Delicious Poppy Seed Bread with Orange Almond Glaze!

I absolutely love Poppy Seed Breads & Cakes! This is my all time favorite Poppy Seed bread recipe. It just melts in your mouth, and I love the taste of the almond and orange juice flavor that just soaks into the bread. This recipe comes from the Lion House Desserts Cook Book. I love making this bread for neighbors or friends who have just moved into a new home, welcomed a new baby, someone who is ill, or just because! It always gets great reviews.

Janell's Poppy Seed Bread
Lion House Desserts Cook Book

1/4 cup butter, melted
3 1/3 Tbsp oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp poppy seeds

Orange almond Glaze
1 Tbsp orange juice
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour an 8X4-inch loaf pan and set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream together butter, oil, eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and almond extract. In a separate bowl mix together flour, salt, baking powder, and poppy seeds. Add this mixture to the first and mix until well blended, but do not overmix. (Overmixing causes tunnels and a coarse texture.) Pour into loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes. Serve plain or, while bread is still hot, brush with several coats of Orange Almond Glaze (made by mixing all ingredients together in small bowl.) Makes 1 loaf.

Enjoy!!!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I can't believe that this is the last week in February! I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to spring. We had some beautiful weather the end of last week and we spent hours playing at the park soaking up the sun. Here is another freezer meal recipe for all of you. It is super easy and so yummy!

Chicken Tortilla Soup
2 can refried beans
2 cans black beans, drained
2 cans corn with juice
2 cans chicken broth
Mix in pot. Bring to a boil and add:
4 chicken breasts, cooked & chopped
2 cups salsa
Tomato, spice mixture:
In a blender, combine and add to soup:
28 oz. diced tomatoes
3 tomatillos
1 jalapeno - seeds out
1/2 white onion
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 bunch cilantro

Cool & place in 3 freezer bags. Thaw and heat through. Top with cheese, sour cream & tortilla chips.

To answer a couple questions about the Symphony Pie, yes, you can use 2 of the smaller Symphony bars. If you use Resees, you can really use how ever many you want. It depends on how peanut buttery you want it. My sister used 8 of the big cups for hers. If you have any other questions regarding any of our recipes, feel free to leave us a comment and we will try to respond quickly!

Marbled Cheesecake Hearts

Last week we went to a ward activity and signed up to bring a dessert. I wanted to do something a little different than cookies or brownies. In my search for a new dessert, I found this in The Essential Mormon Cookbook. I loved it! My husband LOVES cheesecake, but I never make it. This recipe was pretty easy and oh so yummy! I started out using a small heart cookie cutter, but it took a little while to get it out without messing it up, so I cut them into small squares. There weren't any left on the plate at the end of the night.

Marbled Cheesecake Hearts
Chocolate Cookie Crust
2 cups finely crushed Oreo cookies
3 Tablespoons butter or margarine melted

Line a 9x13 baking pan with heavy foil. Grease foil. Combine crumbs and butter. Press firmly into pan (I love the crust so I used about 3 cups crushed cookies and 3 1/2 Tbsp butter).

Filling
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate melted

In a large bowl beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Pour 3/4 of batter evenly over chocolate crust. Stir melted chocolate into remaining batter. Place spoonfuls of chocolate batter over the vanilla batter. Take a butter knife and swirl chocolate batter through vanilla batter gently to give marbleized look. Bake at 300 for 45 - 50 minutes or until set (I cooked mine for 40 minutes). Cool. Chill for several hours until firm. Use foil to lift out of pan. Use a heart cookie cutter to make heart shapes or simply cut into squares. Store covered in refrigerator.


You can get The Essential Mormon Cookbook at many bookstores including Deseret Book and Seagul Book & Tape. It is filled with wonderful recipes for all seasons.

Mom's FANTASTIC Chicken Enchiladas!!!

I absolutely LOVE this recipe for Chicken Enchilada's. It is super simple and oh, so tasty! These are the only type of Enchiladas that I remember my mom making. Now that I am married I have been introduced to several favorite Enchilada recipes, but this one is special, because it takes me back to home. I remember helping my mom several times to assemble these yummy enchiladas. My mom is a great cook, and makes wonderful meals. Thanks mom for sharing some great recipes with me. My mom probably won't see this, because she doesn't really get into the computer stuff, but anyhow... I love you Mom!

Mom's Chicken Enchiladas

1 lb. cooked and cubed chicken / or 1 can canned chicken

1 large can red enchilada sauce (I always go with the mild for the kids)

1 small can diced green chilis

shredded cheddar cheese

8 medium tortillas

Combine chicken, and green chilis in medium bowl. (I only use about half of a can of green chilis, but you know what spice you can handle.) Add enchilada sauce just until it is a good consistency. You don't want your filling to be too runny, but not too chunky. (I usually use 1/4- 1/2 of the can.) Ladle about 2 spoon-fuls of the enchilada sauce in a 9X13 greased pan and spread evenly. To assemble the enchiladas fill your tortilla with about 1/2 cup filling and sprinkle with cheese. Roll up tightly and place in pan. Fill the remaining tortillas. When enchiladas are assembled cover with remaining sauce. I like to get sauce between each enchilada. I love them really saucy! Sprinkle the top with cheese to your liking. Cover with foil and cook at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until cooked through and sauce is bubbling around the edges. Serve garnished with sour cream and lettuce. I love eating my freezer corn with this meal. It makes for a great combo! Enjoy, and thanks Mom!