Food You Would Actually Want To Eat

Chicken 'n Rice Casserole

2010-10-20T06:52:00.000-07:00

This is a dish I grew up with - I love it and it's super easy!

Ingredients:

3-4 Chicken breasts, whole or cut in pieces
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
2 cans water
1 cup uncooked rice
1 pkg onion soup mix

Directions:

Combine the creamy soups and water. Take out 1 cup of mix and set aside. Add rice and mix well. Dot a casserole dish with butter and add the soupy mixture. Place chicken on top and cover the chicken with remaining creamy soup. Top with onion soup mix. Cover with foil and bake @ 325 for 1 1/2 hours.

Easy Shrimp Pasta for Two

2010-03-20T16:31:00.000-07:00

I had some thawed frozen shrimp in the fridge begging to be eaten so I found this easy recipe on Kraft.com. It turned out really good and I served a spinach leaf salad on the side with the Balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Yum!

2 tbsp. Kraft balsamic vinaigrette dressing

1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled deveined (recipe calls for uncooked, I used cooked)

1/4 lb. fettucine, uncooked

1 tomato, chopped

2 oz. (1//4 an 8 oz. pkg.) cream cheese, cubed

2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil, divided

2 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Pour dressing over shrimp in bowl. Refrigerate 20 min. to marinate.

2. Cook pasta as directed on package. Meanwhile, heat large skillet on medium heat; add shrimp; cook 3 min. or until shrimp turns pink, stirring frequently. Remove shrimp from skillet; cover to keep warm.

3. Add tomatoes, cream cheese, 1 tbsp. basil to same skillet; cook and stir for 3 min. or until well blended. Add shrimp, cook until heated through, stirring occasionally.

4. Drain pasta. Place on large platter; top with shrimp mixture,remaining basil and shredded cheese.

Mac and Cheese Lasagna

2010-02-18T00:24:00.000-08:00

I haven't been cooking a whole lot lately, and almost nothing new, but the other day I needed a quick fix for dinner and I had everything in my fridge for this Kraft recipe. I was afraid it would turn out gross, (strange combination of ingredients) but it turned out amazing! This is an fast, easy recipe that lasagna lovers will approve of. (Modification- I did not use the light recipe on the kraft mac and cheese dinner because I forgot. It turned out very rich, cheesy and delicious. Calorie conscious families may opt for low fat moz cheese and the light recipe.)

Mac and Cheese Lasagna

Prep Time: 20 min Total Time: 40 min Makes: 4 servings

What You Need!

1 pkg. (7-1/4 oz.) KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese Dinner

1-1/2 cups spaghetti sauce

1/2 lb. lean ground beef

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

HEAT oven to 350°F.

PREPARE Kraft Mac and Cheese Dinner, using the Light Prep directions on package. Meanwhile, brown meat in skillet; drain.

SPOON half the Dinner into lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish; top with layers of half each sauce, meat and shredded cheese. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

BAKE 20 min. or until heated through.

Kraft Kitchens Tips - Substitute 1 cup chopped leftover cooked chicken for the browned ground beef. Or omit it for a meatless version.

Chicken

2010-02-05T15:00:00.000-08:00

Wow! It has been a long time! I guess it is time to delve into some of my oldy but goody recipes. Chicken!!

1/2 C. sugar

1/2 C. karo syrup

1/2 C. peanut butter

3 C. corn flakes

Melt the sugar, karo syrup and peanut butter in a saucepan. When melted add the cornflakes - stir until well coated. Place spoonfuls on wax or parchment paper to dry.

It's a super easy and super yummy recipe. I usually double it because it makes a small batch. I remember my brother would pay me to make these for him when I was younger. I hope you like them!

Spinach and Chicken Alfredo Pizza

2009-09-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

This pizza was suprisingly good. It incorporates fresh veggies which is different for me. I really enjoyed the flavor and freshness.

SPINACH AND CHICKEN ALFREDO PIZZA

Ingredients:

prepared or homemade pizza dough

Jar of Alfredo sauce

1 1/2 C frozen spinach

1 C grilled chopped chicken

1/2 C chopped Tomatos

1/2 C Mushrooms

1 C of Mozzerella

Instructions:

Mix the alfredo sauce with your thawed spinach. Spread over your prepared crust. Next sprinkle the chopped tomatos, mushrooms, Chopped Chicken and cheese over your pizza and bake as crust instructs.

Breakfast Calzone

2009-09-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

I got this idea last saturday morning and it turned out so amazing!!! Michael and I had a lazy morning and wanted a good sized breakfast. This was good and is a different spin on breakfast.

Ingredients:

1 batch of your favorite biscuit recipe

Pick whatever you want for filling:

eggs

sausage

bacon

cheese

peppers

onions

gravy

ham

hashbrowns

mushrooms

Roll out your dough and seperate into the amount of calzones you want. Once all of your fillings are cooked, place them on one half of the dough and fold the other half over. Press to seal. Bake using the biscuits cooking directions.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

2009-09-09T16:16:00.000-07:00

For those who don't know, I work at a unique job where every once in a while I cook dinner for about 20+ people. The other night, they planned chicken burritos. Yet, as I looked at their ingredients there was no one single thing on their list to season the chicken. I dont know about you but when I have a burrito, I love for the meat to be flavorful and delicious. Well I went to my fellow food bloggers and found this recipe for Taco Seasoning. It was great! It used all the seasonings you probably have at home. Plus I enjoyed being able to alter the spiciness with the cayenne. Im also a HUGE fan of cumin so I like being able to add more to it than what the normal envelopes give you.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon of Chili Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/4 Teaspoon onion powder

1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1/4 Teaspoon Dried Oregano

1/2 Teaspoon Paprika

1 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin (2 1/2 Teaspoons Cumin)

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Pepper

Dash of Cayenne

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix all ingredients and store in air tight container. 10 servings

Soft Wrap Bread

2009-08-22T09:55:00.001-07:00

I got this recipe from Real Mom Kitchen's blog. I tried making pitas and they worked ok but these are something that I'm totally interested in making.

Soft Wrap Bread
3 C Flour
1 1/4 C Boiling Water
1/4 C Potato Flakes
1 1/3 Tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Tsp Yeast

Instructions:

1. place 2 Cups of flour in a bowl and add water. Mix and let rest for 30 minutes.

