Thursday, August 30, 2012

Horseradish Dipping Sauce



This horseradish sauce is such a wonderful addition to many dishes. We especially like to serve it over roasted new potatoes.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. horseradish
1 T. dried chopped chives

DIRECTIONS
Mix ingredients together and serve with beef and/or potatoes.  Add more or less horseradish depending on your taste.  I use extra hot horseradish. YUM!


Pumpkin Spice Donuts


 
I'm always on the hunt for good recipes I can make for an after school snack. My son comes home starving every day and it's always better for my sanity if I have something ready and waiting for him. He loves donuts and fall is in the air so this was a perfect treat to make. I found this recipe at The Blue Eyed Bakers.

INGREDIENTS
1-3/4 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup milk

For Coating:
1/2 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup sugar
1-2 T. cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven 350 F.  Butter a donut pan and set aside. In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and spices together and set aside.

In a large bowl (or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) whisk together oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the mixture and stir until just combined, careful not to over mix.

Using a pastry bag or a steady hand and a spoon, fill each donut cup with the batter.  The donut cups should be fairly full, but not overflowing. Bake for 8-9 minutes, until donuts spring back when gently pressed (if you're using a larger donut pan, allow them to bake for 12-15 minutes).  Turn donuts out onto a wire rack and allow to cool for a few minutes.

While the donuts are cooling, melt butter in one bowl and combine the sugar and cinnamon in another.  When donuts are still hot (but not too hot to touch), quickly dip each donut in melted butter, then coat in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Serve immediately.

*Note: If you're not going to serve the donuts immediately, you can bake them up to a day in advance and store them in an airtight container.  Do not coat them in the butter/cinnamon-sugar mixture until just before serving or they may get soggy.

**Makes 12 regular donuts or 24 mini donuts (depending on what size donut pan you have)

Monday, August 27, 2012

Crepes



These crepes are so delicious and fun to make for any occasion.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. sugar, if dessert crepe
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
4 eggs
3 T. butter, melted and slightly cooled



DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients in blender except butter.  Blend 15 seconds, scrape sides, start blender again. Add butter, blend 1 minute.

Spray crepe pan with cooking spray every couple of crepes.

Makes 8 crepes.

Filling suggestions: bananas, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, powdered sugar



Pani Popo Sweet Rolls



We recently cooked a Hawaiian luau dinner at our family reunion. These rolls turned out so yummy.   Hope you enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
Rhodes Rolls, 18 ct.
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup sugar (add more sugar if you like it sweeter)

DIRECTIONS
Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and lay out 18 rolls. Cover with plastic wrap also sprayed with cooking spray so rolls won't stick. Let rise according to directions on package (approx. 4-5 hours).

Mix coconut milk with sugar and pour around the rolls into the pan. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until rolls are done.

Swedish Cucumber Salad



This salad is so refreshing and easy to make. I love using cucumbers and parsley straight out of the garden in the summer time.

INGREDIENTS
2 cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup vinegar (I've been using the Nakano brand of vinegar that is infused with roasted garlic but regular vinegar is good also)
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Mix the salt, sugar and vinegar together until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add remaining ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve.

KFC Cole Slaw



This recipe came from Top Secret Recipes. It's not 100% KFC but it's a REALLY GOOD slaw recipe. 

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup buttermilk
2-1/2 T. lemon juice
1-1/2 T. white vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 head finely chopped cabbage
1/4 cup finely chopped carrot
2 T. minced onion
(*I just used the prepackaged chopped cabbage mix that is found in the lettuce section at the grocery store)

DIRECTIONS
Be sure cabbage and carrots are chopped up into very fine pieces.  Combine the mayonnaise, sugar, milk, buttermilk, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper in a large bowl and beat until smooth. Add the cabbage, carrots, and onion. Mix well.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Serves 10-12

Oriental Chicken Salad



This is my husband's favorite salad.  He'll eat it any day of the week!

INGREDIENTS
1 head cabbage, chopped
2 bunches green onions, chopped
2 packages Ramen Noodles, chicken flavored, crumbled
4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced (cook chicken in Teriyaki or soy sauce)

Almonds:
6 oz. almonds, slivered or sliced
3 T. sesame seeds
1/4 cup sugar

Sauce:
2 packages Ramen Noodle seasoning
1/2 cup oil
2 T. sugar
3 T. vinegar

DIRECTIONS
Combine salad ingredients into a large bowl.  In a frying pan on medium heat, stir and cook almonds, sesame seeds and 1/4 c. sugar until caramelized.  Combine ingredients for sauce in a separate bowl. Pour over salad and chill for 30 minutes. (*If your head of cabbage is large, you may want to use just half of the cabbage or double the sauce).