Alfredo Sauce

Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Makes enough for 1 lb. pasta

1 stick (1/2 c.) butter
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat.  Add cream and pepper; stir frequently.  When hot, add cheese, stirring constantly until thickened.  Toss with 1 pound pasta* and serve immediately.

*I like fettuccine or penne.  Or try spinach fettuccine.

Variations:
Reduced-Fat:  Use 1-12 oz can evaporated milk plus 1/4 c. whole milk in place of heavy cream.

Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce:  Thoroughly drain a medium-size jar of roasted red peppers and puree with 1/2 cup cream or milk for 15 to 30 seconds in blender.  Add to saucepan with remaining cream or milk.

BBQ Ribs

This recipe was given to me from my mother-in-law.  They are fall-off-the-bones goodness!

Prep. Time: 4 1/2 hours

Serves: About 6

4 lbs. pork ribs

1/4 cup dry spices, divided*

1 cup white grape juice**

1 cup apple juice**

3/4 cup brown sugar, divided

1 cup barbecue sauce

Preheat oven to 300F.

Stage 1: Place ribs in a roaster pan with lid.  (My MIL uses stoneware, I use a Nesco roaster oven with a rack.) Sprinkle both sides of ribs with 2 Tbsp dry spices, cover and bake 1 1/2 hours.

Stage 2: Pour in the juices; cover and bake 1 hour.

Stage 3: Mix 2 Tbsp dry spices with 1/4 cup brown sugar.  Sprinkle over ribs; cover and bake 1 hour.

Stage 4: Mix 1/2 cup brown sugar with barbecue sauce. Pour over ribs. Bake UNCOVERED 45 minutes (if in a roaster, leave lid on).

For honey barbecue sauce: Mix 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce and 1/2 cup honey

*I like Chicken/Poultry Seasoning from Sam's Club

**Or use 2 cups of either white grape or apple juice

Tip:  Since this takes so long to make, make extra and freeze it before you do Stage 4.  When ready to use, defrost overnight in the refrigerator and do the last step that day.

Chicken and Vegetable Rice

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

I tried this for lunch today and the kids really liked it. It was so easy, too!

2 Tbsp butter

1 cup white rice

5 cups water

1 1/2 cups mixed freeze-dried or dehydrated vegetables*

3 chicken bouillon cubes (1 1/2 Knorr)

1/2 cup freeze-dried chicken, optional**

1/4 tsp pepper

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add rice and stir until coated. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir; cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

*Substitute 1 1/2 cups frozen or canned vegetables and reduce water by 2 1/4 cups.

**Substitute 1 can chicken or 1/2 cup cooked chicken or if FD chicken is omitted, reduce water by 3/4 cup.

Holiday Pancake Mix

Prep Time: 10 to 30 minutes

Makes: About 11 cups mix

8 cups white or whole wheat flour (I use ground soft white wheat)

3/4 cup shortening powder

3/4 cup dehydrated fat-free milk (if using instant, double the amount)

3/4 cup white or brown sugar

2/3 cup dehydrated whole eggs or dehydrated scrambled egg mix

1/3 cup baking powder

2 1/2 tsp salt

1. Mix the ingredients well and place in storable container (I use the back of a spoon to get rid of the lumps from the eggs or you can try sifting them). We recommend an empty #10 can (with lid) or a 120 oz. Snapware. (I use an 11-cup square Modular Mates from Tupperware.) Label and use within six months.

2. To prepare, add equal amounts of water to dry ingredients or to your preference (I make it a little thinner than I want since it thickens after standing a few minutes).

For a little variety, add to the batter: fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried blueberries or raspberries, sliced fresh or freeze-dried bananas, chopped apples and a dash of cinnamon, etc...

For topping ideas: try this or this.

