Kitchen Karma

Personal Portobello Pizzas

2012-01-22T19:52:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from Parents magazine. Supposedly, mushrooms have lots of vitamin D and potassium. I'm sure they are much healthier than pizza crust. I'm not going to say it tastes like pizza crust. It's definitely different but we all really liked it.

4 large portobello mushroom caps, stems removed
2 Tbs olive oil
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning (or just sprinkle some stuff on them)
1/2 c shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (I doubled the cheese)

1. Preheat over to 400. Line a 15x10x1 in baking pan with foil; brush lightly with olive oil. Place mushroom caps stem side down in prepared pan. Brush caps with remaining oil. Bake for about 10 min.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl stir together tomato sauce, garlic, and seasonings. Drain off liquid from mushrooms. Turn mushrooms stem side up. Spoon sauce into mushroom caps. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes.

My grandmother has made these with meat and spinach added too.

Doughnuts (from Deceptively Delicious Cookbook)

2012-01-03T10:04:00.001-08:00

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup sweet potato puree
1/2 cup milk or lowfat buttermilk
1 large egg white
1 tblsp.trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread, melted (I use butter)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour, or whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a doughnut mold or 12 mini-muffin tin with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, pumpkin and sweet potato purees, milk, egg white, margarine,
and vanilla. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spice, and mix until completely incorporated.
Pour the batter into a gallon-sized plastic bag and cut the bottom tip off of one side of the bag. Squeeze
the batter through, into the doughnut mold. Bake until the tops are lightly browned and a toothpick comes
out clean when inserted, 20-25 minutes. Turn the doughnuts out onto a rack to cool. When cool, dust
with confectioner's sugar.

Store in an airtight container at room temp. for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.

*** These are low in sugar and have veggies in it, so a healthy snack for your kids! If they in fact look like doughnuts your kids will be fooled;)

Chocolate dipped cappuccino caramels

2011-12-23T19:17:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine made these delicious caramels last time we were in Auburn. They are so yummy! The recipe is tweaked from a Better Homes and Garden cookbook.

1 C butter
1 16-oz. pkg brown sugar (2 1/4 C)
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 C light corn syrup
3 Tbsp. instant coffee
1 C chopped walnuts
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2-1 tsp. finely shredded orange peel (I omit this)
dark chocolate chips

Line an 8x8x2 in or 9x9x2 in baking pan with foil (the nonstick kind works best). Butter the foil; set aside.
In heavy 3-qt saucepan melt butter over low heat. Stir in brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup, and coffee.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until candy thermometer reaches 248 degrees or candy reaches *firm ball stage. The mixture should boil at moderate, steady rate over the entire surface. Reaching firm ball stage should take 15-20 min.
Remove saucepan from heat. Immediately stir in walnuts, vanilla, and orange peel. Quickly pour caramel into foil lines baking dish. Allow to cool thoroughly. I put mine in the fridge for a while.
When caramel is firm, cut caramels into bite size squares. Makes about 3 pounds...60-80 pieces depending on how big you cut them.
I melt dark chocolate chips and dip the caramels. It is easiest to use two skewers to hold the candy so that you don't leave finger marks. A touch of sea salt on top adds a yummy salty taste to all this sweetness.

*To test firm ball stage: drop a few drops of caramel mixture into cold water. Shape the drops of caramel into a ball. When the caramel is removed from water, it will be firm enough to hold its shape, but should quickly flatten at room temperature.

Wrap and store the caramels for up to 3 weeks in a cool, dry place or up to 9 months in the freezer. These make great gifts!

Baja Style Fish Tacos

2011-11-14T17:54:00.000-08:00

These have been added to our list of "regulars". In fact Morgandy asked me tonight when we were having them again. They are yummy. This recipe has been adapted from The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook.

Baja Style Fish Tacos:

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 cups shredded green cabbage (I buy the pre-shedded kind)
5 Tbsp minced fresh clantro
3 scallions sliced thin
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
4 tsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper
3/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp minced canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp groun coriander
1/4 tsp ground cumin
4 tilapia fillets (the ones I get are about 8 oz each)
12 (6 inch) corn tortillas
Lime wedges (for serving)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Toss the cabbage, 1/4 cup cilantro, scallions, vinegar, 1 tsp of the oil and 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining tablespoon cilantro, mayonnaise, lime juice, chipotles, and garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste, Set both aside for serving.

3. Combine the chili powder, coriander, cumin and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Pat the fish dry with paper towels, brush with the remaining tablespoon oil, and rub evenly with the spice mixture. Place fish in a 9x13 pan and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in pre-heated oven for 15 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

4. While the fish is baking heat a griddle or pan on high heat and heat up the corn tortillas one at a time (about 20 seconds on each side) until they begin to brown. Alternatively you can place them between wet paper towels and microwave them for a minute or two until they are soft and pliable. Wrap the warm tortillas in a kitchen towel or aluminum foil to keep them warm.

5. When fish is done cut fillets into 3 equal pieces. Smear each tortilla with some of the mayo mixture and top with some of the cabbage slaw and a piece of fish. Serve with the lime wedges.

According to the original recipe you use mahi-mahi and can substitute halibut, swordfish, or red snapper. It also calls for the fish and tortillas to be grilled. If you grill the fish it takes 10-14 minutes over high heat, turning once. It also suggests serving the tacos with grilled corn on the cob and hot sauce. We usually have it with black beans.

These tacos are really, really good. They are totally worth the time and effort. And if there are leftovers the actually re-heat fairly well.

Creamy pesto pasta

2011-08-03T17:41:00.000-07:00

1 lb. uncooked noodles (I prefer Rotini noodles)
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup white cooking wine
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 8 oz. jar of pesto
2 tblsp. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a saucepan, heat 2 tblsp. olive oil and then add chopped onions, minced garlic and cubed chicken breasts. Saute it until chicken is done. Add the jar of pesto and white cooking wine. Stir and let cook for five minutes to cook out the alcohol. Turn off heat and set aside. Cook pasta. Drain water from pasta and add pasta immediately to pesto sauce. Turn on the heat and stir. Add the parmesan cheese and whipping cream. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir until creamy. Serve immediately! This is a family staple in our house!

The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook Review

2011-07-17T15:43:00.000-07:00

We all have a "go to" cookbook. One we use all the time. One we know that no matter what we make it will a) work and b) be delicious.

This is my current "go to" book for cooking:

My sister introduced me to The America's Test Kitchen years ago. If you haven't heard of the series on PBS you should check it out. It's great; entertaining, informative and educational. She recently bought this book and then made several recipes from it for us when she was here visiting. My mom bought it and bought one for me. I've been cooking out of it several times a week for a month. So far everything I've made from it has been good. Really good. And don't let the "Healthy" part throw you. The recipes don't sacrifice taste for health.

You may have seen my sister and I messaging page numbers on Facebook of what we've tried and liked. I guess we have been raving so much about it we've already peaked the interest of my aunt and cousin because they just ordered it, too.

Just like the show this book is filled with tips and tricks and reasoning behind the cooking methods. It's tabbed dividers make it easy to find what you are looking for and the photos are super helpful.

The one downside to a lot of these recipes is that they involve a lot of chopping and if you have kids at home like I do it may mean you spend nap-time doing food prep. The end result is worth it to me but I did think it's worth mentioning.

Here are some of my favorite's so far:

* Southwestern Black Bean Salad (I could eat this every.single.day.)

* Vegetable Enchiladas (supposedly my sister made these for a "meat-eating" friend and they said they wouldn't have known there wasn't meat in it if they hadn't been told)

*North African Style Chick Pea Salad

*Baja Grilled Fish Tacos

*Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

I originally titled this post: The Next Cookbook You Should Add To Your Collection. I would recommend it to anyone. You can get it here. If you do buy it I'd love to know what your favorite recipes are. You can post here or message me a page number on Facebook :).

The Best Carrot Cake Ever!!!!

2011-06-20T12:22:00.000-07:00

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated peeled carrots (about 10 carrots)
one 8oz. can crushed pineapple, drained (I omit this ingredient)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Icing
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
one 16oz. box confectioners' sugar, sifted

Preparation
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.
2) To make the cake, sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon into a large bowl. Add the eggs and vegetable oil and stir until well blended. Fold in the grated carrots, pineapple, and pecans and stir until the mixture in thoroughly blended.
3) Pour one-third of the batter into each of the prepared pans. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the edges have pulled away slightly from the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
4) Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and let cool completely on wire racks.
5) To make the icing, place the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer set at medium speed, cream the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until smooth.
6) Place a cake layer on a serving plate and frost the top. Repeat this procedure with the second and third layers. Finish by icing the sides of the cake. Cut into wedges and serve.

Makes one 8-inch layer cake. Serves 8-10.

Sesame Noodles

2011-06-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

adapted from Good Housekeeping.com (click the title to go to the original link)

This is becoming one of our "regular" meals. It's very easy and yummy. If you *must* you could add some shrimp or even chicken. I serve this with gyoza (Chinese dumplings) alongside.

I've halved the original recipe because it makes a lot. I also limit the spicy-ness for my kiddos.
You can make the sauce earlier in the day to save some time.

Ingredients:

- salt
- 8 oz. spaghetti (whole wheat, regular or even rice noodles)
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/8 cup rice vinegar
- 1/8 low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/8 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 Tbsp Asian sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp sugar
- pinch crushed red pepper (or more if you like it spicier)
- 2 cups carrots cut into match sticks (save yourself some time and buy the packaged kind)
- 2 small cucumbers (I used Persian cucumbers) cut into matchsticks
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds toasted (optional)
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Heat large pot of salted water to boiling over high heat. Add pasta and cook as label directs.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, with wire whisk or fork, mix orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, peanut butter, oil, ginger, sugar, and crushed red pepper until blended; set sauce aside.
Place carrots in colander; drain pasta over carrots. In large serving bowl, toss pasta mixture, cucumbers, and sliced green onions with sauce in bowl. If you like, sprinkle pasta with sesame seeds. Garnish with green onions and cilantro.

Lemon Fish Packets *Updated

2011-05-17T07:36:00.000-07:00

My sister Lana gave me this recipe. It's super easy and very yummy. I was really surprised at how the lemons softened and mellowed as they cooked.

* I made this during the week and realized I should update it.

