Mormon Life - Food Dish tag

{Food Dish} Best Dessert Bar Contest: 2nd Runner-up + Recipe

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:05:00 -0600

by LDS Living
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: We're getting close to revealing the winner of our contest, but let's not forget about the delicious dessert that came in as the third favorite: Butterscotch Nutella Bars.

Two finalists down (see our other favorite dessert bar recipes so far); three more finger-licking recipes to go.

This week, meet our voters' third most favorite recipe from the 30+ that we received: Butterscotch Nutella Bars, by Sharon Leigh Painter of Aloha, Oregon.

Nutella. Need we say more? Combined with the slightly nutty flavor of butterscotch and fluff of marshmallow, these were irresistably sweet. The texture was also perfectly flakey. It's no wonder they were so close to receiving the top honor.

Butterscotch Nutella Bars

Crust Ingredients
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs

Filling Ingredients
½ cup Nutella
1 cup mini marshmallow over Nutella
1/3 cup butterscotch chips

Crust:
Using a spoon, mix sugar, flour, salt, and baking powder. Using a pastry blender add butter. When well mixed add eggs. Stir with spoon and then mix with hands until well incorporated. Reserve 2 cups (loosely packed) of this mixture for topping. Press the remainder in a sprayed 9 X 13 glass dish. Bake at 350 for 10-13 minutes until lightly golden on edges (do not over bake).

Filling:
While the crust is still hot, spoon on Nutella. Sprinkle marshmallows over that, and then sprinkle butterscotch chips. Finish by sprinkling reserved 2 cups of dough. Bake for 10-13 minutes until marshmallow and crust are lightly browned.

Enjoy warm or cooled.

Other winning recipes from this contest:

Fourth Runner-up: Strawberry Limeade Bars

Third Runner-up: Chocolate Orange Bars

{Food Dish} Ultimate Guide: Dip Recipes

Fri, 18 May 2012 00:08:00 -0600

by Kaela Worthen
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Dips are the quintessential party food, and I love everything about them. So I went on a quest to find all the best.

I love dip recipes. There's some sort of harmony in that they're all served in a bowl with some sort of other food that gets dunked into them, but there's so much variety that you can consume a full-course meal in dip form. To satisfy my dip craving, I set out to round up the best of them all. Some of these are twists on old classics, but some are new and exciting recipes you may not have seen before.

Classic Appetizers

Caramelized Onion, Gruyere, and Bacon Dip

Spicy Black Bean Dip

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Fruits and Veggies

Fruit Salsa Dip with Cinnamon Chips

Cowboy Caviar

Peanut Butter Fruit Dip

Main Course

Hot Reuben Dip

Taco Dip

Loaded Baked Potato Dip

Desserts

Lemon Meringue Pie Dip

Monster Cookie Dough Dip

Brownie Batter Dip

{Food Dish} Best Dessert Bar Contest: 3rd Runner-up + Recipe

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:05:00 -0600

by LDS Living
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: We continue to unveil the most delicious dessert bars of all today with another winning recipe: Chocolate Orange Bars, which received the fourth most votes.

Do you think you can handle the deliciousness?

Last week we started to announce the best recipes we came across during our recent Best Dessert Bar Contest with our fourth runner-up: Strawberry Limeade Bars (click here for the recipe).

Now it's time to get the delicious details on the third runner-up: Chocolate Orange Bars, by Barbara Lee Parsons of Huntsville, Alabama.

We loved the perfectly chewy texture of these bars (just what a bar should be) paired with the perfect balance of sweet chocolate to citrusy orange. The flavors were just a great combination; we couldn't get enough!

Chocolate Orange Bars
(Welcome to the Neighborhood Treats)

Layer #1
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

Layer #2
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 (6-ounce) package of chocolate chips
1/4 cup coconut, flaked style
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Orange Frosting:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp butter
1 tsp grated orange rind
2 T orange juice

Layer #1: Cream the butter and the sifted flour and salt and mix thoroughly. Line an 8-inch square pan with wax paper and spread the mixture into pan and press down with a spoon. Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Layer #2: Blend together the sugar and eggs and stir in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips. Add coconut and vanilla. Mix in the flour and salt Mix well and spread over first layer that previously you baked. Bake again for 15 minutes in a 375 degree F oven. Remove from oven, cool and then remove from pan.

