Sausage Breakfast Casserole

This year for Christmas breakfast...we tried something different than cinnamon rolls (we were looking for something w/ no sugar since the kids get tons of that already Christmas Day). So I tried this casserole:

1 lb. Italian pork sausage (cook, drain, and crumbled)
4 1/2 cups cubed day old bread (I had read in other comments that they had substituted hashbrowns for the bread...so that's what I did.)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
10 eggs slightly beaten
4 cups milk
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
pepper to taste
1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (optional)
1/2 cup peeled, chopped tomatoes (optional)

Cook sausage, drain, and crumble into smaller pieces. Place bread (or hashbrowns) in a well buttered 9x13 baking pan. Sprinkle with cheese. Combine the eggs, milk, dry mustard, onion powder, and pepper. Pour evenly over the bread and cheese. Sprinkle sausage and optional ingredients over the top. At this stage you can cover and chill overnight, if you want to prepare ahead. If not, let sit for 10 minutes before putting in the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake uncovered for about one hour. Tent with foil if top begins to brown too quickly.

We enjoyed this change...the only "problem" was since I used frozen hashbrowns and let it sit overnight, the casserole was a bit "liquidy". Next time I think I will just make in the morning of so there won't be "water" just sitting in the pan when it's cooking.

Pumpkin Pies

Dave's favorite pie is pumpkin so I made pumpkin pie as well! :) (I also made key lime pie the same day but it was to give away to Santa's mouse...who did the 12 days of Christmas to our family...so much fun...especially for the kids)

I never use to like pumpkin pie until a few years back. But I learned a few months ago not all pumpkin pie is good! I'll definitely stick to the recipe and NEVER buy a store-bought pumpkin pie.

1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups (15 oz can) pumpkin
1 ½ cups (12 oz can) evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. (Do not freeze as this will cause the crust to separate from the filling...even leaving this pie in the cold garage will cause this to happen :)
For 2 shallow pies, substitute two 9-inch (2-cup volume) pie shells. Bake in preheated 425 degrees oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees; bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until pies test done.
NOTE: If using metal or foil pan(s), bake on preheated heavy-duty cookie sheet. (Yes, we learned this the hard way the first time we made pumpkin pie!!)

Lemon Merguine Pie

Ever since I was a little kid, lemon merguine pie has been my very favorite pie. My grandma, aunts, or my mom would make this pie every Thanksgiving/Christmas. It's something I've really enjoyed over the years. The past few years, it's just made more sense to stay home for Christmas so I treat myself to this pie :) This year I just followed the recipe on the "cook-n-serve" lemon pudding box. After I got halfway through making the pie I realized I have tons of lemon juice frozen in the freezer...next time I try a "real" lemon merguine pie (if I remember) The recipe on the box is as easy as pie :)

Here's my mom's recipe for the "real pie"
Filling:
½ cup corn starch
1 cup sugar
½ cup lemon juice
3 egg yolks
1 ½ cup water
1 tsp grated lemon rind (optional)
1 TBL margarine or butter
1 (9-inch) regular pre-baked pie shell

In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, sugar, and lemon juice; mix well. Beat egg yolks; add to mixture. Add water. Bring mixture just to boiling over medium heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add margarine and grated rind to thickened mixture and stir until thoroughly blended. Pour into baked shell.

Meringue:
3 egg whites
6 TBL sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. With electric mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until soft peak form. Gradually add sugar. Continue to beat on high speed to form stiff, glossy peaks. Spread meringue over filling, carefully sealing entire edge of crust to prevent shrinking. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Cool on cake rack away from draft for 2 hours. Refrigerate, serve cold.

Yes, it was delicious!! But I haven't had another piece since Christmas Day. Since I received WiiFit for Christmas, I'm trying to be better than I have been...which means for our house...no more snacks (no matter what kind they are) after 7 p.m. So far Dave & I are doing well...even though we went to see Twilight last night...we just stopped eating our snacks halfway through the movie :)

Fudge

Sorry...no picture to share because it was distributed on plates with the other goodies before I got to take a picture. Here's the recipe I used. It's my MIL's (the one from the Marshmellow creme bottle):

3 cups sugar
¾ cup margarine
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 12 oz pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1 7 oz bottle Marshmallow crème
1 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar, margarine, and milk in heavy 2.5 qt. saucepan; bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat or until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remover from heat; stir in chips until melted. Add marshmallow crème, nuts, and vanilla; beat until well blended. Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. Cool at room temperature, cut into squares.

Peanut Butter Candy Cookies

3/4 cup chunky peanut butter (I used creamy since someone in my house doesn't like crunch PB)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour (I used whole wheat flour)
2 cups quartered mini Reese's cups (I chopped mine with my pampered chef chopper)
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Beat peanut butter and butter in large bowl. Beat in brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda until blended. Beat in egg and vanilla until well blended. Beat in flour just until mixed. Stir in peanut butter cups. (I also added the chocolate chips here...I didn't realize they were for a "frosting"). Cover and refrigerate 1 hour until firm.

Preheat oven to 375. The original recipe is for 5-in cookies (hence the "need" for frosting) but I made these into just regular cookies. I scooped them onto a greased cookie and baked them for 10 minutes (until lightly browned). Removed to wire racks and cooled. Yummy, yummy! Can you tell I love peanut butter?!?! :)

Special K Bars

These are actually "corn flake" bars...every time I make these it seems I have corn flakes instead....they work just the same :)

1 cup sugar
1 cup light Karo Syrup
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups Special "K" Cereal (cornflakes work, too)
4-6 oz chocolate chips
4-6 oz butterscotch chips

Butter a 9x13 pan. Mix sugar and Karo Syrup in a large mixing bowl. Microwave for 2 1/2 minutes, stir then microwave for another 2 minutes. Immediately mix in peanut butter. Slowly mix in Special "K" cereal. Once mixed very well so all cereal is coated, spread in the bottom of your pan. In a separate small bowl, mix chocolate and butterscotch chips. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes, stir then microwave for an additional minute (continue in 1 minute increments until the mixture is melted). Pour mixture over Special "K" evenly. Chill in refrigerator for 2-4 hours. If you chill it, you'll have to wait to cut it because it's so hard...so you have to somewhat plan ahead :)

Hershey's Kisses Peanut Butter Blossoms

The recipe's on the package...

