Look What's Cooking Today

Tuscan Chicken

2011-10-24T05:24:00.000-07:00

This is very easy and quick.

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 garlic cloves, sliced

2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed

1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Flatten chicken to 1/2 in thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. In large skillet over medium heat cook the garlic, rosemary, sage and thyme in oil for 1 minute; stirring occasionally. Add chicken and cooke for 5-7 minutes on each side.

Serves 4. Ready in 15 minutes.

Spinach and Carrot Quiche

2011-10-21T18:59:00.000-07:00

We love this quiche and it's so easy to make.

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, liquid removed
1/4 cup shredded or minced carrots
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 9-inch pie crust

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the onion until tender. Add the garlic, spinach, and carrots and cook until the spinach liquid has evaporated.

3. Remove skillet from heat. Mix in cheese and eggs. Add seasonings.

4. Pour into pie shell and bake for 30 minutes.

Serves 6. Ready in 30 minutes.

Pie Crust

2011-10-21T18:53:00.000-07:00

I like to make my own because I can whip up a quiche or pot pie without having to run to the store to buy a pie crust. They also freeze well. Try not to handle the dough too much with you hands. You want the butter to melt in the oven, not on your hands.

1 cup butter, chilled, cut into tablespoon pieces
3 cups flour
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons ice water

1. In an electric mixer combine flour and sugar. Add butter and use the paddle attachment to cut the butter and flour together.

2. With mixer on low speed pour in water. Stop when the dough starts to clump, before turning into a ball.

3. Knead dough in the bowl until it forms a ball. Divide dough into 2 parts. Flatten to a disk and chill for 30 minutes before rolling.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2011-10-21T18:45:00.000-07:00

I usually make and cook the meatballs then freeze them for future use. After freezing them I put them in a pot and pour the sauce over them. I then let them warm up under low-medium heat. Serve over rice.

For meatballs:
3 pounds ground beef
1/3 cup onion flakes, or minced onion
1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375. Make meatballs by mixing together all ingredients in a large bowl. Shape into 1 inch balls. Cook on a rack placed over a jellyroll pan. Bake for 20 minutes.

For sauce:
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups brown sugar
2 tablespoons mustard powder
pineapple chunks
bell peppers, diced
1 cup water, divided into 1/2 cups
2 tablespoons cornstarch

In a saucepan over medium heat mix vinegar, sugar, mustard, 1/2 cup water, pineapple, bell peppers, and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Mix cornstarch and 1/2 cup water; add to the saucepan. Boil for 1 minute or until thickened.

Serves 10

Turkey Pot Pie

2011-10-21T18:33:00.000-07:00

I've also made this with chicken, and it was good, but turkey was better. Serves 8.

1 recipe pastry for a (10 inch) double crust pie

4 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, minced

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 carrots, diced

3 tablespoons dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon ground sage

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cubes chicken bouillon

1 3/4 cups water

3 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 1/2 cups cooked turkey, cubed

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out bottom pie crust and place in the 10 inch pie pan and set aside.

Place 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet. Add the onion, celery, carrots, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the bouillon and water. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in the potatoes, and cook until tender but still firm.

In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the turkey and flour. Add the milk, and heat through. Stir the turkey mixture into the vegetable mixture, and cook until thickened. Pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Roll out the top crust, and place on top of filling. Flute edges, and make 4 slits in the top crust to let out steam.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Substitute for Taco Seasoning

2011-10-21T18:26:00.000-07:00

I don't always have a packed of taco seasoning available but I do have spices. It is a little spicy so kids may like less chili powder. Here's what I use:

2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Jonathan's Favorite Granola Bars

2011-10-21T18:20:00.000-07:00

You can add pretty much anything you want to these bars (raisins, dried apricots, etc.).

3 cups quick cooking oats
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9X13 pan.

2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl with your hands or spatula. Press flat into the pan.

3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes the cut into desired size. Let cool completely before serving.

Broccoli with Garlic Butter and Cashews

2011-10-20T19:23:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite way to eat broccoli. I know it's not the healthiest, but tastes so good!

1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1/3 cup butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup chopped salted cashews

1. Steam broccoli for about 7 minutes. Drain, arrange on serving platter.

2. While broccoli is cooking, melt butter in a small pan. Mix brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, and garlic. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Stir in cashews and pour sauce over broccoli. Serve immediately.

Serves 6. Ready in 20 minutes.

Harvard Beets

2011-10-20T19:04:00.000-07:00

I never had beets before trying this recipe but now I can say that I love Harvard Beets!

2 or 3 beets
3/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Rinse beets and remove green stems. Wrap each beet in foil and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 1 hour, or until a knife can cut through the largest beet. After the beets have cooled slightly, run under cold water and rub off the skins. Cube beets into bite sized pieces.

In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, and water. Bring into a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add the beets to the liquid and simmer for 30 minutes over low heat. Stir in butter, salt and pepper and remove from heat. Can be served warm or chilled.

Serves 6.

Whole Wheat Honey Bread

2011-10-20T18:27:00.001-07:00

I don't want to jinx this, but I never want to buy bread again after making this. We love it so much and it tastes so much better than store bought. I feel better eating it because I know exactly what's inside and there are no preservatives. I use the bread machine to mix and raise the dough so this is very easy to make.

1 1/8 cups warm water
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
3 cups whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons wheat gluten
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

Put into bread machine in listed order starting with water. Use the dough setting on the machine. When the bread machine is done, shape dough into a loaf shape and let rise in a greased loaf pan for about 30 minutes. Cook bread at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Delicious Apple Pancakes with cider syrup

2011-10-20T17:48:00.000-07:00

This recipe is one of our favorite breakfasts. We like the make the syrup all the time to have on hand.

2 cups complete pancake mix
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup grated apple
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Syrup:
1/ 2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup apple cider or juice
2 tablespoons butter, cubed
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Mix the pancake ingredients together and cook on a griddle using 1/4 cup batter per pancake.

2. For syrup: In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg. Stir in cider until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Stir in butter and lemon juice.

Makes 12 pancakes, 1 1/4 cups syrup

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins

2011-10-20T17:43:00.000-07:00

These are great for breakfast or a healthy snack.

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup craisins
1/4 cup pecans or walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin cups with liners.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pice spice; set aside. Combine brown sugar, while sugar, applesauce, pumpkin, buttermilk, and eggs. Mix until well blended. Pour pumpkin mixture into dry ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in craisins and nuts.

3. Divide batter into muffin tins. Bake 15-20 minutes. Cool in the muffin pan on a wire rack before removing muffins.

Makes 12 muffins. Ready in 40 minutes.

*pumpkin pie spice substitute: 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

2011-10-20T17:35:00.000-07:00

These may sound gross to you, but they are so yummy! I tricked my family into eating them one morning. They said they didn't like cottage cheese so I told them I would make something else. My husband and I went ahead and made the cottage cheese pancakes anyways because we knew they would like them. My family gobbled them up! Afterwards we told them they had cottage cheese in them and no one believed us.

In a blender, whip:
1 cup cottage cheese

Add:
1/2 cup flour
4 eggs
Blend.

With the mixer running add 6 tablespoons melted butter.

They have a running consistency and will be flat after cooking. They are good with syrup, but my favorite way to eat them is with jam.

