....Worldwide Ward Cookbook....

Chocolate Caramel Brownies

2012-01-24T13:49:00.000-08:00

Do you love chocolate? Do you love caramel? Do you love the two together? You have come to the right place. This is the recipe to satisfy your chocolate caramel craving!

Combine cake mix, butter and a bit of canned milk. Spread it on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake for a few minutes. Melt caramels with some canned milk in the microwave. Pour over the first layer when it comes out of the oven. Sprinkle lots of chocolate chips over the caramel layer.

Pat spoonfuls of the remaining cake mix batter into flat portions and arrange over the top of chocolate chips on caramel.

Use all the remaining cake mix batter. Arrange the pieces to mostly cover the caramel. Finish baking the brownies and look at this!

Ooey and Gooey and completely fitting of their name...
Aunt Leanna's Ooey Gooeys

1 14-oz. pkg. caramels
2/3 C. evaporated milk, divided
1 German chocolate cake mix
3/4 C. melted butter
1 C. chopped pecans
1 12-oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine caramels and 1/3 cup milk. Melt in microwave; set aside. Combine cake mix, butter and pecans, and mix well. Pat 1/2 (the less the better) of the cake mixture into a greased and floured 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake for 6 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and pour caramel mixture over top. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Cover with remaining cake mixture by flattening sections of the dough between your hands and laying it on top of the caramel mixture. Bake 18 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool before cutting. 12 servings but it’s never enough.

This recipe was submitted by Lacy Allphin from St. Peters, Missouri. Lacy says, "This is a Rucker family recipe (of which I am part) but Aunt Leanna has the secret touch and makes the very best desserts. All of my aunts and my grandmother are genius in the kitchen. Aunt Leanna is baking royalty, with a down home touch."

Thank you, Lacy, we love this recipe!! And you're right...there are never enough!

Chicken Fried Steak

2012-01-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

Chicken Fried Steak is a favorite comfort food meal of mine. But it is also one that I've tried to make a few times but have not been successful at making it as good as it is at a restaurant. You know, with that crispy coating and the gravy you just can't get enough of.

Well...everything has shifted. Completely shifted. Now that I have found this recipe for Chicken Fried Steak, I only want this recipe. None other. And I don't want to order it in a restaurant any more because it just isn't as good! Really.

Combine buttermilk, baking powder, baking soda, garlic, egg, salt, pepper and hot sauce in a shallow dish.

I used a pie plate.

Flour in a separate pie plate.

Coat the steaks with flour. I coated all the steaks in flour at once.

Coat the steaks in the buttermilk sauce.

Both sides. Completely coated.

Again into the flour. Gently, gently so as to not knock off the coating.

Pat the flour into the sauce coating

All ready to go.

Gently lay the steaks into hot oil.

A few minutes on each side. Crunchy, crispy, golden brown.

So delicious. Can you smell it? Are you hungry?

Whisk together the gravy using every bit of the crunchies left in the drippings.

Gravy. Gravy. Gravy.

So. Good.

Chicken Fried Steak

4 (½-lb). beef cube steaks
2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. black pepper
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 C. buttermilk
1 egg
1 Tbsp. hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 C. vegetable shortening for deep frying
1/4 C. flour
4 C. milk
kosher salt
ground black pepper to taste

Pound the steaks to about 1/4-inch thickness. Place flour in a shallow bowl. Stir together the baking powder, baking soda, pepper and salt in a separate shallow bowl; stir in the buttermilk, egg, Tabasco sauce and garlic. Dredge each steak first in the flour, then in the batter, and again in the flour. Pat the flour onto the surface of each steak so they are completely coated with dry flour. Heat the shortening in a deep cast-iron skillet to 325 degrees. Fry the steaks until evenly golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Place fried steaks on a plate with paper towels to drain. Drain the fat from the skillet, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid and as much of the solid remnants as possible. Return the skillet to medium-low heat with the reserved oil. Whisk the remaining flour into the oil. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release solids into the gravy. Stir in the milk, raise the heat to medium, and bring the gravy to a simmer, cook until thick, 6 to 7 minutes. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Spoon the gravy over the steaks to serve. 4 servings.
This recipe is found in the Worldwide Ward Secret Recipes Cookbook and was submitted by Tara Sanchez from Jamestown, North Dakota.

Tara says, "I grew up in the south where chicken fried steak is a staple food at every restaurant. When I moved to North Dakota I decided to figure out a way to make my own. This is my secret recipe for chicken fried steak. It is down home cooking at its finest, and it gets amazing reviews every time."

Banana Salad

2012-01-02T10:05:00.000-08:00

When I married my husband, David, I knew nothing about Banana Salad. But he loves it and his mother taught me to make it. It has become a favorite of mine as well. It goes with so many meals. It is sort of the stand by salad at our house. Everyone loves it. How many times I have thought, "Hey, Banana Salad would be great with this meal!" and then been disappointed because I didn't have a banana.

You might think it unusual, but it doesn't seem unusual to me at all. Well, not any more anyway. =) Try it for dinner. My guess is it'll become a favorite at your house.

It is as simple to make as it is delicious.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients.

Tear some lettuce in bite sized pieces. Slice a banana.

Pour on the dressing, stir, and serve!

Banana Salad

6 C. torn Iceberg lettuce

2 bananas

2/3 C. salad dressing (Miracle Whip)

6 Tbsp. milk

2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. celery seed

1/8 tsp. celery salt

salt

pepper

Place torn lettuce in a large bowl. Slice bananas and arrange over salad. In a small bowl, combine salad dressing, milk, vinegar, sugar, celery seed and celery salt. Whisk until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over salad and mix well. Serve immediately. 6 servings.

David says, "I don’t recall having a “favorite” meal growing up. Just about everything my mother put on the table was delicious and I never had to worry that dinner might be something I was going to dread. She made liver about once every 2-3 years, as if to give our tastebuds one more chance to overhaul their preferences. Even on those rare occasions, thankfully she always served a full meal, and there were plenty of other flavors to drown out the pasty, nasty liver. When I was a newlywed, I once asked my wife Deanna – the second dream cook of my life – if she would make a banana salad. She had never heard of such a thing, and I directed her to my mother. Such a simple but yummy side that complements just about any meal. Deanna loved it immediately and serves it to our family quite often. Every time I eat Banana Salad, I’m reminded of my mother’s tasty repertoire and her consistent diligence of putting a delicious, well-rounded meal on the table so we could enjoy dinner as a family every evening."

~David Buxton, Pleasant Grove, Utah

This recipe is found in the Worldwide Ward Mom's Best Recipes Cookbook.

Wisconsin Brown Bag Apple Pie Recipe

2011-12-16T19:33:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of apple pie recipes out there but this one is truly spectacular. Great for Thanksgiving. Especially heavenly for Christmas. How marvelous that in most places you can get apples at the grocery store any time of the year = baking and eating apple pie any time you want to.

This is one scrumptious pie.

Is your mouth watering? Read on.

Start with a pie crust. Use your favorite recipe.

A variety of apples makes an especially delicious apple pie. I used 3 kinds, but 2 is fine.

One should be a tart apple, like Granny Smith.

Toss apple chunks or slices in sugar and cinnamon. Pile them high in the unbaked crust.

"Frost" pie with fabulous frosting.

Put the pie in a brown bag, roll it closed and staple it shut.

Bubbly, apply deliciousness. And the mess stays in the bag.

