Ruth's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 Cup Shortening
3 Cups Sugar
3 Eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 Cups Pumpkin
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
4 1/2 Cups flour
1 1/2 Cups chocolate chips

Cream shortening, sugar, eggs, vanilla.  Add pumpkin.  Sift together dry ingredients and slowly add.

Bake 375 for 13 minutes.

Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing

Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing

Ingredients

• 4 thawed boneless chicken breasts
• 1 box Stuffing Cornbread Mix (6oz)
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup water

Instructions

1. Place chicken breasts in bottom of crockpot.
2. Pour stuffing mix over chicken.
3. In a medium size bowl combine cream of chicken soup, sour cream and water; mix well.
4. Pour on top pf stuffing mix.
5. Place lid on crockpot and cook on low for 4 hours
6. Fluff and serve.

Noodles & Co Pesto Cavatappi

Noodles & Company Pesto Cavatappi (Copycat Recipe)

Ingredients:

3/4 box cavatappi noodles (you can use any shapes you like but use a hearty noodle)

1/2 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise

1/2 pint sliced mushrooms

1/3 cup white wine

1/4 cup cream

7 oz. pesto 

EVOO 

shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Cook pasta as directed on packaging.
2. While pasta is cooking, saute the tomatoes and mushrooms in about a tablespoon of EVOO. 
3. When the pasta is almost done, add the wine to the tomatoes and mushrooms and reduce for 2 minutes. Then add the cream to the tomatoes and mushrooms and reduce for another 1-2 minutes. Add the pesto and stir well.
4. Drain pasta and add to the pesto mixture. Stir very well and let sit a minute to soak up the pesto. 
5. Plate and top with shredded Parmesan cheese!

Southwest Pasta Salad

Southwest Pasta Salad
Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients
1/2 lb bowtie pasta
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 roma tomatoes, diced or about 3/4 C or halved cherry tomatoes
1 large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 C sliced green onions
1/2 C frozen fresh corn
zest from 2 limes
optional: 8 oz diced cooked chicken (this is fantastic)
1/2 C Queso Fresco or Cotija Cheese (or you could sub grated jack, cheddar or pepperjack)

Dressing:
6 Tbs fresh lime juice (about 3 juicy limes)
1/4 C white wine or rice vinegar
4-5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
2 tsp sugar (add a touch more if your limes are extra sour/bitter)
3/4 C canola oil
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro

Directions

To prepare dressing place Boil pasta in salted water until cooked.  While it’s cooking, prepare dressing.

First zest your limes and place the zest in a large salad bowl.

Place the lime juice, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and sugar in a blender.  (Basically everything except the cilantro and oil)  Process until smooth.  With the motor running slowly, add the oil in a steady stream until incorporated.  Add the cilantro and pulse so it gets broken up, but some pieces still remain in tact.

When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse immediately with cold water to cool.  Place the pasta in the large salad bowl with the lime zest.  Add black beans, tomatoes, diced pepper, green onions, corn (no need to thaw the corn),  and chicken if desired.  Toss with dressing.  Taste, and add additional salt and pepper to taste.  For best results, chill for 1 hour before serving.  Right before serving, sprinkle cheese on top.  Serve with extra lime wedges if desired.

Makes about 4-6 dinner sized servings or 10-12 side servings

Herbed Grilled Salmon

Herbed Grilled Salmon

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil spray
• 1-1/2 pounds boneless salmon filet about 1-inch thick (large end preferred)
• 1/2 lime
• 2 Tablespoons white wine
• 1 teaspoon mayonnaise (may substitute butter)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika

Preparation:

Preheat grill to high heat. Make a tray out of a doubled-length of heavy-duty foil large enough for the salmon filet, by folding a long piece in half and folding up all four sides, with the dull side up. (The shiny side reflects, so you want it down so as not to burn the food.) Spray the entire inside of the foil tray liberally with cooking spray. Place the foil tray on a platter or metal tray to transport to the grill.

Place the salmon filet in the foil tray skin-side down (or boned-side up if it is skinned). Squeeze lime juice over salmon and sprinkle with white wine. Spread top of salmon with the mayonnaise.

In a small bowl, mix together kosher salt, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon pepper, oregano, basil, and dill weed. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the salmon, then top with the sweet paprika.

