Apple Turnovers

1 Large Apple
2 Fridge Crescent Roll THings
1/2 Cup of Butter
1 Cup Sugar
Cinnamon
12 oz Can of Mt. Dew

1. Melt butter with sugar and let boil on stove fr one minute
2. peel and slice apple and foll one apple slice in a cresecent roll triangle
3. arrange in pan then pour sugar mixture on top. Top with cinnamon
4. Pour Mountain Dew Around the edge of the pan.
5. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes

Tacos Sudados

Olga's Mexican Rice is also pictured here

A warning about this recipe. I received this recipe from a member in the Spanish Branch I served in while serving my mission. She worked at a local Taquillera in the area. When she wrote it down, she never gave me how much of each ingredient you need. These are all approximate based on me making this taco meat a few times. I have in my memory what the final consistency should look like and that's what I go off of. After eating quite a bit of Mexican food on my mission, I know what the beef should taste like as well. Unfortunately, you can't climb in my head see her pot on the stove or recall what I taste. One of these days I will actually take a picture after I make her meat her way and not a combo of her way and how my family makes it.  

1 Lbs Ground Beef

1 Coarse Chopped Potato

1 Coarse Chopped Carrot (not baby Carrot, normal Carrot)

1 Tsp. Cumin

½ Tsp. Pepper

1 Tsp. Garlic Salt

1 tsp. Chili Powder

1 Chopped Onion

2 Tbl. Ketchup

1 Tbl. Tomato or Beef Bullion

1.      Brown Ground Beef with potatoes and carrots. Add Onion.
2.      Add spices according to taste
3.      Simmer until ready to serve.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

2lbs Flour (~8 Cups)

1 Tbl. Salt

2 Tbl. Baking Powder

Lard or unflavored Shortening

Boiling Water

1.  Mix all dry ingredients together thoroughly
2.    Add enough lard to make flour mixture into a fine sand-like consistency
3.      Slowly add boiling water to make dough wet.
4.      Make 1 1/2inch balls and let stand for a few minutes.
5.      Roll ball flat by rolling once up and once down on a lightly floured surface. Turn over dough and rotate 90°. Roll once up and down and rotate 90° roll once up and down. Turn over dough and rotate 90°. Roll once up and down and rotate 90° roll once up and down. This will make perfectly round tortillas with practice. Roll until ~1/8 inch thick. The thinner the better since they fluff up when they cook.

 6.     Cook over med low heat. Keep the tortillas moving while on the heat so they don’t overcook and dry out. Flip the tortillas to cook both sides. Cover tortillas while cooking the rest so they stay dry.

Makes about 2-3 dozen 8” tortillas

Easy French Dip Sandwiches

Need an Easy Dinner?

1- 6 Count bag of Sub Rolls
1 Lbs. Deli Roast Beef
Butter
1 package Au Jus

1.) Make Au Jus according to directions
2.) Add  Roast beef and simmer on Low until meat is warm
3.) Butter Sub Rolls and broil until lightly brown.
4.) Place Au Jus in small dipping cup or mug and serve sandwiches.

Spaghetti Sauce

I know everyone has their favorite sauce but this is how I learned to make Spaghetti Sauce.

4-8oz Tomato Sauce Cans or 1 Jar Prego Sauce

1 Large Boiling Pot 

Oregano

Sugar

Garlic Salt

1 Lbs. Ground Beef (Optional)

1/2 Chopped white onion (they make you cry less, Walla Walla's don't make you cry at all)

1.      1. Brown Ground Beef with onions if meat is wanted 

            2. Add Tomato sauce. Add onions if you are not adding meat.

3.      3. Make 3 passes over the pot sprinkling Oregano over sauce. (I think it is about 2 tsp, but I don’t know).

4.      4. Do one pass over of Garlic Salt and two light passes of sugar.

5.      5. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. If you have one of those cool screens, put it over the pot so you don’t have sauce everywhere.

