Recipe Box

Hello moms, I am looking for new and fun ideas for dinner and lunchbox friendly lunches for my daughter. We have been dealing with an allergy to wheat for a few months, but she is quickly getting tired of the same things. Any ideas that you have would be awesome. I have tired other sites and gotten no responses. I am looking for new ways to serve foods, and my daughter is not a picky eater. She likes most fruits and veggies and will try anything. We have been doing a lot of meat roll up and have bought some of the special gluten free foods, but like I said I think she is getting bored. Hope you all are more creative than I am.

This is quick and easy to make for that last minute "have to take something" and always gets wiped out. My husband loves this stuff! I bought it at the store and looked at and said "I could make this" So I went on line looking until I found the same recipe that was just like the stores.

5 Cup Salad

1 can pineapple tidbits in juice , drained
1 can mandarin orange , drained
1 cup marshmallow
1 cup shredded coconut (prepackaged)
1 (8ounces)container Cool Whip Topping

Toss pineapple, mandarin oranges, marshmallows and coconut lightly together.
Fold in Cool Whip.
Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator for later. 6-8 servings]
Just 5 minutes to make.

Orange Rum Baba
An orange flavored cake, with orange soaked raisins, baked in a bundt pan and soaked while still warm in an orange juice and rum syrup. Totally sinful.

Irish Whiskey Tipsy Cake
A rich pound cake flavored with coffee, baked in a bundt pan and soaked while still warm in a coffee and Irish whiskey syrup. What more could you ask for on St. Patrick's day?

Peach Custard Tart
Rich French sweet pastry, made in a saucepan and rolled out between saran wrap while still warm, filled with a creamy egg custard and peaches and then baked. A total melt in the mouth experience to taste this while still warm.

Mud Pie
The same sweet pastry as above, filled with a chocolate filling that can only be described as a gooey brownie, rich, dark and more-ish.

Chocolate Cream Pie
A graham cracker crust filled with a rich chocolate egg custard and finished with whipped cream and grated chocolate. Jello pudding never tasted like this.

Heavenly Bananas with Ice Cream
A Nicaraguan dessert of bananas baked with cream cheese, butter, cinnamon and coconut milk. Even if you think you don't like coconut, you have to try this. Heaven on Earth.

Butterscotch Pie
A graham cracker crust filled with a rich homemade butterscotch egg custard, that can be finished with meringue for sheer indulgence or just served with cream for the lighter touch (who are we fooling?).

Harvest Apple Pie
Rich French sweet pastry, made in a saucepan and rolled out between saran wrap while still warm and filled with a mixture of apples, craisins, apricots and topped with a cinnamon-nut streusel.

French Apple Tart
The same French pastry but this time placed on top of sliced apples and a brown sugar, butter and cinnamon mixture to look just like the French desserts they show in the fancy Gourmet magazines but made easy.

Cherry Almond Macaroon Tart
The same French pastry but with a cherry filling and an almond and coconut macaroon topping that gives you a burst of texture and taste sensations.

Chocolate Bread Pudding
An update on a classic. Straight from an English nursery, and still lusted after by many men who remember this from their childhood. Rich challah bread (to be really evil) soaked in a rich egg custard with the addition of chocolate chips, baked until it is crunchy on top but meltingly soft and smooth under that crust.

Cinnamon Monkey Bread
Homemade quick and easy yeast dough, that is encased in a butter, brown sugar and cinnamon mixture, baked and drizzled with cream cheese frosting that reminds me of Ben and Jerry's vanilla ice cream. They believe in using the 'real stuff' and so do I if you want the real flavor. This is not meant to be an every day treat.

Pavlova
An Australian classic created to honor the Ballerina Anna Pavlova. Don't be fooled by books that say it is just a meringue. It is not. Inside that crisp exterior is a meltingly soft meringue that looks like fluff but certainly doesn't taste like it. Topped with fresh cream and fresh fruit. This can't be made in humid weather.

Nut Macaroon Cream Pie
Similar to a Pavlova because it is based on a meringue but this has ground toasted nuts folded in and is cooked to thin, crisp layers that are filled with cream and fruit. This can't be made in humid weather.

Nutty Pecan Indulgence
This is truly an Indulgence. Take a 9" pie plate with a ground pecan crust, lightly spiced with cinnamon, filled with a rich chocolate truffle sauce. Refrigerate it while you make the creamy caramel sauce which is then poured all over the chocolate filling and then finished with whipped cream. Incredibly rich so you know you should stop eating it, but it tastes too good to leave any.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Pie
(from Emeril Lagasse on GMA and it does work) a peanut butter/graham cracker crust, filled with an almost cheesecake mix of cream cheese, peanut butter and melted chocolate and garnished with whipped cream and grated chocolate.

