cardiac arrest cake

This cake is to die for... maybe that is where it gets its name :) This is a real crowd pleaser and even better after a few days in the fridge. A cake that gets better in time??? Gives you a little more motivation to use your self control so it can last a few days. Plus it is super easy to make! Try bringing this one to your next summer gathering. It won't disappoint. I make mine with real homemade whipped cream. I think it is so much better and super easy (and economical ) to make. 

1 German chocolate cake mix
1 Smucker's caramel sauce
1 Smucker's hot fudge sauce
1 Eagle Brand or other condensed milk
1 (8oz) Cool Whip (or homemade whipped cream)
3 crushed Heath bars or Skor bars

Bake German chocolate cake according to instructions in a 9x13 pan. Cool for 15 minutes. Poke holes all over cake with the end of wooden spoon about 1/2 inch apart. Warm caramel and hot fudge and pour over cake, then pour condensed over all of the cake. Refrigerate several hours or over night. Top cake with Cool Whip or whipped cream and then crushed candy bars.

Lime Chicken

We had a lot of limes left over from the blessing, so when we had a party to host I knew just what we were going to make. This delicious lime chicken!!! We got this chicken recipe from my mom's friend Tami and every time we make it people love it. Great for summer BBQs!

Tami's Lime Chicken

1/2 c. fresh lime juice

1/2 c. white vinegar

1/2 c. oil

1/2 c. soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 c. sesame seeds (I didn't have these this time so omitted them)

6-8 boneless chicken breasts

Mix all marinade ingredients. Marinate chicken at least 3 hours or over night. BBQ and serve as you please. Great in tacos, salads or just on its own!

Lime Cilantro Rice and Cafe Rio Pork

For our baby Davis' blessing, we had everyone over after church for a late lunch. I needed something we could cook ahead of time, that would also be a crowd pleaser. I thought a Cafe Rio style meal would be perfect! We have some family recipes that we used for the meal. Lime Cilantro Rice and Cafe Rio Pork. Serve with cooked tortillas (the ones from costco), and all the salad/burrito fixings you can think of. The meal was a success and we had a lot of fun entertaining family and friends.

Lime Cilantro Rice

2 TB oil

4c. long-grain rice

8c. water

1 bunch Cilantro, finely chopped

Juice of 2 limes

2 tsp. crushed garlic

Heat oil in large skillet. Add rice, cilantro and garlic. Saute 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add water and lime juice and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered until all liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. You can use a rice cooker. Serves 20

Cafe Rio Pork

6 lbs Pork (tenderloin is best)

1 (16oz) bottle salsa (we use 1/2 salsa and 1/2 chili sauce)

Coke (1-12oz can)

2 c. brown sugar

Place pork in crock pot and fill it 1/2 way up the pork with water. Cook on high for 5 hours. Drain off water. Cut pork in thirds. Mix together sauce ingredients and put on top of pork. Cook an additional 3 hours on high. Shred pork with forks. Leave it on low until ready to serve.

Hawaiian Haystacks

Lets be honest, who doesn't like a dinner that comes together like that, is good and is also great for left overs? This meal fits into all those categories. I loved this growing up because i was obsessed with chow mein noodles. I would sneak into my moms pantry and eat them right out of the can, and a meal that uses these is a must eat for me! I added carrots and mandarin oranges in mine, and opted out of the coconut. Thats what is great about this meal, just put on top whatever you like! olives are really good on it too :)

Hawaiian Haystacks

2 c. cooked diced chicken
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 c. chicken broth
4 c. cooked long grain rice
2 can chow mein noodles

Combine soup and chicken broth in a large saucepan to make gravy. Stir to blend. Add chicken and simmer for 8 to 10 min.

Toppings:

3 med tomatoes diced
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 chopped green pepper'1/2 c. chopped green onions
1 can pineapple chunks drained
1/2 c. slivered almonds
1/2 c. toasted coconut

Layer on plate in the following order:

Rice, chow mein noodles and gravy. add tomatoes, celery green pepper, and green onions. Top with pineapple and cheese. Top with almonds and coconut.

Chocolate Toffee Cookies

Are you in the mood for some gooey, chocolately, crunchy goodness??? Well you found just the cookie to satisfy your craving! A mix of melted chocolate, toffee and nuts is sure to hit the spot. Enjoy!