2. In a seperate bowl, mix potato flakes, rest of flour, salt, oil, and yeast.

3. Mix the mixtures together and knead for about 5 minutes until a ball forms and it pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

4. Let the dough rise for about an hour.

5.Divide into 8 pieces and let rest for 15 minutes

6.Roll into a 7 to 8" circle. Dry-fry (cook them in a pan with no oil like you would a tortilla until brown flecks form on the dough.

7. Transfer the wrap breads to a cooling wrack and stack them to keep soft. Serve immediately or cool in a ziplocbag so they will stay soft.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2009-08-13T16:56:00.000-07:00

Makes 2 loaves

For anyone with summer squash fresh from the garden!

2 oz unsweetened chocolate (I used powder instead of block.)

3 eggs

2 c sugar

1 c oil

2 c grated raw zucchini

1 tsp vanilla

2 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 c semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate.)

Melt chocolate in microwave. In large bowl combine eggs, sugar, oil, zucchini, vanilla, and chocolate. Beat well. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Pour into 2 lightly greased loaf pans. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top (they will sink in as it bakes). Bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Note** The recipe says the chocolate chips will sink in but when I used the recipe it did not. Doesn't hurt the flavor at all, but adds to the bread's sweet crust!

Country Peach Cobbler (ice cream optional)

2009-07-28T14:56:00.000-07:00

This Country Peach Cobbler is how I remember my mom making it. The dough rises from the bottom and gets carmlized and crunchy as it bakes. I made this about 45 minutes before we had to meet some friends. I was able to assemble in about 10 minutes and bake it in perfect time to be done. Everyone raved about it and even someone who declared he did not like peach cobbler. I give this 5 stars.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup self-rising flour
3/4 cup milk
1 (29 ounce) can sliced peaches in light syrup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place butter in a deep 2 quart baking dish and place in oven to melt.
In a medium bowl, mix sugar and flour. Stir in milk, a little at a time, until wholly incorporated. Pour carefully over melted butter in dish. Spoon peaches and syrup over batter.
Bake in preheated oven 35 to 45 minutes, until crust is puffed and golden.

Lazy Lasagna

2009-07-21T17:27:00.000-07:00

I tried this recipe for the first time on Sunday and it was AWESOME!! Okay, Stouffers is probably better, but this was super duper easy - I loved it!

1 lb. ground beef
1 (32 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
1 lb. cottage cheese
8 oz sour cream
8 oz uncooked lasagna noodles
2 (6oz) pkgs. sliced mozzarella cheese (8 slices)
1/2 C. parmesan cheese
1 C. water

Cook beef over medium-high heat until browned. Dreain any fat. Add spaghetti sauce and heat through.
In a separate bowl, combine: cottage cheese and sour cream. Blend well. Spoon 1 1/2 C. meat mixture in a 9x13 pan. Place 1/2 of the uncooked lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spoon 1/2 of the cheese mixture over the noodles. Add 3 slices of mozzarella (I just used shredded cheese), then 1/2 remaining meat sauce and 1/4 C. Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers starting with the noodles. Top with remaining slices of cheese. Pour water around sides of the pan. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Uncover and bake another 20 minutes. Let stand for 15-20 mintues before serving.

Oreo Fudge Ice Cream Cake

2009-07-21T14:34:00.001-07:00

This is a simple recipe that always amazes people that it is home made. No one ever figures out its made out of ice cream sandwiches. Our little secret! Very good for BBQs and summer birthdays. This recipe has become a summer tradition for my birthday in June.

1/2 c hot fudge topping warmed
1 tub cool whip thawed
1 pckg (3.9 oz) chocolate instant pudding
8 oreo cookies chopped coarsely in quarters
12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches

Pour fudge topping in bowl and add 1 CUP cool whip and whisk. Add pudding and stir til thick, add oreos and stir gently. Arrange 4 ice cream sandwiches side by side on a piece of 24" long foil. Top with half of pudding mix, and add another layer of sandwiches. Top with rest of pudding and last layer of sandwiches. Frost with rest of coolwhip, top and sides, and fold top and ends of foil to seal loosely. Freeze 4 hours.

Enchiladas Verde

2009-07-02T18:09:00.001-07:00

This was a really good spicy enchilada. Its different from the cream of chicken green chile kind I always make. I was pleasantly suprised.

ENCHILADAS VERDE

Ingredients:

2 chicken breast halves
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 white onion
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound fresh tomatillos, husks removed
5 serrano peppers
1/4 white onion
1 C Sour Cream
1 clove garlic
1 pinch salt
12 corn or Flour tortillas
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup crumbled queso fresco (mexi Blend)
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine chicken breast with chicken broth, one quarter onion, a clove of garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, and then boil for 20 minutes. Reserve broth, set chicken aside to cool, and discard onion and garlic. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken with your hands.
Place tomatillos and serrano chiles in a pot with water, enough to cover them. Bring to boil, and continue boiling until tomatillos turn a different shade of green (from bright green to a dull, army green). Strain tomatillos and chiles, and place in a blender with another quarter piece of onion, 1 clove garlic, and a pinch of salt. Pour in reserved chicken broth, so that liquid just covers the veggies in the blender by about an inch. Blend all ingredients until they are completely pureed. Pour salsa in a medium saucepan, and bring to a low boil. Add one cup of Sour Cream. Mix Well.
Fill or top tortillas with shredded chicken and cheese. Roll up and place in a Baking Dish. Then pour green sauce on top of Enchiladas. Top with crumbled cheese, chopped onion, and chopped cilantro. Bake at 375 for 15.

Striped Delight

2009-07-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from Kraft Foods. It is a quick and delicious summer dessert great for taking to a BBQ or block party!

Prep Time: 20 min.

Total Time: 4 hr 40 min.

Makes: 24 servings

INGREDIENTS

35 OREO Cookies

6 Tbsp. butter, melted

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

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. cold milk

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

3-1/4 cups cold milk

2 pkg. (3.9 oz. each) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding

PROCESS cookies in food processor (or place in gallon size ziploc bag and crush with rolling pin) until fine crumbs form. Transfer to medium bowl; mix in butter. Press onto bottom of 13x9-inch dish. Refrigerate until ready to use.

