The Best Jello Salad

Here's my current favorite Jello Salad, recipe courtesy of my friend Jeanne (who saved me on the 4th of July when I was trying to make it from memory - not a good idea  - for the whole gang and needed clarification.  She was in Hawaii - I had forgotten the time difference - and returned my call, apologizing for the delay in her response, but it was only 7am there.  She's a gem).

(I usually double the recipe when I am making it for a group.)

Jeanne Leak's Jello Salad

1 small pkg. cook-style vanilla pudding (can use sugar-free)

1 small pkg. cook-style tapioca pudding (can use fat free)

1 small pkg. Jello (can use sugar-free, any flavor)

3 cups water

Mix all together and bring to a boil.  Let cool 2 to 3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Mix cooled Jello, making sure to blend well (no chunks - I use a big whisk).

Fold in fruit of your choice (mandarin oranges, strawberries, or my favorite, raspberries)

and 1 (8oz) Cool Whip (can use light - NOT fat free).

You can serve immediately, or refrigerate for later.

It's a little reminiscent of the Jello salad that has cottage cheese, WITHOUT the cottage cheese.  The tapioca pudding absorbs the jello, and you end up with brightly colored tiny soft balls of tapioca.

YUM-O.

Chocolate Raspberry Crash Cake

I usually try to make German Chocolate Cake for Bill's Birthday, but was a little pinched for time yesterday. I quickly perused Pinterest for a quick, easy and YUMMY alternative (with ingredients I already had on hand), and found this recipe and decided to give it a try (making a few adjustments). I had invited our neighbors over for cake and candles, so I hoped it would be good!

It was yummy. And pretty to look at. Definitely a keeper.

I didn't get any great pictures of the cake (focused on the Birthday part of things), so these will have to do:

Chocolate Raspberry Crash Cake

1 Dark Chocolate Fudge cake mix, prepared per package directions; baked in a 9x13 pan; cooled
2 sm. boxes instant chocolate pudding
3-1/2 cups milk
2-1/2 cups whipping cream
3 Tbs. confectioners sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. frozen raspberries, thawed (fresh raspberries would be awesome if you have them!)

While the cake is baking, prepare instant pudding using 3-1/2 cups milk (I like the pudding just a tad thicker - you could use the 4 cups milk per package directions if you would like).  Put in refrigerator to set.

Whip the cream with the confectioners sugar until stiff peaks are just about to form. Add vanilla and whip a few seconds more (I like fairly stiff whipped cream, too). Refrigerate until ready to assemble cake.

When ready to assemble, cut cake into small squares. Using approx. 1/3 of the cake, pull out and break up cake pieces to cover the bottom of a trifle bowl.

Using 1/2 of the prepared pudding, spoon onto cake layer and smooth out with back of spoon.

Spoon approx. 1/3 (or slightly more) of the whipped cream on top of the pudding, carefully spreading to edges.

Sprinkle on 1/3 of the raspberries.

Repeat layers starting with cake pieces.

Add one more layer of cake pieces, and top with remaining whipped cream and berries.
(Since my frozen berries didn't look that awesome, I didn't put any on top).

Keep in freezer for about 15 minutes before serving.

I think this cake would be best assembled within 30 minutes of serving. All the components can be prepared well ahead of time, and assembly takes 5-10 minutes, depending on how meticulous you are.

YUM!

Grandma G's Microwave Caramel Corn

I think this recipe came from my Grandma, but maybe it came from mi madre. Either way, it's still Grandma G's recipe. I've enjoyed numerous batches of this crunchy treat over many, many years. Last night around 9:30 Mauri requested we make some, since she will be getting braces today and will have to stay away from all things sticky/crunchy/gummy for a couple of years. I hadn't made it for a long time, and was reminded once again how quick and easy it is.

Grandma G's Microwave Caramel Corn

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cube BUTTER (or margarine)

Microwave for 2 minutes, then stir. Microwave 2 more minutes, then add:

1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Stir (will foam a little), then pour over popcorn. Stir. Microwave all together for 1-1/2 minutes more, stirring every 30 seconds. Let cool until crispy.