Frosting: Cream butter and gradually add the sugar. Blend thoroughly. Add orange rind and orange juice. Frost the bars with orange frosting. Melt the remaining chocolate chips and drizzle on top of orange frosting.

Other winning recipes from this contest:

Fourth Runner-up: Strawberry Limeade Bars

{Food Dish} Best Dessert Bar Contest: 4th Runner-up + Recipe

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:05:00 -0600

by LDS Living
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Choosing our favorite dessert bars was hard – there were so many delicious options! But we did what had to be done, and now it's time to start meeting the winners. Today: Strawberry Limeade Bars, which received the fifth most votes.

A couple weeks ago, we held our dessert bar competition here at corporate headquarters. We had quite the task in front of us, since we received so many recipes (and all of these sounded delicious). We enlisted the help of co-workers, family members, and friends, and finally came up with a list of our favorites.

Because your submissions were just so tasty, we're publishing more than the usual three recipes online. So, today, meet our 5th favorite recipe: Strawberry Limeade Bars, by Julie Egan of Flower Mound, Texas.

We loved the refreshing, slightly tropical twist of these bars. They taste just like the drink!

Strawberry Limeade Bars

Crust:
1 strawberry cake mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
2 tablespoons lime zest

Topping:
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix crust ingredients and press into 9x13 pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

Mix together topping ingredients and pour over crust. Bake for an additional 25 minutes, until set.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar while warm. Cool. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Check out the links below for other finalists from the dessert bar contest:

3rd Runner-up: Chocolate Orange Bars

{Food Dish} Muffin Tin Meals

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 01:25:00 -0600

by Ashley Evanson
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Try one of these yummy meals made in muffin tins. They're easy to make and easy to clean up!

Photo from Can You Stay for Dinner?

Petiti Lasagnas

Photo from The Comfort of Cooking

Vegetable and Bacon Frittatas

Photo from Hispanic Kitchen

Muffin Tin Tacos

Photo from The Comfort of Cooking

Bacon, Eggs, and Toast Cups

Photo from Make and Takes

Mini Pumpkin Pies

Photo from Johnny and Ashley in Real Life

Mini German Pancakes

Photo from Pillsbury

Chicken Alfredo Pasta Pies

Photo from Muffin Tin Mom

Toddler Snacks

Photo from Real Mom Kitchen

Yorkshire Pudding

Photo from There's Always Thyme to Cook

Muffin Tin Potato Gratins

Photo from Week of Menus

Mini Calzones

{Food Dish} Best Frozen Dough Recipes

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:04:00 -0600

by Kate Ensign-Lewis
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Delicious bread recipes all using one of the modern miracles of baking: pre-made, frozen dough.

Every Monday, we include a recipe from Rhodes in our FHE e-mail (click here to sign up). Yes, Rhodes is one of our sponsors, but very often I find myself making mental notes to come back later, when I'm off the clock, and try them out. These are my top picks from that list.

A warning to low-carb or gluten-free readers: You may not want to tempt yourself by reading further. This is sweet, bready heaven.

Braided S'more Bread

Family Size Italian Club Calzone

Coconut Lime Blossoms

Cream Cheese Onion Swirls

Cinnamon Slices

BBQ Chicken Stromboli

Orange Butterflake Rolls

Pumpkin Pecan Cream Cheese Rolls

Turkey Rosemary Turnovers

{Food Dish} Food Tricks in the Kitchen

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:47:00 -0600

by Ashley Evanson
source: MormonLife.com

Check out these creative tips that make cooking a little bit easier, prettier, and tastier.

Photo from The Culinary Tribune

Fruit Ice Cubes

Photo from I Love Pinterest

Mason Jar Salads

Photo from Real Simple

Pancake batter in an old sqeeze bottle

Photo from Lunch in a Box

Frozen Green Onions

Photo from 2 Stews

Microwave Chocolate Cake

Photo from Macheesmo

Muffin Tin Eggs

Photo from Mangio da Sola

Crockpot Dulce de Leche

Photo from Lacey in Love

Make-ahead Smoothies Kits

Photo from Lunch in a Box

Freezing individual portions

Photo from Bent on Better Lunches

Rainbow Pasta

Photo from Busy Mommy

Apple Cider Cups

Photo from Wit and Delight

Mason Jar Meals

Photo from See My Footprints

(Real) Fruit Cake

Photo from Rediscovering Fit

Veggie Cooking Cheat Sheet

Photo by Kate Ensign-Lewis

Add slight garlic flavor to salad by rubbing the bowl with a garlic clove.