I have been looking for a pancake/waffle mix that is comparable to the Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake and Waffle Mix. Or even a pancake recipe that is just as light and fluffy. Usually you have to separate the eggs and beat the egg whites until stiff. Too much work for me when I can buy Krusteaz. However, I have wanted the benefits of whole wheat in Krusteaz and so haven't been buying it. I found this recipe on the Emergency Essentials website and love it. It is just as light and fluffy as Krusteaz, but I can grind my own wheat and it's way cheaper! I made a few modifications or clarifications to the directions, but for the original, click here.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Makes 2 cups frosting

2 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
Cocoa powder (1/4 cup for light flavor, 1/2 cup for medium flavor, 3/4 cup for dark flavor)
6 Tbsp butter or margarine, softened
4 to 5 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

In small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar with amount of cocoa for flavor you prefer. Cream butter and 1/2 cup cocoa mixture in small mixer bowl. Add remaining cocoa mixture, milk and vanilla; beat to spreading consistency. For a glossier texture, add 1 Tbsp light corn syrup to the mixture.

This is my go-to chocolate frosting recipe. I got it out of a Hershey's Cookbook. It is really fast and easy and delicious, too!

Spanish Corned Beef

This is one of my kids all-time favorites. Everyone in the house likes it and is excited when I say I'm making it for dinner. Best of all, it's so easy and fast to make!

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

1 can corned beef

1/4 cup sofrito

15 Spanish olives, with juice

1 pkg. Sazon Goya(R) con achiote

3 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup water, or more depending on how liquidy you want it

1 1/2 cups rice, uncooked

Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, add remaining ingredients to a medium saucepot and simmer until potatoes are soft. Serve over hot rice.

Substitutions:
Add 1 cup extra water and 1/2 cup dried diced potatoes
Use 1 can drained garbanzo beans instead of potatoes
Replace corned beef and potatoes with 1-2 cans of corned beef hash

Italian Chili

Prep Time: 4 to 8 hours

Makes: About 6 servings

I made this for our ward Halloween party and won 2nd place. I was pretty pleased about it, since I haven't won any places for several years. The last time I won, I was one of five people that brought chili and everyone won a category... I just wanted to do something a little different than the regular chili and so tried this. I think of it as a spicy version of Pasta e Fagioli.

1 lb. hot Italian sausage, casings removed*

1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced**

1 medium onion, chopped**

1/2 medium bell pepper, chopped

2 cans (15 oz. each) cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained

1 can (14.5 oz.) stewed tomatoes

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce

1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning, crushed between palms

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. ground white pepper

Brown sausage in water over medium heat until no pink remains, stirring to break up sausage. Drain and add sausage to a large pot or crock pot. Add olive oil to saucepan used to cook sausage and saute garlic, onion, and bell pepper until tender-crisp; add to pot with sausage. Add remaining ingredients. Using kitchen shears, cut stewed tomatoes in can and add to pot. Cook on low on stove 2 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Cook in crock pot on high 2 to 4 hours or on low 6 to 8 hours.

Serving options:

Serve over cooked pasta

Top with shredded mozzarella cheese

Top with grated Parmesan cheese

*The chili isn't very spicy at first, but it strengthens as it cooks. It ends up being somewhat spicy and to make it more mild, use half hot and half sweet Italian sausage or just sweet Italian sausage.

**I used 1/2 tsp. dried minced garlic and 2 Tbsp. dried onion and added 1/4 cup extra water.

Post Edit (3/12/2010): I tripled this recipe (only doubled the meat) and it comes to the very top of my 6-quart Nesco roaster. I also used only sweet Italian sausage that I had precooked and sliced, then froze. I used only 2 pounds of meat, 1 cup dried onions, and 1 cup freeze-dried green peppers.

German Chocolate Brownies

Prep Time: 35 to 45 minutes

Makes: 1 - 13"x9" pan

Brownie mix (for 13"x9" pan)

Ingredients to make brownies

1 cup chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate chips)

1 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)

1 cup shredded coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

Make brownies according to package directions. Spread brownies in lightly greased 13"x9" pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and coconut on brownie batter. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk over the top. Bake as per brownie mix instructions until edges and some of the top is golden. Remove from oven and cool slightly before serving.

This started as an experiment. I wanted to make the bar cookies that are sometimes called "Seven Layer Bars" or "Magic Cookie Bars" or "Easiest Cookies in the World". One time I made them with chocolate graham crackers instead of honey grahams and really liked them. So I decided to try using a brownie crust with the "seven-layer" part on top. I made a homemade brownie mix and altered the recipe a bit, but I won't post it since it's in a copyrighted book. I'm sure any brownie mix will work.

I served this at my parents' house and my dad named it. He had two big pieces in about 10 minutes...