the tongan

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Derek served a mission in the Phoenix, Arizona, area (for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) back in the early 2000s. On said mission, one of his fellow Elders taught him how to make this age-old recipe that had been passed on amongst Elders for years: the Tongan. Derek has since made it for me, for our kids, for some friends, and even for our local missionaries when they come for dinner. It sounds gross, but I promise it’s good. (It is also super caloric, perfect for growing young men on bikes - and budgets, ha.) Give it a try, and report back! 

Recipe: The Tongan

Ingredients:

White bread

Mayo

Ramen

Eggs

Ham

Cheddar

Directions: 

Spread Mayo on the bread.

Boil ramen just long enough for it to unfold. 

Place (drained) ramen plank in a frying pan. Whip an egg in a bowl/mug and mix the seasoning packet into it. Pour egg mixture over the ramen plank. Cook through, turning half way.

Add a slice of cheese and a slice of ham to one side of the ramen/egg plank. 

When cheese is melted, fold over the ramen plank. Put this whole thing between the two pieces of Mayo-ed bread. 

Cut in half if you want. Enjoy! 

nachos

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My lovely friend Diane Bernal made these delicious nachos for a party once, and I was dying over its deliciousness. A few days later, I couldn’t get it off my mind, so we made it for dinner. When I called her to ask for her recipe, these were the notes I jotted down on my phone. I’ve made it this way several times since, so I figure it’s good enough to publish.

Nacho Sauce

Sautéed onions/garlic w butter (med heat)

Salsa, blitzed up 

Milk/evaporated milk (start low)

Then add chunks of velveeta 

Add reg cheese at end - milk

Can season with: salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika 

Do on cooktop then put in pre-warmed crockpot.

** Edited to add: Serve over/with your favorite tortilla chips (obvs) and add some fun toppings — ie. salsa / sliced black olives / jalapeño slices / ground beef (I brown with diced onion) / sour cream / tomatoes / green onions /whatev!

monster cookie protein balls

​This recipe is from the amazing Elyse Ellis (@elyseaellis on Instagram). I had them first at my bestie Heather’s house, and I was hooked. She shared the recipe, and I shifted it around to accommodate my Crohn’s restrictions (no dairy, gut friendly, etc) and make them lower calorie. This is what I came up with, and They. Are. Bomb. The kids love them. I love them. They’re easy to make and macro friendly. Major win in my book. Mmm.

Recipe: Monster Cookie Protein Balls

Makes 29 scoops

104 Calories ea.

Ingredients:

2 c quick oats
1/4 tsp salt
4 scoops Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
1/4 c mini semisweet chocolate chips
1/8 c mini M&Ms
1 c natural creamy peanut butter
1/2 c honey
1/4 tsp vanilla

Directions: 

Put all into KitchenAid mixer and mix using paddle attachment. Scoop using cookie dough scoop onto parchment paper. Serve immediately or freeze. Enjoy!

easy rotisserie chicken tacos

​This recipe is incredibly easy and quick. My sis Dena introduced us once when we came down to AZ (years before moving here), and we make it all the time. 

Recipe: Easy Rotisserie Chicken Tacos

Ingredients:

Rotisserie chicken

505 green salsa

Avocado

Corn tortillas * 

Limes (opt)

Directions:

Toast up tortillas on a cast iron skillet. (* Alternatively, you could use flour tortillas, lettuce for a wrap situ, etc.) Layer on the chicken, some avocado, and the green salsa. Squeeze a bit of lime juice on top, and enjoy!

white bean chicken chili

I’d never made this before but saw a recipe on Pinterest that sounded super cozy. Unfortunately, it was a stovetop recipe, and I really wanted to be lazy and use my Instant Pot. I looked for an IP recipe and found one that looked good, but I liked parts of the original one (ha). So I decided to kind of create my own using both recipes as inspo. This is what I came up with. Perfect soup for a cold, winter day. Yum.

