Made with Love

My collection of recipes—from old favorites, to brand-new dishes.

[loriskitchenwithlove]

Hash Brown & Chicken Brunch Casserole

Courtesy of Taste of Home 

Ingredients

15 large eggs, beaten

1 package (28 ounces) frozen O'Brien potatoes

1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed, shredded

1-1/2 cups 2% milk

1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

5 green onions, chopped

3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

How to Make It 

Step 1: 

In a very large bowl, combine eggs, potatoes, chicken, milk, tomatoes, 1 cup cheese, green onions, cilantro, and seasonings until blended. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight.

Step 2: Preheat oven to 350°. Remove casserole from refrigerator while oven heats. Bake, uncovered, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

[loriskitchenwithlove]

No Bake Triple Layer Lemon Pie

(Courtesy 12 Tomatoes) 

Ingredients 

1 pre-made graham cracker crust, homemade or store-bought

2 (3.4 oz.) boxes instant lemon pudding mix

2 cups whole milk

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

How to Make It 

Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together instant pudding mixes, milk, and fresh lemon juice until just combined.

Step 2: Pour 1 1/2 cups of pudding mixture into prepared pie crust and set aside.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, beat heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form, mixing in powdered sugar until incorporated.

Step 4: Take 1/2 of whipped cream and fold into remaining lemon pudding mixture. Spread whipped cream lemon pudding into pie crust, then gently top with remaining whipped cream.

Step 5: Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled and set, then top with lemon zest, slice, serve and enjoy!

Serves: 8-10

[loriskitchenwithlove]

Easy Pad Thai

(Courtesy Delish) 

Ingredients 

kosher salt

8 oz. pad thai noodles

2 tbsp. lime juice

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. fish sauce

1 tbsp. soy sauce

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 eggs, lightly whisked

1 lb. shrimp 

Freshly ground black pepper

2 green onions, thinly sliced on a bias

1/2 c. roasted peanuts, chopped

How to Make It 

Step 1: In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook noodles until tender, 7 to 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.

Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.

Step 3: In a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add bell pepper and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

Step 4: Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook until pink, about 2 minutes per side.

Step 5: Push the shrimp and vegetables to one side of the pan and pour in the egg. Scramble until just set then mix with the shrimp mixture.

Step 6: Add the cooked noodles and toss until combined. Pour in the lime juice mixture and toss until the noodles are coated.

Step 7: Top with green onions and roasted peanuts.

Kitchen Tips: If you prefer chicken, you can use rotisserie chicken, cook your own chicken seasoned with salt and pepper, or use well-drained canned chicken.

[loriskitchenwithlove]

Avocado Chicken Salad

(Courtesy Natasha’s Kitchen) 

Ingredients

Avocado Chicken Salad Ingredients:

2 large cooked chicken breasts shredded or chopped

2 large avocados

1 cup corn from 1 cooked cob

6 oz lean bacon cooked and chopped

1/4 cup Chives (or green onion), chopped

2 Tbsp Dill chopped, or to taste

Lemon Dressing:

3 Tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp sea salt or to taste

1/8 tsp black pepper

How to Make It 

Step 1: Dice or shred the 2 large, cooked chicken breasts and place into a large mixing bowl. 

Step 2: Peel and pit 1 large avocados, slice into bite-size pieces and add to the mixing bowl. 

Step 3: Add 1 cup of cooked corn (freshly cooked corn is best), toss in 1/4 cup chopped green onion, chopped bacon, and 2 Tablespoons fresh Dill. 

Step 4: Add dressing ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine. Drizzle over your salad and toss to combine. 

Kitchen Tips: You can use rotisserie chicken, cook your own chicken breast seasoned with salt and pepper, or use well-drained canned chicken or tuna. 

For a healthier salad, you can use uncured turkey bacon, which has less fat. 

[loriskitchenwithlove]

Sheet Pan Chicken Breasts with Potatoes and Garlicky Mustard Greens

(Courtesy SELF.com) 

Ingredients 

8 Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces

4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

4 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped

4 teaspoons canola oil

salt & pepper

2, 8-ounce chicken breasts, (2 small bone-in, skin-on breasts)

10 cups mustard greens, chopped

10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

How to Make It

Step 1: Heat oven to 350 degrees and line a  large sheet pan with parchment paper. 

Step 2: Toss potatoes with parsley, tarragon, oil, and salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on the sheet pan. 

Step 3: Season chicken on all sides with salt and pepper, and place in the center of the pan, skin side up. Roast 30 minutes. 

