Asian Chicken & Rice Bake

Asian Chicken & Rice Bake

1 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
2 cups frozen broccoli florets
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Golden Mushroom Soup
1 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Paprika

1. Spread the rice in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Top with the broccoli then the the chicken pieces.

2. Stir the soup, water, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and garlic powder in a medium bowl. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken. Sprinkle with the paprika. Cover the baking dish.

3. Bake at 375°F. for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.

John liked it....I thought it was just OK.

From Campbell's

Roasted Green Beans with Lemon

Roasted Green Beans with Lemon

1 lb trimmed green beans
1 lemon, sliced thin
Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling
Sea Salt

Heat oven to 400° F. Spread out beans in a single layer on a jelly roll pan or large shallow baking pan. Top with lemon slices, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Roast beans 20 minutes, until lightly browned and crisp-tender. Flip beans halfway through cooking time for even browning.

I love roasted veggies!

Gruyere Potato Gratin

Gruyere Potato Gratin

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Gruyere cheese (about 6 ounces)
1 cup milk, heated just to boiling
1 cup heavy cream, heated just to boiling
Freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and butter a 3-quart gratin or shallow baking dish.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Peel potatoes and cut into thin slices (about 1/8-inch thick). Add potatoes to boiling water and parcook 4 minutes. Drain potatoes well in a colander.

In gratin or baking dish arrange potatoes, overlapping them, in 3 layers, sprinkling first 2 layers each with 1/2 cup Gruyere and salt and peppers to taste.

Heat milk, cream and nutmeg in a small bowl. Season mixture with salt and pepper and pour evenly over potatoes. Sprinkle potatoes with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake 30 minutes, or until top is golden and potatoes are tender.

Yummy! (From Gourmet magazine)

Red Currant Glazed Ham

Red Currant Glazed Ham

8 lb spiral sliced ham
1/2 cup cran-apple juice
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 cup red currant jelly
1/4 cup whole-grain mustard
2 tsp cider vinegar

Place the ham cut side down in a large crockpot. Pour the cran-apple juice over it and cook on Low for 6 hours.

Meanwhile, using a heavy pan, crush the peppercorns; place them in a bowl. Add the jelly, mustard and cider vinegar to the bowl and mix well to make a glaze. Transfer 1⁄2 cup of the glaze to a second bowl and set aside for serving.

About an hour before the ham is done, brush with glaze, then brush it again about half and hour before serving.

This was good...not as good as a ham that's NOT already sliced would have been, but I did like the sauce. I can never figure out why John likes these spiral-sliced hams when they always turn out so much drier than just a plain old unsliced ham!

Adapted from Woman's Day recipe.

Sangria

For the record, I do not like wine...but this stuff is GOOD!!!

Sangria!

1 1/2 cups blackberry brandy
1 large can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 1/2 cups pineapple orange juice
1 cup cranberry juice cocktail
4 (750 milliliter) bottles merlot
1 cup triple sec
1 lemon, sliced into rounds
2 navel oranges, sliced into rounds
1 lime, sliced into rounds
1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
1 cup white sugar
Sprite or Club Soda(optional)


Combine all ingredients except the Sprite in a 3 gallon beverage dispenser (available at Bed Bath & Beyond...we bought the one with a cooling chamber so the ice doesn't dilute whatever you're serving!) Fill the dispenser chambers with ice and let the mixture stand for several hours before serving. Top each serving with a splash of Sprite if desired.

We served this at Jen's wedding rehearsal and it was really good! I preferred it with the Sprite. I liked it so well that I might just start mixing up a small pitcher and keeping it in my fridge :-)

Adapted from the Sangria! Sangria! recipe at allrecipes.com

Coconut Chicken Panang

OK, I have to say I'm a bit leery about this recipe. 1 TABLESPOON of 5 different spices?! Sounds a bit much to me. However, now that it's bubbling away, I have to say it smells really, really good!


Coconut Chicken Panang
Serves 6

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips.
• 2 cans coconut milk
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 small white onions
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp each: turmeric, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• chives, thinly chopped
• olive oil

Puree the bell pepper, one onion, 2 garlic cloves, and 1/4 cup of olive oil in a food processor. Transfer to a small pan and bring to a simmer. Stir in coconut milk and spices, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Keep simmering on low.

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven and add the rest of the onion and garlic. Add chicken (season with salt & pepper) and allow to brown, but not cook through entirely.

Pour the simmering mixture over chicken and cover for about 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked all the way through.

