Pumpkin Bread

5 1/4 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking soda
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, stir together dry ingredients.  Set aside.

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3 cups brown sugar, packed
6 eggs
3 cups pureed pumpkin
2 cups semi sweet chocolate mini morsels
1 1/2 cups walnuts or pecans, chopped

In another large bow, cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and beat well.  Add dry ingredients alternating with pumpkin, beating between each addition.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts  Divide batter evenly among 6 greased and floured pans.  Bake until an inserted tester comes out clean, about 45 minutes.  Cool.  Wrap with plastic wrap and foil.  Place in freezer bag.  Seal bag, pressing out excess air.  Freeze.

Shared at October 2013 Relief Society Activity.

Waffles

3 1/2 cups sifted flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs, separated
3 cups milk
3/4 cup cooing oil

Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry.  Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored.  Continue beating yolks, adding milk and cooking oil.
Add dry ingredients to yolk mixture. and beat until smooth.  Fold in egg whites.
Preheat waffle iron for about 8 minutes.  Pour about 1 cup batter on preheated iron.  Close and bake until light goes out.

Freezer option:
Freeze batter in plastic container.  Allow batter to completely defrost at room temperature before pouring onto the waffle iron.

Make waffles, allow to cool and freeze in ziplock bags.  Separate waffles with parchment paper.  Reheat in oven on broil or in a toaster oven.

Shared at Relief Society Activity, October 013

Bev's Chicken with Jarlsburg

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2.5 pounds)
3 ounces Jarlsberg Lite Swiss cheese, very finely sliced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup apple juice
1 cup dry stuffing mix
1/4 cup butter

Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts.
Place in a 9x12 baking dish.
Place a piece of cheese over each breast.
Mix apple juice with the soup.
Pour mixture over the chicken.
Sprinkle the stuffing over breasts.
Drizzle melted butter over stuffing.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.
Makes 6 servings.

For freezer meal option:
Put chicken, cheese and soup/apple juice mixture in a baggie.  Freeze it.
Pour dressing and butter on top before cooking.

Shared at Relief Society activity Oct 2013

Chicken Azteca

2 15 oz cans black beams
4 cups frozen corn kernels or 2 15 oz cans
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 tsp ground cumin
2 cups chunky salsa, divided
10 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 8 oz pkgs. cream cheese, cubed
cooked rice
shredded cheddar cheese

Combine beans, corn, garlic, cumin and half of salsa in slow cooker.
Arrange chicken breasts over top.  Pour remaining salsa over top.
Cover.  Cook on high 2-3 hours or on low 4-6 hours.
Remove chicken and cut into bite sized pieces.  Return to cooker.
Stir in cream cheese.  Cook on high until cream cheese melts.
Spoon chicken and sauce over rice.  Top with shredded cheese.

Makes 12 servings.

Options:
1.  Before adding cream cheese remove half and put it in the freezer.  Add 1 package of cream cheese to the remaining sauce.  To use the frozen sauce/chicken defrost in the refrigerator.  Put sauce in a sauce pan, add 1 package cream cheese and cook until hot.  (I have frozen it with the cream cheese and it works fine, but it's better if you freeze it without the cream cheese.)

2. Use precooked chicken or turkey.  Mix all ingredients on the stove while the rice cooks.  Super fast yummy dinner.  The flavors don't blend as well, but still good.

I got this recipe from Janelle O. when she had our family to dinner.  It makes enough for her whole family and mine.

From Bernice Oliver
Shared at Relief Society activity October 2013 "Freezer Meals"

Monster Cookie Dough Dip

Monster Cookie Dough Dip

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup butter, slightly softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 ½ cups rolled oats, old fashioned or quick (see Note)
• 2/3 cup plain M&Ms (give or take)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter until smooth.
2. Add in the powdered sugar, brown sugar, flour, and vanilla.
3. Using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer or just a wooden spoon, mix in the oats. You may want to use more or less here. I really like the oats in it and a thicker dip so I added a lot. Remember that the dip will also firm up a bit in the fridge.
4. Add the M&Ms and chocolate chips.
5. Store in the refrigerator until serving. Serve with pretzels, graham crackers, or apple slices. You can dip or spread this depending on how thick you made your dip. Try not to eat it all like I did!
6. Note: You can use more or less oats to adjust the thickness of your dip. Start with about 1 1/2 cups oats and keep adding until you reach your desired thickness. If you use quick oats you might use less since it's finer and will make the dough thicker.

