BBQ Chicken, Roasted Veggies, and Confetti Salad

This is what I cooked for dinner tonight. My husband was teasing me that his body was going to go into shock with all the veggies I fed him. He is a serious meat and potato guy. He said it was too healthy of dinner.

For the BBQ Chicken, I just salt and peppered the chicken and put it on the grill. After I turned it once I put Stubb's BBQ sauce.

For the roasted veggies. I cut up potatoes, zucchinni and squash out of our garden. Put them on a cookie sheet. Drizzle EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) over them. I put McCormick's Grill Mates Garlic and Onion. Sprinkle it over the veggies and toss them with your hands to coat all. Put in a 425 to 450 degree oven. Cook until potatoes are tender.

Confetti Salad

Ingredients:

2 Cans vacuum packed corn

Chop the following veggies small, about the size of the corn kernels:

1/2 Cup cucumber

1/2 Cup cabbage

1/2 Cup green onions

1/2 Cup tomatoes

1/2 Cup bell pepper (I use colored)

1/2 Cup sunflower seeds

Mix and dress with oil and vinegar dressing. I use Good Seasons Italian mix and make it with olive oil and balsamic vinegar according to the mix directions.

Adjust the ingredients and amounts to your taste.

I got this recipe from my recipe exchange group. She is my cute little neighbor donw the road.

Caramel Apple Pie

6 Cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced (about 8 apples)
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1/4 Cup flour
3/4 Cup sugar
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 Teaspoon nutmeg
Pastry for a two crust pie
2 Tablespoon butter
1/4 Cup butter
2 Tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup pecans, chopped optional

Sprinkle apples with lime juice. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and spices. Sprinkle over apples and lightly toss. Place in a 10-inch deep dish pie plate lined with an unbaked pie pastry crust. Dot with 2 tablespoon butter. Top with pie crust pastry. Seal and crimp the edges. Bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes. In a saucepan, combine 1/4 cup butter, heavy cream, and brown sugar. Stir on medium heat and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Pour over hot pie and sprinkle with pecans. Place on a baking sheet or foil. Return to oven for an additional 3-4 minutes until caramel bubbles. Serve warm with ice cream.

Note: Rome Beauty or Brae burn apples taste the best in this pie.

I made this pie for Enrichment and everyone really liked it.

Mountain Berry Pie

Ingredients:

1 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup cornstarch
1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon, optional
dash of salt
1 Cup blueberries
1 Cup strawberries
3/4 Cup blackberries
3/4 Cup raspberries
1/2 Cup water
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Pastry for double crust pie (9 inch)
2 Tablespoons butter

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in berries. Add water and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until mixture just comes to a boil.

Line a 9 inch pie plate with bottom crust, trim pastry even with edge of plate. Add filling, dot with butter. Roll out remaining pastry; make a lattice crust. Trim, seal, and flute edges.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45-50 minutes or until crust is golden. Serve warm or chilled. Cool on a wire rack. Store in refrigerator.


This is a super easy pie to make. I don't know make pies other than pumpkin at Thanksgiving. It turned out great. My dad really liked this pie. It is great with ice cream.

Ezra Taft Benson's Lemon Meringue Pie

Rind of 2 lemons
3 Cups plus 3 Tablespoons sugar, divided
2 Heaping Tablespoons cornstarch
5 Eggs, separated
4 Cups water
Juice of 2 Lemons
1 9" baked pie crust


In a large saucepan, combine lemon rinds, 3 Cups sugar, and cornstarch. Stir in egg yolks, then water and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened. Pour into pie crust. Make meringue by beating and 3 Tablespoons sugar until stiff. Spread on pie. Bake at 425-450 degrees for 3-5 minutes, or until meringue is lightly browned.

Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 Pound Hamburger
1 Can Refried Beans or you can make your own I will put the recipe at the bottom.
1 Can Enchilada Sauce
1/2 Onion, chopped
Salsa
Cheese
Tortillas

Directions:

Brown hamburger and onions in a skillet. After it brown, add refried beans, about 1/2 cup salsa and about 4 Tablespoons enchilada sauce. After you mix that together put in tortillas, top with cheese and roll tortilla up. Place in a 9x13 pan. After you have filled your pan top with enchilada sauce and cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. I usually cover mine so the cheese doesn't get over melted and hard.

For the homemade refried beans

1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, undrained
Garlic powder or fresh minced garlic clove
about 2 Tablespoons chili powder.
about 2 Tablespoons sugar

Put beans in a skillet, with a potato masher, mash the beans. Add the garlic, sugar and chili powder. Let simmer for a few minutes or until it thickens alittle.

For the beans, I usually make beans burritos on night I have to hurry and make something.
For the Enchilada mixture, you can make enchiladas with it. Or make it and put it on tortilla chips and cheese to make nachos, that was my favorite. You can do lots of different things with this recipe.

Grilled Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 Zucchinni, thinly sliced
1 Summer Squash, thinly sliced
1 Onion, thinly sliced
Potatoes, thinly sliced
Mushrooms, sliced
Spinach
Butter
Garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper

Preheat grill to medium heat. Place all your veggies in tinfoil and top with butter, garlic, salt and pepper. I would double wrap your veggies in foil. Place on grill. Cook for about 45 minutes or until veggies are fork tender.
We do these when we are on the mountain and put them in the fire with hot coals. They turn out super yummy.

Grilled Onions

Ingredients:

4 Large onions
1/2 Cup butter
4 Chicken/Beef bouillon cubes

Preheat grill for medium heat.
Peel outer layer off onions. Slice a small section off of end of each onion, and make a small hole in the center. Fill center of each onion with bouillon cube and 2 tablespoons butter. Replace the top of the onion and wrap in foil.
Place onions on grill over indirect heat and close the lid. Cook 1 hour or until tender. Remove the tops and cut into bite size pieces. Place in a serving dish with all the juices in the foil.

