Coleslaw Dressing

1/4 C Double Diced (almost pureed) Onion 

1/2 C Mayonaise

2 T Sugar

1 1/2 T Lemon Juice

1 T Vinegar

3/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1/2 SCANT Salt

Mix together until creamy.  Pour over about 4 cups shredded cabbage, carrot "slaw".  I usually use a full package of prepared cabbage slaw and half a package of prepared broccoli slaw mixed together

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Vanilla Cream Sauce...

• 3 C Heavy Cream
• 1 1/2 C Sugar
• 3/4 C Flour
• 1 1/2 C Butter (that's 3 sticks!)
• 1 T Vanilla

In a sauce pan melt butter.  Add the flour and cook for 8-10 minutes on medium.  DO NOT LET IT BROWN!  Add cream and sugar.  Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture has thickened.  DO NOT BURN!  Do not cook too fast or at too high a temperature... you'll be sorry!  Or at least that's what I've heard from a "friend".  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Serve warm. 

(To be drizzled over Raspberry Bread Pudding, or literally just eaten by the spoonful, in the dark. in a closet.  ALL of it...)

Raspberry Bread Pudding... Just like Kneaders used to make! And Vanilla Cream Sauce

• 1 1/2 Loaves French Bread (day or two old or let it sit out for a few hours)
• 1 Quart Heavy Cream (that's 4 C)
• 3 C Sugar (That's not quite a QUART of sugar... )
• 2 Eggs
• 1 T Vanilla
• 2 1/2 C Frozen Raspberries
• 1/2 C Sugar (NOW we're almost at a quart of sugar...)
• 1/4 C Apple Juice

In a large bowl, combine cream, sugar, egg and vanilla. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Cut bread into 1 1/2 inch cubes.  Add to the cream mixture, let sit for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to completely saturate the bread cubes.

In another bowl, combine raspberries, sugar and apple juice, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved.  Spray a 9x13 glass casserole dish and layer 3/4 of bread mixture.  Spread the fruit mixture evenly over the bread, (I kind of gently poke it down in some places to spread it more thoroughly throughout the bread in the pan...)  Top with remaining bread mixture.  Bake 40-50 minutes at 375 degrees.  (be careful and put foil on the bottom of the oven or under pan... it has been known to bubble sticky deliciousness over the sides and create a definite un-delicious smelly baked on MESS in the oven!  Sharing that particular tip for a "friend"...)

While baking make the incredible Vanilla Cream Sauce...:

• 5 C Half and Half (divided)
• 1 1/2 C Sugar
• 2 T Cornstarch
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 1 T Butter
• 1 T Vanilla

In a sauce pan heat 4 C of the half and half till hot and bubbly. Don’t scorch. In a bowl combine the remaining 1 C of h and h and the cornstarch. Whisk until completely dissolved. Add the sugar and continue mixing until the sugar is also dissolved. Add in the egg yolks, mix well. Gradually add the cold milk/egg mixture to the hot milk in saucepan, whisking constantly. Heat until mixture starts to bubble snd thicken. Do not burn. Remove from heat snd stir in butter and vanilla.  Serve warm. (This is an alternate Vanilla Cream Sauce. It’s a very different taste and texture from the other sauce... I may like it even better!)

(So I had seen the RASPBERRY BREAD PUDDING at Kneaders for years and completely dismissed it because... hello!?  Bread Pudding!  Ewww.... I mean, vanilla pudding, chocolate fudge pudding, even tapioca pudding... but BREAD PUDDING!???  Until one day I heard 3 friends all agree that Kneaders Raspberry Bread Pudding was the best thing in the world.  Not just the best "bread pudding", but the best thing ever.  Well, I had to try it.  They may have been right.  So of course, my next step was to recreate this deliciousness and add it to my repertoire.  I refer to it as "Baked Raspberry French Toast to my family... because... BREAD PUDDING!...  As usual, I read and then put the best parts of several recipes together.  Then through trial and error, I make alterations.  This is the finished result of my research.  You're welcome!)

Marinara Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion chopped
• 9 cloves garlic minced
• 15 fresh tomatoes puréed 
• 6 Tbsp fresh basil finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground chipotle chili pepper
• 9 sprigs of parsley chopped

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion for 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic cook an additional 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and reduce heat to a simmer until desired consistency is achieved. Adjust seasoning to taste.

(Yummy! I went Vegan for dinner. I put the sauce on my zoodles and topped it with sautéed mushrooms. Everyone else spread it over traditional spaghetti and chicken Parmesan. The key element was my delicious garden fresh tomatoes.)

