Six Week Bran Muffin Mix

A friend of mine passed this recipe along. It is great to make this up, put it in the fridge, and have it to make up anytime you need it (over the next six weeks).  My kids love muffins for breakfast, or in their lunches in lieu of a sandwich (or in addition to).  These are healthy and full of good-tasting-fiber!  Thanks Shauna!

ingredients:
2 cups boiling water
6 cups bran cereal (use all plain bran, or a combination of All-Bran and Raisin Bran)
1 cup margarine or oil
2 - 3 cups sugar
5 cups flour (can use part whole wheat flour)
5 tsp. baking soda
1tsp. salt
4 eggs beaten
1 quart buttermilk*

optional:
raisins, dates, nuts

directions:
1.  Pour boiling water over cereal and let cool.  Cream together margarine/oil and sugar.  Then add cooled bran mixture and mix well.

2.  Sift together flour, soda, salt and add alternately with eggs and buttermilk.
Makes 1 gallon of mix. 

3.  Bake as need arises in muffin tins for 20-25 minutes in 350 oven.

personal note: 
I mix with a hand mixer in a LARGE bowl that also has a lid (for storage).  You can store this in your refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.  Figure out the "good until" date and write it on some masking tape and put that on the bowl.  Then you ALWAYS know, how long it is good for!  I bake the muffins in a stone muffin pan sprayed with Pam and used my Pampered Chef Large Scoop to put the perfect amount of batter in the muffins.

variations:
1.  Use only 2 cups All Bran cereal and add 4 cups Bran Flakes with the flour (or Raisin Bran).

2.  You can substitute ½ cup molasses & 8 Tbsp. sugar for the sugar.

3.  You can ½ the recipe.

 *buttermilk:  4 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar.  Then add enough whole milk for 4 cups (1 qt).  Let stand 5 minutes.

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Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings

I found a variation of this on a fun Facebook page "Crock Pot Girls" and I tweaked it just slightly.  It's very easy and delicious.  I kept thinking "my mom would really like this" and her chicken and dumplings were my favorite. 

ingredients:
5-6 boneless skinless chicken tenderloins (or 2 cans canned chicken)
2 cans cream of chicken (I used 98% fat-free)
1 can cream of celery (I used 98% fat-free)
3 1/2 c. chicken broth or stock
1/2 onion finely chopped
3 celery stalks, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 tsp. chicken bouillon or 2 cubes
salt (several shakes)
pepper (several shakes)

2 pkgs. refrigerated Jumbo biscuits (like Grands), cut into fourths


directions:
1.  Place all the ingredients into your LARGE crock pot, except the biscuits.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4 hours. 

2.  1 hour before serving, open the crock pot and shred up the chicken.

3.  For the last hour before serving, put in the cut up biscuits, making sure they are dunked into the broth/soup.  Cook on HIGH for 1 more hour.

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Fresh Peach Pie

We got us some peaches.  Actually, 40 lbs!  They are the best, most delicious peaches I've ever had.  We ate several, canned most of them, but we saved a few out for desserts.  My sister-in-law gave me a recipe and I had also found one online that people raved about.  This is a conglomeration of both recipes.  Very easy, and after this, you'll never need to look for another fresh peach pie recipe.  YUM!  Thanks Summer and the WWW for this fabulous recipe!

ingredients:
1 baked pie crust, single layered

GLAZE
2 fresh peaches, skinned, pitted and mashed/pureed
3/4 to 1 cup sugar (less sugar for peaches that are more ripe)
1/2 cup water
4 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 dash nutmeg
2 dashes cinnamon

4 fresh peaches, skinned, pitted and sliced into 8ths

directions:
1.  Cook the pie crust, docking well to avoid bubbles.  Let cool.

2.  In a medium saucepan, add peaches, water, butter, sugar and cornstarch.  Bring to boil and cook for apx. 5 minutes.  Stir in vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon.