Serve over jasmine rice and top with fresh chives.

The Verdict: For something with 5 TABLESPOONS of spice in it, this was curiously lacking in flavor. It smelled good, but was definitely missing something. Disappointing recipe.

From grouprecipes.com

Mexican Cheesy Chicken

Mexican Cheesy Chicken

1/4 cup Sofrito
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 soup can water
1/2 jar Pace Mexican Four Cheese Salsa con Queso
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried cilantro
1/2 tsp cumin
1 can Rotel
2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Combine first 9 ingredients in an oven proof skillet. Heat, stirring until well combined. Add chicken breasts, turning to coat. Cover with foil and bake at 350^ for 1 hour or until chicken is completely cooked. Stir before serving.

We had this over Yellow Rice, but I think white rice would have been better. Or pasta. Also, next time, I'd eliminate the lemon juice and maybe add just a tsp or 2 or lime juice instead.

Prairie Shepherd's Pie

Prairie Shepherd's Pie
6 servings

6 medium potatoes
1/4 cup butter
1/3 - 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2  pounds  ground beef
1/2  cup  chopped onion (1 medium)
Good splash of Worcestershire sauce
Garlic Salt to taste
3/4  cup  beef broth
1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
1/4  teaspoon  salt
1/8  teaspoon  black pepper
1 - 1.5 cups water, as needed
1  10 3/4-ounce can  condensed cream of mushroom soup
1  8-ounce carton  dairy sour cream
6  ounces  Velveeta, cut into 6 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 pkg french fried onions, crushed

1. Prepare Mashed Potatoes: Peel and quarter 2 pounds (about 6 medium) potatoes. Cook, covered, in a small amount of boiling lightly salted water for 20 to 25 minutes or till tender; drain. Mash with a potato masher or beat with an electric mixer on low speed. Add 1/4 cup butter or margarine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Gradually beat in 1/3 to 1/2 cup milk to make light and fluffy. Makes about cups. Set aside to cool for 1 hour or till cool enough to handle.

2. In a large skillet, cook meat and onion with Worcestershire sauce and a bit of Garlic Salt unil meat is brown. Drain off fat. In a small bowl, stir together the broth, flour, salt and black pepper till well combined. Stir broth mixture into meat mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat till thickened. Add water if necessary to keep it from getting TOO thick! Remove from heat. Stir in soup and sour cream. Transfer meat mixture to a 3-quart casserole; set aside.

3. For potato topping, shape Mashed Potatoes into 6 balls. Make a hole in the center of ball; insert a cube of cheese in the hole, then reshape into a ball, enclosing the cheese. Repeat with remaining mashed potatoes and cheese cubes. Roll each ball in crushed fried onions. Arrange potato balls on top of meat mixture.

4. Bake, topped with a loose piece of foil, in a 350° oven about 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking another 15 minutes or till mixture is bubbly and potatoes are heated through. Makes 6 servings.

This was good but I like my regulare Shepherd's Pie better.

Adapted from recipe at midwestliving.com. I didn't bother with a casserole dish, just left it in the cast iron skillet I cooked the meat in! Why dirty extra cookware when you don't have to?

Spicy Spaghetti

Spicy Spaghetti

1 1/4 lb. ground chuck
1 onion, diced
Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste
4 oz pepperoni, diced
Splash or two of Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 splash Louisiana Hot Sauce
1 heaping tsp Italian seasoning
1 large jar Ragu meat sauce
1 pinch sugar
Thin spaghetti
Grated Parmesan if desired

Crumble and cook the ground chuck, onion, garlic salt, pepper and diced pepperoni in a large iron skillet until the meat is finely crumbled and browned. Add remaining ingredients, stir to blend and simmer over low heat for at least 30 minutes. Serve over hot cooked thin spaghetti with grated parmesan.

This is really good spaghetti!

Back in the day, my Mom would have served this with Buttered Bread and cold dill pickles. My sister, Donna, used to chop the pickles up and mix them into her spaghetti. Don't laugh, but that actually tastes pretty darn good! I wonder if she still does that...I'll have to remember to ask her. Can you tell I'm feeling a bit nostalgic and missing my family tonight?

