Boston Sweet Potato Casserole

This recipe was first made by my sister, Carolina, for Thanksgiving in Boston in 2006. Since then, it has continued to be a crowd favorite, especially around the holidays.


Ingredients
3-4 large sweet potatoes 
Baby marshmallows (bag)

Wet mix
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 stick butter softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Crunch topping
1/3 cup melted butter
1/3 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans/oatmeal 
1 tbsp cinnamon 

Directions

Boil potatoes until tender. Remove skins when cooled. Put in a large bowl and whip until fluffy. Add wet mix. Pour into greased casserole and top with the crunch topping. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Add marshmallows to the top! 

Glo's Stuffed Peppers

One day I bought a package of 6 peppers. One day I wondered what to do with 6 peppers. One day I decided to be creative. One day I fell in love with stuffed peppers.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef or turkey
• 1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice (or brown rice)
• 6 bell peppers (green, yellow or orange)
• 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1-2 (8 ounce) cans of canned tomatoes (depends how much you like tomatoes)
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Directions

Preheat oven to 350

Place the rice and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 20 minutes. (For brown rice, cook 40-45 minutes)

In a pan, cook the beef or turkey until evenly browned.

Remove and discard the tops, seeds, and inside of the bell peppers.

Arrange the peppers in a baking dish with the hollowed sides facing up. (Slice the bottoms of the peppers if necessary so that they will stand upright.)

In a bowl, mix the cooked browned meat, cooked rice, tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. (If mixture is too dry, add 1/2 cup water)

Spoon an equal amount of the mixture into each hollowed pepper

If you have remaining mixture, pour it around the stuffed peppers

Bake 1 hour

Top with sour cream and cheddar cheese (optional)

S'more Bars

Aubrey is an incredible baker and her presentation of desserts is absolute perfection. Try her S'more Bars, they will not disappoint man, woman or child.

Ingredients
1 stick of softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 and 1/3 cups flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 and 1/3 cup chocolate chips or 5 Hersheys chocolate bars
3 cups marshmallows

Directions
Heat oven to 350.  Grease 8 inch square baking pan.
Beat butter and sugar until well blended.  Add egg and vanilla, beat well. 
Stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt.  Add to butter mixture, beating until blended.
Press half of dough into prepared pan and bake 15 minutes.
Sprinkle chocolate chips or broken hershey bars over baked layer. Sprinkle with marshmallows, scatter bits of remaining dough over marshmallows, forming top layer.
Bake another 10 to 15 minutes or just until  lightly browned.
Cool completely on wire rack and cut into bars.

Turkey Chilli

My Canadian friend, Christine, introduced me to her turkey chilli and it was love at first bite. The thing I love most about this recipe is that it's SUPER easy to make and it's low in calories. I made it a few weeks ago and it was my lunch for several days... I wasn't complaining!

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey, browned and drained
2 onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cans of diced tomatoes (14.5oz)
2 cans of tomato sauce (14.5oz)
2 cans dark red kidney beans (14.5oz)
2 - 3 Tablespoons chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cocoa

Directions

• Combine all ingredients in crockpot and cook on low for 7-9 hours.
• Or on the stove,  combine all ingredients in a large pot. Heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer for an hour and a half to two hours, stirring occasionally.
• Top chilli with sour cream and/or cheese (optional)

Spinach, Pepperoni and Cheese-Stuffed Chicken

This is one of mine! I modified it based on another recipe. I seriously love this recipe because it's quick and it makes for a really delicious meal.


