Erma's Lefse

Erma's Lefse Recipe

4 cups mashed potatoes-no skins

3 Tbls. butter

2 tsp. sugar

1/2 cup milk or cream

2 tsp. salt

Mix all the ingredients above and cool the dough.

Add flour just before rolling out.

1 cup flour to bind the dough and to roll out very thin.

Bake on griddle until golden brown, turning often to prevent scorching.

When baked, place between cloth to keep from drying out.

Pretzel Caramel Fudge

14 oz. sweetened condensed milk

3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cup crushed pretzels (I added a little more because I like the salty part)

A bag and a half of Werther's unwrapped caramels (they were 11 ounce bags.)

2 tablespoons water

FYI--I microwaved all my ingredients, but did it in short bursts so I wouldn't scorch it.

Line an 8 x 8 pan with foil (sides, too) and lightly grease with butter.

In a glass bowl or measuring cup, add chocolate chips and condensed milk.

Microwave until melted, stirring about every 15-20 seconds.

Stir in the salt and vanilla using an electric mixer or by hand (I used the mixer.)

Once it's smooth and creamy, poor into foil lined pan and spread to level it out.

Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the crushed pretzels over the top and press into the fudge.

In a glass bowl or measuring cup, melt caramels with the 2 tablespoons of water.

Microwave until melted, stirring about every 15-30 seconds.

Spread evenly over the fudge/pretzel layer.

Sprinkle the rest of the crushed pretzels over the top of the melted caramel.

Refrigerate a couple hours.

Cut into one-inch squares and eat, share, and enjoy!

Beefy Crock Pot Stew

Most of the items for this stew/soup came from my dehydrated/freeze-dried food storage, but I did add other items from my pantry. My goal is to learn to use my food storage so that in an emergency I'm not caught off guard trying to figure out what to do with what I have.

1 pound ground beef, cooked (stew meat or leftover roast would work, too)
1/2 cup dehydrated carrots
1 1/2 cup dehydrated, cubed potatoes
1/4 cup (or less) dehydrated celery
1/4 cup (or less) dehydrated onion
3 Tablespoons dehydrated garlic
1/2 cup freeze-dried corn
3 cubes beef bouillon
1 small jar of mild or medium salsa (I used mild)
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Seasonings of your choice (I added chili powder, red pepper flakes, basil)
5-7 cups of water (less for a stew, more for a soup)

Dump it all in a Crock-Pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. This could also be cooked on the stove top, but I'm lazy and don't want to have to watch it.

Banana Cookies

From Missy Mecham

Banana cookies
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 c shortening 
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
4 mashed over ripe bananas 
Mix and add
1/2 tsp salt 
4 c flour
2 tsp baking soda 
Scoop into 1 inch round balls and bake at 350 for 10-11 minutes till edges are brown 
Icing 
3/4 c brown sugar 
1/2 c milk 
1/2 c butter 
Boil in pot for 3 min- beat in powdered sugar. I don't have a measurement for the powdered sugar - you want it to still be a little runny as it hardens as it dries on cookie.

Shepard's Pie with Freeze Dried Food

So I wouldn't say I have the best skills in cooking but I'm trying new things with Freeze Dried Foods. (Both Honeyville & Thrive Shelf Reliance) Thanks Aunt Linda for introducing me to freeze dried foods.

Not all of this recipe is with freeze dried foods.

Meat Mixture:
Ground Meat
Corn (Thrive Shelf Reliance)
Carrots (Thrive Shelf Reliance)
Onions (Thrive Shelf Reliance)
1/2 cup Water. (Cooking with water helps meat cook better and not burn. This is a trick Mom passed on to me)
Cook all this in a fry pan and when done add a Jar of Salsa, about 3/4 of the jar (any brand, just so the meat mixture isn't dry)

Mashed Potatoes
Potato Flakes (Honeyville)
Salt & Pepper
Powered Butter (Thrive Shelf Reliance)
I know it's odd to use powered butter, but it adds flavor to the potatoes

Add cheese to the top and there you go...

