Chocolate Trifle

I had never heard of chocolate trifle before, but the picture looked pretty so that is what I made for Thanksgiving dessert. Shauna....you may want to avert your eyes.

• 1 package brownie mix
• 1 package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1/2 cup water
• carmel ice cream topping
  
• Toffee pieces (by the chocolate chips)
  
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 container frozen whipped topping, thawed- French Vanilla flabor
  
• 1 pint whipping cream, whipped with like 3Tbs sugar
  
• 1 bar chocolate candy

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and cool completely. Cut into 1 inch squares.
2. In a large bowl, combine pudding mix, water and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth, then fold in 8 ounces whipped cream until no streaks remain.
3. In a trifle bowl or glass serving dish, place half of the brownies, top with caramel, top with toffee, then top that with half of the pudding mixture and half of the 12 ounce container of whipped topping. Repeat layers. Shave chocolate onto top layer for garnish. Refrigerate 8 hours before serving.

Um, Yum.

Dinner Rolls

This Thanksgiving was my first time making rolls and I was so happy that they were a success!

3 1/4 - 3 3/4 C all-purpose flour
1pkg active dry yeast
1 C milk
1/4 C sugar
1/3 C butter, margarine or shortening
1 beaten egg

I like to proof my yeast. So get some really warm water in a little bowl (maybe 1/2 C warm water) add your packet of yeast and like a tablespoon of sugar. Wait a few minutes for it to foam up.

Mix yeast mixture with 1 1/4 C of the flour. In a medium saucepan heat and stir milk, sugar, butter and 3/4 t salt until just warm (butter starts to melt) (120-130 dgs, I usually warm it up until I can hold my finger (my very very clean finger) in there for about 3-4 seconds before it gets too hot). . Add to flour mixture along with the beaten egg. Beat with an electric mixer (or Bosh, or Kitchenaid) on low speed for 30 seconds, then beat on high for three minutes. Assuming you are using some sort of mixer and not your bare hands.... start adding as much of the remaining flour as you can, if you do my little yeast proofing trick you'll probably even need a little extra flour beyond what the recipe calls for (1/4- 1/2 C more?). Knead for 6-8 minutes total. Shape dough into a ball and place in greased bowl, turn once (or just spray the top with non-stick spray too, that's my little trick : ) ). Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about an hour.

Punch dough down. Then turn out on a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Cover and let rest for ten minutes. Lightly grease your pan.

For dinner rolls shape the dough into 24 balls, place balls on prepared baking pan. And bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes (the second pan only took about 12 mintues...go figure, just keep checking them).

I shaped my rolls into rosettes. Here's the directions for that --- divide each portino of dough into 16 pieces (I rolled it out into a big rectangle and cut in strips. Roll each piece into a 12 inch long rope. Tie in a lose knot, leaving two long ends. Tuck top end under knot and bottom end into top center of the knot. Place two to three inches apart on prepared baking sheet.

I also lightly brushed some melted butter on top of the rolls as they came out of the oven.

They looked so pretty and tasted so good with the homemade honey butter I served them with (equal parts honey and butter whipped together).

This whole recipe makes it sound complicated, but it's really not. Please, try it, they were so good--- even Janssen liked them. That kind of makes Janssen sound picky, she's not but she said that she doesn't normally like rolls : )

Lettuce Wraps

Is this one on here yet? 'Cause wooo-baby! If it's not, here's a SE Asian dish that will, as PW says, make your skirt fly up.

1 1/4 lb ground turkey
1-2 TBS sesame oil
1/2 TBS minced garlic

Brown turkey with the sesame oil and minced garlic. Add:

1 large bell pepper, diced
1 bunch green onions, diced
1/2 cup hoisin sauce (in Asian foods section)
1 tsp-1 TBS chili garlic sauce (ditto)
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped.

Simmer for 10 minutes.

Prettily arrange romaine lettuce leaves in whole pieces.

Meanwhile, cook a bunch of white rice and when it's done, add a can of coconut milk and serve with sliced mango pieces over the top.

Your audience can scoop their own portions of turkey loverliness into the romaine lettuce leaves and indulge. This recipe fed 5 adults (about 2 lettuce wraps each. I think. I forget...).

