Mom's Fried Rice

My kids love the rice pilaf I make. They could eat it every day if they could. But it's kind of a pain to make. Not like mom's easy fried rice especially when you use minute rice! I didn't have any green onions, and I also only had brown rice, but it still turned out amazing! And bonus- this was the first time in my daughter's life she had a bite of an egg without upchucking. And she is 7 next month. So hurray for that!  

I actually had this leftover rice twice for breakfast this week with an additional egg. Yum!

Mom's Fried Rice

Makes around 2 1/2 cups

2 cups minute rice, white or brown

onion, chopped (1/2 cup-1 cup to your preference)

green onions, chopped (to your preference again)

2-3 Tbsp butter

2-3 eggs

salt and pepper, to taste

soy sauce, to taste

Cook he minute rice as directed. Brooke swears the minute rice it what makes this fried rice the bomb, but if you have leftover rice in the fridge I'm sure it would taste amazing too! While the rice is cooking, melt the butter in a big frying pan and saute the chopped onions until they are about done. Scoot them over to the corner of your pan and scramble 2-3 eggs. Once the eggs are done mix them up with the onions and add the cooked rice. If you need to add more butter go ahead and do so (I won't tell). Mix everything all together and add lots of salt and pepper. Then drizzle soy sauce over it but don't overkill. You don't want the rice to be brown unless it's brown rice. Less is usually more and you can add later if you need to. And it's done! Enjoy! 

Moms Grilled Salmon

Mom has been making this grilled salmon for years and years and years, but she always sprinkles hers with lemon pepper seasoning. I decided to ditch the lemon pepper seasoning, and add some sesame seeds (Brooke's go-to) and it has now become one of our family's favorites. You can even reduce the marinade over the stove if you'd like for some drizzle. Soooo yummy!

Teriyaki Grilled Salmon

Salmon Fillets (as many as you need)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil (or you could use vegetable oil)

Mix the brown sugar, soy sauce, water and olive oil together and pour over the salmon in either a bowl or a big zip-lock bag. I like a big zip-lock because it's easy to flip in the fridge. Marinade for at least 4 hours. When you are ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium high heat (if you have a temperature dial set it to about 350) When the grill is heated, throw down a piece of tinfoil and spray with nonstick spray. Put your salmon fillets on the foil. Grill about 4 minutes and then flip, pour some of the marinade over and grill another 4-6 minutes until it's done to your liking. Remove from the grill and serve with sesame seeds if desired.

Chocolate Dipper Cake

Made this cake up in Rexburg with Grandma...delish

Chocolate Dipper Cake

Together Mix:

3 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa

2 cups sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tsp soda

Make a well  in bowl then add:

2 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk

Mix well then add:

1 cup boiling water

1 tsp vanilla

Bake 25 minutes at 350

Makes big 9x13 pan or 3 rounds

You can frost it with THIS frosting (from texas sheet cake) or any chocolate frosting.

Huckleberry Pie

Huckleberries from Idaho....Yum! I didn't make the crust on here though, I just used a graham cracker one I had

Huckleberry Pie

Recipe from Taste of Homes

Butter Crunch Crust:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
• 1/2 cup cold butter

Cheese Filling:

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup whipped cream or 1 cup whipped topping

Fruit Topping:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• Dash salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups fresh huckleberries or blueberries, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp butter

In a bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and nuts. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Spread on baking sheet; bake at 400° for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from oven. While mixture is still hot, press into a 9-in. pie plate forming a pie shell. Cool completely.
For cheese filling, beat cram cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth; gently fold in whipped cream. Pour or spoon filling into cooled crust; refrigerate.
For topping, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan. Stir in water until smooth; add 1 cup berries. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Add butter and remaining berries. Cool; pour over filling. Top with additional whipped cream if desired. Yield: 8-10 servings.

Tuesday Tip

Today's tip of the day is to soak your asparagus in ice water with alittle salt for a least a half hour
before grilling.  Dry off asparagus and put alittle olvie oil and seasonings and grill till done. Yum

Pineapple Grilled Chicken

Fun Way to use pineapple sides and so moist and yummy and easy too!

One Pineapple
2 skinless chicken breasts
Hot grill

Cut top and bottom off pinapple, then cut down the sides and save.
Next take your skinless chicken breasts and beat with meat malet untill they are about an inch thick.
Seasonal to taste, salt, pepper, allspice, whatever favor you like.
Now sandwitch the chicken breasts between the pinapple, tie it together with either cooking thread or I just used some fine wire, just as long as it doesn't burn.
Place them on the grill and cook for about 15 minutes per side.
Then I scooped out some of the cooked pinapple and served it ontop of the chicken.
Yummy!

Christmas Popcorn Cake

So I do realize that it's not even December and yet I already have all my Christmas stuff up (yes, I might have put them up before thanksgiving;) ) and I have already made this delicious Christmas Popcorn Cake. This cake has been a tradition in my family for so long. Just be advised once you make this once you will be addicted!!