{Food Dish} Simple General Conference Recipes

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:05:00 -0600

by Kate Ensign-Lewis
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Six simple and delicious recipes that maximize your time between general conference sessions.

I love general conference. But such little time between sessions usually makes meals tough to complete (and with a finished product with much to be desired). No more! Plan ahead and get cookin' with these simple meals.

Photo from Kitchen Simplicity

Quick Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie

Start to finish: 40 min.

Photo from The Doctor's Kitchen

Quick Vegan Stir Fry

Start to finish: 20 min.

(add diced chicken, ham, and/or egg to make it a meal, albeit a non-vegan one)

Photo from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

Make-ahead Cheesy Pigs in a Blanket

Make, freeze, and bake up later for a fun and simple lunch

Photo from Feed Yourself

Pasta with Quick Creamy Sauce

Start to finish: 30 min.

Photo from Cooking on the Side

Fiesta Chicken Soup

Start to finish: 20 min.

Photo from Artsy-Foodie

Tortilla Chip Strata

Make ahead, freeze, and pop in the oven

{LDSL Blog} Best of: Stories of the Week, Mar. 3-9

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 00:11:00 -0700

by LDS Living
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Check out which stories made up the best of LDS Living for the week of March 3 through March 9, 2012.

We all love a good story. And what better way to find out the best of the best than seeing what people found most interesting? For the week of March 3 to 9, 2012, these are LDS Living’s top online stories:

Top 5 LDS Living Stories:

1. {Single Saints} Is Success the Kiss of Death for a Single Woman? {Vera Taylor}

2. Czech Republic gives prestigious award to LDS couple {Emily McClure}

3. {Poll} Birthing Methods {Ashley Evanson}

4. FHE: Individual Worth {Shauna Gibby}

5. {Food Dish} Contest: Best Dessert Bar Recipe {LDS Living}

Top 5 Mormon Report Articles:

1. First Presidency letter: Church asks members to understand policies {LDS Church News}

2. Church statement on race and the Church {Newsroom.LDS.org}

3. NPR: What the IRS could learn from Mormons {NPR}

4. Video: God will lift us up {Mormon Channel}

5. Recalling the Mormon who tried to save Anne Frank {Deseret News}

Top Video:

Mormon Tabernacle Choir Sings Mid-flight Song {YouTube}

{Food Dish} Contest: Best Dessert Bar Recipe

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:04:00 -0700

by LDS Living
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Send us your best dessert bar recipes for the chance to win LDS Living's Best Dessert Bar Contest, a $100 gift certificate, and be published in an upcoming issue of LDS Living!

Remember our cookie contest? The winner (Lemon Crinkle Cookies) continues to be one of LDS Living's most popular online posts every week. Since it seems people enjoy desserts the most, our new "best" will appeal to your sweet tooth, taking its inspiration from equal parts cookie and cake: dessert bars.

Here are the rules (you must abide by each for your recipe to be considered):

1) Recipes must be original. As delicious as you find Paula Deen's Five-Layer Bars recipe, we can't consider it. And don’t simply change the name—just as you wouldn’t want someone else to claim work that is yours, please do not claim someone else’s as your own. (If you found a recipe and tweaked it beyond recognition, you can submit that as your own. Family recipes are also acceptable.)

2) Submit the recipe with your full name, e-mail address, home city and state, and a valid daytime phone number by Friday, April 20, 2012. (LDS Living will use this information only to get a hold of you in the event that you win; we will not use it for marketing or other purposes.)

If you have a photo of the dessert bar, please submit it, but photos are not required.

E-mail recipes to editor[at]ldsliving[dot]com. (E-mail the editor.)

We will be testing the recipes after we receive them. The winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to Deseret Book and will be announced along with two runners-up throughout May, starting on May 10, and the winning recipes will also be given at that time. In addition, our winner and runners-up will be featured in the recipe section of an upcoming issue of LDS Living magazine!

You responded to our challenge the first time with gusto. Have you got what it takes to be crowned victor and join the august ranks of LDS Living best chefs? We're excited find out.

Bonne chance!

{Food Dish} Fab Five: FHE Lessons and Matching Desserts

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:10:00 -0700

by Kate Ensign-Lewis
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: These are a five of our most popular FHE lessons and coordinating desserts to match the topic.

