Recipes For Your Family

Baked Oatmeal

2012-02-01T08:10:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my friend, Tia, and finally tried it today. It was super yummy, and the kids loved it! I tweaked her original recipe just a bit...

Baked Oatmeal
3 cups quick-cooking oats (I used regular rolled and it worked fine)
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whatever yummy ingredient(s) you want to put in it (raisins, dried fruits, fresh fruits, chocolate chips, etc.)

My "yummy ingredients" were (all mixed together):
4 apples, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp flour
1/4 cup Pear Cider from Trader Joe's (though you could use apple juice or anything else. This helps keep the apples from drying out).

Preheat oven to 375. Mix all dry ingredients together. Mix milk, butter, eggs and vanilla together and add to dry ingredients. Stir until just incoprorated. Pour into a greased 9x13" pan, and bake for 25-30 minutes.

If you don't end up doing the apples with cinnamon, etc, I would suggest adding some cinnamon to the oatmeal mixture to help it taste a little less bland :)

Chicken Ham & Rice Casserole

2011-08-22T20:41:00.000-06:00

Chicken, Ham & Rice Casserole:
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup cubed ham (cooked)
2 cups cubed chicken (cooked)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream (can use low fat)
1- 1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2-3 tbsp milk
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup bread crumbs

Combine all ingredients except the bread crumbs. Spread in a 9x13 inch pan. Top with bread crumbs. You can either mix the bread crumbs with melted butter, or I just prefer to spray them with cooking spray after I've put them over the casserole. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes. Sometimes I mix in peas or broccoli as well.

We love this one!

Spinach Balls

2011-08-22T20:32:00.000-06:00

I was leery at first since I am not a big fan of cooked spinach, but these were really yummy! A great way to get your kids to eat some spinach :) I got this recipe from my friend, Amanda.

Spinach Balls:
2 cups herb-seasoned stuffing mix (or panko bread crumbs with some Italian seasoning mixed in)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4-1/2 cup minced onion
2 eggs
2 - 10oz packages frozen spinach - thawed and drained
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt (you can leave this out if you use the stuffing mix)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (or some fresh, minced garlic)
1/4 butter, melted

Combine stuffing, onion, cheese and seasonings. Beat eggs well. Mix together eggs, spinach and stuffing mixture. Pour the melted butter over it; mix well. Chill thoroughly. Roll into 1 inch balls (or use a small ice cream scooper).

Bake at 350* for 15 minutes on parchment lined baking sheet. Super yummy!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

2011-03-06T09:12:00.000-07:00

I usually shy away from casseroles like this, because they tend to be too dry as leftovers, but this one was good the night I made it and as leftovers! I have modified the recipe quite a bit from the original one (HERE), their's was a bit labor intensive!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole
2-3 chicken breasts
1 4 oz can (or 4 oz fresh) green chiles
1/2 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt & pepper

1/3 cup cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 can corn kernels
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

1 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup salsa verde
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp chopped pickled jalapenos (this just means the ones that come from a jar, not fresh ones)
9 (6-inch) corn tortillas (or tortilla chips, as I prefer)
1/2-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Put chicken breasts, green chile, onion and garlic in a crock pot. Season chicken with salt & pepper. Cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours. When done, shred the chicken and mix the rest of the ingredients except the tortillas and cheese.

Spread 1/3 of the chicken mixture on the bottom of the pan. Add a layer of tortillas (or tortilla chips). Repeat layers, ending with a layer chicken. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Bacon, Ranch & Chicken Mac n Cheese

2011-03-05T07:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, another Mac n Cheese dish! I like this one because you don't have to bake it after you put it all together, saves time!

Got this out of the Cooking Light magazine - original recipe HERE (the picture is theirs not mine!)

8 oz uncooked elbow macaroni
3 slices bacon, chopped
8 oz chicken breast (about 2 breasts), cubed
1 tbsp butter or oil
1 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup cheese (whatever you like)
2 tsp powdered ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup more cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting oil and salt. Cook bacon over med-high heat. Remove and drain on a paper towel, reserving drippings. Cook chicken in bacon drippings about 6 minutes of until done.

Heat oil/butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add flour, cok 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Combine the milk and soup, gradually add to the pan. Bring to a boil, cook 2 minutes on low heat, or until thick. Remove from heat, let stand 4 minutes. Add cheese & ranch dressing powder, stir until the cheese melts. Stir in pasta & chicken.

Preheat broiler, spoon mixture into a greased 8x8 pan. Sprinkle with bacon and cheese. Broil 3 minutes or until the cheese melts.

THE BEST Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

2011-01-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

Well, the best I have ever had!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon non-hydrogenated margarine
1 small/med onion, chopped
1/2 pound mushrooms, quartered (you may used canned)
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tub Philadelphia Herb & Garlic Cream Cheese Spread OR use 8 oz of plain cream cheese and season with diced or roasted garlic and herbs of your choosing
3/4 cup chicken broth
1.5 cups fresh or frozen peas and carrots OR 1/2 can of green beans and 1/2 can of carrots (use what you like)
1 refrigerated ready-to-use pie crust
1 egg, beaten

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Melt margarine in large saucepan on medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir 5 min. Stir in mushrooms; cook 8 to 10 min. or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 min. or until done. You can season your chicken breasts any way you prefer. Stir in cream cheese spread and broth; cook 3 min. or until cream cheese is completely melted. Stir in vegetables.
Place bottom pie c rust in pie plate and brush with beaten egg. Spoon mixture onto top of bottom pie crust. Cover with top pie crust; gently press edge of crust onto other dish/side of dish to seal. Brush crust with remaining egg. Cut slits in crust to permit steam to escape. Cover pie crust with aluminum foil or an aluminum shield.
Bake 25 to 30 min. or until crust is golden brown. Remove foil or crust shield after 15 min. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Hint: If you don't have an aluminum pie crust shield, you need one pronto! I hate messing with covering my crust with foil.

Enjoy!

Devilish Chicken Tenders

2011-01-06T18:50:00.001-07:00

You can do these with chicken legs if you prefer (that's the original recipe) but I just cut up chicken breasts into strips.

3 chicken breasts
1/4 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1 tbsp hot sauce (like Fred's Hot Sauce, or Louisiana Hot Sauce)
1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1 tsp italian seasoning
salt & pepper

Mix the chicken, sour cream, mustard, and hot sauce in a zip lock bag. Let sit for 30 minutes (or longer).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, place the rack in the top third of the oven. Mix the bread crumbs, italian seasoning, and salt & pepper in a large bowl. Dredge the chicken pieces in the bread crumb mixture and place on a greased cookie sheet. FYI - I prefer to use a cookie cooling rack on a cookie sheet (like this), that way the bottom of the chicken isn't mushy from the bread crumbs. Spray the tops of the chicken pieces with Pam or drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 20 minutes or until done. Serve drizzled with ranch dressing if you like.

A few notes - the first time I made this I used regular bread crumbs. I would HIGHLY recommend using Panko bread crumbs, you can get them in the Asian food section at the grocery store. The texture was so much better. Also, do not be nervous about using the entire tablespoon of hot sauce. It feels like it's going to make the chicken too hot, but it doesn't at all and adds a good flavor.

