Baked Praline French Toast

Ingredients
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
10 to 12 slices soft bread, 1 inch thick

Topping
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup maple syrup
2 cups chopped pecans

Directions
Generously butter a 9x13 inch casserole dish.  Mix the eggs, half-and-half, syrup, and sugar in a large bowl.  Place the bread slices in the prepared casserole dish and cover with the egg mixture.  Cover with plastic wrap and let soak overnight in the refrigerator.

In the morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Remove the casserole from the refrigerator.

Make the topping: melt the butter in a saucepan.  Add the sugar and maple syrup and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.  Stir in the pecans.  Pour the mixture over the bread and bake for 45 to 55 minutes.  Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes:  Delicious - but how could anything with this much butter and sugar not be?  I made this for Brittany's birthday breakfast this year, and while I'm still probably more fond of the other baked French toast recipe we've tried (Apple with Caramel Sauce), this was certainly tasty.  I've been enjoying the leftovers as dessert for my lunches.  This recipe comes from a blog called "Crave. Indulge. Satisfy."

Brittany's notes: I love pecans, maple, and brown sugar combined, so I thought this was absolutely delicious. It may have tasted even better since I didn't have to make it :)

Bacon-Wrapped Meat Loaf

 Ingredients
Glaze
1/2 cup chili sauce (or substitute ketchup)
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
4 tsp. cider vinegar

Meat Loaf
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 med. onion, chopped
2 med. cloves garlic, minced
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp hot sauce
1/2 cup plain yogurt (or whole milk)
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
1/2 lb. ground veal (or more pork instead)
2/3 cup Saltine crackers, crushed (about 18) or quick oatmeal, or 1 1/3 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
6-8 oz. bacon, thin sliced (8 to 12 slices, depending on loaf shape)

Directions:
1. For the glaze: Mix all ingredients in small saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened and set aside.
2. For the meat loaf: Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat oil in medium skillet.  Add onion and garlic; saute until softened, about 5 minutes.  Set aside to cool while preparing remaining ingredients.
3. Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and milk or yogurt.  Add egg mixture to meat in large bowl along with crackers, parsley, and cooked onion and garlic; mix with fork until evenly blended and meat mixture does not stick to bowl.  (If mixture sticks, add additional milk or yogurt a couple tablespoons at a time until it no longer sticks.)
4. Turn meat mixture onto work surface.  With wet hands, pat mixture into approximately 9-by-5-inch loaf shape.  Place on foil-lined (for easy cleanup) shallow baking ban.  Brush with half the glaze, then arrange bacon slices, crosswise, over loaf, overlapping slightly and tucking only bacon tip ends under loaf.
5. Bake loaf until bacon is crisp and loaf registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour.  Cool 10-15 minutes.  While meat loaf is cooling, re-heat remaining sauce and brush some over loaf if desired.  Slice meat loaf and serve with extra glaze.

Notes: I'm pretty sure Brittany didn't follow this recipe exactly (I don't think we had hot sauce or ground pork, and I know we didn't have veal), but whatever she did was still tasty.  This recipe came from Our Best Bites, which apparently got it from America's Test Kitchen.  I'm not sure if it was the bacon, but I didn't enjoy this as much when eaten as leftovers compared to other meatloaf recipes we've tried (regular and mushroom-and-sour-cream).  Also, we didn't have very much extra glaze for serving with the sliced meatloaf.
Update by Brittany: I used 1 pound of ground pork in addition to the ground beef. I used oatmeal instead of crushed crackers, and we didn't have any Dijon mustard, chili sauce, or hot sauce on hand. I agree with John-it was tasty (and it made the house smell delicious!), but I would probably prefer one of the other meatloaf recipes to this one. Perhaps I will try it again without the bacon. The glaze was really yummy.

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

Ingredients
1 1/4 lb ground beef
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. egg noodles
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cup small curd cottage cheese
1/2 cup sliced green onions (less to taste)
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brown beef in a large skillet.  Drain fat, then add tomato sauce, 1/2 tsp salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper.  Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.  Cook egg noodles until al dente.  Drain and set aside.  In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese.  Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper.  Add to noodles and stir.  Add green onions and stir.  To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish.  Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar.  Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted.  Serve with crusty French bread.