Good for the sweet tooth and for the soul. Yum.

Photo from Pinch of Yum.

1. FHE: Time Management

Make the most of your time with this quick and delicious Lazy Chocolate Cherry Fudge Cake.

Photo from Pham Fatale.

2. FHE: Light

Mango Cream Cheese Mousse: a beautiful, light dessert (both in color and texture). Like a little bowl of sunshine.

Photo from SemiSweetie.

3. FHE: Agency

These Unique Cakes in Mason Jars let your family or friends make their own choice.

Photo from Food Network.

4. FHE: Character

You'd be hard pressed to find a dessert that's both as effortless and cool as this Peanut Butter and Banana Semifreddo. (Note: recipe calls for liqueur; you can omit it.)

Photo from Create with Mom.

5. FHE: Humility

Yes, another banana dessert, but there's a purpose behind it: it may just be simple Chocolate Banana Popsicles, but it shows that Humility can be just as wonderful as Character. (Ba-dum-ching!)

{Food Dish} LDS Living in the Kitchen: Lion House Cookies

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:05:00 -0700

by LDS Living Staff
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: The Lion House is coming out with a new cookie book, and being the people we are (those who like sweets and like cooking), we decided to try a few.

You know we love cookies, so it's easy to understand that the upcoming Lion House cookbook (Lion House Cookies and Sweets) captured our imaginations. We were lucky enough to get our hands on a manuscript to test a few recipes. Some of us had more success than others, with the following recipe being our favorite of the bunch:

Photo courtesy of Deseret Book.

Pin It

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

Made by Kaela Worthen, Associate Editor

Her review: Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are one of my most favorite sweet creations on the planet. So putting them in bar form, in which everything that is good about the cookie is multiplied, sounded like a fantastic idea. And it was. The chocolate chips of the traditional cookie are melted into a thick fudge-like layer. I also happen to love fudge. Cookies and fudge in one bar? Awesome. These bars were rich and chewy and all-around delicious. I made only one change: instead of mixing the nuts into the chocolate layer, I sprinkled them on top of half the pan before baking, so those who don’t love nuts could enjoy them and those who do wouldn’t have to suffer the lack of flavor.

Makes 36 bars

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and set aside.

Cream together butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl; add eggs and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl, and then add to creamed mixture. Mix in oats.

Combine sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and margarine in a heavy saucepan, and heat until chocolate is just melted. Stir in vanilla and nuts.

Spread two-thirds of the dough into prepared baking pan. Spread with chocolate mixture. Drop remaining one-third of dough on top by spoonfuls. Bake 25 minutes. Cool and then cut into bars.

And for a little more of a taste of the upcoming book . . .

Million Dollar Cookies, page 57
Photographed and made by Ashley Evanson, Online Editor
Would you make it again?: Yes, but with a few changes to the recipe.

Black-and-White Biscotti, page 75
Photographed and made by Alexa Justesen, LDS Living Intern
Would you make it again?: Yes.

Almost Oreo Cookies, page 24
Photographed and made by Kate Ensign-Lewis, Online Editor
Would you make it again?: Maybe; I'd undercook the cookies and substitute the frosting for a canister of store-bought cream cheese frosting.

{Food Dish} LDS Living Casserole Competition: WINNER + Recipe

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:05:00 -0700

by LDS Living
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: And finally, we'd like to announce the winner of our Best Casserole Contest: Verde Chicken Mexican Lasagna. Prepare to have your casserole socks knocked off.

We hope you've enjoyed creating, cooking, and sharing your recipes, and we especially hope you enjoy our three winners! Note: now that our "casseroles" chapter has closed, get geared up for our Best Dessert Bar Contest, starting March 1.

Without further ado, our winner is . . . Verde Chicken Mexican Lasagna by Celeste Pearson of Lakewood, Washington. We loved the combination of textures and Southwest spices in this cassrole.

Congratulations! (You can also view her cooking blog at girlsinaprons.blogspot.com.)

