Broccoli Pasta Salad

This one is for those times when your assignment is to bring "a salad...."  and you don't want to bring the plain old italian dressing over some pasta.  Change it up a little bit! My mom makes this a lot for parties.  I just pulled out the recipe and it looks like she got it from Aunt Laura.  So there it is, a family recipe!  Don't get freaked out by the long list of ingredients in the dressing.  You have most of it already!

The Recipe

• 1 box mostrecioli pasta
• red onion
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• green pepper
• red pepper
• 2 cans black olives, chopped (I like them whole)

• 1 c. sugar
• 1 c. salad oil
• 1 c. vinegar
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1 tsp onion salt
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp seasoned salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp parsley

1. Cook pasta al dente as directed on package. Rinse and drain.
2. Cut vegetables into bite sized pieces.  Add to pasta.
3. Mix all remaining ingredients in a separate bowl for dressing.
4. Pour over pasta and broccoli.
5. Let marinate- overnight is best.

Avocado Dip

This is another one from Grandma Manning's cookbook.  She says this is "absolutely the best served with potato chips."  I'm on a veggie chip kick.....like these....

These + Dip = :)

The Recipe:

• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp chopped onion
• 1 tsp salt
• dash Worcestershire sauce
• 1 c. mashed avocado pulp
• 8 oz. cream cheese

1. Mix lemon juice, onion, salt, and worcestershire
2. Add avocado 
3. Gradually add mixture to softened cream cheese.  mix until well blended.
4. Refrigerate until served

Whoopie Pies

Thanks to Aunt Mel for posting this yummy recipe.  I'll let her take it from here....

This is a traditional New England treat that was passed down to me from my mom-in-law.  I married a New Englander from New Hampshire.  The first time I had heard of a whoopie pie was when I moved to New Hampshire for a few months in my early twenties.  They are everywhere - even boxed up in grocery stores.  Josh and I made some of these together on one of our first few dates.  If you are into tasting/licking the batter, this is one of the best I've ever had.  Try it!  This is a fun recipe to make with the kids so they can put the filling in the middle.  Another New England thing is called Fluff.  It is similar to marshmallow cream, but "fluffier."  Fluff doesn't seem to be available in the western states, but you can order it online.  The consistency is just a little different if you use marshmallow cream, but still a VERY tasty treat!

The Recipe:

• 6 T shortening
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 c. flour
• 5 T. cocoa
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 c. milk

Mix shortening and sugar together.  Add egg and vanilla and beat.  After mixing flour, cocoa, salt, and soda add this mixture alternately with the milk.  Drop by tablespoons on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake at 425 degree oven for 7-9 minutes. 

FILLING:

3/4 Cup shortening
3/4 Cup powdered sugar
6 TBSP marshmallow fluff  
Dash salt
Little vanilla

Beat all ingredients together.  Put in middle of Whoopie Pies and enjoy!

This doesn't make very many, so I usually double it for my family and give a few away.

BYU Mint Brownies

We have a rich BYU heritage in our family.  Ask.  Anybody. Until recently Dad has pretty much led that brigade, but our little Easton has latched right on and has become obsessed with his "BYU toogers". 

I figured this recipe would be a good one to throw in because, A: they're to-die-for delicious, and B: the BYU Creamery has this special recipe so I can tell my BYU stories.  So do you want the recipe first or the stories?

The Recipe (courtesy of TheGirlWhoAteEverything)

• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 4 eggs
• 2 cup white sugar
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 12 oz. chocolate icing (Use your own icing recipe or purchase some chocolate frosting.)

MINT ICING

• 5 Tbsp. butter
• dash of salt
• 3 Tbsp. milk
• 1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
• 2 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
• 1-2 drops green food coloring

1. Melt butter and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool.

2. Prepare mint icing: Soften butter. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

3. Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing (super important- it'll keep your layers from combining!). Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing. 

THE STORIES...In order of most famousness....

Our cousin Ty Detmer played for the Cougars and won the Heisman Trophy while there.  In elementary school it was all I could do to convince the boys in my class that he really was my cousin.  Instant coolness.

