Oven Ham Sammies

Dang.  These were soooo good.  Totally simple, quick and absolutely delicious.  There probably aren't any redeeming qualities hidden in all the calories, but being fast and easy is redeeming, right?  These make a great family friendly dinner, lend themselves well to doubling, and would also work as a yummy appetizer.

Recipe Source: Slightly adapted from Tasty Kitchen
Feeds: 6

Mayonnaise/Miracle Whip
16 oz. sliced deli ham
12 slices Swiss cheese
1 package (12 count) Dinner Rolls (like King Hawaiian Rolls)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 Tbsp. Onion flakes or minced onion
1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
3/4 Tbsp. ground mustard

1. Slice rolls in half and spread each side with mayo.

2. Sandwich sliced ham and cheese in each roll. Place close together in a baking dish.

3. Whisk butter, onion, poppy seeds, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard until well combined. Pour dressing over sandwiches. Sandwiches can be baked immediately, or allow them to sit for several hours or even overnight.

4. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.  Enjoy the ooey, gooey goodness.

Fresh Berry Crumb Pie

So I am at my Mum's house for the weekend. My sibling's and I know that usually being at my Mum's house means we get great food. Unless of course her husband has a say, and then its something out of a can and quite boring. However, if we plan out our meals when he's not around, we usually come up with a pretty fabulous menu. As the dessert portion of our menu, my mum decided that she really wanted to use some of her huge amounts of raspberries from her yard. This was the recipe she immediately knew we had to use. She told me about how my Aunt Sheila actually made this years ago, and it has since been one of her favorites.

I don't know if I liked it as much as her or not...I mean, I only had three helpings. All with a heaping scoop of ice cream. ;)

Yeah...you may want to get a tissue now. Wipe that drool off. This cobbler is delicious. So we decided we had to share the recipe!

Here's what you'll need:

Crumb Crust/Topping

1 c. hazelnuts or almonds

2 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

3/4 c. chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Filling

1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch

2 pints (about 4-5 cups) fresh berries, (for this one we used raspberries, but blueberries, strawberries or blackberries all work really well too...also Mum says she has used peaches)

Now, the recipe we have says to roast the nuts...but really, who wants to take the time to do that when it tastes great WITHOUT roasting your nuts? :) So, if you happen to have extra time on your hands, and would like to try out the roasting procedure...i'll include the directions to roast the nuts. Just know that it isn't necessary in order to produce a great cobbler.

To Roast Nuts:

Preheat oven to 350. Spread nuts in a medium baking pan, roast. Stir occasionally until toasted, about 10 minutes.

Remove nuts from the oven and turn out onto a cloth towel. Rub off and discard the papery skins.

Be sure to up your temperature to 450 F now for the cobbler!!

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the nuts until finely ground, about 10 seconds or so. We just used a blender and that worked great, but take note that if you process/grind the nuts too long...you'll start to make nut butter.

To prepare the Crust/Topping:

In a large bowl, mix together the nuts, flour, and sugar. Then, using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs form.

Using your hands, evenly press half of the crumb crust/topping into the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch tart pan, or just into a 9x13 pan.

To prepare the filling:

In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar and the cornstarch. Gently mix in the berries. Spoon the berry mixture into the crust, spreading it out evenly.

Sprinkle the berry mixture evenly with the remaining crumb crust/topping.

Bake until topping is golden and filling is bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Let it cool for about 10 minutes.

And definitely serve this baby with vanilla ice cream. We happened to have Marionberry Pie icecream and that was pretty delicious with it. :)

Summer Farfalle

Alysia's Summer Farfalle

I adapted this recipe from Pioneer Woman's Farfalle with Zucchini. I sort of took her recipe and just added a bunch of ingredients I thought would add to the flavor. I happen to love it myself. I love the way the flavors of the fresh herbs really pop and I just love Farfalle pasta! Hope you enjoy it as much as me!

Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts, cubed
1 zucchini, sliced and quartered
1 yellow squash, sliced and quartered
3/4 pkg. mushrooms, sliced
1 pkg. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 cloves minced garlic
3/4 c. heavy cream
3/4 can chicken broth
1-2 tsp. cornstarch
2 c. Parmesan cheese
steak seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic salt to taste
fresh herbs (For the herbs, I used parsley, oregano and basil, but lemon thyme would also be really good.)
Box of Farfalle noodles, cooked and drained

To prepare chicken:
For this rendition, we used a lemon pepper marinade, oregano and basil. However, you can just stir fry the chicken in oil with salt and pepper as well. The lemon pepper marinade did give it a yummy fresh flavor though.
Cook the chicken completely and set aside.

