Poppyseed Dressing & Reception Salad

My mother-in-law makes this FABULOUS and easy salad for our receptions and weddings she helps with. It's so easy and good. I wanted to make it for a Relief Society salad social but didn't have poppyseed dressing. I found this recipe on my favorite: Our Best Bites...they never fail me. :) It's tangy and delicious just the way we like it. :)

Poppy Seed Dressing
Recipe from Our Best Bites
1/3 c. white vinegar
1 tsp. Kosher salt
A few turns of freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. mustard
1 green onion, ends removed (both the “hairy” end and where the green part starts to get floppy)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. poppy seeds

In a blender, combine vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard. While the blender is running, add the green onion. Continue running the blender and add the oil in a steady stream and is fully incorporated into the dressing.

Pour the dressing into a serving or storage container and whisk in poppy seeds. Serve over leafy greens.

Reception Salad:

1-2 Romaine lettuce chopped (or spinach)

1/3 cup Craisins

1/4 cup Sliced Sugared Almonds

1/3 cup crumbled Feta Cheese

Poppyseed Dressing

Toss together and serve. Delish!

Roasted Vegetables and Feta

Had these veggies at a ward activity and thought they were SO good! I didn't know who made it because we're so new but found a recipe that seems to be like it online. The feta is what mades it so good. They're tangy and flavorful. Love it!

Ingredients: Feel free to add or change whatever veggies you have. I think the most important thing are the peppers, and zucchini with the sauce and feta.

20 ounces mushrooms, whole and drained

1 large red pepper, cored and coarsely chopped

1 large yellow pepper, cored and coarsely chopped

1 zucchini, cut into large chunks

1 small onion, coarsely chopped/ sliced

4 garlic cloves, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons feta, crumbled

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 º F (190ºC). Combine mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, onion, and garlic in 9 x 13 inch (3L) baking dish.
2. Stir remaining ingredients except for feta in a small bowl. Drizzle over vegetables and stir in to evenly coat.
3. Bake in oven for 20 minutes.
4. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese. Serve.

Key Lime Cake (for Brandon)

Brandon loves key lime pie. Our Costco unfortunately wasn't making it this year for his birthday so I finally got the opportunity to make him this cake I've wanted to make. It's not the most beautiful cake ever because it's SO moist, but it is delicious! So fresh and you can tell it's lime flavored which makes it super summery and fresh.  I cut the recipe in half because we didn't want a huge cake but wish I had made the full batch. It was GOOD. This is the Trisha Yearwood full recipe but I read the reviews and wanted it to be limey so I made some modifications which are included in my recipe. 

Trisha Yearwood Key Lime Cake

1 3-oz package lime-flavored gelatin
1⅓ cups granulated sugar
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
4-5 large eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup canola oil & 1/2 cup applesauce (She calls for 1 1/2 cups oil originally)
¾ cup lime juice Kool-aid or other lime drink mix made
1 Tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla extract

LIME GLAZE: For cake before frosting
½ cup lime juice(from about 2 big juicy limes...more if you need)
½ cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch-round cake pans. GREASE THEM WELL...AS IN WITH FLOUR AND EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF THESE WILL STICK!

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the gelatin powder, sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir to mix well. Add the eggs, oil, lime flavored juice, lemon juice, and vanilla. Divide the batter evenly among the 2 pans and bake for 20-40 minutes. Test for doneness by lightly touching the tops of the layers or inserting a toothpick. Cool the layers in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto racks.

3. While the layers are still hot, mix the lime juice and confectioners’ sugar and pour it over the layers on the racks. Allow the layers to cool completely as you prepare the icing.

CREAM CHEESE ICING

½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 (1-lb) box confectioners’ sugar
zest of 2 limes (zest before you juice it)

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until the mixture is smooth and easy to spread. Spread the icing between the layers and on the top and sides of the cake.

Cookie Dough Bombs

My principal made these for us and they are TO DIE FOR! I'm not sure if this is her exact recipe but they look just like it in Todd's Kitchen YouTube video.