Place baking pan with foil tray on hot grill. Transfer the foil tray to the hot grill. Cook in a hot covered grill for 10 minutes per inch of thickness of the fish filet. Do not overcook or it will be dry and unpalatable. Turning is not necessary. Salmon is done when it turns a light pink color throughout and feels firm when pressed gently with the back of a fork. Whitefish is done when it turns opaque. This method works best with large, thick filets. Use a spatula to lift the salmon away from the skin to serve. Garnish with lime slices, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings

Note: If you are unable to grill the salmon, preheat your oven to 475 F. Leave foil tray on the baking sheet and bake about 15 minutes, or until done.

Buttermilk Oatmeal Pancakes

BUTTERMILK OATMEAL  PANCAKES

(Lg batch)

(4)  3 cups rolled oats

(4)  3 cups buttermilk

Combine oats and buttermilk mix well and soak in fridge overnight. 

(4)  3 eggs lightly beaten

(8)   6 Tbls melted butter (cooled)

(1)   ¾ cup raisins

(1)  cup flour

(4)  3 Tbls sugar

(2)   1 ½ tsp baking soda

(2)  1 ½ tsp baking powder

(1)  ¾ tsp cinnamon

( ½ )  3/8 tsp salt

                             

Add eggs, butter, and raisins to oatmeal / milk mixture.

Sift dry ingredients together, add to oatmeal mix.

Stir together until moist.  Can add up to 3 Tbls more milk

or buttermilk if dough is too dry or thick.  Cook on lightly

greased  griddle on med heat.

(leftovers  served cold make a great cookie)   

Quinoa with Corn and Zucchini

Quinoa with Corn and Zucchini

1 c regular quinoa

2 c water

1 T olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium zucchini, diced

1 can corn, drained

cilantro, salt and pepper to taste

Rinse quinoa. Add to 2 c water in small saucepan. Bring to boil. Turn to medium heat and cook 15 minutes until the quinoa is tender and translucent and each grain displays a little thread. Drain quinoa of excess water.

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and zucchini and cook a few minutes (you'll want the zucchini to be mostly cooked before you add the corn). Add corn and continue cooking until zucchini is tender and corn is warmed through. Salt and pepper to taste (I also added a little garlic powder because my cloves of garlic didn't give it enough flavor).

Add quinoa and chopped cilantro to skillet. Mix well and serve!

Adapted from HERE.

Chicken Pasta Salad

Next time I make this I'll have to try and remember to take a photo.  It's seriously SO GOOD and perfect for a baby shower or family gathering of some sort.

12oz Corkscrew Multicolored Pasta - Cooked & Drained
4 Cups Chicken - Cooked and Cubed
1/4 Cup Green Onion Chopped
2 Cups Apples Chopped
2 Cups Grapes Chopped
2 Cups Celery Chopped
1 Cup Crushed Pineapple (Drained from can)
1 Cup Mayo
1/2 Bottle premade Coleslaw Dressing (Kraft works great)
1/2-1 Cup Cashews

Serves 20

Cake Mix Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix

 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup shortening

2 tablespoons water

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 egg 

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats

1 cup raisins or chopped dates or chocolate chips

  

Cream sugar, eggs, shortening, butter, vanilla.  Add cake mix,  cinnamon, and oatmeal.  Add raisins.

Bake 375 for 10 to 12 minutes.  Let cool. 

Grandma Jensen's Homemade Bread

1/2 cup *warm water
2 packets of yeast (1 envelope of yeast = 2 1/4 tsp. of yeast)

Combine the two ingredients above and set aside. (*The temp of the water has to be PERFECT. Too cold and the yeast won't activate, too hot and it will kill it. Good rule of thumb is to turn on the water until it is warm then quickly pass your finger or hand under the water adjusting accordingly until you can no longer feel a temperature difference between your hand and the water. DO NOT hold your hand in the water to adjust the temperature or your hand will increase or decrease in temperature with the water.. Hope that makes sense. lol)

2 cups hot water
3 TBS. sugar
1 TBS. salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
6 cups flour

Beat with mixer water, sugar, salt, vegetable oil and all but 3 cups of flour. Add yeast and left over flour until the dough pulls away cleanly from the side of the mixer. (Depending on humidity in the air I have sometimes had to add more flour or less to get it to pull away from the sides of the mixer.) Set aside dough in mixer bowl in a warm place, cover and let rise for 1 hour. Knead it and divide the dough into loaves or rolls (whichever you want to make) and let rise an additional 30 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees.
Bread for 30 mins.
Rolls for 15 mins.
Brush tops of rolls with butter or margarine and serve. :)