Never Fail Turkey

Anyone that knows my husband knows that he has two hobbies that he can't live without. One is triathlons and the other is BBQ. When we lived in WA, he took a class and has spent a lot of time practicing and perfecting his smoked meats. His newest project has been smoking turkeys. He has smoked a few turkeys and it has been a work in progress. This week he willingly and happily told our friends he would smoke their Christmas turkey. It was by far his best and it looked perfect! The picture above is the end result of our friends turkey. Before he smokes the turkey he brines it for about twelve hours to infuse the bird with fluid. It makes it a really moist and perfect turkey. Here is the recipe for his brine:

From Dan Gill

Estimate how much liquid will be required to cover the bird. For each gallon of water add:

1 1/2 C. salt

1/2 C. Molassis

1 1/2 T. crushed or minced garlic (or use garlic powder)

1/2 T. onion powder

1/4 C. pepper

1/2 C. lemon juice

1/2 oz. maple flavoring

12 oz. ginger ale

Cover bird completely with brine and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove from brine and drain the brine from the bird while preparing smoker or roasting pan. At this point, Port usually injects the bird with melted butter and garlic. He also takes room temperature butter and dry rub and rubs it under the skin of the bird. He smokes the bird on his smoker between 200 and 250 degrees until the internal temperature reads 165-170 degrees. Use the same temperatures and cook until the same temperature if using the oven.

Individual Potato Gratin

From Sister's Cafe

This will be one of our side dishes for Christmas Eve.

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

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

Orange Baked Ham

This will be our main meat for Christmas Eve dinner.

From Ina Garten

Ingredients
1 (14 to 16-pound) fully cooked, spiral-cut smoked ham on the bone
6 garlic cloves
8 1/2 ounces orange marmalade
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 orange, zested
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the ham in a heavy roasting pan.
Mince the garlic in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the marmalade, mustard, brown sugar, orange zest, and orange juice and process until smooth. Pour the glaze over the ham and bake for 1 hour, until the ham is fully heated and the glaze is well browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Beef Wellington

We do our big dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas day we usually just do a big breakfast and appetizers. This will be one of our appetizers, but I have modified to be in bitesize form.

Adapted From Tyler Florence

Ingredients
For the Duxelles:
3 pints (1 1/2 pounds) white button mushrooms
2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Beef:

1 (3-pound) center cut beef tenderloin (filet mignon), trimmed and cubed
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 thin slices prosciutto
6 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Flour, for rolling out puff pastry
1 pound puff pastry, thawed if using frozen
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Minced chives, for garnish

Directions
To make the Duxelles: Add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add butter and olive oil to a large saute pan and set over medium heat. Add the shallot and mushroom mixture and saute for 8 to 10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.
To prepare the beef: Drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper and sear all over, including the ends, in a hot, heavy-based skillet lightly coated with olive oil - about 2 to 3 inutes. Meanwhile set out your prosciutto on a sheet of plastic wrap. Make sure the cut enough pieces of prosciutto to cover each piece of beef. Using a rubber spatula cover pieces of prosciutto evenly with a thin layer of duxelles. Season the surface of the duxelles with salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. When the beef is seared, remove from heat, smear lightly all over with Dijon mustard. Allow to cool slightly, then roll up in the duxelles covered prosciutto . Tuck in the ends of the prosciutto as you roll to completely encompass the beef. Set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to ensure it maintains its shape.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out to about a 1/4-inch thickness. Remove beef from refrigerator. Set the beef in the center of the pastry and fold over , brushing with egg wash to seal. Trim ends if necessary then brush with egg wash and fold over to completely seal the beef - saving ends to use as a decoration on top if desired. Top with coarse sea salt. Place the beef seam side down on a baking sheet.
Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash then make a couple of slits in the top of the pastry using the tip of a paring knife - this creates vents that will allow the steam to escape when cooking. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until pastry is golden brown and beef registers 125 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from oven and rest before eating.

Coconut Pecan Frosting

Every year we have German Chocolate cake on Dec. 23 to celebrate Joseph Smith's birthay. This is the homemade frosting I make for the cake that I make that comes straight from a box! The frosting is so good that Port has to run a half marathon every Dec. 23 to have enough calories to enjoy it!

From Cooks.com

1 c. evaporated milk
1 c. sugar
3 egg yolks
1/4 lb. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients in sauce pan. Cook over medium heat and stir until mixture thickens. This takes about 12 minutes.

1 1/3 c. coconut1 c. chopped pecans
Beat until frosting is cool and thick enough to spread.

Spicy Bake Macaroni

From Everyday Italian with Giada DeLaurentis

I saw this recipe on the Food Network and my mouth started watering. I love love love macaroni and cheese and something in my brain thinks that if there is a vegetable in it, it must be healthy.

Ingredients
Salt
1 pound elbow macaroni pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound assorted mushrooms, quartered
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cups bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup
1/4 cup Romano, plus 1/3 cup
2 tablespoons butter, softened, plus 2 tablespoons
12 ounces mozzarella cubed (about 2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and the onion is golden, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, spinach, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup Romano. Spread the softened butter in a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish and sprinkle half of the bread crumb mixture inside the dish to coat.
In a large bowl combine the vegetable mixture with the cooked macaroni, cubed mozzarella, the remaining Parmesan and Romano cheeses, and the nutmeg. Spoon into the prepared baking dish, top with the remaining bread crumb mixture, and dot the top with the remaining butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Coconut-Macadamia Triangles

Picture and Recipe from Kitchen Cafe

These are a new favorite at our house. Port's all time favorite cookie is white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, mostly because of the macadamia nuts. These bars were a huge hit because they had all the best things in them...aka..macadamia nuts! Port didn't really want to share with any of us. Luckily it is the holidays and there are plenty of treats to go around.

