My Digital Cookbook

Herby Chicken and Potatoes

2011-06-08T08:28:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I couldn't figure what to call this recipe...ha ha ha

Anyways, I made this last night and it was good. The potatoes were exceptional!! Here is my modified version of the recipe:

4 chicken breasts, cut in half
4 TBS olive oil
2 TBS grated onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sage
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
4 1/2 tsp fresh parsley (I used 1 TBS dried parsley)
5 medium sized potatoes, peeled and sliced to 1/4" to 1/2" thickness

Preheat oven to 425.
Spray large cookie sheet with PAM. Arrange chicken and sliced potatoes on cookie sheet. Whisk together remaining ingredients (if using fresh parsley, wait until the end to add that). Pour herb sauce over chicken and potatoes, reserving some of the herb sauce for later use. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, basting occasionally. Move pan up in the oven and switch oven heat to broil. Broil until chicken and potatoes have a nice color, about 3-5 minutes.

Peanut Butter and Banana French Toast

2011-06-08T08:16:00.000-07:00

This is a kiddo favorite!!! So oooey goooey! And not completely unhealthy...

This makes 4 french toast sandwiches.

4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
8 TBS creamy peanut butter
8 slices of bread (I usually use whole wheat)
2 bananas, sliced
8 tsp butter
I also use cinnamon and raisins

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and vanilla
Spread 1 TBS peanut butter on top of each slice of bread. (This is where I sprinkle peanut butter with cinnamon.) Top half the slices of bread with sliced bananas (and raisins, if you'd like), and then put other piece of peanut buttered bread on top, making a sandwich.
Heat skillet to med-lo, and melt 2 tsp butter. Dip sandwiches in egg mixture, then place on preheated skillet. (I cook 2 at a time). Cook a couple minutes on each side, until golden brown. I add 2 tsp of butter to the pan each time I cook a new batch. Once cooked, you can top with a little maple syrup and powdered sugar, or just leave it plain. Serve warm with milk, preferably chocolate milk. :)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-06-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

The New York Times rated this the best Chocolate Chip cookie recipe. Of course, I HAD to try it. ha ha.

I was impressed with this recipe. They turn out beautiful, and very tasty! Definitely a keeper recipe!

The recipe recommends you leave them covered and refrigerated 36 hours before cooking. I tried cooking them immediately, and they turn out delicious. If you are able to wait the 36 hours, or even 24, they turn a more beautiful golden brown, and they have a more brown sugary/toffee taste to them. Definitely worth the wait, if you can!

2 cups, minus 2 TBS cake flour (I used all purpose flour)
1 2/3 cup bread flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt (I used Kosher salt, and then reduced it to 1 tsp because I used salted butter)
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter (used salted, then reduced the amount of salt)
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup, plus 2 TBS white sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp natural vanilla extract (I used imitation vanilla extract)
1 1/4 lbs bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (I used 12 oz Nestle semisweet chocolate chips and/or chunks)

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. (I didn't have a paddle attachment, so I used my regular mixing beaters) Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. (I just used a non-stick cookie pan, didn't even spray it) Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt (didn't do) and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. (It only took 10-13 minutes, but I think I made smaller cookies) Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. (I just took them off the pan after about 10 minutes and stuck them on a paper plate) Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

2011-06-05T18:28:00.000-07:00

This was delicious tonight!! It takes a long time to simmer, and I could hardly wait for it to be done, and it didn't disappoint. The kids really liked it also. We've been so bored with store bought spaghetti sauce, and John has been asking for a nice thick sauce, and this delivered!

The meatballs were fantastic. I've never made them before, and generally I'm not a huge fan, but I I found it hard to resist picking leftovers off the kids plates as I was cleaning up. :)

This takes almost 2 1/2 hours to cook because of simmering time, so be sure you start it plenty early. I may try this in the crock pot...

SAUCE

3/4 cup onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 (28 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes (I used 1 (14.5 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes, 1 (14.5 oz) can sliced stewed tomatoes, 1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes, and 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 bay leaf (I used two)
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
3/4 tsp dried basil
(I chose to add some Italian seasoning too)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

MEATBALLS

1 lb ground beef
1 cup fresh bread crumbs (I used crushed Ritz crackers)
1 TBS dried parsley
1 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten

In large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is translucent. Add whole tomatoes, salt, sugar, and bay leaf. Cover, reduce heat to low, and allow to simmer 90 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan cheese, black pepper and egg. Mix well and form into 12 balls. (At this point I opted to coat them in flour seasoned with Italian seasonings and pan fry them in olive oil). Store covered in the refrigerator until needed.
After sauce has simmered 90 minutes, add tomato paste, basil, black pepper, and meatballs, and simmer an additional 30 minutes. Serve.

Artichoke Chicken

2011-05-25T15:57:00.000-07:00

I have made this a few times, and it's good. I like to add a few extras to the chicken, like some cooked carrots, green beans, and/or sauteed mushrooms. The canned artichokes are expensive, so sometimes I don't add them, I just add a couple dashes of Italian dressing.

15 oz can marinated artichoke hearts, drained, chopped
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup Mayo
1 pinch garlic pepper (I just add garlic and pepper separately)
4 pieces of chicken (I always double)

Preheat oven to 375.
In a mixing bowl, combine chopped artichokes, Parmesan cheese, mayo, and garlic pepper. *This is where I would add the carrots, green beans, or mushrooms.* Place chicken in a baking dish, and pour artichoke mixture on top. Cook uncovered in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until juices run clear and chicken is no longer pink.

Chicken Parmigiana

2011-05-15T15:26:00.000-07:00

I got this fantastic recipe from my friend's recipe blog. I've made this several times, and it always turns out wonderful. Mmm mmm and all the prep work is done hours ahead of time, so it works well for company.

3 whole chicken breasts (I use 4, and then cut them in half
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 c. italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 to 1 1/4 c. butter
1 jar spaghetti sauce
6 slices Mozzarella cheese (I use grated mozzarella)
grated Parmesan Cheese

In a bowl, beat together the egg, salt and pepper. In a seperate bowl, pour bread crumbs. Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, then coat with bread crumbs.
In large skillet sauté chicken in butter until both sides are lightly browned.
Arrange chicken in crock-pot. Pour spaghetti sauce over chicken. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours. Top with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Cover and cook an additional 15 minutes.

Ranch Dressing

2011-05-10T12:55:00.000-07:00

I made this the other night and it was gobbled up fast. We ran out of carrots to dip in this, and we were scrounging to find anything else that could be dipped in ranch. :) The key is to let it sit for a day or two. The flavor really develops over time. This is quite thick, so if you want it thinner to pour over salad, you can add milk or buttermilk.

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Whisk together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, but preferably 24 hours.

Salmon Marinade

2011-04-06T14:41:00.001-07:00

For whatever reason, I've been craving salmon lately. Well, salmon and spinach, actually. (And the first person who says "I wonder if you're pregnant" gets kicked off the blog) :)

Here's a super delicious recipe for a salmon marinade that I found on allrecipes.com. It works whether you're grilling or wrapping in foil and baking in the oven.

1 1/2 lbs salmon fillets
lemon pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste
salt to taste
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Season fish with lemon pepper, garlic, and salt.
Pour remaining ingredients into zip bag and swish around to mix. Place fish in bag and seal. Allow to marinate at least two hours.
To cook you can

Grill: Preheat grill to medium heat. Lightly oil grill grate. Place salmon on grill grate and discard marinade. Cook 6-8 minutes per side, or until it flakes easily with fork.

Bake: Preheat oven to 425. Make a foil packet for each fillet. Place salmon in foil and close it up, leaving some room inside for air to circulate. Bake on cookie sheet in preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Chicken and Pasta

2011-04-06T14:23:00.001-07:00

This is one of my ultra simple go-to meals that everyone always enjoys.

4 chicken breast halves, cut in half
salt, pepper, paprika, seasoned salt
1 box white cheddar shells pasta-roni
milk and butter
vegetable of choice, green beans or steam fresh broccoli

Place chicken on broil pan and season to taste. Place on top rack and broil for about 7 minutes, then turn over, season, and broil until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Cut into cubes.
Cook pasta-roni according to package directions. When done, add chicken and vegetables.

Bierocks

2011-04-06T14:22:00.000-07:00

1 can Pilsbury biscuits
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp lemon pepper
1 small head cabbage, chopped
2 TBS worchestershire sauce
2 tsp carraway seeds (next time I will use 1 tsp, this was a little too strong for me)
Saute beef, onion, garlic, salt, and lemon pepper until beef is browned. Add cabbage, worchestershire sauce, and carraway seeds and cook until cabbage is limp. Drain off any liquid.

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Flatten biscuits and meat mixture into the center. Pull up the edges, two at a time, and pinch to seal at the top.
Place bierocks on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Brush with egg wash (1 egg yolk, 2 TBS water) and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Chicken and Dumplings

2011-03-08T17:30:00.000-08:00

Made this for the family tonight. Everyone was a fan, even little Logan (9 months old). This will be going into our regular rotation. And the best part? Only about 5 minutes of prep work!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 TBS butter
2 (10.75 oz) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 onion, finely diced
(I also added about a cup of chopped carrots, next time I will add more)
water, as needed
2 (10 oz ) cans packaged refridgerated biscuit dough, torn into 1 inch pieces
(I added a 14.5 oz can of green beans)

Place chicken, butter, soup, and carrots into crock pot and fill with enough water to cover.
Cover with lid and cook on hi for 5-6 hours. About a 45 before serving time, put in the biscuit dough and green beans. Allow to cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.