3.  Refrigerate glaze until cool.  It will get to a gelatinous consistency. 

4.  Spread the glaze in the bottom of the cooked pie crust.  Arrange freshly sliced peaches over the glaze.

5.  Serve with whipped cream (optional).

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Sweet & Sour Sauce

This tastes great over chicken or meatballs (I use ready made meatballs when I need a quick dinner), served on rice.  I think I found this recipe in my sister-in-law's ward cookbook...if so, thanks Summer! 

ingredients:
1 c. packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. water
1/4 c. distilled white vinegar
3 Tbsp. soy sauce

directions:
1.  In a large saucepan, combine the brown sugar, flour, water, white vinegar and soy sauce.  Mix thoroughly. 

2.  Bring to a boil and simmer until it thickens to desired consistency (about 5 minutes)

3.  Pour over meatballs and serve. 

I put the frozen meatballs in a mini-crock-pot, pour the sauce over the meatballs, and let simmer for a few hours. 

Serve with rice or noodles.  We love this with broccoli!

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Breakfast Tater Tot Casserole

We actually just had this for dinner, and it was delicious.  VERY easy to make, and SUPER yummy.  For dinner, or breakfast...this was a hit with the family.  The kids even asked for seconds (a sure sign of acceptance)!

ingredients:
4-5 cups tater tots
1 lb. sausage (I used turkey sausage)
4 eggs
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheese (your favorite: Swiss, cheddar, jack mix)
salt
pepper

directions:
1.  Cook tater tots according to package directions.  Set aside.

2.  Chunk up sausage and brown/cook through.  Drain off fat.

3.  Mix together eggs with milk. 

3.  Spray a 9x13" baking dish with non-stick spray.  Evenly spread the sausage on the bottom of the baking dish.  Sprinkle cheese over sausage.  Pour the egg mixture gently and evenly over the sausage and cheese.

4.  Salt and pepper lightly. Place tater tots over the top. 

5.  Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

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Salsa Chicken

Thanks Sara for this tasty, quick and easy recipe. Our family loved it and I can see us using it a lot in the future!

ingredients:
boneless skinless chicken breast tenderloins
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can cream of chicken soup (I used 98% fat free)
1 cup salsa

directions:
1. Place chicken in the bottom of your crock pot. Sprinkle each piece with the taco seasoning.
2. In a bowl, mix together soup and salsa. Pour over chicken in crock pot.
3. Cook on low, 6-8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.
4. Serve over spanish rice: Spanish Rice Recipe
or shred chicken and use in burritos, chimichungas, taco, etc.

*garnish wish a sprinkle of cheese and a dollup of sour

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Mom's Pizza Dough

My mom made homemade pizza on several occasions--Christmas Eve, Conference weekend, family gatherings, etc. At some point I had her help me figure out her recipe. We love it! My kids think it's the best pizza ANYWHERE. I've now begun to make them individual doughs, and they make their own pizza...they LOVE this!

yield:
2 pizza crusts
3 thin pizza crusts

ingredients:
1 1/2 cups very hot tap water
1 1/2 packet yeast (or 1 1/2 T.)
3 tsp sugar
3 3/4 cups flour
1 glug olive oil (apx. 1 1/2 tsp)
directions: 1. Dissolve yeast into water, add sugar.
2. Add flour and then olive oil. Mix together well with dough hook in mixer. Let knead in mixer for 2-3 minutes. Add more water or flour depending on consistency, until dough is not too wet, but not too dry either...it should stick to sides, but as it mixes, pull away from the mixer bowl. 3. Turn out onto floured surface. Knead, forming a dough ball.
4. Place dough into a greased bowl, coating the dough with the oil. Cover dough with plastic wrap--placing wrap softly ON the dough.
5. Let rise, punch down, and the dough is now ready to use. You can let it rise again, but this is not necessary. Refrigerate to slow the rising (if desired). 6. Cut dough in half. This yields 2 pizza crusts. Roll out onto pizza pan/stone.