Shoyu Chicken...Round Two

1 C ALOHA Soy Sauce
1 C Vinegar
1 C Water
1 C Brown Sugar
4 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
1/4 C Fresh Ginger Root (chopped)
2 Green Onions (snipped small)
1 t Black Pepper
2 t Dried Oregano

2 -3 lbs Chicken (traditionally you'd use thighs and legs... but I usually have breast meat, have learned to find boneless skinless thighs though!  ONO!)

Combine all ingredients and marinate chicken for at least 2 hours.  Grill or Broil!

(Another version.  The one I usually use... And to make it Vegan, I marinate PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS.  Sooo good!  As always, serve with 2 scoop rice and mac salad!)

Cilantro Ranch Dressing... (Cafe Rio)

 1 Packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch Mix (not BUTTERMILK)

 1 C Mayonnaise

1 C Buttermilk

2 Tomatillos (remove husk)

1/2 Bunch of Fresh Cilantro

1 Clove Garlic

Juice of 1 Lime

1 Jalapeno (remove the seeds)

 

Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That’s it!  For McCall's Cheer Banquet we were assigned to bring this!  Easy and delicious...

Alfredo Sauce...

 

3 Tbsp Butter

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Cups Heavy Cream

1/4 tsp Pepper 

1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese

1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese

 Directions:
Melt butter in medium saucepan with olive oil over medium heat, sauté garlic.  Add cream and pepper and bring mixture to a simmer.  Stir often.  Add the parmesan cheese and simmer sauce for 8-10 minutes or until sauce has thickened and is smooth.  When sauce has thickened add the Mozzarella cheese and stir until smooth. STIR FREQUENTLY.

 

(Internet find... when I needed to add more Alfredo sauce to pasta and didn't want to run to the store... I also didn't have any parmesan cheese and just used mozzarella.  It was delicious, but I will use parmesan when I make this again.  And I will make this again. On the day of this photo, I paired it with penne pasta, broccoli and chicken.)

Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce...

3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion (diced)
3 Cloves of Garlic
28 oz can of pureed Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Dried Basil
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1 1/2 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1 C Heavy Cream

In a saucepan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat.  Do not burn!  Add tomatoes, basil, sugar, oregano, salt & pepper.  Bring to a boil and continue to boil as liquid reduces.  About 5 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in cream and butter.  Reduce heat and simmer 5 more minutes. 

(I added two cups of mini shrimp and tossed the sauce with a box of (cooked) mostaccioli.  We all liked it.  That's a plus and a surprise...)

Cilantro Ranch Dressing...

1 Packet Ranch Dressing Mix
1 Cup Lowfat Plain Yogurt
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup Fresh Cilantro

Trim several inches off the cilantro stalks, so you're left mostly with the bushy ends. Place all ingredients in a blender, blend at low speed until smooth and well mixed. Chill several hours before serving.

(I love, love, LOVE Cilantro!!! This dressing is about 15 calories for a TWO TABLESPOON SERVING!!! Pour it on...)

Buttermilk Syrup...

1 Cube Butter
2 C. Sugar
2 C. Buttermilk
2 Tbsp. Corn Syrup
1 tsp. Baking Soda
2 Tbsp. Vanilla

Stirring constantly, bring first four ingredients JUST to a boil over medium heat. DO NOT BURN! Add baking soda. Stir quickly and remove from heat immediately to avoid boil over. Stir in vanilla and cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Store in refrigerator. Especially good with Night Before French Toast.

Makes about 3 1/2 cups of syrup.

Teriyaki Marinade...

1 Sweet Onion (Peeled & quartered)
3 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
3/4 C. Agave Nectar
1/2 C. Teriyaki Sauce
1 tsp. Fresh Minced Ginger
1 tsp. Salt
1 Anaheim Pepper (Seeded and chopped
3 Limes (Juiced with pulp - approx. 1/4 C.)

Place all ingredients in a blender. I start at the lowest, coarsest setting and then move up through the buttons, processing until the marinade is completely blended. Use marinade over Chicken Kebabs, grill and serve with Cilantro Lime Rice. Makes approximately 2-3 Cups. Store in the refrigerator.

Chicken Cordon Bleu...(Sauce)

4-6 Servings of Prepared Chicken Cordon Bleu
1 T. Butter
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
1 Envelope Lipton Golden Onion Soup
2 1/2 C. Milk
1 T. Cornstarch
2 T. Sweet Hot Mustard

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add nutmeg, pepper and dry soup mix. Whisk in milk and cornstarch. Bring just to a boil and remove from heat. Add the mustard and mix well. Serve with Chicken Cordon Bleu and Agave Sweet Green Beans.

(Okay, so you have to go to COSTCO and get frozen Chicken Cordon Bleu...Maybe I'll learn to make it someday...but it's soooo easy to go to COSTCO!)