1 lb fish (I used tilapia)
1 lemon thinly sliced
1 small onion thinly sliced
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Aluminum Foil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice fish into serving portions. Spread out a larger piece of foil and place fish on it. Salt and pepper fish then place sliced lemon and onion on top. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap foil around to make a packet. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until fish flakes easily with fork.

A call for Mediterranean Recipes

2011-05-17T07:30:00.000-07:00

Our family has recently switched to a Mediterranean diet. That means no red meat, very little white meat, some fish, eggs, lots of fruits, veggies and no dairy. (Well, the kids and I are doing some dairy).

We've made this switch for mostly dietary reasons but also because meat is expensive. It's been a bit of a challenge coming up with new things to cook that fit that category but it's getting easier and I've found some yummy recipes along the way. Also I've lost some weight so that has been a great incentive to keep it up.

If you have any recipes that fit this category I'd love to hear them. And I'll be sharing some of what I've found that we've liked too.

Wonton Chicken Salad

2011-05-11T12:44:00.001-07:00

1 head of iceberg lettuce
1/2 lb. wonton wrappers (any brand is fine and you can buy these at a regular grocery store, often in the frozen section)
3 chicken breasts, cooked in water and shredded
4 green onions, chopped
2 tblsp. sesame seeds
1 tblsp. sugar
1 can chopped water chestnuts, cut into tiny pieces
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tblsp. white vinegar
2 tblsp. sesame oil

Wash and chop lettuce. Dry really well. Boil chicken breasts in water and shredded into small pieces. Fry wonton wrappers
in medium-heat oil on stove top until lightly browned. Set aside for later. I usually set them aside on a plate lined with a paper
towel to soak up excess oil. Don't get the oil too hot though or they will burn quickly. Mix all remaining ingredients and pour
over chicken and marinate at least 3 hours in fridge. When ready to serve, pour chicken mixture over lettuce and crumble
friend wonton wrappers and toss to coat. Serve immediately because it gets soggy fast! Yummy.....

This is a family favorite, and while it takes some time to prepare it, it is so worth it!

Mongolian Beef

2011-04-01T15:53:00.000-07:00

Matt's actual name for this is "Hoo Dang! That's good!"

We've had this, we've shared it with friends, and it is always good! I add steamed broccoli and stir it up together. Yum!

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped
garlic
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh
ginger root
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 pound beef flank steak,
sliced 1/4 inch thick on the
diagonal
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup vegetable oil for frying
2 bunches green onions, cut in
2-inch lengths

Directions:
1.Heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat, and cook and stir the garlic and ginger until they release their fragrance, about 30 seconds. Pour in the soy sauce, water, and brown sugar. Raise the heat to medium-high, and stir 4 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce boils and slightly thickens. Remove sauce from the heat, and set aside.

2.Place the sliced beef into a bowl, and stir the cornstarch into the beef, coating it thoroughly. Allow the beef and cornstarch to sit until most of the juices from the meat have been absorbed by the cornstarch, about 10 minutes.

3.Heat the vegetable oil in a deep-sided skillet or wok to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

4.Shake excess cornstarch from the beef slices, and drop them into the hot oil, a few at a time. Stir briefly, and fry until the edges become crisp and start to brown, about 2 minutes. Remove the beef from the oil with a large slotted spoon, and allow to drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.

5.Pour the oil out of the skillet or wok, and return the pan to medium heat. Return the beef slices to the pan, stir briefly, and pour in the reserved sauce. Stir once or twice to combine, and add the green onions. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until the onions have softened and turned bright green, about 2 minutes.

Green Chili Mac N Cheese Casserole

2011-01-22T19:00:00.000-08:00

1 1/2 lbs uncooked ground beef

3 cloves garlic, minced (or garlic powder if you're in a hurry)

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

1 jar Texas Two-Step Tomatillo & Green Chili Stew Mix (this comes in a big glass jar in a special section at my HEB where they have their cooking connection class in the middle of the store, but you can probably find it in the jar chili section too. It costs about $8 or $9 at HEB, but it's worth it!)

16 ounces elbow macaroni, penne, or farfalle pasta

1 pound Velveeta, cubed

1/2 cup milk or heavy cream (I use 2%)

1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese

1. Heat oven to 350.

2. Cook macaroni according to package directions in large pot.

3. Meanwhile, cook ground beef, garlic, and onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

4. Drain macaroni in colander and use that pot to melt together the velveeta, milk, and green chili mix.

5. Once the velveeta is melted, mix that with the macaroni and ground beef either in that pot and then transfer to a 9x13 baking dish or mix it all together in the baking dish.

6. Top with shredded cheese and bake about 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

I know that the chili mix seems expensive, but this dish goes a LONG way. It easily made 8 adult servings plus several kid servings tonight. It's also excellent for leftover lunches and freezes well as leftovers. Enjoy!

Burger de Ville Salad

2011-01-18T18:09:00.000-08:00

Right down the street from us in Montreal was the best burger place called Burger de Ville. It was so good we ate there usually once a week. It opened a little over a year ago and within the 6 months was so popular there was always a line. We started just ordering take out so we could avoid the line. While their burgers were great, they also made a great salad. I started making it myself when we wanted to have it with something other than burgers. I also made a few changes to make it my own.

Here's my take on the BdV Salad:

Spring mix salad
Dried Cranberries
Red onions sliced
Pecan halves
4 oz goat cheese

Balsamic vinaigrette:
1/4 balsamic vinaigrette
3/4 EVOO
2 TBSP brown sugar
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic minced
Salt
Pepper
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Place salad greens in bowl, top with cranberries, pecans, red onions and toss. Crumble goat cheese on top. Serve with Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing.

Cookie Success

2010-12-12T06:01:00.000-08:00

I went to my first ever cookie exchange this week. (It was fabulous and terrible. I got 6 dozen cookies and the taunt me every time I pass by and I have hardly any will power against cookies). I made Sugar Coated Chocolate Cookies (I'll post the recipe soon). Cookies and I have a bit of a turbulent relationship. We don't always get along. However I came across a couple of helpful hints this week and thought I'd share.

- Use parchment paper. You don't have to spray it with any non-stick spray and you can reuse it. My cookies came off perfectly every time. And it helps cookies not spread so much and keep their shape so they look prettier.

- If you're using metal pans run cool water on the back side of them between batches to cool them down. It will keep your cookies from cooking right as you put the dough on the pan. This works very quickly, I think it took maybe 30 seconds. If you are concerned about wasting water for this I think you could put some cool water in your sink and set the pans on top and it might work just as well.

Any body else have any good cookie tips?

Pumpkin Layer Cheesecake

2010-11-24T19:08:00.000-08:00

This is one from Allrecipes that I have made for a few Thanksgivings now. I make this exactly as written, and it's delicious!!

Ingredients

* 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C.)

2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. With an electric mixer, beat on medium speed until smooth. Blend in eggs. Reserve 1 cup of cream cheese mixture and set aside. Pour remaining mixture into pie crust.

3. Into the reserved cream cheese mixture, stir pumpkin puree, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Pour over the top of the plain filling in the crust.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center of pie is almost set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

MY PIE

2010-11-24T18:58:00.000-08:00

I have officially changed this recipe SO MUCH, that this is now My Pie. :) It's a pecan pie with Kahlua and dark chocolate in it. I could die, I love this pie so much!

1/2c white sugar
1/2c brown sugar
1c light corn syrup
1/2c butter(1 stick)

4 eggs
1/4c Kahlua
1t vanilla
1/4t salt
1c chopped pecans

2 frozen pie shells(I buy them in the freezer aisle, or you could go with one deep dish)
6oz dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat your oven to 325

2. In a saucepan, combine sugars, corn syrup, and butter. Heat over medium heat, until butter is melted and sugars are dissolved. Set aside to cool a bit.

3. In a large bowl, beat four eggs. Whisk in the Kahlua, vanilla, and salt. Slowly pour in the sugar mixture, whisking constantly. Fold in pecans.

4. Spread the dark chocolate chips in the bottom of the pie shell(s). Pour mixture evenly into the pie shell(s).

5. Place pie(s) on a baking sheet(in case of spillover), and place in oven. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until set and crust is golden.

6. The hardest part. Let it cool and set. I make this the night before and hae a really hard time not eating that night! :)

I hope you all love it! I am making two right now.

Repost: Award Winning Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

2010-11-22T17:59:00.000-08:00

The church I attend had a Women's Gourmet Event last Friday night. They had 5 different catagories you could enter and I entered my Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas into the Main Dish category. Not only did I win for best dish in that category my 9 x 13 pan was empty within 5 minutes. I.kid.you.not.

So I decided to repost the recipe and update it with a few changes and variations I've made over the years.

3 cups chicken cooked and shredded

2 cans cream of chicken soup

8 oz sour cream

2 small cans green chilies

1 soup can water

3 cups grated cheddar cheese

1 cup chopped onion

12 tortillas

Boil chicken in seasoned water, save stock. Make sauce out of the next 4 ingredients. Add shredded chicken. Dip tortillas in chicken stock and stuff with sauce and 1 tablespoon cheese and onion. Roll in casserole dish and cover with remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

These make 2 9x13 pans and reheat very well. They also freeze well after baking.

Other variations:

If you have already cooked chicken you can use canned stock to dip the tortillas in.

Use whole wheat flour tortillas in place of the regular flour tortillas.

Use one can each of cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup.

Use Monterrey Jack cheese or a blend of Mexican cheeses.

I've started using both light and dark meat (a combo of breasts and thighs or legs).

I've substituted a can of Rotel for the 2 cans of green chilies. It looks festive at Christmastime.

I've also used some Salsa Verde in place of the green chilies. This makes the sauce taste almost like Chuy's tomatillo sauce, which I love with all my heart.

Cheeseburger Soup

2010-11-12T05:54:00.000-08:00

This recipe is so gooood! All my kids asked for seconds, and even thirds!

Adaptations from the original recipe are italicized.

Ingredients

* 1/2lb ground beef
* 3/4c chopped onion
* 3/4c chopped carrots
* 3/4c chopped celery
* 8oz pkg mushrooms, chopped
* 1t dried basil
* 1t dried parsley
* 1t ground mustard
* 1t garlic powder
* Dash cayenne
* 8T butter
* 4c chicken broth
* 16oz pkg shredded hashbrown potatoes
* 1/4c all-purpose flour(I have used corn** flour successfully)
* 1lb sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
* 1 1/2c milk(I have used almond milk successfully)
* 1/4c sour cream

Directions

1. In a large pot, melt 4T butter or margarine over medium heat: cook and stir vegetables until softened.

2. Add beef, break up and cook until beef is brown.

3. Stir in seasonings.

4. Melt the remainder of the butter and stir in flour and milk, whisking until smooth. Add to beef/veg mixture and let simmer a few minutes to thicken.

5. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes.

6. Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through.

**Makes this dish Gluten Free**

Honey Pecan Chicken

2010-07-23T12:15:00.001-07:00

1 1/2 c. finely chopped pecans
6 tblsp. crushed corn flakes
2 tblsp. honey
1 tblsp. soy sauce
10 chicken tenderloins (I actually use 4 reg. sized chicken breasts and it works great!)

Preheat ovent o 425. Mix pecans with corn flakes in a shallow dish. Combine honey and soy
sauce in another shallow dish. Dip both sides of chicken in the honey mixture, then coat
with pecan mixture. Arrange in baking dish in a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes and then turn
over and bake another 10 roughly....or until golden brown.

Cashew Chicken

2010-06-18T12:37:00.001-07:00

1- 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken
1 bell pepper (any color is fine)
1 small onion
2 tblsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
3 tblsp. oyster flavored sauce (you can buy it at Walmart in the oriental section)
1 tblsp. cornstarch
1 tblsp. oil
1/2 -1 cup cashew nuts (unsalted)

Slice chicken into bite-sized pieces. Put chicken in a bowl. Add soy sauce and ginger. Set aside. Slice bell pepper and onion into bite-sized pieces. Heat skillet and add oil. Stir fry chicken. Add bell pepper and onion. Pour oyster flavored sauce in. Add cashew nuts. Thicken with 1 tblsp. cornstarch. Serve over rice!

Cappuccino Muffins

2010-06-09T12:33:00.000-07:00

2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
1 stick butter, melted
6 oz. chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. instant coffee
1 egg

Mix all together and bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes. Voila.

Ring Tum Ditty

2010-05-25T15:32:00.000-07:00

This is from the "And from my peers" section of Paula Deen's "The Lady and Sons, Too!" cookbook. This is from Herb Traub and the Pirates' House.

According to the recipe it serves 4 "Hogolettos" or 6 normal people. It freezes well for another time if you're not feeding a lot of people.

12 ounces bacon, chopped
2 cups onion, chopped
Two 16 ounce cans whole tomatoes, juice reserved
One 16 ounce can whole kernel corn
Dried basil
Salt and Pepper
3 cups (3/4 pound) grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
4-6 baking potatoes, baked

Saute' the bacon and onions in a heavy pot until the bacon is crisp and the onion is translucent. Drain off the fat. Drain the tomato juice into the pot, squish the tomatoes through your fingers into the pot. Add the corn, and basil, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer the mixture for 10-15 minutes or until desired thickness. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Spoon the Ring Tum Ditty over the halved potatoes and wait for the compliments.

Balsalmic Glazed Salmon Fillets

2010-04-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

From allrecipes.com Click on the title for the link

6 5oz salmon fillets
4 cloves garlic minced
1 Tbsp white wine
1 Tbsp honey
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
4 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
Spray small sauce pan with cooking spray. Over medium heat cook garlic until soft about 3 minutes. Mix in the white wine, honey, balsamic vinegar, and mustard. Simmer 3 minutes. Lay fish on pan, brush with glaze, top with oregano. Bake 10-14 minutes, until fish flakes with fork. After removing from oven, brush with glaze again. Season with salt and pepper.

Buckeyes

2010-04-27T21:59:00.001-07:00

1 (16 oz.) jar of creamy peanut butter
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 pkgs. (16 oz.) powdered sugar
1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chip morsels
2 tblsp. shortening

Beat peanut butter and butter at medium speed with a mixer until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar until blended. Shape into 1-inch balls
and chill 10 minutes minimum or until firm. Microwave chocolate chip morsels on high for 1 1/2 minutes or until melted. Dip each peanut butter
ball in melted chocolate mixture until partially coated, and place on wax paper to harden. Store candy in an airtight container. Makes 7 dozen
peanut butter balls!

Chicken-Zucchini Alfredo (with yummy low-fat sauce)

2010-03-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

I got a lot of good recipes from magazines that were donated to me while I was in the hospital. I'll only post the ones that a good. This recipe came from food network. It was a good low-fat alfredo recipe. It was also quick and easy to make. It took about 30 minutes.

Kosher Salt 12 oz fettuccine (whole wheat)

3 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 cloves garlic, minced 1 c cold low-fat milk

2 zucchini, thinly sliced and halved 1/2 c evaporated non-fat milk
4-4oz skineless boneless checken breasts 3/4 c grated parmesan cheese

ground pepper 1/4 c chopped fresh parsley

1. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 clove garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add zucchini, cover and cook until tender, stirring, about 6 minutes. Transfer to bowl.

2. Heat another Tbsp of olive oil over med-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook through. Transfer to plate.

3. Cook pasta according to directions on box. Drain but reserve 1/2 c cooking water.

4. Meanwhile, whisk flour and low-fat milk in bowl. Place remaining clove of garlic and 1 tbsp oil in skillet and cook over medium-high heat, 30 seconds. Add the flour milk mixture and bring to boil, stirring. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add evaporate milk, 1/2 tsp salt, and cheese; sit to melt.

5. Cut the chicken into strips. Toss with pasta, sauce, zucchini, and parsley, adding reserved water to loosen.

Per serving: Calories 680; Fat 18g (Sat. 5g); Cholesterol 85 mg; Sodium 820 mg; Carbs 79g; Fiber 3g; Protein 49 g

Black Bean and Chicken Soup(or Why Cumin Is So Important)

2010-01-24T18:50:00.000-08:00

So, I made this a week or so ago, and it was bland, tasteless, yuck, just plain not good. I made it again tonight and it was awesome! I can't wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow. :)

Why was last week's batch so bad? I followed another person's recipe exactly, and didn't realize that this person was into bland tasting food. =P (After trying a few of her recipes, I found them to be lacking any real flavor, so when I see one I would like to try, I add things!)

So here's my version of a black bean and chicken soup recipe for the crockpot. The original recipe has mushrooms and sour cream, and much less cumin and salsa.

16oz dry black beans
1 large frozen chicken breast(or a couple small ones)
1cup frozen corn
16oz jarred salsa(I used pace)
2tsp cumin
4cups chicken broth

The night before making this, put the beans in a bowl, cover with water plus two inches, and let soak. In the morning, drain the beans and throw them in a large crockpot(4-6quarts).

Lay your frozen chicken breast on top of the beans, add the corn, salsa, and cumin. Pour the chicken broth over the whole thing, and let cook on high for 6-8 hours.

SOOOOOOOOOO good! Enjoy!

Poppyseed Dressing

2010-01-21T14:34:00.000-08:00

1 tblsp. poppyseeds
3 tblsp. sugar
1/3 cup oil
2 tblsp. red wine vinegar
4 tblsp. white vinegar
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt

Mix all together and pour over your salad and mix well!

Curried Chicken Soup

2010-01-21T14:28:00.000-08:00

2 oz. butter (which equals 2 tblsp.)
2 chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 chopped carrots
2 stalks celery
3 tblsp. flour
1 tblsp. curry powder
6 cups. chicken broth
1 lb. cooked chicken, chopped
8 oz. sour cream
3 tblsp. parsley
1 tblsp. dill

Saute onions, garlic, carrots and celery in butter. Stir in flour and curry powder. Then blend in stock and cook for 8 minutes. Stir in chicken and cook for 10 more minutes. Whisk in sour cream and add parsley and dill. Serve with bread and peas.

Tip: For those of you who are veggie lovers, feel free to add up to 6 carrots into the soup. I tried it and it tasted very good.

Also, this soup hardly has a curry taste, but it's very yummy!

Super easy and yummy cobbler

2009-12-14T19:52:00.000-08:00

1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 stick butter

Put the fruit of your choice in a dish. I've been using frozen peaches, blueberries, or blackberries (thaw first). Mix the ingredients above until smooth. Pour on top. Bake on 350 for about 45 min- 1 hour.

Top with ice cream for even more yumminess!

Chicken Taquitos

2009-11-17T19:14:00.000-08:00

Altered from this recipe on Allrecipes.com. Made a few adjustments which I noted at the bottom. :) Super-yummy!

2lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 can rotel
8oz salsa
1/2tsp cumin
2cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese
28 corn tortillas
vegetable oil

1. boil chicken in can of rotel and can of water(more or less, at least enough to cover chicken), shred it up and toss it in a big bowl with cumin and salsa

2. in a skillet, warm up thin layer of oil over LOW heat(recipe said med, but that was frying the tortillas instead of just softening them) and warm each tortilla in oil until softened *I did this in batches of 6-8*

3. in center of each softened tortilla, place about a tablespoon of chicken mixture and same of cheese, roll up and place seam side down on sheet pan

4. once all taquitos are assembled, bake in 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes until exterior is slightly golden and crispy, and filling is melty

I changed the name to taquitos, 'cause flautas are made with flour tortillas. I also used thigh meat for more chicken flavor, they are really not that much more fat, I swear. They get such a bad rap!

Also, we like jack in mexican dishes, so we just used more jack cheese, no cheddar ... and we could only fit 28 on a half sheet pan, whereas the recips says it makes 36.

You can tell if you warmed the tortillas enough in the oil, 'cause if you did they stay together nicely, but if not, they fall apart!

Enjoy! We all loved this recipe, including the kids.

Food Blogs

2009-11-17T06:57:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to update and add to the contributers and recipe blogs on here. If you know of someone I'm missing or a good recipe blog email me or leave a comment and I'll add it. Also be sure to check out some of the new links for ideas and inspiration.

Roast Turkey or Chicken

2009-11-02T14:00:00.000-08:00

This is more of a preparation than a recipe. It was in Real Simple for using on a Turkey, but hubby loved it so much, I often roast chickens this way.

