Jessica's Salad

Salad:

spinach

chicken

pears (Anjou)

carmelized walnuts

blue cheese

Dressing:

1 Tbsp water

1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon jice

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp olive oil

1 clove minced garlic

salt & pepper

1/2 tsp tarragon

Carmelize walnuts by putting sugar in a frying pan.  Melt sugar, add walnuts.  Then, put on foil sprayed with Pam.

Chicken Corn Chowder

1 Tbsp margarine or butter

1 (8 oz) pkg sliced mushrooms

1/4 C flour

3 1/2 C 2 % milk

1 C chopped red potato

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 (16 oz) pkg frozen corn, thawed

1 1/2 C shredded cooked chicken breast

3 Tbsp chopped green onions, divided

Melt margarine in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms, and saute for 3 minutes.  Stir in the flour.  Gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk.  Add the potato, thyme, salt, pepper and corn.  Bring to a boil.  Stir in the shredded chicken and 2 Tbsp green onions.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Ladle the soup into bowls, and sprinkle with remaining green onions.

Harvest Bisque Soup

This recipe is originally from Simply Classic.  It will serve 6-8 people, but we recommend that you double it.

3 C butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (about 1 lb)

5 C chicken stock

4 Tbsp flour

4 Tbsp butter

2-3 tsp curry (start with 1 tsp, and flavor to taste)

3/4 C half & half (or evaporated milk)

3/4 C canned coconut milk (ptional, but it enhances the flavor)

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice (again, start with 1 Tbs, and add to taste)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Garnish with any combination of:

lime slices

pinenuts

shredded parmesan cheese

dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt

Cooke the cubed squash in the chicken stock for about 15 minutes.  Using a large slotted spoon, remove cooked squash into a blender, add 1-2 C of the cooking liquid and puree.  Add this back into the remaining liquid.

In a large pot melt butter, add flour and curry.  Cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes.  Be careful not to scorch.  Add squash and chicken stock puree.  Cook to thicken, stirring often, for about 10 minutes.  Add half & half, coconut milk and lime juice along with the salt and pepper to taste.  Heat through.  

Ladle into individual bowls and garnish.  Serve immediately.

Janalee uses about 2 tsp curry, 1-2 Tbsp lime juice, and garnishes with sour cream/yogurt and twisted slice of lime.

Lybbert's "A-1" Pot Roast

This recipe is from our family friends the Lybberts. It is a wonderfully easy and delicious recipe. The roast will make its own gravy while it is cooking, and can be served with potatoes and carrots.

3-5 lb Pot Roast
small bottle A-1 sauce
1 pkt dry onion soup mix
1-2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup

Line a baking dish (large enough to fit your roast) with foil and a couple inches of foil overhang. Place roast on foil. Top with other ingredients. Use another piece of foil to make a "packet" for the roast. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 2-4 hours.

*Kent's tip: Add fresh mushrooms and sliced onions inside the roast packet.

Recipes from "L Cove" Ranch

These recipes are from Kent's Grandpa Leavitt. They are things he would make for Kent's family when they were children and visited the ranch.

Oatmeal Scotchies
2 C flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 C butter
1 1/2 C packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp water
1 1/2 C quick oatmeal
1 pkg butterscotch chips
1/2 tsp orange extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Set aside. Combine butter, sugar, eggs and water. Beat until creamy. Gradually add in flour mixture, oats, chips and orange extract. Drop rounded Tbsp onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Apple Crisp
Mix:
4 C sliced apples
1/2 C sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp butter
Spread mixture in a buttered baking dish (about 7x11 or 9x13 when doubled).
Mix with a fork or pastry blender:
3 Tbsp - 1/2 C flour
1/2 C quick oatmeal
1/2 C brown sugar
1/8 tsp soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 C butter or vegetable oil
Sprinkle on top of apples. Bake for 45 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.

*Megan's tip: Always double this recipe, you won't regret it. Perfect for fall.

Elsie's Caramels

2 C sugar
1 1/2 dark Karo syrup
1 C heavy cream (2 C one will be added later)
2 squares butter (must be butter)

Stir constantly and bring to boil. Boil 5 minutes. Add remaining cream very slowly, stirring constantly so that it never stops boiling. Let boil to a soft ball (I like the 238 degree firmness. It's firm enough to hold a good shape but doesn't take out your fillings). Add 1 tsp vanilla and a dash of salt. Pour into a 9" pan either buttered or, better yet, one lined with parchment paper. Cool; cut in squares and wrap in paper.

Hint: Stir constantly. After it is done and in the pan, place in the fridge until you can handle and shape to wrap. If you don't put it in the fridge first they will stick to the papers.

Carmel cooked to a softer stage is used for centers in dipping. Turtles are made with a soft carmel wrapped around a pecan then dipped.

Chocolate Marshmallow Surprises

This recipe comes from the Pinegars' friend on Mercer Island.