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Verde Chicken Mexican Lasagna

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded
1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 ½ cups green salsa
1 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed and drained
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped cilantro (plus additional for garnishing)
12 soft taco size flour tortillas
1 (8-ounce) package shredded Mexican blend cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Mix chicken, sour cream, black beans, salsa, corn, cilantro and spices in a large bowl. Taste and adjust

seasonings to your preference. Cut tortillas in half with kitchen shears.   In a 9x13 dish, scoop 1/3 of the chicken mixture into bottom of pan. Spread evenly. Place one layer of cut tortillas (about 4 tortillas) on chicken mixture to cover. Top with 1/3 of the amount of shredded cheese. Repeat with chicken mixture, tortillas, shredded cheese two more times. There should be three layers total.   Bake in oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and casserole is warmed through. Serve with sour cream and additional chopped cilantro.

Click on the links below to see the Runners-up in our casserole contest:

1st runner-up: Panini Caprese Strata with Roasted Bell Pepper Cream

2nd runner-up: Chicken Cordon Bleu Florentine Casserole

{Food Dish} LDS Living Casserole Competition: 1st Runner-up + Recipe

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:05:00 -0700

by LDS Living
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: We received lots of great recipes from our readers, but a few stood out above the rest when we held our casserole competition last week. Here’s the recipe for Panini Caprese Strata with Roasted Red Pepper Cream, which got the second most votes.

A couple weeks ago, we held our Corporate Casserole Day to assemble a delicious collection of food and a large body of people to vote on the best flavors. And last week, we announced our second-runner up, Chicken Cordon Bleu Florentine Casserole (click here to see the recipe). Next week, we will announce the grand prize winner, who will receive a $100 gift certificate to Deseret Book, so stay tuned! (To see pictures from the cook-off, click here.)

Our first runner up was . . . Panini Caprese Strata with Roasted Red Pepper Cream from Beth Jane Taylor of Quincy, California. We enjoyed all the fresh ingredients and the tangy cream sauce on top. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!

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Panini Caprese Strata with Roasted Red Pepper Cream

Red pepper cream:
½ cup jarred roasted red peppers
1 pint sour cream

Strata:
6 large eggs
3 cups milk
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 large loaf French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup prepared basil pesto
8 ounces prosciutto, sliced into thin strips
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into ½ inch cubes
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Roasted red pepper cream:
In a blender or food processor, blend peppers and sour cream together for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Set aside in refrigerator.

Strata:
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper until it is creamy and smooth. Set aside. In a greased 9x13 pan, place half the bread cubes on bottom and spread evenly. Dollop pesto in small chunks on top of bread cubes over entire surface. Sprinkle prosciutto over entire surface. Evenly distribute mozzarella over bread cubes. Now evenly distribute tomatoes over entire surface. Cover dish with remaining bread cubes. Pour egg mixture evenly over entire surface. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and parsley on top, cover with tin foil and let it chill for 1 hour or up to one day.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes, take foil off and let bake until center of strata is set and top is slightly browned, about 20-30 more minutes. Let it stand for 10 minutes, cut into squares and pour desired amount of Roasted red pepper cream over squares.

Click on the links below to see the other finalists in our casserole contest:

Winner: Verde Chicken Mexican Lasagna

2nd runner-up: Chicken Cordon Bleu Florentine Casserole

{Food Dish} LDS Living Casserole Competition: 2nd Runner-up + Recipe

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:12:00 -0700

by LDS Living
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: We received lots of great recipes from our readers, but a few stood out above the rest when we held our casserole competition last week. Here’s the recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu Florentine, which got the third most votes.

Last Friday we held our Corporate Casserole Day to assemble a delicious collection of food and a large body of people to vote on the best flavors. To increase the suspense, we’ll be announcing one of the winning recipes each week. The grand prize winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to Deseret Book, so stay tuned! (To see pictures from the cook-off, click here.)

Our second runner up was . . . Chicken Cordon Bleu Florentine Casserole from Carissa Poyfair of Lakewood, Washington. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!

Pin It

Chicken Cordon Bleu Florentine Casserole

1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Italian blend cheese
6 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/2 pound Campanelle pasta
1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
9 ounces deli ham, thinly sliced
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add salt to taste and cook the pasta to al dente. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan on medium heat and add the flour. Stir until combined and bubbly, at least one minute. Slowly add in the milk, whisking the entire time. Stir constantly, until mixture is bubbly and thick. Add ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper; combine. Add Italian and Gorgonzola cheeses and stir until cheese is melted and well-combined.

Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan and add the garlic. Stir for one minute until fragrant. Add the cooked, shredded chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté for a few minutes.