I do apologize for not putting measurements, as I was trying things out.

Pepperoni Rolls

Found this on Pinterest :

Pepperoni Cheese Rolls

Pepperoni String Cheese Roll Ups: Source: adapted from Dinner With The Donnells

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent roll dough
4 cheese sticks, halved
1 (3.5 ounce) package sliced pepperoni
optional - marinara or ranch sauce for dipping

Garlic Butter Glaze:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasonings
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Take each triangle of crencent roll dough and place about 6 pepperoni on the bottom of the triangle. Place half of a cheese stick on top and roll up. Place seam side down on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-14 minutes or until golden brown.

While rolls are cooking, combine the melted butter, Italian seasonings, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.

When rolls are done remove from the oven and brush with the garlic butter glaze. Serve with marinara or ranch for dipping.

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These are super yummy and super easy to make. We love them. I even made them for my nephews for dinner. Along with some vegtables and fruit and you have nice meal. They seemed to really emjoy them. As they said "The cheese was really stretchy but later it was really yummy" "It was really good, the cheese was really yummy"

Here are a few pictures I took of what I made:

Wisconsin Style Cheese Soup (NO velveeta here!!)

1/2 cup onion
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard
4 cups milk
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
3/4 to 1 cup Chicken Broth
3 cups Cheddar Cheese (I used Sharp)
minced chives (optional)

Saute onions in butter til soft. Mix paprika, salt, ground mustard and flour together then add to onion butter mixture and cook for a few minutes to a paste. Gradually add milk and condensed soup. Cook and stir until thick, about 10 minutes. Add the cheese and chicken broth and cook til cheese is melted. Add more chicken broth to desired thickness. Garnish with chives. Serve with warm rolls or breadsticks. Makes about 2 quarts.

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

Ingredients:


4 chicken breasts, seasoned with salt & pepper then cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces (Ron grilled these on the barbecue)

4 cups cooked broccoli
16 ounces of rotini pasta (I used the mini onces that cooked in 5 minutes)
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons minced garlic
4 Tablespoons flour
2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk (any kind)
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
salt & pepper
1 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water before draining. Set aside. (I threw my broccoli in during the last three or four minutes that the pasta was cooking--it came out great!)

Heat extra virgin olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 1 minute. Sprinkle in flour then whisk to incorporate and cook for 1 additional minute.

Slowly whisk in chicken broth, then milk. Whisk in Greek yogurt, salt and pepper, then turn the heat down to low and let the mixture simmer until thickened (mine never got very thick), about 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat off then stir in parmesan cheese, then chicken. Pour over cooked pasta then add broccoli and stir well. Add a little reserved pasta cooking water if sauce is too thick. Serve.


*Original recipe found at Iowa Girl Eats

Zucchini Boats

• Cut zucchinis in half lengthwise and trim a little off the bottom so they sit flat in a baking dish.
• Scoop out the center where the seeds are with a spoon.
• Brush or spoon the surface with a mixture of crushed garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.
• Arrange halved grape tomatoes into the grooves, sprinkle with Italian bread crumbs and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
• Remove and sprinkle shredded mozzarella over the top.
• Place them back in the oven under the broiler until golden and bubbling.
• Remove and drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkling of grated parmesan.

*Original recipe found at Proud Italian Cook. 

Mexican Pizza

Mexican Lasagne

Source: Nigella Kitchen by Nigella Lawson

Ingredients:

Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon garlic flavoured oil
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 green chiles, chopped, with seeds
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro stalks
• 2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, plus 1 2/3 cups water to rinse out empty cans
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• I added 1 lb. of cooked, ground turkey

Filling:

• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 1/4 cups drained canned corn, from about 1 1/2 (15-ounce cans)
• 2 1/2 cups grated mature goats Cheddar, or cheese of your choice
• 8 soft flour tortillas (approximately 10-inch diameter)
• 1 round ovenproof dish, approximately 10 inches diameter and 2 1/4 inches deep
• Avocado Salsa, for serving, recipe follows

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, slipping in a cookie sheet at the same time.

