Caramel Popcorn

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 20-24 cups popped popcorn (depending on how coated you like your popcorn)

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place popcorn in a very large bowl.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.
3. Place in two large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

Simple Homemade Kool-Aid Drink

While having a craving for Kool-Aid and having some various ingredients for candy making. Note, I use Natural Fruit Extracts for flavoring, but you could use whatever flavoring substitute you have available.

The recipe recipe below yields 8 oz. of drink.

Recipe:
1 Cup Water (chilled and filtered preferred)
1¼ tbs of sugar
¼ tsp of Citric Acid (this is a water based solution and will need to adjusted for using solid form citric acid)
⅛ tsp of flavoring

Put the water into a glass (preferably a taller glass). Stir in sugar until it desolves completely. Next add the citric acid and mix well again. Last, add the flavoring. Mix well and serve or chill for use later.

It doesn't get much simpler than this. Enjoy!

Homemade Cafe Rio Pork & Rice

I love Cafe Rio.  I have for years and have always dragged friends and of course, Mike, to Cafe Rio every chance I get.  But now I've found a recipe that tastes pretty close to the real thing so I may never go back.  I'm sure our bank account will thank me.

Pork:

Ingredients:

2 pounds pork
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can RED enchilada sauce
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinate for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don’t let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours.

And the rice:

 Ingredients:

• 1 c. uncooked rice
• 1 tsp. butter or margarine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

Homemade Pizza Hut Pizza & Bread Sticks

There's something delicious about the way Pizza Hut pizza crusts and bread sticks are made that are just so yummy.  Now being pregnant, I have strong cravings for their bread sticks and to cut down on costs, I finally decided to make them.  I found this recipe online and changed it just a bit:

Dough (makes 2 batches of bread sticks or 1 batch and 2 - 8" pizzas)

• 1 1/3 cup warm water (~110 degrees)
• 1/4 cup non-fat dry milk
• 1/2 tsp salt (optional)
• 3 cups flour (about)
• 1 tbs sugar
• 1 package instant dry yeast
• 2 tbs butter or butter-flavored oil

Bread Stick Seasoning

• 2 tbs dry parmesan cheese
  
• 1/2 tbs garlic powder
  
• 1/2 tbs garlic salt
  
• 1 tbs onion powder
  
• 1 tbs oregano
• 1/2 tbs basil

Sauce (I halved the recipe and had way more than enough for 1 batch bread sticks and 2 - 8" pizzas)

• 1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp dry oregano
• 1/2 tsp dry basil
• 1/2 tsp dry marjoram
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the dough, mix dry milk, sugar, yeast, and salt (optional) together and add in the water.  Stir and let rest for 2-5 minutes, or until it begins to bubble.  Add in butter and stir.  Gently mix in flour until it is all incorporated and forms a ball in Electric Mixer (i.e. Kitchen Aid) and mix for 5 minutes or knead dough on floured surface for about 10 minutes. 

Separate doughs into desired amounts and let rest.  For bread sticks in a 9x13" pan, grease about 3 tablespoons of melted butter or oil onto pan.  For 8" round pizzas, use about 1 tablespoon.


Roll out dough and place onto greased pans.  Cover.  Let rise for at least 1 hour (the bread sticks took 2 hours to raise).

For bread sticks, lightly coat the top with melted butter or butter-flavored cooking spray.  Season with seasoning.  (I added almost the entire amount of seasoning but it was too much for me.  Mike, on the other hand, loved the amount.)

For pizzas, add sauce and toppings.  Lightly top the crust with melted butter or butter-flavored cooking spray.

Place in a 475 degree preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Some people like to boil all of the ingredients for the sauce but I combined them all and let them stand for about an hour and the flavors blended together nicely.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies

Mike and I tried these for the first time at Harmon's when a whole big container was out for samples.  They were full cookies, not cut or anything like they usually are for samples, and they were well hidden so not many people saw them.  We ate two or three each ... they were delicious.  I had no idea butterscotch would be so good in pumpkin cookies.

Yield: about 2 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
½ cup vegetable or canola oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325° F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; whisk to blend.  In a the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs and sugar.  Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and light in color, about 1 minute.  Blend in the oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until well combined.  With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Gently fold in the butterscotch chips with a spatula.