2 C flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C cocoa

Stir these ingredients together.

1/2 C shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1 C sugar
1 egg
1/2 C milk

Cream together these ingredients. Mix in dry ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

20 large marshmallows

Remove from the oven, set 1 marshmallow on top of each cookie. Return to the oven and bake an additional minute. Cool 1-2 minutes. Drizzle with chocolate icing.

Kent's Soft Ginger Cookies

2 1/4 C firmly packed brown sugar
1 C salad oil
1/2 C applesauce
2 large eggs
4 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking soda
2 1/2 Tbsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt

In a large bowl, stir together sugar, salad oil,, applesauce, and eggs until blended. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add sugar mixture and blend well. With your hands, roll dough into 2 inch balls (about 1/4 c each) and place on ungreased 12x15 inch baking sheets. Bake in a 350 degree oven until tops crack and cookies just begin to brown, 10 - 12 minutes. If baking 2 sheets at a time, rotate halfway through baking. Cool on rack; serve warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container up to 3 days; freeze for longer storage.

Kent's baking tips: For a large melon ball scoop, bake 13 minutes on a good pan and 12 minutes on an old pan. For 2 large melon ball scoops, bake 13 1/2 minutes on a good pan.

Quick Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe comes from our dear friend, Thayne Orgill. It is a fast way to make cinnamon rolls in the morning and actually eat them right away.

Lisa's Baked French Toast

This recipe comes from my friend, Lisa Sharp. It is a great recipe for a brunch or morning party.

10 oz challah bread, or french bread, cut in 1 inch slices
2 C half and half
1 C whipping cream
8 large eggs
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp butter dash of salt

Coat 10x6 baking dish with butter. Layer with bread slices. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over bread. Sprinkle with cinnamon and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Bostonian Blueberry Muffins

Makes one dozen regular size muffins

1 C all-purpose flour
1 C whole-wheat flour
1/2 C plus 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 to 2 C fresh or frozen unthawed bluebuerries
1/2 C (1 stick) butter, melted
1/2 C milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 425. Butter muffin cups, or use muffin liners. Combine dry ingredients, except 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar, in bowl and blend. In a seperate bowl toss 1 Tbsp of the dry ingredients with berries; set aside. After butter has cooled slightly, stir in milk, then eggs and vanilla. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients and stir until well-moistened. Stir in berries. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Sprinkle muffin tops with reserved sugar. Bake 15 minutes until golden brown. Let muffins stand 5 minutes before removing from tin.

Note: If you must use the larger quantity of blueberries, you may experience some technical difficulty in removing the muffins from the pan. The best approach is letting the muffins cool completely before removing. Reheat them at 350 for about 7 minutes just before serving.

Big Dutch Babies

This recipe comes from our good friend, Barb Cahoon. She calls them "mountains". A great syrup recipe will be coming to serve with these.

4 eggs
1 C milk
1 C flour
1/3 C butter

Beat eggs together in a blender. Gradually add in milk and flour. Melt butter in a 9x13 pan in the oven. Pour batter into pan over butter. Bake for 20-25 minutes until puffy and browned.

Whole Grain Waffles

2 eggs, beaten
1 3/4 C skim milk
1/4 C oil
1/4 C unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 C whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 C flax seed meal
1/4 C wheat germ
1/4 C all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

In a large bowl,whisk together eggs, milk, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Beat in whole wheat pastry flour, flaxseed meal, wheat germ, all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until batter is smooth. Preheat a waffle iron, and coat with cooking spray. Pour batter into waffle iron in batches, and cook until crisp and golden brown.

Pizza Bread

Rhodes white bread dough
Pizza sauce

Defrost the bread dough, and roll out to the size of a jelly-roll pan. Poke holes in the dough every inch. Spread with pizza sauce. Bake at 350-400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Serve as "sandwich bread" with sandwich fillings (artichokes, onions, pastrami, ham, turkey, tomatoes, and provolone cheese).

Swedish Pancakes

This recipe is from our friend, Rose Bean.

1 C flour
1 tsp salt
4 eggs
1 1/3 C milk
2 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp sugar

Mix all ingredients together. Preheat a nonstick pan. Pour a small amount into a preheated pan and swirl around to cover the pan. Cook on medium low, and flip half way through.

Kent's Salmon

Salmon 1:
lemon pepper
garlic salt
fresh dill (whole package)
slice lemon and lay on top

Salmon 2:
chipotle lime rub

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by covering with tin foil. Rinse salmon fillet and place on baking sheet. Top with seasoning, lemon slices and sprinkle with fresh dill. Place in preheated oven. Begin checking for doneness around 10 minutes elapsed time.

When finished cooking dab with melted butter, and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top.

Tip: Salmon is done when it easily comes apart with a fork, and is almost completely opaque. Remove from the oven and set on counter for 5 minutes to "finish cooking".