Favorite Chocolate Cake!

Cake 

• 1 C. oil
• 1 C. Sour milk (you can just add 1 Tbsp. lemon juice to 1 C. of milk)
• 1 C. boiling water
• 2 eggs
• 2 C. Sugar
• 2 3/4 C. Flour
• 2 tsp. Baking soda
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1/3 C. Cocoa

Frosting

• 1/4 C butter
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Cocoa
• 3 Tbsp Milk
• 2 1/2 C powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla

Directions:

Cake 

• Combine ingredients in order, mixing well after each addition
• Pour into cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes
• Top with rainbow chip icing and enjoy!!

Chopped Asian Salad

We loved this salad!

The mushrooms made it feel more hearty, and we loved the combination of all the other vegetables. Yummy! We cut this recipe in half and had plenty for Luke and I.

From Vegan Cooking for Carnivores by Roberto Martin


Asian Salad Dressing:

1 1/2 Cups low- sodium soy sauce (Very Important to have LOW sodium!)
One 2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp sesame oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1 Tbsp corn starch, mixed with 1/2 cup water

(I also added some rice wine vinegar, because I like vinegar-y dressings. :)

Place al ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a simmer and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.


1 Tbsp high heat oil
10 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and chopped
1 head green baggage, shredded
2 cups baby spinach, julienned
2 large carrots, grated
4 firm plum tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, cored , seeded and julienned
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1/2 cup raw sliced almonds

Cook mushrooms in oil until cooked through. Mix all ingredients together in large bowl- enjoy!

Mushroom Barley Soup

Don't let the picture fool you. It might not look totally amazing, but it is! Even my sister-in-law who is t on the fence about mushrooms loved it! If you really hate them, this soup might not be your thing, but if you are at all okay with them, then give it a try. I don't think you will be disappointed!

Mushroom Barley Soup

adapted from Forks Over Knives Cookbook

Ingredients:

1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped

2 medium carrots, diced

4 celery stalks, diced

8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced

8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced

2 Tsp. thyme

1 1/2 tsp. rosemary

5 cups Vegetable stock

3 cups cooked barley *

salt and pepper to taste

Place the onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms in a large pot and saute. Add the garlic, thyme, rosemary and cook for another minute. Add the vegetable stock and cooked barley. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 

*I cooked the barley in with the vegetables after I sauteed everything. I just added about 4-5 cups water along with 2 cups barley and let it simmer for 30-40 minutes. Either way will work!

Enjoy!!!

Curried Zucchini Soup

This is one of my very favorite soups! It is so warming and delicious, but it is light enough that you can eat to your hearts content without feeling guilty about it. :) Even better, it is really simple and quick to put together! 

Curried Zucchini Soup

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Onion

2 Garlic Cloves

5 Medium Zucchini

5 Cups Chicken Stock

2 Tsp. Curry Powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, add olive oil, chopped onion and minced garlic and cook until onion is tender. Cut all the zucchini in half lengthwise, then roughly chop them. Add zucchini to the pot and cover in chicken stock. Cook until zucchini is tender. Add curry powder and salt and pepper. Blend all the ingredients together. An immersion blender is easiest, but a regular blender will work, it will just take more time because you will have to work in batches. 

Serve with your favorite bread or crackers. Enjoy!!

Whole Wheat Bread

I am back! After a way-too-long hiatus, it is time for me to start adding a few recipes! However, they might be a little different than they were before. My family has been trying to eat a more whole-foods diet with lots of grains, fruits, veggies and beans. We still eat hamburgers and pizza and yummy treats, but we are trying to cut back.  So there will be a mix of both on here!

I made this whole wheat bread today, and it was the best one I have ever made! I have tried a few different recipes, but they always end up really crumbly, or they don't have very good flavors. This was perfect and I am so excited about it! 

Whole Wheat Bread

(adapted from wholewheatbreadrecipe.blogspot.com)

Ingredients:

                                                      1/3 cup milk (I used almond milk)

1/4 cup honey

1 cup warm water (between 110 and 120 degrees F)

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 1/4 tsp instant yeast 

3 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

Directions:

In your mixer, combine the milk, honey, water, salt, oil and yeast. Mix to combine. Gradually add flour until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Once all the ingredients are combined, mix for 6-8 minutes or until the dough is very smooth. 