Apple Dumplings

2011-03-02T11:52:00.000-08:00

My general rule of thumb is:

If there's no chocolate, it's not dessert.

This is one of the few exceptions to this rule.

I'd never made, or even had apple dumplings before, but I thought I'd try out this recipe for family night the other day. Turned out delicious. Pretty easy to make, too! I'll make this one next time we have company over.

2 granny smith apples, peeled and cored (I used Honeycut apples)
2 (10 oz) crescent dough packages (I used one crescent dough, and one biscuit dough)
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar (I used 1 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar)
1 tsp ground cinnamon (I used 1 1/2 tsp)
1 (12oz) can mountain dew (I used ginger ale)
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13" baking dish.
Cut each apple into 8 wedges and set aside.
Seperate dough into triangles. Roll each apple wedge in a roll, starting at the small end. Pinch to seal edges, and place in dish.
In a saucepan, melt butter, and stir in sugar and cinnamon. Pour over dumplings. Pour soda over dumplings. Bake 35-45 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm, top with ice cream or whipped cream.

Ranch pizza

2011-01-23T10:47:00.000-08:00

We love ranch pizza at our house. I got this idea from Vinny's resturaunt. It's a nice way to use leftover bacon.

Pizza crust (I use boboli precooked pizza, or a can of pillsbury's rolled pizza dough - sold by the biscuits, or I make it with a bread dough recipe, rolled into a pizza shape)
3 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 cups motzarella cheese (more or less according to your taste)
1/2 cup ranch dressing
6 slices of bacon, crumbled
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 fresh roma tomato, diced

Preheat oven to recommended temperature for the pizza crust.
Combine cream cheese and ranch dressing. Pour evenly over pizza dough. Top with cheese, bacon, green pepper, and diced tomato. Cook according to recommended time for the pizza crust you use.

Raspberry Breakfast Braid

2011-01-23T10:41:00.000-08:00

This is the first homemade pastry I've made - yummy! It's sort of a cheater recipe, but it was still lots of fun. Too bad there's really no redeeming nutritional value. I didn't have raspberry preserves, so I used raspberry syurup instead, didn't turn out as well as it could have, the consistancy was way off, but still not bad. I'm excited to try this again the "right" way. The pastry doesn't have to look perfect, once you drizzle the glaze over it, it looks very nice.

2 cups Bisquick mix
3 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup raspberry preserves

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 TBS milk

Preheat oven to 425
Measure bisquick into a medium bowl. Cut in cream cheese and butter. Stir in milk. On a lightly floured surface, lightly knead the dough 10-12 times. Roll dough into a 12"x8" rectangle. Turn onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Spread raspberry preserves onto the center 1/3 of dough. Make 2 1/2" cuts at 1" intervals along the long sides. Fold strips over filling.
Bake 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned. While pastry is cooking, combine ingredients for glaze. After pastry has cooled slightly, drizzle with glaze.

Acorn Squash

2011-01-11T07:54:00.000-08:00

MMMM I LOVE LOVE LOVE acorn squash. I don't get it very often because the rest of the family doesn't like it too much, so I always forget how to make it and then I have to waste time searching the internet for what to do...so here goes...nothing fancy, just something to help me remember next time...

Microwave: Cut squash in half, remove seeds, cover with plastic wrap and cook on high approx 8 minutes until tender. Let stand 5 minutes. Flavor with butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, or dark syrup or brown sugar.

Bake: Cut squash in half, clean, place cut side down in 1" water. Bake 30 minutes at 350. Pour off water, turn over and bake an additional 30 minutes. Flavor with butter and other sweets.

**I only add butter and salt. To me it tastes plenty yummy without all the sugar/cinnamon stuff. I can't vouch for the microwave directions, I always bake it in the oven.**

Baked Pork Chops

2011-01-11T07:49:00.000-08:00

This is a yummy way to cook pork. Everyone in the family enjoyed it, and the gravy tastes great over mashed potatoes.

6 pork chops
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
4 TBS olive oil
1 (10.75 oz) cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup white wine (which obviously I couldn't use, so I just added 1/3 C milk and a heaping teaspoon of chicken granules)

1.Preheat oven to 350F
2.Rinse pork chops, pat dry, and season with garlic powder and seasoning salt to taste. Place the beaten eggs in a small bowl. Dredge the pork chops lightly in flour, dip in the egg, and coat liberally with bread crumbs.
3.Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the pork chops on each side until the breading appears well browned. Transfer the chops to a 9x13 inch baking dish, and cover with foil. (I used a casserole dish and the lid)
4.Bake in the preheated oven for 45 hour. While baking, combine the cream of mushroom soup, milk and white wine in a medium bowl. After the pork chops have baked for an hour, cover them with the soup mixture. Replace foil, and bake for another 20 minutes.

Super Easy Calzones

2011-01-04T16:22:00.000-08:00

Yummy homemade dinner in 35 minutes. Ahhh. This is one of my new go-to recipes when I forget to thaw the meat or when we have stuff to do in the evenings. :) The kids LOVE to help add toppings, so it's a fun family event, too.

1 package Pillsbury Pizza Pie crust (sold with their packaged biscuits)
any pizza toppings you'd like, we've used all of the following at one point or another: sausage, pepperoni, ham, pineapple, onion, fresh cut tomato, diced jalepenos
1/4 cup (approx) pizza sauce, such as Ragu.
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1 egg yolk
1 TBS water

Preheat oven to 350
Lightly oil pizza pan. Unroll pizza dough directly onto prepared pan and using rolling pin to flatten. Place pizza toppings onto dough, leaving about an inch around the side. Top with sauce and cheese. (I usually add a little bit of garlic powder or onion powder to the sauce). Fold over and press around edges to seal.
Mix egg yolk and water and brush onto dough.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool about 5 minutes before serving.

Brownie Batter Cupcakes

2010-12-14T17:22:00.000-08:00

I made these for Cory's class for his 8th birthday. (Yes, that's right, my Cory is turning EIGHT!) The kids LOVED them.
I almost forgot to add the toungues, so here the frog is without it.

1 (19.5 oz) package brownie mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup water
1 (18.5 oz) package white cake mix
2 TBS canola oil
1 1/3 cup water
3 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350. Line 48 muffin cups with paper liners
Whisk together the brownie mix, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup canola oil, and 1/4 cup water in a abowl. Stir just until fully incorporated, about 50 strokes; allow to chill in refridgerator.
Mix the cake mix, 2 TBS canola oil, 1 1/3 cup water, and 3 egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Spoon the chilled brownie batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each cup 1/3 full. Spoon the cake batter over the brownie batter, until muffin cups are each 2/3 full.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 20 minutes.

For the frog decorations, I used my creamy white frosting recipe, with green food coloring. For the eyes, I used green lifesavers, and brown m&m's. For the mouth: licorice rope, for the toungue: fruit by the foot. Then I did a dab of white frosting for the nose. Cute eh? Before you are too in awe of my creative ability, I totally copied someone else online. :)

Creamy White Frosting

2010-12-14T09:14:00.000-08:00

This is a very good white frosting recipe. I use it for cinnamon rolls (I add nuts), cupcakes (I add food coloring and/or a little bit of kool aide), or cakes. After using homemade frosting, I can't go back to store bought frosting.

1/2 cup butter flavored shorening
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract (or you can use lemon or orange extract)
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 to 4 TBS milk

Beat shorening, vanilla, and extract with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Slopwly add half of the powdered sugar, beating well. Add 2 TBS milk. Gradually beat in remaining powdered sugar and enough remaining milk to reach spreading consistency. This frosts the tops and sides of two 8 or 9 inch cake layers.

Here's my chocolate frosting recipe.

Fajitas

2010-12-13T16:03:00.000-08:00

This was totally delicious this evening. I'd never really made fajitas before (there was a feeble attempt once upon a time, but I'd rather not mention that particular incident). I found a recipe on allrecipies.com and was quite impressed.

1/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup water
2 TBS olive oil
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1-2 lbs meat, thinly sliced (I used round steak, but you could use chicken, shrimp, whatever you'd like)
peppers (I used one green and one red), thinly sliced
1/2 a sweet onion, thinly sliced
tortiallas
sour cream

Combine lime juice through black pepper in a large plastic bag. Add cut meat and allow to marinate in the refridgerator for 2-24 hours.

The rest I'm actually pretty fuzzy on, I'm not sure how fajitas are supposed to be made. I just heated a pan and dumped everything in it - meat, marinade, peppers and onions, but it was too much juice, so I drained it into a bowl, and let the meat cook the rest of the way. I drizzled the juice over the meat once it was on the plate.

Does anyone know how fajitas are supposed to be cooked?? Either way, these tasted amazing.