Christmas Popcorn Cake

Recipe by Melody Blaser

1 c nuts
1 c cashews
4 quarts popped popcorn
3 c mini marshmellows
1 ½ c plain m&ms (green and red)
-Put these ingredients into a LARGE bowl
1 c butter
1 1/3 c sugar
½ c corn syrup
Add 1 tsp vanilla after it boils

-Bring these ingredients to boil, simmer for 4 min, add vanilla. Pour over popcorn mixture. (be careful it will be hot). Then press into a buttered cake pan (I used my bunt cake pan, for a wreath, but they have cute Christmas tree ones or bells at the store) Then plop it onto a plate and enjoy!!! Some people like to eat it while it's hot and others like it the day after, you won't be disappointed either way!

Wonderful Play Dough

Let's make Play Dough Grandma!!!

This is a fun and easy recipe.

2c.flour

2c.water

4 Tlbsp. oil

4 Tlbsp. cream of tartar

1c. salt

Mix all ingredients well into pan and cook over medium heat until it forms a ball,

this will seem like its not working but trust me it starts pulling away from the pan and

when you can start to make a big ball with it pour it out on the counter and knead it, this

is the softest play dough. Divide up and add food colors to the dough.

Refrigerate in a plastic bag or airtight container.

Smooth Lemon Pie

I love this recipe for Lemon Pie because it is not tarty its smooth.

1 small box of Jell-O lemon pudding & pie filling (cook & serve not instant)

Stir pudding mix,

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. water

2 beaten egg yolks
in medium saucepan.

stir in 2 cups water.

bring to full boil on medium heat, stirring constantly.

Let cool, and while it is cooling,

Beat 3 eggs whites in large bowl with mixer

on high speed until foamy.

Gradually beat in 1/3 c. sugar until stiff peaks form

Fold in lemon mixture and stir until mixed completely.

This is enough to do 2 small pies or 16 small tart size.

Top off with yummy whipping cream.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Rolls or White Dinner Rolls

My mom made these all the time when I was growing up, and I carried on the tradition in our family.

Cinnamon Rolls Or White Dinner Rolls

I'm going to go through this recipe step by step.

1- take 2 yeast cakes (packages) add 2 t sugar add 2/3 c. water mix well (put in a good size bowl because it's going to raise up good)

2- while yeast is raising, start to heat 2 c milk, in large bowl put 1c. crisco shortening, 6 heaping T sugar, 2 t salt. Add scalded milk and beat until shortening is melted.

3-add 2 eggs; mix

4- add raised yeast; mix

5-add 3 c. flour; mix well, now let the dough rest a little while, you will see little bubbles appear.

6- add 2 c. flour; mix well, now the dough is still sticky so just add 1 more cup a little at a time until the dough is soft and nice, sometimes I add a little bit of cooking oil on my hands to knead. cover and let raise, should raise twice the size. Pour out on floured surface.

Roll out for cinnamon rolls rectangle shape.

Cover with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon. Roll up the dough carefully. Ok now it is in a long

snake, get your pans ready, (spray oil, butter, whatever on pans)

take a piece on string and slide under 1" dough pull up twist and cut through (cool huh)

fill your pans, cover and let raise again

cook at 350' for 20 minutes, you want them to be a nice brown, cool and frost. YUM,YUM

Chicken or Turkey Roll-Ups

Fun and Easy to make:)

2c. chopped chicken or turkey or you can use canned chicken

2 stalks celery, diced

1 small onion, minced

1 (8oz.) cream cheese

2 cans of crescent rolls.

Mix all ingredients together. Roll out crescent rolls. Spread with chicken mixture and roll into a roll. Dip in melted butter and then roll in spiced bread crumbs. Bake at 375' for 15 to 20 minutes.

Make a gravy of the following:

1 can cream of chicken soup and 2 cans chicken broth.

Bring to boil and thicken. Serve over rolls.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Fall Favorite.

Bake your potatoes 350 oven for 1hr.

scoop them out

and whip in milk, butter, and sour cream (to your taste)

add back to the potatoe shell and enjoy,

can add shredded cheese and put back in oven to melt.

Traditional Hummus

Having an Arab Husband, I had to learn a few things to keep him happy!!

*2 garlic cloves, mashed and then minced

*1 15-oz can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed                     

*2 Tbls of Tahini (sesame seed puree)

*1 squeezed lemon

*1/4 can water

*1/2 teaspoon of salt, pinch of pepper

*Pine nuts (toasted) and parsley (chopped) for garnish, or Paprika

1 In a food processor, combine the garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, 1/4 can water. Process until smooth. Add salt, starting at a half a teaspoon, to taste.

2 Spoon into serving dish and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts, olive oil, and paprika.

Serve with crackers, raw dip vegetables such as carrots or celery, or with pita bread. You can cut the pita bread into thin triangles, brush with olive oil and toast for 10 minutes in a 400°F oven to make pita chips with which to serve the hummus.

Moist Zucchini Bread

This recipe is one of my favorites growing up living on the farm. Fresh Vegetables are the best!

Moist Zucchini Bread Recipe

1 c brown sugar

1 c white sugar

1 c oil

3 eggs, beaten

2 c packed zucchini (finely shredded)

3 tsp vanilla

3 c flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp nutmeg

3 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F. Blend the first set of ingredients together. Mix the second set of ingredients together and then add to the first; mix. Put into 2 loaf/bread pans and bake at 350 for 1 hour. You can also do muffins or mini loaf pans too. Freezes well in a airtight container or Ziploc bag.