Welcome to my cookbook, a place for me to share my family's favorite recipes in hopes that you'll enjoy them too.
Friday, August 9, 2013
Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls
Monday, May 6, 2013
Texas Cowboy Salsa (aka Cowboy Caviar)
Tabbouleh
Well, I've been "missing" for a while. We decided to sell our home and move to a new home. It all went very well and I'm finally back to sharing recipes again!
Here is an amazing recipe that I am excited to share with you. I got from my sweet friend Holly after she brought it to a summer picnic. It is refreshing and full of flavor. I am not normally a big fan of Tabbouleh that you get from a deli because I really don't care for parsley. But, this recipe uses flat leaf Italian parsley and not nearly as much as you see in those deli recipes. I think this is divine. My family can just sit and eat this for a meal and be happy. I hope you enjoy this too. It's a great refreshing summer salad.
Tabbouleh
1 1/2 cup bulgar wheat
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 bunch green onions, diced (both green and white parts)
1 1/2 cup Italian/flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
3/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 2-oz package pine nuts
1/2 cup feta cheese
2+ tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon salt freshly ground pepper
Directions:
1. put bulgar wheat in a bowl and cover with water. Let soak for 1 hour
2. Drain bulgar, if necessary you can use cheesecloth to squeeze out excess liquid
3. Add all non-liquid ingredients to a big bowl and toss together
4. Add liquid; adjust amounts to achieve correct moistness. (It should be a little juicy, but not soupy)
5. Serve with cut pita bread
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Fresh Summer Corn Salad

I made this for a church picnic today and had a lot of compliments. This was a yummy refreshing salad! Thanks to Jen from Tatertos and Jello for sharing this great recipe on her blog!
Fresh Summer Corn Salad ( from Tatertots and Jello)
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 red onion, minced
3 large tomatoes, chopped, or 25 mini tomatoes, cut in half
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup lime juice
1/3cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Cut the fresh corn off the cob or add the frozen corn to the pot and steam for 3 to 5 minutes in 1/4 cup water.
2. Remove lid and cook, stirring, 2 minutes more or until water evaporates.
3. Toss the corn with all other ingredients and chill.
**Be sure not to overcook the corn.
Makes about 6 cups.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Mulligatawny Soup
*Note: this recipe makes use of already cooked rice and chicken so plan accordingly!
*Serves 6-8
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ onion, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots, about 3 large carrots, peeled
1 cup thinly chopped celery, about 3 stalks
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons curry powder or 1 tablespoon hot curry powder
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 Granny Smith or other tart apple, cored, peeled and chopped
2 cups cooked rice, white or brown
2 cups cooked, diced or shredded chicken, (about 2 chicken breasts)
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tbs brown sugar
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups half and half (or 1 cup cream)
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, carrots and celery, and cook, stirring often, until they are slightly softened, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the flour and curry and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the broth until well combined and bring the soup to a simmer. Cook at a low simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes. Add the chopped apple, rice, chicken, salt, thyme, and pepper. Simmer 8-10 minutes longer, stirring every now and then to prevent sticking, until the vegetables are tender. Add the half & half and warm the soup through.
Amish Whoopie Pies
1 1/2 c Crisco
3 c sugar
1 Tbs soda
1 1/2 c buttermilk
1 1/2 c hot water
3 eggs
1 c cocoa
1 Tbs vanilla
1 Tbs salt
6 c flour
Mix well. Bake on generously greased cookie sheets. Dough will be soft so spread dough in a circle to bake. Bake for 8 min. Carefully place on counter to cool.
Filling:
Beat with electric mixer till fluffy
3 c Crisco (Crisco works best)
6 egg whites
2 Tbs vanilla
4 Tbs milk
6 c powdered sugar
Carefully spread filling on bottom side of each cookie. then top with a second cookie to make a sandwich. keep individual cookie sandwiches in small sandwich bags
these are like homemade hostess ding dongs!