For Veggies:
Stir fry your zucchini and yellow squash in a bit of oil in the same pan you cooked your chicken.
Do not cook completely, overcooking is no good!! Just coat everything completely in oil and  cook for about 2 minutes. Remove the zucchini and squash and set aside with the chicken.

Use wire whisk to scrape off bits from bottom of pan, add a little more oil and saute the mushrooms. Again, don't cook all the way. Remove from heat and add to chicken mix.

Add a bit more oil and saute the onion and garlic. Once onion is translucent, add cherry tomatoes. Toss all to coat evenly in oil.

In a separate small bowl, mix 3/4 can chicken broth and 1-2 tsp. cornstarch or arrowroot. You don't want it thick or heavy, but like a thin sauce consistency. Once this is the right consistency pour it into the onion/garlic/cherry tomato mixture.

Stir this around and then add 1/2 -3/4 c. heavy cream. Stir again. Let thicken for a few minutes. Add seasonings (Steak seasoning, garlic salt etc.) to taste.

Then add your veggies and chicken back in. Stir evenly. If your sauce is not thick enough within another few minutes, add more cream. If it's too heavy/thick, add chicken broth.

To prepare dish:
Get a casserole dish, 2 qt. corning ware dish, or 9x13 pan. Put cooked pasta on the bottom of the dish.
Top with large handfuls of all your fresh, chopped herbs. Spread evenly. Top with Parmesan cheese and then your sauce/veggie mixture. Top with more Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, or microwave for 5 minutes.
Eat and enjoy!!

BYU Mint Brownies

Every year, my mom and I try to attend Education Week at the BYU campus in Provo. And every year, she treats me to a BYU mint brownie. I don't want to say they're the reason I go to Education Week.... but, they are good enough to be a factor in my decision! They are mint perfection and I was thrilled to find the link to the actual BYU Dining site with their actual recipe. I mean, how could I go wrong?

And they were indeed, perfection. And the best part, they just got better and better. They lasted over a week in my fridge, as I tried to just take small bites every day, and they were still fantastic a week later.

I had to make two trays, and I decided to experiment with the chocolate topping. I made one batch with the same chocolate ganache topping I use for the peanut butter truffle brownies. Then I did one batch following the recipe and just used regular old chocolate icing from a can. I have to say I liked them best with the icing, but my mom liked them best with the chocolate ganache.

As for the actual brownie, I decided to use a brownie recipe that I was already familiar with and that I know turns out great. I'll post the actual recipe from the BYU site, but I haven't actually tried that one yet. I will next time, though. That's what's so great about these brownies. It's really the filling that makes them, so feel free to experiment with the brownie base and chocolate icing. Heck, you could probably even use a mix for your brownie base! Just watch out, because these brownies are seriously addictive!

Recipe Source: BYU Dining via The Girl Who Ate Everything
Makes a 9x13 tray

Brownies:
1 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
2 Tbsp. honey
4 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Mint Layer:
5 Tbsp. butter, softened
dash of salt (or if you're not paying attention like me, use salted butter and omit this)
3 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring (optional)

Chocolate Topping:
12 oz. chocolate icing (use your own recipe or purchase a container of milk chocolate frosting)
OR
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter

1. Preheat oven to 350° Grease a 9x13 pan.

2. Melt butter and mix in the cocoa. Allow to cool.

3. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.

4. Fold in nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes. Cool completely.

5. To prepare mint layer: In a medium bowl, combine softened butter, corn syrup, salt, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy.

5. Add mint extract and food coloring and combine well. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting. (I used only 2 1/2 Tbsp. to get that consistency.)

6. Spread mint icing over completely cooled brownies. Place brownies in freezer or fridge for a little while to stiffen up the icing. It needs to be set before you spread chocolate frosting on.

7. Remove brownies from freezer and carefully spread the chocolate layer over the mint layer. (If you're doing a chocolate ganache topping instead, microwave the butter and chocolate chips in a small microwaveable bowl on high for 30-60 seconds. Continue to heat at 30 second intervals until they are smooth and the chocolate is completely melted. Then spread over the chilled mint layer.)