Ranch Dressing Pork Chops, Smoky Mac n Cheese

2010-11-19T20:16:00.001-07:00

These might be my favorite recipes I have posted on here. Seriously. When I made these tonight I couldn't wait to share them :)

We got the recipe for the pork chops off a commercial we saw on TV.

Ranch Dressing Pork Chops
1 package Ranch Dressing mix (the powdered stuff)
3 pork chops (the bone-in are the best)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie cooling rack (make sure it is oven safe) with non-stick spray. Place the rack on a cookie sheet. Dredge the pork chops in the ranch dressing mix and place on the cookie rack. Cook for 20-25 minutes, turning once. The pork chops are done when a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees.

The first time I made it, Sadie gave me a big hug and told me it was the best dinner she'd ever had. Success!

Smoky Mac n Cheese - from Philadelphia Cream Cheese
(this is now my go-to Mac n Cheese dish)
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni noodles
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 8oz tub chive & onion cream cheese
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
salt
pepper

2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup Panko (or any) bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the noodles until al dente. In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Slowly whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1-2 minutes, stir until thick. Add the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Stir until the cheeses are melted. Combine the noodles and cream sauce in an 8x8 pan. Melt the butter and mix with the bread crumbs, sprinkle over the top. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Easy Chicken Bake with Stove Top Stuffing

2010-11-10T19:22:00.001-07:00

Got this off of the back of the Stove Top Stuffing box. Definitely a keeper, even my picky eater Chad ate it right up. It's like an easy twist on Chicken Pot Pie.

Ingredients:
1 box chicken flavored Stove Top Stuffing
3 chicken breasts
1 16 oz package frozen, mixed vegetables, thawed
1 10.5 oz can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup hot water
1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt & pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 13x9 inch casserole pan with nonstick spray. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and place on the bottom of the pan. Season with salt & pepper. Mix the stuffing mix into the cup of hot water until just moist, set aside. Mix the thawed veggies with the soup, sour cream, and chicken broth. Spoon over the chicken. Sprinkle with the cheese (or you could add the cheese to the veggie mixture). Cover with the stuffing mix. I sprayed the top with spray butter to give it a little more flavor, but you can skip that step. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until bubbly.

Chicken with Sun-dried Tomatoes

2010-10-13T18:20:00.000-06:00

It's very rare that I try a new recipe that totally wows me. This was definitely an exception.

I cut this out from a magazine, but I can't remember which one. I think it was in a Campbell's Soup ad.

Ingredients:
3 tbsp oil
4 chicken breasts
1 shallot or onion, finely chopped
1 can (10.5 oz) Cream of Mushroom Soup
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
4 cups egg noodles, cooked

Directions: Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 5 minutes each side. Remove chicken from skillet, cover with foil.

Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook for 2 minutes. Stir soup, water, tomatoes, vinegar and basil into skillet.

Return chicken to skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cook 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve chicken and sauce over noodles.

A few notes: I did this with 2 large chicken breasts, if I were to do 4 breasts, I would have added a cup or so more of water or chicken broth. I used dry basil and dried onion. Do not leave out the red wine vinegar, I think this was the ingredient that really brought it all together. I think this would have been good too had I cubed and browned the chicken instead of serving it whole.

Sausage Tortellini Soup

2010-10-10T14:42:00.001-06:00

You know I love soup :)

I got this recipe from Jeff's grandma.

Sorry for the gross looking picture, I forgot to take a picture until after we had served it and gotten the pan all dirty.

Ingredients:
1 lb mild Italian Sausage
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups beef broth
1 cup water
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
3 tsp parsley
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini
2 cups dry or frozen tortellini

In the pot you are going to cook in, or in a frying pan, cook the sausage until brown (if you buy the links, remove the skin first). Remove the sausage from the pan, leaving the drippings. Saute the onion and garlic until soft. Add all the ingredients except the zucchini and tortellini. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add zucchini and tortellini, simmer for 30 minutes more.

You can also do this in the crock pot, just brown the sausage first, then add all the ingredients except the zucchini and tortellini. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. Add the zucchini and tortellini and cook on high for 30 minutes.

I served this with foccacia bread .I also like to add a few drops of Tabasco sauce on top.

Meatloaf with Fried Onions and Ranch Dressing

2010-09-20T19:24:00.001-06:00

Got this recipe from Allrecipes.com: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Meatloaf-with-Fried-Onions-and-Ranch-Seasoning/Detail.aspx We absolutely LOVE this recipe. So moist and flavorful. No picture since you know what meatloaf looks like :)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs ground beef (or any combo of meat you like)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup seasoned dry stuffing crumbs (like Stove Top)
1/2 of a 1 oz package of Ranch Dressing Mix
1 6oz can French's Fried Onions

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients (it will seem like there are way too many onions, but I promise, add the whole can!). Shape into a loaf and fit into a greased 9x5 inch pan.
Bake, covered loosely with foil, for 50-60 minutes or until a meat thermometer measures 145-150 degrees.

Serve with ketchup on top if you like.

Important note: Don't be tempted to skimp and only use 1 lb of meat, definitely use 1 1/2 lbs of meat. I usually just brown up the other 1/2 lb and freeze it for later. Use the stuffing crumbs, don't substitute bread crumbs, the stuffing crumbs help make it really moist.

Latin Baked Chicken

2010-09-10T09:16:00.001-06:00

From Cooking Light Magazine.

I'll warn you now, this one is HOT. It was about at the top of my tolerance level (and I like to think I have a pretty high tolerance level). If you want it to be less spicy, remove the seeds from the chipotle chiles before chopping them. I wouldn't necessarily consider this a kid-friendly dish.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup lime juice
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce (found in the hispanic food section)
3-4 chicken breasts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400*. Combine lime juice, soy sauce, honey and chipotle in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss well to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes at room temperature. Arrange the chicken in an oven-safe dish coated with cooking spray, reserving marinade.

Bake at 400* for 15 minutes. Place reserved marinade in a blender and process until smooth. Place pureed marinade in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes. Brush chicken with 1/2 of the cooked sauce; return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes. Brush chicken with remaining sauce; bake an additional 10 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 165*.

Serve with your choice of rice and a vegetable.

Spaghetti Pie

2010-09-08T07:40:00.001-06:00

I got this from my friend's blog. The original recipe is here, her blog has pictures of each step. This is my version of her recipe:

1 lb spaghetti noodles
2 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
1 lb ground beef or pork
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 14 oz can tomato sauce
Italian seasoning
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4-1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1 egg
3-4 tbsp butter
Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350*. Cook the spaghetti noodles according to directions. When they have 3-4 minutes left to cook, drain them, return to the pot and add the egg and butter.

While the water boils for the spaghetti, cook the minced garlic in the olive oil over medium heat. Do not let the garlic brown. Add the pork or beef, season to taste, and cook until browned. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and italian seasoning. Add salt/pepper to taste. Let simmer until you are ready to put everything together.

