Saltine Cracker Toffee

I think I remember making this in a Jr High or High school cooking class. I loved it and wanted to make it again so I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com. It is really easy and yummy! I also like that it gives you the same taste and texture of a thicker piece of toffee without the expense of using tons of butter and sugar. Ingredients: 4 ounces saltine crackers 1 cup butter 1 cup dark brown sugar 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 3/4 cup chopped pecans Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). 2. Line cookie sheet with saltine crackers in single layer. 3. In a saucepan combine the sugar and the butter. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Immediately pour over saltines and spread t cover crackers completely. 4. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Let sit for 5 minutes. Spread melted chocolate and top with chopped nuts. Cool completely and break into pieces. Kalli's Note: I haven't made it with the pecans before since I usually don't buy them, and I liked it a lot.

Cherry Coke Jell-O Salad

• 1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 packages (3 oz. each or use one large pkg.) Cherry Jell-O
• 1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling
• 3/4 cup of Coke

Directions

1. Drain pineapple, reserving juice;  set pineapple aside.  
2. In a saucepan or microwave, bring pineapple juice and water to a boil.  Add Jell-O; stir until dissolved.  Stir in pie filling and coke.
3. Pour into a 9x13 glass dish.  Refrigerate until slightly thickened.   
4. Fold in reserved pineapple.  Refrigerate until firm.

Yields:  10-12 servings

Lindsay's Notes:  This is my mother-in-law's favorite Jell-o salad recipe.  You can actually add an extra small package of Jell-O and water to extend the recipe if you're feeding more people.  Also, if you don't have Coke laying around the house, try looking at the price of 2 liter bottles before you buy one bottle/can.  Sometimes it's cheaper to buy more.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake (2 great recipes)

Chocolate Zucchini Cake - RECIPE #1

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups grated zucchini
• 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 9x13 inch glass baking pan.
2. In a bowl, stir together all dry ingredients (except chocolate chips).  Add eggs, oil, and vanilla.  Mix well.  Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.  Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 50-60 minutes in preheated oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool cake slightly before serving.  Great warm or cold.

Lindsay's notes:  This recipe is based off of the Chocolate Zucchini Cake III on allrecipes.com and is probably my favorite of the two.  I also replace 1/2 to 1 cup vegetable oil with applesauce to make it a little healthier.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake - RECIPE #2

• 2 cups grated and packed-down zucchini
• 1 cup oil 
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cup flour
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 Tbsp cocoa
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Mix together wet and dry ingredients separately.  Then mix together.  
2. Bake in a greased and floured 9x13 glass dish at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.

Lindsay's Notes:  This is Bryan's aunt's recipe, which is also delicious.  I replace half of the oil for applesauce in this recipe as well.

Sourdough Waffles

slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour

I half the recipe which makes enough for my two kids and me.  I'd say the full recipe will feed 4 adults.

Overnight sponge

• 2 cups flour (I use a combination of whole wheat pastry, kamut, and buckwheat flour)
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal (optional)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup sourdough starter, unfed

Waffle or pancake batter

• all of the overnight sponge
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter (I use melted coconut oil)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

The night  before, combine all the ingredients for the overnight sponge in a large glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place.  When you are ready to make the waffles, (at least 12 hours later) combine the overnight sponge with the 2 eggs, oil, salt, baking soda and vanilla.  The batter will be very bubbly.  Don't over mix and deflate all the bubbles.  Bake in a waffle iron or use the batter to make pancakes.

Jessica's notes: You can make your own sourdough starter, instructions here (which is what I did). Or I can just give you some.  I've had mine for a few years and it works great.  If the waffles seem soggy, you can add a bit more flour.  Once the waffle is baked, I like to lift it out, give it a quarter turn and let it sit on the open waffle maker for a minute which helps keep the waffle crispy.

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

We found this P.F. Chang's recipe on grouprecipes.com.  I changed the amount of onion though... 1 whole onion is a little much I thought.  Other than that, we LOVE this recipe!  I love the flavors and different textures in this dish.

Ingredients

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• 16 iceberg or green lettuce leaves (rinsed)                                             
• 1 lb chicken breast -- cooked and cut in small chunks
• 1/4 small onion -- chopped                                                 
• 1/2 Cup pine nuts, chopped (optional)                                                 
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce (I make my own mixing peanut butter & soy sauce with a little garlic and onion powder.)
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Asian chili pepper sauce (I just used a little Tobasco)                                 
• 1 can (8 ounce size) sliced water chestnuts -- drained, finely chopped 
• 1 green onion -- thinly sliced    
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

How to make it

---

• Rinse lettuce leaves, keeping them whole. Set aside to drain.
• Cook chicken in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often to break up the meat. Add onion, garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar and chili sauce. Cook until the meat is crumbled and brown. Add water chestnuts, pine nuts and green onions. Cook until onions begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in sesame oil. Arrange lettuce leaves on the outer edge of a platter. Spoon meat mixture in center. Allow diners to spoon meat mixture into lettuce leaves and eat like a taco.
• Note: Asian chili pepper sauce can be found in the Asian section of most supermarkets. Some brands contain garlic, which is fine. You can use 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes instead.

Curried Coconut Chicken

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks 1 teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons curry powder 1/2 onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed, diced tomatoes (drained) 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce 3 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

1.	Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
2.	Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium-high heat for two minutes. Stir in onions and garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear.
3.	Pour coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.  Notes: I threw this all in the crock pot with out doing anything else to it and cooked it on low all day and it was great.  Joel doesn't like Indian food much and he liked it. Because I had it cooking in the kitchen all day my house smelled like curry for a couple days and I was really getting sick of it.  Lindsay had a good tip of putting the crock pot in the garage!  I will do that next time.

Yummy Meatloaf

1lb ground beef
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
10 Ritz Crackers (crushed)
1/2 onion (grated)
1 egg
3/4 C meatloaf sauce

Meatloaf sauce:
1 C Ketchup
a few big sprinkles of brown sugar.  maybe 2 Tbls.
dash of salt, pepper, and garlic

Combine first 8 ingredients and mix well. Form into greased loaf pan and pour remaining meatloaf sauce over loaf.  Cook at 350 for 45 to 55 min.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

2 cans canned costco chicken (I use one costco roasted chicken)
1/3 C. honey
1/4 C. lime juice
1 T. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 can green enchilada sauce (I use less enchilada sauce and salsa because I don't like them soggy)  
1 bottle Green salsa (I use La Victoria)
1 pkg shredded mozzarella
1 pkg shredded cheddar
flour tortillas

Mix honey, lime, juice, chili powder, and garlic powder. Break up chicken into chunks and add to the juice mixture. Lightly spray a 9x13 dish. pour enough enchilada sauce in bottom to coat it.  Fill tortillas with meat mixture and desired amount of cheese. Roll up and place in dish, seam side down.  Pour rest of sauce over enchiladas and add enough chunky salsa to cover the enchiladas completely.  Sprinkle the rest of cheese on top. (don't be stingy because this is the best part!).  bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 min. Serve with sour cream.

Hey Fam!  We decided it would be fun to have one place to share recipes and ideas.  Feel free to post as often as you like!