Double Delightful Fudge

This fudge recipe has been in our family for about 45 years. It has been made every year since then. It is easy and fun but soooooo delicious!

Double Delightful Fudge
5 cups sugar
2 (8 oz) cartons heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) real butter
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp real vanilla extract
2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 pkg Guittard chocolate chips*

Prepare a generously buttered 9"x 13" cake pan or large cookie sheet; set aside. In large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, cream, butter and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Once it achieves a full rolling boil, begin timing exactly 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract and marshmallows until smooth. Add chocolate chips*; stir until melted and mixture is smooth. Pour into prepared pan. Refrigerate until firm; about 4 hours. Cut into squares.

*You MUST use Guittard chips.
Variations:
Dark fudge: use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
Milk chocolate fudge: use milk chocolate chips
Cookies and cream fudge: use white chocolate chips and stir in 1 pkg. Oreo cookies, crushed
Peanut butter fudge: add 1 cup peanut butter to the sugar/cream mixture before boiling.

Yummy bread recipe

After fiddling with a few recipes for my new bread machine, I finally am satisfied, at least for this first recipe. Duncan will not eat bread if he thinks it's wheat, whole grain or "healthy" so I have to sneak it in where he doesn't know. This bread looks like white but.....guess again.

Country Oats and Wheat Bread

1 1/2 cup warm milk

4 tbsp butter, melted

2 tbsp honey

1 large egg, slightly beaten

1 tsp salt

2 cups bread flour

1 cup wheat flour

1 cup quick oats
2 tbsp vital wheat gluten

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

Measure and add milk, butter, honey and egg to bread machine pan. Add salt, bread flour, wheat flour, oats and gluten. Spread dry ingredients over liquid so yeast never comes in contact with the liquid. Add yeast last. 

Mix in machine on dough setting. Remove from bread machine and form into a loaf. Place in 2 greased bread pans. Let rise 1" above pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Rub top with butter. Let cool.

Homemade spice mixes

I love this website - Deals to Meals. She always has great ideas. Here is a link

to the original recipes and how Krista created them. 

HOMEMADE RANCH DRESSING MIX

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix:
8 T. dried parsley
2 T. dried minced onion
2 T. black pepper
2 T. garlic powder
1 t. paprika
2 t. thyme
2 t. oregano
3 t. salt
2 t. seasoning salt
2 t. dried dill
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Store in a cool, dry place.

Ranch Dip:
1/2 c. mayonnaise (good quality--not lowfat)
1/2 c. sour cream
1 t. lemon juice
1 T. ranch dry mix
*If you want ranch dressing, just add buttermilk or milk to your desired consistency is achieved--you may need a pinch more salt once you thin it out.

Another Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
1 cup mayo
1 cup buttermilk 

1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes

It’s simple! Just put these ingredients in your shaker and shake! Or put them in a bowl and whisk!

HOMEMADE ITALIAN SEASONING/DRESSING MIX

Italian Seasoning Dressing Mix
2 T. garlic salt or powder
2 T. dried minced onion
2 T. sugar
4 T. dried oregano
2 t. black pepper
1 t. dried thyme
2 t. dried basil
2 T. dried parsley
1/2 t. celery salt
4 T. salt
1/2 t. paprika
Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Store in a cool, dry place.

Italian Salad Dressing:
1/4 + 2 T. white vinegar
2/3 c. canola or vegetable oil
2 T. water
1 1/2 T. dry Italian Seasoning Mix
Blend or whisk together until smooth. Serve over your favorite salads.

HOMEMADE TACO SEASONING FOR TACOS OR TACO DIP

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
6 T. dried minced onion
2 1/2 T. salt
2 T. chili powder
1 1/2 T. flour or cornstarch
2 t. red pepper flakes
2 t. garlic powder
1 t. oregano
2 T. cumin
Combine all of the ingredients together and store in a cool, dry place.

Favorite Taco Meat:
2 lbs. lean ground beef
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
2 T. taco seasoning mix (above)
3 T. brown sugar
3 T. sour cream
Brown the ground beef and drain off excess grease. Add the tomato sauce, taco seasoning, and brown sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream and serve in taco shells or tortillas with all of your favorite fixings.

Creamy Taco Dip:
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 t. lime juice  
Chopped cilantro (optional)
1 T. dry taco seasoning mix
Combine together and serve with tortilla chips, with bean dips or with your favorite tacos. 

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

I know this is a "Utah" Relief Society hit but it really is a good treat. Thanks Shelly Johnson and Lynette Richeson for recommending it for our RS activity. Yum......

Ingredients:
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 1/4 cup red grapes, cut in half
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp tarragon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
6 croissant rolls - split

Directions:
In a medium bowl, toss together chicken, almonds, celery and grapes. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, tarragon, salt and pepper; mix well. Add dressing to chicken. Spread onto rolls. Enjoy!

I was watching the show "Down Home with the Neelys" and they stuffed beautiful huge beefsteak tomatoes lined with butter lettuce with their chicken salad. They added1/4 cup finely chopped red onion and 1 finely chopped shallot. It sounded really good.

Make Your Own Instant Oatmeal packets

Don't want to fork over the money on these boxes of packaged oatmeal?

This is a quick, easy and inexpensive way to have instant oatmeal packets around all the time. Here is a link to the original post at Endless Crafting. It's simple to do and the kids will enjoy filling the bags.

In a snack size ziploc bag place the following ingredients:

1/4   cup quick rolled oats

2  Tbsp ground rolled oats (place in blender to grind into a rough flour)

2  Tbsp powdered milk

pinch   of salt

1  Tbsp brown sugar

1/2   tsp cinnamon

*optional add-ins: raisins, mini chocolate chips, dried fruit

When ready to eat add 3/4 cup milk or water to oatmeal and mircowave for 90 seconds.