*Makes 24 triangle bars


*1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
¾ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup unsalted macadamia nuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
½ cup shredded coconut
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted



Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil letting the edges hang over the pan slightly and lightly grease.Combine 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl. Whisk together to combine. Scatter butter pieces over the flour mixture and using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in the butter until small crumbs form. (Alternately, you can use a food processor to do this.) Turn the flour butter mixture out into the prepared pan. Press the mixture into the pan in an even, solid layer.Bake until the edges are golden, about 10 minutes.Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoon flour, ¾ cup brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, egg and ¼ teaspoon salt. Beat with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended. Stir in the nuts and coconut until blended.Spread the coconut topping over the warm baked bottom crust. Return to the oven and bake until the topping is lightly browned and the edges pull away from the sides of the pan, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan (this is important so the caramel layer doesn't fall apart upon cutting). Cut into twelve 3 by 2 ¼-inch rectangles. Cut each rectangle in half on the diagonal to make triangles. Dip one corner of each triangle in the melted chocolate and let cool on a sheet of waxed paper.

***I would probably not do the chocolate again. Port requested another batch with no chocolate. He really liked just the caramel and nuts.

Southwestern BBQ Chicken Salad

From Sisters' Cafe

This salad was really delicious. It reminded me of a salad we used to get all the time at Red Robin in WA. Our Red Robin here does not carry it, but this is a great substitute!

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 cup BBQ sauce
1/2 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 head Iceberg lettuce, chopped1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 Haas avocados, diced
shredded cheese, Mexican blend or cheddar
crispy tortilla strips

Stir shredded chicken in with the BBQ sauce until well coated. Of course you can use less or more sauce, it's up to you! Toss together the lettuce, cilantro, corn, beans, and chopped veggies. Top with shredded chicken, cheese and crispy tortilla strips. Drizzle ranch or cilantro lime dressing over salad and enjoy!

*to make crispy tortilla strips simply slice about 10 corn tortillas in narrow strips and place on cookie sheet. Spray with vegetable oil cooking spray and sprinkle generously with salt. Place under the broiler and let bake until crispy and brown around the edges.

Skillet Nachos

This was so fast and easy and it was huge hit with my family. Definitely will be making this again.

From Sisters Cafe

½ lb ground beef
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
1 small zucchini, chopped (1 cup)
1 cup chili beans in chili sauce (from 15-oz can)
1 cup thick-and-chunky salsa, divided
Tortilla chips
1 ½ c. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (6 oz)
sliced ripe olives
diced fresh tomatoes
sour cream

Brown ground beef. Drain and remove ground beef to a plate; set aside. Using the same pan, stir-fry bell pepper and zucchini for 2 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Stir in chili beans and ½ cup of the salsa; cook until hot. Stir in ground beef.
Line tortilla chips on a broiler safe pan. Spoon dollops of the mixture atop the chips. Sprinkle with olives and tomatoes. Sprinkle with cheese, to your liking. Put under broiler (not super close) until cheese is melted, only a couple of minutes.
Serve with remaining salsa and sour cream.

Coconut Cream Pie

Adapted From Emeril Lagasse

Basic Pie Crust,
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 can coconut milk + regular milk to make 3 C.
4 eggs, separated
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter
Sweetened whipped cream,
Toasted coconut, for garnish, optional

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Prepare Pie Crust . Roll the dough into a circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Place dough in a 9-inch pie plate, trimming and crimping the edges as the dough is gently pressed into the pan. Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or beans. Bake until golden brown around sides and edges, about 15 minutes. Remove parchment paper and return the crust to the oven and bake until bottom of crust is pale golden, about 5 minutes longer. Set aside on a wire rack to cool.
In a nonstick 1-quart saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar and 2 3/4 cups milk together. Bring the milk to boiling point and scald the milk. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the remaining milk, egg yolks, and cornstarch together. Whisk until smooth. Temper the egg yolk mixture into the scalded milk. Bring the mixture up to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes or until the mixture is thick, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the flaked coconut, vanilla and butter.
Pour the filling into the prepared pie shell. Cover the pie with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Chill the pie completely, about 2 hours. Whip and sweeten the cream. After pie is chilled, top with sweetened cream and toasted coconut.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

I decided that I was going to make a version of pumpkin pie this year along with the same old same old. I saw Paula making this recipe and thought it looked awesome!

From Paula Deen

Ingredients

Crust:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick melted salted butter
Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
For crust:
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
For filling:
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.
Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

White Chicken Enchiladas

From Pioneer Woman Cooks
These were really yummy, but a little spicy. My husband thought they tasted like they came from a restaurant. I could have just grabbed tortillas and dipped them in the cheesy sauce.
Ingredients
2-½ cups Cooked, Shredded Chicken
2 cups Chicken Broth
3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
12 whole Corn Tortillas
1 whole Large Onion, Diced
3 whole 4 Oz Cans Whole Green Chilies, Diced (If you don't like a lot of spice, I would use less)
1 whole Jalapeno, Seeded And Finely Diced
1 teaspoon Paprika
½ cups Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 cup Sour Cream
2-½ cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
Salt And Pepper (to Taste)
Picante Sauce (optional)
Cilantro, Chopped



Preparation Instructions



Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortillas for no longer than 20 seconds, just to soften (do not allow to become crisp.) Place tortillas on a large towel or stack of paper towels to drain.
Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in separate skillet over medium heat. Add onions and jalapenos and saute for 1 minute, just to start the cooking process. Add chicken, half of the green chilies, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Stir together. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir. Add cream and stir, allowing mixture to bubble and get hot. Turn off heat and set aside.
In a separate large skillet, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together and cook over medium heat for one minute. Pour in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Whisk together and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the other half of the chilies. Reduce heat, then stir in sour cream. Add 1 1/2 cups grated cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
To assemble, spoon chicken mixture on top of tortillas, one by one. Top with plenty of cheese and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9 x 13 casserole dish.
Pour cheese mixture all over the top of the tortillas. Top with extra cheese if you’d like, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro.
Serve with picante sauce, if desired.

