Ginger Cookies

4 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves

2 tsp ginger

1 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup molasses

1 cup oil

Sugar for rolling

Mix everything, except sugar for rolling. Roll into small balls and roll balls in sugar. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes.

-Sharee Page

Creamy Broccoli Potato Soup

4 potatoes, peeled & chopped
1 1/2 c. frozen broccoli (or about 1 large stalk)
1 1/2 c. frozen carrots
2 c. hot water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. sour cream
salt

In large saucepan, dissolve bouillon in water.  Layer potatoes, broccoli, and carrots in that order in saucepan, sprinkling a little salt over each layer.  Cover & simmer 20 min or until veggies are tender but not mushy.  Turn off heat.  Lightly mash veggies with potato masher.  Stir in cream of chicken soup and sour cream.

--Aubree Clark

Italian Chicken

4-8 Chicken Breasts
8 oz Cream cheese
1 can Cream of mushroom soup
1 packet italian dressing mix

Place chicken in crock pot. Mix other ingredients together (can still be lumpy) and pour over the chicken. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours, or on high 4 hours (or until chicken is done).  Chicken can be frozen or thawed, times are for frozen chicken.

Serve over potatoes or rice.

Sara Anderson

Gingerbread Cookies

It is the season for delicious baked goods and one of my favorite is gingerbread. We make lots of these at our house this time of the year, so I thought I would share it with you!


1 cup shortening
1 cup molasses

2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup hot water

1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. salt
5-6 cups flour

Bring to a boil: 1 cup shortening
1 cup molasses

Boil for 1 minute then take off heat. Dissolve 2 tsp. soda in 1/2 cup hot water. Add to molasses mixture (this will bubble to DOUBLE it's size). Add soda mixture to 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ginger, 1/4 tsp. clove, and 1 tsp. salt. To this add 5-6 cups sifted flour. The dough should be soft-firm but not stiff.

Roll to 1/4" thickness for cookies. Cut out and add a raisin or two for buttons if desired. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes on a non-stick sprayed cookie sheet. Let cool and decorate!

Roll to 1/8" thickness for ginger bread houses on a cookie sheet and cute into desired shapes. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Use Royal icing for gingerbread houses.

Hope you enjoy! Merry Christmas - Sarah Halterman

Dinner in a Pumpkin

I love to make this in the Fall. It's easy, inexpensive, filling, and very, very good!

1 med pumpkin (or 2 small)

1 small onion, chopped

1 tsp. minced garlic

2 Tbsp oil

1-2 lbs hamburger (depending on how much meat you like)

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 c. cooked rice ( To make: 3/4 uncooked rice-not instant-, with 1 1/2 c. water)

Optional:

1 small can mushrooms

8 oz. water chestnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Sauté onion & garlic in oil. Add hamburger and brown, draining the fat. Meanwhile, cook the rice and goop out the pumpkin, saving the top to use as a lid while baking. Try to get out all the strings! (I like to save the seeds to bake later.) Combine hamburger mixture, cooked rice, and all other ingredients. Add to the pumpkin, replace the top. Bake on foil-lined baking sheet for 1 hour or until pumpkin is tender. Serve right out of the pumpkin. Can serve with rolls/cornbread and green salad.

To make it fun, you can paint or use sharpies to draw a face on the pumpkin before baking!

~ Aubree Clark

PF Chang Lettuce Wrap Recipe

This recipe is soooo yummy and easy to make. It does require some prep time but it is so worth it!

16 Boston, bib lettuce
1 lb. ground chicken breast
1 lg onion, chopped
2 T. garlic, minced
1 T. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 c. hoisin sauce
2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 T. rice wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 T. Asian chili pepper sauce
1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained, finely chopped
1 bunch of green onions, thinly sliced
2 tsp. Asian sesame oil

Rinse lettuce leaves, keeping them whole. Set aside to drain. Cook chicken in a large skillet or wok over medium heat stirring often to break up the meat. Add onion, garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chili sauce. Cook until meat is crumbled and brown. dd water chestnuts and green onions. Cook until onions begin to wilt, about 2 minutes. Stir in sesame oil. Arrange lettuce leaves on the outer edge of platter. Spoon meat mixture in center. Allow diners to spoon meat mixture into lettuce leaves and eat like a taco. Asian chili pepper sauce can be found in the Asian section of most supermarkets. You can use 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper or 1/2 tsp. dried red chili flakes instead.