Chocolate Toffee Cookies

1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 lb. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 c. unsalted butter (you can really use any kind)

1 3/4 c. brown sugar, packed

4 lg. eggs

1 TB vanilla

7 oz toffee bits or crushed Heath bars

1 c. chopped nuts ( I like walnuts or pecans)

Melt chocolate chips and butter in top of a double boiler over simmering water. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar and eggs until thick (about 5 min). Add melted chocolate mixture and vanilla and beat until well combined. Mix in flour mixture, then toffee and nuts. Chill batter until firm, about 45 min. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Put balls of dough (about 1/4 c. each) on sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Cool. Makes about 2 dozen large cookies.

Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole

This casserole is not your ordinary Chicken and Broccoli Casserole. It had such a great flavor to it. It was the only way my mom would get me to eat broccoli when I was little and still is to this day ha ha. I think its the curry in it that gives it that amazing flavor! This is one that frequents the dinner table a lot and is great for left overs!

Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole

20 oz. frozen broccoli florets
6-8 chicken breast or 10-14 tenders, cooked ( I just boil mine the break in half)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. curry
1 T. lemon juice
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Cooked white or Brown rice

Layer frozen broccoli in a 9x13 pan. Break chicken into large pieces ( if using chicken tenders do not break). Lay chicken on top of broccoli. Mix soups, mayo, curry and lemon juice together. Spread on top of chicken. Sprinkle cheese in top. Bake at 350 for 45 min until hot and bubbly. Serve over cooked rice.

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

In honor of St. Patrick's day coming up, I made some shamrock sugar cookies. I love sugar cookie dough, and this is by far the best dough I have ever tasted! The cookies always come out perfect. I am always trying new sugar cookie recipes to see if I can find another one I like, and so far these still are my No. 1 sugar cookie!

1 c. sugar 1/2 c. shortening and mix together

add 2 eggs, 1 c. sour cream, and tsp. vanilla and beat until smooth

add 3 c. flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp. soda

Let stand in refrigerator for some time. add more flour when rolling out for the first time ( soft and sticky dough). Roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Bake at 350 for 6 to 8 min. TIP: these do not get brown so DO NOT OVERCOOK!

Nancy's Mexican Soup

This recipe is not in the cookbook, but while we were in Utah last October, my Aunt Nancy made this for us while we stayed at there house. It was so good I probably ate it 3 times while I was there. It is made with homony which is a mexican canned corn I had never tried before. It almost tastes like a bean and is delicious! I highly recommend trying this soup and adding a little more Ancho Chili Pepper if you like some kick :)

Nancy's Mexican Soup

2lbs chicken or turkey (boiled with broth reserved)

1/4 c. olive oil ( I used just a tablespoon or so to cook the onions and red peppers in)

2 large onions

2 red peppers

Saute onion and red peppers for about 7 minutes. Add chicken.

1-2 TB Ground Cumin

1-2 TB Ancho Chili Pepper

Sprinkle on meat and peppers. Stir in the following:

2 TB crushed garlic

1-3 c. Crushed tomotoes (can use canned or fresh)

2 qts Chicken Broth

1-28oz can of Homony

Heat and Simmer for about an hour. Adjust seasoning to your liking.

You can choose a number of toppings on this soup. Here are some ideas:

cilantro

sour cream

guacamole

jack cheese

avocado

tomatoes

tortilla chips

salsa

Mom's Famous Caramels

These Caramels are to die for! I can seriously eat the whole pan if I let myself. When the boys were first born I would always sneak a caramel during the midnight feedings, and it was so worth getting up just to sneak a caramel :). The trick to these is to not over cook!! Get a candy thermometer and test it out before you make the caramels by boiling water, water boils at 212, so if your water boils at a different temp then you know how far off your candy thermometer is. Enjoy!

1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. light Karo Syrup
2 c. light cream
dash of salt
1 tsp vanilla

Butter sides of heavy pan and combine sugar, karo butter a 1 c, cream. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Slowly stir in remaining cream and cook over medium heat till 242 temperature. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour into buttered 9 x 13 pan. Mark into squares when partially cool. Cut when cold. Easier to work with when made a day ahead. Wrap cut caramel into waxed paper.