White Bean Chicken Chili

Serves: 8 adults

Calories: 231/ea (sans toppings)

Ingredients:

1 can Rotel

1 4oz can diced green chilis

3 chicken breasts/thighs

1/2 can corn, drained

3 cans white beans (Great Northern or Cannellini or a mix of both)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 med onion, diced (or 5 tsp dried minced onion)

2 c chicken broth

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp oregano

1-2 tsp chili powder

Salt & pepper to taste

1 brick (8 oz) cream cheese 

Toppings (optional):

Avocado

Cilantro

Limes

Tortilla strips

Directions:

Put all ingredients (except cream cheese and toppings) in Instant Pot (or any pressure cooker). Cook on high pressure for 10 min, then natural release for another 10 min. Release pressure. Shred chicken. Add cream cheese. Stir well. Serve with toppings. Enjoy!

hawaiian bbq beef and mac salad

A big thanks to Micah and Brittney for this entire meal. We learned how to make perfect sticky rice from them as newlyweds, and the meat marinade and mac salad are Micah and Brittney staples. I cannot count the times we ate this with them at parties or family get togethers (we aren’t actually family but were close enough friends to be adopted as such). Missing them today and so grateful for their friendship throughout the years. Love you, friends. And hey, thanks for the good eats. Xx

Recipe: Hawaiian BBQ (Teriyaki) Beef

Ingredients:
1.5-2 c soy sauce
1/2 c sugar
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
Oil, a splash
Vinegar, a splash
2 lb. (ish) Thinly sliced beef (sirloin tip etc)

Directions:
Mix all ingredients well then combine with beef. Marinate for 3+ hours. Then grill. Enjoy.



Recipe: Hawaiian Mac Salad

Ingredients:
16 oz large macaroni noodles, cooked & chilled
6 boiled eggs, chilled & diced
8 mini dill pickles, diced
4 Tbsp dill pickle juice
1/3 - 1/2 c mayonnaise
2 tsp mustard
Garlic powder, to taste
Salt, to taste

Directions:
Cook pasta and eggs. Chill. Dice all you need. Toss together and mix well. Serve cold.



Serve with CalRose rice. 

instant pot meatless butter “chicken”

This recipe is not my own. It is closely based on an AMAZING Butter Chicken recipe by “the Butter Chicken Lady” Urvashi Pitre (found both online and in her book, Instant Pot Cookbook). This is simply my meatless tweak of that recipe. It’s my faaaavvvv and so easy to make - using mostly pantry staples! Perfect comfort food. Mmm. Try it. And enjoy!



Recipe: Instant Pot Meatless Butter “Chicken” 

Serves: 10
Calories: 125

Ingredients:
• 2 c Chana Dal
• 4 c Water
• 1 Tbsp Chicken Bullion
• 1 14-oz Canned Tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
• 1 tsp Minced Ginger
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin

To Finish
• 4 oz Butter, cubed
• 4 oz Heavy Cream
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 1/3 c chopped Cilantro (opt)

Directions:
Place all ingredients into an Instant Pot, EXCEPT for the butter, cream and 1 teaspoon of the garam masala.

Close the cooker and set for 10 mins on high, and let it release pressure naturally for 10 minutes. After that, release all remaining pressure.

Open up the pot. Blend together all the ingredients, preferably using an immersion blender. Add the cut up butter, cream, cilantro, and garam masala and stir until well incorporated.

Serve over basmati rice.

Note: I like to cook the basmati rice at the same time as the chana dal. I just do the pot-in-pot method and leave the time as is. It works out perfectly!

peppermint meringues

This is one of my absolute favorite Christmas treats. I found the recipe in a book called Low-Fat Meals when I was nannying at nineteen and composing my first online recipe collection (when my dad had to make the website for me, ha). Ah, memories... This treat is now something I try to make every Christmastime, and my kids (especially my son) adore them as much as I do.



RECIPE: Peppermint Meringues

Ingredients:
2 egg whites *
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
2/3 c sugar
1/4 cup candy canes, finely crushed

Directions:
Place egg whites in a medium mixing bowl and *let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Add vanilla and cream of tartar to egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight) and sugar is almost dissolved.

Grease cookie sheet; set aside. Gently fold crushed candies into beaten egg whites. Drop from a rounded teaspoon 1 1/2 inches apart on a prepared cookie sheet. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until set and lightly browned on the edges. Turn off oven. Let dry ion oven with door closed for 20 minutes. Remove from sheet. Store in an airtight container.

