Zucchini Bread

Submitted by Kristin McDonald
1 cup applesauce
2 cups raw sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
1/2 cup non-fat milk
2 cup Zucchini unpeeled and grated
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
3 cups Wheat Flour
yields 2 loafs

Mix applesauce and raw sugar. Beat eggs and add. Grate Zucchini and add. Add flour slowly then add remaining ingredients. Mix. Grease 2 loaf pans. Pour In. Bake on 325for 1 1/2 hours.

Garlic Roasted Broccoli

 

I love to roast vegetables. It is an easy cooking method and roasting gives vegetables such a nutty flavor. Here is one of our favorites.

Garlic Roasted Broccoli
Submitted by Kelly Marsden

2 large bunches of trimmed broccoli florets washed and drained
6 large garlic cloves minced (I use my garlic press)
1/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil - EVOO (depends on how much broccoli you are making add more or less as needed)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour the EVOO into a glass cup or small bowl. Add the minced or pressed garlic directly into the EVOO and mix together. Allow garlic and EVOO to sit while you prep the broccoli. Cut florets into same size pieces it will cook more evenly. Place washed and drained broccoli florets on large baking sheet. Drizzle the garlic EVOO over the broccoli florets. Toss the broccoli until well coated. Roast in oven at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes until tender but still with a little bite. Turn and toss broccoli a few times during roasting process. Garlic will toast and edges of broccoli will be toasted and brown, this is where the nutty flavor come from. Season with salt and pepper after roasting as desired.

Black Bean Salsa

 

A few months ago I was asked to come up with a black bean salsa recipe for a Stake Relief Society activity. Each ward was assigned a food storage item and asked to make six recipes using the assigned ingredient. Our ward was assigned beans. I read a lot of different recipes and made up my own version. It turned out great! We doubled the recipe and the bowl was cleaned out. The most important step is to refrigerate it overnight! All of the flavors need to blend together. I was craving it today so I made up a batch. Now I just have to wait until tomorrow to enjoy it.

Black Bean Salsa
Submitted by Kelly Marsden

3 15 oz. cans black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 15 oz. can corn (drained)
2 14 oz. cans petite diced tomatoes (drained)
1 small red onion finely diced
1 cup of your favorite chunky salsa (mild or spicy)
1 Tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 bunch Cilantro finely chopped
Lime juice to taste (I use lots)

Optional:
Add diced avacado right before serving

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate overnight.
Serve as a side dish, on a salad, with tortilla chips, or make a breakfast burrito by adding some to scrambled eggs, top with cheese, and roll it all up in a whole wheat tortilla.

Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

I made these cookies for a Halloween party my sister-in-law had this weekend. I tweeked a recipe I already had, to use whole wheat flour and added oats. I really like heartiness the oats give it. This cookie has a cake like texture. I am still looking for a oatmeal pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe that has a cripy outside and chewy inside. This recipe makes alot of cookies. You can freeze the extras for later, share some with your neighbors, or cut the recipe in half.

Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Submitted by Kelly Marsden

1 1/2 cups butter (3 sticks)
2 cups dark brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 large can pure pumpkin
3 tsp. vanilla
2 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups rolled oats
3/4 tsp. salt
3 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips


Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar in kitchen aid mixer. Next mix in pumpkin and vanilla until smooth. In separate bowl combined dry ingredients whole wheat flour, rolled oats, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Slowly add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough (approx two tablespoons) onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Creamy Veggie Soup

 

I love the Fall season. Cooler weather is perfect for eating warm soups. I created this recipe to use up my leftover veggies from the week. It also helps me get more veggies into my kids without them knowing it and they love it. Because this recipe uses up leftover veggies it varies a little bit each time I make it. The veggies may vary each time, but the method is the same so you can use all different combinations. This soup also freezes well!

Creamy Veggie Soup
Submitted by Kelly Marsden

1 large yellow onion diced
4 large garlic cloves minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter

This is the leftover veggie combination I used tonight. The amounts are approximate, I just used all I had on hand.