Blendar Salsa

2011-10-20T17:29:00.000-07:00

A friend gave me this recipe and now I don't use anything else to make salsa.

Blend in blender:
20 oz diced tomatoes
1/2 chopped onion
1 jalapeno
(add tomatios make it spicier)

Add:
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
half bunch of cilantro leaves

Blend again to desired consistency.

Yummy Veggie Pizza

2011-10-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

2 packages of crescent rolls
1 cup sour cream
8 oz cream cheese
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 oz ranch dressing mix

Vegetables: green onion, celery, yellow bell pepper, red bell pepper, broccoli, carrot, cucumber

Preheat oven to 350. Pat dough onto sprayed jellyroll pan. Let stand for 5 minutes, then pierce with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes, let cool. Mix ingredients and spread on top of the cooled crust. Arrange the vegetables on top and let chill.

Orange Julius Drink

2011-10-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

This was a special treat for me as a child. To this day when I drink it I go back in time to my childhood.

6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 ice cubes

Pour all into a blender and mix until blended.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

2011-10-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

Streusel Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
7 tablespoons butter, melted

Muffin Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries (keep in freezer until last possible moment)

1. For the streusel: combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Drizzle with melted butter and toss with a fork until evenly moistened and mixture forms chunks.

2. For the muffins: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375. Either grease and flour muffin tin or use paper liners. Whisk egg in medium bowl until pale and evenly combined, 30 seconds. Add vanilla, sugar, and zest and whisk vigorously until thick, 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in melted butter, add buttermilk and whisk until combined.

3. Reserve 1 tablespoon flour. Whisk remaining flour, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Fold in egg mixture until nearly combined. Toss blueberries with reserved flour and fold into batter until just combined.

4. Divide batter in muffin tin and top with streusel. Bake until light golden brown and toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out with a few dry crumbs attached, 23-27 minutes. Cool muffins for 20 minutes in tin, the transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Makes 12 muffins

*recipe credit: Cook's Country

Best Ever Banana Bread

2011-10-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 very ripe bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup walnuts, or chocolate chips

1. Adjust oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9X5 inch loaf pan; set aside.

2. Wisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.

3. In another bowl, mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla together. Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined. The batter with look thick and chunky. Fold in walnuts or chocolate chips. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan.

4. Bake until loaf is golden brown, about 55 mins. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Makes 1 loaf.

*recipe credit: Cook's Country

Brussels Sprouts with Pecans and Craisins

2011-10-20T11:37:00.000-07:00

1 lb fresh brussels sprouts, rinsed and trimmed
1/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Craisins

1. Thinly slice brussels sprouts using a food processor or knife.

2. Toast pecans in a saute pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes or until pecans darken in color and begin to give off a toasted aroma.

3. Add the butter to the pan and stir to combine. Once the butter has melted, add the brussels sprouts, salt, pepper, and cook, until the color brightens and the sprouts are tender. About 6 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from heat, add the cranberries. Toss and serve.

Serves 6-8. Ready in 20 minutes.

*recipe credit: Alton Brown

Granola Bars

2011-08-24T10:38:00.001-07:00

I found a great granola bar recipe which has been my favorite so far. I changed the recipe quite a bit to be healthier and this is what I've come up with. I've made a batch weekly because we love them so much.

4 cups rolled oats (I've used both rolled oats and quick oats and can't tell a difference)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 c softened butter

1/3 cup applesauce

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup craisins

1/2 cup nuts

Press into a greased 9x13 inch pan. (I spray my hand with cooking spray to press because it's pretty sticky.) Bake at 325 degrees for 18-22 minutes. When I take them out of the oven I press them again with the back of the spatula. Cool in the pan. When they are cool cut into your desired size.

Baked Potato Wedges

2011-04-24T12:40:00.000-07:00

I made this once a few weeks ago and have been craving it ever since so I made them again last night. They were just as good as I remember.

potatoes cut into wedges (I usually do 2 or 3 for the 2 of us)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with cooking spray.

2. Toss all ingredients in a ziploc bag until the potatoes are covered. Place on the baking sheet in a single layer.

3. Bake for 30-35 minutes flipping half way through.

English Muffins

2011-03-08T17:27:00.001-08:00

Luckily for us, and you, there is a great recipe to make your own english muffins. They are so good! I could eat the whole batch in one day. Try them!

1 3/4 cups milk, warm

2 TBS sugar

2 tsp instant yeast

3 TBS butter, softened

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

4 to 4 1/4 cup flour, all-purpose or whole wheat

1 tsp baking powder

Combine the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Cover with a towel and let proof for 5 minutes. In a electric mixer with the dough attachment add remaining ingredients and mix throughly for about 5 minutes. Do not add more flour, the dough will be sticky. When mixed scrape dough from the bowl one a lightly floured counter top. Fold dough over a few times until it forms a smooth ball. Place in a greased bowl and allow to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.

Punch down dough and lay out on a surface sprinkled with corn meal. Roll out to desired thickness. (The muffins rise a little so roll them about 1/4" thinner than what you would like the finished product to be.) Cut out circles with a 3" cutter. Re-roll and cut out the leftover dough. Cover the muffins with a damp cloth and let rest for 20 minutes.

Heat frying pan to low-med heat. Sprinkle pan with cornmeal. Cover pan and cook muffins for 6-7 minutes on each side.

Cool on a cooling rack. Store muffins in fridge or freezer.

Chicken Cornbread Bake

2010-09-28T18:55:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in our newspaper in the kids section of the comics. It sounded good so I thought I'd try it. We both really enjoyed it and it's easy enough that I can see it making appearances in our dinner rotations. It has a Mexican/enchilada taste.

1 cup pre-shredded four-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 14.75 oz cream style corn
1 8.5 oz box cornbread mix
1 4 oz chopped green chilies, drained
1 10 oz can red enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine 1/4 cup of cheese and the next seven ingredients in a large bowl, stirring just until moist.
3. Spray 9x13 inch baking dish; pour in mixture.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Pierce surface with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top.
5. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese.
6. Bake for 15 more minutes until cheese melts.
7. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes.
8. Top each serving with some sour cream.

Lime White Chocolate Cookies

2010-09-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

I had lime white chocolate cookies on a plane and they were so good I just had to find a recipe. This one is very good.

1 cup butter, softened
2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup lime juice
1tbs lime zest
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

Cream butter, sugar, eggs, and yolks in a large bowl.

Blend in flour, baking powder, salt, lime juice and zest. Fold in chocolate chips.

Roll into walnut sized balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen.

Country Green Beans

2010-09-20T08:08:00.000-07:00

1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped cooked ham
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup water
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

In a saucepan combine all ingredients. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until beans are tender.

(I would use ham lunch meat and we love these beans. I'm sure if you used real ham they would be even better.)

Lime Squares

2010-07-30T14:45:00.000-07:00

Key Lime Bars
Martha Stewart Living

cup finely ground graham cracker crumbs
1/2 tablespoons finely ground graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
2/3 cup fresh Key lime juice , (about 23 Key limes total)
cup sweetened condensed milk, (14 ounces)
Key limes, thinly sliced into half-moons

Make crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a small bowl. Press evenly onto bottom of an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Bake until dry and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.(Leave oven on.)