** Also try Chocolate Peppermint Meringues {I never have}. Simply prepare Peppermint Meringues as above. Sift cocoa powder and stir into crushed candies. Fold into beaten egg whites. Continue as above.

cream puff pie

The amazing Christa of Orrin-and-Christa made this for us once, and I was absolutely blown away. So easy. So fancy. So good. Instead of needing to ask her for the recipe yet again, I decided to record it here. Try it; you'll be glad you did.

RECIPE: Cream Puff Pie

Yield: 24 servings

Calories: 193 ea

Ingredients: 

1 c. water

1/2 c. butter

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. flour

4 eggs

1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding (large)

2 1/2 c. cold milk

2 tubs cool whip

Toffee bits 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.

Bring to boil the water, butter and salt in a med saucepan. Remove from heat and add the flour all at once. Stir until a ball forms. **Let cool for 10 minutes.** Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well before adding another.

Spread dough on greased cookie sheet and bake for 30ish min at 350F. Allow to cool.

Meanwhile, mix together a large pkg of instant vanilla pudding and less milk than it calls for, about 2 1/2 cups. Chill. Layer on top of chilled cream puff. Then top with cool whip and toffee bits. Serve cool.



Note: For the "good stuff" on top, Christa says: "You can do any kind of pudding and top with nuts or candies or chocolate syrup. It's the best dessert because it can be whatever you want!" When we had it the first time, she had put vanilla pudding on one half and chocolate on the other. Pretty yummy! She also recommends adding toffee bits or chocolate syrup- or both! Yum. You're welcome. 

almond joy cookies

My friend Rose and I went out for a quick dinner the other night at Great Harvest, a local soup and sandwich kind of place. As part of our meals, we could pick a cookie. They were specialing a new cookie that they called an Almond Joy Cookie. We thought they were pretty scrumptious, and I thought I could easily duplicate the idea. So I did. And they were yummy. I took them to a work party, and they were quite a hit. Hooray! This recipe's a keeper.

It's basically just an oatmeal cookie with chocolate chips, almonds and coconut added in.  Any yummy oatmeal cookie recipe should work.  But for my own benefit and for future reference, this is the recipe I used. 

RECIPE: Almond Joy Cookies

Yield: 

3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 c. butter, soft

1 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

1/4 c. water

1 tsp vanilla

1 c. flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 c. uncooked oats

1 bag (2 c?) chocolate chips

1 c. slivered almonds

4 oz shredded coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F. Beat together butter, sugars, egg, water and vanilla until creamy. Add flour, salt and soda. Mix well. Stir in oats, chocolate chips, almonds and coconut. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet/stone. Bake at 375F for 12-15 minutes. 

guava cake

I stole this recipe from my Hawaii-loving friend Aubrey, and I'm so glad I did. It's soooo scrumptious! Creamy and moist and cold and scrumptious. Mmm. I'd make this everyday if health weren't an issue. Ha. Try it; you'll like it. Promise.



RECIPE: Guava Cake

Yield: 18

Calories: 227

Ingredients:
1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 c guava juice/nectar
1/3 c vegetable oil
3 eggs
3-5 drops red food coloring (opt)

1 8-oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 8-oz pkg Cool Whip

2 c guava juice/nectar
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c cornstarch
3-5 drops red food coloring

Directions:
Cake: Preheat oven to 350F. Mix cake according to package directions substituting guava juice for water. Add a few drops of red food coloring to tint it a bit (opt). Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake.

Cream: In a med. mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Add sugar and vanilla, beat in. Slowly fold in cool whip. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Glaze: In a med saucepan, bring guava juice and sugar to a boil. Make a paste out of cornstarch and a small amount of cold water. Remove guava/sugar from heat and stir in cornstarch mixture. Add some red food coloring. Return to heat and bring back to a boil for one minute. Cool in fridge.

Assemble: Ice the cake with cream cheese mixture. Then glaze the top with guava gel. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

easy empanadas

My good friend Krista shared this idea with our bookclub when we were discussing easy, inexpensive recipes. And she hit the nail on the head with this one! It is perfectly easy and inexpensive - and absolutely yummy to boot! Her version included simply meat, onions, and cheese - kind of cheeseburger-esque. I wanted a little different flavor and changed it up a bit. But really, it'd be easy and scrumptious to change it up with any number of ingredients. Pizza pocket, breakfast scramble, you name it! Love this. Thanks, Krista. 