Cheesecake Bars

I found this recipe and picture at Kitchen Cafe. I just made this for YW in Excellence and I was surprised at how easy these bars are to make. I double the recipe and put it in a sheet cake pan. It was really good and taste like it came from a store!

Makes an 8-inch Square Dish of Bars

*Plan Ahead: The bars need to cool completely (about 2 hours) and chill in the fridge (about 3 hours) before serving.

Crust:

2 cups crushed graham crackers

8 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup (4 2/3 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

¼ cup sour cream

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with foil, letting edges hang over the side, and grease foil.Combine the graham cracker crumbs with the butter, brown sugar, flour and salt and mix well. Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared pan and press into an even layer. Bake the crust until beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes.Beat the cream cheese until smooth in a large bowl, scraping down bowl and beaters as needed. Gradually beat the sugar until incorporated, about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until completely combined. Beat in the sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla until combined.Pour the filling over the crust. Bake the bars until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly, 35 to 40 minutes.Let the bars cool completely in the pan, set on a wire rack, about 2 hours, then cover with foil and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours. Remove bars from pan using foil and cut into squares and serve.

Ho Ho Cake

This recipe came from a friend in our ward in Washington. It is really yummy!

FIRST LAYER:
Grease and flour a 14 X 18 pan (jelly roll pan or deep cookie sheet). Mix one box of chocolate cake mix according to the package directions. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until done. Cool. (VERY IMPORTANT)

SECOND LAYER:
Cook until thick 1 C. milk and 3 T. cornstarch. Let cool. Set aside.
Beat well:
½ C. margarine
½ C. Crisco
¼ tsp. salt
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Add:
Cooled milk. Beat with electric beater until creamy. Spread on cooled cake and refrigerate until icing is firm enough to spread on the next layer.

THIRD LAYER:
Melt over low heat in small saucepan:
1 stick butter
3 squares unsweetened chocolate (3 oz.)
Combine in mixing bowl:
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 ½ T. hot water
Slowly mix in melted chocolate mixture.
Add:
3 C. powdered sugar
Beat well, spread/drizzle on cake quickly and evenly. Store in refrigerator until firm. Enjoy!!!!

Pepperoni Pinwheels

Pepperoni Pinwheels
Adapted from Put a Lyd On It

These are really fun to eat and make. They are the perfect party food and a fun twist on pizza. We made them for Halloween and the kids couldn't get enough of them. We dip them in pizza sauce or Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing. I really think you could do any version of pizza in these pinwheels.

1 tube (13.8 oz.) refridgerated pizza crust (I made my own dough, "Mom's Pizza Dough")
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded mozzerella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped pepperoni
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce, warmed, optional

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 16-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Sprinkle iwth cheeses and pepperoni.Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with the long side. Cut into 2 inch slices. Place cut side down in a greased 15x10 inch baking sheet. Lightly press down to flatten. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with spaghetti sauce if desired.

Chicken Corn Chowder

It has been awhile since I posted anything that I thought was really good. I am finally starting to feel like cooking again, now that the morning sickness has started to leave. Hopefully, I can get back into the swing of things. This soup is great! I love soup, but my family aren't big soup eaters. Tonight there wasn't anything left. Port kept saying, "This is really good!" It is great for our rainy cold days lately.


From Kitchen Cafe



2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped, seeds and membrane removed (this is important for flavor - but doesn't add heat because the seeds and membranes are removed and it is cooked with the other veggies)
1/4 cup thinly sliced or cooked chopped ham
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14-oz.) cans chicken broth
3 tablespoons flour
3 ears of fresh corn kernels or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute celery, bell pepper, onion and jalapeno until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ham; cook for another 3 minutes. Whisk the broth with the flour in a liquid measuring cup or bowl and then stir into the soup. Stir in the corn and chicken. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat. Whisk together the cream cheese and milk in a large bowl until smooth (I had a difficult time getting my cream cheese to completely whisk into the milk so my soup had some minor small lumps but next time, I'll soften the cream cheese until almost melted in the microwave). Whisk the cream cheese/milk mixture into the soup along with the salt, pepper and cheddar cheese. Simmer on low until ready to serve.

Texas Caviar

I just made this for a baby shower and got a lot of requests for this recipe. Here it is:

3 cans of Black beans, drained
1 can white shoe-peg corn
1 can garbanzo beans
1 C. green onions, chopped
2-6 medium tomatoes, diced (I use 6)
1 C. green pepper
1 small can diced green chiles
1 T. garlic
2 T. cilantro
2 avocados, diced
2 C. bottled Italian dressing

Combine all ingredients. Allow to marinate in the fridge for a few hours before serving. Serve with tortilla chips. Be creative. Add or take away ingredients as you wish.

Pepperoni Pizza Skillet

I found this recipe on "Put a Lyd On It". The picture is hers too. I thought it looked interesting. I was a little leary of the cream of mushroom soup and pizza sauce mixture. It amazingly turned out great. My kids and husband couldn't get enough.

5 cups uncooked wide egg noodles (or other pasta of choice) ( I used spaghetti)
1-1/2 lbs. ground beef (I used ground turkey, and couldn't tell a difference)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1-1/2 cups chopped pepperoni
1 jar (14 oz.) pizza sauce (I had spaghetti sauce so I used it)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 (4-1/2 oz)can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup grated
Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the pepperoni, pizza sauce, soup, mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and oregano.Drain noddles; stir into skillet and heat through. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. (Yield 8 servings)

Easy Lasagna

I grew up making this lasagna. It is so simple, but a big hit with my family.

1 box lasagna noodles
1-1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
3 cans tomato sauce
1 packet of spaghetti seasoning
cheese, the amount depends on how much cheese you like. I like a lot of cheese so I add more.