Notes: This recipe is from the Pioneer Woman.  When I first saw it in the dish I thought it would be similar to the Lasagna Toss recipe we've got on this blog, but the flavor was completely different.  Tasty.

Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients
1 lb. spicy Italian sausage, crumbled
1/2 lb. smoked bacon, chopped
1 qt. water
2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
2 to 4 russet potatoes, cubed
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 med. onion, chopped
2 C. chopped kale or swiss chard
1 C. heavy whipping cream
Salt and pepper

Directions
1. In a skillet, brown the sausage, breaking it into pieces; set aside.
2. In a skillet, brown the bacon and crumble it into pieces; set aside.
3. Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are done.  Add sausage and bacon to pot and simmer 10 more minutes.
4. Add kale and cream at last minute.  Let sit for a while but don't boil it.

Notes: This recipe came from Brittany's sister, Stephanie.  Very tasty!

Creamy Potato Soup

Ingredients:
6 c. diced and peeled potatoes
5 c. water
2 c. diced onions
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped carrots
1/4 c. butter
4 tsp. bouillon cubes (may want to start with 2 and add to taste)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
12 oz. can evaporated milk
3 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:
In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients except for milk, parsley, and cheese. Cook on high for 7-8 hours  until veggies are tender. Stir in milk and parsley. Stir in cheese until it melts, or serve it on top of individual servings.

Notes: Feeds 8-10 people. We got this recipe from Brittany's mom.

Rice-Sausage Bake

Ingredients
1 lb. ground sausage
1 C. celery, chopped
1 1/2 C. rice, uncooked
1 pkg. Lipton noodle soup mix
1 C. water

Directions
1. Cook rice until almost done.  Brown sausage with celery.
2. Add rice, Lipton noodle soup mix, and water.
3. Put in a casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees until rice is cooked and casserole is warmed all the way through, about 20 minutes.

Notes: This recipe came from Brittany's sister, Melanie.  When I first saw it after Brittany made it I thought the flavor was going to be a bit bland, but I actually ended up really liking it.  We will definitely have this again in the future.

Pulled Pork with Root Beer Sauce

Ingredients
1 (2 1/2 to 3 lb) pork sirloin roast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp cooking oil
2 med. onions, cut into thin wedges
1 cup root beer*
2 Tbsp minced garlic
3 cups root beer (2 12-oz cans or bottles)*
1 cup bottled chili sauce
1/4 tsp root beer concentrate (optional)
Several dashes bottled hot pepper sauce (optional)
8 to 10 hamburger buns, split (toasted, if desired)
Lettuce leaves (optional)
Tomato slices (optional)
*Do not use diet root beer

Directions
1. Trim fat from meat.  If necessary, cut meat to fit into a 3.5- to 5-quart crockery cooker.  Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper.  In a large skillet brown meat on all sides in hot oil.  Drain off fat.  Transfer meat to cooker.  Add onions, the 1 cup root beer, and garlic.
2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
3. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a medium saucepan combine the 3 cups root beer and the chili sauce.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Boil gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 2 cups.  If desired, add root beer concentrate and hot pepper sauce.
4. Transfer meat to a cutting board or serving platter.  Using a slotted spoon, remove onions from cooking juices and place on a serving platter.  Discard juices.  Using 2 forks, pull meat apart into shreds.  To serve, if desired, line buns with lettuce leaves and tomato slices.  Add meat and onions; spoon on sauce.

Notes: This recipe comes from the Better Homes and Gardens 12th Edition Cook Book, and is one of their "Best Loved" recipes.  I have only had root beer pulled pork a few times in my life, but I have enjoyed it every time.

