Brownie Berry Trifle

This is one of my favorite desserts to bring to parties because it looks super impressive even though it is very easy!  However, I must say that the key to the presentation is a trifle bowl.

Ingredients

• One box brownie mix, prepared (I am partial to the Hershey or Ghiradelli triple chunk versions so you get big chunks of chocolate surprises in your trifle)
• Two small boxes of chocolate pudding mix, prepared (You need 8 oz total, so the larger 6 oz box isn't quite enough.  I have even used the sugar free, fat free mix before and it was still delic!)
• 8 oz container of cool whip (I use light and you can't tell the difference)
• Frozen or fresh berries (I love the mixed bag of frozen blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries with a few fresh strawberries mixed in.)

Directions

Cut the entire pan of brownies into little bite sized squares and layer in the bottom of your bowl.  Top with pudding, then cool whip, then berries.  Start over with the brownies again and repeat three times.  Voila!  Easy as pie (actually way easier). 

A few notes:

• If you use frozen berries, they tend to bleed all over the cool whip on top and ruin the presentation.  Rinse the ones for the top layer in a colander first.  They will still bleed, but not nearly as much.  I don't rinse the inside ones because the berry juice soaking into the brownies is what makes it so, so good. :)  
• Sometimes I do a smaller version of just two layers.  The 6 oz pudding box is perfect for this.  

Enjoy!

South of the Border Pizza

This recipe was contributed by Rachel Nielson.  It was stolen from another food blog Best Recipe of the Week, which was started by a bunch of young moms at my church.  The recipe was originally posted by Stephanie Evans.

I have made this several times and really like it.  Ryan isn't sure about the lack of sauce and meat, but I think it is a yummy, quick, healthy, vegetarian option.  You could always add chicken and some sort of sauce if you are creative.  The crust only takes 10 minutes to rise, and the tomato is the only topping that really needs chopping.  Very easy.

You could serve this as a main dish or a side dish.  

Pizza Toppings: 

(I always improvise how much of each)

1 c. kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I've also used black beans)

1 c. whole kernel corn

1 large tomato, chopped

1/4 c. finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 jalepeno pepper, finely chopped (you can make it without this as well)

1/4 c (4oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Crust:

1 c. warm water

1 Tbsp white sugar

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

about 2 1/2 c. all purpose flour 

Procedure:

Stir water, sugar, and yeast together until dissolved. Add the olive oil and salt. Stir in the flour until well blended. Let dough rise for 10 min. Pat dough into pan using fingers dipped in olive oil. (Or you can use a pizza stone).  Sprinkle with basil, thyme, or other seasonings. Top with toppings and bake for about 15 min. (until cheese is melted and lighly browned) at 425.  You can dip it in ranch if you want to.

Pavlova

This recipe was contributed by Sarah McKenna.  It is from a Silver Palate Cookbook.
My husband spent two years in Australia on a religious mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  While there, this was his definite favorite Australian delicacy.  Every time that I eat it I am shocked by how rich and delicious it is, especially since it's basically just egg whites and sugar!  Additionally, since it is basically just egg whites, it is not all that bad for you!  We have been doing Weight Watchers together, so we make this treat anytime we have people over now because it is relatively low in points.  A sixth of the pavlova---which is a sizable amount!---WITH the whipped cream is only 7 points on the old WW system (an eighth is 6 points) and on the NEW system a sixth is only 4 points (an eight is 3 points).  If you are someone who is satisfied with Cool Whip instead of real whipped cream (Um, LAME!) then you can drop your points to 3 per slice on the old system and 0 points per slice on the new system.  Um, WOW . . . . maybe I should reconsider my stance on Cool Whip.   

Anyway, I made this last night for a card making club that I was hosting and it got RAVE reviews.  In fact, I got so many requests for the recipe that I decided to just post it on this blog.  You will definitely need an electric hand mixer, and a spring form (cheesecake) pan is best for baking, but a round pan of any sort would probably work.  It is best with this recipe to have everything out on the counter and ready to use so there isn't much down time in the beating process.

