Oatmeal Fudge Bars

This "sweet treat" was submitted by Alexa Madsen.

1 c. shortening
2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
4 c. oats
1 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ c. flour
1 c. nuts (optional)

Mix above ingredients together and press all but 2 cups into greased 13x9 pan.

1 large package of chocolate chips
1 c. sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 TB butter
½ tsp. salt

Melt above ingredients together and pour over oatmeal mixture. Sprinkle remainder 2 cups of oatmeal mixture on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (or a little less.)

Fudgy Bon-Bons

This "sweet treat" was submitted by Lindsay Terrill.

1 (12 oz) pkg. (2 cups) Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat-free)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts, if desired
1 teaspoon vanilla
60 hershey kisses (unwrapped)
2 oz. white choc. chips, or baking bar or white candy coating
1 tsp shortening or oil

Heat oven to 350 F. In a medium saucepan, combine chocolate chips and butter; cook and stir over very low heat until chips are melted and smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk; mix well.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, nuts, chocolate mixture and vanilla; mix well. Shape 1 tablespoon dough (use measuring spoon) around each candy, covering completely. Roll into a ball. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake at 350 F for 6 to 8 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cookies will be soft and shiny but will become firm as they cool. Remove from cookie sheets; cool.
In small saucepan, combine white chocolate and shortening; cook and stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Drizzle over cookies. Store in tightly covered container.

Triple Layer Cookie Bars

This "sweet treat" was submitted by Katie Jensen.

1 1/4 cups AP flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter
2 eggs

Topping:
1 pkg. (7 ounces) flaked coconut
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Cut in butter until crumbly. Beat in eggs. Spread in a greased 9x13 baking pan.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Sprinkle coconut over crust; drizzle with milk. Bake 20-25 minutes longer or until lightly browned.
3. (I do this step when there is about 5 minutes left of baking time) In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and peanut butter; stir until blended and smooth. Spread over brownies. Cool on wire rack. When the bars are completely cooled, cut them into bars.

Note: It's easier to cut them into bars if the pan has been in the fridge for about 30-45 minutes. You may also need to wipe your knife between cuttings.

Yields 2-3 dozen

Kyra's Goober Rocky Road

This "sweet treat" was submitted by Kyra Harmon.

1 (12oz) package of milk chocolate chips
2 Tbls of butter or margarine
1 (14oz) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (not evaporated milk)
2 cups Trail mix (the original recipe calls for only dry roasted peanuts), i didnt have any so i used trail mix, i like it that way with the M&Ms and all the other goodies!
1 (10 1/2oz) package of mini marshmallows

1. Line 13x9 baking pan with wax paper. In heavy sauce pan over low heat, melt chips, butter and milk; remove from heat.
2. In large bowl, combine trail mix with Marshmellows; stir in chocolate mixture. Spread in prepared pan.
3. Chill 2 hours or until firm
4. Remove candy from pan; peel off paper and cut into squares. Store loosely covered at room temp.

Meltaway Cookies

This "sweet treat" was submitted by Missy Aldridge.

2 sticks butter
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 cup flour

Beat butter; add cornstarch, flour and powdered sugar and beat until creamy. Drop from teaspoons on ungreased cookie sheet. (Make very small cookies). Bake at 350 for 12 minutes. Using a decorating bag and tip (#21 Star Tip), place a dollop of frosting on top. (These will look better if you roll the dough into balls.)

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
1 stick Butter or Margarine, softened
1 box Powdered Sugar (4 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla

To make the frosting thick enough to use a decorating tip, extra powdered sugar will need to be added (amount of powdered sugar will be almost doubled.) Half this recipe is enough for 2 recipes of the Meltaway Cookies.

Chocolate-Pumpkin Brownies

This "sweet treat" was submitted by Rachelle Kunkell.

Fun fall treat...

PUMPKIN BATTER:
1 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
1 Tbs all-purpose flour

CHOCOLATE BATTER:
5½ ounces best-quality semisweet- chocolate, finely chopped
1¼ sticks (5 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 13x9-inch baking dish. Prepare pumpkin batter: In a small bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter with cream cheese until smooth. Beat in sugar, scraping bowl occasionally. Bet in egg, then add pumpkin puree, vanilla, cinnamon and ginger. Stir in flour. Prepare chocolate batter: Combine semisweet chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Set bowl over saucepan with 1-inch of simmering water and stir occasionally until melted. Remove from heat. In a separate bowl, combine eggs with sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat at low speed until light and fluffy- about 4 minutes. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in melted chocolate. Sift flour over the batter and fold it in just until combined. Spread chocolate batter evenly in prepared pan. Using a Tablespoon, drop dollops of the pumpkin batter all over the top. Using the back of a butter knife, swirl the pumpkin batter slightly into the chocolate. Bake for 30-40 minutes (starting checking on brownies at 30 minutes to see if they're done- a toothpick inserted into center should come out clean). Let brownies cool completely before cutting.