Place a small amount of oil in a large bowl, and put dough in bowl and flip to cover the dough with oil. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise until it is doubled in size. (About an hour or more if the room is cooler.)

Once the dough has doubled in size, grease a loaf pan and shape the dough to fit the pan. Cover and let rise until the dough has risen above the pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and bake the bread in the center of the oven for about 40 minutes. 

Enjoy!!

Candy Cane Punch

This was also on the menu for Christmas Eve. I had seen it on Pinterest and wanted to try it because it just looks so darn cute! Not only was it cute... it was delicious! I can imagine that this recipe will be hanging around our holiday parties for a while! 

Candy Cane Punch

Recipe and Photo Courtesy of tasteofhome.com

Ingredients

1 (18 oz) jar strawberry jelly -NO SEEDS!

2 liters lemon-lime soda, divided

1.5 quarts peppermint stick ice cream

mini candy canes, optional


Directions
In a large saucepan, melt jelly with 2 cups soda. Chill the jelly mixture and remaining soda. Just before serving, place 6 cups ice cream in a punch bowl. Gently stir in jelly mixture. Add remaining soda. Add remaining ice cream by scoopfuls. Garnish with candy canes if desired. Enjoy!!!

Jalapeno Popper Dip

I made this for Lucas's families Christmas Eve party, and it was a huge hit!! Everyone LOVED it! I have made it before for my family also, and the reaction was exactly the same. I am pretty sure you can't go wrong with one! It is a crowd pleaser for sure!

*I haven't gotten a picture of this yet, but I am making it again for New Years Eve so I will try to snap one before it gets eaten! No guarantees though! :)

Jalapeno Popper Dip
Recipe Courtesy of americanfood.about.com


Ingredients:
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temp
1 C mayonnaise
1 C shredded Mexican blend cheese (half jack, half cheddar cheese)
1/2 C parmesan cheese
1 (4oz.) can chopped green chilies
1 (4oz.) can diced jalapenos
1/2 C parmesan cheese
1 C panko bread crumbs
1/2 stick butter, melted

Directions:
In a food processor, add first 6 ingredients and mix until smooth. Do not drain either of the cans of peppers. Spread the dip into a 2 qt casserole dish, or a 9x13 pan. In a bowl, mix panko, butter and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the dip. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbly. Served with bite sized pieces of french bread or buttery crackers. Enjoy!!

Baked Potato Soup

We had this for dinner tonight and it was so delicious! Lucas said it is one of his favorite soups of all time. And the best part is that it was so easy to put together!

Baked Potato Soup

from  http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com/

1 30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns {I used Ore Ida}

3 14oz. cans of chicken broth

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1/2 pkg. cream cheese {don’t use fat free.  It WON’T melt!!!} 

Combine everything in pot and bring to a boil. Add cream cheese and let melt. We added some bacon to ours, and you could also do cheese, sour cream, green onions, or whatever suits your fancy! Enjoy!!

Frog Eye Salad

Sorry about the lack of recipes for the past few months! We found out we are having baby #2, which we are so excited about! But as a result of this new babe,  I have lost my desire to cook, poor Lucas. :) Good things these babes are worth it! 

I did manage to make this frog eye salad for our family Halloween party this year though, and I had a few requests for the recipe. It is so easy and yummy! It always reminds me of my Aunt Vicky- this was her signature dish she would bring to all our family get-togethers when I was growing up. 

Photo Courtesy of foodsnots.com

Frog Eye Salad

1 C Sugar

2 Tbsp Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

3 Egg Yolks, beaten

1 3/4 C Acini Pepe (Italian pasta in macaroni section of store)

2- 11 oz. Cans Mandarin Oranges

1- 13 oz Can Crushed Pineapple

1/2 - 1 C Mini Marshmallows

2 Bananas, sliced

1- 16 oz Cool Whip

Add Acini to 2 qt. boiling water and boil for 8-10 minutes until tender. Strain and let cool. Drain pineapple and reserve the juice. Add water to the pineapple juice to make 1 3/4 C liquid. Combine pineapple juice, sugar, flour, salt, and egg yolks and boil on medium heat until thick. Add acini to this mixture and let set in the refrigerator at least 3 hours, if not overnight. When completely cool, add oranges, pineapple, banana, marshmallows and cool whip. Fold together and serve. Enjoy!!

Healthy Brownies??