I like to add a package to my pancake mix to give it a little flavor and more stick-to-your-ribs morning meal.

Pork Chile Verde

Okay. I love to try new recipes but this one worried me. Duncan LOVES this when he goes to any good Mexican food place so I had to make it good enough for my worst food critic - Duncan! He and a couple of his friends were over to "try it out". They all said it was as good as The Taco Man's - that a compliment I'll take any day. Wahoo!!!
*Warning: This takes a LONG time but is well worth it. It also makes a very large batch so you can freeze some for another day.



Mild Pork Chile Verde
4 lb. pork roast
2-3 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 cups chicken stock
3 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
1 can chopped green chilies (or 2 Anaheim chiles, finely chopped)
2-3 jalapenos, seeds removed, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
1 1/2 lb tomatillos, roasted, peeled, chopped (or 2 small cans crushed tomatillos)
1 tbsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 bunch cilantro leaves, cleaned, chopped

Directions:
Season pork meat with salt and pepper; place in 5 quart crock-pot with chicken stock. Let cook until tender (4-5 hours). Remove; cool. Remove all fat and gross stuff off meat. Cut into small 1/2" pieces or shred. Skim off fat from broth and return to crock-pot along with cut up meat. Add all remaining ingredients. Simmer for 2-3 hours covered. Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

(I cooked the meat one day, cooled it in the fridge overnight and combined everything the next day.)

I served it over homemade beef/bean/cheese burritos with sour cream, guacamole, chopped tomatoes and shredded lettuce just like Duncan orders at the restaurant "beef burrito smothered with chile verde" but the recipe suggested to serve it over rice.


(Picture found on the web.)

Easy Homemade Beef Bean and Cheese Burrito
1 lb. ground beef
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup salsa
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 small can refried beans
1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded favorite cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, colby/jack, or Mexican mixture)
6-10 medium tortilla shells
Brown ground beef until done. Add salsa and taco seasoning. Stir in refried beans. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Heat tortilla shells in microwave for a couple of minutes. Spread a couple of spoonfuls of meat mixture onto tortilla shells, sprinkle with cheese, fold over and tuck in edges like a burrito. "Smother" with chile verde.

Laundry "mess"cellaneous

I was reading a fascinating down-to-earth blog (http://commoncentshome.blogspot.com/2010/03/homemade-laundry-detergent.html) - one of my favorites - and she gave a recipe for homemade laundry detergent. I had run out at the time so I decided, why not! I already had all the ingredients so I made it. Of course, I altered it a little. I love it.

Homemade Laundry Detergent
1 cup automatic dishwashing  detergent
2 cups washing soda (or regular baking soda)
2 cups Borax (easy to find in the laundry aisle)
1 cup Oxy-clean

Mix all ingredients. Store in a large ice cream bucket.

Use 1/4 cup per load of laundry. This is a highly concentrated mixture and does not create suds.

These mixtures are eco-friendly!

Homemade Pre-treatment Spray (safe on colors)
1/2 cup ammonia
1/4 cup liquid dish soap
2 tbsp. Borax
1/3 cup white vinegar
3 cups water
Combine in spray bottle. Shake well.


Other hints:
*Add one cup of white vinegar to each load to make whites whiter and colors brighter. It also reduces static and disinfects.
*Add 1/4 cup Oxi-clean to every load.
*Oil, grease, ring-around-the-collar stains: Rub a dab of shampoo into the stain. Wah-lah! (Cheap shampoo is quite harsh and can remove color on non-colorfast clothing so use it on a unnoticeable spot first.)
*Kool-Aid/punch stain: Fill bucket with water; add denture cleaner
*If you run out of laundry soap, you can use dish soap or shampoo as a temporary substitute.

Strawberries are in season which means it's strawberry jam time

Strawberries were on sale at Soelbergs for 5 lb. half-flat for $4.88 so I bought three of them.

I love homemade frozen strawberry jam.

Super EASY Recipe:
10 cups strawberries, washed and crushed
2 cups sugar
2 large (6oz) boxes strawberry jello
In very large saucepan, combine strawberries and sugar. Let stand for 1 hour. Heat to boiling. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Make sure to wipe down or clear all sugar granules from the pan sides (or the jam will go grainy later). Stir in jello. Spoon into clean plastic tubs. Freeze. Thaw in refrigerate before use.

Now I just have to convince John I want a bread machine for Mother's Day for fresh homemade bread. Heavenly!

Indian Frybread

Indian Fry Bread
(Thanks Beverly Harrison, Goshute, for teaching me the right way to make frybread.)

4 cups flour
1 teaspoons salt
1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
1 ½ or more cups HOT tap water
½ cup vegetable oil
frying vegetable oil or shortening

Mix flour, salt, and baking powder. Add water gradually; mixing with your hands until very sticky. It will turn slimy like snot when it relaxes. Let sit for a couple of hours. Pour vegetable oil over top. DO NOT MIX. Cover hands in oil to keep the dough from sticking to your hands, then carefully stretch out a ball of dough to paper-thin. The thinner, the better. In a large fry pan, heat more oil or shortening until almost smoking. Cook stretched fry bread in VERY HOT oil, turning once. Transfer plate covered with paper towels to drain oils. Serve warm.

Fried bread can be kept warm in the oven until there is enough to serve.

**For those that get tough dough or crackers, you've kneaded or worked the dough too long or added too much flour. As for cooking frybread, I always try to use an old black cooking skillet. It keeps the oil or shortening temperature more consistent.