2 cups roasted potatoes (skin still on)
2 cups steamed broccoli
2 cups steamed carrots
1 cup cooked green beans
3 large handfuls of fresh spinach

1-2 32oz boxes of chicken broth (depending on how many veggies you use and how thick or thin you like your soup)
1 cup light sour cream
2 cups grated cheese (I use whatever I have on hand - cheddar, mozzarella, and monterey jack all have worked equally well)
Salt(or chicken bullion cube) and Pepper to taste

In large stock pot saute onion and garlic in olive oil and butter until tender and translucent. Add leftover veggies - potatoes, broccoli, carrots, green beans, and spinach. Add 1 box chicken broth. Using an immersion blender, blend all veggies until smooth. Add more chicken broth as needed. Add sour cream and stir. Finally add cheese, stir until melted. After all ingredients have been incorporated I then taste the soup to see if it needs any salt and pepper. It usually doesn't need much if the leftover veggies were seasoned already. If it needs more salt I usually like to slowly add a little chicken bullion cube until it tastes good. Serve with bread, crackers, toasted pita bread, cheese quesadillas, or grilled cheese sandwiches.

Other leftover veggies I have used:
Corn, Peas, Asparagus, Cauliflower, Zucchini, and Yellow Squash. You could also add pureed white beans.

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

After preschool this week I wanted to make a fun fall recipe with my two girls. They love to help me in the kitchen. I wanted a really easy one that they could help me make. They are only four and two so it had to be super simple. This yummy cookie recipe only has three ingredients so it was just perfect. They are also low fat!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Submitted by Kelly Marsden

1 box Spice Cake mix
1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin (not the pumpkin pie one)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 350. Dump cake mix and pumpkin into a bowl and mix together well. Add chocolate chips and stir. Drop dough on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven let sit on cookie sheet for few minutes then place cookies on cooling rack. Enjoy warm right out of the oven! Makes approximately 30 cookies.

Spanish Rice and Beans

 

Over the last little while I have been trying to come up with my own Spanish rice and bean dish. I finally came up with one we all love. We like eating it as a rice bowl topped with shredded cheese, as a burrito wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla, stuffed and baked in a red pepper topped with melted cheddar cheese, scooped up with lime tortilla chips, or in a cheese quesadilla. Sometimes I add chicken or tequila lime turkey breast from Jennie O' Turkey.

Spanish Rice and Beans
Submitted by Kelly Marsden

4-5 large garlic cloves minced
1 small yellow onion diced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup chunky salsa (mild, medium, or spicy)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground oregano
1 15 oz. can corn drained and rinsed
4 cups cooked brown rice (Cook as directed on pkg. I use chicken broth and bullion)
1 15 oz. can pinto beans drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can black beans drained and rinsed

Optional:
Add cooked diced chicken breast or Jennie O' Tequila Lime Turkey breast.
Top with shredded cheddar and monterey jack cheese.

In a large deep saute pan saute diced onion and minced garlic in olive oil until soft and translucent. Add tomatoes with juice, salsa, cumin, coriander, and oregano. Simmer and reduce most of the liquid. Next add corn, brown rice, and chicken or turkey (optional). Finally gently mix in pinto and black bean. Heat completely and serve as desired.

Chicken Pasta Primavera

 

I love the garlic primavera veggies. We had some left over from last night so I decided to make Chicken Pasta Primavera. It is easy, healthy, and everyone gobbled it up. My kids even asked for seconds.

Chicken Pasta Primavera
Submitted by Kelly Marsden

1 13oz. box whole wheat pasta cooked and drained. I used Rotini because that's what I had on hand. (Penne or Bowtie pasta would work well too)
2 large chicken breasts diced (I used rotisserie chicken breasts)
3-4 cups garlic primavera veggies (see previous recipe)
2-3 large handfuls of grated Parmesan cheese

Cook and drain whole wheat pasta as directed on box. Cook and dice chicken or use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken breasts like I did. If needed warm chicken with veggies on stove, then toss with pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and toss again. Serve.

Lemon Pepper Salmon with Garlic Primavera Veggies

 

We love to eat salmon lots of ways raw, baked, and grilled. Tonight for dinner we had baked salmon with lemon pepper. I served it on a bed of brown rice and topped it with garlic primavera veggies. On the side we had roasted asparagus.

Lemon Pepper Salmon with Garlic Primavera Veggies
Submitted by Kelly Marsden

4 6oz Salmon fillets
Lemon juice
Lemon pepper
Brown rice
Garlic Primavera Veggies (see earlier recipe post)
Roasted Asparagus (see earlier recipe post)

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Place salmon fillets in glass baking dish. Bake for 12-14 minutes depending on size of fillet. Don't over cook salmon or it will be dry. Cook until it flakes. I alway test the thickest part of the fillet. Remove salmon from oven drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with lemon pepper. Plate your bed of brown rice and place salmon fillet on top of rice. Top with garlic primavera veggies. Serve with roasted asparagus on the side.

