Shirely J Creamy Tomato Pasta

This recipe is a very quick meal and one my family likes.  So we have it a couple times a month.  You can adjust the type of pasta, throw in some meat or sprinkle it with cheese.  It's soo easy and really so yummy.

 Shirley J Creamy Tomato Pasta
1 cup Shirley J Universal sauce
4 cups water
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes or 3 cups fresh tomatoes chopped
3 T fresh basil, chopped or 1 T. dry
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 16 oz package pasta

Cook pasta. While pasta is cooking combine water and universal sauce mix in a sauce pan. Mix together and bring to a simmer. Add tomatoes, basil, garlic powder and pepper. Stir until combined. Serve over pasta.

If you don't know what Shirley J universal sauce is, check it out on their website or contact me and i'll fill you in.  I LOVE Shirley J universal sauce mix!

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

We just got back from the Windy City.  What a great trip.  Well.. all except our football team losing which was the reason for our trip.  But while in Chicago I told the family we needed to eat the food they are famous for.  So we set out to have some good steaks, hot dogs and deep dish pizza. 

My first thought of deep dish pizza would be just thick crust.  Soo wrong.  Did you know the sauce is put on top?  Well it is.  The first night in Chicago we went to a fabulous steak house, Bennys Chop House.  Really good steaks, really good!  Too bad I didn't get any pictures.  But that night we started planning our next nights meal, deep dish pizza.  Our waitress told us that everyone has their own favorite but hers was, Ginos East.  The next day we asked several people.  They all said Gino's East, but get there early.

So Gino's East it was.  We had skipped lunch and got there around 5:00.  Good thing.  There was already a line.  We only waited about 10 minutes before we were seated.  Our waiter explained that deep dish pizza takes 45 minutes to bake. 

We started with salad and some wings.  But then the pizza came.

The waiter brings it out in the pan it's cooked in and serves it up for you.  We had half sausage and half spinach and cheese.

This pizza is soo cheesy and the sauce is put on last.  Here's the sausage.

And here's the spinach and cheese.  It was very good.  The crust is crispy and buttery and the sauce tasted fresh made.  It was delicious.  In the end, the kids prefer the pizza were used to at home.  But we would definitely go back to Gino's East.  Sounds like another trip to Chicago for me!

I Heart Salt Lake

I'm really excited about a new project I'm working on with one of my sisters.  It's a website dedicated to the things we love about Salt Lake, both the city and the valley.  I'm sure you locals will love it.

We are having a giveaway this week to one of our favorite local restaurants.  So check it at our at I Heart Salt Lake and enter to win.

Apple Spice Drop Cookies

Here's another simple apple dessert.  I found this one on the web.  I needed to take cookies to a family gathering and wanted to try out another new recipe using apples.  The taste was similar to the apples squares.  But the nutmeg gives these a slightly different taste.

I found this recipe at pastrywiz.com. 

Apple Spice Drop Cookies

makes about 3 dozen

1/2 Cup butter, softened
2/3 Cup sugar
2/3 Cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 Cup apple juice
2 1/4 Cup flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 Tsp. baking soda
1/2 Tsp. nutmeg
1 Cup apples, peeled, finely chopped (about 2 apples)
1 Cup walnuts, chopped

FROSTING:
1/4 Cup butter, softened
3 Cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3-4 Tbs. apple juice

In a mixing bowl cream the butter and the sugars together.  Beat in the egg and apple juice.  Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl and gradually add the dry ingredients to the sugar mix, blend well and then add the apples and walnuts.

Place on a greased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

Bake at 375 degrees for 13 minutes or until golden brown

Frosting:

Add the sugar, butter, vanilla and apple juice together and mix until smooth. Frost cooled cookies.

 I hope you enjoy these as much as we did. They were gone pretty quick!

 

Mom's Apple Squares

We have been loving the apples this fall!

I wanted to try out a few new recipes using apples.  Not surprisingly, when I started looking for recipes I kept coming back to the desserts with apples.  Here's one we all enjoyed.  It comes from Phyllis Hoffman's Celebrate Fall.  It was simple and quick to make.  I even liked that the recipe didn't have you peel the apples.  I'm also really enjoying my new subscription to the Celebrate magazines!

Mom's Apple Squares
3 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cups chopped unpeeled Braeburn or Gala apples
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting

1 cup powdered sugar

1 T. butter, softened

2 to 3 T milk

Coat a 15x10 inch jelly-roll pan with cooking spray and flour, set aside.  In a large bowl, combine eggs and salt.  Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until frothy, about 1 minute.  Add sugar and oil, beat until blended.  Add flour, baking soda and cinnamon, beat until blended.  Fold in apples, nuts and vanilla.  Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly.  Baket at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and set.  Cool.

Combine frosting ingredients to acheive a spreadable consistency.  Spread over cooled cake.

I actually used pecans instead of walnuts, a personal choice when it comes to nuts.  I also just drizzled the frosting over the cake.  I thought it was easier and wasn't overkill with the frosting.  Now if you have any apples laying around, go and bake some for yourself.