Wisconsin Brown Bag Apple Pie

2 1/2 pounds (about 8 C.) apples; best to use two types of apples
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 C. sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 unbaked pie crust
3/4 C. softened butter
3/4 C. flour
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. packed brown sugar

Peel and slice apples. Immediately place cut apples in lemon juice to prevent browning. combine sugar, flour and cinnamon, and coat apples with mixture. Place apple mixture in your favorite pie crust. Combine softened butter, flour, sugar and brown sugar to make frosting. Spread frosting over apples. Do not place a top crust on the pie. Place pie in a brown paper grocery bag and staple shut. Place brown bag in center of oven making sure the sides of the bag do not touch the sides of the oven. Bake at 400 for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Rip open top of bag of bag immediately after baking being careful not to let steam burn you. Let pie cool and set for 1 hour. (It gets better and better with each passing hour!) Makes 1 pie or 8 large servings, which is certainly not enough!

This recipe was submitted by Jamica Wilcox from Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is in the Worldwide Ward Christmas Cookbook.

Jamica says, "We discovered this recipe while going to school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This recipe alone was worth our four years spent there and our student loans obtained there! It was a holiday favorite of everyone and we were never surprised to show up to a holiday party and see that several others had brought the exact same pie! Tradition was to leave the bottom part of the brown bag stuck to the bottom of the pie dish so that everyone would know that it wasn't just any ordinary apple pie- it was a 'Brown Bag Apple Pie'!"

Chocolate Banana Gag

2011-11-18T10:20:00.000-08:00

For every birthday for many, many years, my daughter, Erin has asked for Chocolate Banana Gag for her birthday cake. She is 25 now (wait, I am sure I am not older than 25...how can this be =)) and is the mother of 2 darling baby boys. Yes, that makes me a grandma. I love it. She came over and I made her this delicious dessert, just like I have for the past many years. At least 15. Maybe more.

We call it Chocolate Banana Gag because even though she loves it, it makes her gag. I have no explanation for this. It does not make me gag. Not the first bite. Not the middle bites. Not the last bite. I don't get it. But it does make me laugh.

I'll share the recipe with you. Go ahead and make it. I'm pretty sure it won't make you gag. She's the only one.

Chocolate Banana Gag

1 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs

1/4 C. sugar

1/3 C. butter, melted

1 8-oz. cream cheese

2 Tbsp. milk

1/4 C. sugar

1 8-oz. tub frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip), thawed (divided)

2 bananas

2 1/2 C. milk

1 large instant chocolate pudding

Combine crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press onto bottom of 9 x 13-inch dish. Chill 15 minutes. In a bowl, beat together cream cheese, milk and sugar. Fold in 1 3/4 cups Cool Whip. Spread over crust. Slice bananas and arrange in a single layer over cream cheese layer. In a large bowl, beat pudding mix and milk. Pour over bananas. Chill several hours. Top with remaining Cool Whip and serve. 12 servings.

Start with a graham cracker crust.

Next, add the cream cheese mixture. Top this with sliced bananas.

Pour the pudding layer over top. Top this with the remaining whipped cream.

Cover with many candles for the birthday girl.

Erin says, "This is my very favorite dessert. Every year for my birthday my mom made this dessert for me because I would rather have this than birthday cake. Even now that I am married my mom still makes it for my birthday. I still request it even though the combination of pudding and bananas makes me gag by the end of my piece. My mom renamed the dessert, "Chocolate Banana Gag" just for me. Now that I am a mom, I am looking forward to figuring out my kids' favorite food and making it for them, even if it makes them gag."

This recipe is in the Worldwide Ward Cookbook, Mom's Best Recipes.

Fried Green Tomatoes

2011-10-26T16:17:00.000-07:00

Frost is coming and I still have some tomatoes in my garden that are green. I don't think they'll have time to ripen and this is just fine with me since I am going to pick them and make this marvelous recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes. This recipe is the real deal. It comes from Susan Casdorph from South Charleston, West Virginia.

Fried Green Tomatoes

2 or 3 large green tomatoes
3/4 C. cornmeal
1/4 C. flour
dash of salt
dash of pepper
1 tsp. sugar or equivalent sugar substitute
2 Tbsp. (approximate) canola oil

Mix cornmeal, flour (or boxed cornbread mix in place of the cornmeal and flour), sugar, salt and pepper in a flat-bottomed dish.

Slice tomatoes in 1/4-inch slices.

Dip both sides of tomato slices into the cornmeal mix to cover (as well as you can).

Pour oil into cast iron skillet (if you have one, if not, any skillet will do) set at medium heat. When oil is hot enough (almost smoking). Then carefully place into hot oil. Cook on both sides until brown (approximately 1 to 2 minutes on each side).

Drain on paper towel. Serve with Ranch dressing. Delicious. 4 to 6 servings.

Susan says, "My mother-in-law, Doris Casdorph, made these for me when I was dating my husband (we've been married now for almost three years) and I absolutely adore them. I could eat my weight in fried green tomatoes if my stomach could hold 'em! Doesn't matter how many you make, it is never enough!"

Ginger Glazed Salmon

2011-08-30T10:05:00.000-07:00

I know that many of you go to really great places, like Alaska, to get your salmon. I, on the other hand, do my fishing at my local super market. I locate the frozen section and cast my line into the freezer until I manage to catch a bag of individually packaged single portions of salmon. Like any great fisherman, I sometimes come away empty handed, but usually I am successful at catching just what I am looking for. Especially when they keep that section fully stocked.

I love that salmon is on the healthy list of foods. I also love that the kind I catch comes with no bones or eyes and such. I can take out exactly the number of servings I desire for the meal. Today I only needed 4 servings. I decided to make this marvelous recipe from the Worldwide Ward Secret Recipes Cookbook. Delicious!

Ginger Glazed Salmon

¼ C. packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. grated fresh or 1 tsp. ground ginger
4 6-oz wild Pacific salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick, skinned
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Coat rack of broiler pan with cooking spray. Preheat broiler. In small bowl, whisk sugar, mustard and ginger. Season both sides of fillets with salt and pepper.

Place salmon on broiler rack and brush glaze on top.

Broil 6 inches from heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until fish is lightly browned and opaque. Serve each fillet on top of a lightly dressed mixed green salad. 4 servings.

I will admit that I changed the recipe but only very slightly. I didn't have any Dijon mustard so I substituted Spicy Brown mustard. My guess is it would be great with any variety of mustard. Even Honey mustard. Or maybe even especially Honey mustard. I think I will try that next time. There will definitely be a next time.

This recipe was submitted by Stephanie Thompson who is from Rexburg, Idaho. She says,

"The secret nature of this recipe is love...really though...let me explain. When my husband and I were dating this meal was the first one he made for me. At the time, I had no idea I was going to fall for him, but I knew for a fact that I had fallen for his cooking. The first time he met my family they insisted he make the famous salmon they had heard all about. He did, and of course, they loved it! Now, every time we get together with my family, we always make this scrumptious salmon dish together."

Thank you, Stephanie. What a marvelous recipe!

Freezing Bananas

2011-08-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

Why would you freeze a banana? To save it for later, of course! No need to throw away bananas when they get too ripe to eat. Even when they are completely brown you can still freeze them to use later.

There are multiple ways you can freeze bananas and all of them work splendidly. You could simply put the whole, unpeeled banana(s) in a freezer bag. Toss them in the freezer. The peel will turn completely brown and they look absolutely awful. When you want to use them, they are easy to peel when frozen and just as easy when they are thawed.

You could peel them before you put them in the freezer bag to freeze. Works just as well, although I think you need to use them sooner, since they are more susceptible to freezer burn without the peels to give them that little extra protection.

