Orange Julius

In this order put into blender:

    1/3 cup frozen OJ concentrate ( 1/4 of 12 oz can)

    1/2 cup milk

    1/2 cup water

    1/4 cup sugar

    1/2 tsp vanilla

    1 cup ice cubes

Blend til smooth - 30 - 60 seconds.

makes about 3 servings. This can be doubled

Strawberries Dessert - my favorite Easter Dessert

The night before, mix together:
    4 cups sliced strawberries
    10 oz mini marshmallows
Before serving stir strawberry marshmallow mixture and stir in:
    4 bananas, sliced
    1 can pineapple tidbits, drained
    3/4 cup cream, whipped

Marilyns Rolls

3 TBSP yeast (I use instant rise)
3 cups lukewarm water
1 cup sugar
6 beaten eggs
2 tsp salt
2 cups butter, melted, and cooled to slightly warm
9-10 cups flour
Put water in bowl of mixer, sprinkle on yeast. Stir in sugar. Stir in beaten eggs.
Add salt, butter, and 1/2 of flour, mix well. Add rest of flour up to a total of 9 cups, mixing with dough hook. While continuing to mix, add up to 1 more cup flour if needed. Mix for 2 minutes.
Dough will be somewhat soft and a little sticky. Put dough in greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put in warm place to rise, til double. Could take an hour to an hour and a half. Punch down, and form into rolls, small loaves, or braid for challah ( makes 2 challah loaves).
Cover with white dish towel put in warm place and let rise til double.
Pre heat oven to 400 degrees
Bake rolls 8-12 minutes til golden.
Brush challah gently with beaten egg, and bake for 20 -30 minutes til deep golden.

Pizza toppings

Here at the Hurst household we cook a lot of pizza (best when grilled) and calzones. I am always looking for new delicious topping combinations. This week I tried a delicious combo that I would love to share:

Alfredo sauce

Feta cheese

Artichoke hearts

Chicken

Caramelized onions

Spinach

Tomatoes

Make sure you cook your dough for awhile before topping, or the middle of the dough will stay soggy. And if you are making calzones, leave the sauce on the side for dipping. What are your favorite pizza toppings?

-Briana

Sweet Potato Egg Boats

Hi family,  I made these tonight and they were delicious I recommend you all try them.  I found this recipe on edible perspective. 

Sweet Potato Egg Boats [yields 2 large potatoes, inspired by Baked Egg Boats from Spoon Fork Bacon]

• 2 large sweet potatoes [about 7-8” long and 3-4” diameter]
• 3 eggs
• 1/3c baby portabellas, diced
• 2Tchives, finely diced
• 2T cream cheese, room temp
• 1/4t salt
• black pepper

1. Preheat your oven to 400 and wash your potatoes.
2. Place on a pan [or right on the rack] in the middle of your oven for 35-40min, until about about 2/3 of the way cooked through.  Do not prick with a fork.
3. Whisk together the egg + cream cheese until smooth then whisk in the mushrooms, chives, salt, and pepper.
4. Remove from the oven and carefully carve out a bowl in the potato using a knife to make the cut and a spoon to scrape.  Try to make sure the hole you carve out is the about the same width from end to end.  Scoop slightly deeper on the thinner end.  This will help ensure the egg cooks evenly and doesn’t overflow.  Start about 1” from each end.  Remove about 3/4c of potato from each.  Reserve and/or cook the excess potato if you like.
5. Place potatoes on a baking sheet, sprinkle the carved potato with a pinch of salt, then pour in half of the egg mixture to each.
6. Bake for another 25-32min until the egg is set. 
7. Broil on the top rack for 1-3min until golden brown.

notes:  If your potato is smaller than the specified size above, adjust cook time if necessary.  You also may need more potatoes to fill with the mixture.  It’s best to carve out the potato with a spoon, not a fork, so the egg mixture doesn’t seep into the bottom half of the potato. 

Strawberry Glaze Pie

Strawberry Glaze Pie
Mom

1 9" baked pie shell
6 cups fresh whole strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 TBSP cornstarch
3/4 cup water
optional - few drops red food coloring

Slice enough berries to make 1 cup. Finely chop or mash berries, set aside.

Combine sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Stir in water til cornstarch is dissolved, add mashed berries, and bring to a boil over med hi heat, stirring constantly. Turn down heat to med lo (making sure that it keeps bubbling) Add food coloring if desired, and continue to cook and stir for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Cool for 10 minutes.

Halve or quarter remaining berries (Halves are pretty on the top layer)

Spread about 1/3 cup glaze in bottom of pie shell. Arrange half of berries in shell and spoon on half of remaining glaze. Arrange other half of berries on top and spoon on remaining glaze.

Chill til set 1- 2 hours. Best if eaten same day. Serve with whipped cream if desired

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

I have been looking for a crockpot recipe to submit, but I have a hard time finding crockpot recipes I actually like and would make repeatedly. I found one! So easy and healthy too. Nolan, you have to try this one, even Ellie loves it. You can use it for tacos, taco salad, enchiladas, nachos, quesadillas, etc. You can make chicken tortilla soup with the leftovers or freeze it.

Crockpot Chicken Tacos
Recipe from Tasty Kitchen
Serves: ~12 people

1 envelope Taco Seasoning
6 pieces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 16-ounce jar Salsa

Dump everything into a crock pot and give it a little stir to blend the seasoning with the salsa. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours.

When done, the chicken should shred easily when stirred with a fork. For tacos, serve the chicken with soft flour tortillas, guacamole, lettuce, shredded cheese and sour cream.