Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Angela's Awesome Enchiladas

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cut into chunks
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/4 cups sour cream
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon butter
1 small red onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
1 (1.25 ounce) package mild taco seasoning mix
1 bunch green onions, chopped, divided
1 cup water
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
5 (12 inch) flour tortillas
3 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
1 (10 ounce) can hot enchilada sauce
1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives

Place the chicken in a large pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the chicken pieces are no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Shred chicken by placing two forks back to back and pulling meat apart. Set the shredded chicken aside.

Meanwhile, combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and chili powder in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, then turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the shredded chicken, chopped green chilies, taco seasoning, half of the bunch of chopped green onion, and water. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the lime juice, onion powder, and garlic powder; simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Stir 1 cup of the soup mixture into the skillet with the chicken mixture. Spread the remaining soup mixture on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the chicken filling before folding the tortillas, reserving half of the shredded cheese for topping the enchiladas. Fold tortillas over the filling and place seam-side down in the prepared pan.

Pour enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas. Cover with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of Cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the reserved chopped green onions and the sliced olives on top of the cheese. Bake in the preheated oven until filling is heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 25 minutes.

These were probably the best TASTING chicken enchiladas I've ever had....unfortunately they were also the gooiest, grossest mess I've ever had. The part in the middle of the pan with all the sauce in the bottom and on top just made these inedible for someone with texture problems like me! Big disappointment considering the great reviews this recipe got on allrecipes.com

Monday, December 28, 2009

Dutch Chicken Delight

Dutch Chicken Delight

4 slices bacon, halved crosswise
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup water
1 can creamy chicken-mushroom soup
1 1/4 cups milk
8-oz sour cream
2.25 oz jar sliced dried beef, well rinsed and coarsely chopped
16 oz dried egg noodles, cooked and drained

Preheat the oven to 350^. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels and set aside, reserving drippings in skillet. Saute chicken in reserved drippings until lightly browned on both sides. Add 1 cup water and continue cooking until half the water has evaporated and chicken is completely done. Remove chicken and let cool a few minutes, then chop into bite-sized pieces.

Add the soup, milk, sour cream and chopped beef to the skillet and stir until smooth and combined. Add the chicken. Place the cooked noodles in a large casserole dish and pour the chicken mixture over them, stirring until well combined. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring once half way through. Sprinkle with bacon and serve.

Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications Ultimate Casseroles. Excellent flavor but a little dry after baking....so next time I'll either mix it in the skillet and skip baking it, or add a can of celery soup.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Breakfast Sausage & Velveeta Eggs

Breakfast Sausage

2 tsp dried sage
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 pinch ground cloves
2 lbs ground pork

Combine all the spices and brown sugar in a small bowl and mix well. Add to the ground pork and mix well with your hands. Form into patties. Place a many patties as you need in a large skillet over medium high heat and saute for 5 minutes per side, or until done. (Freeze remaining patties).

These were good, but not great. I will definitely be experimenting with the seasonings until I find a combination I like, because I like the fact that these were nice and lean. Even though there was only a pinch of cloves, I didn't like that flavor so I'll be leaving it out next time. Adapted from allrecipes.com


Velveeta Eggs

6 eggs
2 tbsp half & half or milk
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp butter
2 slices Extra-Thick Velveeta, torn into pieces

Beat the eggs, milk, salt & pepper in a bowl until well combined. Melt the butter in a non-stick skillet until foamy. Pour in the eggs, add the velveeta and stir occasionally until cooked. The cheese will melt into the eggs when ready.

Great with toast!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Chicken Milano

Chicken Milano

2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Garlic Salt & Pepper
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes, drained
2 tsp basil
1 tbsp dried garlic flakes
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan

Pound the chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap until flattened to an even thickness all over. Season with garlic salt and pepper, while heating the butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Brown the chicken on both sides. Add the red onion, sun dried tomatoes, basil, garlic flakes and chicken broth and bring to a boil, covered. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes or until tomatoes have softened and broth has reduced by about half. Stir in the cream and parmesan and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens a bit. Serve over hot, cooked fettuccini.

This was good and would easily serve 4.

Adapted from allrecipes.com.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies


Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

1 (18.25 ounce) box red velvet cake mix
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon bourbon
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Enough milk to make frosting spreadable

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Mix together cake mix, eggs, oil, and bourbon in a large bowl. Roll the dough into balls the size of walnuts. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake in the preheated oven until the tops start to crack, about 8 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Combine the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and enough milk to make a spreadable frosting. Use frosting to sandwich the cookies together in pairs.

These were Jennifer's favorites of all our cookies this year!

Christmas Butter Cookies


Christmas Butter Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour


Powdered Sugar Icing

3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 tbsp water or milk
Decorative sprinkles and/or edible glitter
Food coloring

In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, salt and vanilla until fluffy. Beat in the flour until dough comes together.

Preheat oven to 350^F. Divide dough in half and, on a lightly floured surface roll half the dough to 1/4-inch thick. Cut into whatever shapes you wish with cookie cutters. Repeat with remaining dough, rerolling as needed.

Arrange cutouts 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 12-14 minites or until edges are very lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute, transfer to wire racks and cool completely.

For the Powdered Sugar Icing, in a large bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, vanilla and enough water or milk to make an icing that will just hold a line when piped. Tint whatever colors you wish and frost and decorate cookies as desired.

This cookie dough was very easy to work with, tastes good and my daughter and I had a great time decorating them! OK...she did most of the decorating! I mostly watched and offered praise and encouragement!

Orange Brownies


Orange Brownies

1 cup butter, softened
4 large eggs
2 tsp orange extract
2 tsp orange zest, divided
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tbsp orange juice

Preheat oven to 350^F. Spray a 9x13" baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, beat butter, eggs, orange extract and 1 tsp zest at medium speed until well blended. Mix in the sugar, flour and salt until combined. Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and set in center. Remove from oven and pierce brownies with a fork.
In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, orange juice and remaining 1 tsp zest; stir until smooth. Pour glaze over brownies. Cool and cut into squares.

From Paula Deen's Best Desserts magazine. These are SO GOOD! My personal favorite of all the cookies we've baked this year.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Steak Strips in Onion Gravy

Steak Strips in Onion Gravy

1.5 - 2 lbs beef sirloin steak, cut into strips
3 tbsp olive oil
Garlic Salt & Pepper
1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
Pinch of rubbed sage
Splash of worcestershire sauce
1 packet McCormick's Au Jus mix
14 oz can beef broth
1 cup water

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet until hot. Add the steak strips, season with garlic salt and pepper and brown well on all sides. Add the onion slices and cook about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour or until the steak is very tender. Thicken the gravy with a little flour and water whisked together if you wish.

This was delicious served with Mashed Potatoes!

Big Soft Ginger Cookies


Big Soft Ginger Cookies

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp orange juice
1/4 cup molasses
Extra sugar for rolling

Preheat the oven to 350^F. Sift together the flour, ginger, soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Stir in the orange juice and molasses. Gradually stir in the sifted flour mixture until well combined.

Shape dough into walnut sized balls and roll them in sugar. This dough is very soft, so I found it easier to just drop about a tablespoonfull of the dough into the sugar and the roll it.

Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow cookied to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

These are delicious, soft and chewy. John says he'd like me to make these often and not just at Christmas. They're nicely shaped and quite flat and I think they'd be really cute with some holly leaves & berries piped on them with icing, but I have a cold and don't feel much like messing with that today. Maybe next year.

Adapted from recipe of the same name at allrecipes.com

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Mexican Chicken Soup

Mexican Chicken Soup

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins
Water to cover the chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can Rotel tomatoes
2 tbsp taco seasoning
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp lime juice
Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste
1 (11.5 oz)can V8
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained
1 can Mexi-Corn

Wash the chicken and place in a stockpot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Skim off that gross foamy stuff! Reduce heat and add the chicken soup, Rotel, taco seasoning, chili powder, cumin, cilantro, lime juice, garlic salt and pepper, and the V8. Continue cooking until chicken is completely done. Add the black beans and kidney beans and cook about 1/2 hour. Stir in the corn until heated through. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese and tortilla chips.

I usually make this type soup with chicken broth, but I didn't have any tonight so I substituted the cream of chicken. It was good but the color is weird so I probably won't make it this way again.

Smoked Sausage & Egg Salad Sandwich

Smoked Sausage and Egg Salad Sandwich

5 hard boiled eggs, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp minced dried onion
1 heaping tablespoon soft cream cheese (plain or Chive & Onion flavored)
2 tsp yellow mustard
Mayonnaise
1 lb Hillshire Farms Smoked Sausage
Toasted Hot Dog Buns

Combine the chopped eggs, onion, cream cheese, mustard and enough mayonnaise to bind. Chill until ready to make the sandwiches.