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (ours was about 5 pounds)

Non-stick cooking spray

Paprika

Garlic

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Spray a large crock pot with non-stick cooking spray. Take chicken out of its packaging and remove the innards from the inside of the chicken (these are usually conveniently packaged in a bag, but my chicken today just had them floating around inside the cavity...). Rinse the chicken well, both inside and out. Place the chicken in the crock pot and season with any combination of spices/herbs you want. I used paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper. You can also use the herb combination from this roasted chicken recipe. Put the lid on the crock pot, turn it on low, and leave it in there for about 7 hours. Make sure your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees F to ensure that it is fully cooked. Once the chicken is done, remove it from the crock pot, cut up, and serve.

Notes from Brittany: I loved how easy and practically effortless this meal was. As I removed the chicken from the crock pot, the drumsticks and wings just fell off and the meat was really tender. The skin doesn't get crispy like it does in the oven, but I liked cooking the chicken this way, since I don't have a roasting pan and like to have all the drippings and liquid leftover for my own chicken stock. I got the idea for this meal from my visiting teacher and did a little research online. I followed the Happy Housewife's directions. I suggest reading her post and the comments for some great tips and ideas. After dinner tonight, I removed all the meat from the bones and place the bones back in the crock pot with all the juices that were left from cooking the chicken. I added some carrots, celery, and onions and enough water to cover the bones and veggies, then turned the crock pot on low and will leave it overnight to cook my own chicken stock. The Happy Housewife goes into more details about this on her blog.

Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients

4 large or 6 medium sweet peppers (red, yellow, or orange)

1 Tbsp salt

1/2 C white rice

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 to 1 jalapeño, minced (or a small 3oz can of mild green chilies)

1 (14 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn kernels

2 green onions, sliced

1/2 to 1 tsp chipotle chili powder, to taste

1 tsp kosher salt, more to taste

1/4 tsp black pepper, more to taste

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted

1 1/4 C jack or pepper jack cheese, divided

3 to 4 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

tortilla chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare peppers by washing, slicing tops off, and removing insides.  Bring 4 quarts water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt.  Boil whole peppers for about 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften.  Remove from water with tongs and place on paper towels to drain.

Add rice to boiling water and cook until tender, about 13 minutes.  Drain thoroughly.

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onions, garlic, and jalapeño and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add corn, beans, green onions, chipotle chili powder, kosher salt, and pepper.  Stir until corn and beans are heated through, about 5 minutes.  Place peppers in a baking dish. Remove skillet from heat and add rice, tomatoes, 1 cup cheese, and cilantro.  Stir to combine well and give it a taste.  Add additional salt, pepper, and chili powder to your liking.  Then evenly divide mixture between peppers.  Top peppers with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and crushed tortilla chips.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Notes: Delicious!  I found this recipe on Our Best Bites.  Apparently our peppers weren't large enough because we had a lot of leftover filling.  (The filling by itself was tasty, too, when eaten with tortilla chips.)  I don't think this recipe would work as well with green bell peppers.  Much better, in my opinion, than Croation Stuffed Peppers.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Ingredients
1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese
small corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray


Directions
1. Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.
2. Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.
3. Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.
4. Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up as tight as you can.
5. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.
6. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.


Notes: Brittany found this recipe on a blog called Our Best Bites.  As you can see from the photos, our tortillas cracked.  These were really quite tasty.

Spaghetti Pie

 Ingredients
4 oz. dried spaghetti
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese, drained
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.  Drain.
2. Return spaghetti to warm saucepan.  Stir butter into hot pasta until melted.  Stir in egg and Parmesan cheese; set aside.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet cook ground beef, onion, sweet pepper, garlic, and fennel seeds until meat is brown and onion is tender.  Drain.  Stir in tomato sauce and oregano; heat through.
4. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.  Press spaghetti mixture onto bottom and up sides of pie plate, forming a crust.  Spread cottage cheese on the top and up the sides of pasta crust.  Spread meat mixture over cottage cheese.  Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.  To serve, cut into wedges.

Notes: This was actually quite tasty, and reminded me somewhat of lasagna.  It comes from the Better Homes and Gardens 12th Edition cook book, and is one of their "Best Loved" recipes.  Makes 6 servings.