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

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

Size-Wise

Enjoy this dessert on a special occasion, but stick to the serving size of this rich treat. A little goes a long way!

How to Easily Cut Into Squares

Place dessert in freezer about 1 hour before cutting into squares to serve. (This really works but some people did not like the texture of the frozen cool whip.)

Special Extra

Drizzle each plate with melted BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate before topping with dessert square. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes or additional crushed OREO Cookies.

BAKED Southwestern Egg Rolls

2009-06-30T12:24:00.000-07:00

I was suprised I even attempted this recipe bc it sounds like a daunting one. Once looking at it, I realized I had all the ingredients. I baked mine instead of frying and they turned out crunchy and melty and o so delicious. I like them just as much as Chilis and they are now one of my recipes Ill use to impress people.

BAKED Southwestern Egg Rolls:

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend (I ADDED MORE)
2/3 cup frozen corn, thawed
2/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
5 green onions, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
20 Tortillas

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients. Place 1/4 cup of chicken mixture in the center of one Tortilla. Fold bottom corner over filling. Fold sides toward center over filling. Place on a baking sheet seem down. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 425. Once you see your tortilla is getting hard, turn oven to broil and bake for 2-3 minutes. Once golden brown, you can eat.

Tuna Pasta Salad

2009-06-25T08:30:00.001-07:00

This pasta salad is very kid friendly and Sarah friendly. People always add the oddest stuff to their salads so 80% of the time I get weirded out and cant enjoy them. Here is a good base recipe that you can add stuff too.

Tuna Pasta Salad
Allrecipes.com

1 (16 ounce) package small uncooked seashell pasta
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons pickle juice
2 teaspoons dried dill weed
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (6 ounce) cans tuna packed in water, drained
1/4 cup of options: onion, carrots, peas, broccoli, cheese, anything you want

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place pasta in the pot, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, milk, pickle juice, dill, salt, and pepper. Mix in tuna and optionals. Toss with cooked pasta. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Chewy Chip Bars

2009-06-25T08:18:00.000-07:00

CHEWY CHIP BARS

allrecipes.com

Ingedients:

4 1/2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats

1 Cup of Flour

2/3 C Butter

1/2 C Honey

1/3 Cup of Brown Sugar

1 Tsp Baking Soda

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Chocolate Chips

1 Cup Butterscotch Chips

Instructions: Mix All ingredients and press into a 13" X 9" Pan. Bake for 20 at 325. Let cool for ten minutes. Cut into bars and then let them completely cool in pan.

Easy & Delicious Chicken Tortilla Soup

2009-06-06T08:18:00.000-07:00

I made this for girls night out and I had requests for the recipe, so here you go!! :)

1-2 Chicken breasts, cooked & chopped
1/2 onion, chopped and sauteed
garlic, minced
3 cans chicken broth
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can petite diced tomatoes with green chilies
1/2 C. salsa

I add a little cumin and chili powder to taste.

Combine all ingredients in pot and bring to a boil. Simmer until served. Serve with corn chips, cheese, sour cream, avocado and whatever else you like!! :)

*******

Okay - so why am I the only one posting? I am debating on this being my last post for a while, until we get a little more variety. If you want to post some of your recipes but are not an "author" please email me and I will add you to our list. My email address is ljcook82@gmail.com.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip & Pineapple Cookies

2009-06-04T12:10:00.000-07:00

Compliments of my friend, LaDona. She has posted a couple of her cookie recipes on her blog. This recipe is for the pumpkin chocolate chip - and this is her pineapple cookie recipe.

Banana Sour Cream Bread

2009-05-28T09:05:00.000-07:00

This is my absolute favorite banana bread recipe.

Ingredients:
topping
1/4 C. white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

bread
3/4 C. butter
3 C. sugar
3 eggs
6 ripe bananas
1 (16 oz) container sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking soda
4 1/2 C. flour
1 C. nuts

Directions:
For topping:
Stir together 1/4 C. sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon and dust pans with it (this recipe makes 4 regular sized bread pans). First you will want to spray the pan with Pam or whatever you like to do, then dust the pans with the sugar/cinnamon - any left over I like to pour over top of the bread before I cook it.

Mix the butter and sugar - add bananas, eggs, sour cream and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix all the dry ingredients well. Add to the banana mixture then add nuts.

Bake for 1 hour (I usually add an extra 10 minutes= 70 minutes) at 300. Let cool on a rack.

Brownies

2009-05-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

I LOVE these brownies! They are chewey and delicious!

Mix:
2/3 C. shortening (melted)
1/2 C. cocoa
2 C. sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Stir in :
1 1/4 C. flour
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt

Spread in greased 9X13 pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 mintues. (I usually have to cook mine an extra 10 minutes)

Chicken Enchiladas

2009-05-25T15:35:00.000-07:00

4 Chicken breast halves; cooked & shredded or cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 C. sour cream
1 C. shredded cheese
1 Tbs parsley
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
15 oz tomato sauce or salsa
1 Tbs chili powder
1/3 cup green pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
8 tortillas
1 jar taco sauce
more cheese

In pan saute onion, garlic and green pepper. Add sour cream, cheese and seasonings when soft. Stir in salsa or tomato sauce, chili powder & chicken. Roll in tortillas & cover with taco sauce and cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 for 20 minutes.

Chicken Pot Pie

2009-04-22T15:15:00.001-07:00

Okay, so the picture might not look too appetizing, but it is really a very yummy dish, fast and easy too!! I LOVE this recipe.

Ingredients:
1 can Cream of Potato soup
2 cans Veg All
2 cups chicken or turkey
1/2 C. milk (the original recipe says to warm in microwave, but I never do)
1/4 tsp Thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
2 9" pie crusts

Instructions:
Mix everything together and pour into ready made pie crust. Top with pie crust and cut holes.
Bake at 375 for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes check to see if it needs to be covered with foil, bake for another 10-15 minutes. Bake on lower rack. Cool for 10 minutes before cutting.

Fruit Salsa

2009-04-18T13:22:00.000-07:00

It's an Easter tradition in our family to make fruit salsa. The mango and pineapple really compliment the ham. Sorry this is too late for the holiday, but it's wonderful anytime, especially in the Spring and Summer!