Cut the sausage into bun-sized pieces and broil or grill until hot and lightly browned. Spread some egg salad on the toasted buns and top with a piece of sausage. Yummy good, fast and easy!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Slow Cooked Pork with Caribbean Rice and Peas

Slow Cooked Pork

5-6 lb Boston butt pork roast or pork shoulder
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup grapefruit juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp black pepper

Place the pork in the slow cooker, fat side up. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the pork. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until very tender. Yum!


Caribbean Rice and Peas

2 cups long-grain rice
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
2 tsp grated lemon rind
2 cans field peas (or pigeon peas), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup broth from the pork roast

Combine the rice, coconut milk, broth, water and lemon rind in a rice cooker. Cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender and fluffy. Meanwhile, in a pot combine the peas and pork broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until hot. Serve the peas over the rice. And Yum again!

Both of these recipes are adapted from Southern Living 2002 Annual Recipes.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Peppery Onion Bread

Peppery Onion Bread

17 tbsp water (70-80^F)
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 cups bread flour
3 tbsp nonfat dry milk powder
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp dried minced onion

Place ingredients in bread machine pan, in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting (or basic bread setting if you're going to bake it in the machine). When machine beeps, remove dough and place in loaf pan. Let rise about 30-45 minutes. Bake at 350^ F for 30 minutes.

We had this with Broccoli Cheese Soup and it was good!

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Cheriyaki Pork & Brilliant Broccoli

Cheriyaki Chops

2 (1-inch thick) pork loin chops
Garlic Salt & Pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup World Harbor Oriental Style Cheriyaki Glaze
Pinch ground ginger
Pinch Five-spice Powder
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp water

Season the chops with garlic salt and pepper. Cook in hot oil in a small skillet until browned well on both sides. Meanwhile combine remaining ingredients. When chops are brown, place then in a 9x9" baking dish and cover with the sauce. Reserve the remaining oil in the skillet for the Broccoli. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake at 335^ F for 1 hour or until tender.

This was delicious! I served it with Rice and:


Brilliant Broccoli

1 lb frozen broccoli florets, thawed
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper to taste
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 tsp brown sugar

About 10 minutes before the pork is ready to come out of the oven, heat the oil remaining in the skillet. Add butter and pepper flakes and stir to loosen browned bits. Stir in the broccoli and saute over medium high heat until broccoli is cooked crisp-tender. Meanwhile combine the parmesan and brown sugar. When the broccoli is done, sprinkle with the parmesan mixture. Serve hot. This is my new favorite broccoli dish! I found this recipe at allrecipes.com...the Pork dish I created.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Turkey Salad

Turkey Salad

6 cups chopped, cooked turkey
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/3 cup minced celery
8 oz crushed pineapple, drained
2 tbsp honey
4 tbsp yellow mustard
1 cup mayonnaise
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to blend flavors. Serve on a bed of lettuce or on sandwich rolls or bread.

I love this salad! It can also be made with chicken. I like it with chopped pecans or chopped smoked almonds. You can also substitute bbq sauce for the mustard if you wish.

Cathy's Christmas Jam

Cathy's Christmas Jam

4 cups crushed fresh strawberries
6 oz fresh cranberries, finely chopped in the food processor (not pureed!)
1 pkg powdered Sure-Jell
2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
7 cups sugar

Sterilize 8 (8-oz) canning jars and the lids.

Combine the strawberries, cranberries, Sure-Jell, lime juice, cinnamon and cloves and bring to a full boil over high heat. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minutes. Stir in the sugar. Return to a full, rolling boil and cook 1 minute. Test (drop a tiny bit on a cold saucer and let it set a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, continue to cook and stir the fruit. If the test drop develops a "skin" it's ready. (I've never had to cook this longer than about 3 minutes.)

Ladle the jelly into the sterilized jars. With a damp cloth, wipe the rims to remove any spills. Place the lids on the jars and screw on the rings to seal. Place the jars on a rack in a large pot of boiling water. The water should cover the jars by 1-2 inches. Cover the pot and process for 10 minutes.

Remove the jars carefully and let cool on a towel (do not invert the jars!) I love to hear them pop as they seal!

This is absolutely delicious and has a beautiful color. Makes a great gift too! Everyone loves homemade preserves!!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Honey Of An Oatmeal Bread

Honey Of An Oatmeal Bread

1 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup rolled oats
2 1/3 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon active dry yeast

Place ingredients in bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer.
Select Light Crust or Basic setting, and press Start.

This is a delicious, honey flavored bread! From allrecipes.com

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Pumpkin Cobbler

Pumpkin Cobbler

15-oz can pumpkin puree
12-oz can evaporated milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup flour
1 cup sugar
4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350^F. Grease a 9x13" pan. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, milk, eggs, flour, sugar and spice. Mix well and pour into the pan. Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top then drizzle with melted butter. Top with pecans. Bake for 1 hour or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Yum-OH! I've also made this with white cake mix as well as Butter Pecan cake mix. I think the Butter Pecan is the best, but it's hard to find.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Spicy Fried Chicken Salad

Spicy Fried Chicken Salad

1 cup flour
Garlic Salt and Pepper
1 tsp Montreal Chicken Seasoning
1 tsp paprika
4 boneless skineless chicken breast cutlets
5 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp tabasco sauce
1 tbsp Louisiana Hot Sauce
Oil for Frying
Bag of Salad
Sliced celery
Crumbled Blue Cheese
Ranch Dressing

Combine flour, garlic salt, pepper, Montreal seasoning, and paprika and mix well. Dip the chicken in the flour mixture and set aside. Combine the butter, tabasco and hot sauce. Dip the coated chicken in the butter mixture then back into the flour mixture. Fry until done and crispy on both sides. Slice and serve over salad with celery, blue cheese and Ranch dressing.

Very good....but not spicy enough in my opinion.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Slow Cooked Hungarian Beef & Noodles

Slow Cooked Hungarian Beef & Noodles

2 lb lean boneless beef, cut into cubes
2 cups baby carrots
1 onion, quartered and roughly chopped
1 bell pepper, cut into strips
1/3 cup flour
1 heaping tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp Mrs. Dash Tomato, Basil & Garlic flavored seasoning
1/2 bottle chili sauce
15-oz can stewed tomatoes
26 oz carton beef broth
Salt and Pepper to taste, if needed
16-oz hot cooked egg noodles
8-oz sour cream, if desired

Toss together the beef, carrots, onions, bell pepper, flour, paprika, and Mrs. Dash and place in the slow cooker. Add chili sauce, tomatoes and beef broth and cook on low all day. Serve with hot noodles and stir in sour cream if desired.

This smells wonderful and tastes great!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

2 lbs chicken breast tenderloins
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can creamy chicken mushroom soup
1 tbsp celery flakes
32 oz carton low sodium chicken broth
3 cans (10-oz) each refrigerated biscuit dough
flour

Place everything except the biscuit dough in a crockpot. Cover and cook on low heat for several hours. About 30 minutes before serving, sprinkle some flour on your cutting board, roll out the biscuit until really flat, cut into thin strips with a sharp knife and drop into the chicken mixture in the crockpot. Cover and cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.

Yummo! Cooking this in the slow cooker is an idea I found on allrecipes.com but the biscuit dough dumplings is the way my family has made this for at least 3 generations.

Cheese Stuffed Burgers

Cheese Stuffed Burgers

1 to 1-1/2 lbs ground sirloin
Velveeta cheese, shredded
French Fried Onions
Garlic salt & Pepper

Form the meat into 8 thin patties. Place shredded Velveeta and some French Fried Onions in the middle of 4 patties. Top with remaining patties and press edges to seal. Season to taste and grill, broil or pan-fry until done. Serve on buns with your choice of toppings.

I usually always make these with Velveeta because it melts so easily, but you can use any cheese you like. These are delicious....I usually add some chopped bell pepper to John's.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Caramel Popcorn (aka Crack)

Caramel Popcorn

I tried this recipe on Halloween, and OH MAMA! This stuff is like crack! You cannot stop eating it! Thank God John took it away from me!

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 quarts popped popcorn (3 microwave bags, popped)


1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place popcorn in a very large bowl.

2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.

3. Place in two large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

ps...I only used 1 stick of butter and it was perfect, as PATRINCIA noted in HER review. Also, I baked it for 1 hour, but next time I make this (and there WILL be a next time!) I'll only bake for 45 minutes. Mine was just starting to burn on the bottom after 1 hour even though I stirred it every 15 mintues as directed. From allrecipes.com

Monday, October 26, 2009

Pizza Pasta

PIZZA PASTA

1-1.5 lbs lean ground chuck
Garlic Powder, Salt and Pepper to taste
Handful of sliced pepperoni
1 onion, chopped
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp fennel seeds
26-oz jar your favorite spaghetti sauce
5-6 shakes Tabasco
1 lb rotini or elbows, cooked al dente and drained
Shredded mozzarella or Italian Cheese blend

Brown and crumble the ground chuck, seasoned with garlic powder, salt and pepper, along with the chopped onion in a large skillet. Add the pepperoni and cook 2 or 3 minutes. Drain. Stir in remaining ingredients except pasta and simmer about 30 minutes. Add the pasta and spoon the mixture into a 9x13" pan. Top with cheese and bake at 350^ F. until hot through and the cheese has melted.

