chicken caesar salad recipe

okay, this is just a regular salad, so i'm not actually going to give you the recipe--you know what to do. but we marinaded the chicken in mesquite-lime marinade and then sauteed it (we wanted to grill it, but no go), and then just used spinach, a tomato, croutons, parmesan cheese, and creamy caesar dressing (not low-fat! come on!) and it was the BEST. that marinade was AWESOME. i am totally obsessed with lime stuff and tomatoes currently, so this was excellent. this was our whole dinner and we felt totally healthy afterwards, even though the non-fat salad dressing DOES have 170 calories per each 2-tablespoon serving. but think about all the vegetables you're eating.

Rasmussen Pizza

Pizza Dough

2 1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. yeast
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup warm water

put sugar and yeast in one cup measuring cup, add warm water and let yeast develop. while you wait, put flour, oil and salt in mixer. start mixing and then pour in the water yeast mixture, mix to incorporate. let rise for 45 minutes. this make one batch of dough for a regular thickness pizza. if you want thin crust then it will make two pizzas. spread dough out in pan and put toppings (i use tomato sauce, italian seasonings, mozzarella and then whatever other toppings like pepperoni, ham and pineapple, etc.) bake at 500 degrees F for 15 minutes or until crust looks done.

This is from Denice's sister-in-law, Camilla Rasmussen. Thanks!

the oatiest oatmeal cookies ever

ingredients:
16 oz (4 cups) of old fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
10 oz of unsalted butter
6 oz dark brown sugar
3 1/2 oz granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 oz raisins, optional

directions:
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
spread the oats into a single layer on a half sheet pa. bake until lightly toasted, about 20 minutes. cool the oats in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes.
grind 8 oz of the toasted oats in a food processor until the consistency of whole wheat flour. add the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt to the food processor and pulse 2-3 times to combine. set aside.
combine the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer, and mix on medium speed until light in color about 3 minutes. stop once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. reduce mixer speed to the lowest speed and add the egg and vanilla extract. mix to combine. slowly add the flour mixture until just combined. stop once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. add the remaining toasted oats and the raisins. sir to combine.
scoop the dough with the 1 1/2 ounce disher or server onto parchment lined half sheet pans, leaving 2 inches between each mound. bake until to cookies begin to brown around the edges, about 12-14 minutes. rotate the pan halfway through the cooking time. cool the cookies on the pans for 2 minutes, then remove them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

slow cooker turkey chili

Here is another slow cooker recipe to add to your repertoire. I know everyone has a favorite chili recipe, but this one I like, because it tastes like the real thing,but with turkey meat, so much lower in fat.

2 lb ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large can diced, or stewed, tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin (adjust to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained, to add at the end

In a skillet, brown the skillet, cooker meat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until brown. In your slow cooker, mix turkey meat and remaining ingredients except beans. Cover and cook on low heat setting 6-8 hours. Stir in beans. Increase heat setting to high. Cover and cook 15-20 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Top with cheese and/or sour cream. Dad likes his with chips; I like to make corn bread.

Cinnamon Twists

Okay, Denice asked me to put this on. Super easy, almost embarrassing-ly so. But yummy FHE treat, etc.

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
3 tablespoons butter, melted
¼ cup sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Unroll puff pastry sheet (about 12 x 15 inches). Brush both sides with melted butter and sprinkle both sides of dough evenly with cinnamon sugar mixture. Cut dough in half lengthwise and then into one inch thick strips.
Twist each strip twice and place onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until puffed up and golden.

Conference Sunday Cinnamon Rolls

Okay, so I have never made this recipe, per se, but Camille wanted me to put on a recipe for homemade cinnamon rolls. I thought since this is Conference Sunday I would oblige. These were in the most recent Mormon times. (from the family dinner cookbook, by Debbie G. Harman)

Grandma's Cinnamon Rolls
2 packages yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup butter
2 cups buttermilk
4 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
6-7 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar

Dissolve yeast and the 1 tablespoon sugar in water. Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in buttermilk and eggs. Mix together in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar, salt and 4 cups flour and beat with mixer until smooth. Stir in enough flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Turn onto floured surface and knead 7-8 minutes. Place in greased bowl and let rest 15 minutes. Divide dough in half. Roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Sprinkle water over dough. Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and brown sugar. Roll dough jelly roll style. Cut 1/2-inch thick slices.
Place on greased baking pan. Let rise until double. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until edges just start to turn golden. Remove from oven and spread butter cream frosting on rolls immediately.

Butter Cream Frosting:
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. whipping cream (or milk)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat butter until creamy. Add whipping cream, vanilla and enough powdered sugar to make a creamy frosting.

Slow Cooker Oatmeal

I was speaking to Camille about healthy breakfast and said this would be a good idea. Steel-cut oats or regular oats were much better than quick oats. Your kitchen will smell super yummy when you walk into it in the morning.

1 1/2 cups steel-cut or old-fashioned oats
3 cups water
2 cups peeled and chopped apples
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Spray crockpot with pam. Combine oats, water, apples, almonds and cinnamon in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Makes 6 servings.