food Recipes

Do you like Girl Scout thin mint cookies as much as I do? If so, you are in luck with this super easy, super quick, TWO INGREDIENT recipe.

They are so EASY to make, that I can't even call this a "recipe" because it uses all pre-prepared ingredients and it REALLY DOES taste just like a thin mint cookie!! 

The chocolate wafers come in a 9 ounce package and I found the Andes Mints (those creamy little chocolate mints with the green center) in a 4.67 ounce package.  There are 28 mints in the package and one package will do a dozen cookies (I found the mint packages for $1.60 here in Alaska, so hopefully you can find them even cheaper.

I unwrapped and then melted the chocolates in my microwave for about 30 seconds...stirred and then microwaved them for another 10 seconds (stir until the chocolate is smooth and shiny). Dip the chocolate wafers in the melted chocolate (both sides) and place on some parchment paper (or Silpat). Stick them in the fridge (I used the freezer) for about 5 minutes to "set" the chocolate......that's it!!  

 We are starting our 4th day of 20° weather combined with non-stop wind gusts up to 50 mph... cold wind that goes right through your bones...that means it is definitely crockpot time.

I found this recipe on food.com and picky-picky husband gave it two thumbs up this evening. It smelled wonderful cooking all afternoon and we are already envisioning hot sandwiches with the leftovers. The meat was fork tender in 6 hours and the sauce thickened itself to a wonderful consistency. This is a great winter recipe.

2½ pounds boneless beef short ribs
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix the flour, salt and pepper and coat the boneless short ribs with it. Brown the meat in
1/4 cup of butter then put them in the crockpot.

In the same frying  pan, mix:
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup beef broth
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chili sauce (I used Heinz Chili sauce)
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons minced garlic (see note)

Bring to a boil then poor it over the meat in the crockpot.  Cover and cook on LOW for 9 hours Warning, this HAS to be a mistake). I know all crockpots are different, but our ribs were fork tender in 6 hours, so keep that in mind.

NOTE: Hubby is allergic to garlic, so I left it out. 

Every family holiday dinner, I make way too many desserts. There is usually a cheesecake, a cream/pudding type pie, a fruit pie, cookies and something "experimental". That just means it is a recipe that I really want to make but I know picky-picky husband wouldn't touch it, so I need my family to "step in" and try it. 

As fun as it is to try new recipes, the old classics are always a hit; this banana cream pie is a tried and true family classic; it is the "real deal". It has a baked graham cracker crust, cooked vanilla custard, bananas and the most delicious whipped cream topping I've ever tasted (it has cream cheese in it)

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
1½ cups finely crushed graham crackers
¼ cup white sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter
Mix everything well and pat into a 10" pie plate. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

PIE FILLING
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 and 1/3 cups water
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (see note)
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 medium ripe bananas (cubed)

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the cornstarch in the water; stir in the sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks. Cook until thickened and bubbly remove from heat; add butter and vanilla. Set aside to cool slightly. Cube the bananas and fold into the slightly cooled pudding. Pour into cooled crust and lay some plastic wrap on the surface of the filling so that it doesn't form a skin. Chill in the fridge for about 3 hours. Frost with whipped cream topping.

WHIPPED CREAM (Stabelized)
I hope you do not skip this step because it really is delicious and "makes" the pie. This is my new "go to" whipped cream recipe.

(1) 8 ounce cream cheese (room temperature)
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream

With your electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar and extracts in a large bowl until smooth (scrape sides to make sure you don't have any cream cheese sticking to the interior of the bowl). While the beaters are still running, slowly add the whipping cream (stop a couple times and scrape the bowl). Beat until you get stiff peaks. This makes enough topping to cover a 10" pie generously.

NOTE: Make sure you use sweetened condensed milk in the pie filling (and not evaporated milk).

I am so excited to share a "discovery" I found on the Utah State University web site. Maybe you already knew about this one, but I sure didn't.

It is a recipe for a simple dry mix that can be used in place of any "cream of ... soup"  in most recipes. 

How many times have you wanted to make a quick inexpensive casserole for your family, but the recipe takes $3+ worth of cream of chicken soup ?!? Problem solved!!

BASIC SOUP or SAUCE MIX
2 cups powdered non-fat milk
3/4 cups cornstarch
1/4 cup instant chicken bullion
2 tablespoons dry onion flakes
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (optional)

Mix ingredients and store in an airtight container.  The above jar is equal to NINE (10½ ounce) cans of "cream of .... soup"!! No need to refrigerate the dry mix.

For any recipe that calls for a creamed soup, mix 1¼ cups of water with 1/3 cup of the above dry mix. Whisk together until smooth and cook (or microwave) until thick.  That's it!!   Add it to any casserole like you would a can of soup!!

The USU web site has a lot of recipes using this mix (they call it the Soup or Sauce mix). Here is the web address: SOUP OR SAUCE MIX

I'm thinking I will make another batch using beef bullion and some dehydrated mushrooms for mushroom soup!!  With the holidays coming up, I usually buy mass amounts of creamed soups, but not this year!!

The USU recipe link posted this cream of tomato soup recipe:
1/3 cup soup or sauce mix
1¼ cups cold water
Cook until thick, then stir in:
2 cups tomato sauce
Heat back up...serves 3

What could be easier? I threw in a pinch of red pepper flakes  for a little zip and a pinch of sugar.  The possibilities are endless!!

Party season is coming up and if you are like me, you are starting to surf the Internet for that "next new and exciting" appetizer or party snack recipe. I keep all of those "potential recipes" in a folder on my desk and once in a while I look through it and say to myself..."what was I thinking?!?"  So much for late night Internet surfing I guess!!

Today's post is one of those traditional "never fail" recipes that seems to please everyone. I make it with low fat ingredients but you can't tell it. This tasty dip is hot and creamy (it stays hot for a while which is nice)and very easy to make.


8 ounce cream cheese (low fat ok)
1/4 cup sour cream (low fat ok)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated, not powdered)
1/4 cup Romano cheese (grated)
2 cloves garlic minced (I used roasted from jar)
1/2 teaspoon dry basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste
(1) 14 oz. can artichoke hearts (rinsed)
1/2 cup red bell pepper (chopped finely)
10 ounces fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Plunge fresh spinach into boiling water for about 30 seconds, remove and put into large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and squeeze dry and roughly chop.

Drain the artichokes and rinse under cold running water, then chop into small pieces.

Mix everything together and place in a (lightly greased) small oven proof dish. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes. Serve with pita chips or any sturdy cracker.