Gramley's Mixed Up Taco Soup

This recipe comes courtesy of Lauren's mom, Novene.  We first had it at Avery Jane's baby blessing and we have been loving it ever since!  It is our traditional Halloween night soup.  Delicious!

                                     

GRAMLEY’S MIXED UP TACO SOUP

 (IT THINKS IT’S ITALIAN)

1 ½ LBS.       sweet Italian sausage

1-3                   chicken breasts, cooked and cut up

1                      med onion, chopped

1                      red pepper, chopped

2-4                  garlic cloves, minced

3-14 oz           cans diced or stewed tomatoes

2-3 c.               bowtie pasta

6-7 c.              chicken broth

1 T.                  sugar

Fresh basil, thyme to taste (you can use dried)

1 can               mild Ortega enchilada sauce

Dry taco seasoning mix to taste

1-2 cans          black beans or kidney beans

1 bag               frozen corn (I like sweet, white corn)

Remove casings from sausage and break into pieces.  In a big pot, brown sausage.  Drain sausage drippings.  Saute onion, pepper, garlic until tender.  Add all ingredients except for pasta and corn.  Cook for at least 25-35 minutes.  Add corn and pasta and cook until pasta is tender. 

Garnish with grated cheese, sour cream, avocado, fresh cilantro.  Serve with tortilla chips.   

Mango Salsa

So I seriously made my favorite salsa ever!  We are eating salsa like crazy around here because of all the delicious veggies!  This one for some reason was especially good and I wanted to record it before I forget what went into it.  It did help that every ingredient was especially fresh.

Mango Salsa

1 ripe mango, diced
3 med. sized garden tomatoes, diced
1 small red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced (very small and removed most of the seeds...every seed left will make the salsa hotter)
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1-2 limes, squeezed (about 1/2 c. fresh lime juice)
2-3 T. sugar
fresh pepper, ground (to taste)
Mix and serve with lime chips...even good with regular tortillas.  Can be used as a topper for grilled salmon or other fish.

M-Arianne's Parmesan Rolls

Years ago, we ate dinner at Scott and Marianne's house.  She served us delicious Parmesan rolls.  They have become a family favorite at our house.  Arianne liked them so much (she requested them every Sunday for dinner) that we changed their name to "Arianne's Rolls".  I have given out the recipe probably 100 times!  So when Suzanne called this morning for the recipe, I decided it was time to put it on the blog.  Thanks Marianne for this wonderful, easy roll recipe!

1 package of Rhodes white rolls (36 rolls)
1 cube of butter
1/4 c. olive oil
1-2 t. Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning
1/2 c. parmesan cheese ( I like just using Kraft...sometimes it is okay to garnish the top with freshly grated)

Defrost the Rhodes rolls until soft.  Melt the butter, add olive oil, seasoning and parmesan cheese.  The amounts of cheese and seasoning don't have to be exact...if you like a stronger flavored roll, add more seasoning.  If you like a more cheesy roll, add more parmesan. 

Gently dip the roll into the butter mixture.  Push the center in and pinch the outside of the roll together, forming a loose crescent roll.  Spray baking sheet with Pam and place rolls on baking sheet.  Let rise until double in size (about 2 hours).  Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes.  Make sure and keep an eye on the rolls so they don't burn.  These rolls are DEFINITELY better served hot.

Aunt Kay's Brownies

Can I really add 2 blog posts in one night?  Maybe that is the way to do it!  I was totally in the mood for brownies tonight...maybe because I made a plan with Ellen to start eating better next week (after school starts...hee, hee).  I love this other recipe that I got when I was a newlywed by Aunt Kay.  She probably has no idea how many times I have made her brownies.  All of our Squires aunts are amazing cooks.  I think Aunt Lila could be our own Rachel Ray.  I really want to publish some of her recipes soon.  Ammon just said, "Mmmm, mom these brownies are really good!"  Take from Ammon and try them.
*The recipe is slightly modified from the 70's when we used margarine instead of butter!

