Cranberry Pound Cake

This recipe I dazzled my mother-in-law and east coast family with when I first met them... delicious and moist.

2 c sugar
1/2 c butter
8 oz package cream cheese
3 eggs
1 egg white
3 c flour
2 c cranberries or blueberries
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 (8oz) lemon yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract

1 c powdered sugar
8 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Beat first 3 ingredients, add eggs one at a time.
Combine 2 Tbl flour + 2 Tbl sugar in separate bowl and coat berries.
Combine remaining flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix into eggs and butter mixture alternating with yogurt- beginning and ending with flour. Fold in berries and vanilla.

Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes. remove from pan.

Mix lemon juice and powder sugar. Drizzle over warm cake and serve

Honeybun Cake

A great Sunday morning treat!

1 box mix yellow cake
4 whole eggs
1 c sour cream
3/4 c vegetable oil

1 c light brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

2 c powdered sugar
6 Tbl milk
1 tsp Vanilla extract

Preheat oven 325 degrees. By hand mix first 4 ingredients, mixture will be pale yellow and it is ok if there are lumps. Set aside.
In separate bowl mix cinnamon and brown sugar, set aside.

Pour half of the cake mixture into a greased, 9x13 glass pan. Spread an even thin layer. Add half of the brown sugar mixture- spread with knife across top of batter. Pour remaining batter, spread as evenly as possible. Sprinkle remaining brown sugar mixture. With knife- swirl the batter to create a beautiful masterpiece!
Bake 40-45 minutes, until toothpick in middle comes out clean.
While cake is baking make glaze. In a bowl mix the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until it is the desired consistency. When the cake comes out- pour glaze immediately onto it, tilt cake to spread if necessary. Let sit until glaze sets.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

PAD THAI

This is a great Pad Thai recipe- very easy and very very tasty

1/4 c white sugar
1/4 distilled white vinegar
2 Tbl soy sauce
1 Tbl tamarind pulp (found at whole foods)

1 box Pad Thai noodles (also found at whole foods, wheat and gluten free is what I use)

1/4 c vegetable oil
3/4 tsp minced garlic
2 eggs
2-1/4 tsp white sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 c ground peanuts
3/4 tsp wasabi powder
1/4 c chopped chives
1-1/2 tsp paprika
1 c fresh bean sprouts
1/2 lime cut into wedges
1/2 c chopped cilantro and mint (mixed together)

In medium saucepan over medium heat, blend first 4 ingredients

Cook noodles according to package (cooks like pasta but much faster)

In large skillet or wok cook over medium heat. Warm oil, add garlic and eggs. Scramble the eggs. Add noodles and stir until cooked. Stir in sauce, 1-1/4 tsp sugar, 3/4 tsp salt, stir in peanuts and wasabi powder.

Remove from heat and garnish with bean sprouts, lime and paprika.

If you feel adventurous, add a little oriental chili paste to the sauce for some heat.

Thanksgiving Turkeys

This tradition is always done at the O'Dell house and has now flocked out to friends and family who love the fun...

In this photo- Jamie, Megan, Jenn and Great Grandma Serzow

Red Apples
Toothpicks
Mini Marshmallows
Raisins
Whatever else you want to use for decorations...
2009 had many creative additions; carrot feet, broccoli tail feathers- some turkeys looked like they ate a little too much moldy grain :)

Post your turkey photos too!

Rice Pilav

This recipe comes from one of Grandma Schneider's long time Armenian family friend. She joked about wrapping lid in towel and placing it on top of the cooked pot after rice is done. Asked if important she said "no but it looks impressive!"

1/4 pd butter
1 coil vermicelli
1 c rice (Uncle Ben's is best)
2-1/2 c liquid (half chicken broth, half water)

Melt butter in pot- break up coil of vermicelli into it and brown. Add rice, liquid and salt.
Cover and simmer till all liquid is absorbed

note- when recipe is doubled or increased do not use more butter. Simply use enough to brown vermicelli.

Rusonik... aka "Tanya Serzows White Turkey Soup"

This recipe has not set quantities- it has been passed down verbally from generation to generation...

Turkey wings
Celery
Chicken broth

Cook above ingredients in chicken broth.

Shred turkey, discard celery, drain and strain- To large pot, add leftover juice, chopped celery and rice. Needs to be thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until done. Serve with cold chopped dill pickles.