Another option is to slice them up and arrange them in a single layer on a sheet cake pan or cookie sheet. Cover with plastic and put in the freezer for just long enough to freeze them, about an hour or two.

Transfer the frozen banana slices to a freezer bag and store it in the freezer. Since they are individually frozen slices, you'll be able to take out as much or as little as you want, instead of having a frozen mass of banana.

Frozen bananas are great when making banana smoothies. You won't need to use as much ice, since the bananas are frozen. I really am not a fan of ice in my smoothies. I'd much rather use frozen fruit. Sometimes I buy the bananas and other fruit just so I can freeze it for smoothies later.

Banana Smoothie

1 or 2 frozen bananas (or equivalent in slices)

1 cup milk (or more if you like it thinner)

1 teaspoon vanilla

*1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

Combine in a blender and whir it up!

Variations:

Chocolate Banana Smoothie - use chocolate milk instead!

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie - add about a tablespoon of peanut butter

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie - use chocolate milk and add a tablespoon of peanut butter

Add thawed frozen bananas to pancake batter. Make as you would any other pancake. Delicious!!

Possibly my favorite use for frozen bananas is to make Banana Bread. Thawed bananas slide easily out of their peels. I put them in a bowl and use a potato masher to mash them. They are so much easier to mash after they've been frozen than when they are fresh. So easy to stir into banana bread batter. Mmmmm.....

Try freezing bananas and use them in this wonderful Banana Bread recipe from the Worldwide Ward Cookbook. This recipe is from the Secret Recipes Cookbook.

Wacky Cake with Cinnamon Sauce

2011-08-11T15:49:00.000-07:00

Deep dark chocolate cake, dripping with smooth and creamy cinnamon sauce. Yummmm! It looks like chocolate frosting but oh, what a lovely surprise to taste the sweet cinnamon sauce. What a fabulous combination!

Thanks to the Bockholt Cousins from Orem, Utah we have this wonderful cake recipe to share!! Here's what they say...

For birthdays, we all gather together on a Sunday afternoon and have dinner and cake. Wacky cake has become really popular because it brings back memories our dads and uncles have of helping their mother make it. Now, we all get to make it with our grandma. Jay, Wes, Kyla, and Katryn, Lacy and Bryce, all crowd around the counter helping poke the holes in the cake mix to pour ingredients, so we can all claim, "I made this cake for you! Happy birthday!"

Why is this cake called Wacky Cake? I'll show you and then you decide!

Spray a square cake pan or dish with non-stick cooking spray. You don't even need a mixing bowl.

That's Wacky!

Add the dry ingredients. Mix them all up. Make 3 holes.

That's Wacky.

Put the vanilla in one hole, the vinegar in another hole and the oil in the 3rd hole.

That's Wacky.

Pour in the water and mix it all up.

Wacky.

Ready to put in the oven and bake.

In a saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients.

Cook and stir this until bubbly.

Pour it over the cake.

Yum! Time to eat it!

Wacky Cake

1 1/2 C. flour
1 C. sugar
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
6 Tbsp. oil

1 C. lukewarm water

Cinnamon Sauce:
1 C. milk
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. butter

1 C. sugar

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a greased 8-inch cake pan. Make three holes. Put vinegar in one hole, vanilla in one hole and oil in the third hole. Pour water over all and mix well. Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes. In a saucepan, whisk together milk and flour. Whisk in butter and heat to a boil. Simmer for 1 minute. Stir in sugar and cinnamon. Pour over cake. 6 to 8 servings.

A little Wacky...a lot Yummy!

Thank you Bockholt Cousins!

Just one of the many great recipes in the Worldwide Ward Mom's Best Recipe Cookbook!

Candied Carrots

2011-07-28T20:50:00.000-07:00

Did you see the carrots on the plate of Bar-B-Que SpareRibs? Those are Candied Carrots and oh, are they good. This is the way my kids request carrots most often. When I made the tasty ribs of the last blog post, I made these carrots to go along with them. A perfect pairing. I always make more than we'll need for dinner because Sam will want carrots again tomorrow. It's his afternoon snack of choice. Funny kid!

Candied Carrots

1 2 pound package carrots
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Peel and slice the carrots.
Place in a saucepan and cover with water. Add salt and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and boil gently for about 20 minutes or until carrots are very soft. Pour into a colander to drain.

In the same saucepan, heat butter and brown sugar until melted and bubbly.

Return carrots to saucepan and stir to coat with butter and sugar. Makes about 6 servings.

This recipe is in the Worldwide Ward Cookbook ~ Mom's Best Recipes book. It was submitted by my daughter, Lani. I love this because I did not know she intended to submit a recipe and she did not tell me she had done so. Isn't that fun? I love her so much and it tickles me that she loves these carrots enough to submit them for the cookbook. She also included this story...

"My mom, Deanna Buxton, (author of this book and actually many others), is definitely the most excellent lady. I like to call her Bob. You know when your nose is stuffed up, mom sounds like bob? That's where I got it. Bob always always always has something to make or someone to take care of or something to be fixed and always people to feed. Bob goes to extreme lengths to make sure my family is not hungry. This recipe has always been a gem to us. I don't know where she got it but oh, does it hit the spot. I remember when I got baptized, we came home to a most delightful feast for us beasts. But we could all smell something burnt. The carrots had not been taken off the burner so they... got crusty. We were all a little bummed. But Bob was the most sad of all. She was really looking forward to giving us those top notch carrots. Nevertheless, din din was abundant and satisfying. Everyone loves Bob, but especially me. I love you Bob!!!!!!"

Oooo isn't she cute?!

Lani lives in Logan, Utah and is currently attending Utah State University. I love you, Lani!

Bar-B-Que Spareribs

2011-07-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

Hungry for some oooey, goooey fall off the bone, dripping with sauce spareribs?? Here's a recipe for you to try. I made these on Sunday for my family and boy o boy, were they delicious. They are a bit different than the BBQ Spareribs you might be familiar with from the great ribs restaurants. These are the kind that have a taste that reminds you of something that only your mom makes. A taste that you have grown up with. A taste that you crave. Mmmmm......delicious.

Start with a full rack of pork spareribs. Cut and rearrange to fit in the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Be generous. Slice an onion and separate the slices into rings. Arrange the rings over the top of the ribs. Sprinkle with brown sugar.

Combine the sauce ingredients and pour over the top. Looks good already!

Bake at 350 for a few hours and what do you get? You get some really saucy, sweet and sticky, fall off the bone tender fabulous ribs. Easy and delicious!

This recipe is in the Worldwide Ward Secret Recipes Cookbook and was submitted by Lynne Fisher from Redlands, California.

She says, "Back when Primary was during the week after school, my mother would put these ribs, potatoes and squash in the oven to bake while we were all at Primary and Dad was at work. By the time we all got back at home, dinner was ready and we could sit right down and eat. Think the secret to this recipe is the cinnamon and chili powder. I was surprised to find them in the recipe when I got the recipe from my mother when I wanted to serve Bar-B-Que Spareribs to my family of 8 boys."

Here is her recipe!

Bar-B-Que Spareribs

5-6 lb. spareribs
salt and pepper
1 onion, sliced
1 C. packed brown sugar
2 10.75-oz. cans tomato soup
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1/4 C. vinegar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 C. water
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. chili powder

Place meat in 9 x 13-inch pan; salt and pepper. Place onion on top and sprinkle brown sugar over top. Combine soup, sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, water, cinnamon and chili powder together and heat just until warm. Pour over meat and bake at 350 degrees for 3-4 hours. 6 servings.

Thank you, Lynne!!

