French Toast Supreme

I am a huge fan of Monte Cristo sandwiches, so when I came across this recipe in a new cookbook I picked up, I just had to try it. Well, it didn't disappoint! This was such a yummy version of french toast, I may never go back to the plain stuff again!

French Toast Supreme
from the Taste of Home Simple & Delicious Cookbook

Ingredients:
8 slices Texas toast
4 sliced Canadian bacon
4 slices Monetery Jack cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup refrigerated French vanilla nondairy creamer
Confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

Directions:
On four slices of Texas toast, place one slice of bacon and one slice of cheese; top with remaining Texas toast. In a shallow bowl, whisk egg and creamer. Dip sandwiches into egg mixture.

On a hot griddle or large skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook sandwiches for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar if desired. Serve with jam. Makes 4 servings.

Posted by: Julia

Father's Day Menu

We'll be heading off later this week for a well anticipated summer vacation so I won't be posting for quite awhile, but I wanted to leave you with a menu idea for Father's Day. These ribs are one of my Mom's most requested recipes. They are my absolute, all time favorite and quickly became a favorite of my husbands too. I have to admit, I've never even tried another recipe. The sweet of the chili sauce, with the tart from the lemon is a winning combination. I like to use the boneless, country style ribs. They cook up so tender with no annoying bones to worry about. Plus, I think they taste just as delicious baked as they do on the grill so you if you're like me and are clueless when it comes to the BBQ, no worries. Most of this meal can be made the day before so you can both relax!

The Menu:

BBQ Ribs

Potato Salad or Funeral Potatoes

Corn on the Cob

Rolls

Lemon Cake or Texas Sheet Cake

Mom's BBQ'd (or baked) Ribs

from Better Homes and Gardens

2 lbs. boneless, country style pork ribs

For the Sauce:

1/2 c. chili sauce

2 1/2 tsp. prepared mustard

1/4 c. butter1/4 c. finely minced onion (I like to do mine in a mini food processor and get them nice and small)

1 c. Ketchup

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. Worcestershire

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1 lemon sliced

Either- Simmer ribs covered in salt water in saucepan until tender about 45-60 minutes or (my preferred method )-- put ribs in crock pot until just barely covered with salted water. Cook on low for 7 hours. Drain and refrigerate until baking or grilling. (I do this the night before). Meanwhile, prepare sauce. In a saucepan, combine ketchup, chili sauce, brown sugar, butter and onion. Add mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt and lemon slices. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat.

If Baking in oven: Place hot ribs in shallow roasting pan; pour generous amount of sauce over ribs. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, basting with sauce every 10 minutes.

If grilling: Grill ribs over medium to low coals about 10-15 minutes each side, brushing often with sauce.

Perfect Potato Salad

My Kitchen Cafe

This potato salad was great. I've never had a potato salad recipe I've liked well enough to stick with. I really liked the "dressing" on this one. This recipe also gives you the option of serving it warm or cold. I will definitely be making this again. I think next time I will add pickles too.

Dressing:
2 cups mayonnaise

2/3 cups buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. minced dried onions

1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. seasoned salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tbsp. mustard

Shake vigorously in jar or blend in blender until well combined.

Salad:

5 lbs. potatoes (red is what I used)

1 cup sliced olives

10 hard boiled eggs, diced

Peel, dice and boil potatoes until tender but not mushy. Drain potatoes well and pour into large bowl. Add sliced olives and hard boiled eggs. If you want to serve it warm--- Pour dressing over warm potatoes until desired "dressing-level" is reached. If you would like it cold pour a thin coating over the potatoes and refrigerate until cold (or overnight). Right before serving add remaining dressing to your liking. The recipe says it serves 6-8 but I would say 10-15.

Lemon Cake w/ Lemon Glaze

This recipe was given to me by my Mother in Law and has been a favorite of both my husband and I for years. The cake is moist and full of lemon flavor and it starts with a cake mix so it's really easy. It's got a nice, simple glaze of powdered sugar and lemon juice which keeps it nice and light, perfect for spring and summer.

Cake

1 box yellow cake mix

1 3 oz. pkg. Lemon Jello

3/4 c. oil

3/4 c. water

4 eggs

1 tsp. lemon extract

Glaze

1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat all ingredients together for 4 minutes. Bake in greased 9 x 13 pan for 30-40 minutes. When cake is done poke holes with fork all over the top of the cake. Pour glaze evenly over cake and put back in a 200 degree oven for 2-5 minutes just to "bake-in" the glaze.

Out of this World Rice Krispie Treats

I think I've died and gone to Heaven. I could seriously be sitting here as I type eating a whole pan of these, but like the saint that I am, I will dutifully send them to a Soccer Party as promised. Good thing too because I really don't know if I could restrain myself . These are that good! Loaded with gooey marshmallows, peanut butter, toffee chips and a thick, gooey layer of chocolate on top. Believe me, they won't last long.

Toffee Rice Krispie Treats

adapted from recipezaar

1/2 c. butter

80 large marshmallows

1/3 cup peanut butter

10 cups Rice Krispie's Cereal

1 1/3 bag toffee pieces

12 oz. chocolate chips, milk or semi-sweet

butter for pan

1. Place butter in a very large mixing bowl.

2. Microwave on high for 1-1 1/2 minutes or until melted.

3. Add marshmallows and stir to coat with butter.

4. Microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring after each minute.

5. Stir in peanut butter until smooth.

6. Stir in cereal and toffee chips until well coated

7. Transfer mixture to a foil-lined and buttered 9 x 13 pan.

8. With buttered spatula, press mixture evenly into pan.

9. Melt chocolate chips in microwave stirring every 30 seconds. Spread evenly on top of Rice Krispie Treats.

Makes 20 bars

Posted by: Sallie

French Dip Sandwiches

Up until now there has been a household debate when it comes to French Dip Sandwiches. My husbands idea of a perfect French Dip- buy sliced roast beef lunch meat, warm it up, get some cheese, slap it all on a roll and open a can of beef broth and there you go. I on the other hand, prefer a real roast, simmered in the crock pot with lots of flavors. Thankfully, I found this recipe that we both love. Just as an added note this meal is GREAT for leftovers. I've included a few ideas below.