Make filling: Put egg yolks and lime zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on high speed until very thick, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium. Add condensed milk in a slow, steady stream, mixing constantly. Raise speed to high; mix until thick, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add lime juice; mix until just combined.

Spread filling evenly over crust using a spatula. Bake, rotating dish halfway through, until filling is just set, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or overnight).

Cut into 2-by-2-inch bars. Garnish bars with whipped cream and a slice of lime.

These were soooo delicious! I made them for a baby shower and I got so many compliments on them. They are involved (squeezing all those limes) but taste so good! I used regular limes, about 12 of them and the bars still tasted great.

Spaghetti Sauce

2010-07-16T12:37:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe and was pleased with it. It's not perfect so I'm still playing around with the spices, but here's the version I tried. It's very easy!

1 chopped onion
3 tablespoons butter
2 15 oz tomato sauce (I used 2 8oz cans and 1 14.5 oz can crushed tomato)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion in butter. Then add rest of ingredients and cook until hot.

Next time I'm going to try and cook minced garlic in with the onion.

Enchiladas with PepperJack Cheese and Green Sauce

2010-02-18T08:42:00.000-08:00

8 corn or taco-size flour tortillas

2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese, divided

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles, drained*

1 pound cooked chicken, shredded or cut into bite sized pieces, optional

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees for flour tortillas or 350 for corn.

2. Spread 2 tablespoons of the cheese on each tortilla and roll up. Add the chicken if using. Place the tortillas seam side down in a 9x13 inch baking dish.

3. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan; stir in the flour. Add the broth all at once and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Stir in the sour cream and chiles. Cook until the mixture starts to bubble, but do not boil. Pour the mixture over the tortillas and bake for 20 minutes for flour tortillas; 15 minutes for corn.

4. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the enchiladas and bake until cheese melts, about 5 minutes.

Serves 8

*I actually only used half of a can of chiles because that was all I had on hand. I thought the enchiladas were spicy enough with only half a can because the pepper jack add spice as well.

Fired-up Mac n' Cheese

2010-02-18T08:11:00.000-08:00

I used the full amount of cayenne the recipe calls for and I thought it was pretty spicy, kids probably wouldn't eat it, so if you're feeding kids use 1/8 teaspoon. However, my husband and I thought it was the best mac n' cheese we've had. It's nice to have an easy homemade mac n' cheese because i know exactly what's in it, unlike the blue box kind.

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni, or other pasta (penne, etc.)

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Crumb topping:

2 to 3 slices white bread*

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook the pasta according to package; drain.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and 8x8 inch baking dish.

3. Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan and add the flour. Stir with a whisk until mixture is bubbly, about 1 minute. Add the milk, cooking and stirring until the mixture thickens. Add the salt, cayenne, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir for 1 minute.

4. Remove pan from the heat and add cheddar cheese and the 1/4 cup Parmesan. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted. Stir in the pasta. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.

5. To make crumb topping, tear the bread into small pieces and pulse in the food processor to make 1 cup crumbs. Mix in the butter and the parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the pasta mixture. Bakes for 20 to 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly and the topping is brown.

Serves 6

* Note: I used about 3/4 of a sleeve of ritz crackers instead of the bread, which I crushed

The Food Nanny

2010-02-18T08:06:00.000-08:00

My sister-in-law let me borrow her cookbook from Liz Edmunds, "The Food Nanny." So far everything I've tried from her has been super yummy. I've made a new label for "Food Nanny" so she gets the credit she deserves. I'll be posting her recipes as I try them.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

2010-02-18T07:51:00.000-08:00

The book I got this recipe from claims this soup is good as any you'll get at a restaurant. I totally agree, it was delicious! I used the marinara recipe listed in the post below.

I used our nifty hand blender to smooth the soup and that worked perfectly. I thought this soup was so good. I can't wait until I can go to the farmer's market and get fresh ingredients. I even used fat free half and half and it was still great.

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

4 cups chicken broth

3 1/2 cups half and half

1 1/2 cups marinara sauce

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, or 8 to 10 small vine-ripened tomatoes, diced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or 1/2 teaspoon dried

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook and stir for 5 minutes to slightly brown the mixture. Whisk in the broth. Increase the heat and cook and stir until thickened. Decrease the heat to low, stir in the half and half, simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Stir in the marinara sauce, tomatoes, and basil, and cook until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve as is chunky style, or puree in a food processor or blender for a smooth soup.

Makes 12 cups

Super Easy Marinara Sauce

2010-02-18T07:46:00.000-08:00

Sauce for soups, pizza, pasta sauce, breadsticks, etc.

1 (14.5) can diced tomatoes, or 4 fresh tomatoes peeled and diced (about 2 cups), crushed in blender

4 small garlic cloves, minced

2 sprigs fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried

1. Pour tomatoes into a small saucepan and stir in the garlic and oregano. Cook over low heat about 5 minutes.

I used canned tomatoes and dried basil and this sauce was super delicious!

Potato Keilbasa Skillet

2010-02-09T15:14:00.000-08:00

1 pound red potatoes, cubed

3 tablespoons water

3/4 pound smoked kielbasa or polish sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 cups fresh baby spinach

5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

1. Place potatoes and water in a microwave- safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 4 minutes or until tender; drain.

2. In a large skillet, saute kielbasa and onion in oil until onion is tender. Add potatoes; saute 3-5 minutes longer or until kielbasa and potatoes are lightly browned.

3. Combine the brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, thyme and pepper; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Add spinach and bacon; cook and stir until spinach is wilted.

Serves 4. Ready in 30 mins.

Apple Pancakes with cider syrup

2009-12-21T08:01:00.000-08:00

We tried these for the first time this weekend and they were one of the best pancakes I've ever had! The syrup makes the pancakes, you've got to try it!

Pancakes

2 cups complete pancake mix

1 1/2 cups cold water

3/4 cup grated apple

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1 cup apple cider or juice

2 tablespoons butter, cubed

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. In a small bowl, stir the pancake mix, water, apple and cinnamon just until moistened.

2. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto greased hot griddle; cook.

3. Meanwhile, for syrup, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in cider until smooth.

4. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Stir in butter and lemon juice.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-12-03T14:14:00.000-08:00

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp milk

1 cup pumpkin

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup oil (can substitute 1/4 cup with applesauce for less fat)

1 egg

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

Dissolve baking soda in milk; set aside. In a large bowl, add pumpkin, sugar, oil, and egg; stir. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda mixture. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla. Spoon onto lightly greased cookie sheet. (They don't spread out, they keep the shape you put them into.) Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until done.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

2009-11-12T16:21:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix together cocoa, white sugar, and vegetable oil. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the cocoa mixture. Cover dough, and chill for at least 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If you have parchment paper, line this on your cookie sheet, otherwise spray with non-stick spray really well. Roll dough into one inch balls and coat each ball in powdered sugar before placing onto prepared cookie sheets.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Let stand on the cookie sheet for a minute before transferring to wire racks to cool.

Beef Enchilada Casserole

2009-10-12T06:50:00.000-07:00

I finally ventured out and tried a new dish! It was very, very easy and was gobbled up. I thought we would have enough for some leftovers, but it was eaten all at dinner.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef (hamburger meat)

1 medium onion chopped

1 can of enchilada sauce

1 can of tomato sauce

2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese

Dozen corn tortillas

Directions:

Brown hamburger and onion then drain. Add any extra seasonings, garlic, salt, pepper, etc.

