Bananna Bread

This recipe is fail proof! Add the ingredients, and poof! Instant perfection!

My kids LOVE the mini bananna muffins!


1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts, if desired

1. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches.
2. Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour into pans.
3. Bake 8-inch loaves about 1 hour, 9-inch loaf about 1 1/4 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

I bake the mini muffins for 18-20 minutes. This is a favorite snack, or add a glass of juice and cut up fruit for a delightful breakfast! This is one of our favorites from the Betty Crocker Cookbook.

Grilled Corn on the Cob

The perfect side dish for your summer BBQ!




1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 Tbsp. Kraft 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp. chopped fresh parsley if you are grilling American food, OR substitute fresh cilantro if you have a Mexican menu.

1. Preheat grill to meduim heat. Husk corn, remove silk. Rinse corn. Wrap each ear in foil.
2. Grill corn 15-20 min. or until tender, turning occasionally.
3. Remove corn from grill; unwrap.
4. Mix butter, parmean cheese & cilantro.

Makes 6 servings, 1 ear of corn each.

Crock Pot Fajitas

This recipe is simple, quick, and easy...perfect for those who are super busy.  All you have to do is throw it all in the crock pot and forget about it!

Ingredients:

1 Pound lean beef steak or chicken, sliced

1/2 Onion, sliced

1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced

1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced

1 1/2 packages of McCormick Fajita Seasoning

1/4 Cup Water

combine all above ingredients in Crock Pot and cook on low for about 6 hours.  

Serve with warm tortilla, grated cheese, and fresh guacamole.

Roasted Asparagus

I only eat the top half of the asparagus... just because I can (I'm grown up now, right!)...

Roasted Asparagus

One bunch Asparagus
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Olive oil

Heat oven to 400. Cut ends off asparagus. Toss asparagus in olive oil. Spread asparagus on cookie sheet. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over asparagus and salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes.

Contributed by: Laurie Romney

Caramel Brownies

Bring your brownies to a whole new level...

Caramel Brownies

Caramel Brownies1 (14-ounce) package Kraft or Brachs caramels, unwrapped
1/3 cup evaporated milk

Melt caramels and evaporated milk together in saucepan; set aside.

1 package German chocolate cake mix
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (6-ounce) package milk chocolate chips

Grease and flour 9"x13" pan. Stir cake mix, evaporated milk and melted butter together by hand and press half of the mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and pat chocolate chips into crust, then pour melted caramel over. Daub remaining half of cake mixture on top and bake for another 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars. Enjoy!

Take the Spa Home With You!

A great way to cool off this summer.

Try this refreshing twist on a glass of water....cut a few slices of cucumber to add with some lemon in a pitcher of water and in moments you have created an amazing drink without the fizz or calories.

Shrimp On The Grill

This is  a light, mild dish that is perfect for a summer dinner.

1 Cup Vegetable Oil

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 teaspoons Garlic Powder

1 teaspoon dried Thyme

1 teaspoon Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon Cider Vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Pepper

30 large Shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 large Green Pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks

1 medium Yellow Squash, thickly sliced

1/3 Cup Butter, melted

2 teaspoons fresh snipped Dill

Hot Cooked Rice

1.  In a large ziplock bag combine the first 7 ingredients and turn to combine. 

2.  On metal or soaked wooden skewers thread shrimp and veggies (I have found that everything cooks evenly if you thread each item onto a different skewer - all shrimp, all squash, etc.)  Place in a shallow dish and pour marinade over the top.  Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

3.  Drain and discard marinade.  Grill kabobs, uncovered, over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until the shrimp turns pink and veggies are tender.  Combine butter and dill and baste over the skewers.  Serve over hot rice.

Makes 6 servings

Homemade Dinner Rolls

There is no better way to say "welcome home" than with the scent of a fresh batch of homemade rolls!