Garlic Primavera Veggies

 

This is a light and fresh vegetable medley. It is so versatile. I like to serve it on top of baked tilapia or salmon served over brown rice. It is also great mixed with chicken and whole wheat pasta. You can even just serve it as a vegetable side dish by itself. Sometimes I add other veggies depending what I have on hand.

Garlic Primavera Veggies
Submitted by Kelly Marsden

1 cup shredded carrots
6 large cloves of garlic minced
1 large red pepper diced
3-4 medium zucinni diced
2 medium yellow squash diced
2 Tbsp. Lemon juice
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
4 Tbsp. Butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute carrots and garlic first in olive oil. Then add red pepper, zucinni, and yellow squash. Saute until just tender DON'T OVER COOK. As the squash cooks it will give off some liquid this will help make a sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. Add lemon juice and butter at the very end.

White Chicken Chili

 

I love that the weather is cooling off and Fall is here. It is time to start making soups, chili, stews, and chowders. I got this recipe from my sister Kristin last year and everyone who tries it loves it and wants the recipe. It is easy, filling, makes a lot, freezes well, and is so yummy!

White Chicken Chili
Submitted by Kelly Marsden

1 large yellow onion diced
4 large cloves garlic minced
2 7oz. cans of chopped green chilies
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken breast cooked and chopped (or 3 cans of canned chicken)
4 15oz. cans Northern White beans undrained (Cannellini beans work well too)
4 cups frozen white corn (drained canned corn works well too)
16 oz. sour cream
16 oz. shredded Monterey jack cheese
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
4 Tbsp. lime juice
Olive oil and butter to saute with
Chicken broth
Garnish with:
Lime tortilla chips and shredded cheddar cheese

In a large soup pot saute onion and garlic in a little olive oil and butter until onions are translucent. Add green chilies, chicken, beans, corn, sour cream, and spices. Stir in cheese a little at a time. As it heats up slowly add chicken broth if needed to desired thickness. Cook on medium heat for one hour, stirring frequently. Add lime juice right before serving. Serve with lime tortilla chips and shredded cheddar cheese.

Roasted Asparagus

 

If you don't like traditional asparagus, try roasting it. Roasting asparagus is quick, easy, and it gives the asparagus a nutty flavor. This is one of our favorite veggie side dishes.

Roasted Asparagus
Submitted by Kelly Marsden

1 large bunch of asparagus
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Salt and Pepper

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and trim asparagus. Lay asparagus on cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss asparagus in olive oil until lightly coated. Roast for 10-12 minutes depending on how thick your asparagus is. I don't like my asparagus to be over cooked so I check it by poking a knife in the thickest part of the stalk. I take it out of the oven when it still has a little bite to it. After removing from oven drizzle and toss with lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Note: I use to add the salt and pepper before roasting, but I learned the salt draws out the moisture in the asparagus and dries it out. So now I always salt and pepper just before serving.

 

Death by Chocolate Zucchini Cake

 

This summer my mother-in-law gave me a huge zucchini from her garden to take home. We ate half for dinner and with the other half I made dessert. I found this delicious chocolate zucchini cake recipe from Crystal on one of my favorite blog sites Everyday Food Storage. This amazing cake is super moist, ooey and gooey, and oh so chocolaty! The best part about it is that it’s a snack cake…meaning… you don’t have to bother frosting it! I love that it also has whole wheat flour in it, making it healthier too. I doubled the recipe so we were still eating on it a few days later and it was still moist and delicious.

Death by Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Submitted by Kelly Marsden

This makes one 8 inch pan, if you want it for a 9×13 pan just double the recipe.

1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup White Sugar
1/4 cup Butter
1/4 cup Oil (or Applesauce)
2 Eggs (if you’re doubling the recipe use 3 eggs)
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 cup Buttermilk
1 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
3 Tbsp. cocoa (I used dark chocolate cocoa)
2 cups grated Zucchini
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 325. Cream together brown sugar, white sugar, butter and oil in a large bowl. Add eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and stir well to mix. In a separate bowl mix remaining dry ingredients together and add to mixture. Fold in grated zucchini. Pour into greased, floured 8 inch round cake pan or 8×8 pan. (If doubling use 9x13 pan.) Sprinkle the top of cake with chocolate chips and bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Chicken Pesto Pasta

I made up this recipe using ingredients that I love. My family really liked it, even my picky two year old gobbled it all up. It makes a lot so there are leftovers which are just as good the next day. Next time I will try adding broccoli or asparagus too.

