Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

I made these the other night for Jake to take to his office. They are EASY and yummy!!






Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
----------------------------------------
1 Box Devils food cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup veg oil

1 block cream cheese
4 cups Powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
a few splashes of milk
vanilla

2 candy canes crushed up

In a mixing bowl mix the cake mix, eggs and veg oil and a splash of vanilla. Mix it up until you have cookie dough. Make 1 inch balls of dough and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes until they have firmed up some. Remove from cookie sheet and let Cool.

To make frosting, mix with a mixer the cream cheese, powdered sugar vanilla and milk unil you get the consistency you want for frosting. Frost the cookies after they have cooled. Add the candy cane pieces on top.

Seafood Pasta

I purchased Jake some fancy noodles when I was in Seattle visiting some friends. I got them at the Pike Place Market, they were roasted red pepper flavor. I made a nice pasta dish last night using them.








Seafood Pasta
-------------------
Pasta
Shrimp- peeled
Scallops
Cherry Tomatoes
Spinach
Garlic
Onion
pine nuts
chavrie cheese

Boil the pasta until tender. Meanwhile, chop the onion and brown it with some olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper. Throw in the tomatoes (I like to chop them in half first) and the spinach. Just as the spinach starts to wilt put in the shrimp and scallops, when they are close to cooked (shrimp turn pink) throw in the pine nuts, the pasta and the chavrie cheese. Toss it all over low heat until the cheese is warm and coats the dish.

Fall Pheasant

Second year in a row I made this recipe with the birds that the Neil guys came home with. Easy and yummy! Served well with risotto and green beans and maybe some yummy bread.

Fall Pheasant
--------------------
Pheasant Breasts (Cleaned)
Variety of apples Chopped (probably 2)
Onion sliced
Bacon in bit sized pieces
Apple Cider (the real kind that you find in the fall)
White Wine
Salt and pepper

Put it all in the crock pot on high for the good part of a day. Pull the meat out, use a slotted spoon to get the apples, bacon and onion out. Serve it all together on a platter.

Optional: Take some of the liquid out and reduce it in a small pot over high heat to serve as a sauce over the top. You can also use some corn starch to thicken it.

Blue and Gold Popcorn Balls

Made Blue and Gold ones for the game last weekend. Perfect Tailgating food!! GO CATS!

Popcorn Balls
----------------------
1 Bag of marshmallows
2 tbs butter spread or margarine
8 cups popped popcorn

put the margarine and marshmallows in a big microwave safe dish. Mic one minute at a time, stirring in between until all melten (usually just about 2 minutes). Mix in 10 drops of food coloring, more of less until desired color. Put the popcorn in and stir it up. Butter your hands and make balls of desired size. Cool them on wax paper. Wrap.

Fall Green Beans

Fall Green Beans
-------------------
Fresh green beans
craisins
onion
S/P

Clean the green beans and put them in a microwave safe dish a couple table spoons of water with plastic wrap over the top. Cook the beans in the mic for a few minutes in order to "steam" them. Meanwhile, dice the onions and brown them in a bit of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the beans and craisins. Toss until hot.

Chocolate Strawberry Mascarpone Crepes

I got these at a restaurant for breakfast a few weeks ago with my friend Lindsey before we headed off to an adventure to the DMV. I tried to re-create them and they turned out awesome!!





Chocolate Strawberry Mascarpone Crepes
---------------------------------------------------

Crepes:
1 C Flour
1 C Milk
1 egg
2 TBS melted butter
Splash of Vanilla

Put all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Use a griddle or non-stick skilled to make crepes. You can make them as big or small as you want. Use the back edge of a spoon to spread out the batter if you prefer them more thin. Flip them like a pancake half way through.

Chocolate Filling:
1 small container mascarpone cheese (found with the fancy cheeses)
3 TBS cocoa powder
1/2 cup powdered sugar (use more or less for sweeter filling)
Splash of Vanilla
Splashes of milk until desired consistancy (depending on if you want it more fluffy or more runny)

Whip it all together using a mixer.

Put the filling in the crepes once they are cooked and use Strawberries or banana to fill and on the outside. Use whipped cream as desired. I used chocolate sauce to garnish the plate. These are SOOOO yummy!!

Spinach Chicken Pasta

Nothing like a last minute meal!!