Getting Ready/Equipment
• Don't mess with the basic ingredients, the flour, liquid, salt, fat and leavening in your recipe. Unlike other types of cooking, you must measure your ingredients accurately and have the right tools to do so.
• Dry ingredients are measured in flat-topped measuring cups and are made to be filled to the top and leveled off.
• Liquid measures are usually glass, with more space at the top, and a pour spout. Add liquids to the cup, set it on the counter and look at it sideways, on its own level. Do not substitute liquid and dry measuring cups for one another -your ingredient measurements will be inaccurate if you do.
• Tableware spoons should not be used for measuring since they vary in size.
• For best results use shiny aluminum baking sheets without sides (baked products will brown more quickly on dark-colored baking sheet because they absorb more heat than the shiny type). You can also turn a jelly-roll pan (15 x 10 x 1-inch pan) upside down and use it in place of a baking sheet.
• Prepare baking pans according to the recipe. Cookies with a high fat content may not need to be baked on a greased surface. Remember some non-stick pans can be ruined if you apply non-stick sprays.
• Tip: allow baking sheet to cool completely before reusing.
• Tip: Line baking sheets with parchment paper. The paper will withstand high temperatures without scorching. This makes the baking sheet easier to clean, and you can slide the sheet of parchment with the baked cookies right onto your rack for cooling. However, as they cool you'll need to turn them over to complete the cooling and prevent the bottom of the cookies from getting soggy.
• Bake only one sheet of cookies at a time on the middle rack in the center of the oven.
• A wire cooling rack speeds the cooling of cookies, etc. It allows steam to escape from all sides of the baked product so the bottom doesn't get soggy.
• Tip: use a cooling rack with closely spaced wires so cookies have adequate support when cooling.
Ingredients
Flour
• All-purpose is a good choice for a wide variety of recipes from cookies to breads to cakes.
• It comes in 2 basic forms; bleached and unbleached, which can be used interchangeably.
• All purpose flours today are "pre-sifted" therefore no need to sift the flour unless a recipe specifically states to do so. Do not tamp it down when measuring. Spoon it into cup and let it heap up, then use the flat side of a knife to level it off.
• Whole wheat flour is heavier. If you substitute it for all-purpose -you'll end up with a baked brick. You can substitute half the flour in an all white flour recipe with whole wheat, but no more than that.
Butter
• Substituting a spread product for butter or margarine is the most frequent baking mistake people make and often a guaranteed way to wind up throwing your results in the trash.
• If the first ingredient on the product label is water, don't use it for baking. Spreads that are less than 60 percent fat have a lot of water included and will make cookies spread too thin or otherwise mess up recipes.
• Stick margarine that is at least 80 percent fat can be substituted for butter. For best results, use butter if the recipe calls for butter. Buy it on sale when it is cheap and freeze in original packaging.
Baking Soda and Powder
• Place a teaspoon of baking powder in some warm water. It should foam and bubble quite actively if it is fresh.
• Place a teaspoon of baking soda in a small bowl, add 1 Tbsp. vinegar. If the mixture fizzes the baking soda is still good.
• Baking powder cannot be substituted for baking soda. They are not the same thing.
• Baking soda is used instead of baking powder when a recipe contains acid ingredients like buttermilk, vinegar or sour cream. It creates a chemical reaction as soon as the liquid ingredient is added so the recipe should be baked immediately after mixing or the gases will escape and the product will not rise.
Eggs
• Egg sizes range from jumbo to small. Always assume and use large size eggs in recipes unless it is specified differently.
• Before purchasing, always check the carton to make sure there are no cracked eggs.
• Eggs should be stored in the refrigerator. For optimum quality use them before the "Best Before" date expires.
• When eggs lose their freshness, the yolks flatten and the whites become runny. A fresh egg will sink in a bowl of water whereas an old egg will float.
• When adding eggs to a recipe, break them one at a time into a small bowl before adding to the other ingredients. This way you can check the quality first and remove any pieces of shell.

This is a selection of different appetizers. Obviously some are more suitable for a super bowl or summer barbecue style party, others for finger food buffet and others for a more formal dinner party. However, as the client, you get to choose what you like regardless of traditional rules. None of the 'spicy' dishes are like a five alarm chili, I always check for allergies and provide tent cards with name of dish, basic ingredients and a statement as to whether it does include any alcohol or nuts.

Mediterranean Tarts
Tiny fillo pastry shells with a filling of caramelized onions, roasted red pepper, sun dried tomatoes and artichokes, topped with a smidgeon of cheese and fresh basil when available.

Chicken Sateh
Bite sized chunks of boneless chicken breast cooked in a mildy spicy soy/ginger/sesame marinade. Served with a mildly spicy peanut sauce for dipping. This can be made far hotter but then your guests couldn't appreciate the other dishes served. This is a classic part of an Indonesian Rijstafel that I enjoyed while living in Holland.