Mix the cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, and mozzarella cheese in a bowl. Pour the noodles into the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Layer the cheese mixture on top. Pour the meat sauce over the cheese mixture. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top. Bake in a 350* oven for 20-30 minutes, until the cheese is browned. You can finish it under the broiler if you like.

This was a fun and easy twist on spaghetti/lasagna.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

2010-09-07T15:15:00.004-06:00

Sorry, no picture.

5 c. flour
1 c. Crisco shortening (I like them better with the butter flavor)
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. warm water

Mix flour and salt. Add shortening until well incorporated (I use a pastry blender). Add warm water, mixing until dough is of an even color and texture. Cut into balls of about 3 inches in diameter. Stretch using rolling pin until about 1/8 of an inch thick. Cook on a preheated flat grill or pan on medium-low heat. Flip it when the tortilla top forms bubbles.

Note: These don't have much flavor and if you've never had homemade tortillas, you probably won't like them. WE LOVE THEM. They are best when fresh and warm!!

If you want to make quesadills, then put the cheese on once you flip it and fold in half, cook until cheese is melted (you might have to flip it again to not burn it.

Enjoy!

Spinach Calzones

2010-09-04T07:55:00.000-06:00

Sorry, no picture for this one either, I've been a bum with the camera lately.... In any case, we ate it up too fast to take a pic :)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup low fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup low fat sour cream
1/4 cup (2 oz) low fat cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp parmesan cheese
2-3 cups fresh spinach leaves
10 oz bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained & chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 10 oz can refrigerated pizza crust
Cooking Spray
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups red pasta sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425*
Combine first 4 ingredients; beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until well-blended. Stir in spinach, bell peppers, garlic powder & black pepper.

Unroll pizza crust onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat into a 14x10 inch rectangle. Spread spinach mixture over 1/2 of the crust (long-ways) leaving a 1 inch border. Sprinkle mozzarella and cheddar cheese over spinach mixture. Fold dough over filling; press edges together to seal.

Bake at 425* for 15 minutes or until browned. Cook on a wire rack 5 minutes. Heat pasta sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cut into 6 pieces and top with sauce.

A few side notes:
You can use a 10oz package of frozen spinach instead (just thaw, drain and dry), but I don't like how frozen spinach tastes, so I use fresh.
Use whatever pizza dough you like, I made my own.

Meaty Mac n Cheese

2010-09-04T07:45:00.002-06:00

I'm always looking for a good homemade Mac n Cheese recipe. If you have one, post it!

Ingredients:
1 lb elbow pasta
4 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
1 lb cubed ham
2 tbsp milk, plus 1 cup
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
salt to taste (VERY important!)

Directions:
Cook the pasta according to directions, when the pasta has 5 minutes left to cook, add the broccoli. Continue cooking until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli is bright green.

While the pasta cooks, make the sauce. Combine 2 tbsp milk with the flour in a small bowl, stir until smooth. Melt the butter over medium heat in a sauce-pan (don't let the butter brown or it will clump the milk/flour mixture). Stir in the milk/flour mixture and whisk in the remaining 1 cup milk, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the sauce is the consistency of heavy cream, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese and ham until the sauce is smooth again. Add salt to taste.

Toss the pasta mixture with the sauce and serve.

Optional topping:
Transfer the macaroni and cheese to a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine 2 tbsp melted butter with 1/3 cup each bread crumbs and grated parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the mixture on the pasta. Bake at 450* until the topping is golden, 3 to 5 minutes.

Lime-Cilantro Rice & Another Tomatillo Dressing

2010-08-31T20:58:00.004-06:00

This is in no way to down-play Elise's post - but why not add to it. We made our "Cafe Rio" pork salads last night, with rice, homemade black beans and homemade tortillas. SO DELICIOUS!!

Here are a few of the recipes I use. It will be interesting to compare and see how they both taste.

"Cafe Rio" Shredded Pork
3-4 lb. pork loin roast
1 can dr. pepper or coke. Cook on low 6-8 hours, until it shreds. Remove pork to shred and add to sauce
1 c. brown sugar
1 16 oz. bottle taco sauce
1 TB. cumin
Garlic Salt
Cook on low and additional 2 hours. NOTE: I usually start my meat around 10am, cook it on high till 1pm, then turn it to low until 4pm. Add everything and return it to low and eat between 5:30 and 6:00pm.

"Cafe Rio" Rice - I have tried many versions, this is BY FAR my favorite
3 c. water
4 tsp. chicken bullion (I usually use 1 can chicken broth + 1 cup water OR 2-3 bullion cubes)
1 TB. minced garlic
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 sm. can green chilies
3 c. rice
1 tsp. salt
1 TB. Butter
1/2 onion
juice of 2-3 limes
*Blend cilantro, green chilies and onion in food processor.

I dump everything in my rice cooker and push down the button. If you don't have a rice cooker, get one. :)

Tomatillo Ranch Dressing
3/4 bottle of 16 oz. ranch
1/4 c. Mayo
1 small jalapeno (no seeds)
2 medium tomatillos (little green tomatoes)
1/2 bunch cilantro
juice of 1 lime

ENJOY!!

Pulled Pork with Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

2010-08-19T19:46:00.000-06:00

This is my absolute favorite meal. It takes time and preparation, but it isn't difficult at all. I think this was inspired by a dish at Cafe Rio, but I'm not sure. It came from Shannon (well Scott, I think!).

Here is a link to the original recipe:
http://www.food.com/recipe/pulled-pork-salad-with-tomatillo-ranch-dressing-281512

And here is how I have modified it:

Pulled Pork:
3-4 lbs pork roast
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt

Mix the brown sugar, cayenne pepper, cumin and salt together. Rub over the pork loin. Place it in the crock pot the night before you want to eat it and let it cook on low all night (or for 8 hours).

In the morning add:
1 can Dr Pepper
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-1 cup brown sugar (I usually only add 1/2 or less)

and let it cook on low for another 8 hours. 1 hour before it's done, shred the pork and let it continue to cook on low. I usually taste it at this point to see if it needs a little more salt.

Tomatillo Ranch Dressing
8 oz Salsa Verde (tomatillo salsa)
1 pkg powdered Ranch Dressing mix
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 bunch cilantro
2 garlic cloves
1/2-1 tsp Tabasco Sauce
Splash of lime or lemon juice

Put all these ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Make this in the morning or a few hours ahead of time so it can chill in the fridge.

Corn Salsa:
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 can corn, drained
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
Jarred jalapenos to taste
Italian Dressing mix (make according to packet directions)

Combine all the ingredients, make the Italian dressing separate, then pour it over everything. This is also best if you let it chill for a few hours before serving. Right before serving add some diced avocado.

Additional ingredients:
Tortilla Chips, Rice, Romaine Lettuce

You can east this a few different ways. I like to layer it like this:
Tortilla Chips
Lettuce
Rice
Pork
Corn Salsa
Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

Jeff likes to skip the tortilla chips and put everything in a tortilla and roll it up like a burrito. The dressing makes quite a bit, so I try to buy a larger pork loin, then after I make everything I'll freeze half the pork and half the dressing so we can have it another night.