Lasagna Rolls

While on my mission, Sister Lake would take me and my companions out to Olive Garden about once a month for lunch. I would always order Lasagna Rolls. Unfortunately it was a "limited time offer" ie "we are going to try a new menu item and if people like it we will add it to the menu". I was disappointed a few months ago when I went to the Olive Garden and it was no longer available. What did I expect, it had been two years since I last visited the Olive Garden. About two months ago I finally had all the ingredients I needed to make my version of lasagna rolls. Granted mine had marinara sauce and no chicken like the Olive Garden's did, but that doesn't matter. I had an easy freezer meal for work.

1 box of Lasagna Noodles

1 16 oz Ricotta cheese

1 Egg

1 Garlic clove chopped finely or 1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp Parsley

1 tsp. Basil

1 Jar Spaghetti Sauce*

2 cups Grated Mozzarella Cheese

2 tsp Oregano

Parmesan Cheese
1 lbs. Ground beef

1.      Preheat oven to 375°F

2.      Cook Lasagna Noodles according to directions on packaging. Cool on wax or parchment paper.

3.      While noodles are cooking prepare ricotta cheese mixture by mixing ricotta cheese, egg, garlic, parsley and basil in a small bowl. Add 1 tbsp. parmesan cheese.

4.      Heat Spaghetti Sauce, add browned meat if desired

5.      When noodles are cooled enough to handle, spread a thin layer of ricotta cheese over the noodle except for 1 ½ inches on one end, lightly spread tomato sauce on top and cover with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Roll the noodle up like a sleeping bag from the end of the noodle that has cheese to the end that is missing cheese. By the time you get to the end “missing cheese”, enough of the mixture has pushed its way to the end.

6.      Line up rolls in 9x13 greased pan. Cover rolls with remaining sauce then cheese. Top with basil. Cover with aluminum foil and cook in oven for 45-60 minutes or until the rolls in the middle are cooked thoroughly. Remove foil for last 5-10 minutes.

I let the rolls cool for a while then placed 2 rolls in ziplock bags for storage in my freezer so I had homemade freezer dinners for work.

*See Spaghetti Sauce Post for recipe

Chicken Crescent Rolls

1 Lbs Chicken Cubed

¼ C Melted Butter

4 oz Cream Cheese softened

2 x 1 tsp Italian Seasoning

2 x ½ Tsp Garlic Salt

1 tsp. Pepper

1-3 Tbsp. Milk

¼ Cup Chopped Onion

2 Cans Crescent Rolls

1 Cup Bread Crumbs

1.)    Combine chicken, butter, cream cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, pepper, milk and onion (I use a Kitchen aid) until smooth.

2.)    Pat two crescent rolls together flat into the shape of the rectangle. Place filling onto half of the dough. Cover the filling with the other half of the dough. Press closed.

3.)    Mix the other half of garlic salt, Italian Seasoning, and bread crumbs together. Roll the crescents in  bread crumbs.

4.)    Bake at 350 for 15 minutes until golden brown. Serve with cream of chicken soup as a gravy.

Ravioli & Vegetables w/ Pesto

2 Tsp. olive or vegetable oil
8oz green beans (1 1/2)
1 Med. Yellow Pepper
3 Tbl. Basil Pesto
3 Roma (Plumb) Tomatoes (1/2, 1 C)
1/2 tsp. Salt
16oz Frozen Cheese Filled Ravioli or Tortellini

2 Tsp. Grated Lemon Peel
Lemon juice from lemon.

1.) In 12-inch nonstick skillet heat oil over medium heat. Cook green beans and bell pepper in oil about 5 minutes stirring frequently until tender-crisp. Stir in tomatoes and salt. Cook 3 minutes.

2.) Meanwhile cook ravioli as directed on package. In small bowl, mix basil pesto, lemon peel, lemon juice and sour cream (optional).

3.) Drain ravioli, return to saucepan. Toss ravioli, vegetable mixture and sour cream mixture.

Tortellini w/ potato roll on the side.

Potato Refrigerator Roll Dough

These are the rolls that I grew up with. My mom made these every Thanksgiving. I love them to death.

These may not be the prettiest rolls, but boy are they yummy.