Thank you to Erica for this super yummy recipe!

Humus

Basic hummus recipe:

1 1\2 cup cooked garbanzo beans

2 tbs. olive oil

2 tbs. tahini (ground sesame seeds) (can be eliminated if you don't like the flavor)

2 tbs. lemon juice

Grind in a blender of food processor. use water or other liquid to help it blend.

The above recipe is a little bland in my opinion, so to spice it up the way I like it:

1 1\2 cup cooked garbanzo beans

2 tbs. olive oil plus extra for the garlic

2 tbs. tahini (ground sesame seeds) (can be eliminated if you don't like the flavor)

2 tbs. lemon juice

2 cups chicken broth

1\3 tsp. cumin

1\3 tsp chili powder

2 tsp. soy sauce

1 bulb of garlic

salt and pepper

Cut garlic in bulb in half with the roots facing down. Douse with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap in foil and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes, or until the garlic cloves are a dark tan color and are about the consistency of toothpaste. Wait for garlic to cool, then squeeze the cloves into a bowl being careful to get the paper skins out. Boil the beans in the broth with the cumin and chili powder for 20 minutes. Grind beans with 2 tbs. olive oil, juice, tahini, soy sauce and garlic until smooth. Add broth or water as needed. use as a dip for toasted pita bread, chips, or cut veggies.

Additional add-ins to the original recipe:

fresh mint (very traditional)

fresh parsely

fresh basil

fresh oregano

plain yogurt for a creamy texture

fire roasted red pepper

a dash of cinnamon

sun dried tomatoes

Tahini

1 tsp olive oil (or sesame oil)

1/4 c sesame seeds

1/4 cup water

salt

Blend.

From Katie Fredrickson

Almond Crescents

set oven 325

 

1 cup butter (no substitute)

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp. water

2 tsp. almond flavoring (I like PURE, not imitation)

2 cups f lour

1 cup ground almonds

 

Beat butter and sugar till light. Add other ingredients. Chill for awhile until you can form a small crescent shape.

Bake crescents for about 20 minutes. While they are still hot roll them in powdered sugar if desired. Then dip one end in melted chocolate chips with a little butter added. 

from Cindy Guild

Eggnog Truffles

1 lb. white baking chocolate 4 oz. cream cheese, softened 1/4 c. powdered sugar 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp. imitation rum extract ground nutmeg for sprinkling   MELT 8 oz. chocolate . Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, nutmeg, and rum extract in a large bcowl until well blended and smooth. Add melted chocolate and beat until well mixed. oRefrigerate at least 4 hours. SHAPE into 24 (3/4 inch) balls. Place on wax paper lined tray. Refrigerate until ready to dip. COAT only 12 truffles at a time. Melt 4 oz chocolate in a microwave bowl. Using a fork, dip 1 truffle at a time Tap back of fork against edge of bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip off. Sprinkle with nutmeg.   REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until chocolate is set.

from Cindy Guild

Oyster Stew

This recipe is an Oliver family tradition.  (My family eats pop tarts for breakfast on Christmas morning, this took some getting used to.)  My husband's great grandfather served a mission in Ireland and this is the Christmas morning tradition that is the result.  There are two really important things to remember: Don't skimp on the cream, and don't look too closely at the oysters, they aren't pretty.  I took this recipe from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook (1990).

2 cups milk
2 cups light cream
2 cups shucked or canned oysters and their juice
Salt
3 tablespoons butter

Heat the milk and cream in a pot; do not boil.  Add  the oysters and any oyster juice and simmer for 5 minutes.  Season to taste with salt.  Add the butter, heat until it melts, and serve very hot.

We like it with plenty of oyster crackers.  (And pop tarts on the side.)

Merry Christmas!!
from Bernice Oliver

Pumpkin Muffins

I made these for breakfast this morning and they were yummy!

http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/144769/LIBBYS-Pumpkin-Muffins/detail.aspx

I cut the sugar down to 1 cup and was glad I did.  They were plenty sweet.  I also used 2 cups whole wheat flour and 1 cup white.  I could have used all whole wheat, they were very light and fluffy.

I would also like them with some shredded carrots, raisins, and chopped pecans, but then my family would accuse me of ruining them, but hey, then there would be more for me!
Bernice