Add pasta, chicken, sliced ham, and drained spinach to the cheese mixture. Stir until well-combined and place in a sprayed 2-quart casserole dish. Stir together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the pasta dish and bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

Also, get ready for the next LDS Living Recipe contest, which begins March 1. We're out to find the best Dessert Bar!

Click on the links below to see the other finalists in our casserole contest:

Winner: Verde Chicken Mexican Lasagna

1st runner-up: Panini Caprese Strata with Roasted Bell Pepper Cream

{LDSL Blog} Casserole Contest Pictures

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:04:00 -0700

by Ashley Evanson
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: We had quite the weekend judging all of your casserole recipes. Check out the photos!

I think I can I can speak for the whole corporate office of Deseret Book when I say the LDS Living recipe contest days are the best work days of the year. Seriously.

We received a few dozen amazing casserole recipes from our readers and enlisted a number of chefs to make them, and then tested them with our food-loving co-workers here at Deseret Book. We served over 1,000 samples, filled our stomachs until we could only waddle, and voted for the tastiest casserole in the LDS world. And can I just say, your recipes did not disappoint!

For our third place winner, click here, and stayed tuned in the following weeks for the second and first place recipes.

Also, start pulling out your cookbooks again because our next recipe contest is just around the corner. Starting March 1, we'll be looking for the best Dessert Bars!

Thanks again for all the tasty recipes! They made for a most delicious day.

{Food Dish} My Family's Favorite Cookie + Recipe

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:17:00 -0700

by Kate Ensign-Lewis
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Chocolate cookies dotted with smooth mint chips. What's not to love?

Once upon a time, early in my marriage, my mother-in-law bought us some groceries. She got us nice things we would probably never have bought for ourselves - steak, real orange juice, C&H Baker's Sugar, etc. Among the items was a bag of Guittard green mint chips. I love mint, but I had no idea what to do with them. Luckily, there was a recipe on the bag for "Polka Dot Cookies."

It was a turning point. These chocolatey, minty cookies quickly became the most requested dessert in our house. We've made more than our share of grocery store runs simply to get supplies for the mint cookies. With a great chocolate base and a burst of mint with each smooth chip, the cookie has just the right amount of softness and chewiness.

Several important notes on the recipe:

(1) The recipe is almost identical to the original, though I have tweaked it or included directions I have found to make the cookies better.

(2) Unfortunately, not all areas carry Guittard Green Mint Chips. Most stores in Utah do, but I've had little luck in California and Oregon, and so has my sister in Texas. Many stores (like Winco) will carry them around the holidays, but when you can't find them, Andes chips are the best substitution. York Pieces (the brand, NOT York patties chopped up) and mint M&Ms Premiums (halved) work decently well.

(3) The first ingredient calls for Guittard semi-sweet chips. I'm sure most good chocolate chips will do, but Guittard has especially premium melting qualities. Try to use them if you can.

Mint Polka Dot Cookies

Recipe adapted from Guittard

2 cups (12 ounces) Guittard semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup unsalted butter (NOT margarine)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (do not sift)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

heaping 1/8 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups (12 ounces) Guittard Green Mint Chips

Preheat oven to 350F

Heat semisweet chips and butter in microwave inside a small bowl at medium power (50% or level 5) for 2-3 minutes, stirring well after each minute until smooth. Set aside to cool. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla until light. Blend in melted chocolate, then dry ingredients. Stir in green mint chips and chill for 10-15 minutes or until slightly stiff. (If you chill it for longer, make sure to roll dough into balls before placing on cookie sheet.) Drop by well-rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets (preferably lined with parchment or Silpat).

Bake 8-10 minutes. Cookies will be soft in centers but will harden as they cool.

To judge doneness:

-cook until the tops look crusty, but there's still a little gloss through the cracks. (With dark cookies, it can be hard to tell when things are cooked; it helps to smack the pan against the rack--if they deflate a little when you do it, they're cooked.)

-leave cookies on the pan for 5-10 minutes after you pull them. The residual heat helps to bake them a little, but doesn't overcook them. They shouldn't fall apart when you remove them with a spatula, but they will still be a little gooey.

Side note: I'm of the mind that some of the best recipes are right on the bag/can/box of an item. After all, the powers that be must test and test different recipes for their product and must only include the best of the best to go on the product itself. So, what great recipes have you found on the side of a can, box, or bag?

