A Little of This, A Dash of That...

Baked Spinach & Cheese Noodles

2011-02-21T12:14:00.004-05:00

I didn't get to make most of the menu items last week because I was hit HARD by that stupid stomach virus. I think I ate more crackers last week than I have in my entire life. Unfortunately, me having a stomach bug meant that Dave & the toddler were on their own for dinner from Saturday through Wednesday.
Then Thursday was beautiful so we made burgers on the grill & Friday cooked steaks on the grill along with some veggies marinaded & grilled. MMMMM
Saturday night we made an amazing dish though. Baked Spinach & Cheese Noodles. This was absolutely incredible. Even the picky toddler LOVED it & kept signing more when his plate was empty!
I would definitely make a few changes to this recipe. I think it needs some diced onion and some garlic. Chicken would be a great add also if you're looking for something with a little meat. Otherwise, it was FABULOUS!! I will absolutely make this one again.

Ingredients:

2 T butter

1/3 cup flour

2 1/2 cups milk

1/2 t pepper

1 t kosher salt

3 T Dijon mustard

15 oz ricotta cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

10 oz package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 chopped red pepper

16 oz package of un-cooked noodles

The Directions.

I made a roux with the butter and flour, and then added the milk, the container of ricotta cheese and stirred in the spinach, red pepper, and spices. Oh! Use a big pot, so you don't have to transfer halfway through the way that I might have needed to do. And then you won't drop slimy spinach on the floor...

Spray the inside of your slowcooker with cooking spray and dump in a package of uncooked pasta noodles. Turn on your slowcooker so you won't "shock it" when you stir your cheese and spinach mixture into the noodles. Slowcooker stoneware shouldn't change temperatures rapidly.

Top with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.

Loose Meat Sandwiches

2011-02-13T09:45:00.002-05:00

This was the first recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking that I wasn't impressed with. They sounded INCREDIBLE to me with all the tang from the mustard and the vinegar but honestly, I thought they needed something more.

The husband on the other hand LOVED them. He had 3 sandwiches.

Ingredients:

1 pound extra lean ground beef or turkey (the lean is more imp. than the type)

1 onion, finely diced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 cups beef broth

8 hamburger buns (I used gluten free bread, toasted)

traditional hamburger fixen's (pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, mustard, etc)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Crumble in the ground meat (it needs to be thawed, or it'll cook in a big clump). Add onion, sugar, spices, mustard, and vinegar. Pour in the beef broth. Mix well until everything is fully incorporated---you may want to use your hands. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Stir well before serving by scooping with a slotted spoons onto hamburger buns. Top with your desired fixings.

Down to Earth Granola

2011-02-12T11:41:00.002-05:00

This is a recipe that my new friend Kathy shared with me on Friday. She said it's the healthiest and definitely the best granola she's ever tasted. I knew I'd have to try it :-)

The thing about granola is that you can come up with your own variations. This time I kept it simple with just some dried cranberries, but next time, I have some awesome ideas to add.

I can't wait to top some yogurt or vanilla ice cream with this granola. The smell all through my house is absolutely incredible. Enjoy :)

Preheat oven to 350 deg F.

In a large bowl, mix together the following:

4 cups old fashioned Mothers Oats (traditional Quaker oatmeal)

1 ½ cups sliced almonds

1 ½ cups packed brown sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

In a bowl, warm ¼ cup oil (You can sub applesauce for the oil if you'd like), ¼ cup honey, and 1 tsp vanilla – Mix with a wire wisk.

Carefully pour liquid mixture over the oat mixture, stirring well with a wooden spoon.

Spread in a 10 x 15 pan. (I use a cookie sheet with a “lip” on it.)

The original recipe calls for a bake time of 40 minutes; I tried this the first time I made the recipe and it was completely burnt. Now, I only bake for 20 minutes. Basically, I bake it until it begins to turns darker. Once you see the color changing, take it out right away, because it will burn quickly due to the sugar. It is also important to stir every 5-8 minutes to make sure it doesn’t burn.

After removing from oven, add 1 ½ cup raisins or dried fruit of your choice.

Let cool (the granola will harden as it cools…) and then store in Ziploc bag in refrigerator or freezer.

Makes 9 cups.

(The amount of sugar can be cut in half also, I left it at 1 1/2c because I like a sweeter granola)

Chili Cheese Dog Casserol

2011-02-12T11:34:00.002-05:00

Aaaah, Chili Cheese Dogs. One of my favorite foods to eat in the summer time. When I saw this recipe on A Taste of Home, I knew I had to try it. Who doesn't love all the yummy goodness of summertime wrapped up in the comfort of a casserole in the middle of winter & subzero temperatures?

This was a HUGE hit with all 3 of us. Even the baby had seconds & had a little more for lunch the next day!!

I actually made a couple changes which are in blue.

Ingredients:

1 package (8-1/2 ounces) corn bread/muffin mix I actually used 2 mixes, one on the top and one on the bottom of the casserole
1 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 package (1 pound) hot dogs, halved lengthwise and cut into bite-size pieces
1 can (15 ounces) chili with beans
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided I always use waaay more cheese

Directions:

Prepare corn bread batter according to package directions. Spread half the batter into a greased 8-in. square baking dish; set aside.
In a large skillet, saute the green pepper, onion and celery in oil until crisp-tender. Stir in hot dogs; saute 3-4 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Stir in the chili, brown sugar, garlic powder and chili powder; heat through. Stir in 3/4 cup cheese. Spoon over prepared corn bread. Spread remaining batter onto hot dog mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 6 servings.

I need to start getting back in the habit of making a menu. Hubby and I just started a very strict budget that allows for minimal grocery spending per week & a once a month "BIG TRIP" to Sam's for things like soap, detergent, paper towels, toilet paper etc.

I try to buy what I can in bulk but also what's cheapest per piece or per pound...then buying what I need to buy fresh each week for our meals.

This coming week looks like this:

Tomato & Spinach Pasta Toss
Cream Cheese Chicken
Taco Salad
Baked Spinach & Cheese
Mediterranean chicken
Probably take out once & left overs at least once :)

Oh, and I'm making this amazing Granola recipe this week that my friend Kathy gave me. I can't wait :) It's suuuuper healthy & sounds delicious!

Chicken Parmesan

2011-02-10T18:41:00.003-05:00

I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical of this one but honestly, it was AMAZING. The smell in the house all day was incredible. I literally could NOT wait until the husband came home to sample some. The chicken was SO tender that it fell apart when I tried to "stab" it with a fork.

The only change I would make would be to use panko bread crumbs next time & use some garlic and a little salt.

The Ingredients:

--2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

--1/2 cup bread crumbs

--1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

--1/2 t Italian Seasoning

--1/4 t black pepper

--1/4 t kosher salt

--1 T olive oil

--1 beaten egg

--sliced mozzarella cheese (i used shredded bc that's what I had)

--favorite jarred marinara sauce

The Directions:

--spread the 1 T of olive oil into the bottom of your crockpot stoneware insert

--whip the egg with a fork in a separate bowl

--mix the bread crumbs with the seasonings and the parmesan cheese in another separate dish

--dip the chicken into the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating both sides with crumbs, cheese and seasonings

--place the chicken breast pieces in the bottom of the crock

--layer 2-3 slices of mozzarella cheese on top

--cover with entire jar of marinara sauce

--close lid and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4. If your chicken is still frozen, it will take longer.

Veggie Pizza

2011-02-10T07:58:00.003-05:00

Veggie pizza will forever remind me of my loving Grandmother. She makes it for EVERYTHING because she knows how much I love it. & honestly, I could eat it for 3 meals a day plus snacks & never think twice about it. There's just something about the savory crescent roll crust and the creamy cream cheese "sauce."

This was the first time I followed a "recipe" for it. Grandma's was a brick of cream cheese mixed with dry ranch or Italian dressing & veggies on top. This is a little more detailed. Both are amazing though.

Ingredients:

-1 8-ounce package crescent rolls
-1 8-ounce package low-fat cream cheese, softened
-½ cup low-fat mayonnaise
-½ envelope ranch dressing mix
-Assorted raw vegetables, chopped (tomatoes, broccoli, red onions, celery, carrots, cauliflower, green and/or red peppers--You can do all, some or your own variation)
-½ to ¾ cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread crescent rolls out onto a baking sheet or a pizza pan. Crimp seams together. Bake 8 – 10 minutes. Leave on pan until cool.

In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, and ranch dressing – mix well. Spread over cooled crust. Top with assorted vegetables. Sprinkle cheese over top. Chill 1 – 2 hours before serving. Cut into bars and serve.

