Margarita Cake

The link for this cake was posted on Facebook today by one of my friends. I have not yet tried it. However, since I love the taste of margarita's, I'm going to have to get the ingredients and give this a try. If any readers try this or have tried this, let me know what you think.
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=77821043582&h=z8ewP&u=L-C7Y&ref=nf


1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed pretzels
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix
1 1/4 cups bottled nonalcoholic margarita mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated lime peel
3 egg whites
1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
Additional grated lime peel, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with shortening and lightly flour (or spray bottom with baking spray with flour). In medium bowl, mix pretzels, sugar and butter. Sprinkle evenly on bottom of pan; press gently.
2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, margarita mix, oil, 1 tablespoon lime peel and the egg whites with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pretzel mixture.
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until light golden brown and top springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool completely, about 2 hours. Frost with whipped topping; sprinkle with additional lime peel. Store covered in refrigerator.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Heat oven to 375°F. Decrease oil to 1/4 cup; use 4 egg whites.

Audrey :)

Nutty Broccoli

I'd like to thank Becca from Becca's Backyard for today's recipe.

2 packages broccoli, boiled
2 cups cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup melted butter
1 1/4 cup herb stuffing mix
1 small package walnut chips (optional)

Pour broccoli into casserole dish. Pour soup plus 1/4 cup butter over broccoli. Mix stuffing mix with 1/4 cup butter and spread over broccoli. Sprinkle with walnuts. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Audrey :)

Country Bob's BBQ Sauce - Giveaway

Here are your random numbers:65
Timestamp: 2009-05-11 13:18:31 UTC
Congratulations LT. I'll contact you for mailing information today.

I was asked to review Country Bob’s BBQ Sauce. I really love sauces, especially BBQ sauce. I jumped at the opportunity!

According to their website: “It was 1968 when Country Bob Edson perfected his steak sauce recipe and he called it an All Purpose Sauce because it was more than just a steak sauce. Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce has remained the flagship item since 1982 when Country Bob, Inc. was established.

Along the way we have been dedicated to offering our customers the best tasting and highest quality steak sauce or All Purpose Sauce, Barbeque Sauce, and Seasoning Salt available anywhere in the world.”

I want to share the recipe I tried this BBQ Sauce on:

6 chicken breasts
12 ounces BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Mix sauce and pour over chicken. Cook on low 7-8 hours. I did make one change from the original recipe. I didn’t have Italian salad dressing and so I used a creamy garlic salad dressing.

Everyone loved the flavor. This is one of the best BBQ sauces I’ve ever used.
Here are some of my favorite ways to use BBQ sauce:

• Left over chicken or beef sandwiches, smothered with BBQ sauce
• Dip for french fries
• On hamburgers
• Mixed in with marinara sauce on pizza

Do you like BBQ sauce? Would you like to try a bottle or two of Country Bob’s BBQ sauce for yourself? I have two bottles to give away.

Here’s how you can win two bottles to try for yourself:

For your first entry into this contest, please let me know how you like to use BBQ sauce.

Each of the following will gain you additional entries:

• Blog about this contest and leave another comment with the URL of the blog post
• Follow this blog publicly and leave another comment letting me know you are now following the blog
• Friend request me on Facebook at http://profile.to/audreyokaneko/ If we are already friends, leave me a comment letting me know we are already friends.

This contest will run until 11:59 p.m. May 10th. You must be over 18 years of age and live in the U.S.

Welcoming the Bounty Which Springs From Mother Earth

By this time we are experiencing an “awakening” of all which has been resting during the long, harsh winter months. Suddenly bushes and trees begin to flower and plants seem to magically emerge from the cold, damp earth. Now is the time we can start to enjoy fresh produce from our gardens and local farm markets. My grandmother loved to write stories about her experiences and this one comes to mind every year around this time. She wrote, “In the spring on Sundays we always went for a walk in the woods to look for the first wildflowers. And one day, there they would be, the little lavender-blue hepaticas, peeping out from under the fallen leaves. And we would know, spring has come again. God's in his heaven, all is right with the world!”

As much as she loved taking walks in the woods to find wildflowers, my grandmother loved to cook her comfort foods with fresh fruits and vegetables. Now is the time of year we can start enjoying fresh produce from our gardens and local farm markets. Living in Northeastern United States we can now enjoy garden lettuce. What could be better than a garden salad made with the delicate leaves of fresh picked red and green lettuce leaves? Or a slice of homemade Crusty French Bread spread with strawberry or raspberry preserves? Soon we will see fresh asparagus, broccoli, strawberries and raspberries cropping up.