Step 4: Remove chicken and set aside. Add mustard greens and garlic to the sheet pan and toss with potatoes. Place chicken on top. Roast 10 minutes more, until the chicken is cooked through and a thermometer inserted in the center of the breast reads 165 degrees. 

Step 5: Let the chicken rest 5 minutes, then bone and thinly slice, leaving the skin on. 

Step 6: Top chicken, potatoes, and mustard greens with additional herbs, if desired.  

[loriskitchenwithlove]

Quick Ginger Pork

(Courtesy of Taste From Home)

Ingredients 

1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips

2 tablespoon canola oil

2 garlic clove, minced

4 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup cold water

3 teaspoons cornstarch

Hot cooked rice

Thinly sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, optional

How to Make It 

Step 1: In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry pork in oil until no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.

Step 2: In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sugar, and ginger; add to skillet. Combine water and cornstarch until smooth; add to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with rice. If desired, top with green onions and sesame seeds.

Yield: 4 Servings 

Kitchen Tips: Cuts of pork with “loin” in the name are lean, like pork tenderloin, pork loin roast, and pork loin chops. 

[loriskitchenwithlove]

Olia Hercules’ Napoleon Cake

(Courtesy of Food 52 / Sarah Jampel) 

This recipe is definitely on my weekend to-do list! All those flaky delicious layers and the homemade cream. This recipe was originally listed in European measurements, the version below has been converted to US measurements.

For the pastry layers:

Ingredients

4 3/8 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

1 pinch salt

1 cup unsalted butter, cubed and chilled in the freezer

Just a tad over ½ a cup cold water

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

How to Make It

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and the salt. Add the frozen butter and rub it into the dry ingredients as if you’re making pie dough, snapping and pressing with your fingers (or use a pastry cutter) until you have pea- and lima bean-sized butter clumps.

Mix together the water and the vinegar and add it to the flour. Use a spoon, then your hands, to mix and knead it into a firm dough. If the mixture is too dry and crumbly, add additional liquid, a tablespoon at a time, until it comes together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight. (If you chill your pastry for more than 3 hours, you may need to let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before you work with it.)

While the dough chills, make the pastry cream (see below).

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Flour your work surface and roll the pastry into a sausage-shaped log. Cut it into 12 pieces and roll each one out, one by one, as thinly as you can, into 8 ½-inch discs.

As you work, place each sheet (you may be able to do 2 at a time, depending on the size of your oven and baking sheets), into the oven and bake for 4 to 5 minutes, or until pale golden and puffed up in places. Watch the pastry carefully, as it can burn quickly. 

Each oven is different, you may have to leave yours in longer, 7 to 8 minutes or so, to achieve a golden brown, crisp and puffy layers. Keep a close eye on them! You may have to sacrifice one or two layers for testing but that’s okay: You’ll still end up with an impressive tower!

As you take the pastry rounds out of the oven, transfer them to a wire rack to cool. If you have a pastry sheet that is dramatically brown or pale, save it for crumbling over the top of the cake as decoration.

When all of the sheets are cool, it’s assembly time! Dollop pastry cream (about 3 or 4 tablespoons) on a disc and gently spread it to the edges (it doesn’t have to be neat). As you spread, pop any air bubbles in the pastry so that the cream can really penetrate every layer and fill the craters. Continue until you have worked with all of the layers (cover the top layer with pastry cream and crumble any sacrificial discs over top for decoration. 

Place the cake in the refrigerator for several hours so that the pastry can absorb the cream, or eat it straight away.

For the pastry cream:

(or substitute with your favorite recipe!)

Ingredients

4 ¼ cups Whole Milk

2 vanilla beans, split lengthways, seeds scraped out and pods reserved

1 cup superfine sugar

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 pinch salt

7 egg yolks

¼ cup butter, cubed

How to Make It

To make the pastry cream, heat the milk, the vanilla seeds, and the reserved vanilla bean pods in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.

Meanwhile, whisk the sugar, flour, and salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk the egg yolks into the dry ingredients, making sure they are thoroughly combined even if the mixture is crumbly.

When the milk is near boiling point (you should see steam coming off the surface and small bubbles forming around the diameter but the liquid should not be boiling), quickly tip or ladle some of the hot liquid into the egg mixture, whisking vigorously to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Pour the egg mixture into the rest of the milk and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and making sure to scrape the bottom and edges of the pan, until the cream thickens to a custard-like consistency, 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the butter, piece by piece, and stir until combined. If you do have clumps or scrambled egg pieces, don’t panic (it happened to me!): Simply pour the pastry cream into another bowl through a fine-mesh sieve, using a spoon to assist it through. Discard any clumps and move on with your life/cake.

