1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium yellow summer squash, chopped
1 small-medium eggplant, chopped (see notes)
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil
Salt to taste
1/2 to 1 green pepper, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
Tomato sauce or tomato soup (see notes)
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
Pinch thyme
1. Saute onion and garlic in enough oil to cook them until tender. Add chopped veggies until cooked, adding more oil if needed.
2. Add salt to taste. Add tomatoes and spices and enough tomato sauce or tomato soup to desired consistency.
3. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over rice or on its own like a soup.
Notes: Eggplant will brown quickly, so chop it right before you cook it. Also, eggplant absorbs a lot of oil, so be careful how much you use to cook the eggplant. You can use leftover spaghetti sauce in place of the tomato sauce, or whatever tomato-based sauce or soup you have around. The recipe doesn't call for it, but we like to add in some spicy sausage.
Thanks to Kimberly for this recipe.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Ratatouille
Sweet & Sour Chicken (2)
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 Tbs. tapioca (or flour mixed w/ pineapple juice)
2-3 lbs chicken, chopped
1 small can pineapple, with juice
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
Crockpot:
1. Layer carrots, onion, and bell pepper on bottom.
2. Sprinkle tapioca over top.
3. Add chicken.
4. Mix remaining ingredients and pour on top.
5. Slow cook on low for 10-12 hours or on high 5-6 hours (this seems a bit long to me...)
6. Serve over rice. Makes 4-6 servings.
Oven:
1.Prepare as above, except place in casserole dish or 9x13 pan.
2. Bake for about 1 hr. at 350 degrees.
Notes: Tasty and easy to make. We did it in the oven, and the chicken was a little dried out after an hour, so I suggest less time or frozen chicken. The crockpot directions also seem a little long. I would think the chicken would be overdone with that amount of time. The (2) in the recipe name is there because I have another sweet and sour recipe on here.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Shepherd's Pie
1 lb. ground beef
2 cans tomato soup
2 cans green beans
4-6 servings of mashed potatoes
Salt and pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Paprika (optional)
1. Brown ground beef in large skillet or fry pan. Drain.
2. Add tomato soup, green beans, and enough water to reach desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a casserole dish or 9x13 baking pan.
3. Place dollops of mashed potatoes over top. You can also spread the mashed potatoes (this is how John's mom makes it).
4. Sprinkle cheese on top of potatoes. This is also how John's mom makes it, and I can never get it right...the picture shows the cheese under the potatoes. I always made it without cheese and garnished with paprika on top. This is a recipe you can be creative with.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Brittany's Minestrone Soup
1/2-1 lb. spicy ground sausage
1 can green beans with liquid
1 can diced tomatoes with liquid
1 can tomato soup (can also use tomato juice, sauce, etc.--anything with a tomato base)
1 tomato soup can of water
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2-3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 zucchini, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped
Chicken or beef broth (or water and bullion or granules)
3 oz. melon seed pasta (or any small pasta)
These instructions are from Brittany: In a large kettle or pot, brown ground sausage. Add green beans and tomatoes with liquid. Add carrots and potatoes. Allow to simmer while chopping zucchini and yellow squash. Add desired amount of chicken or beef broth to create the consistency you want. I just used water and chicken flavoring granules, beginning with 1 cup at a time until I reached the consistency that I wanted. Allow the soup to simmer until the vegetables are almost tender. Add pasta and continue to simmer until the pasta is cooked (the type of pasta you use will determine the length of time--look at the cooking instructions on the package). Ready to serve. Makes about 6 servings.
NOTE: This recipe is pretty hard to mess up. You can use any variation of vegetables that you want. This can be a vegetarian soup by omitting the sausage and replacing it with kidney beans or any other kind of beans.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Open-Faced Sandwich With Avocado
1 loaf ciabatta or French bread, sliced
sliced ham (one per sandwich)
sliced turkey (one per sandwich)
2 Roma (or other) tomatoes, sliced
2 avocados, peeled and sliced
Cheddar cheese, sliced or shredded
Sauce
1/2 C. mayo
1/2 C. sour cream
1/2-1 tsp. cumin (start with lesser amount and add to taste)
1/2 tsp. chili powder
Place bread onto a cookie sheet and broil until crisp, but not golden. Spread desired amount of sauce onto each slice of bread. Place a slice of ham and a slice of turkey on each slice of bread. Layer tomatoes, avocados, and cheese on top. Place sandwiches back into oven and broil until cheese is melted. Serve and devour at least 3.
Notes: We've already had these twice and they are now one of my favorites. I will have to take photos next time we make them. Taco seasoning could probably be used instead of cumin and chili powder for the sauce. Just add a small amount at a time until you achieve the taste you are looking for. This amount of sauce was actually enough for 1 1/2 loaves of French bread. We had this once with ciabatta bread and once with French bread. Any harder bread will be fine.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Soup
1 lb. chicken
1 cup dried black beans (or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen corn
1 jar prepared salsa (16 oz)
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 cup sour cream (to stir in at the end)
shredded cheddar cheese, avocado slices, cilantro (all optional)
If using dried beans, soak the beans overnight in enough water to cover plus two inches. In the morning, drain the water and rinse the beans. Add beans to a 4 quart or larger crockpot. Add chicken, broth, salsa, corn, mushrooms, and cumin. Stir. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high 4-5 hours. Stir in the 1/2 cup of sour cream before serving, and garnish with cheese, avocado slices, or cilantro as desired. Makes about 6-8 servings.
NOTES: We used canned beans. We also didn't have quite enough salsa or any mushrooms, so we just used what we had. Brittany found this recipe on that crock pot blog (here). Tasty. I like chicken + salsa + black beans + corn.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Corn Flake Chicken
Chicken
Butter, melted
Corn flakes, crushed
This is a fairly simple recipe. Put the melted butter in one bowl and the corn flakes in another. Dip the chicken in the butter, then coat with crushed corn flakes. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until done (another 10 minutes or so).
NOTES: Using the foil prevents the corn flakes from burning. The last ten minutes give them a little extra crispiness. This recipe adds some crunch to the chicken, but not a lot of additional seasoning. There are variations of the recipe online (like here) that use different spices and coatings to change the flavor.