Triple-Layer Pumpkin Spice Pie

Not the same as a real pumpkin pie, but still very very yummy!

2C cold milk
2 pkg (small boxes) Pumpkin Spice Flavor Pudding Mix (we used one pumpkin spice and one regular old vanilla)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tub (8 oz) whipped topping
1 graham cracker crust
1/2 C pecan halves
1 Tbsp honey

Beat milke, pudding mixes, and cinnamon with wire whisk until well blended.

Spread 1 1/2C onto bottom of pie crust.

Add 1 1/2C of the whipped topping to the remaining pudding mixture; stir gently. Spoon over layer in crust.

Top with remaining whipped topping.

Set aside in fridge for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cook pecans and honey in skillet on med-low heat until pecans are carmelized, stirring frequently. Spread onto waxed paper. Cool. Sprinkle over pie before serving.

Chicken Pot Pie

This is our favorite pot pie recipe, especially because my kids don't like using cream of mushroom soup for the filling. My older son will eat pot pie for almost every meal as long as we have leftovers. Also, it is a great way to use that leftover turkey we will all have this week!

Preheat Oven to 425 degrees.

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed
1C sliced carrots
1C frozen peas
1/2C celery
1/3C butter
1/3C chopped onion
1/3C flour
1/2tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp celery seed
1 3/4C chicken broth
2/3C milk

2- 9 inch deep dish pie crusts (unbaked)

In saucepan combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15min. Drain and set aside. (I usually boil these in chicken broth and use the reserves to the 1 3/4C chicken broth that you need later in the recipe. Also, use whatever veggies you want- but reduce the amounts of others or your pie will overflow)

In saucepan, over medium heat cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, peppter, and celery seed (don't think I ever remember the celery seed). Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place chicken/veggie mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour liquid mixture on top. Cover with top crust, seal edges. Make several small slits in top to allow steam out.

Bake in preheated oven 30-35min or until golden brown and filling is bubbly.

One pot spaghetti

I have been on a cooking hiatus lately, we've been having boring fare like chili and baked potatoes. No one in our house is happy about it, but really I just haven't felt up to the task of making an actual meal. So the other night I was going to make spaghetti only to find I had no spaghetti sauce. So I was going to make spaghetti sauce and came across this recipe for "one pot spaghetti" and I thought, now there, there, is something I feel up to. And I thought it turned out really good and really, one pot. No complaints there. So if you're feeling lazy....

8oz ground beef or bulk pork sausage (we actually didn't have any meat, so I substituted lots of mushrooms!)
1 C mushrooms or 1can mushrooms
1/2 c chopped onion
1 clove garlic or 1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 14 oz can of chicken or beef broth
1 3/4 C water
1 6oz can tomato paste
1 t oregano
1/2 tsp basil or marjoram
1/4 tsp black pepper
6 oz dried spaghetti
1/4 C parmesan cheese

In large saucepan cook the ground beef, fresh mushrooms, onion and garlic until meat is brown and onion is tender, Drain.
Stir in the canned mushrooms (if using), broth, water, tomato paste, oregano, basil and pepper, bring to boiling. Add the broken spaghetti, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Return to boiling, reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, for 17-20 minutes or until spaghetti is tender and sauce is of the desired consistency, stirring frequently. Serve with parmesan cheese.

As mentioned, I didn't use meat, just lots of fresh mushrooms. Also the sauce seemed extra peppery, so I think I maybe either accidentally doubled the pepper, or 1/4 pepper is more peppery than you might imagine. I actually really liked it, but if you don't like pepper maybe start out with less. Now that I think about it though I bet I accidentally doubled it. I don't know. Also 6oz of spaghetti is not a lot. I put in a lot more than that and noticed my sauce was not going to be enough for the spaghetti to cook so I added some diced tomatoes with the sauce and a little extra water. Anyway, good quick meal for those of us who forget to buy spaghetti sauce and only like to use one pan : )

Butternut Squash

Here's another squash for you to try. Soooo good. Again, I didn't use the maple syrup in it, but I did add some butter and milk and it is creamy goodness, that's what it is. I'm a squash convert after this and the acorn squash recipes.

Here's the recipe.