Avocado Pomegranate Salsa

From the kitchen of Whitney Bell, Hayley's friend from Iowa

1 pomegranate
3 avocados, cubed
3 Tbsp lime juice
2 tsp jalapeno, minced and seeded
1/2 cup green onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced

Combine all ingredients and serve with tortilla chips.

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chips

From the kitchen of Picky Palate
http://picky-palate.com/2011/01/06/oreo-stuffed-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Oh my these are a new favorite at the Bahr home right now! Use the link above for pictures and easy printable recipe. Combine two of my favorite cookies for an amazing surprise in the middle. Use your own favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe or try hers. I tried her recipe and it was good but definitely needed more flour.  Enjoy!

1 cup margarine or butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
3-1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
10 oz bag chocolate chips
1 bag Oreos

Prehead oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugars until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour, salt, and baking soda, and then chocolate chips until just combined. Using a cookie scoop take one scoop and place on top of an Oreo cookie. Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of Oreo cookie. Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo is enclosed with dough. Bake for 9-13 minutes or until how you like them. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Makes 2 dozen VERY LARGE cookies!

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes by Our Best Bites

I had these at a friends house this weekend while we watched the BYU basketball game...Yummy! Great for your Super Bowl Party!

2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened (light works great)

1 c. mayonnaise (light also works here, but DON’T use Miracle Whip!)

1 c. Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced

1 4-oz. can fire roasted green chilies

1/2-1 4-oz. can diced jalapeno peppers*, drained
optional: 8oz bacon, cooked and crumbled

1-2 sourdough baguettes, sliced, and/or crackers

*1/2 can is mild with a little bite, a whole can is definitely on the spicy side, but if you’ve got taste buds of steel, you might prefer a 7-oz. can. 4 ounces definitely pushes the limit for my husband and I and our kids won’t touch it.

Preheat oven to 350. If using bacon, reserve 2-3 Tbs and sprinkle on top of dip before baking.  Combine cream cheese, mayo, parmesan, and garlic and stir until smooth.  Add jalapenons and green chilies.  If using bacon, stir in remaining bacon.  Spread dip into a 9″ pie plate or a small baking dish.  Sprinkle with remaining bacon if using.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until dip is bubbly and golden brown.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

From the kitchen of loveandolive oil.com

These are the bomb! Oh man, watch out!

YIELD: 3-4 dozen

PREP TIME: 1 hour

TOTAL TIME: 2 1/2 hours

ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup milk or soy milk
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

14 oz dark chocolate candy coating

directions:

Beat butter and sugars and in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add soymilk and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed (or by hand) until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.

Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.

When dough is firm enough to handle (it may help to lightly flour your hands), form dough into 1" balls and arrange on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Place sheets in freezer and let chill for 30 minutes.

Melt chocolate candy coating in a double boiler or in microwave according to package directions. Using forks or a dipping tool, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Tap fork on side of pan to remove any excess coating, and return to waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Chill until set. Store, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 1 week (though good luck making them last that long).

Mulligatawny Soup

From the kitchen of Rachel Harding


A friend in Iowa made this soup at your ward Chili/Soup Cook-Off and I loved it!
 
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ onion, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots, about 3 large carrots, peeled
1 cup thinly chopped celery, about 3 stalks
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons curry powder or 1 tablespoon hot curry powder
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ Granny Smith or other tart apple, cored, peeled and chopped
2 cups cooked rice, white or brown
2 cups cooked, diced chicken, about 2 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon dried thyme (we have always left the thyme out, up to you)
½ teaspoon black pepper
¾ cup whipping cream
 
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, carrots and celery, and cook, stirring often, until they are slightly softened, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the flour and curry and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the broth until well combined and bring the soup to a simmer. Cook at a low simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes. Add the chopped apple, rice, chicken, salt, thyme, and pepper. Simmer 8-10 minutes longer, stirring every now and then to prevent sticking, until the vegetables are tender. Add the cream, warm the soup through, and serve.

Chewy Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies

From the kitchen of someone on pinterest

These are awesome!

2-3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
zest of one large lime, finely minced
3 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup unsweetened toasted coconut
1/2 cup sugar for rolling cookies

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast coconut- put a layer of coconut on a cookie sheet and bake it at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes. Watch carefuly.
2. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Using a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy.
4. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, lime juice, and lime zest.
5. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients and toasted coconut.
6. Rolls rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and roll in sugar. Placed on lined cookie sheets about 1-1/2 inches apart. They spread quiet a bit.
7. Bake 8-10 minutes in the oven or until lightly browned.
8. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

New Arrival Muffins

From the kitchen of Katie Willis

My friend in Colorado made these for me after Kate's arrival. They are a perfect snack to eat while nursing a baby in the middle of the night! They are pretty healthy, very sustaining, and higher in fiber.