Chicken Tacos

Ingredients
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup lemonade
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 bay leaf
1 (12 oz.) package corn tortillas
1 head lettuce, shredded
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 (8 oz.) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (8 oz.) jar salsa
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream

Directions
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, combine chicken, lemonade, olive oil, lime juice, and Worchestershire sauce.  Season with garlic powder, onion powder, and bay leaf.  Simmer until chicken is no longer pink, and juices run clear, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, warm the tortillas in the oven or microwave until soft.  When chicken is fully cooked, transfer to serving bowl.  Place lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, salsa, and sour cream in serving dishes.  Each person can create their own wrap, using their preferred ingredients.

Notes: We didn't have lemonade, so we used limeade.  Lemonade would probably have been better.  We also used flour tortillas instead of corn.  We liked this recipe but didn't think it was anything special.  It didn't really taste anything like what I expect a taco to taste like.  My sister-in-law has a chicken taco recipe that we like much better that we will have to make some time in the future.  Brittany found this recipe on allrecipes.com.  Makes 8 servings.

Pork Chops with Raspberry Sauce

Ingredients
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried sage, crushed
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 (4 oz.) boneless pork loin chops
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
2 Tbsp. orange juice
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
4 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). In a small bowl, combine crushed thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Rub evenly over pork chops.

2. Melt butter and olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Cook pork chops for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, turning once. Remove from skillet and keep warm in preheated oven.

3. In the skillet, combine raspberry jam, orange juice, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until sauce is reduced to desired consistency (sauce will thicken as it cools). Spoon sauce in a pool onto a serving plate, and top with pork chops. Garnish with sprigs of thyme.              

Notes: Brittany's sister, Kim, shared this recipe with us, and she found it on allrecipes.com.  We obviously didn't follow the directions exactly, since our pork is bone-in, our raspberry sauce has seeds in it, and we put the sauce on top.  Still, very tasty.  I think this is only our second pork chop recipe on the blog, but we prefer this one to Pork Chops and Orange Rice.

Tamale Pie Dinner Muffins

Ingredients
Corn Bread
1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 c. cornmeal
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. milk
1/4 c. oil
1 egg

Tamale Pie Filling
1 1/2 to 2 lbs. ground beef (browned and drained)
1 can cream-style or regular corn (or equivalent frozen)
1 1/2 tsp. chile powder
Optional: chopped olives, green peppers, onions

Directions
1. Make corn bread mixture:
  a. Combine dry ingredients.
  b. Stir in milk, oil, and egg.
  c. Mix just until dry ingredients are moistened (do not over-mix).

2. Make tamale pie filling:
  a. Brown beef (and green peppers and onions if desired), then drain.
  b. Add remaining ingredients (corn, chile powder, olives) and mix together.

3. Grease muffin pan.  Pour in a layer of corn bread mixture, then a layer of tamale pie filling, then another layer of corn bread mixture into each cup of the muffin pan.

4. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until corn bread is golden brown on top.

Notes: The proportion of ingredients for the corn bread and the filling may be off a little (there may be more filling than corn bread), since this is just a combination of 2 different recipes.  See also our Tamale Pie recipe.  I believe Brittany's sister, Kimberly, came up with the idea to make these.  Other fillings can also be used.

Homemade Pizza

BBQ Ranch Pizza

  

Ingredients:
Pizza Dough
3/4 c. warm water
1 Tbsp. (or 1 package) yeast
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. shortening

Toppings
1/2 - 3/4 c. light sour cream
Ranch dressing (dry) mix
1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
BBQ sauce
Green pepper, chopped
Green onions, chopped
Pineapple
Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:
1. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Sift together all-purpose flour, wheat flour, and salt. Cut in shortening. Add yeast and water mixture to flour mixture. Mix well with a fork and knead until smooth. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
2. While dough is resting, prepare toppings. For the sauce, combine sour cream and your desired amount of dry ranch dressing mix. Start with a little bit and taste as you add to your liking. Add desired amount of BBQ sauce to shredded chicken.
3. Press dough onto a greased pizza pan or place on a preheated pizza stone that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. (If using a pizza stone, you may want to shape the dough and add the toppings, then transfer it to the pizza stone, although this can be tricky without a pizza peel.)
4. Assemble the pizza by adding sauce, shredded chicken, green peppers, green onions, pineapple, and cheese.
5. Bake in a 450 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned and crust is cooked through.

