Cheese-garlic Biscuits

Have you ever had the cheese biscuits at Red Lobster? They are amazing. (shocker that i love the bread at another restaurant!) After eating there one night Chef Jay took it upon himself to recreate these fantastic creations. They were not exactly red lobster but they were incredible in and of themselves! Try them. You won't be disappointed.

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{Ingredients}

2 cups Bisquick

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded cheese

2 Tbsp butter, melted

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1. heat oven to 450. Stir Bisquick, milk and cheese until soft dough forms.

2. Drop dough by 9 spoonfuls unto ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Mix butter and garlic powder; brush over warm biscuits.

Easy-Peasy!

Crepes

This is one of those recipes that never disappoints but is easy to switch up. Crepes depend so much on what you put in them. Some of my favorite are breakfast crepes full of fruit with syrup drizzled over the top or dessert crepes with whipped cream or fudge swirled in.

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{Ingredients}

8 Tablespoons flour

1 Egg

1 T Oil

¼ C Sugar (or until sweet)

Milk (add enough to make it runny)

Heat a small crepe pan, or if you don't have a crepe pan, a small sauce pan over medium heat. Grease well. Hold pan at a 45 degree angle and pour about 1/3 C of batter into the pan, swirling the pan in a circle as you go, so as to evenly coat the bottom of the pan evenly with the batter before it cooks. Only cook one side. The batter should be thin enough that the crepe will be fully cooked without flipping it.

(pictures coming soon)

When it is done the sides will start to peel away from the pan and you will be able to easily slide the crepe onto a plate, about 5-7 minutes each.

Fill with your favorite toppings, sweet or savory, and enjoy.

Some Filling/Topping Ideas:

Banana, Honey, Peanut Butter -- sprinkled with powdered sugar and bananas

Strawberry Jam, topped with sliced strawberries, powdered sugar and depending on what time it is, a little chocolate sauce

Cream Cheese, turkey slices, cheese of your choice -- no topping

Scrambled eggs, crumbled bacon, cheese -- topped with salsa and parsley

Yogurt -- topped with any fruit of your choice.

French Bread

Sometimes when I eat this I feel like I died and went to carb. heaven. (Carbs are included in heaven for those that doubt. I'm almost positive!)
I got this recipe from a friend at work who got it from her friend, Diane, who she used to work with. (I think that was the connection)
Regardless though...IT. IS. AMAZING!

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This bread is super easy for those that get intimidated by yeast and homemade bread. The hardest part is shaping it and really, it can be any shape you want! The more creative you get, the harder it is to mess up :)
*One note, unless you have the baguette pans, which I don't, this will not look like a baguette of french bread. It will be more of a round artisan bread shape.

{Ingredients}

3 C very warm water

2 pkgs yeast

¼ C Sugar

1 Tbl. Salt

2 Tbl. Shortening

7-8 C Flour

Mix all ingredients and 4 cups of the flour. Add remaining flour ½ C at a time. Let raise 1 hour punching down every 10 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes. Divide into 2 or 3 loaves (depending on how big you want them--if you do 2 loaves one loaf will be plenty for a dinner for 5).

Let raise another hour. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

**To get the slits as shown in the bread above, before letting the bread rise the final time (after you shape it) cut slits, in whatever shape you want, about 1/2 inch deep into the dough and let rise. The slits will become bigger as the bread rises and bakes.

Some popular designs to cut are, the checkerboard as shown above or 3 small lines in the top of the bread.

Home-made Ranch Dressing

Ranch is like the staple to the American salad, ever noticed? Well, I married into a family of the most domestic women I have ever met and they have truly inspired me! This recipe is so yummy and so easy!

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This is from my sister-in-law, Julene. Thanks Lady!

There are a few different versions to this ranch, choose yours and make it your own!

Ranch #1

{Ingredients}

1 cup Mayonaise (not Miracle Whip)
1 cup Buttermilk
1 tsp Dried Parsley
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Ranch #2
{Ingredients}
1 cup Mayonaise
1 cup Buttermilk
1 tbls (rounded) Dried Parsley
1/4 tsp Onion Salt
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/8 tsp Celery Salt

Note from Julene:

Whisk everything together, if you put it in the blender, it'll be way too runny!

