Cake Mix Cookies

These cookies are so fast and EASY!

1 package cake mix (any flavor)
1/2 C Oil
2 Eggs
1 C Chocolate Chips (or whatever flavor you want)

Mis the cake mix, oil and eggs in a mixing bowl until well blended.  Add the chocolate chips and mix in.  Spoon onto baking sheet and cook for 8-10 minutes at 350.

I made my cookies kind of small and it made about 4 dozen cookies!

French Bread

While it is not a quick recipe, this bread is yummy, easy-to-make, and pretty! We baked these and gave them to neighbors, friends, and family for Christmas this year. If you don't have a french bread pan, you can buy them at Sur La Table, Williams Sonoma, or any other cooking store. It is totally worth it!

Combine:
2 C warm water
1 tsp sugar

Gently stir in:
3 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

Let stand for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine in a stand mixer (we use our Kitchenaid):
4 C all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt

With dough hook, slowly mix in the proofed yeast for 1 minute. Increase the mixer speed to medium low, and mix for 10 minutes. Add 1/4 C flour at a time until the dough is elastic and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. (I usually ended up adding a total of about 1 C - the wetter the better, as long as it is workable.)

Knead the dough by hand for about 1 minute, form into a ball, and cover with plastic in a lightly floured bowl. Let rise in a warm place (at least 75-80 degrees) for about an hour. (I put the bowl on a rack above a pan of steaming hot water to achieve the "warm place" effect during a cold Utah winter.)

Punch down, knead, and form into another ball. Cover and let rise for another 30 minutes.

Punch down into a flat rectangle, then cut into two equal pieces. Fold each piece into a fat cube/ball/shape, and let rest for five minutes.

Roll each ball into a cylindrical loaf the length of the bread pan. Place each loaf on a kitchen towel that covers the pan, and fold the excess towel up to cover the bread. Let rise for 20 minutes.

Gently remove the towel and flip the loaves onto the nonstick-spray coated bread pan. Using a sharp knife, cut five diagonal 1/4-inch slashes into each loaf. With a pastry brush, cover each loaf with a basic egg wash:
Lightly beat:
1 egg white
dash of salt

In a saturated oven (I achieved this by placing a skillet of boiling water on the floor of the oven) preheated to 425 degrees, bake the loaves for 30-35 minutes on a rack on the bottom third, or until they sound hollow when tapped. Remove the pan and place on a cooling rack. Let the loaves cool in the pan until room temperature.

Call/email me with questions - I typed this from memory so I know it's probably not worded very effectively. I made enough loaves this month that I'm sure of the ingredients, I'm just not very eloquent in my instruction-giving. :)

Beef and Brocolli

A forewarning to all who wish to make my chinese food - this is best done in a Wok. i have never made it in anything else, but you can buy one in any BB&B or even smiths. the carbon-coated woks dont need to be seasoned but if you are lucky enough to find a stainless steel, it does! oh, and one more thing, chinese is not actually a precise measurement sort of cooking so call if you have questions!

• 3 crowns broccoli (or so... usually that much for 3 people.)
• chuck steak (usually 1/2 lb per person)
• 1 bunch green onions
• soy sauce

slice steak into bite-sized strips. put into bowl and cover with soy sauce. break broccoli until just leafy crown remains (any stalk is gross in this!) and place into bowl. broccoli should be small and bite-sized with little stalk remaining. slice green onions into 1 inchish pieces and split into two groups. add oil (cheap canola oil actually works best) to wok (enough to cover bottom) and one half of green onions. when oil and onions begin to sizzle and pop, add meat to wok. continuously turn meat until almost done (you may have to drain some liquid but keep it! its becomes the sauce!) put meat and liquid into a clean bowl. add more oil and rest of green onions to the wok. when it pops and sizzles add broccoli. turn broccoli until it is all shiny. add 1/2 cup water and immediately put lid on wok to steam broccoli. check and turn every few moments. when the broccoli seems done, add back meat and sauce. mix and turn until all is hot and mixed well in. serve over rice!

Mandarin Pork Chops

• 1 large can mandarin oranges
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tb white vinegar
• 1 tsp mustard
• 4-6 pork chops

into a bowl drain mandarin oranges, preserving juice. place oranges into a separate bowl. add brown sugar, salt, ketchup, cinnamon, vinegar, and mustard to the mandarin juice and mix until blended. brown pork chops on both sides (this is best done over medium heat to thoroughly brown pork). add oranges to the sauce and add all sauce over pork chops. simmer for 30-45 minutes until pork is cooked. this is best served over rice, since it is chinese!

White Chili

• 2 cans chicken, not drained
• 1 can chicken broth (or 12 oz water with chicken bullion)
• 1 small can green chilis
• 2 cans great northern (or you can use white) beans, drained
• 1 can evaporated milk (small)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp pepper

add chicken, chicken broth, green chilis, beans, evaporated milk, and spices to a large pot. mix together and boil (though i usually make it a low boil, not a high roiling boil) 30 minutes uncovered! add sour cream and allow to reach boiling again. this is my mother-in-laws recipe and it is incredible! it also makes amazing leftovers. i usually serve it with biscuits or scones.

Hawaiian Chicken

• 4-6 chicken breasts
• flour (to bread)
• 1 20 oz can pineapple chunks
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup honey, thinned with water
• 1 green pepper

bread chicken breasts in flour and brown on both sides in oil. add on top pineapple chunks and juices. simmer (a low simmer or it will boil out! i know from experience...) 15 minutes. add 1/4 cup soy sauce and 1/8 cup water and mix a bit. simmer another 30 minutes. add 1/4 cup honey, thinned, and chopped green pepper. simmer 15 more minutes. i serve over rice and both john and i love it! it also makes great leftovers!

Steak and Spaghetti

• Steak (usually 1/3 lb per person
• 1 bunch green onions
• mushrooms (1 package or 2 cans, drained)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 stick butter
• cooked and drained spaghetti (usually 1-1.5 lbs)
• 1 can parmesan cheese

break spaghetti into thirds and cook. while cooking spaghetti, slice steak into bite-sized strips and slice green onions and mushrooms. add 1/2 stick of butter to frying pan (i usually use an electric frying pan set to 350F). add green onions and mushrooms till frying (sizzling!). add steak and steak seasoning (i use spade-L seasoning from smiths - its amazing!) fry until steak is cooked through. drain spaghetti (once cooked) and add the other 1/2 stick butter to frying pan. when butter is melted add the spaghetti and quite a bit (i usually wind up using half a bottle) of parmesan cheese. turn over until spaghetti begins to turn opaque and cheese is mixed in and melted!