RECIPE: Easy Empanadas

Ingredients:

2 pkg canned biscuits 

1 lb ground beef

1 med onion, diced

1 tomato, diced

2 Hatch chilis, seeded and diced

Garlic powder, to taste 

Pepper, to taste

1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F. 

In a large skillet, brown the beef and onion over med-high heat. Add tomato, green chili, and spices. Cook until chilis are slightly soft, just a few more min. Remove from heat.

Roll out biscuit dough individually into circles. Fill circles with a Tbsp or so of filling then fold over and pinch edges (with a fork if you're feeling fancy). Cut a slit or two in the tops and brush with the egg wash. 

Then bake at 400F for 12ish minutes or until golden brown! Enjoy!

funeral potatoes

These are a perfect dish to make in large quantities for a community gathering, such as a funeral. Hence the name. Or perhaps they were dubbed Funeral Potatoes because they make one think of Heaven (they're that good). Whichever the reason, Funeral Potatoes is how they are known to us. And they're amazing. In fact, they are my husband's favorite food. Comfort food at its finest. And this is the best recipe I've found for them -- from my sis-in-law Mindy, who got it from her Aunt Connie. Now I give it to you. You can thank me later.

RECIPE: Funeral Potatoes

Ingredients: 

1 can cream of celery soup

4 1/2 c. frozen hashbrowns (cooked, shredded potatoes)

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. chopped green onions

2 c. sour cream

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

2-3 c. crushed corn flakes

2 Tbsp. melted butter

Directions:

Melt 1/4 c. butter. Add soup, green onions, sour cream and cheese. Stir until blended well. Put potatoes in casserole dish and layer with sauce. 

Mix corn flakes and 2 Tbsp. butter. Spread on top of potatoes. 

Bake until heated through, 30 min at 350F. 

Note: This is best if made the night before or earlier in the day and then heated.

penne pasta bake

I got this recipe from our local grocery store, when they were doing this awesome Family Value Meal, all-ingredients-in-a-bag-and-ready-for-you program. Super cool. I've altered it a bit to make it even easier (I'm super lazy, ha), but the flavor is all there. Anyway, it's become a total staple in our household. Everyone loves it. Assuming you're not dairy-intolerant (ha), give this nummy recipe a try. You won't regret it.



RECIPE: Penne Pasta Bake

Ingredients:
1 (16-oz) pkg penne pasta
2 c. sour cream
6 oz provolone cheese slices
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 lb ground beef
1 med yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (26-oz) jars marinara sauce

2-3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Set aside a 9x13 casserole dish (or two 8x8s).

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add penne pasta and cook until al dente; drain. Mix in sour cream and parm. Set aside.

In a large skillet, brown diced onion, garlic, and ground beef over medium-high heat. Add spaghetti sauce and warm through.

Layer as follows: pasta, sauce, provolone, pasta, sauce. Then top with mozzarella cheese.

Bake uncovered for 25 min at 350F or until cheese melts and bubbles/browns.



**Note: This freezes wonderfully!  Bake one 8x8 and save the other. Two meals in one! Bam! Or better yet, eat one and give one to a friend! :) Also, making earlier in the day and refrigerating works great. Just keep in mind that you'll have to bake it a little longer.

butter chicken

You guys! This stuff is like a miracle in a packet! I stumbled across it in the grocery store the other day (international isle) and thought I'd give it a try. And boy, am I glad I did! It's spectacular!! So easy and so, so delicious. The whole family gobbled it up, and it makes a ton! It's a bit on the spicy side (I'd call it "medium" heat; nothing extreme, but I didn't feed it to my one-year-old), but you can up the cream a bit to knock down the spice. Anyway, it's fantastic. You can be sure we'll be making this again!

RECIPE: Butter Chicken

Yield: 8 generous servings 

Calories: 224 each (w/o rice)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp oil

1 lb chicken breast, diced

2 Tbsp butter

1 med onion, finely diced 

1 (15oz) can tomato sauce

1 packet Butter Chicken Seasoning Mix

1 c cream (more if needed to de-spice)

Basmati rice

(Opt) fresh cilantro 

Directions: 

Cook according to packet directions. 