When I have made it I used the first recipe
(because I just barely got #2), but I put in a
bit more parsley, garlic powder, and salt. You can
use fresh garlic, garlic puree or whatever. It's
better after it has sat for a while so the parsley
isn't crunchy anymore and the spices kind of seep in.
Have fun ranchin'!

Award-winning Meatloaf

I'll be the first to admit that when I hear (well, heard) the word meatloaf, my nose would crinkle up and I was suddenly not hungry at all...until I had this one! My dear friend, J'Deene Parkhurst, made me try it even though I through a little fit like a 3-yr-old and then smiled a little satisfied grin when I asked if I could have a copy of the recipe. I don't know what is different or why it's so much better than all other meatloafs, I wish I knew. But I do know that it was yummy and unexpected.

{Ingredients}

1 ½ lb lean Ground Beef

1 C Tomato Juice or Sauce

¾ C Quaker Oats

1 Egg, lightly beaten

¼ C chopped Onion

¼ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Pepper

{Directions}

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix everything together with your hands (I have no idea why but it tastes better this way) and press into a loaf pan. Bake 1 hour until the center is no longer pink and no juices show.

Orange-Cheese Jello

Everyone says that Utahn's are known for eating 2 things, Ice-cream and Jello. Can't be a Mormon party or a family party without at least one of these (and preferably both!) This one is for my Dad! It's his favorite and is a definite must-have for his birthday and Father's Day! Trust me, it's worth trying!!!

{Ingredients}

1 3 oz. Orange Jello

1 c cold water

sm can of crushed pineapple, drained

½ pint whipping cream

2/3 c cheddar cheese

½ c sugar

{Directions}

Dissolve jello in 1 cup water

heat pineapple and sugar in pan until dissolved.

Boil

Add jello to pan, return to boil.

Put it in the fridge to thicken, stirring occasionally.

When thickened add cheese and whipped cream.

Stir together, put back in fridge. Let solidify.

That Salad

This salad is one from my Sister-in-law, Lenae. From what my husband says, people request it like crazy and everyone refers to it as "That Salad" so it has been named, "That Salad." It's "That" good!

Layer:

Spinach and Spring Mix or Romaine

Slivered almonds (roasted under broiler for 10 minutes stirring every few minutes)

Craisins

Chopped up Red Delicious Apples

Real bacon bits

Grated real parmesan cheese

Dressing:

1 C Olive Oil

½ C Red Raspberry Vinegar

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp. Salt

1 Tbsp. Poppy seeds

¾ C sugar

Stir until sugar dissolves

Blogger is having problems uploading pictures so pictures will be coming soon for the posts without pictures! Thanks for being patient!

White Chili

Have you ever seen Ratatouille? Remember when "Little Chef" makes Ratatouille at the end for the mean critic and his first bite takes him back to when he was a little boy? At that point in the movie do you think of your meal that takes you back?
Well, meet my Ratatouille.
White Chili was a staple growing up. It was the go-to meal when all 5 of us kids had a game or a recital or a practice all at 6:00. It's one of those meals that when i take a bite I'm taken back to my own childhood and it tastes so much better because of it. I can see my mom's kitchen 15 yrs. ago, picture us sitting on the bar stools in various uniforms, ready for carpools and friends. I can hear us laughing or arguing or both. I can hear my sweet Dad, asking us to take 10 minutes and pick up our stuff before we all leave in different directions, and finally I can see us all stop, for just a minute, and enjoy our white chili.
I hope you enjoy it too!

{Ingredients}

2 ½ C Water

1 tsp. Lemon pepper

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

4 Chicken Breasts

1 tsp. Olive Oil

1 Garlic Clove, minced

1 C chopped Onion

2, 9 oz. Frozen Shoe-peg White Corn

2, 4 oz. Cans of Diced Green Chilis

1 tsp. Ground Cumin

3 Tbsp. Lime Juice

2, 15 oz. Cans of Great Northern Beans

Monterrey Jack Cheese

Tortilla Chips

Avocado

Sour cream

Salsa

{Directions}

Combine water, lemon pepper and cumin seeds in large pot. Saute garlic and onion in skillet and add to pot. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Line soup bowls with shredded monterey Jack Cheese and crushed tortilla chips. Garnish with sour cream , salsa and avocado.

Enjoy!