And, yes, it is named after the famous ballerina.  On to the recipe . . . .

Pavlova

4 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup sugar

4 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar (I just use white because it's what I keep on hand.)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

2 to 3 cups fresh berries (Strawberries are our favorite!)

1.  Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

2.  Beat egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar together in a bowl until the whites hold a stiff peak.

3.  Add the sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, beating until mixture is stiff and glossy.

4.  Beat in the cornstarch, then the vinegar and vanilla.

5.  Butter and flour (baking PAM!) an 8 inch spring form pan and fill gently with the meringue mixture, spreading it slightly higher around the edges than in the center of the pan to form a depression.  (You barely have to do this at all!)

6.  Bake cake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until meringue is firm and lightly browned.  Pavlova will remain moist inside.  Cool slightly, unmold, slide onto a serving plate, and cool completely.  

5.  Lightly whip cream just before serving and prepare berries.  

6.  Serve with whipped cream and berries on top.

Easy Homemade Bread! For real!

I got this recipe from my sister Rachel.  She is an amazingly lazy cook, so if she says that she made homemade bread and that it was EASY then, well, it may sound too good to be true, but it isn't!  There is no kneading and no traditional rising time!  Impressive.  As you may suspect, iI\n all honesty it's not the most amazing homemade bread that I've ever had, but it is very easy and quick compared to most yeast breads, and it is still way yummier than any grocery store bread!  She makes it with part whole wheat flour and part white for a "light wheat" feel, but you could use fully whole wheat flour or fully white flour to accommodate for your particular taste buds.  I will list it as she makes it.  Enjoy it right out of the oven with some honey butter!  Yum!

Easy Homemade Bread

2 1/2 cups hot water
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 oil
1 Tbsp. salt
about 6 cups of whole wheat or white flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast

1. In a mixing bowl, combine...
             2 1/2 cups hot water
             1/3 cup sugar
             1/3 cup oil
             1 tbsp salt
2. Mix for 30 seconds.  (I do not use a dough hook for this part.)
3. Add 3/4 cup WHITE flour.
4.  Mix for 30 more seconds
5.  Add 1 1/2 tbsp yeast.
6.  Mix for 30 seconds.
7.  Add 5 cups white or wheat flour (or a combination...I usually do 3 cups wheat and 2 cups white.)
8.  With the dough hook, mix until flour is mixed in.
9.  Let dough sit for 20 minutes. 
10. Oil counter and dump dough on oil.
11.  Cut dough in 2 equal pieces.
12.  Take the first portion of dough, and roll it out thin with a rolling pin. (Roll the dough wide enough to fit a bread pan but long and thin).
13.  Roll up dough and pinch along the crease.  Place the crease side down in a greased and floured bread pan. Repeat with second portion of dough.
14.  Place loaves in oven and turn oven onto lowest temp (170). Let bread rise for 25 minutes.
15.  Then turn oven to 325 for 30 minutes WITHOUT OPENING OVEN!
16.  Dump out of pan to cool and enjoy!

Strawberry Cream Cake

This recipe was contributed by Sarah McKenna.

Laura and I both happened to be in Colorado with our dad on Father's Day, and he requested that we make him this cake.  It is one of his favorites that my mom used to make, and Laura and I had forgotten about.  It is easy, yummy, and tastes very summery and fresh.  (It tastes a lot better than it looks, I promise!)

Strawberry Cream Cake

1 - 10" prepared angel food cake
1 - 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened  (We used the 1/3 less fat kind.)
1 - 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (We used fat free.)
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. almond extract
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

(Optional: whipped cream or cool whip on top)

Cut a thin slice (1" max) crosswise from the top of the cake with a sharp knife.  Hollow out the center of the cake, leaving approximately 1" thick walls and base.  Reserve cake pieces.  Beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth.  Stir in lemon juice and almond extract.  Mix well.  Stir in reserved torn cake pieces and strawberries.

