Oregano & Lemon Pork Kebabs

I used this basically for the marinade. I did do the meat as on skewers, but just did the veggies on the side.
This is the original recipe.

1 lb lean pork loin, cut into 1 inch cubes

Marinade:

1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon rosemary sprig
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4-1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Choose 2 or 3 from a selection of vegetables

1 medium red pepper, cut into large chunks
1 medium zucchini, cut into 3/8 inch thick slices
8 grape tomatoes
1 medium onion, cut into large chunks
8 medium white mushrooms
For the marinade combine all ingredients in a resealable plastic bag or non-reactive bowl.
Trim the pork of all visible fat and cut into 1 inch cubes. Place cubes in bag and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
(You can also toss the vegetables in if you like. Mushrooms and zucchini are especially good in absorbing the flavor.).

Thread kebabs alternating between the pork cubes and vegetables. Depending on the size of your pork cubes and the length of the skewers, you will have 1 large or 2 small skewers per person.
Place on indoor or outdoor grill and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.

Mint Chocolate Delight Cookies

We made these for Family Home Evening tonight. I found these chips at Target over Christmas and they have just been sitting in my pantry. This is the recipe on the package. They taste like a thin mint girl scout cookie warm out of the oven!

I don't know if these morsels will be around in the store very long since they say "Limited Edition," so if you see them, pick some up and try these cookies. They would also be great in brownies!

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Dark Chocolate & Mint Morsels

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 325° F.

COMBINE flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by well-rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 11 to 13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and centers are set. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.



FOR MINI MINT CHOCOLATE DELIGHT COOKIES: Prepare dough as above. Drop by well-rounded measuring teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until cookies are puffed and centers are set. Makes about 7 dozen mini cookies.

Italian Beef Sandwiches

This is a super easy slow cooker recipe. They are sort of like french dip sandwiches. I had them on long french rolls and I put a little italian cheese blend on mine. Great Sunday fare!

1 boneless beef rump roast (about 3 pounds)
3 cups beef broth
1 package (.7 ounce) Italian salad dressing mix
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon pepper
12 buns or Italian rolls

Combine all ingredients except buns in slow cooker; cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours. Remove meat and shred; Strain out the bay leaf out of the juices in the slow cooker. Return mea to slow cooker and stir to combine with juices. Serve meat and juices in buns.

Make 12 Servings

Divine Nature Treats

Last night the girls had a young women's activity with the theme of the value divine nature. They had to bring a dessert that represented a divine quality. Madison chose fortune cookies for infinite wisdom. As with the fortune cookie, there is wisdom in each of us if only we will "crack into it!" We have been given the ability to develop our minds, bodies, and spirits. When we seek wisdom we are becoming more like our Heavenly Father.


We dipped the fortune cookies in milk and white chocolate to sweeten the deal!

Gabrielle chose peanut blossoms. She interpreted this into motherhood. We have been given the ability to create life. As women we have not only the physical qualities to do this, but the emotional qualities it takes to nurture and care for children. So the blossom in this cookie is a heart-- a mother's heart. We can develop love to share and care for our children.




These cookies are a spin off of the regular peanut blossom, only a Hershey's Bliss heart shaped milk chocolate candy in the center. This brand specifically has the type of chocolate that is designed to melt in the mouth, so when you put it on the warm cookie, it softens and shines! It keeps it's shape, but is soft and melty in the mouth. Yum!

To make these cookies we just used a Betty Crocker peanut butter cookie mix, following the package directions. Roll the cookie dough into balls and then roll the balls in fine sugar. Bake 10 minutes at 375° and immediately press a chocolate into the center of each cookie. cool 1 minute one the tray and then cool completely on a rack.

White Chocolate Fondue

For Valentine's Day we made the delicious fondue meal. For the main course we did the simmering broth fondue with cheese tortellini, steak, chicken and pork tenderloin. We served it with a salad and a baked potato this time. For dessert we did this white chocolate fondue with berries, bananas, brownies, and rice crispy treat dippers. Sweet!

White Chocolate Fondue Recipe

3/4 cup heavy cream

12 ounces white chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat the cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until hot, about 2 to 3 minutes. When hot, add the chocolate and stir until it is just melted and smooth. Stir in vanilla. Transfer to a warm fondue pot.