Jalapeno Popper Dip

2011-02-10T07:48:00.003-05:00

At the end of January, I hosted a baby shower for my best friend Maggie. I was searching for some "non traditional" baby shower foods because really, who doesn't like something a little less traditional every now and again? I came across this Jalapeno Popper Dip recipes on Annie's Eats blog & I knew I had to use it. It was simple and tasty, everything I look for in a recipe :-)

Ingredients:
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 (4 oz.) can diced jalapeño peppers, drained
½ cup shredded Mexican style cheese
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, green chiles, jalapeños, and shredded cheeses. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or spatula until smooth and evenly combined. Spread the mixture into a baking dish (approximately 9 x 9-inches).

In a second bowl, combine the Panko and Parmesan and stir with a fork until combined. Sprinkle over the cream cheese mixture in the baking dish. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the mixture is hot and the topping is golden. Serve warm with baguette slices, vegetables, etc. as desired.

Pork Tenderloin

2011-02-10T07:41:00.002-05:00

A friend had given me a recipe for cooking this piece o pork that was in my freezer. Unfortunately, we had JUST gotten back from vacation & I didn't have most of the ingredients it called for...so I played around with it and boy was the finished product AMAZING!!

Ingredients:

--piece of pork tenderloin (mine was about 3lbs or so)
--3 cloves of garlic--minced
--Large Onion cut in rounds
--beef bullion crystals
--soy sauce
--pepper
--3/4 cup of water

Directions:
1. Sprinkle enough beef bullion crystals to cover the bottom of your slow cooker & add your onions on top.
2. Place your pork in the slowcooker.
3. Sprinkle liberally with pepper.
4. Spread the minced garlic over the pepper.
5. Sprinkle with a little bit of beef bullion crystals (I did like a 1/2tsp)
6. Pour in your water.
7. Use about 5 or so "shakes" of the soy sauce bottle and cover the top of your pork.
8. Cook on low approx 8 hours or on high approximately 4-6hrs.

American Chop Suey

2011-01-21T12:11:00.002-05:00

There's nothing better in the winter time than comfort food and to me, this American Chop Suey is the epitome of comfort food. I mean really, who doesn't LOVE a dish with ground beef, tomatoes, all kinds of other fresh veggies, noodles, and cheese? My little guy absolutely LOVES this too.

The Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained

5 bacon strips, diced

1 large onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced (I used 1 green and 1 yellow pepper!)

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes --- any flavor, or plain

1 can water (empty tomato can)

6 garlic cloves, chopped

1 (26-ounce) jar prepared pasta sauce

1 (16-ounce) package elbow macaroni

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. In a large skillet, brown the beef, bacon and onion all together until the meat is no longer pink. Drain well and plop into your slow cooker. Add everything else into the pot except for the pasta and cheese.

Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or high for about 4. Stir in the raw pasta and cook on high for approximately 30 minutes, or until pasta is bite-tender. Serve in a wide-mouthed bowl with a handful of cheese on each serving.

Margarita Chicken

2011-01-21T12:06:00.003-05:00

I am with out a doubt beyond addicted to the blog a year of slow cooking. In fact, I begged my brother to buy me her cookbook for Christmas--and he did. (Now I just need to go buy the 2nd edition.) 90% of her recipes are using ingredients I commonly have around my house, so I don't need to make a special trip to the store to make a healthy and well balanced dinner for my family.

This chicken recipe I have made SEVERAL times and I'm SO in love. I've used both boneless skinless breasts and thighs. Both work well.

Even Bryson enjoyed this chicken.

The Ingredients

--4-5 frozen boneless skinless chicken thighs

--1/4 cup Dijon mustard

--1/4 cup honey

--1 T soy sauce

--2 minced garlic cloves

--3 T margarita mix

The Directions.

--mix your sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl

--plop the frozen chicken in the bottom of your crockpot

--cover with the sauce (I usually double the sauce recipe so the chicken is pretty submerged in it while cooking)

--cook on low for 7-9 hours or on high for 4-5. I normally flip the chicken over half way through cooking so the other side gets nice and caramelized.

Cream Cheese Chicken

2011-01-14T11:33:00.002-05:00

Big surprise, right? Another slowcooker dish. This one is a spin off of my favorite chicken dish--Angel chicken--although, it's MUCH healthier this way!!

The baby loved it, the husband inhaled it, and I had seconds :-)

Ingredients
--2 cans of cream of chicken/mushroom soup (I used one of each b/c that's what I had)

--frozen chicken--enough to feed four adults

--2 T Italian seasoning

--1/2 t celery seed

--1 T onion powder

--1 T sugar (weird, I know.)

--1/4 t black pepper

--1 t kosher salt

--2 cloves minced garlic

--block of cream cheese (to add later)

or you can make it with:

--1 can cream-of-something soup

--1/2 cup chicken broth

--frozen chicken pieces

--packet of Italian salad dressing mix

--2 cloves minced garlic

--block of cream cheese (to add later)

The Directions.

Put everything except for the cream cheese into the crockpot. Cook on low for 6 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and begins to shred. Shred the chicken with two large forks, and mix in the block of cream cheese. Switch the crock to high and cook for another 30 minutes, or until the cream cheese is fully melted.

Serve over pasta

Java Roast

2011-01-13T18:04:00.002-05:00

This was AMAZING!!! I am SO addicted to the blog "A Year of Slow Cooking" that I can't help but use my slow cooker 5 times a week. (Click recipe title for the link)

I was a little skeptical with the coffee and cream cheese but seriously, it was unbelievable. Even the toddler enjoyed it :-)

Ingredients

--3 lb chuck roast, trimmed of fat
--3/4 cup brewed coffee
--1 yellow onion, chopped
--1 red bell pepper, chopped (I used yellow)
--8 oz sliced mushrooms
--1 t garlic powder, or 4-5 chopped cloves
--1/2 tsp salt
--1/4 black pepper
--1 T Worcestershire sauce
--3 T red wine vinegar
--4 oz cream cheese (to add at the end)

The Directions.

Use a 4 quart or larger crockpot.

I opted to not brown the meat and onions, and instead plopped everything in to the crockpot. I put the vegetables on the bottom, and then the meat.

Add the coffee, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, and spices.

Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 4-5. I cooked our meat on low for exactly 8 hours, and then it was on warm for another 3.

Carefully remove the meat from the pot, and stir in the cream cheese. I'd cut the cream cheese in slices and add it one at a time, if you can, to help it from separating in little white dots the way mine did. I got impatient. If you do get a bunch of little white dots, they will taste fine, but annoy you.

Brown Sugar Chicken

2010-12-28T19:46:00.002-05:00

Yes, I know...slacker...I won't give excuses...

Tonight I made brown sugar chicken (click the title of the post for the link of the OP) and it was AMAZING!!! And fast :-)
Ever since we had our son, I'm all about uncomplicated, fewer ingredients, and no prep work recipes...& if I can throw it in the slow cookers, I'm all over it.

This was absolutely incredible. I served it with Orzo & steamed veggies. Even the baby inhaled it!

Brown Sugar Chicken

ingredients:
--12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or 6 boneless, skinless breast halves
--1 cup brown sugar (it's okay. you can brush your teeth after.)
--1/4 cup lemon-lime soda (stay with me...)
--2/3 cup vinegar (I used white wine, but think regular white would be fine)
--3 cloves smashed and chopped garlic
--2 T soy sauce
--1 tsp ground black pepper

The Directions.

Use a 4 quart crock pot for this recipe.

Plop the chicken into your crock pot. Cover with the brown sugar, pepper, chopped garlic, and soy sauce. Add the vinegar, and pour in the soda. It will bubble!

Cover and cook on low for 6-9 hours, or on high for 4-5. The chicken is done when it is cooked through and has reached desired consistency. The longer you cook it, the more tender it will be.

Serve over a bowl of white rice with a ladle full of the broth.

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies

2008-12-29T15:01:00.002-05:00

This is a quick and easy appitizer that I found on Pioneer Woman's blog. AMAZING! Again, another recipe I've made this NUMEROUS times and they are always a huge hit!

Ingredients:

15 jalapenos, sliced in half, and seeded
1 block Cream Cheese, room temp
1 package of bacon
Toothpicks

Directions:
-Now start smearing cream cheese inside each jalapeno half.
-Now take a piece (1/3 slice) of bacon and wrap it around the jalapeno.
-Now stick a toothpick through the middle of each one; this will keep the bacon from coming off in the oven. Place them on a pan with a rack (so bacon grease can escape) and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Pesto Palmiers

2008-12-29T14:57:00.001-05:00

Another HIT from Annie's blog! I made this for the baby shower as well. There were NONE left! They were sooo incredibly amazing! I've made them at least two more times since then!