Ingredients:

3-4 mangos

1/2 diced red onion

1 jalapeno pepper (scrape white seeds out for more mild salsa)

1 can crushed pineapple

1 bunch chopped cilantro (to taste)

Tips:

~I usually double the recipe because it's so good, one batch never lasts.

~The smaller you chop ingredients, the more flavor they have.

~Be very careful slicing the mangos as they are slippery!

Cream Cheese Squares

2009-04-12T18:38:00.000-07:00

Okay, I also stocked up on crescent roll dough. My kids like to roll them up and bake them, but are getting tired of eating them too. So, I found this amazing recipe. It is fast and easy and REALLY fattening!! yeah, so it is definitely a "keeper" too!!

2 cans crescent roll dough
2 pckgs cream cheese (I used low-fat, came out great)
1 c sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat 350. Press 1 can of dough into bottom of a brownie pan (7x11). Mix cheese, sugar and vanilla til smooth. Spread onto dough. Top with 2nd can of dough but do not press down.

1/2 c. butter melted
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Pour butter over top and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and bake 25-30 minutes. This is a very rich dessert. It doesn't really need ice cream or whipping cream. But, to make it more sinful, add icecream. The hot and cold come together really well.

Apple Dumplings

2009-04-12T18:34:00.000-07:00

Want to know what to do with all the biscuit dough you get on sale for 25 cents? I stocked up last month at Albies and then had to find some recipes. This is one my family said is definitely a "keeper"!

1 can biscuit dough
4 apples peeled/cored/halved - i used the apple peeler
1 c. white sugar
1 c. water
1/2 c. butter melted
2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat to 350 and butter a 7x11 brownie pan. Flatten biscuit dough and wrap around each apple half. Place seam side down in pan. Combine sugar, water, butter, and vanilla. Pour over dumplings and sprinkle with a little cinnamon. Bake 35-40 minutes and serve hot with ice cream...Heaven!!!

Angel Chicken (a crock-pot recipe)

2009-04-12T18:29:00.000-07:00

I love my crockpot and use it regularly. This is a recipe that my family gobbles up, and it tastes like you've spent hours in the kitchen.

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 c Italian dressing
1/4 c white wine, sherry or chicken broth
1 lb chicken - any kind will do, I like boneless, skinless though

Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours then add 4 oz (1/2 block) of cream cheese and melt into sauce before serving. Serve with angel hair pasta or linguini is good too. Sprinkle with a little parsley.

Meatloaf with Potatoes & Peas

2009-03-25T11:35:00.000-07:00

This is a meal that I grew up with, and one my parents grew up with as well! It is one of those nice old fashioned dinners that you've got to love! We always had these two together, so I will put them in the same post. They are both so easy, but I don't have an official recipe for the Potatoes & Peas, so I will give directions the best that I can - sorry.

Meatloaf

2 lb. ground beef

2 eggs

1 1/2 C. bread crumbs

1 pkg onion soup mix

3/4 C. ketchup

1/2 C. warm water

1 (8 oz) tomato sauce (optional)

Add soup mix to water, then combine mix and other ingredients with beef. Mix thoroughly. (I usually place everything in my food processor and let that mix it all up - it works pretty well!)Place in greased loaf pan (I recommend putting it in a bundt pan) & top with tomato sauce. Bake at 375 for 1 hour (I would watch it after about 50 minutes or so, just to make sure it's not burning). ***For my small family I half this recipe and put it in a loaf pan, I cook it at 350 for about 45-50 minutes. ***

Potatoes & Peas

Boil bite sized pieces of potatoes until you can poke a fork through, about 15-20 minutes. In another pan make a rue with 1/4 C. flour and 1/4 C. butter. Add about 3/4 C. of the potato water and about 1 1/4 C. half & half (or any kind of thick milk). Add potatoes & frozen peas. Salt and pepper as you wish. ***For my family I usually cut up about 4 potatoes and use half of a small bag of peas, last night I used the whole bag of peas and it was really good. I usually hate peas, but I love them in this!!*** This recipe will make enough for about 4 people.

Coconut Syrup

2009-03-19T11:32:00.000-07:00

1 stick butter
3/4 c. sugar (I know, but just use a little syrup on your waffles.)
1/2 c. milk

Stir in sauce pan until it boils.
At boil, add 1 tsp soda and 1 tsp coconut flavoring (or vanilla if you are not a coconut fan) and stir, stir, stir. It will get very foamy. Pour on your pancakes, waffles, french toast, etc. Enjoy! This is also great on icecream!

Chocolate chip Banana Bread

2009-03-19T10:45:00.000-07:00

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2-3 medium)

1/2 cup shortening(or butter)

2 eggs

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. heat oven to 30. Grease bottom only of 9x5-inch loaf pan

2. combine all ingredients except chocolate chips and walnuts in large bowl; blend well on medium speed. Stir in small chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake 60-65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. cool completely on wire rack.

Oatmeal Sandwich Cremes

2009-03-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

1 cup butter, softened
3 cups, brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups flour
3 cups quick oats

filling:
2 egg whites (wash egg with warm water and soap before cracking)
2 tsp vanilla
4 Tbs milk
4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened

Cream together butter, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Flatten (mine flattened all by themselves while they cooked) Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Do not overbake.
Filling: Beat egg whites. Add vanilla, milk, butter and 2 cups powdered sugar. Beat thoroughly. Add remaining powdered sugar and mix well. Spread filling over one cookie and top with another cookie. Repeat.

Chicken Tetrazzini

2009-03-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

This is my absolute favorite dish EVER!! (just thought I would let you know)

3 Chicken breasts, cut into 1" strips
1 14.5-0z. pkg spaghetti
6 0z. mushrooms, sliced
3 Tbs butter
1 Tbs lemon juice
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Paprika

Sauce:
3 Tbs butter
2 Tbs four
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup heavy cream

Grill chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain. Turn into a 9x13 dish. Fold in grilled chicken. Saute mushrooms in butter with lemon juice. Toss with spaghetti and chicken. For sauce, melt butter and flour together in a saucepan. Add broth, seasonings, and cream. Cook and stir until sauce thickens slightly. Stir into chicken, spaghetti and mushrooms. Mixture will appear soupy, but liquid will be absorbed. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and paprika. Bake at 4oo for 25 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Chili's Chicken Crispers Batter

2009-02-20T08:56:00.000-08:00

Chili's Chicken Crispers Batter
adapted from Allrecipes

Warning: this batter involves frying which is not ideal but sooo incredibly good. I rarely fry anything but last night this is what Michael wanted. It has the texture and taste of Chicken Crisper's from Chili's. I have no idea what their recipe is but this is close to it.

