Lindsey's Crisp

8 - 10 apples
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
8 tablespoons cold butter (1 stick)

Peel, core and slice the apples; toss in a bowl with lemon juice. In another bowl combine flour, brown sugar, spices and oatmeal. Slice butter into 8 pieces, then cut it into the flour with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is crumbly. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread apples in the bottom of the baking dish, then cover with the crumble mixture. Bake at 375° for 45 - 50 minutes, or until apples are tender and topping is browned. I love it served warm with vanilla ice cream or for breakfast with milk. Enjoy! Lindsey Jo Gunderson

Mom's Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

I think I make this at least every other week. My family is nuts for spaghetti. Not just any spaghetti though. Sauce from a jar is...well, gross. Why eat it? Sauce "a la Mom" is delightful and delicious. And bonus: it's also easy! It just takes a little planning to make sure it's done in time. A slow simmer brings out all the flavors, and the time it takes is worth it.

Mom's Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb hamburger
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 (6.5 oz) cans sliced mushrooms, drained
2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce (or 1 (6 oz) tomato paste & 1 cup water)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. oregano
salt
pepper

In a large skillet, brown hamburger with onion and garlic. Add mushrooms, tomato sauce, bay leaf, and oregano. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Toss in your Al dente pasta, and you're good to go.

For you carbohydrate conscious people (diabetics) out there, I figure a cup of pasta with sauce is about 30-35 grams.

The most dangerous cake recipe
5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour 3 tablespoons milk
4 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons cocoa 1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional) a small splash of vanilla extract
1 large hot chocolate mug

Add dry ingredients to mug. Mix well. Add the beaten egg. Mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil. Mix well.
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract. Mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT! (this could serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now you are only 5 minutes away from
chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

Southwest Turkey Avocado Wraps

Feeling sick of the same ol' sandwich for lunch, I decided to mix things up a bit. I spied some tortillas and leftover veggie dip in the fridge, and created my new shameless addiction.
Southwest Turkey Avocado Wraps

Tortilla
Healthy Smear of Lighthouse Southwest Ranch Veggie Dip
Turkey
Cheese (I used ColbyJack)
Crisp Romaine Lettuce
Sprouts
A few slices of Red Pepper
Avocado (using nearly a half of an avocado for one wrap is not excessive...it's delicious.)

Million-Dollar Caramel Cookies

Here are the cookies I made last week, I got the recipe from parenting magazine. Lee really liked them and asked me to make them for him again today.


Million-Dollar Caramel Cookies

(Makes 4 dozen)

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar, plus 1 Tbs
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 1⁄2 cups flour, plus 1⁄4 cup
• 3⁄4 cup cocoa
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 Heath candy bars
• 1 bag Rolo chewy caramels

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, beat butter and sugars until fluffy, then add eggs and vanilla and beat well.

2. In a separate bowl, mix 2 1⁄2 cups flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture a little bit at a time and blend well. If the dough feels too sticky, sprinkle in a little extra flour. Cover and chill dough in fridge for about 30 minutes.

3. Chop Heath bars into small pieces. Place in a small bowl and toss with 1 Tbs sugar.

4. Once dough has chilled, wrap a piece around each caramel, forming a 1-inch ball and covering the candy completely. Dip top of the dough ball into the candy topping and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.

5. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes. Cookies will look quite soft, but do not overbake. Cool in pan slightly, then move to a rack or the counter to finish cooling. Store in a covered container.

Caramel Apple Crunch Pie

What was my favorite pie this Thanksgiving? THIS ONE. So good. Thanks for the recipe Mom Quigley! Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Caramel Apple Crunch Pie

1/2 recipe Basic Pie Dough
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

Crumb Topping:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup butter

Mix sugar, flour and oats together. Cut in the butter.

Pie Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
6 cups thinly sliced, peeled cooking apples. (6-8 good sized apples. I used a mix of granny smith and gala.)

Stir together sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Add apple slices and gently toss till coated. Transfer apple mixture to the pastry-lined pan. Sprinkle Crumb Topping on top. Cover the edges with foil and bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake for 25-30 minutes more until top is golden and apples are tender. Remove from oven; drizzle with caramel topping. Cool on a wire rack.

Chicken Tequila Fettuccine

1 pound dry spinach fettuccine
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
2 tablespoons minced jalapeno pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons gold tequila
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/4 pounds chicken breast, diced 3/4 inch and cooked
1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Prepare rapidly boiling, salted water to cook pasta; cook until
al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Toss with a little oil and set aside.
Cook 1/3 cup cilantro, garlic and jalapeno in 2 tablespoons
butter over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add stock, tequila,
and lime juice. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring 

consistently; set aside. Pour soy sauce over diced, cooked chicken; 

set aside for 5 minutes. Meanwhile cook onion and peppers, stirring 

occasionally, with remaining butter over medium heat for 3−4 minutes. 

