Peanut Butter Finger Bars

When I was in grade school my favorite thing they had at school lunch was Peanut Butter Finger Bars. My High School friend, and college roommate Christy has the recipe for them, I have made my own little changes and I am sure most people have this recipe but I made them this morning and thought I would share. The chocolate frosting I use is from my former neighbor Carrie Kokkola. It is the best chocolate frosting I have ever had, the change I made to this I use evaporated milk. Make sure you beat it well and it will be super creamy.

Peanut Butter Finger Bars
1 C butter
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
Mix together well, then add:
2 eggs
2/3 C peanut butter
Mix again, then add:
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 t vanilla
2 C flour
2 C oatmeal
Spread into big cookie silver cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Let cool. Spread thin layer of creamy peanut butter. Put in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes to let peanut butter harden. Then spread with chocolate frosting.

Chocolate frosting
2 1/2 C powdered sugar
1/2 C butter
1/4 C evaporated milk
1 t vanilla
1/3 C cocoa

Tomato Basil Bisque

My wonderful friend Mindy came to stay with us last April and made us the best soup ever! We grew Basil in our garden this last summer just for this soup.

Tomato Basil Bisque

4 T butter
1 large onion, diced
6 large celery ribs, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4" julienne
1 T tomato paste
2 14oz can italian stewed tomatoes
1 1/2 C heavy cream
3/4 C light-packed fresh basil leaves
2 t kosher salt
1/2 t fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 t sugar

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Add onions, celery and red peppers and saute about 10 minutes, until vegetables are soft. Stir in tomato past and cans of tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

Off heat, stir in remaining ingredients. Let cool slightly, then process in batches in blender. You do not want a smooth puree, but a texture that has some small chunks.

Mint Chocolate Brownies

I started my morning off at 6am by making these brownies. It is my friend Michelle's (or as Austin says "SeaChelle" cause I tell him we are going to go see Chelle, so now he calls her "SeaChelle")birthday and we are going to go and visit her, so I thought I would take her a plate of her favorite brownies. I think this is my most requested recipe and a staple at a lot of family gatherings. I have modified it from the original, but believe my version is just a little better.

Mint Chocolate Brownies


Brownie:
2 ½ cubes of butter, melted
½ C cocoa
2 ½ C sugar
5 eggs
Almost 2 C flour
1 ¼ t vanilla
dash salt
1 C nuts (optional)
Combine margarine and cocoa. Beat in sugar. Beat eggs in 1 at a time, beating well after each one. Add flour, vanilla, salt and nuts. Spread into greased big cookie sheet. Bake 350 for 25-30 min.

Mint Frosting:

3 ¾ C powdered sugar
6 T melted butter
2 1/2 t peppermint (use more if imitation)
2 to 3 drops green flavoring
evaporated milk
Mix all ingredients using only enough evaporated milk to make smooth and creamy. Spread on top of cold brownies. Put in fridge for frosting to get firm, so it doesn’t smear when you put the next frosting on.

Frosting:
2 C milk chocolate chips (or semi sweet)
2 t vanilla
1 cube melted butter
Cook on low heat until smooth and ready to spread. Using the microwave is easiest, it usually takes about 1 ½ minutes.

My Poppy Seed Chicken and Steeped Chicken

Ok, since I am the picky girl I have combined about 3 recipes with to make my own. They all come from the Bountiful 25th Ward cookbook, but I have taken this and that from several. Also years ago I found out about steeped chicken, which is how I cook the chicken for the is recipe. This is one of my husbands favorite recipes, and he even requested it for his birthday. Enjoy, it is addicting to eat.

Karen's Swiss Poppy Seed Chicken
4 chicken breasts, steeped and cubed
Sliced swiss cheese
2 cans reduced fat cream of chicken soup
16 oz carton of reduced fat sour cream
2 sleeves ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 C butter, melted
scant tablespoon poppy seeds

Place cooked chicken in bottom of 9X13 inch pan. Place enough sliced swiss cheese to cover chicken. Mix soup and sour cream together and pour over chicken and cheese. Mix crackers, butter and poppy seeds together and spread over chicken. Bake at 350 for 35 min, or until bubbly.


Steeped Chicken
PREP AND COOK TIME: About 30 minutes, plus about 20 minutes to cool
NOTES: If making up to 1 day ahead, cover and chill.
MAKES: 3 to 4 cups shredded cooked chicken
In a covered 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring 21/2 to 3 quarts water to a boil. Meanwhile, rinse 3 or 4 boned, skinned chicken breast halves (about 6 oz. each). Add chicken to boiling water, cover, and return to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, until chicken is no longer pink in center of thickest part (cut to test), 12 to 18 minutes. If chicken is still pink, return it to the hot water, cover pan, and let steep a few minutes longer. Remove chicken from water and let cool, about 20 minutes. With your hands, tear chicken along the grain into shreds about 1/2 inch thick.

Banana Cake

My sister inlaw LuAnn found this recipe in Taste of Home, and it is one of my favorites. It is great to make for a large gathering. If you like banana bread, you will love banana cake.

Banana Cake
1/2 C butter, softened
2 C sugar
3 eggs
3 med mashed bananas
1 t vanilla
2 C flour
1 t baking soda
1 good pinch of salt

Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs, bananas, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Bake in a greased 15X10X1 inch pan at 350 for 25 minutes.

Frosting
1/2 C butter, softned
1 8 oz cream cheese softned
4 C powdered sugar
2 t vanilla.

Beat well and then spread on cooled cake.

Potstickers and Potsticker Sauce

OK I am starting to sound like my dad and having to tell a story with every recipe I post, so here goes the story of me and the potsticker. Because I am such a picky eater the first time I ever tried potstickers was on my mission. There was a member family who were great cooks and had a bag of them from Costco. To my surprise I liked them, although I am sure at the time I didn't know it had cabbage in it. The Mattsons served it with a sauce and rice vinegar. After returning home, my friends and I would get them at one of my all time favorite restaurants, The Mandarin in Bountiful. Once my mother in law made them for me the first time, I am sure I knew Scott was the one. She actually made them better than the Mandarin. There are few things I can do as well as Marilyn, but I have to say Potstickers is one of them. So I then started the qwest to find the perfect sauce. I found this recipe as a marinade for meat in the local newspaper and thought it would be good the for potstickers, and it is. Scott still prefers them without the sauce, but not me. I have a friend who made them for a group and put them in her crockpot with a little water to keep them moist. Let me know if you have any questions, and enjoy!

Potstickers
1 1lb fresh ground pork (Albertsons brand is best)
1 pkg square won ton skins
2 T soy sauce
½ C cabbage, chopped really fine
1 t sesame oil
½ C onion, chopped really fine
½ t ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg beaten
1 can small shrimp, drained


Combine all ingredients except won ton skins. Please ½ tablespoon mixture in center of won ton skin. Wet each corner with water and bring all 4 points to center and pinch to seal. Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in frying pan until hot. Place potstickers in pan with sides barely touching. Fry until bottom is slightly browned on medium heat. Add 1/3 cup water to pan and cover quickly. When water has evaporated, repeat with another 1/3 cup and cover quickly again. When water is evaporated, they are ready to serve. (While preparing, keep potstickers covered with a slightly damp towel so they won’t dry out.)



Potsticker Sauce

¼ C soy sauce
1 ½ T dark sesame oil
¼ C finely chopped green onions
1 ½ t garlic powder
2 T water
1 ½ t ground ginger
2 T brown sugar
¼ t pepper

Place in sauce pan and heat until it boils.