Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries, Green Chili Pumpkin Soup

recipe and image from here

Today I'm posting a couple more recipes I want to try, but haven't yet.

Scott won't go for the Pumpkin Soup,

but said he is looking forward to the Cheesecake Strawberries!

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
24 strawberries (medium to large)
8 oz. light cream cheese
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs

1. Remove the tops of all the strawberries and and cut out a cone shape from inside the middle of each strawberry with a paring knife - a little well to be filled with cream cheese mixture.

2. Mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Fill a ziploc bag with the cream cheese mixture (filling it into one of the corners). 

3. Twist the top of the bag and snip the corner of the bag with the filling.

4. Squeeze filling into each strawberry and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN STRAWBERRIES

recipe and image from here

Green Chili Pumpkin Soup
4 oz. diced green chiles, divided
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. cilantro
1 small onion, diced
1 t. oil
1 can pumpkin puree
1 can vegetable broth
1/2 c. water
2 t. cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. ground red pepper


1) In a food processor, combine 1/2 of the chiles, sour cream and cilantro. Process until smooth. Set aside.

2) Heat oil in a large pot. Add onion and remaining chiles. Saute for about 5 minutes or until onions are softened. Add cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and red pepper. Cook for 1 minutes or until fragrant.

3) Add remaining ingredients to the pot. Bring a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If soup is not smooth enough, use an immersion blender to make it smoother…this is totally optional!

4) Swirl sour cream mixture into soup just before serving.

The sour cream mixture adds a cooling component and a little tartness to the the soup. I think it is the perfect compliment. Plus, you can get this to the table in under 30 minutes which means it is the perfect weeknight meal for fall and winter too.

Teriyaki Chicken Salad, Better Than Thin Mints... Grasshopper Poke Cake

recipe and image from here

I saw this recipe and wanted to try it. 

The event was a friend's surprise birthday lunch for four. 

This salad, sparkling cider and the yummy cake another guest made 

(see recipe below) made it fun.

Teriyaki Chicken Salad

For the Salad
3-4 Chicken Breasts, cooked in Teriyaki sauce, sliced thin

(or use the pre-cooked Teriyaki Chicken by Tyson at Costco)
1 Large Bag of Spring Salad Mix
1 Can Mandarin Oranges, drained
1 c. Celery, sliced *optional
1 Red Bell Pepper, Sliced
1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced
1 Can Pineapple Chunks, drained
4 Green Onions, chopped
1 c. Raspberries
1 c. Cashews
Dressing (recipe follows)


Dressing
In a blender combine,
¾ c. White Sugar
1 t. Dry Mustard
2½ T. White Vinegar
2½ T. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 T. Diced, Purple/red Onion
1 c. Canola Oil
1½ T.  Poppy Seeds


For the Salad
In a large platter, flat to spread out, arrange the lettuce with all of the other ingredients on top, leaving the cashews to be added right before serving, so as to not get soggy.
Sometimes it's also nice to just arrange the ingredients around the side, so everyone can take what they want if it is being served family style in a casual setting.
Drizzle the dressing and top with cashews, serve immediately.


For the Dressing
Blend the sugar, mustard and vinegars on high until thoroughly mixed, this should only need a few pulses. Turn off the blender.
Add the purple onion. Turn the blender back on and in a slow, steady stream drizzle in the canola oil.
Add in the poppy seeds and give the blender a few quick pulses to mix in the poppy seeds. Chill and serve over the salad.

Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 45 mins
Serves: 6-8 servings

recipe and image from here

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Better Than Thin Mints... Grasshopper Poke Cake

1 chocolate cake mix + water, oil, eggs as listed on the box
1 - 14.5 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 - 12.8 oz jar Hershey's Special Hot Fudge Sauce
1 - 10 oz package Keebler Fudge Mint Cookies (or Thin Mints, when in season)
1 - 16 oz container cool whip (I like lite)
1 Duncan Hines Mint flavor packet
1 c. Andes Mint chips


Prepare and bake the cake mix in a 9x13 baking dish. Allow to cool completely.
Use the bottom of a wooden spoon to poke holes evenly across the entire cake (about 20 holes). Pour the can of sweetened condensed milk over the cake, trying to fill the holes.
Heat the hot fudge sauce in a small bowl in the microwave. 30-40 seconds should do the trick, you jut want it to soften a little.
Crumble half of the fudge mint cookies into the hot fudge sauce and mix. Spread the cookie/fudge sauce over the cake.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mint packet and the cool whip. Spread the whipped topping over the fudge layer.
Crumble the remaining cookie crumbs over top of the cool whip. Sprinkle the Andes Mint chips over top.
Refrigerate and chill for at least 4 hours (overnight is best).
Cut and serve. Serves 12-15.