Yummy!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Tres Leches Cake

Tres Leches Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 pint heavy cream, for whipping
3 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 inch pan liberally until coated.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Separate eggs. Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over flour mixture and stir very gently until combined.

Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer on, pour in 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry. Fold egg white mixture into other mixture very gently until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and spread to even out surface.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool.

Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small pitcher. When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times. Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture—try to get as much around the edges of the cake as you can. Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes.

Whip 1 pint heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick and spreadable.Spread over the surface of the cake. Decorate cake with whole or chopped maraschino cherries. Cut into squares and serve.

I found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman's blog (www.thepioneerwoman.com). She's my favorite blogger and the pics she had on her site of this cake looked SO GOOD I had to try it! And, Wow! This is delicious! I really was afraid it would be soggy, but amazingly, it's not! I think this will be our dessert on Thanksgiving this year!

Roast Pork for Tacos

Roast Pork for Tacos

4 lb Boston Butt
2 tbsp Liquid Smoke
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/4 cup water
4-oz can chopped green chiles
1 tbsp Cilantro Paste
2 tsp lime juice
1 heaping tbsp diced jalapenos
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp taco seasoning

Season the pork with Liquid Smoke, salt and pepper. Place in a crockpot with the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low all day, or until pork is very tender. Drain,shred,remove fat and bones and serve in taco shells or flour tortillas with your choice of taco toppings.

The Kahlua Pig in a Slow Cooker that I made a couple of weeks ago was so good, I used it as a base for this recipe.

Italian Midnight Sandwich, Cuban Style and Cheddar Pear Pie

Italian Midnight Sandwich, Cuban Style

1 cup mayonnaise
5 tbsp Italian dressing
4 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise
4 tbsp prepared mustard
1/2 lb thinly sliced deli turkey (I like Boar's Head Oven Gold)
1/2 lb thinly slice cooked ham (Publix Sweet Ham)
1/2 lb thinly sliced Swiss cheese
1 cup dill pickle slices
Olive oil

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and Italian dressing. Spread mixture on hoagie rolls. Spread each roll with mustard. On each roll, arrange layers of turkey, ham, and cheese. Top each with dill pickle slices. Close sandwiches, and brush tops and bottoms with olive oil.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Place sandwiches in skillet. Cook sandwiches for 2 minutes, pressing down with a plate covered with aluminum foil (I used a cast iron bacon press). Flip, and cook for 2 more minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove from heat, place on plates, and cut in half diagonally.

These were delicious! I halved the recipe. This makes more mayo sauce than you really need and no way would you use that many dill pickles! I'll definitely make these again though! The original recipe at allrecipes.com is called a Cuban Midnight Sandwich...but I changed the name because Cuban sandwiches don't have turkey or Italian dressing on them!



Cheddar Pear Pie

FOR THE CRUMBLE
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter

FOR THE PIE
6 cups peeled and sliced pears
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
unbaked pie crust

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Combine the flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and Cheddar cheese. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Toss the sliced pears with the lemon juice. Combine the 1/2 cup brown sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Add the sugar mixture to the pears and toss to coat. Transfer the pears to the pie crust and top with the crumble mixture. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes.

This pie has a great flavor and I would make it again...but I'd leave out the cheese. It gave the topping a weird, chewy texture instead of the crispy, crumbly one I expected. From allrecipes.com

Friday, October 23, 2009

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Frozen meatballs (enough for 4 servings)
2 cups bell peppers cut into strips (I used red, yellow and green)
1 onion, chopped
8-oz can pineapple tidbits in juice
1 cup water
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup catsup
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce

Place the meatballs, peppers and onions in a large skillet and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook 30 minutes or so. Drain off all but about 3/4 cup water and add the pinapple plus the juice. combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Stir into the meatballs and cook stirring until sauce thickens and bubbles. Serve over rice.

This sauce is equally good with chicken or pork.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Chili-Rice Salad

Chili-Rice Salad

Hot, cooked rice
Hot, leftover cooked chili
shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
corn chips
shredded cheddar
sour cream

Place a mound of rice on your plate and cover with hot chili, lettuce, tomatoes, corn chips, cheese and sour cream. Eat up.

Love it! John adds chopped onion to his.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Apple Roasted Kielbasa and Potato Pancakes

Apple Roasted Kielbasa

2 lbs Kielbasa or Smoked Sausage
3-4 apples, peeled and quartered
1 large sweet onion, sliced
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup brown sugar

Cut the sausage into serving sized pieces and poke the skins with a fork in a few places. Put in a large roasting pan with the apples and onions. Pour the juice over all and sprinkle the apples with brown sugar. Bake at 350^ until sausage is hot and apples are tender.



Potato Pancakes

2 eggs
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded with all the moisture squeezed out
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I use olive oil)


In a large bowl, beat together eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Mix in potatoes and onion.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. In batches, drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the potato mixture into the skillet. Press to flatten. Cook about 3 minutes on each side, until browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels.

The original recipe (from Fannie Farmer) called for 2 tbsp heavy cream beat in with the eggs, but it is fine without that! John will stand in the kitchen and try to eat these as they come out ot the pan! I have to smack his hand and chase him out of the room! I love these with applesauce and sour cream.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Cathy's Crockpot Chili

Cathy's Crockpot Chili

1 1/2 lbs lean ground chuck
1 lb Jimmy Dean's Hot sausage
Salt & pepper to taste
1 large sweet onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/4 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 heaping teaspoon Spice World's minced roasted garlic
3 tbsp Mexene chili powder
1/2 tbsp chipotle chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp dried cilantro
1 tsp sugar
14-oz can beef broth
14.5-oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
28-oz can crushed tomatoes
6-oz Guinness Extra Stout
1 heaping tablespoon Mt. Olive's diced jalapenos
1 can Bush's Chili Beans in Medium sauce
1 can Bush's dark red kidney beans, drained
1 can Bush's dark red kidney beans, undrained
1 can Bush's black beans, drained

Combine the ground chuck, sausage, salt and pepper, onion and bell peppers in a large skillet. Brown and crumble into small pieces, stirring often, until meat is done. Drain and put the meat and vegetables into a large crock pot. Add all the remaining ingredients. Stir well and cook on low for several hours.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Chicken Katsu & Pepper Jack Potato Casserole

Chicken Katsu

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2" thick
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup oil for frying, or as needed

Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the flour, egg and panko crumbs into separate shallow dished. Coat the chicken breasts in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip them into the egg, and then press into the panko crumbs until well coated on both sides.

Heat 1/4 inch oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken in the hot oil and cook 3 to 4 monutes per side, or until golden brown.

from allrecipes.com. I really thought I'd like this a lot more than I did. Kind of disappointing actually.


Pepper Jack Potato Casserole

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups milk
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp pepper
1 (30-oz) pkg frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
1 (8-oz) pkg pepper jack cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350^ F. Stir together the soup, milk, butter, salt and pepper in a large bowl Add the hash browns and pepper jack cheese and stir to combine. Pour into a greased (or sprayed) 9x13" pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until bubbly.

from Southern Living's 2008 Annual Recipes. This was just OK.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Ham and Bean Soup

Ham and Bean Soup

1 lb dry Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
32-oz carton chicken broth
Water
1/2 tsp salt
1 smoked turkey wing
1 cup chopped carrots
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp dry mustard
8-oz minced ham

Combine all ingredients except minced ham in crockpot. Add water to cover everything by about 2 inches. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. Stir in the minced ham and cook 1 more hour or until ham is hot.

Yum! Serve with Corn Muffins.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Easy Beef with Broccoli

Easy Beef with Broccoli

1 lb beef sirloin, cut into cubes
3 tbsp lite soy sauce
1 can (15-16 oz)beef broth
1 onion, chopped
1 can cream of broccoli soup
16-oz pkg frozen broccoli florets
Hot, cooked rice

Put the beef, soy sauce, broth and onions in a crockpot. Cover, set to low, and cook all day. When you get home, stir in the broccoli soup and the florets. Continue to cook about 1 hour or until the broccoli is done. Serve over hot, cooked rice.

This was OK...John liked it better than I did.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Kahlua Pig in a Slow Cooker

Kahlua Pig in a Slow Cooker

6 lb pork butt (Boston Butt)
1 1/2 tbsp Hawaiian sea salt
1 tbsp Liquid Smoke

Pierce pork all over with a carving fork. Rub salt then liquid smoke over meat. Place roast in a slow cooker. Cover, and cook on Low for 16 to 20 hours, turning once during cooking time.

Remove meat from slow cooker, and shred, adding drippings as needed to moisten.