Orange Cream Fruit Salad

2010-12-05T08:52:00.000-08:00

This is new dish I tried this Thanksgiving, and I will definately be making it again. Yummy! I thought it might be a little boring with mostly canned fruit, but I was way wrong.

1 (3.5 oz) package vanilla pudding mix
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
3/4 cup sour cream
1 (20 oz) can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 (15 oz) can sliced peaches, drained
1 (11 oz) can mandarin orange segments
2 bananas, sliced
1 apple, peeled and cored

In medium bowl, combine pudding mix, milk, and orange juice concentrate. Mix with an electric mixer on medium for 2 minutes. Mix in sour cream.
In large salad bowl, mix together fruit. Gently mix in orange dressing. Cover and refridgerate 2 hours.

Broccoli Salad

2010-12-05T08:44:00.000-08:00

This side dish is a Thanksgiving tradition in our house, the whole family loves it!

10 slices bacon
1 head fresh broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup mayo
3 TBS white wine vinegar
2 TBS sugar
1 cup sunflower seeds (I omitted because I didn't have them on hand, but I bet it would be awesome)

Cook and crumble bacon, set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine broccoli, red onion, and raisins. In seperate small bowl combine mayo, vinegar, and sugar. Pour mayo mixture over the broccoli and stir to evenly distribute. Refridgerate for at least 2 hours.
Before serving, toss in crumbled bacon and sunflower seeds.

Jalapeno Poppers

2010-12-03T15:42:00.000-08:00

John grilled these last night. Oh so yummy. I could so easily get fat off these. :) The recipe says to deep fry them, but I chose to skip the outer breading and then grill them. I really could have gotten a better picture, but I simply didn't have time, but this should give ya an idea.

12 oz cream cheese, softened
1 (8oz) package shredded cheddar cheese
1 TBS bacon bits
12 oz jalapeno peppers, seeded and halved
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 cup bread crumbs
2 quarts oil for frying

In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and bacon bits. Spoon the mixture into the jalepeno halves.
Pour the milk and flour into two seperate bowls. Dip the jalapenos into the milk first, then the flour, making sure they are completely coated. Allow them to dry for about ten minutes.
Dip the jalapenos in milk again, followed by the bread crumbs. Allow them to dry, then repeat.
In a medium skillet, heat the oil to 365. Deep fry the jalepenos for 2-3 minutes each, or until golden brown. Remove and let drain on a paper towel.

***Now, here's what I did:
Instead of halving the jalapenos, I sliced them lengthwise and spooned the cream cheese mixture into them, and then wrapped them in foil and grilled them for a couple minutes. Then, removed them from the foil and grilled them for a couple more minutes, until the outsides looked done. I didn't use the bread crumbs/flour/milk at all. I skewered them with a toothpick so they would stay closed. They had a delicious kick to them!

Fruit Crisp

2010-12-03T14:47:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from a friend of mine. It's really yummy and sooooo very easy. Our friends made it for us a few weeks ago and the hubbs kept asking me to get the recipe to make at home. It is so awesome served warm with ice cream!

filling (this is where you can get creative, you can peel and cut about 5 apples, or if you're in a pinch for time, take the easy way out and use either 2 cans of peaches, or use 2 cans of pie filling)
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup oats
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, softened or melted

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease an 8x8" pan.
Pour filling of your choice into prepared pan. In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients until mixed well. Pour over fruit filling, making sure it is distributed evenly. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until apples are soft and top is golden.

Pumpkin Waffles

2010-11-22T11:39:00.000-08:00

I made this for our Sunday morning breakfast this last Sunday and they were super yummy. The hubbs wasn't such a fan, but me and the kids really enjoyed them. And they're relatively healthy. It's a good way to use up extra pumpkin after the holidays. You can make the batter and refridgerate it for up to a week, just be sure you mix it when you pull it out. You can also freeze extras for a busy-morning breakfast. We had leftovers and I think the flavor was even better. MMMM

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ (I didn't have any so I used a combo of ground flaxseed and brewer's yeast)
2/3 cup white sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
2 TBS baking powder
1 1/2 cup milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
4 TBS melted butter
4 TBS olive oil
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat a waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions. In medium bowl, combine flour, wheat germ, sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
In seperate bowl, beat together milk, pumpkin puree, butter, oil, applesauce, and eggs. Stir flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Mix in the pecans.
Laddle the batter onto the prepared waffle iron, cook until golden brown, about 7 minutes.

Dinner Rolls

2010-11-17T17:05:00.000-08:00

1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)
1/4 cup butter, softened

1.Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough/Knead and First Rise Cycle; press Start.

2.When cycle finishes, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle, spread 1/4 cup softened butter over entire round. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Roll wedges starting at wide end; roll gently but tightly. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

3.Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.

Cinnamon Rolls

2010-11-17T13:32:00.000-08:00

Bread:

1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
3 3/4 cup flour
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

Filling:

1/4 to 1/3 cup butter
1/4 to 1/3 cup white sugar
2-4 TBS cinnamon

Frosting:

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4-5 TBS milk
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Put bread ingredients into bread machine and put on dough setting. Remove when done and place on floured surface.
Roll out dough on floured surface into a rectanle. Rub butter on dough, then rub remaining ingredients onto dough, making sure entire rectangle is evenly coated. Roll dough so it resembles a snake shape. Cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces (I use dental floss. Place the dental floss under the roll, then criss-cross it on top) Place in greased baking dish.
Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes in a warm area (I preheat the oven to warm, then turn it off when I put the cinnamon rolls in, it stays nice and toasty in there without beginning to bake the rolls)
Remove cinnamon rolls from oven and preheat to 350. Place cinnamon rolls in preheated oven and bake for approx 20 minutes, or until tops are golden brown. Allow to cool slighly before topping with frosting.
For frosting, combine shortening, butter, vanilla, and almond extract. Then alternately mix in powdered sugar and milk until desired consistancy is reached. Stir in walnuts, if desired.

Here are my notes:
*You can use this bread recipe for sweet dinner rolls as well.
**Play with the filling to get your desired taste, you can add raisens if you REALLY want to, but that just isn't allowed in our house. :)

Meat Muffins

2010-11-13T16:13:00.000-08:00

This was a super fast dinner. Cory helped me with it, so that was a lot of fun. The kids really like it. Not too healthy, but I figure it's better than McDonalds (which is what I was really tempted to do tonight).

3/4 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 TBS dried minced onion (I used about 1/4 cup chopped fresh onion)
I didn't add any green bell pepper, but I think that would be a nice addition
12 oz package refridgerated biscuit dough (I used crescent roll dough)
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Grease muffin tin.
In medium sauce pan, brown ground beef with onion. Drain grease. Mix in green pepper and BBQ sauce.
Flatten each biscuit and press into prepared muffin tin. Make sure the dough comes to the top. Spoon a portion of the meat into each cup.

Bake in preheated oven for 13 minutes. Add cheese to top and cook for another 2 minutes. (If you're having problems with the dough cooking all the way, cook it for a few minutes before you add the meat mixture.)

Applesauce

2010-10-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

I love fall, with it comes so many beautiful changes to the land. Unfortunately, with some of the good changes, comes weather so awful that all you want to do is stay inside and make fudge. BUT, if you make the fudge, you will more than likely be the one EATING the fudge, and that's no good for the diet. Well, here's a recipe for comfort food that you won't feel QUITE as guilty after eating. :)

Plus it makes your whole house smell like cinnamon. Ahhhh.

4 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a saucepan, combine apples, water, sugar, and cinnamon. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Allow to cool, then mash with fork or potato masher.

OR...use your crock pot (I doubled the recipe and used my crock)

Place apples, water, sugar and cinnamon in crock pot and cook on hi for about 4 hours. No need to mash. Serve warm or cool and serve.

Puffy Pumpkin Cookies (Low Fat!)

2010-10-08T16:30:00.000-07:00

These cookies were yummy, and not QUITE as bad for the diet. The kids gobbled them right up.

Ok, ok, I did too. :)

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/2 cup applesauce)
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp milk
1 TBS vanilla
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used half choclate chips and half chocolate chunks)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I used chopped pecans, either way it's optional)

Preheat oven to 350
In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, oil (or applesauce), and egg. In a seperate bowl combine dry ingredients (flour through salt). Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix. Stir in milk and vanilla. Mix in chocolate chips (and chunks) and nuts.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm. These are good warm, or for a more pumpkin-pie-kind-of-experience, serve chilled. :)

Cinnamon Toast Casserole

2010-09-19T08:55:00.001-07:00

This was good for our Sunday morning breakfast.

5 cups bread cubes (I cut up some french rolls that were going stale)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup Bisquick mix (optional)
1/4 cup white sugar, divided
1/4 cup brown sugar, divided
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
3 TBS butter

Preheat oven to 350. Place the butter on the bottom of an 8x8" pan and place in oven for a few minutes until melted (to grease pan)
Line bottom of pan with bread cubes. In a seperate bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and Bisquick. Mix in 2 TBS sugar, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour over bread and let stand 10 minutes. Top with remaining sugar. Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Here's an idea for a topping:

1 large apple, cut into cubes
1 TBS butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon

In small skillet, saute butter and apples until apples are soft (about 5 minutes). Mix in cinnamon and put on top of cooked cinnamon toast casserole.