Yield: 24 brownies

Cooking Tip: *Let eggs sit on counter for 30 minutes to achieve "room temperature" eggs.

Back up and running!

We took a little cooking break for the summer, but now we are back up and running and are so excited for our September meeting. The theme will be "Sweet Treats".

We're gonna meet at Danielle's house at 6:30pm on the 23rd. Bring a "sweet treat" with you to share with everyone. If you don't bring anything that is fine, just come and mingle and try all the yummy treats.

No meeting in JULY!

OUR JULY MEETING IS CANCELED!

We will not be having our blue ribbon bake off this month. Too many of us will be out of town. Stayed tuned for more information regarding next months meeting! See you in August...until then, keep cooking.

Baked French Toast Casserole

This recipe is from Katie Jensen courtesy of Paula Deen! We make this for breakfast every General Conference weekend and serve it with fresh berries and sausage.

1 loaf French bread (I use the thick sliced San Fransisco brand)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt

Praline Topping, recipe follows
Maple syrup

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Apple Puff Pancake

6 eggs

1.5 cups milk

1 cup flour

4 T. sugar

1 t. vanilla

1/2 t. cinnamon

1 stick butter

2-3 apples

1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter and pour into a 9 x 13 pan. Peel and slice apples and arrange in rows on top of butter. Blend remaining ingredients except flour in a mixing bowl. Add the flour gradually until combined. Slowly pour egg batter over apples and butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Don't Miss Out!!

Cooking Group is tomorrow (Tuesday) at Kyra's House. The theme is "Breakfast for Dinner" and it should be good! Come hungry and bring something yummy to share. Please call Lindsay with any questions. We look forward to seeing you all there!

Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo

This recipe is from the kitchen of Katie Jensen.

8 oz. linguine (1/2 of 16oz. pkg.)
1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli flowerets
2 tbsp. butter
1 garlic clove, finely chopped (optional)
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Prepare linguine according to package directions in a 3-qt. saucepan. Add broccoli during the last 4 minutes of cooking time. (When ready to add pasta to the chicken mixture, make sure you drain linguine and broccoli well in a colander.) At about the time you add the broccoli to the pasta, heat butter in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic if you like. Add chicken and cook until browned stirring often. Add soup, milk, cheese, and pepper. Stir in linguine & broccoli. Cook until mixture is hot and bubbling. Pour onto a serving platter and enjoy!

Option: Shrimp & Broccoli Alfredo
Substitute 1 lb. fresh extra large shrimp, shelled and deveined, for the chicken. Cook until shrimp turn pink.

Beef Stew

This yummy stew is from Danielle Barrett!

1 can golden mushroom soup
1 can cream mushroom soup
1 can cream celery soup
1 Package lipton onion soup mix
2 bay leaves
Stew meat (2 pounds, depending on how much meat the family likes)
4 Clean and diced Potatoes
1 cup baby carrots
2 cans of water

In an oven proof stew pot brown meat in a little oil till golden. Add remaining ingredients and cook at 300 degrees for 6 hours or in a crock pot on low for about 6 hours. This delicious stew makes for an easy Sunday dinner! Serve with dinner rolls or homemade cheesy biscuits. Yummy!

Red Chile Enchiladas

Another spicy recipe from the kitchen of Rachelle Kunkel!

1 can Rosarita's Enchilada Sauce
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2-1 chile in adobo sauce + about 1 T of adobo sauce
1.5-2 lbs ground meat (I use ground turkey, or shredded rotissery chicken)
1 onion, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
16 corn tortillas toasted on the stove top w/ a tiny bit of oil or warmed in the microwave in a towel
1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c sour cream
cilantro

Warm enchilada sauce over low heat with 2 cloves chopped garlic & chile in adobo & adobo sauce. In a skillet brown meat, add onion & remaining clove of garlic, and season with salt & pepper. Warm tortillas. Stir in 1/2 c sour cream to sauce & remove from heat. Fill tortillas & roll (seam side down): meat mixture, sauce, cheese. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas, top with cheese. Bake @ 350 degrees for 15-20 min. or under broiler until cheese is melted. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Great for make ahead and heat later!

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

This spicy recipe is from Rachelle Kunkel!