4 Eggs
1 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 cups Oil
16 Oz Can pumpkin Puree

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ 
1/4 cup oat bran
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 raisins (Craisins are good too)
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup rolled oats to sprinkle on top  

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-In a small bowl, beat eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until well mixed
-In a large bowl combine remaining ingredients, except rolled oats for topping
-Make a well in the middle of dry ingredients
-Pour liquid mixture into dry ingredients, stir to moisten
-Fill 24 greased or paper-lined muffin cups to the top. Sprinkle with rolled oats
-Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

Yield: 24 large muffins

Variations:
-1/2 cup rolled oats may be substituted for the 1/4 cup wheat germ and the 1/4 cup oat bran
-1/2 cup applesauce may be substituted for 1/2 cup of the oil
-1 cup of all-purpose flour may be substituted for 1 cup of whole-wheat flour

Sweet Potato Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

Hayley had these sweet potato bars at the last RD meeting. They are really yummy and pretty good for you! From Team Nutrition USDA's Grow It, Try It, Like It!

2 large, fresh sweet potatoes cooked and mashed (see Tip below)

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup canola oil

¼ cup lowfat or fat-free plain yogurt

1 large egg, beaten

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup whole-wheat flour

1 ¼ cups quick-cook oatmeal (not instant)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

1 cup (6 ounces) of semisweet mini chocolate chips or regular size chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place sweet potato and sugar in large mixing bowl: mash until smooth. Add oil, yogurt, and egg; mix thoroughly. Measure and mix flours, oatmeal, baking soda, and spices in medium-size bowl. Add dry ingredients to sweet potato mixture; stir just enough to combine. Add chocolate chips and stir to mix.

Spray 13”x 9”x 2” baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour batter into pan; smooth out batter evenly in pan and place pan on middle rack in oven.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes or until lightly brown.Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 8-10 minutes. Cut into bars (4 cuts by 8 cuts) and

remove from pan. Cool before serving.

Variation: Substitute drained, canned sweet potatoes (15-ounce can) for fresh sweet potatoes.

Do not use canned, candied sweet potatoes.

Scrub fresh sweet potatoes, prick them with a fork, and cook in the microwave 10-15 minutes until done.

Cool sweet potatoes to temperature comfortable to the touch and remove flesh from skins.

Marble Cheesecake

Hayley Sokol Bahr

2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. evaporated milk

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 T. unsweetened cocoa

1 Oreo piecrust

In small bowl blend cream cheese, sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Remove 1-cup batter and combine with cocoa. Spoon half the chocolate batter over piecrust. Pour white batter over chocolate layer. Make even. Top with spoonfuls of remaining chocolate batter. Cut through batter with a knife to create marbled effect. Bake at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until set. Cool completely on wire rack. Chill at least 2 hours.

Black Tie Cheesecake

Hayley Sokol Bahr

I made this recipe in my food production management/ quantity cooking lab at BYU...aka...The Pendulum Court Restaurant on campus.

6 oz cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. chocolate chips, chopped
1 tsp. flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 T. heavy whipping cream
1 T. margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add egg and vanilla, mixing well.

In small mixing bowl, toss chopped chocolate chips with flour, until chips are well coated. Stir coated chocolate chips into cream cheese mixture. Pour into crust (any crust is great- regular, Oreo, graham cracker, your choice). Bake 35-40 minutes or until center springs back when touched lightly. Prepare glaze while cake is baking. To make glaze mix remaining chocolate chips, cream, and margarine together in small saucepan and cook over low heat. Stir constantly until thickened and smooth. Pour glaze over chilled cheesecake, then refrigerate until glaze has set. Serve chilled.

Peppermint Meringues

Hayley Sokol Bahr

2 egg whites

1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

1/8 tsp. cream of tarter

2/3 c. sugar

2/3 c. white chocolate chips

Lightly grease a cookie sheet; set aside. In a medium mixing bowl beat egg whites, peppermint extract, and cream of tarter with hand mixture on high till soft peaks form. Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating till stiff peaks from. Fold in chocolate pieces.

Drop mixture by rounded spoonfuls 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake in a 300-degree oven for 20 minutes or till firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Cool. If desired, sprinkle each cookie with finely crushed peppermint candies before baking.

