Amazing Fall Dessert

We went to an apple orchard this week and came home with 16 pounds of apples (the kids were in charge of picking)!!! So in my quest to find many ways to use such a large amount of apples, I searched through Allrecipes for the perfect apple crisp. I hate when there is way too much apples and not enough of the yummy crust! This recipe is fabulous!!!! It seriously is the best apple crisp I've ever had and I usually don't like apple crisp. I'll post the recipe with some of the variations that others have made since I thought it turned out so yummy. I like it served a little warm best.

Apple Crisp

1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
2 1/3 C rolled oats (I only had instant oats and it was still great)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 C packed brown sugar
1 1/2 C butter
3 quarts peeled, cored, sliced apples (I used 2 qts)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Cut butter into mixture until crumbly (I just used my hands).

Cheese Scones

2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
pink cayenne pepper
2 c. grated mature cheddar (Irish cheddar from Costco, Trader Joe's, or Wegman's works best)
1 c. full fat milk

1. Preheat oven to 430 degrees.
2. Sift dry ingredients together or stir with a whisk.
3. Add cheese, then milk. Mix lightly.
4. Turn onto a lightly floured tray, shape into a rectangle 3 cm (just more than an inch) high. Cut into at least 8 (my sister-in-law likes up to 20 smaller squares).
5. Slightly bake 15-20 minutes until golden.

Joanna
Provo, UT

Ham and Spinach Strata

My friend Melissa posted this recipe on her blog recently. I haven't tried it yet, but I think it looks delish, so I thought I would share it here. She listed the actual recipe, and then improvised here and there--those minor changes are in italics. I am excited to try it!

3 or 4 large day-old croissants we used 4
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
8 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves, chopped
2 cups grated sharp cheddar
3/4 cup diced ham we used 1 1/2 cups
6 eggs
2 1/4 cups half-and-half
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil

1. Butter a 9- by 13-inch casserole. Using a serrated knife, cut the croissants into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes (you will need 6 cups) and scatter half of them in the casserole. Set the remaining cubes aside for now.

Easy, yummy pasta

I have a stuffed shells recipe that is really good--but time consuming to make. So when my friend sent me this recipe, I thought we'd give it a try. It has the same good flavor as the shells and is SO much easier. It's become a regular on our menu. We think it's really good.

Baked Spaghetti

Mix these ingredients together and place in a 9x13 baking dish:
12 oz angel hair pasta, cooked
1 egg
1 C parmesan cheese
2 T chopped basil

Mix these together and place on top of the pasta.
1 lb hamburger, cooked

Lean 'N Green Chili

This recipe is flavorful, unique, and reliable. It's also low fat, low cholesterol, and low calorie. I've put a lot of the ingredients together in ziplock bags and put it together at a friend's house before. Might I suggest ending the meal with some giant ripe strawberries that are at the store right now and dipping them in powdered sugar? So perfect.

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, divided
2 tsp vegetable oil, divided
1-2 medium poblano chile peppers or 1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
1 tsp ground cumin
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 (14.5 oz.) cans fat free chicken broth
2 (15 oz.) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/4 cups salsa verde or 1 (10 oz.) can green chile enchilada sauce
2 Tbsp snipped fresh cilantro

Breaded Ranch Chicken

This is really easy to make and super good! It is one of those recipes that I have to be careful not to wear out, because I use it so often. You won't be disappointed by it!

3/4 C. crushed cornflakes
3/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix

1/2 C. butter or margarine, melted

Boneless Skinless chicken breast halves

In a shallow bowl, combine the cornflakes,

Mexican Chocolate Cream Pie

This pie is so yummy and pretty easy too!

Prep time: 30 minutes
Bake time: 10-12 minutes
Chill time: 30 minutes

1 refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on package
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 12-oz. container of frozen whipped topping, thawed OR 1 8-oz. container of frozen whipped topping, thawed AND some canned whipped cream
1 8-oz. package of cream cheese, softened
1 cup milk
1 3.9-oz. package chocolate instant pudding and pie filling
1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Gently unroll crust onto lightly floured surfaced. Roll to an 11 1/2" circle. Place crust in pie plate, pressing dough into bottom and up sides. Prick bottom and sides using fork. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven, cool completely.

Pumpkin Waffles

we made these over the holidays and they were the best waffles I've ever had. My husband was a huge skeptic of them and has now declared that we should eat everything with this syrup! I think I could have eaten the whole batch myself (aside from the caloric intake). I promise you won't be disappointed.

PUMPKIN WAFFLES

4 eggs separated
1 ½ cups milk
1 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup margarine
1 T Vanilla
2 cups flour
2 T baking powder
1 T cinnamon
1 T sugar
½ tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt

Beat egg yolks then add milk, pumpkin, margarine, and vanilla. Mix together dry ingredients and then add flour mixture. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into mixture. Cool in fridge several hours or overnight. Serve with hot buttermilk syrup.

Beef Tacos

I got this recipe from a friend and they are to die for! We made them this weekend and they are now a favorite at our house. They're also super easy to make and it has awesome flavor.

Beef Tacos

1 beef roast
1 onion
(2) 4oz cans diced green chilies
2 beef bouillion cubes
1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup salsa

Cook on high for 5-6 hours in crock pot--adding all the ingredients but salsa. Take beef out of crockpot and shred. Reserve the liquid. Add enough liquid and the salsa for desired juiciness. Serve on tortillas with beans, lettuce, and any other things you like on tacos.