Beef Taquitos- Remember the chicken taquitos we loved? Apparently so did everyone else so they created a beef version. Just make sure to cook a large roast so you'll have enough leftovers

Beef and Bean Chimichangas

Barbequed Beef Sandwiches- Just add your favorite BBQ sauce to the shredded meat and there you go.

French Dip Sandwiches

From our best bites

2.5-3 lb. beef roast (you can use a frozen roast if you want)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper

2 1-ounce packages dry onion soup mix

2 c. water

2 cans beef broth

6-8 large buns (or more...6 would be VERY generous servings!)

Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, shredded or sliced.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and rub roast with salt and pepper.When very hot, carefully place roast in pan and sear on all sides. You're not cooking the meat, you're just browning it quickly on all sides to add flavor and seal in the juices. Place in crockpot and sprinkle with onion soup mixes. Pour water and beef broth over roast.Cook 8-10 hours on low or cook 4-5 hours on high and another 3-4 hours on low. It's hard to screw this part up; basically, the longer it cooks, the more tender it will be. But you know it's done when you pop a fork in it and the meat just falls apart. When meat is ready, shred with a fork.Place meat in crusty rolls. Top with cheese and broil open-faced in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, until bread is golden and cheese is melty. Ladle juices into small cups for dipping and enjoy! 8 servings.

Baked Manicotti

I love eating pasta but sometimes want something a little different. I saw this recipe made on America's Test Kitchen and knew I wanted to try it. I loved their great idea of soaking no boil lasagna noodles instead of using the manicotti shells. It made it so much easier and looked really pretty. The tomato sauce came together really quickly and all the different layers of cheese were so yummy. This dish does take a little extra time but it was well worth it. My favorite part was the top layer of sauce and the broiled parmesan cheese. This dish is definately worthy of company. (I promise it looks a lot better than the picture. I really need to take a photography class.)

Baked Manicotti

America's Test Kitchen

Tomato Sauce
2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes (in juice)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes , optional (I used these and it wasn't hot at all)
Table Salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Cheese Filling and Pasta
3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
16 No-boil lasagna noodles (they recommend Barilla which is what I used)

Instructions
1. For the Sauce: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Pulse 1 can tomatoes with their juice in food processor until coarsely chopped, 3 or 4 pulses. Transfer to bowl. Repeat with remaining can tomatoes.
2. Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Stir in basil; adjust seasoning with salt.
3. For the cheese filling: Combine ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan, mozzarella, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs in medium bowl; set aside.
4. To assemble: Pour 1 inch boiling water into 13 by 9-inch broilersafe baking dish, then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on clean kitchen towels; discard water in baking dish and dry baking dish.
5. Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using soupspoon, spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto bottom three-quarters of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down. Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is completely covered.
6. Cover manicotti with aluminum foil. Bake until bubbling, about 40 minutes, then remove foil. Remove baking dish, adjust oven rack to uppermost position (about 6 inches from heating element), and heat broiler. Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 cup Parmesan. Broil until cheese is spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Cool 15 minutes, then serve. Serves 8.

Toffee Apple Dip

A friend just called and requested the recipe and it is too yummy not to post. I make this a lot in the fall but really it's perfect for anytime of year. It's the perfect mix of sweet,creamy and crunchy. Just like eating a yummy caramel apple. Really easy too.

Toffee Apple Dip


8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 bag of skor candy bits


Mix together cream cheese, brown sugar, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in toffee bits. Serve with red and green apple slices.

Posted by: Sallie

Sweet and Salty Turtle Cookie Bars

My friend Christy made these a couple of days ago and they were so delicious, I put them on the menu for Sunday dessert. They start with a layer of chocolate chip cookie dough on the bottom , followed by drizzled caramel ice cream topping, crushed pretzels, pecans andthen to finish it off, another layer of cookie dough on top. Pure heaven. Even better with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. My pictures turned out really bad, so I used the one from Jenny's website. (Just FYI mine did not look a lot like hers. Instead of scooping the extra dough out of a cookie scoop, I just pressed it down over all the toppings so the finished look was a lot like a normal chocolate chip cookie bar. I might try it the other way next time because hers do look really pretty.)

Sweet and Salty Turtle Cookie Bars

slightly adapted from Picky Palate

2 sticks softened butter

3/4 Cup sugar

3/4 Cup brown sugar

2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanillla

2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 Cups chocolate chips

3/4 Cup caramel ice cream topping

1/2 Cup chopped pretzel sticks

1/2 Cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer cream butter and sugars until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla until well combined. Place flour, baking soda and salt into a large bowl and slowly add to wet ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. 2. Spray a 11x7 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Press 1/2 of the cookie dough into the bottom of the dish. Drizzle caramel sauce over dough then sprinkle with pretzels and nuts . With a cookie scoop, scoop the remaining cookie dough evenly over top of pretzels and nuts. Press down slightly, should look uneven. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until cookies just start to turn golden on the edges. Remove and let cool completely before cutting into squares. 12 bars

Posted by: Sallie