Ingredients:
1 small Package Dry Yeast (2.5 tsp. yeast)-SAF is best
1 ½ C. Warm Water (about 110*)
1 C. Unseasoned Mashed Potatoes
2/3 C. Sugar
2/3 C. Shortening
2 Eggs
1 ½ tsp. Salt
6-7 cups All purpose Flour (or 1 cup less when using bread flour)

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl with some sugar. Stir in potatoes, sugar shortening, eggs, salt and 3 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough of the remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. (like a tumble routine to the dough). Cover bowl tightly; refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 5 days.

Punch down dough;

Casseroles: (these are the ones that I usually make)
Shape ¼ of the dough into 1” balls. Place into a lightly greased round layer pan (9x1.5”) Brush with softened margarine or butter. Let rise 1 hour. Heat oven to 400*. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen rolls.

Crescent Rolls:
Roll ¼ of the Ref. dough into a 12” circle on a floured surface. Spread with softened margarine. Cut into 16 wedges (I usually omit the margarine and just do 8 wedges). Roll up tightly, beginning at the outer rounded edges, stretching dough as it is rolled. Place rolls with points underneath on greased cookie sheet; curve slightly. Brush with margarine. Let rise 1 hour. Heat oven to 400* (mine works best at 375*) bake for 15 minutes. Makes about 16 rolls for each ¼ of dough used. (or 8, in my case.)

Egg Rolls

My mom used to make these all the time when I was little for dinner. I loved them so much. They are really easy to make.

Not the prettiest picture in the world I know. Hard to tell they are egg rolls, but you know the idea.

1 Package of Egg Roll Wrappers (usually found by the bags of salad)
2 Cups Bean Sprouts
2 Large Carrots-Shredded
5-10 leaves of Bok Choi Cabbage-diced
1/2 Med. Onion-Diced
Garlic Salt
Soy Sauce
Salt and Pepper
Cooking Oil

1 Lbs Ground Beef/Pork (optional)

Brown ground beef or Pork into small "bulbs"

Briefly cook bean sprouts, carrots, bok choi with garlic salt, soy sauce, salt, pepper and onion. Let cool. Add meat if desired.

Place a small amount of mixture in the center of a wrap and roll (most packages show you how to roll the wraps.) seal the edges with water. Fry in oil until slightly golden brown on all sides. If serving as a main meal, plan on 4-5 rolls per person.

Variation: Mozzarella sticks
When I was little, my mom would stick half a mozzarella string cheese stick in some of the wrappers instead of the veggies. I always thought it was really yummy.

Sweet and Sour Chicken/Meatballs

I found the Sweet and Sour Sauce on Food Network a while ago when I wanted to make some sweet and sour meatballs for a party. I changed it up a little and made the Sweet and Sour Chicken.

1 bag of Popcorn Chicken or Meatballs
2/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tbs. Cornstarch
1 Can Pineapple Chunks-Save Juice
1 Small Green Pepper-Diced
1 Small Red Pepper-Diced
6 Green Onions-Diced
1/2 Medium Onion-Diced
2 Tbs. Soy Sauce
2/3 Cup Cider Vinegar

Stove top/Oven version:
Cook Popcorn Chicken/meatballs according to package directions. For best results make sure the outside is crisp.

Sauce:
In a Med Saucepan add brown sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, pineapple juice and soy sauce together. Stir until cornstarch and brown sugar are dissolved. Then turn on heat and bring to a boil.

Combine chicken, sauce, peppers, onions and pineapple in a large frying until everything is well coated in sauce. Keep over low heat for 5 minutes.



Crock-Pot version:
Combine everything in a slow cooker and place on low heat. It will keep for several hours. The breading on the chicken will get softer over time, but meat balls hold up quite well.

Summer Chicken BBQ Marinade

Ok so today my brother discovered my mom was defrosting flank steak in the sink for dinner. However, she was taking a nap when dinner should have been started, as a result my awesome brother started dinner. He came to me asking me what to put on the steak and it reminded me of the chicken I cook sometimes over the summer. So here it is:

~1 C Teriyaki Sauce
1/4 C brown sugar
2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. garlic salt

marinade about 4 chicken breasts for at least 1/2 hour. I usually put it together overnight or the morning I'm making it. My family usually BBQ's the meat but you can cook it in the oven if you wish. Standard chicken cooking time applies.