Mushroom Leek Stuffing

Yield: Serves 10 to 12 (serving size: 3/4 cup)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
2 leeks, halved lengthwise and sliced (light green and white parts only)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped celery
1 pound day-old sourdough bread cubes
1 1/2 to 2 cups reduced-sodium mushroom broth
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Cook mushrooms, leeks, garlic, and celery until softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Put mixture into a large bowl; add bread.

Mix broth, eggs, salt, pepper, and parsley in a small bowl and pour over bread. Toss until bread is soaked, then turn into a greased 9- by 13-in. baking dish.

Bake stuffing until it feels firm to the touch and is starting to brown on top, about 45 minutes.

Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce

Prep Time 2 Minutes
Cook Time 15 Minutes Servings 12

Ingredients
1 bag (about 12 To 16 Oz) Fresh Cranberries
16 ounces, fluid Pomegranate Juice
¾ cups Sugar, More Or Less To Taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Mixture will thicken as it cooks, and will thicken more as it cools. I found this to be a thinner sauce than what I am used to but delicious- I would recommend adding a little bit of cornstarch to the mixture as it cooks to thicken a little.

Cool in a jar or bowl in the fridge. Serve with Thanksgiving turkey.

Turkey Brine

(thanksgiving a long long time ago...) In this photo: Mike, a hottie Grandma Schneider and I think part of Grandpa Tom's face

Prep Time 10 Minutes
Cook Time 15 Minutes

Ingredients
3 cups Apple Juice Or Apple Cider
2 gallons Cold Water
4 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary Leaves
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
1-½ cup Kosher Salt
2 cups Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Peppercorns
5 whole Bay Leaves
Peel Of Three Large Oranges

You will need a mega pot for this!

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover.
Allow to cool completely, then pour into a large brining bag or pot. Place uncooked turkey in brine solution, then refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours.

When ready to roast turkey, remove turkey from brine. Submerge turkey in a pot or sink of fresh, cold water. Allow to sit in clean water for 15 minutes to remove excess salt from the outside.

Discard brine. Remove turkey from clean water, pat dry, and cook according to your normal roasting method.

Cook turkey at 350, 15 minutes per pound (or until temperature reads 155 taken from thigh area). Cook covered in foil for first few hours. Take foil off for last hour brushing periodically with a little bit of butter. Take out and let sit at least 30 minutes before carving.

Pot Pie

This is one of the best pot pie recipes ever made- great with turkey or chicken

1 lb skinless chicken breast cubed (or turkey leftovers)
1 c sliced carrots
1 c frozen peas
1/2 c sliced celery
1/3 c butter
1/3 c chopped onion

1/3 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp celery seed
1-3/4 c chicken broth (veggie is also good)
2/3 c milk

2 unbaked pie crusts (I use the Pillsbury pre-made ones)

Preheat oven 375

In sauce pan over medium heat cook chicken, celery, carrots and peas. (recipe actually calls to boil them all but I prefer to use leftover meat so I just cook with a tablespoon of butter until slightly tender) Once cooked- set aside. You can also add diced cooked potato and corn for some variety.

In sauce pan over medium heat cook onions in butter until tender and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over med-low until thick. Remove from heat- set aside. *I like to double the sauce portion but it is a personal preference. Not all of it fits but add as much as you like.

Place chicken mixture in bottom of pie curst. pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust- seal edges, cut away excess dough. Make tiny slits in top to allow steam to escape.

Bake 35-45 minutes until top is golden brown and filling is bubbly.
Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Thanksgiving!

Looking forward to Thanksgiving! Lets hear about everyone's Thanksgiving adventures...
Lets not let the family blog fade away! Facebook isn't the same.

Nana's Corn Casserole

Nana Schneider's Corn Casserole

2 cans cream corn
soda crackers
1/4 onion chopped
milk (I am guessing about a cup? any Schneider know this?)

Break up about 6 soda crackers in bottom of casserole dish
Add milk and 1/4 chopped onion - mix in corn
Top with more crunched soda crackers and a little butter
Bake 325 degrees until puffy

Vanilla Almond Fruit Tart

Vanilla Almond Fruit Tart

1/2 c planters sliced almonds, toasted, divided
50 vanilla wafers, finely crushed
6 Tbl butter, melted
1 package (3.4 oz) JELL-O instant vanilla pudding
1 c cold milk
1 c thawed cool whip
1 c mixed fresh fruit (your choice)

Reserve 1 Tbl nuts.