Apple Sauce Chicken
4 frozen chicken breast halves or thighs
1 1/2 cups apple sauce
1 Tbsp dried onion flakes or 1 yellow onion, chopped finely
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Mix ingredients in a bowl and pour over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees until chicken is done. Or, cook in a crock pot on low 5-7 hours or high 3-4 hours. Makes about 4 servings.
NOTES: Brittany found this recipe on a crock pot blog (here), but she baked it instead of cooking it in a crock pot. She also used onion powder instead of onion flakes. We both thought that it was tasty, but a bit unusual. I don't think I would make this when having company over, in other words, but it might be a nice change of pace for an occasional family meal. And according to that crock pot blog, the kids like it.
Chicken in a Blanket
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
12 refrigerator biscuits, each rolled out flat
1 cup bread crumbs, seasoned
8 ounces cream cheese
2 eggs
Mix together cream cheese and shredded chicken. Scoop some of mixture into each flattened biscuit and form biscuit into a ball to cover all of mixture. Beat eggs into a bowl and dip each biscuit in eggs and then coat with bread crumbs. Line a greased cookie sheet with biscuits and bake at 375 for about 12 minutes. Any leftovers can be frozen until ready use.
NOTES: We found this recipe on the Simplify Supper web site (here). Brittany made her own biscuit dough (see her recipe here) and bread crumbs. We both thought this was a tasty recipe, and Brittany will probably make it again sometime. Halving the recipe made about 6 chicken balls.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Cafe Rio Style Pork
3 lb. pork roast, cooked and shredded
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 c. BBQ sauce
3/4 c. ketchup
1/4 c. sugar
Cook roast in crockpot with 1 cup water on high till tender (about 3-4 hours); shred and season with 1 tsp. garlic salt, BBQ sauce, ketchup, and sugar. Let warm and serve!
Notes: I got this recipe from my sister, Jen. I'm not sure where she found it. Brittany and I both liked it. It is really easy to make, but I don't think it is as tasty as real Cafe Rio pork. Apparently there are a lot of other Cafe Rio pork recipes online, so maybe we'll try another one in the future and make a comparison. We halved the recipe and had enough for at least 4 servings.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
London Broil With Southwestern Marinade
1 London broil, about 2-4 lbs.
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/4 cup lime juice
1 Tbsp. honey
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
Place meat in a shallow dish (we used a crockpot). Make marinade by mixing dressing, lime juice, honey, and cumin. Pour over meat, turning to coat well. Cover and refrigerate, turning occasionally, at least 8-10 hours.
NOTES: Typically London broil is a good meat for broiling (hence the name), but we cooked it in the crockpot for about 4 hours on high. Slow cooking the meat makes it more tender. The recipe for this marinade was on the London Broil package along with a couple of others. There are plenty of other marinade recipes to be found online if southwestern doesn't sound good.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Easy Stroganoff
1 lb. ground beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
onion powder
salt
pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
Cook ground beef. Add cream of mushroom soup and a little water until soup sauce is at desired consistency. Add onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to boil, then add approx. 1/2 cup sour cream just before serving. Serve over pasta, noodles, or rice. Makes about 4 servings.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Zippy Chicken Enchiladas
11/2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can green chilies, small can
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
6 Tortillas
Mix the soup, sour cream and green chilies in a bowl. Spoon filling onto edge of each tortilla then top with chicken and sprinkle with cheese. Fold into enchiladas and place in a coated 9x13 pan. Spoon any extra ingredients on top of enchiladas and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Make 6 enchiladas.
Notes: We found this recipe here, on a website called Simplify Supper. Looks like a pretty neat site. Brittany cooked the enchiladas for 20 minutes uncovered, and then for 20 more minutes covered with aluminum foil. The bottom of the enchiladas were a little crispy, but Brittany thinks that would be solved by putting some extra sauce on the bottom of the pan.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Honey Barbecue Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
seasoned salt
garlic salt
pepper
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 bottle BBQ sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
Slice chicken into 1/2 inch strips (can use any size or type to suit your needs, works well with wings). Place the chicken in a in large bowl and coat with Worcestershire. Sprinkle with seasoned salt, garlic salt and pepper. Put oil into frying pan and heat to med/high to fry chicken. In a bowl, coat pieces of chicken with flour. Fry chicken in a skillet with oil on medium/high heat until golden brown. Mix BBQ sauce and honey in a small bowl. Place chicken on a cookie sheet or oven pan. Brush or drizzle BBQ mix over chicken and bake at 400F for 10 min. Remove chicken - baste again with BBQ mix and return to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Makes about 4 servings.
NOTES: Brittany found this recipe here. We forgot to coat our chicken with flour, so the picture doesn't match exactly what this recipe should look like. Even without the flour, this was tasty.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Savory Baked Chicken Breasts
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. sage
1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 cups fine bread crumbs
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
At least 4 hours before baking, combine sour cream and lemon juice in a small bowl. Place chicken breasts in a shallow bowl and pour mixture over chicken. Cover and refrigerate.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Combine salt, seasoned salt, paprika, sage, garlic salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Mix in bread crumbs. Dip chicken breasts in crumb mixture to coat all sides. Arrange in baking pan. Drizzle melted butter over top. Cover with foil and bake for 2 hours. Remove foil and bake an additional 30 minutes to brown. Makes 8 servings.
NOTES: Recipe from the Lion House Christmas cook book. I didn't follow the instructions very closely when I made this last week. I didn't marinate the chicken for 4 hours, I used crushed saltine crackers instead of bread crumbs, I made a smaller amount of chicken and guessed on the proportions of ingredients, I didn't have sage, and I baked it for a shorter time at a higher temperature covered with a glass lid instead of foil. I still enjoyed the flavor, but I think following the directions would probably make it much more "savory."
Barbecue Spare Ribs
1 lb. pork spare ribs
Barbecue Sauce:
1 can tomato soup
3/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 medium onions, sliced
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. cloves
Mix ingredients together and pour over meat. For spare ribs, bake 2 hours at 350 degrees. Makes about 4 servings.