RazzCherry Pie

2011-07-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

RazzCherry Pie

Crust:
2 C. flour, plus a little extra for rolling the dough
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 C. butter flavored shortening
1/4 C. ice water
1 egg
1 Tbsp. vinegar

Filling:
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen raspberries, thawed and drained, juice reserved
2 C. pitted frozen cherries, thawed and drained, juice reserved
4 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 C. sugar
dash of salt
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. ground orange zest
dash cinnamon
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. To make crust, sift flour, salt, and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or fork. Whisk together ice water, egg and vinegar. Sprinkle egg mixture 1 Tbsp. at a time onto flour mixture while fluffing with fork. Cover and chill.
To make filling, place reserved juices in a 2 cup measure. Add enough water to make 1 1/2 cups and pour into a medium-size sauce pan. Add cornstarch, sugar and salt. Stir to dissolve. Heat and stir until mixture thickens and turns clear. Add raspberries, cherries, almond extract, orange zest and cinnamon. Stir gently and remove from heat. Divide chilled pastry dough in half. Roll out one half onto slightly floured surface forming a circle large enough to line a 9-inch pie plate. Place rolled dough in pie plate. Pour in filling and dot with butter. Roll out remaining pastry and place over top of pie. Trim excess dough from the rim and crimp the edges all the way around the plate. Bake 35-45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. TIP: For golden glossy crusts brush surface of dough with a mixture of one egg white and 1 Tbsp. of cold water beaten together. 8 servings.

What a marvelous and festive recipe, yes? If you want the stars on the crust (like I do for our 4th of July picnic), instead of putting on the top crust, roll out the dough and, using a star shaped cookie cutter, cut the dough in many star shapes. You could even use multiple sizes of stars. Crimp the edge of the pie crust, put in the filling and then carefully arrange the stars randomly, overlapping some, over the top of the pie. Brush the surface with the egg white and water mixture and bake.

Individual pies are fun, too. You can get miniature pie tins at the grocery store. Look in the baking isle for the foil baking pans. Roll out the dough in several smaller rounds and make them just like the big pies, but with fewer stars. Aren't they cute?

This recipe was submitted by Katherine Hinkley from Sheridan, Wyoming. It is in the Secret Recipes cookbook.

Katherine says, "This is a family recipe which has won several prizes including 1st place at the Utah State Fair in 2005. Our family doesn't see a holiday without this pie. It takes some effort to make but trust me it’s worth it, especially served with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream."

Thank you, Katherine! What a wonderful, beautiful and delicious recipe!!

Broken Glass Stars

2011-06-29T16:22:00.000-07:00

Broken Glass Stars

1 large (6-ounce) box red gelatin (Jell-O or store brand, any red flavor)

1 large (6-ounce) box blue gelatin (Jell-O or store band, any blue flavor)

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin (Knox)

Dissolve red gelatin in 2 cups boiling water. Pour into an 8-inch square dish. In a separate bowl, dissolve blue gelatin in 2 cups boiling water. Pour into another 8-inch square dish. Chill until firm. Cut the firm gelatin into squares and carefully pour the two colors together in a 9 x 13-inch dish. In a separate bowl, sprinkle the unflavored gelatin into 1/2 cup cold water. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes, until the gelatin starts to expand. Add 1 1/2 cups boiling water and stir to dissolve. Stir in sweetened condensed milk. Stir and allow to cool. Pour cooled mixture over gelatin blocks. Skim off bubbles. Chill until firm. Using a star shaped cookie cutter, cut into stars and serve.

Ohhhhh I love this recipe!! Isn't it cute?! And just perfect for the 4th of July picnics that are surely coming this wonderful holiday weekend. So easy and so delicious, too. I suspect that more than just the kids will like this one.

And here's a little tidbit you might want to tuck away for later. Wouldn't these be cute for, say, a graduation celebration --- in school colors! Cut with number cookie cutters. Or how about for Halloween, in purple and orange, cut in Jack-o-lanterns and bats! Or Christmas, in red and green, cut in stars or trees. Or Valentine's Day, in red and pink, cut in hearts. Or for birthday parties. You could use 4 small boxes of Jell-O instead of the 2 big ones, and choose 4 colors, if you want. How fun....and so many possibilities!

What Deanna says about the new Secret Recipes cookbook...

2011-06-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

It would be really, really great (really) if you would go this video on YouTube and say something nice in the comments. I would be truly grateful. =)
Here's the link...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a3fIm3tlnQ

Donuts for National Doughnut Day!

2011-06-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

Today is National Doughnut Day. You can't pass through this day without a really great doughnut, right? I know this recipe is really a form of cheating...but that's why I call them Donuts and not Doughnuts. I'm sure you understand my reasoning! Truth is, though, these amazingly simple, amazingly delicious little tidbits of joy are so good, no one will know that the dough started in a lowly refrigerated biscuit tube!! Yum! So, in honor of National Doughnut Day...

Donuts

refrigerated biscuit dough (each can has 10 biscuits - one is never enough)

oil for frying

*powdered sugar

*a bit of milk

*cinnamon sugar

*chocolate

(*whichever you desire, one or all)

Separate biscuits. Using your thumbs, gently press a hole in the center of each biscuit. Do this slowly and gently, stretching the dough into a doughnut shape. Be careful not to tear the dough or you'll just have to halves of a biscuit! Some use a tiny round cutter to cut the center from the biscuit. There is no reason you should or shouldn't do this. If you do, you'll have donut holes to eat. If you don't, you won't. =) Make hoes in all the biscuits before you start since they turn golden very rapidly. If you make holes in between batches frying, your oil can get way too hot. Be careful!

Make powdered sugar icing (or cinnamon sugar or chocolate icing) before you start frying the donuts. The cinnamon sugar won't adhere to cold donuts. Plus, everyone wants to eat warm donuts!! Prepare everything first, fry the donuts, dip them in icing or in powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar, eat!

To make powdered sugar icing, pour a cup or 2 of powdered sugar in a large bowl. (The amount will depend on how many donuts you are making.) Add milk ONE TABLESPOON AT A TIME and stir after each addition. Keep adding milk until you get a thick white pasty icing. Add melted chocolate chips or cocoa powder to the icing to make it chocolate. To make cinnamon sugar, add about 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon to about 1 cup sugar.

Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees, or in a shallow pan, heat about 2 inches of oil until it lightly sizzles when you touch the edge of biscuit to the oil. Place a few biscuits in the hot oil, leaving plenty of room for them to float around. Don't leave them, and watch them carefully. As soon as they turn golden on the bottom, use a meat for to turn them over. Let the other side turn golden and remove them from the oil and let them drain on paper towels. If the oil gets too hot the dough will brown too quickly and they don't puff up and cook all the way through.

As soon as all the biscuits have been magically transformed into hot donuts, dip each one in a bowl of powdered sugar icing or in powdered sugar or in cinnamon sugar. We normally dip one side of each in powdered sugar icing. It is our favorite. When I dip them in cinnamon sugar, I coat the entire donut!

Spectacular! I love these. My husband loves these. My kids love them so much they beg for me to make them. So give in! Make doughnuts (donuts) the easy way. Toss a little flour on your face. No one will know you didn't slave all day for these. Plus...a tube of 10 biscuits = 10 donuts = about 50 cents!! How great is that.

Banana Bread

2011-05-26T22:25:00.000-07:00

There is something comforting about the smell of banana bread baking. I love the way the sweetness lingers in the air for a few hours. I love the way the loaves look, cooling on the counter. I love the reaction from the kids when they come home and smell it as soon as they come through the door. The glee on their faces as they spot one of their favorite treats cooling on the counter. Then the delicious agony of deciding between a slice with chocolate chips or without. Okay, better have one of each.