YUM!

Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional
½-3/4 cup pesto
1 egg
1 tbsp. water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°.

Lay puff pastry out onto parchment paper. Roll out into a 12×12” square. Lift up one side of the puff pastry, sprinkle grated Parmesan onto the parchment paper, and replace the puff pastry; repeat with the other side. Using a spatula, spread the pesto within ½ - inch of each side of the pastry. Using your spatula, make three indentations on the top edge of the dough at 3 inches, 6 inches and 9 inches to divide the sheet into quarters.

Fold the left and right edges of the puff pastry halfway to the center of the dough (to the closest quarter-mark indentation). Fold the sides to the middle again until they are almost touching. Fold the two halves together like a book.

Cut into half-inch slices and place onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Whisk the egg and water together and brush over the palmiers. Bake for 8 minutes, flip and bake for 6-8 more minutes. Palmiers are best the day of baking

Pineapple chicken Salad

2008-12-29T14:55:00.001-05:00

This is an amazing recipe I found on Annie's blog. I used it for a baby shower and it was a HUGE hit! I just realized I never blogged it, so I thought I'd put it up now!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups cooked chicken breast
½ cup matchstick cut carrots
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
¼ cup finely chopped green onions
¼ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 8-oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Serve on rolls or in pita pockets with romaine lettuce.

French Dip Sandwiches

2008-12-29T14:52:00.004-05:00

This is another hit at my house! SUPER yummy and SUPER easy! I found this in KellyCooks blog! SOOO amazing!

2lb beef roast
1packet dry onion soup mix
1 can french onion soup (i use the reduced sodium)
2 beef bullion cubes

Provolone Cheese for topping
Rolls for makin' the samiches!

Directions:
Place the beef roast, soup mix, can of soup, and beef bullion cubes in the crockpot.
Cook on low for at least 6 hours.
Shred the meat, reserving the juices in the bottom of the crockpot.

Toast the rolls, add the meat, top with cheese! YUM

Caramelized Onions and Apples with Sausages

2008-12-29T14:45:00.002-05:00

This was one of the recipes I chose to make when my MIL was here. I'd never tried it before, but it sounded and looked amazing! My goal was to impress her while she was here--and this one definitely tipped the scale in my favor.

Ingredients:
16 oz package kielbasa sausages (2-8oz each)
2 Tbs. butter, divided
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored; each sliced into 10 pieces
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (i used dry)
1 Tbs. canola oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced (3 cups)
1/2 cup Harp Lager (Guinness) beer, room temperature
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Directions:
1. Broil, grill, or boil sausages according to package directions. (I cooked mine whole in 2/3 cups boiling water in a covered skillet then cut them into pieces). Keep warm until needed.
2. Meanwhile, heat large skillet over medium-high heat, and add 1 Tbs butter. Add apples, and saute’ until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add thyme, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer apples to bowl.
3. Return skillet to burner, and add remaining butter and oil. Add onions, and cook over medium-high heat 10 to 15 minutes, until onions are caramelized. Add sauteed apples, beer, sugar, and vinegar, and stir to blend well. Cook until liquid is reduced and begins to thicken, 5 to 7 minutes. Spoon onto platter, and top with sausages.

**Next time I would use more kielbasa, hubby and I are BIG meat eaters!**

The Best Beef Stew

2008-12-13T00:38:00.002-05:00

Yet another recipe from my Fix It Quick: Slow Cooker. Hubby is a BIG meat and potatoes guy, so beef stew is definitely a favorite of his. I'm not huge on beef stew so I wanted to try something different--this was definitely amazing!!! We will be making this again for sure.

Ingredients:
1/2c plus 2T flour, divided
2t salt
1t pepper
3lbs beef for stew, cut into 1" pieces
16oz diced tomatoes in juice, undrained (I used the Italian style with the garlic and herbs)
3 potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2lb smoked sausage, diced (I used HOT italian per David's request)
1c. chopped leak
1c. chopped onion
1/2c chicken broth
3cloves garlic, minced
1t thyme
3T water

Directions:
Combine 1/2c flour, salt, and pepper in resealable plastic food storage bag. Add beef; shake bag to coat beef. Place beef in slowcooker. Add remaining ingredients except 2 T flour and water. Stir well. Cover; cook on LOW 8-12 hours or on HIGH 4-6 hours.

One hour before serving; turn slow cooker to high. Combine 2T flour with 3T water, stir until mixture becomes paste. Stir mixture into slowcooker; mix well. Cover and cook until thickened.

Tortilla Soup Slow Cooker Style

2008-12-13T00:33:00.002-05:00

This is another recipe from my favorite cookbook--Fix It Quick: Slow Cooker. It was extremely delicious after spending a day baking with mom. Hubby ate a HUGE bowl of it before work and said it kept him nice and full.

Ingredients:
28oz Chicken broth
14.5oz Rotel--undrained
2 cups chopped carrots
2cups frozen whole kernel corn
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
8oz tomato sauce
1t chili powder (I added like 2T)
1t ground cumin
1/4t garlic powder
2cups chopped cooked chicken breast.

Directions:
Combin broth, Rotel with juices, carrots, corn, onion, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder in slow cooker. Cover; cook on LOW 6-8 hours.

Before serving, mix in chopped chicken

**I cooked my chicken ahead of time and added it with the other ingredients at the beginning**

Bubble Up Pizza

2008-11-17T23:28:00.002-05:00

This was one of my FAVORITE meals growing up. Mom used to make this for us all the time and it was just soo much fun to eat! I was looking for something "different" to make for dinner this week and it dawned on me that we haven't had pizza in a while...All of these ingredients are relevant to how much you are making.

Ingredients:

Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits (I used 3 tubes)
Pizza sauce
Shredded Mozz. Cheese
Pepperoni (or whatever other toppings, if using onions or peppers, sautee them first, your pizza will be really soggy if you don't)

Preheat oven to 450 (or whatever the biscuit package reads.) Put a small amount of pizza sauce in the bottom of your glass 9x13 pan. Cut your biscuits in quarters and place them in your pan. Mix pizza sauce, some of your shredded cheese, and pizza toppings together in a bowl. Pour on top of biscuits. Top with extra cheese. And bake according to package directions!

Rotisserie Crockpot Chicken

2008-11-16T10:54:00.003-05:00

This is a recipe I printed off over the weekend at work from(http://aboutabitofeverything.blogspot.com). It sounded amazing and I really needed to use up the whole chicken I had in my freezer. We're supposed to be getting a terrible snow storm today, so I thought a nice chicken dinner with mashed potatoes and veggies would be nice!

Here's the recipe....

4-5lb chicken
2t kosher salt
1t paprika
1t onion powder (i used garlic powder)
1/2t thyme
1t italian seasoning
1/2t cayenne pepper (i used 1t)
/2t black pepper
a pinch of chili powder
4 cloves of garlic, cracked (for stuffing)
1 yellow onion quartered (for stuffing)

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Clean your bird and dry with a paper towel. Then stuff with the garlic and onions. Then rub your spice over the whole bird. Place in your crockpot on 4 balls of foil (so your chicken isn't sitting in fat and the skin gets nice and crispy). Cook on low for 8 hours.

Dorito Casserole

2008-11-15T20:58:00.002-05:00

So this is a recipe I got from "NewlyAshworth" on the WC nest board! I was slightly hesistant on trying it, but anything with doritos, cheese, and gr. beef is worth eating, right? This makes a 9x13 pan and David ate 1/2 of it himself! He said it tastes just like the enchiladas he used to get in Texas.

Ingredients
1lb ground beef, browned
1 small onion, chopped and sauteed with the beef
1 small can of diced green chiles, sauteed with the beef and onion
2 cans of cream of mushroom (or chicken) soup
1 small can of red enchilada sauce
1 bag of nacho cheese doritos, crushed
1 bag of finely shredded mexican cheese blend

Brown the ground beef with the chopped onion and green chiles. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine soup and sauce. Add the ground beef mixture. In a 9x13 glass pan, layer doritos, meat mixture, cheese, doritos until you've used all your ingredients...be sure to END with doritos on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. I covered mine for 20 minutes then took the foil off and baked the last 10 minutes. ENJOY!

Butternut Squash Lasagna

2008-10-30T18:28:00.003-04:00

I was looking for some "fall" inspired recipes for dinner--and I came across this one in a magazine (Ultimate Italian) and decided it looked amazing! I'm very excited for it to come out of the oven so we can taste it!

3lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4" slices (next time I would chunk it)

3T EVOO

1/2t salt

1/4c butter

6 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4c flour

1/2t salt

4c milk

1T fresh rosemary

9 no boil noodles

1 1/3c fresh parmesan cheese

1c whipping cream

1. Preheat oven to 425. Lightly grease baking pan. Place squash in pan and toss with EVOO and salt. Spread in an even layer. Roast uncovered for 25 minutes or until tender--turn once. Then reduce oven temp to 375.

2. Meanwhile for the sauce: In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in flour and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in squash and rosemary.

3. Lighly grease a 3 quart rectagular baking dish. To assemble, spread about 1 cup of sauce in the prepared baking dish. Layer 3 noodles in the dish. Spread with 1/3rd of the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with 1/3c of parm cheese. Repeat layering noodles, sauce, and cheese two more times. Pour whipping cream evenly over layers in dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/3c of Parm cheese.

4. Cover dish with foil. Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or utnil edges are bubbly and brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving!

Enjoy!

Oreo Truffles

2008-10-11T14:06:00.003-04:00

I've had these several times before, but never made them myself. What a yummy treat! I made these also as a test batch for the shower I'm having. They turned out amazingly well. I'm actually really excited about them.

1pkg Oreo cookie sandwich cookies
8oz cream cheese, softened
16oz semi sweet baking chocolate (I used chocolate chips with 1T of canola oil added)

Put the oreo cookies into your food processor and pulse until finely crushed. Reserve 1/4c for sprinkling later.

Shape into 1 inch balls--I used my small cookie scoop to do this. I then put these into the freezer for about 3 minutes to firm up, then I rolled them into perfect balls. Put them back in the freezer for 15 minutes or so before dipping. Once dipped, place on a wax paper covered baking sheet (I used a cooling rack so they weren't "oozy" looking). Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.

Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Store in airtight container.

Chocolate Raspberry Truffles

2008-10-11T14:01:00.004-04:00

I decided to make a test batch of the Chocolate Raspberry Truffles that I am (read was) going to make as a favor for the baby shower I'm having. What a mess. These taste amazing, but they took WAY too long to make and were just an absolute mess.

1/2lb dark chocolate, chopped
2T unsalted butter
1/2c heavy cream
3T raspberry liqueur
3T seedless raspberry jam
cocoa powder for rolling

Put the chopped chocolate in a stainless steel bowl and set aside.
In a small saucepan, heat the butter and cream to just boiling and then turn off. Pour the mixture through a sieve onto the chopped chocolate. Gently Whisk together the chocolate and cream mixture utnil the chocolate is melted. Stir in the raspberry jam and liqueur. Refrigerate the mixture for an hour or longer, until firm
Using a small cookie scoop, make equal sized truffles (I put them back in the fridge for a few minutes to harden back up). Roll them in your hands, to make them round (This was a disaster, they melted all over the place. I had to roll them in the powder first THEN roll them into balls). Roll into the cocoa powder, dusting off the excess.

Vegetable Bean Soup

2008-10-03T22:12:00.004-04:00

I woke up this morning with a terrible cold and all I could think about was soup. So I decided to rumage through my fridge and pantry to come up with something yummy in the soup category. I took a little inspiration from Fix It Quick: Slow Cooker.

36oz Vegetable Stock
3 medium sized leeks chopped (the whites only)
14oz diced tomatoes, undrained
1medium yellow onion coarsely chopped
3 large stalks chopped celery
1 small head of cabbage chopped
2 medium carrots chopped
1 handful fresh grean beans
some dried rosemary
1 can white beans
1 cup cooked orzo
S&P

I put everything together in the slowcooker, except for the beans and orzo, and cooked it on LOW for 8 hours. Then I added the beans and cooked an addtional 30 minutes on LOW. I cooked the orzo separately and added it at the very end so it wouldn't soak up all the yummy broth.

My husband had 4 huge bowls of this soup. I enjoyed it as well--although my sense of taste is a little off right now thanks to my stuffy nose!!

Minestrone alla Milanese

2008-09-28T12:25:00.000-04:00

I made this on Saturday morning for my mom. She still hasn't eaten a whole lot of anything, so I thought this might taste good!

28oz reduced sodeium beef broth
14oz diced tomatoes, undrained
1c diced potato
1c. coarsely chopped green cabbage
1c. coarsely chopped carrots
1c. sliced zucchini
3/4c chopped onion
3/4c. sliced frehs green beans
3/4c. coarsley chopped celery (I chopped some of the leaves up too for flavor)
3/4c water
2T EVOO
1 clove garlic minced
1/2t basil
1/4t rosemary
1 bay leaf
15oz cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Grated Parmesan cheese

Combine all ingredients excpet beans and cheese in slow cooker. Mix well. Cover; cook on low for 5-6 hours. Add beans. Cover; cook on low an additional hour or until veggies are crisp and tender. Remove and discard bay leaf. Garlish with cheese, if desired.

Recipe adapted from "Fix It Quick: Slow Cooker"

Beef Bourguignon

2008-09-28T12:17:00.000-04:00

It's been ages since I've actually updated anything in here...I just don't seem to have the time anymore but I'm going to make an effort to work on it a couple times a week.

I made this the other night when my mom had her surgery because it was quick and easy and I could just toss it all in the crockpot and it was all ready to go when I finally got home after 26 hours of being awake.

3lbs boneless beef top sirloin steaks
1/2c. all purpose flour
4 slices of bacon diced
2 medium carrots, diced
8 small new red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into quarters
8-10 mushrooms sliced
24 pearl onions
3 cloves minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1t dried marjoram leaves
1/2t dried thyme leaves
1/2t salt
black pepper to taste
21/2 cups Burgundy Wine or Beef broth (I used half and half)

1. Cut beef into 1/2inch pieces. Coat with flour and set aside.
2. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until partially cooked. Add beef; cook until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon.
3. Layer carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, onions, garlic, bay leaf, marjoram, thyme, salt, and pepper, beef and bacon mixture in the slow cooker. Pour liquid over top. Cover and cook 8-9 hours on low or until beef is tender. Remove and discard bay leaf.

This recipe was adapted from "Fix it Quick: Slow Cooker"

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

2008-07-02T20:07:00.000-04:00

I have had such a taste for pulled pork sandwiches. I started looking for some new and different ways to prepare this--and came across this recipe on allrecipes.com. It was absolutely fantastic! David wasn't so sure about it when I first told him, but he ended up eating 3 sandwiches.

1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin You can use a pork shoulder also
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle root beer I used A&W
1 (18 ounce) favorite barbecue sauce I used sweet baby ray's sweet and spicy
8 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted bottle your

I also rubbed some salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin on the tenderloin before putting it in the slow cooker.

Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker; pour the root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 6 to 7 hours. Note: the actual length of time may vary according to individual slow cooker. Drain well. Stir in barbecue sauce. Serve over hamburger buns.

Raspberry Oat bars

2008-06-16T22:02:00.000-04:00

I've been waiting to make these for weeks...and I finally had the chance to make them tonight! We haven't tried them yet, but boy do they smell delicious!

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 (10 ounce) jar raspberry preserves

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Combine the oats, flour, salt and baking powder; stir into the creamed mixture. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the preserves over the crust. Crumble the remaining crust mixture over the raspberry layer.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light brown. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Honey Lime Chicken Wings

2008-06-16T18:04:00.000-04:00

I am a HUGE fan of chicken wings and will usually eat them coated in anything. BUT, I didn't particually care for them although hubby thought they were amazing. I think next time I'll bake them instead of fry them--they might taste better that way!

18 whole chicken wings, split
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon grated lime zest
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 quarts vegetable oil for frying

1. In a large bowl, mix together the honey, lime juice, lime peel, garlic, salt and ground black pepper.
2. Place the flour in a plastic bag and shake the chicken wings in the flour to coat.
3. In a large skillet, fry the chicken wings in hot, 1 inch deep oil until cooked through. Place the cooked wings in the honey/lime mixture and toss to coat well. Serve immediately.

MeatBall Subs!

2008-06-13T16:34:00.000-04:00

I decided to make these tonight because I had a pound of ground beef that HAD to be used tonight or it was going to go bad. Meatball subs always make me think of the superbowl because when we were growing up mom always used to make these for us so we could sit and watch TV and not make a huge mess.

ENJOY!