48 Hershey's Kisses
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 TBL milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
granulated sugar to roll cookie dough in

Heat oven to 375. Remove wrappers from chocolates. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Shape dough into 1" balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes (until lightly browned). Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. I doubled the recipe.

Melissa's Sugar Cookies

This recipe is from my friend Melissa. They are one of the best sugar cookies I've ever had! Here's the recipe:

2 cups shortening
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups sugar
2 cups sour cream
3 eggs
6 cups flour
1 tsp soda
2 tsp baking powder

Combine all ingredients. Chill for at least 1 hour. Roll out with flour and cut into desired shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Here's her recipe for icing:
1 cups shortening
1 cup butter
2 tsp vanilla
2 lb bag of powdered sugar
4 TBL water

In Kitchen Aid whip first 3 ingredients until smooth, add powdered sugar slowly and mix until it looks dry. Add your water and whip on high for 3-4 minutes - yummy!!!

Orange Rolls (Cinnamon Rolls)

Last week on Shelli's blog, she posted a yummy recipe for Orange Rolls. I made the recipe half with the orange mixture and the other half with a cinnamon mixture. They were DELICIOUS and so light tasting! They were FABULOUS hot out of the oven.

Orange Rolls (3 dozen)
In a small bowl, sprinkle 2 Tbs. dry yeast in ½ c. warm water and let set during next two steps.
In a large mixing bowl (Shelli uses a Bosch with the kneading paddle...I used my kitchen aid w/ the kneading paddle) combine 1 c. hot water, ½ c. softened butter, ½ c. granulated sugar, and 2 tsp. salt.
Beat 3 eggs separately in a small bowl, and add to slightly cooled mixture in mixing bowl.
Combine all above ingredients.
Mix in 2 ½ c. white flour until smooth. Then add another 2 ½ c. white flour until sticky smooth.
Leave covered in bowl in refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight.
2 ½ hours before baking, divide dough into thirds.
Roll dough into rectangle and spread 1/3 of the orange mixture (below) evenly onto the dough. Roll long ways and slice into 1” thick pieces (approx. 12 rolls per roll). Place in foil muffin cups. Repeat for all three rolls. You may use paper cups, but if you use the foil cups, the rolls—and the orange mixture—don’t stick to the foil. (I personally did not use the foil cups...I just put them in a 9x13 greased baking dish.)
Let rise approximately 2 hours and bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden.
Orange mixture
Combine ½ c. softened butter, 1 c. granulated sugar, and finely grated orange peel of one or two oranges, depending on your taste.
Cinnamon mixture (my own recipe)
Melt 1/2 cup butter and pour on dough and spread. Sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. (My kids & husband liked this one best.)
I also added my own glaze to the top of them at the kids' request. I mixed 2 cups powdered sugar w/ about 1 tsp vanilla and 1/4 cup margarine. Add milk 1 tsp at a time until you have the desired consistency that you want.

Hearty Winter Soup

This recipe originally came from my friend, Melissa. She served this to us at her house one night with homemade rolls and it was so delicious!!!!! Today was a colder day so it was the perfect soup day so I pulled out this recipe. Even the kids gobbled it up tonight...and they're not usually too thrilled w/ the veggies.

Here's the original recipe:

1 ½ cups water
1 cup cubed potatoes
½ cup chopped carrots
1 lb Velveeta cheese
1 cup cubed ham
dash pepper

Bring water, potatoes, and carrots to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Put in remainder of ingredients. Stir until cheese is melted.

Tonight I added chopped celery and frozen broccoli. It tasted just as good as usual and warmed us right up!

Beef Taco Skillet/Soup

Here's how I usually make this recipe:

1 lb ground beef
1 can tomato soup
1 cup salsa
½ cup water
8 flour tortillas, cut into 1” strips
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Cook beef in skillet until browned. Pour off fat. Add soup, salsa, water, tortillas, and half the cheese. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 5 minutes or until hot. Top with remaining cheese.

This time I added 1 can of kidney beans drained and about 1 cup frozen corn. We ate this more like a taco soup. We ate it with tortilla chips. It was very yummy and hit the spot on a cool day!

Sorry for the somewhat disgusting picture...I took the picture as one of the kids dished up their second-helping and the last of the pan so I needed a picture before it was gone!!

Peanut Butter Cups

This is a recipe I received when I was in high school from a friend from church. My favorite candy bar is a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup...so you can see why I like this quick, easy substitute :)


4 large graham crackers
1 cup peanut butter
1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, melted
1 large chocolate bar or chocolate chips

Put graham crackers in a plastic bag or between sheets of waxed paper. Crush with a rolling pin or hammer. Pour in mixing bowl. Blend in melted butter with cracker crumbs, peanut butter, and powdered sugar until completely mixed. Press into an 8-inch square pan. Melt chocolate bar or chocolate chips. Spread chocolate over peanut butter mixture. Let cool and cut into bars.

Mandarian Orange Salad

I had a salad similar to this at a family reunion this summer made by my CIL, Melissa. It was so delicious that I searched the internet. This is as close as I've come to her actual recipe so far:

CARAMELIZED ALMONDS:

1/2 c. sliced blanched almonds
1/2 c. sugar

DRESSING:

1 tsp. salt
Dash pepper
4 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. parsley
4 tbsp. vinegar
1/2 c. salad oil
Dash hot pepper sauce (I just use a little salsa)

SALAD:

1 head Romaine lettuce
2 c. chopped celery (I haven't added this)
4 chopped green onions (I haven't added this)
1 (15 oz.) can mandarin oranges

To caramelize almonds, cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar melts and sticks to nuts. Remove immediately from heat and cool in pan. Break into pieces. (Can be done ahead.)

Combine all dressing ingredients; shake until well mixed; chill.

Just before serving, assemble salad; toss with dressing and sprinkle 1/2 cup almonds on top.

Maria's Italian Meatballs

I just tried these on Friday night for "witches' eyeballs" in our brains (spaghetti) we had for dinner on Friday night. They were pretty good...but Dave and I really think they need a little bit more spice. They were just right for the kids so that's why I'm sharing :)

1 lb hamburger
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg (or 1/3 cup water)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic (this could of been part of the problem since I had to use garlic powder rather than a clove of garlic because I was actually out of garlic...which is kind of crazy since it seems I usually have 2-3 heads in the fridge at all times)
salt & pepper

Mix all ingredients together. If you use the water rather than the egg, don't add all of the water at one time. Mixture should be moist but not so that the meatballs fall apart. Shape meatballs to desired size and place on a broiler pan (I just used a glass 9x13 pan). Broil until outside is slightly brown on one side and then turn and broil the other side (I found that on high broil it took just under 3 minutes on each side). When finished, add to spaghetti sace and simmer at least 20 minutes. I added mine to a crockpot with spaghetti sauce and cooked on low for about 4 hours.

