Rolls

5 1/4 C flour

1/4 C sugar

1.5 Tbls rapid rise yeast

2 C Very Hot Water

1/2 Tbls Salt

Drizzle of olive oil

Mix dry, add wet. Knead with dough hook 10 min. Roll into balls and let rise 30 minutes. Bake at 350 for 10 min or until lightly golden.

Darn Good Chocolate Cake

DARN GOOD CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE

1 Plain devils food or dark chocolate cake mix

(No pudding)

3 oz instant chocolate pudding

4 large eggs

1 C sour cream

½ C vegetable oil

½ C warm water

Mix together for 1min. scrape sides of bowls and mix on

high for 2-3 mins. Until thick and smooth

Fold in

1 ½ C semi sweet chocolate chips – regular size

Pour into greased and floured bundt pan. Make sure that it

is well greased and floured.

Cook at 350˚ for 45-50 min. Check before time is up – if

the cake is pulling away from pan take it out. Let it sit for

10 to 15 mins. And then take out of pan.

FROSTING

While cake is warm pour chocolate fudge sauce or

chocolate frosting on top of cake and let it melt down the

sides.

Cake freezes well without frosting on it. Make sure that it

is covered and sealed well and then freeze. It is great with

ice cream.

Coleslaw

DELUXE COLESLAW DRESSING

Good Housekeeping cookbook

Excellent

½ Cup mayonnaise

1 Tbs. milk

1 Tbs. vinegar or lemon juice

½ tsp. sugar

¼ tsp salt

1/8 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp pepper

Mix together well and then pour over chopped cabbage, minced onion, & carrots.

Can add – diced green pepper & celery.

Black Bean Lasagna

Mexican Black Bean Lasagna

Great family dinner. To lower the spice level, use less jalapeno, chili powder, and purchase mild enchilada sauce.

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped (I do less to keep down the spice)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed
1 C frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 tsp chili powder (I do less to keep down the spice)
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice, plus wedge for serving
1/2 C fresh cilantro, chopped
1 10-oz can red enchilada sauce
9 small corn tortillas
6 oz Muenster cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
Optional: Sour cream and hot sauce for serving

1. Heat oven to 425. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the jalapenos, bell pepper and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the beans, corn and chili powder and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro.

2. Spread 1/4 C enchilada sauce on the bottom of an 8 in square or 1 1/2 qt baking dish. Top with 3 tortillas, tearing them to fit. Spread a third of the remaining enchilada sauce on top. Top with a third of the bean mixture and 1/2 C cheese; repeat twice.

3. Bake until the lasagna is heated through and the top is beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream, and hot sauce, if desired.

(from Woman's Day magazine)

Balsami-Ginger Chicken Lettuce Cups

(from Woman's Day magazine)
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed
1 C long-grain white rice (we really like brown rice with this as well)
2-4 oranges (I also use canned mandarin oranges, which are great as well)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 small head Boston lettuce, leaves separated

1. In crock-pot combine sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and red pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cook, covered, until the chicken is cooked through and very tender, 6 to 7 hrs on low or 3 to 4 hrs on high. Make sure not to cook too long since you want sauce to keep chicken moist.

2. While chicken cooks, cook the rice.

3. Meanwhile, cut away the peel and white pith of an orange. Cut the orange into thin half moons and place in a bowl. Fold in the scallions.

4. Using two forks, shred the chicken into the medium pieces and stir into the cooking liquid. Fill the lettuce leaves with the rice and top with the chicken and orange mixture.

Makes 10-12 cups.

Pasta Salad

This salad is great for a summer dinner, but honestly we love it all year round. It tastes much better if you make it and give it at least 8 hours to chill, even up to a day ahead.

1 lb of pasta farfalle (my favorite is Barilla Plus)
2-3 roasted bell peppers (the more colors the better red, orange, and yellow)
1/2 large purple onion chopped finely (1/4 to 1/2 cup total)
1 Tbl of dried basil or 10 fresh leaves chopped
1 small can sliced black olives (also really good with green or kalamata olives)
8 oz of crumbled feta cheese
4 oz shredded Parmesan
Caesar dresssing (I use Newman's Own Creamy Caesar)

Seed and roast bell peppers in broiler until charred. Remove skin and chop into small pieces
Cook pasta al dente and drain and cool
Chop onion, basil, and olives (if needed)
Once pasta is cool, add all other ingredients and combine in a large bowl. Start with a light drizzle of dressings. Cover and let cool in refrigerator. Taste before serving and add Caesar dressing if desired.

Lettuce Wraps- PF Chang's Style

A Japanese lady in my ward taught us how to make these at our cooking club. They are easy to make and taste just like (but better) the ones at PF Chang's.

Stir Fry Sauce- Mix all together.

2 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp rice vinegar


Wrap Ingredients
3 Tbs vegetable oil
2 skinless chicken breast fillets
1 cup diced water chestnuts
2/3 cup diced straw mushrooms
3 Tbs chopped green onions
1 tsp minced garlic (or 1 clove)
1 cup friend maifun rice sticks
4-5 iceberg lettuce cups

(I subbed Straw mushrooms for canned bamboo shoots which were still really good!)

Bring 2 Tbs vegetable oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan. Saute the chicken breast for 4-5 minutes per side until done. Remove the chicken from pan to cool; keep the oil in the pan.
While the chicken cooks, chop the water chestnuts and mushrooms finely (about the size of small peas). When the chicken is cool, chop finely. (I chopped my chicken before cooking it and cooked everything at the same time) In the wok or frying pan, add the remaining 1 Tbs oil, plus the chicken, garlic, green onions, water chestnuts, and mushrooms. (I let everything brown up pretty dark before adding the stir fry sauce) Add the stir fry sauce and saute for a few minutes.

If you want to be a die hard, here is how to make the:

Special Sauce

(for spooning over the lettuce wraps)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
2 Tbs ketchup
1 Tbs lemon juice
1/8 tsp sesame oil
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs rice vinegar
Dissolve the sugar in water in a small bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to use.


To add spice to your special sauce:
Mix first two ingredients together in a small bowl
1 Tbs Chinese hot mustard powder
2 tsp water
1-3 tsp chili garlic sauce
Then add desired amount of mustard/chili sauce to your special sauce just before serving to add some zing!

Chinese Hot Mustard Powder (so you know what to look for at the store!)

The hot mustard (left) and chili garlic sauce (right)

prepared and ready to mix into the Special Sauce before serving.

Maifun Rice Sticks in the package

Rice Sticks prepared

Thai Green Curry

Thai Green Curry with Chicken

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 fresh lemon grass stalks
1 1/2 Tbs vegetable oil
2-3 Tbs green curry paste
3Tbs finely diced shallots
3 Tbs coarsely chopped garlic
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
2 tsp lime zest
1 Tbs fish sauce
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
8 oz eggplant cut into chunks
1 can coconut milk
3 Tbs water
small handful of fresh cilantro leaves
large handful of basil leaves (Thai)

Cube chicken- 1 inch pieces. Peel lemon grass and chop finely. Heat the wok and add the oil. Add green curry paste and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the chicken and coat it well.

Add lemongrass, shallots, garlic, ginger, lime zest, fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir fry for another minute.

Add eggplant and pour in the coconut milk and water. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Add cilantro and basil leaves; give the mixture a good stir and serve at once. Serve over rice; Ami serves it with jasmine rice, which has a wonderful flavor.

Green Curry PasteCooking the chicken with the green curry paste

The bottle of Fish Sauce

The eggplant and chicken before adding the coconut milkCan of Coconut Milk

Simmering for 15 minutes