I made this recipe for Super Moist Banana Bread from the Secret Recipes cookbook, and it is just that. Super Moist. It is wonderful. It is perfect banana bread. The brown sugar and sour cream and Dream Whip...make it....well....they make it perfect.

I peel the bananas and break them into 3 or 4 pieces each and put one banana at a time into a big bowl. I use a potato masher to mash them a few times until they are soft and gooey.

The recipe makes 2 loaves. I used one regular bread pan and one fancy bread pan that a dear friend gave me. It is heavy and has loveliness molded into the top. It is one of those awesome bread pans that you can get at cool kitchen stores like William Sonoma. (The air is different in those stores and my heart speeds up just walking through the door.) The loaf always comes out perfect and beautiful. I love to use this bread pan, especially if i am giving the loaf away. It makes it extra special (as if warm banana bread isn't wonderful enough) to have the beautiful design on the top.

I added chocolate chips this time. Sometimes I put mini chocolate chips in half the batter. One loaf with chocolate chips, one loaf without. I think I'll put mini chocolate chips in both next time. Well...maybe. Delicious with chocolate. Delicious without. I can still smell it.

Super Moist Banana Bread

1 C. sugar
1 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. oil
3 eggs
3 tsp. vanilla
1 12-oz. carton sour cream
4 ripe bananas
2 ½ C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
1 env. whipped topping mix (Dream Whip)
1/2 - 2 C. coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two loaf pans with non-stick spray or grease and flour them.
Cream together sugars, oil and eggs. Add vanilla. Add sour cream and bananas, mix well with mixer. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and powdered whipped topping. Add dry mixture to wet mixture and mix well. Stir in nuts. For an extra something, I’ll sometimes add chocolate chips or flavored coffee creamers (Amoretto, hazelnut, etc). Just add whatever to match your mood or the season. Pour into prepared pans. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. 2 loaves.

This recipe comes from Jaelynne Nebeker from Westminster, Colorado. Thank you, Jaelynne.

Lemon Bar Trifle

2011-05-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

Wanna make Mom something spectacular for Mother's Day? Make this Lemon Bar Trifle for her. You will love it, and more importantly, SHE will love it. It looks amazing and tastes way beyond delicious. It is not as difficult as you might think...and is certainly worth the effort. It is not complicated at all, even though there are 3 parts to make. You make each separately, then layer them in a pretty trifle bowl. Don't have a trifle bowl? What a lovely gift for your Mother! A trifle bowl...full of Lemon Bar Trifle. You could even give her the wonderful Secret Recipes cookbook to go with it. How marvelous!

Lemon Bar Trifle

2 C. flour
1 C. chopped pecans
1 C. butter, melted
1 1/2 C. sugar
1/4 C. cornstarch
1/4 C. flour
1 3/4 C. cold water
3 egg yolks, beaten
2/3 C. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. butter
4 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
3 C. powdered sugar
1 8-oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed

In a small bowl, combine flour and pecans; stir in butter. Press into an ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. In a small heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and flour. Stir in water until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the lemon juice, butter and lemon peel. Transfer to a large bowl. Cool to room temperature without stirring. Cover surface with waxed paper; refrigerate until chilled. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Crumble the baked pecan mixture; set aside 1/2 cup for topping. Just before serving, in a 3-quart trifle bowl, layer 1 cup each pecan mixture, lemon mixture and cream cheese mixture. Repeat layers twice. Sprinkle with reserved pecan mixture. Refrigerate leftovers. 9 servings.

This recipe was sent in by Ryan Murphy who lives in Knoxville, Tennessee. Thank you, Ryan!

I made this at my house.

Nothin' left but crumbs.

Women's Conference

2011-04-29T16:48:00.000-07:00

Wow! It was so fun to talk to so many of you today at Women's Conference at BYU. I am always so amazed to see how far some of you come to attend this great conference. And I love that so many of you live right here, or at least fairly nearby.

Such amazing opportunities we have, to attend such amazing conferences and have the privilege of hearing from our wonderful leaders. There is something completely special (terrific? spectacular? amazing? is there a word for it?) about being in the same room with them, seeing them with your own eyes, breathing the same air...AND if you are patient enough, you can actually talk with them, even shake their hands.

I could tell when Elder Bednar was speaking because one minute the BYU Bookstore was buzzing with people. I heard one student walk by talking on her phone, saying, "I need to buy paint brushes but there are women everywhere." Ha! It's true. Women everywhere. Then the next minute, the store was empty as everyone scrambled to get a seat where Elder Bednar was speaking. How marvelous.

I loved meeting so many of you today. I remember many of your names (some of them I wrote down so I would have an easier time remembering - is that cheating? ;) I don't think so!) I'll be watching for your recipes to come in. If I didn't meet you today...well, I'd love for you to send in your recipes as well! I really do hope you all submit your recipes. Just click on one of the Submit Recipe buttons over there (points to the top of the right column) and send me a recipe and tell me your story. Click on the tab up there (points to the tab at the top right) and you can read an explanation of what I'm currently seeking.

Then, tell your friends and family who live 'somewhere else.' I am always searching for people who live somewhere else. Without you I couldn't go around the world and find so many great people. (insert heart here)

Secret Giveaway Winners!!

2011-04-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all of you who entered our bloggers contest!! You all have such cute blogs and I am truly impressed! I used Random.org to choose our winners and they are:

Drum roll....

The Chocolate Package goes to Melinda Moss!

The Pizza Stone goes to Jennifer Kjovus!

The cute WWWCB Apron goes to April!

The Designer Greeting Card Kit goes to Brooke Heaton!

The Gloves and Body Lotion go to the Pots and Pins blogger!

The Secret Recipes cookbook set goes to Sydnie Florence!

Congratulations to our winners! E-mail your address to Kelly at covenantpromotions@gmail.com

Stay tuned because there are more contests to come...and some great recipes and contributor spotlights in the meantime!

Secret Giveaway!

2011-04-13T12:05:00.000-07:00

~~This contest is closed.~~

Okay, so this giveaway isn't secret at all, except that it is about the Worldwide Ward Secret Recipes Cookbook. There are so many great prizes! Wanna see the prizes first?! Yes, let's look at the prizes and then I'll tell you how you can win one! There are five really great prizes to win...which means you have 6, yes, SIX chances to win!!

Chocolate Package

One prize is the fabulous chocolate cookbook, Chocolate Never Faileth by Annette Lyon. You will LOVE this wonderful cookbook. Who can get enough chocolate? AND to help you with some of your chocolate creations, we are including this Amazing Brownie Pan. This pan has 3 pieces that fit together to make perfectly cut brownies. Love it!!

Pizza Stone with Rack

Another prize is this 15-inch Pizza Stone. It comes with a colling rack to put it on when it comes out of the oven loaded with the marvelous pizza you're going to make on it!

WWWCB Apron

How about this lovely Worldwide Ward Cookbook Apron? It is cute and sturdy and comes with a matching kitchen towel and pot holder. You're gonna look great while making some great recipes!

Designer Card Making Kit

Next is this DARLING Card Making Kit. It has over 100 pieces and includes everything you will need to make some truly beautiful designer greeting cards. The photo really does not do this kit justice!

Gloves and Body Lotion

Another prize is this set of Lavender Gloves and Botanical Body Lotion. The combination of these two will keep your hands soft and lovely. And, oh it smells sooooooo nice!