NOTES: We put ours in the crockpot in the morning and let it cook all day. The BBQ sauce recipe comes from a recipe book that Brittany's mom put together.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Macaroni and Beef Casserole
1 small package macaroni, cooked and drained
2 tablespoons oil
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, browned and drained
salt and pepper
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 can tomato paste (we used the 6 oz. size)
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons sherry
1 can tomato soup
grated cheddar or Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon leaf oregano
Toss cooked noodles in oil. Place in greased crock pot. Add all remaining ingredients, except cheese. Stir thoroughly. Sprinkle cheese over top. Cover and cook on low 4-8 hours or on high 2-3 hours. Makes 6 servings.
NOTES: We were low on groceries and short on time when I made this, so I changed a few things in the recipe. We didn't have celery, we used onion powder instead of a real onion, we only had 1 lb. of ground beef, and we added water in place of the sherry. We also cooked everything in a skillet, as seen in the photo. Despite the changes, it still turned out tasty. I found this recipe online somewhere a couple of years ago, but I don't remember where.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Oven-Fried Chicken
1 beaten egg
3 tablespoons milk
1 1/4 finely crushed saltine or rich round crackers
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/2 to 3 pounds meaty chicken pieces (breast halves, thighs, or drumsticks)
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
1. In a small bowl combine egg and milk. In a shallow dish combine crushed crackers, thyme, paprika, and pepper. Set aside. Skin chicken. Dip chicken pieces, 1 at a time, into egg mixture; coat with crumb mixture.
2. In a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan, arrange the chicken, bone side down, so the pieces aren't touching. Drizzle chicken with the melted butter.
3. Bake, uncovered, in a 375 degree oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees for breasts; 180 degrees for thighs and drumsticks). Do not turn chicken pieces while baking.
NOTES: Makes 6 servings. Brittany and I halved the recipe, and we used boneless skinless chicken breasts. Recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, 12th edition.
Instant Potato Soup
4 cups water
1 1/3 cups instant non-fat dry milk
2 Tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups instant potato flakes
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Heat water to almost boiling, using high heat setting. Turn off heat. Add instant milk, stir. Add butter, stir to melt. Add instant potato flakes, stir. Add seasoned salt, onion powder, and salt, mix well. Optional: garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, bacon bits, or parsley flakes. Makes 4 1/2 cups.
Variations: You can add cooked chopped broccoli or chopped ham.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Chicken Stuffing Casserole
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg stuffing
1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
1 can green beans
Prepare stuffing according to package directions; set aside. Place chicken in baking dish. Add a small amount of milk or sour cream if desired to cream soup, then mix with green beans. Pour soup and beans over chicken. Cover with stuffing. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is done. Serves 4-6.
Note: Years ago, Stove Top used to put a recipe like this on the back of the stuffing box. It was the first recipe that I remember making on my own, and is still one of my favorites. It is also tasty with broccoli instead of green beans, or just cream soup. One time I made it with cornbread-flavored stuffing and used chili in place of cream soup.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Cooker Chops
Notes: Up until this entry, Brittany and I had personally made all the recipes on this blog. This is my first exception. Jill and Brett had us over for dinner last Saturday and made this for us. Thanks, Jill and Brett! Jill mentioned that she liked this better when served over potatoes.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Chicken Roll Ups
Crescent roll dough (we used 2 of the large crescent roll packages)
chopped/shredded cooked chicken (we used 1 large can)
cream cheese
shredded cheese
sour cream
crushed rosemary
pepper
season salt
chopped fresh spinach (optional)
Start by mixing the cream cheese, sour cream, rosemary, pepper, and salt together. Add the chicken, shredded cheese, and chopped spinach. It should stick together in mounds and not run all over. Scoop the filling onto the fat end of the crescent rolls. Roll up and seal the edges. Sprinkle with rosemary if desired. Bake at the temperature indicated on the crescent roll package until golden on top.
Notes: Quick, easy, and very tasty. Brittany got this recipe from her sister, and it didn't come with exact amounts. If I remember, I will ask Brittany how much of everything she used. The ingredients we used made 12 roll ups.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Chicken Gumbo Sloppy Joes
1 lb. hamburger
1 can Campbell's Chicken Gumbo soup
ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar to taste
Cook hamburger; drain. Mix in soup and boil for a while until it is no longer runny. Add ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar to taste. Serve on hoagie or hamburger buns. Makes enough for 4-6 sandwiches.
Notes: Sorry the picture above is blurry - one of these days I'll learn how to use my camera. This is the way Brittany's mom makes sloppy joes. I liked it enough to have seconds, even though we ran out of buns:
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Fettuccine alla Carbonara
6 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 ounces dried fettuccine or linguine (we only had spaghetti, so that's what we used)
1 beaten egg
1 cup half-and-half, light cream, or milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
Coarsely ground black pepper
1. Cook bacon until crisp. Drain.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a saucepan combine egg, half-and-half, and butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until egg mixture just coats a metal spoon (about 6 minutes); do not boil. Immediately pour sauce over pasta; stir gently to coat.
4. Add cooked bacon, Parmesan cheese, and parsley; stir gently to combine. Season with pepper. Serve immediately.
Note: Brittany and I thought this could have used a bit more flavor, but we didn't have as much Parmesan cheese as the recipe called for. Recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, 12th edition. Makes 4 servings.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
1 to 1 1/2 lb. ground beef
3/4 C. rolled oats
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 C. finely chopped onion
1/4 C. milk
1 tsp. salt
Few grains of pepper
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients; mix well.
2. Form into about 12 balls, each about 2 inches in diameter. Place in
casserole dish. Cover with sauce (below).
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes 6-8 servings.
**I have also done this in a crockpot for several hours on low.
Sauce
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. vinegar
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1/4 C. barbecue sauce
Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients:
2 C. flour
2 Tbs. packed brown sugar
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice*
1 tsp. salt
1 3/4 C. milk
1/2 C. pumpkin
1 egg
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
*Substitution for 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice: 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4
tsp. ginger, 1/4 tsp. allspice, 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
Directions:
1. Sift together together dry ingredients.
2. In a separate bowl, combine milk, pumpkin, egg, and vegetable oil
and mix well.