Fill the cavity of the cake with the mixture.  Replace the top of the cake.  Chill for three hours.  Top with whipped cream or cool whip and fresh strawberries if desired.  

Devil's Food Cake Mix Cookies

This recipe was contributed by Sarah McKenna.  I got to recipe from my friend Emily, who got it from her friend Katie.  These cookies are not as lowfat as Rachel's Weight Watcher's cake, but they are super easy and super yummy.  I usually LIVE for warm cookies, but these are actually a bit better after sitting for a bit and getting chewy and yummy.

Devil's Food Cake Mix Cookies

1 box devils' food cake mix
1/2 cup of butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 bag of any kind of chocolate chips you want (or a full bag, if you'd like!)
(Emily usually uses the Andes mint pieces---Yum!---but has also used peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, regular chocolate chips, etc.)

Mix all the goodies together.  (The dough is pretty stiff and sticky.)

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

The Most Divine Low-Fat Cake in the World

Contributed by Rachel Nielson

My friend, Laney Hawes, has made this cake for me twice, and I can't get over how delicious it is.  She got it out of a Weight Watchers cookbook--WEIGHT WATCHERS???!!!  This cake is so good that I would pick it even if it weren't low-fat.  It is soooooooooo yummy,

1 box of cake mix (any flavor you want works, I use white for the one I make)

2 1/2 cups of diet soda (I used 7-up)

3 egg whites

The cake mix seems really runny, but it bakes up really nicely. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until its done. Don't over cook it. 

Topping:

1 small container of fat free cool whip

1 small box of sugar free pudding mix or sugar free jello (I use pistachio)

1 cup of diet soda (I used 7-up again)

Mix it all together and spread over the cake. I found that if I let the cool whip get to room temp and mix it with the pudding mix,  it dissolves better than if the cool whip is really cold. Then I add the 7-up. And the cake is best if it is left in the fridge for a few hours or even over night.

Jessica Haslam's Honey Lime Enchiladas

This recipe was contributed by Jessica Haslam via Sarah McKenna.  It is super yummy!  It is a great mix of sweet and spicy.  The original recipe calls for flour tortillas, but Jess uses corn because she thinks they're more fun.  :)

Jessica Haslam's Honey Lime Enchiladas

1 1/2 pounds chicken, cooked and shredded

Sauce:

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup lime juice

1 1/2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 (10 ounce) cans green enchilada sauce

1 pound (or less, you decide) Colby Jack or Mexican blend cheese, grated

18 taco sized corn (or flour) tortillas

Mix together sauce ingredients then add to shredded chicken.

Let the sauce soak into the meat for about 30 minutes.

Lightly spray 9x13 baking dish with PAM.  Pour enough green enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the dish.  Lay six corn tortillas over the surface of the dish.  (The will be overlapping.)  Top with half of the meat mixture, then cover with cheese.  Layer another six tortillas and cover with some enchilada sauce and the rest of the meat.  Sprinkle cheese on top.  Layer last six tortillas on top and cover with the remaining sauce and cheese.  Be generous with the cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour.

"Cheater" Chicken Parmesan

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, Amy, who is not a lazy chef at all.  So I am always very skeptical when she says things are "easy."  But this one really is!  Enjoy.

Ingredients:     

• 3 chicken breasts – cut into 6 cutlets
• 1 can Hunt’s spaghetti sauce (I used traditional)
• Provolone cheese slices (About 5)
• Bread crumbs
• Romano cheese –  about  ¾ -1 cup

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Season cutlets with salt and pepper.  Sautee chicken in skillet just to get crusty.  Place browned chicken in 9X13 casserole dish.  Deglaze skillet with a little chicken broth and sauce.  Cut provolone cheese in half and lay over cutlets.  Pour sauce from pan and remainder from the can over chicken.  Sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs and romano cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes, uncovered.  Serve with angel hair pasta. Yum!

Handy tip: To reheat leftovers, warm chicken and sauce in covered skillet on med/med-low heat.