Steelhead Trout Baked with Honey or Maple Glaze

recipe from here

Scott, Doug, Jared and Brandon were able to catch their limit in the Columbia River this month. It was a great trip. All were Chinook salmon, but one. Scott caught a steelhead. We had one of the fillets today using this recipe. It was great.


Steelhead Trout Baked with Honey or Maple Glaze

1/4 c. butter
2 garlic cloves
2 T. honey or maple syrup
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. rice vinegar (feel free to experiment with other types like cider)
2 T. Dijon mustard
2 T. soy sauce

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over low heat. Whisk in the ingredients. Place the fish in the center of a rectangle of foil. Pour the glaze over the fish and fold the packet around the fish. Preheat the oven to 400°F. (This essentially allows the fish to marinate). If you're in a big hurry, start the oven before you make the glaze and just pop it in. Bake for 10 minutes + 10 minutes for each inch of thickness. So, a one inch thick fillet would bake for twenty minutes. 1.5″ would be 25 minutes. Got it? The recipe makes enough glaze for a little over two pounds of fish. It is easily halved or doubled. This recipe could be done on the grill, but remember to not cook the fish over direct heat, unless you enjoy rubbery, dried out fish. On the grill it can be done in a foil packet as described or you may skip it. If you choose to grill, place it skin side up, first. Once the fish has cooked, it falls apart, the skin sort of holds it together, making transfer a little bit easier.

YIELD 2 to 4 people

(Our notes: we use honey, apple cider vinegar and decreased mustard to 1 T. We thought it was funny that the recipe "Yields 2-4 people"!)


by Scott, Barbara's son

Buttermilk Pancakes, Buttermilk Syrup

syrup recipe and image from here

Jared, Doug and Brandon came to go fishing with Scott this month.

They had a great time, and were each able to get the 2 salmon limit.

While here Jared told us about these pancakes he loves to make.

I haven't tried them but plan to soon! 

Buttermilk Pancakes
2 c. flour

2 eggs

2 c. buttermilk

1/3 c. melted butter

Beat eggs, buttermilk and add butter.
Then add:

1/3 c. sugar

1/2 t. vanilla

1/t. salt

1 t. baking soda

2 t. baking powder

Jared said he likes his batter thick, so add a bit more flour or milk to get the right consistency. He likes his pancakes moist, even slightly doughy in the middle.

by Jared, Barbara's son, the happy fisherman

:::::

The buttermilk syrup recipe Dee tried before may not

have been exactly like the one below. But, like the one she tried before, 

it's caramel-tasting & good enough to drink straight from the pitcher.

Who needs pancakes?!

Buttermilk Syrup
3/4 c. buttermilk
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla

In a medium sauce pan, combine butter, sugar, and buttermilk and bring to a boil. Once it's at a complete boil, let it boil for 1 minute. Take off heat and whisk in baking soda and vanilla. It will foam up during the boiling, and especially when other ingredients are added. Serve with your favorite pancakes or waffles. Best served warm. 10 min. prep/cooking time.

Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn

image from here

Ian had peppermint mini-marshmallows and wanted to try this recipe. 

I think you could just use regular minis, as I couldn't really taste any mint. 

Also, I would love to make a batch of this 

and a batch of Caramel Popcorn* and mix the two—Yum!!

Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn
1/2 t. salt, divided
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
12 cups warm air-popped popcorn
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
40 peppermint mini-marshmallows

Heat over to 275. Sprinkle 1/4 t. salt over popcorn; toss to coat. Set aside.

Melt chocolate and butter in large saucepan on low heat, stirring frequently. Add marshmallows; stir until completely melted. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1/4 t. salt. Pour over popcorn; toss to coat. Spread onto greased baking sheet.