Drop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets (I used a medium-sized dough scoop), spacing them a few inches apart.  Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through baking, until the tops feel set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, about 14-16 minutes.  Allow to cool on the baking sheets 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Recipe from Annie's Eats

Sesame Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 dash sesame oil
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cubed
 
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon chile paste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup water
 
• 1 quart olive oil for frying
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Sift flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder into a bowl. Pour in low-sodium soy sauce, sherry, 2 tablespoons water, vegetable oil, and a dash of sesame oil; stir until smooth. Stir in chicken until coated with the batter, then cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring chicken broth, sugar, vinegar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, chile paste, and garlic to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Dissolve 1/4 cup cornstarch into 1/2 cup of water, and stir into boiling sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens and turns clear, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and keep sauce warm.
3. Heat olive oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to a temperature of 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. Drop in the battered chicken pieces, a few at a time, and fry until they turn golden brown and float to the top of the oil, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. To serve, place fried chicken pieces onto a serving platter, and pour the hot sauce overtop. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds to garnish. 

from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/perfect-sesame-chicken/detail.aspx

Homemade Tortillas

Original Recipe Yield 2 dozen

 

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons lard
• 1 1/2 cups water

Directions

1. Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a mixing bowl. Mix in the lard with your fingers until the flour resembles cornmeal. Add the water and mix until the dough comes together; place on a lightly floured surface and knead a few minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball.
2. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Use a well-floured rolling pin to roll a dough ball into a thin, round tortilla. Place into the hot skillet, and cook until bubbly and golden; flip and continue cooking until golden on the other side. Place the cooked tortilla in a tortilla warmer; continue rolling and cooking the remaining dough. 

*I used margarine instead of lard and halved the recipe for 10 tortillas.

from LaDonna

Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 cups milk
• 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long. Toss with hot pasta to serve. 

from AllRecipes

Oven-Fried Chicken

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 chicken, cut in pieces
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Heat butter in 9 x 12 pan until melted.

Mix: flour, salt, paprika and pepper in bag.

Shake chicken in, coating well.

Place in pan; bake 30 min, turn chicken over and bake approx 15 minute more.

from http://www.food.com/recipe/oven-fried-chicken-3734

Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars

from The Homesteading Housewife
 
1 cup crunchy or smooth peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup honey
6 cups Cheerios cereal

1. Grease and/or line a 9×13 pan and set aside. In a small sauce pan sprayed with Pam, bring the honey and sugar to a boil over medium heat. As soon as the sugar is dissolved, remove the pan from the heat.
2. Stir in the peanut butter until well blended and melted.
3. Place your Cheerios in a large mixing bowl and pour the peanut butter-honey mixture over the cereal, stirring until everything is well coated.
4. Spray a wooden spoon with Pam and pour/spread the cereal into your prepared pan, pressing down to make sure everything is smooth and even. Set aside and allow to cool before slicing into squares. Makes 16-20 bars.

Sweet Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup butter, softened

Directions

1. Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough/Knead and First Rise Cycle; press Start.
2. When cycle finishes, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle, spread 1/4 cup softened butter over entire round. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Roll wedges starting at wide end; roll gently but tightly. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden. 

I make this with my KitchenAid and combine the water and milk - heated to 110 degrees.  I add it to the sugar, mix; then add the yeast and let sit for 10-15 minutes.  Then I add the salt, butter, egg, and add 1/2 cup of flour at a time.  Knead for 5 minutes.  Cover and let sit for 60 minutes or until it raises. 
 

Angel Food Cake

Ingredients

• 12 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar

Directions

1. Separate eggs; discard yolks or refrigerate for another use. Measure egg whites, adding or removing whites as needed to equal 1-1/2 cups. Place in a mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, sift confectioners' sugar and flour together three times; set aside. Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on high speed. Gradually add sugar, beating until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form. Fold in flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time. Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely before removing cake from pan. 

 http://allrecipes.com/recipe/heavenly-angel-food-cake/detail.aspx

Fry Bread

There's nothing that's better about bread than when it's fried.  Hence, I love fry bread/scones.  And what's more?  I love fry bread with all the "Navajo Taco" toppings - tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, and beans.  I've tried a bunch of recipes and this is one of my favorites.  (Lard makes it good but ugh, lard?  Yuck.)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 4 cups oil for frying, or as needed

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in milk, and mix until the dough comes together. Add more flour if necessary to be able to handle the dough. On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth, at least 5 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a large, deep heavy skillet to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C). Oil should be about 1 1/2 inches deep. Break off 3/4 cup sized pieces of dough, and shape into round discs 1/4 inch in thickness, making a thinner depressed area in the center. Fry breads in the hot oil until golden on both sides, turning only once. Drain on paper towels.

Dutch Babies

In a 9 x 13 pan, place 1 cube butter and melt in pan while heating oven to 425 degrees.

6 eggs into blender (high speed 1 min)

1 ½ cup milk

1 ½ cup flour

Mix milk and flour into blender ½ cup at a time while blending

Blend mix for another 30 seconds

Pour batter into pan and bake for 20 minutes

No Bake Cookies

No Bake Cookies:

1 stick butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 Tbsp of Cocoa
1 cap of vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups of oats

Melt butter, then add sugar and milk and stir it in. Once it begins to boil, add cocoa and vanilla

and only boil it for 60 seconds, then take it off the heat. Add the peanut butter and the oats.

Spoon onto wax paper to cool.