Or you could make a glaze to put on top.

Chicken Stir Fry

2010-09-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

I tweaked the recipe just a little to add a little more zip, and now it's yummmmmy. The kids all chowed down on it too. I was impressed.

4 (4oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
3 TBS corn starch
2 TBS soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
3 TBS cooking oil, divided (I used olive oil)
2 cups broccoli floretts
1 cup sliced celery (didn't add)
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 small onion, cut into wedges
1 cup water
1 tsp chilcken bouilon granules (I replaced this and the water with a cup of chicken broth)

Cut chicken into 1/2-in. strips; place in a resealable plastic bag. Add cornstarch and toss to coat. Combine soy sauce, ginger and garlic powder; add to bag and shake well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil; stir-fry chicken until no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes. Remove and keep warm. Add remaining oil; stir- fry broccoli, celery, carrots and onion for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add water and bouillon. Return chicken to pan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

Chicken Taquitos

2010-09-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

Please excuse the messy background. I was in too much of a hurry to snap the shot before the sun went down and/or the baby started crying.

These were very yummy, good enough and pretty enough for company, but easy enough for a weeknight. Sooooo much better than the frozen store-bought taquitos, there's not even a comparison.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked, shredded*
1 1/2 cups shredded smoked cheddar and swiss cheese blend (if you can't find the blend, you can just use smoked cheddar)
1 (7oz) can salsa verde (about 1 cup)
1 cup chopped onion
20 6-in corn tortillas
1 quart oil for frying or a little olive oil for baking**
1 cup sour cream (optional)
1 cup chunky salsa (optional)
1 cup guacamole (optional)

Heal oil in deep fryer to 350**.
In a medium bowl, mix together chicken, cheese, salsa verde, and onions. Spoon about 1 1/2 TBS chicken mixture into soft*** tortilla. You'll want your tortilla about 1" wide when rolled. The filling shouldn't come close to the ends or it will fall out. Secure with toothpicks.
Fry rolls 4 or 5 at a time, so they have enough room to cook evenly. Drain on paper towels, top with sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole.

Ok, here are my notes.

*To make the shredded chicken, I just stuck the chicken and a can of chicken broth in the crockpot on hi for about 4 hours
**You can either bake or fry these babies. I baked them. I put the rolled tquitos on a cookie sheet, brushed them with olive oil (be sure to get the ends), and baked them at 500 for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.

***There are several methods to softening the tortilla so they don't crack while rolling them. My favorite method is to stick a couple of tortillas in a zip lock bag, zip it closed, and cook it on hi for 15 seconds. When you do it this way, you won't even need to use the toothpicks, they'll just stay in place. I've heard there are some health risks to doing it this way, but I guess that means I care more about having pretty taquitos than my health. Shame on me!

Guacamole

2010-09-13T18:35:00.000-07:00

Wowza this guac is full of flavor. I made it with taquitos tonight, and it sorta stole the show. VERY yummy, I'll be making this again very soon.

3 avacados, peeled, pitted, and mashed
1 lime, juiced (I used 1 TBS of lime juice)
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup diced onion
3 TBS chopped fresh cilantro
2 Roma (Plum) tomatoes, diced (about 1 cup)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 pinch cayenne pepper

In a medium bowl, mash together avacados, lime juice and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro and tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refridgerate one hour for best results, or serve immediately.

I liked the guacamole chunky, but you can smooth it out by pureeing it.

**The lime juice helps the avacados not change color, so you can make it ahead (by a few hours, anyway) If you're going to make it the night before, mix everything except the avacados, and add them right before you serve.

Marinated Shrimp Kabobs

2010-08-23T13:37:00.000-07:00

My husband volunteered me to make shrimp kabobs for a BBQ at a friends house the other night. I was nervous because I'd never made any kind of kabobs before, so I had my fingers crossed that they'd turn out ok. Everyone seemed to love them. This was meant to be an appetizer, but everyone got full on these and we never even got to the burgers.

I tripled the recipe and marinated everything in it, except the pineapple.

3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 TBS red wine vinegar
2 TBS chopped fresh basil (I had to use dry basil because I had no fresh stuff)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 lbs fresh shrimp, peiled, deveined (I used a frozen package and let them defrost), and whatever other items you'd like on the kabobs. I added small pieces of thin-cut steak, green pepper, a package of mushrooms, and pineapple.
skewers

1.In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce, and red wine vinegar. Season with basil, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add shrimp to the bowl, and stir until evenly coated. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring once or twice.

2.Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Thread the rest of the itmes onto the skewers. Discard marinade, or you can brush the remaining marinade on the food while it's cooking.

3.Lightly oil grill grate. Cook shrimp on preheated grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque.

Ice Cream Cake

2010-07-19T13:33:00.000-07:00

Oooh, look how beautiful it is!

I won't tell you how many slices of this I've had.

After last years disaster birthday ice cream cake (see below), I wanted to be sure to have a nice one for Bryson's birthday this year.

This year I looked up a recipe on allrecipies.com for an ice cream cake. This one was totally a cheater cake, but it tastes and looks great.

1 (16oz) can chocolate syrup
3/4 cup peanut butter
19 ice cream sandwhiches
1 (12 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Whatever kind of topping you would like: nuts, candy, sprinkles, etc. I used an assortment of reese's pieces, the small reese's and the large reese's.

Pour the chocolate syrup into a medium microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Do not allow to boil. Stir peanut butter into the chocolate until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish with a layer of ice cream sandwhiches. Spread half the chocolate mixture over that, then add half the whipped cream, and top with whatever candy/nut you picked. Repeat these layers. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Cut into squares and serve.

Happy birthday, big guy! Love you tons.

How to peel a potato

2010-07-17T12:49:00.000-07:00

I was sent this link as an email forward a long time ago, and I love it. Peeling potatoes for potato salad is always SUCH A PAIN IN THE you-know-what. This works, and it's so easy. Just thought I'd share.

If for some reason the link stops working, here's the directions:

Bring large pot of water to boil. Score the potatoes around the middle and carefully place potatoes in the water and boil until desired doneness is reached (usually about 15 minutes).
Meanwhile, in large bowl, place an even amount of water and ice.
Remove potatoes and place in ice water. When cooled off (about 1 minute), pull ends of the potatoe to remove the peel.

Old Fashioned Potato Salad

2010-07-17T12:38:00.000-07:00

This is an awesome potato salad recipe that I use when we have a BBQ. I never add the eggs because I think they're disgusting in a potato salad, but to each his own. It's a pretty simple recipe, especially if you omit the eggs.

5 potatoes

3 eggs (if you like them)

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup sweet pickle relish

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp celery salt

1 TBS prepared mustard

ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup mayo

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, peel, (or use this method) and chop.

Place eggs in a large pot of water and then bring to boil. Boil eggs for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and cover. Leave eggs in water for 7 more minutes. Remove from water, remove shells, and chop.

In large bowl, combine all ingredients and refridgerate until chilled (about an hour and a half).

Three Cheese Manicotti

2010-07-16T17:35:00.000-07:00

This was very good tonight. Lots of flavor, just perfect if you're craving something italian for dinner. It's more of a company-coming-over type meal because it's so fatty and kind of expensive, but mmm mmm. Next time I'm going to try ground sausage in the cheese mixture. Also, if I'm not having company over, next time I will half the recipe and use an 8x8 inch pan. This was WAY too much for a family our size.

1 (8oz) package manicotti shells (in the pasta section)
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 TBS minced garlic (I just used garlic powder)
2 TBS dried basil
2 (26oz) jars pasta sauce

Bring large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add manicotti and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
In a bowl, mix 3 cups mozarella cheese, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, garlic, egg, and basil. Stuff cooked manicotti with the mixture (You can use a zip lock bag with the end cut, or just stuff it in)
Spread about 2 cups pasta sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicottiin the dish, and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese, and continue baking 10 minutes, until mozzarella is melted and bubbly.

Busy Weeknight Parmesan Chicken

2010-07-15T17:43:00.000-07:00

This was an extremely fast, easy meal, and it tasted good too! It also looks real pretty when it's done. Total score for a weeknight meal, and maybe even for company. I used a few more pieces of meat (6 pieces instead of 4), and added a little more of the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese, and also needed a little more butter and oil for the extra pieces of chicken.

4 (4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp dried basil

1 egg

1 TBS butter

1 TBS vegetable oil

Flatten chicken to 1/4 inch thickness.

In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and basil. In separate bowl, beat the egg. Dip the chicken in egg, then dredge in bread crumbs.

In large skillet, brown the chicken in butter and oil over medium heat for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear.

Mexican Casserole II

2010-07-06T18:24:00.000-07:00

I have another Mexican Casserole on here, to explain the name Mexican Casserole II

This was good tonight. Cory said it was better than Cheetos and he wanted it for his birthday - a VERY big compliment from him. :)

The beauty of this recipe is that you don't need to be precise about measurements. I added more chicken, and about double the salsa, and a little more cheese. I also added a little bit of Frank's brand hot sauce before putting it in the dish.