3. Add pumpkin mixture to dry ingredients. Do not over-mix. Batter
should be slightly lumpy.
4. Cook like normal pancakes on a hot griddle. Top with pumpkin maple
syrup (recipe below) when ready to serve.
Pumpkin Maple Syrup
Combine together the following ingredients:
1 C. maple syrup
1 1/4 C. pumpkin
1/4 tsp. cinnamon (could also use pumpkin pie spice, or other spices to taste)
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Baked Apple French Toast with Caramel Sauce
1 loaf French bread, sliced in 1 1/2 inch slices
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
6 medium apples, peeled and sliced (Fuji, Jonathan, or Granny Smith)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 recipe caramel sauce (see below)
The night before serving, coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Layer bread slices on the bottom of the pan. Combine milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl; beat well and pour over bread slices. Place apple slices on top of bread. Sprinkle apples with cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake covered about 50 minutes; remove foil and bake 10 minutes more. Serve toast hot, topped with caramel sauce. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Caramel Sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until thick, stirring constantly.
NOTE: I am made this for breakfast for Brittany on her birthday. It was yummy! We used the thinner sliced bread that we already had instead of French bread, and halved all the ingredients. We also only used 2 Granny Smith apples. I didn't notice the instruction to peel the apples, and I didn't know that's what you normally do when baking apples, so I left the peels on. I liked it that way, though. We had some leftover caramel sauce that Brittany had made with a different recipe, so we used that instead. Recipe from the Lion House Christmas cookbook.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Chicken and Biscuits
2 medium chicken breasts
1 to 1 1/2 cup mixed vegetables
1 can cream of chicken soup
3/4 can of water
corn starch to thicken gravy
1 recipe biscuits (see below)
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook chicken and vegetables (we boiled the chicken). Cube chicken. Make gravy by mixing cream of chicken soup, water, and corn starch in a pot over medium heat. Mix chicken and vegetables into gravy, bring to a boil. Pour gravy mixture into baking dish. Place biscuits on top of mixture. Bake at 450 degrees until biscuits are golden brown (10 to 15 minutes or so).
NOTE: This is something that Brittany's mother used to make. Made enough for two hungry people with some left over.
Biscuits
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/3 cup milk
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. cream of tarter
1/4 cup shortening
Sift dry ingredients into bowl. Cut in shortening until it is like course crumbs, then add milk. Stir quickly with fork just until dough follows fork around bowl. Turn onto lightly floured surface (dough should be soft). Knead gently 10 to 12 strokes. Roll or pat dough 1/2 inch thick. Cut into round shapes (I did this with a small cup).
Calico Beef and Bean Bake
1/2 to 1 lb. ground beef
3/4 lb. bacon, cut into pieces
1 cup chopped onion
2 20 oz. cans pork and beans
1 16 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained
1 16 oz. can butter beans
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
Brown ground beef, bacon, and onion in a 12-inch skillet, drain off fat. Pour meat mixture into a baking dish or slow-cooker pot. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook in baking dish in 325-degree oven for 1 1/2 hours, or in an electric slow cooker set on low for 4 to 6 hours. Makes 8 servings.
NOTE: Recipe from the Lion House Christmas recipe book, which someone gave us as a wedding gift. Very tasty.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Sour Cream and Dill Chicken
8 chicken pieces, skinned
Pepper, to taste
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 env. onion soup mix
1 c. sour cream
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. dried dill weed (or 1 tbsp. fresh)
1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained
Paprika
Place chicken in a single layer in a 13x9 inch baking pan. Sprinkle with pepper. In bowl, combine soup, soup mix, sour cream, lemon juice, dill and mushrooms. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 1 hour or until chicken is tender. Serve over egg noodles or rice. Serves 6-8.
NOTE: The first time we had this, the flavor of the onion soup mix was stronger than the flavor of the dill and sour cream. The second time, we used a different brand and it tasted better. We also used fresh mushrooms, which I liked better. Recipe from the Second Amendment Sisters cookbook.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Five Spice Chicken
2 1/2 to 3 lb. chicken
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 sm. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. each ground cinnamon and crushed anise seed
1/8 tsp. each nutmeg and ground cloves
Place chicken in shallow glass or baking dish. Mix remaining ingredients; pour over chicken and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Heat oven to 350. Bake, uncovered, for at least one hour. Baste once or twice during cooking. Serves 6-8.
NOTE: We didn't have any anise seed, but we decided to try this anyway, so I guess our version was Four Spice Chicken. I still really liked it. Brittany liked it, too, but not as much as I did. I think the dominant flavor was the cloves. I am interested in trying this again with the anise seed (black licorice flavor). We got this recipe from the Second Amendment Sisters recipe book that someone gave us as a wedding gift.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Hearty Western Casserole
1 lb ground beef (browned)
1 can corn, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can tomato soup
1 cup cheese (Colby)
¼ cup milk
1 tsp minced dry onion flakes (or 1/2 cup chopped onion)
½ tsp chili powder
Combine ingredients, put in crockpot and cook for 1 hr on low. Serves about 4 (although there might not be enough for seconds).
NOTE: I got this recipe from Jill over the phone, so it may not be exact. She also mentioned that you can bake dinner rolls separately and serve on top. For us, 1 hr. on low wasn't enough time to warm it up all the way, but we used frozen corn. Brittany and I both liked it. In fact, Brittany said she really, really liked it.
Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas
1 lb. boneless chicken breast halves, cubed
1 can Campbell’s Southwest Style Pepper Jack soup
¼ cup water
8 flour tortillas (8”), warmed
Salsa
Preheat oven to 425 F. Cook chicken in nonstick skillet until done and juices evaporate, stirring often. Add soup and water and heat through. Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture on half of each tortilla to within ½” of edge. Moisten edge with water. Fold over and seal. Place on 2 baking sheets. Bake 5 min. or until hot. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa. Makes 8 quesadillas.
NOTE: This recipe is on the can of Campbell's Southwest Style Pepper Jack soup.