Prepare noodles according to directions on box. I leave mine a little undercooked so they will be perfect after they get cooked in the oven. Add the onion and beef to a pan. Cook until done. Add tomato sauce and seasoning to the ground beef. In a 9 X 13 pan, spoon some of the beef/sauce mixture in the bottom. Put noodles on top of the sauce. Add more sauce on the noodles and top with cheese. Repeat the layers. Top with cheese and bake in the oven at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted and the lasagna his heated through. Enjoy!

French Bread Rolls

These are great rolls. I have used them quite a few times instead of buying rolls from the store. They are soft in the middle, but have a good crust on the outside. I just used these to make "Mini Ham and Cheese Rolls".

Recipe and Picture from Kitchen Cafe

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

2 tablespoons white sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. To the yeast mixture, add the oil, salt, and 2 cups flour. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Deflate the dough, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 12-14 equal pieces, and form into round balls. Place on lightly greased baking sheets at least 2 inches apart. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth (or greased saran wrap), and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Bake for 12-13 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Mini Ham and Cheese Rolls

I have seen this recipe floating around cooking blogs for awhile and I finally decided to try it. I thought it would be just another hot sandwich. It was so good! I got the picture and recipe from "Cooking Mamas". This is now a family favorite. I definitely recommend trying it. It is super simple and easy.

2 T. dried minced onions ( I used fresh)

1 T. prepared mustard (I used Dijon)

1 T. poppy seeds

1 stick melted butter

1 dozen dinner rolls or 2 dozen party rolls (I made my rolls)

1/2 pound ham

1/2 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 325°. In a small mixing bowl mix onion, mustard, poppy seeds, and melted butter. Leaving the dinner rolls intact, slice them open so that you have one solid top and bottom. Place the bottom half on a baking sheet or in a 9x13 inch baking pan, the pan size will depend on choice of rolls. Line the bottom half of the rolls with cheese slices and ham. Return the top part of the rolls and drizzle the butter mixture evenly over top. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Now use a sharp knife and separate the little sandwiches. Place on a pretty platter and serve immediately.

Crockpot Cheesey Salsa Chicken

This is another recipe and picture from "Cooking Mamas". So easy and I loved that there are only a few ingredients.

1 16 oz. jar of salsa

5 large chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 c. grated cheese

2 c. rice

Put chicken in crock pot. Combine salsa and soup and mix together and pour over chicken. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. 15 minutes before serving stir in cheese.

Ranch Pasta with Hamburger

I love it when I find new cooking blogs. I have mostly been cooking from "Cooking Mamas" blog all week. She has great recipes that are definitely budget and family friendly. So far I have loved everything. This one is so easy and quick. It has a hambuger helper feel, but so much healthier and better.

1 pound of ground chuck

1/2 of a large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1 box of pasta (I used Rotini)

1 cup milk

1 cup sour cream

1 pouch dry ranch dressing mix

In a large pot, bring well salted water to a boil and drop your pasta. Cook according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large, deep sided skillet over medium heat, brown the meat, onions and garlic and add the S&P. In a medium bowl, combine the milk, sour cream and ranch mix until mixed. When the meat is browned, drain off grease if necessary. Drain the pasta when it is al dente. Combine the meat mixture, pasta and sauce in one of the pans that is large enough to hold it all.

Golden Sweet Cornbread

From Allrecipes.com

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray or lightly grease a 9 inch round cake pan.
In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in egg, milk and vegetable oil until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

From Sisters Cafe

1.5 lbs pork or chicken, cooked and shredded
Sauce:
1/3 c honey
1/4 c lime juice
1 Tb chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 (10 oz) cans green enchilada sauce
equal parts mixed together of:
mozzarella cheese, shredded
cheddar cheese, shredded
flour tortillas

Mix together sauce ingredients then add to shredded pork or chicken. Let the sauce soak into the meat for about 30 minutes.
Lightly spray 2 pans with non-stick baking spray. (I usually use one 9x13 and one 9x9 but it may vary with how thick you stuff your enchiladas) Pour green enchilada sauce into pans to coat the entire bottom. Fill tortillas with shredded meat and desired amount of cheese. Roll and place in dish.
Pour remainder of sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle more cheese on top - don't be stingy! (I sometimes use more like 1 1/2 cans- you can freeze left over enchilada sauce in a baggy.) Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Then turn on broiler and place enchiladas nearer the top of oven. Let it broil until cheese is slightly brown and crispy. It is now time to WOW your family!!

Lemonade Chicken

Lemonade Chicken

Adapted From: Recipe for Disaster

4-6 chicken breasts

3/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate

3 Tbs. ketchup

2 Tbs. brown sugar

1 Tbs. vinegar

2 Tbs. cornstarch

2 Tbs. water

Minced onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper and thyme, to taste

Put chicken in the crockpot. Mix the remaining ingredients together and pour over chicken. cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Before serving, remove chicken and shred. Add back to sauce. Serve over rice.

Chili-Beef-Stuffed Zucchini

From EveryDay with Rachael Ray

4 zucchini (about 2 pounds), halved lengthwise and seeded
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3/4 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cup jarred pickled jalapeño chiles, finely chopped
One 8-ounce bag Mexican-style shredded cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450°. Arrange the zucchini cut side up in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add 1/2 cup water to the dish, cover with foil and bake until the zucchini begins to soften, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the beef and cumin and cook, breaking the meat up, until just browned, about 4 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes and pickled jalapeños.

Uncover the baking dish, pour off the water and season the zucchini with salt. Fill with the beef mixture and sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes

Lime Glazed Raspberry Cupcakes/Muffins

This recipe said it was a cupcake recipe, but I thought it was more muffin inspired. I definitely can eat these for breakfast!

Adapted from Elle's New England Kitchen

Supposed to make 24 cupcakes, but I got 18...