Recipe by Terry Pogue in the Lewistion City Cookbook.

Enjoy~Alison Lindhardt

Peanut Butter Pie

Okay, this has got to be one of the simplest desserts and for those peanut butter lovers!

PEANUT BUTTER PIE RECIPE

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip
Graham cracker crust

Mix peanut butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar. Beat well until smooth. Add Cool Whip and continue to mix until smooth. Pour in crust and chill. If desired, top with Cool Whip or drizzle with chocolate!

Yummy Thai Lettuce Chicken Wraps

My brother made this recipe for us a few months ago and we've had it multiple times since. It is SO easy and SO, SO delicious. Enjoy!


2 Large chicken breasts (cut into small pieces)
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
1/2 red onion, sliced
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 tsp. fish sauce
4 tsp. sugar
2 cups chopped veggies (broccoli, carrots, peppers, cauliflower, etc)

1 head of lettuce (iceburg is great)

PEANUT SAUCE
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter (chunky is good)
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. oil
1 tsp. minced garlic

Heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the onion and chicken.While the chicken is cooking, mix together (in a pot) the salt, pepper, soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar. Once the sugar is dissolved and the chicken is cooked, pour the sauce over the chicken. Add the veggies and cook for a few more minutes while you make the peanut sauce (heat all the ingredients in a pan). Once the sugar is dissolved you are finished!

Serve by placing a little of the chicken mixture onto a lettuce leaf and then add some peanut sauce. YUM!

Shelly Hurst

Chocolate Mint Brownies

BYU has a famous mint brownie that I have been trying to recreate for years. Even when BYU released the recipe, I still couldn't match it. Finally, I have found a recipe that's even better than BYU's. Yay! Several steps but definitely worth the work!

Best Ever Mint Chocolate Brownies

(From Family Fun Magazine)

Ingredients

• BROWNIES
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• MINT FROSTING
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 to 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• Green food coloring
• CHOCOLATE TOPPING
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350º and grease a 9-inch square baking pan. For the brownies, place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute, stir, and microwave for 1 minute more. Stir until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs. Stir in the chocolate and the vanilla extract. Finally, stir in the flour and salt until thoroughly combined. Pour into the prepared pan, then bake for 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for at least 1 hour.

2. To make the mint frosting, cream the butter and confectioners' sugar. Add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until it is smooth and spreadable. Beat in the peppermint extract and tint to the desired shade with green food coloring. Frost the cooled brownies, cover, and chill for 1 hour.

3. To make the chocolate topping, pour the chips into a microwave-safe bowl, add the butter, and microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes or until the chocolate melts. Stir until smooth. Pour the chocolate over the brownies and smooth it with a knife. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until the coating hardens.

4. Bring the brownies to room temperature, then cut into 16 to 32 pieces. Layer them on a piece of cellophane (place waxed paper between the layers to prevent sticking), wrap up the brownie package, and tie with a red ribbon. Makes 16 to 32 brownies.

   
   

   Amy Ellis

   
   

   
   

Crockpot Brown Sugar Chicken

This is one of our family's favorites--gotta love crockpots!

Crockpot Brown Sugar Chicken

Ingredients:

6-8 boneless chicken breast halves

1 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup vinegar

1/4 cup lemon-lime soda

2 tablespoons minced garlic cloves

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Throw everything in the crockpot on low 4-6 hours. You can thicken the sauce with a bit of cornstarch if you’d like. Serve over steamed rice with steamed veggies.

Amy Ellis