Try the Corn Salsa plain with some tortilla chips, it's awesome! I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Chicken Tandoori

2010-07-30T21:08:00.002-06:00

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/chicken-tandoori-recipe/index.html

I have made this a few times and it is SO good and easy! I make the marinade after lunch and let it marinade until dinner.

Chicken Tandoori
Food Network Kitchens

Courtesy of Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

* 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds)
* Juice of 1 lemon
* Kosher salt
* 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 1/2 small red onion, roughly chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, smashed
* 1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
* 4 teaspoons tomato paste
* 2 teaspoons ground coriander
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 1 3/4 teaspoons hot paprika
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
* Cooked rice, for serving (optional)

Directions

Preheat the broiler. Make shallow cuts in the chicken thighs with a sharp knife. Toss the chicken with the lemon juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl.

Pulse 2 tablespoons yogurt, the vegetable oil, onion, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, coriander, cumin, 11/2 teaspoons paprika and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor to make a paste. Toss the chicken in the mixture and let marinate 15 minutes.

Place the chicken on a foil-lined broiler pan. Broil, turning once, until slightly charred and a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees F, 5 to 6 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/4 teaspoon paprika, the cilantro and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Top the chicken with the yogurt sauce and serve with rice, if desired.

Per serving: Calories 237; Fat 9 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 115 mg; Sodium 1,266 mg; Carbohydrate 8 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 30 g

Cheesy Pasta

2010-07-28T20:52:00.000-06:00

The original name of this is "Cheesy Spirals" but I used Penne pasta, so I changed the name :) This recipe is so easy and the kids loved, I was so sad I haven't tried it before now!

Ingredients:
16 oz pasta
1 lb ground beef
onion
garlic
28 oz spaghetti sauce
1 10.5oz can cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
italian seasoning
pepper
2 cups mozzarella cheese

Cook the pasta until right before "al dente". Brown the ground beef with some onion and garlic. Add the spaghetti sauce and cheddar cheese soup. Stir until it is uniform throughout. Add the italian seasoning and pepper to taste. Remove from heat, add 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. Mix in the pasta and put it into a greased casserole dish. Bake in the oven at 350* for 30 minutes.

You can also freeze this before you bake it. Then thaw it and bake at 350* for 40 minutes.

Next time I'll try throwing in some veggies.

Cola Pork Chops

2010-07-23T08:36:00.000-06:00

Sorry, no picture for this one... but I'm sure you wouldn't want to make it if you had seen the picture. They don't come out looking very pretty but they taste great!

4 pork chops
1 can cola drink (I used Diet Dr Pepper, and it was great! Just use your drink of choice)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 - 3 tbsp soy sauce

Put the pork chops into a crock pot, then add the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low for 3-4 hours until pork chops are done. I wouldn't let this one cook all day, the pork chops will get too dry. Serve with rice or pasta.

If you prefer to do this in the oven, place everything in a casserole dish, cover and cook at 350 degrees until the pork is done, 30-45 minutes (I highly recommend using a meat thermometer!)

Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls

2010-04-30T21:13:00.000-06:00

I mentioned making PW's cinnamon rolls on Facebook a few weeks ago and some of you asked me for the recipe. Here is my modified version (I halve her recipe and roll them differently).

Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls
Original Recipe HERE

2 cups Whole Milk
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup Sugar
1 package Active Dry Yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)
4 cups (Plus 1/2 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
1/2 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
Plenty Of Melted Butter
1/2 cup Sugar
Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon

MAPLE FROSTING:
1/2 bag Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon Maple Flavoring
1/4 cup Milk
1/8 cup Melted Butter
1/8 cup Brewed Coffee
dash of salt

Preparation Instructions (takes about 3 hours from start to finish)

Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. “Scald” the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in the Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 4 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.
After rising for at least an hour, add 1/2 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).
When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle 1/2 cup melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1/2 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.
Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.
Spread 1-2 tbsp butter in a 9x13 cake pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately 1 1/2 - 2 inches thick (dental floss works great for cutting the rolls, just slide it under the roll and cross it on the top to pinch off the rolls) and lay them in the buttered pan.
Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 375 degrees until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.
For the frosting, mix together all ingredients listed and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls. Go crazy and don’t skimp on the frosting.

For those who aren't coffee drinkers, you can substitute milk for the coffee and they still come out yummy! If you have a husband like mine, skip PW's frosting recipe and make cream cheese frosting for the top :)

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

2010-04-30T19:26:00.001-06:00

Fridays are pizza nights around here. I was looking for a way to mix things up. This recipe was perfect and the kids loved them!

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs (from Rachael Ray magazine)
Serves 4

3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
4 oz pepperoni, diced (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup pizza sauce (see below for homemade recipe)
2 tbsp finely chopped basil

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder; whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni. Let stand for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 375 and grease a 24 cup mini-muffin pan.

Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle the puffs with the basil (I left this out since I didn't have any fresh basil).

Homemade pizza sauce - (adapted from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Pizza-Sauce-III/Detail.aspx )
1 10.75 oz can tomato sauce
1 tbsp flour
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp garlic salt
pepper to taste

Heat the ingredients in a saucepan, let simmer for 5-7 minutes. You can also substitute tomato paste for the flour.
Use the pizza sauce for dipping sauce.

You can freeze these. To reheat, bake them on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.

These were really good with buffalo chicken wings and carrots and ranch dressing on the side.

chicken masala

2010-04-13T13:27:00.002-06:00

Sorry. No picture. This is one of those dishes that if you see a picture, it won't look appetizing. You know what i mean? And i forgot. But i assure you it's good. So good, we had it 3 times last week!

2-4 chicken breast - cubed
1 can diced tomato
1 small can tomato sauce
1 cup sour cream
2 cloves garlic - minced
1/2 onion - diced
1 heaping tablespoon curry powder
salt and pepper

Now for the hard part. Put it in a crock pot and turn it on for a few hours!
I serve this with white rice and Naan bread that can be found at the grocery store.

French Dip Sandwiches!

2010-04-13T08:41:00.004-06:00

I got this recipe from a mom on baby center (addyj'smomma) and LOVE it. I forgot to take pics...but will the next time I make it.

Beef roast
2 cans of beef broth
2 packages of dry onion soup mix (1 oz)
Extra water (if needed, I never put extra water in mine)
I brown the roast, add it and everything else in the crock pot. Cook on low for 7-8 hours. Shred with fork. Use extra juice in crock pot for au jus.

After about 6-7 hours I shred the meat and put it back in the crock pot until we are ready to eat.

We've eaten them on crusty rolls and onion buns....both very delish. Leftovers are great too!

Chicken Pot Pie

2010-04-06T20:29:00.002-06:00

I'll warn you right now, the way I did it (below) was pretty labor intensive, but well worth it. I'm in a very "from scratch" mode right now. Feel free to use frozen pie crust to make your job a little easier.