{Food Dish} "Healthy" Dishes I Can Handle

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:03:00 -0700

by Kate Ensign-Lewis
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: I want to eat healthier. Really, I do. But so often "healthy" translates to "blah." But these dishes make eating healthy look like a piece of zucchini cake.

I'm not known for a light palate. (Remember this?) So, resolution #4 this year should make total sense: eat better. This means fewer calories (no more late night cookie runs), less fat, and more fruits and vegetables.

I've really been meaning to eat better for a long time, but my love of food always causes me to stop short. "Healthy" often means sacrificing flavor. With these dishes, though, I think I can make that crucial first step. Are you with me?

(Note: I deemed these healthy only with my untrained eye on the ingredients. Many of them do not have calorie counts, but my hunch is that they're low.)

Sweet Potato Skins (Photo from Pinch of Yum)

Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli with Pine Nuts (Photo from Ezra Pound Cake)

Fresh Corn and Tomato Saute (Photo from The Parsley Thief)

Healthy Muffins (Photo from Sweet Make Me Smile)

Prawn Salad Sandwich (Photo from An American in Ireland)

Spring Vegetable Saute (Photo from Sauce and Sensibility)

Fish Tacos with Mandarin Orange Salsa (Photo from Give Me Some Oven)

Quick and Healthy Turkey Chili (Photo from The Yummy Life)

And, speaking of that zucchini cake . . .

Healthy Chocolate Cake with Zucchini (Photo from Baltic Maid)

{Food Dish} Ultimate Guide: Ridiculously Cute Christmas Foods

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:57:00 -0700

by Kaela Worthen
source: MormonLife.com

I'm really good at making food taste good. What I'm not so good at is making it look pretty. I also happen to be a Pinterest addict, which means I get almost all of my food inspiration from my visual pinboard cookbook. The results usually go something like this:

(Thank you, Pinterest, for illustrating my life so well for me.)

However, that doesn't mean I can't still enjoy looking at pretty food and wishing I had such skills. And since I know some of you do actually have such skills, I'm going to share with you some of my favorite finds, in the hopes that someone will get to make and eat them.

Melted snowman cookies. Seriously. How ridiculously cute are these?

Christmas cheese party tray.
It's easy to make desserts decorative, but not so with many other party foods. This is great.

Brownie Christmas trees from Betty Crocker.
Not only are these possibly the most delish of the bunch, but I think I could possibly make them without messing them up too horribly.

Santa feet cupcake.
And several other cute cupcakes I could never be capable of making.

Christmas reindeer mini donuts.
I could SO make these.

Reindeer peanut butter cookies.
I might even be able to make these ones.

Santa hat pretzels.
Cute neighbor Christmas gift, anyone?

And for those of you with super food skills, you can check this link out for even more Christmas cupcake inspiration. (If you're like me, though, don't look. Please. It'll keep you from getting depressed.)

{Food Dish} Contest: Best Casserole Recipe

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:49:00 -0700

by LDS Living
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Send us your best casserole recipes for the chance to win LDS Living's Best Casserole Contest and a $100 gift certificate! NOTE: Pictures are no longer required to submit a recipe to the contest.

It's that time again.

LDS Living has set its sights on finding another best recipe – but instead of soups and sweets, our craving has taken a slightly more traditional turn. We're out to find the best casserole recipes. We know you've got them; they've been showing up at every ward function for years and now we want the recipe.

Here are the rules (you must abide by each for your recipe to be considered):

1) Recipes must be original. We cannot accept your submission of casseroles by Rachael Ray, Bobbie Flay, or Doris Day. And don’t simply change the name—just as you wouldn’t want someone else to claim work that is yours, please do not claim someone else’s as your own. (If you found a recipe and tweaked it beyond recognition, you can submit that as your own. Family recipes are also acceptable.)

2) Submit the recipe with your full name, e-mail address, home city and state, and a valid daytime phone number by Friday, January 13, 2012. (LDS Living will use this information only to get a hold of you in the event that you win; we will not use it for marketing or other purposes.)

E-mail recipes to editor[at]ldsliving[dot]com. (E-mail the editor.)

We will be testing the recipes after we receive them. The winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to Deseret Book and will be announced along with three runners up throughout February, starting on February 2, and the winning recipes will also be given at that time.

You responded to our challenge the first time with gusto. Have you got what it takes to join the august ranks of LDS Living best chefs? We're excited find out.

Bonne chance!