November Menu

Yes, I really do try to stay as close as possible to this menu for the month. Although, like any "normal" family, we have crazy days and things don't happen as planned so I haven't adjust here and there. And let's face it, some days I just don't feel like making what I have planned. But I would say about 90 percent the time, it's just easier to stick with the plan...that's how I am :)

Mexican Salad
Chicken Roll-Ups
Cheesy Chicken Over Noodles
Super Breakfast
Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry
Pigs in a Blanket
Crock Pot Chicken
Cheesy Chowder
Ham & Baked Potatoes
Chicken Enchiladas
Tator Tot Casserole
Tuna Casserole
Jerk Chicken
Roast
Cinnamon French Toast
Fried Rice
Hamburgers
Pizza
Chicken Tomato Garlic Alfredo
Beef Stew & Rolls
Idaho Chicken
Beef Enchiladas
Taco Trimmed Tators
Lasagna

Taco Trimmed Tators

This recipe is from my Aunt Trice. It adds a nice flavor to a "regular" baked potato.

1 lb hamburger
½ cup minced onion
¼ cup water
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp oregano
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp cumin
¼ cup chili salsa or tomato sauce
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (garnish)
½ cup sour cream (garnish)
6 baked potatoes

Brown beef and onion. Crumble the meat and add the remaining ingredients and simmer 2-3 minutes. Top the baked potatoes with the beef, then grated cheese, and sour cream.

Beef Enchiladas

This recipe is my mom's. Every time I make it I can't help but think of my grandpa and grandma Roberts. I remember going over to their house and making enchiladas with my mom. My Grandpa...the stubborn guy that he was...would always be so upset that we would bring our food over to feed him. I miss his teasing...love you, Grandpa!

Brown 1 lb of hamburger. Add chopped onions if desired. Add ½ to 1 can of enchilada sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. In a 9x13 pan, cover the bottom with a thin layer of enchilada sauce. Spoon meat into a tortilla shell, topped with chopped olives, and grated cheese. Roll tortilla and put in pan. Continue with tortillas until meat is gone. Top tortillas with enchilada sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

I've made one adjustment to this recipe...I usually add one can of refried beans to the hamburger. Everything I do the same as mom. :)

Idaho Chicken

This recipe is from my Aunt Trice. I made this a lot when we were first married because it was quick and easy when we were both gone so much. After about 2 years of marriage, Dave told me that he really didn't like this dish. I couldn't believe that he was just telling me this after 2 years....he told me that he knew how much I liked it so that's why he didn't tell me...TRUE LOVE! So I try to only make this when I know he won't be home because I really do like this dish :)

4 chicken breast halves
1 tsp onion flakes
3 lg potatoes
½ tsp pepper
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cube margarine (optional...I don't usually use this)
½ cup milk
½ tsp garlic salt

Set chicken in a greased 9x13 pan. Slice potatoes into bite-size pieces, surrounding the chicken. Melt the margarine and pour over chicken and potatoes. Add milk to the soup and stir. Pour over the potatoes and chicken. Sprinkle with onion flakes, garlic salt, and pepper. Bake at 375 for 1 ½ hours or until chicken is brown.

Fried Rice

This recipe comes from my Aunt Trice.

3 strips bacon, diced
¾ cup chopped green onion
1/3 cup red or green pepper, diced (I just add a mix of fresh veggies...the more the better)
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups cooked rice
2 TBL soy sauce

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towel. Add onions and peppers. Stir fry 1 minute. Add eggs and scramble. Stir in rice and cook until heated, gently separating grains. Add soy sauce and bacon. Cook and stir until thoroughly heated. Serve immediately.

Jerk Chicken

This recipe is from my sister-in-law, Cara. It's a nice variation on grilled chicken.

8 chicken portions
Oil, for brushing
salt and black pepper

Marinade:
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
2 tsp brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 TBL vinegar
2 TBL oil
1 TBL lime juice
1 hot fresh chili, chopped

To make marinade, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mash them together well to form a thick paste. Lay chicken portions on a plate/board and make several lengthwise slits in the flesh. Rub the seasoning all over the chicken and into slits. Place chicken portions in a dish, cover with plastic wrap and marinate for several hours (overnight is best) in the fridge. Preheat grill. Shake off any excess seasoning from chicken. Brush with oil. Place chicken either on baking sheet or directly on grill. Cook on grill until juices run clear, turning often.

Tuna Casserole

This is the only thing I'll eat that contains tuna...I'm NOT a fan of tuna fish...too many long hours on warm buses with other people's smelly lunches. This recipe comes from my mom.

Boil noodles. Drain. In a 9x13 baking dish, combine noodles, tuna, 1 can of cream of mushroom soup, and grated cheese. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes. I remember sometimes my mom would add crushed potato chips to the top of this casserole.

Tator Tot Casserole

Of course, I grew up eating this casserole (one more thing Mom could make out of hamburger since we had a plethora of living on a farm). When I went to college, my roommate Clarice introduced me to the "variation" of adding green peas...which I really enjoy! I've also added grated cheese a few times just to entice the kids a little more and "mask" the green veggies.

¾ lb hamburger
1 can cream of mushroom
½ bag of tater tots
½ bag of frozen peas (I'm sure you could easily substitute most frozen veggies here...but I haven't been that adventurous yet :)

Brown hamburger, add cream of mushroom, peas, and half of tater tots. Mix until the mixture is warm. Put into a pan and spread the rest of the tater tots on top. Put in oven at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Cover with foil until almost done and then uncover to crispy tater tots.

ETA 9/5/2016:  I made this for a freezer meal swap.  The only change would be to cook it at 350 for 1 hour since it would be frozen at the start.

Crock Pot Chicken Dinner

This recipe is from my mom...simple to make...just throw everything in the crock pot...but very yummy! I like to start mine in the morning and let it cook all day though....just because I would forget if I tried to start it in the middle of the day. This is very yummy served with rolls or breadsticks.

Dice: Chicken, potatoes, carrots, and onions. Layer in this order in crock pot. Add 1 can cream of mushroom soup and 1 can of cream of chicken soup. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. Turn on crock pot on high (3-4 hours). Stir occasionally.