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts, skinless
2 cups chicken broth (see below)
1 potato
1 yellow onion
3 stalks celery
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

Wash chicken breasts in water and then place in a pot with water just to cover the chicken add some salt and pepper and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, turn off heat and cover. Let cool in the pot. Save the broth.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Wash and cut potatoes into bite size pieces and boil till almost fork tender. Drain and set aside.
Wash celery and cut to bite-size pieces. Cut onion to bite-size pieces.
In a large heavy skillet, over medium heat, saute celery and onion with 2 tablespoons oil, for 5 to 8 minutes. Add the frozen vegetables and cook another 5 minutes. Add flour and cook about 30 seconds.
Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. After it has become thick, add the potato.
Remove chicken from pot and cut into bite-size pieces and add to vegetable mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pour mixture into a 9x13 pan and cover with pie shell. Make sure you crimp the edges of the pie shell to the plate so no juices spill in oven.
Brush both sides of the pie shell with egg whites or butter.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes or until pie shell is cooked and golden brown.

Crust:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening, chilled
1/2 cup cube butter, chilled
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons ice water

Directions

Mix the flour and salt together in a medium size bowl. Cut in the cold shortening & butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (since the shortening and butter are chilled, you'll have to mix for a few minutes). Drizzle the ice water ice water over the mixture until the dough comes together in a ball - add more water a few drops at at a time if needed..
Gently gather dough particles together into a ball. Put it between two pieces of wax paper to make it easier to roll out. At this point you can either divide the dough into two balls and use one crust on bottom and one on top, or leave it as is for one thick crust on top.

Done this way, the filling doesn't have much juice or moisture. I've also done this with a can of cream of chicken soup + 1 can milk in lieu of the chicken broth and flour.

These are the two recipes I used as a basis for this one:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Pot-Pie-II-2/Detail.aspx

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Basic-Flaky-Pie-Crust/Detail.aspx

Spinach & Feta Stuffed Chicken

2010-02-03T19:36:00.003-07:00

I think the original idea for this recipe came from Mindi. It's so versatile, I love it!

1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
salt
pepper
can diced tomatoes
kalamata olives

Squeeze the excess water out of the spinach (good way to do this is wrap it in a dish towel). Mix the spinach, feta and sun dried tomatoes.

Butterfly the chicken breasts and place the spinach mixture inside:

Fold the chicken breast over and secure it with 2-3 toothpicks.

Place the stuffed chicken breasts in a crockpot and season liberally with salt & pepper.

Add a can of diced tomatoes, I usually add s&p again along with dried basil - to give the tomatoes some more flavor. Add the kalamata olives.

Cook on low for 4 hours.

Like I said, this dish is so versatile, I think it would also be good with capers or artichoke hearts. Add as much or as little of the spinach/cheese/sun dried tomatoes as you want. I only put measurements to give you a place to start.

Fiber One/All Bran Muffins

2010-02-03T19:18:00.004-07:00

I got this recipe from my mother in law, I'm pretty sure it comes from Weight Watchers. The muffins are really good, perfect for a quick breakfast that keeps you full.

Combine:
3 cups All Bran cereal
2 1/2 cups warm water
Let sit for 3 minutes

Add one box Fiber One muffin mix
4 oz applesauce OR 1 banana

At first it will seem like you need more water, but as you mix it all together, it will become moist.

Cook at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

These are great to freeze and have for a quick breakfast, just pop one in the microwave for 1 minute.

I usually buy the banana nut muffin mix, but my mother in law has used the blueberry mix and added blueberries and applesauce (instead of the banana) and said it was also very good.

Porcupine Meatballs

2010-01-18T20:20:00.003-07:00

Porcupine Meatballs

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pound lean ground beef
2/3 cup long-grain rice, uncooked
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 large can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 - 1 cup water
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Mix ground beef with rice, 1/2 cup of water, chopped onion, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Shape porcupine ground beef mixtureinto 1 1/2-inch balls.
Place the meatballs in an ungreased 2-quart shallow baking dish. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the meatballs. Cover and bake at 350° F. oven for about 45 minutes.

Uncover and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer.

Serves 4 to 6.

Peking Pork Chops

2010-01-18T20:06:00.005-07:00

I got the original recipe from allrecipes.com but made a few modifications... a million thanks to Molly for the suggestion to buy Hoisin sauce. I used it in this dish and LOVED it!

Peking Pork Chops

6 thick cut pork chops (1 inch)
1/8 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1 clove garlic, crushed
1-2 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Trim excess fat from pork chops and place in slow cooker. Mix brown sugar, ginger, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, Hoisin Sauce, salt and pepper in small bowl and pour over meat. Cover, turn to low and cook 4 to 6 hours, or until tender. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve over rice.

I'd suggest putting a meat thermometer into the meat, and take it out when it reaches 155 degrees, otherwise the meat will get too dry.

Please ignore the sweet potatoes in the picture, I was trying to use them up :)

Chicken with Cider and Bacon Sauce

2010-01-18T19:57:00.003-07:00

Got this recipe from recipegirl.com at the suggestion of a friend. The chicken turned out so moist and yummy, even the next day as leftovers!

Chicken with Cider and Bacon Sauce

Four skinless, boneless chicken breasts
salt & pepper
2-4 slices bacon, finely chopped
1/4 cup minced sweet onion
3/4 cup unsweetened apple cider
1/2 cup chicken broth

1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap (or waxed paper); pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper.

2. Cook bacon (use real bacon, not turkey bacon... trust me!) in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from the pan. Add chicken to drippings in pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan and tuck it inside some foil to keep warm.

3. Add onion to pan; saute 2 minutes or until tender, stirring constantly. Add cider and broth; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen any browned bits. Cook until broth mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup (about 5 minutes). Stir in cooked bacon; serve sauce over chicken.

Serves 4

Pecan Chicken with Cranraspberry Sauce

2009-12-21T15:11:00.003-07:00

Ingredients:
Chicken breast (I pound mine out a little)
Pecans - I put mine in the food processor to make them the consistency of bread crumbs)
Olive Oil
2 eggs

1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1/4-1/2 bag of frozen raspberries
Splash of white wine

1- Scramble the eggs in a bowl.
2- Dip chicken in the eggs.
3- Coat in crushed pecans.
4- Cook in pan with oil oil.

Sauce:
Put can of whole cranberry sauce, raspberries, and wine in a pan. Bring to a simmer.

Spoon sauce over chicken:

Triple-Layer Peanut Butter Brownies

2009-11-19T13:17:00.004-07:00

I got this recipe off of Kraft Kitchens. I have made it twice for two mom's get togethers and they were a huge hit!!

I did not put the nuts on top. The second time I made them I used chocolate pudding instead of vanilla. Definitely use the vanilla!!! Tastes much better!
Also, I used about 1/2 - 3/4 of a bag of chocolate chips instead of bakers chocolate.

They tasted like brownies with a peanut butter cup on top. YUM!

Here's the link with a video included:
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/triple-layer-peanut-butter-brownies-111263.aspx?cm_mmc=eml-_-rbe-_-5_star_fall_rcps-_-nm

What You Need!
1 pkg. (19 to 21 oz.) brownie mix (13x9-inch pan size)
1 cup cold milk
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1-1/2 cups COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (Do not thaw.)
3 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/2 cup PLANTERS Dry Roasted Peanuts, coarsely chopped
Make It!