1 bird(turkey or chicken)

olive oil

House seasoning:
equal parts chili powder, kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Rub prepped bird with olive oil

3. Sprinkle seasoning over entire bird.

4. Roast in oven for 20minutes per pound.

Pesto Crescent Twists w/Feta Spread

2009-11-02T13:49:00.000-08:00

Twists:
2(8oz) cans refridgerated crescent rolls
1/2c prepared pesto
2tbsp finely chopped walnuts

Spread:
1/4c sour cream
4oz crumbled feta cheese
1(3oz) pkg cream cheese softened
2tsp olive oil
1tsp prepared pesto

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheet or use large bar pan. Unroll 1 can of dough onto wax paper or cutting board, firmly press perforations to seal. Press or roll to form 13x7 inch rectangle. In small bowl combine pesto and walnuts, mix well and spread over dough.

2. Unroll second can of dough. Firmly press perforations to seal. Press or roll out to 13x7 inch rectangle. Carefully place on top of first rectangle, sandwiching the filling in the middle.

3. Cut in half lengthwise to make two 7x6 1/2 inch rectangles, then cut each rectangle into 8 strips each. I find this easiest with a pizza cutter so as not to drag or tear the dough. "twist" each strip tightly and place on cookie sheet.

4. Bake at 375 for 14-19 minutes or until golden brown.

5. Meanwhile, in medium bowl or small food processor, combine sour cream, feta, and cream cheese. Mix until well blended and smooth. Place in serving bowl. Drizzle olive oil and pesto over spread. I like to use a knife to swirl this into the top so it looks pretty.

6. Serve warm twists alongside spread. Any leftover spread is really good on other types of warm bread, and can be saved in the fridge for about a week.

Yumm!

Candied Chex Mix

2009-11-02T13:36:00.001-08:00

A recipe from the box tops website, but added some more stuff to really fill it out.

8oz white chocolate baking bars, chopped coarsely
4c rice chex
2c bite size pretzel twists
1/2c raisins
1c candy corn
1/4c orange and black sprinkles

Stuff I added to the original mix, 'cause it was way too sweet the way the recipe was written:
1/2c more raisins
1c almonds
4c popcorn
1c more pretzels

1. In microwavable bowl, microwave chopped baking bars for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until fully melted and smooth*

2. gently stir in all mix-ins except the popcorn

3. Spread out on waxed paper or foil and let cool until chocolate is set, about 20-30 minutes.

4. Once dry, break up into smaller pieces and add to large bowl or resealable container. Add popcorn and mix to combine.

*Either use largest bowl to fit into your microwave, or transfer melted chocolate to a large bowl in order to have room for stirring in all the rest of the ingredients.

This was super yummy. :)

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

2009-10-28T19:51:00.000-07:00

This came from the Rachel Ray show. She said it tastes is just like mac and cheese. It doesn't but we love it. It has become a favorite in our house. FYI: It makes a pretty big dish. I usually cook half and freeze half.

1 butternut squash (about 3 lbs)
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 box bowtie pasta
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
2 c milk
pinch nutmeg and cinnamon
5-6 sage leaves (or ground sage to your likely)
1 c cheddar cheese
1 c parmigiano-reggiano (I just used paremsan)
handful almonds (optional)

Preheat the over to 400. Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Drizzle halves with oil. Place cut side down on baking sheet and cook until tender (about an hour). Let cool. Scoop squash and puree. ***This is the worst part of this recipe for me.

Cook pasta as directed on box. Heat butter in large skillet or pan. Once melted add flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in milk. Cook until bubbles form and thickens (2-3 minutes). Add squash and seasonings. Put everything into a basking dish. Top with cheeses and almonds. Bake until cheese is brown (about 15 minutes).

Pumpkin Bread

2009-10-28T19:45:00.000-07:00

I think I got this from foodnetwork.com or maybe allrecipes.com. Anyway, it's delicious.

2 ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/3 c. oil
1 1/3 c. pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. sugar
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 t. pumpkin spice (I omitted because I didn't have any)
1 t. cinnamon
raisins and nuts (optional)

Preheat the over to 350 and grease a loaf pan.

Stir mashed bananas, eggs, oil, pumpkin, honey, and sugar. Mix dry ingredients then add to pumpkin mixture. Stir until mixed well. Fold in raisins and nuts.

Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. I had to cook for about an hour. Just test with toothpick.

Spinach Tomato Tortellini

2009-10-21T17:26:00.000-07:00

Another great recipe off Allrecipes. IT WAS SO GOOD! Matt didn't even notice that there was no meat in this meal. The only difference between the following recipe and the Allrecipe version is more spinach(didn't want to make a side-veg) and more garlic.

1(16oz)pkg cheese tortellini(I used Bertolli four cheese)
1(14.5oz) can diced tomatoes w/garlic and onion
1(9oz)pkg fresh spinach
1/2tsp salt
1/4tsp pepper
1.5tsp dried basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4c milk
3/4c heavy cream
1/4c grated Parmesan cheese

1. Boil water, add pasta, cook until tender

2. While pasta is cooking, combine tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil, and garlic in large saucepan over medium heat. Even with a three-quart saucepan(which is my largest before we switch to stockpot) you will have to add spinach one handful at a time and let it cook down. Cook and stir mixture until it starts to bubble.

3. In bowl, whisk together flour, milk, and cream. Stir this mixture into saucepan. Add parmesan and heat through, then reduce heat to low, and simmer until thick. The original recipe says two minutes, but I think the extra spinach added more moisture, so it took a few more minutes than that.

4. Drain pasta, do not rinse, and add to saucepan with the sauce or serve alongside. Bubba and Bella both got sauced pasta, Claire got hers separately. :)

This was a huge hit. We served it up with garlic bread. Hope y'all enjoy it too.

Mashed Potato Cassserole

2009-09-25T09:17:00.000-07:00

4 potatoes chopped (your choice. I used red)

1 small onion chopped

1 large celery stalk chopped

1 red pepper chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

2-4 tbsp milk

2 tbsp butter

grated romano cheese(optional)

paprika to taste

1. Boil potatoes for 15 min. or until soft enough to mash

2. Preheat oven to 450

3. heat skillet. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and sautee the onion, celery, and red pepper until soft

4. when potatoes are done add butter and milk and mash. Add the veggies and salt and pepper to taste

5. add rest of olive oil to 8X8 pan and spoon in potato mixture. Add cheese and paprika. Bake for 20 mins.

Migas!

2009-09-15T18:43:00.000-07:00

From the Nuevo Tex-Mex Cookbook, with a little adjustment. This makes 4 servings, or two adults, three kids, and a little extra.

4 slices bacon
2tbsp vegetable oil(or bacon drippings)
2c crushed tortilla chips
1 onion diced
1 tomato
2 Serrano chilies**
8 eggs
2tbsp milk
Salt
8oz cheese

In skillet over med-high heat, fry bacon to crispy, remove to paper towels to drain and then crumble in pieces.

Heat oil or drippings in skillet over medium heat. Add tortilla chips and cook, stirring for 2 minutes, or until they start to brown. Add onion, bacon, tomato, and chiles and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until the onion is slightly cooked.

In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs, and then beat in the milk. Slowly add the beaten eggs to the pan, stirring and folding the eggs up from the bottom for 4-6 minutes, or until they are cooked to taste. Season with salt.

Divide the migas among 4 flameproof serving plates and top with the grated cheese, dividing it evenly. Slip each serving plate under a preheated broiler or in the microwave, and heat until the cheese is melted. Serve at once! It’s delicious! I like to load them up in warm, yummy, corn tortillas.

**To avoid the chopping and dicing first thing in the morning, simply buy the HEB Ready Fresh Go pico de gallo, it’s the exact same plus some lime juice and cilantro. You can get it in HOT, Medium or Mild. We use mild so we can share with the kids.

Bodacious Broccoli Salad (from Allrecipes)

2009-09-14T13:59:00.001-07:00

INGREDIENTS

8 slices bacon
2 heads fresh broccoli, chopped
1 1/2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 large red onion, chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/8 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and crumble.

2. In a large bowl, combine broccoli, cheese, bacon and onion.

3. Prepare the dressing in a small bowl by whisking together the red wine vinegar, sugar, pepper, salt, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Combine dressing with salad. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Bacon Appetizer Crescent Rolls

2009-09-13T19:21:00.000-07:00

1(8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/3c Parmesan cheese
2tbsp chopped parsley
2(8oz)cans crescent rolls
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4c chopped onion
1tbsp milk
1 egg beaten
1tsp cold water

1) Preheat oven to 375

2)Beat cream cheese, bacon, parm, onion, parsley, and milk at medium speed until well blended.

3) Roll out crescent roll dough. Either pinch the seams all together and make small squares for 48 appetizers, or leave in triangles to make 24 larger appetizers. Sometimes I get fancy and make small squares, then after filling, pinch them up to make little "purse" shapes.

4) Spoon 1tsp mixture(2tsp if making larger ones) onto each piece of dough, and fold in half(or roll up). Pinch seams to seal and place on baking sheet.

5) Brush tops of rolls with beaten egg mixed with the cold water, and bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. I sometimes like to sprinkle a little extra Parmesan cheese over the tops before baking.

King Ranch Chicken

2009-09-13T19:00:00.001-07:00

Spicy, but not so much that the kids don't eat it.

1/4c margarine
1 medium bell pepper chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cans rotel
2 large chicken breasts
12 corn tortillas cut into strips
2c shredded jack cheese

1) Place chicken breasts in medium pot with 1 can rotel and 1can water(enough to cover chicken) and boil until chicken is cooked. Drain liquid, but don't try to get out the rotel pieces, just shred the chicken and leave it all mixed up together.

2)Preheat oven to 325. I like to let my 9x13 heat in the oven with a pat of butter to grease the dish.

3)Cook pepper and onion in butter until tender; add soups, 2nd can of rotel, and chicken mixture. Blend well, and heat through.

4)In 9x13 baking dish, layer half the tortilla strips, half the mixture, and half the cheese, repeat.

5)Bake 30-40 minutes until hot and bubbly.

I like to serve this with some simple black beans, and sometimes a salad.

Bacon and Onion Smothered Pot Roast

2009-09-13T18:49:00.000-07:00

From Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Slow Cooker Recipes. This will take a 6quart slow cooker, and feeds about 4 adults, or our family for two nights. :)

1 lb baby red skin potatoes, rinsed
3lb beef chuck roast, rinsed and patted dry
2tbsp Montreal seasoning
1box(1.9oz) pre-cooked bacon
1can cream of mushroom soup
1(1.5oz) packet meatloaf seasoning
1(8oz) pkg sliced, fresh, mushrooms
1 onion, peeled and sliced

1) Place potatoes in bottom of crock-pot

2)season both sides of chuck roast with steak seasoning. Place on top of potatoes. Lay bacon slices on top of the roast.