Pigs in a Blanket

This is definitely a stand-by recipe when nothing else seems to please the kiddos :)

1 package hot dogs
1 pkg refrigerator biscuits (crescent rolls work best)
Sliced cheese

Slice hot dogs lengthwise. Insert piece of cheese. Wrap biscuits around hot dog. Cook in oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until biscuit is cooked thoroughly.

Hamburger Pie/Sheperd's Pie

This is a recipe that I grew up on with a slight variation...my cousin Gayleen adds BBQ sauce to her's...it definitely adds a little zing to a sometimes boring casserole.

1 lb. ground beef
1 md. onion
1 pint jar of tomato sauce (16 oz)
1 pint of green beans (1 can from store)
BBQ sauce ( about 1/2-3/4 cup, just add as much as you like)
Mashed potatoes
Cheddar cheese

I brown the hamburger and the onions, then I add the tomato sauce and BBQ sauce. let simmer until thickness you'd like. Add the green beans to mixture and put in bottom of 9x13 casserole dish. Next layer on the mashed potatoes, the add cheese on top.

Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry

1 lb Round steak cut crosswise (very thin slices)
½ cup water, divided
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 TBL brown sugar
3 TBL white grape juice (I've substituted vinegar and it works just the same)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cornstarch
3 TBL oil
4 cup broccoli
1 large onion, cut in wedges

Marinate steak in mixture of ¼ cup water, soy sauce, brown sugar, grape juice, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch at least 10 minutes. Drain well, reserving marinade. Heat oil in skillet. Add steak slices, half at a time, and stir-fry over high heat until browned. Remove from skillet, set aside. Add broccoli and onion to skillet. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add remaining ¼ cup water. Cover and steam 3 minutes or until broccoli is crisp and tender. Return meat to skillet with marinade. Stir-fry to heat thoroughly. Serve over rice.

Cheesy Chicken

6 boneless chicken breasts
¼ tsp salt, or to taste
¼ tsp black pepper, or to taste
¼ tsp garlic powder, or to taste
2 cans (10.75-oz) cream of chicken soup
1 can (10.75-oz) cheddar cheese soup

Rinse chicken and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix undiluted soup and pour over chicken in a crock pot. Cook on low all day (6 to 8 hours). Serve over rice or noodles.

Santa Fe Salad

My mother-in-law made this AWESOME salad when we were visited her this summer. She got the recipe from her daughter Emily.

Romaine Lettuce
1 can corn, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 avocado, diced
1 tomato, diced
Chicken, cooked/grilled (can use lemon pepper to taste), diced

Combine ingredients together in a salad bowl. Pour tortillas chips on plate and smash. Top with salad. Original recipe calls for blending ranch dressing and salsa together…we just used salsa and/or our choice of salad dressing.

Western Burgers/Homemade French Fries/Fry Sauce

About a month ago, I was teaching a class at church and one of the students mentioned they had eaten Western Burgers the night before but their mom had forgotten the bacon...so it reminded to make these hamburgers:

1 lb. ground hamburger
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
salt and pepper
Mix ingredients together and make patties. I've cooked these on the grill and that's the yummiest but you can always cook them in a pan on the stovetop. Put hamburger on a bun and then add any of these toppings:
Cheddar Cheese
Cooked Bacon
Lettuce
Ketchup
Mustard
Mayo

I served them with homemade fries...cut up potatoes lengthwise and slice. Deep fry in oil until golden brown. Remove from oil and sprinkle with salt.

French Fries aren't complete without fry sauce. I mix 3/4 cup mayo with 1 cup ketchup. Stir. We keep a jar of fry sauce in our refrigerate so I mix a big batch, fill the jar, and then refill as needed. Definitely not the healthiest meal but it's so yummy!!!

Chicken Rollups

From: My Grandma R...Happy Birthday today :)


2 pkgs crescent rolls
1-8 oz pkg cream cheese
Diced chicken or turkey (leftovers are best!)
Fine dry bread crumbs (I use dry stove top stuffing)
1 can cream of chicken soup
¼ cup butter

Separate rolls. Mix meat in cream cheese (you must really mix together or it just doesn't taste right...I mix mine in my Kitchen Aid). Put a spoonful on wide part of roll. Tuck sides in and roll up. Dip in melted butter and crumbs. Put in a baking pan and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Heat soup adding enough milk to make like gravy and serve over the rollups. I usually serve this with mashed potatoes and the rest of the Stove Top Stuffing made. I must admit that these are not the rest of my family's favorite...but since I like them so much I have to add them to the menu every now and again.

Ribbon Salad

From: Marsha Ward

Layers (for each buy 1 (3 oz) pkg Jell-O)**:

1. Black Cherry
2. Concord Grape
3. Wild Strawberry
4. Orange
5. Lemon
6. Lime

Dissolve package of Jell-O in 1 cup boiling water. Divide exactly in half. To one half add ¼ cup sour cream. To the other half add ¼ cup cold water. Put the sour cream layer in the bottom of a glass 9 x 13 pan. Refrigerate until sour cream layer is fully set. (Be sure dish is level.) Then cover sour cream layer with clear half of Jell-O. Let set until firm. Repeat with all 6 Jell-O flavors. Cut and turn on side to serve.

**Can use 6 oz pkgs of Jell-O…choose 3 flavors and make the following changes: boil 2 cups water, add ½ cup sour cream to one half, and add ½ cup cold water to other half.**

Chicken and Dressing Casserole

This has to be one of the easiest and yummiest casseroles that's out there.

2 chicken breasts cooked and chopped (I usually just boil the chicken breasts and then chop them with my Pampered Chef food chopper (definitely a MUST in my kitchen))
1 carrot, chopped (w/ food chopper)
1/4 onion, chopped (w/ food chopper)
2 TBL margarine
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 package of Stove Top Stuffing (prepared...I always make mine using the microwave instructions)

Prepare chicken. Saute chopped carrots and onions in margarine. In a bowl, mix sour cream, cream of chicken soup, chopped chicken, and sauted carrots & onions. Mix well. In a 9 x 13 pan, spread half of made Stove Top Stuffing on the bottom of the pan. Pour mixture over stuffing. Add the rest of the stuffing to the top of the mixture. Cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

During the summer, I go meatless w/ this recipe and use zucchini instead. To prepare the zucchini, I peel, remove the seeds, and cut the zucchini into bite-size pieces. Boil them for about 10 minutes or until they are "soft"...add the carrots and onions to the zucchini and saute. Then do the same layers.