Smoked Salmon spread
A blend of imported smoked salmon, cream cheese, seasonings and sherry. This can be piped onto thin slices of cucumber and garnished, made into mini celery boats, mixed with eggs to form stuffed eggs and garnished with tiny shrimp or more smoked salmon, piped into mini tarts or served on mini, hot cheese scones.

Taco Dip
That Super Bowl Favorite. A mildy spicy Mexican style cream cheese layer topped with grated cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes. Served with Tortilla chips.

Taco Cheese Ball
A variation of the above with the addition of grated cheddar to the basic cream cheese mix, formed into a ball or a log and coated in toasted pecans. Served with crackers.

Pepperoni Pizza dip
Your favorite pizza eaten as a dip. This is a hot cheese dip with Italian herbs, topped with pizza sauce, pepperoni, green onions, chopped bell peppers and finished with mozzarella cheese and baked until bubbly. Served with chips.

Genevieve's shrimp mold
This is a phenomenal shrimp mold of cream cheese, tomato, finely chopped raw vegetables, seasonings and huge shrimp chopped up. This is not made with canned shrimp or those tiny frozen shrimp that taste of cardboard, but with large fresh shrimp that retail for about $15.00/lb for an incredible taste sensation. Made in a decorative mold, turned out and garnished with whole shrimp, lemon whirls and cucumber slices as well as crackers.

Chicken Teriyaki
Bitesized cubes of boneless chicken breast marinated and then cooked in a sauce of honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and sesame seeds. The cooked sauce is then thickened and served as a dipping sauce.

Rosemary Onion Focaccia bread
Baked homemade pizza dough containing chopped rosemary, topped with caramelized onionsand golden raisins for a very sophisticated appetizer, that is also low fat.

Sun dried tomato focaccia bread
Baked homemade pizza dough topped with sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, artichokes, garlicky mushrooms and mozzarella cheese. Served hot and make sure to have plenty as it is very popular.

Asparagus roll-ups
Thin slices of bread are spread with a savoury butter (either blue cheese or garlicky), topped with cooked asparagus, rolled into a pinwheel and then broiled til brown.

Curried Chicken Balls
Chopped cooked chicken, cream cheese and seasonings (very mildy curried) are formed into bite sized balls and rolled in toasted almonds or coconut.

Swedish Meat Balls
Yet another favorite. Tiny meatballs cooked in a rich, creamy gravy and served hot. These are nothing like commercial meatballs.

Devilled Eggs
The original devilled eggs before they got made fancy. Just freshly hardboiled eggs with a touch of mustard and other seasonings and the yolks piped into the egg white shell.

Fancy Stuffed eggs
Take the above stuffed eggs but add shrimp, salmon, caviar, or pesto either in or on top of the egg yolk for an up beat variation.

Crab stuffed mushrooms
Either button mushrooms or baby portabello mushrooms are stuffed with a crab stuffing and baked. This is the way stuffed mushrooms should be, not just a dry herb stuffing.

Marinated Mushrooms
Mushrooms cooked and marinated in a not too vinegary herb dressing that is extremely moreish. Don't confuse these with the jars of vinegary pickled mushrooms available in the stores.

Chicken Wings
Chicken wings (I buy the chicken drumettes which are like mini drumsticks not the normal skimpy wings) cooked in a homemade barbecue sauce until meltingly tender and wonderfully sticky. The sauce can be spiced up if desired.

Chicken Liver Pate
This is a creamy, smooth chicken liver pate seasoned with herbs and spices with the addition of brandy for that extra touch. If you like pate, you'll love this one. Also made with the addition of toasted pistachios and dried cranberries for an interesting variation with some crunch.

Artichoke Dip
A baked dip of chopped artichokes, cream cheese and seasonings with a slight bite to it, served with baked pita bread chips.

Cheddar Gorge
A play on words. Named for the caves in England as well as our indulgence in eating it. Freshly made cheese ball including onion, chopped nuts, and plenty of pepper, served with guava jelly as a contrast to the bite.

Shrimp Fondue
A Hot creamy sauce served with chunks of bread and raw vegetables for dipping. My son loves this for dinner.

Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes stuffed with a pesto cream, or marscapone cheese and roasted red pepper, boursin cheese, curried chicken or a particular taste favorite that you request.

Fruit Dip
Slightly sweetened cream cheese dip enlived with cinnamon and Kahlua or Triple Sec for a very enjoyable taste enrobing fresh fruit.

Maya's Ham Roll-ups
Slices of ham with a savory cream cheese filling, rolled into pinwheels and sliced. Can be served alone or placed on a ritz style cracker.

