Sweet Potato Puree

2 large sweet potatoes (not yams, yes there is a difference)

Peel and chop sweet potatoes into smaller chunks. Steam or boil until tender, about 20 minutes. Place into food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Add water as necessary for a smooth and creamy puree.

Separate into small freezer ziplock bags, in 1/2 cup increments. Smooth out flat, seal and label. Freeze.

When ready to use, thaw and refrigerate any leftovers.

Breakfast Vegetables

This recipe comes from Trevor's family. He taught me how to make it when we were newlyweds. This dish is something his dad would make and it brings back sweet memories every time we make it.

2 zucchini, thinly sliced

2 summer squash, thinly sliced

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

3 slices Ham, fully cooked

1-2 glugs oil

In a large skillet, add oil and vegetables. Cook for 10 minutes or until tender on medium high heat. Add ham, and cook 3 for min or until hot. Salt and pepper to taste!

Yields 3-4 cups.

Cinnabon Rolls

These rolls are so rich and gooey that they melt in your mouth. The cream cheese icing is addictive too, so watch out! Normally, I don't like frosting. But I slather it on these rolls thick because it's so good.

I was given this recipe 4 years ago from Lehi 8th Ward, at an Enrichment night. After I made the recipe, I realized that this truely makes the best cinnamon rolls, far beyond anything else I've ever made or tasted. You won't be disappointed, but please, do limit yourself to just 2 or 5 and vow to exercise the next day!


Dough:
1/2 cup warm water
2 pkgs dry yeast (or 4 1/2 tsp)
2 TB sugar
1 (4 serving size) package instant vanilla pudding
2 cups milk
1/2 cup margarine or butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp salt
8 cups flour


In small bowl, combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the pudding mix according to package directions. Add butter, eggs and salt. Mix well, then add yeast mixture. Blend; gradually add flour and knead until smooth.

Place dough in a very large greased bowl. (I use canola oil to lightly grease the bowl.) Cover the bowl with saran wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray (so that it won't stick to the dough). Let rise until doubled in size. Punch down and let rise again.

Roll out onto lightly floured surface to 34" by 21".

Filling:
1 cup softened butter or margarine
2 cups brown sugar
4 tsp cinnamon

Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.

Spread butter over entire surface of the dough. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over top of the dough. Then press sugar into dough with hands, keeping them flat.

Roll up dough very tightly. With a serrated knive (or thread), slice dough every 2 inches. Place on greased large cooking sheet, bar pan or 9x13 baking dish. Lightly press down with hand a little. Cover and let rise until doubled again.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened but not melted
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar

Mix until smooth. Be careful! The powdered sugar may want to fly out of the bowl at first! If the mixture is too stiff, it will soften as the cream cheese becomes room temperature. If it is still too thick, you can soften it by using a VERY LITTLE amount of milk, like 1 maybe 2 tsp. Remember, it will melt as it is slathered on the hot rolls!


Bake at 350 F degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Don't overbake. Frost warm rolls.

*Note, I hate taking pictures with a flash and had to do so before these were gone. I'll take new pics next time I make them.

Wendy's Chili

This is a great chili recipe that I've been making for over 4 years. I found it off Top Secret Recipes, back when they would give away a free recipe of the week. It actually tastes better than the restaurants version too!

We love to serve it with fresh cornbread and top it off with cheese, of course! We find that the cornbread helps the chili not be as spicy for the girls, and we give them milk with their dinner to help cut out any remaining burn. It's slightly hotter than a mild chili recipe, but kids just don't have that high of a tolerance as adults do.

Wendy’s Chili

1 lb ground beef (I use ground turkey)
29 oz can tomato sauce
29 oz can kidney beans (with liquid)
29 oz can pinto beans (with liquid)
1 med. onion, diced
½ cup diced green chilies
2-3 stalks celery, diced
3 medium tomatoes, chopped (I peel them, but it isn’t necessary to do so unless you hate the skins or you can use 1 can diced tomatoes)
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 tsp chili powder (or to desired spiciness)
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt
2-3 cups water (to desired thickness)

1. Brown the meat with the onion in a skillet. Using a colander, drain fat and rinse with water. (This will remove excess fat).

2. In a large pot (8 quart), combine meat and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. If you are in a rush, then bring to a boil and simmer for about 1 hour.

*Leftovers can be frozen! Let cool first before freezing or storing in the fridge.

Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies

Recipe from Williams Sonoma Essentials of Baking

Photo by me

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 TB cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (NOT instant)

2 cups raisins

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended.

Add dry ingredients and rolled oats, beat until incorporated. Mix in raisins by hand using a large spoon.

Drop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto baking sheets. Bake at 350 F degree for 12 minutes and then keep checking until cookies look almost done but not quite golden brown. To ensure a chewy oatmeal cookie, make sure to remove the pan when the cookies are still a tiny bit doughy looking on top. (When they cool, they will firm up and be fully cooked, but still chewy.)

Let cookies cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Fresh Salsa

I used to HATE the taste of cilantro. Boy am I glad that my tastes buds changed during my first pregnancy, because now I LOVE cilantro. This salsa will disappear fast! This is just a basic recipe and can be altered very easily according to your preference.

3 large tomatoes (you can use a 29oz can of tomatoes if you must, but isn't as good as fresh)
1/2 onion
3 jalapenos (or more if you want it hotter)*
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 tsp salt (or to taste)

Use a food processor or knife to finely dice all ingredients. Combine in a bowl and serve with tortilla chips or with any other Mexican dish!

Yields: 6 cups

*Tip - The heat of the jalapenos is found mostly in the veins (the white inside part) and the seeds. If you don't want it as hot, then strip out and discard the veins and seeds before dicing.

Cool and Creamy Cucumber Salad

This dish is so yummy, my Austrian family would serve it as a side dish often in the summer. (I lived near Vienna, Austria as a nanny in 2000). I brought this recipe home with me because I loved it so much.

My girls have been eating ever since they were babies and gobble it up.

2 cucumbers
½ cup fat free plain yogurt
½ cup fat free sour cream (or low fat)
2 TB (at least) fresh dill, diced (only use fresh)
2 TB white vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Peel cucumbers and slice thin and set aside. Stir all remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Add cucumbers to the creamy mixture and stir until cucumbers are completely covered. Serve cold immediately or after a few hours in the refrigerator for it to taste even better!