Alison Eckel’s Dinner Rolls

Mix and cool:
1 C. milk, scalded
1/3 C. sugar
1/4 C. oil
1 tsp. salt

In mixer, add:
3 C. flour
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp. yeast in 1/2 C. warm water

Also add cooled milk mixture. Don't knead yet. Let rise until doubled. Knead after it has risen (about 1 1/2 hours). Roll out dough into large circle. Cut like a pie, into 12 triangles. Starting at the big end, roll each triangle to the small end. Place on greased cookie sheet. Let rise 1-2 hours. Bake at 375 F for 8-11 minutes. (Can eliminate first rise.)

Ultimate Garden Salad

This is the dish my husband requested for Father's Day this year...


This is our favorite list:

Carrots
Celery
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Chives
Sprouts
Snap peas
Cucumber
Bell pepper
Avocado
Baby corn
Beets
Kidney beans
Olives
Tomatoes
Purple onion
Croutons
Bacon bits
Tortilla strips
Feta cheese

Tear desired lettuce into bite size pieces. Add ingredients. Enjoy with your favorite salad dressing!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

This award winning recipe was given to me as a good-bye present when our friends moved out of state...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
1 C butter
1 C peanut butter (Deb has been know to add 2-3 cups, depending on her mood)
1/4 C milk
2 t vanilla
2 eggs
1 t salt
3 1/2 C flour
2 T baking soda
1-3 bags milk chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 375. Mix butter, peanut butter, and both sugars until smooth. Add milk, vanilla and eggs. Mix until smooth. Add the dry ingredients, at this point I add my chips (it keeps the flour from flying all over). Mix well using a Kitchen Aide or Bosch mixer. Shape dough (use an ice-cream scoop). Bake for 10-12 minutes or until a little golden.

**This recipe was given to us with a lot of love from Deb Powell. We will never forget the Powell family, and the good times we shared.

Cobb Salad

Cobb salad was created at the Brown Derby Restaurant in Hollywood.

"One night in 1937, Bob Cobb, then owner of The Brown Derby, prowled hungrily in his restaurant's kitchen for a snack. Opening the huge refrigerator, he pulled out this and that: a head of lettuce, an avocado, some romaine, watercress, tomatoes, some cold breast of chicken, a hard-boiled egg, chives, cheese and some old-fashioned French dressing. He started chopping. Added some crisp bacon -- swiped from a busy chef.
"The Cobb salad was born. It was so good, Sid Grauman (Grauman's Chinese Theatre), who was with Cobb that midnight, asked the next day for a 'Cobb Salad.' It was so good that it was put on the menu.
"Cobb's midnight invention became an overnight sensation with Derby customers, people like movie mogul Jack Warner, who regularly dispatched his chauffeur to pick up a carton of the mouth-watering salad."
Since 1937, more than 4 million Cobb salads have been sold at Brown Derby restaurants, according to the Brown Derby Restaurant Group, which, now that the two original Hollywood restaurants have closed, is what the company calls itself. It licenses the restaurant name for merchandise (including bottled Cobb salad dressing), as well as to Disney, which opened a reproduction of the original Brown Derby in Orlando, Florida, in 1989 and, in 1990. signed a 20-year agreement for Brown Derby restaurants in Tokyo, Paris and Anaheim, California. You can read all about The Brown Derby and its glamorous customers in The Brown Derby Restaurant: A Hollywood Legend, which includes many of the Derby's recipes.
Footnote: There's also a legend about how the Brown Derby got its name: One night, Herbert Somborn, an ex-husband of Gloria Swanson, remarked -- speaking of the mood of Hollywood in the roaring 20s -- that "You could open a restaurant in an alley and call it anything. If the food and service were good, the patrons would just come flocking. It could be called something as ridiculous as the Brown Derby." Hence, a restaurant shaped like a hat opened near Hollywood and Vine in 1926.



Cobb Salad
1/2 head lettuce, about 4 cups 1 bunch watercress
1 small bunch chicory,
2 1/2 cups 1/2 head romaine,
2 medium peeled tomatoes
6 strips of crisp bacon
2 breasts of boiled chicken
3 hard cooked eggs
1 avocado
1/2 cup crumbled Roquefort cheese
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 cup (approximately) Original Cobb Salad Dressing
Cut lettuce, half the watercress, chicory and romaine in fine pieces and arrange in a large salad bowl.