Yep! You heard me right! As far as I can tell, these brownies are gluten free and pretty diabetic friendly. I usually cringe at the thought of making a delicious dessert "healthy," but these were great! The ingredients aren't things that I usually have on hand, but I could get them all at walmart, so they are pretty available. 

1 C dark chocolate chips (if you want to use a bar, it's about 6 ounces)
½ cup coconut milk (either canned, or I used some from "silk" that I got by the milk)
2 eggs
1 ¼ cups almond flour (got in the gluten free section at walmart)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened dried dates 

White chocolate chips (optional

Blend dates and coconut milk in blender until dates are broken up in small pieces. Melt dark chocolate chips and coconut milk mixture in a small saucepan over very low heat. When chocolate is completely melted, remove saucepan from heat. Stir eggs into saucepan containing chocolate/coconut milk mixture. Next, stir in almond flour, salt and baking soda. Grease an 8x8 baking dish

with oil of your choice. Pour batter into baking dish, then sprinkle with white chocolate chips over batter. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Cool and serve.  Enjoy!

Ranch Potato Salad

I love this potato salad! It is so different from what I am used to, but it so good! I got this recipe from my mother-in-law, and every time I see her bring it to a bbq I know that I am in big trouble, because I always eat WAY too much of it! 

Ranch Potato Salad

What you need:

(*NOTE: I am not going to put the amount of things you need. This is such an easy salad you just add the ingredients to your liking. And it will vary depending on how many potatoes you use. As a general rule, I cook 2 potatoes for each person being served.)

Red Potatoes

Bacon

Green Onions

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Ranch

Clean red potatoes and cut them in to bite size pieces. Put in a pot and fill with water until the potatoes are covered. Bring water to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender. 

While the potatoes are boiling, cut raw bacon in to small pieces and cook in a pan until you reach your desired crispiness. 

Wash and cut green onions in to small pieces. 

Shred cheddar cheese. 

When potatoes are done cooking, drain the liquid and allow them to cool. When they are cool, mix potatoes with bacon, onions and cheese. Add ranch until you have reached your desired consistency. Enjoy!!!

Energy Granola Bars

Lucas just got back from a 4 day hike with the scouts. Since they had to carry all the food they were eating with them on their backs, they mostly had a few different variations of rice and beans, with a few dehydrated eggs. Yuck! So before they left, I made a big pan of these to give them a little something sweet to help them make it through. When Lucas came back he reported that everyone loved these! Some of the boys even hiked back to the truck (it was a VERY steep 1.5 mile hike) to get some more the 2nd day! They were a big hit! 

These are pretty sweet and packed with energy, so I am not sure I would make these just to munch on around the house. But if you are headed out for a hike, these are great!

Energy Granola Bars

from wildbackpacker.com

What you need:

1 C peanut butter

3/4 C honey

3 C quick oatmeal

Plus any other add ins you think sound good!

Combine the peanut butter and honey in a medium saucepan and warm over low heat. Stir constantly until mixed thoroughly. Remove from heat and add in the oatmeal and any optional items. Press into a 9×9 inch ungreased pan and let cool. Cut into bars and store in plastic baggies. No need to refrigerate.Makes 16 (2×2 inch) bars. Enjoy!!

No Bake Cookies

Everyone needs a good no-bake cookie recipe. Kinda like how everyone needs a good chocolate-chip cookie recipe, only this is much easier! We LOVE no bake cookies around here. Most of the time they don't make it long enough to set up, they get scooped up with a spoon and eaten as quickly as possible. I know that a lot of people make their no bakes without the peanut butter. I grew up with peanut butter no bakes, so for me this is just strange!!! It's like a quesadilla without the cheese! But, to each their own I guess. Here is my recipe for peanut butter included no bake cookies! 

No Bake Cookies

What you need:

1/2 C butter

2 C sugar

1/2 C milk

3 C quick oats

4 Tbsp cocoa

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 C peanut butter

Melt butter in a 2 qt saucepan. Add  sugar and milk and stir in well. Bring mixture to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute. Take off heat and add quick oats, cocoa and vanilla. Mix well then add in peanut butter. 

Spread a piece of wax paper on your counter to put the cookies on. Use a tablespoon to scoop the mixture out and place on wax paper. Let set for a minute, and enjoy!!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

I wish that this picture could do this meal justice, but it clearly doesn't. Although it might not look too appetizing in this picture, this recipe is so good! It is one of my favorite quick, go-to meals to make, and Lucas loves it. I have made it a few times for dinner with guests, and everyone else that has tried it loves it also. So this one is a winner!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

You will need:

4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts

4 pieces of swiss american cheese (stay with me here, it is so good!)

