Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread - Lacee D.

1 C. white sugar
1 C. brown sugar
3 eggs beaten
3/4 C. oil
1/4-1/2 C. applesauce (I like the peach-mango kind of ANY kind will work)
2 C. grated zucchini
1 TB. vanilla
3 C. flour (sifted)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
3 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips:divided

Combine sugar, oil, and eggs until well blended. Add zucchini and vanilla, mix well. Add dry ingrediens. Add 1/2 C. chocolate chips and stir together. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 pan. Pour remaining chocolate chips over the top and gently press them into the batter. Bake at 350. Check using the toothpick test at 45 minutes. Enjoy!

Sausage-Stuffed Jalapenos - Mindee W.

This is for all you risk takers out there. I thought these were pretty darn tasty even though my hubby is not a pepper fan (which was ok, more for me to eat!) Besides seeding these I would also recommend stripping out all of the membranes so they are not to hot. I also halved the recipe!

Ingredients:

1 lb. bulk pork sausage

1 pkg. cream cheese (8 oz.)

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

22 large jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded

Mozzarella cheese

Ranch dressing optional

Cook sausage until no longer pink and drain. In a mixing bowl mix cream cheese and Parmesan cheese. Fold in sausage. Spoon about 1 tablespoon into each jalapeno shell. Place in a baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam. Bake uncovered at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Top each pepper with Mozzarella cheese the last few minutes of baking and serve with Ranch dressing if desired. Yield 44 appetizers.

FRESH SUMMER RECIPES - MINDEE W

BAKED MUSROOM CHICKEN WITH
TOMATO BASIL BRUSCHETTA


Baked Mushroom Chicken - Mindee W.
This received a 9/10 review. Yummy!

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1/4 cup flour
3 Tb. butter divided
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup preshredded Italian Blend Cheese
grated Parmesan
sliced green onions

Flatten each chicken breast half to 1/4 inch thickness. Pour flour in a zip lock bag. Add chicken a few pieces at a time and shake to coat. In a large skillet brown chicken in 2 Tb. butter on both sides ( I also seasoned with salt and pepper). Place chicken in a baking dish. In the same skillet add remaining butter and saute mushrooms until tender. Add chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 min. until liquid is reduced to 1/2 c. Spoon over chicken. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheeses and green onions. Bake 5 minutes longer or until juices run clear. 4 servings.

Tomato Basil Bruschetta - Mindee W.
Very flavorful! Great way to use up garden produce!

Ingredients:
3 Tb. olive oil divided
1 loaf Italian bread cut into 1/2 inch slices
1-1/2 cups chopped seeded tomatoes
2 Tb. chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. minced fresh parsley
1 garlic clove minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp. pepper

Brush one side of each slice of bread with oil about 2 Tb. altogether. Place on a baking sheet oil side up. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Meanwhile mix remaining ingredients in a bowl. Top bread with tomato basil mixture just before serving. Drizzle remaining 1 Tb. olive oil on top. Can sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

TRIPLE BERRY PIE

Triple Berry Pie - Mindee W.
This pie was very simple to make. Next time I might use more raspberries, but Alan liked it just the way it was. The filling had a good flavor and was not to runny.

Ingredients:
Pastry for double-crust pie (store bought or make your own)
1 egg white
2 Tb. water, divided
1 cup plus 1 Tb. sugar, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 to 2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup fresh blackberries
(or whatever combo you like)

Place one crust on bottom of pie plate. Beat egg white and water and brush over crust. In a bowl combine 1 cup sugar, cornstarch, lemon peel, vanilla and cinnamon. Gently stir in berries. Pour into crust. Top with remaining crust, cut around edges and pinch to seal. Brush top crust with remaining egg water. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and cut slits in top of crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until crust is brown and filling is bubbly. After about 30 minutes of cooking I cover the edges with tinfoil to prevent them from burning. Let cool and serve with ice cream!

Ka-Bam Kabobs - Mindee W.

I got this recipe from Emril off the food network. The meat was so yummy. It kind of had a beef jerky flavor and the veggies tasted great! In this recipe he bakes the skewers, but I decided to grill them which was super yummy. I will make this recipe again. I have also used the baby bam seasoning in other things.


Ingredients
8 ounces button mushrooms
1 medium yellow onion, peeled
1 large green or red bell pepper
1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin, fat trimmed
1 tablespoon Baby Bam, recipe follows
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Wood or metal skewers

Directions
Place the mushrooms in a large bowl of water and gently turn to remove any grit or dirt. Dry on a clean kitchen towel and set aside.
Cut the onion in half. Cut each half into quarters, keeping the pieces together as much as possible. Remove the upper fourth of the bell pepper. Remove the stem end, inside ribs, and seeds. Cut the pepper into quarters crosswise, then into 1-inch pieces.
Cut the meat into 1-inch pieces and place in a large glass bowl. Add the Baby Bam and toss to coat. Add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, vegetable oil, and garlic, and stir to combine. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and place the oven rack in the top position. Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil. Remove the meat from the refrigerator. Thread 1 meat cube onto a skewer, followed by a mushroom, bell pepper, and onion. Continue threading alternating ingredients onto the skewer until the skewer is full. Place the filled skewers on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes for medium. (or you can grill them)