Spinach Chicken Pasta
--------------------------
Chicken
onion
garlic
fresh herbs (from the herb garden or the store: basil, parsley, chives, oragano....whatever you have)
butter
S/P
Spinach (frozen, thawed and squeezed)
Cheese (parm or asiago)

Pasta Cooked

Boil the pasta until desired consistancy. Brown the chicken with onion and garlic and S/P in a wok. Throw the herbs, butter and spinach in the wok. Put the cooked pasta in the wok and mix it all up until hot. Serve with the cheese on top!

Berry Ice Cream Topping :)

I love making this dessert in the summer..........reasons:

1. You don't have to turn the oven on.....its too stinkin hot!
2. Berries are cheap in summer, sometimes I can get the "on the way out" ones for cheaper.
3. Ice cream is so yummy when it's hot out
4. Not too much added sugar
5. Jake would pay $4.50 for it but Doug would pay $7.00 :)

Berry Ice Cream Topping
------------------------------------

Berries
Vanilla
Some liquid (orange juice, lemonade, or booze)
Vanilla Ice cream
Peaches or nectarines?

Start with any Combination of fresh berries (Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black berries) but a combination of a at least a couple is best. Put them in a small sauce pan and use a wisk to mash them a bit. Add about 1/4 cup of some sort of juice (orange, lemonade, or even grand marnier or rum) and a dash of vanilla extract. Simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Set aside and let cool to room temp or serve it warm if you prefer. Serve over vanilla icecream, I love to also have it with fresh peaches or nectarines.

Farmers Market Fiesta!

Recently I discovered some green beans and zucchini that I had purchased at the farmers market last week and hadn't used. I payed good money for them and they were grown in a local Bozeman ladies garden. I had to use them before they went bad.







Farmers Market Fiesta
------------------------------------
chicken breast
zucchini sliced
fresh green beans
1 onion diced
1 Can diced tomato (i got the onion and garlic ones)
minced garlic
Herbs (I pulled some basil, parsley, chives and oregano from my herb garden (well, is more of a pot on the porch) but you could use dried italian seasoning or whatever you have really)
Pepper
Chicken Broth
Good quality asiago or parm cheese

Brown the chicken, onion and garlic in a wok or deep frying pan. Add the herbs, some pepper to taste, the green beans and the diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Cover for about 5-7 minutes until the beans are more tender. Add the zucchini and simmer uncovered for about 5 more minutes until the zucchini is tender. Serve with the cheese sprinkled on top.

Cheesy Turkey Panini

I made these yummy sandwiches for a Sunday night Neil family Dinner last week. Really easy, yummy and also make great leftovers for lunches the next day!!

Cheesy Turkey Panini
====================
Sliced Deli Turkey
Pepper Jack Cheese
8 Oz Cream Cheese
1 paper package of dry pesto mix (the kind you mix with water or milk to make a pasta sauce, I use McCormicks brand)
Red and Green Peppers sliced
1 loaf Ciabatta Bread
Butter

Slice the loaf of bread horizontally to make a top and a bottom. Soften the cream cheese and mix with the powdered pesto mix. Spread the cream chesse mixture on the top and bottom of the bread. Now stuff the sandwich with the turkey, jack cheese and peppers. Place the loaf back together and butter the outside of the top and the bottom. Grill on a panini press, griddle or pan browning both sides and until it is warm. Slice into desired portion sizes before or after grilling depending on pan or press.

Oriental Chicken Salad

It was so dang hot in the house tonight we had salad for dinner with chicken from the BBQ!

Oriental Chicken Salad
---------------------------
Greens
tomato
shredded carrots
baby corn
water chestnuts
green onion
mandarin oranges
sliced almonds
crunch Asian noodles you buy in a can

Chicken breast marinated in teriyaki or something similar

Mix up all the salad ingredients, after marinating and grilling the chicken put it on top.

Dressing:
Soy sauce
orange juice
ginger
garlic
green onion
brown sugar
sweet chili sauce
as dash of red curry

*Liquify it all in the Blender and serve over the salad!

Poke Cake!

Anyone who knows me knows I love this easy summer dessert, you can vary it to make a new sweet treat every time. This time I made it for the 4th of July and decorated it like a flag!

