southwestern white chili

2 T italian dressing
1 lb chopped chicken breast
1 small onion, chopped
2 cans (15 oz) white beans, drained and rinsed
1 can chicken broth
1 can (4 0z) green chilies, drained
1 t ground cumin
1 1/2 c mexican style cheese, shredded
2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

HEAT dressing in a saucepan. add chicken and onions. cook for about 7 minutes until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. STIR in beans, broth, chilies, and cumin. bring to boil, then reduce to medium heat; stirring occasionally. SERVE topped with cheese and cilantro.

Honey Wheat Bread (from MOM)

1.25 cup of water
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups whole wheat flour
1.5 cup bread machine flour
1.5 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon regular active dry yeast or 1.75 teaspoons
quick-acting active dry yeast

Mix in order listed, bake on whole wheat cycle.

easy toblerone mousse (from Amber)

8 triangles (about 2-1/2 oz.) toblerone

1-1/2 cups cool whip

microwave chocolate for 1 minute or until melted, then cool for one minute. add cool whip and stir with whisk until blended. refrigerate at least 5 minutes.

serves 2. I like to garnish with a little toblerone triangle (you should always buy extra because you will inevitably eat a square before melting it anyway.)

oatmeal waffles (from Amber)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 T brown sugar
1 cup oats
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt
1 1/2 cups skim milk
3 egg whites (or 2 eggs)

mix dry ingredients together. add milk, eggs and yogurt all at once. stir till blended. bake in waffle iron. top with fruit and yogurt.

(Amber's notes: whole wheat pastry flour is a great alternative to whole wheat in baked goods because it has the consistency of white flour but the nutrition of whole wheat. you can use your flour of choice in this recipe though. also, cut what you would normally consider a serving of waffles in half with this recipe because it is very filling.)

fool proof banana bread

1 c sugar
1/2 c butter, melted
2 eggs
3 T milk
3 rotten bananas
1 t baking soda
pinch of salt
2 c flour
1 c nuts (optional)

add butter, sugar, eggs, milk, and bananas. add dry ingredients and nuts. bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees in a buttered loaf pan.

mom's sweet corn cake/corn bread

1 box Jiffy Corn Bread Mix

1 can creamed corn

1 can kernel corn

1 stick butter, softened

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Mix everything together and pour in a 9 X 13 pan. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown on top at 350 degrees.

chicken pot pie

first, i make a white sauce:
-melt 1/3 c butter in a large pan with 1 chopped onion.
-add 1/3 c flour to butter and stir for about 1 minute, until thickened
-mix 2/3 c milk and 1 3/4 c chicken broth to sauce
-stir until sauce boils and thickens. add salt and pepper

then add vegetables:
-i use whatever veggies i find in my fridge...such as carrots, corn, bell peppers, spinach, broccoli, celery, squash, sometimes potatoes, and so on. about 4-6 cups of veggies cut up.

-add veggies to white sauce and let simmer until veggies are about half-way cooked

then add chicken:
-add some cooked chicken (about 2 breasts). shred or chop the chicken and add to the sauce and veggies.

then add to pie crust:
i use the pre-made pie crust, and add the pot pie mixture. bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. this is a definite crowd pleaser in the johnson household. this meal also freezes really well, and you can make a whole bunch at one time.

tips for perfect cookies

so these are my tips for making the perfect cookie:

0 always use buttered flavored shortening instead of regular shortening

0 whip the sugar, butter and eggs until smooth before adding any flour-type ingredients

0 bake the cookies until they are slightly under-done. then, let the cookies set on the pan for about
5 minutes after baking. this makes for a perfect, soft cookie

0 if you overbake your cookies, you don't have to throw that batch away (which i always used to
do because i hate hard cookies). put them in a jar with a piece of bread for about a day. the
bread will soften the cookies. then, feed those cookies to your kids while you enjoy the perfect
batches!

do you have any tips for perfect cookies? let us know!!!

snickerdoodles

1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c butter
1/2 shortening
2 eggs
3 c flour
2 t cream of tartar
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/4 c sugar*
2 t ground cinnamon*

*to be mixed and used for rolling dough

heat oven to 350 degrees. mix ingredients but the end sugar and cinnamon. shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. place 2 inches apart on ungreased cooking sheet. bake for 8-10 minutes.

oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

2/3 c white sugar
2/3 c brown sugar
1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c shortening
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1 t vanilla
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 eggs
3 cups oats
1 c flour
1 c chocolate chips (or raisins)

mix all the ingredients. drop dough by round teaspoons onto cookie sheet 2 inches apart. bake at 375 for 9 minutes.

myra's chocolate chip cookies

1 3/4 c butter flavored shortening
1 c white sugar
2 c brown sugar
4 eggs
2 t salt
2 t vanilla
2 t baking soda
2 t baking powder
4 1/2 c flour
1 bag chocolate chips

mix all the ingredients. roll dough into 1 inch balls. bake for 9 minutes at 350 degrees.

pasta alla carbonara

spaghetti
salt
olive oil
garlic cloves, minced
onions, minced
uncooked bacon, cut into squares
eggs (one per person)
fresh parmesan cheese

in a frying pan...put in olive oil until 1/2 inch tall in the pan. heat on a medium heat. add minced garlic and onions and cook until golden brown. add uncooked bacon and cook thoroughly.

as the bacon is cooking, add salt to boiling pot of water for spaghetti. cook spaghetti "al dente" (refers to the desired texture of cooked pasta in italian cooking. it literally means "to the tooth". when the pasta is cooked al dente, there should be a slight resistance in the center when the pasta is chewed).

scramble eggs in a separate bowl and add salt and pepper.

add cooked spaghetti to the oil, garlic, onion and bacon mixture and toss.

stir in scrambled eggs into the spaghetti mixtures (the eggs will be cooked by the pasta).

add fresh parmesan cheese and serve.

salmon pasta

cook .5-1 pound salmon in a pan with some butter until the salmon is flaky and falls apart. add about 1 cup heavy whipping cream, fresh basil (cut up), and a little salt and pepper. cook and stir on medium heat until thickened. toss with cooked pasta...and enjoy.

la pasta gialla (yellow pasta)

3 sticks of celery
3 sticks of carrots
3 sticks of fresh rosemary
3 large cloves of garlic, peeled
3 small onions, peeled
1 c. butter
1 c. water (or white wine)
1 bullion cube
1 large turkey thigh

in a large pot, put all of the ingredients together, including the whole sticks of rosemary (you don't really have to cut the ingredients unless they don't fit). bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and leave until meat is cooked (about 45 minutes). pull out the meat and the sticks of rosemary. you can use the meat as a side dish if you want. put the rest of the ingredients into a blender/food processor and mince until the sauce is chunky, yet mixed. toss with your favorite short pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.