3)In medium bowl, stir together soup and meatloaf seasoning. Pour over roast and bacon. Top with sliced onions and mushrooms.

4) Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours

Smores Pie ***DELICIOUS

2009-08-28T11:41:00.001-07:00

This pie is DELICIOUS! I got it from a magazine.

7 Hersey bars
20 large marshmellows
1/2 c milk
2 c Cool Whip
1 graham crust
additional whipped topping, optional

In a large heavy saucepan, combine candy bars, marshmellows, and milk. Cook and stir over low heatuntil smooth. (You can also microwave, stirring every minutes, until smooth) Remove from heat; cool. Fold in whipped topping; pour onto crust. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with additional whipped topping.

Pot Pie

2009-08-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

package of cooked chicken, turkey, or ham
1 medium onion
4 boiled eggs

Place cooked chicken, turkey, or ham in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Pour sprinkle chopped inions over meat. Layer boiled eggs on top of onion and meat.

In a bowl, mix the follwoing then pour over meat:
1 can cream of chicken/celery soup
2 cans Veg-all, drained

In a small bowl, mix the following and pour on top:
1 c self-rising flour
1 c milk
2/3 c mayonnaise (or 1 stick butter)

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until crust is light brown.

*I also used boiled chicken breasts and a package of frozen mized vegetables instead of packaged meat and canned veggies.

Cream cheese danish

2009-08-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

2 cans cresent rolls
1 pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter

Mix cream cheese and sugar. Unroll one cresent roll on the bottom of a casserole dish. Spread the mixture over the cresent roll. Unroll the second cresent on top. Melt butter and pour on top. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top. Bake as directed on the can of rolls. (I think I usually bake it a little longer than the can says).

Scones

2009-08-19T07:47:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my friend Angie. These are really easy and very yummy!

1/2 c. butter or marg.

2 3/4 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1/4c. corn starch

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2/3c. buttermilk

1 egg

2 tsp. vanilla

cut butter into dry ingredients. set aside. whisk milk, egg and vanilla in separate bowl. stir dry ingredients into wet. stir until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX! ( I use my hands)

spoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 15 min.

stir in:

coconut/pecan

1 c. coconut

1 c. pecans

blueberry

8 oz. frozen blueberries (or any berry)

chocolate

6 oz. chocolate chips

jam

scoop a spoonful of jam in each scone

apple/oatmeal

1/2c. oatmeal

1/2 apple

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1/2c. nuts

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

2009-08-17T20:12:00.000-07:00

Again, another recipe from allrecipes.com:

INGREDIENTS

* 2 pounds beef sirloin, cut into 2 inch strips
* garlic powder to taste
* 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1 cube beef bouillon
* 1/4 cup hot water
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 2 large green bell peppers, roughly chopped
* 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
* 3 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1 teaspoon white sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt (I'll omit this next time because it was a little salty for me)

1. Sprinkle strips of sirloin with garlic powder to taste. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the vegetable oil and brown the seasoned beef strips. Transfer to a slow cooker.
2. Mix bouillon cube with hot water until dissolved, then mix in cornstarch until dissolved. Pour into the slow cooker with meat. Stir in onion, green peppers, stewed tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar, and salt.
3. Cover, and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

Slow Cooker Texas Pulled Pork

2009-08-17T20:01:00.000-07:00

I copied this recipe from www.allrecipes.com If you click on the title you can go directly to their site with the recipe. Here it is:

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

* 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
* 1 (4 pound) pork shoulder roast (or smaller pork loin works well too)
* 1 cup barbeque sauce
* 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
* 1/2 cup chicken broth
* 1/4 cup light brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1 extra large onion, chopped
* 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
* 8 hamburger buns, split
* 2 tablespoons butter, or as needed

DIRECTIONS

1. Pour the vegetable oil into the bottom of a slow cooker. Place the pork roast into the slow cooker; pour in the barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and chicken broth. Stir in the brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, onion, garlic, and thyme. Cover and cook on High until the roast shreds easily with a fork, 5 to 6 hours. You can also cook it on low 10-12 hours.
2. Remove the roast from the slow cooker, and shred the meat using two forks. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker, and stir the meat into the juices.
3. Spread the inside of both halves of hamburger buns with butter. Toast the buns, butter side down, in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Spoon pork into the toasted buns.

Kim's notes: I actually used a large pork loin for this instead of the pork roast. I can't remember how many pounds it was, but maybe closer to 2 than 4 and it still made a ton! We have leftovers for the week plus I froze some for a meal later on when I'm feeling lazy. This was a little bit of work on the front end but it really turned out very moist and yummy. Definitely a budget friendly meal for feeding a crowd or for great leftovers!

Hot Dog Dr. Pepper Barbeque Sauce

2009-07-31T07:43:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Better homes and Gardens. It is really yummy and you can store it in an old jar and use it later too.

4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 12-oz. can Dr. Pepper

1 cup Ketchup

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

3 Tbsp. tomato paste

2 tsp. ancho chilli powder

1 tsp. ground pepper

1 tsp. salt

1. For sauce, in medium sauce pan cook and stir onion and garlic in hot butter over medium heat about 10 minutes until onions are tender. Add all ingredients. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered 15 min. Cook, uncovered, until sauce begins to thicken, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat 10 minutes.

2. Puree sauce in pan with blender, cover, and blend until smooth.

Camping Recipes

2009-07-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

We've got 3 camping trips planned over the next 3 months. I've never been in charge of food for camping before. So help me out and post some easy camping recipes. We'll have a Coleman grill and a fire. Also any tips on things is should bring would be helpful. Thanks!

Gyro Soup

2009-07-14T10:47:00.000-07:00

2 lbs. of pork/chicken, cut into strips
3 tblsp. olive oil
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3-4 bell peppers (I prefer using different colored ones for better presentation), chopped
2 large onions, chopped
6 cups of water
8 tblsp. chili sauce
1 8 oz. pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese
5-6 tblsp. paprika
2 tsp. marjoram
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tblsp. pepper
1 tblsp. salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. garlic salt
2 tsp. oregano
2 pkg. onion soup mix

In a pan, saute 1 tblsp. of olive oil with meat, garlic cloves, and all the seasonings except the salt and pepper. When the meat is cooked all the way, add the whipping cream to it and set aside.

In a big pot, add the rest of the olive oil, chopped onions and chopped bell peppers. Add salt and pepper to it and saute on medium heat until onions and bell peppers are almost done. Add the 6 cups of water and the onion soup mix packages. Let boil for about 5-10 minutes before adding the chili sauce. Add the chicken and whipping cream mixture to the soup. At the end, add 1/2 the package of mozzarella cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with some kind of bread (French bread of baguette bread) and salad and the rest of the mozzarella cheese.

Better than hamburger helper!

2009-06-29T19:41:00.000-07:00

The original recipe I found had a bunch of ingredients I didn't have on hand, so I substituted over half of them, therefore I didn't include the link for the original recipe.

Hamburger Helper w/out the box:

3c rotini pasta
1/4c milk
1tbsp butter
1/4 brick velveeta, cubed
1lb ground beef
1/4c teriyaki sauce
2cloves garlic

*Boil pasta in water, drain and toss with the milk and butter

*brown beef in pan with teriyaki and garlic(this can be done while waiting for pasta to boil.

*combine pasta mixture with beef mixture in whichever pan is larger, keep heat at low and add cubed velveeta, stir occasionally(I set the table and whipped up some quick cheddar biscuits in between stirring)

Very inexpensive meal, just add a veggie on the side, or mix it in! It was SOOO good!

Inspiration for those of you thinking of going all out on your next camping trip

2009-06-09T18:58:00.000-07:00

I have not personally used any of these, but it was just sent to me in my email, so I figured I would share.

http://www.thecampingclub.com/zzrecipes/index1.html

Refried Black Beans

2009-05-14T12:59:00.000-07:00

1 can black beans

1/2 cup white onion

1/8 to 1/4tsp salt

1/8 to 1/4 tsp pepper

garlic

jalapeno (optional)

Directions

mash 2/3 of the beans

add the other 1/3 of the beans with 1/2 cup water and bring to boil

add the onions, garlic, salt and pepper and lower heat

let cook on low for about 10 mins or until onions are tender

Meatloaf

2009-04-30T18:32:00.000-07:00

A meatloaf hater(hubby) really enjoyed this recipe, so I thought I would share. :) I love meatloaf and this is one of my favorite variations. The ranch mix and french fried onions really add flavor. Even the kids like it, Bubba had seconds.

Loaf:
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 eggs beaten
1/4 c ketchup
1/2 a 6oz box of Stove Top
1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
1(2.8oz) can french fried onions
1tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Topping:
1/4c ketchup
1/4c Heinz 57

*Preheat oven to 350

*Mix first 7 ingredients in a bowl, then shape into a loaf and place in 9x5 inch loaf pan

*Cover loosely w/foil and bake 50-60 minutes

*In the last 5-10 minutes, remove foil and coat top with a mixture of ketchup and Heinz 57

*Let stand for at least 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving

Striped Delight

2009-04-26T08:24:00.001-07:00

This is on the kraft foods website, a resource I use often, especially their budget cooking section! Just a note, the nutritionals in mine don't match the website, as I used light products wherever I could.

35 OREO Cookies
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Light Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cold milk
1 tub (12 oz.) COOL WHIP Light Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
3-1/4 cups cold 2% milk
2 pkg. (3.9 oz. each) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding

*Note, if you want the layers neater than mine, I think that putting the pan in the freezer between adding layers would help. The fridge firmed them up some, but not enough to really prevent smearing.

PROCESS cookies in food processor until fine crumbs form. Transfer to medium bowl; mix in butter. Press onto bottom of 13x9-inch dish. Refrigerate until ready to use.

WHISK cream cheese, sugar and 2 Tbsp. milk in medium bowl until blended. Stir in 1-1/4 cups COOL WHIP; spread over crust.

BEAT pudding mixes and 3-1/4 cups milk with whisk 2 min.; pour over cream cheese layer. Let stand 5 min. or until thickened; cover with remaining COOL WHIP. Refrigerate 4 hours.