Cut tomatoes, bacon, chicken, eggs, and avocado in small pieces and arrange, along with the crumbled Roquefort cheese, in strips on the greens.
Sprinkle finely cut chives over the Cobb salad and garnish with the remaining watercress.

Just before serving mix the salad with the Cobb salad dressing.Original Cobb Salad DressingMakes 1 1/2 cups
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon dry English mustard
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup full-flavored olive oil
3/4 cup salad oil

Blend all ingredients together, except oils. Add olive and salad oils. Mix well.
Blend well again before mixing with salad.
A note from the Brown Derby: "The water is optional, depending upon the degree of oiliness desired in the dressing."

Quiche

Oh Divine! This is sure to hit the spot at any gathering around the world!

Quiche

Quiche makes a great picnic at the beach dish.

1 sheet puff pastry
4 slices of bacon
1 leek
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups swiss cheese

1. Cook bacon in microwave for 4 minutes (on plate between several paper towels). Blot bacon with more paper towels and cut it into 1/2-inch slices.
2. Trim bottom and several inches of the green tops off of the leeks. Slice the leek all the way lengthwise into two halves. Holding the layers of the halves together, carefully rinse all the dirt out in between the layers. Once clean, thinly slice the leeks (about 1/8-1/4 inch slices). Sauté leeks in a little butter or a little water--steaming them until soft.
3. Combine eggs, milk, nutmeg and cayenne pepper.
4. Roll out puff pastry into 11-inch square. Fit into 9-inch glass pie plate. You can trim and reshape the edge.
5. Put bacon, leeks and cheese in pastry shell. Pour in egg mixture.
6. Bake 375 degrees for 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

Oven Roasted Summer Vegetables

A sure way to absorb all the necessary nutrients...

Oven Roasted Summer Vegetables

1 eggplant
1 red pepper
2 zucchini
3-4 Tablespoons olive or grape seed oil
salt to taste

Cut eggplant in four wedges and cut wedges into thick 1/2-inch slices. Slice zucchini into 1/2-inch rounds. Cut pepper into 1 inch pieces. Toss vegetables in grape seed or olive oil and salt. Place flat in a single layer on a very large cookie sheet--or two sheets. Roast in oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until brown and soft.

Sauteed Baby Artichokes

One of life's true luxuries that we can all enjoy!

Sautéed Baby Artichokes

18 Fresh Baby Artichokes
2 lemons
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 grapeseed oil
Salt to taste

Wash the artichokes in a sink of water. Squeeze lemon juice of one lemon into a bowl of about 6 cups of water. Cut second lemon in half. Now you can begin to trim your artichokes. They turn brown fast as they are cut, so you need to have the lemon water and lemon halves handy to rub on the cut sides. Cut off the top third of the artichoke. Peel off outer leaves until leaves are very pale green to yellow. Trim a tiny bit of the bottom of the stem, and sparingly peel stem. Rub artichoke top and bottom with lemon half, then place it in the bowl of water.

Once the artichokes are all trimmed, add oil to a large surfaced pan on medium high heat. Quarter artichoke hearts quickly and add them to the pan with the garlic. Salt to taste. Sauté until tender in the center and crispy-brown at the edge.

Artichoke Chicken

Delicious! This is one of our families favorites!

Artichoke Chicken

2 lbs. frozen chicken tenders
8 oz. frozen artichoke hearts
2 Tablespoons butter
1 minced shallot
2-3 wedges of Laughing Cow Light Cheese (with or without herbs)
3 oz. shredded or sliced Gouda Cheese
1/4 cup marscapone cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Place frozen chicken and artichokes in 9 x 13 Pyrex dish. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Top with minced shallot, and small pieces of butter and cheeses. The Laughing Cow and marscapone should be in about 1 teaspoon dollops. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until brown and bubbly.

