Apricot Chicken

From Mormon Pantry Cookbook- Debbie G Harman

Apricot Chicken
6 medium chicken breast
1 1/2 C apricot jam
1/3 C lemon juice
1 tsp nutmeg
Salt & Pepper to your liking

Place chicken in casserole dish. Mix jam, lemon, &nutmeg. Sprinkle salt & pepper over chicken. Spread jam sauce over chicken. Cover with foil. Bake @ 375 for 45 minutes. Remove foil, bake an additional 15 minutes. Serve with rice.

What I changed/added: I use chicken tenders, it absorbs the flavor better. I just fill the bottom up, with a few on top, and everything else the same. I also put some pineapple rings on top. Really Yummy! It also works great in a crock pot. Nice and tender, the chicken just falls apart.
Enjoy!

Hot Carrot Pasta

I got this from a friend, It's SO yummy!

Hot Carrot Pasta

2 1/2 C sliced carrots
1/4 C chopped onion
1/2 C butter ( I use about 6 T and it works just as good)
1 lb bag pasta
1/4 C minced or chopped parsley
 1/2 C parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Saute` carrots and onions in butter until tender but not browned. Add salt and pepper. Cook pasta and drain. Add pasta, parsley, and parmesan to cooked carrots. Toss and serve

What I added: I like to  add Chicken to it as well. I use about 2 breast. But you can use whatever you think. I dice up the chicken into bit size pieces. Then marinate it for a couple hours with 2 T of Balsamic Vinaigrette. I cook that first. Then I start the Carrots, Onions and butter. After a few minutes I start the pasta. That way its all done at about the same time.  And it makes a lot. Rob and I can use it for 3 meals. So I guess...6 servings about. Hope you like it!

Lorin and Debbie like to double the carrots and onions. And they add a little more butter too.

Cheese Cake

I finally called Megan Grant and got this recipe.  And I learned it was Aunt Kathy's. ( I can't remember if that's how you spell her name or not.) This took me a good part of the day, so there are a lot of pictures, I figured that might help. Here we go!

Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/4 C graham crackers crushed. Usually about one pack. Not box...pack.

1/4 C sugar

5-6 T butter melted

Mix together press into pan or shell.

Bake @ 375 for 6-8 minutes, or until browned. Then cool.

Aunt Kathy's Cheese Cake

Filling

2 pks. cream cheese 8 oz

1/2 C sugar

Mix then add:

1 sour cream 16 oz

2 eggs beaten

1 tsp vanilla

Beat well then pour onto crust.

Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes. Let cool

( I left it in the oven for about an hour, that usually helps cheese cakes in general set up better)

Topping

1 sour cream 16 oz

2 T sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Mix then pour onto cool pie.

Bake @ 350 for an additional 5 minutes. Let cool and put in fridge to chill.

Here's a couple more pictures of the finished product. I used an actual pie pan thing where the outside comes off. A regular pie tin is too small. And you probably don't have to use tin foil, I just experimented with it.

Mom's Granola

Mom's (Wendy) Granola  from Aunt Gerry Martin

Mix together in a bowl:
6 C quick oats or rolled oats
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C or more Chopped nuts ( Mom uses slivered almonds. I've been using sliced almonds. Rob like them too)

Combine in separate bowl and pour over oat mix:
1/2 C cooking oil
1 T vanilla
1/2 C water

Stir together till coated evenly.
Spread mixture onto a jelly roll cookie sheet.
Bake @ 250 for 1 1/2 hours. Flip/stir half way through.

Alison's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Alison Kellogg's Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 c sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
1 c shortening or butter (not margarine)
2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Bake @ 350 for 10 minutes

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen. Alison doubles for her kids

Homemade OREO's

Santa's favorite cookie......Homemade OREO's!

(at least it was at our house this year)

Making cookies for Santa and setting them out on Christmas Eve, in anticipation that he would surely eat them when he came, was always an exciting part of the magic for me as a young child. And now, as much as Santa doesn't NEED the cookies... they are certainly enjoyed in a much more tummy filling way! Santa enjoyed this cookie during his busy work at our house.....all was quite late that night, the bright lights of the tree warmed the house and only 2 sets of feet were scurrying about.

This Christmas season.....these cookies have been a favorite at our house but they aren't only for Christmas time.  They are so moist and the filling really tastes much like the real Oreo filling.

The cookie:

2 boxes devils food cake mix

4 eggs

1 ¼ cup butter (melted)

Mix all together. Drop by little spoonfuls onto cookie sheet.

Bake 350 for 7-8 minutes. Cookie is suppose to be soft.

Allow to cool. Then frost and sandwich together into a cookie.

Frosting…(much like the Oreo filling)

½ cup room-temperature, unsalted butter

½ cup vegetable shortening

4 cups sifted powdered sugar

4 tsps vanilla extract

*you can also use a cream cheese frosting instead, which is super yummy too.

*this recipe makes alot. You could easily cut it in half, you'd also want to cut the frosting in half too. But once you start eating em' you will surely wish you had just made the whole recipe! 

Summer said they made these then rolled the edges in smashed candy cane. I bet they were delicious and looked so pretty.

