Chalupa

Chalupa 

 2-½ lb. Pork roast 

2 Tbsp. Chili powder 

2-½ cup pinto beans 

1 tsp. Oregano 

1 onion, chopped 

1 (4oz) can chopped green chilies 

2 cloves garlic 

1 (12oz.) jar dices pimentos 

1 Tbsp. Salt 

8 cups water 

1 Tbsp. Cumin 

 Combine the preceding ingredients in a roasting pan; cook on simmer for five hours.

 Last ½ hour, cook, uncovered, to thicken. Remove pork bone before serving 

 To serve, place one soft fried corn tortilla on each plate.

 Add the following: ½ cup chalupa sour cream cheese black olives lettuce avocado tomato taco salsa 

Serves 15 or more. 

 Jan Emery

Hershey's Mint Truffle Cookies

1 1/4 cups butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
24-36 Hershey's mint truffle kisses

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until combined.  Cover and refrigerate dough for one hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Scoop tablespoons of dough into balls and roll in sugar.  Place balls on prepared cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.  Allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes before topping with a truffle.

Served at 2015 Relief Society Christmas party

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup natural peanut butter

1 cup white sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

Served at 2015 Relief Society Christmas party

Sugar Cookies

3/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp lemon

1 tsp almond or vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Beat butter, sugar and eggs first.  Then add the rest of the ingredients.  

Chill for 1 hour or longer in refrigerator.

Roll out and cut into desired shapes.

Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes.

Christie Valverde

Served at 2015 Relief Society Christmas party.

Dark Chocolate Orange Slice Cookies

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup orange slice candy, chopped
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Cream butter and sugar together.  Beat in one egg, then vanilla.  Add dry ingredients and mix until completely blended.  You may need to finish mixing with your hands.  Mix in orange slice candy and dark chocolate chips.  Shape into large sized balls.  Place 2 inches apart on sprayed baking sheets.  Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until edges are lightly browned.  Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet.  Remove cookies to racks to finish cooling.  Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Served at 2015 Relief Society Christmas party

GNOCCHI, SAUSAGE AND SPINACH SOUP

Potato gnocchi with spicy sausage, roasted red peppers and fresh baby spinach in a creamy broth.

INGREDIENTS:

1 yellow onion, diced

1 roasted red pepper, diced

olive oil, for sauteing

sea or Kosher salt and fresh black pepper

1 pound Italian sausage, ground or removed from casings, hot or sweet

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed between fingers

32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth

1 pound potato gnocchi

2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, rough chopped

3/4 cup half & half or heavy cream (light is ok)

1 heaping tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

fresh grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large sauce pan or soup pot saute onion and red pepper in a couple of tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat until tender. Season well with salt and pepper. In a separate, large skillet brown the sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks. Add garlic to onion mixture and saute until fragrant.
2. Drain sausage and add to onion mixture along with the basil and chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper, simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add gnocchi and spinach, bring to a simmer and cook until gnocchi puff up and start to float (check package for cooking time). Add half & half and fresh basil, bring to a simmer for three or four minutes. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Dutch Oven Baked Chicken and Rice

8 servings

4 chicken breasts cut in half
2 cups uncooked rice (white, brown or wild)
1 package Lipton Onion soup mix
2 cans chicken broth or 4 cups water and bouillon
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp pepper
1 can water

Line a 4 quart dutch oven with foil or liner.  Pour rice into dutch oven.  In a separate bowl, combine chicken broth, cream of mushroom soup and 1 can water.  Pour mixture over the rice and mix well.
Place chicken on top of rice and sauce mixture.  Sprinkle soup mix, paprika and pepper over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes or until chicken and rice are done.

I don't even remember where I found this recipe but it was tasty and easily doubles to serve a crowd.  If you are cooking it in the oven you could just use a casserole dish. If using a Dutch oven here is the general rule for heating with coals.  The normal formula for Baking is to use twice the number of briquettes as the diameter of the oven with 3/4 of them on the lid. For a 12 inch oven, you would use 24 briquettes with 18 on top and 6 underneath. (from Dutchovendude.com)

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 C sugar

1/2 C butter

2 eggs

1 C sour cream

2 tsp vanilla

5 C flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Cream sugar and butter.  Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla, beat well.  Mix in dry ingredients.

Chill 2 hours (this is important, otherwise they will be too soft to work)

Roll 1/4 inch thick, use plenty of flour.

Bake at 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes.  They are done if you touch one and it doesn’t leave an impression.  They will still be white.

Let cool for just a minute then remove to cooling rack.

From a relief society cookbook published by the South Ogden 39th ward in the 80's.  The cookbook is long gone, but this recipe is still a family favorite.

Inca Red Quinoa Salad with Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage

Inca Red Quinoa Salad with Sweet Apple Sausage

Follow this link to a recipe on Allrecipes.com
The sister missionaries asked for a healthy dinner and this is what I came up with.  I wasn't sure about the mix of flavors, but it was really good.  I made a bunch of substitutions and it still turned out great.

Bernice O.

Quick Yeast Rolls

Quick Yeast Rolls! ! ! ! !

1C milk
1/2 C margarine
1C cold water
2T yeast
4T sugar
1T salt
2T eggs (beaten)
6C flour (sifted)

Microwave milk and margarine for 2 min. Add water, yeast and sugar, let yeast bubble. Add salt and beaten eggs. Add flour.
Knead until smooth and elastic. Raise 10 min. Make into rolls,let raise until 2x size.
Bake at 400 degrees, 20 min. 

Bernice

Banana Bread

Banana Bread 
2 small loaves, or 18 muffins

1 C sugar
1⁄2 C shortening
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas
2C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1⁄2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla 

Cream sugar, shortening and eggs. Add bananas. Mix in dry ingredients. Add vanilla. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes for small loaves, 20 minutes for muffins.

Bernice

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