In a medium bowl, combine hamburger meat and sauces.

Layer in a 9" X 13" baking dish starting with corn tortillas, next the hamburger meat mixture, and cheese.

Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly!

We ate it with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole on top. Delicious!

Chocolate Eclair Cake

2009-09-02T14:14:00.000-07:00

Prep Time: 20 Minutes Ready in: 12 hours

***Make the night before you want to serve, because it must refrigerate for 12 hours.

Ingredients:

2 (16 oz) pkgs graham crackers, ground up

2 (3.5 oz) pkgs instant vanilla pudding mix

4 cups milk

16 oz frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (16 oz) pkg prepared chocolate frosting

1. Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan with crumbled up graham crackers

2. In a large bowl, combine the vanilla pudding mixes with 4 cups milk following the pudding box directions.

3. Fold in the whipped topping

4. Spread a layer of the pudding mixture over the graham crackers

5. Layer remaining graham crackers over the pudding mixture

6. Spread remaining pudding mixture over graham crackers

7. Cook the container of prepared chocolate frosting uncovered in the microwave on half power for 1 minute and then pour over the top of the cake.

9. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving. Yummy!

Slow Cooked Pork Burrittos

2009-06-03T17:27:00.000-07:00

I thought this pork was very delicious and it doesn't have to be used for burritos. It has a mexican-food taste to it and can be shredded or cut for any of your recipes. Here's what I used for my burritos.

1 boneless pork roast 3 lbs

1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 envelope reduced-sodium taco seasoning

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 can (16 oz) refried beans

14 flour tortillas, 8 inch

Optional toppings: shredded lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, etc

1. Cut roast in half; place in slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the broth, taco seasoning, parsley, garlic, pepper and salt. Pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat is very tender.

2. Remove pork from crock pot and shred with two forks. Spoon beans and pork onto tortillas and top with your favorite toppings.

Serves 14 (1 burrito each). Prep time: 20 minutes. Ready in 8 hours.

Barbecups

2009-05-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

I received this recipe at an enrichment for budget cooking and my husband and I really think they are yummy and inexpensive!

12 refrigerator biscuits or croissant rolls

1 lb ground beef

2 Tbsp minced onion, drain

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 to 1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce

1. Brown ground beef with onion and drain

2. Stir in brown sugar and 3/4 cup BBQ sauce

3. Place dough in each of the 12 greased muffin tins. Press dough up the sides of the cups

4. Drop a spoonful of meat in each biscuit cup (distribute evenly)

5. Spoon a little BBQ sauce on top of the meat in each biscuit cup

5. Bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes

Making Healthy Choices Monday

2009-05-11T08:56:00.000-07:00

Keep a variety of fruit in your home. This way you won’t get bored always eating apples. It also helps to have fruit pre-cut when possible to make an easy and quick snack.

Making Healthy Choices Monday

2009-04-26T21:28:00.001-07:00

When buying canned vegetables be sure to buy the low-sodium or no salt added versions. This way you can better control how much salt goes into your food.

Honey Roasted Red Potatoes

2009-04-15T20:57:00.000-07:00

The original recipe said these potatoes only took 35 minutes to cook, but they actually took more like an hour (which made me late for mutual) so I'm changing the cooking time. If you have the time to cook these they are definitely worth the wait!

1 pound red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces

2 tablespoons diced onion

2 tablespoons butter, melted

3 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat in 11x13 in baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper. Place potatoes and onion in a large bowl; drizzle sauce over potatoes. Mix around until all potatoes have been covered in sauce. Put potatoes in a single layer in the prepared dish.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes. Stir potatoes around every 15-20 minutes so they don't get dry. You can also broil the potatoes for the last 2 minutes to get a crunchier outside.

Serves 4. Ready in 1 hour.

Lemon Chicken & Veggies

2009-04-15T20:44:00.001-07:00

I tried this for the first time tonight and we all really enjoyed it.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1 package (9 oz) hollandaise sauce mix

1 tablespoon lemon juice

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1/4 cup chicken broth

2 cups shredded carrots (I sliced my carrots into thin rounds)

1 package (9 oz) fresh baby spinach

1. In a large resealable bag, combine flour and lemon-pepper. Flatten chicken to 1/2-inch thickness. Add chicken one piece at a time, and shake to coat.

2. Prepare sauce according to package directions. Stir in lemon juice. Meanwhile in a skillet, saute chicken in 2 tablespoons butter for 4-6 minutes on each side. Remove and keep warm.

3. In the same pan, add chicken broth, stirring to loosen brown bits. Add carrots and remaining butter; cook for 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add spinach; cook 3-5 minutes longer or until spinach is wilted. Serve chicken with sauce and vegetables.

Serves 4. Ready in 30 minutes.

Broiled Parmesan Tilapia

2009-04-14T20:54:00.000-07:00

Here is a great recipe that can help you eat more fish. It's very easy to make and only takes about 10 minutes!

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/2 tablespoons light mayonnaise

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon dried basil

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon celery salt or 1/4 teaspoon celery seed

4 servings of tilapia

1. Preheat your ovens broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Then add rest of ingredients. Mix well and set aside.

3. Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat 2 minutes. Turn the fillets over and broil for 2 more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to cook over the fish.

Ready in 10 minutes. Serves 4.

Making Healthy Choices Monday

2009-04-14T20:48:00.000-07:00

Eat more fish! It has very little fat and is so good for you! There are great fish recipes out there that can help hide the fish taste of you don’t like fish. If you buy fish without any bones it’s much easier to eat.

Chicken with Mushrooms

2009-04-10T21:38:00.000-07:00

"You can serve this over pasta or rice."

3 cups sliced mushrooms

1 garlic clove

4 skinless, boneless, chicken breast halves

2 eggs, beaten,

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

2 tablespoons butter

6 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced

3/4 cup chicken broth

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large skillet, cook half of the mushrooms and garlic until mushrooms are soft. Then place into a 9X13 inch pan.

3. Dip chicken into beaten eggs, then roll in bread crumbs.

4. In skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Brown both sides of chicken in skillet. Place chicken on top of mushrooms, arrange remaining mushrooms on chicken, and top with mozzarella cheese. Add chicken broth to the pan.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until chicken is cooked.

Creamier option: You can mix a can of cream of mushroom soup with the broth, and mushrooms. Pour over the chicken and mushrooms in pan. Put cheese on top of everything.

Serves 4. Ready in 45 minutes.

zucchini & Pecan Saute

2009-04-10T21:33:00.000-07:00

"The pecans add a nice sweet, crunchy flare to the zucchini."

3 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup chopped pecans

1 pound fresh zucchini, sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add pecans; cook and stir until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove pecans from skillet.

2. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet, and melt. Add zucchini, salt, and pepper and saute until soft. Toss with pecans and cheese.

Serves 4. Ready in 15 minutes.

Slow-Cooked Steak Fajitas

2009-04-10T21:20:00.000-07:00

1 (1 1/2 lb) beef flank steak

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 medium onion, sliced

1 medium green pepper, julienned

1 medium sweet pepper, julienned

1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro

12 flour tortillas

sour cream, optional

salsa, optional

1. Thinly slice steak across the grain into strips; place in a 5-qt slow cooker. Add tomatoes, jalapeno, garlic, coriander, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Cover and cooke on low 6 hours. Add onion, peppers, and cilantro. Cover and cook 1 hour longer.

