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Recipe Corner

Best Carrot Cake

Submitted by: Annie Gardner

Yield: 1 (9-inch) 3-layer cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrot
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions: Line 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside. Stir together first 4 ingredients. Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes.

Buttermilk Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 tablespoon light
corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation: Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation: Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Grandpa's Apple Bread

Submitted by: LPC Connect Customer, Denise Schares

“My dad first shared this recipe and it’s been a favorite ever since. The cinnamon filling adds extra richness to the moist bread.”

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon soda
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chopped apples
Dissolve soda in lemon juice. Add eggs, vanilla, sugar, and butter. Beat until creamy. Add flour and mix lightly. Fold in apples. Pour 1/2 of mixture into greased loaf pan.

Filling/Topping
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
Sprinkle half of the filling/topping mixture over batter in pan. Add the remaining batter. Top with remaining filling/topping mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for one hour.

Valentine Cherry Crisp

Submitted by: Heidi Barz

2 cans cherry pie filling
1 box of yellow cake mix
1 stick of butter

Pour 2 cans of cherry pie filling in bottom of 9×13 pan. Pour box of cake mix over the pie filling. Melt the butter and drizzle on the top. Bake at 350 degrees about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Toffee Pecan Bars

Submitted by: Sally Sides, wife of Dick Sides,
Manager of Inside Switch Operations.

Crust:
1 package yellow cake mix
1/2 c. butter
1 egg

Filling:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 C. toffee bits
1 C. chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees In large bowl, combine crust ingredients, blend. Press in un greased 13 x 9 pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. In same bowl combine milk, vanilla and egg. Stir in toffee bits and pecans. Pour over warm base. Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool. Sprinkle with powered sugar.

Quick and Easy Shrimp Dish

Submitted by: Kyle Jensson, wife of Jim Jensson, Outside Plant Manager

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 11 minutes

4-6 1/2 ounce package rice pilaf mix
3 T. butter 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh garlic
1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders
1 medium onion, cut into eighths
9-ounce package frozen peas
1/2 pound cooked medium shrimp

Cook rice mix according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet, melt butter until sizzling. Stir in seasoning and garlic. Add chicken and onion. Cook over medium-high heat stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink, 7-9 minutes. Add peas, shrimp and cooked rice mix. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until peas and shrimp are heated through, and 4 to 5 minutes. Makes 5 servings Note: For extra spice, add ground red pepper or hot pepper sauce to taste.

Canned Chicken

Submitted by: Jim Jensson, Outside Plant Manager

4 pounds whole chicken
2 T. vegetable oil
2 T salt
1 tsp. black pepper
3 tsp. of your favorite dry spice rub
1 C beer or soda

Remove neck and giblets, rinse chicken and pat dry.

Rub chicken with oil then rub inside and out with salt, pepper and dry rub. Open beer or soda can and take several gulps (make them big gulps so that the can is half full.) Place beer or pop can on a solid surface. Place the bird cavity over the beer can and place on your grill in the center of the grate, balancing the bird on its 2 legs and the can like a tripod. Cook the chicken over medium-high, indirect heat (i.e. no coals or burners on directly under the bird), with grill cover on, for approximately 1 1/4 hours or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F in the breast area and 180 degrees F in the thigh, or until the thigh juice runs clear when stabbed with a sharp knife. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

A Christmas Oreo Delight

Submitted by: Barb Bader Customer Service Representative

35 Oreo cookies, finely crushed
6 Tb Butter or margarine, melted
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1/4 C. sugar
1 tub French vanilla cool whip
3 1/4 cups cold milk

Mix crushed cookies and butter in medium bowl. Press firmly onto bottom of a 13 x 9 pan. Refrigerate 10 minutes. Beat cream cheese, sugar and 2 T. milk in medium bowl with whisk until well blended. Gently stir in 1 1/4 cups of the ship cream. Spread over crust. Pour 3 1/4 cups milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whish 2 minutes or until well blended. Pour over cream cheese layer. Let stand 5 minutes or until thickened. Drop remaining whip cream by spoonfuls over pudding; spread to cover pudding. For a great festive look, sprinkle with crushed candy or sprinkles. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Lemon Grilled Vegetables

Submitted by: Heidi Barz, Customer Service Representative

Cooking spray
14 c. lemon juice
2 T. olive oil
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 T. chopped Italian parsley
5 zucchini cut lengthwise into 4 slices each
3 red bell peppers, cored and seeded cut lengthwise into 6 strips
1 pkg. baby portabella mushroom caps

Coat grill grates with cooking spray. Heat grill to medium high. In a bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, sugar, salt, pepper and parsley until well combined. Brush the vegetables on both sides with lemon mixture. Grill vegetables, turning one, 10-15 minutes, or until they are tender.