2 TBS vegetable oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 lb cubed skinless, boneless chicken breast meat
1/2 (1.25oz) package taco seasoning mix
1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8.75oz) can sweet corn, drained
1/4 cup salsa
water, as needed
1 cup shredded Mexican-style cheese
1 1/2 cups crushed plain tortilla chips

In a large skillet, heat oil and saute onion and garlic for a couple minutes. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add taco seasoning, beans, corn, salsa, and a little water to prevent from drying out. Cover skillet and simmer over medium low heat for ten minutes.
Preheat oven to 350
Transfer chicken mixture to a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with 1/2 cup of the cheese and crushed tortilla chips.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Melt-in-your-mouth Snickerdoodles

2010-07-05T14:29:00.000-07:00

John has raved about Judy Steventon's snickerdoodles for years, and I finally got the recipe and tried them and boy was he right. These cookies are really yummy, and I'm not even a huge fan of snickerdoodles.

Cookie:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Cinnamon Sugar mix:

1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

In mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Beat in the egg and vanilla. In seperate bowl, combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Cover and refridgerate for 2 hours, or until firm.
Preheat oven to 350. Shape dough into 3/4" balls. Roll in cinnamon sugar mix to completely coat the ball. Set cookies 1" apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 for 10-13 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool 3 on pan and remove to cool completely (on wire rack, or newspaper).

Aussie Chicken

2010-07-01T19:07:00.001-07:00

OOOhhhh, I made this tonight and I think I've died and gone to heaven...or maybe I'm just in a fat-induced coma, but either way, I'm liken it here. :)

This one wasn't too kid-friendly, but I enjoyed it. Plus I had a lot of fun making it...kids in the back yard playing (nicely), the first monsoon storm rolling in, baby sound asleep in the next room, it was just nice, so I didn't mind that it took a little longer to prepare.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
2 tsp seasoning salt (I actually used worchestershire sauce)
6 slices bacon, cut in half
1/2 cup prepared yellow mustard (I used dijon instead, but next time I want to try plain yellow)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup light corn syrup (I didn't add this)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 TBS dried onion flakes
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cups colby-monterey jack cheese (I only used 1 cup)
2 TBS chopped fresh parsley (makes it look pretty, but not necessary for the taste)

Rub chicken breasts with seasoning salt (I used worchestershire sauce), cover and refridgerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until crisp, set aside. Saute mushrooms in bacon grease, remove and set aside. Place the chicken in the skillet and saute in bacon grease until browned (about 5 minutes per side). Remove from skillet and place the breasts into a 9x13 inch baking dish.
In a medium bowl, combine the mustard, honey, corn syrup, mayo, and dried onion flakes. Remove half of sauce, cover and refridgerate to serve later. Pour other half over chicken in baking dish. Layer with mushrooms and bacon. Sprinkle top with shredded cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and chicken juices run clear. Garnish with parsley and serve with the reserved mustard sauce.

French Toast

2010-06-30T07:38:00.000-07:00

Healthy*Hearty*Delicious*Easy

Plus it makes the whole house smell like cinnamon in the morning!

What more could you ask for in a breakfast?

I like this recipe for french toast, it's a little different because it calls for flour, which makes it a little fluffier. Instead of using syrup, I usually use sliced bananas on top...yummy! I also usually use 100% whole wheat bread to make it a little healthier, and because of the egg batter, it doesn't have that heavy, dry texture that you sometimes get with whole wheat bread.

1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 pinch salt
3 eggs
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBS sugar
12 slices thick bread

Measure flour into a large mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in the milk. Whisk in the salt, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium heat. (I use butter flavored shortening instead of oil)

Soak bread slices in mixture until saturated. (Be sure to stir before you put the bread in the mixture, the cinnamon tends to clump on the top, and you don't want to use all the cinnamon on one peice.) Cook bread on each side until golden brown. Serve hot.

Country Fried Steak

2010-06-27T18:17:00.000-07:00

Someone gave us a bunch of cube steaks, and I had never cooked with them before, so I looked up some recipes, and found one for country fried steak. I'm not a huge fan of these, but boy oh boy is my husband. He literally took a few bites and had to call a friend to rave about them. ha ha. He wants me to make this for his next birthday or Father's Day. :)

The recipe I found was for the steaks and gravy, but I had a screaming baby while I was trying to make dinner, so I short-cutted it, and didn't make the gravy. I'll give it a go next time...which won't be for a while because it's so fattening.

4 (4oz) cube steaks
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 3/4 tsp ground black pepper, divided
1 cup flour
I also added a couple of tsp of seasoning salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup lard (I actually used bacon grease, but you could also just use regular canola oil)
1 cup milk

Season meat with 1/4 tsp of the salt and 1/4 tsp of the pepper; set aside. In a shallow dish, mix flour with 1 tsp of the pepper (and the seasoning salt, and maybe some regular salt). Dredge each steak in the flour. Dip in beaten egg, then dredge in flour again.
Heat lard in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Fry steaks 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Pour off all but 2 TBS of the fat. Sprinkle 2 TBS of the dredging flour into the oil. Cook over medium heat for 1 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook, stirring frequently, 3-4 minutes, or until thickened and bubbly. Add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp pepper; gravy should be quite peppery.

And don't forget the tums.

Home-made BBQ sauce

2010-06-23T11:57:00.001-07:00

1 1/2 cups ketchup
2 TBS cider vinegar
2 TBS brown sugar
2 TBS molasses
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp mustard powder
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin (I might reduce this to 1/2 tsp next time, I'm not a huge fan of cumin)
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (I'll probably add a little more next time)
I think next time I'll add a little bit of liquid smoke
4 lbs bone-in chicken things and drumsticks (I just used chicken breasts)

Combine all ingredients except the chicken in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Set aside about 1/4 cup of the mixture. Toss the chicken with the remaining sauce.
Grill the chicken over indirect heat for 15 min with the lid closed. Turn, brush with the reserved sauce, and grill until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 F, another 16-18 minutes. (I actually just broiled them in the oven, but they'd be even better in the BBQ)

Spanish Rice Bake

2010-05-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

Thought this was yummy tonight.

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper (didn't add this because the hubby doesn't like them, but I bet it would be good)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cup water
3/4 cup uncooked long grain rice (I used regular white rice, and ended up needing to increase water and cooking time a little)
1/2 cup chili sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp worchestershire sauce
pinch ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 TBS fresh chopped cilantro

Brown ground beef in large skillet and drain grease. Stir in everything except the last two ingredients. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. (At this point I added more water and cooked it a little longer) Be sure not to stir it too often, the rice won't cook.
While meat mixture is cooking, preheat oven to 375 F. When rice is tender, transfer mixture to a 2-quart casserole dish. Press down firmly and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Mini German Pancakes

2010-05-22T08:45:00.000-07:00

This has got to be my favorite breakfast to make for the family. I tend to like the taste of the sweet breakfasts better, but I need something hearty that will see me through for a few hours. This has the best of both worlds. I made this recipe this morning and was suprised to see I hadn't put it up here yet.

1 cup milk
6 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup butter

Preheat oven to 400 F
In blender, combine milk, eggs, flour, salt, and vanilla. Blend in butter a little at a time.
Generously grease muffin tins (18-24)
Pour mixture into muffin tins until filled about half way. Bake for approx 15 min. Top with fruit and serve immediately.

For the fruit topping, my FAVORITE topping is this:

10 oz bag frozen raspberries
20 oz can pineapple tipbits
4 bananas
1/2 cup brown sugar
whipped cream

Just combine the fruit and brown sugar in a bowl, then top with the whipped cream.
For an easy morning, you can use canned fruit pie filling. We like cherry or apple. Mmmm mmm mmm

This recipe is pictured with a few cans of pears with cinnamon and brown sugar mixed with it.

Breaded pork chops OR chicken

2010-05-20T12:55:00.000-07:00

Here's another pork recipe that I made a few weeks ago but forgot to post. The family really liked it, and it was nice and easy. The recipe I found called for pork, but I've made it with chicken too, and was a hit with the family both ways.

1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
garlic salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
3 eggs, beaten
4 pork chops or chicken tenderloins
1/4 to 1/2 cup butter

Preheat oven to 375 F

In a shallow bowl combine crushed crackers, garlic salt, and black pepper. In a seperate bowl, beat eggs.

Dip pork chops in egg batter, then in cracker mixture. Place the pork chops in a casserole dish and place chunks of butter around the pork chops. Cover and bake for 45 minutes.

Crock Pot Pork Chops

2010-05-20T12:44:00.000-07:00

I don't cook pork very often, just not a huge fan of it, but it was on sale a while back, and I decided I needed to use some of what I had in the freezer. This was VERY good, good enough for company, I'd say. So moist it just falls apart, and the flavor soaked all the way through. And all the work is done ahead of time, so when company comes you can have a clean kitchen. Or, with a side of instant mashed potaotes, steam-fresh veggies, and a fruit salad, dinner can be on the table in 10 minutes.