2. Using a slotted spoon, spoon about 1/2 cup meat mixture into tortillas. Add sour cream and salsa if desired.

Makes 12 fajitas.

Tips from the Kitchen Tuesday

2009-03-31T19:45:00.000-07:00

Keep a notepad and pencil out on the fridge or counter to quickly jot things down to buy on your next grocery store trip. As soon as you notice something is low, write it down. This will save you trips to the store.

We need your help! Do you have any tips for the kitchen? Send them to lookwhatscookingtoday@gmail.com and we'll post them!

Making Healthy Choices Monday

2009-03-30T21:25:00.000-07:00

When buying canned fruit purchase the fruit in water, or light syrup, never heavy syrup. No-sugar added is another great option.

Chicken Fajita Quesadillas

2009-03-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

"I found this recipe on the Mission tortilla website and really like it."

10 flour tortillas, 10-inch

2 or 3 chicken breasts, depending on their size

1 packet Fajita seasoning

1 tablespoon oil

1 green bell pepper diced

1 red bell pepper diced

1 yellow onion diced

about 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

about 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1. Cut chicken into small pieces. Combine with the fajita seasoning and mix throughly.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink inside, approximately 5 minutes.

3. Stir in green and red bell peppers, and onion. Slowly cook for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

4. Layer half of each tortilla with Cheddar cheese and chicken mixture. Top with Monterey Jack cheese. Fold each tortilla in half to create a "half moon" and press lightly.

5. Coat a skillet or griddle with cooking spray and warm to medium heat. Lightly brown each quesadilla for 2-3 minutes per side until cheese is melted.

6. Cut each quesadilla into 3 wedges and serve.

Serves 5 (two each). Ready in 20 minutes.

Making Healthy Choices Monday

2009-03-23T08:19:00.000-07:00

Steam your vegetables rather than boil, when possible. Boiling cooks out some of the vitamins from the vegetables. Cooking them in the microwave with a little bit of water is a good way to cook them too.

LOOK WHAT'S COOKING FOR BREAKFAST!

2009-03-22T20:51:00.000-07:00

Do you constantly find yourself being asked, "What's for breakfast?" Here is fun and easy way to solve your morning time menu worries. Not only will it help you get out of the cold cereal or doughnut rut, but it's fun for kids too!

MONDAY MUFFINS (serve with yogurt or fruit)
TUESDAY TACOS (a.k.a. breakfast burritos) or TUESDAY TOAST (toast, eggs, & fruit)
WEDNESDAY WAFFLES
THURSDAY THIRSTY (yogurt smoothie/fruit smoothie with eggs & toast)
FRIDAY FREE DAY or FRENCH TOAST
SATURDAY OATMEAL
SUNDAY....

You can fill in the weekend with your favorite family traditional breakfasts or use other breakfasts for the weekdays. The idea is to be creative so you and your kids will remember what's cooking that day! In addition to solving the "what's for breakfast" dilemma, you will be able to plan ahead and serve healthier meals to get your family energized for the day. I've never met a kid or mom who doesn't love this idea. Let us know what other great breakfast ideas you come up with so we can post them.

Making Healthy Choices Monday

2009-03-16T19:44:00.000-07:00

Buy only 100% fruit juice. There are many options for 100% fruit juice. Have you ever looked at the ingredients of the other types of juice? On a lot the first few ingredients is high fructose corn syrup or water! That means your mostly paying for water and sugar.

Drinking 100% juice ensures you will be getting a serving of fruit in every 1/2 cup! But beware, you can’t get your full daily amount of fruit servings from juice. One-third of the fruit you eat can be from juice, the other two-thirds must be from the whole fruit.

There are many brands that make 100% juice, so I'm not promoting one brand over the other.

Drink up!

Making Healthy Choices Monday

2009-03-02T19:29:00.000-08:00

Make sure you’re eating enough vegetables when you are eating them. These are all one serving of vegetables:

1 cup of leafy greens (salad)

1/2 cup raw or cooked vegetables

1/2 cup cooked legumes (beans)

If you eat a salad which consists of 1 cup of lettuce and 1/2 a cup of other vegetables, that’s two servings!

Making Healthy Choices Monday

2009-02-24T22:51:00.000-08:00

Every Monday we will post a tip helping everyone to make healthy choices when eating and buying food.

Tip #1

Buy as many whole grain foods as possible, and make sure the package says 100% whole wheat. By law, if the package says 100% whole wheat then it is. There are many brands that make sliced whole wheat bread. Other foods such as hamburger buns, pasta, pancakes, and tortillas don’t always come 100% whole wheat, but buying the whole grain, grain, or whole wheat blend is better than the white flour version. Take a look at the ingredient list; if the first ingredient is whole wheat flour it’s a good buy.

Do you have any healthy eating ideas? Email then to: lookwhatscookingtoday@gmail.com and we'll post them!

Strawberry Poppyseed Salad

2009-02-17T13:16:00.000-08:00

2 heads romaine lettuce, washed and torn
5 strawberries, sliced
Small bunch green onions, diced
1 cup almonds, toasted
3 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
½ apple, diced

Toss salad ingredients together and serve with poppyseed dressing. Serves 4.

Thick and Moist Sugar Cookies

2009-02-16T21:56:00.001-08:00

1 1/2 cups sugar

2/3 cup butter

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/4 cups flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream sugar and butter; add eggs, milk, and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together and beat into creamed mixture, combining thoroughly. With hands, shape dough into a ball. Wrap and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or overnight until dough is easy to handle.

Grease cookie sheets lightly. On floured board, roll half of dough at a time, keeping remaining dough refrigerated. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.

Place cookies half an inch apart on cookie sheets. Bake at at 375 degrees about 8 minutes or until a very light brown. Remove to racks to cool.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Picnic Brownies

2009-02-16T21:55:00.000-08:00

“Our favorite home-made brownies.”

4 ounces baking chocolate (can also use 12 tablespoons cocoa powder and 4 tablespoons vegetable oil)

1 cup butter (not margarine)

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1 3/4 cups flour

2/3 cup walnuts, pecans, or almonds (optional)

1 cup chocolate chips

1. Grease two 9 inch round pans.

2. In top of a double boiler or microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and butter.

3. In medium bowl, mix sugar, vanilla, and salt; add to melted chocolate mixture and blend well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and mix well.

4. Divide batter equally into prepared pans. Spread evenly and sprinkle top of each with nuts and chocolate chips.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Do not overbake. Allow to cool completely before cutting. Run a knife around edges and cut into pie-shaped pieces.

Makes 16 brownies. These brownies are called picnic brownies because they travel well.

Big Peanut Butter Cookies

2009-02-16T21:54:00.002-08:00

“ We love making these cookies very large. If you do this cook for about 11 minutes. It’s fun to drizzle them with melted chocolate too. Since this recipe does make so many cookies, you can roll some of the dough up and freeze for a later use.”

5 1/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

3/4 cups shortening

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups brown sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup peanut butter

1. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, shortening, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in peanut butter. Add flour mixture and stir until well blended.

