Mmmm, mmmm good recipes etc.

I'm sorry to those that check this blog. I haven't been very good at posting the new recipes I have been trying. But the 4 posts before this were 4 great new recipes that I loved and hope you will too! If you try them I would love to know what you think! I know there have been a couple of you that have sent me some recipes that I haven't tried yet. I haven't forgotten and I still want to try them. So keep them coming and send them to lindsey_pfeil@yahoo.com. I'm also starting to rate the recipe to how my daughter liked it. She's very picky and I'm trying to do new things. She's about 18 months old. We'll see how it goes. Here's how I'm going to rate them. They're not professional sounding at all, but describe my daughter's eating habits very well. She's a number 2 most of the time.

1-Didn't touch it
2- Tried a little but spit it out
3- Tried a little and swallowed a little
4- Liked it!
5- Loved it!

Cinnamon Apple French Toast Bake

Having my husband wake up to the smell of this wonderful breakfast dish was such a treat for me. That is one of the reasons I enjoy cooking new things. This reminded me of a type of cobbler that can be cooked in a dutch oven or a breakfast you would have on Christmas or Easter morning. Mmmm, it was good.

Daughter rating: 4- Liked it!

Cinnamon Apple French Toast Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf (1lb) Cinnamon Bread - cut into cubes (I used Apple Friter Bread I found at Walmart. Leave the bread out for a little while to dry before putting in the pan. It will soak up the egg mixture better)
  
• 1-21 oz. can Apple Pie Filling
• 4 oz. Cream Cheese - cut into cubes (I used about 6 oz.)
  
• 5 Eggs
• 1 ¼ cup Half&Half
• 2 T. Maple Syrup
• ½ t Cinnamon
• Maple Syrup

Method:

Grease one 9-inch deep dish pie pan. (I used a large 9 x 9 baking dish and it worked great)

Divide cinnamon bread cubes in half. Place half of the cubes in the bottom of the pie pan.

Spread apple pie filling over bottom layer of bread cubes. (I ran a knife through the larger pieces of apple, while they were still in the can, so that the apple would be in small pieces in the dish)

Sprinkle cream cheese cubes over apple pie filling and top with remaining bread cubes.

In a small bowl mix eggs, half & half, maple syrup and cinnamon; pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

Remove covering and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes (until golden brown).

Allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Slice, drizzle each serving with maple syrup and ENJOY! (my husband and I had it without syrup and it was still good.)

Again, thank you Studio 5 for the delicious recipe!

Hot Corn Dip

My family loved this dip. This is a good one to serve at get togethers as well. It is the perfect blend of mild and spicy flavors and it's very filling. It could also be served up as a salad or maybe a main dish. Sorry, I never take pictures of the new food I make. They don't look that amazing but they always taste delicious!

Daughter rating: 1-Didn't touch it

(I made this dip twice. The second time I did it I used one large can of chicken and that tasted good as well)

Hot Corn Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3-4 ears of fresh corn on the cob (can use frozen if it is out of season. It's about 3-4 cups of frozen corn)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 small can of white hominy (drained)
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 pepper in adobe sauce, chopped
• 1 small can of olives, sliced
• 1 cup imitation crab pieces
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, rough chopped
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
• ¼ cup mayonnaise

Method:

Slice the kernels off the cob. Drizzle olive oil in a large pan and fry the corn until golden brown. Add pepper, hominy, onions, garlic and sauté until onions are translucent. Season the vegetables with salt & pepper. In a large bowl mix, sour cream, mayonnaise, adobe pepper, olives, crab, cilantro and ½ of the cheese. Add vegetables to the sour cream mixture, pour in to baking dish, and top with rest of cheese. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20-25 minutes until the cheese melts and starts to brown. Enjoy with tortilla chips.

Pantry-Friendly Mexican Cooking by LeAnn Bird
www.pantryfriendlycooking.com

Another great recipe from Studio 5. Thank you!

Bowtie Chicken Salad

Another great recipe from Studio 5. This is a great get together salad.

Daughter rating: 2- Tried a little but spit it out

Bowtie Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

• 10oz. Bowtie pasta, boiled until tender
• 3 large chicken breasts, boiled till cooked, cut into bite size pieces.
• 2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 cups water chestnuts, drained
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• ½ cup honey roasted peanuts
• 5-10oz. spinach (add spinach before serving)
• 
  
• Dressing
• 1/2cup oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Method:

Whisk all dressing ingredients together

Combine all ingredients except spinach. Place overnight in refrigerator in zip-lock bag.

Before serving: Mix together zip-lock bag ingredients and spinach...serve.

Avocado Egg Rolls with Dipping Sauce

I've come to realize I really love trying new recipes. This is a great way of keeping track of all the new things I try and like or not like. These Avocado Egg Rolls I LOVED. My husband not so much. He's a much bigger fan of subtler tastes. I got this recipe from Studio 5 Recipes. Yummy!

Daughter rating: None. We ate this when she was in bed.

Avocado Egg Rolls with Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 large avocados, peeled, pitted, & diced
• 4 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
• 2 tablespoon minced red onion
• 1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, chopped
• ¼ t. salt
  
• 6 egg roll wraps

Method:

Gently stir together avocado, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and salt. Distribute filling evenly onto center of each egg roll wrapper. Position a wrapper so that a corner is pointing toward you; fold the bottom corner up over the filling.

Fold side corners in and roll toward the top corner. Wet the edges of the top corner with a little water. Then fold top corner over and press to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers.

Continue by deep-frying the egg rolls in 375 degree oil for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Slice egg rolls diagonally across middle and serve with prepared dipping sauce.

Honey Cilantro Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3-4 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup chopped cashews
• 2/3 cup fresh cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 green onions
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Method:

To make dipping sauce, use a blender or food processor to puree all listed ingredients except olive oil. Blend until well pureed. Then stream in olive oil. Refrigerate until ready to use.

My tip/addition: I added about 4 tablespoons of crumbled bacon to the egg roll mix and I loved it. I'm sure it would be awesome with even more.