Make 20-25 minutes or until crisp, staring after 15 minutes. Cool on wax paper.



*This is our favorite Caramel Popcorn recipe from the Barbara Doney cookbook (see tab above)


Caramel Corn 
2 sticks margarine or 1 margarine & 1 butter
2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white Karo syrup
1/2 t. salt
1 t. soda
7-1/2 qt. popcorn

Cook butter, brown sugar, syrup and salt for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda. Pour over popped corn, mix and put in flat pans. Bake at 200° for one hour. Stir every 15 minutes. Can be stored in sealed containers.

Dutch Oven Chili and Cornbread

recipe and image from here

We made this while camping at Mt. Rainier National Park this summer.

I put cooked the chili ingredients together at home,

so we just need to add it to a hot dutch oven and top with the cornbread.

It was pretty tasty!

Dutch Oven Chili and Cornbread

3 lbs. of ground beef (I used less)
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
8 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 t. of dried oregano
1 (28-oz.) can of diced tomatoes
1 (6-oz.) tomato paste
1 (16-oz.) can of kidney beans or black beans
5 T. of chili powder
2 T. of ground chipotle powder
1 T. of ground cumin
1 can of water
2 (8.5-oz.) boxes of Jiffy cornbread (or any other corn bread mix you like)
(eggs and milk for the Jiffy cornbread mix)
Salt and black pepper

Make a layer of hot coals on the ground.
Place the dutch oven over the coals and allow the dutch oven to get hot.
Cook the ground beef until it starts to brown, breaking up the meat with a spatula.
Add the onions, garlic, and bell pepper and continue to cook until the vegetables are softened
Add the chili powder, chipotle powder, cumin, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste.
Add the can of water and beans and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Make the cornbread mix in a bowl and pour over the top of the chili.
Place the lid on top of the dutch oven and place about 20 hot coals over the top of the lid.
Cook for about 10 minutes and check to see if the cornbread is done cooking by lifting the lid and poking a skewer through the cornbread. If it comes out clean the chili is done.

Spiced Pear Muffins

image and recipe from here

We just got a box of Barlett pears. I love that fruit, but it has a short shelf life without a frigerator.

I tried these muffins to day and the recipe is a keeper. Since Scott isn't a big nutmeg fan, I halved that amount, didn't include candied ginger (again, he's not a fun), but did add walnuts (he's a fan!)

Spiced Pear Muffins

1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole-wheat flour
2 t. baking powder
2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1/2 t salt.
1/2 c. milk [I used kefir mixed with ground flax]
2 to 2 1/2 c. pears, unpeeled and diced small (from 2 medium-sized pears, about 11 oz. whole)
1/4 c. chopped candied ginger, 1/2 c. chopped nuts, or 1/2 c. mini chocolate chips (optional)
Cinnamon and sugar, for sprinkling on top

Heat your oven to 425°F. Spray the wells of a standard muffin tin with nonstick spray or place muffin liners in all the wells.

In a mixer on high speed, cream together the sugars and the softened butter until they resemble fluffy frosting, about 1 minute. Mix in the eggs, one at a time until fully incorporated, about 1 minute each. Mix in the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, mix 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter-sugar mixture followed by 1/3 of the milk. Continue alternating between the flour and the milk, mixing just until the flour is incorporated. It's OK if there is still some flour on the sides of the bowl. Do not overmix.

Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula and stir gently to incorporate the last of the flour. Add the diced pears and any optional ingredients all at once and fold them into the batter.

Divide the batter between the muffin cups. The batter will fill the cups and mound slightly on top. Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon and sugar.

Place the muffin tin in the oven and immediately turn down the heat to 400°F. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan once in the middle of baking. The muffins are done when the tops looked cracked and toasted, and when a toothpick inserted in the middle of one of the muffins comes out clean.

Let the muffins cool enough to handle, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Leftover muffins can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. (Reheat frozen muffins in an oven or toaster oven at 300°F or for a few minutes in the microwave.)

Makes 12 muffins. [I baked 4 dozen mini muffins for about 12 minutes, with this amount of batter.]