Other option for filling using marshmallow fluffWhoopie Pie Filling:
Some people prefer just using the Marshmallow Fluff right out of the jar and not making the below filling. Your choice.
1 cup solid vegetable shortening*
1 1/2 cups powdered (confectioner's) sugar
2 cups Marshmallow Fluff**
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* Butter may be substituted for all or part of the vegetable shortening, although traditional Whoopie Pies are made with vegetable shortening only
** Marshmallow Creme may be substituted.
In a medium bow, beat together shortening, sugar, and Marshmallow fluff; stir in vanilla extract until well blended.
Perfectly Wonderful Cinnamon Rolls (& Orange Rolls)
We made four batches of these on Christmas Eve and delivered them to friends and let me tell you, they were delicous! I got the recipe from The Sister's Cafe and it's a keeper! The key is to not over bake them. They are just barely golden when they are done. So, don't let them get too browned. The recipe comes with a buttercream glaze but I made mine with a homemade cream cheese frosting. I also made an orange roll variation which I will post at the bottom. These were a great treat to have Christmas morning!2 c. milk
2 cubes butter (1 cup)
2 pkg yeast (4 ½ tsp)
1/3 c. warm water
1 1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp salt
4 beaten large eggs
8 c. flour
Filling: 1 square softened butter & cinnamon(lots) & sugar
Heat milk and 2 cubes of butter together until butter is melted. Cool and set aside. Mix yeast and warm water; let stand 5 minutes. Add cooled milk, 1 1/3 c. sugar, 1 tsp salt, 4 beaten eggs. Add 4 c. flour and mix and gradually add 4 additional cups flour. Dough should be firm but sticky. Cover with cloth and put in a warm place, and raise 1 ½ to 2 hours. Dough should nearly be doubled in size. Divide dough in half and empty onto floured surface and knead a little. Roll dough into rectangle, about ½ inch thick. To this half of dough, spread on ½ cube of softened butter, completely covering dough. Then sprinkle a coating of sugar over entire piece of dough. Then a layer of cinnamon. Be generous with the cinnamon; this is what makes it tasty. Roll into long roll, pinch edges together and slice with dental floss. Place on a cookie sheet covered with a silpt or parchment paper. Do same thing to second half of dough. Cover with a clean dishtowel (or saran wrap sprayed with cooking spray) and put in warm place, free of drafts, for 2 to 5 hours to raise--just depends-but the should be double in size. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until barely browned. Remove from oven and let set for 5 minutes. Drizzle with glaze while still warm. Makes 3-4 dozen.
Butter Cream Glaze:
1 cube softened butter (1/2 cup)
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt
dash of cream of tarter
1 1/2 lbs powdered sugar
scalded milk or cream
Add all together...adding milk a little at a time, alternately with the powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached. For cinnamon rolls, it needs to be a little thinner than regular icing.
Make dough recipe above as for cinnamon rolls but instead of the cinnamon/brown sugar filling use this orange filling.
Filling:
1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 T. freshly squeezed orange juice
Grated orange rind from two large oranges
Mix together and spread on dough as you would the brown sugar and cinnamon for cinnamon rolls. Roll up and make like the cinnamon rolls.
Orange Glaze:
Mix together;
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
3 T. freshly squeezed orange juice
½ tsp. grated orange rind.
Spread over cooled orange rolls
Mango Salsa
My sister shared this recipe with me years ago while having chicken tacos at her house. It was so yummy and refreshing on the tacos! I usually put it on my pork tacos but it is great straight with tortilla chips too. If you like mangos, you'll love this fresh salsa!
2 avocados cubed
1 cucumber, cubed
2-3 Tbs lime juice
1 green onion diced
chopped cilantro
½ jalapeno diced (*roasted or raw- if raw, remove seeds)
Stir together and serve fresh with chips or on pork,chicken,or shrimp tacos. would also be good on baked fish!