1/2 cup flour
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp seasoning salt
4 thick-cut pork chops (I don't think mine were thick-cut)
2 TBS olive oil
1 (10.5 oz) can chicken and rice soup (this is very different from cream of chicken soup, so don't try a substitution here)

Trim fat from pork chops. Combine flour, dry mustard and seasoning salt in bowl or pie pan.
Heat oil in skillet. Dredge pork in flour mixture then place them in the skillet and brown on both sides.
Place pork chops in slow cooker and pour chicken and rice soup over. Cook on low for 5-8 hours depending on how thick the cut is.

Shrimp Scampi

2010-04-22T18:54:00.001-07:00

It IS possible to have a delicious home-cooked meal in 15 minutes...who knew! This was yummy, although the kids didn't seem to like it, the phrase "looks like throw-up" was used more than once at the dinner table tonight. However, with how fast and easy it was, I think I'll make it again. Yeah, cuz I'm a mean mom. :)

First of all, I changed the recipe quite a bit, I totally took the easy road on all the ingredients.

3 packages of ramen noodles, without the flavoring (or you can use an 8 ounce package angel hair pasta to do it the "right" way)
1/2 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used pre-cooked, and just defrosted it first)
1/3 cup white wine (I subsituted canned chicken broth)
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs (I used italian seasoned bread crumbs)
3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta (or ramen noodles) according to package directions, except don't add the seasonings.

In a large saucepan, melt butter, saute garlic until tender, remove garlic and discard. (I left the garlic in) Add shrimp and cook until colored pink (or, if it's precooked, just cook until defroasted). Stir in white wine (or chicken broth). The bread crumbs are used as thickening, so stir in a little at a time until desired thickness is reached.

Serve shrimp over pasta, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

I also cooked a package of steam fresh brocolli in the microwave and tossed it into the mix.

Mexican Pizza

2010-04-19T18:39:00.000-07:00

This is similar to the Mexican pizza at Taco Bell. Pretty yummy and pretty cheap too. The presentation is nice enough for company, and it's made from ingredients we usually have on hand. Plus, it's ready in about 45 minutes....it's like the perfect fall-back meal!

1/2 lb ground beef

1 medium onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 TBS chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 (16 oz) can refried beans

4 (10 inch) tortillas

1/2 cup salsa

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded monterrey jack cheese

2 green onions, diced

2 roma tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup finely chopped jalepenos

1/4 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350. Coat 2 pie plates with cooking spray.
Place beef, onion, and garlic in skillet over medium heat. Cook until browned. Drain grease, and season with chili powder, cumin, paprika, black pepper, and salt.
Lay 1 tortilla in each pie plate. Spread half the can of refried beans on the tortillas. Spread half ground beef mixture on each. Cover with 2nd tortillas. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Let cool slightly. Spread 1/2 of each on each tortilla: salsa, cheeses, tomatoes, green onions, and jalepenos.
Bake 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let cool slightly before slicing.

We are sour cream lovers, but this meal was able to hold it's own without the sour cream. The jalepenos were a little too spicy for the kids, I think next time I'll only add them to one of the Mexican pizzas.

BBQ Pork Sandwhich

2010-03-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

I couldn't wait to have the leftovers of this for lunch today. It's SOO simple, just takes some time in the crock pot.

1 pork roast (approx 3 lbs)
1 can BBQ sauce (about 14oz)
1 can beef broth
Dinner rolls

Put ingredients in crock pot on low for 6-8 hours. About an hour before dinner needs to be done, take the meat out, shred it, and put it back in the juices and let it cook for the last hour. Serve on a sliced dinner roll. Ta da. Dinner. I'm going to freeze half of the shredded pork for a later meal.

BIG Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-03-04T17:39:00.000-08:00

I've always wondered how people make those BIG sized chewy chocolate chip cookies. Well, this afternoon, I DID IT! I got this recipe off of allrecipies.com and they were beautiful, chewy, huge, and delicious.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (I prefer it with salted butter)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 TBS vanilla
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used half semisweet chocolate chips, half semisweet chocolate chunks)

Preheat oven to 325. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy (be sure not to over-beat). Mix in sifted ungredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 15-17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toated. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. (I use newspaper instead of a wire rack...one of these days I'll by the rack)

Braised Balsamic Chicken

2010-03-02T18:57:00.000-08:00

This was a nice variation to the regular chicken routine in our home. Very easy and very fast, so that was nice. I got this recipe from allrecipies.com

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp garlic salt
2 TBS olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Season chicken breasts with pepper and garlic salt. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet, and brown the onion and seasoned chicken breasts.

In small bowl, combine vinegar, tomatoes, and remaining seasonings. Pour over chicken and onions. Simmer unti lchicken is no longer pink and juices run clear, about 15 minutes.

Baked Chimichangas

2010-03-01T15:13:00.000-08:00

These babies are so yummy, and sooo much less fat/less mess than your average fried chimichanga. I was very pleased, and so was the rest of the family.

The shredded beef was made from leftovers from the roast we had the night before. I threw the leftovers back in the crockpot (with all the juices and seasonings), left it in the fridge overnight, then the next afternoon let it cook on low for another 4-6 hours.

The recipe I got this idea from actually called for ground beef, so you can do it that way too, I just prefer the shredded stuff. If you use ground beef, brown the beef first, then drain the grease, then simmer with the tomatoes. Instead of diced tomatoes, you can also use salsa.

1 pound shredded beef (approx)
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with jalepenos (this was not spicy at all, just added a good flavor)
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
8 (12 inch) flour tortillas
1 (16 ounce) package shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon butter, melted
shredded lettuce
1 fresh tomato, diced
sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large saucepan, combine shredded beef and canned diced tomatoes. Simmer on med-lo heat for about 20 minutes, or until the juices are gone. Mix in the can of refried beans and cheese.

Spoon the beef mixture down the center, and roll up the tortillas, and place them seam-side down onto a baking sheet. Brush the tortillas with melted butter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Serve with lettuce, tomato, and sour cream.

Lactation Cookies

2010-02-24T15:07:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from Stephanie Fritz a few years ago. They have a few ingredients in them to help boost milk supply, they're really just a healthier cookie. Call me crazy, but I just LOVE these cookies, the "healthy" ingredients give it a good rich flavor. Just don't eat too many of them :)

* 1 cup butter
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 4 tablespoons water
* 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal*
* 2 large eggs* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 cups flour* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 cups oats, thick cut if you can get them
* 1 cup or more chocolate chips
* 2 tablespoons of brewers yeast* (be generous)

Directions:

Preheat oven at 375 degrees F.

Mix together 2 tablespoons of flaxseed mealand water, set aside for 3-5 minutes.

Cream (beat well) margarine and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mix well. Stir flaxseed mixture and add with vanillato the margarine mix. Beat until blended.

Sift together dry ingredients,except oats and chips. Add to margarine mixture. Stir in oats then chips. Scoop or drop onto baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment or silpat.The dough is a little crumbly, so it helps to use a scoop.

Bake 8-12 minutes, depending on size of cookies.
Serves: 6 dozen cookies
Preparation time: 15 minutes

*can be found at any local health food store.**NOTE** *IT MUST BE BREWERS YEAST, NO SUBSTITUTIONS.
*If you don't like chocolate chips, it can be any sort of sweet chip-likething. (Peanut butter chips, butterscotch, whatever you like!) And I imaginethat you could even sub with nuts if you wanted! But those cookies?Seriously, the BEST EVER.

Chicken Tamale Casserole

2010-02-09T15:44:00.000-08:00

This recipe was SO easy, I couldn't help but post it. It's not ESPECIALLY delicious, but it's nice for variety, and when the prep work is so easy, heck, why not add it to the recipe rotation???

1 cup (4 oz) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided (I didn't have this, so I used half cheddar, half pepperjack cheese)
1/3 cup fat free milk (I used 1%)
1/4 cup egg substitute (or just 1 large egg)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4 oz) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5 oz) box corn muffin mix (such as jiffy or Martha White)
1 (4oz) can diced green chilies
cooking spray, such as PAM
1 (10 oz) can red enchildada sauce
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (I used 2 cans of chicken and it tasted fine)
1 (2 oz) can sliced olives (optional)
1/2 cup sour cream (I'm a sour cream lover, but I didn't think the recipe needed this)

Preheat oven to 400
In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup cheese and the next 7 ingredients (through chilies), stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 9x13 in pan coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese and olives, if desired.
Bake at 400 for additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand for 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces, and top each serving with 1 TBS sour cream.

Caramel Apple Dip

2010-02-09T15:40:00.000-08:00

Here's another ridiculously easy recipe that was a big hit at the super bowl party.

16 individually wrapped caramels
1/4 cup water
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar

In medium saucepan, over med-lo heat, melt caramels with water, stirring frequently. Once smooth, remove from heat. In medium bowl, cream together cream cheese and brown sugar, until very smooth. Fold in caramel mixture. Refridgerate until ready to use, or serve immediately.

Serve with apples, or whatever other fruit you'd like.

To prepare ahead of time, cut the apples, and let them sit in the refridgerator in 4 cups water and 1/4 cup lemon juice until ready to serve. This will keep them from turning brown. Be sure to let them dry off before you serve them.