Ingredients:

1 C Flour

1/2 C Milk

1/2 C Water

1/4 C Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

1 Tsp Cayenne or garlic powder or any kind of flavoring you want. ( I choose Cayenne)

Directions:

Cut your chicken into the sizes of peices you want. Mix the batter together and dredge your chicken in it. Heat your oil until it sizzles from a water test. Drop your dredged chicken peices in 3 at a time and let cook 2.5 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Im serious this is delicious. It would also be a good batter for fish or orange chicken.

Smoothie Sailing

2009-02-19T11:04:00.000-08:00

Smoothie Sailing

Prep time: 15 minutes (Freeze bananas 2 hours ahead)

Makes 4 (6oz) servings

Ingredients:

1 medium banana

1 8oz can crushed pineapple

18oz carton vanilla yogurt

1 c orange juice

Optional:

4 orange wedges

1. Cut banana in chunks. Wrap chunks in plastic wrap or put in small bag. Freeze at least 2 hours.

2. Put un drained pineapple, frozen banana chunks, yogurt, and oj in blender.

3. Blend on high speed about 1 min or until mixture is smooth. Pour. Place orange wedge on edge of each glass for decoration.

Molten Chocolate Cakes

2009-02-14T20:28:00.000-08:00

This recipe is from the Kraft Foods webpage. It was super simple, it tasted great and it looks really impressive--almost like you spent hours in the kitchen.

4 squares Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
6 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup thawed Whipped Topping

Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter four 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes. Place on baking sheet.
Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar until well blended. Blend in eggs and egg yolks with wire whisk. Stir in flour. Divide batter among prepared custard cups.
Bake 13 to 14 min. or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 min. Carefully run small knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto dessert dishes. Serve immediately, topped with whipped topping.

*I made mine in a muffin tin, which made ten and I cooked them for, like ten minutes and they weren't as melty as I wanted.*

Stuffed Baked Potatoes

2009-02-11T16:48:00.000-08:00

	4 large potato(es), Idaho
	1 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
	3/4 cup(s) shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
	1/8 tsp table salt, or more to taste
	1/8 tsp black pepper, or more to taste
	3 slice(s) Canadian-style bacon, chopped and cooked until crisp
	3 medium scallion(s), white and light green parts, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Pierce potatoes with a fork and bake in oven until soft, about 1 hour (or you can microwave potatoes). Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 450ºF.
Allow potatoes to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, slice potatoes lengthwise down center almost, but not all the way, through. Scoop out potato flesh and place it in a medium bowl; reserve hollowed out potato skins.
Add sour cream and cheese to potato flesh and season liberally with salt and pepper; add bacon. Using a potato masher or a fork, mash potato mixture until creamy and bacon is distributed throughout. Add scallions and mix with a fork until just combined.
Scoop 1/4 of potato mixture back into each potato skin. Place potatoes on a nonstick baking sheet and cook until heated through and cheese is melted, about 8 minutes. Yields 1 potato per serving.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

2009-02-11T12:19:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 deli ham, thinly sliced
8 slices swiss cheese
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups corn flakes, crushed
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp parsley flakes

Directions:

Flatten chicken breasts with a meat mallet. Place 1 slice of ham and 1 slice of cheese on top of the flattened chicken. Roll chicken up and secure with toothpick. Whisk together eggs and milk. In a separate dish, blend corn flakes with seasonings. Dip chicken in egg mixture and roll in corn flakes. Place in greasted baking pan. Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes.

Mrs. Fields Cookies

2009-02-11T12:05:00.000-08:00

This makes a HUGE batch. I would recommend halfing or even quartering this recipe. This makes about 9 dozen cookies - yup, I made all 9 dozen yesterday....crazy! Good thing I have a lot of friends to give them to! :)

Cream:

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups white sugar

2 cups butter

Add:

4 eggs

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp vanilla

5 cups flour

5 cups oatmeal

Optional:

chocolate chips

3 C. nuts

3 C. raisins

Make golf ball sized balls, place on un-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 6 minutes (I ended up cooking mine for about 8 minutes -- I would just watch them and take them out when they start to look slightly brown).

Restaurant Spanish Rice

2009-02-02T07:30:00.000-08:00

I love this mexican rice because I always have the ingredients and it is delicious. It is like Restaurant Spanish rice. I do not enjoy wet sticky rice. This one lets the grains pull away from each other and its light and fluffy and oh so full of flavor.

Restaurant Spanish Rice
ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth

Directions:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and cumin.
Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Easy Enchiladas

2009-02-01T21:57:00.000-08:00

2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup

1 can small carton of sour cream

1 2-4 oz can diced green chilies

2 cups diced cooked chicken (about 2-3 large chicken breasts)

2-4 green onions cut finely

2 cups grated jack cheese and 1 cup grated cheddar (or 3 cups mexi cheese mix)

1 package of large flour tortillas

Combine soup, sour cream, diced chilies, diced chicken, green onions and all but 1/2 cup jack cheese. Spoon 1/2 cup of mix in the middle of each tortilla. Pinch sides and roll tortilla like a burrito. Place 6-8 enchiladas in a glass casserole dish. Save 1/2 cup of mix to cover the tortillas after they've been rolled. Top with 1/2 cup jack cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and hot. Don't brown. Great served with mexican rice and chilled fruit!

Breakfast in a Blanket

2009-01-31T11:39:00.000-08:00

5 Link sausages, cooked (I used the pre-cooked stuff - so much easier!!)
5 eggs
1 pkg refrigerator biscuits (10 count)
5 slices of cheese

Fully cook sausage links. Scramble eggs or cook them individually. Press 2 biscuits together to make a blanket. Layer the slice of cheese, the egg, and the sausage link in the center of the biscuit. Fold biscuit ends up and then pull sides to center and overlap. Bake, seam-side down, according to biscuit package directions.

