Pineapple Porkchops

Okay, here goes.

1 can Campbell's golden mushroom soup
1 can pineapple chunks (with juice)
4 porkchops (or pieces of pork of some sort)
chopped green peppers
soy sauce
4 servings of cooked rice

So you brown the pork in a frying pan with a little bit of oil and soy sauce. Brown each side and then add the soup, pineapple and peppers. Simmer until the pork is cooked all the way through. Add soy sauce to taste. Serve over rice.

Most Fantastic and sort-of low-fat Pumpkin Cookies

These were a huge success the other night at Grandpa Pratt's house. They went really fast and got all sorts of compliments, which makes me feel a little bad since they are the easiest thing on the planet. I got the recipe from my friend Ginger, and I have to give her the credit.

1 can of pumpkin pie filling (the big can, from Libby's is what I prefer, but make sure it is pie filling, not just the canned pumpkin)
1 Spice cake mix (whichever brand you like, although Duncan Hines is the kind with no milk product in it.)
1 egg
1 package chocolate chips

Mix it all up, and it should be pretty sticky, more like muffin batter than your average cookie dough. If you feel like it is too wet, add a little flour (half a cup?).

Scoop them onto a cookie sheet with a BIG scoop. I like a real ice cream scoop size thing. Bake for 16 minutes at 350.

It is particularly reccommended that you bake these when you want your house to smell yummy. Yummy is the only word for it. Yummy.

Baked Chimichangas

This is one of my all time favorite meals! It is from Taste of Home magazine. I like to serve it with spanish rice, refried beans, and a strawberry milkshake. Not that I always serve it that way but when I do, it makes us feel like we are eating in a restaurant. And all the kid love it!

2 1/2 cups shredded chicken breast
1 cup salsa
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
6 large tortillas or 12 small tortillas
shredded cheese
1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free half and half cream
1 can (4ounces) chopped green chilies

Simmer first 5 ingredients in a nonstick skillet until heated though and most of the liquid evaporates. Place chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla, top with shredded cheese. Fold into classic chimichanga shape, place seam side down in a 13x9 glass pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes at 425. (My oven takes longer). You will know they are down when they are slightly browned and the tortilla is crispy.

Now for the sauce (which is the best part!). Heat broth, bouillon and pepper until bouillon is dissolved. Combine flour and cream until smooth; stir into the broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in chilies; heat through. To serve, cut chimichangas in half: spoon sauce over top.

Roasted Lemon Potatoes

This something I created to go with the garlic lime chicken. They complement the chicken nicely. I don't have exact measurements, it depends on the crowd. It is one that is easy to make for any size.

chopped medium red potatoes (scrubbed clean, peels on)
olive oil/melted butter
lemon juice
snipped fresh parsley
salt and pepper

Mix above ingredients together. Put it in one layer on a cookie sheet. Turn potatoes 1 during baking. Bake until tender. (I do it at the same time I am baking the chicken, so I am not sure what normal temperature or time woule be, but y'all are smart enought to cook potatoes so I'm sure you'll figure it out)

Garlic Lime Chicken

This has become a fovorite at the Nelson house. I often times but the chicken when it is clearanced out. I then put the marinade in a ziploc bag with the chicken and stick it in the freezer. When we want a nice meal, I pull it out the night before and let it marinade and thaw in the refrigerator.

1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tsps minced garlic
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried coriander
2 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
bone-in chicken (I like to use chicken breasts when on sale)
1/4 cub olive oil

Combine all ingredients except oil in a resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate over night or at least 8 hours.
Discard marinade. In skillet brown chicken on all sides in oil. Transfer to greased baking pan. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes and juices run clear. (I am actually unsure on baking time for a normal oven - mine is a little kooky)

Crepes

Umm, so the story behind this should be self-explanatory, but in case you don't know some of the details, here you go. I learned the recipe in France, it is true, from real French people too! But I was terribe at it, and then one day a mission companion showed me a few tricks for making them succeed. She was from Sweden. I have been told that some of my tricks are cheating, but I have never had any complaints as to flavor or results, so I'll take the cheating! This makes a great conference breakfast!!!! It was one of the first requests my friends made when I got back, please can we have crepes for conference breakfast. I am only too happy to oblige. And they were a success again, so I haven't lost my touch!