WOW! This is delicious! The recipe above is from allrecipes.com. I used a 4 lb Boston Butt, a little less than 1 tbsp of sea salt (I couldn't find Hawaiian sea salt at my grocery store so I used plain old regular sea salt) and about 2 tsp Liquid Smoke and I only cooked it for about 11 hours. It was falling apart tender and tasted fantastic! Hard to believe only 3 ingredients is all it takes to make something that tastes so good!!!

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Pizza with Sausage, Pepperoni and Lots of Cheese!

Pizza with Sausage, Pepperoni and Lots of Cheese!

PIZZA CRUST:

3/4 cup warm water
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp dry milk powder
1 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp vital wheat gluten
1 tbsp olive
Garlic powder

TOPPINGS:
1 lb sausage, browned and crumbled
1/4 cup chopped onion, cooked with the sausage
3 tbsp parmesan cheese
3/4 cup pizza sauce
2-3 cups shredded 6-Cheese Italian blend cheese
Sliced Pepperoni

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Pizza Dough cycle and press start. (God, I love my bread machine! It's so easy!)

Flour your hands and remove dough from pan after rise cycle (the machine will beep when ready). Form into a smooth bowl and place on a floured board. Cover and let rest about 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400^ F. Pull, pat and stretch the dough to fit your pizza pan. (I use the kind with little holes in bottom so the crust will be crunchier). Put the dough on your greased pizza pan, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder and parmesan cheese. Bake 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and spoon on the pizza sauce, sausage and onion. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the whole thing and then top with sliced pepperoni. Return to oven and bake 15 more minutes until cheese is melted and starting to turn golden brown around the edges. Serve hot!

I love pizza and this is my favorite! Start to finish this takes about 2 1/2 to 3 hours but it tastes so much better than take-out! And the time is mostly spent waiting, not actually DOING anything.

Pumpkin Pie Bread

Pumpkin Pie Bread

3 cups sugar (or half Splenda & half sugar)
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 (15-oz) can pumpkin puree
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350^ F. Grease two 9x5" loaf pans. Sift together the flour, soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together sugar, oil, eggs and pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture alternately with water. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans.

Bake in a preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. For best flavor, store wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for a full day before serving.

From allrecipes.com

This smelled wonderful while it was baking!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Taco Stuffed Shells

Taco Stuffed Shells

16 jumbo pasta shells
1 pound ground beef
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 cup water
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (24 ounce) jar salsa, divided
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Stir in the shell pasta, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, until just slightly firm to the bite, about 13 minutes. Drain well.

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet; drain fat. Stir in the taco seasoning and water; cook over low heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir the refried beans and 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese into the taco meat. Spoon meat mixture into prepared pasta shells.

Spoon 1/2 jar of salsa and water over the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange filled shells over salsa. Spoon remaining salsa over shells.

Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with sliced green onion and 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese. Serve with sour cream.

Adapted from allrecipes.com recipe by the same name.

This was good, but in my opinion is not worth the hassle of stuffing those shells!

Friday, October 9, 2009

Bake-Off Finalist!

I am officially a finalist in the 44th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest! I am so excited that my recipe has been chosen out of the "tens of thousands" of recipes submitted...I can't believe it! Wish me luck ya'll!!!

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Vegetable Beef Soup with Barley

Vegetable Beef Soup with Barley

1 lb lean beef, cut into small cubes
1 carton beef broth
2 tbsp soy sauce
Pepper
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 small can V8
1 tsp dried oregano
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 pkg frozen mixed vegetables
3/4 cup quick cooking pearl barley

Cook the beef, broth, soy sauce and pepper to taste in the crockpot on low for several hours, or until the beef is very tender. Strain and discard weird beefy bits. Return the broth and meat to a soup pot. Add the tomatoes, v8, oregano and kidney beans and bring to a boil. Cook about 10 minutes. Add the mixed vegetables and barley and cook 10 more minutes or until the barley is done.

Pretty, colorful and tasty.

Good 'n Easy Pork Chops

Good 'n Easy Pork Chops

4 pork chops
2 tbsp olive oil
Garlic salt and pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 packet onion soup mix
2 - 3 cups water, depending on how thick you want your gravy

Preheat the oven to 375^ F. Season the pork chops with garlic salt and pepper and brown on both sides in olive oil. Place the chops in a 9x13" baking dish. Combine the remaining ingredients in the skillet in which you browned the pork chops and bring to a boil. Pour over the pork chops, seal with foil and bake for 1 to 1.5 hours or until pork is very tender.

Easy and delish! Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken Barbecue

Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken Barbecue

1 chicken, cut in halves or quarters or 6 chicken breasts
1 (12 ounce) bottle barbeque sauce (I like Sweet Baby Rays)
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Place chicken in a slow cooker. In a bowl, mix the barbeque sauce, Italian salad dressing, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over the chicken. Cover, and cook 3 to 4 hours on High or 6 to 8 hours on Low. From allrecipes.com

This is excellent!

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Homemade Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce

Homemade Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce

Sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 strips thick bacon, minced (or pancetta)
1 large onion, minced
2 stalks celery, minced
1 small carrot, minced
2 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 tbsp minced roasted garlic
1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
1/2 cup red wine
28-oz can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
6-oz can tomato paste
5.5-oz can V8
3 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp oregano powder
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp honey

Meatballs:
1 tbsp dried minced onion
1/2 cup Cheese & Garlic croutons, crushed
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 tsp garlic powder with parsley
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp roasted garlic mayonnaise
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 1/2 lbs ground chuck
1/2 lb sausage


Combine the olive oil and miced bacon in a stockpot. Cook over medium heat, stirring often until bacon is almost browned. Add onion, celery, and carrot and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the diced tomato, garlic, beef base and wine. Bring to a simmer then stir in the next 14 ingredients. Cook over low heat, covered for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Combine the minced onion, crushed croutons, parmesan, garlic powder, salt & pepper, mayonnaise and cream. Lightly mix in the ground chuck and sausage until well combined. Shape into 1-inch balls and drop carefully into the spaghetti sauce. Cook about 1 hour, stirring once or twice carefully. Use a turkey baster or large spoon to skim the fat off the top of the sauce as the meatballs cook.

This makes enough for at least 3 meals for us. I divide the meatballs and sauce into 3 portions, set 2 aside to cool before storing in the freezer and serve the last portion over hot cooked spaghetti. Yum!

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Quick Chili Rotini

Quick Chili Rotini

1 lb ground chuck
Garlic salt and pepper
1 can Hormel Chili with Beans
1 can Hormel Spicy Chili with Tabasco
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small can V-8
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
Hot, cooked Rotini

Season the ground chuck with garlic salt and pepper and cook, crumbling until browned. Drain. Add remaining ingredients except rotini and cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over hot, cooked rotini.

Quick, easy and tasty.

Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar (or Splenda!)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats

Preheat the oven to 376^ F. Cream together the butter, Splenda/sugar and brown sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in flour, soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix in oats. Spray cookie sheets with Pam. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each ball with a fork dipped in sugar (the sugar is not necessary for the success of these cookies, not do you really need to flatten them. In fact, if you want softer cookies, do NOT flatten them). Bake 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Good cookies!

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Caesar's Pork Chops & Creamed Potatoes Supreme

Great Caesar's Pork Chops

1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/2 cup Caesar salad dressing (I always use Creamy House Italian)
4 bone-in pork center rib chops, 1/2" thick
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Heat oven to 375~. Spray a 12 x 8" baking dish with nonstick spray. Combine the flour and italian seasoning in a shallow dish and mix well. Pour the salad dressing into another shallow dish. Dip both sides of the pork chops in flour mixture, coating well. Dip in salad dressing, coating well. Place in baking dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake 35-40 minutes or until pork is no longer pink in center.

Or use 1" chops, bake 30 minutes before topping with the parmesan, then bake another 35 minutes until done. Very tender and juicy!!!


Creamed Potatoes Supreme

1/4 cup thinly sliced leeks
2 tbsp butter
4 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
1 tsp salt
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup (4-oz) shredded Swiss cheese

Saute the leeks in the butter in a small skillet until they start to change color. Pour over the sliced potatoes and toss well with salt. Place potatoes in a sprayed 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Pour cream over potatoes. Seal with foil and bake at 350^ F for about 1 hour, or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese melts.

Adapted from Better Homes & Garden's All Time Favorite Casserole Recipes. Awesome flavor, very rich and creamy.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

John's Cajun Chicken Pasta

I had to go to the doctor today for a routine check-up and when I mentioned that I tripped a couple of weeks ago and hurt my knee, she recommended that I get an MRI to make sure I didn't tear something and said I should stay off it as much as I can until we get the results. Hey! I'm good with that! So when I told my dh he volunteered to cook dinner tonight. Isn't he sweet? (OK, I might have been just a LITTLE theatrical about the seriousness of my knee situation, but whatever works, right?)