8 pieces of lunch meat ham OR 4 thick pieces of ham

bread crumbs/panko /crushed corn flakes or anything else you would like to add to the top

Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pound chicken pieces out until thin. You can use a meat pounder, or if you are like me and don't have one of those quite yet, you can put your chicken between two pieces of wax paper and pound it with a rolling pin. 

Now lets talk about  the fact that this recipe uses american cheese. Yes, it is the kind that comes in their own wrapper. Yes, I normally hate pasteurized cheese and never use it in any other recipes.  Yes, it makes this recipe so extra delicious and the cheese that melts makes a really yummy sauce! If you are REALLY opposed to using it, I understand. And normal swiss cheese will still work great. But if you want to go out on a limb, I really don't think you will be disappointed!

So layer your cheese and ham on your chicken and roll up. You can keep it together with a toothpick if it doesn't look like it is going to stay.

Sprinkle your bread crumbs or whatever else you want to use for a crunch on top and add any other seasonings you like.  I use some regular old salt and pepper, and if I am feeling fancy I will add some dried herbs. Whatever sounds good!

Put the four pieces of chicken in a 8x8 casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked through. 

Enjoy!!

Un-fried Ice Cream

This un-fried ice cream is, simply put, AMAZING!! I brought it to a BBQ that we had for Lucas's birthday where both sides of our families were there, and since then everyone has requested it again. It has the perfect coco-nutty taste and the crunchy topping with the ice cream is irresistible!  So if I am going to give you this recipe, I feel that I have to give you a warning to come with it. It is addicting and even if you are "trying to eat more healthy" you will find yourself going back for more and maybe even licking the pan. Unless you have extreme self control that is. And if that is the case- I envy you. You are a superhero in my mind. 

From the kitchen of Erin Permann

Un-Fried Ice Cream

What you need:

1 gallon of vanilla ice cream (I usually end up using a little less than the whole gallon)

1 C butter

1 1/2 C brown sugar

1 C shredded coconut

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 (8 oz) pkg. sliced almonds

3 1/2 C. crushed Rice Chex

Crush your Rice Chex. I have found that putting about half of a regular size cereal box of Rice Chex into either a plastic bag to crush or a food processor yields the right amount.  

Then remove your ice cream from the freezer.  You need to be able to slice the ice cream like bread so it is easy to layer. You can either slice it in the container and scoop it out, or you can squeeze the whole container on to a cutting board and slice it that way.

Melt butter and sugar together over medium heat and bring to a boil. Boil mixture for 1 minute. Remove from heat and immediately add coconut, almonds, Rice Chex and cinnamon. Press half of the mixture into a 9x13 pan. (Glass works best if you have it.)  Cover the mixture with the sliced ice cream and smooth over the edges so it covers the entire mixture. Cover the ice cream with the rest of the coconut mixture. Cover with saran wrap and then tin foil to prevent freezer burn and freeze. Serve once it has had some time to harden up. Enjoy!!!

Steel Cut Oats

I love eating steel cut oats in the morning! They are so filling and healthy, and give me a great start for the day. The best part is that I can make a whole batch one morning and it will last me for a week. They are also so diverse and you can add really any extra ingredients you like. Whether it is nuts or fruit, and any kind of sweetener is good with it. So give it a try! You will feel healthy and filled.

What you need:

2 C steel cut oats

7 C water

1/4 tsp salt

AND any other ingredients your heart desires!

Bring water to a rolling boil and add the steel cut oats. Lower temperature and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes or until all of the water has been absorbed. Make sure you stir a few times, especially at the end to make sure it doesn't get burnt. 

I also love to eat my steel cut oats with milk that I pour over it after it is done cooking. Yummy! 

Enjoy!!

* You can also cook steel cut oats in the crock pot overnight. I tried this once and it worked pretty well, but the edges where the cereal was touching the crock pot got a little crisp! I am sure with some trial and error you could find the perfect recipe!