1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 French baguette
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pinch salt, or to taste
1 (14 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
4 slices provolone cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.In a medium bowl, gently mix by hand the ground beef, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and egg. Shape into 12 meatballs, and place in a baking dish.
3.Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cooked through. Meanwhile, cut the baguette in half lengthwise, and remove some of the bread from the inside to make a well for the meatballs. Brush with olive oil, and season with garlic powder and salt. Slip the baguette into the oven during the last 5 minutes of the meatball's time, or until lightly toasted.
4.While the bread toasts, warm the spaghetti sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. When the meatballs are done, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the sauce. Spoon onto the baguette and top with slices of provolone cheese. Return to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes to melt the cheese. Cool slightly, cut into servings, and enjoy!

Blondies!!!!

2008-06-11T22:10:00.000-04:00

This is one of those recipes that the WC nesties are ALWAYS talking about..So I got spontaneous and decided to try them tonight!

8T of butter, melted
1C light brown sugar
1 egg
1t vanilla extract
1/4t salt
1C flour
1/4t baking powder
Mix-ins of choice (see options below) I used 1/2c. chocolate chips, 1/2c. toffee bits.

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8x8 baking pan with foil and spray lightly with Pam.
2. Melt butter in microwave safe bowl, allow to cool for 5 minutes.
3. With electric mixer, mix brown sugar and melted butter beating until smooth.
4. Add the egg and vanilla and beat again.
5. Add salt, flour, and baking powder and mix until combined.
6. Stir in your choice of mix-ins with a wooden spoon.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread to level top.
8. Bake 22-25 minutes or until set in the middle. Allow to cool on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

MIX-IN IDEAS
1/2-1C chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, or butterscotch chips
1/2C chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds
1/2C M&M's
1/2C reeses peanut butter cups chopped
1/2C toffee pieces
1/2t mint extract in addition or implace of vanilla extract.

Enjoy!

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-06-04T21:54:00.000-04:00

This is a recipe one of the girls at work gave me! They make the best cookies ever!

3/4c butter flavor crisco
1 1/4c brown sugar
2T milk
1T vanilla (I use 1/2 vanilla, 1/2 almond extract)
1 egg
1 3/4 c all purpose flour
1t salt
3/4t baking soda
1c chocolate chips
I also added 1 cup of hershey's toffee and chocolate bits.

1. Heat oven to 375* F.
2. Combine crisco, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Beat egg into creamed mixture.
3. Add flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix into creamed mixture just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Drop tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes for chewy cookies or 11-13 minutes for crisper cookies.
5 Allow to cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet then roomove and cool.
Yield 3 dozen cookies.

Chicken Enchiladas

2008-05-30T11:18:00.000-04:00

This is one of my FAVORITE recipes to make! It's quick and easy and everyone loves them!

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - boiled and shredded
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups cottage cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
12 (6 inch) corn tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (28 ounce) can red enchilada sauce
DIRECTIONS:
1. To Make Meat Mixture: Heat oil in medium skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken, onion and green chile peppers and saute until browned, then add taco seasoning and prepare meat mixture according to package directions.
2. To Make Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl mix sour cream with cottage cheese and season with salt and pepper; stir until well blended.
3.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4.To Assemble Enchiladas: Heat tortillas until soft. In each tortilla place a spoonful of meat mixture, a spoonful of cheese mixture and a bit of shredded cheese. Roll tortillas and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with any remaining meat and cheese mixture, enchilada sauce and remaining shredded cheese.
5.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

I usually do half beef and half chicken--Double all the ingredients except the meats! YUM!

Queso

2008-05-27T10:07:00.000-04:00

David *my hubby* is from TX and he always makes this amazing queso for all of our family GTG's and such so I thought I'd post his recipe. I'm not sure where the original came from since it's something that was passed down from his mother, to his sister, and now to him. The great thing about this dip is that it can make as much or as little as you like so the ingredient quantities are based on how many bricks of cheese you use and of course your personal taste.

"Dave's Queso"

2 bricks Velveta Cheese
1 small onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
3 strips of Bacon cooked and finely chopped
A good bunch (we use lots because we like spice) of jar jalapeno pepper rings and some juice
2 fresh jalapeno peppers (seeds and veins removed)
2 cans diced green chiles
1 can evaporated milk (used for thinning)

Chunk the velveta cheese and place in your slow cooker.
Sautee the bacon on the stove top, drain and chop into small pieces. Then sautee the onions and garlic in the left over bacon grease (we drain some off if the bacon is especially fatty). Place bacon, onions, and garlic in slow cooker. Mix in remaining ingredients (minus evaporated milk) and set your slow cooker on low.
We usually have this in the cooker for a couple of hours before we're serving it. Taste it and add what you need to to satisfy your pallet. The evaporated milk can be used to thin out the cheese as it starts to thicken over time.

This is really yummy with tostitos, crackers, on burgers/hotdogs...and just about anything else you put cheese on!
ENJOY!

Garlic Parmesan Orzo

2008-04-29T15:34:00.002-04:00

This is a recipe I found on allrecipes.com. The origional recipe was just the pasta and the sauce but I added a bunch of veggies to make it stretch a bit!

1c uncooked orzo
1 1/2t minced garlic
1/4c butter
1/4c grated parmesan cheese
2T milk
1T minced fresh parsley
1/2t salt
1/8t pepper
sliced mushrooms
chopped onions
red, yellow, and orange bell pepper chopped
grape tomatoes
1/4c grated ramano cheese
Cook orzo according to package directions; drain. In a large skillet, saute garlic and veggies in butter until tender. Add the orzo, cheeses, milk, parsy, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through.

Marinated Baked Pork Chops

2008-04-29T15:34:00.001-04:00

There's a first for everything and this was my very first experience cooking pork chops. I was quite nervous because my mom was never good at cooking pork so I felt really inexperienced. These actually turned out fantastic! They were sooo juicy and tender and full of flavor! Definitely on the "make again" list!
1 1/2t soy sauce
1T vegetable oil
1 1/2t worcestershire sauce
1/2t lemon juice
1Tbrown sugar
1T ketchup
3 pork Chops
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl, throughly blend above ingredients.
3. Place pork chops in a medium baking dish, and spread with 1/2 the sauce.
4. Bake pork chops 30 minutes. Turn and spread with remaining suace. Continue baking 30 minutes or until temp is 160 degrees internally.
I actually marinated these all day in the full sauce recipe. Then made the sauce recipe again and spread over chops 1/2 way through cooking.

Honey Curried Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

2008-04-29T15:33:00.000-04:00

This recipe is also from allrecipes.com. Not one of our favorites though, and I'm not sure if we'll even make it again. It was spicy and moist but just not a flavor we enjoyed.

INGREDIENTS
1 (3 pound) whole chicken
4 medium red potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2/3 cup honey
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
12 whole fresh mushrooms
2 apples, cored and quartered (optional)

DIRECTIONSPreheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).Place the chicken breast side down on a rack in a roasting pan, and roast 1 hour in the preheated oven.Place the potatoes and carrots in a pot with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Cook 20 minutes, or until tender.In a saucepan, mix the honey, mustard, butter, onion, curry powder, salt, cayenne pepper, ginger, and garlic. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and set aside.Drain the drippings from the roasting pan. Arrange the potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and apples around the chicken. Drizzle the chicken and vegetables with the honey mixture. Continue roasting 20 minutes, or until the glaze has browned. The chicken meat should reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C).

Buffalo Chicken Fingers

2008-04-29T15:32:00.001-04:00

This is another favorite from allrecipes.com. We were looking for something quick and easy one night for dinner and this is what we stumbled upon! They were sooo good! Even at 3am as a snack while working :-)
INGREDIENTS
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into finger-sized pieces
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 egg whites, beaten
1 tablespoon water
melted butter

DIRECTIONSPreheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Coat a baking sheet with a nonstick spray.In a bag, mix together flour, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. On a plate, mix the bread crumbs with the rest of the garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt.Shake the chicken pieces with the seasoned flour. Beat egg whites with 1 tablespoon water, and place egg mixture in a shallow dish or bowl. Dip seasoned chicken in egg mixture, then roll in the seasoned bread crumb mixture. Place on prepared baking sheet.Bake for about 8 minutes in the preheated oven. Use tongs to turn pieces over. Pour melted butter over chicken fingers and continue baking. Bake 8 minutes longer, or until chicken juices run clear.

Monte Cristo Casserole

2008-04-29T15:30:00.000-04:00

This is a recipe I found online while looking for a recipe for Bennigan's Monte Cristo Sandwhich. That is my all-time favorite sandwhich, but I never go to Bennigan's because the service stinks and you're there for HOURS waiting around. We weren't particularly fond of this recipe. It was good but not as crispy and crunchy as I would have liked it to be.