PREPARE and bake brownies in 13x9-inch pan as directed on package; cool. Meanwhile, beat milk and pudding mix with whisk 2 min. Add peanut butter and sugar; mix well. Refrigerate until brownies are completely cooled.

SPREAD pudding mixture over brownies.

MICROWAVE COOL WHIP and chocolate on HIGH 1 min., stirring every 30 sec. Spread over pudding; sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Sorry I didn't take any of my own pictures!

Swiss Steak

2009-11-18T08:49:00.003-07:00

Ingredients:

Cube Steak (pkg. of 4) thin sliced

2-3 Tablespoons Flour for coating the steak

1-2 teaspoons black pepper to mix with flour

2 cans of beef gravy (any brand)

2 cups Carrots (cut bite size)

1/2 onion sliced thinly

1 teaspoon Olive Oil

Mix Flour & Black Pepper in plate - coat the steaks with flour (both sides)

Pour oil into pan - place sliced onions in pan with oil on medium heat

Put floured steaks on top of onion - Cover and Cook 10 minutes each side

Add Gravy and carrots

Cover and cook on low for about 1 hour

I serve with mashed potatoes and any green veggies

Lentil Cassoulet and Focaccia Bread

2009-11-03T18:57:00.004-07:00

If you know me, you know that I have an ongoing love affair with my crock pot and my bread maker. Wintertime is my favorite because I love making soup. And I always eat bread with soup. Enter crock pot and bread maker!

Lentil Cassoulet (fancy name for soup, I suppose!)

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups beef broth
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
4 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped (chop the leaves and add them too, they add great flavor!)
3/4 cup dry lentils (rinse well)
1-2 tsp dried rosemary
1-2 dried bay leaves
salt & pepper to taste

Brown the meat with the onion and garlic in a pan, season with salt & pepper. Once brown, add to the crock pot with all the other ingredients. Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.

You can also make this with ground turkey, or pork.

Bread Machine Focaccia Bread
1 cup warm water
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3 cups bread flour
1 tsp dried italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

Add the ingredients in order. Set your bread machine to the dough cycle. When it is done, grease a 9x13 inch pan, and with greased hands, remove the dough from the bread machine. Spread the dough into the bottom of the pan, until it is covered. With your finger tips, make indents in the dough. Put it somewhere warm and let it rise for 20 minutes. (Tip: If you need a warm place to let the dough rise, heat the oven to 100 degrees, then turn it off. Put the pan inside the oven. It's warm enough to let the dough rise, but not so warm that it will cook the bread).

While the dough is rising, heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a pan over low heat (I usually do a little less). Once the oil is hot, add 1 tsp oregano and 1/4 cup minced garlic (again, I usually do a little less). Remove from heat after about 30 seconds (DO NOT let the garlic burn!). Brush this mixture onto the dough with a pastry brush. Sprinkle 1/3 cup parmesan cheese on top.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes (my oven runs hot, so I usually check it after 13 minutes or so.)

Zucchini Tomato Salad

2009-10-14T14:35:00.003-06:00

Yet another zucchini recipe!

Cut 2 tomatoes and one zucchini into cubes. You want to have an even amount of each.

Add as much ranch dressing as you like. Fabulous and easy salad! My kids love this.

Exceptionally Stupendous Baked French Toast

2009-10-11T11:32:00.004-06:00

Melt together (microwave works great!): 8 T buttah, 1.5 C brown sugar, & 3 T Karo syrup. Pour in a greased 9x13 pan.

Beat together 8 eggs, 2.5 C evaporated milk, and 1 T cinnamon.

Dip thick slices of french or italian bread into egg mixture and arrange in pan.

Pour remaining egg mixture over the top.

Sprinkle top lightly with more cinnamon.

Bake at 350 for 35-40 min.

Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

You can also sprinkle pecans over brown sugar mixture if you like more of a pecan roll taste.

Tips: This works great if you prepare the night before and bake in the morning, just add 10-15 minutes onto the baking time. Pairs well with fresh fruit or sausage.

**disclaimer: that's not a picture of *my* baked french toast. I got the image off of Google...My camera is broken!

caramelized butternut squash

2009-10-09T14:58:00.002-06:00

Here's one for Fall:

2 butternut squash
6 tbsp butter
1/4 cup brown sugar

Peel the squash, cut in half, and then into chunks. Place on sheet pan.
Mix melted butter and brown sugar and pour over squash. Mix with clean hands then season with s/p. Spread evenly over pan and bake in 400 degree oven until tender, about 45 minutes.

I used only one squash and it took just under 30 minutes. Any longer and they would be soggy. It was deliciously sweet. I almost wanted to eat it for dessert!

Stuffed Jumbo Shells

2009-10-07T23:11:00.002-06:00

Ingredients:
1 box (12 oz.) jumbo shells
1 lb. ground beef or Italian sausage
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 bag (6 oz.) baby spinach, chopped
1 c. finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 egg
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

--Preheat oven to 350.
--Cook jumbo shells; drain, reserving 1/3 c. of the pasta cooking water.
--Brown ground beef and drain grease.
--Add oil, spinach, onion, garlic, reserved pasta water; continue cooking 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
--Add seasonings and blend well. Let mixture cool.
--Stir in egg and Parmigiano cheese.
--Pour 1 cup spaghetti sauce into a 13x9 baking dish.
--Fill jumbo shells with meat mixture; place in dish. Pour remaining sauce over shells; sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top, cover with foil.
--Bake for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

**Taken from the back of a Barilla Jumbo Shells box.

Modifications I made: more spinach, onion powder instead of onion, no nutmeg, more cheese. This was my first time trying this recipe, and we loved it! My kids ate it too!

For sides, we had breadsticks and salad.

Velveeta Mac n Cheese

2009-09-30T19:32:00.003-06:00

True comfort food!!!

Ingredients:
2 C dry macaroni
1 16 oz box of Velveeta (the smaller box)
1/2 C milk
1/2 stick of melted buttah
1/2 roll crushed Ritz crackers

Directions:
Cook and drain macaroni. Melt cubed velveeta on stovetop on low with milk, stir frequently. Remove saucepan from heat. Combine noodles and sauce in saucepan and coat noodles well. Pour mixture into greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs that have been combined with the melted buttah. Cook in a 350 degree oven for 25 min.

Tips:
The recipe can be doubled and comes out great. You can also mix and warm in crock pot on low for 3 hrs. If you do the crockpot version, make sure to add about 1/4 C more milk and a T of butter to keep the mac and cheese moist. Large groups LOVE this and it's often an unexpected and delicious addition at gatherings. Enjoy!

Delicious Cornbread

2009-09-29T12:04:00.004-06:00

This cornbread recipe is so easy and mouthwatering - it's almost like dessert. You will never want to use another recipe again.

Cornbread
* 1/2 c. butter (softened)
* 1 c. sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 c. cornmeal
* 1 1/2 c. flour
* 2 tsp. baking powder
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1 1/2 c. milk
Combine butter and sugar. Add eggs, stir. Add cornmeal, stir. Add flour, baking powder, salt and milk. Stir. Pour into a greased 8x8 pan or muffin tins. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

You don't even need butter and honey to go on top!
Enjoy!!!