I made this and put the onion on the top rack of my bbq grill and after 30 minutes put the steaks on to cook and they were finished at the same time. Another thing you can add to them is freshly pressed garlic

Steak Seasoning

Ingredients:

2 Teaspoons brown sugar
2 Teaspoons garlic powder
2 Teaspoons onion powder
1 Teaspoon black pepper
4 Beef tenderloin steaks, 6oz each
1 Tablespoon oil

Preheat grill to medium high heat. Mix brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Brush steak with oil. Sprinkle seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of steaks; press gently into steaks to secure.

When you put them on the grill make sure it is hot to sear the outside of the steaks. I didn't have my grill hot enough the first time and it made the seasonings taste really strong.

Super Yummy Brownies

Ingredients:

2 Cups sugar
4 Eggs
6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup butter or margarine
2 Cups flour

Directions:

Combine sugar and eggs. Mix together cocoa and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Add to sugar mixture and then add vanilla, butter and flour. Mix well. Bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes.




Icing:

1/2 Cup butter
2 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
1 egg
3 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Teaspoon vanilla

Cream together butter and powdered sugar. Add egg, mix well. Blend in cocoa and vanilla. Beat until spreadable. If too thick add milk, if too thin add powdered sugar.

This is my sister in laws Liz's icing recipe. It is the best icing ever on brownies. Thanks Liz.
One thing to suggest the icing tastes better is use imitation vanilla other than real vanilla. The real vanilla gives it a funny taste for some reason to me. But either one is great.

Slush Burgers

Slush Burgers

Ingredients:

1 Pound Hamburger

1 Can Chicken Gumbo Soup

1/2 Cup Chili Sauce

1 Onion, finely chopped

1 Can Tomato Sauce

Directions:

Brown meat, add onions and brown. Then add remaining ingredients. Simmer together about 30 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns.

This is one of my husband and brother in laws favorites. I have made this recipe in advance and took it up on the mountain with us camping. I just made it and sent it with my husband bow hunting cuz you can freeze it and just thaw and heat. Great if you are in tents and have to pack light.

Cleaning Tips

I was searching the Internet for a homemade or alternative to dishwasher soap because I ran out and my baby was down for his nap and couldn't run to town and get some. I came across this really neat website. It had a lot cleaning tip. Here are a few I am going to try and it will cut costs on cleaning supplies.

1- After thoroughly cleaning ceramic shower and tub walls. you can wipe the tiles down with a small squeegee until dry. After they are dry, get a bottle spray on turtle type car wax, spray it on your tiles, spread it around, let it glaze over and then use a clean terry cloth to wipe and shine. The water and soap will bead up for at least 3 months.

2-Use wintergreen alcohol to clean glass windows and mirrors. You can buy it at the dollar store on the cosmetic aile. Mix it 4 parts water to 1 part alcohol. Can use it on glass shower doors. It leaves a great smell after using.

3-You can make your own dishwasher soap, use equal parts borax and baking soda. Put 2 tablespoon in each load. Also in the rinse cycle use vinegar to get your dishes to sparkle.

4-If you have a stinky fridge in a camper or at home. I left hamburger in our camper fridge on accident and my husband unplugged the camper and the freezer thawed and left a really bad odor. I put coffee grounds in shallow dishes in fridge and freezer and it took all the nasty odor out. Or you clean it with bleach and hot water. Sprinkle baking soda on it and let it set for a day or so. Pour vinegar over the baking soda after it has set and scrub it out. Repeat a couple of times and it should take the odor out.

Every now and then I will leave cleaning tip and other tips.

Roasted Potatoes with Greens

6 Small Red Potatoes, quartered
2 Tablespoons, butter
1 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon Fresh Rosemary
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Cup Fresh Spinach Leaves

Preheat oven to 400. Place the potatoes in a single layer in a ceramic casserole dish. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden in color. Stir in the rosemary, and cook just until fragrant. Pour over the potatoes in the dish. Season with salt and pepper. Roast uncovered 30 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender. Remove from oven, and toss with spinach leaves. Return to oven for 1 to 2 minutes, until spinach has wilted.

My family really like this recipe. I made it twice and the second time I didn't put rosemary in it and used parsley and topped it with Parmesan cheese. My family doesn't really care for rosemary. This is one of my kids favorite.

Creamy Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Rice, cooked
2 Cups Milk, divided
1/3 Cup Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Egg, beaten
2/3 Cup Raisins
1 Tablespoon Butter or Margarine
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
Optional 1/8 Teaspoon Nutmeg or Cinnamon

Directions:
Stir together rice, 1 1/2 Cups milk, sugar and salt in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occassionally, for 15 to 20 minutes until thick and creamy. Blend together remaining milk and egg and stir into rice mixture. Stir in raisins. Continue to cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in butter and vanilla and spoon into serving dishes. Sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon, if desired.

With the nutmeg I used fresh nutmeg, I like to use it better because the flavor is more intense.

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

1 Cup Sugar

1/4 Cup Butter

1 Teaspoon Salt

4 Large Ripe Bananas, mashed

1 Egg

2 Cups Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon or Nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Cream together sugar, eggs, and butter. Add flour, salt, soda, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix well. Add bananas. Bake for 1 hour or bake in bread maker as directed.

This is my mother in laws recipe. I added the vanilla and cinnamon and/or nutmeg. It gives it alittle more flavor.

This morning I had some extra banana bread that needed to be used up. I decided I would try making French toast with it. It turned out pretty good. I really liked it. My kids are on the fence with it.