RACHAEL'S FAVORITE RECIPES (2024)

This is one of my favoriteSide Dishes. The combination of brocolli, sunflower seeds, raisins, and of course bacon covered in a sweet dressing always hits the spot.

BROCCOLI SALAD

3 stalks broccoli, cut into small flowerets

1 medium red onion, diced

1 lb bacon, fried crispy and crumbled

1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds

1 cup raisins

1 cup sliced celery (optional)

DRESSING:

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tbs cider vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

Mix dressing together and pour over salad. Toss to coat evenly.

NOTES: You can also add any of the following to this salad to change it up a little: red pepper (cut fine), red seedless grapes, craisins, peanuts

I just received word that SIMPLY THE SWEET LIFE'S Huge Valentine's Giveaway ends in 3 days! I blogged about it back here.They still haven't gotten as many entries as they were hoping for. So, what does that mean for you? You have a great chance at being the WINNER!!!

HURRY, RUN!!! Go here to their Facebook page to enter. What are you waiting for?

Like Simply the Sweet Life. Then click on the Sweet Valentine Giveaway on the left-hand column andlike all the sponsoring companies.

There are still a ton of awesome prizes left, including the trip to NYC!!!

Good LUCK!

SHHHH!!!!!

I'm going to share a secret recipe with you. . .for using a prepackaged cake mix to make cupcakes when you're in a hurry. They turn out moist, fluffy, and taste homemadeevery time. My friend called this recipe Lion House Cake Mix Cupcakes and I have no idea where she got it from, but I'm glad she shared it with me.

LION HOUSE CAKE MIX CUPCAKES

1 prepackaged cake mix, any flavor

1 cup HOT water

1/3 cup oil

4 eggs

Combined all ingredients together and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Put cupcake liners in cupcake tin, and fill onlyhalf-way full. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Notes:Yields 18-22 cupcakes

a quick and easy meal with a Fancy name.

CHICKEN DIVAN

4-5 cooked chicken breasts, cubed

2-1/2 cups uncooked rice

1 tsp salt

5 cups water

2 cups frozen brocolli

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Begin by cooking rice. Bring water and salt to a boil; add rice. Cover; reduce heat to low and cook 20 minutes (45 mins for brown rice). Cook broccoli. Mix soup and sour cream together. In a 9x13" baking dish, layercooked rice, brocolli, chicken, and 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat. Finish with soup/sour cream mixture then cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot throughout.

NOTES: I like to add French Fried Onions on top before baking. YUM-O!

Homemade noodles tasteSOOO much better than the store bought kind, and they're easy to make. Give it a try and tell me what you think.

HOMEMADE NOODLES

3 egg yolks

1 whole egg

3 tbs cold water

1 tsp salt

2 cups flour

Beat yolks and egg together. Beat in water and salt. With your hands stir in 2 cups of flour until mixed well. Divide dough into thirds. Roll out each piece as thin as possible (paper thin) on a lightly floured surface. Place between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Continue with the other 2 pieces. Let dough rest until partially dry. Cut with pizza cutterinto desired width (1/4 inch for fine noodles, 1/2 inch for broad noodles) and length. To cook, drip into boiling water and cook until desired doneness (10-15 minutes).

Notes: This noodle dough is really stiff. You can use a counter-top mixer with the dough hook, or a food processor to mix. These noodles are great in Chicken Noodle Soup.



STEP-BY-STEP PHOTO DIRECTIONS HERE

Years ago my friend, Lindsey,made these cookies for me. They were the best Ginger Cookies I have ever had! I knew I had to have the recipe. She graciously shared it with me, and these cookies have been a big hit with my friends and family since. They are soft and chewy, in other words perfection!

THE BEST-EVER GINGERCOOKIES

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup white sugar

In a large bowl mix oil and 1 cup of sugar. Add egg, beat well. Stir in molasses, 2 cups flour, baking soda and spices. If necessary, add more flour to make a firm dough.
Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Roll in 1/3 cup sugar, flatten slightly. Place 3 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven, 10 to 12 minutes or until tops crack. Remove from baking sheet and cool on rack.

Congratulations, The Muir Family. You're the Winner of the Cake Mix Bible recipe book giveaway. Please email me (clintandrachael {at} gmail {dot} com)your name and address so I can mail you your prize.

There has been some debate in the Collins Family about how Grandma Goodman made her famous Macaroni and Cheese, a dish that was frequently served at her house. Well I'm here to set the record straight. I had the priveldge of making this famous dish with Grandma, and knowing about the debate, I paid close attention and asked lotsquestions.

GRANDMA GOODMAN'S 'FAMOUS' MACARONI & CHEESE

16 oz macaroni noodles

1 lb Cache Valley Cheddar Cheese (grandma liked sharp, but medium will work too she said.)