To Cook: 1. Cook at 400 for 17 minutes with all toppings but cheese (sauce, toppings).
2. Apply cheese and turn down oven to 350 for apx. 10 minutes, until cheese is melted.

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Yogurt Filled Crepes, Topped With Preserves

I LOVE my crepe maker...but you can make crepes in your pan right at home (I have for years). I've been loving crepes since I discovered them at IHOP when I was about 11...never being able to pass up the Swedish or German pancakes (crepes). And who doesn't love the cheese blintzes? I think I really under-use the "crepe" idea. Really, it can be used for SO MANY meals and in SO MANY ways. The ideas really are endless. Below, is what we had tonight!

ingredients & instructions:
Your favorite crepe recipe. I used this one tonight (pg. 12 "Sweet Crepes") http://www.villaware.com/Manuals/MANUALS/V5225_43_89485565.PDF
Vanilla Yogurt (I used fat free)
Fruit Preserves/Jam (I used red raspberry tonight)

1. Make the crepes, spoon yogurt in the crepes, fold up. Spread the preserves over the top.

other crepe ideas:
*Mexican crepes (with taco meat or fajitas).
*There's the breakfast crepe ideas (eggs, ham, bacon or sausage, cheese, potatoes, spinach, any of these).
*Lunch crepes with Peanut Butter & Jelly.
*Beef stroganoff in crepes instead of over noodles.
*Fruit (cut up) crepes with whipped cream to top.
*Dessert crepes with Nutella spread and bananas.
*Apple Filling--sliced (pealed/cored/etc.) apples, tossed with butter, cinnamon and brown sugar--warmed over a stove.
*Buttered crepes with a squeeze of lemon and powdered sugar.

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Cheese Fondue (non-alcoholic)

My friends made this last night for our sewing group night at my home. It was SO yummy. What a treat! I'm thinking I'll be making this for my family...maybe for Valentine's Day or for a Family Home Evening. Super good! Thanks Summer & Shauna!
ingredients:
1 lb. swiss cheese*
2 garlic cloves
3 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
a few dashes of nutmeg
salt & pepper to taste

*you can mix swiss & gruyere if you like a strong taste, or you can try it wish cheddar

directions:
1. Peel garlic and mince into a large sauce pan. Rub the sauce pan with the minced garlic for flavor.

2. Grate cheese and mix with 1 Tbsp. of flour.

3. Melt the butter in the sauce pan over med-low heat. Add the rest of the flour. Stir well until smooth roue is formed. Add 1/2 cup of milk and continue to stir until smooth. Add the remaining milk, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens to about the consistency of light cream.

4. Add a handful of the grated cheese. Continue to stir, letting the cheese melt. Add another handful of cheese and stir until it melts. Continue this until all the cheese is added and melted.

5. Once the cheese is smooth stir in the nutmeg, salt and pepper

6. Add the lemon juice, stirring more until the mixture is smooth.

7. Warm your fondue pot and add in the cheese. Serve immediately with your favorite dippers.

*We had this served with French baguettes cut up and Granny Smith apples sliced. It was delicious. When eating at fondue restaurants, they also serve their cheese course with cauliflower and carrots.

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Cornbread or Cornbread Muffins

I've made this in the Dutch Oven while camping, and it was moist and delicious. I have tried several different cornbread muffins, and this one is perfect...sweet, but not too sweet. Moist, but not too moist... I can't say enough good about this. SO, if you're cooking up some chili and need a good recipe, LOOK NO FURTHER! Thank you Shauna!!

ingredients:
1½ cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
½ cup cornmeal
1 Tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 ¼ cup milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
3 Tbsp. butter (or applesauce)

directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.

2. In a small bowl, combine milk, eggs, oil and butter (or applesauce). Mix Well.

3. Add wet mixture to flour mixture; stir just until blended.

4. Heat oven to 350. Prepare batter as above, grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

for cornbread muffins:
Grease or paper-line 18-20 muffin cups. Pour ½ cup batter into muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake 15-20 minutes.

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