Secret Recipes Cookbook Set

This great set includes a large, heavy duty Roasting Pan, a set of 4 Prep Bowls by KitchenAid (1, 2, 3 & 4 cup sizes with lids) AND a copy of Secret Recipes cookbook! You'll find plenty of recipes in this cookbook to use with your new bowls and roasting pan!

Now for the specifics of how to win one of these prizes.

The contest rules:

1. Post something about the Secret Recipes Cookbook on your blog.
(This can be a link to anything on blog such as, the YouTube video commercial, a shout out for the WWW Cookbook blog, a link to a recipe on your blog, a link to the review that one of the newspapers has run, etc.)

THEN, put the link of your blog post on the Worldwide Ward Cookbook blog (in the comment box). You will be automatically entered in the giveaway.

2. If you share on Facebook about your blog about the Secret Recipes Cookbook, you will be entered in the giveaway TWICE! Be sure to 'friend' us and tell us when you post it on Facebook to be sure you are entered!

Don't have a blog? Don't fret! You can be included, too! Find a friend who does blog, and have her (him?) blog a little something about the Secret Recipes cookbook and include a link, etc. (requirement number 1). Then put the blog link here in the comments of this blog and tell us your blogger friend's name and both of you will be entered in the giveaway. Both of you will also be entered again if you both share us on facebook. =)

Blog away and Good Luck!!
This Giveaway is sponsored by our friends at Covenant Communications.
This giveaway ends at NOON on Monday, April 25.

Secret Combinations - Daily Herald Article

2011-04-08T14:04:00.000-07:00

The Daily Herald ran an awesome article about the Secret Recipes cookbook. The article was written by Karen Hoag (who always does such a wonderful job!) and she called it "Secret Combinations." Ha ha ha! How cute is that?! She included several recipes in her article, some from the Secret Recipes cookbook and others from other sources. You'll want to read to the end to catch all the great recipes!
Read the Secret Combinations Article

Simple and Scrumptious - Herald Journal Article

2011-04-06T10:51:00.000-07:00

Here is a lovely article featuring Shanna Hugie who contributed a recipe in the Secret Recipes cookbook.

Read the Simple and Scrumptious article

Shanna has such cute things to say about this recipe. After reading this article you'll surely want the recipe. Here it is:

Quick, Cheap 'n Yummy Spaghetti Sauce

1/2 pound ground beef
1 45-ounce can tomato juice
1 7-ounce can sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 to 2 cups potato flakes

Brown ground beef and drain. In a large saucepan, combine browned ground beef, tomato juice, mushrooms, onion salt, Italian seasoning and grated Parmesan cheese. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. SLOWLY add potato flakes, stirring until desired thickness is achieved. Do not add too many potato flakes, or you will have "tomatoed potatoes." Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles. Makes 12 servings.

Ahhh!! Thank you, Shanna. We love you!

Shanna's recipe is found on page 146 of the Worldwide Ward Cookbook - Secret Recipes.

Secret Recipes Commercial

2011-03-31T13:43:00.000-07:00

This is the brand new commercial for the brand new Worldwide Ward Cookbook - Secret Recipes. It will air this weekend. So funny!!

Chicken Enchiladas

2011-03-25T09:29:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of amazing, delicious, wonderful and even awesome enchilada recipes out there but Delfina Amate from Ensenada, Mexico has a recipe that just might top them all! She sent in her secret enchilada recipe for the Secret Recipes cookbook and it truly is awesome. She calls it Delfina's AWESOME Enchiladas. Did I say that it is awesome? Well, correction. I meant it is AWESOME!

Delfina's AWESOME Enchiladas

2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into chunks
1 10.75-oz. can cream of chicken soup
1 1/4 C. sour cream
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 4-oz. can chopped green chiles, drained
1 env. mild taco seasoning mix
1 bunch green onions, chopped, divided
1 C. water
1 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
5 12-inch flour tortillas
3 C. shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 10-oz. can enchilada sauce
1 6-oz. can sliced black olives

Place the chicken in a large pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the chicken pieces are no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Shred chicken by placing two forks back to back and pulling meat apart. Set the shredded chicken aside. Meanwhile, combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and chili powder in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Turn off heat and cover to keep warm. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken, chopped green chiles, taco seasoning, half of the bunch of chopped green onion and water. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice, onion powder and garlic powder; simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Stir 1 cup of the soup mixture into the skillet with the chicken mixture. Spread the remaining soup mixture on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the chicken filling and then roll up, reserving half of the shredded cheese for topping the enchiladas. Place seam-side down in the prepared pan. Pour enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas. Cover with the remaining half of the Cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the reserved chopped green onions and the sliced olives on top of the cheese. Bake in the preheated oven until filling is heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 25 minutes. 8 servings.

"While visiting the United States I came up with this enchilada recipe. I wanted to make my normal traditional Mexican dishes but I never had all the ingredients on hand so I threw this and that together. I took whatever I could find on hand in the pantry. I came up with these non-traditional Mexican enchiladas. The seasonings are my secret blend from the traditional recipe. My family loves this Tex-Mex version more than my traditional version."

Delfina Amate
Santo Domingo Ward
San Nicolas Mexico Stake
Ensenada, Mexico

Thank you, Delfina! This AWESOME recipe is on page 162 of the Worldwide Ward Cookbook - Secret Recipes.

How to Peel Boiled Potatoes

2011-03-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

Do you love ~~making~~ eating potato salad, but hate peeling the boiled potatoes? I found the niftiest video about how to peel boiled potatoes. Who knew it was this easy? Wow. I wish I had known about this years and years ago. Watch this video and see how. And any of you who grew up watching Gilligan's Island will especially like it!

Carrot Cake

2011-03-18T08:07:00.000-07:00

All my life I have looked for a great Carrot Cake recipe. I mean a great one. A really great one. Every once in a while I'll have a piece of carrot cake at a restaurant that I am sure is the recipe that I am looking for. But do I have the recipe? No. Just the cake. Which is good. But not as great as having the recipe. I have made many many different carrot cake recipes. Most are pretty good. But not the great one I am looking for.

And then, enter Emily Price from Laurel, Maryland. She sent in her secret recipe for carrot cake. She calls it Blue Ribbon Carrot Cake with Buttermilk Glaze. My heart speeds up a little just reading the name of it. This cake is so good. No. It is great. So amazingly great. I'm tellin' ya...my search for a great carrot cake recipe is over. This is it. This is the one I've been waiting for. You will love it!

Blue Ribbon Carrot Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

Glaze:
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cake:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups grated carrots
1 1/3 cups shredded coconut
1 cup seedless raisins
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Frosting:
1/4 cup butter
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange peel

Glaze: In a saucepan over high heat, combine sugar, baking soda, buttermilk, butter and corn syrup. Bring to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Set aside until cake is baked.

Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or two 9-inch cake pans. Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add oil, buttermilk, sugar and vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture, pineapple, carrots, coconut, raisins and walnuts; stir well. Pour into prepared pan(s). Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and slowly pour buttermilk glaze over hot cake. Cool cake in pan until buttermilk glaze is totally absorbed. about 15 minutes. Cool and frost.

Frosting:
In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, orange juice and orange peel. Mix until smooth. Frost cake and refrigerate until frosting is set. Serve cake chilled. 20 servings.

This recipe is on page 202 of the Worldwide Ward Cookbook - Secret Recipes. You can find it at your local bookstore, especially at Seagull Book and Deseret Book. You can also find it online at seagullbook.com or at deseretbook.com or amazon.com

Contest Winner

2011-03-17T12:06:00.000-07:00

We have a winner!!! The winner of this week's drawing is......(drum roll please!) ....... Dawn! Dawn, please e-mail your address to Kelly at covenantpromotions@gmail.com to receive your brand new Worldwide Ward Cookbook - Secret Recipes! You're gonna love it!