Another change that sometimes I do is leave out about 1/2 cup of stuffing before you make it. Then used the "prepared" stuffing as the bottom layer, the mixture next, and then the "dry" stuffing on top. It adds a nice "crunch" to this casserole.

One Bowl Brownies

4 squares Unsweetened Chocolate
¾ cup margarine
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)


Microwave chocolate and margarine in large microwable bowl at HIGH 2 minutes or until margarine is melted. STIR UNTIL CHOCOLATE IS COMPLETELY MELTED. (I NEVER have the squares so I always use the cocoa powder...on the box it says 3 TBL cocoa and 1 TBL oil equal one square..this is what I use, although I usually only do what equals 3 squares...too much chocolate for the hubby otherwise.) Stir in sugar until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Stir in flour and nuts until well mixed. (I've added chocolate chips or white chocolate chips which adds just a bit more flavor but it's definitely NOT needed)...the pic was taken w/ white chocolate chips added.)Spread in greased 13x9-inch pan. Bake at 350 degreed for 35 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Do not overbake. Cool; cut into squares. Makes 24. For cakelike brownies: Stir in ½ cup milk with eggs and vanilla. Increase flour to 1 ½ cups.

Cheese Chowder

This recipe came from the restaurant owner I worked for one summer. It's very yummy!!!

4 cups cubed potatoes
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups diced carrots
1/2 cup mince onion

Add all above ingredients to 2 tsp salt and 4 cups water. Cook for 20 minutes. Add 1 10 oz. pkg frozen broccoli (and/or other veggies you prefer), 3 TBL chicken base, and 3 1/2 cups milk. Simmer for 5 minutes.

In a separate pan, melt 1/2 cup margarine, 1/2 cup flour, and 1 TBL dry mustard. Add to soup. Stir until thick. Add chopped ham (cooked), if desired.  Add 1 lb. cubed Velvetta (slowly). Heat slowly, never boil.

Twice-Baked Potatoes

This is a nice variation from mashed potatoes or baked potatoes.

Bake 4 potatoes (do more if you need to) at 350 degrees for one hour. Cut potatoes in half and scoop out insides into a mixing bowl. Save skins on baking sheet. Add 1/4 cup margarine, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (more if you like), 1/2 cup sour cream (I don't always add this), 2 TBL milk, dash of salt & pepper. Mash potatoes and add-ons together. Spoon potato mixture back into the potato skins. Put in oven for about 20 minutes to reheat and "brown" the tops of the potatoes.

Perfectly Easy Dinner Rolls

1 cup warm water
4 ½ tsp active dry yeast
½ cup butter, melted
½ cup sugar
3 eggs
tsp salt
4 – 4 ½ cups flour
Additional melted butter (optional)

Combine the warm water and yeast in a large bowl. Let the mixture stand until yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in butter, sugar, eggs, and salt. Beat in flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough is too stiff to mix (some flour may not be needed). Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or up to 4 days. Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan. Turn the chilled dough out onto a lightly floured board. Divide dough into 24 equal-size pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth round ball; place balls in even rows in the prepared pan. Cover and let dough balls rise until double in volume, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake until rolls are golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Brush warm rolls with melted butter, if desired. Break rolls apart to serve.

Monster Cookies

These are our family's FAVORITE cookies. If you asked us to bring dessert to something, you probably received these. I seriously could just eat the cookie dough to these cookies but the cookies are just as tasty! The recipe is originally from the school that my mom works at.

2 cubes margarine
1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
1 ¼ cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ tsp corn syrup
¾ tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
3 eggs
1 cup M&Ms
1 cup chocolate chips
5 cups oatmeal
pinch of salt

Mix ingredients together. Drop by spoonful onto slightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes. Let cookies cool slightly on cookie sheet before cooling completely on cookie rack. These cookies tend to stick together if they're not all the way cool so be sure they are completely cool before stacking.

Key Lime Pie

From: My friend Cula brought us a pie about a month ago and my husband LOVED it so I got her recipe so we have something to make with all of the limes our lime tree is producing.

1 pastry shell
3 eggs
1 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. lime juice
2 TBL water
green food coloring if desired

Line pastry shell with foil and bake at 450 degrees for 8 minutes.

Separate egg yolks from whites. Place yolks in mixing bowl. Whisk in sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and water. Add food coloring. Whisk until mixture thickens. Spoon filling into pastry shell and bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Cool and serve. My friend uses cool whip for the top but you could use the egg whites to create a meringue.

Chicken Stir-Fry

From: My mom...this is absolutely one of my favorite dishes.

Cut up chicken into chunks. Roll each chunk in cornstarch and then in an egg (beaten). Cook chicken in a pan that has been preheated with oil. Mix the following sauce:

2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp corn starch
2 tsp sugar

Pour sauce over meat and cook. Take meat out of pan. Add veggies to hot pan. (Broccoli, fresh mushrooms, celery, carrots, etc....whatever you can find fresh in your fridge/garden or frozen in the freezer) Cook veggies and then mix this sauce...I usually triple the sauce so I can use the whole 2 cups of chicken broth from the can:

1 TBL corn starch
1 TBL sugar
1 TBL soy sauce
2/3 cup chicken broth

Pour sauce over veggies. Add chicken and heat thoroughly. It will thicken as it cooks. Serve over rice. Yummy!! Yummy!!

Syrup

As most of you know, I've been making a lot of jam and jelly this year. Last week, I made another batch of grape jelly. I ended up with 2 cups leftover grape juice so I called my mom and asked her what I should do. She suggested I make grape syrup...yummy, yummy!

Fruit syrup is easy, easy!!! It's one part juice to one part sugar...so for my batch I used 2 cups grape juice and 2 cups sugar. Mix together and boil. After it boils if you want it thicker, add a bit of Karol syrup to thicken it up. Pour into jars, seal lids, and boil in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove from boiling water and jars should seal.

Here's what my shelves look like after the past 6 months....strawberry jam, apricot jam, raspberry jam (thanks, MOM!!!!), grape jelly, and grape syrup. Have I mentioned that my kids refuse to eat store bought jam now?! :)

Spanish Rice

I learned this recipe one night at a church activity from a Spanish sister.