Sweet-and-Sour Pork
12 oz. lean boneless pork
2 tablespoons mirin or dry sherry (we used water)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil (we used vegetable oil)
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup rice vinegar (or a bit less of the regular, stronger-flavored vinegar)
4 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
Cooking oil or shortening for deep-fat frying
1 beaten egg
½ cup cornstarch
½ cup all purpose flour
½ cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 clove garlic, minced
3 medium carrots, thinly bias sliced (1 ½ cup)
1 medium green sweet pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces (3/4 cup)
1 medium red sweet pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces (3/4 cup)
3 green onions, bias sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 8-oz can pineapple chunks (juice pack), drained
3 cups hot cooked rice
1. Trim fat from pork. Cut pork into ¾-inch cubes; place in a bowl. For marinade, stir together mirin, the 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, and sesame oil. Pour over pork. Toss to coat. Cover; let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.
2. For sauce, stir together the 1 cup broth, sugar, vinegar, the 4 tsp. cornstarch, and the 1 Tbsp. soy sauce. Set aside. In a wok or large saucepan heat 1 ½ to 2 inches of cooking oil or shortening to 365 F. Meanwhile, for batter, in a bowl stir together egg, the ½ cup cornstarch, flour, and the ½ cup broth until smooth.
3. Drain the pork; pat dry. Dip pork into batter, swirling to coat. Fry a few pieces of pork at a time in hot oil for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden and no pink remains. Remove from oil. Drain on paper towels. Keep pork warm in a 300 F oven while frying remaining pork.
4. Pour the 1 Tbsp. oil into a large skillet. (Add more oil as needed during cooking.) Preheat over medium-high heat. Cook and stir garlic in hot oil 15 seconds. Add carrots, sweet peppers, and green onions; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from skillet. Stir sauce; add to skillet. Cook and stir until bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Stir in pineapple and cooked vegetables. Cook and stir about 1 minute or until hot. Stir in pork. Serve over rice.
Makes 4 servings.
NOTE: This recipe comes from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, 12th edition. Thanks to Kimberly for suggesting it - I really liked it!
Read More......
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Country Style Chicken Kiev
2 whole chicken breasts, halved
1/2 c. fine, dry bread crumbs
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. apple juice
1/4 c. chopped green onion
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
Dip chicken breasts in melted butter; reserve remaining butter. Mix bread crumbs, cheese, and spices together. Roll breasts in crumb mixture. Place chicken breasts skin side up in 9 inch square baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Meanwhile, add reserved butter and remaining ingredients. When chicken is golden brown, pour last ingredients over chicken. Continue baking 3-5 more minutes until sauce is heated through. Serve with sauce spooned over. Serves 4.
Note: Brittany got this recipe from her brother, Brian. Yummy.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Croatian Stuffed Peppers
4 bell peppers, red or green
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup white rice, uncooked
1 egg
1/2 red onion, diced
1 tomato
2 cloves of garlic
16 oz. tomato sauce
Meat mixture: 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, cornstarch, flour, salt and pepper.
Cut open peppers on one side and hollow out insides. In a separate bowl, mix garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, cornstarch, flour, dried parsley, and one egg to thawed ground beef. Add the rice to this mixture. Stuff peppers with meat (but not too much because meat mixture expands).
In a large pot, sautee onion, tomato and garlic in olive oil. Add 16 ounces of tomato sauce and add a can-full of hot water to dilute to a sauce-like consistency. Lay peppers on sides in soup mix. Add water to cover peppers. Cover pot with lid on high heat. When soup starts to boil, reduce to medium heat. Cook for at least one hour - the slower and longer the peppers are cooked, the better the flavor.
NOTES: This recipe was in the Daily Universe. I copied the instructions exactly how they were. However, I found that I had enough meat mixture to stuff 5 or 6 peppers. The cornstarch and flour thicken the meat mixture, so the peppers really don't need to be too stuffed. I found that the mixture wasn't as seasoned as I would like. Some paprika or chile powder might have been a nice touch, and I'm wondering if it wouldn't taste better without the cornstarch. I topped my pepper with some sour cream and salsa to get a bit more flavor.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Tamale Pie
1 1/2 to 2 lbs. ground beef (browned)--I sauted green peppers and onions with the beef
Add 3 cans tomato sauce (8 oz size)
Add one can cream-style corn/regular corn/equivalent of frozen corn
Add 1 1/2 tsp. chile powder
You can also add chopped olives if you want.
Bring to a boil to make sure everything is warmed through. Make one recipe of cornbread (enough for a 9" square pan)*. Put sauce in 9" x 13" pan. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, then spread cornbread batter over top. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Serves 6-8.
*Corn bread:
Ingredients:
1 ¼ C. flour ¾ C. cornmeal
¼ C. sugar 2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt 1 C. milk
¼ C. oil 1 egg
Instructions:
1. Combine dry ingredients.
2. Stir in milk, oil, and egg.
3. Mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.
Note: Thanks to Brittany for this recipe.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Corn Chowder
1 can cream corn
1 lb. bacon
6 potatoes
1 lb. carrots
12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 onion (optional)
Cube potatoes and carrots. Steam until tender, not mushy. Cook bacon until crisp, then cut into bite-size pieces. Mix all ingredients into crockpot, and heat for 1 hour. Serves 4-6.
Notes: I chopped up an onion and cooked it with the bacon. I used maple flavored bacon, and it turned out rather well. I had more bacon than corn, so it was almost more of a bacon chowder than a corn chowder, but everyone really liked it. I cooked everything on high for about an hour and a half, but I doubled several of the ingredients so there was more to warm up.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Meatloaf
1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
ketchup or barbecue sauce
bread crumbs or oatmeal
onions, green bell peppers, or whatever else you feel like adding
Put hamburger in mixing bowl. Mix in other ingredients, including ketchup or barbecue sauce. Put hamburger mixture in bread pan and pat down with spoon or hand. Cover with more ketchup, spreading ketchup evenly around. Cook on 350 degrees for 45 min. to 1 hour. Serves about 4.