Poke Cake
-------------------
1 boxed cake mix (plus the stuff you need to make it: oil, egg ect)
1 or 2 packages of Jello
1 container cool whip
1 small package instant pudding

Bake the cake as instructed, use a 9x13 pan. Let the cake cool. Make Jello as directed but WITHOUT the cold water. Poke the cake a bunch of times with a large fork or the handle of a wooden spoon. Pour the hot jello mixture over. Put in the fridge until cool. To make frosting: mix the instant pudding with 1/2 the milk that it calls for. Before the pudding sets up, mix in a desired amount of cool whip to make it fluffy. When cake is cool again, frost and eat!!

*This cake was white cake with cherry and blue rasperry "poke" so the cake was red, white and blue when we cut into it.and I used white chocolate flavored pudding for the frosting.*

**But, you can use any flavors you want! Lemon cake, orange "poke" and lemon pudding frosting, or Chocolate cake, rasperry "poke" and coconut pudding frosting. ......endless possibilities!

Curry Chicken Salad

I have made this Curry Chicken Salad a few times already this summer! Once for a picnic on the "M" and once for a before night shift dinner, this is my own take on it, not sure how it compares to others.

Curry Chicken Salad
--------------------

Cooked, cubed chicken (I buy one already rosted at Costco and chop it up)

craisins

sliced almonds

celery

yellow curry

mayo

pepper

*Serve on a bun or over lettice!

Basic Summer Cole Slaw!

I made pulled pork last week (pork butt in the crock pot all day with some red wine and garlic, pull it out, shread it with a fork, put it back in on low and added the HAG sister BBQ sauce), it had to be served with cole slaw........here is the basic variety!!

Cole slaw mix from the store
red cabbage
green onion diced
---------------
Mayo
Vinegar
sugar
beau monde seasoning (a must)
pepper

cut up the purple cabbage and add to the mixture from the bag, throw in the green onions. Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl and throw it in with the cabbage mix. Stir it up! Remember it gets more liquid as it sits so easy on the sauce to start.

Easy Fruit Crisp

I love fruit crisp, especially in the summer when you can get berries and peaches for cheap. To make the crisp really crunch and a bit more healthy than using a bunch of butter this is now I do it.....made it the other night for some friends for dinner.

Easy Fruit Crisp
--------------------
Fruit (berries, peaches, apples or a combo)
Sugar
Cinnamon
brown sugar
Oats
Granola (I buy it in bulk at Town and Ghetto, I get the vanilla almond one)
Light butter spread

Mix the fruit with some sugar so it is not tart. Put in the bottom of a oven safe dish. In a separate bowl mix together about 2 parts granola to 1 part brown sugar and 1 part oats. Throw a dash of cinnamon in. Once mixed sprinkle on top of the fruit and put some small dabs of butter spread here and there on top. Bake at 350 degrees until it starts to brown on top. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Meatloaf Burgers

Call it yuck but I really love meatloaf, and I get sick of thinking of things to throw on the grill, so I have invented Meatloaf Burgers.

Meatloaf Burgers
------------------------
Ground beef
chopped onion
garlic
ginger
warsh
bread crumbs
pepper

mush it all together and make patties, thrown on the BBQ, serve with or without a bun and with ketchup!

HAG Sister BBQ Sauce!

Last minute dinner tonight, chicken breasts and........Katie talked me into making my own BBQ sauce. "Its no big deal, I will get all the stuff out for you and throw it all in a pot and simmer for about 20 minutes". So we did, served with asparagus, twice baked potatoes and Nan bread.

HAG Sister BBQ Sauce
----------------------------
ketchup
apple cider vinegar
brown sugar
molasses
warsh
garlic
ginger
lemon juice
pepper
red pepper flake
whiskey

*put all the above ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer for about 20 minutes until flavors are blended. Can be used for whatever you want. We put it on some "chicken boobies" and put them on the grill.

Doggie Birthday Cake :)

Ok, this is too funny, I had to post it. My parents dog Bird turned 4 yesterday and my mom made her a birthday cake, her puppies are so spoiled :) Mom is so creative, I was actually quite impressed with this recipe for Doggie Birthday Cake. Happy Birthday Bird, I am sure you enjoyed it!

Doggie Birthday Cake
-------------------------
dog food- crushed
bacon (save the grease)
steak
chicken
cheese

Mix the crushed dog food with the bacon grease. Push down in the bottom and side of a pie dish to make a crust. Brown the burger and mix it with the chicken and cheese. Put this filling in the crust and top with the bacon. Serve to doggie on birthday as a treat.