 

For the sauce: Heat the oil in a saucepan on the stove and fry the onion, bell pepper and chiles (along with ground beef or turkey like I did...until meat is cooked through). Add the salt and cook gently for 15 minutes, and once soft, add the chopped cilantro stalks.

Add the canned tomatoes then rinse the cans out with water and add this too. Spoon in the ketchup and let things come to a simmer, leaving the sauce (or salsa in keeping with the Mexican mojo) to cook while you get on with preparing the filling- about 10 minutes.

For the filling:

Mix the drained beans and canned corn in a bowl. Add most of the grated cheese, reserving some to sprinkle on the top at the end, and mix together.

Start to assemble the lasagne by spooning about a third of the salsa into the bottom of your ovenproof dish and smear it about, then layer on 2 tortillas so that they cover the sauce overlapping slightly, like a Venn diagram.

Add a third of the beans and cheese mixture covering the tortillas, and then about a quarter of the remaining salsa and another 2 tortillas.

Repeat with another third of beans and cheese, and more salsa before layering on another 2 tortillas.

Finally, add the last layer of beans and cheese, nearly all of the remaining salsa and cover with the last 2 tortillas. Spread the very last bit of salsa over the tortillas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes, and let it rest for a good 10 to 15 minutes before slicing like a pizza, and eat with the avocado salsa.

Make Ahead Note: The lasagne can be assembled 1 day ahead. Cool the tomato salsa before assembling. Cover dish tightly with plastic and refrigerate until needed. Bake as directed in recipe, allowing an extra 5 to 10 minutes baking time and checking the lasagne is piping hot in centre before removing from oven.

Freeze Note: The assembled but uncooked lasagne can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap dish tightly in double layer of plastic and a layer of aluminium foil. Thaw overnight in fridge and cook as above.

Further Note: Leftovers should be covered and refrigerated as soon as possible. To reheat, put individual slices in ovenproof dish, cover with foil and reheat in oven preheated to 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes. Check the lasagne is piping hot before serving. Wedges of leftover lasagne can be frozen for up to 2 months, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and then either in foil or in resealable bag. Thaw overnight in refrigerator and reheat as above.

 

Avocado Salsa

• 2 avocados
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons chopped green jalepenos from a jar or can
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

Halve the avocados, remove the pits, and then, using the tip of a sharp knife, cut lines down the flesh of each half, about a 1/4-inch apart and then the same across. Turn the avocado halves inside out, or otherwise release the pale green cubes into a bowl, then tumble in the scallion, chopped jalepenos, salt to taste, lime juice and most of the cilantro and toss gently to mix. Taste to see if any more salt is needed before scattering with the remaining cilantro and taking to the table

Honey Lime Chicken

Ingredients:

Marinade -

6 tablespoons honey

5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)

1 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded

8-10 flour tortillas (I used whole wheat tortillas)

1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded

16 ounces green enchilada sauce

1 cup heavy cream

 

Directions:

1. Whisk the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken in a Zip-loc bag.

2. Let it marinate for at least a 1/2 hour, but preferably a half day or so.

3. Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan.

4. Fill the tortillas with chicken, saving marinade, and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas.

5. Put tortillas in 9x13 pan as you go.

6. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade (if there is any).

7. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas.

8. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

This recipe was found at dinner on a dime.
This is also a great recipe to make as a freezer meal- put into 2 8x8" pans. Bake one pan for dinner now, put the other pan into the freezer. Pull it out and bake it when you need it!

Prime Rib

An acquaintance from work swore by this recipe for cooking prime rib (I'd seen it on a website, but thought it didn't sound like it would work to cook it this way), so I thought I'd give it a try. I loved it as did my family! Here's how Paul R. sent the recipe to me:

1. Buy a prime rib at the market. Usually labeled bone in ribeye roast.

2. Mix up equal parts of onion salt, seasoned salt, and garlic powder. Approximately 1/4 cup total.

3. Pat salt mixture on both ends and the fat side of the roast. The salt may not stick as well on the fat side. no worries.

