Recipes for Spiced Cider & Wassail

I love to drink spiced cider in the fall even more than hot chocolate. Here are a few of my favorite recipes that range from quick and easy to slow simmered. All are super yummy! These can be made ahead, refrigerated, then re-heated before serving.

Wassail (pictured above)

1 gallon apple juice or apple cider

1 quart orange juice

1 quart pineapple juice (unsweetened)

1 c. lemon juice

1 c. sugar (or you can do 1/2 cup granulated sugar & 1/2 cup brown sugar)

24 whole cloves

4 cinnamon sticks

Mix all ingredients and simmer in a crockpot for 2-3 hours. Before serving, remove the cloves and cinnamon sticks with a strainer. You can also speed this up by making it in a pot on the stove, but be careful not to boil it - just keep it at a low simmer.

Spiced Apple Cider

2 quarts apple juice or apple cider

1/3 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. whole allspice

1 tsp. whole cloves

2-3 cinnamon sticks

In a large pot, bring to boil. Simmer, covered for 30 minutes. Remove spices and serve warm.

Easiest Spiced Cider

1 gallon apple juice or apple cider

1 cup red hots candy

Heat this mixture in a crock pot or in a pot over the stove. Watch and stir the mixture often until the red hots are thoroughly melted so that they don't burn or stick to the pan.

Hot Cider

(Made with ground rather than whole spices)

1 gallon apple juice or apple cider

3-4 cups lemon-lime soda

4 cups orange juice

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 cup brown sugar

Combine all ingredients in a large pot or crockpot and heat on medium heat. Simmer, stirring often, until heated through. Can garnish with orange slices and cinnamon sticks if desired. Stir well before serving.

Light Fruit Salad

Guilt-Free recipes are rare on my blog, but this one comes close. You can make it with sugar-free pudding and lowfat milk if you like it healthier.

1 pkg. vanilla pudding (could use lemon or white chocolate flavored too)

1 lemon

fresh fruit (I used apples, bananas and strawberries in this batch)

1 cup milk

Cut up fruit and place in a bowl. Slice lemon in half and squeeze fresh lemon juice all over fruit and toss. Mix the pudding with the milk and stir well. Allow pudding mixture to stand for 3-5 minutes. Gently stir mixture in with fruit and toss to coat. Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers.

Oreo Chocolates

Korry's cousin Hilary served these Oreo chocolates at her bridal shower and it was so cute I couldn't even eat it! To make them, her sister's used chocolate molds, but instead of filling it all the way full with white chocolate, they pushed an Oreo in to the back!

All you need is:

White Chocolate

Food Coloring

Oreos

Mold (you can get chocolate molds at Roberts, Michaels or Shephard's Candy in Orem).

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

I didn't get a pic of this dish because Korry had the camera with him on a trip. But trust me, it was delicious and very easy to throw together. I had some good leftover ham, which made the dish even better.

4-6 chicken breasts
4-6 slices of good deli ham (I used black forest)
4-6 slices Swiss cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2-1 cup water
3 cups bread crumbs
1 square melted butter

Place chicken breasts in a baking pan. Salt and pepper. Place a slice of ham over the top of each chicken breast. Place a slice of cheese on top of that. Mix the soup with the water and pour over the top of the enter dish. Mix bread crumbs with butter, then spread that mixture all over the top. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for an hour and a half.

Crockpot Pork for Salads/Tacos + Sonia's Rice

We made big pots of this sweet pork up at girls camp and it was a hit! Some people call this the "Cafe Rio" recipe, but I don't because NOTHING beats Cafe Rio. If you want that, get in your car and drive there and order a salad. So worth it! But to feed your family on a busy work night, this recipe is GREAT because the pork simmers all day in the crockpot. I use this pork to make salads and also for pork tacos, which my kids love.



1 large pork roast or pork loin (I look for good quality, well marbled, etc.)
1 can coca cola
1/2 cup sugar
1 small can chipotle chili's in ADOBO sauce (only use the sauce)
1 tsp. dry ground mustard (heaping)
1 tsp. cumin (heaping)
1 tsp. minced garlic

Remove the chili's from the can of adobo sauce. Pour adobo sauce into a blender along with the
coca-cola, garlic and spices. (rinse can of adobo sauce with coca-cola to get all the sauce out). Blend until well mixed. Place the pork roast in the crock pot and pour the sauce over it. Cook on low for 7-9 hours or until it pulls apart with a fork.

