolls

Here is the favored recipe at our house. Carter is constantly asking for rolls, and he loves to help make them and count how many go on the pan. They can be made into any shape, but I love the cresent shape (and I can't make a decent round roll to save my life!) and they look so great! This dough works great for cinn. rolls as well.

1 1/2 c warm water
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c powdered milk
1/4 c oil
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 T yeast or 1 pkg yeast
4 c four

Mix all together in mixing bowl with only half of the flour. Slowly add the remaining flour until the dough no longer clings to the sides of the bowl and is a soft semi-sticky dough.

Knead in the bowl for 5 min.

Let rise until double. This makes 2 doz. cresent rolls, so I divide into 2 balls and then roll into a circle.


I then spread with butter and cut into 12 triangles. Its easier if you use a pizza cutter for this one.

Then roll up into a cresent shape. I like to take them by the large end and flip them. This stretches out the dough a bit more and gives the rolls a nice shape. Place on a pan and bake for 10-12 min until lightly golden at 375.

Buttermilk Pancakes

Since Ry is anti-Bisquick at our house, when we have pancakes they have to be made from scratch. Luckily my mom had this super easy, extremely tasty recipe that is our constant!

1 egg
1 1/4 c buttermilk or sour milk (sour milk=1 1/4 c milk and 1 tsp of vinegar)
2 T cooking oil
1 c flour
1 t sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

In small mixing bowl beat egg with fork. Beat in buttermilk and cooking oil. Set aside. In large mising bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. (I find it taste better if you sift it together to get the soda evenly mixed in, but if not, just make sure to stir well) Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Stir until blended but still slightly lumpy. This generally makes about 10-12 pancakes.

Olive Garden Hot Artichoke-Spinach Dip

1/2 c frozen chopped spinach-thawed
1 c artichoke hearts-chopped
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
dash of ground pepper
crackers (I use wheat thins) or sliced french/italian bread

Simmer the spinach and artichoke hearts in a cup of water in a small saucepan over med. heat until tender-about 10 min. Drain in a colander when done. Heat the cream cheese in a small bowl in the microwave on high for 1 min. Heat just until hot. Add spinach and artichoke hearts to the cream cheese and stir well. Stir in the Parmesan, pepper flakes, salt, garlic powder and ground pepper, combining well. Serve hot.

Deluxe Rice Crispy Treats...

I got this recipe from Picky Palate but I just halved it for our family and put it in a 9x9 pan. They were good the first night, but I loved them even more the next day and was wishing that I hadn't shared with the neighbors!


For this batch I used snickers and milky way because that is what we have, so basically you can use any candy bars you want! Oh so good, I am so excited.




6 Cups toasted rice crispy cereal
1 10.5 oz bags mini marshmallows
3 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chocolate chips
1.5 Cups mini marshmallows
5 mini Twix candy bars, chopped
5 mini Snicker candy bars, chopped

1. Prepare rice crispy treats according to directions on the cereal box. Press into a 9X9 inch baking dish. It will be filled close to the top.

2. Preheat oven's broiler and position top rack in middle of oven not top (if rack is too close to the broiler, the marshmallows burn instead of slowly turning golden). Sprinkle chocolate chips over rice crispy treats. Sprinkle 1.5 Cups mini marshmallows over top. Broil in oven just until marshmallows start to puff and turn golden. This happens fast, but make sure they do get golden, thats what makes them taste even better!

3. Remove from oven and press chopped candy bars over toasted marshmallows. Let cool for 1 hour before serving.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

TINY SPICY CHICKEN
Servings: 4-6

1 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. ginger (opt)
dash each of cayenne pepper and paprika
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts diced into bite-sized pieces
3 tbsp oil for frying
Spicy Sweet N Sour Sauce (recipe follows)

Combine all dry ingredients. Coat chicken and discard excess flour mixture.

Stir fry in oil in wok or fry pan (stir often to keep from sticking if using a fry pan) cook just until done.

Cover with sauce recipe below and cook until slightly thickened.

SPICY SWEET N SOUR SAUCE
(also good for egg rolls and wontons, fried shrimp, etc.)
Makes about 1 cup

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. lemon juice
15 to 30 drops Tabasco sauce
(Taste at 15, and every five thereafter to avoid making it too hot, the vinegar flavor disappears when mixed with the chicken, go by the spicy flavor it leaves....I use about 25.)

Combine all in pan until well dissolved.

I generally double the sauce because Ry likes extra to put on his rice.