Enjoy!

Orange Pasta Salad

1 lb. Pasta shells or macaroni, cooked and drained
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken cooked and cubed
1 1/4 c. seedless grapes, halved
1 large cucumber peeled, cut into chunks
6 green onions, sliced
1 can mandarin oranges
3/4 c. thawed frozen orange juice concentrate
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. rice vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tbl. oregano
1/2 feta cheese

In Large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, grapes, cucumber, green onions and oranges. Combine in a separate bowl, the rest of the ingredients to make a dressing to pour over the salad. Top with feta cheese.

Rocky Road Brownies

Bar:
½ Cup Butter Or Margarine
2 Sq. Unsweetened Chocolate
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Cup Flour
1tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Vanilla
½ Cup Nuts

Melt butter and chocolate. Beat eggs and sugar. Add chocolate mixture. Add dry ingredients. Add nuts and vanilla. Spread in greased 9x13 pan.

Filling:
6 Oz. Cream Cheese- Softened
¼ Cup Margarine Or Butter
½ Cup Sugar
2 Tbsp. Flour
1 Egg
½ Tsp. Vanilla
6 Oz Package Of Chocolate Chips

Blend cream cheese, margarine, sugar, flour, egg and vanilla until smooth. Spread evenly over bar mixture. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Bake at 350ºF for 20-25 minutes until brownie is done (do not over bake). Sprinkle 2 cups miniature marshmallows over brownies and bake 1-2 minutes longer until marshmallows are melted.

Frosting:
2 Oz. Cream Cheese
¼ Cup Butter Or Margarine
1 Sp. Melted Chocolate
3 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp. Vanilla

Mix well. If too stiff, thin with a little evaporated milk or water. Spread over brownies as they come out of the oven. (Hint: melt the butter and chocolate together to prevent chocolate from burning when melting and allows a liquid base for the frosting.)

Cool several hours before cutting (or not… :o)

Sweet Bread Cinnamon Roll Recipe: Missionary Style

Dough

1 ½ cups Scalded Milk
2 eggs
1 C. warm water
3 tsp. (1 pkg) Yeast
½ C. Sugar
~7 Cups Bread Flour, Divided
½ C. Butter, (softened or melted)
2 tsp Salt, (optional)
Honey


When you walk in the door for the night at 9:00 PM, and before nightly planning, sprinkle yeast on top of water and add 1 big squirt of honey. Set aside to proof. Scald milk. Review the day and add numbers up. Run back to the kitchen to proceed with the dough. In a large bowl, combine milk, eggs, sugar and butter. Mix well on high speed. Add yeast mixture (and salt if desired) and mix for one minutes. Then add in 3 cups of flour and mix on high speed for 5 minutes. Plan for the next day and have your companion call your dinner appointment. Gradually add in ~3 additional cups of flour slowly until you have to mix flour in by hand. Dough will be sticky to the touch. On a clean smooth surface, knead in the last cup of flour. Rise until doubled in a greased bowl.

While the dough rises, brush teeth, wash face, change into pajamas, talk to district leader or zone leader, pray. To speed the rising process up, place bowl over a hot water bath or on a pre-heated oven stove-top.

To make the cinnamon rolls, roll out half the dough to 12 in x 18 in x ¼ in. Add desired cinnamon mixture. Roll dough so that the dough is 18 inches long. Cut with floss about ever 1 ¼ inches. Place in greased glass 9x13 pan. You can add ½ cup corn syrup to the bottom of the pan to caramelize the bottoms. Another option is to add melted butter on top of the cut roll. Let rise over night. If you live with members, the members you live with will then offer to finish cleaning the kitchen so you can be in bed by 10:30. (THANK YOU DAVIS FAMILY!!!) or else leave the mess for the morning.