In a mixer or bowl beat:

Cream until smooth and fluffily:
¾ cup butter
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar

Add:
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups plain flour
Pinch salt

Mix until well mixed:
Chocolate chips to cover

Go to Roast Chicken

My mom makes a mean roast chicken. But for some crazy reason mine never tastes like hers! Funny how its always like that. I found this recipe through Pinterest and thought I'd give it a shot. I read online that the secret to a beautiful crusty skin is a dry chicken and that is TRUTH! So beautiful. B doesn't even like skin and he thought it was delicious! If your chicken is bigger I would decrease temp to 400 and go an extra half or or so. Enjoy! 10/10

Ingredients:

1 (5-6 lb) whole chicken

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Fresh or dry thyme

1 lemon halved (optional)

5-6 cloves garlic cut in half

1 large onion sliced

Carrots

Olive oil

Directions:

1. Remove chicken and giblets and discard. Pat chicken dry

2. Salt and pepper the inside of the chicken

3. Stuff the cavity with thyme, lemon, and all garlic.

4. Brush the outside of the chicken with 2 TBSP olive oil and sprinkle again with salt and pepper.

5. Tie the legs together with floss (unwaxed) and tuck wing tips under body.

6. Place veggies in bottom of roasting pan and toss with salt, pepper and some thyme. Place chicken on top.

7. Roast chicken for 1 1/2 hours or until juices run clear when you cut between leg and thigh.

8. Remove chicken and cover with foil for 20 min.

9. Slice chicken and serve with mashed potatoes and gravy! Yummy!

Chipotle Chicken Tortila Skillet with Mexican Rice and Beans

Woah! long name but describes it perfectly. I'm not a huge fan of eating out...mostly because I can make stuff better at home and spend WAY less. This dish is mexicany but not overly. We loved it and thought it was delicious! 

Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Skillet:

Thanks to: Cooking for Two 2009 magazine

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts(if uncooked start with direction one. If cooked make sure it's shredded and go to direction 2.)

2 TBSP. canola oil

1 shallot minced (3 TBSP)

2 garlic cloves minced

2-3 tsp. minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce (can change amount depending on your love of spicy/ flavor)

1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

4-5 oz. tortilla chips, broken

1 tomato cored, seeded and chopped

4 oz.(1 cup) cheddar or sharp cheddar cheese 

2 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro

Sour cream to serve

Directions:

1. Take 1 TBSP of oil and heat chicken in a pan/ cook if not already cooked. Take out chicken and set aside. 

2. Add remaining 1 TBSP oil, shallot, garlic, chipotle, and 1/4 tsp. salt to the skillet. Heat about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer.

3. Stir in half of the tortilla chips. Nestle the chicken into the broth and chips, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a carving board or just add already shredded chicken. 

4. Place shredded chicken in the skillet along with the tomato, 1/2 cup cheese and 1 TBSP or the cilantro. Heat Broiler

5. We like our tortilla chips crispy so depending on what you like is when you add the rest of the chips. I add the tortilla chips and give it a light stir and top it with the remaining cheese and place it under the broiler for about 5 minutes while the other things are in their last 5 minutes and make sure it's time to eat right when it comes out. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro and serve with some sour cream. Delicious!

Mexican Rice:

AllRecipes.com

Ingredients:

3 TBSP canola oil

1 cup uncooked rice

1 1/2 cups water (Opps...thanks Lauren!) add a bit of chicken bouillon too.

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup/can tomato sauce

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking sprinkle with salt and cumin. 

2. Stir in onions and cook chicken broth; bring to simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. 

Beans: Throw a can of black beans (or pinto) in a small skillet and gently boil them. We put in some garlic, onion and cilantro to add to the flavor. Cook for 10-15 minutes until thick.

Yield: Makes 4 servings.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Yet again in the search for the perfect muffins. Browsing through my Recipes-Sweet board this morning these stuck out. Just made the batter and it was DELICIOUS! I modified the recipe a bit to what I had and higher altitude. Note that this is one of the weirdest recipes I've tried for mixing the batter but it still looked good. Just took them out of the oven. They are soooo good! Tender, lemony, poppy seedy! On a couple I put a little bit of powdered sugar glaze. You can go either way. Hope you love these too!

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
finely grated zest from 1 lemon (I also used pulp)
2 large eggs
2 tbsp lemon juice (fresh squeezed from lemon)
1 cup sour cream
Poppy Seeds (I only used 1/2-3/4 tbsp)

Directions
Preheat your oven to 365 degrees F.

Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl, and reserve until needed.

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest, until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly before adding the next. Stir in 1/3 of the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the lemon juice, and 1/2 of the sour cream until combined.

Add half of the remaining flour mixture, and stir until combined. Stir in the remaining sour cream. Stir in the rest of the flour mixture, and then the poppy seeds.

Line a muffin tin with paper baking cups or spray with cooking oil. If you are making regular sized muffins, it will be about 17. 

Fill each muffin only have way full. Bake about 15-20 minutes for regular muffins, or 6-12 minutes for mini muffins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Thanks to The First Year Blog.