Garlic Herb Bubble Bread

I got this divine recipe from my friend, Christa Shaw.  I have made it twice now and still can't believe how delicious and EASY it is.  But warning: when I say garlic, I mean garlic.  My fingers stink for days after making it. :) 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/8 teaspoon each dried thyme, basil and rosemary, crushed
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 loaf (1 pound) frozen Rhodes bread dough, thawed

Directions:

• In a small bowl, combine cheese and seasonings. In another bowl, combine butter and garlic; set aside.
• Cut dough into 16 pieces. Roll into balls. Coat balls in butter/garlic mixture, then roll in cheese mixture. Place in a greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pan.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Bake at 350° for 22-26 minutes or until golden brown. (Cover loosely with foil if top browns too quickly.) Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm. 

YUM!  We made this for dinner with some friends, and the husband said it tasted like bread you go to a restaurant with mediocre food for just because the bread is so stinking good.  Enjoy.

Jessica's Banana Bread

This recipe comes to you courtesy of Jessica Haslam, via Sarah McKenna.  It is her mom's banana bread recipe, and it is Y.U.M.M.Y.  I can't wait to have it again!

Jessica's Banana Bread

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter flavored shortening

2 eggs

3 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon soda

3/4 cup Buttermilk (Jess usually just adds lemon juice to regular milk.)

3-4 smashed "bad" bananas

1/2 cup walnuts (opitonal)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cream shortening and sugar.  Add eggs, salt, soda, bananas, flour and buttermilk.  Mix until smooth.  Add nuts if desired.  Grease and flour (baking PAM) two bread pans.  Bake two loaves at 350 degrees for 45 minutes - 1 hour.  Let cool and turn out of pan.

Genie's Chocolate Sauce

This recipe for homemade hot fudge sauce was contributed by Ann Brown via Sarah McKenna.  It is her grandma's recipe.  And it is divine!

Genie's Chocolate Sauce

6 oz (1 cup / half of a standard sized bag) of semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter

1 1/3 cup evaporated milk (just under one full can)

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Slowly melt chocolate chips and butter. Add other ingredients and boil for 8 minutes. Serve over ice cream or pound cake.

Top Ramen and Cabbage Salad

This recipe was contributed by Marie Newman via Sarah McKenna.  This seems to be a Mormon standard recipe.  It saves remarkably well overnight because the cabbage stays crisp.  Marie says that it is better if you put it together about two hours early so the dressing has time to soften the cabbage and ramen a bit.  Throw in chicken if you want a main dish or leave it out for a side salad.

Top Ramen and Cabbage Oriental Salad

2 cups cubed chicken, optional
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 med. head of cabbage
6 green onions
2 pkgs Ramen noodles, crushed

dressing:
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 tsp pepper
2 flavor packets from Ramen noodles

Broccoli Salad

I know that I'm always looking for cheap and easy side dishes to bring to the zillions of events at church and with church friends which ask for attendees to bring side dishes or desserts.  Not shockingly, I always bring a dessert.  It seems cheaper and easier to a junk food junkie like myself who always has sweets ingredients hanging around the house.  However, last week I went to an Easter Egg Hunt at a friend's and one of my friends, Michelle Leinweber, brought this cheap, easy, and---oh yeah---delicious broccoli salad.  It was a huge hit.  Next event . . . I'm bringing it!

Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup craisins
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
3 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp vinegar
7 cups chopped fresh broccoli florets
1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

In a large bowl combine mayo, craisins, onion, sugar, and vinegar.  Add broccoli and stir to coat.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.  Before serving, stir in sunflower seeds and bacon.

Corn Bread

Contributed by Tia Sherwood.

This is so good that we call it corn bread cake. It makes and entire casserole dish, but doesn't half well b/c of the eggs.

1 cup margarine, melted

1 1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 cups flour

1 cup corn meal

4 tsps baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup milk

Combine in a mixing bowl, pour into a 9x13 and bake for about 35 min.

Great with chili.