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 can corn, drained
2 oz cilantro (a handful)
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 T jalapeno or green chili (can be from a can), chopped
1/3 c distilled vinegar
2 T honey
1 T lime juice (one lime)
8 oz olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine beans, corn, onion, and jalapeno in a bowl. In the food processor combine and mix vinegar, cilantro, honey, & lime juice for 1-2 minutes, then slowly drizzle in olive oil. (I only use about 2T of olive oil.) Pour liquid over the bean mix, stir, & chill. Garnish with some chopped cilantro and lime zest. Serve with tortilla chips.

Spicy Guacamole

This spicy recipe is from Lindsay Terrill!!

2 Avocado's
1 shallot
2 garlic cloves
1 tomato (roma)
1 lime
1 whole jalapeno (this is what makes it hot-do as little or as much as you like-I used the seeds and all)

(You can buy all of these ingredients in a kit at Trader Joe's for $2.99)
Peel and seed the avocado. Peel and chop the shallot. Peel and chop the garlic cloves (or use garlic press). Chop off stem of jalapeno. Combine all ingredients except for the lime in a blender or food processor. Juice the lime over the mix. Mix until well blended. It's addicting!

Chicken Curry Demo Info

We had a curry demo on Tuesday at cooking group by Katie Jensen. Instead of posting the recipe Katie thought it would be easier to tell you what kind of curry she used and leave the rest up to you!! For those of you who watched the demo, you saw how easy it was. All the directions are on the side of the box. These curry boxes can be purchased at just about any grocery store and you can get a few different levels of spiciness. Expirement with different kinds and see what you like! Katie used chicken, carrots, green peppers, celery and onions in the demo recipe. It was served over rice and was very delicious. Try it and you just might like it...

Turn Up The Heat!

Tonight we had cooking group and it was lots of fun! Our tummy's were filled with a variety of delicious and SPICY foods. This evenings recipes will be posted shortly. Hopefully all the "spice" will get things moving for Haley and she'll have her baby soon!

Katie did a demo on Chicken Curry. Yummy!

Cooking Group Reminder!

Just a reminder that our next meeting is in a few days! It's this Tuesday the 27th and this month we will meet at Katie J's house at 6:30pm. There will be a Curry Chicken demo so come hungry! Feel free to bring YOUR Hot N Spicy dishes for all to try. If you don't feel like bringing anything, that's fine too! See all you Ridgefield cookers on Tuesday!!

Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake

1 can (16 oz.) crushed pineapple
1 can (20 oz.) cherry pie filling
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1/2 to 2/3 c. chopped nuts(optional)
1/2 c. butter

Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan. Dump in the pineapple and juice, spreading evenly. Pour cherry pie filling over the pineapple, spreading evenly. Add dry cake mix evenly over the fruit. Add nuts, then slice butter and lay all over the top. Do not mix. Bake in a 350 degree oven 1 hour.

The Original (Chocolate No Bakes)

From Katie Jensen's Kitchen.

2 C. sugar
3 T. cocoa powder
1/2 C. butter
1/2 C. milk
Pinch of salt
3 C. old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 C. peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla

In a large saucepan, bring sugar, cocoa powder, butter, milk, and salt to a rapid boil for 1 minute. Add oats, peanut butter, and vanilla. Mix well. Working quickly, drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed onto waxed paper and let cool. (tip: try using chunky peanut butter, it's really yummy!) Makes 4 dozen.

Emma's Chili Soup

This delicious (and easy) recipe is from the kitchen of Renae Powell

In a large pot, brown hamburger and onion. Add one can of 1 can kidney beans, 1 can of pinto beans and 1 can of diced tomatoes (all undrained). Add one package of chili seasoning. Dice up one green, orange, and red pepper and add to the pot. Combine all ingredients and simmer for one hour. (Quantities of cans be multiplied to your liking.)

Carmel-filled Chocolate Cookies

This scrumptious cookie recipe was submitted by Susan Rawlings.

2 ½ C flour
2 tsp. Vanilla
3/4 C unsweetened cocoa
2 eggs
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 C chopped pecans
1 C sugar
48 Rollo Candies, unwrapped
1 C firmly packed brown sugar
1 T. Sugar
1 C butter, softened