Boil noodles in salted water until al dente.While noodles are boiling,grate your cheese, using the big holes of the grater.Once noodles are done, remove from heat. Drain noodles and return to hot pan(don't turn heat back on). Add grated cheese and stir until fully melted.

Serve with steamed broccoli, and diet 7-up.

NOTES: Grandma used regular cheese, not curds. No milk or butter was added, just grated cheese.

Forget the candy this Valentine's Day. This is so much better (tasting and for you). This fruit dip is so good I'd say it's addictive. I could eat it by the spoonful. Serve with your choice of fruit (bananas, apples, grapes, whatever you like). You could even feed each other (now that's romantic)!

CHERRY FRUIT DIP

1 qt. whipping cream

2 cups powdered sugar

juice from 1 small jar (10oz) maraschino cherries

With a hand mixer, whip cream until it starts to thicken. Add powdered sugar, juice and mix until stiff.

image source

These cookies are from the Lion House Recipes Cookbook. They are one of my all time favorite cookies. They aren't the texture of normal macaroons, but more the texture of a chocolate chip cookie. . . soft and chewy. Go Ahead, make up a batch, and give them a try. I think you're going to love them.

CHERRY MACAROONS

1-1/2 cups sugar

1-1/3 cups shortening

2 eggs

3-1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup maraschino cherries, drained (save the juice for the Cherry Fruit Dip recipe posting on Tues) and chopped

1-1/2 tsp almond extract

1 cup coconut

Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and add to creamed mixture. Add maraschino cherries, almond extract, and coconut and mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. As always, DO NOT OVER BAKE!

AND

since this is my 100th Post I thought I'd do a little Give-Away. . . .

Quick Chocolate Softies, p.170

Pina Colada Cake, p234

Flapjack Party Stack, p74

If you'd like to win this cookbook, The Cake Mix Bible, leave me a comment below and you'll be entered to win! I'll be posting the winner on Thursday!! Good Luck.

from Simply the Sweet Life

Want a chance to win prizes from:

Sweet Tooth Fairy

Amano Artisian Chocolate

Gygi

Dawn Stark Design

Zipfizz and Zagg

Downeast Outfitters

City Deals

and MORE

head over the Simply the Sweet Life's Facebook pageand like them. Then go to the SWEET VALENTINE GIVEAWAY tab on the left and like all the sponsoring companies. Leave your email and name, and you're entered.

This dish looks and taste fancy, but it is super easy and only 4 ingredients, 4!!!! You can cook it in the oven or all day in a crock pot (this is the method I prefer).

TANGY CRANBERRY CHICKEN

4 large chicken breasts (bone-in or boneless)

1 can (16 oz) whole berry crandberry sauce (do not use the jelly kind)

1 (8oz) bottle Catalina salad dressing

1 envelope onion soup mix

We have this drink at every Collins' family get together. It is so good, we always run out.. .So make double!!!

SLUSH PUNCH

1 (12 oz) can frozen lemondae

1 (12 oz) can frozen orange juice

17-20 cups water

4 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

1-1/2 -2 (2 liter size) bottles of lemon-lime soda

Mix all ingredients excpet soda together and freeze in 2 gallon size Ziplocfreezer bags (or 2 empty and clean gallon ice cream buckets). Let thaw for a few hours before serving. When ready to serve, break it up with a potato masher. Add soda.

NOTES: If you forget to pull it out to thaw, use the microwave.

Makes about 30 servings

Who doesn't love a ooey, gooey, carmel Chocolate Brownie. These will melt in your mouth.

1 German Chocolate cake mix

12 oz. chocolate chips (2 cups)

1 cup chopped pecans

1 (14 oz) pkg caramels

3/4 cup butter (room temp)

2/3 cup canned evaporated milk

Unwrap caramels; melt in pan with 1/3 cup milk. Mix cake mix with 1/3 cup milk and 3/4 cup butter, until it holds together, stir in nuts. Press half the cake mixture into a 9x13" cake pan and bake for 6 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle Chocolate chips on top of warm cake; pour melted caramels over chips. Crumble remaining cake mix on top (if too sticky to crumble, take large spoonfuls of dough and pat with hands to lay over top). Bake 15 -18 minutes at 350 degrees. Let sit several hours so it's not so sticky.

Notes: Don't worry if there are bare spots when you crumble dough on top. It will spread during baking. To speed up wait time, put in freezer or frigerator.



CHICKEN DIVAN

8-10 pieces of chicken, cooked and cubed

1-1/4cups cooked rice, (2-1/2 cups uncooked)

1 tsp salt

5 cups water

2 cups frozen broccoli (could use 1 head fresh), steamed

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1 cup greated cheddar cheese

In a 9x13" baking dish. layer rice, broccoli, then chicken, and sprinkling of cheese. Spread soup and sour cream mixture on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot.

Notes: I like to sprinkle Frech Fried Onions on top before baking.

image source