Upside Down Pizza

Submitted by: Barb Bader, Customer Service Representative

This special recipe was give to me by my mother-in-law, Dolores Bader. This is so easy and doesn’t take much time, great for busy families and the holidays!

1 lb. hamburger, browned
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C mozzarella cheese
2 Tb. Flour
8 oz. pizza sauce
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 C flour
1 C milk
1 Tb. Oil
Brown hamburger, onion and salt.

Cover with mozzarella grated cheese and 2 Tb. Flour and sauce. Combine eggs, salt, 1 cup flour, milk, and oil. Mix and pour over hamburger mixture and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Candy Bar Dessert

Submitted by: Barb Bader, Customer Service Representative

30 graham cracker squares
2/3 stick oleo
2 pkg. instant vanilla pudding
2 C milk 1 qt. softened vanilla ice cream
2 frozen heath bars
1 small cool whip

Crush graham crackers, mix with oleo and pat mixture into bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Mix pudding with milk. Add ice cream to mix. Put on top of crust. Top with Cool Whip. Crush Heath bars and sprinkle on cool whip. Do not freeze, only refrigerate. Great treat for anytime. And easy!

Chocolate-Bottom Mini-Cupcakes

Submitted by: Heidi Barz, Customer Service Representative

Batter:
1 C water
1/3 C vegetable oil
1 T. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1 C. sugar
1/4 C. baking cocoa
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Filling:
1 pkg. (8 ounces) cream cheese, soft
1/3 C. sugar 1/8 tsp. salt
1 C. (6 ounces) semi sweet chocolate chips
1 egg

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, egg, sugar and salt until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips; set aside. For batter, combine water, oil, vinegar and vanilla in another mixing bowl. Combine remaining ingredients; add to the liquid mixture and beat well (batter will be thin). Spoon about 2 tsps. Of batter into greased or paper-lined miniature muffin cups. Top with about 1 teaspoon of filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in chocolate portion comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 6 dozen. Heidi says when she makes these cupcakes, they always disappear very quickly.

Manicotti

Submitted by: Heidi Barz, Customer Service Representative

Manicotti Sauce:
1 lbs of sausage browned and drained
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 1/2 T Worcestershire
1 tsp. basil
Salt and pepper
1 lb. of canned tomatoes chopped
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. oregano
Combine sauce ingredients and simmer:

Filling:
1/2 lb. mozzarella cheese
24 oz. cottage cheese
2 T. parsley
4 tsp. sugar
2 beaten eggs
1 oz. Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 pkg. manicotti noodles

Stir filling ingredients together and stuff into uncooked manicotti shells. Place stuffed shells into bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan. Pour sauce mixture of top of shells and bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for one hour.

Pumpkin Rolls

Submitted by: Maureen Hanson

Pumpkins are a favorite of Maureen’s. Maureen and her family currently run their own pumpkin farm in La Porte City.

2 pkgs. yeast
1/4 c. warm water
1 1/4 c. pumpkin puree
(fresh or canned)
1 c. milk
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. butter
1 egg
1-1/2 t. salt
5-1/2 to 6 cups bread flour

Mix yeast and warm water. Set aside. Combine pumpkin, milk, brown sugar, egg and salt and warm in the microwave or on stovetop so the mixture is warm but not boiling hot. Add yeast. Knead in flour until smooth and elastic. Let rise until double. Punch down. Shape into 14 to 16 golf-ball sized rolls and place in two greased, round cake pans so rolls are not touching. Let rise until double. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Serve with Cinnamon-Honey Butter: Blend together 1 stick soft butter, 3 T. honey and 1-1/2 t. cinnamon.

Best Ever Fudge

Submitted by: Ria Clark

1 lb. butter melted with
1 lb. Velveeta cheese.

Sift together:
4 lbs. powdered sugar
1 c. cocoa

Add to cheese mix.
Add 1 tsp. vanilla. Nuts to taste.

Cool and slice. This recipe can be cut in half.
Makes a lot of fudge.