Add chicken and soy sauce; toss and add reserved tequila/lime mixture and cream.
Bring the sauce to a boil; boil gently until chicken is cooked through
and sauce is thick (about 3 minutes). When sauce is done,
toss with well−drained spinach fettuccine and remaining cilantro.

Jordan and I made some mistakes when we made this, but it still turned out yummy! We couldn't find spinach fettuccine at any of the nearby stores. Most stores said that it has been ousted by wheat. I guess we've been on a pasta kick lately. This one is the best so far. Great flavor!

California Pizza Kitchen Brocolli and Sun−Dried Tomato Fusilli

1 pound dry fusilli pasta
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
About 12 oil−packed sun−dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced
1 quart blanched broccoli florets, drained (bite−size pieces)
1 1/4 cups grated parmesan cheese (reserve 1/4 cup for garnish)

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta until
al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Heat olive oil in a large non−stick
frying pan over high heat. Add salt and garlic; when the garlic
just begins to brown, add thyme and sun−dried tomatoes.
Toss and add broccoli. When broccoli is heated through,
add drained pasta (if pan is not large enough, combine
in a large mixing bowl while ingredients are hot). Add
1 cup parmesan cheese to all, sprinkling and stirring to mix.
Serve in warm bowls with a fresh dusting of parmesan cheese.

apple pie caramel apples

apple pie caramel apples

(caramel sauce)

1 pound butter

1 cup light corn syrup

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

Heat over medium stirring constantly until candy thermometer reads 250 degrees.

1 bag white chocolate chips

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon (more or less to taste)

dash apple pie seasoning (optional)

4-6 apples chilled

sticks

Make sure the apples are nice and cold then push a stick into the middle and dip into caramel sauce 1 or 2 times. Hold upright for a few moments to let the caramel harden on the cold apples. Place on parchment paper and chill for 10 minutes.
Melt white chocolate over a double boiler until just melted, do not let it get too hot or it will get scortched and will not ever be smooth.

Cut access caramel from the bottom of apple, and dip in white chocolate. (I roll it along the side to make sure it doesn't get too thick). Then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture and chill again until chocolate hardens.

I had left over caramel sauce so I poured it over 1 bag unbuttered popcorn (since it is Mom Q's caramel recipe for caramel popcorn... which is Lee's favorite).

Beans and Mexican Rice

Beans and rice are kind of a staple at our house. Beans take time, but they are EASY.

Beans

dry pinto beans
water
salt

Sort beans and rinse them well. (I always find rocks in my beans, so don’t forget to sort.) Place in a heavy pot and cover with 3-4 inches of water. Cover and cook over low heat for 5-6 hrs. You can also use a crockpot. Just cook on low for 9 to 10 hours. Salt to taste at end of cooking when beans are soft. Yummy served whole over mexican rice.

If you’re feeling bold, try making homemade refried beans. Oh my goodness…so good!

Run your beans through a food processor (w/a good amount of the water they were cooked in.) Don’t puree completely smooth…refried beans should be a little chunky. Heat a couple Tbsp. of oil in a large fry pan. (I use bacon grease. Better flavor.) Cut one jalapeno in half and seed. Fry in oil to release flavor. Your beans will not be hot. I promise. Add your beans and cook until they reach a thickness you like. You’ll never want to go back to canned.

Mexican Rice

3 roma tomatoes, remove top and slice in half
1/4 cup onion
garlic clove, peeled
2 Tbsp. mexican chicken bouillon
water
2 cups long grain white rice
1/4 cup veggie oil

In a blender, combine tomatoes and about a cup of water. Blend. Add onion, garlic and bouillon. Blend. Add water to mixture so total liquid amount is a just over 4 cups. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large fry pan. Fry rice in oil until it turn a yellow gold color. Add tomato liquid, and bring to a boil. Turn temperature to low and cover with lid. Simmer for 30 minutes or until rice puffs.

The rice is really good with leftover chicken mixed in. Try it with veggies mixed in too. We like to eat it with the whole beans spooned on top. It’s also yummy in burritos, or on it’s own as a side to any mexican dish.

I hope these recipes make sense. I learned all these from my hispanic friend who cooks completely by feel. I should mention you can buy mexican chicken boulion at WinCo or Walmart in the latino section. Regular boulion is fine though.