John's Cajun Chicken Pasta

1 onion, chopped
3 tbsp EVOO (he likes to watch Rachael Ray!)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into small bite-sized pieces
1/2 tsp basil
1 1/2 tsp minced roasted garlic
1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp Mrs. Dash Tomato, Basil & Garlic flavored seasoning
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp lime juice
Pinch sugar
5.5 oz can V-8
1 can Stewed Tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes with garlic & basil
Hot, cooked spaghetti

Saute the onion in the olive oil until soft. Add the chicken, basil, garlic, Cajun seasoning, and Mrs. Dash and cook until the chicken is done. Stir in the green pepper, lime juice, sugar, V-8 and both cans of tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes. Serve over spaghetti.

Great job, John! We will be having this again! I think it would be good over rice as well.






Monday, September 28, 2009

Zuppa Toscana

Zuppa Toscana

12 oz italian sausage
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 onion, diced
2 tsp minced roasted garlic
48 oz carton chicken broth
2 large potatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1 colander full fresh kale, rinsed and drained

Cook the sausage, pepper flakes, onion and garlic in a Dutch oven until browned and crumbled into bite-sized chunks. Drain well. Stir in the chicken broth and potato slices. Bring to a boil and cook until pototoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the cream and heat through. Add the kale just before serving.

Yummy!


Sunday, September 27, 2009

Beef Pot Pie

Beef Pot Pie

1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 lb lean beef sirloin, cut into small cubes
Garlic salt and pepper
2 tsp celery flakes
1/2 cup red wine
1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
Water
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 heaping cup frozen peas and carrots
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1 box Pillsbury Piecrust Allready

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Saute the onions until translucent and soft. Add the beef cubes and brown well, stirring occasionally. Season with garlic salt, pepper and celery flakes. Stir in wine, beef base and enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until very tender, about an hour and a half. Add more water to keep the meat covered if needed. Stir in the potato cubes and cook until potato is just barely tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the peas and carrots. Mix the sour cream and flour in a small bowl until smooth and then whisk it into the beef mixture, stirring constantly until smooth. Cook until slightly thickened.

Heat oven to 425^ F. Following instruction on piecrust box, use one of the crusts to line a deep dish pie plate. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef and vegetables to the pie plate. Pour enough gravy over the beef mixture to just cover it. Place the second pie crust over the beef and tuck the edges under the bottom crust. Crimp to seal. Cut 4 small slits into the top pie crust. Place the pie dish on a large cookie sheet lined with foil to catch any drips. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Very good dinner.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Hamburger Ramen Soup

Hamburger Ramen Soup

1 lb ground chuck
3 packets Beef Flavored Ramen Noodles
3 packets Oriental Flavored Ramen Noodles
4 tbsp lite soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese hot mustard
4 tbsp duck sauce
1 tsp Chinese Five Spice powder
1 tbsp crystallized ginger
16 oz pkg frozen broccoli, cauliflower & carrots combination (or Oriental veggie mix)
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, green beans, etc)
8 1/2 cups water

Brown and crumble the ground chuck in a large Dutch oven. Drain and discard any grease. Add the 6 spice packets from the ramen noodles (only use 4 if you need to cut back on your sodium), the soy sauce, hot mustard, duck sauce, five spice powder and crystallized ginger. Stir in the frozen vegetables and the water. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes or until veggies are done. Stir in the ramen noodles and cook about 2 minutes or until noodles are just cooked....do not overcook the noodles! Serve immediately.

This is quite possibly my favorite noodle soup of all time. It makes enough to serve 4 normal people, but John likes it so much he can easily eat half of it by himself and he'll eat the leftovers for breakfast!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Beefy Black Bean Chili

Beefy Black Bean Chili

1 lb boneless lean beef, cut into 1 to 2" cubes (cubed pork is also good in this)
1 lb dried black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
3 tbsp chili powder
1-1/2 tbsp cumin
1 tsp dried cilantro
1/4 cup chopped oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
48 oz carton beef broth
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate syrup (or plain chocolate syrup)
1 tsp sugar

Combine the first 9 ingredients in a crock pot. Stir and leave to cook on low all day. About 1 to 2 hours before serving, stir in the tomatoes, chocolate syrup and sugar and continue cooking until dinner time.

This is good served in a bowl with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced green onions. It's also very versatile....I've served it over rice, pasta, and baked potatoes and it's always well received by the family. With tortilla chips or without.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Pan Seared Scallops

Pan Seared Scallops

1 1/2 lbs bay scallops
Garlic Salt
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 tsp minced roasted garlic
1/2 lemon

Rinse scallops and drain well. Dry thoroughly with paper towels and sprinkle with garlic salt. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Stir in the minced garlic. Add the scallops and cook 6-8 minutes or until scallops start to turn golden brown. Remove from heat and squeeze lemon juice over all. Serve immediately.

Yum-OH! John cooked these for dinner tonight...all I had to do was bake a couple of potatoes and make a salad. Excellent dinner!

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Butter Crumb Pork Chops, Maple Glazed Sweet Pototoes, Creamy Succotash with Bacon, Thyme & Chives

Butter Crumb Pork Chops

1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1 tsp minced garlic
Pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp water
4 pork chops
1/4 cup butter

Preheat oven to 375^ F. In a shallow bowl, combine the garlic, pepper, eggs and water; mix well. Put the cracker crumbs in a separate shallow bowl. Dip the pork chops in the egg mixture and then in the cracker crumbs until well coated. Place the chops in a 9x13" pan. Place chunks of butter around the chops. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 15-20 minutes more or until the chops are completely cooked and tender. (Adapted from allrecipe.com's "Famous Pork Chops")

I did not like these...the crumb/breading was mushy, even though I even ran the pork chops under the broiler for the last few minutes of cooking trying to crisp them up.


Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 3/4-inch thick
4 tbsp butter, melted
Pinch salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Place the potatoes and butter in a 9x13" pan in an even layer. Cover with foil and bake 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Combine salt, syrup, brown sugar and cinnamon. Remove foil from pan, and drizzle syrup mixture over potatoes. Return to oven, uncovered for 15-20 minutes longer. (Adapted from allrecipe.com's "Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes")

I didn't like these either....they were like Wanna-Be Candied Sweet Potatoes only with a vastly inferior, very runny "sauce".


Creamy Succotash with Bacon, Thyme & Chives

4 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
14-oz pkg frozen Fordhook lima beans
1/2 cup water
Salt & pepper to taste
10-oz pkg frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp fresh snipped chives

Fry the bacon over medium-high heat in a large skillet until crisp. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Pour off all but 2 tbsp bacon drippings. Add onions and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add lima beans, water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered until cooked. Stir in corn and thyme and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in half & half and heat through. Serve topped with bacon and chives. (Adapted from allrecipe.com's recipe by the same name)

And I didn't like this either, but John did. I prefer plain, old regular Succotash...hold the cream!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Lima Beans and Rice and Individual Peach Crisps

Lima Beans & Rice

16 oz bag dried large lima beans, rinsed
1 smoked turkey wing (or neckbones, or ham hocks, etc), optional
48 oz carton chicken broth
Water (or additional chicken broth)
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 tsp pepper
Hot, Buttered Rice

Combine all ingredients except rice in a crockpot (slow cooker). Add enough additional water or chicken broth to cover the beans by about 1 inch. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. Serve over hot, buttered rice.

This is my all-time favorite bean dish. I've eaten it this way since I was a small child and I love it!


Individual Peach Crisps

2 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
1/8 tsp almond extract
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter

Preheat the oven to 375^F. Lightly butter 2 individual baking crocks. Place the sliced peaches in the crocks and sprinkle with the almond extract. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, cutting the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the peaches. Bake for about 45 minutes or until peaches are bubbling and the topping is browned. Serve warm.

Adapted from allrecipe.com's "Juicy Peach Crisp". This was absolutely delicious! However, it was too sweet and there was too much topping. I'll be making this one again with some adjustments.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Quick Hamburger Stroganoff (Reduced Fat Version)

Quick Hamburger Stroganoff (Reduced Fat Version)

1 lb lean ground round
1/4 cup water
1 onion, chopped
Garlic Powder, Salt and Pepper to taste
Pinch oregano powder
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
4 oz reduced fat soft cream cheese with chive and onions
1 can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup
2 cans water
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 tbsp flour
Hot, cooked egg noodles

In a large skillet, brown and crumble the ground round in the 1/4 cup water (the water helps keep the meat from sticking). If you're really trying to cut the fat, put the cooked meat in a colander and rinse under running water. Personally, I skip that step because I used really lean meat. Return the meat to the skillet and add the onion, seasonings to taste, oregano powder, parsley flakes, beef base and worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring for 5-10 minutes until the onion is soft. Add the cream cheese, mushroom soup and water and simmer for 30 minutes. Just before serving, combine the sour cream and flour until smooth and whisk into the beef mixture to thicken the sauce a bit. Serve over the hot egg noodles.