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup raspberries

1 cup milk

lime zest

glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

lime juice, enough to get a glaze consistency

grated lime zest

Heat oven to 375. Grease muffin pans or line with papers.In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with mixer. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.In medium bowl, sift 2 cups of the flour with the baking powder, soda, and salt.Toss the berries with the remaining 1/4 cup of flour. On medium speed, add flour mixture to butter/sugar, alternating with the milk. Fold in the berries and zest. Spoon into muffin cups and bake for 20-22 minutes. While those are baking, make the glaze. Whisk the sugar, zest, and juice until smooth. After cupcakes are cooked, run a knife around each one immediately and after a couple minutes, remove to a rack to cool. Take them out of the pan and glaze them.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

I had been looking for something to take to a family reunion to eat for breakfast. I love muffins and thought these sounded really good. They are so good. Orrin kept saying, "Mom they taste like lemonade."

Recipe by: Dorie Greenspan

2/3 cup sugar

grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sour cream (I used light sour cream)

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

icing:

1 cup confectioner's sugar

2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I used more, Port kept saying it wasn't lemony enough.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.Spray muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.In large bowl, rub sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of lemon is strong. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.In another bowl, whisk the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and melted butter together until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently stir to blend. Do not over stir!Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake 18-20 minutes.Transfer pan to a cooling rack. Cool 5 minutes then remove from pan. Cool completely, then glaze with icing. (I put the glaze on them as soon as they were on the cooling rack and still hot. It was great. It created kind of a crunchy glaze on them. SO GOOD!!!)

Garlic Chicken Farfalle

From Real Mom Kitchen

1 lb. Bowtie pasta
1 cup heavy whipping cream (I used whole milk)
3-4 chicken breast
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. pepper
1/2 cup butter
1 lb. bacon,cooked and crumbled (I am not a huge fan of bacon so I halved this)
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 (12 oz.) bottle Lawry's Mesquite marinade with lime juice

In the crockpot, cook chicken and marinade on low heat for 6-8 hours. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a bit and shred. Set a side. About a half hour before serving, boil the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add garlic, cream, pepper, parmesan and curmbled bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta. Add chicken and stir to combine. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded parmesan cheese on top.

Sour Cream Chicken

From Dinner's Ready

2-4 chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken soup

½ c mayo

2 Tb chopped onion or sprinkled dry onion

½ pint sour cream

1 cup cheese

1 tsp lemon juice

salt and pepper

Place chicken, cream of chicken soup, onion, lemon juice, salt and pepper in crockpot and cook on low 6-8 hrs or high 3-4 hours. During the last hour of cooking time, shred chicken then add mayo, sour cream and cheese. Serve over rice and sprinkled with shredded cheese, salt and pepper.

Mushroom Marscapone

From Rush Meets Grill

Preparation Time: 10 min.

Cooking Time: 10 min.

Serves 2.

Ingredients

* 1-pound rigatoni pasta

* 2 tablespoons olive oil

* 1 clove garlic, minced

* Salt and freshly ground black pepper

* 1 pound baby portabello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

* 1 cup tomatoes and its juices, crushed with your bare hands

* 1/2 cup of the drained pasta water

* 1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature (I used cream cheese)

* 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

* 1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest

Method

1. Cooking the pasta - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the rigatoni and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Now, While the pasta is cooking…take a Large skillet and heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.

3. Add the garlic to the pan and cook until u smell the garlic aroma.

4. Add the mushrooms to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the heat to high.

5. Add the hand crushed tomatoes along with the juices to blend in and cook for 2 min, lower the heat to medium.

6. Now add the Rigatoni and pasta water and cook for 3 minutes until all the liquid evaporates and the flavors blend in.

7. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the mascarpone cheese. Stir until creamy.

8. Season with more salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with the chopped basil leaves.Grate some lemon zest on top.

9. Serve the steamy creamy pasta into a bowl and right in!!!!

Creamed Peas, Carrots, and Potatoes

We plant this...


To get this...



To make this!



I love love love this dish! It always reminds me of summer and why I plant a garden. I never make this unless I can have fresh baby potatoes, peas, and carrots from our garden. It just doesn't taste the same with store bought vegetables. I made a big pot of this for Sunday dinner and I was in heaven.

New potatoes
New carrots
New peas
1 stick butter
8 T. flour
Milk
Salt and pepper

Cut and cook potatoes until just about done. Add the carrots. When carrots are just about done, add the peas. Drain and set aside. In the same pan, add the butter and flour. Melt together and cook until it has a nutty smell. Add the milk a little at a time so you can see how thick it will be. Keep adding milk until your desired thickness. Add salt and pepper and then the vegetables. Enjoy!

Brownies

From Mom Hill

Beat 6 eggs and 3 C. sugar

Add:
3 T. Vanilla
½ C. cocoa (4 sq. chocolate)
1 ½ C. oil

3 C. flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Texas Brownies

My sister called the other night while I was making brownies. She assumed I was making them from scratch ( I rarely do!). She said that she didn't have any good homemade brownie recipes. I told her I had this one from my sister-in-law and promised I would share it. Here ya go, Holly! I told you there weren't many weird ingredients!

Boil in heavy saucepan:

½ C. butter
½ C. shortening
1 C. water
¼ C. cocoa

Mix in bowl:

2 C. sugar
2 C. flour

Pour boiling mixture over and barely mix.

Add to above and mix well with mixer:

½ C. buttermilk
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. soda

Put in jelly roll pan and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool.

Frosting:

½ C. butter
¼ C. milk
2 T. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
3 ½ C. powdered sugar

Mix butter, cocoa, milk and boil. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat and pour on cake quickly.

