Rice Salad with Nuts

6 ounces long grain rice
2 ounces frozen peas
2 ounces raisins
2 ounces toasted almond slivers
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Cook rice in boiling water about 20 minutes. Add peas and cook another 5 minutes. Drain liquid and rinse with cold water. Pour into salad bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss. Chill and serve.

Audrey :)

Spiced Brisket (Crockpot)

We love brisket in this house. My mom made it when I was a child and I too make it for my children. I found a recipe http://southernfood.about.com/od/cornedbeefandbrisket/r/bl63c9.htm and decided to try it.

1 fresh brisket, about 4 pounds
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup ketchup
1 package dry onion soup mix
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon flour mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water

Place brisket in slow cooker/Crock Pot; cut to fit if necessary. Combine water, ketchup, soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, spices, garlic and pepper; add to the slow cooker/Crock Pot. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Remove brisket from the slow cooker/Crock Pot. Skim fat from juices and transfer to a saucpan. Stir in flour-water paste and cook on low until thickened. Serve brisket sliced with the gravy.

It came out really flavorful but a bit too salty. Next time I will omit the onion soup and instead use either real onion or onion flakes. This will keep the flavor while omitting the saltiness.

Audrey :)

Pumpkin Cupcakes

One thing I love about winter time is pumpkin:

1 box pumpkin spice cake mix
1 - 15 ounce can of pumpkin
3 eggs
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup oil

Using a mixer, blend all ingredients together for two minutes. Pour into cupcake holders. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Audrey :)

Happy Thanksgiving

To all of my american readers, I wish you a wonderful thanksgiving. Please let me know your favorite dish from today. Mine is usually a potato dish.

Audrey :)

Baked Rice

I am a rice lover. I remember the first time I tried a baked rice casserole. It was delicious.

2 cups uncooked rice
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups water
2 cans of cream of something soup - the original recipe calls for celery and onion. I much prefer cream of chicken and cream of broccoli, or even one can of cheese and one can of broccoli

In a bowl combine all of the ingredient and mix well. Pour into casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Audrey :)

Veggie-Cheese Casserole

16 ounces of frozen veggies (my favorite is a cauliflower/broccoli mix)
1 13/4 cup shredded cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
6 tablespoons butter, divided

Melt three tablespoons of the butter in the casserole dish in the microwave. Cook vegetables according to package directions. Drain liquid from vegetables and place in buttered casserole dish.

Mix together the cheese and mayonnaise and pour over the vegetables. Mix together the remaining three tablespoons of butter and the crushed crackers. Sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Audrey :)

Hot Avocado Soup

I'm told that outside of California, avocados are not as popular as they are here in California. I do know that we almost always have avocados in the house. This is a very simple to make soup:

2 large avocados, ripe
1 1/4 cups sour cream
4 cups chicken broth

Cut up the avocado and place in blender. Add four tablespoons of the sour cream. Process until smooth.

In a soup pot, heat the chicken broth. Do not boil. Add the remaining sour cream and stir. Reheat. Again, do not boil. Slowly add in the avocado mixture and heat just to before boiling. Remove from heat and serve.

Serve each soup bowl with a small spoon of sour cream or a small amount of black pepper on top.

Audrey :)

Smoked Salmon Omelette

I happen to love smoked salmon. When my mom was a child her own mother used to make scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. So this is a dish that has been around for a long time. It's quite easy to make:

4 eggs
1 tablespoon chives
2 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Beat the eggs. Add in the salt, pepper and chives and mix. Pour into a heated and greased frying pan. Flip over when done and add the chopped smoked salmon. Fold in half and remove from heat. Serve with warm toasted bagels.

Audrey :)

Puree and Freeze Vegetables

I read a tip today that I've actually never tried before. When you have leftover veggies from a meal, freeze the leftovers. When you have enough leftovers, puree and pour into ice trays. When you make soups, add a few cubes for added flavor.

Has anyone ever tried this before? I've never considered freezing veggies and then reusing in a different texture.

Audrey :)

Thanksgiving Recipes

I recently had the opportunity to vote on the cover of the Pillsbury Thanksgiving Cookbook. I was so pleased when the cookbook arrived in the mail.

There are over 120 recipes you can use for Thanksgiving including:

Turkey
Gravy
Stuffing
Cranberry
Potatoes
Vegetables
Salads
Desserts

We do not have any Thanksgiving traditions in my family. So I'm excited to try out some of these recipes. Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving dish you serve each year? Share some of your traditions with me.

Audrey :)

Easy Mushroom Chicken

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Heat oil in skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken on all sides. In a saucepan, combine the mushrooms, soup and milk. Heat until hot, but do not boil. When chicken is done browning, add sauce. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is done, about 15 minutes.