Next, like I already mentioned, is Easton.  He's known the fight song since he was one, he plays cougars (you know, where you growl at each other and wrestle) with Dad and Bafa, and he sits through and enjoys those football games better than me.  He even cheers and claps at the right time.  And if you want to see something really cute, follow this link.  He picked up on this at one of the games.

And my story....This guy is the reason I got the scar on my cheek.  When I was two, the Bartletts were babysitting me and I went downstairs to get a box of Mac N' Cheese for lunch.  In the basement I found this mask of LaVell Edwards and figured the dog, Tyrone would like to play with me.  So I put that mask on and got right in its face....and next thing you know, I'm at Primary Children's getting plastic surgery.  And that is how I got the scar. (I'll work on getting a picture later)

Go Toogers!

Rye Bread

Rye Bread + Homemade Strawberry Jam = reason to wake up in the morning.

See?  Happy girl. 

I don't even need to preface this recipe, it's that good, and we all know it.  This recipe comes from Grandma Manning.  Here's a picture of her baking it in her sweet little kitchen.

The Recipe

• 1 pkg. yeast, softened in 1/4c water.
• 4 c. warm water
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 2 c. (or more) rye flour
• white flour

1. Mix yeast, water, salt, sugar, and oil.
2. Add 2 c. rye flour (add more if you prefer it darker)
3. Add enough white flour to make a very stiff dough.  (For me it was a little under 8 cups)
4. Let rise in a warm area until almost doubled in size.
5. Shape into round loaves (usually 2 large loaves or 3 smaller).  Let rest 20 minutes.
6. Grease and flour your pans. (this is the cutest part of the recipe.  A sauce pan will give you the classic grandma's rye bread shape.)  Flouring the pans makes a unique blotched look on the lower crust like this: 

 Bake for 1 hour at 375.  If it gets too dark, lower temperature to 350.  Experiment!

Chinese Mother's Day

I have to say, I think my mom is pretty lucky when it comes to Mother's Day.  A few years ago Dad made a new tradition- every first day of the month is Mother's Day.  We don't have to get a gift every month but we try to make sure we at least say thank you and I love you and be a little extra nice on that day.  So when the real Mother's Day rolls around we have to outdo all the previous mini Mothers Days.  This year Dad did Chinese.  He went to Taiwan on his mission (working on putting a picture of that up) so I guess if we were to say he has a specialty, Chinese food would be it.  Another thing to add.  When Dad puts his mind to doing something, he doesn't just do the bare minimum.  Ever.  This meal was no exception. 

The menu:

Entrees:
-Pork noodles
-Sweet & Sour Chicken
-Beef & Broccoli
-White Rice

Dim Sum:

What's dim sum you ask?  It's Mandarin for the "everything else on the table."  I think it's just the greatest word for it!

-Steamed BBQ Pork Buns

-Pot Stickers

-Steamed Dumplings

-Shrimp Dumpligs

-Lychees

Pretty decent meal huh?  I made the (totally Americanized) Sweet & Sour Chicken so I thought I'd post that recipe up here.  

Sweet & Sour Chicken

• 4 chicken breasts
• 2 T vegetable oil
• celery
• red bell pepper
• pineapple chunks
• Kikoman's Sweet & Sour Sauce (so tasty- and even one of the cheaper brands!)

1. Thaw chicken breasts, cube, and using a large frying pan or wok, saute in the oil until thoroughly cooked. Drain liquid off.
2. Chop celery and red pepper, and add to chicken in pan. 
3. Pour enough sauce in to coat everything.
4. Add pineapple chunks.

See?  Not a lot of effort, still an awesome meal.

Freezer Jam

Can't post about rye bread unless we post about the jam too, am I right?

There's really no secret to this recipe.  All you have to do is follow the directions on the back of the Sure-Jell packet.  But I will mention a few tips:

• My mom blends the fruit so there are no lumps because that's just how we like it.  Traditionally jam is supposed to be lumpy so if that's what you want then go right ahead.
• Don't try to be healthy and lower the amount of sugar you add.  You have to have a ton of sugar or it won't form the gel.  (Little tip from my food science class)
• If you decide to make this, while you're at it make some rye bread (here) or some bran muffins (here).  You won't be sorry.