Start with 1 cup flour and 1 cup water.
mix them with a whisk until they are smooth. Very smooth. Like glue, not bread dough. If you have to adjust the water or flour to do it go ahead, but I would start with less water and add the water instead of attempting to add flour, which goes lumpy.
Add 4 eggs
whisk some more, until well incorporated, even and smooth again
(Her ecomes the cheating part...)
Add a Spoonful of Sugar and two Tablespoons of vegetable oil
Whisk some more. The sugar does two things, it helps the flour to loosen up a bit and sweetens the batter a tiny bit. The oil makes it easier to turn the crepes.
Pour in Milk until the batter is crepe consistensy. Thinner than pancake or cake batter, Thicker than whole milk or orange juice.

The real key to making crepes is the way you use your pan. Have a good frying pan and a wodden or bamboo spoon/flat utensil. Lightly oil the pan, then heat it up until you can flick water on it and t sizzles. (I love that part, SSSSSSSS!)
Pour about a half cup of the batter into the pan, while rotating the pan with your wrist, so that it coats the bottom in a circle as you pour. Continue rotating it after you have poured all the batter in, so that it coats the bottom of the pan evenly. It will stop coating as it cooks. The crepe will begin to pull away from the sides of the pan when it is ready to be flipped. Use the wooden spoon to loosen the bottom a little, but it really should slide around easily once it is cooked. It only takes less than a minute, and it should be lacy brown when you turn it.

Here is the French part: Put the filling in now, while the second side is still cooking! fill it with ham and cheese and pineapple (my favorite), a chopped up candy bar (so it gets all melty), fresh fruit, or whatever. You have to throw that filling in while it is still cooking so that the filling gets warmed up just perfectly! You can top it with whipped cream later. (well, not the ham one. yuck)

My Menu

So Jessica and I sat down today (well I suppose she was sitting, I don't really know. I was sprawled on the couch and in a different state) and wrote our menu through the end of the month. I thought I'd post it here in case anyone was looking for ideas. If there's something that intrigues you, let me know and I'll post the recipe.

Okay, meal plan through the end of the month...

This week:
Tonight: Hawaiian Haystacks
9th Thursday: French Dip and mixed veggies
10th Friday: Grilled Cheese and Soup
11th Saturday: Spaghetti, garlic bread and green beans

12th Sunday: Ham, mubba tatoes, green beans
13th Monday: Leftovers/brocolli potato ham soup, butt rolls
14th Tuesday: Grilled cheese and more soup
15th Wednesday: Chicken Alfredo pizza
16th Thursday: Steak, baked potatos, mixed veggies
17th Friday: Date night, we're going out, Brody will probably get a hot dog.
18th Saturday: Hamburgers

19th Sunday: Chicken Dumplings
20th Monday: Tacos
21st Tuesday: French Toast
22nd Wednesday: Pizza (Enrichment night for me)
23rd Thursday: Chicken Divan
24th Friday: Spaghetti, garlic bread, mixed veggies
25th Saturday: Bubbles and Squeak

26th Sunday: Cheesy corn chowder
27th Monday: Enchillizzles
28th Tuesday: Pizza (Matt has a show)
29th Wednesday: BBQ chicken, green beans and mubba tatoes
30th Thursday: Italian Chicken and rice
31st Friday: Beef Stroganoff and green beans

Cheesy Corn Chowder

This is a favorite from my in-law's.

1 lb bacon
Onion
6-8 potatoes
carrots
2 cans creamed corn
1 can evaoprated milk
salt and pepper
cheddar cheese

This is all done in one pot. Fry bacon. Remove bacon and then saute the onion in bacon drippings. Add water, potatoes and carrots and cook until tender. Drain off water, if necessary. Add creamed corn and evaporated milk. Simmer until heated through. Top with cheese and crumbled bacon.