Jalepeno Popper Dip

2010-02-09T15:33:00.000-08:00

Served it at the Super Bowl party I attended, and everyone seemed to like it, kids and adults alike...AND it was ridiculously easy!! That's the BEST kind of recipe!

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayo
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies, drained
1 (2 oz) can diced jalepenos, drained
1 cup grated parmesean cheese (the real stuff, not the green can)

Stir cream cheese and mayo in large bowl until smooth. Stir in chilies and jalepenos. Pour into microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle with grated parmesean cheese. Microwave on hi until hot, about 3 minutes. *OR* to brown the cheese (which is what I did) bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Yep, it's THAT easy.

You can dip crackers, chips, or whatever you'd like in it. (I served it with Ritz crackers, and thought that was good, but most everyone else dipped Fritos in it)

Crepes Ensenada

2010-02-04T10:00:00.000-08:00

This is a super easy recipe. I'm not thrilled with the cheese sauce, but the basic idea is pretty good, and I can't argue with how simple it is! If anyone has a better idea for the cheese sauce, let me know!

12 thin slices of ham (lunch meat)
12 10" flour tortillas
1 lb monterrey jack cheese, cut into 12 pieces (I just use string cheese)
7 oz can green chilies
chesse sauce (see below)
paprika

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat tortillas to soften. On each tortilla, place string cheese wrapped in the ham, and a spoon full of green chilies. Fold in the sides of the tortilla and roll it, enchalada style. Place in a greased 9x13 in baking dish, and pour cheese sauce over. Sprinkle with paprika, bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Cheese sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups milk
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp prepared mustard
1/2 tsp salt

In saucepan, melt butter. Slowly add milk and flour until thickened. Add remaining ingredients and cook until smooth.

I have never used all the cheese sauce, I might try halving in one of these times.

Mexican Casserole

2010-02-04T09:47:00.000-08:00

I was suprised how yummy this came out (or maybe it's just the pregnancy that made this so delicious), but I thought it had a great flavor, and the family enjoyed it, Cory even went back for THIRDS! Don't expect the chips to stay crunchy, that's not what they're there for. I'd say this is a casserole pretty enough and tasty enough for company. This was not spicy at all, for a little heat, add red pepper flakes and/or hot sauce to the meat mixture.

1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
1 can diced green chilis
season to taste (I used garlic salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, and taco seasonings)
1 cup salsa
1 cup diced tomatoes (I used the tomatoes with jalepenos)
16 oz can chili beans (you can sub black beans, if desired)
3 cups tortilla chips, crushed
2 cups sour cream
2 oz can sliced black olives, drained
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350

In large skillet, over med-hi heat, cook ground beef with desired seasonings and green chilis until beef is no longer pink. Stir in salsa and canned tomatoes, reduce heat, simmer 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in beans and heat through.

Lightly grease a 9x13 in baking pan. Spread crushed chips over bottom of dish, then spoon meat mixture on top of chips. Spread sour cream over over meat mixture and sprinkle with olives, green onions, and fresh tomatoes. Top with cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Fruit Dip

2010-02-03T17:19:00.000-08:00

During the winter, when it seems like there is only boring fruit in season, this is how I spice it up for the family. It is an actually an apple dip, but I just chop the fruit up, and mix it all together:

1 package cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Mix together and add fruit. I like to add chopped apples, grapes, bananas, pears, etc. You can also add chopped walnuts.

Hawaiian Hay Stacks

2010-01-04T09:18:00.001-08:00

Shelisa (my sister) made this for dinner last night and I thought it was good.

2 cups white rice
2 cans cooked chicken (found by tuna in the grocery store)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can crushed pineapple
3 TBS coconut
handful of crunchy chow mein noodles

1. Cook white rice according to package directions.

2. In medium sauce pan compine canned chicken and cream of chicken soup. Heat until warm.

3. Stack rice, chicken mixture and remaining ingredients, either as individual servings or all together in a medium-sized pan.

Yep, that easy, such a quick dinner for one of those nights where you really don't have much time to cook. This is really good with some steamed fresh veggies!

Bourbon Chicken

2009-12-17T16:57:00.001-08:00

Obviously this is a non-alcoholic dish, it gets the name from the location this recipe originated, or something like that.

Anyways, this is really good with fried rice.

1 lb bag of popcorn chicken or meatballs
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 TBS ketchup
1 TBS cider vinegar
1/2 cup cold water
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 TBS corn starch

1. Cook bag of chicken or meatballs according to directions on bag. (I recommend frying the chicken instead of microwaving it, it just comes out SO much better)

2. Combine remianing ingredients in sauce pan prior to heating. Once all ingredients are added, bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Toss in cooked chicken/meatballs.

Fried Rice

2009-12-17T16:50:00.000-08:00

This is so simple, it will amaze you! And it's a family favorite.

2 carrots, chopped finely
2 stalks of celery, chopped finely
2 TBS butter
1 box Rice A Roni (I use chicken flavor)
2 1/2 cups water
3 eggs

1. Chop carrots and celery finely.

2. Prepare Rice A Roni as directed on box (adding the butter, water, and seasonings as directed). With the water, also add the chopped vegetables. Simmer as directed. After water is absorbed and rice is fully cooked, in a seperate bowl, stir eggs, then pour into the rice and cook on medium heat until eggs are fully cooked (about 4 minutes). You can also throw in some left over chicken or pork, chopped up.

Serve and enjoy!

As a side note, I usually serve with my bourbon chicken.

Enchaladas

2009-12-15T17:05:00.000-08:00

Here is the enchalada recipe I use, inspired by my mother-in-law. Guests can't seem to resist going back for seconds and thirds, and I always get requests for the recipe...so here goes...I don't measure the ingredients when I do it, so hopefully it will make sense...

1 lb chicken (whatever cut you like, I usually do tenderloins)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can diced chilies
1 can green enchalada sauce
1-2 cups grated cheddar cheese
12 corn tortillas (about)
sour cream

1. Place chicken, cream of chicken soup, and half the can of diced green chilies in the crock pot on high for 4 hours, or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken from sauce and dice. (Do not discard soup.)

2. Preheat oven to 350, generously grease 9x13 inch pan. In medium bowl, combine chicken, cheese, and remaining diced chilies. Warm tortillas to make them soft (I place 4 in a large zip lock bag, seal, and cook in the microwave for 25 seconds). Add a spoonfull or two of chicken mixture to each tortilla, roll tightly, and place in dish. Repeat until dish is full. Combine cream of chicken soup (used for cooking chicken) and enchalada sauce and pour over tortillas. Sprinkle top with cheese.

3. Cover dish with foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until cheese is melted in the middle. Remove foil cover and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until light golden brown. Serve and top with sour cream.

Big Soft Ginger Cookies

2009-12-15T16:57:00.000-08:00

Here's another recipe from allrecipies.com. It's a nice variation to the sugar cookies we see so much this time of year. These cookies really are big and soft, and they stay soft too! Very yummy!

2 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves (I didn't have any, so I used pumpkin pie spice)
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup margarine, softened (I used butter)
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 TBS water
1/4 cup molasses
2 TBS sugar (it took a little bit more)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape the dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 TBS of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly.

3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Stuffed Green Peppers

2009-12-15T16:46:00.000-08:00

I made this for dinner last night, and it was a big hit with the husband, myself, and with Cory. I used the meat/rice/cheese mixture to make burritos with the younger kids. My husband is generally NOT a fan of green bell peppers, but he REALLY liked this and requested I make this again, maybe with steak next time. (ooooh, that DOES sound good) I got the recipe from allrecipies.com.

6 green bell peppers
salt to taste
1 lb ground beef
1/3 cup chopped onion
salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika to taste
1 (14.5 oz) can peeled, diced tomatoes
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup water
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2(10.75 oz) cans tomato soup
water as needed

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds. Cook peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain. Sprinkle salt inside each pepper and set aside.

2. In a large skillet, saute beef and onions for five minutes, or until beef is browned. Drain off excess fat, and season. Stir in the tomatoes, rice, 1/2 cup water and worcestershire sauce. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until rice is tender. Remove from heat, and stir in the cheese.

3. Preheat the oven to 350. Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture, and place peppers open side up in a baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine tomato soup and just enough water to make the soup a gravy consistency. Pour over the peppers.

4. Bake covered for 25-35 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Thanksgiving Turkey

2009-11-15T15:51:00.000-08:00

I got this from my sister in-law. Once you cook your turkey this way, you'll never be able to even stand other turkeys.

BRINE:
1 1/2 cup lemon juice
1 1/4 cup organge juice
1 1/2 cup kosher salt
1 1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
3 oranges, cut in half
3 jalepenos, minced
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 TBS chopped garlic
4 1/2 tsp chili powder
4 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 gallon water

Combine water and salt, mix, then add remaining ingredients. Soak partially thawed turkey in brine for 12-24 hours.

Preheat oven to 375. Remove turkey from brine and place in large roasting pan, breast up, dry with paper towls. Rup with 1 1/2 TBS vegetable oil and sprinkle with emeralds essence (recipe below). Cook according to traditional directions. Allow to sit 15 minutes before cutting.