Let cool for 30 minutes, then cover with a piece of plastic wrap pressed against the surface (to keep and skin from forming) and let cool completely. (You can also chill it in the refrigerator, but leave it at room temperature for a few minutes before working with it so that it can loosen up a bit.)

Serves 10-12

[loriskitchenwithlove]

“If you eat beautiful, you will become beautiful. You are what you eat!”

Ancient Aztec Philosophy

[loriskitchenwithlove]

Lemon Chiffon Cake

(Courtesy of Taste of Home) 

Ingredients

7 large eggs, separated

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup canola oil

4 teaspoons grated lemon peel

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

FROSTING:

1/3 cup butter, softened

3 cups confectioners' sugar

4-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1/4 cup lemon juice

Dash salt

How to Make It

Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325°.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together twice; place in another large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks, water, oil, lemon peel and vanilla until smooth. Add to flour mixture; beat until well blended.

Add cream of tartar to egg whites; with clean beaters, beat on medium speed just until stiff but not dry. Fold a fourth of the whites into the batter, then fold in remaining whites.

Gently spoon batter into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on lowest oven rack 50-55 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely in pan, about 1 hour.

Run a knife around sides and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate.

In a small bowl, combine frosting ingredients; beat until smooth. Spread over cake. 

Yield: 16 servings.

[loriskitchenwithlove]

Cabbage Roll Casserole

(Courtesy of Taste of Home)

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans (15 ounces each) tomato sauce, divided

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dill weed

1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups cooked rice

4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

1 medium head cabbage (2 pounds), shredded

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Coarsely ground pepper, optional

How to Make It

Preheat oven to 375°. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat, crumbling beef, until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in one can of tomato sauce and next six ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Stir in rice and bacon; remove from heat.

Layer a third of the cabbage in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Top with half of the meat mixture. Repeat layers; top with remaining cabbage. Pour remaining tomato sauce over top.

Cover and bake 45 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with coarsely ground pepper. 

Yield: 12 servings.

Test Kitchen Tips Minimize mess by using 90% lean ground beef or ground sirloin (so you can skip the draining step) and use coleslaw mix (so you don't have to chop cabbage). Try serving with a splash of red wine or cider vinegar.

Take this with a grain of salt: Our tasting panel finds salt preferences vary widely. We recommend adjusting according to your dietary restrictions, if any, and taste. Remember the hidden sources of sodium, like bacon, cheese, and canned sauces, soups and vegetables.

[loriskitchenwithlove]

Mamaw Emily's Strawberry Cake

(Courtesy of Taste of Home)

Ingredients

1 package white cake mix (regular size)

1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup water

1/2 cup canola oil

2 large eggs

1 cup finely chopped strawberries

FROSTING:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup crushed strawberries

4-1/2 to 5 cups confectioners' sugar

How to Make It 

Preheat oven to 350°. Line the bottoms of two greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment paper; grease paper.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, gelatin, sugar, and flour. Add water, oil, and eggs; beat on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium 2 minutes. Fold in chopped strawberries. Transfer to prepared pans.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely.

For frosting, in a small bowl, beat butter until creamy. Beat in crushed strawberries. Gradually beat in enough confectioners’ sugar to reach desired consistency. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. 

Yield: 12 servings.

Kitchen Tips For a change of pace try icing the cake with whipped cream or whipped topping and serve with fresh berries. Save your prettiest strawberries for garnishing. Use second-tier berries for the cake interior and frosting.

[loriskitchenwithlove]

Scotch Shortbread Cookies

(Courtesy of Taste of Home)

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 pound cold butter, cubed

How to Make It 

Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Knead dough until smooth, about 6-10 times. Pat dough into an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Pierce with a fork.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut into squares while warm. Cool on a wire rack.Yield: 4 dozen. 

[loriskitchenwithlove]

Funeral Potatoes / Cheesy Potatoes

(Courtesy of the Mormon Relief Society)

Ingredients

6 tablespoons butter, divided

3/4 cup onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

12 small potatoes, parboiled and shredded, or one (30-ounce) bag of frozen, shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed

1 10.5-ounce can Cream of Chicken soup

1 cup sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

2 cups firmly packed shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

1 1/2 cups crushed cornflake cereal or panko breadcrumbs

How To Make It

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350° F. In a medium skillet, add 2 tablespoons butter and sauté the onions until they're translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 2. In a large bowl, mix together the cooked onions, garlic, shredded potatoes, condensed soup, sour cream, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese.