I'd like to share two of my grandmother's easy recipes which could be a complete meal. Her Bacon Dressing for Salads and Crusty French Bread would be a delicious, light meal for your family this time of year. The bread can be served with butter for dinner and spread with preserves for dessert! Enjoy!

Bacon Dressing For Salads

Take about 4 strips of bacon and cut into 1/4” pieces. Fry until pale brown. Take bacon out of pan. To the bacon fat add ¼ cup vinegar, ½ cup water, pinch salt, sprinkle black pepper and 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar. (according to taste) Bring to a boil and then take the pan off of the burner. You may need to add more vinegar or water. (this is according to taste) Add the bacon and cool to room temperature. This is delicious on garden lettuce, endive or potato salad. You can add whatever you would like to the salad. We usually keep it simple with thinly sliced red onion, and cherry tomatoes.

Crusty French Bread

6 cups sifted flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 package yeast
2 cups very warm water

Dissolve yeast in very warm water. Stir in 3 cups flour and the sugar, salt and melted butter. Beat until real smooth. Slowly add the rest of the flour. Knead until smooth. Put into a greased bowl, cover and let rise until double in bulk. Punch down and let rise again. Put the dough on the table and knead. Cut into 2 even pieces. Roll out each piece into a 9” x 12” rectangle. Then roll each up like a jelly roll, tucking the ends under. Grease cookie sheet and sprinkle with corn meal. Place the loaves on the cookie sheet. Slash top of loaves crosswise with a knife 1/2” deep and 2” apart. Let rise until double. Brush top with egg white mixed with 2 teaspoons water. Put a pan of water on bottom shelf of the oven while baking. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Bake until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Carrie J. Gamble is the publisher of Grandmother's Cookbook by Elizabeth Rose von Hohen. It is a collection of her grandmother's comfort food recipes made with love and her treasured memories. For more details about the cookbook and its wildflower watercolors visit: http://www.grandmotherscookbook.com/. The perfect gift for Mother's Day, Weddings and Birthdays.

~ ~ ~

A huge thank you to Carrie for sharing this wonderful story and the recipes with us.

Audrey :)

Spinach and Cheese Bread

http://www.cookingbread.com/recipes/cheese_bread/spinach_cheese_bread.html When I found this recipe, I knew I'd have to try it. I love bread, I love spinach and I love cheese.

1 (10-ounce) packaged frozen chopped spinach thawed
2 eggs
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups flour
1 envelope active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg white
1 egg white

Drain spinach; squeeze dry. Combine with 2 eggs, feta cheese, oregano and garlic in a large bowl. Stir together and set aside. In another bowl combine 1 cup of flour, sugar and salt. In a saucepan add the water and butter. Heat to a temperature of 110 degrees. Pour into a bowl. Add the yeast and stir. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture. Mix for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of flour at a time and mix for 2 minutes each time. Pour out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 4 - 6 minutes. Roll out dough into a 10 by 14 inch rectangle. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Spread spinach filling don the center third of the rectangle. Cut 1 inch strips from outer edge to filling on both sides. Fold strips alternately over filling to resemble a braid. Cover with plastic wrap for 15 minutes. Brush with beaten egg white, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes or till golden brown. Cool slightly before cutting.

Audrey :)

Baked Potato Tips

Do you like baked potatoes? I love them. Here are a few tips for making your baked potatoes:

If you rub butter over the skins before baking, it will help prevent cracking and adds a wonderful flavor.

Cut a thin slice from each end before baking to help in baking evenly.

Soak potatoes in water overnight before baking. It's keeps them moist when baking.

If you don't have time to bake the potatoes, try the crockpot. Wash them in the morning and set the crockpot to low, allowing them to cook all day.

Usually I just put butter on my baked potatoes. Share your favorite toppings in the comments section.

Audrey :)

Broccoli Noodle Salad

Broccoli Noodle Salad

2 packages chicken flavored Ramen
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
12 ounces of broccoli slaw

Mix everything together.

Dressing:

3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 packets of seasoning from Ramen

Mix together and pour over salad. Allow to chill several hours.