Tortellini Soup

We finally got some rain around here which means it is time for soup! This recipe is super easy and super yummy too!

Tortellini Soup

2 Tb olive oil

3 cloves minced garlic

1 medium onion, chopped

9 c. chicken broth

2 tsp. Italian herb blend

9 oz. or more spinach or cheese tortellini

1 (20oz) can crushed tomatoes in puree

8 oz. fresh spinach, rinsed and chopped (or frozen)

salt and pepper

1 c. fresh grated Parmesan

Heat oil in pot. Add garlic and onion. Cook 10 minutes. Stir often. Add broth and seasonings. Boil. Add pasta and simmer 5-10 minutes. Add tomato and simmer 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Season to taste and top with grated cheese.

Favorite Baked Potato Soup

This soup is probably the easiest and one of the best potato soups I have ever tasted. It is just so nice and creamy and has such a good flavor! Its a favorite in our house, in fact my husband requested I make this for our special valentines day dinner. Having kids, I like to make this ahead of time so that making the actual dinner is really quick. So in the morning I Baked the Potatoes and Bacon so when I was making the soup i just threw everything together.

Baked Potato Soup

12 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled ( I like to cut my bacon up first then cook it all togeher, makes it so it comes out in good pieces rather then getting to crumbly)
2/3 cup butter
2/3 c. flour
7 c. milk
4 large baked potatoes, cooked,peeled and cubed.
4 green onions chopped
1 1/4 c. cheddar cheese
1 c. sour cream
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Bake potatoes at 400 for one hour, take out and peel and cube. Cook bacon and crumble, set aside. In large pot melt butter over medium heat and whisk flour until smooth. Gradually stir in mile, whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes and green onions. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Mix in bacon, cheese,sour cream, salt and pepper. Continue cooking stirring frequently unil cheese is melted. I put mine in bread bowls, then make rolls for left overs.

Pumpkin Roll

I know its not Fall anymore and not that many people cook with pumpkin, but in our house is it an ingredient that we use all all year round! I love pumpkin, and anything that calls for cream cheese, well you know it makes it that much better. I have always been afraid to make pumpkin rolls because the cake would always break on me, but this recipe never fails me! 

Pumpkin Roll

3 Eggs

1 C. Sugar

1 C. Cooked Pumpkin ( canned)

1 tsp lemon Juice

1 Cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. salt

Powdered sugar

Filling:

1 C. powdered Sugar

6 oz cream cheese

4 T. Butter

1/2 tsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 375. Grease and flour jelly roll pan or cookie sheet. In mixing  bowl beat eggs for 5 minutes. Beat in sugar until smooth. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, spices and salt and stir. Fold dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture. Spread mixture in pan and bake for 15 minutes. Remove cake and turn it onto a dishcloth dusted with powdered sugar. Starting at long end, roll up together and cool. While cooling make filling mixture. Mix filling ingredient together until smooth.  Unroll cake and spread with filling within 1 inch of edge. Roll up cake and chill for 4 hours. Dust with powered sugar before serving. And enjoy this yummy dessert! 

Chicken with Rice Casserole

This is a great meal for when you are short on time or want something to just pop in the oven, I like to make this ahead of time and get it out of the fridge or freezer and cook it. I am all about easy meals lately now that I have twins and don't have much time to cook. Just remember to extend cooking time if you do make it before hand. This casserole is also great because of the almonds on top. It gives it that extra crunch that just makes a casserole that much better. This is a recipe from our great friend / second mom Marsha Clawson.

3 c. cooked white rice

3 c. cooked chicken breast shredded

( save 3 c. of broth you cooked chicken in or 3 c. of store bought chicken broth)

1 med onion

1 10 oz bag frozen peas

1 c. chopped celery

1/2 c. mayo

3 T. Lemon Juice

1 tsp salt and pepper

1/4 c butter

1/3 c Flour

1/2 sliced almonds

In a large bowl combine cooked rice, cooked chicken, onion, peas, and celery, set aside.

