Broccoli Salad

This side dish is a Thanksgiving tradition in our house, the whole family loves it! 

• 10 slices bacon
• 1 head fresh broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 cup mayo
• 3 TBS white wine vinegar
• 2 TBS sugar
• 1 cup sunflower seeds (I omitted because I didn't have them on hand, but I bet it would be awesome)

1. Cook and crumble bacon, set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine broccoli, red onion, and raisins.  In seperate small bowl combine mayo, vinegar, and sugar.  Pour mayo mixture over the broccoli and stir to evenly distribute.  Refridgerate for at least 2 hours.
3. Before serving, toss in crumbled bacon and sunflower seeds.

Jalapeno Poppers

John grilled these last night.  Oh so yummy.  I could so easily get fat off these.  :)  The recipe says to deep fry them, but I chose to skip the outer breading and then grill them.  I really could have gotten a better picture, but I simply didn't have time, but this should give ya an idea.

• 12 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 (8oz) package shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 TBS bacon bits
• 12 oz jalapeno peppers, seeded and halved
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 2 quarts oil for frying

1. In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and bacon bits.  Spoon the mixture into the jalepeno halves.
2. Pour the milk and flour into two seperate bowls.  Dip the jalapenos into the milk first, then the flour, making sure they are completely coated.  Allow them to dry for about ten minutes.
3. Dip the jalapenos in milk again, followed by the bread crumbs.  Allow them to dry, then repeat. 
4. In a medium skillet, heat the oil to 365.  Deep fry the jalepenos for 2-3 minutes each, or until golden brown.  Remove and let drain on a paper towel. 

***Now, here's what I did:
Instead of halving the jalapenos, I sliced them lengthwise and spooned the cream cheese mixture into them, and then wrapped them in foil and grilled them for a couple minutes.  Then, removed them from the foil and grilled them for a couple more minutes, until the outsides looked done.  I didn't use the bread crumbs/flour/milk at all.  I skewered them with a toothpick so they would stay closed.  They had a delicious kick to them!

Fruit Crisp

I got this recipe from a friend of mine.  It's really yummy and sooooo very easy.  Our friends made it for us a few weeks ago and the hubbs kept asking me to get the recipe to make at home.  It is so awesome served warm with ice cream!

• filling (this is where you can get creative, you can peel and cut about 5 apples, or if you're in a pinch for time, take the easy way out and use either 2 cans of peaches, or use 2 cans of pie filling)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup oats
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup butter, softened or melted

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly grease an 8x8" pan.
2. Pour filling of your choice into prepared pan.  In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients until mixed well.  Pour over fruit filling, making sure it is distributed evenly.  Bake for about 30 minutes, or until apples are soft and top is golden. 

Pumpkin Waffles

I made this for our Sunday morning breakfast this last Sunday and they were super yummy.  The hubbs wasn't such a fan, but me and the kids really enjoyed them.  And they're relatively healthy.  It's a good way to use up extra pumpkin after the holidays.  You can make the batter and refridgerate it for up to a week, just be sure you mix it when you pull it out.  You can also freeze extras for a busy-morning breakfast.  We had leftovers and I think the flavor was even better.  MMMM

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup wheat germ (I didn't have any so I used a combo of ground flaxseed and brewer's yeast)
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 TBS baking powder
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 4 TBS melted butter
• 4 TBS olive oil
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup chopped pecans

1.  Preheat a waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.  In medium bowl, combine flour, wheat germ, sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder.  Set aside. 
2. In seperate bowl, beat together milk, pumpkin puree, butter, oil, applesauce, and eggs.  Stir flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture.  Mix in the pecans.
3. Laddle the batter onto the prepared waffle iron, cook until golden brown, about 7 minutes.

Dinner Rolls

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)
• 1/4 cup butter, softened

1.Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough/Knead and First Rise Cycle; press Start.


2.When cycle finishes, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle, spread 1/4 cup softened butter over entire round. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Roll wedges starting at wide end; roll gently but tightly. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

3.Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.

Cinnamon Rolls

Bread:

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 3/4 cup flour
• 1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

Filling:

• 1/4 to 1/3 cup butter
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup white sugar
• 2-4 TBS cinnamon

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 4-5 TBS milk
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Put bread ingredients into bread machine and put on dough setting.  Remove when done and place on floured surface.
2. Roll out dough on floured surface into a rectanle.  Rub butter on dough, then rub remaining ingredients onto dough, making sure entire rectangle is evenly coated.  Roll dough so it resembles a snake shape.  Cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces (I use dental floss.  Place the dental floss under the roll, then criss-cross it on top)  Place in greased baking dish. 
3. Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes in a warm area (I preheat the oven to warm, then turn it off when I put the cinnamon rolls in, it stays nice and toasty in there without beginning to bake the rolls)
4. Remove cinnamon rolls from oven and preheat to 350.  Place cinnamon rolls in preheated oven and bake for approx 20 minutes, or until tops are golden brown.  Allow to cool slighly before topping with frosting.
5. For frosting, combine shortening, butter, vanilla, and almond extract.  Then alternately mix in powdered sugar and milk until desired consistancy is reached.  Stir in walnuts, if desired.

Here are my notes:
*You can use this bread recipe for sweet dinner rolls as well. 
**Play with the filling to get your desired taste, you can add raisens if you REALLY want to, but that just isn't allowed in our house.  :)

Meat Muffins

This was a super fast dinner.  Cory helped me with it, so that was a lot of fun.  The kids really like it.  Not too healthy, but I figure it's better than McDonalds (which is what I was really tempted to do tonight). 

• 3/4 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
• 1 TBS dried minced onion (I used about 1/4 cup chopped fresh onion)
• I didn't add any green bell pepper, but I think that would be a nice addition
• 12 oz package refridgerated biscuit dough (I used crescent roll dough)
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Grease muffin tin.
2. In medium sauce pan, brown ground beef with onion.  Drain grease.  Mix in green pepper and BBQ sauce. 
3. Flatten each biscuit and press into prepared muffin tin.  Make sure the dough comes to the top.  Spoon a portion of the meat into each cup. 
4. Bake in preheated oven for 13 minutes.  Add cheese to top and cook for another 2 minutes.  (If you're having problems with the dough cooking all the way, cook it for a few minutes before you add the meat mixture.)