Can't Get Enough Bread!
Well, this is Jenny under Melissa's alias (my sign-in had issues...Plus, maybe you will think it is a great recipe if it is under Lissy!) trying my first blog post! If it flops you know why...Of course, my favorite thing in the kitchen is BREAD! So, here is our favorite bread recipe of late:

Honey Oatmeal Bread
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1 cup oatmeal, quick or old-fashioned
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup honey or dark Karo syrup
2 teaspoons salt
4-6 cups flour (I use white)

Pour boiling water over margarine and oats. Stir until margarine melts. Cool 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Blend yeast, honey and salt into oat mixture. Stir enough flour in to form a stiff dough. Knead until smooth and elastic. Place in greased container. Cover and let rise until double in bulk (about an hour). Punch down and divide into two loaves. Place in greased pans (I like to braid my bread, as you see if the picture uploads!) and cover again to let rise about 30-45 minutes. Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes, remove from pans promptly and cool on a rack. Butter the tops for a nice effect and an extra-good flavor!
Source: Family Recipes Home Storage Booklet (yes, the LDS cannery has some good ideas!)

Fish is delish!!!

Healthy and so yummy! We just bought our orange roughy from the freezer section at Sam's Club. This is Bo's favorite kind of fish so I would recommend using this kind if you do it, but it does give you some alternatives at the end of the recipe if you'd like.

Orange Roughy with Veggies

• 1 medium-size zucchini
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 cup mushroom, sliced
• 3 lemon slices
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon margarine
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 lbs orange roughy fillets

Directions

Saute zucchini, onion, mushrooms and lemon slices in olive oil and margarine until tender, about 3 min.

Remove lemon slices and set aside. Stir Parmesan cheese, pepper and garlic powder into vegetables.

Place fish in 13x9 sprayed with pan coating.

Top with vegetable mixture, put lemon slices on top, and bake at 375o F. until fish flakes easily, about 30 to 35 min.

Alternate fish: Red snapper, perch, catfish, flounder, or cod

Cookie Dough Cupcakes, oh my!!

I made these for a baby shower and they were a HUGE hit, everyone gobbled them right up and asked for the recipe! They are super cute. I used cream cheese frosting, but either works.

Cookie Dough Cupcakes
Makes 22 to 24 cupcakes (2 1/2 inches each)
Preparation time: 15 Minutes
Baking time: 23 to 27 Minutes
Assembly time: 10 Minutes

24 paper liners for cupcake pans (2 1/2-inch size)
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup whole milk
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 package (1 pound) frozen cookie dough (see "the Cupcake Doctor says" below)
Chocolate Buttercream (see below)

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.

2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look well blended. Spoon or scoop a heaping 1/4 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it two thirds of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Cut the frozen dough pieces in half to make 24 pieces. Place a frozen cookie dough piece on top of each cupcake. Place the pans in the oven.

3. Bake the cupcakes until they are golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 23 to 27 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, lift the cupcakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting. They may sink a bit in the center.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the Chocolate Buttercream.

5. Place a heaping tablespoon of frosting on each cupcake and swirl to spread it out with a short metal spatula or a spoon, taking care to cover the tops completely. The cupcakes are ready to serve.

Chocolate Buttercream

Makes 3 cups, enough to frost 24 cupcakes (2 1/2-inch size) generously
Preparation time: 10 minutes

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 to 5 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Place the butter and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until the mixture is soft and well combined, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and add the confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons of the milk, and the vanilla. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 1 minute more. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons more milk if the frosting is too stiff.

The Yummiest Minestrone Soup!

Minestrone Soup
4 T margarine (I use lowfat)
3/4 C chopped onion
1/4 c chopped celery
1/2 c chopped carrots
1 (19 oz.) can of Cannelli beans
1/2 c shredded cabbage
1 (14.5 oz.) can stewed tomatoes
1 T tomato paste (I just dump in spaghetti sauce!)
1/2 c cubed potatoes
2 qts. chicken broth (8 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T dried parsley1 tsp salt
1/2 c elbow macaroni
1/2 c parmesan cheese
2 T basil
Melt butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots; saute for a few minutes. Add beans, cabbage, tomatoes, tomato paste, potato, chicken stock, garlic, parsley, and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat. Simmer for about 1 hour until vegetables are barely tender. Add pasta and basil and simmer 30 minutes more. Serve hot with grated cheese.