Cream Puffs
Cream puffs, known as eclairs in Europe are prepared in a single bite size. Filled with plain or curried fresh chicken salad.

Sweet Mascarpone Torte
Mascarpone cheese is a very rich, full cream cheese that Philadelphia cream cheese only palely imitates. 1lb of Marscapone cheese is divided into three with layers of one filling of pureed apricots with orange liqueur and a second filling of chocolate ganache with orange liqueur. So cheese, apricots, cheese, chocolate, cheese layered together and turned out as a cake. Served with fingers of cinnamon graham crackers.

Vegetable Platter
Whatever vegetables your family and guests will eat (within reason and the season) arranged on a platter with homemade dips.. I would point out however, that I find that when there are plenty of interesting appetizers, guests don't eat nearly as much of the vegetable platter.

Coconut Chicken
Strips of boneless, skinless chicken breast in a coconut crumb crust, baked and served with a slightly spicy apricot or orange dipping sauce.

Baked Brie with a maple bourbon apple sauce topping
This is a small (8oz) brie that is baked in the oven with a homemade chunky apple sauce with the addition of cinnamon, bourbon and maple syrup. The Brie becomes soft and almost melts and is scooped up with cinnamon graham crackers. If your guests like Brie they will love this.

Mushroom Pastries
Little cases of crispy puff pastry, split and filled with a creamy mushroom sauce. This sauce is one of my favorite Lithuanian recipes and makes a delicious appetizer for a Dinner party.

Pear and blue cheese crostini
Thin slices of toasted French bread topped with slices of fresh pears (when good ripe pears are available) and finished with shavings of blue cheese, then broiled until cheese melts.

Pesto Mascarpone Torte
1 lb of Mascarpone cheese is divided into three with layers of two different types of pesto - normally classic basil and sun-dried tomato. Served with crackers.

Mexican Meatballs
Tiny, made from scratch, meatballs in a mildly spicy tomato chilli sauce. I know it's popular when the guests are mopping up the sauce with bread.

Shrimp and Cucumber dip
Cream cheese, shrimp, cucumber and herbs mixed together for a refreshing cool dip. This is also good as a salad.

Shrimp Salsa cups
Mini filo pastry cups filled with a mix of shrimp, cream and salsa. For a more dramatic look, the same filling can be used to fill baked wonton cups that are far bigger and therefore take more filling per cup.

Hot Crab Dip
Described as 'Heaven on a plate". Plenty of crab mixed with cream cheese, lemon, garlic and other spices, baked and served warm with crackers.

Bianco's sun-dried tomato and roasted red pepper dip.
A recipe from one of my students - sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red pepper, cream cheese and seasoning mixed together for a rich flavorful dip, served with tortilla chips.

Avocado and Shrimp Dip
Cubes of avocado mixed with small shrimp, tomatoes, lime and cilantro with a touch of pepper jelly for a mild kick. I could eat this by the bowlful.

Chicken Sateh
Bite sized chunks of boneless chicken breast cooked in a mildy spicy soy/ginger/sesame marinade. Served with a mildly spicy peanut sauce for dipping. This can be made far hotter but then your guests couldn't appreciate the other dishes served. This is a classic part of an Indonesian Rijstafel that I enjoyed while living in Holland.

Feel free to e-mail if you can't find the recipes. I am sure I have the recipes for each one above.

Not sure about everyone else... But I enjoy cooking! Especially for large groups and I love cooking new recipes. I have started to add some recipes of my own on this web site. I was wandering if anyone was up for a recipe exchange type thing. I know in my family I always end up choosing what we eat for supper. And there are days I look in the kitchen and go "now what??" Let me know what you think. Maybe we can start something like that here. Just a thought. Feel free e-mail if you like JLochtefeld@uniquecreationsvideo.com

Does anyone have any real good mexican dish recipes? We are having a Cindo De Mayo/Boss's Birthday carry in at work on Monday? I was hoping to find a recipe like the hacienda white bean dip/queso but I had no luck. Just thought I'd put the word on here to see if anyone had any ideas?? Thanks!

I just realized my Kitchen Aid stand mixer has a dough hook, and I've been thinking of attempting to try making some bread anyway.  Does anyone have any good recipes or tips for making good bread?

What is your family having for dinner tonight? We can never decide what to eat, we always go back and forth on what sounds good. By the time I get home from work it's always so much easier to just grab something out. But I'm really trying hard to save my money (and calories). I just dont know what to make tonight. I was thinking some kind of pasta or chicken recipe...any Ideas? :)

I bought a whole spiral sliced ham, and it's not that great.  Normally, we would eat it on sandwiches and such, but it's just not that tasty.  I plan on making dinner with it tonight and tomorrow, but need some ideas!  Any tasty ideas for using up a not-so-great ham?