Homemade Twix

Recipe and Photo Courtesy http://annemarie-tastebuds.blogspot.com/

Crust:
1 ¼ c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter; room temp
Caramel:½ c. butter
½ c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
½ c. sweetened condensed milk
Crumble crust ingredients together. Pack into 9x9 inch pan that has been sprayed, lined with foil and sprayed again. Bake on 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.Combine caramel ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly as it burns easily. Remove from heat. Stir with spoon slowly until it shows signs of thickening. Pour over crust and let cool a little.
Top layer:
Melt approximately 1-2 c. chocolate chips with 1 tsp shortening over low heat or in the microwave. Pour over caramel layer and spread carefully. Chill. Cut into bars.

Tami's Granola

Preheat oven to 325.
7 cups oatmeal
2 cups flour (I use wheat, you could use white or half and half)
1/2 cup milled flax seed
1 cup nonfat dry milk
1 cup coconut
1 cup craisins or other dried fruit (Blueberries are yummy)
1 cups almonds

Mix together and set aside.

In blender mix together....
1 cup oil
3/4 cup honey
3-4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp maple flavoring

Blend together and pour into dry ingredients. Mix all together put on cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir/turn over granola. Bake for 15 minutes more. If you like it more crispy you can stir/turn over and bake for another 5-10 minutes. Let cool. Store in covered container.

Cauliflower soup

We tried a new recipe last night. I love soup....I think I could eat it everyday. This recipe is from Pioneer Woman I think that she should be called Super Woman! The recipe with pictures can be found here.

Ingredients
1 stick Butter
½ whole Onion, Finely Diced
1 whole Carrot Finely Diced
1 stalk Celery, Finely Diced
1 whole (to 2 Whole) Cauliflower Heads (roughly Chopped)
2 Tablespoons Fresh Or Dried Parsley (chopped)
2 quarts Low-sodium Chicken Broth Or Stock
6 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
2 cups Whole Milk
1 cup Half-and-half
2 teaspoons To 4 Teaspoons Salt, To Taste
1 cup (heaping) Sour Cream, Room Temperature
Preparation Instructions
In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes, or until it starts to turn brown. Add the carrots and celery and cook an additional couple of minutes. Add cauliflower and parsley and stir to combine. Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, pour in chicken stock or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer.
In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Mix the flour with the milk and whisk to combine. Add flour-milk mixture slowly to the butter, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup half-and-half. Add mixture to the simmering soup. Allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper if necessary.
Just before serving, place the sour cream in a serving bowl or soup tureen. Add two to three ladles of hot soup into the tureen and stir to combine with the sour cream. Pour in remaining soup and stir.
Serve immediately.

Orange Cranberry Bread

The other night mom gave me some orange pulp left over from juicing some yummy orange juice. I came up with this recipe, it is really yummy. I will give regular ingredients and healthier substitutions.

3 Eggs (3 tbsp. Milled Flax mixed with 3 tbsp. water)
1 cup oil (1 cup natural no sugar added applesauce)
2 cups Sugar (I think that it would be good with less sugar, or to use a sweetener such as splenda. Note that when using a sweetener the bread will not brown the same)
3 cups Orange pulp (the pulp from moms juicer was fairly dry so I did 2 cups pulp mixed with 1 cup water)
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Baking soda
1/4 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup cranberries ( used dried, but fresh would be much better)

Beat eggs, oil and sugar until light and fluffy. Add orange pulp and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients except cranberries. When mixed well fold in cranberries. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake @ 350* for 1 hour.

NAUGHTY FUDGE!

3 sticks of butter
1 can evaporated(to make yourself see below)
6 cups sugar
2 12oz. pkg semi sweet choc. chips or 4 Cups
2 small jars marshmallow fluff (if you can find it in your state, I used jet puffed marshmallow cream)
2 tsp. vanilla


Use a 4 3/4 qt. nonstick frying pan (I used stainell steel, worked just fine). It fits perfect when it boils. If you have a smaller pan cut the recipe in half.
Melt butter w/ evaporated milk. Take off heat. Add sugar and mix with wooden spoon. Put back on stove.
Cook on medium-when it comes to a full boil set the timer for 4 min. and cook on low. Stir constantly. Take off stove and add choc. chips. Stir until blended. I put mixture in a big Thasta bowl or my mixer and it doesn't melt. Beat first on low for 30 seconds. Always scrap sides. Take lid off fluff and microwave for 15 sec. each. Add fluff and beat. Add vanilla and beat for awhile until its real shiny.
Line a cookie sheet with extra wide heavy duty foil. Pour fudge in and cool on the counter. Refrigerate. I usually put it in the freezer.
Cut when cold or frozen.- Grab the tinfoil and take out of the cookie sheet. Place on the counter. Use a metal veggie scraper to cut it into squares. Push the tin foil up from the bottom and the squares will come apart. Freezes very well. Stays good in the fridge forever because there is so much sugar.
evaporated milk
1 C hot water
1/2 t. oil
1/4 t. honey
1/4 C non-instant(church) powdered milk or 1/2 C instant powdered milk
Stir together. Makes one can evaporated milk which is 1 1/2 C.

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Okay, so I must give credit to Julie for this recipe because she gave it to me when I got married. It is one of our faves, but we don't make them often because they are not very figure friendly. But the yumminess (if that is a word) totally makes you forget how un-healthy they are.