Notes: If using bread, toast bread first to get better crumbs. Include about 1 slice worth of bread. Good with baked potatoes, which can be in the oven cooking at the same time. You can add your choice of seasonings to the hamburger before cooking. Really hard to mess this one up.
Tijuana Pie
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 lb. Cheddar cheese, grated
1 (10 oz.) can enchilada sauce
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 (16 oz.) cans chili seasoned beans
1 (16 oz.) can corn, drained
1 (6 oz.) pitted olives
6 corn tortillas
Brown beef, onion, garlic in skillet. Pour off excess fat and season with salt and pepper. Wipe inside of crockpot with oil. Place a tortilla in the bottom of the pot and spoon some of the meat mixture onto it with a little sauce and cheese. Top with another tortilla and layer on a bean, cheese, and corn section. Drop in a few olives. Continue layers of filling, sauce and cheese and olives, finishing with cheese and olives on top. Cover and cook on low 5-7 hours. Serves 6-8.
Chicken Taco Bake
2 cans chicken breast (or about 2 chicken breasts)
1 can 10-12 oz. tomato soup
1 cup salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup milk
6 flour tortillas cut into one inch pieces
(taco seasoning)
In baking dish, shred chicken, mix with other ingredients. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, cook another 5 minutes to let cheese melt. Serves about 4.
Notes: I used chicken breasts instead of the canned stuff. I cut it up into little chunks and cooked it in a skillet before adding it to other ingredients. I got this recipe from Karen. She later told me that perhaps there should have been some taco seasoning added.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Crockpot Chicken Cordon Bleu
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 Swiss cheese slices, halved
3 ham slices, halved
2 tablespoons margarine
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
Flatten chicken breasts with a wooden mallet. Cover each half breast with a slice of cheese and ham (thinly sliced ham). Secure with toothpicks. In skillet, brown chicken in hot margarine. Arrange in crock pot. Combine soup and remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cover pot and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours.
Notes: I used 2.5 lbs. of chicken and tripled all the other ingredients to feed 8 people. I used lemon pepper, and I used more than the recipe called for. I didn't have any toothpicks, but there were a couple of chicken breasts that stayed rolled up in the crockpot, and I think those turned out the best.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Summer Vegetable Penne
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the onion, summer squash, zucchini, mushrooms, and garlic in butter until tender. In a bowl, whisk the flour, seasonings, and cream until smooth; add to skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Drain pasta and add to vegetable mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Serves 6.
Note: I added some chopped tomatoes and chicken to the recipe, and it still tasted good. Could have used more seasoning. Read More......
Chiliquiles (Chicken or Beef)
1 20 oz. can enchilada sauce
1 onion, sliced
1-2 c. grated cheese
1 lb. browned hamburger or 3 to 4 cooked chicken breasts
1/2 lb. corn chips, broken up
In frying pan, put onions and cooked meat. Saute until onions are 1/2 cooked. Add enchilada sauce and enough corn chips to soak up sauce. Take off burner. Add 1 cup grated cheese. Stir well. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and cover until cheese is melted. Top with sour cream, shredded lettuce, jalapenos, or salsa. Eat with corn chips. Serves 6-8.
Note: I made this with the red enchilada sauce, but I think it would probably be better with green. I am also wondering if tortilla chips could be substituted for corn chips, as I am not a big fan of corn chips.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Sweet and Sour Chicken (1)
1/2 cup French (or Catalina) dressing
1/2 cup apricot or peach jam/preserves
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
6 chicken breasts, cut into large pieces
Rinse chicken with cold water. Place in crockpot. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low, 8 to 10 hours (NOTE: I only cooked it for 6 1/2 hours, and the chicken was a bit overdone. Between 5 and 6 would probably be better.) Serve with rice. Serves 6 to 8.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Beef Stroganoff Sub
2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 C. onion
1/2-1 tsp salt
1/2-1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper (optional)
1 loaf French bread
2 C. sour cream
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1-2 lg. green peppers
3 C. cheddar cheese
Brown meat and onion. Drain. Add salt, garlic, and pepper. Cut bread in half length-wise on baking sheet. Take meat off heat and stir in sour cream. Spread meat mixture on open slices of bread, covering entire surface. Sprinkle tomatoes, peppers, and cheese on top of meat. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Serves 6 to 8.
NOTE: As Jill said in her comment, this makes a lot of topping. I failed to mention that before. When I made it, both slices of bread were super overloaded with topping. This probably makes enough for 2 loaves of bread, or the recipe can be halved for 1 loaf.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Omelets
Directions for making the perfect omelet (from http://www.pineapple-girl.com/omelet.htm):
1.
Use a standard non-stick medium skillet. Spray a very light coat of Pam or other cooking spray over the whole pan. Let the pan warm to a medium-low heat (like, 4 on a scale of 10). (I am usually a butter fan, but I don't recommend it for this. You need very light, even greasing that won't pool or burn.)
2.
In a bowl, add a bit of milk to your three eggs. I don't know how to explain how much milk, because I forgot to measure it. I guess about a quarter of a cup -- it's an eyeball thing. Two heavy pours, or "gloop gloop." I know some people leave it out, but I believe the milk is the 1st key to a perfect omelet.
[9-7-04. Editor's note: After two years, I finally measured. It's two tablespoons. Also, I am revising my statement that milk is necessary. I have been experimenting with both ways, since posting this tutorial, and I will grudgingly admit that a perfect omelet can be made with just beaten egg. Be sure to whisk them thoroughly, and be sure to pour into a pre-heated pan. The egg is more eggy and not as fluffy, but they set up faster and more evenly. So, make it a matter of personal taste.]
3.
Add some seasoning to taste. I like a little salt and fresh-ground pepper, and a hit of Tony's. Whisk the eggs.
4.
Pour the egg mixture in the skillet, and swish it around so that a fine layer of egg sticks to the side of the pan. Do this by picking up the skillet and rotating it slightly. This is Swish #1, and it is the 2nd key to the perfect omelet.
5.
Leave the egg mixture alone for a few minutes to allow it to cook and "set up." You will know the egg has cooked enough to proceed when the egg whites have actually turned white.
6.