I detest mushrooms but I occasionally add a can of them to this because my hubbie loves them. This is tasty and easy.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Ranch Chicken & BLT Salad

Ranch Chicken & BLT Salad

8-10 chicken tenderloins
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1 tbsp ranch dressing mix
4-5 sliced thick cut bacon
1 bag salad greens
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup cubed cheddar jack cheese
Croutons
Ranch Dressing

Combine the olive oil, taco seasoning and ranch dressing mix. Pour over chicken tenderloins and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Cook the bacon until crispy and brown and remove to a paper towel lined plate to cool. Drain the chicken tenders and cook them in 2 tbsp bacon drippings unti completely done. Remove the chicken to a paper towel lined plate and let cool.

Wash and spin the salad greens. Combine with the tomatoes, cheese, croutons, crumbled bacon and chicken tenders. Drizzle Ranch Dressing over all and serve immediately.

Yummy good salad!

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Onion Dip Meatloaf, Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Herbed Corn

Onion Dip Meatloaf

1/2 lbs ground round
1 heaping tablespoon mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 (1-oz) packet dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup plain dried bread crumbs
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder with parsley

Preheat the oven to 375^ F. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix lightly until well mixed. Press mixture into a 9x5" loaf pan. Cover with foil. Bake 1 hour. Remove foil and continue baking another 15 minutes. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving for easier slicing.
Adapted from "Eileen's Meatloaf" at allrecipes.com

This was good, but I agree with my husband's assessment: "It needs catsup!"


Garlic Mashed Potatoes

2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 stick butter
3 tbsp parmesan or romano cheese
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
Salt & Pepper to taste

Cook the potatoes in a large pot of salted water until tender but still firm. Drain and return potatoes to hot pot on the stove for about 1-2 minutes to dry out a bit. Stir in butter, cheese, salt, pepper and oregano. Mash with a potato masher until consistency you like...I like mine lumpy! Adapted from "Garlic Mashed Potatoes Secret Recipe" at allrecipes.com

Also good, buy I'm very relieved that I didn't add the amount of garlic called for in the original recipe! It would have been unbearably garlic-y!


Herbed Corn

1 can gold and white whole-kernel corn
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp freshed minced parsley
1/4 tsp dillweed
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp italian seasoning
Pinch of dried thyme

Heat the corn in a small saucepan until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes. Drain. Stir in the butter and remaining ingredients. Cover and let set 5-10 minutes over low heat to blend flavors. Adapted from "Herbed Corn" at allrecipes.com

Again, this was good, but I really don't think you can beat plain old buttered corn.




BBQ Chicken Pizza

BBQ Chicken Pizza

1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
3/4 cup BBQ sauce
3 tbsp red pepper jelly
2 tsp cilantro
1 Boboli pizza crust
1 cup shredded smoked gouda
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup minced red onion

Preheat the oven to 425^ F. Combine the chicken, bbq sauce, pepper jelly and cilantro in a glass bowl. Cover with a paper towel and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Place Boboli on a pizza pan (I like the ones with little holes in the bottom - make the crust crunchier). Spread chicken mixture on Boboli crust. Sprinkle with gouda, mozzarella and red onion and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and beginning to turn a little golden around the edges. Slice and serve hot.

This was good....but will never replace a "real" pizza (which must have sausage and pepperoni on it!). The bbq sauce was just too sweet tasting for me. Adapted from BBQ Chicken Pizza I at allrecipes.com

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Chicken & Bowties with Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Chicken & Bowties with Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
3 oz prosciutto, chopped
3 tbsp chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil + 1 tbsp oil from the tomatoes
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 tsp garlic
Garlic salt & pepper to taste
1 1/2 - 2 lbs chicken tenderloins
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
2-3 handfuls shredded parmigiano-reggiano
1 lb Bowtie pasta, cooked and drained
Chopped parsley to garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the prosciutto and cook until it begins to brown. Stir in the sun dried tomatoes, oil, red onion and garlic. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken, garlic salt, pepper and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is completely cooked and the broth has been reduced by about half. Remove the chicken to a plate and keep warm. Whisk in the cream and the cheese and simmer until the cheese melts and the sauce starts to thicken. Return the chicken to the sauce and heat through. Serve over bowties, garnished with chopped parsley. (Adapted from Asiago Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta at allrecipes.com)

I loved it, John not so much. And it was so pretty with the parsley sprinkled over it!

Thursday, September 10, 2009

The Best Chicken & Stuffing Casserole

The Best Chicken & Stuffing Casserole

18 chicken tenderloins
Salt & Pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 cups water
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 can creamy chicken & mushroom soup
4 oz soft cream cheese with chives & onions
2 boxed Stove Top Cornbread Stuffing mix
10 oz frozen peas and carrots, thawed
6 slices Swiss or Emmathaler cheese

Season the chicken tenderloins with salt & pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and lightly brown the chicken on both sides. Add water, chives, poultry seasoning and parsley and simmer about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside. Whisk soup and cream cheese into remaining liquid in skillet until smooth. Return chicken to skillet and continue to cook about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing mix as directed on the pan, adding the peas & carrots to the boiling water before stirring in the stuffing mix. Spoon the stuffing and veggies into a sprayed 9x13" pan. Arrange the chicken over the stuffing and pour the gravy over all. Arrange the cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese melts. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and a sprinkle of paprika before serving.

This should serve 6 to 8 people, but I've never been able to stretch it that far....everyone always wants seconds! I've been making this for at least 15 years. The original recipe had the chicken and gravy on the bottom and the stuffing on top but my family thought that was too dry, so I started making it upside down and they loved it.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Hamburger Rice Casserole #2

Hamburger Rice Casserole #2

1 lb ground chuck
Pepper
1/4 cup lite soy sauce
1 (6.4-oz) box Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil flavor
1/2 cup long-grain white rice
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup frozen peas & carrots

Brown and crumble the ground chuck, seasoned with pepper and soy sauce, in a large skillet until done. Stir in the remaining ingredients and heat to boiling. Pour into a large casserole dish (or 9x13 pan). Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350^ for 1 hour or until the rice is completely cooked and tender.

And again....this was good!

Monday, September 7, 2009

Burgers!

John and I went to Whole Foods this morning - I LOVE that store! The produce is always gorgeous, the meats make me drool and by the time I get to the cheese shop I'm positively giddy! We only went there to buy some tomatoes but we ended up with 5 bags of stuff we really didn't need, but we had a great time choosing things.

So, anyways, after scoping out the store, we decided to buy some hamburgers to grill for dinner tonight. They had a great selection of already pattied out burgers which is something I would never buy in a regular grocery store, but Whole Food's meat is just awesome! John chose 2 Cowboy Burgers (beef with bacon, jalapeno, cheddar and jack) and I picked a Gorgonzola Burger (beef with crumbled gorgonzola and bacon). We also bought a jar of Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise and some gorgeous Heirloom tomatoes that we had with the Hamburgers.....and dinner was FANtastic!

The Gorgonzola Burger was delicious, but John's Cowboy Burger was the best of the two. He graciously offered me a taste. I'll definitely buy these again!

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Jerk Chicken with Rice & Beans

Jerk Chicken with Rice and Beans

1/2 chicken (or 2 quarters)
1/2 bottle Lawry's Caribbean Jerk marinade
Gallon-sized Freezer bag
2 cups rice
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tbsp dried minced onion
32 oz chicken broth
27 oz can Margaret Holme's Seasoned Black Beans with Vidalia Onions
2 tsp cumin
1/3 cup catsup
Splash worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lime juice

When I buy whole chickens, I cut them up and re-package them for the freezer. I often pour a marinade (any kind you like) over the meat before I freeze it, which makes it very easy to make dinner later on. The chicken I used for this dish was simply cut in half, placed in the zip-loc bag and the marinade poured over it, then sealed and frozen. Thaw before cooking.

Place the chicken in a 9x13" pan and roast at 400^F for about 1 hour or until the chicken is completely cooked. This would normally have gone on the grill but it's way too hot outside to bother! And it comes out really tender and juicy when cooked in the oven this way.

While the chicken cooks, combine the rice, turmeric, allspice, dried onions, and chicken broth and cook until done. I use a Rice Cooker...makes perfect rice every time!

About 20 minutes before the chicken is ready, combine the beans, cumin, catsup, worcestershire and lime juice and cook gently, stirring often, until hot.

Results: perfectly cooked, juicy and delicious chicken, and quite possibly the BEST rice I've ever cooked. The black beans were perfect with the rice and chicken!

Blueberry Coffee Cake II



Blueberry Coffee Cake II
(Original at allrecipes.com)








2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup blueberries
1 tsp vanilla (my only tweak)

Topping:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened

Preheat the oven to 375^ F. Grease and flour a 9-inch pan. (I used Pam and had no problems) Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whick together the oil, sugar and egg. Stir in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Fold in the blueberries. Pour batter (it's extremely thick and should say "spoon batter" instead, because it cannot be "poured"!) into prepared pan. Cover with streusel topping.