Jalapeno Bacon Pizza

Ingredients:
1 pizza dough recipe (above)
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1-2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
Bacon, cooked and chopped
Red onion, chopped (optional)
Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:
1. Prepare pizza dough by following the instructions above.
2. If you want a spicy sauce, add some of the seeds from the pepper to the cream cheese. Make sure the cream cheese is soft enough to spread over the pizza crust.
3. Press dough onto a greased pizza pan or place on a preheated pizza stone that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. (If using a pizza stone, you may want to shape the dough and add the toppings, then transfer it to the pizza stone, although this can be tricky without a pizza peel.)
4. Assemble the pizza by adding cream cheese, jalapenos, bacon, onion, and mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake in a 450 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned and crust is cooked through.

Notes:
This is one of John's favorite meals. You can make the crust with all white flour, but we have found that the half-wheat crust really enhances the flavor. I got the topping ideas from my sister, Kimberly, who makes really delicious pizzas! See also: Scrambled Egg Pizza.

Fried Rice

Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
3-4 slices cooked ham, chopped
1 c. frozen peas
1 carrot, shredded
4 cups cooked rice
Salt and pepper to taste
Soy sauce, if desired

Directions:
1. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. Spray skillet with cooking spray. Scramble eggs in skillet. Remove from pan and keep warm. Heat chopped ham in skillet until slightly brown. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
2. Add peas and carrots to skillet and cook for a couple minutes until they are tender. Add rice, cooked eggs and ham to the skillet and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. If desired, serve with soy sauce.

Dinner Braids

Ingredients

Enough bread dough for one loaf of bread (Brittany has a homemade bread recipe here)

Your choice of ingredients for the filling (see some options below)

Directions

I found it a little difficult to write the instructions in a clear way of how to braid the dough, and since we don't have a picture of the entire bread braid, I searched for a video that you can watch to see how it is done. You can use any combination of ingredients that you would like. This is a recipe that you can be very creative with. You can find the video here.

Just a few notes on what I do a little differently than the lady in the video: I roll the dough out onto my greased cookie sheet so that I don't have to transfer it later. Instead of using a ruler, I just eyeball it and try to make my strips equal. I also cut the strips using the edge of a large metal spatula, since it is about the length needed for the strips. You can choose to brush the dough with an egg white, or you can bake the braid without brushing it. If you add bread crumbs or spices on top, though, you will want to brush it with an egg white, oil, or melted butter. This recipe isn't as complicated as it seems, and is a fun variation of some common meals.

Dinner Braid Fillings

Chicken Broccoli and Cheese

1 ½ to 2 C. cooked shredded chicken

1 to 2 C. cooked broccoli

½ can cream of chicken soup or chicken gravy or more to taste

1 C. cheddar cheese

Chicken Cordon Bleu Braid

Ham or canadian bacon slices—enough to layer on bottom of braid

1 C. cooked shredded chicken

1 C. shredded swiss cheese

Layer the ingredients on the middle section of dough; braid. Spread egg wash or oil on braid and sprinkle seasoned bread crumbs on top before you let it raise. Bake.  You may pour gravy on to serve.

Taco Braid

½ to 1 lb. cooked ground beef flavored with taco flavoring

½ to 1 C. favorite cooked beans (kidney, black, pinto, refried, etc.)

Diced tomatoes

Green onions

Sliced olives

Cheddar cheese

Any other taco toppings that would bake well.

Chicken and Cream Cheese

2 cups cooked chicken shredded

cream cheese

green onions

Mix together and fill in braid.

Cream Cheese Dessert Braid

4 oz. softened cream cheese

½ C. powdered sugar

½ tsp. vanilla

Mix together well and spread in middle section of braid. Spread a small layer of jam or fresh fruit on top—you don't need a whole lot. Braid and bake. After it comes out of the oven, let it cool for 5-10 minutes then spread frosting on.