Audrey :)

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

I love mexican food. Whenever I meet friends for lunch or dinner, my suggestion is always mexican food.There are many recipes for enchiladas. This is just one:

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

6 half chicken breast, cooked and cubed
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 pound each of cheddar cheese and jack cheese, grated
1 can black olives, slice
12 - 9 inch tortillas

Sauce:
1 pint sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1- 4 ounce can diced green chiles
1 - 4 ounce can green chili salsa

Mix the sauce ingredients together. Place 1/4 of the sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish. Mix the cheeses together. Fill tortillas with chicken, onions and cheese mixture. Roll and place seam side up. Cover enchiladas with remaining sauce, cheese, onions and olives. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Audrey :)

Italian Soup

I'd like to thank Crystal for sharing today's recipe with all of my readers.

Recipe Background

I got this recipe for Italian Soup from a neighbor a number of years ago. My nine year old son was visiting her house when she was serving this soup for dinner. He loved the soup so much that he asked her to give me the recipe. He came home that night with the recipe and a Tupperware container full of the soup. Ever since I've been making this soup, especially in the summer with vegetables from my garden or whenever zucchini and tomatoes are on sale. Thanks for the recipe Nora!

Italian Soup

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 small to medium sized zucchini, diced with skin on
1 garlic glove, minced
4 large (or 6 plum) ripe tomatoes, diced
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 Tablespoons fresh basil or 2 teaspoon dried basil
Cooked pasta of your choice (I use small pasta such as orzo)

In a large pan, sauté onion in olive oil. Add the zucchini and continue to cook until zucchini is softened. Add the tomato and garlic. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Cook and place mixture in a blender or use a hand held blender to mix ingredients well. Return blended mixture to pan, add sugar and salt and chopped basil. Serve over hot pastaServes six

Make Ahead Tip: This can be made ahead and reheated or even complete the first 4 steps and refrigerate. Complete the rest of the recipe 15 minutes before serving.

See More Recipes for Soups and Stews Like Italian SoupReturn to Dinner Menus and Recipes for This Week

Thanks again Crystal

Audrey :)

Creamy Eggs On Toast

This is a wonderful way to use hard boiled eggs you might have left over.

6 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1/2 stick of butter
2 cups of milk
4 tablespoons of flour

Melt the butter in a frying pan. Stir in the flour, then the milk. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until sauce thickens. Gently fold in egg slices. Serve on buttered toast.

Audrey :)

Snicker Brownies

I really like quick and easy recipes. They don't come much easier than this one.

Snicker Brownies

1 box german chocolate cake mix
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup evaporated milk
4 of the 2.7 ounce Snickers candy bars

Cut the candy bars into 1/8 inch slices. Combine the cake mix, butter and milk. Beat on low speed until well mixed. Place half of the batter into a 9x13 dish and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and evenly distribute the candy bar pieces. Place the remaining batter over the candy bars. Bake 20 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.

Audrey :)

7-Up Salad

7-Up Salad

3 ounce package of lemon jello
6 ounces 7-Up
1 cup boiling water
6 ounces cream cheese
1 small can crushed pineapple
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Dissolve jello in boiling water. Add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add in pineapple, sugar, vanilla and pecans. Stir in 7-Up. Just before the jello sets, mix so that the nuts get distributed.

Audrey :)

Southern Oven Fried Chicken - Weight Watchers

This recipe is for all of my Weight Watchers friends:

2 pounds of chicken (white meat has less calories and less fat) (I also use skinless and boneless chicken)
4 teaspoons oil (try grapeseed oil)
1/2 cup corn flake crumbs
2 or 3 drops of pepper sauce
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup fat-free buttermilk

Using skinless white meat chicken and low fat buttermilk, this is 5 points per serving and about 230 calories per serving.

In a mixing bowl, combine the pepper sauce and buttermilk. On a paper plate, combine the cornflakes, salt, pepper and flour.

Dip chicken in buttermilk, then roll in cornflake mixture. Place on baking sheet and drizzle with the oil. Bake 30 minutes, then turn chicken over and cook until done.

Audrey :)

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless (cooked)
1 - 8 ounce package of herb stuffing mix
1 cup chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 ounces of sour cream
1/4 pound of butter

Melt the butter. Mix the butter with the stuffing mix. Place half of the stuffing in a casserole dish. Put the chicken on top of the stuffing.
Mix the sour cream and cream of chicken soup. Pour the sauce over the top of the casserole. Put the remaining stuffing on top of the chicken. Pour the chicken broth over the top. Bake at 350 degrees about 40 minutes or until stuffing is done.