Teriyaki Sauce Marinade

Be sure to use Tamari or Trader Joe's brand soy sauce! The cheap-O stuff will not cut it!


Teriyaki Sauce Marinade (for Chicken)

(Is best thrown on the grill with skewered vegetables or corn on the cob.)
1/3 C Soy Sauce ~ You MUST use TAMARI brand or a Trader Joe's variety (not kikoman)
1/2 C Chicken Stalk
1/2 C Honey
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t ground ginger

Mix all of the ingredients together. Marinade 4+ hours- will do 8 chicken breasts. My friend Jennifer McLaughlin passed this recipe on to me.

CPK BBQ Chicken Salad

We have found perfection in this salad! Sure to be a crowd pleaser!


Makes 4 main-course or 8 appetizer servings.
Fried Tortilla Strips Vegetable oil for deep-frying 12 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips (about 6 cups)
Garden Herb Ranch Dressing
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cold water
2 3/4 cups mayonnaise
1 cup buttermilk
7 tablespoons sour cream
2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions (greens and whites)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced fresh Italian parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoons minced fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh oregano (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh basil
Grilled Garlic BBQ Chicken
1 1/3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons salt
Four 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup good quality bottled sweet-and-spicy barbecue sauce

For the Salad 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, cored, rinsed, dried, and cut into 1/8-inch-wide strips 1/2 head romaine lettuce leaves, separated and trimmed, rinsed, dried, and cut into 1/8-inch-wide strips
12 large fresh basil leaves cut into 1/8-inch-wide strips
1 pound jicama, cut into 1/4 x 1/4 x 3/4-inch strips
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup canned sweet white corn kernels, drained
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 2 pounds ripe fresh tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup good quality bottled sweet-and-spicy barbecue sauce
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion greens

To Make the Fried Tortilla Strips: In a deep, heavy frying pan, heat several inches of vegetable oil to a temperature of 375 degrees F. Working in batches if necessary to prevent overcrowding, carefully add the tortilla strips to the hot oil, submerging them with a metal skimmer or slotted spoon. Fry the tortilla strips until evenly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully lift them out with the skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer them to paper towels to drain and cool. Set aside, uncovered.

To Make the Garden Herb Ranch Dressing: In a mixing bowl, use a fork to stir together the mustard and cold water, forming a paste. Set aside for 10 minutes. Add the remaining dressing ingredients to the bowl and, using a handheld electric mixer at low speed or a whisk, blend together just until smooth, taking care not to incorporate too much air into the dressing. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

To Make the Grilled Garlic and BBQ Chicken: Preheat a stovetop grill or the broiler. In a mixing bowl, stir together the olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, and salt. Turn the chicken breasts in this marinade and leave to marinate at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Grill or broil the chicken breasts until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator. Cut the chicken breasts into 3/4-inch cubes and, in a bowl, toss with the barbecue sauce to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

To Make the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, toss together the lettuces, basil, jicama, Monterey Jack cheese, beans, corn, cilantro, dressing, and half of the Fried Tortilla Strips. Transfer the salads to chilled serving plates. Surround each salad with diced tomatoes and the remaining Fried Tortilla Strips. Top each salad with chunks of Grilled Garlic BBQ Chicken and drizzle the chicken with the barbecue sauce. Garnish with the scallion.

Contributed by: Rachel Tollestrup

CREPES

A nice change from making regular old pancakes!

Crepes can be frozen up to 3 months. Let crepes cool covered to keep them from drying out. Make 2 stacks of 6 crepes, placing waxed paper between each crepe. Wrap each stack in aluminum forul and freeze. Thaw crepes at room temperature.

1 ½ cup flour
1 T sugar
½ t baking powder
½ t salt
2 cups milk
2 T butter, melted
½ t vanilla
2 eggs

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Beat with hand beater until smooth. Lightly butter 6-8 inch skillet. Heat over medium heat until bubbly. For each crepe, pour scant ¼ cup of the batter into skillet. Immediately rotate skillet until thin film covers bottom. Cook until light brown. Run wide spatula around edge to loosen: turn and cook other side until light brown.