**The chipotle chili's are VERY hot. That is why you remove them and add only the adobo sauce in this recipe. If you like things spicy, you can add some of the chili's. I added one small chili last time I made this recipe and it turned out pretty spicy! I loved it, but the kids didn't.

Sonia's Spanish Rice

In a skillet, heat 2-3 T. vegetable oil. Add 2 cups long grain rice and cook until it starts to brown a little - keep stirring and shaking the pan to avoid burning. Once rice gets a little translucent and puffy, add 1 can diced tomatoes that have been pureed in the blender and one small onion, chopped fine. Stir and cook until onion gets translucent. Pour chicken broth over the rice mixture (about 2-3 cups) and stir well. Cover and cook until rice starts to absorb all of the liquid. This will take about 25-30 minutes. I check it and stir it periodically. If it needs more liquid, I add more chicken broth. Keep covered and continue cooking until liquid has been absorbed and rice is soft.

Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

1 envelope buttermilk ranch dressing
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 bunch cilantro
2 tomatillos (casings removed and chopped into large pieces)
1-2 serano peppers with seeds removed

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Refrigerate and allow to thicken.

Upside-Down Baked Potatoes

Another recipe to get excited about! These are going to be a new favorite around here. Who doesn't like to cook a delicious baked potato in half the time? These were cheesy, flavorful, creamy inside, crispy outside and looked great on the plate.


4-5 T. butter (I use real)
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese (I used the powdery kind in the green container from Kraft and liked it better than the real, grated Parmesan cheese)
4 medium sized Idaho baking potato's

Place the butter in a 13x9 pan and place in an oven that has been heated to 400 degrees. Watch the butter and when it starts to melt and bubble, remove it from the oven. Swish the butter around, cover the butter with the Parmesan cheese. Wash potatoes and cut them in half. Place them, cut side down, on top of the butter/Parmesan mixture. Return to oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit for a few minutes before serving.

Stuffed French Toast

We went to Mimi's the other day and my kids had stuffed French toast. I decided to try my own version at home. You know I'm all about easy, so I decided to use flavored cream cheese for the inside stuffing and it turned out AWESOME!The finished product!

You have to cook these on all sides, so you have to be creative. I propped them up on the skillet to cook the tops and bottoms.
This is the bread I used (I buy it at Costco or at the Sara Lee Bread Store). This flavored cream cheese is only $1.25 at Walmart.

thick, hearty French bread
eggs
milk
a little salt
flavored/sweetened cream cheese (I used strawberry)
powdered sugar
syrup

Break eggs in a bowl, pour in a little milk and whisk with wire whisk. Flavor with a dash of salt. Trim crusts off of bread so they are square. Take one slice of bread and spread flavored cream cheese in the middle. Top with another piece of bread. Dip the "sandwich" in the egg mixture and place on hot griddle. Bake on all sides until puffy and nicely browned. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and drizzle with syrup. Could also top with berries and whipped cream.

Easy Beef Noodle Bake

This dish reminded me of the casseroles my mom use to make for dinner. It was even better warmed up the next day for lunch.


1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion
1 can diced tomatoes with green chili's
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small package of your favorite pasta (cooked according to package directions)
Cheddar Cheese

Brown ground beef with onion in a skillet. Salt and pepper to taste. Drain grease. Add tomatoes and mushroom soup, stir well. Stir in cooked pasta. Pour into casserole dish and top with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for about 20-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

*GREAT IDEA: While you're at it, double the ground beef, onion and tomatoes. Use half the mixture to make the casserole that night. Put the rest in a ziplock freezer bag and save for another night. All you would need to do is cook the pasta and then add the mushroom soup to the meat mixture, stir it, top with cheese and bake. Easy!

Meatball Subs

It's 70 degrees today and raining....and it's August 15th! What's going on here? It was the perfect day to make an easy favorite...meatball subs. Nothing fancy, but they are mouthwatering.


Rolls or buns (I love these soft tear-shaped rolls from Sam's Club)
Frozen Italian Meatballs (again...freezer section at Sam's)
Shredded mozarella and cheddar cheese
1 can or bottle favorite spaghetti sauce (I use Hunts Traditional from the can)

Brown desired amount of meatballs in a frying pan. Transfer to a crockpot and pour spaghetti sauce over the top. Cook on low for about an hour and then turn to warm until you are ready to eat. Slice buns and toast in a 400 degree oven for about 2-3 minutes. Place 4 meatballs and desired amount of sauce on buns. Cover with cheese and return to oven until cheese is melted and bubbly and edges of bread start to brown.