While the egg cooks, take a minute to make sure your fillings are mise en place. Anything you like can go into an omelet. In my opinion, some sort of cheese is necessary because it makes the omelet hold nicely -- and then vegetables and meats are great additions. Today I've grabbed some diced turkey, fresh mushrooms, shredded cheddar, and a slice of swiss. I wish I had some chives, but it's no big deal. Other good fillings: ham, jack cheese, smoked salmon, bell peppers, crumbled bacon, proscuitto, spinach...
7.
When the egg is about 70% cooked solid, it is time for the second swish. Whatever liquid mixture is left in the skillet, swirl it around the edges again to make the crispy edge layer thicker. Swish #2 is (wait for it) the 3rd key to the perfect omelet.
8.
Let the omelet continue to cook until the crispy thin egg edge starts to pull away from the pan. This is when to add your fillings.
9.
Put your fillings in the omelet on one side only, in a half moon shape. I try to put the fillings on the opposite side from where the crispy edge started to pull away, since that side will probably be easiest to fold over. Leave a little room around the circumference so the fillings don't spill out.
10.
The edges should really be pulling away from the pan now. Take your fork and run the tines around the outside edge of the omelet, to make sure the egg layer has not stuck. Then, you can use your thumb and forefinger to grab the empty side of the omelet and fold it over the fillings. Be gentle: the egg layer is delicate -- you don't want to tear it.
11.
Get your plate out while you let the folded omelet sit for about 30 seconds. Take a spatula and run it under the omelet to make sure it is not stuck to the pan. Get ready for the slide!
12.
Angle the skillet over your plate and slide. The omelet should slip nicely out of the pan and onto the plate. If you like you can use the spatula underneath to coax it. Yay! Read More......
Santa Fe Chicken Soup
4 chicken breasts (cut up) or 2 cans chicken
1 small onion diced
15 oz. can corn, not drained
24 oz. can pinto beans, not drained
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 lb Velveeta cheese (cubed) (I used half this amount, and I used the "Mexican" Velveeta)
¼ c. milk
Mix all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.
(Note: this can also be cooked on the stove top. Pre-cook chicken and onions, then throw in pot with everything else and heat up. Double this recipe for 8 people.)
Continental Chicken
1 (2 1/4 oz.) pkg. dried beef, rinsed
3 - 4 chicken breasts, halved and boned
6 - 8 slices smoked, lean bacon
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 c. sour cream mixed with 1/4 c. flour
Arrange dried beef on bottom of greased crockpot. Wrap each piece of chicken with a strip of bacon and place on top of the dried beef. Mix soup, sour cream and flour together. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 7 to 9 hours (or on high for 3 to 4 hours). Serve over hot buttered noodles or with rice. Serves 6 to 8.
NOTE: The picture is from when I made this a 2nd time, on 3/16/08, and doesn't really do this justice. Yummy!
Crockpot Ham and Scalloped Potatoes
6 to 8 slices of ham
8 to 10 med. potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 c. grated Cheddar or American cheese
1 can cream of celery or mushroom soup
Put half of ham, potatoes and onions in crockpot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then grated cheese. Repeat with remaining half. Spoon undiluted soup over top. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours in crockpot or high 4 hours. Variations: sausage instead of ham and omit the cheese. Serves 6-8.
(I left the potatoes unpealed, used red onions instead of regular onions, added green bell peppers, and used a different kind of cheese and it still turned out well.)
Tangy Chicken (or Pork)
8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (or equivalent amount of pork spare ribs)
2 (18oz each) bottles barbecue sauce
1 20 oz can pineapple chunk, undrained
1 med green bell pepper chopped
1 med onion chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Hot cooked rice
Place 4 chicken breasts in a 5 qt slow cooker. Combine barbecue sauce, pineapple, green pepper, onion and garlic; pour half over the chicken. Top with remaining chicken and sauce. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until chicken is tender. Thicken sauce if desired. Serve the chicken and sauce over rice. Serves 6-8.
NOTE: I tried this again, except I used pork spare ribs instead of chicken. It was still very tasty.
Deluxe Cheeseburger Melt
1 1/3 cups Bisquick
¼ cup water
2 eggs
1 ½ cup shredded cheese
1 lb. ground beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup frozen veggies
Mix Bisquick, water, eggs, and 1 cup cheese. Spread in 9x13 pan (should probably grease pan). Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brown beef. Stir in soup and veggies. Pour over batter. Bake 23-25 minutes. Top with remaining cheese. (Double for 8 people. Might be interesting to put Bisquick on top.)
Chicken in a Pot
1 chicken, whole or in pieces
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup ketchup
carrots and onions or other veggies (see note)
Put chicken in 9x13 pan. Chop veggies into chunks and stuff into spaces around chicken. Mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, and ketchup. Pour over chicken and veggies. Cover with aluminum foil. Cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until chicken is done.
NOTE: The picture is from when Brittany and I made this again (3/2/08). I meant to halve the recipe, but for some reason I got confused and made the same amount of sauce, thinking that it was half. So there is more sauce in the image than there should be. We didn't have carrots, so we used celery and green onions. We found that the celery soaked up the sauce more, and thus was a bit strong. Less porous vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and water chestnuts result in a better taste. Vegetables such as celery and broccoli are still great, but probably taste better if cooked separately. I found this recipe on the 100 Hour Board (theboard.byu.edu).
Tostada Casserole
1 lb. Hamburger
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce (divided) (or two 8 oz. cans)
1 package taco seasoning
2.5 cups corn chips, coarsely crushed and divided
1 can (15 oz.) Pinto beans – rinse and drain
½ cup shredded cheese
Brown hamburger, drain. Add ½ tomato sauce and taco mix. Blend well. Line bottom of greased 8 in. square baking dish with 2 cups of corn chips. Combine remaining tomato sauce and beans. Spread meat mixture over the chips. Spoon bean mixture over the meat. Bake at 350 to 375 for 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle cheese and remaining corn chips on top, then bake 5 more minutes (melt cheese). 4-6 servings.
Note: I enjoyed this even more when I topped it with a bit of sour cream before eating.