Almond Toffee Bars

Almond Toffee Bars

• 1/2  cup  butter or margarine
• 1-1/2  cups  quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1/2  cup  graham cracker crumbs
• 1  cup  semisweet chocolate pieces (6 ounces)
• 1  cup  almond toffee pieces
• 1  cup  sliced or chopped almonds
• 1  14-ounce can  sweetened condensed milk

1. Heat oven to 325 degree F. Melt butter or margarine in a 13x9x2-inch baking pan in the oven (about 6 minutes). Remove pan from oven. Sprinkle oats and crumbs evenly over melted butter or margarine; press lightly onto bottom of pan using the back of a large metal spoon. Sprinkle the chocolate pieces, toffee pieces, and almonds evenly over crumb mixture. Drizzle all with sweetened condensed milk.

2. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until edges are bubbly and center is just lightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately run a narrow metal spatula or table knife around edges of pan to loosen the cookie. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack; cut into bars. Makes 48 bars.

Pretty good.

Recipe from www.bhg.com

Butter Almond Cake

Butter-Almond Cake
cooking.com; recipe contributed by: angie, MN 

8 Servings

Cake:
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 t. Vanilla
2/3 Cup Butter, plus small amount for pan
2 Eggs
3/4 Cup Flour
1/4 tsp salt

Glaze:
2 T. Milk
1 T. Flour
1/4 C. Butter
1/3 C. Blanched almonds, sliced
4 T. Sugar

1. Prehaet oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt 2/3 C. butter and allow to cool.

3. Using a mixer, beat eggs, vanilla and sugar in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.

4. Add butter and flour to egg mixture and stir by hand. Makes approximately 2 cups of batter.

5. Pour batter into an 8-inch greased and floured cake or tart pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. In a saucepan, combine remaining 1/4 cup of butter, 4 T. sugar, milk, and flour. Bring to a boil and add almonds.

7. Spread cake with glaze and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until just beginning to turn light brown and crispy.

8. Allow to cool on a rack for 15 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The verdict: Very dense and a bit on the dry side, though the flavor was good. I didn't care for the soggy almonds on top, but I served it warm so maybe it would be better served cold (if the almonds crisp up)? I probably won't make it again to find out though....

ps..the picture is from cooking.com!

Sausage with Garlic Lentils

Sausage with Garlic Lentils

14 oz lentils
1 tsp dried basil
1 small onion, peeled and sliced
1 carton chicken broth
Water, if needed
4 large cloves garlic, grated or minced
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pkg Mild Italian Sausages
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, a generous handful, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cover lentils by 2 inches with chicken broth and water, add basil and onion and bring to a boil. Boil lentils 20 to 22 minutes until just tender but with a little bite left to them.

In a small shallow bowl combine the garlic and about 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil and let stand 15 minutes.

Place sausages in a small skillet and add 1/4-inch water and 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil. Bring water to a boil then reduce heat to medium-high. Let the water simmer away 8 minutes or so, then crisp the casings 3 to 4 minutes more.

Drain any excess liquid from the lentils and toss them with garlic oil, parsley and salt and pepper. Serve with sausages on top.

This was my first time cooking or eating lentils. They were pretty good...a bit bland but not bad at all! John loved them!

Adapted from Rachael Ray recipe.

Confederate Bean Soup

Confederate Bean Soup My Way

2 tablespoons butter
2 slices thick cut applewood smoked bacon, diced
1 pound Hillshire Farms smoked sausage, sliced in rounds-1/4 inch thick
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
28 oz can Bush's baked bans
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup half-and-half

Melt the butter in a Dutch Oven and cook the diced bacon in it until the bacon is nearly all browned and crisp. Stir in the sausage, garlic, and onion and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the sausage begins to brown a bit. Add the beans and chicken broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in half and half and continue to simmer just until well mixed and hot. Serve with hot cornbread.

This was good, quick and easy. John said it wasn't his favorite but he ate 2 bowls of it so it must not have been too bad!

Adapted from The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook by Paula H. Dean

Ravioli Alfredo

Ravioli Alfredo

12 oz Jimmy Dean Sage sausage
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 soup can water
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 - 1/3 cup grated parmesan
1 cup sour cream
1 pkg frozen cheese ravioli, cooked as instruced on package

Crumble and brown the sausage and onion in a large, heavy skillet until completely cooked. Stir in italian seasoning, mushroom soup and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5-10 minutes. Stir in cream and parmesan and cook gently until cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Add sour cream and continue cooking and stirring until hot through. Serve over the cooked ravioli.

This sauce was delicious but I didn't care for it over the ravioli. I will serve it again though with pasta!

Adapted from a Semi-Homemade recipe (Ravioli Stroganoff).