Broiled Grapefruit Crisp

Taken from allrecipes

Ingredients

•    1 large grapefruit, cut in half
•    1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
•    1 tablespoon brown sugar
•    1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•    Dash of salt
•    2 teaspoons butter

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.

2.  Remove all visible seeds from the grapefruit and loosen sections from membrane with a sharp knife. Place grapefruit halves cut side up in a baking dish.

3.  Stir the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a small bowl; add the butter and mash with a fork to incorporate oat mixture into the butter. Spread about half of the butter mixture over the top of each grapefruit half.

4.  Cook under the broiler until the topping is golden brown, about 10 minutes.

*I didn't know I liked warmed grapefruit.  When I first cooked this as per the directions above, the topping burned quickly.  I tried it again, on low broil for only 6 minutes.  It was better, but next time I will try to cook it in a preheated oven.

Polynesian Pork Chops

Adapted from allrecipes

Ingredients

•    4 boneless pork chops, 3/4-inch thick
•    1 teaspoon garlic powder
•    1 tablespoon vegetable oil
•    1 medium onion, chopped
•    1 (10.75 ounce) can Campbell's® Condensed Golden Mushroom Soup
•    1/4 cup water
•    1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks
•    3 tablespoons soy sauce
•    1 tablespoon honey
•    2 cups cooked regular long-grain white rice
•    Sliced green onion

Directions

1.  Season chops with garlic powder.

2.  Heat oil in skillet. Cook chops until browned. Add onion.

3.  Add soup, water, pineapple with juice, soy and honey. Heat to a boil. 

4.  Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until done.

5.  Serve with rice and sprinkle with green onions.

*Though I took the idea for ingredients from this recipe, I cooked it like the pork chops my mother makes.  It turned out to be a good variation.  I followed the first 3 directions (substituting cream of chicken for the Golden Mushroom Soup for that is what I had) and added 1 chopped green pepper.  Then I covered the skillet with a lid and put it in the oven at 250 degrees for 3 hours.  

Creamy Spinach Dip

from Little Dipper owner's guide

Ingredients:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, cubed
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
2 T diced pimento
2 t finely chopped onion
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t thyme
1/4 t garlic slt
1/2 of a 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained.

Directions:
1.  Combine cream cheese and whipping cream in greased Little Dipper (very small crock pot).  Cover and heat until cheese is melted, 30 to 60 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cover and heat for 30 minutes.  Serve with raw vegetables, crackers or bread pieces.

*I need some comfort food today; this fit the bill.  I used dried onion and half and half in place of the fresh onion and whipping cream and I think it turned out great.  Even my kids ate it.  Good treat or appetizer. 

Alaska Salmon Bake with Pecan Crunch Coating

Taken from allrecipes

Ingredients:

•    3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
•    3 tablespoons butter, melted
•    5 teaspoons honey
•    1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
•    1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
•    3 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
•    6 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
•    salt and pepper to taste
•    6 lemon wedges

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, butter, and honey. In another bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, pecans, and parsley.

2.  Season each salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with mustard-honey mixture. Cover the top of each fillet with bread crumb mixture.

3.  Bake for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at thickest part, or until salmon just flakes when tested with a fork. Serve garnished with lemon wedges.

*A good variation for salmon.  In place of pecans, I used a mix of walnuts and cashews (that's what I had) and dried parsley.  Line your pan with aluminum foil for easier clean-up.  My son gobbled this up!

Need to go Shopping Enchiladas

*So, today was one of those days when wanted to use up some of the ingredients I had on hand without going shopping--I was pleased with this invention.  Here is it, but of course, adapt it to your liking and what you have on hand!

Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger

1 onion, chopped

2 T oil

2 T flour

2 T chili powder

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 cup water

1/2 t ground cumin

1/2 t garlic salt

1/2 t onion powder

1 can green chilies 

tortillas

corn chips

3/4 cup grated Mexican cheese

Directions:

1. Brown hamburger, drain, add onion and cook until tender.

2. Add oil, flour, chili powder.  Brown flour until mixed well then add tomato sauce and water.

3. Add cumin, salt, onion powder, and chilies.  Let mixture simmer on low heat until thick.

4. Grease casserole dish. Dip each tortilla in sauce to soften. Place layer of tortillas, layer of meat, layer of cheese, and repeat until all used (I only had 4 flour tortillas, so I had two layers of tortillas, meat, cheese)

5. Top with crushed tortilla chips and remaining cheese. Heat for 25 minutes at 350.

6. Serve with sour cream and sliced avocados. 

*I was surprise that my attempt at homemade enchilada sauce turned out so well.  I like the crushed chips on top--just don't put too many on there!  Corn tortillas would be good in place of the flour tortillas. 

Bread-machine Pizza Dough

recipe taken from Toastmaster bread maker guide

Ingredients: (for 2 thick or 4 thin crusts)

Water 80 degrees F 1 1/2 cups + 3 T

Oil 2 T

Sugar 2 T

Salt 1 t

Dry milk 2 T

Bread flour 4 1/2 c

Red Star Active Dry Yeast 2 t or Red Star Quick Rise Yeast 1 1/4 t or bread machine yeast 1 1/4 t

Directions:

1. Put ingredients in bread machine pan as direction for your machine.

2. Place dough on lightly floured surface.  Divide and press onto pizza pans, raising edges.

3. Spread pizza sauce over the dough and sprinkle with toppings.

4. Bake 425 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown around edges.

*Pizza at our house is a passion--now I can't say that anyone living here works for Domino's, but we love our pizza!  Tonight everyone got to make their own:

This crazy cats went for pepperoni or ham with pineapple.

All the crust came from the same batch, but Ellen's was the tastiest, I'm not sure if it is because she worked it the most when she was rolling it out, or if it raised longer?  Yummy!

I chose a feta, chicken pizza.  Place ingredients on crust as ordered:

Pesto sauce/a little olive oil an herbs

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

cubed chicken (I just cooked a breast in the slower cooker the same time I put the dough in the bread machine)

1 diced tomato

1/4 cup feta cheese

a little more mozzarella cheese

This made a lot of pizza--and none of it went to waste!