4 oz. Vanilla-flavored candy coating (white chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup, level off. In small bowl, combine flour, cocoa and baking soda; blend well. In a large bowl, beat 1 cup sugar, brown sugar and margarine until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Add flour mixture; blend well. Stir in ½ C of the pecans. For each cookie with floured hands, shape about 1 T. Dough around 1 rollo candy, covering completely. In a small bowl, combine remaining ½ C pecans and 1 T. Sugar. Press one side of each ball into pecan mixture. Place nut side up, 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 7-10 min. or until set and slightly cracked. Cool completely on wire rack. Melt candy coating in small saucepan over low heat stirring constantly until smooth. Drizzle over cookies. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups ripe mashed banana
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream (not low fat)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pecan or walnut pieces
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix the mashed banana, sugar, sour cream, vegetable oil, egg yolks, and vanilla together. Add wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until the ingredients are mixed well. Fold in the nuts and chips. Fill the well-greased tins nearly full. Use all the batter for twelve standard muffins. Bake for 8 minutes at 400 degrees. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes or until done. Let sit for five minutes and remove the muffins from the pan to a rack to cool.

Chinese Chicken Salad

This recipe is from Missy Aldridge. This is always a winner for pot-lucks and get-togethers!

Shred 1 head of cabbage, combine with 1-2 chopped onions, or 1-2 T Grated or ¼ chopped dry onion. Add 2 cups shredded chicken breasts (may use more chicken if you like). Set aside.Brown in saucepan… in ½ cube margarine:- 3 pkg top ramen noodles (crumbled finely)- ½ cup sliced almonds- 2 T sesame seeds (Brown till lightly browned) Add:- 3 pkg ramen noodles seasoning packets (chicken flavored)- ½ cup Salad Oil (canola)- ½ cup Sugar- ¼ cup Vinegar. Pour dressing over noodles – mix and then combine with cabbage and chicken mix – refrigerate. Best when served after 3-4 hours of refrigeration. Keeps well 2-3 days.

Chicken Enchiladas

This awesome recipe is from the kitchen of Danielle Barrett. It would make the perfect dinner for cinco de mayo!
Filling:
2-3 cups cooked cubed chicken
1 pkg. cream cheese
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup monterrey jack cheese
1/2 bottle green taco sauce
pinch seasoning salt
1 small can sliced black olives
1 tomato diced
tortillas

Sauce directions and ingredients below...

Combine the ingredients listed above. Spoon into tortillas. Roll tortillas up like you would a burrito. Line them into a 9x13 pan.

Sauce:
In a saucepan, melt 4 tbsp butter. Add 1/4 cup flour and mix until well blended. Add 2 cups chicken broth and stir until mixture bubbles and thickens, stir in 1 cup sour cream, 1 small can diced green chilies drained, heat but do not boil. Pour sauce over enchiladas top with 1 more cup jack cheese and bake at 350 for about 30-45 min.

Crockpot Chocolate Mud Cake

This delicious recipe is from the kitchen of Lindsay Terrill...

Crockpot Chocolate Mud Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons butter
2 ounces semisweet chocolate (or 1/3 cup chocolate chips)
1 cup sugar (2/3 cup & 1/3 cup, added separately)
3 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup brown sugar
11/2 cups hot water
Whipped cream or ice cream

1. Coat the inside of a 2 1/2- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. (Note: the cake's cooking time and final appearance will vary depending on your crock's size.)

2. Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave or over a pan of simmering water and mix well.

3. Whisk in the 2/3 cup of sugar, 3 tablespoons of cocoa, vanilla extract, salt, milk, and egg yolk. Add the flour mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed.

4. Pour the batter into the slow cooker and spread it evenly. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar, cocoa, and hot water until the sugar is dissolved.

5. Pour the mixture over the batter in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 1 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the crock pot.

6. Even when done, the cake will be very moist and floating on a layer of molten chocolate, but you'll know it's ready when nearly all of the cake is set and the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pot. (As you check, try not to let the condensed steam from the lid drip onto the cake.)

7. When it's done, turn off the power and remove the lid. Let it cool for 25 minutes, then serve it in bowls topped with whipped cream or ice cream. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Easy Chili

Easy Chili

1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onions (about 1 small)
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (12 oz.) tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

BROWN meat in large skillet on medium heat; drain. Add onions and green peppers; cook 5 to 6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
ADD all remaining ingredients except cheese; mix well. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
SPOON evenly into six serving bowls. Top each with 2 Tbsp. cheese. Serve with cornbread.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Yummy Yummy, from Kyra Harmon...

Sweet and Sour Chicken

8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup Catalina salad dressing
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1, 10 oz. jar apricot preserves (if it's a little more than 10 oz. it's ok!)

Place chicken in crockpot. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Serve over rice and with some veggies.

Orange Soda Chicken

This is from Kyra Harmon. This is a super easy and yummy crockpot meal.

