I was so excited....
I got asked to make dinner for a family in our ward. I love when I have a reason to cook. (besides my own family).
I was going to make this.....

Creamy Pesto Chicken Casserole

http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/creamy-pesto-chicken-casserole/ead128b0-ab01-4ab3-9cad-d3e39896cd7f/

I needed to make a special trip to the store as I had this on my meal list for tonight but only enough for my family. I went to the store with a list (but had several calls at the store which distracted me) and left without the PESTO!

So I googled quickly and found this:

Chicken Alfredo Casserole

http://busycooks.about.com/od/precookedpoultryrecipes/r/chickenalfredo.htm

Jasmine and Alex both gave it a 10.
There wasn't enough for Bret by the time he got home. With casseroles there is so much risk involved with my family, that I have a smaller dish (about 1/2 of a 9X12). I used this in addition to a 9X12.
Since the dish was a winner, I'll have to make a full 9X12 the next time.

I also made my new favorite basil infused breadsticks.

I'd still like to try the Pesto dish. I'll have to remember to keep it on my list.

As a side note, I bought some basil, cherry and grape tomato seeds to plant. My basil and tomato plants are officially sad - time for a refresh.

New favorite Salmon recipe from Jenny:

In a foil packet, layer
asparagus
salmon (with skin side down)
drizzle olive oil and lemon juice
tablespoon of pesto
wrap and bake for 15 minutes at 400

Jazz = 12
Alex = 11

Served with Rhodes Rolls and Mashed Potatoes.
perfect!

Tomatoes
Fresh from my "garden"
Just felt like that was worthy of its' own post.

I made Lemon Pie cookies this week, just like I said I was. They are ok - nothing to write home about.



http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/lemon-pie-cookies-recipe/index.html

Bread Flour

Do you use it?

Do you buy generic of Gold Medal?

My store stopped carrying generic so I bought the Gold Medal brand this week.

Have to have me some bread flour.

Tyler Florence's Meatloaf Recipe

I love Lindsay. She is my BFF. As I was asking her "why is it that red peppers cost more than green peppers?" we started talking about what I was making for dinner. As I told her about the recipe, she said she had made it before and it was yummy. Well of course that got me pretty excited. Then she was at Walmart so she picked up the ingredients and she is making it tonight for dinner. Linds is a way better cook than me so I'm sure hers will come out as a 10!

Mine turned out fine. Luckily, I made smashed potatoes (mashed potatoes + milk + cheese + bacon bits) and so I knew that the kids would eat that if nothing else. Jasmine really doesn't like meatloaf and Bret isn't in love with the concept.
Bret gave it a 7 and said it was better than my usual meatloaf recipe.
I don't think Jasmine even put any on her plate.
Alex gave it a 7 but mostly because of the smashed potatoes. He didn't like the peppers.

So we had more than 2/3 leftover. HMMMM! What to do with it? I called the Bale Family and delivered it to them. Hope they enjoy it!

Now back to the peppers!
Why do red peppers cost more?
At my walmart, red peppers this week were $1.64 each. While green peppers were .64 each. At my safeway, red peppers were $1.99 each this week. Green Peppers at Safeway were $1.64. Lindsey was at her walmart while we were talking and her red peppers were a deal at $0.88 each.
This is the answer my research gave me:
Red peppers are just green peppers that have been allowed to fully ripen. There is a risk in letting them stay on the plant that long and it takes more 'field time' so they are losing money by not getting ready to plant something else. So the plants sit in the ground longer waiting for them to ripen.

How much are red peppers at your local store?

Broccoli Cheese Chicken Rice Casserole

I did make this on Sunday. It was a bit labor intensive.
I read many of the reviews and made some changes. I used "fresh" chicken instead of canned. I used fresh broccoli instead of frozen. I used real cheese instead of processed. And...
And I hated that I added bread crumbs to the top because that was overpowering.
It was way better yesterday as leftovers, with a bit of extra cheese added to it.

So the quest continues for a good recipe for this as I love the concept. There is an amazing Broccoli Cheese Rice sidedish (no chicken) found HERE... and when I was eating mine, I was just trying to imagine that I was eating theirs!

Calzones - which dough is the best?

I used a pizza/calzone dough recipe that I had written down on a scratch sheet of paper. I thought it was the one that Bret was in love with from the last time. Not so much. He gave it a 4. BUT Jasmine gave it a 10 and Alex gave it an 11.

4 teaspoons yeast 2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water 2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil 4 cups flour

Banana Bundt Cake from RAJ

• 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1/2 cup shortening 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 2 eggs 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 2/3 cup sour milk (can be 1 tblspn white vinegar with regular milk to make 2/3 cup)
• 4 soft brown mashed bananas 2 cups flour

Cream sugar, shortening, and egg. Then add all ingredients. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until done.

**Note to self - be sure that it is DONE. Toothpick doesn't always work. Sorry Chris!

I have the Martha Stewart jars for my flour, sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, and bread flour. However, I have used these for almost 10 years and I'm tired of them.

















I'm thinking about switching to these OXO towers. I have one that I use for marshmallows and I'm really happy with it.

I want to try these recipes.

Can you tell what I spent this Saturday doing? Now granted I was watching TV, while I was working out and responding to emails - so it isn't like I was just sitting like a bump on the log (well at least not the entire time!) Some of these recipes I saw earlier this week but they are still on my wish list

Triple Lemon Pie
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/triple-lemon-pie-recipe/index.html

Slammin Swedish Meatballs
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aaron-mccargo-jr/slammin-swedish-meatballs-recipe/index.html

Simple Birthday Cake with Marshmallow Frosting
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alexandra-guarnaschelli/simple-birthday-cake-with-marshmallow-frosting-recipe/index.html

Cheddar & Scallion Bread
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/cheddar-and-scallion-bread-recipe/index.html

Broccoli Chicken Casserole
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/broccoli-chicken-casserole-i/Detail.aspx

Creamy Pesto Chicken Casserole
http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/creamy-pesto-chicken-casserole/ead128b0-ab01-4ab3-9cad-d3e39896cd7f/

White Bean and Chicken Chili
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/white-bean-and-chicken-chili-recipe/index.html

Dad's Meatloaf with Tomato Relish
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/dads-meatloaf-with-tomato-relish-recipe/index.html

Bacon Cornbread
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/bacon-cornbread-recipe/index.html

served with Honey Butter
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/honey-whipped-butter-recipe/index.html

Lemon Pie Cookies
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/lemon-pie-cookies-recipe/index.html

Isn't this so fun?
Rod got me this great tool because I LOVE pineapples.

We have made these multiple times. It is a true winner.

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/Soft-Garlic-Breadsticks/Detail.aspx

Do you ever make french toast?

Do you have a special pan for your batter?

Mom bought this pan for me several years ago. When I use it, it reminds me of her.