In food processor- crush vanilla wafers and rest of almonds. Mix with melted butter and press into bottom of a 9" tart pan or pie plate.

Beat pudding mix with milk with whisk for 2 minutes. Stir in cool whip. Pour into crust. Refrigerate 3 hours until firm. Top with fruits and nuts just before serving.

Awesome Chocolate Bundt Cake

Chocolate Bundt Cake

1 (18.25 oz) package devils food cake mix
1 (5.9 oz) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 c. sour cream
1 c vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 c warm water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven 350 degrees F

In large bowl mix together all ingredients- then stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into a well greased 12 cup bundt pan.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan (at least an hour and a half) before inverting onto a plate. Dust with powdered sugar.
(if using smaller molds, bake 40-45 minutes)

Crostini with Mushrooms and Creamy Goat Cheese

While at the beach for the week we held a wine pairings party. Everyone was to bring their favorite wine and a food pairing. There were some great foods! I will try to get some of the recipes here to share.
Here was one of my favorites:


Crostini with Mushrooms and Creamy Goat Cheese
Makes 24 crostini
24 small (1/2 inch thick) slices of a French bread loaf or small sourdough loaf
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound mushrooms (any variety you like) cleaned, stems removed and chopped
¼ cup white wine
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
24 small (1/2-inch thick) slices of a French baguette or small sourdough loaf
4 ounces mild fresh goat cheese
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast until they are just lightly browned and crisp. Remove from the oven and cool.
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chopped mushrooms and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the wine; raise the heat to high and cook, stirring, until the liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Mix in salt and pepper, taste to correct the seasoning and set aside.

Mix together the goat cheese, lemon juice, salt, pepper and cream until it is smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Spread each round with some of the goat cheese mixture. Top with a spoonful of the mushroom mixture. Return to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until warmed.
Remove to a tray, sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.

Monster cookie monster!

Monster Cookies

Many times these are referred to as Sally Becker cookies (I bought the recipe from her). Sally use to make them for the swim team as you can see they make a lot! I also made them for Thomas' fraternity auction. Boys away at college were willing to pay $80 for two to three dozen of these puppies. Some of his friends don't remember me but do remember the cookies. Creed only wants these from me for his birthday.
The important part of these recipes, as Jamie tells me over and over, is UNDER cook them.

Monster Cookies

1 lb butter (I split with butter-flavored shortening cubes)
2 lbs brown sugar
4 C. white sugar
3 lb. Jar peanut butter (12 oz. For ¼ recipe)
1 dozen eggs
8 tsp. Soda
18 C. oatmeal (sometimes I add a little more)
1 lb bag M & M’s (plain)
1 lb. Bag chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients & either drop on cookie/cake pan. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. I take out of oven when they are just starting to brown. If they have spread – immediately take a spatula and form cookies into circle.

* This recipe is so big that you can easily cut it in half or even quarter it.

*The cookie dough balls freeze very well also for baking later. Just scoop dough by ice cream scoop onto a cookie sheet – Flash freeze until hard and then package in an air tight container

Bake Sale Betty

If anyone has had the pleasure of standing in line in Oakland to enjoy one of these delightful chicken sandwiches you will understand why I jumped at the chance to see if I could make her recipe at home that I had found online. So tonight Creed & I enjoyed some fried chicken and awesome coleslaw. Admittedly it is a lot harder and not quite as good when you have to make it yourself but I must say it was pretty darn close. I have a few kinks to work out with my frying skills but below is the recipe for the wonderful Bake Sale Bettys Chicken Sandwich. I would recommend slicing the chicken breast to create longer thinner pieces as we did discover it was very difficult to eat since our chicken turned out in huge pieces!

INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
Kosher salt to taste
1 quart buttermilk

The vinaigrette
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

The coleslaw
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 jalapenos, seeded, cut in half and sliced crosswise
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 green cabbage, core and outer leaves removed, and very thinly sliced
Kosher salt

The breading
1 pound all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt + more to taste
1 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 quarts vegetable oil, for frying
4 Acme Bakery torpedo rolls, sliced lengthwise
Instructions:

Season chicken breasts with kosher salt, let sit at least 5 minutes. Fill a wide, shallow nonreactive bowl or casserole dish with buttermilk. Add the chicken and soak in the refrigerator for 1 hour up to overnight.

For the vinaigrette:
Combine mustard, vinegar and salt in a bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil until well blended.
For the coleslaw:
Macerate onions in red wine vinegar, and let sit at least 20 minutes. Remove onions and discard vinegar. Toss onions with jalapeno, parsley, cabbage and salt. Toss with vinaigrette until evenly coated.
To fry chicken:
Pour vegetable oil into a large stockpot. Do not fill up more than halfway, or the oil could splatter. Bring oil up to 365°, using a digital thermometer/candy thermometer to monitor the heat. Prepare the breading while waiting for oil to heat up. In a wide shallow bowl, mix flour, cayenne, salt and pepper. Pull a chicken breast out of the buttermilk one by one, letting excess drip off, and dredge completely in flour. To create a thick crust, place in buttermilk and dredge in flour a second time. Do not drain or shake off excess buttermilk or flour during the breading process. When the oil is at 365°, carefully place chicken pieces into oil one by one. Let it cook for a minute before disturbing chicken, then help it "swim" in the oil with tongs, until it is evenly cooked, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from oil and drain on paper towels. Season immediately with salt.
For the sandwich:
Place fried chicken breast on bottom of torpedo roll and top generously with coleslaw.

Fire Salad

An oldie but goodie!

1lb asian white noodles *linguini can be used too

8 oz snow peas

1c fine chopped green onions

1c unsalted peanuts

1/2c chopped cilantro

1/3c rice wine vinegar

1/4c soy sauce

1 tbs minced ginger root

1 tsp minced garlic

2/3c equal parts sesame oil & veg oil

small amount chili oil (add to your desired amount of heat, just remember as it sits it gets a little hotter)

 Mix all ingredients and enjoy!

Corn Salsa

This is a great recipe for the summer which is just around the corner...

6-8 ears of fresh corn (cut kernels off the cob)
1-2 jalapenos finely diced
1-2 avocados diced
1 bunch cilantro rough chopped
1-2 cloves finely diced garlic
1/4 to 1/2 onion finely diced
1 2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste
juice of 1-2 limes (or lemon)

Cut the corn off the cob and mix with all ingredients. Serve with chips or tacos!

stuffed bell peppers

I just made some stuffed bell peppers.

I didn't want to listen to "the man" so didn't look at any recipes and winged it.

some garlic, brown rice, onions, salt, olive oil, tomato sauce, a few carrots and peas.

It was pretty money.

7 moneys out of 10.

It was a little bland. If I had put cheese in it, that would have taken it to another level.

Health wise it was really money

9 moneys out of 10

Rhubarb delight!

This recipe is not for the faint hearted...

1 yellow cake box mix
4 cups diced rhubarb
1 pint heavy cream
1 cup sugar

Make the yellow cake mix according to the box. Pour into greased 9x11 pan. Sprinkle chopped rhubarb over cake batter. Pour heavy cream over entire batter. Sprinkle sugar over the cream & batter.

Bake at 325 for 90 minutes. Start checking with a tooth pick at 60 minutes- the cake is done when tooth pick comes out clean. This is a moist rich cake that almost reminds me of a cobbler- even goes well with ice cream!

Cake Cakes

Jamison used to call these "cake cakes" as a toddler- we made them constantly, who needs Aunt Jemima?- Kathleen Whiting
Pancakes
1-3/4 C milk
4 Tablespoons melted butter
2 eggs

2 C Flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix wet ingredients... add dry sifted ingredients. Add more milk if needed. Cook on a griddle or in a pan until golden brown on both sides (flip when bubbles start popping in the middle of the pancake)

Serve with New Hampshire Maple syrup or blueberry sauce! (Jenn- I prefer lots of berries and use whole wheat flour instead- good stuff!)

Blueberry Sauce
1/3 C sugar
1 Tablespoons cornstarch
1-1/2 C fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 c water
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix sugar, cornstarch and water in saucepan. Add native New Hampshire blueberries picked across the lake on Belknap Mountain (tart & tangy!) Cook and stir over medium heat (approximately 5 minutes). Cool a bit and stir in lemon juice.