Orange Pork Stir Fry

2009-03-14T15:45:00.001-07:00

1 oz pkg Italian Dressing mix

1/4 c orange juice

1/4 c oil

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 lb pork loin, cut into strips (it's easiest to cut the pork when it's partially frozen)

16 oz pkg frozen Oriental vegetable blend, thawed

2 1/2 c cooked rice

Mix together dressing mix, juice, oil and soy sauce. Combine one tablespoon of dressing mixture and pork strips in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir for 4 to 5 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink. Add vegetables and remaining dressing mixture; cook and stir until vegetables are crisp-tender. Serve over cooked rice.

From Gooseberry Patch "Our Favorite Cheap and Easy Recipes"

Artichoke Foccini

2009-03-11T11:58:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from the Food Network's "Semi-Homemade" with Sandra Lee. I had several requests for it this weekend, so here you go.

1 jar artichoke (I used seasoned)
Grands biscuits
grape tomatoes
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp. crushed garlic
bleu or feta cheese (the original recipe calls for bleu, but I know a lot of people don't care for it because it's so strong, so I substituted feta instead)
italian seasoning (I don't know a measurement, I just wing it)

Strain artichokes and slice tomatoes in half. Lay biscuits and flatten on baking sheet. In small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic and italian seasoning. Coat biscuits with olive oil mixture. Place 2-4 pieces of artchoke and 2-4 tomatoe halves on each biscuit, then top with cheese. Bake according to biscuit directions or until brown.

Toffee crisps

2009-03-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

This is a Pampered Chef recipe I've had for a couple of years.

12 whole graham crackers
3/4 c packed brown sugar
3/4 c butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
1/2 c chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange graham crackers on baking sheet. In saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and vanilla. Cook over medium heat, stirring occassionally until mixture comes to a full boil. Continue boiling 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and immediately pour mixture evenly over crackers. Bake 10-12 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. Remove and sprinkle with chocolate; allow to soften then spread evenly. Sprinkle almonds over chocolate. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, then break into pieces.

Tanya's Five Cheese Casserole

2009-03-10T12:04:00.000-07:00

1 lb. noodles of your choice (I usually use penne or fussili)
16 oz. cheese of your choice
1 onion, chopped (optional)
1/4 c. white cooking wine (optional)
1 tblsp. oregano
1 tblsp. basil
1-2 tsp. pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
1 tblsp. sugar (you can definitely use less or none at all)

Mix everything except the noodles and cheese together in a pot and bring to a boil; stir occasionally. Once it boils, turn heat off and remove pot from burner.
Cook noodles until almost done; drain water and pour into a 9 by 13 inch casserole dish. Pour spaghetti sauce mix over noodles and then top with whatever cheeses you desire. I use mozzarella,five cheese blend and parmesan cheese. Bake in oven on 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly brown on top and bubbly!

Tex Mex Lasagna (meat free)

2009-02-14T10:47:00.000-08:00

1/4 cup bottled salsa
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 (14.5 oz) can no salt-added diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can no salt-added tomato sauce
Cooking spray
6 precooked lasagna noodles (such as Barilla or Vigo)
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups (8 oz) preshredded 4 cheese Mexican blend cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions

1. Preheat oven to 450
2. Combine first 4 ingredients; spread 2/3 cup sauce in bottom of an 8 inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 2 noodles over sauce; top with 1/2 cup corn and half of beans. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese; top with 2/3 cup sauce. Repeat layers once, top with remaining 2 noodles. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Cover and bake at 450 for 30 minutes or until noodles are tender and sauce is bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes. Sprinkle with onions. Yield: 4 servings.

Ryan's Creamed Spinach

2009-01-22T12:45:00.000-08:00

Here's the recipe for Ryan's favorite--creamed spinach!

1 lb. of fresh spinach (recipe called for 3 pounds, but I thought it was too much). I think you could also adapt this recipe and use frozen.
3 Tblspn. butter
1 Tblspn minced garlic
1/2 cup parmesan
3/4 cup heavy cream, heated
pinch of grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and drain spinach and pile into a non-reactive pot (whatever that means). Place pot over medium heat and cook, stirring until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Use your hand to squeeze out excess water. Transfer to cutting board and roughly chop. Melt the butter in a small sauce pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook about 2 minutes. Add the cream, parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Continue to cook until the cream has thickened up a bit. Add the spinach and it is ready to serve!

Stromboli

2009-01-06T12:09:00.000-08:00

2 lbs. ground beef
1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 jar spaghetti sauce (I use Robusto Ragu)
1 small can sliced mushrooms
2 cans refrigerated pizza dough/crust

In a pan, brown ground beef and onions; drain grease. Add jar of spaghetti sauce and garlic, italian seasoning, basil, oregano, garlic salt and mushrooms. Stir occasionally until thoroughly heated. Add the cheeses and mix evenly. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Pinch seams to seal and tuck ends under. Place seam side down on baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until brown.

This serves 6 people.
This is a great recipe to make in advance and leave in the refrigerator until needed!!!!!

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Ribbon Dessert

2009-01-06T11:58:00.000-08:00

Prep Time:
15 min

Total Time:
4 hr 15 min

Makes:
12 servings

What You Need

12 NUTTER BUTTER Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, divided

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tub (12 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

2 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Make It

CRUSH 8 of the cookies in resealable plastic bag with rolling pin. Mix cookie crumbs and butter. Press onto bottom of foil-lined 9x5-inch loaf pan.

MIX cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gently stir in 3 cups of the whipped topping. Spoon 1/2 cup of the cream cheese mixture into small bowl. Stir in melted chocolate until well blended; set aside. Spoon half of the remaining cream cheese mixture over crust. Top evenly with chocolate mixture; cover with remaining cream cheese mixture.

FREEZE 4 hours or overnight until firm. Invert onto plate. Remove foil, then re-invert onto serving platter so that crumb layer is on bottom. Coarsely break the remaining 4 cookies. Top dessert with remaining whipping topping and cookies.

This was Mia's b-day cake and everyone loved it. I also made this for the x-mas party!

Crunchy Onion Chicken

2008-12-06T10:46:00.001-08:00

Crunchy Onion Chicken

1 1/3 cups French's Original French Fried Onions (the stuff you use on green bean casserole)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten

Crush the french fried onions in a plastic bag.
Dip chicken in to egg. Coat in onion crumbs. Press firmly to adhere.
Place chicken on baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until no longer pink in center.

Chicken Stuffed with Bacon and Feta

2008-10-10T12:01:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
4 boneless chicken breasts (Next time I will use the thin chicken breast)
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1 package bacon, cooked and crumbled
14.5 oz can of tomatoes ( I used the ones with basil, oregano, and garlic)
olive oil

The first thing I did was to cook the bacon, pour the grease into a container, and set it aside to use later. The recipe says to cut a slit in each chicken so you can stuff it. This is where I will use the thin chicken breast next time so I can just fold them over. Stuff or fold the chicken with the feta cheese and crumbled bacon.
Use a toothpick either way to secure the chicken closed. Brown the stuffed chicken in olive oil in a fry pan until golden brown. (I added some of the bacon grease in at this point for a little more flavor on the outside of the chicken) Once the chick is brown add the tomatoes and cover, cooking until chicken is thoroughly done.

Tomato-Cream Sauce for Pasta (All Recipes)

2008-09-30T16:53:00.000-07:00

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
3/4 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter

DIRECTIONS

In a saucepan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Make sure it doesn't burn. Add tomatoes, basil, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to boil and continue to boil 5 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates. Remove from heat; stir in whipping cream and butter. Reduce heat and simmer 5 more minutes.

Tip: This dish probably would taste really good with some meatballs, italian sausage or even proscuitto for those of you who are meat lovers!

Meatloaf Options

2008-09-13T14:44:00.000-07:00

Since all my spices are in storage I've had to be selective and a bit creative about what I cook. I refuse to go out and buy more spices I know I already have.

This week I made meatloaf and the recipe I had called for breadcrumbs. I know I have some breadcrumbs in our shipment and the price for breadcrumbs at Wal-mart was too high for me to justify. So I used Shake N' Bake and it turned out great!

Pork Chops N' Stuffing

2008-09-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

4 pork chops
1 package or box stuffing mix any flavor
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup water

In frying pan sprayed with Pam, brown chops on both sides over medium high heat. Place in shallow casserole. Prepare stuffing according to package directions. Place a mound of stuffing on top of each chop. Blend soup and water, pour over chops and stuffing. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour until chops are tender. Do not over bake and let the chops dry out. Makes 4 servings.

*I used boneless chops. I also skipped the step about preparing the stuffing and just mounded it on the chops. It made a super simple and yummy dinner.

Foil Packets by Chez Dishman

2008-08-29T09:27:00.000-07:00

3-4 chicken breasts or chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
1 jar of sundried tomato pesto (you won't use even half of it, but it keeps for a long time in the fridge, so you can make this dish again before it has gone bad!)
4 oz. of shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
fresh green vegetables of your choice (I usually prefer squash and zucchini, but asparagus, broccoli and leeks are also great to use; I use 1 squash and 1 zucchini)
olive oil
aluminum foil

Tear off of piece of aluminum foil that is roughly 20 by 20 inches wide. Place one chicken breast or thigh in the center of it, drizzle a little bit of olive oil on top, salt and pepper to taste, and rub some of the fresh minced garlic on it. Then place the sliced or cut vegetables of your choice next to it and salt and pepper it as well. Put 2 tablespoons of the sundried tomato pesto on top of the chicken and then add mozzarella cheese on top (however much you like:)) and wrap it up. Make sure no wholes are present....that way the chicken and veggies will cook in more moisture and be tastier. Repeat this with every individual chicken breast or thigh you want to make. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the foil packet for about 25 minutes or until done.

This dish goes well with some long grain rice, a salad and some bread.

Tip: You can use any meat you want and substitute it with a marinade instead of using sundried tomato pesto and then add the veggies as well with garlic, salt and pepper.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

2008-07-29T06:58:00.001-07:00

1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
1 tsp hot pepper sauce, plus more as needed
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
pita bread, broiled till lightly browned, baked tortilla strips, carrots
and celery sticks, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Squeeze all excess liquid from spinach, mix with sour cream, Parmesan,
1/2 cup of the mozzarella, the cream cheese, garlic, pepper and hot
sauce. Mix until just blended. Add artichokes and mix again. Place in a
1-quart baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella. Bake until bubbly,
about 30 minutes. Serve with carrot and celery sticks or baked tortilla
strips or pita bread chips.

