French Silk Pie

I made this yummy pie for Thanksgiving from my BHG Cookbook.  I don't think it's quite as good as a Marie Calendar's Chocolate Silk, but it's pretty good.

1 baked pastry shell (use a Marie Calendar's size -- so the small kind)
1 C whipping cream
1 C semisweet chocolate pieces
1/3 C butter
1/3 C sugar
2 egg yolks, beaten
3 T whipping cream

1.  In a medium heavy saucepan combine the 1 C whipping cream, chocolate pieces, butter, and sugar. Cook over low, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted (about 10 min.).  Remove from heat.  Gradually stir half the hot mixture into the egg yolks.  Return egg mixture to chocolate mixture in saucepan.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is slightly thickened and begins to bubble (about 5 min.).  Remove from heat (may appear slightly curdled).  Stir in the 3 T cream.  Place saucepan in a bowl of ice water, stirring occasionally, until the mixture stiffens and becomes hard to stir (about 20 minutes) [mine never got really hard to stir, and I let it chill for 30-40 min.].

2.  Transfer the chocolate mixture to a medium mixing bowl [I just left mine in my pan].  Beat with an electric mixer on high for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Spread in pastry shell. Chill 5-24 hours.  Top with whipped cream when ready to serve.

Country Harvest Stuffing

My friend, Winona made this fantastic stuffing for Thanksgiving.  You could really eat it as a main dish!

• 4 cups each 1-inch cubed French bread and prepared cornbread
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 pound well-spiced turkey or sweet Italian pork sausage, bulk or links (casings removed), broken into clumps
• 1 cup chopped red onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons dried sage leaves, crumbled
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup pitted prunes, quartered
• 1 cup defatted chicken broth

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper to taste. Spread the bread cubes on two baking sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly toasted, shaking pans occasionally. Return to the bowl.

2. Brown the sausage in a heavy pan over medium heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the sausage to the bowl, discarding any fat. Place the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the pan and sauté the onions, celery, garlic, and sage over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until wilted, stirring often. Combine with the bread cubes, cranberries, pecans, and prunes.

3. Drizzle the broth over the mixture to moisten as desired, then toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Bake, covered with aluminum foil, in an oven-to-table dish at 350°F for 30 to 45 minutes. Serve from the dish.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Country-Harvest-Stuffing-350870#ixzz1f8pXMi00

Make Your Own Salad Supreme

I can't even tell you how many times I've wanted to make a recipe and couldn't because I didn't have any Salad Supreme!  Duh!  I Googled it and of course there's a recipe on Food.com:

• 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon poppy seed
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 1 dash cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons romano cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well.
2. Store in a sealable container in the fridge.

Caramel Apple Dip

Image from Food.com

I had half a can of sweetened condensed milk left over and thought I could make some caramel apple dip with it.  I found this recipe on Food.com.  Holy cow.  This stuff is good!!!

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt

Directions:

1. Place butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and condensed milk in a saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar, about 5 minutes.**
2. Stir un the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Pour into a serving bowl.
4. Serve with sliced, cored apples.

**I boiled mine for 2-5 minutes (I wasn't really paying attention), stirring occasionally, to make it thicker.

Our son didn't like the cinnamon in it, but ha! more for us!!  I'm terrible at carameled apples, but now I'm a pro at caramel apple dip!

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

1 large chicken breast

1 Tbs butter

3 garlic cloves

2 c. milk

3 oz (1/3 c) cream cheese

2 Tbs flour

1 tsp salt (I did less, prob 3/4 tsp)

1 c grated parmesan cheese

2 large broccoli chunks

Fettuchini noodles

First, in a blender, blend the milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt.

Cut chicken into chunks and cook until done in a large fry pan. Add butter and garlic. Saute about 30 sec. over med-high heat.

Add the milk mixture to the cooked chicken, then broccoli. Stir often and simmer 3-4 min. until thick. Cook a few minutes longer until broccoli is tender.

Remove pan from heat. Add cheese. Stir in, then cover. Let stand 10 min.

Serve over fettuchini noodles.

WE LOVE THIS!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!

I got this recipe from Our Best Bites (surprise?) but I just added the chicken and broccoli to it. It's called "guiltless alfredo sauce." I don't think it's really guiltless, but at least you don't use cream in it to make it good!