Serve with your choices of fresh strawberries, bananas, apple wedges, pound cake, ladyfingers, and biscotti. Serves 6 or more.

Chicken Fried Rice

We made Chicken Fried Rice from scratch for the first time Saturday for Chinese New Year. It is the Year of the Tiger (they love that around Mizzou!) This is a dish we really like and usually have made it from frozen with a "kit" kind of thing. They stopped making the brand I like, so we tried this recipe. It turned out pretty good! We served with mini egg rolls and a fortune cookie.

Ingredients: 

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into cubes)

4 cups white rice (cold and at least 1 day old)

2 large eggs

2 minced garlic cloves (or more add to your taste)

1 cup frozen peas and carrots
 (I just used frozen mixed veggies)
1 white onion (diced)

½ cup soy sauce (or to your taste)

2 tablespoons oyster sauce (or to your taste)

Sesame oil (for stir frying)

Vegetable oil

Cooking Instructions:



Step 1: Fry chicken pieces in oil until fully cooked or golden brown. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Beat eggs and fry in oil or butter and scramble. Remove from pan and set aside.


Step 2: Add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and one teaspoon of vegetable oil to the wok. Stir fry diced onion and garlic for 30 seconds, add peas and carrots mix and stir fry until vegetables are done to desired tenderness.



Step 3: Add a little more oil and then add the rice and stir fry for a couple minutes. Add soy sauce and oyster sauce to the rice while stir frying.


Step 4: Add the scrambled egg and chicken pieces and mix well. Heat thoroughly and serve.

Italian Pocket Sandwiches

I made these for Super Bowl Sunday-- pretty yummy. I liked the concept and now I am really wanting to try other filling ideas. Grilling them on the indoor grill makes them kind of like a panini.

Ingredients
1 pkg. (16 oz.) Johnsonville® Italian All Natural Ground Sausage (mild, sweet or hot)
1 pkg. (8 oz.) mozzarella cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 jar (14 oz.) pizza sauce
4 pita pockets, cut in half
4 oz. olive oil
Pizza sauce for dipping

Cooking Directions
Cook sausage according to package directions; crumble. Combine sausage and cheeses together in a bowl. Portion the sausage and cheese mixture into the pita pockets.

Brush the outside of the pita pockets with olive oil and grill pitas until mixture is warmed through.

Serve immediately, with warm pizza sauce for dipping.

Baked Onion Rings

I made these for dinner with hamburgers-- It is from Everyday Food. They were fantastic!

Cornflakes and a hot sheet pan are the secrets to the crispiness of these onion rings.



INGREDIENTS

Serves 4.

1 1/2 cups cornflakes
1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I also used a little garlic powder)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia, quartered crosswise and broken into rings (discard small center rings)
2 tablespoons olive oil (I used peanut oil, because of the higher smoke point)
DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a food processor, pulse cornflakes and breadcrumbs until fine crumbs form, then transfer to a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, flour, and cayenne and season with salt and pepper.
Dip onion rings in egg mixture (letting excess drip off) and dredge in cornflake mixture; place on a large plate. Pour oil onto a rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven and heat 2 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and tilt to coat evenly with oil. Arrange onion rings on sheet. Bake, turning once, until onion rings are golden brown, about 16 minutes. Season with salt.

Marbled Brownies

I made these for Family Home Evening-- very rich. But oh so delicious. Save up your calories for this one.

Marbled Brownies
Hands-On Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours and 45 minutes
Servings: Makes 24 brownies.
Rating: 4 stars

Description:
Duncan Hines Double Fudge Brownies swirled with artfully applied ribbons of cream cheese make for delicious Marbled Brownies.

Ingredients
1 pkg Duncan Hines® Double Fudge Brownie Mix
1 (3 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp butter or margarine, softened
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract


Baking Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 ºF. Grease bottom of 8x8-inch pan.
Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth in medium mixing bowl. Stir in sugar, egg, flour and vanilla. Beat until smooth; set aside.
Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies. Spread half of brownie batter in prepared pan. Spoon cream cheese mixture over batter. Spoon dollops of remaining brownie batter over top. Swirl brownie and cream cheese batter together with a knife or spatula.
Bake at 350 ºF for 36 to 39 minutes or until set. Cool completely. Chill 2 hours.