Zucchini, Zucchini, Zucchini

Our garden has exploded with zucchini! Last year we only got a few, but this year we get a couple a day. We love it, but I have had to dig deep for recipes to use it. I have froze a lot of it to use in the winter months. The next few posts are some ways to use this zucchini.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

1 C. Sugar
3 eggs
1 C. vegetable oil
3 C. shredded zucchini
2 tsp. vanilla
3 C. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 C. chocolate chips

Whisk together sugar, eggs, oil, zucchini, and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine flour, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cocoa, salt, and chocolate chips; mix well. Combine flour mixture and wet ingredients just until blended. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until toothpick tests done.

Zucchini Soup

Here's another sister-in-law recipe. Brenda's kids love this soup. I haven't tried it, but I plan to make it on a cold day!

Peel and dice several small or one large zucchini. On the large ones remove the seeds.
Boil diced zucchini till tender. Ladle zucchini out of the boiling water into your blender. Add some boiling water to the blender to facilitate blending. Puree zucchini. Add 1-2 bullion cubes to remaining boiling water. Return blended zucchini to water.

Wisk ¼ c. flour, add 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce. Remove from heat and add 1 c. milk or 1 can evaporated milk and 1 tsp thyme seasoning. Add grated cheese till pale yellow color and salt and pepper. Return to heat till cheese is melted and soup is warm. DO NOT BOIL.

Zucchini Bread

My sister-in-law Debbie has the best zucchini bread. We look forward to family reunions or family gatherings where she pulls it out. We all love it.

½ cup oil
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups shredded raw zucchini
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon baking powder

Combine oil, applesauce, sugar and eggs in large mixer bowl. Beat well. Blend in vanilla and zucchini. Combine dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add to mixer bowl and blend well. Pour batter into 2 loaf pans that have been greased and lightly floured. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Let loaves stand in pans for 10 min. then turn out on to racks to cool.

Chili Cheese Rice Burritos

If anyone is like me right now, you need creative ways to use those truckloads of zucchini coming out of your garden. I can't remember where I found this recipe but we love it. You can't even tell the zucchini is in it.

6 (6-inch) flour tortillas
Non-stick cooking spray
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chile
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced green onions
1 cup cooked rice
3/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
1 tomato, thinly sliced
6 tablespoons salsa

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Warm tortillas in oven.
While tortillas are warming, heat a non-stick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add zucchini, chile, and green onions and sauté for 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in the rice, cheese, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream. Fill warmed tortillas with rice mixture. Top with lettuce and tomato. Roll up the burrito and serve with salsa.

Simple and Meaty Skillet Lasagna

From Kitchen Cafe

3 (14.5 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

Salt

3 medium garlic cloves, finely minced

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon dried basil

1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

1/2 pound ground pork

1/2 pound ground beef

12 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 1 inch lengths

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 cup ricotta cheese (I used cottage cheese)

Pulse the tomatoes with their juice in a blender or food processor until they are coarsely ground and no large pieces remain (in a food processor, that is about 12 pulses0.Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the ground meat and cook, breaking apart the meat, until it is lightly browned and no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes.Scatter the broken lasagna noodles over the meat and then pour in the ground tomatoes and tomato sauce over the pasta. Stir in the basil and oregano. Cover, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring often and adjusting the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer, until the pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.Off the heat, stir in half the mozzarella and half of the parmesan. Dot heaping tablespoons of the ricotta over the noodles, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Cover and let stand off the heat until the cheese melts, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve.

Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Shells

Adapted from Annie's Eats

1 12-oz. package jumbo pasta shells

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped

1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 15-oz. container ricotta cheese (Iused cottage cheese)

6-7 oz. fresh spinach, chopped OR 10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 28-oz. can chopped tomatoes with herbs, including the liquid (I used a canned spaghetti sauce I had)

Directions:Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage to the pan, breaking it into smaller pieces as it cooks. Cook until the sausage is completely cooked through and no pink remains, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg, ricotta, spinach, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, basil, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Stir together to combine. Add the cooked sausage mixture to the bowl and stir until evenly mixed.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spread a thin layer of the chopped tomatoes in the baking dishes (either three 8×8″ pans, or one 9×13″ and one 8×8″). Stuff each shell with some of the sausage and cheese mixture, and arrange in the baking dishes, open side up. Spread the remaining tomatoes over the top of the pasta shells.Cover the pans with foil and bake for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbling. Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 10 more minutes.

Chicken Piccata

From Ina Garten

2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 extra-large egg
1/2 tablespoon water
3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
Good olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used cooking wine)
Sliced lemon, for serving
Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
Mix the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and 1/2 tablespoon of water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread crumb mixtures.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.
For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve 1 chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Shrimp Stir Fry with Snow Peas and Coconut Curry Sauce

From Kitchen Cafe

1 recipe Coconut-Curry sauce (below)

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced (any type will do)

8 ounces snow peas, strings removed (I just used frozen)

1 cup bean sprouts (I don't like sprouts so I used onion)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Prepare the sauce and set it aside (I doubled the sauce recipe because we love lots of sauce). Toss the shrimp with soy sauce. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up any clumps, until curled and lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a clean bowl. Add 1 more tablespoon of oil to the pan and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in snow peas and bean sprouts and cook for one more minute.Clear the center of the pan and add remaining 1 teaspoon oil, garlic and ginger. Cook, mashing garlic mixture into the pan with the back of a spatula, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in cooked shrimp. Whisk sauce to recombine and add to pan, bringing to a simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Coconut Curry Sauce

1 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1-2 teaspoons red curry paste

1 teaspoon light brown sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Combine ingredients in medium bowl and use as directed.

Caramel Eddies

My sister-in-law brought this dessert to our family reunion and like most desserts that she makes, it was awesome. Thanks Sarah!

2 cups flour
1 16 oz. jar caramel ice cream topping
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups chocolate chips
1 ½ cups brown sugar
6 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 ½ cups butter or margarine (melted)

Preheat oven to 350. Combine 2 cups flour, oats, brown sugar, butter, soda, and salt. Press ½ of this into 9 X 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with 2 cups chocolate chips. Mix the caramel and 6 Tbsp. flour and drizzle this over chocolate chips. Sprinkle remaining crumbs over caramel topping. Bake @ 350 for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Chill bars for easy cutting.