In a saucepan with a tsp. of oil, fry one cup rice with chopped onions. Fry until rice is brown. Add ¼ cup of tomato sauce (until most of the rice is red) and mix. Add two cup of water and a little chicken bouillon (OR 2 cups of chicken broth). Put lid on and boil. When water is almost gone, turn off the stove top and finish cooking rice with the lid on.

Carmel Brownies

From: My aunt, Kathleen...these brownies are served EVERY holiday that I can remember :)

For the Carmel you will need to mix:
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup Karol syrup
1 square margarine

Bring mixture to a boil. Add 1 can of eagle brand milk and boil for 4 minutes. Set aside. **You will only use half of the caramel mixture for each pan of brownies you make—so if you want to use all the caramel at once, you will need to make the brownie mix TWICE. I usually just put the other "batch" of caramel in a tupperware in the fridge and save it for the next batch OR to dip apples or make carmel popcorn with it****

For the Brownies you will need to mix:
1 German Chocolate Cake Mix
¾ cup melted margarine
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Stir this mixture well. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan. Press half of mixture into a pan. Bake for 6 minutes at 350. Remove from oven and sprinkle with about 6 oz of chocolate chips. Then spread half of the caramel mixture on top. Sprinkle remaining cake mix over top. Bake 15 minutes at 350. Cool, refrigerate for awhile before cutting. If you have "extras", these brownies easily freeze and are just as tasty when you take them out of the freezer.

White Chicken Pizza

From: My CIL, Annie

2-3 cooked chicken breasts (cubed)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter (SPLIT)
2 TBL flour
1/2 - 2 cups milk (start with a 1/2 cup and then add more as it thickens...just add a little at a time)
3 TBL celery
3 TBL broccoli (fresh or frozen works)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozz. cheese
salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste
Italian seasoning sprinkled on top.

Saute onion in half of butter and then add the chicken. Cook until done. In another sauce pan, make white sauce with other half of butter, flour, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste. Add veggies and cook until soft. Add veggie-white sauce mixture with chicken. Set aside. Roll pizza dough onto pizza stone. Cook dough for 6 minutes at 400 degrees. Take out and spread mixture on top. Spread evenly and cover with cheese. Sprinkle italian seasoning on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. (The picture was taken before it was put in the oven to cook.)

October Menu!

As I was planning out my monthly menu for October, I decided that it would be quite simple to just post my recipes in a blog. Then I can add to it frequently. So...my Bake-n-Cooking blog begins :) The posts so far are all things that are on the menu for October. As most of you know that really know me, I keep my recipes on the computer so I'll keep adding recipes from my recipe file as I have time, AND I'll add new recipes as I try them (hopefully I'll remember to take pics of the foods before they get served so you can see if it's something you might like to cook :). If you have a recipe to share, I would LOVE to give it a try. Happy Cooking!

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 3-4 lb chicken, cut up (You could also just use chicken breasts)
8 cups water
½ bay leaf (if desired)
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Place cut up chicken in a large cooking pan. Add water, onion, and seasonings, cover and bring to boil. Cook until chicken is tender and will come off from bones easily, about 2 hours. Remove chicken from broth—remove skin and meat from bones. Discard bones and skin. Strain broth.

Add to broth:
1 cup celery, cut into pieces
½ tsp seasoning salt
2 -3 carrots, peeled & sliced or cut into chunks
½ tsp poultry seasoning (optional)
Meat of the chicken
salt and pepper to taste
1 small onion, chopped

Add prepared vegetables to chicken broth, adding more water if needed. Bring to boil and cook about 15 minutes. Add 2 cups of uncooked pasta noodles. Bring to a boil and cook 20 minutes. I love this soup because the broth is as good as the noodles, chicken, and veggies. I usually always serve it with some type of bread so you can "soak" up the juice...although, honestly, I could just drink it :) This particular night it was served with garlic bread.

Meatloaf

Crumble hamburger. Salt and pepper. Add one chopped onion. Crumble in 8-10 saltine crackers or add ½ to 1 cup bread crumbs. Mix together and add one egg. Add 1 can tomato sauce. (For less of a tomato taste, you can add about ¾ cup of ketchup. I also add a bit of Italian seasoning for taste—Dave likes a lot of seasoning.) Spray a bread loaf pan (or line with foil) and shape meatloaf to fit pan. Bake for 1 hour at 350.

Cheesy Chicken Wings/Strips

16 chicken wings (or strips of chicken)
1 tsp dried basil leaves
2 TBL butter or margarine
½ tsp dried oregano leaves
¾ cup crumbled crackers or fine bread crumbs
½ tsp garlic salt
¾ cup Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil or parsley for garnish

Wash chicken wings; pat dry. In a bowl, combine the crumbs, herbs, and parmesan cheese. Add seasonings and mix well to blend. Melt butter. Dip chicken wings first in melted butter, then into crumb coating. Arrange chicken wings in lightly oiled baking dish. Bake chicken wings at 375 for 30 minutes. This is one of our favorite meals!!!! I usually always serve it with a baked potato.

Breadsticks

1 TBL yeast
1 ½ cups warm water
1 TBL malted milk powder (optional...I honestly don't think I've ever added this)
1 TBL honey
1 tsp salt
4 cups flour (or a little more)

Dissolve yeast in water. Add malted milk powder, honey, and salt. Add flour gradually until dough forms a ball. Knead a few times, be careful not to over knead. Do not let rise. Meanwhile have ½ cup butter or margarine melted in a 10 x 15 pan (cookie sheet). Roll dough out to measure of pan. Cut into sticks with knife or pizza cutter. Coat both sides of dough with butter and line in pan. Sprinkle top with Season All salt. Let rise to top of pan edge (approximately 1 hour). Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes.

Lasagna

Layer the following in a 9x13 pan:
Spaghetti sauce
lasagna noodles (cooked)
1 lb. hamburger (cooked)
grated cheese

Bake at 350 for about 45-60 minutes.  The secret to lasagna is to let it sit after it has cooked at least 10 minutes before cutting into it.

Make and freeze.  If frozen, you'll need to defrost and then cook OR cook for 2 hours, covered.

Hawiian Haystacks

Hawaiian Haystacks

2 (10 ¾ oz) cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups diced chicken, cooked
1cup chicken broth
½ cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1 20 oz can pineapple chunks, drained
4 cups cooked rice
1 cup grated cheese
1 can chow mien noodles
½ cup slivered almonds
3 medium tomatoes, sliced
½ cup coconut
1 can olives, sliced
1 small onion, chopped

Combine soup and broth in a saucepan to make gravy. Stir to blend and simmer about 8-10 minutes, until heated through. Layer all ingredients. First stack rice, chow mien noodles, chicken, and gravy. Add other ingredients as desired.