Stack crepes, placing waxed paper between each; keep covered. If desired, spread applesauce, sweetened strawberries, whipped cream or jam thinly over warm crepe; rollup. (Be sure to fill crepes so the more attractive side is on the outside.) Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. I have heard that crepe makers are wonderful, but I still make them the old fashioned way, by rolling them in the pan. 12 crepes; 105 calories per crepe. This is one of our Betty Crocker favorites.

Chocolate Trifle

Time and time again, I pull out this recipe when I am asked to bring a dessert! It is super easy to make, gorgeous, and tastes divine!



Chocolate Trifle

1 chocolate cake, baked
1 package chocolate pudding
1 container of whipped topping
6 Skor candy bars (Health is fine)

In your trifle bowl layer the ingredients. First, crumble in the chocolate cake, then add a few pieces of the Skor bars (I smash them up into bits with my small pounder). I put the chunks of the candy bar against the glass, so it looks pretty. Then add the pudding and whipped topping. Repeat layers. I reserve some of the whipped topping for the top, and sprinkle the remaining 5 Skor bars on the top as well. Presto! Super fast, and incredibly beautiful!

Chineese Chicken Salad

Mandarin oranges add to the beautiful presentation of this salad...



Chinese Chicken Salad


2 c chopped roasted chicken tenders or cooked chicken sprinkled with Monterey Chicken Seasoning

2 heads romaine lettuce, washed well, dried, with leaves cut crosswise into 1/2” strips

1 clove garlic

1/2 c finely diced red onion

1/2 diced green onion (optional)

1/2 c diced celery

1 c broccoli florets, coarsely chopped, steamed for 1 minute in microwave, and revived by running under cold water

1 can mandarin orange sections, drained

1 package chicken flavor Top Ramen

Fresh ground pepper

1/2 c toasted slivered almonds

Ken’s Steak House Lite Asian Ginger-Sesame Dressing


Rub insides of salad bowl with crushed clove of garlic. Add lettuce pieces broccoli, onion and celery. Toss.Add orange pieces and chicken. Sprinkle Top Ramen seasoning packet over salad (can substitute salt free Mrs. Dash if needed). Take ramen cakes and break apart coarsely over salad bowl, then add almonds. Toss.



Contributed by: Becki Cutler

Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chips

These are my no fail cookies - always a hit at a BBQ and always chewy and yummy!  Try them with butterscotch chips, raisins, or my personal favorite:  White Chocolate Chips and Craisins

Cream together using an electric mixer:

3/4 Cup Shortening

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Granulated Sugar

1 Egg

1/4 Cup Water

1 tsp Vanilla

Mix in:

3 Cups Oats

1 Cup Flour

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

8 oz Chocolate/Peanut Butter Chips

Drop by rounded teaspoon full onto a baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

Raspberry Chocolate Tiramisu

Bring home a little Italy...


RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE TIRAMISU
A traditional Italian trifle recipe remade with new flavors and pasteurized egg.
This recipe serves about 24. You can do 2/3rds the recipe and use a 9 x 13 or 3 quart dish.

1 cup of pasteurized egg product (like Reddiegg--
or pasteurized eggs in the shell, but they are hard to find)
1 cup sugar
24 ounces Marscapone (Trader Joe's)
2 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped
4 Dozen Savioardi or Ladyfingers (North Park Produce or seasonally at Trader Joe's)
2 cups strong, dark hot chocolate (If desired, you could melt 1/4 cup chocolate chips in it,
or add 1/4 teaspoon almond extract once it has cooled off a bit)
1 cup Raspberry Spread (Trader Joe's) (optional)
Cocoa Powder
2 cups fresh raspberries

1. Whip egg with sugar. Blend in Marscapone cheese. Fold in whipped cream.

2. One at a time, dip half of the Savioardi into the cooled off hot chocolate (think moist, not soggy) and place in a single layer in a 15 x 10 or 4 quart dish.