Swiss Steak

2009-01-28T19:19:00.000-08:00

This is one of my most favorite dishes! It is one I grew up having almost every Sunday dinner. I usually make this with baked potatoes and I put the gravey on top of the potato -- YUM! Sorry, I don't have an official recipe for this, so just bear with me!

Cubed Steak - I usually make sure there are about 4 pieces.

1 cupish of flour seasoned with salt and pepper

Paprika

2 cans Golden Mushroom soup

Season the steak with salt and pepper, then roll in the seasoned flour and sprinkle with paprika. Heat some oil in a pan and brown the steaks. Mix the cans of soup together with about 1/2 can of water. Place about 1/3 of the soup and water on the bottom of the pan and then place the browned steaks over. Layer the steaks with soup and if needed you can layer more steaks on top with more soup on top.

Bake for 1 hour at 350* or 2 hours at 325*

Chicken Taquitos

2009-01-28T14:02:00.001-08:00

These taquitos are delicious and so much healthier becuase you dont fry them. This is one of Michael's favorite meals. I find I over stuff mine so they are not as skinny and "flute like" as the frozen kind . But who minds extra stuffing?

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breasts
6 Cups of water
1 tsp cumin
1/4 C of salsa
1/4 C Sour Cream or Cream cheese
1/2 C Mexi Cheese Blend
8 Flour Tortillas or Corn Tortillas(depending how stuffed you make them)

Directions:
1. Boil chicken in water until done. Flavor water with Chicken Boullion (?) cubes if you want.
2. Shred Chicken
3. in a bowl mix chicken, cumin, salsa, sour cream or cream cheese, and mexi cheese blend.
4. Warm tortillas so they are pliable and put 2 tablespoons of chicken mixture in each tortilla.
5. Roll tortilla and seal with a toothpick so you dont have to worry about it unfolding.
6. Bake for 25 minutes @ 375 degrees.

Get creative and serve them enchilada style or with guacamole. Mexican rice is always a good way to pair this meal up. My perfect mexican rice recipe will follow tomorrow. This is an easy basic recipe that you can add flavorings to and make it your own.

Taco Salad

2009-01-27T20:55:00.001-08:00

so you can add basically whatever but this is what I put in...

*Chopped Lettuce
*Sour Cream
*Refried Beans
*Corn
*Tomato
*Fritos
*Hamburger

Mix it all together and call it dinner! The chips can be mixed in or used to eat the salad. Your choice!

Chocolate challenge

2009-01-23T14:44:00.000-08:00

That's right the first official monthly challenge. In honor of Valentines Day, the challenge is chocolate. I'm sorry if you are on a diet, give it away once your done. Get creative with this challege. Make truffles, decadent brownies, ice cream, frosting, mousse, cheesecake, ANYTHING you have been wanting to try. The only rule is, you can't have ever made it before. New recipes people. Be bold and push yourself. You have until Valentine's day to Try this.

Once you have made the delicious chocolate dish, label it as challenge that way it will be easy to track. Good luck!

Super Simple Chili

2009-01-22T18:45:00.000-08:00

This is one my husband's favorite dinner. We usually make this once or twice a month during the winter. It's super simple and takes less than 45 minutes to make. I can even make it almost one handed, which was perfect for me since our daughter always wants attention while I am cooking.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef (or chicken or turkey...any are good)
1 cup corn (or any combination of vegetables that you want in your chili)
1/4 cup thick and chunky salsa
1 can diced tomatoes; undrained
1 can kidney beans; drained and rinsed
2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup cheddar cheese; divided
1/4 cup sour cream

1)Cook the ground beef in large saucepan until cooked through; stirring occasionally. Drain, if necessary. Add corn and salsa; cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.

2)Add undrained tomatoes, drained and rinsed beans, chili powder and garlic powder; stir until well blended. Cook until heated through; stirring occasionally. Stir in 3/4 cup cheddar cheese until melted.

3)Serve! Top servings evenly with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and 1/4 cup sour cream.

This is really good with a side of cornbread or corn chips thrown in.

Heads Up 7 Up Chicken

2009-01-20T15:10:00.000-08:00

This is such an easy chicken marinade! I usually have all of the ingredients on hand! When I am having people over for dinner I usually just make it the night before, or before I go to work that morning. So easy and so yummy!

7 up Chicken Marinade

1 can 7up (or sprite)

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup canola oil

1 Tb horseradish sauce

1 tsp minced garlic

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Blend all ingredients and add chicken. I typically blend them in a ziploc bag, then seal it to let it marinate. Let marinate over night or at least 6 hours, in your fridge. You can also marinate chicken then slice it into strips.

It is also really yummy to fry up with some onions and peppers for fajitas! if I do that, I usually sprinkle some Tony Chacere's Creole seasoning on it... it adds some serious kick!
Enjoy!

Recipe from Melanie @ sisterscafe

South of the Border Sandwiches

2009-01-20T10:42:00.000-08:00

This recipe is super quick and insanely easy. It is one of my favorite recipes. It works great for get-togethers and is perfect for lunch or dinner! Enjoy!

South of the Border Sandwiches

1 loaf French bread, cut into 1" thick slices
½ cup olives, chopped
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup lite mayo
1/3 cup nonfat sour cream
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
¾ to 1 lb. turkey, thinly sliced
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 ripe avocados, sliced
¾ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
¾ cup pepper jack or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Directions:

In a bowl, combine olives, chili powder, cumin, and salt; set aside 2 T. of this mixture. Add the mayo, sour cream, and green onions to the remaining olive mixture. Place bread on an ungreased baking sheet and spread 1 T. of the mayo mixture on each slice. Top w/slices of turkey and tomatoes. Spread w/another T. of mayo mixture. Top W/ avocados and cheeses. Sprinkle w/the reserved 2 T. of olive mixture. Bake @ 350 for 15 min. Makes 8-10 serv.

Recipe from: Amy of sisterscafe.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2009-01-20T09:25:00.001-08:00

This soup is probably my favorite soup that I know. This week I had an awful cough and sore throat and my mother in law made this for me and it was just the ticket. Do not confuse this with taco soup;it is not the same thing. Its got a great mild spice flavor that really accompanies enchiladas or taco night well. Anyone familiar with La Margarita in Round Rock,Texas, this is the closest recipe to that.