Stay tuned, because there are more books and aprons to be won. Watch for more contests coming right up! Tell your friends, 'cuz the more people that comment, the books and aprons Covenant will give away!

Fresh Living on Channel 2

2011-03-10T13:08:00.000-08:00

Did you happen to see the Worldwide Ward Cookbook - Secret Recipes segment on Fresh Living on Channel 2? If you missed it, all is not lost! ha ha! You can view it here . And just in case you watch it and want to rush right into the kitchen to make it, here is the recipe. =D

Lemon Chicken

4 pounds chicken breasts, cut into large pieces

2 Cups fresh lemon juice

2 Cups flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 Cup corn oil

2 Tablespoons lemon zest

1/4 Cup brown sugar

1/4 Cup chicken stock

1 teaspoon lemon extract

Combine chicken and lemon juice in a bowl or zipper bag; marinate in refrigerator several hours or overnight. Drain chicken. Combine flour, salt, paprika, and pepper. Coat each chicken piece in the flour mixture. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry chicken pieces, a few at a time, for 5 minutes on each side until browned. Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer in a large, shallow baking dish.Sprinkle with lemon zest and brown sugar. Mix chicken stock and lemon extract; pour around chicken. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until tender. 6 servings.

http://connect2utah.com/libraries/nxd/media/?data=media_player&brand=fresh-living&v=227986

This wonderfully delicious recipe comes from Amanda Porter who is in the North Ogden 15th Ward in North Odgen, Utah. It is found on page 165 of the new Worldwide Ward - Secret Recipes book. Thank you, Amanda!!

This recipe is found on page 165 of the new Worldwide Ward - Secret Recipes book. You can find it here (Deseret Book) or here (Seagull Book) or here (Amazon).

Article in the Deseret News

2011-03-09T11:22:00.000-08:00

This morning there is a lovely article in the Deseret News about the brand new Worldwide Ward Cookbook - Secret Recipes. You can read it here . Read to the end because there are some awesome recipes from the book included.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700116597/Cookbook-shares-unique-recipeshtml

The only addition (correction?) I'd make to this article is the part about my testing recipes. The truth is that I don't test (really I just try them because I want to make them) all the recipes. AND a more important truth is I really haven't tried (tested?) any recipes that I have not liked. Maybe this is because I love to cook and/or I love to eat. I like so many things. I really believe, though, that I haven't found anything I don't like because people only send in wonderful recipes that are tried and true and loved by those they make it for. And then I love them, too.

Cowboy Caviar

2011-03-03T11:21:00.000-08:00

Hungry for something yummy and even healthy? For a snack? How about for Lunch? Or maybe as a Side to with Dinner? Boy Howdy, do I have the recipe for you! It is a recipe from Trina Boice from Carlsbad, California.

Cowboy Caviar

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)
fresh ground black pepper
1 ripe avocado
1 (15-ounce) can black beans
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans
1 (16-ounce) can corn
2/3 Cup sliced green onion
1/2 Cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 pound Roma tomatoes, chopped
salt to taste

In a large bowl, combine vinegar, oil, garlic, hot sauce and pepper. Peel, pit and cut avocado into 1/2-inch cubes. Add to the vinegar mixture and toss lightly. Drain and rinse beans and corn. Add beans, corn, onion, cilantro and tomatoes. Mix gently to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with tortilla chips. It is also great as a relish with grilled chicken or steak.

Mmmmmmmm!!! Enjoy!

SECRET RECIPES!

2011-02-25T13:24:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it?! The brand new Worldwide Ward Cookbook is here!! This one is called Secret Recipes. It is full of the most fun and fabulous recipes ever!! The recipes come from members living all over the place, including every single state in the United States of America and 32 different countries around the world. How marvelous is that?!

There are some seriously great recipes in this book. How does BBQ Shrimp Orleans sound right about now? This recipe comes from Kristi Craft who lives in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. She says this stuff tastes just like the shrimp you can get at a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse only she makes it herself. And now you can, too!!

Or how about Lemon Sherbet Punch. Mmmmm....it doesn't even have to be hot outside for me to imagine sipping on this stuff. It comes from Charles Wells who lives in Dublin, Ireland. How cool is that?! There is also (among many others) an amazing recipe for a luscious drink called Lion's Froth from Natalia Stegall in Rexburg, Idaho. So lovely!

So many wonderful people, from so many wonderful places, sent in such glorious recipes. Daria Abraham from Palmerston, New Zealand sent in Tropical Coffee Cake. No coffee in this cake (ha ha ha How did that name ever come to be??), instead it is filled with pineapple and coconut. So intriguing and yet it doesn't surprise me that such a recipe would come from New Zealand. Man o man, makes my mouth water. Esther Lee in Singapore sent in her treasured recipe for Kung Pao Chicken, and Anastasia Upton from Raleigh, North Carolina sent in Apple-Glazed BBQ Chicken.

Perhaps my favorite (well, let's see...truth is I could no more choose a favorite recipe than I could choose a favorite song or favorite movie! Too many categories and too many moods and situations that affect the criteria for favorite! Sheesh...), so ... perhaps... for this moment in time my favorite is a cake recipe from Emily Price in Laurel, Maryland. Milky Way Cake. Made with 8 eight Eight EIGHT, yes, count them 8 regular sized Milky Way bars. Wow! Now there's a secret recipe. She says it is "tried and true and very, very rich..." Wow! I believe it.

There are just so many completely delicious things to try in this book and I'd like to tell you about more of them, but the truth is, I have to go to the store now and buy 9 Milky Way bars (8 to make the cake and 1 to eat on the way home, of course) so I can make this. I shall return soon and tell you how it turns out!

Man's Best Recipe

2010-08-18T21:18:00.000-07:00

Calling all men!! Send in your best, favorite, most delicious, most manly recipe! This Worldwide Ward Cookbook is a collection of Man's Best Recipes from member men all over the world.

Your recipe can be in any category -- from appetizer to dessert or anything in between. Tell us your specialty. Is it Grilling? BBQ? Dutch Oven? Perhaps pie, cake or candy? Are you a savvy salad maker? Or the master of the marinade? Maybe you are the Dad who makes the best cookies, treats or smoothies. Or the husband who brings her breakfast in bed.

Submit your manly man recipe and then tell us your manly man story...

The awe inspiring wonder of your masterful love of cooking...
The origin of your famous and fabulous recipe...
A touching story about being a father...
Your inspirational story about the man who honors his Priesthood...
A touching story about the amazing man behind this recipe -- your father, brother, husband, grandfather, son... Or maybe your boss or neighbor or mailman...
The wonderful Priesthood event that was truly terrific because of this great recipe...
The unforgettable man who had an impact on your life...
That great camping trip when you were the hero for making this great recipe...
Any story...fun or funny or spiritual or tragic or hillarious or tough or gentle or loving or comforting or inspiring or heart breaking or entertaining...

Submitting a story with your recipe is completely optional. You can submit a recipe without a story if you prefer.

And you don't have to be a man to submit a recipe for this book. Send in the recipe and tell about the man in your life behind the recipe.

We are always in search of recipes from people who live somewhere else. If you have a member friend or relative, please PLEASE invite them to submit a recipe. The quest is to find men who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who are currently living in each state and in as many different countries as possible.