Cranberry Caramel Bars

This is kind of unfair for me to post this right now unless you have some frozen cranberries in your freezer from the holidays but I do and I am making some!

Cranberry Caramel Bars
Recipe from Trish Schneider

Makes 2 dozen
Ingredients
1 cup fresh cranberries
2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups uncooked regular oats
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 (10-ounce) package chopped dates
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 (12-ounce) jar caramel sauce
Preparation
Stir together cranberries and 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
Combine 2 cups flour and next 4 ingredients; stir in melted butter until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup flour mixture. Press remaining mixture into bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with dates, pecans, and cranberry mixture. Stir together caramel sauce and remaining 1/3 cup flour; spoon over cranberries. Sprinkle with reserved 1 cup flour mixture. Bake 20 more minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Crab Cioppino

There are many varieties of this recipe but this is the original. This was always Christmas Eve dinner and one of Tom Sr.'s very favorite...

recipe from Diana Schneider

1/2 c olive oil

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 c minced parsley

3-29 oz cans tomato sauce + 1-1/2 to 2 cans water

3-4 tiny red hot peppers

1 minced onion

2 pkgs dried italian mushrooms soaked

Brown slowly at least 45 minutes in oil the garlic, onion, parsley. Add tomato sauce, water, chilies, mushrooms and simmer 1/2 to 1 hour. If in a hurry simmer 15 minutes.  Add mushroom water too.

Add 1-2 lbs cod or snapper (thickens sauce). Simmer, also add crab butter (close your eyes)

1-1/2 lb raw prawns (peeled and cleaned)

2 dozen small clams

6 medium or 3 large crab (cleaned) and cut up (cooked ok but raw cooked in sauce and crab butter is way better) Simmer 1 hour- add clams last 15-20 minutes

Serve in bowls with tossed green salad- lots of french bread and wine, Enjoy!

Always meant to be in the kitchen... Toffee Bars

This is Kim making Toffee Bars. I (Grandma Schneider) always had the ingredients on hand because many times at 7am one of the kids would announce they needed cookies that day. The recipe is easy and all the kids learned to measure and cook with this recipe...

recipe from Diana Schneider

Toffee Bars

1 c margarine (no butter)

1 c brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 c flour

1- 6 oz pkg chocolate chips

1 c nuts (optional)

Cream margarine sugar and vanilla. add rest of ingredients- mix and press into 9x13 pan.

Bake 325 degrees for 25 minutes

Cut into squares while warm. Cool before removing

Best minestrone ever

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 5 carrots, sliced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
• 1 cup canned kidney beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can green beans
• 2 cups baby spinach, rinsed
• 3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup seashell pasta
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for topping
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 
  
• In a large stock pot, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and saute garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots, saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
• 
  
• Add chicken broth, water and tomato sauce, bring to boil, stirring frequently. If desired add red wine at this point. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach leaves, zucchini, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, the longer the better.
• 
  
• Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until tender. Drain water and set aside.
• 
  
• Once pasta is cooked and soup is heated through place 2 tablespoons cooked pasta into individual serving bowls. Ladle soup on top of pasta and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Spray with olive oil and serve.

Awesome Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These are amazing- I have made them many times and each time it is very good. Persimmons are a pleasant surprise.

1-1/2 tsp peanut oil

1/2 c minced green onions

2 tsp cornstarch

1 lb ground chicken

1 c chopped peeled ripe Fuyu persimmon (about 2)

1/2 c chopped water chestnuts

2 Tbl grated peeled fresh ginger

3 Tbl low sodium soy sauce

2 Tbl fresh orange juice

1 Tbl oyster sauce

1-2 Tbl chili garlic paste (optional)

12 Boston lettuce leaves (or ice berg cut in quarters)

Heat peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, cornstarch, and chicken to pan; saute for 4 minutes or until chicken is done, stirring to crumble.

Add persimmon, water chestnuts, ginger, soy sauce, juice and oyster sauce to pan; cook for 2 minutes. At this point I the chili garlic paste (found at chinese or japanese food store or Whole Foods)

Remove from heat. Spoon 1/4 c chicken mixture into center of each lettuce leaf.