Tortilla Soup
Emeril Legasse/ Bridger additions

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped, or 1 pasilla or green bell pepper and 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin (optional)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 C of uncooked rice 1 small can of crushed tomatoes

DIRECTIONS:
Dutch oven or large heavy pot, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, peppers, salt, cumin, and coriander for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add the uncooked rice and crushed tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the cooked shredded chicken and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the lime juice and cilantro and serve. Garnish with avacado, tortilla chips, sour cream, and monteray jack cheese.

Cheese Ball

2009-01-15T10:13:00.000-08:00

This cheese ball is good with crackers and it is a nice gift. I gave these away as Christmas gifts and was asked for the recipe. Here is it is!

8 oz cream cheese room temp
1 jar roka blue cheese spread
1 jar old english cheese spread
parsley for color, salt and pepper to taste
2 green onions chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon worchestershire sauce

1/2 c chopped pecans

Mix everything except nuts in bowl and refrigerate til firm. Shape into a ball or log and roll in nuts. I sometimes like to add 1/2 c finely shredded sharp cheddar to add more contrast. Enjoy!

Yummy Granola

2009-01-13T11:04:00.000-08:00

Hi, this is my first post to this blog. I am a sister of Lara Cook (Swasey). We both loved this granola we got from a friend for Christmas. This is really good on oatmeal, yogurt, or just plain. It is a good way to get more whole grains and fiber into my kids' diet. (I'll try to post a pic later)

Granola

6 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup of coconut
2 cups of chopped nuts

1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup honey
1 cup brown sugar

2 cups dried fruit

Preheat oven 350. Combine oats, wheat germ, coconut and nuts in a large bowl. In a glass bowl microwave oil, honey, and brown sugar for 2-3 minutes. Stir well. Pour sugar mix over oat mix and combine until well coated. Spray two large cookie sheets with non stick cooking spray. Divide mix over the two sheets and spread out evenly. Place both pans in oven on seperate racks. Bake for 10 min then remove stir on pans and place back in oven rotating racks. Bake another 8-10 minutes and remove. You have to watch it close the last few minutes or it will burn. Stir granola around on pan and let cool a few minutes and sprinkle the dried fruit over granola. Let cool completely and store in ziploc bags or air tight containers. It makes a lot so recipe can be halfed. I mix and match different nuts and fruits all the time. I also don't always use coconut in it. The kind I made for Christmas was with almonds and cherry flavored craisins, no coconut.

Poor Man Chicken Casserole

2009-01-13T10:28:00.000-08:00

Poor Man Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:

1 c. milk

1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 c. mayonnaise

2/3 c. chopped celery

2 c. crushed potato chips

2 13oz. cans chicken or 3 large chicken breasts baked

1 1/2 12 oz. bags of egg noodles

Instructions:

Cut up chicken. Boil noodles and drain. Mix all ingredients into a large bowl except chips and 1/2 c. of cheese. Spread mix into 9x13 casserole dish. Cook in oven at 425 for 22 min. Heat until cheese is melted. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 c. cheese and potato chips on top.

This is a great do ahead recipe and one of my favorite Sunday dinners. I almost never use the canned chicken preferring to season (garlic salt and black pepper) and bake my own. I usually serve with fruit or green salad. I like ketchup on my casserole as well and recently my husband tried it with ranch. Have fun adding or subtracting whatever you want from this one!

Oreo Truffles

2009-01-13T09:07:00.001-08:00

Last night was the 24 premier. I was in charge of the dessert and so I made Girl Scout Samoa cookies. I was on the phone with my mom for a while during the recipe and screwed it up basically because I was not giving it the attention it needed. They turned out awful so I had to do something else. I only had 3o minutes until we left so I made these and they were a hit. So rich you only need one to satisfy that chocolate craving. Plus I was amazed at the little amount of ingredients.

Oreo Truffles
by Bakerella

Ingredients:
1 package Oreo cookies
1 8oz. package cream cheese (softened)
1 package of white chocolate bark (about 24 oz.)

Directions
1. Finely crush 2 cookies in a food processor or place them in a ziploc bag and crush into a fine consistency. Reserve for later.
2. Crush 36 cookies in a large ziploc and stir in softened cream cheese. Use the back of a large spoon to help mash the two together.I found using your hands was a LOT easier
3. Roll the mixture into 1" balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet.
4. Melt chocolate as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra and set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry. Dust the tops with the 2 crushed cookies for decoration or add sprinkles of your choice.
5. Once dry, refrigerate and enjoy!

Chicken Fried Steak

2009-01-12T12:03:00.000-08:00

Whenever we go out to eat, if this is on the menu, I get it. Its such a hearty and filling meal. Its a favorite in my heart and I hope you enjoy. Plus, I am sure that its a man pleaser so the husband will be happy to see this on the table.

Chicken Fried Steak

Ingredients
1 cup Vegetable oil

1 pound Cubed steak, cut into 4 (4-ounce) pieces
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
3 cups plus 3 tablespoons butter milk
1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions
Heat the oil in a heavy 9-inch cast iron skillet, to 360 degrees F. Season the steak with salt and pepper. Combine the egg with 3 tablespoons of the buttermilk. Put 1 1/2 cups of the flour in a shallow pan and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the steaks in the flour, coating each piece evenly and tapping off any excess. (Tip: dredging means rolling your steak in the flour. Fill every nook with flour that you can. This prevents the crust from falling off while you fry it.) Drip the steak in the egg wash, coating it completely and letting the excess drip off. Dredge again in the flour, shaking off any excess. Fry the steaks in the hot oil, until golden brown on each side, about 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with your favorite gravy.

Tip: If you do not have buttermilk, to make a cup of it all you need is 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and fill the rest with milk until it measures one cup.

Bread for anything

2009-01-10T13:01:00.000-08:00

When I was in Hawaii, one of our enrichment night activities was making bread. There is one bread recipe, but about 15 different things you can do with it. I don't have pictures right now, but I will add some later!

Dough
Mix together:
2 cups of warm water
2 Tbl Yeast
1/2 Cup Sugar

Proof Yeast- stir until yeast is dissolved. Let stand 5 minutes or until mixture is bubbly. If the yeast does not bubble it is no longer active and you should discard and start again.