Cheesy Chicken Dip

I made this dip for girls night out last week. This recipe is great if you have some leftover chicken from another recipe. I used rotisserie chicken from Sams Club.

1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1 1/2 c. salsa, divided
1 or 2 cups shredded chicken breast
1 or 2 cups Mexican blend cheese (cheddar and jack)

Soften cream cheese and blend with 1/2 cup of the salsa. Spread in the bottom of a pie plate or small square casserole dish. Spread remaining 1 cup salsa over the top of the cream cheese mixture. Spread chicken all over the top and then the cheese. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for about 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips, Frito's Scoops or any type of corn chip.

Fudgy Brownie Bites

These brownie bites are so easy to make. The texture is smoother and more spongy than a regular brownie, but they are still delicious.


1 small box chocolate pudding
2 cups milk
1 chocolate cake mix
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix the pudding and milk in a mixing bowl. Stir and allow to sit until thickened. Stir in dry cake mix and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour in a greased 13x9 pan and bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes or until center is set.

Pudding

1 box sugar free/fat free pudding (instant)
1/4 cup cream + water to consistency you want
2 T. cream cheese


Blend or mix with hand beater. It will look a little grainy, but no worries...it is SO GOOD! Start out with less water and add more if you want to thin it.

Enjoy this with fresh fruit such as raspberries, strawberries and you can also add lowfat Cool Whip.

Try all flavors. Chocolate, White Chocolate, Pistachio, Butterscotch, Cheesecake, etc.

Rootbeer Floats

1/2 can diet rootbeer
1/4 - 1/2 cup whole cream
handful of ice (according to taste/consistency)

Blend in blender! You can recreate this with any diet soda. Play with the ingredients if you want it thicker!

Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches

My kids love anything in mini-size. They had a great time making these the other night. We rolled some in crushed Oreo and some in patriotic sprinkles.


Vanilla Wafers
Ice Cream
Sprinkles

Smash a small scoop of ice cream between two vanilla wafers. Roll the edges in decorative sprinkles or crushed cookies.
A great variation would be to use the chocolate wafer cookies and mint chocolate chip ice cream. Or Oreos with cookies and cream ice cream - YUMMY!

Easy Oat Squares

This is the EASIEST recipe and so yummy. These caused me to cheat on my diet several times this week. You can use any kind of jam (apricot, raspberry, strawberry, etc.) I used my homemade strawberry preserves for this batch.


1 box white or yellow cake mix (I used French Vanilla)
2 cups oatmeal
3/4 c. butter, melted
1 bottle jam (any flavor)

Mix cake mix and oatmeal together. Stir in melted butter until well combined. Press half of the mixture on the bottom of a greased 13x9 cake pan. Spread jam all over the top (thin the jam with a teaspoon or two of water if it is really thick). Spread rest of crumb mixture all over the top and pat down. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

Meatloaf Pillows

I LOVE meatloaf, but hate that it takes almost an hour to cook. When I ran across this recipe, I had to try it since the baking time is much shorter. Since the bread is baked around the meat, you only need a side salad and you've got a complete meal. Delish!



12 oz. tube refrigerated biscuits
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 c. catsup
1 c. catsup, divided
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. quick-cooking oats, uncooked
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Divide and press biscuit dough across the bottom and up the sides of 10 greased muffin cups, set aside. Combine ground beef, 1/2 c. catsup, onion, eggs and oats. Mix well and form into 10 meatballs; place one meatball in each biscuit lined muffin cup. Spread remaining catsup on the top of each meatball. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Cookie Pizza

I collect Ward Cookbooks and my friends and family know that nothing makes me happier! I needed to take a dessert to a BBQ the other night, but was so tired of the same old thing. Found this recipe in an old ward cookbook and it turned out PERFECT! The cookie was soft and delicious and it made enough to feed a crowd with some leftover.


1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. shortening
2 eggs
2 T. water
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
1-2 cups marshmallows
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup mini M&M's


Beat brown sugar and shortening. Add egg, water and vanilla, mix well. Add flour, baking soda and salt, mix again. Stir in peanut butter chips. Spray a 13" pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spread dough around evenly on bottom to form a crust. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 or until top is golden brown. Remove from oven. Sprinkle marshmallows, chocolate chips and M&M's on top. Return to oven for 5 minutes until melted. Can drizzle melted white chocolate or chocolate syrup on top after it has cooled.