Slow Cooked Teriyaki Chicken

From Put a Lyd on It



12 boneless skinless chicken thighs, or 6 chicken breasts, sliced or shredded
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce
6 T cider vinegar
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp. pepper
4-1/2 tsp cornstarch
4-1/2 tsp. cold water


Hot cooked rice, optional

Place chicken in a 4-quart slow cooker. In a larg bowl, combine sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and pepper. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 4-5 hours or until juices run clear.Remove chicken to a serving platter; keep warm. I shredded the chicken and then added it to the thickened sauce. Transfer cooking juices to a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with chicken and rice.

Coconut Lime Chicken with Chiles

My good friend Odelsa was having a pregnancy craving and asked me to post any curry recipes I had. This is one of my favorites. Enjoy Odelsa!

From Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller

2 tsp. peanut oil (or any oil)
3 cloves garlic
1 1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tsp. curry powder
1 14 oz. can light or regular coconut milk
1 4 oz. can diced green chiles, drained if necessary
1 T. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. finely grated lime zest
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 C. chopped scallions (white and green parts)
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the curry and cook, stirring for 1 minute, until it is fragrant. Add the coconut milk, chiles, and lime juice and zest, bring to a simmer, and simmer until the chicken is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, stir in the scallions and cilantro, and serve.

Shredded Chicken and Strawberry Citrus Salad

Adapted from Sweet Basil

Romaine
Red Leaf Lettuce (I just bought a bag of mixed greens)
Spinach
Strawberries, sliced
Foccacia Croutons
Citrus Dressing
Shredded Chicken

Roast a whole chicken and let cool (I just used a couple of chicken breasts). Shred the meat and set aside.Wash your greens and fruit and dry.Throw everything together and top with citrus dressing (recipe follows). I added candied almonds because Port loves almonds. I also added a little shredded mozarella.

Dressing:
1/2 tsp. grated orange peel
1/3 C. fresh orange juice
2 T. red wine vinegar
1/2 C. vegetable oil
2 T. sugar

Candy Cookie Cups

From Taste of Home

I saw this recipe in one of the recipe books I have. I couldn't resist. These little bites have everything Port loves. Chocolate and peanut butter combined with his favorite chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts
1 package (16 ounces) individually portioned refrigerated white chip macadamia nut cookie dough (I just made my regular chocolate chip cookies and added the macadamia nuts it made about 3 times the amount called for in the recipe)
24 miniature peanut butter cups



Directions: Sprinkle macadamia nuts into 24 greased miniature muffin cups, 1 teaspoon in each. Cut each portion of cookie dough in half; place each half in a muffin cup. Bake at 325° for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately place a peanut butter cup in each cookie; press down gently. Cool completely before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen.

Cheesy Broccoli and Rice Casserole

I found this recipe on Kitchen Cafe and it screamed comfort food to me. I wanted it as a main course so I added shredded chicken. It is now one of our family favorites. My three guys didn't even seem to notice the broccoli. It was delicious.

2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons butter, melted; plus two tablespoons chilled
1 garlic clove, minced
2 pounds broccoli (about 3-4 medium heads of broccoli), florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stems chopped
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups long grain white rice
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper


Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9X13-inch baking dish. Pulse bread, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and melted butter in a food processor until coarsely ground. Add garlic. Set aside.Microwave broccoli florets (save stems for later), covered, in a large bowl until bright green and tender, 2 to 3 minutes (no need to add water). Be careful not to overcook or they will become soggy and discolored. Melt remaining butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion and broccoli stems until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is translucent, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, half-and-half, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Off the heat, stir in cheddar cheese, cayenne, remaining parmesan, chicken and broccoli florets.Pour the mixture into prepared baking dish and top with bread crumb mixture. Bake until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Serve.

Mom's Homemade Pizza Dough

1 C. Warm water
1 tsp. yeast
1 T. sugar
2-3 C. flour

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Add 2-3 C. flour. Knead till smooth. Let rest for 15-20 minutes. Roll out on greased pizza pan. Let dough rest another 5-10 minutes. Add toppings and bake at 475 for 12-15 minutes.

Chicken Chow Mein/ Hawaiian Haystacks

This is my go to meal when I don't know what to make. It is generally pretty quick and a favorite at our house.

2 or 3 Boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
4 T. butter
4 T. flour
2 cans of chicken broth
1 T. Montreal Steak seasoning
Dash of red pepper flakes
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of lemon pepper seasoning
Dash of salt and pepper
Shredded cheese
Mandarin oranges
Tomatoes
Green peppers
Chow mein noodles

Melt butter in saucepan and add flour. Cook together for about 1-2 minutes or until it smells slightly nutty. Add one can of broth and stir until it thickens. Once thick add remaining broth until desired consistency. We like a runnier gravy so we add both cans. Bring gravy to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add seasonings. Add chicken. Serve over rice with other ingredients on top. Enjoy!

Chicken Poppyseed Salad

From Kitchen Cafe

Chicken Poppy Seed Salad

Spinach leaves ( I just bought bag salad mixes because they were on sale, they tasted great!)
Romaine leaves
Grilled chicken, sliced (grill with lots of lemon pepper seasoning)
Red onion, sliced thinly
Crispy bacon, crumbled
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Toasted almonds (or you can sugar the almonds. Put sliced almonds in a pan with lots of granulated sugar (about equal amounts). Cook on medium heat until sugar melts, coating the almonds as they brown.)

The best part... The Dressing:
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dry mustard
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tb Maui or Vidalia onion, chopped
2 cups canola oil
3 Tb poppy seeds

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a blender, then slowly add the oil, blending until thick. Stir in poppy seeds. Toss all ingredients together with generous amount of dressing before serving.

