Carmel Popcorn

This recipe is from my sister Becca. I love it! Andelin is in charge of the Family Night treat tonight and this is what she chose.

Pop about 1/4 C. popping corn.

In a saucepan, heat 1/4 C. brown sugar, 1/4 C. butter, and 1 rounded Cup of mini marshmallows, 1 tsp. vanilla.
Melt butter in a suacepan. Throw in brown sugar, mini marshmallows and stir until it starts to boil. Remove from heat and pour over popcorn. Mix with a wooden spoon and enjoy!

Avalanche Bars

These are seriously good! I made them for a luncheon to test out the recipe.

Recipe from www.melskitchencafe.com.

12 ounces white chocolate chips
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups Rice Krispies
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Lightly grease an 8×8 pan and set aside. In a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chips for one minute. Stir. Then continue to microwave in 30 second increments until the chips are completely melted. Add the peanut butter to the melted chocolate and stir to combine. Add the Rice Krispies. Let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes, stirring now and again. Add the marshmallows and the mini chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Press the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly, pressing lightly with the back of a spoon, taking care not to press too hard or they will be overly compact and it will make the bars dry and tough. Garnish with additional mini chocolate chips, if desired. Let the bars cool completely before serving.

Grape Salad

This recipe comes from Kathy Gerlach. She made it at a dinner for the stake high councilors and their wives. I loved it and asked her for the recipe. After Laurie was born her daughter stopped by with a gift and this grape salad. I thought that was the sweetest thing- she remembered how much I liked it.

Cream together:
1/4 C orange juice
1/4 C sugar
1 8oz softened cream cheese

Stir 1 large bunch of green or red grapes

Add: 1/2 C. chopped pecans

Chill before serving


Originally posted 9/16/08

Hawaiian Haystacks

This recipe is one I got from my Aunt Camille when I went off to college. I had never had Hawaiian haystacks before then. On the Lanier side of the family it is a tradition to have this for dinner each General Conference Sunday. It is an easy meal to prepare for a crowd.

1 Chicken breast cooked and shredded
1 Can cream of chicken soup
1 C. chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Mix together in saucepan and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve over rice and then add desired toppings.

Toppings: olives, tomatoes, green onions, cheese, celery, carrots, sunflower seed kernels, roasted almonds, pineapple, coconut, and chow mein or rice noodles (used in picture- they are smaller and crispier than the crunchy chow mein noodles)


If using a pint of canned chicken- don't drain the broth. Add 2 cans Cream of Chicken soup and about 1 cup of milk.

$40 Raspberry Ribbon Pie

Originally posted in summer 2008. It looks like a perfect Valentine's dessert!

This pie was sold for $40 at our Young Women's Girl's Camp fundraiser last year. Joe and I bid up to $38- but finally let it go and got the recipe instead. It is delicious! I made it for Father's Day yesterday and had to substitute cool whip for the whipping cream- it was still yummy.

1 9 inch bake pie crust (recipe below)

1 3oz. pkg. raspberry jello
1/4 C sugar
1 1/4 C boiling water
10 oz. fresh or frozen raspberries (can substitute freeze-dried raspberries without rehydrating- just
                                                       add to the water/jello mixture)
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
1/3 C powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
1 C. heavy cream
fresh raspberries or whipped cream for garnish

Prepare pie crust. In medium bowl, stir jello and sugar with boiling water until dissolved. Add raspberries and lemon juice. Stir mixture. Cover and refrigerate, stirring occasionally until mixture mounds when dropped from a spoon.
In a medium bowl mix cream cheese with powdered sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth. In another small bowl beat heavy cream until soft peaks form, then add cream cheese mixture and gently fold into whipped cream.
Spread half of the whipped cream mixture into the cooled pie crust, then spoon half of the raspberry mixture over it. Repeat with the rest of the cream and berries. Refrigerate until set, then garnish with raspberries or whipped cream.

Never Fail Pie Crust
4 C flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. sugar
1 1/2 C. softened butter (or Crisco)
1 egg beaten
1 Tbs. vinegar
1/4 C cold water

Cut butter into flour and dry ingredients. Mix water, vinegar and egg. Add to flour and knead gently. Press dough into pie pan- will make enough for two or more pie crusts- I freeze the extra dough. Bake @ 400 degrees for 9 minutes or until lightly brown.

Overnight Apple French Toast

I originally posted this in 2009. I made it for company a few of weeks ago. I thought it was delicious without any additional sauce. And french bread is better than Texas Toast.

This is a recipe from one of my cookbooks (Gooseberry Patch).
I don't make it often but it is DELICIOUS!
A great breakfast to make ahead- makes the morning easy!

1 C. brown sugar, packed
1/2 C. butter

3 eggs
1 C. milk
1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. vanilla
4 Granny Smith Apples peeled and sliced thin
9 slices day-old French bread

Combine brown sugar, butter in saucepan and heat until thick. Pour into an ungreased 13”x9” pan. Arrange apples slices on top of syrup. Mix eggs, milk and vanilla together in bowl and dip French bread in mixture. Arrange bread on top of apple slices. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove 30 minutes before baking and uncover.
Bake at 350˚ for 35-40 min. or until the top of the bread is browned.
Sauce (optional):
1 C. applesauce 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
10 oz. jar apple jelly 1/8 tsp cloves
Combine and heat, serve over french toast

Whole Wheat Bread

My mixer can only do half of this recipe at a time.

6 C. warm water
1/4 C. oil
1/4 C. dough enhancer
1/2 C. gluten
1/2 C. honey
1 Tbl. salt
6 C. whole wheat flour
2 Tbl. yeast
Add ingredients in order listed. Mix and let sponge for 20 minutes, then add 6 more Cups whole wheat flour.
Knead 8-10 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until middle of loaf reaches 180-190 degrees. Makes 5 loaves- each 1 1/2 lb.

Version #2

I’ve been making bread at least once a week since Christmas and it has been turning out really well.

Same ingredients minus the dough enhancer. After you have finished kneading the dough, pour a little bit of oil on the counter and knead through a few times. Split the dough in four. Form loaves by gathering loose ends of dough together and rolling back and forth to form a smooth top. Place loaves in greased bread pans. Slice top of loaf diagonally 3 times (optional). Put loaves in the oven and set oven to 350˚. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove loaves from bread pans onto cloth and then brush butter over the top.

If you have never had a PB&J sandwich on homemade whole wheat bread, you are truly missing out. It is the BEST! Especially with homemade strawberry freezer jam.