For the topping, in a bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon and sugar. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

This recipe had an average rating of 4.5 stars by 53 reviewers. I'm baffled...and disappointed. The topping was very good, but the cake itself was flavorless and bland and very dry. I'd only give it 2 stars.

Classic Crockpot Beef with Red Wine Gravy

You can make this with just about any kind of beef you have on hand...a roast, stew meat, round steaks, whatever! Tonight I used a piece of sirloin cut into 4 serving sized pieces.

Crockpot Beef with Red Wine Gravy

Beef, your choice, enough for 4 servings
Garlic Salt & Pepper
3 tbsp bacon grease
3-4 slices cooked and crumbled thick cut bacon
1 packet Lipton Onion Soup mix
1 tsp rubbed sage
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can water
1 cup red wine

Season the beef with garlic salt & pepper and brown well on all sides in the bacon grease. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in your crockpot. Add the browned beef and stir. Cover and cook on low all day. This gravy is awesome and the beef is so tender!

Served with Mashed Potatoes and Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Beef & Beans

Beef & Beans

1 lb (more or less) lean beef cubes
1 lb dried pinto beans, rinsed and sorted
1 (32-oz) carton beef broth
1 onion, chopped
1 heaping tsp minced garlic
2 tsp hot mexican chili powder
1 tsp cumin
Water
1 can diced tomatoes with garlic & basil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine the frist 7 ingredients in the crock pot. Add enough water to cover the beans by about 1 inch. Cook on low several hours or until beans are done and the beef is tender. Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste and cook at least 1 more hour.

Very tasty served with allrecipe's Absolute Mexican Cornbread.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Chili Chicken Soup

Chili Chicken Soup

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
Water to cover
1 tbsp dried minced cilantro
1 onion, chopped
1/c cup chopped bell pepper
1 can diced Mexican flavored tomatoes
1 small can V8
2 cans chili beans in medium sauce
1 1/2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp hot Mexican chili powder

Season the chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder and cover with water in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Strain the broth, discarding the weird floaty things, and return the broth to the pot.

Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, cilantro, tomatoes and V8 and return to a boil. Simmer until the onions and peppers are soft. Meanwhile, chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add it to the soup. Stir in the chili beans, corn, cumin and chili powder and cook for about 30 minutes. Serve with a garnish of partially crushed tortilla chips, a sprinkle of shredded cheddar and a dollop of sour cream.

This was so good! I love soup.

Baked Piccolini Alfredo

Baked Piccolini Alfredo

12 oz italian sausage
1 lb ground chuck
Garlic salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
26 oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 tsp dried basil
Pinch sugar
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp minced roasted garlic
2 cups heavy cream
heaping 1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
Salt and pepper if needed
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 lb piccolini (or ziti), cooked al dente and drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella-provolone mix

Brown and crumble the sausage, chuck and onion until completely cooked. Drain. Season with garlic salt and pepper to taste. Stir in spaghetti sauce, basil and sugar and simmer a half hour.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the garlic and cream and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently until hot. Stir in parmigiano reggiano and continue stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat, pour over hot, cooked piccolini and stir to combine.

Spoon about 1 1/2 cups meat sauce into bottom of a 9x13" pan. Spoon piccolini and alfredo sauce over the meat mixture. Top with 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Spoon remaining meat sauce over all. Top with 2 cups shredded mozzarella-provolone mix and cover pan with foil.

Bake at 350^ for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10-15 minutes more until cheese on top is lightly browned and bubbly. Let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving.

This was awesome, if I do say so myself!

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Roast Chicken with Vegetables

Roast Chicken with Vegetables

1/2 large chicken (or a whole one if you want)
1/2 cup water
3 large potatoes, cut into chunks
2 cups baby carrots
3 stalks celery, cut into chunks
1 large onion, cut into chunks
2 tbsp melted butter
Garlic Salt
Pepper
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp dried chopped chives
1 tsp tarragon
3 strips bacon

Place the chicken, skin side up in a large baking dish or 9x13" pan. Pour water around the chicken and arrange the vegetables around the chicken. Drizzle vegetables with melted butter. Sprinkle garlic salt and pepper to taste over all and then sprinkle with the poultry seasoning, chives and tarragon. Lay the bacon strips over the chicken and bake at 400^ for about 1 hour or until chicken is golden brown and completely cooked. (Mine took 1 hour 20 minutes - it was quite large!)

Great served with Cole Slaw and fresh Lemonade!

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Baked Pork Chops with Sour Cream Gravy

Baked Pork Chops with Sour Cream Gravy

4-6 pork chops
Garlic Salt & Pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 can Golden Mushroom soup
1 can French Onion Soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup water

Season the pork chops with garlic salt & pepper and brown well in the olive oil in a heavy skillet. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large casserole dish or 9x13" pan. Place the browned chops into the sour cream mixture. Seal the dish tightly with foil and bake at 350^ for at least 1 hour or until very tender. Served with Rice and Green Beans

I didn't like the French Onion Soup in this. Blech!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Chicken and Black Bean Burritos with Salsa Jack

Chicken and Black Bean Burritos with Salsa Jack

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz chunky salsa
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp diced pickled jalapeno
2 tsp lime juice
2 tsp cilantro
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained
1/2 tsp ground cumin
8 oz shredded Salsa Jack cheese
4 large flour tortillas

Throw the frozen chicken breasts, salsa, water, jalapeno, lime juice and cilantro into the crock pot and let it cook on low until you return home from work! Remove the chicken breasts and shred. Set aside. Combine the black beans, 1/2 cup liquid from the crockpot and the cumin and cook over medium heat until warmed through. Add the chicken and half the cheese and stir until well combined. Spoon 1/4 of the chicken mixture onto the middle of 1 flour tortilla. Fold in sides and then roll up and place in a sprayed 9x9" glass baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with remaining 3 tortillas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the burritos and bake at 350^ for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Serve with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and sour cream if desired. These are delicious!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

All American Club Sandwich

All American Club Sandwich

½ cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp mustard
12 slices whole wheat toast
8 lettuce leaves
8 slices sharp deli cheddar
½ lb thin sliced deli ham
8 slices tomato
½ lb thin sliced deli turkey breast
8 slices cooked bacon

Mix mayo & mustard and spread on 1 side of each toast slice. To make each sandwich, layer 1 slice toast, mayo side up, 1 lettuce leaf, 1 slice cheddar, 2 oz ham, 2 slices tomato, another piece of toast (mayo side down), more mayo-mustard on top of bread, 1 slice cheese, 2 oz turkey, 2 slices bacon, 1 lettuce leaf and another piece of toast (mayo side down). Cut into triangles and secure with toothpicks.

Served with Progresso's Beef Barley Soup.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Ron's Tybee Island Sausage Pie

Ron's Tybee Island Sausage Pie
(Paula Deen)

1 pound ground sausage
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup milk
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese
3 eggs
1 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt (use less if the sausage is salty)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 (9-inch) deep-dish pie crust, partially baked and cooled

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a heavy skillet over medium heat, crumble the sausage with a fork. Saute the sausage until completely cooked. Drain off the fat, remove the sausage, and set aside. Melt the butter in another skillet over medium heat. Saute the onions in the butter until tender. Add the milk and heat until steam rises, but do not boil the milk. Cut the cream cheese into small pieces, add it to the onion mixture, and remove the pan from the heat. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, then add the cheddar, the onion mixture, the Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly and pour this into the piecrust. Top with cooked sausage, and bake for 30 minutes, or until set.

This was OK, but I didn't care for the texture. Too smooshy. I served it with a nice Veggie Salad which was the best part of the meal in my opinion.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

The Barefoot Contessa's Parmesan Chicken

The Barefoot Contessa's Parmesan Chicken

4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 extra-large eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 1/4 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
Unsalted butter
Good olive oil
Salad greens for 6, washed and spun dry
1 recipe Lemon Vinaigrette, recipe follows

Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/4-inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin.
Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the bread crumbs and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts. Toss the salad greens with lemon vinaigrette. Place a mound of salad on each hot chicken breast. Serve with extra grated Parmesan.

Lemon Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Yield: 6 servings

This chicken is awesome! I only used 2 large chicken breasts and halved the remaining ingredients and I used Panko crumbs instead of the seasoned dry bread crumbs. Dinner was delicious and took less than a half hour to prepare everything! Next time I will use a bottled vinaigrette though, as I don't think the Lemon Dressing was worth the effort compared to my favorite Balsamic.

We split a juicy Golden Delicious Apple, some Manchego cheese and a handful of walnuts for dessert.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Hamburger Swiss Steak

Hamburger Swiss Steak

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1.5 lb lean ground chuck
Garlic Salt & Pepper
28-oz can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion
6 oz chili sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large iron skillet and saute the onions and pepper until translucent. Shape the ground chuck in 6 patties and add them to the skillet. Brown on both sides and remove to a casserole dish (or 9x13 pan). Drain the oil from the skillet and return to heat. Stir in the diced tomatoes and chili sauce. Season to taste. Heat to boiling and pour over hamburger patties. Cover with foil and bake at 350^ for about 45 minutes. Serve with Mashed Potatoes and Corn. Yummy!