Cafe Rio Pork

Night before:
3 ½-4 lb. pork roast
2Tbs brown sugar
1 to 1 ½ tsp. red pepper (cayenne pepper)
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
Mix together and rob on to pork roast. Put in crock-pot on low overnight.

Next morning:
Add to crock-pot
1 can coke
1 cup chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion. Chopped


About 1 hour before you serve: (I ususally cook until about 4 p.m.)
Shred roast and add 1 cup brown sugar, put back in crock-pot.

Cafe Rio Dressing

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
8 oz. can salsa verde
2 med. Cloves garlic
¾ cup mayo
¾ cup sour cream
¼ tsp. Tabasco sauce
¼- ½ cup cilantro

Mix in blender. Add lime juice to taste. Make ahead of time and chill for several hours. Can be thinned with buttermilk if needed.

Chicken Parm Subs

From Sweet Basil
Sauce
2 Small Cans Tomato Sauce
1 Large Can Diced Tomatoes with Garlic and Basil
3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1/2 Sweet onion or 2 shallots, minced
1/2 Pkg Johnsonville Sweet Italian Sausage
1/2 Lb Ground Turkey
1 Splash Red Wine
salt and pepper
Chicken
3 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded out flat and cut in half
1 1/2 Cups Homemade Bread Crumbs, toasted or Foccia Croutons, ground fine
Olive oil
1 pat of butter
Mozzarella Cheese

Drizzle olive oil in a large pan and heat to med. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.Add meat and cook until just barely done. Add the rest of the ingredients, kosher salt and fresh black pepper to taste. Simmer for 1 hour.When the sauce is almost done, coat the chicken with the toasted bread crumbs. Heat the oven to 325.Heat another skillet to med with a drizzle or two of olive oil and a pat of butter. Brown the chicken until just golden on each side.Bake the chicken for 30 min or until cooked through.Place some sauce on the bottom of the roll. Top with chicken, more sauce and the cheese. Place under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly. Enjoy!

CHICKEN PINEAPPLE BLACKBEAN ENCHILADA'S

From The Hive

1 large chicken breast cut in bite size pieces
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 T. lime juice
2 tsp. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple tidbits, drained or 1 ½ C. fresh chopped pineapple
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (4.5 oz.) chopped green chilies
½ C. chopped fresh cilantro
2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce
8-10 flour tortillas
shredded lettuce, olives, tomatoes & sour cream for topping

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees, spray 9x13 pan glass baking dish with cooking spray.2. In a nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium/high heat. Add chicken, lime juice, salt & pepper; and cook until juices run clear. Add onion and red bell pepper cook 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Stir in pineapple, beans, and green chilies. Cook and stir until thoroughly heated.3. Remove from Heat, stir in cilantro and mozzarella cheese.4. Spoon and spread 1 tablespoon enchilada sauce onto each tortilla. Spoon about ¾ cup filling mixture over sauce on each. Roll up tortillas; place seam side down in baking dish.5. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over center of enchiladas and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until cheese is melted and enchiladas are bubbly.7. Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce,topped with sour cream, olives & chopped tomatoes. (optional)

Farm Stand Pizza

From Sandra's Money Saving Meals (Food Network)

Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
1 (1-pound) bag fresh pizza dough (I made my own whole wheat pizza dough)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup Chunky Tomato Sauce, recipe follows
10 basil leaves, torn
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup white mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 13 by 18-inch baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Roll out pizza dough on a floured work surface into a rectangle about the same size as the baking sheet. Place the dough onto the baking sheet, brush with olive oil and using a fork, dot holes all over the crust. Bake in oven for 8 minutes.
Remove the pizza crust from oven and top with the sauce, basil leaves, half the cheese and the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and top with remaining cheese. Bake pizza for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Chunky Tomato Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a medium pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for another 15 minutes.
Yield: 4 cups

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

From a Bountiful Kitchen

1 egg, beaten
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup shortening
2 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup nuts (optional)
Chocolate frosting:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla
for cookies:
Beat egg and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla, shortening and melted chocolate. Blend well. Combine all dry ingredients into small bowl. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to chocolate mixture. If using, add nuts. Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. When the cookies are almost done cooking, remove from oven and place 1/2 of a large marshmallow on top of each cookie. Return to oven for about 1 minute or just until marshmallow puffs. Remove from oven, flatten marshmallow with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula. Cool completely. Frost with chocolate frosting.
for frosting:
Beat softened butter in bowl. Add vanilla. Slowly beat in cocoa, powdered sugar, milk or half and half. If needed, add more milk, a little at a time.

Beef Fried Rice

1 lb. lean ground beef
2 C. Cooked brown rice
1 C. assorted washed and sliced vegetables (I use green and red peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Anything works)
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. italian seasonings
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 C. shredded cheese

Brown the beef in a skillet. While beef is still pink, add sliced vegetables and seasonings to the skillet, stir frequently. When vegetables become cooked, add rice and toss everything together. Continue to heat until warm, stirring frequently. Top with cheese and let melt.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies

We just went to a party and someone brought cream-cheese brownies that were delicious. The lady that made them said they were from a box. I found this recipe and decided to try it. I think it was way better than the box mix.

From Taste of Home

TIME: Prep: 15 min. Bake: 35 min.

Ingredients:
1 package (4 ounces) German sweet chocolate
3 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup Sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup chopped nuts
FILLING:
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup Sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: In a microwave, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Cool. In a small bowl, beat eggs. Gradually add sugar, beating until thick and pale yellow. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to egg mixture. Stir in melted chocolate, extracts and nuts. Pour half of the batter into a greased 8-in. square baking dish; set aside. For filling, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, flour and vanilla; mix well. Pour over batter in pan. Spoon remaining batter over filling. Cut through batter with a knife to swirl the chocolate. Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: about 2 dozen.