Cheesy Orzo

This is one of Matt's favorite side dishes. It is really easy and a great substitute for rice or potatoes.

Cheesy Orzo - (Rachael Ray, Link)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cans (14 ounces) chicken or vegetable broth or stock
• 2 cups orzo pasta (enriched rice may be substituted)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat a 8 inch pot with a tight fitting cover over moderate heat. Add oil, onion and garlic and saute for 2 or 3 minutes. Add broth to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir in orzo and return broth to a boil. Cover pot and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until liquid is absorbed and pasta tender. Remove lid and stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. You favorite fresh herbs may also be stirred into the orzo or rice to strengthen the flavor even more

Notes:

1. I was able to find really good orzo. It is thick and looks about two time the size of a grain of rice. It was from a bulk buy though. I have bought barilla brand before but it is smaller and I don't like it as much. Hopefully you can find one you like at your stores.

2. I don't use the olive oil for my onions and garlic.

3. It serves our family of three eaters with left overs for Matt to take to work.

Peanut Butter Bars

No Bake Reece's Peanut Butter Bars (source - Our Best Bites )

1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs

1 lb (3 1/2 C) powdered sugar

1 1/2 C creamy peanut butter

1 C (2 sticks) real butter, melted

1 12oz bag chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, or dark, you pick!)

2 tsp shortening

In a large mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and peanut butter and butter and beat until combined. Press into a parchment (or waxed paper or foil) lined 9x13 pan. Place chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one, until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate over peanut butter mixture and spread out evenly. Place pan in the fridge just until chocolate is set and then cut into bars. Tip: If the bars chill until the chocolate is too hard to easily cut, use a sharp knife and score the cuts first, then gently cut through. Can be stored in the fridge or at room temp. They will stay firmer if stored in the fridge.

Notes:

1. A tip from their website said to add peanut butter instead of shortening to your chocolate. I did that and it worked out great.

2. I used lower fat peanut butter because it was all I had on hand and I was worried that it wouldn't turn out as well but it held up great.

3. A cup and a half of graham cracker crumbs was one of the three packages of crackers that come in the the box.

4. They have a very similar flavor to scoobs but these were a little more rich. They are really good.

Fried Rice

• Ingredients
• 
  
• 2 cups enriched white rice
• 4 cups water
• 2/3 cup chopped baby carrots
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• soy sauce to taste

optional

sesame oil

4 cups broth (for the rice)

meat

1. Make the rice

2. In a small saucepan, boil carrots in water about 3 to 5 minutes. Drop peas into boiling water, and drain.

3.Heat wok over high heat. Pour in oil, then stir in carrots and peas; cook about 30 seconds. Crack in eggs, stirring quickly to scramble eggs with vegetables. Stir in cooked rice. Shake in soy sauce, and toss rice to coat. Drizzle with sesame oil, and toss again.

Notes

1. I cooked my rice in beef broth for flavor and I think it was really good that way. It gave it some extra flavor so it wasn't just soy sauce.

2. We cut tiny pieces of bacon and put it in there and it was very tasty.

3. The sesame oil is optional. It was good with it but you can definitely taste it so if you don't want that to be a dominant flavor, don't use it.

4. The soy sauce is about 1/3 cup. Not a ton.

5. We used this with some pot stickers and loved it.

Sugar Cookie Bars

I made this recipe yesterday and loved it. I really liked a good sugar cookie but it is a lot of work sometimes to roll them out, bake 3-4 pans and then frost them. This was a perfect solution. They taste just like a sugar cookie but much less work. I didn't decorate mine but you could if you wanted to make them for a ward function or school party.

Sugar Cookie Bars

from Anissa’s Kitchen

I got it from The Repressed Pastry Chef (photo and recipe from the link)

1 cup butter; room temp.
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla & mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt & soda & stir with a whisk to combine. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased baking sheet (use a 13 x 18 pan). Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely and frost.

Frosting
1/2 cup butter; room temp
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
food coloring (if desired)

For frosting combine butter and shortening until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk & mix until smooth and spreading consistency. Spread over cooled cookie, then cut into bars.

Notes:

1. I used a regular size cookie sheet. I would spread it as smooth as you can on top. I found my hands were the best choice for that.

2. The frosting makes just enough to cover the whole thing. I used 1/4 cup shortening and the rest butter since i don't love the flavor shortening gives frosting but I wanted it to hold up better than just using all butter.

3. It makes a lot. I had plenty for our family and gave away five plates to friends.

Savory Spiral Stuffed Rolls

Savory Spiral Stuffed Rolls

*Makes 12-16 rolls

1 recipe roll dough (that yields about 12 rolls), (I used this recipe)
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 cups chopped ham (leftover ham or deli ham works great here)
1 1/2 cups finely chopped broccoli
2 cups shredded cheese (Swiss, Cheddar..options are limitless)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup finely chopped green onions

Follow the recipe for your roll dough until the dough has risen. Punch down the dough and roll the dough out into a large rectangle about 1/2-inch thick (using the french bread roll recipe, I rolled my dough to about 13 inches by 17 inches).

In a small bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Spread the rolled out dough with the butter/cream cheese mixture. Top with the ham, broccoli, cheese, Parmesan cheese, and green onions (see the pictures below). Roll the dough up, pinching the seam to seal. Slice the roll into about 1-inch segments. Place the rolls on a lightly greased baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Let the rolls rise until nearly doubled and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbly.

Taken from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Notes:

1.I used this recipe for the dough. So good.
2. My kids LOVED these. Pair it with a veggie and/or salad and you have yourself a meal.
3. It might be a little time consuming but they are worth it. The only time consuming part is that you have to wait for the dough to rise so if you are planning to make these, plan a couple hours in advance!