You can use ham. Just saute the onion in butter instead of bacon grease.

Italian Chicken over rice

I guess I'm revealing my total lack of cooking abilities on this blog. But, here goes another one that takes no talent whatsoever.

At lunch: Dump some chicken in the crockpot and pour Italian dressing over it. If you want, cube up some cream cheese to make it a creamier sauce. Turn crockpot on. If you put in cream cheese, stir it occasionally.

20 mins before meal: Dump rice in rice maker, add appropriate amount of water. Turn rice maker on.

10 mins before meal: Shred chicken and stir it all up. That goes over the rice. Heat up some sort of frozen veggie to serve on the side. (That's so I'm a good mom.)

Ta-da!

Mubba Tatoes

This has been requested by others in the past, and I've never wanted to share it. But since you guys are family, I guess you can have it.

Peel and cube enough potatoes to feed however many people you're trying to feed.

Boil them with a clove of garlic.

Put 1 stick of butter and 1 package of cream cheese in the bottom of the serving or mashing bowl.

Drain the potatoes and dump them in the above bowl.

Mash.

Add a bunch of dollops of sour cream when the potatoes have reached your desired consistency.

The first thanksgiving that we were married, the mashed potatoes became a huge source of contention. Matt told his grandmother that he wanted me to make them, and his sister and brother-in-law both agreed. I'm sure you can fill in the rest...

Chicken and Dumplings

We NEED this one on here:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
5-6 medium potatoes
a few carrots
Chicken bullion
Bisquick
milk

Cube and cook breasts. Add water, bullion, and cubed potatoes. Boil until they are tender. (Not mashed potato tender, more firm than that). Add carrots, and boil a little longer. Follow the instructions on the bisquick box to add dumplings. (2 cups bisquick, 2/3 cup milk, mix and dropped into boiling soup.)

You can easily make the soup the night before or earlier in the day.

Mexican Casserole

I tried this at an Enrichment meeting, but never have made it. I really liked it. You could probably add some corn to it, as well.

1 1/2 cup cracked wheat or pearled barley (if the latter, reduce water by half)
2 tsp. salt
6 c. water

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, chopped, or 1/2 c. dry onions (throw the dry ones it in the above water)

2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1/2 c. sliced black olives
8 oz. can tomatoes (do not drain)
3/4 tsp. garlic powder or 1 clove fresh, chopped garlic

1/4 c. water
1/4 c. ketchup

Bring wheat, salt and water to a boil and simmer for 1 hour (barley option - 25 minutes).
Brown beef and onions
Add meat mixture to the cooked wheat, then add worcestershire sauce, olives, tomatoes and garlic.
Place mixture in a 9x13 pan.
Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.
During last 15 min., mix water and ketchup and drizzle over casserole.

Cooking Wheat

A previous Enrichment meeting can be thanked for this one.

There are several ways to cook wheat. Here are three:

1. In a pan, bring one part wheat and two parts water, with 1/2 tsp. salt, to a boil; cover, remove from heat. Let stand overnight (at least 10 hours).

2. Put one part wheat and two parts water in a pan with 1/2 to 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer gently for 4 to 6 hours or until tender.

3. Combine one part wheat and two parts water with 1/2 to 1 tsp. salt in a crock-pot or slow cooker. Cover and cook 4 to 6 hours.

Cooked wheat can be stored up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

I really hate cooked wheat as breakfast cereal, but Aaron likes it. I think that's because he grew up with it a little, wheras I never tried it until last year. I will eat it as part of a casserole or something.

pudding

Perhaps you remember this one?
Mix up pudding or open a can from Sam's club.
Eat it with your fingers and make an obnoxious slurping sound.
Enjoy giggling insanely in the process.

It works best with chocolate pudding, but I suppose other kinds work too.

Crockpot Chili

For MJ- this is a good one that uses mostly pantry items and is super easy.