Baked Potato Soup

Baked Potato Soup
From: My CIL, Annie

Bake 3-5 potatoes in the oven for however long and whatever temperature you usually do. When they're done, slice them in half and scoop out the meat into a bowl. Discard peels. Add 2 tsp chicken boullion and 1 c water and beat with beaters until kind of smooth, but slightly lumpy. Melt 1 -2 TB butter in a large saucepan and add 1 TBS flour. Stir until pasty. Add 1 c milk, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Stir until bubbly and then add the potato mixture to saucepan. Add the dill weed, and whatever other herbs and spices you'd like. If it's too thick, add a little more milk. Wait till it starts to bubble and then take it off the heat. Add 1 c sour cream. Serve topped with bacon, broccoli or cheese.

Fried Chicken aka Chicken Bones

Yes, my kids affectionally call this meal "Chicken Bones"...I guess because this is the only time I don't use boneless, skinless chicken :)

Heat about 1 TBL of shortening in a skillet. I personally always use my electric skillet. Add 1 cup flour and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to a gallon size ziplock baggie. Shake mixture to mix. Rinse of chicken piece and shake in ziplock baggie. Add chicken to hot skillet. Cook until brown. I usually put the lid on, prepare other things, turn chicken, and repeat several times. Be sure to check the center of the chicken (right next to the bone) to make sure it's really done. When the chicken is cooked, remove chicken from skillet and pour in about 2 cups of milk. Stir with a whisk. Mix about 2 TBL of cornstarch w/ about 1/4 cup of milk in a separate cup. When milk in skillet begins to boil, add cornstarch milk mixture whisking constantly. This will make yummy chicken gravy that you can serve over mashed potatoes.

Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes

3 lbs hamburger (can decrease if you're cookin' for a smaller crowd)
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cans tomato soup (or use ketchup instead)
dash garlic
dash celery salt
dash onion salt
½ cup brown sugar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp mustard (dry or liquid)
1 tsp vinegar

Brown hamburger with onion and green pepper. Add other ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve on a bun or between two slices of bread.

Baked Pasta

1 package (16 oz) pasta (spaghetti noodles or any shaped pasta will work)
1 lb. hamburger (could go meatless if you want)
2-3 cups spaghetti sauce
1-2 cups grated cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese

Cook noodles as directed on package. Drain water. Brown hamburger. Add spaghetti sauce to browned hamburger. Add noodles and cheeses. Stir and pour in 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Fiesta Stack

1 can refried beans
2 TBL plus ¼ cup sour cream
1 TBL plus ½ tsp taco seasoning
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 medium red or green bell pepper, chopped
½ cup thinly sliced green onions
¾ cup sliced olives
5 (10-in) flour tortillas
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Salsa
Vegetable oil
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine refried beans, 2 TBL sour cream, and 1 TBL taco seasoning; mix well. In another bowl, combine chopped chicken and chopped peppers. Add sliced green onions and ½ cup of the olive slices; mix gently. Place one tortilla on Pizza Stone. Spread bean mixture on top. Add about 1 cup of chicken mixture. Top with salsa and shredded cheese. Repeat layers approximately 3 more times. Top with remaining tortilla. Spray top tortilla with Pam vegetable oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Mix the remaining ¼ cup sour cream with the remaining ½ tsp taco seasoning; spread evenly over top of warm tortilla stack. Sprinkle with tomato and remaining olive slices. Cut into wedges; serve with salsa, if desired.

Hobo Dinners

Tear off enough sheets of foil for each dinner you are making. Place a hamburger patty (or chicken breast) in the center of each foil. Cut onion into rings. Peel and dice potatoes. Peel and chop carrots into sticks. Add onion rings, potato chunks, and carrot sticks to each hamburger patty. Top with salt, pepper, and season-all salt. Seal up each foil dinner individually. Place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 1 hour. Also, great in the coals of your campfire…just be sure to turn it regularly!

Fried Fish

Fish

Add 1 cup flour, sprinkle of salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and a sprinkle of garlic to a ziplock gallon bag. Shake mixture to mix. Rinse off fish and trimmed as you like to eat your fish. Heat 1 tsp of margarine in a hot skillet. Coat fish in flour mixture and add to pan. Brown each side of the fish (approx. a total of 10 minutes). Serve with a side of lemon.

Crustless Quiche

Crustless Quiche

4 eggs
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup heavy cream (I just use milk)
1 Tablespoon flour
2 Tablespoons melted butter
Pinch of salt
Pinch of nutmeg Method
1 cup Cheddar cheese (grated)
1 cup Swiss cheese (grated)

Beat all the ingredients together with a whisk until blended. Butter (or ‘Pam’) a pie dish and scatter a mixture of grated Cheddar and Swiss cheese over the bottom of the pie dish. Pour egg mixture over top. Sprinkle nutmeg. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes until the custard is firm, puffy & slightly brown.
Hint: You can add fried crumbled bacon, fried mushrooms, peppers etc. Just scatter these in with the cheese before you pour the custard over the top.

Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki chicken
From: My friend, Nicole

1/2 C soy sauce
1 C brown sugar
1/3 C water
1 t ginger
1 T garlic
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Mix first 5 ingredients and pour over chicken breasts in baking dish. Bake covered 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Serve with fresh cut pineapple, vegetables, and rice.

Double Crust Pizza

Ham and Cheese Double-Crusted Pizza
From: My Mom
1 TBL yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water
2 tsp oil
1 tsp salt

Put these ingredients together and let yeast bubble. Add 3 cups of flour (possibly a little more). Shape in pizza pan. Cut ham and cheese. Add. Put on top crust. Cut holes in top crust. Before cooking, beat an egg and spread on top. May also put sesame seeds on top. Cook at 375 for 30 minutes.

I use this dough for this pizza.

Pizza Dough

From: A high school friend

Mix together:
1 ½ cups warm water
1 ½ TBL yeast
1/8 cup sugar

Then add:
1/6 cup oil
1 TBL salt
3 1/3 cup flour

Mix altogether. Let dough rise for approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour. Then knead onto pizza pan. Preheat oven to 400. Cook dough for 6 minutes. Take dough out of oven and then add toppings. Cook for an additional 15 minutes. (Double recipe for two large pizzas.) The picture was taken when I doubled the recipe. I use this dough for EVERY pizza I make. I really think the "secret" to this recipe is cooking before you add any toppings.