Ingredients 
4-5 Egg whites
2 teaspoons cold water
1 cup Bread crumbs
6-8 Skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 package Frozen or fresh chopped spinach
1 package of sliced Swiss cheese (or cheese of your choice)
1 package Ready-to-eat pepperoni slices
2 tbs. butter

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425. Spray nonstick baking sheet with nonstick spray.
2. Whisk together egg whites with water in a small bowl.
3. Place bread crumbs in another small bowl.
4. Lightly pound chicken between 2 sheets of wax paper with a mallet or rolling pin (to make them flat)
5. Top each chicken breast with spinach, cheese and pepperoni. Roll up each chicken breast from a short side.
6. Dip the chicken, one piece at a time, into the egg white mixture, then in to the bread crumbs. Place the chicken, seam-side down, on the baking sheet.
7. Bake until chicken is cooked through and the crust is golden, about 25-30 minutes.
8. Melt butter in microwave (5 minutes before chicken is done cooking).
9. Take chicken out of oven 5 minutes before it's done cooking and pour butter on top of chicken. Top with salt and pepper.
10. Stick chicken back in the oven for the remaining 5 minutes.

Enjoy! :)

Brittany's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

My friend Brittany makes these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that she is famous for here in Palo Alto. They are to die for. I have actually not attempted to make them myself for fear they won't come out like hers, but one of these days I will. Thanks for the recipe Brit!


Ingredients
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cup oats ( I use whole, but it doesn't matter!)
1 bag chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk)
 
Directions
Cream:
1 c butter
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Add:
2 eggs

Then add:
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 c oats ( I use whole, but it doesn't matter!)

Add as many chocolate chips as you want!  I usually put almost all of the bag!

Bake 350 for 8-10 minutes

Peas & Rice

My sassy coworker, dear friend and neighbor, Dina, definitely has it when it comes to cooking. I have been fortunate enough to taste many of her meals. Her peas & rice recipe is delicious and super healthy! Dina is a straight shooter in life and in cooking. I'm just going to let her Directions speak to that.

Ingredients
Rice (1-2 cups)
Peas (1-2 bags frozen)
1 can stewed tomatoes
Couple tomatoes - cut
Half-onion - cut
Butter
Some garlic
Baby carrots cut (optional)
Cilantro handful (optional)
 
Directions
1. Rice (cook it)

2. Peas and Tomatoes

Ok, in a pot - melt butter
Put in onion - fry
Add carrots and cilantro
Let cook/fry a bit
Then add fresh tomatoes
Add salt (generous)
Add frozen peas
Pour can of tomatoes on top
Let boil, stir some
After about 15 minutes simmering lower a bit, put lid on but slightly open
About 30 minutes in, put another piece of butter and mix around
About 45 minutes it’s done. Let it cool. It’s better to cool off quite a bit.
Serve with rice
Side of yogurt or feta

Done, mk?

British Roast Potatoes and Vegetables

This delicious dinner was made by my British roommate's little sister, Nessa. She is quite the cook; I only wished she lived closer to us. Aside from this being mouth-watering food, I also enjoyed her British writing below. My personal favorite is the the word "whilst." Why don't we use that word in America? We should.


Roast potatoes

Ingredients

Yellow Potatoes (# depends on how many people are you are feeding)
Olive oil
Salt


Directions

1. Preheat oven to around 415. Wash and peel as many potatoes as you would like (roughly 1 1/2 per person)
2. Cut potatoes into quarters or roughly so
3. Put potatoes into saucepan of boiling water and boil them for about 10 minutes
4. Whilst waiting for potatoes to boil, pour enough oil into a baking tray (cookie sheet) for the bottom of it to be covered and then place the baking tray in the oven for 5 minutes to allow the oil to heat up.
5. Once potatoes have boiled for 10 minutes drain the water, put a lid on top, and shake the potatoes for 20 seconds
6. Then transfer them to the baking tray already prepared in the oven. Make sure the potatoes get covered in the oil and then season with salt. Turn the potatoes over every 10/15 minutes and they should be cooked roughly within 40/45 minutes