Spiced Apple Cider

Submitted by: Susan Powell

1 gallon apple cider
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
Dash of ground nutmeg
2 – 6″ cinnamon sticks (broken)
1 tsp. whole allspice
1 tsp. whole cloves

In a large saucepan combine apple cider, brown sugar and nutmeg. For spice bag – place cinnamon sticks, allspice and cloves in a cheesecloth and tie with white thread. Drop in cider mixture. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove spice bag and discard. Transfer and serve from coffee pot warmer.

Spanish Rice and Pork Chops

Submitted by: Susan Powell, LPC Connect Board Director

Pork chops (desired amount)
1 c. Uncooked rice
Chopped onion
1/4 tsp. oregano
Dash salt and pepper
Dash garlic powder
1/4 tsp. rosemary
1 sm. Can tomato sauce
1 sm. Can water (sauce can)

Brown pork chops and set aside. Brown rice and add remaining ingredients to frying pan. Boil, and then put pork chops back into pan. Cover and turn heat down to low. Cook on stovetop for 1 hour. Serves 4

Best Ever Chocolate Cake

Submitted by: Barb Bader, Customer Service Representative

1 pkg. German chocolate cake
1 C. sweetened condensed milk
1 C. butterscotch ice cream topping
1 large container whip cream
2 heath bars crushed

Bake German chocolate cake according to directions on package. Bake in a 9 x 13 pan. Cool 5-10 minutes. Poke holes in cake. Cool another 20 minutes. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk and butterscotch topping into hole (some will end up on top of the cake.) Top with whip cream. Sprinkle crushed health bars over the top.

Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo Sauce

Submitted by: Barb Bader, Customer Service Representative

Submitted by: Heidi Barz, Customer Service Representative

1 pkg. cream cheese
1 stick of butter
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp. salt
1/4 C. parmesan cheese
1/2 C. milk Melt all the ingredients, pour over cooked noodles.

Add 2 cups of cooked and cubed chicken and serve.

If desired, saute chopped onions, green peppers and black olives in the butter for the sauce.

Sour Cream Raisin Bars

Submitted by: Sally Sides, wife of retired Manager of Inside Switch Operations

1 2/3 C rolled oats
1 3/4 C flour
1 C brown sugar
1 tsp. soda
1 C. margarine
1/2 tsp. butter flavoring

Combine like a pie crust. Reserve 1/2 C for topping. Put in a 9 x 13 pan. Bake 15 minutes. Mix the following in saucepan. Boil over low heat while stirring for 5-10 minutes. Pour over baked crust. Top with remaining crumbs and bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Freezes well
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 1/2 C. white sugar
3 T. cornstarch
2 C. sour cream
2 C. raisins

Salsa Dip with Veggies and Chips

Submitted by: Susan Robertson Powell, LPC Connect Vice- President

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (softened)
2 8 oz. containers of your favorite flavor sour cream style dip.
1 C salsa
Assorted raw veggies and tortilla chips.

Put cream cheese in a bowl and stir with a wooden or plastic spoon until smooth. Stir in dip, add salsa and stir until smooth. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Serve with veggies and chips. Makes 10-12 servings.

Angel Food Delight

Submitted by: Kyle Jensson, wife of Jim Jensson, Outside Plant Supervisor

Prepare Angel Food cake mix as directed. Thaw one 8 ounce container of Cool Whip and mix well with one carton of strawberry yogurt using an electric mixer. Wash and peel dry whole strawberries (stems left on) for garnish. Slice cake, place generous dollop of Cool Whip mixture on cake and garnish with strawberries. May substitute with other fruits coordinated with like yogurt. Blueberries and Raspberries are good choices.

Easy Chicken Casserole

Submitted by: Barb Bader, Customer Service Representative

Chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 C bread stuffing
1/4 C melted butter Swiss cheese
1 C of cream of chicken soup
Put chicken in bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Top each piece of chicken with a slice of Swiss cheese. Mix together soup and butter. Pour mixture over chicken. Sprinkle stuffing on top. Bake uncovered for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Submitted by: Heidi Barz, Customer Service Representative

1 lb. bacon
2 8 oz. cans of whole water chestnuts drained
Soy sauce Toothpicks
Marinate the water chestnuts in soy sauce for at least 30 minutes. Cut each bacon slice into 3 pieces. Wrap each piece of bacon around one water chestnut and secure with a toothpick. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until bacon is crisp.

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