Linda & Mike's wedding cake

Linda and Mike's wedding cake was made by a friend of the family...

4 eggs

1-1/2 c sugar

1-1/2 c veg oil

3-3/4 c whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1- 8 oz can crushed pineapple

2 c grated carrots

1 c chopped pecans

1 c chopped dates

Grease 10" angel tube pan- line bottom with wax paper (parchment works too).  Beat eggs in large bowl, beat in sugar, stir in oil.

Combine 3 c flour with other dry ingredients. Stir into egg mixture. Add drained pineapple and carrots.

Toss pecans and dates in remaining 1/4 c flour- stir into batter

Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Guarantees a long and happy marriage!

Nana's Mayo

Nana, Mama (Nana's Mom) holding Linda

This is the original recipe written by Nana. She wrote it out for Diana while they were staying at Green Lake Wisconsin on summer... "so good"

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chicken Enchilada Soup

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (I used the kind with sweet onion in it)
1 10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow, green, or red bell pepper (I used red, which is my favorite pepper)
1 10-ounce can enchilada sauce (I used mild)
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups milk (I used skim)
1 cup shredded Pepper jack cheese (4 ounces)
2 chicken breasts

In a 3 1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker, combine drained beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper. Place 2 chicken breasts on top of mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker.Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Remove chicken and cut or shred into bite sized pieces. Add chicken back into soup. Top with pepper jack cheese and serve. Can also be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips. Note: if the soup is too thick for you, just add a little more milk after it's all cooked.

Tanya Serzow's Cheesecake

Tanya & Walt Serzow

This recipe is originally from "Aunt Maria Maximoff"
Crust:

27 or 30 Graham Crackers

2 Tbl sugar

1/3 c melted buter

Roll/crush crackers finely, add sugar and butter. Line sides and bottom of spring bottom pan.

Filling:

3 large cakes Philadelphia Cheese

2/3 c sugar

3 eggs- seperated, beat whites till light and fluffy

3 tsp lemon juice

Mix all but whites together. Fold in whites, pour into pan and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

Topping:

1 large jar sour cream

3 Tbl vanilla

Mix well and spread on cake (whole lot) put in oven for additional 10 minutes at 475 degrees

*check "Pope" cookbook page 454 for additional directions

Shredded Pork Sandwiches

Albeit Jenn's recipe, I am posting it!
It is super easy and yummy!!

1 pork tri tip (pork shoulder) with majority of fat trimmed
1 can of Root Beer or Dr Pepper
Hutch's BBQ Sauce (or your favorite type since I think Hutch's is more Central Valley local)

Put soda and pork into a slow cooker on low for approx. 8hrs. Drain liquid and shred the pork. Add in BBQ sauce and serve on toasted hanburger buns. We love it with a nice serving of coleslaw too. Provides a nice little crunch to every bite!

Linda's Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

Thought I would test run Jenn's newest blog. Here is that great soup Linda made and we have made several times since then. You can cut the yolks down to 4 and it still works. Just don't go for cholesterol tests the next morning!

Greek Chicken Lemon Soup

8 c. chicken both
½ c. lemon juice
½ c. grated carrots
½ c. chopped celery
½ c. onion
¼ c. chicken stock base
(powdered seasoning for dissolving in water)
¼ c. butter softened
¼ c. flour
7 egg yolks at room temperature
(I cut this in almost half 4)
1 c. diced cooked chicken
1 – ½ c. white rice
White pepper to taste
1 lemon sliced for garnish

In a large pot, combine the first 6 ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Mix butter and flour in shallow bowl until smooth. Add to soup in small amounts, blending thoroughly after each addition. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

With electric mixer on high speed, whip egg yolks until light and lemon-colored. At medium speed, add 2 cups of hot soup very slowly, in a thin stream. Slowly return mixture to remaining soup and heat but do not boil. Add rice, chicken, and pepper. Ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish with lemon slices and parsley.

Food for thought

I tried a while back to put together a family recipe book. With little experience making a book I had to put it on the back burner for a while but have decided to bring it online for all to share their favorite recipes.

Please feel free to post family recipes, recipes from friends or your own creations and please include pictures!

I will add the recipes I have stored for the book as well as some scanned photos I got from grandparents and others...

Happy cooking!
Jenn