Step 3. Spread into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese.

Step 4. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and mix with the crushed cornflake crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole.

Step 5. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until cooked throughout and bubbly.

Serves 8-10

[loriskitchenwithlove]

Chip & Joanna Gaines’ Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

(Courtesy of People Recipes)

Ingredients

1 (15.25-oz.) pkg. devil’s food cake mix

1 cup plain yogurt

4 large eggs

1 (3.4-oz.) pkg. vanilla instant pudding mix

½ cup plus 1 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa

2 tbsp. light corn syrup

1 cup powdered sugar, plus more for serving

Fresh strawberries and/or Vanilla ice cream 

How to Make It 

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Combine cake mix, yogurt, eggs, ½ cup warm water, pudding mix and ½ cup oil in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium, and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently fold in chocolate chips. Pour mixture into a lightly greased and floured Bundt cake pan. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

Step 2. Remove cake from oven, and cool in pan 10 minutes. Transfer cake from pan to wire rack; cool completely, about 1 hour.

Step 3. Combine cocoa, 2 tablespoons water, corn syrup and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan. Cook over low, stirring constantly, until blended, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar, whisking constantly, until smooth.

Step 4. Drizzle glaze over cake. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar. Serve with strawberries and vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Serves: 12

Active time: 10 minutes

Total time: 1 hour, plus cooling

[loriskitchenwithlove]

Overnight Blueberry French Toast / Family Favorite!

(Courtesy Chef in Training)

Serves: 8

Ingredients

French Toast

12 slices bread, cut into cubes (Chalah, Hawaiian Bread, Texas Toast all work well. Spend the money and buy quality bread. It’s worth it!)

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, cut into cubes

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

12 large eggs

⅓ cup maple syrup

2 cups milk or cream (I prefer cream)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1 Tablespoon butter

How to Make It

Step 1. Arrange ½ of the bread cubes in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle cream cheese cubes and blueberries evenly over the bread cubes.

Step 2. Top and evenly sprinkle with remaining bread cubes. Mix together eggs, syrup, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Pour over bread cubes. Press the bread cubes slightly down to absorb the milk/egg mixture.

Step 3. Cover pan with foil. Let chill in refrigerator overnight.

Step 4. Bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes or until fluffy and golden. Top with blueberry syrup.

Syrup

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook water, sugar, and cornstarch until thickened. 

Stir in blueberries and simmer for 10 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted. Serve over the french toast.

[loriskitchenwithlove]

Sausage Wonton Cups

(Courtesy of Taste of Home) 

Ingredients 

1 pound Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

24 wonton wrappers

1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend

How to Make It 

Step 1: In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato sauce, garlic powder and basil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until thickened. 

Step 2: Meanwhile, press wonton wrappers into miniature muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 8-9 minutes or until lightly browned. 

Step 3: Spoon sausage mixture into cups. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5-7 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serve warm. 

Freeze option: Freeze cooled filled wonton cups in freezer containers, separating layers with waxed paper. To use, reheat wonton cups in coated muffin pans in a preheated 350° oven until crisp and heated through. Yield: 2 dozen.

[loriskitchenwithlove]

Skillet Shepherd’s Pie

(Courtesy of Taste of Home)

Ingredients 

1 pound ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

2 cups frozen corn, thawed

2 cups frozen peas, thawed

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 cup sour cream

3-1/2 cups mashed potatoes (prepared with milk and butter)

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

How to Make It

Step 1:  In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the corn, peas, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Step 2:  Combine the cornstarch, bouillon, and water until well blended; stir into beef mixture. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in sour cream and heat through (do not boil).

Step 3:  Spread mashed potatoes over the top; sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook until potatoes are heated through and cheese is melted. 

Freeze option: Prepare beef mixture as directed but do not add sour cream. Freeze cooled meat mixture in a freezer container. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a large skillet, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if necessary. Stir in sour cream and proceed as directed. 

Yield: 6 servings.

Test Kitchen Tips

Ground lamb is another classic choice for shepherd's pie.

Tomato paste or jam can be a stellar substitute for recipes that call for a small amount of ketchup. The flavor may be a little more intense, but that can be a good thing.For a colorful and healthy take on this recipe, try using mashed butternut squash or sweet potato in place of regular mashed potatoes.