3. Drop dough by tablespoons onto cookie sheets. Using a fork dipped in flour, flatten each cookie slightly in a crisscross patter. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly golden around the edges. Do not over bake.

Makes 5 dozen 3-inch cookies.

Apple Spice Cake

2009-02-16T21:54:00.001-08:00

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine

4 cups grated apples, about 4 medium apples

2 eggs

1 cup nuts

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoons nutmeg

1/2 teaspoons salt

Cream butter, sugar with a mixer. Beat in eggs. Add apples, then add dry ingredients.

Pour into greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until done.

Caramel Sauce:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup thick cream

5 tablespoons butter

Boil in a double boiler for 3 minutes and pour over cake.

Oh Henry Bars

2009-02-16T21:53:00.001-08:00

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup chopped salted peanuts

3 cups crispy rice cereal

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

1. In a heavy saucepan, bring sugar and corn syrup to a boil. Remove from heat and add peanut butter, peanuts, and cereal. Stir well and press into a greased 9x13 inch pan.

2. Melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Spread over top of peanut butter mixture. Cool and cut into bars.

Makes 2 dozen small or 1 dozen large bars.

Beef Taco Bake

2009-02-16T21:52:00.000-08:00

1 pound lean ground beef

1 (10 3/4 oz) can tomato soup

1 (16 oz) jar medium or mild salsa

1/2 cup milk

6 to 8 flour or corn tortillas, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Drain. Add soup, salsa, milk, tortillas, and half of the cheese.

3. Put mixture into a 9 inch square or 7x11 inch baking dish. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Ready in 40 minutes. Serves 4.

Chocolate Crinkles

2009-02-16T21:51:00.002-08:00

8 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup powdered sugar

1. Melt chocolate using a double boiler. Set aside.

2. With an electric mixer beat eggs and sugar until thick, pale and fluffy. Then beat in vanilla and stir in chocolate.

3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to chocolate mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and place rack in the center of the oven.

5. Put powdered sugar in shallow bowl. With slightly greased hands, roll dough into balls about 1 inch in size. roll in sugar until completely covered. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 10-15 minutes or until edges are slightly firm but centers are still soft.

Makes 15 cookies.

Apple Salad

2009-02-16T21:51:00.001-08:00

8 oz fat free sour cream

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/3 cup sugar

6-7 medium red apples, chopped

Optional: nuts, raisins

1. Mix sour cream, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. Pour over apples, stir.

Serves 6-8.

Roasted Asparagus

2009-02-16T21:50:00.001-08:00

1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. Place asparagus on an ungreased baking sheet. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; turn to coat. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until tender.

Ready in 15 minutes. Serves 4.

Baked French Fries

2009-02-16T21:49:00.000-08:00

3-5 whole potatoes

Italian seasoning or other desired spices

salt

1. Wash potatoes, then cut into thin strips or wedges.

2. Put potatoes on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with spices and salt.

3. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, turning after 10 minutes.

Ready in 35 minutes.

Cheesy Onion Biscuits

2009-02-16T21:48:00.000-08:00

“If you don’t have buttermilk you can mix together: 1 cup milk and 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice.”

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup cold butter

2 cups shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese, divided

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup buttermilk

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1 1/4 cups Cheddar-Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheese. Stir in buttermilk just until moistened.

2. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 6-8 times. Pat or roll out to 1/2 inch thickness; cut with a floured 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter. Place 2 inch apart on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Ready in 30 minutes. Makes 1 dozen.

Three Cheese Garlic Bread

2009-02-16T20:20:00.001-08:00

“This recipe is for half of the bread loaf, so double it if you need the whole loaf.”

1 loaf unsliced French or Italian bread

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Dash paprika and pepper

1. Cut bread in half widthwise; cut one portion in half lengthwise. Save remaining bread for another use. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Spread evenly over cut sides of bread.

2. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted. Slice and serve warm.

Ready in 15 minutes. Serves 4.

BBQ Baked Beans

2009-02-16T20:19:00.001-08:00

1 (15 3/4 oz) can pork and beans

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup green pepper, chopped

1. In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until heated through.

Ready in 15 minutes. Serves 4.

Broccoli Salad

2009-02-16T20:18:00.001-08:00

“The longer this sits the better it tastes.”

2 bunch broccoli, cut into bite size pieces

1/2 cup sunflower seeds, salted

1 red onion, chopped

1/3 cup raisins

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vinegar

1. Mix top ingredients in a medium bowl.

2. Mix dressing together in a small bowl; then add to broccoli. Stir and refrigerate for about 2 hours.

Mashed Maple Sweet Potatoes

2009-02-16T20:12:00.000-08:00

“Not a very healthy vegetable dish, but oh so good. It’s worth making once in a while.”

4 large sweet potatoes

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 cup chopped pecans

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. Place sweet potatoes onto the baking sheet, and bake until soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before peeling and placing into a large bowl.

3. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 2 quart casserole dish.

4. Mash the warm potatoes along with butter, cream, vanilla, brown sugar, salt, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1 cup chopped pecans, and eggs. Spread mashed sweet potatoes into the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and 1/4 cup pecans.

5. Bake sweet potatoes in oven until hot, 30 to 35 minutes.

Ready in 2 hours 15 minutes. Serves 12.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

2009-02-15T17:02:00.000-08:00

Blend in a blender:

1 cup cottage cheese

Add: 1/2 cup flour, 4 eggs. Blend.

With the blender on add: 6 tablespoons melted butter.

Makes about 12 pancakes.

Blender Salsa

2009-02-15T17:01:00.000-08:00

“Another great recipe from a friend that is so easy and very tasty.”

Blend together in a blender:

1 (20 oz) can diced tomatoes

1/2 chopped onion

1 jalapeño pepper, seeds out

Add:

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cumin

half to a full bunch cilantro leaves

If you like your salsa spicier you can add tomatios.

Farmer’s Casserole

2009-02-15T14:15:00.000-08:00

“I found this recipe from a friend when trying to find a way to use up frozen hash browns. Now I purposely buy hash browns to make this dish. You can also use different cheeses you have on hand. It does take time to set, so be sure to read the recipe through before cooking.”

3 cups frozen hash browns

3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated

1 cup diced fully cooked ham

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

4 eggs

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Place potatoes in an 8 inch square baking dish (or 9 inch pie dish), sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cheese, ham, and onions.

2. Beat eggs, milk, pepper, and salt; pour over potatoes.

3. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

4. Bake uncovered at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Serves 4 to 6.

Beef Stew

2009-02-15T14:13:00.000-08:00

2 pounds stew meat cut into 1 inch cubes

1 onion, chopped

5 carrots, sliced

4 potatoes peeled, cut into bit size pieces

3 ribs celery, chopped

1/4 teaspoon oregano

2 bay leaves

2 beef bouillon cubes

1 cup water

1 large can tomatoes

1. In a large pot cook meat and onion in 2 tablespoons oil until brown. Add tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, and celery to meat.

2. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Can also be cooked in a crock-pot.

Can be done the day before, refrigerated overnight and reheated.

Serves 8.