Baked French Toast

Baked French Toast
In a saucepan, heat together the following ingredients until it bubbles, and then set aside;
1 c up brown sugar
1 stick ( 1/2 c) butter or margarine
2 Tbs white corn syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
In a bowl mix together;
5 beaten eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp sugar
Generously grease or spray a 9x13 pan
Layer bottom with 1 diced loaf of french bread. (or homemade bread)
Drizzle brown sugar mixture over the top
Sprinkle with nuts if desired.
Pour egg mixture over the top
Press bread pieces into the egg mixture. You can refrigerate over night or bake right away.
Bake at 350* for 35 min. or til golden brown.
No need for syrup as it is already baked right in!
Dilly Pretzles
Dilly Pretzles
12 oz Orville Redenbacher popcorn oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 TBSP dill weed
1 envelope Hidden Valley Original Salad Dressing Mix
2 - 15/16 oz bags mini pretzels
Directions
Whisk all ingredients except pretzels and pour over pretzels. Place them in a 2 gallon zip loc bag or another very large plastic bag and shake to coat the pretzles.
Toss/shake the pretzles every 15-20 minutes for a couple of hours or until oil is absorbed. Similar recipes say to bake in a 300*oven and stir every 10 min. But this recipe does not require that so I don't.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Guacamole Salsa
1 jalapeno pepper, cut up (remove the seeds for less spice or add more if you like it spicy)
1/3 bunch cilantro
1 thick slice of onion
1 garlic clove
1 avocado
1 tsp. salt
Peel the husks off and wash the tomatillos. Cut them into quarters and put in the blender. Add the jalapeno, cilantro, onion, garlic, avocado & salt. Be sure to put the tomatillos in the bottom of the blender and not the avocado so it doesn't stick to the blade. You might have to help it start by shaking or using a mixer at first. But, once it gets going the juice from the tomatillos will help move the other ingredients around. That is it!
The recipe says that it lasts for about a week in the fridge. It does thicken up in the fridge, so if you want it thinner grab a couple more tomatillos to mix in again. So easy and so good!!
Loose Meat Sandwiches

Traditionally these are eaten with mustard and dill pickles, we had them with coleslaw and that was a great combination. I'll have to try them with pickles next time.
Loose Meat Sandwiches adapted from food.com7-Up Biscuits

7 Up Biscuits from Plain Chicken 2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup 7-up
1/4 cup melted butter
Cut sour cream into biscuit mix, add 7-Up. Makes a very soft dough.
Sprinkle additional biscuit mix on board or table and pat dough out into the same size/shape as the pan you are going to bake them in. Cut biscuts into squares.
Melt 1/4 cup butter and pour in a 9 inch square pan. Place cut biscuits in pan, they will be touching, and bake at 450 degrees until golden brown (approx 15 minutes).
Note: I usually double this recipe and bake in a 9x13 pan as shown in the picture.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Fresh Peach Pie
Fresh Peach Pie - Janae Turner2 cups sliced peaches
1/4 cup sugar (or Splenda)
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon of almond extract
dash of salt to taste
1 cooked and cooled pie crust
Directions:
Combine peaches, lemon juice and sugar
Let stand for 1 hour
Drain peaches should be 1 cup of juice if not add orange juice to make 1 cup
In sauce pan on stove add cornstarch and cook until thickened. and the butter almond extract a dash of salt. let cool
Gently fold in filling with peaches and place is a cooked and cooled pie crust.
Chill and serve with whipped topping
Cream cheese layer on bottom- Optional
1 8 oz package of cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups whipping cream or cool whip
Mix together place on bottom of pie crust and layer peaches w/ filling on top
Chill until ready to serve
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Mexican Veggie Dip
Mexican Veggie Dip
Mix together:
2 blocks of cream cheese, softened
¾ cup mayo
2-4 tsp taco seasoning ( to taste)
Spread in the bottom of a 9x13 pan
In a large bowl, mix together:
1 can corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
sliced green onion
1 red bell pepper, chopped
Spread the veggie mixture over dip and serve with chips. So refreshing and yummy!