Frosting –this is about twice as much as you will need for one braid, so you can half it.

2 C. powdered sugar

¼ C. softened butter

½ tsp. vanilla

2 Tbsp. water

Other ideas

Chicken alfredo with peas, broccoli, carrots (all vegetables pre-cooked)

Cabbage bun filling (see here)

Pizza toppings—any variety, Hawaiian, supreme, etc.

BBQ pork or beef

Sloppy Joe

Chicken Club Brunch Ring

Ingredients
1 c. mayo
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. parsley
1 Tbsp. onion
4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
1 can chicken or 2 shredded chicken breasts
1 c. Swiss cheese
2 pkg. refrigerated crescent rolls
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, combine mayo, mustard, parsley, and onion. Mix well. In a 2nd bowl mix bacon, chicken, cheese, and 1/3 cup mayo mixture. Arrange crescent rolls on circular pizza pan with points of triangle hanging over the edge and wide ends overlapping. Place chicken mixture on rolls. Pull point to wide end and tuck under. Slice tomatoes and put on each roll. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve the leftover mayo mixture as dipping sauce.

Notes: This is another recipe we made a while ago from the Recipes and Remembrances cook book.  I had forgotten about it until I went looking through old photos.  I remember really liking it.  The raw onions in the leftover dipping sauce were too strong for my taste, though.  I prefer my onions cooked.

Variation
We tried this with taco meat, sour cream, and cheese as the filling.  It was also tasty that way, although I think I prefer the original.

Crockpot Beef Enchiladas

Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1 c. chopped onions
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
1 (15 oz.) can enchilada sauce
1 tomato, chopped
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 (7-inch) tortillas

Directions
In a skillet, brown and drain ground beef.  Add onion and pepper.  Add beans, chilies, enchilada sauce and tomato.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.  In crock pot, layer some beef mixture on bottom, then cover with a tortilla, then cheese.  Repeat over and over until meat mixture is gone, reserving some cheese for later.  Cook on low for 4 hours.  Add cheese on top for last hour.

Notes: We actually had this a few months ago, so I don't remember too many details.  I believe the tortillas we used more or less disintegrated, and, as can be seen from the photo, it didn't really end up looking like an enchilada.  Still, it was tasty and we enjoyed it.  The recipe comes from the Prairie 4th Ward's Recipes and Remembrances 2nd Edition cook book.

Cream Cheese Pasta

Ingredients
12 oz. garden noodles, cooked
1 large chicken breast, diced and cooked
8 oz. cream cheese
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. milk
2 tsp. parsley
1/2 bag of frozen California-style vegetables (broccoli, carrots, cauliflower)

Directions
Boil noodles in water until tender.  Dice chicken, then cook on medium heat until golden brown.  In a medium sauce pan, mix cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, butter, milk, and parsley on low heat until melted.  Add vegetables to chicken and stir until vegetables are cooked through.  Mix completed sauce with noodles and then serve.

Notes: Brittany added ham.  We didn't have California-style veggies, but we did have broccoli and cauliflower, so we used those.  Tasty.  We got this recipe from the Prairie 4th Ward Recipes and Remembrances cook book.

Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

Ingredients
1 cup chicken breasts, cooked and diced (you can use a rotisserie chicken)
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 quart half and half (or milk)
1 14 ounce can chicken broth
1/2 cup celery, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup carrots, finely shredded
1 cup onion, finely diced
1 cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin oil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon parsley
Freshly grated parmesan cheese – optional
1 pound potato gnocchi
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Sauté the onion, celery, and garlic in the butter and olive oil, when the onion becomes translucent, add the flour, and make a roux, let the butter and flour mixture cook for about a minute before adding 1 quart of half and half. Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Into the roux add in the carrots and chicken. Once the mixture becomes thick add the chicken broth. Once the mixture thickens again, add the cooked gnocchi, spinach, and seasonings.