8. They can be stored in the refrigerator (my favorite) or served at room temperature.

Caesar Style Marinated Potato Salad

I've mentioned before that I'm not a huge potato salad fan. I have a recipe on here that I like fairly well, but I still don't choose potato salad on a whim. Unfortunately, it's easy, and cheap and perfect for summer, so I went looking for another potato salad variation and found this one. It's a completely different flavor than your traditional potato salad and I really liked it. It reminded me a lot of baked potato soup... only in salad form. Plus, it's super easy to put together. The dressing is where the "Caesar style" in the title comes from... but it's not a creamy caesar dressing. It's an oil based dressing with just enough tang. It can be eaten chilled or warm and I definitely prefer it warm. Next time you're looking for something a bit different and have some potatoes on hand, I'd highly recommend this salad. Even my boys ate it! It will definitely be making more appearances in our home.

A couple of tips: Choose the right kind of potatoes. Some potatoes are perfect for mashed potatoes... don't use those for this salad! If you do, they'll turn to mush when you go to stir all your salad ingredients together. If in doubt, use red potatoes... they always hold up well to potato salad. Also, when you cook your potatoes, cook them with salt. One of my biggest complaints with potato salad is that you end up with a flavorful dressing and bland potatoes. I boiled my potatoes for this and added a lot of salt to the water. It'll definitely add to the flavor of your salad.

Recipe Source: Pillsbury Super Salads and Vegetables
Serves: 8 Servings (1/2 cup each)

Dressing:
1/4 cup oil
3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. salt

Salad:
4 cups cubed, cooked potatoes
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup chopped parsley or 1-2 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
2 Tbsp. chopped green onions
2 hard boiled eggs, cut into slices or wedges

1. Combine all dressing ingredients and shake or stir well.

2. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, bacon, parsley, and green onions.

3. Pour dressing over potato mixture; toss lightly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate to blend flavors.

4. Garnish with egg wedges and either serve it straight from the fridge, or warm slightly.

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

These are my favorite brownies, and since I just took a new picture of them, I've decided to repost them. They are incredibly rich, simple, and delicious. And since you start with a box, they're no fail.  Plus, they look gourmet, so the presentation is beautiful. If you're looking for something fancy and easy.... look no further.

Recipe Source: Betty Crocker
Serves: Makes a 9x13 pan

Brownie Base

1 box (9x13 size) Brownie Mix

Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box

Filling
1/2 cup butter, softened (not too soft!)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk

Topping
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray or shortening. (For easier cutting, line pan with foil, then grease foil on bottom only of pan.)

2. In medium bowl, prepare brownie mix according to instructions on the box. Spread in pan. Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

3. In medium bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. The mixture will be very thick.  Spread mixture evenly over brownie base. I find the easiest way to do this is to use my hands and pat it down.

4. In small microwavable bowl, microwave topping ingredients uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds; stir until smooth. Carefully spread over filling. Gently score the chocolate layer in vertical rows, from one end of the pan to the other.  Then carefully score it between the other ends of the pan, in horizontal rows to create a pretty pattern.  Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set. Store covered in the refrigerator.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude directions for 13x9-inch pan on brownie mix box.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

I really love making cupcakes, although I'm not sure why. I don't really like cake or frosting much, but they just look so pretty when you're finished. I think I just really look forward to decorating them. Even though I don't really like to eat cupcakes/frosting much, these cupcakes are an exception- I really loved eating them. I still had to scrape off most of the frosting because it was too much for me (but so pretty for pictures- and the kids had no complaints about this much frosting), but they were so good!

I found the recipe on Annie's Eats and they are seriously... sooo... good! The cupcake flavor is perfect and with the giant oreo chunks, they are simply scrumptious and taste like big, fluffy Oreos. And the frosting even reminds you of the oreo filling! Mmmmm. They're good. And they were the perfect thing for Father's Day since my Dad loves Oreos.

The best part- they aren't even that hard to make! Me! Making Cupcakes from Scratch! I feel quite accomplished now. ;)

Makes 24 cupcakes

What You'll Need:
For the cupcakes:
24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup milk
20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (I quarter them)

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. heavy cream

For garnish:
Oreo cookie crumbs
24 Oreo cookie halves

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line two cupcake pans with liners.  Place an Oreo in the bottom of each line.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir together and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Blend in the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract.  With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Add the milk and beat just until combined, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Gently fold in the chopped Oreos with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.

Evenly divide the batter between liners.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.  Blend in the vanilla extract.  Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes.  Add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired.  Sprinkle with Oreo crumbs and garnish with Oreo halves.