Stuffed Meatballs

Stuffed Meatballs

1 pkg Stove Top stuffing (prepared)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 lb hamburger
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup Sego milk (I don't always use canned milk...sometimes I'll just use the milk that's already in the fridge)
1 TBL ketchup

Mix hamburger and milk into ½ cup patties. Put drops of stuffing on each patty. Roll over and seal. Mix soup, sauce, and ketchup; heat until bubbles. Pour over meatballs. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. I usually always serve this with rice.

Note...When I made this tonight I didn't have time to make individual meatballs so I put my meat mixture onto wax paper and flattened. Then I added the stuffing and rolled it up and put it into a bread pan to make a "stuffed meatloaf". Tasted just as good.

Crockpot Porkchops

From: My sister, Amber

1-2 Pork chops per person (however many you need to feed your family)
2-3 cans of cream of mushroom soup
Put pork chops in crockpot. Add enough mushroom soup to cover top of pork chops. Cook on low for 6-8 hours (I've cooked it on high for 6 hours…and they were AWESOME). Serve pork chops with rice. Can use “soup” as a gravy for the rice.

Hurdsman chicken

Marinade for Grilled Chicken or Turkey
From: My Hubby

Put defrosted chicken or turkey you will be grilling in a bowl. Add 1 cup of soy sauce, 1 cup of oil, and 1 can of Sprite or 7-up (Just made this with 1 cup water and 1/4 cup sugar since we didn't have soda...came out perfectly). Mix together. Put lid on bowl and refrigerate overnight. Best if chicken sits in marinade for at least 24 hour, but it doesn't have to. Grill meat! This is definitely our favorite marinade for chicken!

Chicken & Dumplings

From: My SIL, Cara

1 stewing chicken (4-5 lbs.)  (I just boil what ever kind of chicken I have in the freezer)
1 small onion, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 tsp salt

Sauce:
½ stick butter
¼ tsp paprika
½ cup light cream or half and half (I always use whatever milk I have in the fridge)
6 TBL flour
white pepper to taste

Dumplings:
¾ cup milk
2 cups flour
1 TBL baking powder
1 TBL shortening
1 tsp salt

Place chicken in covered soup pot. Add onion, celery, carrot, and salt. Pour water to cover. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until chicken is very tender, 1-1 ½ hours. Remove chicken from broth and cool. When cool enough to handle, remove all skin, bone, and gristle. Dice chicken. Strain stock, discard the solids, and defat stock. Measure out 4 cups, saving extras, or add water if necessary. In large sauce pan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Stir in flour and paprika. Stir until well blended, about 3 minutes. Pour in stock and bring back to boil, stirring often. Reduce heat, simmer for about 10 minutes until thick and smooth. Add the diced chicken, cream, and pepper.

In a large bowl, sift the flour, salt, and baking powder. Blend in shortening with fork. Add milk and mix well. Dip spoon or hands in cold water to form dumpling balls . Spoon dumplings on top of the gently bubbling mixture. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes WITHOUT LIFTING THE LID. Serve at once.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

Sweet & Sour Chicken
From: My Grandma Ward

4-8 chicken breasts, boneless skinless
1 egg, beaten
Cornstarch
Oil

Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp soy sauce
4 TBL ketchup
½ tsp garlic powder
½ cup vinegar

Dip chicken breast into egg, then roll in cornstarch. In a small amount of oil, fry chicken until just browned. Place chicken in a shallow baking pan. Pour the sauce over it, then bake, uncovered at 325 degrees for one hour, turning chicken every 15 minutes. Serve with rice.


Another recipe for Sweet & Sour Chicken (it has a bit different taste than the other recipe...but I like both :)
From: My friend, Nicole

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1" square pieces
1 T oil
1 C red & green peppers or more if you like (I usually add onions, too)
2 T corn starch
1/4 C soy sauce
1 can chunk pineapple in juice
3 T vinegar
3 T brown sugar
1/2 t grated ginger
1/2 t garlic

Cook and stir chicken in hot oil until browned. Add peppers and cook 1-2 minutes until crisp, tender. Remove from pan and set aside.

Mix cornstarch, soy sauce, pineapple juice, vinegar, sugar, ginger, and garlic. Add to pan and bring to boil. Then add meat, vegetables, and pineapple and heat through. Serve over rice.

Strognaff

1 lb. hamburger
1 small onion, chopped
½ tsp garlic salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 can cream of mushroom
4 oz. mushroom pieces (can use canned mushrooms but fresh is best)
¾ cup sour cream
Pasta Noodles, cooked

Brown hamburger and onion. Stir in garlic salt, pepper, soup, mushrooms. Simmer covered 15-20 min. Stir sour cream and heat. Serve over pasta noodles.

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas

Boil 3-4 chicken breasts. Cool and then chop. Mix chicken, 1-2 cans of cream of chicken soup, 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup grated cheese, and taco seasoning. Pour a half can of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Fill tortillas shell with mixture and put in baking dish. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. (The picture was taken after I got everything in the pan before the enchiladas were cooked.)

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

8 ounces of uncooked linguine or spaghetti
1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli florets
2 TBL butter or margarine
3-4 chicken breasts, cubed
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup milk
½ cup Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp pepper

Prepare linguine according to package directions. Add broccoli for last four minutes of cooking time; drain. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink, stirring often. Add soup, milk, cheese, pepper, and linguine mixture; heat through, stirring occasionally. Serve with additional parmesan cheese. Serves 4.

College Casserole

College Casserole

1 pkg Rice-A-Roni, made
3 cups rice, made
3-4 chicken breasts, boiled
1 can cream of chicken

Combine all ingredients in a casserole dish. Add frozen vegetables if desired (broccoli). Cook for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Taco Soup

Taco Soup
From: My aunt, Kathleen

1 ½ lbs hamburger
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen corn (optional)
1 (28 oz) can tomatoes
¼ cup onion, chopped
1 TBL chili powder
2 large cans kidney beans with juice
½ TBL garlic powder OR salt
½ cup taco sauce or salsa

Brown hamburger and onions. Add meat mixture in a large saucepan; tomatoes, chili powder, garlic powder, taco sauce or salsa, corn, and kidney beans. Bring to a boil and simmer 30 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle with grated cheese and teaspoon sour cream. Eat with tortilla chips.