Roast vegetables

Ingredients

Red onion
Red pepper
Green pepper
Tomatoes
(Tomatoes & green pepper are optional)
Any other vegetables you fancy (mushrooms are good or white onion)
Salt & pepper
Any seasoning with rosemary and thyme really (Italian seasoning is good)
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to around 375
2. Chop vegetables into large pieces or chunks (sometimes a mix of large chunks and diced vegetables can give more variety too)
3. Place all vegetables, apart from the tomatoes, into a square glass dish and mix them together
4. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top and mix it into the veg. (only need 1 or 2 tbsp. of balsamic)
5. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and any seasonings on top and mix in
6. Place dish in oven and turn the vegetables every 10 minutes. Also, taste them every 10 minutes and add seasoning to taste. More salt is generally always needed.
7. Place tomatoes in the dish for the last 10 minutes of cooking and make sure they are well mixed in.
8. Cook for about 35-40minutes

Fruit Pizza

I was first introduced to this yumminess by my friend Lauren who made it to take to our friends Chris and Julie's house for dessert one night. It was a droopy mess - but looks can be deceiving- it was absolutely DELISH. Luckily, the 2nd round was absolutely perfected and it is now one of my favorite desserts. :)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth. Mix in egg. combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Press dough into an ungreased pizza pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool.
4. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla until light. Spread on cooled crust.
5. Arrange desired fruit on top of filling and chill.

Savory Salsa by Cyrus

One of my favorite Montanans, Cyrus, makes the most delicious salsa. Apparently, the recipe truly originates from Cyrus' roommates' ex-girlfriend's family, but I'm just going to give Cyrus credit for this one because I like him that much.

Savory Salsa:

3 Tomatoes

1-2 Bell Peppers

1 Avocado

2-3 Limes

1 Can Corn

1 Can Garbanzo Beans (chick peas)

1 Can Black Beans

1 Can Pinto Beans

Chopped Cilantro

Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Salt, Pepper (to taste)

Mix together and enjoy!

General Conference Potato Cinnamon Rolls

I got this recipe from one of my BYU freshman roommates, Nancy, who got it from her mother Elaine. I traditionally make these for General Conference because who doesn't need yummy cinnamon rolls to keep them awake while watching 8 hours of TV in one weekend!!

 

Ingredients

• 2 TB. yeast
• 1 cup water
• ~ 2 cups sugar
• 1 medium potato
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 3 ½ tsp. salt
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 5-6 cups flour
• 1 ½ cubes margarine
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Start with the yeast:

• 2 TB. yeast dissolved in 1 cup warm water
• Add 2 TB. sugar
• Dissolve yeast and sugar in water

2. Add to the yeast mixture:

• 1 medium cooked potato (no skin, mashed)
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups milk (scalded)
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 3 ½ tsp. Salt
• 4 tsp. Baking powder
• 5 cups flour

3. Mix together with mixer.
4. Then add:

• 1 ½ cubes margarine (melted) 
• Rest of the flour (about 5 more cups, or more if needed)

5. To finish it off:

• Knead 10 minutes.
• Raise twice.
• After second raising, divide dough in half – do not punch down the 2nd time.
• Let rest 10 minutes.
• After the 10 minutes are up, preheat the oven to 375°, then roll each dough ball into a rectangle and spread with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon
• Roll and cut with thread or string.
• Bake at 375° for 20 minutes.
• While the rolls are baking, make the glaze
• Drizzle the glaze on top after they come out of the oven

Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

½ tsp vanilla

3 tablespoons water

because life is all about family, friends, FOOD, and fun

My life has always been filled with delicious food thanks to genius cooks in my family like my mother and grandmother. Our family takes turns cooking and baking on family vacations and holidays, so there are many awesome recipes that have come out of those trips. I'm also fortunate enough to have amazing cooks/bakers as friends. So, basically, I'm not lacking in delicious food in my life. If you haven't guessed already, this is a compilation of all those yummy recipes from the past, plus, I'll be adding some new ones. I've personally made or tasted every single recipe and I know you'll love them all too. Enjoy!

ps. The style of writing on the recipes won't be consistent as I'm leaving the directions true to the author where possible, but please let me know if you have any comments/suggestions/tips if you try any of these recipes. Thanks!