After you wake up and say your morning prayer, run to the kitchen and try and cream the butter you forgot to leave out on the counter over night (that was in the fridge that acts as a freezer) with the even colder cream cheese. Give up after 15 minutes into morning exercise time and add the remaining icing ingredients. Beat until it is as smooth as you can get it. Spend the remaining exercise time cleaning the cinnamon mess up that has encrusted itself on the counter. Great early morning arm work out. Get ready for the day and have personal and companion study.

When you arrive for zone/district meeting at the church, Preheat the oven to 350°F then go sing the opening hymn and stay for the prayer. At the end of the prayer, stick the cinnamon rolls in the oven. Say the TSAM purpose statement and listen to 3 shares. Take cinnamon rolls out of the oven. Enjoy eating cinnamon rolls during the remaining trainings. Leave the dirty pans for the next morning's exercise time for an additional arm work out.

If companions are ill, double the normal recipe size and make it while they are taking a nap. Give excess cinnamon rolls to any and all hungry Elders at the next p-day or time you see them, depending on what comes first. Reserve one pan for the Davis family.

Sweet Bread Cinnamon Roll Recipe

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Dough

1 ½ cups Scalded Milk

2 eggs

1 C. warm water

3 tsp. (1 pkg) Yeast

½ C. Sugar

~7 Cups Bread Flour, Divided

½ C. Butter, (softened or melted)

2 tsp Salt, (optional)

Honey

           

            Sprinkle yeast on top of water and add 1 big squirt of honey. Set aside to proof. In a large bowl, combine milk, eggs, sugar and butter. Mix well on high speed. Add yeast mixture (and salt if desired) and mix for one minutes. Then add in 3 cups of flour and mix on high speed for 5 minutes.  Gradually add in ~3 cups of flour slowly until you have to mix flour in by hand. Dough will be sticky to the touch. On a clean smooth surface, knead in the last cup of flour. Rise until doubled in a greased bowl.

            You can use the dough recipe for fast easy rolls or for cinnamon rolls. To make the cinnamon rolls, roll out half the dough to 12 in x 18 in x ¼ in. Add desired cinnamon mixture. Roll dough so that the dough is 18 inches long. Cut with floss about ever 1 ¼ inches. Place in greased 9x13 glass pan. You can add ½ cup corn syrup to the bottom of the pan to caramelize the bottoms. Another option is to add melted butter on top of the cut roll. Let rise over night or until really big, which ever comes first. Bake at 350°F for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.

Cinnamon Mixture #1 (Cinnabon Style)

2 Cups Brown Sugar

1 cup Butter

¼ Cup Cinnamon

            I do this in two groups, dividing the ingredients in half. In a microwavable bowl, combine 1 stick butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and 2 tbls of cinnamon. Melt in microwave until butter is melted. Stir ingredients together and pour over dough. Spread the mixture evenly with a icing knife.

Cinnamon mixture #2 (Light Sticky Bun Style)

2 Cups  Sugar

1 cup Butter

~¼ Cup Cinnamon

            I do this in two groups, dividing the ingredients in half. In a microwavable bowl, melt 1 stick butter. In another bowl, add enough cinnamon and sugar together so that it is more dark brown than white sugar.  Spread butter on dough evenly with a brush. Then cover with cinnamon sugar. Top with honey drizzled over top.

            For easy counter top cleaning, gently scrape the counter with an icing knife the excess ingredients onto a plate or pan.

Icing

1 Lbs bag Powdered Sugar

¼ Cup Butter (softened)

3 oz Cream Cheese (softened)

¼ Cup Milk

1 tsp. Vanilla

            Add cream cheese and butter together in a large bowl and mix on high until smooth texture. Add powdered sugar and vanilla into the bowl and mix. Slowly add small amounts of milk until the icing is slightly pourable. Add more sugar if too liquidy.

Finally a Place to Post my Recipes

For quite a few years now, I receive a request or two for recipes to the food I have made. The top three requests are by far my Cinnamon Rolls, Rocky Road Brownies and the Orange Pasta Salad. In order to help people out and speed up my turn around time on these recipes, I have created this blog so that they can easily be copied. I may even add some of my friends as posters so that I can get some of the recipes that I want as well. I hope that you enjoy. If you have any requests, please send them to me via a comment. Thanks and Enjoy!