Friday, August 21, 2009

Hamburger Rice Casserole #1

Hamburger Rice Casserole #1

1 lb ground chuck
Pepper
1/4 cup lite soy sauce
1 (6.4-oz) box Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice Vegetable Pilaf
1/2 cup long-grain white rice
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3 1/4 cups water
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables

Brown and crumble the ground chuck, seasoned with pepper and soy sauce, in a large skillet until done. Stir in the remaining ingredients and heat to boiling. Pour into a large casserole dish (or 9x13 pan). Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350^ for 1 hour or until the rice is completely cooked and tender.

Very good!

Italian Chicken & Vermicelli

Italian Chicken & Vermicelli

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 bottle Italian salad dressing
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried basil
28-oz can petite diced tomatoes
4-oz can V-8
1 lb hot, cooked vermicelli

Pour the salad dressing over the chicken breasts in a large ziploc bag and marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Saute the onions and garlic until tender. Add the drained chicken breasts and saute until lightly browned on both sides and completely cooked. Add the pepper flakes, basil, diced tomatoes and V-8 and simmer about 20 minutes. Serve chicken and sauce over the vermicelli.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Beef Stewganoff

Beef Stewganoff

1.5 lb lean boneless beef sirloin, cut into thin strips
3 tbsp olive oil
Garlic Salt & Pepper
1 pkg. McCormick Beef Stew Mix
Water
10-oz pkg frozen mixed vegetables
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
Hot, cooked noodles

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef with garlic salt and pepper and cook until browned. Add the beef stew mix and enough water to cover meat by about 1 inch. Simmer until beef is tender and water has evaporated to the point that you can see the meat peeking out of the liquid (about 45 minutes or so). Add the mixed vegetables and return to a boil. Reduce heat, stir in mushroom soup until thoroughly combined and cook on low about 10 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the sour cream until combined and serve over hot, cooked noodles.

Yum-mee!

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Sweet Onion BBQ Burgers & French Fries

Sweet Onion BBQ Burgers

2 sweet onions, halved and sliced thin
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp brown sugar
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 lb ground chuck
2 tbsp bbq sauce
2 shakes Liquid Smoke
1/2 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
Hamburger buns, lettuce, leaves, sliced ripe tomatoes, pickles, mayo and catsup

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onions, brown sugar, salt and pepper and cook over medium low heat until onions are caramelized, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Combine the ground chuck, bbq sauce, Liquid Smoke and cheese. Shape into 4 patties and grill until done, or pan fry in the same skillet you cooked the onions in. Serve on buns with the caramelized onions and condiments of your choice. Yum!


French Fried Potatoes (from allrecipes.com)

1/3 cup white sugar (I only used a couple of tablespoons of sugar)
2 cups warm water
2 large russet potatoes - peeled, and sliced into 1/4 inch strips
6 cups vegetable oil for frying (I used peanut oil)
salt to taste

In a medium bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water. Soak potatoes in water mixture for 15 minutes. Remove from water, and dry thoroughly on paper towels. Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Add potatoes, and cook until golden, 5 to 6 minutes. drain on paper towels. Season with salt to taste. Delicious!!

Ham & Cheese Frittata

Ham & Cheese Frittata

3 small potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2" cubes
1 small onion, minced
3 tbsp bacon grease or butter
8 oz ham, diced into 1/2" cubes
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 cup shredded Cheddar

Fry the potatoes and onion in the hot bacon grease over medium heat in an iron skillet until potatoes are almost done and starting to brown. Stir in the ham cubes and continue to cook about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the eggs, milk, salt and pepper until well mixed. Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes and ham. Sprinkle cheese over the top and bake at 350^ about 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Delicious! This is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner and you can substitute any meat or cheese you want.

Friday, August 7, 2009

5-Minute Individual Potato Gratins

5-Minute Individual Potato Gratins
Recipe courtesy Melissa d'Arabian (The Next Food Network Star)
Serves: 4 to 6 servings

Vegetable spray
2 large russet potatoes, roughly peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
2 green onions, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Spray 8 muffin tins with vegetable spray. Layer potato slices, cheese, and onions into each muffin cup. Season with salt and pepper and top each gratin with 1 or 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, removing the foil halfway through cooking time. Invert gratins onto plate and serve.

I made these tonight to accompany the Rib-Eyes we grilled. It was good, but mine didn't brown as nicely as the ones she made on TV. And next time I would use cheddar instead of swiss if I were serving this with beef, though the swiss would be fine with chicken. John liked it...he ate 3 of them! - and he's not a big fan of creamy, cheesy potatoes.

Monday, August 3, 2009

French Market Sausage Skillet

French Market Sausage Skillet

1 lb Jimmy Dean sausage or sliced smoked sausage
1 tbsp dehydrated minced onion
8-oz box Zatarain's New Orlean's Style French Market Vegetable & Rice Mix
15-oz can dark red kidney beans, drained
15-oz can stewed tomatoes
Water

Brown the sausage in a large skillet with the minced onion. Drain the tomatoes into a measuring cup, reserving the liquid. Stir the drained tomatoes, beans and rice mix into the browned sausage. Add enough water to the tomato liquid to make 2 1/2 cups and add that to the pan. Stir well and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 25 minutes or until rice is done and liquid is absorbed.

This was surprisingly very tasty for something that I just threw together without much thought. John loved it also but wanted it spicier so he added hot sauce to his double serving!

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Tex-Mex Casserole

Tex-Mex Casserole

1 lb ground chuck
1/2 lb sausage
1 onion, chopped
Garlic Salt & Pepper
1-oz pkg Old El Paso Taco Seasoning
19-oz can Enchilada Sauce
1 can Rotel Mexican diced tomatoes
1 can Chili Beans, medium sauce
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp cocoa
16-20 corn tortillas, cut into quarters
8 oz cream cheese, softened
16 oz small curd cottage cheese
4 oz shredded pepper jack cheese
1 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips (I used Dorito's Spicy Sweet Chili chips tonight)
8 oz shredded Mexican blend cheese

In a large skillet, brown and crumble the ground chuck, sausage and onions. Season with garlic salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the taco seasoning, enchilada sauce, tomatoes, beans, sugar and cocoa and simmer about 30 minutes, stirring often. Meanwhile beat the cream cheese and cottage cheese until well combined and set aside until sauce is done.

Spoon about 1 cup of the sauce into a 9x13" baking dish. Place 1/4 of the tortillas on top of the sauce in an even layer. Spoon half the meat sauce over the tortillas, then 1/4 of the tortillas on top of that. Carefully spoon the cottage cheese mixture over and sprinkle with 3/4 of the pepper jack cheese. Add another layer of tortillas and then the crushed chips, the remaining tortillas, half the mexican style cheese and the remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle the remaining mexican cheese and pepperjack over top. Cover loosely with non-stick foil and bake at 350^ for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for about 10-15 minutes more.

Remove from oven and let sit at least 20 minutes before cutting. Served with a lettuce & tomato salad and extra chips. My opinion: good flavor but WAY too salty for my tastes!

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Smothered Bacon Chicken & Applesauce Spice Cake with Penuche Frosting

Smothered Bacon Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp butter
4 slices bacon
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
Salt & pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken gravy
1 cup sour cream
1 cup water
1 tsp dried celery leaves
1 tsp dried chives
Hot, cooked rice

Wrap each chicken breast in a bacon slice, beginning and ending on the same side. Season with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet and brown the chicken/bacon pieces for 8 minutes on each side over medium heat. Remove chicken from skillet and place in a 9x13 baking dish. Combine the remaining ingredients in the skillet, stirring until completely combined and hot. Pour over the chicken. Cover with foil and bake at 350-degrees for 45 minutes. Serve over hot, cooked rice. Original recipe is on allrecipes.com. Excellent chicken!


Applesauce Spice Cake

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups applesauce
2 eggs

Sift flour, sugar, soda, salt, baking powder and spices into a large bowl and set aside. Combine the butter, buttermilk, applesauce and eggs in a large mixing bowl and beat until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating well. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13-inch pan. Bake at 350^ for 50 minutes or until done. (Original recipe is Never Fail Applesauce Spice Cake at allrecipes.com)


Penuche Frosting

1/2 cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup half and half
1 pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups confectioners' sugar

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer and stir for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in half and half and salt and return to a boil, continuing to stir. Remove the caramel from the heat and allow to cool to lukewarm, then add the vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioner's sugar with an electric mixer until smooth, being careful not to overbeat. Spread over cooked cake and allow to stand for at least 15 minutes before serving. (Scrumptious Penuch Frosting at allrecipes.com)

The cake was delicious! Very rich though, so a small serving was perfect, which is good for me!