*Notes: Always use a glass bowl for the caramel. Once, when Bill and I were visiting my sister in Maryland (18 years ago), we made it in a plastic bowl. Not a good idea. The caramel melted a nice big hole in the bottom of the bowl and we had a hot mess. Literally.

The quantity of popcorn needed is subjective. I have made this using air-popped popcorn or microwave popcorn (it's delicious over butter flavored, and the salt gives it a little savory, too). I have found that the perfect amount of popcorn is pretty much a single full-sized bag of microwave popcorn per recipe.

Per my grandma, ALWAYS sort the unpopped kernels (I think we used to call them old maids) out of your popcorn before pouring the caramel over. We wouldn't want any EXTRA dental work!!

You can do the last step (popcorn and caramel together) in a plastic bowl, if needed. You just have to make sure it will fit in your microwave.

Misty's Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake

I am not doing great at getting my favorite recipes posted. Obviously.
I've actually been in quite a baking/cooking/grilling/making dinner RUT. Life has been so busy that, by the time dinner rolls around, I am only looking for cheap, fast, easy, and low-mess options. Unfortunately, this has led to many a freezer-to-stovetop-to-table meal. (We've been having a lot of Costco's Crazy Cuisine brand of Chicken Teriyaki over rice with frozen oriental veggies lately. 20 minutes, 2 frypans + a rice cooker, about $7 for the entire meal for 4.)

Excuses aside, I've had the pic for this cake on my desktop since we made it for Shi's birthday, and decided today was the day to git 'er done - before I lose the recipe (it's happened before).

This recipe came from my awesome next-door neighbor, Misty.

Misty's Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
8 oz plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
12 oz fresh strawberries, diced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a 10" Bundt pan (10 to 15 cup pan). Sift together 2-1/4 cups flour, baking soda and salt. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Alternate beating in the flour mixture and the yogurt, mixing just until incorporated. Toss the strawberries with the remaining 1/4 cup of flour. Gently mix them into the batter. Pour the batter into the Bundt pan. Place in oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Once cooled, pipe cream cheese icing over the top and serve.

Cream Cheese Icing
8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
6 Tbs. milk
2 tsp. vanilla

Yummy, yummy!

Teriyaki Delight

I have always saved recipes from magazines.  Due to my-favorite-pinboard-and-yours, Pinterest, I have less need for such things these days. Good thing, since magazines cost extra dinero, and usually only have a couple items of interest in them.

That being said, I have definitely subscribed to my share, resulting in binders full of recipes that are either tried-and-true, or yet-to-be-tested. The tried-and-failed recipes go directly in the garbage along with the tried-and-it-was-okay-but-I-can-live-without-it ones.

I mark the tried-and-true with either a smiley face sticker (we like it), or a heart sticker (we love it). This is one of my "love it" recipes.

(This is not necessarily the BEST representation, but it's all I have.)

Teriyaki Delight 
(Recipe from Family Fun, 2006)
Serves 6 to 8

Marinade:
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. rice vinegar
2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
2 tsp. dark sesame oil

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you HAVE to use thighs for good teriyaki)

Place chicken thighs in a gallon-size ziplock bag. Whisk together marinade ingredients and pour into bag with chicken. Press air out of the bag and seal it. Turn the bag to coat the chicken, then place in a bowl or on a plate and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (preferable overnight), turning the bag occasionally. Remove the meat from the refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling.

Prepare charcoal fire or set a gas grill to medium/high, close the lid, and heat until hot, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken from the bag and discard marinade. Grill the thighs until they are no longer pink inside, about 5 minutes per side on a gas grill.

Transfer the thighs to a cutting board and let rest for about 5 minutes, then slice each piece at a diagonal. Sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Serve over rice.

Carrot Soup

I had this recipe tucked away in my Holiday binder under "Easter." I had clipped it out of a magazine years back (you can find it here), and had never tried it.  Until now.