2 boxes chocolate cake mix (I like to use devil's food)

1 1/4 cup butter

2 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

Mix together until a soft dough forms. Roll out about 1/4 in thick and cut into small circles. (I use champagne flutes as my cookie cutters, they are the perfect size) Bake at 350* for 10 minutes. Cool on paper bags.

Filling:

3 1/2 cups powder sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup butter

8 oz. cream cheese

Cream together until a thick icing forms. Spread icing on the bottom side of the cookie and stick two cookies together. We were in a goofy picture taking mood.

Rolled Buttercream Fondant Icing

1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioners' sugar

In a large bowl, stir together the shortening and corn syrup. Mix in the salt and vanilla flavoring, then gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar until it is a stiff dough. If you are using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment. (I used my Bosch and it was so fast!) Otherwise, knead by hand. If the dough is sticky, knead in more confectioners' sugar until it is smooth. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator. (I mixed it all then separated into how much I thought I would need for each color and then colored it by kneading the color in by hand)

To use, roll out on a clean surface that has been dusted with confectioners' sugar until it is 1/8 inch thick or thinner if you can. Drape over frosted and chilled cakes and smooth the sides down, or cut into strips to make bows and other decorations.

Food Storage

Janae and I have been working to perfect our food storage spread sheets. A friend of mine just told me about this website that has a great 10 step program for building your food storage as well as a fabulous spread she that is everything that I have wanted mine to be and then some. I am so excited to get this filled out and customized to my family. I hope that it will help you all too.

Tami's Minestrone

1 lb. ground beef or sausage
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed veggies
32 oz. chicken broth
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 14 oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup yellow or white onion, chopped
3/4 cup Ditalini/salad pasta
1 T. Thyme

Brown beef or sausage with garlic salt and Italian seasoning. Set aside.
Combine veggies, broth, tomatoes, beans, onion and thyme in a large pot. Bring to a boil, add pasta and cook until tender. Add ground beef to warm through.

Asian Beef Stir-fry

8 oz uncooked Spaghetti
1 lb lean steak; sliced in 2 in strips, 1/8 in thick
1/8 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
3 cloves Garlic
1 Red Onion sliced
4 Celery Stalks, sliced
1/4 head cabbage or nappa cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup Soy Sauce

Prepare spaghetti according to directions on package; drain and set aside.
Lightly coat a large skillet or wok with cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, stir-fry red pepper flakes and garlic for one minute. Add the steak strips to the skillet, stir-fry just until no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Remove steak from skillet and set aside.
Lightly re-coat the skillet with cooking spray. Stir-fry onion and celery until tender, about 5 minutes. Add cabbage and cook until crisp-tender.
Return steak to skillet. Add Soy sauce; mix gently and heat through.

Pumpkin Bread

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 cups solid pack pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 cups white sugar
2/3 cup water
4 eggs

Grease and flour three 7 x 3 inch pans. Preheat oven to 350*.
Measure flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and spices into a large bowl. Stir to blend. Add pumpkin, water, oil, eggs and nuts. Beat until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake for approximately one hour.

Porcupine Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef
1 egg slightly beaten
1/4 cup uncooked rice
2 T. finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 10 1/3 oz. can tomato soup
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce

Whisk together egg, salt, pepper, rice, onion, and 1/4 cup tomato soup. Add meat and mix thoroughly. Shape into approximately 20 small balls. Place balls in a skillet over medium heat.
Mix together remaining soup, water and worcestershire sauce. Pour soup mixture over meatballs. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes. Stir often.

Tami's Chicken Noodle Soup

Whole Chicken
2-3 medium carrots, chopped
2-3 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 medium onion chopped
1 1/2-2 cups dry egg noodles (about two large handfuls)
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 bay leaves
Additional broth may be needed. I usually add 1-2 cans Swanson Broth

Place whole chicken in a large pot, season with salt and pepper. Cover chicken with water and add bouillon and bay leaves. Bring water to a boil and cook until chicken is no longer pink. (about 45 mins.) Remove chicken from pot and set aside. Place strainer in a bowl and pour cooking liquid/broth through to remove any bits from cooking and bay leaves. Return broth to pot.
While chicken is cooking chop vegetables. Add vegetables to broth and bring to a boil. Once broth is boiling add dry noodles.
Remove chicken from bones and shred. When noodles are nearly cooked through add about 1 cup shredded chicken and heat through. Enjoy!

Dinner Rolls

I made these last night and they are soooo yummy and easy. My friend asked for the recipe so I thought I would post it since I was going to be typing it up anyway.

3+ cups flour (I like to use bread flour)
1/2 cup powdered milk
1/4 cup potato flour
3 Tbsp yeast
3 cups warm water
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup canola oil
3 eggs (slightly beaten)
2 Tbsp salt

Mix together flour, milk and yeast. Add water, honey, oil, eggs and salt. Continue to add extra flour until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl, but not from the bottom. Dough will be sticky. Knead on a low speed for 5 minutes. Put in a large greased bowl and let rise until double in size.

Shape into golf ball size balls. Place 24 rolls on a parchment lined cookie sheet (I idn't have parchment so I just sprayed the cookie sheet with cooking oil). Brush with and egg white wash (one egg white thinned with water). Rise until doubled. Bake at 350* for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.