Fruit Dip

I made this fruit dip for Connor's Birthday bash last weekend. Combined a few recipes and came up with this one! I think everyone liked it.

Fruit Dip
-----------
1 1/2 containers vanilla yogurt
1 pkg white chocolate chips
a few strawberries
1/2 tub cool whip

Melt the chips in the microwave until smooth. Let set until room temperature. In the blender mix the yogurt and berries. Add melted chips and blend until smooth. Put in a serving dish and fold in the cool whip.

*Serve with apples, melon, strawberries, bananas!

Camping Eggs

Jake, Boomer and I went camping this weekend with our friends Mere, Mike and their dog Stella. It was a bit of a cold and wet experience but fun too. I got a new cook stove and we cooked up some coffee and eggs to warm up in the morning, they hit the spot!

Camping Eggs
--------------------

Eggs
Tomato
asparagus
onion
ham
Cheese (cheddar, feta ect)
s/p

Crack the eggs in a zip top bag. Chop the tomato, asparagus, onion and ham. Throw it in the bag. Add salt and pepper. Put the bag in your cooler with the cheese in a separate container and go camping. In morning cook up the eggs on the camp stove in a skillet (scrambled), when they are almost done, throw the cheese on top until melted. Serve hot and yummy!

Strawberry Spinach Salad!

This Recipe: Aunt Betty----->Grandma Mary O------>Mom------ME!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mom made this for dinner last weekend when the HAG's came to the Neil cabin on the lake for dinner (and to meet Boomer the puppy), a really run evening and a really yummy dinner thanks to Jean, Wayne and Mom (oh and Dad who contributed the whisky :) Its perfect for right now with all of the spinach and strawberries out in the stores.

Strawberry Spinach Salad
-----------------------------
2 bunches spinach
1 pint fresh strawberries-sliced
1/2 cup sugar
2 T sesame seeds
1 T poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped onion
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 cup vegatable oil or olive oil
1/4 cup cidar vinegar

Spinach and Strawberries in a serving bowl or on individual plates. Place next 6 ingredients in the blender or food processor. With the unit running, add oil and vinegar in a steady stream. Blend until thicked. Drizzle over salad. Serve immediately.

*mom put slivered almonds on the salad too!!

Grandpa Whitman's Banana Bread

I really have no idea who Grandpa Whitman is but my mom always made this version of Banana Bread and I always have to, yummy and good!

1/2 Cup Shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp soda

3 overripe bananas, smashed

1/2 cup nuts

1 cup raisins (optional)

Cream the shortening and sugar. Beat in eggs. Stir dry ingredients together and stir into wet mixture. Add the bananas, mix well. Fold in the nuts and raisins if desired. Bake in a loaf pan at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick in the middle comes out clean.

**Try this: I made this last night and added about 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder to make a Chocolate Banana Bread! Super yummy!!

**Or this: I have also used frozen strawberries or mixed berries mashed in substitute of one or all of the bananas to make "Strawberry Banana Bread" or "Berry Bread", i use about 1/3 cup smashed berries per banana. (good plan when you buy an "on the way out" flat of strawberries at Town and Ghetto :)

Easy Chicken Nuggets

Gonna whip this up for dinner tonight before I head off to my third night in a row. "Easy" is vital for dinner tonight since sleep is more important than a gourmet meal!

Easy Chicken Nuggets
-----------------------
Chicken breasts cut into bit size pieces
Shake and Bake
Garlic powder
Red Pepper
s/p

Mix the spices in with the shake and bake mix in the bag provided. Throw the chicken in and shake. Bake as directed until cooked through. Serve with sweet and sour, ketchup or ranch.

Jake's Cedar Plank Salmon Marinade

Jake and the other Neil boys made cedar plank salmon last weekend for the whole family. You will have to ask them how to make salmon on a cedar plank beyond this maranade because that was the man job :) Jake whipped up this marinade for the fish. (No, that is not a salmon, its a trout.....but it such a good picture of Jake and a fish I had to put it on here)

Jake's Cedar Plank Salmon Marinade
--------------------------------------
lemon juice
lime juice
honey
soy sauce
orange marmalade
lemon zest
garlic
ginger
(I buy the garlic and ginger in the jar/tube)
Pepper

Throw all the ingredients in a large plastic zip top bag and put the salmon in there too. Marinade as long as desired in the fridge before BBQing.