4. Pre-heat oven as high as it will go. Usually 500 degrees but not broil.

5. Stick the roast in a dutch oven preferably on a small rack that will lift it off the bottom. (we use a turkey roast pan). Fat side up/bone side down. Get a meat thermometer and stick it in the middle of the roast.

6. Cook the roast in the oven for 5-6 minutes per pound (we would cook for about 5:30 per pound, then shut off the oven once the time is reached.
 

DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR FOR TWO HOURS UNDER PENALTY OF DEATH

7. After two hours, take it out and check the temp. If it is 140 degrees it is perfect. If it is cooler, put it back in the oven at 375 degrees until meat temp reaches 140 degrees. 

8. This procedure will yield a perfect medium rare prime rib. 

9. Get a package of Au Jus mix and follow the directions.

10. Don't forget the horseradish at the supermarket.

Good luck and enjoy.

Pasta Bake

3 cups cooked pasta (I have used angel hair, penne, bowtie...)
1 lb. sausage (you could also use ground beef or ground turkey)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teas. garlic salt
3 cups spaghetti sauce
8 oz. cream cheese
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup sour cream
1 green bell pepper, chopped (optional)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided into 1/2 & 1/2 cups


Brown the sausage, onion and garlic until no longer pink; drain.  Add spaghetti sauce and garlic salt; simmer for 10 minutes.  Combine cream cheese and milk in microwave safe container and cook on high 1-2 minutes stirring once.  Stir with whisk until well blended.  Stir in the sour cream, green pepper, and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.  Mix cream cheese mixture with cooked pasta and place in bottom of greased 9 x 13 pan.  Top with sausage and spaghetti sauce mixture and the remaining 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  Uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes til bubbly.

Serve with garlic bread or breadsticks!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

(from:  OurBestBites.com)

2 cups flour
2 teas. cinnamon
1 1/2 teas. baking soda
1/2 teas. salt
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
2 teas. vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
3 cups shredded zuccinin
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Topping:
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 teas. cinnamon

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour or Pam spray 2 loaf pans (2 very full 8 inch pans or slightly less full 9 inch pans) and set aside. 
2.  Mix topping ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
3.  Place flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder in a small bowl and whisk to combine.  Set aside.
4.  With a stand or hand mixer beat oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar and eggs until combined and slightly fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
5.  Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until combined.  Gently stir in the zucchini.  Take a spoonful of the flour mixture and stir in with the chocolate chips (that will help keep them evenly distributed.)  If you only have regular chocolate chips or a chocolate bar, just chop them up so they're the size of mini chocolate chips.  Stir remaining flour mixture into batter and mix just until combined.  Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.
6.  Divide the batter between the two pans and sprinkle topping over each.
7.  Bake for 50-60 minutes.  Set your timer for 45 minutes and then keep an eye on the loaves for the remaining time.  When they are done, a toothpick should come out clean and the tops will be gorgeous and cracked with sugar.  Remove from oven and let them cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes and then remove from pans.

April Fool's Food Ideas!

 'Corn on the cob' --Buttered popcorn flavored jelly beansplaced in rows on top of frosted cupcakes, slice of butter is a lemon starburst cut in half, sprinkled with white and black sugar coating.  Then stick the cob holders on each end!

'Peas and carrots' --green lime candies from runts, carrots are orange starbursts cut into 4 pieces all placed on top of frosted cupcake.
'Mashed potatoes' --frosted white cupcake with a small crater in the top with caramel sauce and a slice of lemon starburst (or laffy taffy) sliced thin

 'Popcorn' --mini marshmallows cut and placed together--(they stick together when cut) and then placed on top of frosted cupcake

 'Spaghetti and meatballs' --spaghetti is frosting squiggled on top of cupcake, sauce is strawberry sauce, and meatballs are Ferrero Rocher truffle candies dipped in the strawberry sauce and placed on top!