**You can also do this with a leftover roast (especially if you have a large portion of it left). I just put the lefover roast in the crockpot and follow all the directions and you can't even tell a difference.

Marisa F.
Columbus, OH

Southwestern Grilled Chicken with Mango Salsa

This is another Kraft Foods recipe but it has become a family favorite. It tastes just as good as something you could get in a restaurant.

1 env. Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing & Recipe Mix
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (we use more but we love cilantro)
1 tsp. chili powder
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 mangoes, peeled, chopped (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions

Mix salad dressing mix, oil, lime juice, cilantro and chili powder until well blended. Pour 1/2 cup of the dressing mixture over chicken in resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Refrigerate 1 hour to marinate. Mix remaining dressing mixture, mangoes, red peppers and onions in medium bowl; cover. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Grill chicken 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Serve with mango salsa. It's yummy served with some chips and a salad although we haven't found just the right salad to go along with it yet. If you want, you could just half the marinade and serve only as a salsa dip, without the chicken. To see a picture click here.

Ashley A.
Springville, UT

BLT Mac & Cheese

I just made this last night and it was sooooooo GOOD! It came from The Pampered Chef's "29 Minutes

 to Dinner" cookbook, so this recipe is only supposed to take 24 minutes. However, it took me like 40 minutes, and it was pretty easy.
5 cups water
8 slices of bacon
4 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese
1 oz. Parmesan cheese
4 oz. cream cheese
1 lb. uncooked cellentani or cavatappi pasta
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
1 large leek (white and green portions only)
3 large plum tomatoes

To start pasta mixture, bring water to a boil in 8-qt. stockpot.

Meanwhile, slice bacon crosswise into thin strips. Place into 10-in. skillet; cook over medium-high heat 8-10 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet to paper towel-lined plate.

As bacon cooks, grate cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Add pasta, cream cheese, grated cheeses, salt, and black pepper to boiling water in stockpot. Cover and simmer vigorously 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

As pasta mixture cooks, slice leek in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/2-in. slices. Place into small batter bowl and swish in cold water to remove dirt; lift leeks out of water and stir into pasta mixture. Cook, uncovered, 5-7 minutes or until pasta is cooked to desired tenderness and sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cut tomatoes in half lengthwise; remove cores and scrape out seeds. Dice tomatoes; reserver 1/4 cup for garnish. Remove stockpot from heat; stir in remaining tomatoes and half of the bacon. Spoon pasta mixture into serving bowl and garnish with reserve tomatoes and bacon. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings

Heidi Rogers

Salt Lake City, UT

Soy Sauce Roast

Good alternitive to a regular roast. We ate it up.

Ingredients:
3-4 lb beef roast
a few potatoes
however many carrots you want

Marinade
1 c water
1/2 c soy sauce
1/3 c dark brown sugar (lt brown will work too)
1/4 c vinegar
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 chicken boullion cube

Directions:
Brown roast on all sides in 1 Tbsp oil.

Place browned roast into crock pot. Top with marinade and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Add potatoes and carrots 1 - 1 1/2 hours before serving.


April White

Chocolate Lava Cakes

This is from the kraft food website, but too heavenly not to share. I asked my husband if it was a recipe to be repeated and he said yes, can you do it tomorrow. You do need to have ramekins or baking custard cups for these, but it is well worth it just buy four. This would be deilicous with raspberry sauce too.


4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
6 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Butter four 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes. Place on baking sheet.

MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar until well blended. Blend in eggs and egg yolks with wire whisk. Stir in flour. Divide batter among prepared custard cups.

BAKE 13 to 14 min. or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 min. Carefully run small knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto dessert dishes. Serve immediately, topped with whipped topping.

note: I didn't have semisweet baking chocolate so I used semisweet chocolate chips and just guessed on the amount. I am sure it is better with exact amounts, but it was still good.

April White (but really kraft foods)

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Okay..these are amazing! I waitied all season to make them and finally did. I wished I had done it earlier and then eaten more. So good. I think you could even make some in January, because they are so tasty.

Ingredients:
Cookies:
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. dutch process cocoa powder (I used reg)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter, room temp
1 egg

frosting:
1/2 c. margerine, melted (I used butter)
1/4 c. evaporated milk
4-5 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. peppermint extract
red food coloring
1/2 c. broken peppermint candies

Directions:
Cookie:
Whisk flour, cocoa, and salt in medium bowl. In large bowl mix butter and sugar. Add egg. Add dry ingredients until blended. Refridgerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookies sheets with parchement paper. Measure cookies into level tablespoonfulls and roll into balls. Lay on cookie sheet about 2 inches and press with glass. Edges will split. Bake until cookies no longer look wet and an indention appears when you press it (about 7 or 8 min). Let cool 5 min on cookie sheet and then move to cooling rack.

Frosting:
Mix margerine (butter), powdered sugar, and evaporated milk, until fluffy. Add extracts and food coloring. Spread or pipe (I piped using a plastic bag) onto cooled cookies. Sandwich cookies together and press a little so frosting comes out a bit on the edges. Roll in crushed candy for decoration.

Eat up!!! Delicious.

April White (I think this is from a magazine called simple living)