In a small pan melt butter, stir in flour. Add 3 Cups of chicken broth stir together. Add mayo, lemon juice, salt and pepper, Add mixture to chicken mixture. Spoon into a 9x13 pan and sprinkle almonds on top. Bake at 350 for 45 min or about a hour if you had it in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Sour Cream Potato Casserole

I love Potatoes, I think they make the best side dish to any meal, and these potatoes do not disappoint. They are sooo good! It might be the fact that they are smothered in cheese, bacon and sour cream, but hey who's complaining :). It also makes for a easy side dish because you can make them before hand, keep them in the fridge then heat later. Enjoy!

Sour Cream Potato Casserole

1 (2lb) bag of frozen shredded hash brown potatoes

4 slices, cooked and chopped bacon

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

1 pt. sour cream

1/2 tsp Salt

Dash pepper

1 med. onion, chopped and sautéed in butter

2 C. grated Cheese

Mix all ingredients and place in a 9x13 pan.

Topping:

2 C. crushed cornflakes or bread cubesn ( I used Bread crumbs in picture below) 4 T. melted butter. Sprinkle on top and bake at 350 for 50 min.

Lemonade Chicken

We are back up and running! All three of us were pregnant, and I had twins in october and my sister in law Brooke had her sweet baby boy in November and my sister Lori will have her little boy in March. So needless to say we all have been pretty busy, but now that I got (somewhat) the hang of things, its time to start posting again! Here is a delicious lemonade chicken recipe. I love chicken, but one of my favorite parts of a chicken are chicken legs. They are just so delicious to me! So any recipe that calls for them , I am all for it. This particular recipe has such a good flavor, its one that is constantly requested by my hubby, and it goes great with these potatoes I will post about later :)

Lemonade Chicken

2 1/2 to 3 lbs of chicken pieces

1/4 c flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 T. oil

1 (16 oz) frozen lemonade concentrate

3 T. Brown Sugar

3 T. Catsup

1 T. Vinegar

1/2 c cooking sherry

dust chicken with flour and salt. Brown chicken in hot oil. Place in 9 x 13 pan. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. bake at 325 for 1 hour. Baste occasionally. Can also cook in a crock-pot for 2 1/2 hours on high.

Beef Brisket with Mop Sauce

I went to the farmers market last week and ran into a guy who sales grass feed beef. I totally want to buy half of a grass-fed cow from him and split it with some families and have all that good beef on hand. We will see if it happens. I was going to buy some fillets, but the guy talked me into brisket. I have never cooked brisket before, so I figured why not? I checked the family cook book and lo and behold... there was a brisket recipe! This turned out delicious. I did it in the crock pot, so I had to guess how long to cook it. I put it in on high for about 2 hours and then turned it down to low for the next 4 hours. It was perfectly cooked. I bought some really yummy honey wheat rolls at the farmers market and we made these sandwiches.

Beef Brisket with Mop Sauce

1/2 c water

1/4 c cider vinegar

1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 c. ketchup

1/4 c. dark corn syrup ( I didn't have this so I used agave nectar)

2 TB vegetable oil ( I didn't even use this)

2 TB mustard

1 (3lb) beef brisket

Combine first 7 ingredients into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 min, stir constantly. Remove from heat. Place brisket in shallow roasting pan (or you can use a crock pot like me if you wish). Cover brisket with sauce. Cover and bake at 350 for 2-2.5 hours or until meat is tender. Let stand for 5 min. Thinly slice meat against the grain.

Zucchini Bread

We made this yummy bread last night and it is a miracle that it turned out!  Half way through the baking the power went out for an hour.  The second the power came back on we had to leave the house, so I turned the oven on 220 and let it stay in there for the hour and a half we were gone.  We got home and the bread wasn't quite ready, but another 15 minutes at 325 did the trick.  It turned out delicious and I was so excited it survived the power outage and my ingredients and effort weren't for nothing!

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. white sugar

1 c. oil

3 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. peeled and grated zucchini
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1 c. raisins

Beat eggs, then gradually beat in the sugars and oil.  Combine dry ingredients.  Add half the dry ingredients, half the zucchini, then repeat.  Stir in the vanilla, nuts and raisins.  Pour into 2 greased and lightly floured (or non stick sprayed) loaf pans.  Bake for one hour at 325.  Let stand 10 minutes then turn onto wire rack to cool.  Glaze with lemon frosting to make it extra special!

 We didn't have raisins or nuts so we just threw in some chocolate chips because the kids love anything with chocolate chips in it.  But it would have been delicious just plain.