It will no longer be filed away only to be seen once a year.  I will seriously make this soup all year long. (Good, fast, cheap, and easy - my prerequisites for an oft-repeated recipe.)

(source)

Carrot Soup
(Serves 4 to 6, depending on your serving size)

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1-1/2 lbs carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 to 1/2" rounds
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used home-made, made the day before from my rotisserie chicken carcass - did you know you could do that?)
1 Tbs. grated ginger (I didn't have fresh on hand, so I used botted)
1-1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan over med/high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, utnil softened but not browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the carrots, broth, ginger, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the carrots are soft, about 20 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes. Using a blender, puree the soup in batches until smooth. Return to pot and rewarm over medium heat. Divide soup into bowls and top with Dill Cream and freshly ground black pepper, if desired (yummy!).


Dill Cream:

1/2 cup heavy cream
3 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
1/4 tsp. salt

Whip cream in small bowl until soft peaks form. Fold in salt and dill.

Note: When I went shopping for fresh dill, I discovered that I could purchase a ginormous bunch for less than the tiny pre-packaged stuff. Because I'm cheap, I went for the vast quantity. It sat on my counter for a few days, then I tossed it, not knowing what the heck to do with it. No time to do a web-search. No time to chop and freeze. I may try dried dill in the cream the next time I make it, just to see if it would work.

Sandwich For A Crowd

My mom gave me this recipe YEARS ago (at least 15). She had found it in a Taste of Home magazine before the days of widely-used internet, and certainly before the days of recipes easily searched for (and found) on the www.

I have made it on numerous occasions. Always for a crowd (although Shilo requests it frequently for an every-day type meal/snack).

I made a single recipe the other day (seriously, my first time making only two sandwiches - one for my neighbor, whose husband suddenly passed away the night before, and one for us). Shilo has been in heaven for two days, as she pretty much single-handedly ate the whole thing.

These are awesome.

Sandwich For A Crowd
(Makes 2 large sandwiches, and feeds 12-16 people, depending on how thick you slice them)

2 unsliced loaves of french or italian bread
(I love WalMart's bakery bread for these; their french bread is usually longer and narrower, the italian bread is shorter and wider)
1 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 lb. thinly sliced deli ham
1 lb. thinly sliced deli roast beef
10-12 thin slices of dill pickle (sandwich sliced - length-wise)

Cut the bread in half length-wise. Pull some of the bread from the middle of the top and bottom halves, leaving a 1/2" to 3/4" shell (discard removed bread or save for another use). Combined cream cheese, mayonnaise, Worcestershire, and onion. Mix in shredded cheddar. Spread over cut sides of bread, making sure to spread it to the edges (this will sort of "glue" the sandwich together). Layer ham down the hollow center on top half of each loaf, and roast beef down the center on the bottom half of each loaf (a total of 1 lb. of meat per loaf). Place pickles down the center of each sandwich, then gently press halves together. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (up to 24 hours+).  Cut into 1-1/2" slices (bigger or smaller, if you like).

Note: on this particular batch, I should have spread the cream cheese mixture to the edges better (always in a rush these days). Spread it to the edges of each loaf. My ham and roast beef slices were a little thick, too - the deli lady wasn't the most pleasant I've met.

Here's how they look once they are cut into servings:

Variations (that I created back in my days of zest-full entertaining):

Olive Turkey
Replace ham and roast beef with thinly sliced deli turkey (plain or smoked, whatever your preference). Delete green onions and add finely chopped black olives to the cheese mixture. Place black olives down the center of the sandwiches in place of pickles.

Club (Turkey, Ham, Bacon)
Replace roast beef with thinly sliced deli turkey. Omit green onions from the cheese mixture. Place crisp bacon strips down the center of each sandwich in place of pickles.

I love that these can be made a day ahead. I have found that you can even stack them two high in the refrigerator and they come out just fine.  I have made up to 8 sandwiches at a time and think they are a great alternative to the Costco meat-and-cheese tray.  Try them!