Baby Bam Seasoning:
3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon celery salt

Here's something to season your foods, like the grown-ups do with Emeril's Original Essence. Add another dimension by sprinkling it into everything, from soups and sauces to pizza and hamburger patties. You fearless bammers out there can kick this up a notch by adding cayenne, to taste. (I'd start with about 1/4 teaspoon, and then take it from there.)
Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well to combine with a wooden spoon.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Yield: about 3/4 cup

Fish Recipes - Mike and Cindee Backus

BARBECUED MAHI MAHI WITH YELLOW PEPPER-CILANTRO PESTO-MIKE BACKUS
my hubby found this recipe and I about died when I tasted it. It takes more effort than the recipes below, but is well worth it.
Barbeque Rub;
2T paprika
1T chile powder
2t. ground cumin
2 t. brown sugar
1 t. cayenne/red pepper
1 t. salt
1 t. ground black pepper

Yellow Pepper-Cilantro Pesto;
2 large yellow bell peppers, grilled, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 glove garlic, chopped
2 T pinenuts
1 C. chopped fresh cilantro
3 T grated parmesan
1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. salt
1 t. ground black pepper

Mahi mahi;
4 mahi mahi fillets, 8oz each
4 teaspoons olive oil
"Barbeque" rub
cilantro leaves
Directions; combine rub ingredients in a small bowl. Place peppers,garlic,pine nuts,cilantro and cheese in a food processor and process until combined. With motor running, add the oil and process until emulsified and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Heat grill to high. bursh each fillet on both sides with oil. Rub 1 side of each fille with 1 T barbeque rub and place on grill rub side down and cook until slightly charred and a crust has formed, about 2-3min. Turn fish and grill for 3-4min longer or until cooked to med doneness. Top each fillet with a few T of the pesto and garnish with cilantro.

BARBEQUE HALIBUT STEAKS-MIKE BACKUS
this is another yummy recipe my hubby found and he has made it lots for our family. It is really good with any white fish. I wish I had a pic for this one to post.

2T butter
2T brown sugar
2 garlic gloves minced
1T lemon juice
2t. soy sauce
1/2 t. ground black pepper
1 pound halibut steak
Preheat grill for med-high heat. Place first 6 ingredients in sauce pan and warm over med heat, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Lightly oil grill grate. Brush fish with brown sugar sauce and place on grill. Cook 5min per side or until fish can easily be flaked with fork basting with sauce.


MAPLE SALMON- CINDEE BACKUS
I love this recipe because it is so simple to make on a week night. This is also Mikes favorite recipe for salmon that I make.
1/4C mayple syrup (may sub brown sugar)
2T soy sauce
1-2 garlic gloves, minced
1/8t. ground black pepper
1/4 t. garlic salt
1 pound salmon (or 2-4 filets)
In a smal bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, garlic salt and pepper. Place salmon in a shallow glass dish, and coat with maple syrup mixture. Cover dish, and marinate in fridge or 30min, turning once. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake uncovered 20min or until easily flakes with fork. This is also delicious on the grill.

Basic Cookies - Mindee W.

My visiting teacher Connie made these cookies for me and they were yummy! I have since made them a few times. I love this recipe because you can basically make whatever cookie your in the mood for. If you like more of a soft cookie you will enjoy these.

Cream Together:
1 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened

Add:
2 1/4 cups flour (Connie suggested only 2 cups which I did)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Blend all ingredients. Roll balls in granulated sugar and bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.

For Snickerdoodles:
Just roll balls in to cinnamon sugar

For Chocolate Chip Cookies:
add: 1 pkg. chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)

For Macadamia Cookies:
add: 1 pkg. white chips
1 cup macadamia nuts
1 cup coconut (optional)

For Chocolaty Chocolate Chip Cookies:
add: 1 pkg. chocolate instant pudding instead of vanilla
1 pkg. chocolate chips

Last time I made these cookies I did half snickerdoodles and half chocolate chip cookies.

Bolinhos de Chuva (Rain Donuts) - Mindee

Alan's Mom just sent me the World Wide Ward Cookbook in the mail the other day and I have to say that everything I have tried so far has been delicious! Marlee has been feeling sick today, so we decided to make these yummy donuts to cheer us both up. This recipe comes from Brazil and is so easy to make. I love the banana and cinnamon combo!!!

2 bananas, mashed

3 eggs

1/2 C. sugar

1 pinch salt

1 Tbsp. baking powder

Vegetable oil for frying

Cinnamon-sugar mixture

Combine all ingredients except oil and cinnamon-sugar mixture, and mix well. Put a tablespoon of dough at a time in hot oil and deep fry. Roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture.

- Willis Povey

Dill Chicken Bake

This was another recipe I tried the other night from the WWW Cookbook and loved because it was fast and I already had everything on hand. I am a big fan of dill!!! I cut the recipe in half and used the remaining onion soup mix on some cut up potatoes and cooked them in the oven at the same time as the chicken.

4 lb. chicken (any variety of pieces)

1 16-oz. carton sour cream

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1 tsp. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. dill weed

2 - 10.75-oz. cans cream of mushroom soup

pepper to taste

Place chicken in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Combine remaining ingredients and spread over chicken. Sprinkle with pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. - Lesia Binning