Salsa

This is a super easy, put some fresh salsa on the table for dinner recipe. This Is how I like to make everything!

"TASTE LIKE FRESH SALSA"

Natalie & Michael


2 14.5 oz diced Tomatoes
1 bunch green onions sliced
1 can diced green chilies
1 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 small jalapenos seeded and chopped
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped (no stems)
Juice from 1 lime
1/2 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar (optional)

Pulsate in the blender to desired consistency. Put in fridge for an hour or so. Good in the fridge for up to 5 days, but fresh is best!

Cinnamon Rolls

VANILLA PUDDING CINNAMON ROLLS WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
(Adapted from My Kitchen Cafe)

These are awesome! The Vanilla pudding is key to this and makes the dough wonderful and light. Everyone in this family knows that a good cinnamon roll is dreamy. Enjoy, I just made these today for the missionaries J Natalie


Rolls:
½ cup warm water
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
3 ½ ounce package instant vanilla pudding (prepare according to package)
½ cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
6+ cups flour


Filling:
1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (not packed)

1/2 cups white sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon


Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
3 tablespoons milk

In a small bowl combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside. In large bowl, take pudding mix and prepare according to package directions. Add butter, eggs and salt. Mix well. Then add yeast mixture. Blend. Gradually add flour; knead until smooth. Do not overflour the dough! It should be very soft but not sticky. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled. Then roll out on floured board to 34 X 21 inches in size. Take 1 cup soft butter and spread over surface. In bowl, mix 2 cups brown sugar and 4 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top. Roll up very tightly. With knife put a notch every 1 1/2 inches. Cut with thread or serrated knife. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Cover and let rise until double again. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden (don’t over bake). Frost warm rolls with cream cheese frosting (combine butter and cream cheese and mix well, then add vanilla and sugar and mix again, then add milk for desired consistency). Makes about 24 very large rolls.

VERY VERA'S STRAWBERRY CAKE

KayLea sent everyone this one about a month or so ago. I think I have made it 3 times since then, I cannot get enough!! I feel like I deserve it every time when I hide in the pantry and devour! I love how sweet and refreshing this cake is, nice change from boring chocolate and vanilla. I really liked the changes that Kay Lea made to it. I did add 1 C of Sour Cream, because I always do to every cake I make. I did it with cupcakes, but that was dangerous because I could not stop, so you are now warned!

VERY VERA'S STRAWBERRY CAKE
(or since I made all these fabulous ****changes to it, you could call it “KAYLEA’S STRAWBERRY CAKE” ;)

1 box moist strawberry cake mix
1 large box strawberry jello
4 eggs
1 C Sour Cream
1/2 cup vegetable. oil
1/4 cup strawberry juice
2 containers of frozen sliced strawberries (w/sugar added), thawed and drained well. (save some juice for frosting)
****(Kay Lea’s note --- or I sliced fresh strawberries, pulsed them in the blender for 2 pulses, just enough so there were not big chunks,
added 1/2 cup sugar and then drained the juice off through a strainer —saved the juice for added liquid to the cake and frosting)


Mix cake mix, jello, oil, eggs and strawberry juice (be sure to save enough for frosting).
Mix well then beat in strawberries and beat until strawberries are broken up and mixed in well.
Pour into 2 or 3 - 9" oiled and floured round pans (Pam didn’t seem to do the trick for this very moist cake)
Bake at 325 in for 27-30 minutes. Do not overbake or cake will be dry.
Remove cakes from pans while slightly warm and Cool cakes well before frosting.

Frosting:
1- 2 lb. bag confectioners sugar
1 stick of real butter
1- 8 oz. package cream cheese
1 + tsp. strawberry flavoring
several drops of red food coloring
add some strawberry juice until the desired consistancy

****(Kay Lea’s note: we found the frosting to be almost overly sweet, so on the second batch of cakes, I whipped a pint of heavy whipping cream til stiff peaks formed, and folded it in to the frosting
for a lighter creamier frosting ---if you also add 1 pkg of unflavored gelatin dissolved in a few tablespoons of strawberry juice, it will help the frosting stay a little firmer.
I refrigerated these cakes for a full 24 hours before they were eaten.)

Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add sugar a little at a time til all is incorporated.
Add strawberry flavoring and red food coloring and the strawberry juice
and beat for 5 minutes to get frosting light and fluffy.

To assemble cakes, frost between layers (**I added strawberry jam to some of the frosting for between the layers for a super strawberry flavor as the filling)
Decorate with real sliced strawberries.

****...and then to go completely “over the top” (pun intended), I melted 1/2 cup of chocolate chips in a ziploc baggie (30 seconds in the microwave, mash, 30 seconds more, mash and repeat til smooth and melted)
Cut a TINY whole in one bottom corner of the bag and use the bag to drizzle melted chocolate all over the strawberries and zigzag across the whole cake. BEAUTIFUL! ---white chocolate would be awesome too!

Refrigerate in tight cake preserver (or saran wrap is good too, if it is loosely covered (once the chocolate is firm) until ready to serve.
Can bake cake way in advance and wrap each layer well and freeze until ready to frost.

Orange Chicken

I have not tried this one yet, but I think Nat has really outdone herself. It looks amazing and I bet it tastes even better! Hope you do not mind I took the liberty...

Orange Chicken
Natalie Christensen

Ingredients:
Chicken-
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-1/2” cubes)
1/4 C all purpose flour
3/4 C Cornstarch
1 eggs (beaten)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Oil (for frying I used canola, but peanut oil would be awesome)
Orange Sauce-
1 ½ cups water
2 tablespoons orange juice(from fresh orange)
¼ cup lemon juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon orange zest (grated)
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoon ginger root (minced)
1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
2 tablespoons green onion (chopped)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Combine corn starch, flour, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken in egg mixture and shake in flour mixture to coat. Fry chicken in batches keep cooked chicken warm oven.
Step 2: Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine 1 ½ cups water, lemon juice, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes. Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger garlic, and onion. Bring to a boil.
Step 3: Combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens. Pour sauce over breaded chicken, and if desired add red pepper flakes and garnish with green onions.

Pear Salad

This is so delicious and great when you really want to impress. It is a beautiful and eatable center piece. It is so flavorful, but light and simple. And pretty easy to put together. I have to thank my Mother-in-law for this one! I like a lot of nuts and cheese in mine, but you can change yours to your taste.


POIRE SALADE

4 Ripe Bosc Pears
3 C Fresh Spinach leaves
1/2 C Gorgonzola Cheese
1/2 C Carmelized Pecans Chopped
3 tbsp Raspberry Vinaigrette

Wash each pear very gently. Cut pear into 3 sections, the first the top with the stem (for looks), the middle and the bottom. On the middle and bottom section I used a knife to cut a circle in the center to remove the core, but save the outer body of the pear. This also allows more space for the salad to fill. On the bottom section I cut about 1/4 inch off the rounded bottom to help it stand up on the plate. Wash spinach and rough chop, the toss with cheese, pecans and dressing. Place the bottom layer of the pear on your plate and fill with salad mixture. Be generous, let the salad come over the sides a bit so that when you place the middle piece on top it has something to rest on and the greens are poking thru. Continue the same for the middle and then put the top on. The whole thing is eatable except the stem! You can chill in fridge up to 30 min before serving.