3. Spread half of the Marscapone mixture on top of the Savioardi.

4. Repeat step 2, this time spreading the Raspberry Spread on top of the soaked Savioardi.

5. Spread the rest of the Marscapone mixture on top. Dust with cocoa powder and top with raspberries.

6. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Even better made a day in advance.

Thai-Style Halibut with Coconut-Curry Broth

Did I mention that consuming the  coconut rice is like eating candy?

Thai-Style Halibut with Coconut-Curry Broth (we use Tilapia or Shrimp)

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 shallots, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
2 1/2 teaspoons red curry paste*, or 2 teaspoons curry powder
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1/4 teaspoon, plus more for seasoning
4 (6-ounce) pieces halibut fillet, skin removed
Steamed spinach**
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 scallions, green part only, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Freshly ground black pepper 2 cups cooked brown rice, for serving ¼ cup cream of coconut, or to taste (found in the liquor section)*Available in the Asian section of most supermarkets **Steam or microwave 5 cups of washed baby spinach for 2 minutes

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes. Season the halibut with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Arrange the fish in the pan and gently shake the pan so the fish is coated with the sauce. Cover and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 7 minutes.
Stir in the cream of coconut with the rice.

Arrange a pile of steamed spinach in the bottom of 4 soup plates. Top with the fish fillets. Stir the cilantro, scallions, and lime juice into the sauce and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Ladle the sauce over the fish and serve with coconut rice.

Contributed by: Maren Parker

Rainbow Cupcakes

A fun family favorite to do with your children...

"Rainbow Cake" of Cakes by Michaelyn
*If you prefer a smaller cake/cupcake batch (24), use only one cake mix and 1/2 the extract and vanilla

You'll need:
• Two Betty Crocker white cake mixes
• Basic box ingredients for two cakes - eggs (whites only), oil, water
• 2 tbsp pure almond extract
• 2 tbsp golden/clear vanilla extract
• "Colors" - either ChefMaster Liquid Colors or Wilton Paste Colors. NEVER USE RED.

Preheat Oven to 325 degrees F. Begin by preparing the cake mix per the box directions, adding the almond and vanilla extracts to the batter. Mix for roughly two minutes. When the batter is finished, evenly distribute the mix into five or six clear bowls. Add some "coloring" to each bowl of batter. Start with a small amount, mixing thoroughly until the batter has a bold, but not dark, color. Note: Never use red, as the taste is too bitter. Instead, use pink.

Grease a cake pan thoroughly with a cooking spray or use cupcake liners. Drizzle (spoon for cupcakes) the batter into the greased pan, one color at a time, using half of each colored batter. Repeat with the following batters, drizzling to fill in any holes. The color pattern should be repeated twice. Bake the cake according to the box directions, adding more time if necessary until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cake, in the pan, for roughly 30 minutes. Level the top of the cake by slicing away anything protruding from the top of the cake pan. Remove cake from the pan, let cool. Frost with your favorite frosting.

Chicken Puffs

If you want to teach your kids to cook, this is a great beginners recipe!

Chicken Puffs
3 oz cream cheese, softened
3T butter, softened
2 cups cubed chicken
¼ tsp salt
1T chopped green onion or chives
1/8 t pepper
8 crescent rolls

Blend with cream cheese, chicken, salt, pepper & onion. Spread out rolls and put 1 T chicken mix into the center. Roll and seal edges. Dip in melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes on an UN-GREASED cookie sheet. Once you dip the rolls in butter, it is an option to roll them in smached croutons if desired. I usually make a green salad & corn as sides. Everyone eats this happily - it is always a big hit!

Shrimp Louis

If you want your kids to eat this be creative in the way you present this salad to them!

The picture below is how I present this to my kids.

Shrimp Louis

2 leaves green leaf lettuce
Fresh spring salad greens of choice
1 pound small salad shrimp or 12 large prawns
3 hard-cooked eggs, cut in wedges
8 spears asparagus, blanched in hot water
Lemon wedges
Top with Thousand Island Dressing

Arrange ruffled lettuce leaf on individual plates. Place salad greens on top. Sprinkle with small salad shrimp of arrange prawns. Place egg wedges at side. Top with asparagus spears, and lemon wedges.