Debbie's Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice-Krispie's

Okay, so I had these for the first time at Debbie's house for Kammy's bridal shower, if I remember the occasion correctly. They were so yummy. She cut them up into these cute, dainty little squares. One was definitely not enough but the bite size was just perfect for enjoying a little at a time! The butterscotch hidden in the chocolate makes your taste buds say....umm, I want another!

These things take rice-krispy treats to a whole new level of yumminess! If you haven't had them....you must try them, the next time you are in the mood for a treat.

Debbie Kellogg’s Chocolate Peanut butter Rice-Krispies

1 cup corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter

6 cups rice krispies

Place corn syrup and sugar in a pot on stove. Cook till sugar is dissolved (just till boiling). Then add peanut butter. Take off stove and add rice-krispy’s and mix together. Pour into a 9x13 pan

1 cup milk chocolate chips (or substitute white chocolate chips)

1 cup butterscotch chips

Melt chips together in microwave for 1 minute. Stir and if needed put back in microwave for 10 seconds at a time till chocolate is melted, stirring between. Then spread over top of rice-krispy mixture.

Let stand till chocolate is set, then cut into squares and enjoy.

Peanut Brittle

Brittle

Grandma Bernice Kellogg's

[If thermometer boils at 210 deg. Cook to 304 deg.]

3 C. sugar

1 ¼ C. lite Karo

1 C. water

2 T. butter

Mix together and set aside next 3:

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. Baking soda

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 ¾ C. raw peanuts OR 2 C. wide raw coconut & ½ C. raw cashews

Marble Slab or counter at room temperature (buttered)

Put sugar, karo, water & butter in a heavy pan. Stir to dissolve sugar before it boils.

Wash sides of the pan down with pastry brush and water. Do this as you are stirring the sugar mixture while it is cooking to stop any crystals from forming – very important.

Cook to 244 deg. And add peanuts OR cook to 284 deg. And add coconut & cashews.

Then cook to 304 deg. Remove from heat. Stir in salt mixture. Pour on buttered surface. Pull thin as possible. (Optional: turn to keep nuts covered).

Cool break apart! Yum

Lemony Lemon Bars

Ummm, refreshing, tart yet sweet....

 Picture Courtesy of….Clara.  Yes, that is my Christmas Tree in Bokah in the background! It’s Christmas!

Something about Lemons reminds me of home and Christmastime. Picking them off of Uncle Jims tree and then making lemon bars. The dusting of powdered sugar on top was inevitably inhaled to quickly as you’d take that first bite, forcing you to slow down to enjoy these delicate bars the way they should be. If I recall…..I do believe these are one of Dad’s favorite desserts, another reason we made them, for Dad.

I haven’t made these in forever it seems. Just yesterday as I was brainstorming another treat to make for Christmas goodie plates…..Lemon Bars came to mind! They sounded so yummy and no doubt…..the end product was a refreshing new tart mixed with sweet flavor, for this holiday season after having so much chocolate.

Just look at them….I can almost taste them through the picture. That gooey yellow center…. oh. SO. YUMMY! I took them out of the oven a little sooner than it says but I actually think I like’d it better this way, with a soft, gooey center. A little messier but so refreshingly yummo!

So try these delightful treats, if you haven’t lately…..from Mom Kellogg’s recipe box.

Lemony Lemon Bars

Crust:

1 cup soft butter

½ cup powdered sugar

2 cups of flour

Dash of salt

Combine and mix well. Press into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, until nicely browned.

Filling:

4 eggs, beaten (not whipped)

2 cups sugar

¼ cup flour

6 T. lemon juice (Fresh lemon juice is yummy if you have a lemon tree like Mom and Dad, or Uncle Jim. But store bought lemon juice works good too.)

Mix well and pour into slightly cooled crust. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Cool and sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar.

*I used parchment paper lined in the pan. Makes it so nice to remove from pan and then cut into squares. I LOVE PARCHMENT PAPER, when it comes to baking!

Christmas Cranberry Relish

I had this gorgeous looking appeitzer/dip at our Ward Relief Society Christmas Dinner this year. I was at first, hesitant but just one bite and I was hooked! So festive and rich color for Christmas. This is a sweet and spicy to your desire. Amazing how cranberries could become so sweetly yummy! So, give it a try as you gather with family! You too, may like it!

 Picture courtesy of.... your very own, Clara Photography :)

1 12oz bag of fresh cranberries
1 c sugar
4-5 green onions (*I used white and green part of onions)
cilantro (about 2/3 of a bunch or about 1/4 cup chopped)
2 seeded jalapenos (*I used just one, to be mild enough for my kids. But 2 would add more spice and be yummy if you like....I liked it with 2!)
2 8oz packages of cream cheese (*use 1 at a time, unless feeding a big crowd)
crackers (*prefer Wheat Thins, other crackers break easy but can still be used…like Town House or Ritz)

Rinse cranberries and pat dry. Place in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to mixing bowl. I chopped the green onions, cilantro, and jalapenos until very fine, but next time I will try them in the food processor, too. Combine veggies with cranberries, then add sugar, and mix well. Refrigerate at least an hour for flavors to mix. Serve over a block of cream cheese at room temp. or soft enough so cracker doesn't break when scooping. Enjoy!!

*Clara’s notes. Made for Jordan Family Christmas party 2011. I loved the flavor combination and my kids ate it too!