PS - I made this to go with our left over taco soup. YUM!

Quick & Easy Taco Soup

2009-09-29T11:27:00.004-06:00

I LOVE fall season - it's SOUP time. Here is a relatively new taco soup we have been enjoying - very easy. This makes a 5 qt. pot/pan.

Quick & Easy Taco Soup
* 1 lb. turkey sausage (or ground beef)
* 1 onion
* 3 cans of beans (Light Kidney, Dark Kidney, Pinto, Black)
* 1 can of corn
* 2 cans of dices tomatoes (or chopped fresh, if you have them (3-4 cups)
* 1 cup of salsa
* 1 packet of taco season

Brown sausage and onion. I didn't have an onion, so I used a palm full of dried onion. Season with Salt & Pepper.
Open above cans and DUMP - you can rinse the black beans, if you don't want it to turn a funny color - but I just dump it all.
Add Salsa and packet of taco seasoning. Bring to a boil, cover and turn on low to simmer. NOTE: No water was added, just the juices from all your cans.
Serve with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream and tortilla chips (we love the chips with lime!)
Enjoy!!

Crumbly Zucchini Bread

2009-09-26T12:19:00.009-06:00

We all know how much zucchini one garden can produce, so I found a great zucchini bread recipe that I tweaked a little. The original recipe is here.

Start by beating 3 eggs until light and frothy (I used a hand mixer):

Add 1/2 cup vegetable (or canola) oil and 1/2 cup applesauce:
Mix in 2 cups of sugar (I ran out, so I used 1 1/4 cups sugar and 3/4 cups Splenda)

Mix in 2 teaspoons vanilla

And 2 -3 cups shredded zucchini - no need to peel- and stir together (I stopped using the hand mixer on this step):

In a separate bowl stir together flour, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt, baking soda, and baking powder (see measurements below):
Let your 3 year old help, if you're so inclined (yes, she painted her hair green with her finger paints):

Stir together with a spoon or fork and fold into the egg mixture

Grease two 8x4 loaf pans and divide the mixture between the two pans:

Now for the yummy crumbly top (this is optional, but I HIGHLY recommend it!):
Mix together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter (stick butter is better, but again I had to improvise!)

Be sure your toddler tests it out to make it's edible :)

Mix together (your hands are your best tool here!) until the butter is well incorporated, then sprinkle it on top of the batter. You'll think there is WAY too much, but believe me, use it all!!!

Bake in a 325* oven for an hour. Warning, you'll want to open the oven while this is baking, it smells SO yummy

ENJOY!!

INGREDIENTS

3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups white sugar
2-3 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour (high altitude, add 1/2 cup flour and 1-2 tbsp water)
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F ( 165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Mix in oil and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; stir into the egg mixture. Divide batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until done.

CRUMBLY TOPPING

1 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Roasted Pineapple

2009-09-24T19:39:00.004-06:00

I LOVE grilled pineapple, but I don't like having to get the grill going (we use charcoal) just for that. I was SO happy when I found this recipe for roasted pineapple in the oven. It's by Claire Robinson of 5 Ingredient Fix, you can find the entire recipe here (she pairs it with shaved ginger ale for a yummy dessert).

Start with a fresh pineapple. Cut off the top and outside, then slice it into 8 slices (don't bother coring it at this point). Place the slices on a cookie sheet.

Brush both sides of each slice with Vegetable Oil (I used Canola Oil) - don't use too much or they'll be soggy! Then sprinkle the side that is up with sugar and salt (not too much salt, but it helps bring out the pineapple's juices).

Cook in a 400* oven for 20 minutes, turn, sprinkle with sugar and salt and cook for 10 more minutes.

Mmmmm! These are a really good side with steak.

gorgonzola cream sauce

2009-09-24T14:17:00.004-06:00

i was a little too bashful with the sauce. note to self: next time lay it on thick!

Wow.

This recipe was DIVINE.
The catch?
You must like Gorgonzola or Roquefort (blue cheese).

The sauce:
4 cups heavy cream
3 to 4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese (I happened to have Roquefort so that's what is used)
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (the real fresh kind, not the kind from a plastic tub)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper

Bring the heavy cream to a full boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, then continue to boil rapidly for 45 to 50 minutes, until it's thickened, like a white sauce, stirring occasionally.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the Gorgonzola, Parmesan, s/p. Whisk rapidly until the cheese melt, and then serve. If you must reheat, warm the sauce over low heat until melted, then whisk vigorously until the sauce comes together.

I served this sauce on top of steak. It was so delicious and is totally compatible with the same dish i had at a high end restaurant. It's a splurge and definitely special occasion worthy, not to mention NOT low fat, but it was oh so worth it!

Thanks to Ina Garten - Barefoot Contessa - for this recipe.

All American Mini Meatloaves

2009-09-23T19:35:00.004-06:00

Sorry I don't have a photo. Next time I make it I'll take pics.

17 Saltines crushed fine
¼ cup whole milk
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 large egg
1 ½ tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 ½ lbs meatloaf mix* (3/4 lb of ground pork and 3/4 lb 90% lean ground beef)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Glaze
½ cup Ketchup
¼ cup light brown sugar
4 teaspoons cider vinegar

*Walmart did not have meatloaf mix so I bought a pound of 90% lean ground beef and 1 lbs ground pork and mixed them together and took out what looked like 1/4 lb. of each And put it in the freezer for next time.

1. Heat oven to 500 degrees and put oven rack in the middle position.

2. Mix saltines, milk, parsley, wors. Sauce, egg, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder and meat together. I used my hands to make sure it got incorporated well. Shape the meat into 4 oval loaves.

3. Heat the oil in a nonstick 12 inch skillet and brown the meatloaves on one side for about 5 minutes then carefully flip them over to brown the other side. Neaten up the edges with a spatula. In the meantime, while the meat is browning mix the glaze.

4. If your skillet is oven safe, top the meatloaves with glaze and place in the oven until the center of the loaves reach 160 degrees, this takes about 15 minutes. My skillet was not oven safe so I rubbed the bottom of a casserole dish with vegetable oil and placed the meatloaves in there before glazing them. Bake for 15 minutes. Enjoy!

If you try it let me know what you think!

Egg Rolls

2009-09-23T16:04:00.004-06:00

NOTE: I usually don't measure ingredients, I just dump. However, I will do my best to give estimations. If I don't - know it is a dash (which for me is less than a tsp.)

Ingredients
* 6 cups cabbage, shredded
* 1 carrot, shredded
* 2 TB. chopped onion (I used dried onion)
* 1 lb. ground pork
* 2 TB. soy sauce
* 1 TB. Hoisin Sauce
* 1/4-1/2 tsp. sesame seed oil
* Garlic Powder to taste
* Black pepper to taste
Saute pork in pan, add onion and veggies for remaining 5 minutes. Add soy sauce and seasoning. Remove from heat to cool a little before you wrap them.
NOTE: This go around, I didn't have pork or carrot - so I used ground beef and corn instead. They were still very tasty. My 2 1/2 year and 18 month old LOVE these.