Chicken Salad with Croissants

I made this for a Mother's Day brunch for the Activity Girls and their Moms. The girls enjoyed it as much as the Moms. Serve it with a croissant and some fresh fruit.

Chicken Salad

4 Cups uncooked small shell macaroni

2 Cups (16 oz.) coleslaw dressing- Use a fresh slaw dressing from the produce section.

2 Cups real mayonnaise

Cook macaroni until tender, rinse under cold water and drain well.

Combine shells, coleslaw dressing and mayo in a large mixing bowl.

Add:

6 Cups cooked, diced chicken breasts (about 8 medium/large chicken breasts)

2 Cans sliced water chestnuts, cut into slivers

2 Cups diced celery

1/2 Bunch green onions, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups halved cashews

3 Cups red grapes, cut in half

Make salad the night before serving.

This recipe is already doubled and will yield about 20 1-cup servings.

Shrimp Taco's

My husband loves spicy food, but our younger kids don't. I simply wash the spices off the shrimp for them... the perfect solution that solves our dinner time problem!

Sweet & Sour Chicken

This is a family favorite for more than one family!



SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN

¼ cup pineapple juice
½ cup red wine vinegar
¾ cup sugar
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt

Cut chicken in to bite size pieces. Beat 3 eggs in bowl. Roll chicken in egg, then cornstarch, and then brown in olive oil in skillet then sprinkle with garlic salt. Bring sauce to boil in small sauce pan. Put browned chicken in an 8x8 dish and pour sauce over it. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes uncovered. Serve over rice.

Contributed by: Rachel Tollestrup

Spinach Salad

I first experienced this yummy salad 9 years ago when a dear friend had us over for dinner. Since then, it has remained an absolute favorite of mine and many many others!!! Hope you enjoy it!

Spinach Salad

2 Bunches fresh spinach
1 Small purple onion
3/4 lb Fresh mushrooms
3/4 lb. Swiss cheese
1 Cup Cottage cheese
1/2 lb bacon - crisp and crumbled -- toss all ingredients together

Dressing
3/4 T. Poppy seeds
1/3 Cup white vinegar
1/2 Cup oil
1/3 Cup sugar
3/4 T. Grated onion
3/4 Tsp. salt
1/3 Tsp. mustard

Pork with Raspberry Sauce

This raspberry sauce rocks!

Roast Pork with Raspberry Sauce

1 boneless pork loin roast - 3-4 pounds
1 tsp pepper1 tsp rubbed sage
12 oz pkg frozen raspberries, thawed
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 c white vinegar1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp ginger1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 c cornstarch1 Tb lemon juice
1 Tb butter
3-4 drops red food coloring (optional)

Drain raspberries, reserving juice add water to make 3/4 cup. Combine 1/2 cup raspberry liquid with sugar, vinegar, cloves, ginger and nutmeg in medium saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered 5 minutes. Blend cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup liquid. Add to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in raspberries, lemon juice and food coloring.
Slice roast, pour some sauce over, and serve with remaining sauce.
suggested sides: I usually make spinach salad with raspberries or strawberries and pecans with a simple vinegar/oil dressing and then rolls. Cantelope or any other fruit would be really good with this also. Sometimes I'll do sweet potatoes with it too.

Contributed by: Maren Parker

Fruit Trifle

Making food is such a fun creative outlet! This is such a delicious eye pleaser! 

Angel Lush with Pineapple

1 can (20 oz) crushed Dole Pineapple

1 pkg (4 serving size) Jello Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding & PieFilling (don't add milk)

1 cup thawed COOL WHIP

1 prepared angel food cake

Seasonal berries

Mix pineapple & pudding in bowl. Gently stir in whipped topping.Cut cake & layer in bowl.Spread one-third pudding mixture on cake, & layer the other ingredients.Layer in your Trifle Bowl all remaining ingredients.