Chicken Pesto Pasta
Submitted by Kelly Marsden

1 box whole wheat penne pasta
3-4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
3 medium zucchini sliced
2 medium yellow squash sliced
1/2 bag frozen peas
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
1 cup homemade pesto sauce
Shaved Parmesan Cheese and toasted pine nuts for garnish

Cook chicken breasts on stove top in pan with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. After cooking chicken, let rest and chop into bite size pieces. Saute sliced zucchini and yellow squash in little bit of extra virgin olive oil. I don't like my veggies over cooked, I like them to still have a bite to them. Cook pasta as directed on box. Before draining the cooked pasta add frozen peas to hot water for a couple of minutes. This will thaw the peas perfectly. Reserve 1 cup pasta water. Drain pasta and peas. In a large pasta bowl add 1/2 cup reserved pasta liquid. Stir in pesto sauce. If you want a thinner sauce add the other 1/2 cup pasta liquid. Add the drained pasta and peas, chicken, veggies, and pine nuts. Stir everything together and garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts.

Pesto

Pesto is a fresh bold flavor I add to many recipes. I use it as a sauce for pasta dishes. I add it on top of grilled chicken breasts and grilled veggies. It is great as a spread on sandwiches or even a dip for raw veggies. Pesto is a raw sauce that isn't cooked and is easy to make. I usually make a bunch of it at once and freeze the leftovers in ice cube trays. When I am ready to use it next, just thaw out the amount of cubes I need.

Pesto
Submitted by Kelly Marsden

1 large handful of fresh basil leaves

2 large handfuls of fresh baby spinach

3-4 garlic cloves (I like lots of garlic)

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (walnuts work well too)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a food processor combined basil, spinach, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. While processing slowly stream in EVOO until paste becomes a thick sauce consistency. I like it a little thinner for pasta, and a little thicker for a topping or spread. Blend to your desired consistency.

Skor Bar Cake

This cake is know by many names. The Skor Bar Cake, The Ooey Gooey Cake, The Better Than Sex Cake, and The Better Than Almost Anything Cake are just a few. We have made this cake many times in our family. It is definitely a favorite of everyone. It is very rich, so a small piece goes a long way.

Skor Bar Cake
Submitted by Kelly Marsden

1 box German chocolate cake mix
1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 jar caramel, butterscotch or fudge ice cream topping at room temperature
(I prefer Mrs. Richardson's butterscotch caramel fudge all in one topping)
1 8oz. container of cool whip (thawed)
4 Skor candy bars chopped or 8oz bag toffee bits

Bake cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Remove cake from oven when done and poke top of warm cake every 1/2 inch with handle of wooden spoon. Drizzle milk evenly over top of cake; let stand until milk has been absorbed into cake. Next drizzle with ice cream topping. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or until well chilled. Spread cool whip topping over top of cake. Sprinkle with skor bar or toffee chips. Store covered in refrigerator.

Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars

I found this delicious recipe at The Sisters' Cafe. I made it for our family reunion and everyone devoured them. I really like that the recipe is easy to make. I even made one batch with low fat sweetened condensed milk instead of regular sweetened condensed milk and couldn't tell the difference. These bars are simply divine... but very rich! So make sure you have someone to share them with when you make them. The bars are gooey until completely cooled, but then hold together very well when cut. You can even cut them into fun shapes with cookie cutters.

Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars
Submitted by Kelly Marsden

2 1/3 c. flour
2/3 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 (12 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips
1 c. chopped nuts - I used pecans, but walnuts or macadamias would be great, too.
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
10 oz. Skor toffee bits

Stir together flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and mix well. Stir in 1 1/2 c. chocolate chips and all of nuts. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of this mixture and press remaining into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 350. Pour milk over hot crust and top with 1 1/2 cups toffee bits. Sprinkle remaining crumbs over top plus remaining chips. Bake 25-30 more minutes. Top with remaining toffee bits.