Next you will need:
* 1 egg, beaten
* 1 pkg. egg roll wrappers
* olive oil
Stuff egg rolls - direction are on the back of the egg roll wrapper. I brush all edges with the beaten egg. Then, instead of deep frying, I brush the outside with olive oil and broil them for 3-4 minutes on each side. Much more healthier!!
Serve with sweet and sour sauce. (sorry, not a very good plate to display.)

Sweet & Sour Sauce
* 1 c. sugar
* 1/2 c. white vinegar
* garlic powder
* onion powder
* ginger
* pepper
* apple cider vinegar
* pineapple juice
* red & yellow food coloring
Bring to a boil, thicken with corn starch, reduce and simmer. Serve with Rice on the side (not shown)

There is a better picture on my blog - and also features an idea for a dessert roll with left over wraps. They were yummy!

Also - if you don't think you'll ever use Hoisin sauce - think again. If you like Chinese food - BUY IT. I always make lettuce wraps - which I will feature next time I make them.

Baked Ziti

2009-09-22T11:04:00.007-06:00

BAKED ZITI

~~Ingredients~~

1 lb. Lean Ground Turkey Breast (or ground beef)

1 jar Spaghetti Sauce (any kind)

1 box Ziti pasta (any brand)

16 ounce bag of shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 tsp. Olive Oil (for greasing casserole dish)

~~Kitchen Supplies Needed~~

Large Non-Stick Skillet to cook Turkey

Large Pot to cook Pasta

13x9 Casserole Baking Dish

~~Directions~~

Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees

Brown turkey in skillet, once cooked, add spaghetti sauce, simmer on low

Cook Ziti pasta while turkey & spaghetti sauce are simmering on low

Once pasta is cooked, DRAIN and keep in same pot

After draining, add turkey & sauce to pasta (Stir)

Grease casserole dish with olive oil

Layer casserole dish with 1/2 of turkey/sauce/ziti mixture

Sprinkle 1/2 of shredded cheese

Layer remaining turkey/sauce/ziti mixture over the cheese

Layer remaining shredded cheese

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until cheese is all melted

This is a modified recipe from Cooks.com

chicken enchiladas and mexican rice

2009-09-21T21:18:00.009-06:00

While my husband Mark thinks this picture looks unappetizing - a pile of hud is what he called it - I assure you it is a go to favorite at our house.

For the enchiladas:

In a crock pot combine 2 chicken breasts (beef can also be used), 1 onion chopped, 1 small can green chiles and s/p. Cook on High for 3-4 hours, until chicken shreds and onions are browned.

Add to chicken mixture 1/2 - 1 cup salsa, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 tsp cumin.

Roll mixture into tortillas (this makes enough filling for about 6 tortillas) and place in oven safe dish. Pour 1/2 -3/4 14 oz can enchilada sauce (i use green sauce) on top of tortillas and cover with monterey jack cheese. Keep in 350 degree oven until cheese is melted.

For Mexican rice:

In saute pan, brown 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 chopped onion on high heat. When onions are nearly brown, add 1 cup uncooked white rice. Add 1 tbsp cumin and 1 tsp garlic powder. Add 1/4 cup tomato sauce, 2 cups chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.

Both of these recipes feed my family of 4 with enough left to fight for left overs!

Enjoy.

Double Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2009-09-21T18:36:00.002-06:00

I got this recipe out Rachael Ray's magazine (October 2009 issue, pg 110)

Serves 4
Prep 30 min
Bake 50

1/2 cup small shell pasta (I only had elbow so that's what I used)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup chopped parsley (I used a bit of dry instead)
Salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup breadcrumbs
4 eight to ten ounce chicken breasts (I used boneless skinless, so I "stuffed" them differently I cut a pocket in them and stuffed them.)
3 cups store bought marinara sauce (I used homemade that I had frozen.)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (I used foil). In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta for 4 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer to a bowl and add the mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup parsley. Season with salt.

2. In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs. Place the breadcrumbs in another shallow bowl.

3. Stuff the pasta-cheese mixture under the skin of each chicken breast.

Dip the stuffed chicken breast in the eggs, roll in the breadcrumbs, then place skin side down on the prepared pan. Bake until instant-read thermometer inserted in the breast reads 165 degrees, about 50 min.

4. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat the marinara sauce. Serve each breast on a bead of sauce, topped with 1 tablespoon parsley.

Super Delish Burritos

2009-09-20T17:21:00.007-06:00

The great thing about this recipe is that the burritos can be frozen and reheated as you need them.

Ingredients:
Beef roast (any kind you like is fine, I usually use about 2-3 lbs worth)
1-2 can green chiles (depends on how spicy you like your food)
1 can of refried beans
1 package of large flour tortillas
1 block of monterey jack cheese (any cheese you prefer will do)
Assorted toppings of your choice such as lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, salsa or taco sauce, mexican cheese, sour cream, etc...

Directions:
Place salt and peppered meat, green chiles, and about 2 C of water in the crockpot. Cook your roast--I usually cook mine on high for 6-8 hrs. When roast is done cooking, shred with a fork. Remove all but about 1 C of the liquid from the crockpot. If this seems like too much liquid while addding the refried beans, you can always take more out. Add your refried beans and stir together in the crockpot. Warm tortillas in the microwave according to directions. Spoon beef mixture onto center of tortilla. Add a generous hunk of cheese on top of the burrito mixture.

Next, roll up your burrito. If you aren't sure how, check out these directions:

http://www.wikihow.com/Roll-a-Burrito

Once burritos have been rolled, I like to freeze them in a freezer storage bag until ready to use. Once frozen, they can be reheated in about 1.5 min. in the microwave. If serving them now, microwave the assembled burrito for about 25 seconds to melt the cheese. Top the burrito with your favorite ingredients, and ENJOY!

Serve with a salad or a mexican rice.

Blueberry-Nectarine Buckle

2009-09-19T12:22:00.000-06:00

Blueberry-Nectarine Buckle

2 cups Biscuit Baking Mix
1 cup White Sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup Low Fat Milk
1 teaspoon Lemon Peel
1 nectarine, chopped
1.25 cup Blueberries, Fresh
1/2 cup Flour
1/4 cup (1 stick) Butter

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease the bottom and 1/2 in. up sides of a 1-1/2 to 2qt. baking dish. In medium bowl, combine biscuit mix, 1/2 c sugar, egg, milk, and lemon peel. Stir until moistened.

2. Spoon batter into pan. Top with fruit. Mix flour and remaining sugar in a bowl. Using fork, cut in butter until crumbly; sprinkle over fruit. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool for 1/2 hour. Serve warm.

You can use peaches or nectarines in this, I used canned peaches (the larger can, 28 oz I think). I also substituted lemon juice for the lemon peel. At first I wasn't sure about the blueberries, but I'm sure glad I added them. We happened to have fresh blueberries, but I think I could also use frozen ones since I usually have those on hand.