Fruit Sherbet Dessert

This is such an easy, refreshing dessert for the summer . . . we serve it every Fourth of July.

1 brick of sherbet (pineapple or raspberry) at Smiths

1 brick of vanilla ice cream

5-6 bananas

1 pkg frozen raspberries (large) or 2 cartons fresh
blueberries (frozen or 1 carton fresh)

-- can use fresh or frozen fruit. If using a frozen mix, no melons, thaw before using. Let sherbet and vanilla thaw enough to mix with other ingredients into a large bowl. Put back into freezer to set (will take 24 hours). Take out to thaw slightly before serving -- about 10-15 minutes.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

(Sorry no picture!)
This weekend I was craving some southern pulled pork. I called up my Alabama born brother who bleeds barbecue. And he gave me the following tips to make easy pulled pork:
I bought a picnic pork roast from the grocery store and put it in the slow cooker on high for 5 hours (or on low for 8 hours) with an onion, half bottle of ketchup, cup of vinegar and a rub. Supposedly the rub is the key. I mixed salt, pepper, paprika, brown sugar, white sugar, basil, thyme, chopped bay leaves and some other herbs. I didn't brown the roast before I put in it, but I guess you could do that too.
After 5 hours, I pulled out the pork and rinsed out the slow cooker. I de-boned the meat and shredded it lightly. I put it back in the slow cooker and mixed in half a bottle of BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's), some more vinegar and a little water. I let it simmer for an hour and a half and served it on rolls! Delicious!

bird seed

We just got back from a family vacation (9 hour road trip and cruise). And I was reminded by my sister about this tradition we used to have growing up. For our family road trips/vacations, my mom would always make "bird seed." So, I made some for our trip. I made homemade caramel corn, but my mom always used store bought stuff.



Here's what you need:
Pops cereal
M&Ms
peanuts
caramel corn

Here's what you do:
Pour desired quantities into large Ziploc bag and mix.
Great for munching!

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

I made this when my parents were in town and it was delicious! My Dad even mentioned it in his blog post about their trip . . . I think that means it was memorable. This recipe (and picture) is form Martha Stewart.

Ingredients
Serves 4.
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 thinly sliced scallions
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large frozen shrimp, thawed, tails removed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh fresh mint, plus more for garnish
4 ounces feta cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 475 degrees with rack set in upper third. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add scallions, garlic, and oregano; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add tomatoes. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until no liquid remains in skillet, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add shrimp and mint to skillet. Stir to combine; transfer to an 8-inch square (or other shallow 2-quart) baking dish. Crumble feta over top.

Bake until liquid is bubbling, cheese is beginning to brown, and shrimp in center of dish are opaque, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with Orzo and Green Beans, sprinkled with additional chopped mint.

Chopped Salad

1 rotisserie chicken, white and dark meat, diced
1 lb cooked, crumbled bacon
2 tomatoes, diced
1 8oz block Monterrey Jack cheese, diced
1 cucumber, peeled & diced
1 head iceberg lettuce, diced/chopped
Good Ranch Dressing

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, adding dressing last. Mix well until combined throughout. This would easily feed 6-8 people DINNER, or provide a side salad for 10-12. It's a huge recipe. Enjoy!

Rocky Road Cake

This was taken straight from FoodNetwork.com ... it is Paula Dean's recipe ... I added the marshmallows to make it a Rocky Road cake.
Cake:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (16-ounce) can chocolate syrup (recommended: Hershey's)

Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350*. Grease and flour a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.

For the cake: Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in another bowl. Add to creamed mixture, continuing to beat. Add vanilla and chocolate syrup to batter and mix well. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. While cake is baking, prepare the frosting.

For the frosting: Put butter, chocolate chips, sugar and evaporated milk in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stirring ingredients together, boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and nuts. Allow frosting to cool a bit and then add marshmallows. Pour over warm cake. Serve at room temperature.

Deep Dish Mini Pizzas

Pillsbury Grands Refrigerator Biscuits (Home style, Butter, whatever)
Your favorite spaghetti/pizza sauce
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Pepperoni, sausage, ect.

Preheat oven as directed on the biscuit package (I think it was 375*, but I could be totally wrong). Grease a muffin tin. Place biscuits, one to an opening, in muffin tin. Gently press the biscuit to form a cup around the sides of the muffin tin ... sort of like making a little cup to hold sauce, toppings, and cheese. Bake empty 'cups' for 8 minutes until puffy and just slightly brown. Remove from oven. Add a TBS of sauce, then sprinkle cheese, then sprinkle toppings. Return to oven and continue baking until cheese is melted and toppings are golden. Kids will love it!

** If you don't bake the biscuits for a few minutes before adding toppings, then they'll probably come out dough-y.

Nauvoo Bread

I made this bread yesterday from the recipe that we got at the Family Living Center in Nauvoo.
(Tired of hearing about Nauvoo yet?)
The settlers cooked it in one of two ways. If they were wealthy and had a "bustle oven" in their home, the mother got up in the morning and built a fire in it and let it burn until it was red hot coals. They removed the coals from the oven and it was hot enough to start cooking for the day. She would make some bread, then as the oven started cooling down made other things like pies.
If you didn't have a bustle oven or pans to cook bread in, you made "ash bread." They let the fire burn down to hot coals and ashes, then put the bread on the ground of the fireplace and covered it with the coals and ashes and let it bake. (Yum, ash.)
This recipe is delicious.

Nauvoo Bread (credit goes to a Sister Prince)

5 cups hot water
1/2 cup potato flakes
1/2 cup suger
1 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup oil or shortening
2 T. yeast
1-1/2 T. salt
10-14 cups flour

Combine hot water, shortening, potato flakes, powdered milk, sugar. Stir to dissolve shortening. When temperature is tepid, add yeast. Mix in 5 cups of flour and the salt. Stir to a smooth sponge. Add flour to make smooth and elastic dough. Let rise until double, about 45 minutes, punch down and let rise again. Shape into loaves, let rise. Bake in 375 degree oven for about 35 minutes.

**I used 5 cups of whole wheat flour and 5+ white. I also added wheat germ, wheat bran and 10-grain cereal to up the fiber. This recipe made 4 round loaves.