Monte Cristo Casserole Submitted by RINI

Recipe:1 cup fat-free (skim) milk
6 eggs
2 packages (12.5 ounces each) frozen French toast slices, thawed
8 ounces deli baked ham, diced
8 ounces deli roast turkey, diced
4 ounces Swiss cheese, grated (1 cup)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, snipped
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup strawberry ice cream toppingI didn't use strawberry or strawberry topping--I bought a small jar of raspberry preserves and heated them on the stove.

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Heat milk in small microwave-cooker on HIGH 3 minutes or until hot. Whisk eggs in a bowl; add hot milk to eggs, whisking until blended. Cut French toast into 3/4-inch cubes; place in large colander bowl. Pour egg mixture over French toast cubes; toss gently; set aside.
2. Dice ham and turkey. Grate cheese. Snip parsley. Combine ham, turkey, cheese and parsley in a bowl; mix. Layer half of the French toast cubes in bottom of a rectangular baker. Top with half of the meat and cheese mixture. Repeat.
3. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and set in center. Remove to cooling rack; cool 10 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
4. Slice strawberries. Combine strawberries with strawberry topping in small colander bowl. Cut casserole into squares; serve. Top each serving with strawberry mixture.

Easy Creamy Baked Asperagus

2008-04-29T15:29:00.000-04:00

Kraft Food and Family is my FAVORITE magazine ever! All of their recipes are easy on your wallet, and BIG on flavor, and they also don't take a lot of time!

1 lb. fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
1/4 cup KRAFT Peppercorn Ranch Dressing
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup coarsely crushed RITZ Cheese Crackers (about 12 crackers)

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Cook asparagus in simmering water in large skillet 2 to 3 min. or until bright green, but still crisp; drain.TOSS asparagus with dressing in 1-1/2- to 2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and cracker crumbs.BAKE 10 to 15 min. or cheese is lightly browned and mixture is heated through

Potato Smashers!

2008-04-29T15:28:00.000-04:00

Another great easy and quick recipe from Kraft Food and Family! I made these as a side one night and my husband at 6 of them!!! I made a few without bacon for myself and changed up the cheese a little--some with Monterey Jack, some with American...They were all really yummy!

8 small new potatoes (3/4 lb.), about 1-1/2 inches in diameter
1/2 cup water
4 slices OSCAR MAYER Center Cut Bacon
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
1/2 cup KRAFT Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

PLACE potatoes and water in 2-qt. microwaveable dish. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 10 min. or until potatoes are tender. Let stand 5 min. Meanwhile, cook bacon in large nonstick skillet on medium heat 8 to 10 min. or until crisp, turning frequently. Drain on paper towels.
DRAIN potatoes; place on work surface. Press each potato with bottom of small bowl or saucer to flatten to 1/2-inch thickness.
HEAT dressing in skillet on medium heat. Add potatoes; cook 4 min. or until bottoms are golden brown. Meanwhile, crumble bacon. Turn potatoes over; sprinkle evenly with cheese and bacon. Cover skillet with lid. Cook an additional 2 min. or until cheese is melted.

Creamy Spinach Ravioli

2008-04-29T15:27:00.000-04:00

I think this is the first Kraft Food recipe I didn't care for. The flavor was good (hubby loved it) but I couldn't handle the texture of it. I'm weird with things like that :-)

2 pkg. (9 oz. each) refrigerated cheese ravioli
1/2 cup (1/2 of 8-oz. tub) PHILADELPHIA Chive & Onion Cream Cheese Spread
1 cup milk
1/4 cup plus
2 Tbsp. KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
4 cups baby spinach leaves
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
Grated peel from 1 lemon
6 cherry tomatoes, quartered

COOK pasta as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, place cream cheese spread in large skillet. Add milk; cook on medium heat 1 to 2 min. or until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently. Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the spinach, dill and lemon peel; mix well.

DRAIN pasta. Add to cream cheese sauce; toss to coat. Serve topped with tomatoes and remaining 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese.

Honey Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

2008-04-29T15:26:00.000-04:00

Another pork hit for me and another amazing recipe from Kraft Food and Family! I let this piece of pork sit all day in the fridge with the spice rub on it. It was very juicy and tender once cooked! Definitely put this one in the "make again" pile!

1 pork tenderloin (1 lb.)
1/4 cup KRAFT CATALINA Dressing, divided
1 tsp. chili powder1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 Tbsp. honey

PREHEAT oven to 425ºF. Brush meat with 2 Tbsp. of the dressing. Mix dry ingredients; rub onto meat. Place in baking pan. Mix remaining 2 Tbsp. dressing and honey; set aside.BAKE 15 min.; brush with dressing mixture. Bake an additional 10 min. or until cooked through (160ºF).REMOVE meat from oven; cover with foil. Let stand 5 min. before slicing.

Tomato and Spinach Pasta Toss

2008-04-29T15:25:00.000-04:00

I have made this recipe twice since the Spring Kraft Foods magazine came out! I love it! The flavor is amazing and it's so quick and easy! Working night shift with a husband that works day shift is really difficult, and some nights we only have a short period of time to get dinner cooked so we can eat. This one definitely makes the dinner dash less of a challenge!

2 cups rotini or penne pasta, uncooked
1/2 lb. hot or mild Italian sausage, casing removed
1 pkg. (6 oz.) baby spinach leaves (7 cups)
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
2 Tbsp. KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese

COOK pasta as directed on package.MEANWHILE, crumble meat into large deep skillet. Cook on medium-high heat 10 to 12 min. or until cooked through, stirring occasionally; drain. Add spinach and tomatoes; cook 2 min. or until spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.DRAIN pasta. Add to skillet along with the cheeses; toss lightly.

Pork Ribs with Smoky BBQ Sauce

2008-04-29T15:23:00.000-04:00

This is a Betty Crocker Recipe that I found one afternoon while sitting outside enjoying the sunshine looking through my cookbooks! I have never made ribs before and thought I'd give them a try. They were actually quite amazing. I've never been a big ribs eater so I was quite pleased with their flavor and moistness.

4lb Pork Loin back ribs (not cut inot serving pieces)
1T veggie oil
4t thyme
1/2c ketchup
1/4c water
3T brown sugar
2T white vinegar1t celery seed
1/4t liquid smoke
1/4t red pepper sauce

Brush meaty side of pork with oil and spinkle with thyme.Place pork, meaty side up, over drip pan or over uneated side of gas grill. Cover and grill over medium heat 1 hour turning occasionally or until tender.While pork is grilling, in 1 at sauce pan, heat all sauce ingredients to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Brush sauce over pork 2-3 times during last 15 minutes of grilling. Heat any remaining sauce to boil. Serve with sauce to dip.

Southwest Fettuccine Bowl

2008-04-29T15:22:00.000-04:00

This is another Betty Crocker Recipe I recently tried. Hubby loved it, I however was not a fan. I'm not a huge fan of blackbeans so I'm sure that's what my issue was. I will definitely make it again for him though!!

8oz fettuccine uncooked
Olive oil flavored cooking spray
1 cup chunky salsa
1/3c frozen whole kernel corn
1/4 cup water
2T chili sauce
1/2t ground cumin
15oz black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4c chopped fresh cilantro

Cook pasta and drain. Place in medium boil and spray with cooking spray, cover and keep warm.In same sauce pan used for pasta, mix remaining ingredients except cilantro. Cook over medium heat 4-6 minutes, stirring occassionally, until corn is tender.Divide fettucine among 4 individual bowls. Top each with 3/4c of sauce mixture and sprinkle with cilantro

Hash Brown Potato and Egg Bake

2008-04-29T15:21:00.000-04:00

I made this last week for hubby to take to work for breakfast. There are 5 people in his branch and this entire pan was GONE in less than 2 hours! I guess it was good--I wouldn't know though--I didn't have any! :-)

1/2lb bacon chopped
1 medium onion chopped
30oz bag frozen hashbrown potatoes thawed and drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4c grated parmesan cheese
9 eggs1 1/4c milk8oz sour cream
1t salt
1/4t pepper
1t ground mustard
1/2-1c corn flakes
2Tbutter melted

Heat oven to 350. Spray 13x9" glass baking dish with cooking spray.In 10" skillet, cook bacon and onion over medium-high ehat about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp and onion is tender; drain on paper towels.In large bowl, toss bacon mixture, potatoes, and cheeses. Spoon into baking dish. In same bowl, beat eggs, milk , sour cream, salt, and pepper and mustard with whisk until well mixed. Pour egg mixture over potatoe mixture.Bake uncovered 35 minutes.Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss cornflake crumbs and butter, sprinkle cornflake mixture over partially baked casserole. Bake uncovered 10-15 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean!

