My favorite of-the-moment kitchen tool

This is a The Pampered Chef garlic press. I was first introduced to this tool by my best friend Lily, who is a big-time Pampered Chef fan (and also a big-time garlic fan). I'd tried to use fresh garlic before but it was too hard to chop and my hands would stink for days, so I just resigned myself to garlic salt or dried garlic granules. Then one day John's sister Candice told me that she was going to a Pampered Chef party and asked if I wanted her to order me anything ... I jumped at the chance!! This thing amazes me because you can just stick a clove of garlic in it UNPEELED and it minces it perfectly. It also has a little tool to clean the teeny holes and get the garlic peel out of the compartment. I love this thing! When I'm done I just rinse it and throw it in the dishwasher. Love it.

I also have a Pampered Chef chopper and pizza wheel (more gifts from Candice). I really need to find a Pampered Chef rep!

Easy Chicken Sautee (adapted from The South Beach Diet)

The basic recipe for this dish does not call for rosemary or mushrooms. Actually, I've modified it so much it's very different from the original. Here's my version: easy and good!

4 chicken breasts
3-4 T. olive oil
3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 med onion, sliced and quartered
1 T. rosemary (fresh or dried)
1 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper

Heat up the olive oil in an iron skillet on med-high heat. Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts and sautee in the oil until browned and sealed (3-4 mins each side) add garlic to pan and brown. Add onions and mushrooms and briefly sautee next to chicken. Add chicken broth, rosemary, salt and pepper to taste and cover pan. Cook until the onions are translucent and the rosemary is soft (if using dried). Serve in shallow bowls with broth. John loves this one!!

Lemon Bars

This is my most popular and most-requested recipe (butter cake is a close second). I got it from Mom's cookbook, and I believe it's the Nordstrom recipe, but I'm not sure. I go heavier on the lemon juice because we like them a little more lemony. GOOD STUFF!

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (divided)
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp. baking powder
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind (optional, I never add this)
1/3 cup lemon juice
Powdered sugar

Combine 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar (I don't sift). Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until mixture resemles coarse meal.

Spoon flour mixture into an ungreased 13x9x2 in. metal cake pan (I use one with a plastic cover for easy transport later). Press the mixture down into an even crust with fingertips. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is lightly browned (if the crust is uneven, it will overcook in certain spots so be diligent).

While the crust is baking, combine the remaining 1/2 cup flour and baking powder, set aside. Combine eggs, 2 cups sugar, lemon rind if desired, and lemon juice (I use at minimum 1/2 cup. I wouldn't recommend using more than 2/3 cup). Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture with a whisk, and pour over baked crust.

Return pan to oven and bake for another 25 mins at 350 degrees (until lightly browned and set). Cool on a wire rack (I have stuck it in the fridge to cool it faster too). Dust lightly with powdered sugar before cutting into squares. Delish!

Make Your Own Pancake Mix from RealSimple Magazine

This mix has made the best pancakes... and it's a lot cheaper than buying Bisquick! Everyone loves the result, including Henry and Juicy, who have come to expect their miniature "puppy pancake" when John and I sit down to eat ours.

8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons salt

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well. Transfer to a large-mouthed sealable jar or a large resealable plastic bag. May be stored in the pantry up to 6 months.

To make pancakes (makes enough to feed 4, we usually make a half recipe):

Place 2 1/2 cups pancake mix in a large bowl. In a small separate bowl, whisk together two eggs 1 3/4 cold cups milk, and 4 tablespoons butter melted and cooled (I use room temperature vegetable oil and get the same result). Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix. Gently stir until thorougly combined but DO NOT OVERMIX. You want some lumps. Let the batter sit for 5 mins so that baking powder can do its work. Use a measuring cup to pour out 1/2 to 1/2 cup of batter on a clean, hot, medium-heat buttered skillet. Flip when the pancake is dotted with airholes throughout. Once you've turned the pancake, wait about 2 minutes and press lightly on the center of the pancake with spoon. If it feels mushy, it's not done, but if it springs back it's done. EAT!!

Pumpkin Bread

This is another recipe from one of Mom's old church cookbooks. Tiffany LOVES this stuff. Super easy recipe, just make sure to mix in a huge bowl (I use our popcorn bowl, it's the only one that will fit all the batter because this makes 2 loaves). The book's credit is: Linda Murray, another St. Andrew's lady.

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups sugar
2 tsp. soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger
16 oz. pumpkin (1 can)
1 cup cooking oil
2/3 cup water
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease (not oil) and flour 2 loaf pans. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cups. Combine all ingredients. Beat at low speed until moistened. Beat a medium speed for 3 minutes. Bake 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cool five minutes. Remove from pans.

Banana Bread

This is one of Mom's classic church cook book recipes. She's probably made it hundreds of times and I've made a few loaves myself when the bananas don't get eaten...John just loves it! The book's credit is: Rini Fuller, probably a lady who went to St. Andrew's Presbyterian in Raleigh, N.C. I'll admit straight-away that I never, ever sift...I don't have a sifter!! It still tastes great!

1 3/4 cups sifted flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1/3 cup oil
4 mashed bananas

Use old, over-ripe bananas (almost rotten). Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift dry ingredients together. Combine eggs, oil, and mashed bananas; add to dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Bake in greased loaf pan for 60 mins. Cool thoroughly before slicing. NOTE: Over-ripe bananas may be purchased at mark-down price then frozen in their skins till ready for use. Thaw on a plate.

Faker's spaghetti sauce

I made this last night and I thought I'd take a minute to type it out since Ash called me recently and asked me how to make it step by step. There's not a thing wrong with making your spaghetti sauce from scratch, but this is a lot quicker and just as good (in my opinion).

You'll need:
1 lb. lean ground beef (dark ground turkey works too...when I make a big recipe I use both together).
1 medium onion, chopped
2 jars spaghetti sauce (the cheap stuff in cans works fine)
1 big can petite diced tomatoes
garlic salt
chili powder
can of mushrooms (optional)

Saute the ground beef in a big pot or saucepan with the onion until the beef has no more pink and the onion is translucent. If you want additional veggies like green peppers or carrots, saute them with the onion with some oil before you add the meat. If there's a lot of fat, rinse the meat and drain (if you're unsteady draining the meat over the sink freehanded, just dump it into a collander with small holes. Just make sure to rise with warm/cool water so you don' t melt the plastic). Return meat to pot. Add spaghetti sauce and tomatoes and stir (if you want mushrooms, drain them and add at this point too). Add garlic salt and chili powder to taste (1-2 tablespoons of each should be plenty). I also add a few dashes of red pepper flakes at this point too because John likes it a bit spicy.

Serve over thin spaghetti or angel hair (Or whatever!). Voila!