Strombolli

If I was forced to eat only one food for the rest of my life, this would definitely be in the final three choices. (That's a pretty big decision though, so I can't say for sure.)  :)

This is something that my family has been eating since I can remember. It is basically a delicacy at our house, and whenever we feel like really impressing someone, we pull out this recipe.  I don't think I have ever seen anyone eat this that hasn't loved it. It really is so incredibly delicious! I think that this recipe played in a big hand in getting Lucas to marry me too. :) 

So here is the recipe for the ultimate super food. Its magic powers will impress everyone who eats it, and might even score you a spouse! 

Strombolli

What you need:

3 loaves of frozen Rhodes bread dough

1 lb Italian sausage

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 lb Mozzarella cheese

1/2 Romano cheese

Spaghetti or Marinara sauce for dipping

About 5-6 hours before you will be making strombolli, put your three loaves of frozen bread on a cookie sheet and cover it with a damp towel. Leave it on the counter so that it can thaw out. (I have made this recipe with home made bread too, and it turns out pretty good also. Although I still prefer to use Rhodes bread.)

When you are ready to make your strombolli, cook your sausage along with Italian seasoning until it is fully cooked. Drain meat.

 Yes, that is a potato masher. It is the most wonderful thing to cook meat with, because it breaks it all up so easily. The biggest downer? Metal on a Teflon pan. I know I shouldn't do that, but I can't help it! It just works so great!

Shred  both cheeses and mix to combine. 

Take 1 loaf of thawed bread and either roll it out in to a rectangle or just stretch it to get it to the size you desire. I usually just pick it up and stretch it and then spread it out more when it is on the pan. When you have your bread all spread out, put 1/3 of the shredded cheese on it, covering it all the way to the edges. Then put 1/3 of your cooked sausage covering the cheese.

Roll up the loaf like you would a cinnamon roll loaf. Put in oven and bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Slice and dip in spaghetti or marinara sauce. Enjoy!!

Roasted Broccoli

The first time I made this Lucas asked me if it was some sort of candy broccoli. :) Not because it is sweet at all, but because it is so good, and it is so hard to stop eating it! I made a whole 9x13 sized pan full of it, and Lucas and I easily ate all of it. It is amazing how much roasting the broccoli changes the flavor.

So if you like broccoli at all, you need to try this recipe! It is so delicious and really healthy too, which is always a great bonus. Even if you don't like broccoli, maybe you should consider this recipe too. It really is that good. :)

Roasted Broccoli

What you need:

Broccoli (in the amount you would like)

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Salt

Use as much broccoli as you you think you and your family will eat. Lucas and I eat a lot of it, so we probably aren't a good gage as to how much you will need! But I bought a large bag of pre-cut broccoli at Winco for about 3 dollars and used half of it. 

After your broccoli is rinsed and dried, put it on a cookie sheet or in a casserole dish.  Drizzle the broccoli with olive oil. Season to your liking with salt, pepper and garlic salt. Toss the broccoli to combine all the flavors. You can also add many other spices or seasoning that sound good! Last time we made it, we added some lemon juice and parmesan cheese to it after it came out of the oven. 

Bake broccoli at 425 degrees until the edges start getting brown/black. (With my large pan of broccoli it about 30-40 minutes.) Take it out of the oven and enjoy!!!

Winner!!!

I got up this morning so excited to see who won this great prize! Random.org chose...

#6- The winner is Kasey!

Congrats!! E-mail me with your information so I can get your prize mailed to you! 

recipeaddiction1@gmail.com

Easy Blender Salsa

Don't forget to enter our giveaway!! It will end tomorrow at 8:30 AM!

My freshman year of college, I had a roommate that made this salsa for me. I immediately fell in love! We would make huge batches of this stuff and my two roomies and I would sit down and eat the whole bowl in one night. It was a staple in our apartment- that is for sure!

I am also so grateful for this salsa, because it turned my dislike for onions in to a love for onions. :) It might sound crazy, but it is true. I credit this recipe for me longer have to pick onions out of salads or off of salads and burgers. I will be forever grateful!

Blender Salsa

What you need:

2 (14 oz) cans stewed tomatoes

1 can diced green chilis

1 tsp red pepper flakes (more or less depending on how much heat you like)

 4 green onions

1/2 bunch of cilantro

Juice of 1 lime

Pour stewed tomatoes and diced green chilis in blender. Add red pepper flakes, green onions and lime juice. Pulse the blender until onions are chopped up. Add cilantro and blend for a few more seconds. 

Serve and enjoy!

*Tip: Try to choose limes with a thin, smooth skin. You have less of a chance of them being bitter.