This is a recipe that turns out AMAZING every time. The great thing about it is you can throw whatever veggies you happen to have in your fridge or even frozen corn from the freezer! If I need to use a lot of veggies, this is the dish I make so they don't go to waste. I never have actually used cabbage- I just substitute or add whatever I do have- cauliflower, zucchini, corn, squash, and even spinach. And I don't usually measure out the veggies either- just throw in whatever looks good or whatever you have. If you like a thicker soup, like I do, you can stir a few tablespoons of flour into a cup of the broth before adding it. If you don't have a lot of veggies, only add 1 quart chicken broth...

Cranberry Orange Biscuits!

Mark LOVED these so I had to share them, they are super quick and easy with yummy glaze on top!!

Biscuit Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, finely snipped
• 1 8-ounce container orange yogurt or vanilla yogurt

Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, orange peel, salt, and baking soda. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cranberries; toss until mixed. Make a well in center of the flour mixture. Add yogurt all at once to the flour mixture. Using a fork, stir just until moistened.

2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Quickly knead dough by gently folding and pressing dough 10 to 12 strokes or until nearly smooth. Pat or lightly roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut dough with a floured 2-1/2-inch biscuit cutter, dipping the cutter into flour between cuts. Place biscuits 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

3. Bake in a 450 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Remove from baking sheet. Drizzle with glaze. Makes 10 biscuits.

Orange Glaze
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
2 to 3 teaspoons orange juice
In a small bowl stir together powdered sugar, orange peel, and enough orange juice to make of desired consistency.

Cooking Demo for IP&T Class

Quick Cupcake Pops
1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package reeses peanut butter cup minis

Melting chips colored or white(for cupcake top)
Sprinkles and m&ms for decoration

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl. (The texture should be fine/fluffy)

2. Using the back of a large spoon, mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)

3. Scoop with a cookie scoop or roll into quarter size balls (make sure they are smaller in diameter than that of your candy mold) and lay on wax paper covered cookie sheet.

4. Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes, until they are slightly firmed, not frozen.

5. Melt chocolate bark and candy melts in microwave per directions on package.

6. First put a reeces on your cupcake stick and use chocolate to adhere the scooped ball to it.

7. Now, holding the bottom of the cupcake, dip the top in another color of melted chocolate.

8. Decorate.

9. And, probably impress your friends and family.

A Fabulous and Easy Holiday Treat

Yum. We made these last year and they are quick and easy with so many options for decorating. The oreos with crushed candy cane are DIVINE. You can drizzle the oreos with all sorts of different colored candy melts- red and green if you want to be really festive. (Just put candy melts in a plastic baggie in the microwave and cut a tiny corner off the bag when they are melted. 30 seconds is usually plenty of time and remember the candy melts go a LONG way when just drizzling the chocolate.) I did some with sprinkles and they looked super cute too. They are always a hit whether you take them to a party or put them in a cellophane bag with a bow for your neighbor treats!

Let the cooking begin!

Yay! We have a blog to share all our recipes!! I'm too excited. Here is a recipe to get the ball rolling!
I made this Sunday for moms get together and then drizzled homemade caramel sauce on top!

Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

• 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 20 squares)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter (no substitutes), melted
• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup half-and-half or light cream
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degree F.

2. For crust, combine zwieback crumbs, the 1/3 cup sugar, and melted butter. Press onto bottom and about 2 inches up sides of an ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes; set aside.

3. For filling, beat cream cheese, half-and-half or light cream, pumpkin, the 3/4 cup sugar, flour, the 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, beating on low speed just until combined.

4. Spoon filling into crust-lined pan. Place springform pan in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour or until center appears nearly set when gently shaken.

5. Combine sour cream, the 2 tablespoons sugar, and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; spread over cheesecake. Bake 5 minutes more.

6. Cool in springform pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosen crust from sides of pan with a thin-bladed knife or narrow spatula and cool 30 minutes more. Remove sides of pan; cool 1 hour. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. Makes 16 servings.