2009-10-22T10:03:00.001-07:00

Family Secret Recipe Search
Send me your best, favorite, most beloved recipe and be creative with the "secret" part.

A few examples...

A secret recipe that has been in your family and passed down for generations.

A recipe that has an ingredient that is the secret to the success of the recipe. What makes it unique or better than all the others like it.

A recipe that is the secret to the success of an event, party or gathering.

A recipe that you created and is the result of your secret food genius!

As always, I am seeking recipes and the wonderful stories that go with them. If you have no story to share, please send your recipe anyway. Every recipe certainly does not have to include a story.

However, if you do have a story, especially a marvelous story including the secret nature of the recipe, please submit it right away. Have fun with this part! Be creative, cute, funny, serious... whatever strikes you. The stories that come with the recipes are such fun and we will all love reading yours!

And...
I am always on the search for recipes from people who live somewhere else. If you have a member friend or relative, please PLEASE invite them to submit a recipe. I'm trying once again to find someone living in each state and in as many countries as possible.

2009-09-09T15:47:00.000-07:00

Recipe Search
Worldwide Ward Mom's Best Recipe Cookbook
I've missed my deadline but I'm not finished gathering. It's not too late!!! Send me your recipes...It'll be over soon...but not yet!

Send me your best recipe.
THEN tell me your best "Mom" story.
(The story does not have to be related to the food(recipe) but it certainly can be.)

Are you a mom? Share with us something clever or funny or spiritual or heartbreaking or tender or heartwarming.

For example:
Are you a first time mom?
Are you adopted?
Have you adopted children?
Are you the mother of lots of children?
Do you have step-children?
Are you hoping, longing, praying, waiting for children?
Are you the mother of a missionary, so far away, for so long?
Are you the mother of a soldier, so far away, for so long?
Have you lost a child?
Have you lost your mother?
Are you the mother of a handicapped child?

Tell us your story...make us laugh, make us cry, break our hearts, give us hope, warm our souls, make us cry some more...give us a tiny little glimpse into your life.

OR

Tell us about your mother. Tell us a story or a memory or a tradition or a hardship she endured with grace or any other lovely thing about your wonderful mother. Every one has something uinque or funny or exciting or tender or spiritual or loving to say about their mother. Tell us about yours. Make us laugh. Make us cry.

OR

Do you know a terrific mom? Tell us about her. Perhaps she made a marvelous difference in your life. Perhaps she influenced you and/or others for good. Perhaps she feels like family to you. Whatever it is, whoever she is...tell us about her. Make us laugh. Make us cry.

Click on "Submit Recipe" in the top left corner. Fill in the blanks. It is very easy to send in your recipe and story.

Click on the top right corner for the Worldwide Ward Family Secret Recipe Cookbook -- scroll down to read the blog below about it.

2009-07-31T21:28:00.000-07:00

Want to have your recipe in the next Worldwide Ward Cookbook? Now is the time to send me your recipes!! This time we are seeking your MOM'S BEST RECIPE for the book coming out by Mother's Day next year. We are also seeking FAMILY SECRET RECIPES for the book coming out later next year.

See the two blog posts below this one (July 30 and July 23) for more information concerning both of these books. Submit recipes to one or both and invite your member family and friends!

To the LEFT are the States I am still seeking and to the RIGHT are the Countries I have received. (Although those living in any state or country are still welcome to submit recipes!)

2009-07-30T19:44:00.001-07:00

Mom's Best Recipe Search
Hurry! Deadline is September 15 (but please don't wait till then...)
Coming for Mother's Day 2010 is the Worldwide Ward Mom's Best Recipe Cookbook. Tell me your Mom's Best Recipe! This recipe can be in any category -- Appetizer, Beverage, Breakfast, Bread, Side, Soup, Salad, Main Dish or Dessert. Choose a recipe that every time you make and/ or eat it, you think of your beloved Mother, OR every time you make and/or eat it, you feel like a wonderful Mom.

Then tell me about your Mom. This can be a cherished memory from your childhood or a funny experience or a special event that she was known for serving this recipe. Perhaps you learned to make this recipe at your Mother's elbow. Or perhaps you begged for the recipe so you could learn to make it after you left home. Whatever it is...tell me. It doesn't even have to have anything to do with the recipe...but make it a loving tribute to your Mom.

OR tell me something wonderful about being a Mom. Tell me something cute or funny or spiritual or warm and fuzzy or joyful or tear jerking about being a Mom.

OR tell me something fabulous about someone is like a mom to you. Maybe she's made a giant difference in your life or maybe she is the one who filled those mother shoes for you. Whatever it is...tell me. We would all love to know.

Then...do you know a member who lives somewhere else? Perhaps another state? Perhaps another country? Please invite them to submit their Mom's Best Recipe and a tribute to their Mom.

Deadline for this book is September 15.

2009-07-23T13:53:00.000-07:00

Thank You!

2009-04-08T09:13:00.000-07:00

A huge THANK YOU to all of you who submitted recipes for the Christmas Edition of the WorldWide Ward Cookbook. What an amazing response in such a short period of time. I have received hundreds and hundreds of delicious recipes from all across the nation and all around the world. Along with them came the most wonderful, touching, inspiring, heart-breaking, hilarious, amazing, spiritual (I could go on and on) stories. This book will be better than the last because of your willingness to share the beautiful little glimpses into your lives. Your stories and traditions and memories add so much to the book.

If you are arriving here with the intention of submitting a Christmas recipe and feel sad that you missed it, fret not! We aren't specifically looking for Christmas recipes any more but you can still submit a recipe for the next cookbook. We are starting now collecting recipes and stories from around the world for the WorldWide 2nd Ward Cookbook. Cute, huh? So, if you want to be part of the 2nd Ward...submit away! Just click on SUBMIT RECIPE over there. (to the right )

Recipe Search

2009-02-27T13:39:00.001-08:00

Hurry! Deadline for Recipe Submissions is April 7!!

Do you have a favorite recipe you'd like to see published in the upcoming WorldWide Ward Cookbook - Christmas Edition? To submit a recipe just click on the SUBMIT RECIPE button to the right.

We are currently seeking recipes that you serve when you celebrate Christmas. These recipes do not need to appear to be Christmas recipes...tell us what you serve and what makes it Christmas for you. We want to know what you eat when you celebrate Christmas in New York and in Texas and in Ohio and in Washington and in every state in between. We want to know how you celebrate in Canada and Argentina and China and Africa and Australia and every country around the world. So...send us your recipes from where you live. And if you've lived or visited somewhere else in the world, tell us how Christmas is celebrated there. If you know someone who lives in a different state or country, please ask them to send in a recipe. How marvelous to include members from all over. How fun it is to find out what other people eat when they gather! We are seeking:

--Recipes you serve for Christmas Dinner, whether it be the Main Course or a Side Dish that completes the meal.

--Christmas Morning recipes.

--Christmas Beverages.

--Fabulous Dessert recipes.

-- Recipes that are wonderful for Gift Giving.

This is definitely OPTIONAL...We'd also like to hear your most touching Christmas Story, or Tradition, or Custom that goes along with your recipe. Perhaps a family or ward event, a touching missionary experience or a happy or moving Christmas memory associated with your recipe. We'd love to hear it. Remember...this part is OPTIONAL. You can certainly submit a recipe without a story.

Hurry!! We can only accept recipes for this Christmas Edition book until April 7, 2009!!

As this is a World Wide Ward Cookbook we hope to collect recipes, traditions, customs and stories from members who live across the USA and around the world. So...Who do you know who lives somewhere else?? Please tell them about this blogspot and invite them to participate!