Add:
2 1/2 tsp. Salt
3 Cups of Flour
Mix Well
Add:
1 Egg
1/4 cup oil
2-2 1/2 more cups of Flour (add 1 cup at a time)

Raise 1/2 hour, form rolls, then raise another 1/2 hour/ Bake at 375, 12-20 minutes.

If you don't want rolls, you can make:

Italian Twists

Get:
Margarine soft
Garlic Salt
Basil
Oregano
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese

Roll dough into rectangle, spread with butter, cheese and spices. Fold the dough, and spread with butter, cheese, and spices again then slice into strips. Twist and place on greased cookie sheet and sprinkle with sesame seeds and Parmesan cheese. Bake 375, 12-20 minutes.

Cinnamon Twist- By far my favorite!

Roll dough and make two equal circles and place on a cookie sheet
Spread 1st circle with soft margarine
Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar
Sprinkle with brown sugar
Roll 2nd circle and place on top like a sandwich
Cut a circle out of the center and cut 16 strips from center
Pick up each strip and twist 2 times and place back down
Let raise and bake 375, 15-20 minutes or until browned. Glaze with maple glaze while hot.

Maple Glaze

2 Tbl Real butter, melted and browned
Add milk, powdered sugar, vanilla, and maple flavoring. The quantities can vary depending on how you like it so experiment with it.

If you want some of the other things you can do with this bread let me know!
Pizza Crust, Bread Bowls, Bread Sicks, Taco ring, Chicken Rolls, Chicken and Broccoli filling (like Sarah's dish), Cinnamon filling, Orange Filling, Fruit filled braids, Cinnamon rolls, and Orange Rolls

Peanut Butter Bars

2009-01-09T21:37:00.000-08:00

Tonight we had a game night with the Elders Quorum - it was fun! I made these bars and they were gobbled up VERY fast. I had just enough to give our babysitter some before he went home. It's definitely a keeper for me (since I am a peanut butter lover and a chocoholic). Teresa, I was going to make your recipe that you gave me, but I think I threw it away. Could I get that one again? Thanks.

I even took a picture for your enjoyment.

(Now, if you look close you can see it was a little gooey in the middle, thats because I didn't cook it to the full 25 minutes - so I would recommend cooking it the full length - but it was still very yummy.)

1 cup peanut butter
6 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Mix peanut butter, butter or margarine, and sugars until creamy. Stir in vanilla. Beat in eggs. Mix in flour. Stir in 3/4c chocolate chips. Spread dough into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pan from oven, and sprinkle with the rest of the chocolate chips. Let stand 5 minutes and spread. Cool, and cut into bars.

Grocery Smarts

2009-01-09T14:56:00.000-08:00

Sarah, this is awesome! And I LOVE the address - so creative and fun. :) So, I don't have a recipe to share yet, BUT I want to let you know about Grocery Smarts if you don't know about it already. It will save you a ton of money on your grocery bill and it really helps you stock up on your food storage without breaking the bank. SO, I went shopping today and this is what I got:

Okay, so this isn't EVERYTHING, but everything I got an awesome deal on. So, this all together added up to $38.13 - I also bought some paper towels, toilet paper and a couple other things and got $30 off my next shopping bill - so I am telling myself I got this all for $8.13!! So awesome! I wanted to get more (like weight watcher meals - only 1.50 a piece) but I don't have enough room in my freezer, I really want a deep freeze! So, if you are interested, visit grocerysmarts.com and if you want the password go to my blog -- it is posted at the end of that entry.

Sarah, thanks again - and your recipes look awesome!

Chicken & Broccoli Wreath

2009-01-09T11:25:00.001-08:00

This is a recipe that I made purely for presentation. The first time I made it, it overflowed but its bc I put too much filling. It was still delicious. You can add and take away a lot of the ingredients to fit your family and I promise its completely kid friendly.

Chicken & Broccoli Wreath

Ingredients:

2 Cans of Cresent Rolls

2 C Broccoli Florets

1 lb Cooked chicken, shredded or cubed

1 1/2 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/2 C or more of Mayonnaise ( I used Cream Cheese and it was Successful)

1/2 C Red Bell Pepper ( Optional)

1 Garlic Clove Minced

3 Tsp. Dill

1/4 C Slivered almonds or Water Chestnuts (Optional)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375. Mix everything but the crescent rolls until it's a mixture consistancy. Feel Free to Altar the amount of Mayo. Arrange the crescent rolls on a 12" pizza pan or stone in a ring shape with the points facing the outside with the wide bottoms overlapping at their corners. Spoon your chicken and broccoli mixture over the wide parts of the triangle, leaving room for the pointy corners to be tucked. Fold over the points and tuck them under the wide ends of the cresecnt roll triangles. The filling will be visible. Bake at 375 for 20-25 Minutes until it is golden brown.

Rosemary Bread

2009-01-09T08:49:00.000-08:00

Rosemary Bread
allrecipes.com

I have really gotten into making bread recently and let me tell you this is a hit. If you can proof yeast you can do this. It looks, tastes and smells like a million bucks. Honestly, its pretty close to Macaroni Grill's bread. Mike and I treated it that way and ate the whole loaf the first night I made it. Great alternative to bread sticks.

Rosemary Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup water (WARM)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions:

1. Proof your yeast with the water, sugar and yeast and wait 10 minutes.

2. Add flour, salt, and oil knead and like heck. ( Or use your dough hook)

3. Add the herbs & pepper [I used oregano insted of an italian blend and definately kept the rosemary) and knead some more.

4. Let rise an hour or so in an oiled, covered plastic bowl in a warm place.

5. Punch down, let rise another hour.

6. Bake at 375 until browned or for 25 minutes

7. Remove from oven, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt.

8.Serve with olive oil and fresh cracked pepper.

TIP: If you live somewhere cold, dry or just want to make the rising process of your dough faster, there are two options. You can microwave a glass of water for 3 minutes and then put your dough in its bowl inside the microwave to rise. This creates a humid warm place. Also, while making your dough you can preheat your oven on warm and then when its ready to rise put the bowl in the oven, turn the oven off, and crack the oven door open. This has the same affect.