Thursday, September 4, 2008

Wheat Thins


1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups white flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbs sugar (optional)
1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
1/3 cup oil
1 cup water

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix the whole wheat flour, white flour, salt, sugar and garlic powder.
2. In a smaller bowl, mix/beat oil and water together.
3. Add liquid mixture to dry, mixing well, but as little as possible (otherwise the dough becomes too elastic and difficult to work with).
4. Split dough in half and take
one half and roll as thin as possible- not more than 1/8” thick, on unoiled cookie sheet . Mark with knife for size crackers desired, but do not cut through. Prick each cracker a few times with fork. Sprinkle lightly with salt or onion salt if desired. Repeat for second half of dough.
5. Bake at 325 until crisp and light brown, about 30 minutes.

Cook's notes: Sugar and garlic are not in original recipe, but original recipe tastes a bit bland without them. I think these are a wonderful alternative to the commercial wheat thins since they are a more sustaining snack. I flip my cookie sheet over to roll the dough out on, as well as to bake them. I prefer to use a pizza cutter rather than a knife to perforate the dough since the knife tends to make the edges more ragged. Just be sure to not cut all the way through, as it causes the edges to burn


Adapted from: Deseret Recipes cookbook.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Italian Dressing

1 cup olive or vegetable oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground mustard (dry)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon
dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Shake all ingredients in tightly covered container.
Shake before serving.

PREP: 10 min
Makes about 1 1/4 cups dressing


Cook's notes: We always use olive oil in this recipe (instead of the suggested "or vegetable oil"); it makes for a much more satisfying dressing. You will need to pull it out of the refrigerator about 5 minutes before each use, as it becomes pretty solid since the oil is cold. This also works fabulously as a marinade for grilled chicken! I was definitely skeptical the first time I used it, but I cannot express to you enough just how wonderful it tastes! Just let it marinade over night if possible.

Source of recipe: Betty Crocker's New Cookbook

Monday, September 1, 2008

Baked Chicken Supreme

4 whole chicken breasts, halved
1/4 cup shortening
1 small garlic clove
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon oregano (optional)
1/4 cup flour
1 cup tomato juice
1 can (about 10 1/2 ounces) tomato soup
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Hot cooked rice

Brown chicken breasts in shortening, using more shortening if needed. Remove from frying pan and place in 9x9-inch baking dish. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings. Add garlic and onion to skillet; cover and cook until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Blend in salt, sugar, oregano, and flour (use a sauce whisk if possible here, as the flour will tend to clump). Add tomato juice and tomato soup; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream. Stir vigorously. Add enough milk to thin sauce a little. Add Parmesan cheese. Pour over chicken in baking dish. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until meat is fork tender. Serve with cooked rice. Makes 8 servings.
Note: Skinned and boned breasts are best, but unskinned, unboned pieces may be used. Or use all pieces from one chicken, or pieces desired from two chickens.

Cook's notes: This is a great recipe for having leftovers! We found that if you individually pack Tupperware containers with the chicken, sauce and rice, that it warms up beautifully in the microwave, and will still taste fresh all week (I guess the sauce works as a preservative) . Do BE CAREFUL while browning the chicken, it has a tendency of spitting hot shortening your way when the pan gets too hot!! On another note... I really like the onion flavor, so sometimes I will add about a cup of onions instead of the amount listed in the recipe. Also, I typically purchase the frozen chicken breasts, and will use 6-8 of them depending on their size.
I always use my 9x13 baking dish instead of the recommended 9x9.


Source of recipe: Lion House Classics
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