Ultimate High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookies!

2008-04-29T15:19:00.000-04:00

I am so proud of these cookies! I have NEVER and I mean NEVER made cookies before that have come out as amazing as these! Usually they are misshapen, unedible, and just weird...these are perfect! Thanks allrecipes.com!

INGREDIENTS1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking soda
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used 3/4 cup chocolate chips, 1/2cup toffee bits)

DIRECTIONSPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).In a large bowl, stir together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter just until blended, then mix in the chocolate chips so they are evenly distributed. Drop cookies by heaping teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets spacing 2 inches apart.Bake in the preheated oven until the edges begin to turn golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Beer Butt Chicken

2008-03-17T13:28:00.000-04:00

This is a recipe that my husband has been asking me to make since sometime last year. With Tyson whole chickens being on sale so frequently, I decided to try it just for him over the weekend! WOW was it amazing! There are a few things I would do differently for next time (those changes will be in red) but it was really easy and very yummy!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter
2 tablespoons garlic salt
2 tablespoons paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 (12 fluid ounce) can beer (I used Coors Light b/c that's hubby's favorite)
1 (4lb) whole chicken

DIRECTIONS
Preheat an outdoor grill for low heat. (I cooked this in my oven at 350 for an hour and 10 minutes)
In a small skillet, melt 1/2 cup butter. Mix in 1 tablespoon garlic salt, 1 tablespoon paprika, salt, and pepper.
Discard 1/2 the beer, leaving the remainder in the can. Add remaining butter, garlic salt, paprika, and desired amount of salt and pepper to beer can. Place can on a disposable baking sheet. Set chicken on can, inserting can into the cavity of the chicken. Baste chicken with the melted, seasoned butter.
Place baking sheet with beer and chicken on the prepared grill. Cook over low heat for about 3 hours, or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C).

Next time, I think I will use some softened butter and mix some spices together and loosen the chicken skin and rub the mixture up under the skin for some extra flavor in the chicken. I also tented my chicken with a piece of foil while in the oven so it didnt get tooo dark on top--and it was perfect. The skin was nice and crispy and had an amazing flavor!

Party Food!

2008-03-13T16:18:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I hosted a creative memories party for a bunch of my girlfriends. It was a lot of fun!! I of course went over board on food but I wanted to share all of these recipes with you! They were all very simple and only used a few ingredients each! I made them ALL the night before too!

The first recipe is for Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip--this one came from allrecipes.com (my favorite website!) It was very easy, and I put it all together the night before and then baked it in the oven the day of the party!

Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip
Submitted by: Sherrie D.Rated: 4 out of 5 by 243 members
Prep Time: 20 MinutesCook Time: 25 Minutes
Ready In: 45 MinutesYields: 16 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
1/3 cup grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (10 ounce) package frozen
chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded mozzarella
cheese
DIRECTIONS:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2.In a blender or food processor, place artichoke hearts, Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese and garlic . Pulse until chopped, but not ground. Set aside.
3.In a medium bowl, mix together spinach, heavy cream, sour cream and mozzarella cheese. Stir in artichoke mixture. Spoon into prepared baking dish.
4.Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

I served this one with many different types of crackers--Cracker Sticks, Gourmet crackers, club crackers...I had a little platter of everything!

This next one is for a cheese ball. This cheese ball is one of the best I've ever tasted! It was GONE by the end of the party--which disappointed my husband greatly! This one also from allrecipes.com!

The Best CheeseBall

INGREDIENTS
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded pepperjack cheese
1/2 green bell pepper, minced
1 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions
In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, green bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, Worcestershire sauce and garlic salt. Mix together and form mixture into a ball. Roll ball in cilantro and serve with your favorite crackers.

Yum...Cucumber sandwiches. These were a favorite of mine from when my mom used to sell pampered chef. She used to use the cute little flower shaped bread tube and do italian bread in them and make these.
This recipe came from allrecipes.com as well and was a HUGE hit at the party!

CUCUMBER SANWICHES

INGREDIENTS
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1 (1 pound) loaf cocktail rye bread
2 cucumbers, sliced
Dill

DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl, blend cream cheese, sour cream and dry Italian-style salad dressing mix.
Arrange cocktail rye bread slices on a medium serving dish. Spread with the cream cheese mixture. Top each with a cucumber slice and sprinkle dill on the top of each completed sandwich!

I attempted cheesecake for the first time (from scratch) for this party. I was really nervous that it wasn't going to turn out--but they were a HUGE HIT! I only had a few left over! This recipes is also from allrecipes.com

MINI CHEESECAKES

INGREDIENTS
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (12 ounce) package vanilla wafers
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line miniature muffin tins (tassie pans) with miniature paper liners.
Crush the vanilla wafers and place 1/2 tablespoon of the crushed vanilla wafers into the paper lined miniature muffin tins.
Cream together with an electric mixer the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Fill each miniature muffin liner with this mixture, almost to the top.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 15 minutes. Cool and then top with a teaspoonful of cherry (or any other flavor) pie filling.

RANCH HAM ROLL-UPS

These were another allrecipes.com favorite of mine growing up! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

INGREDIENTS
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (1 ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix (Also really yummy with Dry Italian)
3 green onions, chopped
11 (8 inch) flour tortillas
22 thin slices deli ham

DIRECTIONS
In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and salad dressing mix until smooth. Add onions; mix well. Spread about 3 tablespoons over each tortilla; top each with two ham slices.
Roll up tightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm. Unwrap and cut into 3/4-in. slices.

APPLE DIP
This is s recipe my mom got from a neighbor of ours. I'm not sure where it came from, but it's amazing! This one MUST be made the night before so it can sit and let the sugar "do it's thing."

Ingredients
12 oz Whipped Cream Cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 bag of chocolate and toffee bits
Grannysmith Apples

Directions
Place mix together (easiest with your hands) cream cheese, sugars, chocolate and toffee bits). Put in fridge over night to sit. Before your party, core and slice your apples, then dip in pineapple or lemon juice to keep them from browning.

I can guarantee that this recipe will be a HUGE SUCCESS!

Chicken Ritz

2008-02-27T18:14:00.001-05:00

Yum...This is a childhood favorite of mine! My mom used to make this at least 4 times a month for me growing up and it never got old! We always used to fight over the left overs too! (It makes a great breakfast let me tell you!)

I'm not sure where this recipe came from-it might even be something my mom whipped up-who knows.

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts--fat trimmed

1 1/2 sleeves of Ritz crackers crunched up

1 stick of melted butter

Italian Seasoning *

Parmesan Cheese *

Garlic Salt *

** I do these by putting some in, seeing how the mixture looks and going from there. Adjust them to your taste!

Pre-heat oven to 350.

Melt butter in a bowl large enough to place your chicken breasts in.

Combine crunched up Ritz crackers, spices, parmesan cheese and garlic salt on a plate.

Dip each chicken breast in the melted butter, then coat with the Ritz cracker mixture. Place in a casserole dish. Once finished dipping all your chicken, pour some (or all haha) of the remaining butter over top of the chicken. I also sprinkle some extra cheese over top. Bake in preheated oven uncovered for approximately 40 minutes. (Cook time will vary based on how large your chicken breasts are!)

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do! YUM

Finished the apple butter!

2008-02-26T11:29:00.000-05:00

So my apple butter finished cooking all night long on low in my crockpot and boy did my house smell amazing at 7am this morning! YUM! It took some work to get the mason jars to seal properly, but eventually all 7 8oz jars were sealed and ready to go! I can't wait til breakfast tomorrow!

I also made an amazing recipe for my hubby to take to work for breakfast. This one was from this website http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/12/new-years-day-2001/

Boozy Baked French Toast

Ingredients:

1 loaf of supermarket challah bread in 1 inch slices
3 cups whole milk
3 eggs
3T sugar
1/2t salt

Your choice of flavorings: Use 3 tablespoons Bailey’s and 3 tablespoons Cointreau, but Frangelico (hazelnut), Chambord (raspberry), CrÃ¨me de Cassis (black currant) Grand Marnier or just a teaspoon or two of vanilla or almond extract can do the trick. You can bump up a citrus flavor with a teaspoon of zest, add a half-cup of chopped nuts such as almond slivers or pecans between layers or on top or a similar amount of raisins or other dried fruits.