Pumpkin Soup
4 T butter
½ cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove – chopped
2 cups canned pumpkin
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
pinch sugar
1/3 tsp curry powder (optional)
½ tsp pepper
1 cup light cream
Plenty of chopped veggies – carrots, celery, etc.
Sauté carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in butter about 5 minutes. Add other ingredients, EXCEPT cream. Cook about 30 minutes. Add cream just before serving. May also be made in a crock pot.
(From Aunt Kristen.)
(This was really good served in soup bowls. And I swear it tasted much better the next day as leftovers.)
Picante Chicken
1 cup salsa
1 pkg taco seasoning
2 cups minute rice
2 1/2 cups water
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
1 cup shredded cheese
Bring chicken, salsa, taco mix, and water to boil. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Return to boil. Stir in rice and beans. Cover and cook on low 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve with tortilla chips. Makes 8 servings.
Notes: This recipe makes more food than it might seem. It fed 8 people easily, if I remember right. You can also use regular rice in place of minute rice: just cook the rice separately and add it at the end, and reduce the amount of water used to simmer the chicken (maybe to a half cup or so).
Creamy Chicken Italiano
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut in strips or chunks
1 envelope of dry Italian salad dressing mix
¼ cup of water
8 oz. pkg of cream cheese, softened
2 cans (10 ¾ oz.) cream of chicken or mushroom soup
Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine salad dressing mix and water. Pour over chicken. Cover. Cook on low for 3 hours. Combine cheese and soup until blended. Pour over chicken. Cover. Cook on low 1 hour or until chicken juices run clear. Serve over rice or noodles.
(Double this recipe for 8 people.)
Chicken Broccoli Casserole w/ Onion Rings
I didn't really follow a recipe for this one, but this is what I think I remember using:
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 bag frozen broccoli (fresh broccoli would also work fine, of course)
1 or 2 cans cream of chicken or mushroom soup
A little bit of milk - maybe 1/4 cup
1 can of water chestnuts (I don't remember the exact size, but it was the smaller one)
1 bag of onion rings
I cut up the chicken into chunks and put it in a baking dish (9x13 or whatever they are). Then I mixed everything but the onion rings and poured it on top of the chicken, trying to spread it out evenly. I placed the onion rings on top. After consulting with my mom, I believe that I may have cooked it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Just make sure the chicken is done before you eat it.
Double this recipe to feed 8 people.
Lasagna Toss
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
dash of minced garlic (or garlic salt/powder 1/4 tsp)
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce
6 oz spiral noodles
1 cup cottage cheese
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
grated Parmesan
Brown beef w/ onion and garlic and salt. (Add garlic and salt after draining hamburger for more flavor.) Stir in spaghetti sauce. Simmer until heated. Remove 1 cup meat sauce and set aside. Stir noodles into remaining sauce. Place half of noodle mixture in greased 2 qt. casserole dish. Cover with cottage cheese and 1 cup mozarella cheese. Add remaining noodle mixture; top with reserved meat sauce and remaining mozarella. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake, covered with tin foil, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Optional - add Parmesan after cooking. (4-6 servings)
Aussie Chicken
4 skinless/boneless chicken breasts
½ pkg cooked bacon (crumbled)
Cajun spice (optional)
½ tsp. onion powder (or sliced purple onions)
½ cup mustard
½ cup honey
¼ cup karo syrup
1 pkg. sliced button mushrooms (can be replaced with green peppers)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Flatten chicken (pound it). Sprinkle both sides with Cajun spice (or salt and pepper) and fry in pan until almost done. Combine mustard, onion powder, honey, karo syrup, and mix well. Move chicken to baking dish. Top with bacon, onions, and mushrooms/peppers. Pour honey mixture over top. Top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. (Double for eight people.)
Velveeta Salsa Mac
1 lb ground beef
2 c. elbow macaroni
12 oz. velveeta cheese
16 oz. salsa
2 c. water*
Serve with tortilla chips or on soft taco shells
Brown beef & strain. Add salsa and water to beef. Let boil. Next add macaroni. Let simmer until macaroni is tender. Add cheese. Stir until melted.
*If more water is needed, add about ½ c. more.
(We fed 7 adults and 3 children and had leftovers with this amount. Just to be safe, you can add a little more macaroni and water. -Jill)
Cider Pork Stew
2 pounds Pork
3 tablespoons Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
6 Carrots
4 Potatoes
2 Onions
1 Apple
2 cups Apple cider
1 tablespoon Vinegar
1/2 cup Cold water
1/4 cup Flour
Cube boneless pork, slice onion and carrot, quarter potato, chop apple. Combine 3 tbsp flour, salt, thyme and pepper, toss with meat. Put carrots, potatoes, onion and apple in cooker. Top with meat cubes. Combine apple cider and vinegar, pour over meat. Cover, cook on low for 10-12 hours. Turn cooker to high. Blend 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 cup cold water, blend well. Stir into liquid in crockpot. Cover, cook 15 minutes or until thickened. Season to taste. From Better Homes & Gardens: Crockery Cooking Servings: 8
(Good flavor, but not as sweet as I expected it to be. Couldn’t fit all ingredients into the crock pot.)
Santa Fe Chicken
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 (15 1/4 oz) cans whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup bottles thick and chunky salsa
5 or 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
In a 3 and a half or 4 quart electric crockpot mix together the beans, corn and half cup salsa. Top with chicken breasts then pour the remaining cup of salsa over the chicken. Cover and cook on the high heat setting for 2 and a half to 3 hours or until the chicken is tender and white throughout. Do not overcook or the chicken will toughen. Sprinkle the cheese on top and cover and cook just until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Serve with chopped scallions, tomatoes and tortilla chips on the side. Serves 5 or 6
spreading the love
Hi, everybody. I decided that this might be an interesting place to keep track of everything that I have cooked so far for dinner group - one easy place to find all my recipes. For everything that I have cooked in the past, I will just try and post the recipe. For everything in the future, I'm thinking about taking and uploading a snapshot of the finished meal.
If any one else in the dinner group is interested in sharing their recipes, let me know. I can give you access to post to this blog.
-John