Notes: Delicious.  Brittany found this recipe on Copykat Recipes.  We found gnocchi in the pasta section in a vacuum-sealed package, but we've also seen it in the frozen section before and Copykat Recipes suggests looking in the gourmet section.

Slow Cooker London Broil

Ingredients
2 pounds flank steak
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (optional)
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar (optional)

Directions
1. Place meat in the bottom of the slow cooker; if necessary, slice meat to make it fit!
2. In a medium bowl, mix together mushroom and tomato soup. Pour mixture over beef. Sprinkle dry onion soup mix over top.
3. Cover, and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours.

Notes: Brittany found this recipe on allrecipes.com.  She adjusted the recipe based on the comments and added the Worcestershire sauce and red wine vinegar.  She also cooked potatoes and carrots in tinfoil in the top of the crock pot according to the comments. They turned out really well.   

Macadamia Nut-Crusted Fish with Mango Chutney Sauce

Ingredients for fish:
1/4 c macadamia nuts
1/2 c panko bread crumbs
flour
1 egg
salt
pepper
butter

Ingredients for sauce:
1/4 c shallots
butter
1 can coconut milk
1 can pineapple juice
1/2 c pineapple (we used chunks; crushed may have been better)
1/2 c mango
1/2 c papaya
Shredded coconut (to taste)
Peppers, seeded and sliced (serranos, jalapenos, etc.)
2 Tbsp whipping cream
2 Tbsp sugar

Directions
Pulse nuts and bread crumbs in blender. Whip egg with salt and pepper to taste.  Dip fish in flour, egg mixture, and crumb mixture.  Pan fry in butter just until crumbs are golden brown.  Remove to a baking pan.

Cook shallots in butter until translucent.  Stir in all other sauce ingredients and simmer about 30 minutes while the fish bakes in the oven at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

Notes: We couldn't find any fresh papaya in our area here in Massachusetts, so we left it out.  We used tilapia fillets. We got this recipe from a friend in California.  She invited us over for dinner the night before we moved and made this.  Generally we aren't seafood people, but we both really liked this, especially the mango chutney sauce.  The photo doesn't give it justice.

Chili Relleno Casserole

Ingredients

2 large cans Ortega whole green chilies

3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated

3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

4 eggs, separated

4 Tbsp. flour

2/3 cup mik

1 small jar salsa

Directions

Grease glass baking dish (9x13). Put layer of chilies on bottom of dish (overlapping slightly). Take half the cheese and sprinkle cheese over chilies. Repeat to make two layers. Beat 4 egg whites till foamy (not stiff). Fluff egg yolks and stir together. Slowly add 4 tablespoons flour to egg mixture. Stir in well. Add 2/3 cup milk to mixture and mix well (should still be foamy). Pour over cheese and chilies. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Take out of the oven and pour 1 small jar of salsa on top. Bake additional 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Notes: We just topped ours with the salsa after serving it instead of pouring the salsa on and baking for another 15 minutes. Brittany had to halve the chilies in order to have enough for two layers. This is yet another recipe from the Prairie 4th Ward's Recipes and Remembrances cook book.

Nacho Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

1 medium green sweet pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 can (10 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

3 c. cubed cooked chicken

3 c. crushed tortilla chips

2 c. shredded cheese

Directions

In a large skillet, cook pepper, onion, chili powder, and cumin in hot oil until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and stir in soups and tomatoes. To assemble, sprinkle 1 1/2 c. crushed tortilla chips over bottom of 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish. Top with half of the chicken, half of soup mixture, half of cheese, and half of the crushed chips. Repeat until all layered. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until bubbly around edges. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and top with more tortilla chips. Top to your liking with sour cream, guacamole, olives, tomatoes, or green onions.

Notes: We got this recipe from the Recipes and Remembrances cook book that we have been using a lot recently. (There are lots more recipes to try, too.) I was a little surprised that the chips were still crunchy after baking.