Ratatouille

2008-07-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

Rachael Ray made this on her show today. It is supposedly just like the one on the movie Ratatouille.

2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus additional for drizzling
1 medium onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
2 jarred whole roasted red peppers, chopped
1 small (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
Salt and ground black pepper
2 small yellow squash, thinly sliced
2 small green squash, thinly sliced
2 small eggplant, thinly sliced
2 to 3 small Yukon Gold potatoes or a handful of baby Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced
3 to 4 sprigs thyme, leaves removed

Preheat oven to 425ºF.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the onion, garlic and roasted peppers to the pan and cook until the onions begin to get tender, 4-5 minutes.

Set up a food processor or blender and add the contents of the pan to the machine. Add in the tomato sauce and puree everything up (it should be about the consistency of thin tomato sauce). Season with salt and pepper and pour it out into the bottom of a casserole dish or sauté pan.

Swirl your dish around so that the bottom is evenly coated with sauce then arrange your veggies on top in a spiral pattern, alternating each veggie type, until you've filled the pan (like he did in the movie!).

Sprinkle the thyme leaves over the top along with some salt, pepper, and a drizzle of EVOO. Cut a piece of parchment paper into a round the size of the pan (if you're not feeling artsy-craftsy, you can also use a square sheet of paper: Cut four slits in from the corners towards the center of the sheet – this will lay over the top of the dish just fine too). Lay it over the top and place the whole pan into the oven. Bake the ratatouille until the veggies are tender, about 45 minutes.

Serve the ratatouille with some crusty bread alongside.

knife will work just fine.

Broiled Crisp Veggies

2008-07-15T11:22:00.000-07:00

1 lb. of your choice of either frozen or fresh vegetables ( I love using broccoli, asparagus and zucchini)
2 tblsp. olive oil
2-3 tsp. pepper
2-3 tsp. garlic salt

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl or ziploc bag and then spread evenly on a cookie sheet that has a rim. Preheat oven on broil to 375 degrees. Veggies are done when they are a bit crisp on top and maybe even a bit blackened.

Can't Leave Alone Bars

2008-04-20T15:44:00.001-07:00

Here is the final recipe from the progressive dinner. It's not nearly as impressive, but is fast and easy. I copied the recipe from somewhere, but neglected to write where; but once again credit goes to someone else.

1 pkg. white cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 C vegetable oil
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 C butter or margarine, cubed

1. In bowl, combine cake mix, eggs and oil. With floured hands, press 2/3 (I probably used about 3/4) of the mixture into greased 13x9 baking pan. Set remaining cake mixture aside.
2. In microwave safe bowl, combine condensed milk, chocolate chips, and butter. Microwave, uncovered for 45 seconds, stir. Microwave 45-60 seconds longer, or until melted. Stir until smooth and pour over cake mixture.
3. Drop teaspoons of remaining cake mixture over top. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Ty's Apple Dessert

2008-04-20T15:37:00.000-07:00

Here is another dessert from the progressive dinner. I call it "Ty's Apple Dessert" b/c my father-in-law made it and gave me the recipe. It's super easy and goes great with vanilla ice cream. I also think you can easily cut down on the amount of sugar and butter used, but I'll give you the original recipe and you can decide.

2 apples (Granny Smith or Jonagold)
2 cans cresent rolls
cinnamon
2 sticks butter
2 cups sugar
splash of vanilla
pinch of salt
1 can 7-up or Sprite (I used Sprite Zero)

Preheat oven 350. Use 9x13 dish.

Peel and core apples. Slice in 8 pieces. Separate crescent rolls and place 1 apple slice in each roll and place seam side down in baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

In saucepan, melt butter over low heat, stir in sugar. Add vanilla and salt. Pour over rolls. Pour soda over this.

Bake 30 minutes. Let sit 45 minutes-1 hour to absorb liquid after removing from oven.

Tiramisu

2008-04-20T15:27:00.000-07:00

from Cooking Light Cookbook
here is the recipe I made for the progressive dinner. Several people made requests...so here it is.

2/3 C sifted powdered sugar
1 (8 oz.) tub reduced fat cream cheese
1 1/2 C reduced calorie whipped topping
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C water
3 large egg whites
2 tbsp. Kahlua
1/2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa (really however much you need to cover top)
1/2 C hot water
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. instant coffee granules
20 lady fingers

1. Combine powdered sugar and cream cheese in bowl; beat at high speed. Gently fold in 1 cup whipped topping.
2. Combine 1/2 C sugar, 1/4 C water, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler; place over simmering water. Beat at high spped until stiff peak forms. Gently stir 1/4 of egg white mixture into cheese mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg white mixture.
3. Combine 1/2 C hot water, 1 tbsp. sugar, coffee granules and Kahlua, stir. Split ladyfingers in half lengthwise. Arrange 20 ladyfinger halves, cut side up in an 8 inch square baking dish. Drizzle half of coffee mixture over lady fingers. Spread 1/2 of cheese mixture and repeat procedure. Spread 1/2 C whipped topping evenly over cheese mixture; sprinkle with cocoa (I sifted it)
4. Place toothpick in each corner and center, then cover with plastic wrap. Chill 2 hours.

Edible Peanut Butter Playdough

2008-04-17T20:15:00.001-07:00

3 1/2 cups peanut butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar
3 1/2 cups honey
4 cups dry milk powder

DIRECTIONS

In large bowl, cream together peanut butter and confectioners' sugar, then beat in honey and fold in milk powder. Divide into 15 equal portions and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

Stove Top Chicken

2008-04-12T17:35:00.000-07:00

Adapted from a recipe found at Kraftfoods.com.

2 large chicken breasts(about a pound)
1(6oz)pkg Stove Top stuffing
1/4c butter, melted
approximately 1c hot water
1can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/3c sour cream
2tbsp Ranch Dressing Mix(about 2/3 of an envelope)

*Cut chicken into uniform chunks or strips, brown over medium heat in a large skillet sprayed with Pam or coated with a bit of oil so it doesn't stick. Should take about 10 minutes, turning pieces halfway through.

*Meanwhile, mix stuffing, melted butter, and enough water to make a moist, but not soggy mixture, and set aside.

*Mix together soup, sour cream, and ranch dressing mix and spread on top of browned chicken. Spoon stuffing mixture on top, cover skillet, reduce heat a few notches and let cook until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is all fragrant and bubbly. This took another 10 minutes.

This got rave reviews tonight, the adaptations I made from the Kraft Foods recipe, were adding the ranch mix, and reducing the water. I have made the original recipe before and it was bland and soupy. This one is much better!

Cheryl's Coffee Punch

2008-04-01T19:41:00.000-07:00

1 1/4 cups instant coffee
2 1/2 cups sugar
5 cups hot water
1 gallon chocolate ice cream
1 gallon vanilla ice cream
1 gallon milk

Add coffee, sugar and water together in a large punch bowl, scoop out slightly melted ice cream; pout wamr coffee mixture on top and add milk. Stir until creamy. Serve.

English Toffee

2008-04-01T19:18:00.000-07:00

14 tbsp margarine (not butter)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
dash of salt
1 6oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1/2 cup toffee candy pieces

Put margarine and sugar in a heavy pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to a bubbling boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon (or heat resistant spatula) for about 10 minutes. When it starts to turn a light brown, remove from heat and add vanilla and salt (this is also where you add pecans if desired). Quickly stir and pour onto a cookie sheet (lined with wax paper). Cool completely. Top with melted chocolate and spread over toffee. Sprinkle with toffee candy pieces and cool. Break into pieces.

Pot Roast

2008-03-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

1 Pot Roast
2 T. vegetable oil
garlic powder
onion poder
paprika
salt
pepper
any other spice you like
vegetables (potatoes and carrots for sure, but any others you like)

Put large stock pot over high heat with vegetable oil. Rub seasonings into roast. Put roast into pot, sear all 3 main sides of the roast. Add water until it just covers roast. Add a little more salt than normal to the water. Reduce heat to medium low. Water should gently roll throughout cooking. Cover. Cook for 3 to 4 hours. Add vegetables in for the last 30 minutes. "Baby" carrots and small red potatoes work well. If you are using large potatoes, cut them to about 1 inch slices to decrease cooking time. Remember that potatoes soak up a lot of salt, so expect to add more salt when you have it on your plate.

Can be adapted to the crock pot, but I am not sure what setting to put the pot on.

This recipe works well to put on in the morning before church, come home and add veggies or open a can of green beans.

The meat is usually cooked by about 2.5 hours, but cooking it longer makes it very tender!

Chicken and Dumplings

2008-02-27T11:55:00.000-08:00

I adapted this recipe from one I found on All Recipes.

3 boneless chicken breasts
1 box chicken stock
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (12 ounce) package refridgerated biscuit dough
3 stalks celery
3 carrots
1/2 medium onion
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 teaspoon dried sage
salt
pepper

In a large pot over high heat, combine the chicken with enough water and chicken stock to cover, and boil for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain some of the water from the pot, reserving 3 cups in the pot. Remove chicken and allow it to cool, then pull it apart into bite size pieces; return to pot.

Chop all veggies into bite size pieces. Reduce heat to medium, and add the cans of condensed soup, veggies and seasoning.

Season with salt and pepper. Pull the biscuit dough into pieces, and add to the soup. Simmer over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the dough is cooked through.

Lemon -Strawberry Punch

2008-02-24T05:43:00.000-08:00

I made this for Whitney's Shower and got rave reviews. It's super simple.

Lemon-Strawberry Punch

1 16-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 package frozen sliced strawberries w/ sugar added (I used the small cartons)
1 quart carbonated water
1 quart ginger ale

In a large punch bowl, mix partially thawed orange juice, lemonade and strawberries with ice. Just before serving, add carbonated water and ginger ale (add a bit more ginger ale than carbonated water). Add slices of oranges and lemons or limes.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

2008-02-15T13:46:00.000-08:00

Joe requested homemade chicken pot pie this week, so I came up with this easy recipe. I mixed several recipes together from www.allrecipes.com and from the back of the Cream of Potato soup can.