Directions:
1. Generously grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with salted (my choice) or unsalted butter.
2. Arrange bread in two tightly-packed layers in the pan. I always cut one slice into smaller pieces to fill in gaps, especially when using braided Challah. If using a thinner-sliced bread, you might wish for more layers, though I find that over three, even baking can be difficult. If you are using any fillings of fruit or nuts, this is the time to get them between the layers or sprinkled atop.
3. Whisk milk, eggs, sugar, salt and booze or flavorings of your choice and pour over the bread. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
4. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refridgerate overnight. The bread will absorb all of the milk custard while you sleep.
5. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes, or until puffed and golden. This will take longer if you have additional layers.
6. Cut into generous squares and serve with maple syrup, fresh fruit, powdered sugar or all of the above.
Serves 6 as main course

He called me an hour later and said it was a hit and was gone in 15 minutes. I used Craisins and some vanilla extract with cinnamon. It baked about 45 minutes or so. It was nice and crispy on top!

Apple Butter

2008-02-25T19:07:00.001-05:00

This recipe came from allrecipes.com. I've been waiting to try this for months but I haven't had two consecutive days off in a while. This was the quickest recipe ever to make. I'm already enjoying the smells billowing out of the kitchen and it's only been 15 minutes!
Tomorrow I will post on the finished product!

INGREDIENTS
8 apples - peeled, cored and chopped (i put my cored apples in the food processor to chop them)
4 cups white sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
Fill a slow cooker with diced apples, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Cover, and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 12 hours, or until thick and dark golden in color.
Fill small jars with hot apple butter, leaving about 3/4 inch space at the top.

Other Recipes

2008-02-24T17:55:00.001-05:00

These are some other recipes that I have made in the past several months. Most of them are from http://www.allrecipes.com/ or http://www.cooks.com/ although I have altered many of the ingredients to suit our tastes.

The first one is Stuffed Shells. This was from allrecipes.com submitted by Karen Marshall.
It serves 8 people.

Ingredients:
16 oz package jumbo pasta shells
4 cups small ricotta cheese (or small curd cottage cheese)
12 oz mozzarella cheese shredded
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 pinch garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
26 oz jar spaghetti sauce (I used a lot more because we like lots of sauce)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (for the top)
I also added 1 package of chopped frozen spinach defrosted and liquid drained.

Directions:
1. Cook shells according to package directions. Place in cold water to stop cooking process. Drain
2. Mix together Ricotta (Cottage) cheese, Mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, eggs, garlic powder, and spinach if using. Rub the dried herbs in the palms of your hands to pulverize them, and stir into the cheese mixture. Stuff mixture into the shells.
3. Spread 1/3 spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 15x10 inch pan. Place shells open side up, and close together in the pan. Spread remaining sauce over top and sprinkle with remaining parm. Cheese.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving!

I actually made 2 pans of this with intentions of freezing 1 of them, and my husband threw a fit because he wanted to eat them all--and he did!

This next recipe is for BBQ Beans. This recipe came from a good friend of ours D. Sears. It's amazing! We make it for all kinds of gtg's!

Ingredients:
4 cans butter beans--drained and rinsed
1 can stewed tomatoes
1/2# brown sugar
1 large green pepper sliced into strips
1 large onion chopped
1# bacon fried and cut into chunks
1# Kabassi--cut into rounds

Directions:
You can either bake this in the oven at 350 degrees for 2 hours covered and then the last 30 minutes with the lid off OR in the crock pot for 5-6 hours. It's amazingly delicious.

This 5 pepper hummus Recipe came from allrecipes.com as well. I took this to my grandmother's 75 birthday party and it was a HUGE hit! It's very easy to make!!

INGREDIENTS
1 large green bell pepper
1 (16 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
4 fresh jalapeno peppers
1 (16 ounce) jar banana peppers, drained
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1/4 cup tahini

DIRECTIONS
Remove top 1/4 of the green bell pepper, keeping bottom part intact to use for serving the hummus. Discard stem, and remove seeds and pulp from both parts of the pepper.
Chop top part of pepper, and place in a blender or food processor with garbanzo beans, jalapeno peppers, banana peppers, garlic, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and tahini. Blend into a smooth paste. Scoop into the bottom part of the green bell pepper to serve.

I served this with Celery, Triscuits, and pumpernickle sticks. It was so yummy--Spicy too!

This next recipe is from the food network! This was the very first whole chicken I had ever roasted and let me tell you--it was the absolute best chicken I had ever had! It was amazingly moist and literally fell off the bones! My husband keeps asking me to make it again!

Garlic and Citrus Chicken
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:
1 (5 to 6-pound) whole roasting chicken, neck and giblets discarded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 orange, quartered
1 lemon, quartered
1 head garlic, halved crosswise,
plus 3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 (14-ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
Kitchen string or butcher twine

Directions:
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the orange, lemon, and garlic halves. Tie the chicken legs together with kitchen string to help hold its shape. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.
Place a rack in a large roasting pan. Place the chicken, breast side up, on the rack in the pan. Roast the chicken for 1 hour, basting occasionally and adding some chicken broth to the pan, if necessary, to prevent the pan drippings from burning. Whisk the orange juice, lemon juice, oil, oregano, and chopped garlic in a medium bowl to blend. Brush some of the juice mixture over the chicken, after it has baked 1 hour. Continue roasting the chicken until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the innermost part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F, basting occasionally with the juice mixture and adding broth to the pan, about 45 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Tent with foil while making the sauce (do not clean the pan).
Place the same roasting pan over medium-low heat. Whisk in any remaining broth and simmer until the sauce is reduced to 1 cup, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Strain into a 2-cup glass measuring cup and discard the solids. Spoon the fat from the top of the sauce. Serve the chicken with the pan sauce.

I think this is all I have time for now. I promise--more tomorrow! Enjoy!

Chicken Divan is Divine

2008-02-23T20:58:00.000-05:00

Tonight I made chicken divan for my husband and I. This is a dish I first had in 4th grade at my best friend's house and I haven't had it since! I remember it being this creamy, cheesey, yummy chicken "thing" and tonight when I took my first bite, all those memories came flooding back to me!
This is also a great recipe for stretching a buck--the most "expensive" part is the chicken and most people have this already in their freezer. You can make as much or as little as you like!

Ingredients:
4 pieces of cooked boneless skinless chicken breast
2 cans of creamed soup (can be mushroom, chicken, or broccoli)
10oz package of frozen chopped broccoli
1/2 cup of mayonaise or milk (I used milk since hubby won't touch mayo!)
1/4 cup of lemon juice
Shredded Cheddar Cheese (to taste) divided
1/2 cup buttered bread crumbs
Garlic Powder to taste
Salt/Pepper to taste

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350.
Boil chicken in salted water. Cool and cut into chunks.
Break up broccoli on the bottom of the casserole dish. Cover with chicken chunks. In a separate bowl, combine soup, milk, lemon juice, and 1/2 of your cheddar cheese. Pour over chicken and broccoli. Top with buttered bread crumbs and the rest of the shredded cheddar.
Bake for 30-45 minutes or until bubbley and gooey!
I served this over egg noodles but it's also really good with rice!

A Little of This, A Dash of That...

Baked Spinach & Cheese Noodles

Loose Meat Sandwiches

Down to Earth Granola

Chili Cheese Dog Casserol

Directions:

Menu

Chicken Parmesan

Veggie Pizza

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Pork Tenderloin

American Chop Suey

Margarita Chicken

Cream Cheese Chicken

Java Roast

Brown Sugar Chicken

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies

Pesto Palmiers

Pineapple chicken Salad

French Dip Sandwiches

Caramelized Onions and Apples with Sausages

The Best Beef Stew

Tortilla Soup Slow Cooker Style

Bubble Up Pizza

Rotisserie Crockpot Chicken

Dorito Casserole

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Oreo Truffles

Chocolate Raspberry Truffles

Vegetable Bean Soup

Minestrone alla Milanese

Beef Bourguignon

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Raspberry Oat bars

Honey Lime Chicken Wings

MeatBall Subs!

Blondies!!!!

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chicken Enchiladas

Queso

Garlic Parmesan Orzo

Marinated Baked Pork Chops

Honey Curried Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Buffalo Chicken Fingers

Monte Cristo Casserole

Easy Creamy Baked Asperagus

Potato Smashers!

Creamy Spinach Ravioli

Honey Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

Tomato and Spinach Pasta Toss

Pork Ribs with Smoky BBQ Sauce

Southwest Fettuccine Bowl

Hash Brown Potato and Egg Bake

Ultimate High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Beer Butt Chicken

Party Food!

Chicken Ritz

Finished the apple butter!

Apple Butter

Other Recipes

Chicken Divan is Divine