Tacos on chips

2009-02-15T14:09:00.000-08:00

“Not a very fancy name, but we loved eating this growing up, and still do.”

tortilla chips

2 large cans Ranch Style beans

1 (16 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained

2 cans tomato sauce

1 package taco seasoning

2 pounds ground beef, cooked, drained

1 chopped onion

1. Cook meat and onion together in a large deep pan. Drain. Add the other ingredients.

2. Heat until hot or in a crock-pot for a couple of hours. Serve with chips, sour cream, and cheese.

Serves 12.

Aunt Karen’s Chicken (Poppyseed Chicken)

2009-02-15T14:08:00.000-08:00

“I grew up calling this dish ‘Aunt Karen’s Chicken’ because she gave this recipe to my mom. Most people call it Poppyseed Chicken.”

1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 cups sour cream

2 cups cooked and cubed chicken

1 sleeve of Ritz crackers, crushed

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 tablespoon Poppyseeds

1. Heat oven to 350°.

2. Mix soup and sour cream. Add chicken. Pour into 9x13 pan.

3. Mix crackers with butter and Poppyseeds. Spread over chicken mixture.

4. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Ready in 40 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

Loyal’s Chicken (Russian Chicken)

2009-02-15T14:06:00.000-08:00

“We grew up calling this dish ‘Loyal’s Chicken’ because it’s our neighbor Loyal’s favorite meal. Other people call it Russian Chicken. You can also add pineapple, or chopped red or green peppers, or cook it in the microwave.”

chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 in thick strips

1 jar apricot or pineapple jam

1 envelope onion soup mix

1 regular jar Russian salad dressing

1. Mix salad dressing, soup, and jam.

2. Put chicken in 9x13 pan. Cover with sauce and bake at 350° for 1 hour. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

Ready in 1 hour 10 minutes.

Honey-Pecan Chicken

2009-02-15T14:03:00.002-08:00

amount of chicken breasts needed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon garlic

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Flatten chicken to 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cayenne.

2. In a non-stick skillet brown chicken in butter, then add the garlic. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Drizzle honey over chicken, sprinkle with pecans. Cook 2-3 minutes or until heated through.

Ready in 20 minutes.

Brown Sugar Chicken

2009-02-15T14:03:00.001-08:00

2 pounds chicken

1 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup vinegar

1/4 cup lemon lime soda

2-3 tablespoons garlic

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon pepper

1. Mix and pour over chicken in the crock pot. Cook on low 2-3 hours.

Ready in 3 hours. Serves 4-6.

Chicken Spaghetti

2009-02-15T14:00:00.000-08:00

“This is a Southern casserole dish.”

4-6 chicken breasts, cooked, cut into bite-size pieces

1 chopped bell pepper

1 onion chopped

1 can each cream of chicken and mushroom soup

1 can ro-tel tomatoes with green chilies

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 (16 oz) package spaghetti, cooked

cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Saute onion and pepper with chicken. Add soups and tomatoes. Cook on low until bubbling, then stir in chicken and spaghetti.

3. Transfer to a lightly greased baking dish. Top with cheddar cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Ready in 45 minutes. Serves 8.

Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

2009-02-14T09:40:00.000-08:00

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

amount of chicken breasts needed

Mix and brush on chicken. Grill until no longer pink. Serve with lettuce, tomato, and cheese on hamburger buns.

Ready in 30 minutes.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

2009-02-14T09:39:00.000-08:00

“This was one of my favorite dishes my mom used to make.”

2 teaspoon soup base, or 2 bouillon cubes

3 cups chicken stock

2 cups chopped celery

3/4 cup chopped onion

2 cans (10 3/4 oz ) cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

2 cups cooked chicken

about 4 cups cooked egg noodles

salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat chicken soup base and stock together. Add carrots, celery, and onion. Simmer until vegetables are tender.

2. Add cream of chicken soup and milk, cooked chicken and noodles. Simmer on low for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ready in 40 minutes. Serves 8 to 10.

Southwest Salad

2009-02-14T09:37:00.000-08:00

“I love eating this salad in the summer with either tortilla chips or inside tortillas with cheese.”

2 cans black beans, drained

2 cups frozen corn

2-3 medium cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup heaping full minced red onion

1 medium red pepper, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

1/2 cup minced cilantro

1/2 cup lime juice

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

pepper to taste

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Let sit in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours. (The longer it sits the better it tastes.)

Serves 6 to 8.

Beef & Veggie Quesadillas

2009-02-14T09:33:00.000-08:00

“These are packed with meat and vegetables, so they aren’t your typical quesadilla. They are definitely worth a try.”

3/4 pound lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

3/4 cup finely chopped fresh mushrooms

1 medium zucchini, shredded

1 medium carrot, shredded

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

2 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

4 whole wheat tortillas, warmed

cooking spray

1/2 cup shredded park skim mozzarella cheese

1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook beef and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet , cook and stir the mushrooms, zucchini, carrot, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper sauce until vegetables are tender. Stir in tomatoes, cilantro and beef mixture.

2. Spritz one side of each tortilla with cooking spray; place plain side up in a cookie sheet (preferably one with sides) cooked with cooking spray. Spoon beef mixture over half of each tortilla; sprinkle with cheese. Fold tortillas over filling.

3. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes. Carefully turn over; bake 5-6 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Cut into wedges.

Ready in 30 minutes. Serves 4.

Chicken Fingers with Tropical Peanut Butter Sauce

2009-02-14T09:31:00.001-08:00

"Kids will love this."

2 1/2 tablespoons oil

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 ground black pepper

1 large egg plus 2 large egg whites

2 tablespoons cold water

1 cup dried bread crumbs

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Pour oil into 9X13 baking dish.

2. In a shallow bowl, combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, and the peppers.

3. In a second shallow bowl, whisk the egg and egg whites with the cold water.

4. In a third shallow bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt. Season the chicken with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt.

5. Dip the chicken into the flour mixture, then into the egg mixture, then roll in the crumb mixture.

6. Place the chicken in the baking dish and turn to coat with the oil.

7. Bake for 22-25 minutes, rotating after 15 minutes. Serve with Tropical Peanut Butter Sauce.

For dipping sauce:

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup apricot fruit jam

1/4 cup orange juice, or other tropical fruit juice

1/4 teaspoon orange peel

1. Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan. Place over medium-high heat, stirring until the mixture just starts to bubble. Remove from heat.

Ready in 40 minutes. Serves 4.

Teriyaki Salmon with Sesame Ginger Rice

2009-02-12T20:44:00.000-08:00

“Healthy and fancy.”

2 cups uncooked instant rice

6 salmon fillets

1/3 cup reduced-calorie pancake syrup

1/3 cup reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon butter

1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/2 cup reduced fat- sesame ginger salad dressing

1. Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, place salmon fillets in a baking pan coated with cooking spray. Combine syrup and teriyaki sauce; spoon 1/3 cup mixture over fillets.

2. Bake at 400° for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork, basting frequently with remaining syrup mixture.

3. In a large skillet, saute the onions in butter until tender. Add spinach and cooked rice; saute 2 minutes longer. Stir in dressing; heat through. Serve with salmon.

Ready in 25 minutes. Serves 6.

Bombay Chicken

2009-02-12T20:43:00.000-08:00

“A friend gave me this recipe and I love to make it. It's just like a dish at an Indian restaurant. Don’t let the ingredient list scare you, it’s mostly things you already have in your kitchen.”