Andes Mint Cake Mix Cookies

Hayley Sokol Bahr

1 package Devils Food chocolate cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 c. oil

1/2 c. chocolate chips

Andes Chocolate Mints

Mix cake mix, eggs, and oil together. Batter will be thick. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes. After cookies are removed from oven, place 1 (or ½) Andes Mint on each cookie. When melted, swirl lightly with knife.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Hayley Sokol Bahr

2 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

2 mashed bananas

1 egg

1/3 c. oil

3/4 c. milk

Sprinkle chocolate chips in

Mix dry ingredients together, mix wet ingredients together, and then mix together. Batter should be lumpy. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Banana Bread

Hayley Sokol Bahr, from the kitchen of Katie Berntsen.

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. margarine

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 c. mashed bananas (2-3 medium-size)

1/3 c. milk

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Beat margarine. Add sugar. Add eggs and bananas. Blend well. Combine milk and lemon juice. Add to mixture. Add dry ingredients. Blend well, using low speed on mixer. Stir in nuts. Pour into well-greased 9x5x3 loaf pan or 2 smaller pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Beef Tortilla Bake

Hayley Sokol Bahr

1 lb ground beef

2 cans tomato soup

3/4 c. salsa

1/2 water

6 flour tortillas cut into 1” strips

1 c. shredded cheese

Cook beef until brown. Then add all other ingredients; stir in soup, salsa, water, and tortilla. Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

*A variation of this recipe calls for 1 can of Stokes green chili verde with pork sauce and 1 can of fiesta cheese soup instead of tomato soup.

Mozzarella Chicken

Hayley Sokol Bahr

4-6 chicken breasts

2 -10.75 oz cans cream of chicken soup

1½ - 2 c. mozzarella chicken, shredded

2 c. breadcrumbs

3 T. butter

Arrange chicken in a greased 9x13-inch pan. Pour the cream of chicken soup directly over the top of the chicken. Sprinkle the cheese over the soup, and then sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the cheese. Chop the butter in little pieces and dot it around the breadcrumbs. (You can also melt the butter and pour over breadcrumbs.) Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Makes 4-6 servings.

Herb Crusted Chicken

Hayley Sokol Bahr

Combine:

1 c. sour cream

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 T. lemon juice

1 tsp. paprika

8 chicken breasts

3 c. Bread crumbs

1/2 c. melted butter

Dip chicken in sauce and marinate for 30 minutes. Coat marinated chicken in breadcrumbs. Place on baking pan and drizzle with melted butter.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

Hayley Sokol Bahr

1 can condensed Cheddar cheese soup

1 c. milk

2 T. dried minced onion

2 c. frozen mixed vegetables, thawed, drained

1½ c. cut-up cooked chicken

2 c. Bisquick mix

2 T. mayonnaise

1 egg

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In 3-quart saucepan, eat soup, milk, and dried minced onion to boiling, stirring constantly. Stir in vegetables and chicken. Pour into ungreased 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish. In medium bowl, mix all remaining ingredients with fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over chicken mixture. Bake uncovered about 25 minutes or until topping is golden brown and soup is bubbly.

Chicken Crepes

Hayley Sokol Bahr

2 c. cooked chicken, cut in pieces

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 can (15 oz) pineapple tidbits, drained

1/2 c. chopped almonds

1 can (10 oz) cream of chicken soup)

1/2 c. pineapple juice

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. lemon pepper

Chicken Glaze

12 Crepes

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Mix chicken, cheese, pineapple, and almonds with chicken soup and pineapple juice. Add thyme and lemon pepper and mix ingredients together thoroughly. Place 1/4 cup mixture in center of crepe and roll. Place crepes with seam side down in sprayed baking pan. Cover with aluminum foil and heat for 30 minutes. When ready to serve, spoon glaze over crepes.

Chicken Glaze:

4 Tbsp butter, melted

4 Tbsp four

3 c. chicken stock

1/2 tsp. basil

1/2 tsp. rosemary

1/2 tsp. sage

Melt butter in saucepan. Add flour and make roux. Add chicken stock and seasonings and cook till thickened.

Crepes:

3 eggs

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. water

3 Tbsp butter, melted

3/4 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in blender, blend about 1 minute. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Spoon onto hot griddle.

Chicken Coconut Curry

Hayley Sokol Bahr

1 T vegetable oil
1½ lb. chicken
1 large head fresh broccoli
4 medium fresh carrots
1 can coconut milk
1 T. curry powder
2 tsp. chicken bouillon or 2 bouillon cubes
1 c. sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook chicken in oil till no longer pink. Add vegetables, stir constantly for 2 minutes. In small pan heat coconut milk, add curry and bouillon. Stir coconut milk mixture into chicken mixture until vegetables are tender, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in sour cream, heat through, and serve over rice. Top with pineapple tidbits, mandarin oranges, peanuts, almonds, and coconut. For a healthier option, cook chicken prior or without oil. Use light sour cream and light coconut milk.