International Night-Costa Rican Chicken

Jake and I went to Costa Rica last month where the fresh pinapple and coffee were to die for, we had so much fun. My friends and I have this rule that if you go somewhere to visit and eat the food you have to host International Night. This is where you have everyone over and show off your pictures as well as try to re-create a meal from the country you were and feed everyone. We did this last week!

When we arrived in Costa Rica we quickly realized pretty much everything there is served with rice and beans so there was little question on what to make for dinner. Most of the chicken served there was served fairly plain so I decided to use some of the flavors that we experienced while there and create a recipe I call Costa Rican Chicken.

Costa Rican Chicken
----------------------
Chicken breasts and/or legs
green pepper
red pepper
onion
garlic
cilantro
1 can diced tomato
cumin
yellow curry
a can of beer (I used red beer from a can)
S (or chicken boulion) and P

Dice peppers and onion. Place in a skillet with some oil and garlic. Saute until tender. Turn the pan off and add some cilantro and stir around a bit. Add half of the mixture to a can of black beans in a casserole dish.

Turn the pan back on adding some more cilantro, the cumin, yellow curry, tomato, beer and salt and pepper to taste (I used chicken boulion powder instead of salt). Reduce for about 10 minutes. Pour over the raw chicken in a separate casserole dish.

Bake the chicken at 350 until cooked through. Put the beans in the oven too until they are warm.

*Dont forget to serve with white rice and maybe a simple ensalada (salad) with oil and vinegar to keep with the Costa Rican theme.

Mothers Day Carrot Cake with Chai Tea Cream Cheese Frosting

This cake was a suggestion from my sister, she has made it for dessert at the Mint Restaurant in Belgrade where she chefs up so much yummy food. She found it on her favorite site: http://www.epicurious.com. This carrot cake is the best one I have ever had, so moist and yummy. As usual I added more spices, I doubled the cinnamon and added nutmeg. The Frosting that my sister and I made up was by far the best part!

Cake

• 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup packed golden brown sugar
• 1/2 cup orange marmalade
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 3 cups (lightly packed) grated peeled carrots
• 3/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Beat eggs, oil, sugars, marmalade and juice in large bowl until blended. Stir in dry ingredients. Fold in carrots and nuts. Divide batter between cake pans. Bake until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer cakes to racks; cool 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks; cool completely.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Carrot-Cake-with-Marmalade-Cream-Cheese-Frosting-1825#ixzz1MU3IYfq9

Chai Tea Cream Cheese Frosting

------------------------------------------------------

8 oz Cream Cheese

1 stick butter

1/4 cup powdered chai tea (I went to a coffee shop downtown to buy it, can use spiced or vanilla)

1 Tbs vanilla

3 to 4 cups powdered sugar

cream the cream cheese and butter in the mixer bowl. Add chai tea and vanilla. Add 3-4 cups powdered sugar until desired texture.

Last Minute Salad Dressing

The girls and I had girls night last weekend and after we all started at the gym and Mere decided we all needed a beer we headed to the new 406 Brewery. Since those beers go straight to my head then we were all just tipsy and really hungry. Lindsey and I stopped for a vegy pizza from Papa Murphys and we headed to my house. I had some leftover salad from the night before but no dressing, solution:

No Fat Citrus Dressing
---------------------------
1/4 onion
garlic
lemon juice
lime juice
honey
orange zest
S & P to taste

Throw it all in the blender and hit go for a few seconds. Toss with greens or leftover salad for a yummy side.

Start Simple and Warm....

Its feezing cold on this May Tuesday in Bozeman. Raining and dreery with the snow line almost back down to the "M". So to warm up and fill up this is what I had for Breakfast:

Yummy Cream of Wheat

Make Cream of wheat in the traditional way
(although when I was a kid my sister and I would ask my mom not to stir it while it was cooking cause we liked it lumpy :)

After its cooked and in your bowl add:

Milk
Chocolate syrup (instead of sugar)
banana
fresh berries

YUM!

Well look who is a Blogger....

Well looks like I have become a blogger, so far so good. I just have to figure out how to share this site with others who might want to check it out and post my first recipe ideas. I think this site is going to make a wonderful replacement for my old fashon recipe cards that are all a disorgainized mess in my pantry that I never use anyway. How fun to just jump on my Blog and find the recipe for whatever it is I forgot how to chef up!