Throw the following into your crockpot:

1 lb ground hamburger, cooked with onions
a few cans of tomato sauce (depends on how soupy you want it)
a few cans of diced tomatoes
a few cans of kidney beans, drained
a can of corn, drained (optional)
diced green peppers

Season with chili powder.

I suppose if you know how to do the whole soak beans stuff, you could use dried beans, which would make this even more food storage-esh. You can make it without the meat, but that is quickly rejected at our house. I use frozen green peppers. When I have green peppers that I won't use before they go bad, I just dice them up and put them in a ziploc bag and throw it in the freezer.

Citrus Cranberry Relish

Melissa requested this recipe. Although I do not have any exact measurements for it, I 'll try to post how I do it. It's based of a description Mom had of Grandma Earl's but I have tweaked it over the years. However it is similar to the one on the back of the ocean spray cranberry bag.

Citrus Cranberry Relish
(Jeff calls it relish as to destinguish it from a normal sauce or the stuff from a can.)

1 bag of fresh cranberries (I sometimes buy them ahead and freeze the bag that works too!)
1 cup of sugar
1 apple
a couple clementines, or tangerines, or oranges or a mix (all depends on the budget at the time)
a splash of apple juice, and a splash of orange juice to taste

I rinse the cranberries and toss any that seem to squishy. I core, peel, and slice the apple. I peel whichever citrus fruit I am using and have it in segments. I blend the cranberries in a blender because I don't own a food processor. I am sure a food processor would do the job better. I add some sugar (not all at first) some apples and some orange. I add some water as needed but not much. I continue to use a little of each of the items listed above until I get the balanced taste just right. I usually use more citrus then apple, but more apple juice then orange juice. I usually end up using all the sugar and I always use all the cranberries. Remember it gets redder as the sugar is in with the cranberries, and it always tastes better after it sits for one day, so prepare it 1-2 days ahead of time. Also it gets sweeter with time so you can always add more sugar the morning of Thanksgiving.

Good luck. Sorry it can't be more exact but the measurements really depend on how sweet each item of fruit is, and that varies by the season, year, and location in the country.

Help me out please.

They finally took me out of music and called me to the Enrichment Committee. We had planned a small one where we would talk about food storage and we would swap easy recipes. I was going to demonstrate how to make homemade hot chocolate. Well, I got an email from the RS President today. She wants us to also include emergency preparedness, freezer meals and rotating food storage as well as how to cook with your food storage. So as it turns out, the Enrichment that I was planning for the end of the month is being taken from a small Enrichment to a full blown huge one.

Please please pass along your freezer or crock pot meals. And what you do with your food storage. Being in an apartment that is way too small for our needs, my food storage consists of fruit snacks, forumla and M and Ms. (Black market bargaining in an emergency.) I need to have a substantial recipe book compiled and done up all Relief Society-like before the 22nd. And I don't think the RSP will find it amusing if I teach all of the women that they should just can M and Ms as their emergency plan...

Happy Peach Season!

This is courtesy of my mother-in-law. Its really quite wonderful.

Peach Pie

2 c. flour
1 c. butter or margarine
1/2 c. powdered sugar
Mix and bake at 325 for 20 minutes

1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 t. salt
Mix together
1 c. water 1/2 lemon juice
Pour water and lemon over above mixture and cook until thick.  Add 1/2 c. sugar and yellow food coloring.  Cook 1 minutes.  Pour over peaches and into prepared crust.

Great use of peaches that are on their way out. Mmmm....

Tom's not-so-recipe for Raspberry Lemon Meringue Pie

This is a creation made by Tom for last Thanksgiving. It has been done once, and only once, and without a recipe or writing things done. So, its more of a method than a recipe.

The filling: He cooked down fresh raspberries, adding a little sugar. Then, he smashed them (or, as Jesse would say- smooshed them.) Mix in a can of lemon pie filling and heat that all up. Throw it in a crust, and top with meringue and bake. That's all I got for you all.

He uses the meringue recipe in the classic red and white cookbook. Bake according to the directions of whatever meringue you use.