Chinese Noodle Casserole

Ingredients

1-2 lb. ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

salt (to taste)

pepper (to taste)

1/4 c. soy sauce

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can water

sweet red or green bell peppers, green beans, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, etc. (optional)

1/2 c. rice

6 oz. can or package of Chinese noodles

Directions

Brown ground beef and onions. Drain. Add salt, pepper, soy sauce, soup, water, optional vegetables, and rice. Put in a large casserole dish. Cover and bake in oven at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover, stir, bake 20 minutes more (or until rice is soft). Stir, sprinkle with Chinese noodles. Bake an additional 10 minutes.

Variation: For a quicker cook time, cook the rice separately. Cook all the rest of the ingredients except for the noodles in a skillet until hot and bubbly. Add cooked rice to meat mixture or serve meat mixture over rice. Either way, top with noodles.

Notes: Makes about 8 servings. If I make this recipe again, I will cook the rice separately. After baking uncovered for 20 minutes, I increased the temperature to 350 and cooked for 20 minutes more and the rice still wasn't entirely cooked. We found this recipe in the Recipes and Remembrances 2nd Edition cook book mentioned in previous entries.

Mushroom and Sour Cream Meatloaf

Ingredients

2 c. sliced mushrooms

1 c. chopped onions

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 c. sour cream (we used plain, low-fat yogurt)

2 eggs

1/2 c. milk

2 lb. ground beef

3/4 c. bread crumbs

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Saute mushrooms and onions in butter. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and set aside. Combine remaining ingredients, except sour cream mixture. Put half of meat mixture into a loaf pan. Make a shallow trough in center of the meat and fill with sour cream mixture. Seal with remaining meat over top. Seal edges well. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Let stand before serving.

Notes: Like most of the recipes we've been trying recently, we got this recipe from my sister, Jill. Brittany ended up cooking this for 20 or 30 minutes longer than the recipe calls for because it wasn't done after an hour.

Chicken Ole

Ingredients

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

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

1 c. sour cream

2 Tbsp. grated onion

1 1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese

12 flour tortillas, each torn into 6-8 pieces

3-4 c. cubed, cooked chicken

7 oz. jar salsa

1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese

Directions

Combine soups, sour cream, onion, and 1 1/2 cups cheese in a bowl. Place one-third of each of the following in layers in the slow cooker: torn tortillas, soup mixture, chicken, and salsa. Repeat layers 2 more times. Cover. Cook on low 4-5 hours. (This recipe does not respond well to cooking on high.) Gently stir. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Cover. Cook on low another 15-30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips and lettuce.

Notes: Tasty. Brittany substituted plain yogurt for the sour cream. Apparently yogurt is healthier.

Relief Society Hash

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef

1 finely diced onion

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 c. frozen hash browns

salt and pepper to taste

1 c. shredded cheese

Directions

Brown ground beef and onion in skillet. Mix in cream of mushroom soup, hash browns and salt and pepper and spread into a 9x13 casserole dish. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Or microwave: mix and put in microwave safe dish. Cook for 15 minutes on 80% power. Stir; sprinkle with cheese and cook on full power for 1-2 minutes more. Serves 4-6.

Notes: If you are wondering what the Relief Society is, click here or here. We got this recipe from my sister, Jill. She suggested using the hash browns that come mixed with onions and peppers. We didn't have that kind, so we just added the peppers.

Kielbasa Bow Tie Skillet

Ingredients

8 oz. uncooked bow tie pasta

1 lb. fully cooked kielbasa or smoked polish sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 jar (4 1/2 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained

2 tsp. minced garlic

2 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 1/2 c. milk

1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen snow peas

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, sauté the sausage, mushrooms and garlic in butter. Combine the cornstarch and milk until smooth; gradually add to the skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Drain pasta; add to sausage mixture. Stir in the peas and cheese; cook until cheese is melted. Yield: 4 servings. Variation: add a package of Fiesta Ranch powder to add more flavor.

Notes: Another recipe from the Prairie 4th Ward's Recipes and Remembrances cook book. We used sugar snap peas instead of snow peas; they were cheaper and I like them more anyway. We both enjoyed this recipe. It's only the 2nd kielbasa recipe we've tried (the other is here) and it always nice to have more than one option.