Audrey :)

Spinach Dip

My mom's been making this spinach dip for as far back as I can remember.

Spinach Dip

1 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup chopped parsley or parsley flakes
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 teaspoon dill seed
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
juice from 1/2 lemon

Mix and refrigerate overnight. Serve with crackers or veggies, or hollow out a round loaf of bread and serve with bread cubes.

Audrey :)

Asparagus Casserole - Crockpot

I love my crockpot. Last night I made a 10 pound brisket in the crockpot. It came out wonderfully. Here is a great asparagus casserole recipe for the crockpot:

Asparagus Casserole
2 - 10 ounce cans sliced asparagus
1 - 10 ounce can cream of celery soup
2 hard boiled eggs, thinly sliced
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup coarsely crushed saltines or Ritz crackers
1 teaspoon butter

Drain asparagus and place in lightly buttered crock pot. In a bowl, combine soup and cheese. In the crockpot, layer first the asparagus, then the sliced eggs, then the soup mixture and then top with the cracker crumbs. Dot with butter. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

Audrey :)

Crescent Roll Pizza

Crescent Roll Pizza

1 can cresecent rolls
8 ounce cream cheese
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch
1/3 cup mayonnaise
Veggies to put on pizza

Roll out the crescent dough. Make it fit a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise and ranch dressing. Spread over crust. Chop up veggies and place on pizza. Cut into slices and serve.

Audrey :)

Mashed Potato Bake

I am a potato lover. We often buy the 20 pound bags at Costco. Here is a very simple recipe that feeds a crowd.

Mashed Potato Bake

5 pounds potatoes, cooked and then mashed
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup half and half
1 stick of butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion salt

Beat together the cream cheese and half and half. Add the mashed potatoes. Mix well. Add in the butter, salt and onion salt. Pour into large casserole dish. Brush with melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Note: You can use milk instead of half and half. You won't need a full cup.

Audrey :)

Creamy Chicken Dijon

This is a recipe from Campbell's. I subscribe to their recipe list. We have tried several of their recipes over the last year. Many are recipes we've made again.

Creamy Chicken Dijon

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp. coarse-grain Dijon-style mustard
1 tbsp. dry white wine
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. dried tarragon leaves, crushed
Dash garlic powder

Heat oil in skillet. Cook chicken 10 min. or until browned.Add soup, water, mustard, wine, parsley, brown sugar, onion powder, tarragon and garlic powder. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 5 min. or until chicken is done.

If you are interested in receiving Campbell's recipes to try for yourself, you can subscribe at http://www.campbellkitchen.com/registration.aspx?source=mm

Audrey :)

Matzah Almond Squares

For those who celebrate Passover, I wanted to share a recipe for a yummy dessert.

Matzah Almond Squares

1 cup toasted almonds, chopped
1 cup matzah, broken into bite sized pieces
2 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
2 1/4 cups white sugar
1 1/3 cups water

In a large bowl, mix together the almonds, matzah and salt. Set aside. In a saucepan, combine the two sugars and water. Stir over low heat until the sugar is disolved. You want the sugar/water to reach 290 degrees.

Remove from heat and add in the matzah mix. Stir to mix.

Pour into a greased cookie sheet. Spread thinly. It takes about an hour to completely harden. Break into pieces.

Audrey :)

Baked Parmesan Chicken

2 pounds chicken (we prefer white meat, so I use breasts)
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup grated paremsan cheese
1/2 cup dry seasoned bread crumbs
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Dip chicken in melted butter. Mix remaining ingredients and coat chicken. Bake at 350 degrees until chicken is done.

Audrey :)

Bacon and Cream Cheese Spread

Bacon and Cream Cheese Spread

8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 drops tabasco sauce
salt to taste

Mix together and spread on crackers or bread

Audrey :)

Cookbook Tip

Often you can find several recipes for the same item. If you're like me, you might even find two or three recipes that you really like, each having a bit of a different taste or flavor. If one of those recipes is in a cookbook, put the other two on index cards and tape them to the page with the recipe you like. That way, all 3 recipes are on the same page in one cookbook.

Audrey :)

Sloppy Joe's

My daughter loves sloppy joes. I'd love to know what you put in your sloppy joes. Mine are very simple. BBQ sauce and onion. My daughter does not like anything else in them. How do you make yours?

Audrey :)