Winger's Sticky Fingers

6 Tyson frozen breaded chicken tenders (I made my own*)

1 cup oil

Sauce: (enough to coat about 6 tenders)

3 Tbs Frank's Hot Sauce (It has to be Frank's)

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbs water

Heat hot sauce, brown sugar and water in a medium saucepan until sugar dissolves. Meanwhile, heat 1 cup oil in medium skillet. Add 2-3 tenders at a time, cooking about 3 minutes per side or until crispy. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and continue with remaining tenders. When they are all cooked, put tenders in a tupperware bowl with the sauce and shake until completely coated. Serve with additional sauce and Ranch. Note: If you want their creamy amazing dressing, just mix the sauce with Ranch. *Double the sauce recipe if you like extra.

*I just bought chicken tenders, dipped them in milk and rolled in corn flake crumbs. Then baked on a cookie sheet at 425 for about 15-20 min.

So the first night we just had the chicken and sauce and it was very good! The second time I made it as a rice bowl. I just sauted an onion, carrot, red/green pepper in a little oil, then added broccoli. We put it over rice with the sauce on top. Plus some chow mein noodles. Way yummy! I can't remember what the Winger's ones actually taste like, but we sure like these! And yes they are a bit spicy! (NOT FOR DAD :)

The Best Caramel Corn

3 qt popped popcorn

1 c firmly packed brown sugar

½ c butter

½ c light corn syrup

½ t salt

½ t vanilla

½ t baking soda

Pour the popcorn into a large roasting pan (don't forget to take out the unpopped kernals) and place in 250º F oven. In heavy 2 qt saucepan stir next 4 ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Without stirring, boil 5 min. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and baking soda. Pour over warm pop corn and stir to coat. Bake in 250º F oven, stirring occasionally (I stir every 15 min.) , for 1 hr. Cool, break apart. Make 4 qt. or more (see below).

I pop two batches of air popped corn and it turns out to be just the right amount for us.

Orange Teriyaki Salmon

Orange Teriyaki Salmon
Recipe by Becca Smith for Ourbestbites.com

*This makes quite a bit of marinade. You could definitely get away with a little more fish in there, or even half the recipe for smaller portions. (I did one pound of salmon and halved the marinade recipe. There was still a ton! You could probably do 2 pounds salmon and still half the marinade, or at least 1 1/2 lbs salmon....Chad even liked it! Hyrum really liked it...I really liked it! Try it!!!) Look here http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/07/orange-teriyaki-salmon/ to see their beautiful picture.

about 2 pounds salmon; one large filet or 2 smaller ones

3/4 C orange marmalade
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 C orange juice
3 Tbs bottled teriyaki sauce
6 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs worshershire sauce
2 Tbs vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (I just did about 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
1 Tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1/8 tsp ground red pepper, or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
several cracks black pepper
2 Tbs chopped dry onion, or 1/4 C minced fresh onion (I did about 1/4 tsp onion powder)
3 Tbs dry parsley or about 1/2 C fresh

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Layer a piece of heavy duty foil over a large baking sheet Lay on one more sheet in the opposite direction, leaving about 8″ of overhang on all sides.

Place marmalade and butter in a small microwave safe bowl and heat for about 30 seconds, or until butter is melted. Whisk until smooth. Combine this mixture with all ingredients (except fish) in a bowl and stir until smooth. Rinse salmon in cold water and pat dry. Place skin side down on baking sheet. Pour marinade over fish.

Starting from one end, gather the foil overhang together and roll them together to seal a tent-like pouch. Bake in oven for about 25 minutes. Fish should be opaque and flake easily with a fork. Test fish and return pan to oven for an additional 5-10 minutes if necessary. Serve salmon with sauce spooned over top.

Grill instructions: Preheat gas grill to 325. Place foil pouch on upper rack if you have one, or on indirect heat on the main rack. Follow the same baking instructions as if it were in the oven.

Fish can also be cooked in a foil tent over a camp fire. Season the fish as desired (you can also add a couple of tablespoons of water to help it steam in the hot fire) and close up your foil tent. Nestle your foil pouch into the glowing embers where the heat isn’t as intense as the flames. Cooking time may vary depending on the size and variety of fish, so check it after 10 minutes. If it’s not done, check at 2-3 minute intervals after that.