Sweet Potato Oven Fries and Island Chicken
Sweet Potato Oven Fries
Peel and slice up sweet potatoes in the shape for fries. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt & pepper. Roast in a 400* oven for 15-20 minutes until done. It's that easy!
Island Chicken from Jessica at Taste Every Season
Marinade:
½ cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1½ tbsp. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
½ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2-4 chicken breasts
How to Make:
1. Combine all ingredients except chicken in a mixing bowl or large airtight plastic bag. Whisk or shake well until the marinade is well mixed. Add the chicken breasts to the bowl or plastic bag so that they are covered by the marinade. If using a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap. If using a plastic bag, press out all the excess air and seal the bag tightly. Refrigerate and marinate up to 10 hours. (the longer the better)
2. When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and pour the excess marinade over them. Bake in the oven until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165° F, about 45 minutes (exact baking time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
OR Preheat an outdoor or indoor grill. When heated grill chicken for about 7 minutes on each side until done.
Chicken Chop Suey/Chow Mein
Chicken Chop Suey/Chow Mienfrom Susan Miller
Melt 2 -3 Tbs. butter or oil in wok or frying pan
Add:
1 chopped onion and cook for 3 minutes
Add:
2-3 carrots, sliced
2-1 stalks celery, sliced
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1 ½ c water
Cook for 5 minutes.
Add:
1 can bean sprouts drained
2 cups cooked cut chicken
1 can sliced chestnuts, drained (optional)
Cook for approx. 5 minutes
Mix together:
2 Tbs water
2 Tbs corn starch
1 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
Add sauce to meat/vegetable mixture and cook 1 minute to thicken.
Serve over chow mien noodles or rice and top with chow mein or rice noodles. Drizzle with Soy Sauce to taste.
Sweedish Pancakes
4 eggs
2 c flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
¼ c oil
2 c milk
Milk together and cook as for crepes but a little thicker. Top with syrup, cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, lemon juice, jam or syrup.
Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce
Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce Adapted from All Recipes
1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Arrange the asparagus on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake asparagus 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until tender.
While asparagus is baking, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat, and stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Pour over the baked asparagus to serve.
BBQ pork sandwiches, Grilled Corn, & Creamy Dilled Potato Salad
BBQ Pork Sandwiches
This is easiest of all, no recipe really. Just add your favorite BBQ sauce ( we like Sweet Baby Rays) to roasted pork ( I used left over roast) and serve with cole slaw on a bun. Seriously, the kids were hesitant but it was very good! I just bought some cole slaw mix and mixed in slaw dressing from a jar, No recipe here but a great combination. We had never tried it this way before but will definitely do it again!

Grilled Corn
Ok, this is another easy peasy recipe that I got from my friend Sue. ( I love her recipes) Anyhow, you have to use canned corn! Yes, canned. Frozen and fresh corn won't work.
Drain your canned corn and dump it in a non stick skillet. Cook it on medium high heat until any water evaporates and the corn starts to brown and get a little carmelized. Season with salt and pepper. That's it! So easy and so yummy!!
Creamy Dilled Potato Salad from Family Circle Magazine
Ingredients
2-1/2 pounds small red- and white- skinned potatoes (about 1-inch diameter), unpeeled
1 medium-size onion, chopped
6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
1 cup chopped dill pickles
1 cup light mayonnaise
3 tablespoons brine from pickles
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1. Place potatoes in a large pot of lightly salted water. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain well.
2. Cut the potatoes in half (cut larger potatoes in quarters so all pieces are about the same size). Place the potatoes, onion, eggs and pickles in a large bowl. Stir gently to combine.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, brine, garlic salt, pepper and dill. Spoon mayo mixture into potato mixture and stir gently.
4. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.