Glass Block Holiday Jello

I got this recipe from one of my new favorite cookbooks!!  "Our Best Bites" Mormon Moms Cook!!

Anyway, this was so fun!  Picture making it for specific holidays: Valentines--with Red and pink jellos, Christmas--with red and green jellos, etc.

This kids loved it--what kids don't love jello--and ate it up!!

4- 3 oz. packages assorted jello --in colors you want to use
2 packets Knox unflavored gelatin
1 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk

Spray 4 small food storage containers (like Tupperware/Gladware/Rubbermaid) with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Bring 5+ cups of water to a boil. Combine 1 c. boiling water with 1 package of Jello, stirring until dissolved. Place the dissolved Jello in one of the prepared containers. Repeat with the remaining packages of Jello. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferable overnight.

When the Jello has set, bring another 1 1/2 c. of water to a boil. While the water is heating, sprinkle 2 packets of unflavored gelatin over 1/2 c. of cold water. Allow to stand for about 4 minutes. When the water is boiling, pour 1 1/2 c. boiling water over the dissolved gelatin and stir to combine. Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix well. Allow to come to room temperature.

Lightly spray a 9×13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Carefully cut the colored Jello into cubes and gently toss to combine in the 9×13 pan. Pour the cooled milk mixture over the colored Jello and, if necessary, rearrange some of the colored Jello to make sure it is evenly distributed and not sticking out of the white mixture too far.

Place the 9×13 pan in the refrigerator and chill overnight. Cut into squares, rectangles, or various shapes with cookie cutters and serve.

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

1 box Fettuccine noodles (break them in half and it makes it easier to spoon out of the casserole dish.)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery (optional; my family liked it without it)
4 garlic cloves minced
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tsp canola oil or butter
2 cup fat free milk
1 tsp salt
dash of pepper
3 Tbs cornstarch

1 cup half and half  (nonfat half and half works justs as good)
1/3-1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used 1 cup--we like it cheesy)
3 cups cubed chicken (I used chicken breasts that Ron grilled)
1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup frozen peas, optional (adding peas makes it taste like Pasta Carrabba from Carrabba's restaurant)

Cook noodles in boiling water. In a large skillet, sauté onion, celery (opt) and garlic in oil or butter for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms. Cook and stir until tender. Stir in nonfat milk and salt. Bring to a boil.

Mix cornstarch and half and half till smooth. Stir into skillet. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Stir in parmesan cheese just until melted.

Stir in cooked chicken. Drain noodles; add to chicken mixture. Heat through. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and broil for 3-4 minutes until cheese is melted.

Missy M shared this recipe on Facebook--yummy! I changed a few things by adding or subtracting items to suit my family's taste, but those changes were minimal.

Apple Crisp --Quick

5-6 apples - any kind
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 yellow cake mix
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Peel, core and slice the apples.  Place in greased 9x13 pan.  Melt butter and then mix in the cake mix, sugar, cinnamon and nuts.  Sprinkle over the apples and bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!  I have also made this with pears!  Yummy!

Alfredo Sauce -- The best ever! (Just like Olive Garden!)

2 cups heavy cream
1 stick butter
pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
garlic powder to taste

Mix all ingredients and cook over low heat till the desired consistency.  Serve over pasta.

Carmelitas

1 jar Mrs. Richardson's butterscotch caramel
1 12 oz package milk chocolate chips (I have used semi-sweet before)
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 cups oats (old fashioned or quick)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups Butter (3 sticks) --DO NOT try to do it with less...it doesn't work!  ;)

Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, soda and salt.  Melt the butter and pour over the flour mixture and mix.  Pat 1/2 of the mixture in bottom of 9x13 well-greased pan and bake at 325 degrees for 17 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top and spread.  Warm the jar of butterscotch caramel for 1 minute in the microwave and pour over the top.  Crumble the remaining flour mixture on top of that and return to the oven for an additional 17 minutes at 325 degrees.  Let cool completely then cut into squares.  Works best when prepared the day before serving.