1/3 cup butter, divided

8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, but into 2 inch pieces

1 cup chopped onion

1 tsp chopped garlic

2 tsp salt

1 tablespoon ginger powder

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cayenne

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup cashews, roughly chopped

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1 cup half and half

2 tablespoons cornstarch

cooked rice

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions for garnish

1. In heavy, deep skillet, melt half of the butter over medium heat. Brown chicken, and remaining butter as necessary, about 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken to plate, reserving butter.

2. In same skillet, cook onion and garlic over medium heat for 5 minutes. Return chicken to skillet and add salt, ginger, chili powder, cayenne, tomatoes, and chicken broth. Stir gently and cover and cook 15 minutes. Add cashews and coconut. Cover, reduced heat to low and cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.

3. In small bowl combine half and half and cornstarch. Slowly stir into chi ken mix. Heat to boiling, stirrring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Serve over cooked rice and garnish with green onions.

Ready in 30 minutes. Serves 4-6.

Favorite Chicken Enchiladas

2009-02-12T20:41:00.000-08:00

“I got this recipes from a friend and we LOVE it! It’s not your traditional enchiladas. This is another recipe where the rotisserie chicken comes in handy.”

2 cups cooked, diced chicken

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

2 gloves garlic, minced

1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1 small can tomato sauce

1 small can diced green chilies

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon oregano

8 grain tortillas

3 cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated

3/4 sour cream

1. Saute onion and garlic in butter. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato suace, green chilies, sugar and spices. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Spoon some of the sauce over the tortillas one at a time to soften a little. Top with a few pieces of chicken and both kinds of cheese, saving 1 cup or topping. Roll up and place seam down in a greased 9X13 pan.

3. Blend sour cream with the rest of the sauce and pour over the top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

4. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes.

Ready in 1 hour. Makes 8 enchiladas.

**UPDATE: I didn't have diced green chilis so I used green enchilada sauce instead. I actually liked the enchilada sauce better. I probably used 2-3 tablespoons.

Chicken and Rice

2009-02-12T20:40:00.000-08:00

“So easy! It makes a great stand-by dinner.”

1 family size box Rice a Roni, chicken flavor

2 cans of chicken

1-2 carrots grated

1 cup frozen peas

1. Fix rice according to directions on box.

2. When adding the water to the rice, add chicken, carrots, and peas.

Ready in about 25 minutes. Serves 4-6.

Sweet n’ Spicy Chicken

2009-02-12T20:37:00.000-08:00

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken, cut into cubes

2 tablespoons taco seasoning

2 tablespoons oil

11 oz jar chunky salsa

1/2 cup peach or apricot jam

2 cups rice, cooked

1. Place chicken in Ziploc bag; add taco seasoning and toss to coat. In skillet, brown chicken in oil.

2. Combine salsa with jam; stir into skillet and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 2-3 minutes or until meat juices run clear. Serve over rice.

Ready in 20 minutes. Serves 4.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

2009-02-12T20:22:00.001-08:00

1 pound chicken, cut into small pieces

1 onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies

2 cups grated Colby Jack or Cheddar cheese

1 (15-ounce) package flour tortillas

1. Saute onion with olive oil in large frying pan over medium heat. Add chicken and cook thoroughly.

2. Stir in soup, sour cream and chilies.

3. Stack tortillas and cut with a sharp knife into thin strips.

4. In a greased 9" x 13" glass baking dish, layer half of shredded tortillas, half of chicken mixture, and half of cheese; repeat.

5. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Quick 'N Easy Stroganoff

2009-02-12T20:10:00.000-08:00

1 pound extra lean ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup fat free sour cream

1 package noodles

1. Brown ground beef and onion. Drain grease.

2. Add mushroom soup and worcestershire sauce. Mix well and let simmer 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Mix in sour cream and stir well.

4. Serve over cooked noodles. Great with peas.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

2009-02-12T19:59:00.000-08:00

If you're one who likes breakfast for dinner on occasion, then this yummy sour cream coffee cake is for you. Great with some fruit and either sausage or bacon.

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 to 1/2 cup brown sugar (topping)

1. Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and beat.

2. Mix sour cream and baking soda together, then add to the mixture.

3. Add flour and baking powder and mix. Then blend in vanilla.

4. Pour 1/2 of mixture in a greased 9 inch square pan and sprinkle with 1/2 the amount of brown sugar topping. Then pour in the rest of the mixture and the remaining brown sugar.

5. Swirl the mixture and brown sugar together in the pan.

6. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Chicken Pillows

2009-02-11T22:19:00.000-08:00

“A childhood favorite.”

2 packages reduced-fat crescent rolls

1 small package reduced-fat cream cheese (can also use sour cream with chives)

2 tablespoons chives, dried or fresh, chopped

1/2 stick melted butter

2 cups cooked chicken, or canned chicken

2/3 cup Italian bread crumbs

1. Mix cream cheese, chives and chicken in a bowl.

2. Open crescent rolls into triangles, flatten, and scoop chicken mixture onto each crescent. Roll each roll up.

3. Dip roll in melted butter and roll in bread crumbs. Put on baking sheet.

4. Bake at 325° for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Ready in about 35 minutes. Makes 16 pillows.

Pork Medallions with Garlic-Strawberry Sauce

2009-02-10T22:50:00.000-08:00

“This is a great summer dish, or anytime you have strawberries. You can also use boneless pork chops, cut thin.”

1 pork tenderloin (1 pound), cut into 1/2 slices

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 butter, divided

2 cups fresh strawberries

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 cup hot water

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon cubes

sliced strawberries, optional

1. Flatten pork to 1/4 inch thickness; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip pork in the flour, eggs, then bread crumbs.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook pork in 1.4 cup butter until juices run clear; remove and keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, place strawberries in a blender. Cover and process until blended; set aside.

4. In the same skillet, saute garlic in remaining butter. Add the pureed strawberries, water, and bouillon; heat through. Serve pork with sauce. Garnish with sliced strawberries if desired.

Ready in 35 minutes. Serves 4.

Mexican Salsa Pizza

2009-02-10T22:42:00.000-08:00

“Originally this was an appetizer, but I added ground beef to make it a main dish.”

1 prebaked Italian bread shell crust (14oz)

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

3/4 cup salsa, I like Southwest with the corn, beans, etc.

1 pound ground beef, cooked an drained

1 package taco seasoning

2 tablespoons minced cilantro

1. Cook beef and taco seasoning according to directions.

2. Place crust on an ungreased baking sheet or pizza pan.

3. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup cheese, salsa and cilantro. Spread over crust to within 1/2 inches of edges. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

4. Bake at 350˚ for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Ready in 30 minutes. Makes 1 pizza.

Hash Brown Soup

2009-02-10T22:40:00.000-08:00

“Another great crock pot soup.”

2 green onions, chopped

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 package (28 oz) frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

2 cups milk

1 can (10 3/4 oz) reduced-fat reduced sodium cream of chicken soup

6 turkey bacon strips, diced and cooked

1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese

1. In a small skillet, saute onions in oil under tender.

2. In a 5-qt crock pot, combine the potatoes, milk, soup, and onion mixture. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours or until heated through. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons bacon and 1 tablespoon cheese.

Ready in 6 hours. Serves 8.