**I'd never used a brine before, and wasn't quite sure how to do it. I used a sturdy kitchen sized trash bag, and dumped the ingredients and turkey into it, then tied it off and put it in the cooler overnight. Worked wonderfully.**

Emerald's Essence:
5 TBS paprika
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup garlic powder
2 TBS ground black pepper
2 TBS onion powder
2 TBS cayenne pepper
2 TBS dried oregano
2 TBS thyme

Mix together.

Beef Taco Bake

2009-11-15T15:40:00.000-08:00

This is kind of like a homemade hamburger helper. Tastes good, the kids REALLY like it.

1 lb ground beef
10 3/4 oz can condensed tomato soup
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup milk
6 flour tortillas or 8 corn tortillas cut into 1" slices
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Cook beef in large skillet over med-hi heat until well browned. Pour off any fat

Stir the soup, salsa, milk, tortiallas, and half the cheese in the skillet. Spoon the mixture into a 2 quart shallow baking dish and cover.

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Apple Cinnamon French Toast Cups

2009-11-15T15:36:00.001-08:00

I got this recipe from Laura Richin's recipe blog. Turned out very yummy.

4 slices whole wheat bread, cut into cubes
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
dash of ground nutmeg

For the apples:
1 large apple, cut into cubes
1 TBS butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon

In medium skillet, saute apples with butter and cinnamon for about 5 minutes, or unti lsoft. Set aside.

In medium bowl, mix eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined. Add bread cubes and mix until all bread is saturated. Add apples and mix until well distributed.

Scoop bread into lightly greased muffin cups. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until set and golden brown.

Mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 TBS milk until smooth. Drizzle on top of french toast cups and serve.

Buffalo Wings

2009-11-15T14:27:00.000-08:00

These are a huge hit with the whole family. My husband especially likes them and asks me to make them when we have company over.

1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup hot pepper sauce (I use Frank's brand)
1 dash ground black pepper
1+ dash garlic powder
chicken (about 10 tenderloins)
oil for frying

Combine flour-salt in small bowl. Place defrosted chicken in large non-pourous glass bowl and sprinkle mixture over chicken until evenly coated. Cover and refridgerate 60-90 minutes.

Heat oil in pan and fry coated chicken.

In small saucepan, melt and combine butter-garlic powder. Pour over cooked chicken and serve.

The kids don't like the hot sauce, so I just leave theirs fried chicken, and for the adults I put the sauce on top.

Friendship Dip

2009-11-15T14:24:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from realmomkitchen.blogspot.com I've made it several times for lunch after church, everyone gathers around and digs in...yummy

8oz package cream cheese
15 oz can chili
4 oz can diced green chilies
cheese
olives (opt)
green onion (opt)
tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 350. Spread cream cheese on 9"pie pan. Layer with chili, green chilies, and cheese. Top with olives (optional). Bake for 20-25 inutes, garnish with green onions. Serve with chips.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2009-11-15T14:16:00.000-08:00

So devilishly good...inspired by my mother.

Crust:
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup crushed graham crackers (about 8)
(can also use gingersnaps and/or nuts)

Melt butter, stir in sugar, add grahams, and mix well. Chill until form or bake at 375 4-5 minutes. Chill before filling.

Filling:
2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

Preheat oven to 325
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in the eggs, one at a time. Remove 1 cup of the batter and spread into bottom of crust, set aside.
Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours, or overnight. Cover with whipped topping before serving.

Topping:
1 1/2 oz butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
corn syrup
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Melt butter in sauce pan. Mix in brown sugar and corn syrup and pecans. Spoon onto firmed cheesecake.

Reese's Chewy Chocolate Cookies

2009-10-29T15:02:00.000-07:00

2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
10 oz bag peanut butter chips.

In medium bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.

In seperate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Gradually blend into butter mixture.

Stir in chips. Bake at 350 for 8-9 minutes. Do not overbake, cookies will be soft. Allow to cool completely. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling.

Tailgate Chili

2009-10-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

I'm generally not a HUGE fan of chili, I generally only eat it because it's in front of me, but this recipe is GOOD. I mean it. GOOD. Takes a little bit of prep time, but what GOOD recipe doesn't? I got this recipe from allrecipes.com. At the time I printed the recipe, it had over 1200 reviews, and 5 stars (out of 5).

Caution: It makes a LOT.

2 lbs ground beef chuck

1 lb bulk italian sausage
3(15oz)cans chili beans, drained

1(15oz) can chili beans in spicy sauce

2(28oz) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1(6oz) can tomato paste

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 green chili peppers, seeded and chopped
1 TBS bacon bits
4 cubes beef bouillon
1/4 cup chilli powder
1 TBS worchestershire sauce
1 TBS minced garlic
1 TBS dried oregano
2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp hot pepper sauce (i.e. tobasco)

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp white sugar

1 bag Fritos corn chips

8 oz package shredded Cheddar cheese

Brown beef and sausage, drain of excess grease. Pour into crockpot or LARGE pot.

Add remaining ingredients, except for chips and cheese. Cover and cook on low for 2-4 hours. Season to taste. Pour in bowl and garnish with chips and cheese. YUMMY.

Hashbrown Casserole

2009-09-22T16:05:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from a friend of mine, Lesley Hocker. Aparently it tastes just like Cracker Barrel's. It's a great recipe for Sunday mornings, or a potluck brunch. You can also throw in some cubed ham, if desired.

2 lbs frozen shredded hashbrowns
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom of a 9x13 in pan.

2. Combine soup, butter, salt, pepper, onion, and cheese. Gently mix in potatoes and pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Chicken Pillows

2009-09-22T15:54:00.000-07:00

The whole family is a HUGE fan of these! Not terribly healthy, so I can't make them all the time, but when I make them, they are gone fast! I got this recipe from realmomkitchen.blogspot.com

3-4 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
6 oz cream cheese
2-4 TBS green onion, diced

2 TBS butter, softened
1/4 tsp salt
dash of ground black pepper
2 cans crescent creation sheets (you can find them next to the cans of crescent rolls and biscuits)
seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup melted butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 TBS mayo
milk to consistancy preference

1. In large bowl, mix cream cheese, green onion, 2 TBS butter, milk, salt and pepper. Stir in chicken, set aside.

2. Carefully unroll crescent dough and divide each tube into 4 rectangles. Pour a heaping TBS (or two or three) on the divided crescent rolls, and fold over and seal. Dip in melted butter and dredge in bread crumbs. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Meanwhile, In small sauce pan, mix cream of chicken soup, sour cream, mayo, milk, and seasonings until warm. When chicken pillows come out of oven, place on plate and top with cream sauce. Mmm mmmm good.

Meatloaf

2009-09-22T15:40:00.000-07:00

I'm not a huge fan of meatloaf in general, but this one is pretty darn good. I've made it for company, and guests always go back for seconds. I found this recipe on allrecipies.com

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 tsp ginger
3/4 cup finely crushed saltine crackers
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp worchestershire sauce
one piece of bread, torn into 1/2inch pieces

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 TBS worchestershire sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 5x9in loaf pan.

2. Tear piece of bread into small pieces, and place on bottom of loaf pan. (This helps soak up any additional grease.)

3. Mix beef, milk, eggs, salt, pepper, onion, ginger, saltines, garlic, and worchestershire sauce. Shape into loaf, and place in loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

4. Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine brown sugar, ketchup, and worchestershire sauce. Pour on meatloaf 20 minutes prior to the end of baking time (so after the meatloaf has cooked 40 minutes).

Meat and Cornbread Squares

2009-09-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

There just aren't enough ground beef recipes, I swear. Anyways, here's a good one from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.

1 lb ground beef
1 TBS cornstarch
1 TBS dried minced onion
1-2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes

1 package cornbread mix (i.e. Jiffy)
cheese

1. Brown and drain ground beef in large skllet. Stir in cornstarch, onion, chili powder, and garlic salt. Stir in undrained tomatoes and most of the can of diced green chilies. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more.

2. Prepare cornbread mix according to box directions. Add and handful of cheese and the remaining diced green chilies.

3. Pour half batter into greased square baking dish. Spook meat mixture on top, then top with reamining corbread mix. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Perfectly Chocolately Chocolate Frosting

2009-09-22T15:23:00.000-07:00

I got this off the back of the Hershey's cocoa, and it's the best!

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup HERSHEY's cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

1. Melt butter (microwave is fine)
2. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistancy. Add more milk if needed. Stir in vanilla.

Makes about 2 cups.

My go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe

2009-09-22T15:17:00.000-07:00

I have not been content with my chocolate chip cookie recipe for a while, so I went searching on allrecipies.com, and found an awesome one, I added a couple alterations and vio la! These are to die for.

4 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 (3.4oz) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In small bowl, sift together flour and baking soda, set aside.
3. In LARGE bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in chips and nuts. Drop by rounded spoonfulls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Edges should be golden brown.

This recipe can easily be halved, but why on earth would you want to do that? :)

Why?

2009-09-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

I love to try new recipes, and I have been trying quite a few new ones recently. I have a cookbook that I have created of my favorite recipes, but I thought an online format might be easier. Plus my dear sisters have requested some of my favorite recipes, so this is just an easy way to share. Look at as much or as little as you want.