Chicken Ceasar Salad

Hi there! After a long lull in posting I'm finally finishing up my thesis and back to living in the real world and taking pictures of food again. I've also been dieting, which has greatly limited my ability to make anything that tastes even remotely delicious, so I've spared you by NOT posting these past two months.

The other day I needed to take a salad to a potluck and my good friend Jill, from BYU verbally shared this recipe with me. I was able to pick up all the ingredients at Sam's Club on the way home and whip it up in about 15 minutes. Totally delicious. Add a big bowl of fruit and some bread sticks and you've got a pretty decent meal.

Toss in the dressing right before serving.

1 large bag chopped Romaine lettuce
1-2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1-2 tomatoes, chopped
1 small bag pasta cooked according to pkg. directions (I used bowtie)
1 small bag sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
2-3 handfuls of grated Parmesan cheese
Cardini's Original Ceasar Dressing (the BEST Ceasar - the light version is good also)

In a large bowl, mix the lettuce, pasta, almonds and tomatoes. Pile the chicken and Parmesan cheese on top. Just before serving, mix in desired amount of dressing and toss to coat everything. Serve and eat immediately. This doesn't keep well after the dressing is mixed in.
I often take out individual servings and toss in a separate bowl. That way, if you have a lot of leftovers, you can refrigerate the salad and mix in more dressing the next day.

Enjoy!

Hawaiian Chicken Tacos - Since I'm A Slacker

My friend Marci uploaded this recipe to her blog and I wanted to share it. These sound DELISH! I can't wait to try them and will post a pic. when I do...

MARCI'S POST......

I got this recipe from "Studio 5" back in December. They are really called Mele Kalikimaka Chicken Wraps... try saying it- it's fun! But, usually I feel like an idiot calling them that, especially in the summer. So I renamed them Hawaiian Chicken Tacos. You can call them whatever you want!

First you make a marinade and marinate the chicken overnight. For the marinade you need

1 3/4 c water

1 T cornstarch

3/4 c brown sugar

1/2 c soy sauce

1/2 c canned pineapple tidbits

1/4 c juice from can of pineapple tidbits

1/2 t garlic powder

1/4 t onion powder

2 t minced fresh ginger (I always feel SUPER cool buying fresh ginger... like I could be on Food Network or something!)

* Whisk cornstarch into the water in saucepan. Add remaining ingredients and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 7 to 10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Cool before you use it for marinating.

* When sauce is cool, set aside 1 cup of sauce for later (don't forget this step!) Pour remaining sauce over chicken breasts. Cover chicken and marinate for at least 6 hours, or overnight if possible.

* When chicken has marinated, heat the grill and grill chicken on med-high heat until it is no longer pink. Remove. Slice chicken and set in serving dish. Microwave the leftover cup of sauce for 30 to 60 seconds- or until hot. Pour over chicken in dish.

For the wraps you need:

chicken

12 tortillas (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get the uncooked flour tortillas that you warm up in a skillet before eating them. They. are. so. good. Really- they "make" the chicken tacos! Look for them by the cheese in the grocery store.)

2 c shredded cheese (I don't like cheese on mine... but you might!)

4 c shredded lettuce

1 c pineapple tidbits (don't forget these... they are the best part!)

1 1/2 c diced tomatoes

1/2 c chopped green onion (I have never tried onions on them...)

* Heat the tortilla on both sides, put some chicken on it, then whatever toppings you want. Wrap it up and enjoy. Hope you like them... we LOVE them at our house! I just wish I had a picture of them... then you would want to try them for sure!

Chicken Fajita's

I've been trying to make fajitas as good as Chili's or Los Hermanos. The secret is to caramelize the peppers and onion first, then add the meat and brown. Next time I think I will grill the chicken and then add it to the caramelized veggies after it has been grilled.

1 red pepper (chopped in strips)
1 green pepper (chopped in strips)
1 small onion (chopped in strips)
fresh cilantro
olive oil + butter
salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne (if desired)
boneless, skinless chicken breast (desired amount)

In a small frying pan, melt equal parts butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the peppers and onions. Cook this mixture until everything starts to brown and soften - you will need to toss it often. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken (I cut it into strips) and cook until browned and firm. Sprinkle on desired amount of cumin and a little bit of cayenne and cook a little longer. Just before serving, sprinkle with fresh cilantro leaves. Serve on flour tortillas with sour cream, guacamole and salsa.