1 can cream of potato soup (or you can use cream of chicken or cream of mushroom)
1/4 cup milk
1 large can cooked chicken breast
1 cup frozen vegetables, thawed (or use canned mixed vegetbales)
2 refrigerated or frozen pie crusts

Basically you just mix the first 4 ingredients together in a bowl. You might want to add some spices like thyme, but I didn't and mine still tasted great. Follow the directions on the package for the pie crusts. I read on allrecipes that if you bake the lower crust for a few minutes first then it will turn out less mushy, so I did that. Then I added the mixture and put the other crust on top, cut holes for steam, and baked according to the package directions. It tasted great and was very easy, plus the cleanup was a snap since my crust came in a metal throw-away pan. Very easy and yummy, with lots less sodium I'm sure than those frozen ones!

Mustard Glazed Salmon

2008-02-09T13:29:00.000-08:00

I made this two nights ago, and both the hubby and kids loved it. I adapted my recipe from this one found at Food Network.com. I was missing some of the ingredients, and didn't want to use others, so this is how it worked for me:

Nonstick cooking spray
1lb fresh salmon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1tsp garlic powder
3/4tsp dried rosemary
3/4tsp dried thyme
1tbsp water
1tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2tbsp Dijon mustard

*Line baking sheet with foil(for easy cleanup, not a must), spray with non-stick spray, and lay salmon in center.

*Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and salt, and place under broiler for two minutes

*While broiling, combine remaining ingredients in a processor to make a paste. You can probably omit the water, this sauce did come out a bit runny.

*Remove salmon and spoon mustard mixture on top. Broil for another 5-7 minutes, until fish flakes likes it's supposed to.

I used a piece of salmon that was exactly one pound and there was a perfect amount of sauce, so this can be adjusted for larger or smaller pieces. Also, the recipe originally calls for fresh herbs, but the taste was just great with the dried ones, and I used water instead of wine, as we have none in the house right now. :)

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

2008-01-23T10:34:00.000-08:00

1 Duncan Hines Golden Butter Recipe Cake Mix
1 pkg small instant chocolate pudding
8 oz sour cream (if you use cream cheese by mistake, I've found it's also pretty good)
6 oz milk chocolate chips
1/3 cup water
1 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs

Mix all except eggs and chocolate chips. Add 4 eggs. Fold chocolate chips into mix. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan. Pour the mixture in. Bake at 325 for 1 hour. *This cake is better and more moist a day or two after you make it, so I usually plan to make it ahead.

Monkey Bread

2008-01-13T16:01:00.000-08:00

The official name of this recipe is "Overnight Coffee Cake" but there is already a recipe named that on this blog. Plus this tastes just like Monkey Bread, but it's way easier to make than the other recipes I've seen.

1 pkg frozen rolls (24 rolls work best, I use Rhodes Rolls)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup white sugar
1 3.5 ounce package Cook N' Serve Butterscotch Jello (NOT Instant)
1/2 stick margarine or butter

Spray Bundt pan with Pam. Arrange rolls in bottom of pan. Combine next 4 ingredients and sprinkle over rolls. Cut butter into small pieces and place on top of rolls. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise overnight.

In the morning preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. Place the Bundt pan on a cookie sheet so as to avoid spillover. Cover with foil after 15 minutes. When done place a plate over pan and invert. Serve warm.

Tabouli

2008-01-11T13:43:00.000-08:00

This recipe is stolen from a place in Fort Worth call "Jazz Cafe"

1 box plain cous cous (It's called Far East or Near East)
1/2 a small bottle of olive oil
4 roma tomatoes
1 yellow onion
1 bundle cilantro (I leave this out)
1 garlic clove
3 jalapeno peppers (I leave this out)
juice from 1 lime

Put cous cous in a bowl. Fill the bowl with cool water until it covers the cous cous about 1/4 inch. Chop all vegetables and herbs intovery small pieces. Mix vegetables together and squeeze in lime juice to make a pico de gallo. After the cous cous has soaked up the water, mix it with the pico de gallo and add the olive oil. *The olive oil should just coat everything.

Can be served as tacos in warm white corn tortillas with black beans (canned) and cheese.

Shopping List Tool

2008-01-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

HEB has a great online shopping list tool for those. You can even make a weekly list and add or subtract items.

It definitely makes shopping more organized and easier.

German Goulasch

2007-12-31T11:40:00.001-08:00

1 lb. beef stew meat, cut into inch-sized pieces
1 lb. onion, chopped
3 tsp. cumin
4 tblsp. paprika
2 tsp. marjoram
2.5 oz. tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste

Brown beef stew meat in a pan with some canola oil. Place the browned beef stew meat and the pound of onions in a crock pot and add as much water to the crock pot until the meat and onions are barely covered. Then add the seasonings and the tomato paste and cook it on high for 3-4 hours, depending on how tender you want your meat to be.

This dish goes well with: any kind of potatoes, green beans, cooked red cabbage and salad

Sweet Beef

2007-12-27T09:44:00.001-08:00

For those of you who like Asian meals, this is an easy, great one!

1 lb. ground beef
4 tblsp. soy sauce
3 tblsp. sake (rice wine)
2 tblsp. sugar
Rice

Brown 1 lb. ground beef and drain grease. Keep stove top on medium low heat and add the soy sauce, sake and sugar to the ground beef. Stir occasionally. Done.
Serve over rice.

Other sides that go well with it: salad with ranch dressing, any vegetable stir-fry, corn, and soups

Frito Pie

2007-12-27T09:37:00.001-08:00

I had this at my mother in-law's and it was so easy and yummy!

1 can Ranch Style Beans
1 can Rotel
1 can Campbell Tomato Soup
1 lb. ground beef
1 bag of Fritos
optional sides: sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, black beans

Brown 1 lb. of ground beef and drain the grease. Add all three cans to the pan, stir and bring to a boil. Leave on stove simmering for 5-10 minutes. Done.
Arrange your plate with a layer of Fritos, then the ground beef mixture and add whichever of the optional sides you like on top (ie. sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and/or black beans)

Tomato Basil Soup

2007-12-21T07:37:00.000-08:00

4 C. canned whole tomatoes, crushed
4 C. tomato juice and part vegetable stock or chicken stock
12 to 14 washed fresh basil leaves
1 C. heavy cream
1/4 pound sweet, unsalted butter
salt to taste
1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper

Combine tomatoes, juice/and or stock in saucepan. Simmer 30 minutes. Puree, along with the basil leaves, in small batches, in blender, food processor (or better yet, one of those handy hand-held food blenders, right in the cooking pan).

Return to saucepan and add cream, butter, salt and pepper, while stirring over low heat.

Corn & Bacon Chowder

2007-12-10T16:42:00.000-08:00

We just tried this one tonight. It was great! Just in time for cold weather!

2 slices bacon, chopped 
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
 1 small onion, finely chopped 
4 cloves garlic, minced 
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 
1/8 teaspoon salt 
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth  
1/2 cup low-fat milk
 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels 
1 cup frozen diced hash brown potatoes 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 
1 teaspoon lemon juice or rice vinegar

1. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add bacon, and cook, stirring often, until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
 2. Add oil, onion, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper to the pot and stir to combine. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to brown and soften, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture and stir to coat. Add broth and milk and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Add corn and potatoes, increase heat to medium-high and return to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the potatoes are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. 
3. Transfer 1 cup of the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the saucepan along with chives, lemon juice (or vinegar) and the cooked bacon.

Southwestern Stuffed Acorn Squash

2007-11-29T12:36:00.000-08:00

This one does take a while, mainly because you have to wait for the squash to cook first. It also makes enough for 6 people, but you can half the stuffing recipe and just buy 1 slightly larger acorn squash and it easily becomes a meal for 2.

3 acorn squash (3/4-1 pound each)
 5 ounces bulk turkey sausage  
1 small onion, chopped
 1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped  
1 clove garlic, minced 
1 tablespoon chili powder 
1 teaspoon ground cumin 
2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes 
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed  
1/2 teaspoon salt 
Several dashes hot red pepper sauce, to taste 
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
 2. Cut squash in half horizontally. Scoop out and discard seeds. Place the squash cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes.
 3. Meanwhile, lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add turkey sausage and cook, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder and cumin; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, beans, salt and hot sauce, scraping up any browned bits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the tomatoes are broken down, 10 to 12 minutes. 4. When the squash are tender, reduce oven temperature to 325°. Fill the squash halves with the turkey mixture. Top with cheese. Place on the baking sheet and bake until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.

Sherry's Famous Pumpkin Crunch

2007-11-28T12:54:00.000-08:00

Layer 1

1 24oz. can pumpkin pie filling (comes in 30oz – take our 4-5 ozs.)

1 13oz. can condensed milk (evaporated)

1 cup sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. cinnamon

Layer 2

1 yellow cake mix

1 cup chopped pecans

2 cup (2 sticks) melted butter

Mix pumpkin, condensed milk, sugar, eggs and cinnamon and pour into 9X13” pan that has been lined with wax paper (I just usually spray with Pam or Bakers Choice baking spray). Sprinkle one box yellow cake mix over the mixture. Sprinkle 1 cup chopped pecans over the cake mix. Drizzle on 2 sticks of melted butter. Bake 350 degrees for one hour. Cool and cut into squares. Or, enjoy right out of the oven – with whipped cream, of course.

Chicken Nuggets (Taste of Home)

2007-11-27T10:06:00.000-08:00

Shea Amaro made this recipe for us one time, and I loved it immediately.

1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup butter, melted
2 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and seasonings. Place butter in another shallow bowl. Dip chicken in butter, then roll in bread crumb mixture. Place in a greased 15 inch x 10 inch baking pan. Bake, uncovered at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until juices run clear.

Yield: 8 servings

Apple Coffee Cake (All Recipes)

2007-11-27T09:40:00.000-08:00

2 apples- peeled, cored and chopped
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9 inch round cake pan or 9 1/2 inch springform pan. Using fork, work flour with brown sugar and butter in a large bowl until crumbly. Stir in nuts. Divide mixture in half. Evenly press half into pan bottom to form a crust.
Stir baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into remaining crumb mixture until blended, then make a well in the center. In a small bowl, lightly beat egg with sour cream and vanilla until smooth.
Add to flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Fold in apples.
Evenly spread butter over crumb mixture. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out fairly clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. If top gets too brown before cake is baked, lightly lay a piece of foil over top for last 10-20 minutes of baking. Cool in pan on a rack.