Audrey :)

Sweet and Sour Chicken Noodle Casserole

My kids have always loved Ramen Noodles. This is a super easy recipe using Ramen:

1 package chicken flavored Ramen Noodles
1 - 16 ounce package frozen veggies (try peas and carrots or broccoli and carrots)
2/3 cup sweet and sour sauce
3 chicken breasts, cut into strips

Boil 2 cups water. Add noodles and veggies and boil for 3 minutes. Drain water. Add seasoning packet from the noodles and sweet and sour sauce. Add chicken strips and heat through. Serve.

Audrey :)

Chicken, Rice and Raisin Salad

3 cups instant brown rice - cook according to package directions
3 cups chopped chicken
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Mix cooked rice with remaining ingredients. Toss with mayonnaise and serve.

Audrey :)

Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies

These look like regular chocolate chip cookies but with the added orange peel and orange juice they have a wonderful flavor that leaves people saying "what am I tasting in here?"

1/2 butter
1/2 cup Crisco
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips
1 egg
2 3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon orange peel
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Cream together the butter, Cricso, sugars and vanilla. Add in egg and orange peel. Mix well. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Alternately add this dry mixture and the orange juice to the creamed mixture. Gently fold in chocolate chips. Chill dough about an hour. Create one inch balls and either place on cookie sheet or roll in sugar, then place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Audrey :)

Baked Lemon Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts
1 stick of butter, melted in a casserole dish
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste

Place chopped onion on bottom of casserole dish. Place chicken on top of onions. Pour the lemon juice over the chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes at 350 degree. Add the water and cook another 50 minutes or until done.

Audrey :)

Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Broccoli is one of the few vegetables that both of my girls like. You can make this recipe a bit healthier by using brown rice instead of white:

10 ounce package of broccoli, cooked and drained
1 cup cooked rice
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
8 ounce jar of Cheez Whiz

Mix everything but the cracker crumbs together. Pour into casserole dish and top with cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Audrey :)

Left Over Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns

I'd like to share some bread and bun tips with you today:

If you have left over hot dog and hamburger buns, butter them, sprinkle with garlic and then toast and slice into bite sized pieces. Serve with salads or main courses.

Place foil in the bottom of your bread basket, then place your napkin over the foil. Your rolls go on top of the napkin and will stay warmer longer.

When making bread in a loaf pan, remove from the pan and cool on a rack to keep all sides crisp.

Place dough on top of the your television if it's in use. Your bread will rise wonderfully.

Would love to hear your tips on bread and buns.

Audrey :)

7 Cup Salad

This is a really fun salad to make. It's one cup of seven different ingredients, all tossed into a bowl:

1 cup sour cream
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup pineapple chunks
1 cup fruit cocktail
1 cup frozen coconut
1 cup mini marshmallows

Mix everything together and chill over night.

Note: try mandarin oranges instead of the fruit cocktail

Very Easy Chicken and Potato Soup

With the weather getting cooler, I love a hot bowl of soup.

3 chicken breasts
5 potatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup half and half

In a soup pot, boil the chicken. Save the chicken water. Place the potatoes and onion in the chicken water and cook on high about 20 minutes.

Cut the chicken off the bone and cut into small chunks. Add the chicken and half and half to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes.

Note: I love to add something crunchy on top when I serve the soup such as croutons. I also sprinkle a bit of cheese on top.

Audrey :)

Dill Dip

I love dill. Neither of my kids care for it so I don't use dill very often, but this is a great dip:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1/2 tablespoons grated cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons dill weed

Blend together and allow to chill to mix flavors.

Note: I use low fat mayonnaise and non fat sour cream. This does soften the taste a bit, but it also cuts out quite a few of the calories and a lot of the fat.

Audrey :)

Cornbread with Broccoli

1 box corn muffin mix
1 - 10 ounce package frozen, chopped broccoli, thawed
6 ounces cottage cheese
1 small onion, chopped
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted

For a lower fat version, use low fat margarine and non fat cottage cheese.

Mix all ingredients together and bake in square casserole dish for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Audrey :)

Chicken and Corn Casserole

2 cups cooked, diced chicken
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
12 ounces canned corn, drained
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons pimento, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon diced onion

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and mix with bread crumbs. In a large skillet, melt the remaining butter, stir in the flour and onion. Add in the broth, cooking and stirring until the sauce thickens. Add in chicken, corn, cheese and pimento and stir to mix.

Pour into casserole dish. Top with breadcrumb mixture. Bake ad 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Audrey :)