2 c. butter
1/2 c. cocoa
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
2 t. vanilla
1 c. flour

Melt butter and cocoa together.  Meanwhile beat 4 eggs until fluffy.  Add 2 c. sugar gradually (while mixer is running). Stir in butter mixture.  Stir in flour and vanilla.  Bake at 350 in a 9x12 (?)  greased and floured pan for 35-45 min.  Check for doneness with toothpick.
Frost while warm with chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

1/2 c. butter
6 T. milk
3 T. cocoa

Mix butter, milke and cocoa in saucepan.  heat over love (don't boil)
Remove from heat and add powdered sugar to desired thickness.  Add 1 t. vanilla and 1/2 c. chopped nuts. 
Frost brownies as soon as removed from oven.

Aunt Jan's Zucchini Cake

Jan gave me this recipe when we were newlyweds.  I have been making this cake for 33 years and I think Jeff likes it better every year.  He compared the cake this year with the carrot cake at Deer Valley.  That is a major compliment! My original recipe card is falling apart so I thought I would blog it and keep it forever! It is a great way to use up zucchini.

3 c. grated zucchini
3 c. flour
3 c. sugar
1 t. salt
1 c. chopped nuts
1/2 c. oil
4 beaten eggs
1 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. cinnamon

Mix dry ingredients togeter.  Mix wet ingredients together.  Mix all together and bake at 300 for 11/2 hours.

Frosting:
1/2 c. butter
1 package cream cheese
2 t. vanilla
cream
powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese.  Add vanilla.  Add 1-2 c. powdered sugar.  Add 2 T. cream.  Add powdered sugar and cream alternately until the frosting is the desired texture and flavor. 

Oreo Mint Dessert

I just want to tell my darling daughter-in-law...Happy Birthday!  I am so grateful for her!  She is beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside.  She is thoughtful, kind and generous of heart.  She takes such good care of all of us.  She has saved me over and over again on things like adding pictures to the blog, helping write Aaron's research paper at 1 am when it got lost on the computer, working for Jeff so I don't have to and a million other things!  Most of all I love how she is my son Austin's best friend.  How lucky can a mother get???

I thought I would send her a birthday wish and recipe. I think this recipe is in her top five faves!

Mint Ice Cream and Oreo Dessert

Crush about 24 oreo cookies (filling and all). Add 6 T softened butter to cookies.  Mix together and press into a 9x13 pan.  Freeze for at least 20 min.  In the  meantime, remove 1 carton of mint chocolate chip ice cream (during the holidays I use peppermint ice cream) from freezer and let the ice cream soften.  Press softened ice cream onto the oreo crust.  Freeze for an hour or more.  Cut in squares and serve with hot fudge sauce and whipping cream.  Add candles for Andrea's birthday and make a wish!

The Ultimate Oatmeal Cookie



This beautiful picture was taken by Andrea...she made the cookies look perfect!



This is our family's new favorite cookie!  It was in the spotlight recipe from a darling young mom, Kara Marshall.  Arianne and I have made it about 6 times in the last couple of weeks!  We tweeked it just a little because we had some leftover white chocolate chips (we omitted the chocolate chips in the recipe) to make them beautiful and delicious!  

The Ultimate Oatmeal Cookie

11/2 c butter, softened

3 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

2 t. vanilla

Cream these ingredients together.

Add:

11/2 t. baking powder

1 t. soda

1 t. salt

2 1/2 c. flour

Mix well then add:

2 1/2 c. whole oats

2 c. nuts (pecans are the best but  you may substitute walnuts.  Lightly toast the nuts and chop)

1 c. dried cherries

1 c. cranberries

1 c. chocolate (she suggested bittersweet chips but at least semi-sweet.  If you want to dip in white chocolate, omit the chocolate)

Mix together.  Scoop onto parchment covered cookie sheets. (I just sprayed a cookie sheet with Pam and it worked fine).  Bake at 325 for 12-15 minutes.  Don't over bake!

*Cool completely.  Melt white chocolate (I use the big chips from Gygi's) in microwave for about 2 minutes.  Stir.  Then you can use a fork to dip and sprinkle the cookies with the melted chocolate.  You can also dip one half in the melted chocolate.  Place on a piece of parchment paper and cool until the white chocolate hardens. 

