Carmel Syrup

 Ok. There are many recipes for Carmel Syrup, but this one is my favorite. I've seen different flavors of carmel syrup that you can buy at the store. Guys! You can totally flavor this up! I added raspberries and oh my gosh!!!!! It was incredibly amazing! (um.. warning, the raspberries made it turn a grayish! The taste is amazing, but the color threw every one off.) You could add peaches or coconut or strawberries! The options are endless!!! But don't forget! This is amazing on it's own!

Melt:

2 C Butter

1 C Buttermilk

2 C Sugar 

2 T Light Corn Syrup (I use Honey)

Boil 3-5 minutes (If you want it thicker than syrupy, you can boil it longer)

Now Add:

2 Tbl Vanilla

1 Tbl  Baking Soda

Mix and poor on EVERYTHING!

BE YE WARNED! When you put the last two ingredients in it bubbles up and overflows from the pan if you are not using a big enough pan. Use a bigger pan than you think you need. ( about 4x the size)

Hot Fudge Sauce

Holy Hannah! Have you ever been to Ghirardelli's Ice Cream Shop? Oh my sinful heaven! It is incredibly decadent and every bite is all of your fondest memories in your mouth! Their chocolate sauce that they use on their ice cream and in their shakes is most exquisitely impressive! Ladies and Gentlemen! The only difference between their sauce and the one that I'm about to give you is that I think theirs is just a little bit darker. I use milk chocolate chips. Oh sweet milk chocolate! But if you want a darker chocolate flavor that can be easily remedied by simply adding a darker chocolate. If you want high quality I suggest using high quality chocolate. Maybe something like, oh, say, Ghirardelli's? You will never buy chocolate sauce again, unless maybe you're crying out for vengeance upon someone who has crossed you, and then maybe you'll give them that store bought swill and maniacally laugh as you strut off vindicated.

1 C Butter

3/4 bag Chocolate Chips

1 Can Evaporated Milk

2 C Powdered Sugar

1 Tbl. Vanilla

Put all ingredients into a pot and bring to a low simmer. Let simmer for 5-8 min. Don't burn! You will cry yourself to sleep! If you want it thinner add more evap. milk. If you want it thicker reduce it by keeping it over low heat for longer. Serve over anything, and drink the rest!

 

Mike's Lasagne

So I had a friend who served a mission in Italy. Mike was brilliant enough to ask for recipes from the people who would feed him while he was there, because most guys don't think to ask for those things. But Mike did. Mike, I love you for doing so because this is the BEST Lasagne! Now, I can make a mean lasagne! But mine is very flavorful and tastily spiced with a lot in it. Mike's version- the true Italian version has an excellently pure, simple, and even a little bit of a sweet flavor. The Bechemel sauce adds a smooth drink of Heaven. The texture is thicker and wonderful, and holds together nicely. Every part of this is just delectable! It freezes well too.

Red Sauce

2 Swirls of Olive Oil (yep, that's how they roll!)

1/2 Onion, diced

1 Carrot, mini diced

1 Celery stalk, mini diced

1 Clove of Garlic (give or take) crushed

Saute till onions are translucent then add and cook through

1/2 to 1lb. Hamburger

Add

4-8oz cans of tomato sauce

about 1Tbl. Basil

1/4 C Sugar (brown or white)

Pepper to taste

Veggie Boullion Cube 

Bring to boil then lower to simmer for at least 30 min.

Bechemella Sauce

1//2 C Butter

1/4 C Flour

1 C Milk

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Melt Butter over medium high. When butter gets a little frothy whisk or stir in flour. Make sure there are no lumps. Cook and stir until flour gets a slight golden color, then whisk the milk in. Cook and stir until it thickens. Turn heat down if needed so as not to burn.

Layer-

He used the No cook Lasagne noodles, so do it.

Put a thin layer of red sauce on the bottom so the noodles don't stick.

Noodles

Red Sauce

Bechemella

Cheese- (about 4 cups mozzarella.) Light in the middle, heavy on the top.

Repeat until done.

Raise oven rack. Cover with foil and bake for 40 min at 375 then uncover and cook for 10 more min. and Viola! Lusciousness!

Manderine Chicken with Sweet and Sour Sauce

So, well... When we lived in Provo and my husband finished up his BA at BYU, we lived next door to a couple in our ward who was also attending BYU and in very much the same situation. We each had 1 child the same age, we would often get together as couples and play games, and since neither of us wives worked we had all this time on our hands to hangout, let the children play and COOK! We both enjoyed cooking so it was great!  We became and stayed good friends through the years, kept in contact etc. that is until.... She told me that she wouldn't be my friend anymore... ??? What the???  :(

C'est la vie and what can you do? But BEFORE she disowned me I got this recipe from her! :)

 Of course it's good! Why else would it be on here?  It's breaded, fried chicken with a sweet and sour sauce. What else is great is that it's quite easy actually.  A friend was wanting the recipe recently so here it goes!

Manderin Chicken:

Cubed Chicken

1C. Flour

1 Egg

1 tsp. Sugar

3/4 tsp. Baking Powder

Oil to fry in (I use about 1&1/2 inches I'm guessing)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl then add enough water to make a semi-runny consistency (kind of like really runny pancake batter, not thick though! The batter should easily drip in a line from the spoon, but not too watery! You'll get the hang of it. :) Just remember; you can always add more water, but not so easy to take it out! ;)  Mix in 4 drops of yellow food coloring (if you want to, I never do).  Stir the chicken into the batter and spoon out batches of chicken with a fork or whatever you find works, heat oil over medium-ish until a drop of water sizzles in it. Fry until golden. Tip: Before you start cooking, turn the oven on warm and place an oven safe bowl in there with paper towels inside of it. Then when the chicken is done you are able to keep it warm and crisp until service. Serve with rice and top with sauce!

Sweet and Sour Sauce:

1 C. Crushed Pineapple

2 Whole tomatoes

3 C. Sugar

Double Dash of Accent

2 Tbls. Soy Sauce

1 C. vinegar

1 C. Onion, chopped

1 Green Bell Pepper

Red Food Coloring (if you want it to look the same as the sweet and sour sauce at the restaurants :)

Simmer all ingredients about 20 min, then whisk in 1/3 C. Cornstartch that has been  dissolved (if you will) in 1/2 C. Water  Wait for it to thicken :). If it doesn't get thick enough, add more cornstach/water mixture.

Marinara Sauce

NO these are not MY pictures!! Why would I stand there and take pictures of the food when I could be eating it??? But this is pretty close to what it looks like ;)

This is an excellent recipe I got from my friend! It is rich and delicious! It's not bitter like some tomato sauces. It's easy to make and goes wonderfully on Spaghetti and Meatballs, Chicken Parmesan, dips, etc. It also freezes very well!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olove oil

1 sm. omion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 carrot peeled and grated

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 (32 oz.) cam crushed tomatoes

1 dried bay leaf

Directions:

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until onions are translucent, 10 min. Add celery, carrots, S&P. Saute until all vegetables are soft 10 min. Add tomatoes and bay leaf and simmer uncovered over low heat until sauce thickens and your house smells wonderful, 1 hr. Remove bay leaf, season with more S&P to taste.