** Serve over basmati rice (with cilantro mixed in if you have it). Add a side of naan if you think to snag some. And enjoy!!

corn bread muffins

Original recipe from AllRecipes.com (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sweet-corn-bread-2/detail.aspx). This is a halved recipe, basically. It's moist and delicious. Yum.

RECIPE: Corn Bread Muffins

Yield: 8 muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 c flour

1/2 c cornmeal

1/2 c sour cream

1 Tbsp white sugar

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 an egg, beaten

2 Tbsp + 2 tsp milk

2 tsp butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F. 

Measure and put all ingredients into a mixer/bowl. Whip until incorporated and kinda fluffy. 

Drop batter into greased muffin tin. Bake at 400F for 15 min.

Serve warm with butter and honey. 

bacon pancake dippers

  

RECIPE: Bacon Pancake Dippers

This is more of a concept than a recipe.  I saw this idea online and thought I'd give it a try for James' school lunch.  I used my From Scratch Pancake recipe (though batter from a store-bought mix would work equally well) and just added cooked bacon into the batter as the pancake cooked.  I tried several different methods: pouring the batter onto the skillet then placing cooked bacon on top before flipping, dredging the cooked bacon in the batter and then cooking, breaking the cooked bacon up into teensy pieces and then adding it to the batter. All of the methods worked, but the first one was probably the easiest.  I liked it but didn't love it.  It's a good way to sneak some bacon into an herbivore's school lunch, though! :)  Mmm... bacon. Crazy kid.

cooking tip: preserving apple slices

Cooking Tip: Preserving Apple Slices

When you're wanting to keep apple slices from browning, perhaps to send them to school in a kid's lunch box as Apple Slice Sandwiches or something equally delicious, first treat them with lemon water!  Just get a kid-sized bowl and put a bit of water in, say 1/4 cup.  Then splash in a tsp or so of lemon juice concentrate (the bottled kind you buy at the store).  Swish it around.  Submerge and swish the apple slices in the lemon water, making sure to cover both sides.  Then boom- done!  Pack them up, set them out, whatev.  They should keep just fine!  Pictured are the AFTER SCHOOL photos of the lemon water treated apples.  Not bad, eh?  Crunch.

pizza cups

I made these for James' school lunches. I saw the idea online and loved the make-ahead concept. Plus, what kid doesn't love pizza?! Let me know if you make them, and what you think! 

RECIPE: Pizza Cups

Ingredients:

Refrigerated pizza crust dough

Pizza sauce

Mozzerella cheese, shredded

Mini pepperoni 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 450F. Grease/spray muffin tins (note: my silicone one made for much easier retrieval). Cut dough into 24 pieces (with a knife or with a cookie cutter). Press dough into muffin tins, making it go up the sides a bit. Spoon a tablespoon or so of sauce onto each dough cup. Top with cheese and pepperoni. Bake at 450F for 10-12 min. 

Best if served warm, but ideal for school lunches. Let cool (on a rack). Then pop a couple into a lunch box! Or freeze for future lunches!

butternut squash soup

Just a slight variation from an AllRecipes.com recipe*, shared with me via our good friend Missy. Hooray for Bountiful Baskets and the yummy new recipes they encourage! 

RECIPE: Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

2 butternut squashes, peel + chop

8 c water

1/2 cube butter

3 Tbsp minced onion

2 Tbsp chicken bullion

1 Tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp marjoram

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

8 oz cream cheese (1 pkg)

1 c milk

Gruyère cheese (opt)

Directions:

Peel and chop the butternut squash. Put it in a large pot. Add water, butter and all herbs/spices. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Boil/simmer for 20 min or until the squash is tender.

Carefully purée in a blender (it's hot) with the cream cheese. Pour back into pot and add milk. Serve warm and top with shredded Gruyère cheese. Yum!

*Original recipe here: http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/12974/butternut-squash-soup?ast=butternut+squash+soup&asas=Mobile+Home+Page&asat=Quick+Search&ase=event10%2Cevent8