1 can orange soda (brand doesn't matter)
1/2 cup soy sauce
4-6 chicken breasts or 8-10 chicken tenders

Put chicken in crockpot. Mix soda and sauce together and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. To make a nice gravy, set the chicken aside and dump the left over sauce into a pan and add 1-2 Tbsp. of cornstarch. Stir until thick and bubbly. Serve over rice with chicken. Enjoy!

Crockpot Chicken

This delicious recipe is passed along by Haley Berg

Crockpot Chicken
1/4 cup butter
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg. (about 2 Tbsp.)Italian dressing (dry mix)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1, 8oz. pkg. cream cheese

Put butter in crockpot and melt. Put in chicken and sprinkle with dressing. Cook on high for 3-5 hours. Add in soup and cream cheese for the last 30-45 minutes of cooking. Stir together. Serve over rice.

If you don't have the Italian dressing mix on hand, below is a recipe that will work.

Italian Dressing Mix
1 Tbsp. garlic salt
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. white sugar
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. celery salt
2 Tbsp. salt

Mix all ingredients together and store in tightly sealed container. To make actual Italian dressing, whisk together 1/4 cup white vinegar, 2/3 cup canola oil, 2 Tbsp. water, and 2 Tbsp. of the dry mix.

Chile Verde Pork

From the kitchen of Rachelle Kunkel

Chile Verde Pork
(Slow cooker) 4-6 servings

1/2 Pork loin (or any meat you like) take off as much fat as you can
1 onion diced
4-6 cloves of garlic roughly chopped
1 can whole green chiles diced
1 cup of your favorite green salsa (I like Arriba Fire Roasted Mexican Green Salsa)
1/2 -1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup sour cream or heavy cream or half and half
1/2 cup cilantro roughly chopped

I usually sear the meat first on the stove top, but you don't have to. Then put all the ingredients down to the chicken stock into the crock pot for 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high. Then shred the meat and add the sour cream and cilantro (tip: if you add the cream early on it will curdle). We eat this burrito style, in a tortilla with Spanish rice and cheese. Would also be good over rice. I think I've added cumin and garlic salt to this recipe before too. Feel free to add or substitute your favorite ingredients to taylor it to your likings! Rachelle Kunkel :)

Sweet Orange Rolls

Sweet Orange Rolls

From Katie Jensen: These are the yummiest ORANGE ROLLS! They were so good that I decided to post the recipe so that you all could make them for your families!

ROLL RECIPE:
2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk (instant or non-instant)
2 tablespoons dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup butter, shortening, or margarine
1 egg
5 to 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour

In large bowl or electric mixer (i use my kitchen aid fitted w/a dough hook), combine water and milk powder; stir until milk dissolves. Add yeast, then sugar, salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups flour. Mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes at medium speed. Add 2 cups flour; mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes at medium speed. (Dough will be getting stiff and remaining flour may need to be mixed in by hand). Add about ½ cup flour and mix again, by hand or mixer. Dough should be soft, not overly sticky, and not stiff (It is not necessary to use the entire amount of flour).Scrape dough off sides of bowl and pour about one tablespoon of vegetable oil all around sides of bowl. Turn dough over in bowl so it is covered with oil. (This helps prevent dough from drying out). Cover with plastic and allow to rise in warm place until double in size. Follow recipe for Orange Rolls at this point...

½ cup butter, melted
Zest from two oranges
¼ cup sugar
1 recipe Orange Icing (see below)

After dough has risen the first time, divide in half. Combine melted butter and orange zest in a small bowl. Roll first half of dough to rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Brush half of your orange butter over dough. Sprinkle with half sugar. Roll up like you would cinnamon rolls. Repeat with second half. Cut your logs every 1.5" or so with a sharp knife. Place on lightly greased baking sheet ( i put all of the rolls onto a jelly roll pan). Cover with a flour cloth and allow to rise until double in size, about 40 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, until light golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter. Allow to cool about 10 to 15 minutes, drizzle with Orange Icing.

Orange Icing:
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice (reserve from zested oranges used in Orange Roll Recipe)
2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream, or 2 tablespoons half-and-half

Place powdered sugar and orange juice in a small bowl; add half the amount of heavy cream. With spoon or mixer, mix until smooth. If icing is too thick, add more cream a little at a time. The hotter the rolls are when frosted, the thicker the frosting needs to be. Note: You can add more orange flavor by mixing in 1 to 2 teaspoons orange zest if desired.

Welcome!

The Ridgefield Ward's Enrichment COOKING GROUP has started a BLOG!! This will be a fun place for the group to share information about our upcoming and past activities as well as post delicious recipes!! Feel free to email the site admin. your recipes and kitchen tips for posting. Check back often and have fun COOKING!