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Arianne had strep throat and the onlly thing that sounded good to her was soup.  Jeff had church meetings and I was in a major hurry to get the soup made (I didn't make it in time for Jeff...oops!) but I made a quick version of Cream of Broccoli...it was wonderful and made my cute daughter feel loved! 

P.S.  I could only make the quick version because of my lovely new stovetop!  Thanks Stace!





Cream of Chicken and Broccoli Soup ala Cindi


In one pan combine:
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c.  sweet onion
3/4 c. celery
1 t. tube basil (okay this is in the produce section...it is basil in a tube.  You refrigerate it and it is like having fresh basil at your fingertips!)
1/2 t. thyme

Sautee until tender.

At the same time:  Steam 1-2 bunches (depends on how much you like) of broccoli until tender.  For soup, I recommend not "tender crisp" but a little more done than that.

At the same time:

Melt 1/2 c. butter
Add 1/2 c. flour to make a roux.
Add 6 c. chicken broth

Heat over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Add 2 c. heavy cream
Add 1 c. milk.

Continue to heat over medium heat until warm.  (Do not boil).  Add sauteed vegetables and broccoli. 

Add chicken meat from 1 rotisserie chicken.

Top with cheese, sour cream, croutons

Serve with sourdough bread.

Sticky Fingers

  We tried this recipe on Conference Sunday.  Everyone loved the sticky fingers.   I got the recipe from one of my favorite blogs "Favorite Family Recipes".  I just made a few small changes to the recipe.  It is super simple and so much fun.  We made a sticky finger salad the next day and I want to try a sticky finger wrap!
Sticky Fingers Amazing Sauce:

3 T. Frank's Hot Sauce (it has to be Frank's...I found it at Kohler"s)
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. water

Mix together in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves. 

It is so easy and tastes just like Winger's sauce.
Now here is the other easy part!  Buy a bag of frozen breaded chicken fingers at Costco.  Bake according to directions.  I followed the instructions for a more crispy fingers by turning the fingers halfway through the baking time.  *This is different than the recipe on Favorite Family Recipes.  They suggest frying the fingers.

Pour the sauce on after you cook the fingers and delish!

I made 3 easy sauces for the fingers.

 Ellen's Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
(I make this dressing all the time.  It is my favorite ranch dressing!)

1 c. buttermilk
2 c. mayonnaise
1 1/2 t. accent
1 1/2 t. parsley flakes
1 1/2 t. dill weed
3/4 t. garlic salt
3/4 t. onion salt

Mix together and refrigerate.

For sauce number 2...I doubled the wing sauce and added some to a part of the dressing to make a copycat Creamy Amazing Sauce.

For sauce number 3...I added  about a tablespoon of bleu cheese to a cup of the dressing to make a bleu cheese dressing.  My new favorite bleu cheese dressing!

I hope you all have fun with this recipe and add your own to our family blog!

Sara's Broomsticks

Broomsticks

I decided it was about time to make my first post! I took this picture way back in October, but I thought why not share this fun easy recipe. I found this recipe from "The Domestic Diva's Party Cookbook," by Patricia F. Hemming and Keely J. Hemming. I absolutely love these "broomsticks." Not only are they be super fun for a Halloween party, but really any occasion. I hope you enjoy!

Broomsticks

12(1/4-inch diameter) dowels, 18 inches (washed and dried)

24 frozen dinner rolls, thawed but still cold (thaw in refrigerator)

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon dill

Combine butter, garlic, and dill in a bowl and let stand to mingle flavors.
  Press two rolls together and roll into a rope 12 to 14 inches long.

Beginning at one end of the dowel, wrap one end of the dough over the end to secure the dough to the dowel.

Twist the dough down the dowel about three quarters of the length of the dowel.

Place "broomsticks" on a greased cookie sheet and let rise 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Remove from oven and generously brush the hot rolls on both sides with the garlic-dill butter.

Remove the "broomsticks" from the pan and stand them up in three or four tall sturdy glasses, mugs, or vases.

Serve warm. Yield: 12

Tips: Spray the dowels with cooking spray before twisting on the dowels.

 Also, I like to turn them over half way so they brown evenly.