Thursday, December 17, 2009

BBQ Beef


This recipe came from my sister-in-law, Cara. We had it a few years back at a family gathering and it's become a family favorite. The best part is that you fix it and then forget it for the rest of the day.

3 lbs. boneless chuck roast
1 ½ cups ketchup
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup white vinegar
2 TBL Dijon-style or regular mustard
2 TBL Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp liquid smoke flavoring
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp garlic powder

Place chuck roast in Crockpot. Combine remaining ingredients in mixing bowl. Pour barbecue sauce mixture over chuck roast. Cover and cook LOW 8-10 hours. Remove roast and shred meat with fork. Place shredded meat back in Crockpot. Stir meat to evenly coat with sauce....usually best if it can sit for about 30 minutes after you've shreeded the meat. Spoon meat onto sandwich buns...or if you're picky like my kids, you can just eat the meat without the bread.

This seriously makes SO MUCH! We ate this twice this week, and I still had plenty to put another meal in the freezer.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Balls


This is a treat I remember my mom making almost every Christmas. Maybe this is why my favorite candy is Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Sydney and I made the peanut butter balls while the kids were at school. We dipped them in the chocoloate later that night. When searching for the recipes, I found out they are actually called "Buckeyes"...who knew!? :)

1 1/2 cups peanut butter + 2 TBL
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
6 cups powdered sugar
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar. The dough will look dry (VERY DRY!!!). Roll into 1" balls and place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Press a toothpick into the top of each ball to be used later as the handle for dipping and chill in freezer until firm, about 30 minutes. (I just put mine in the fridge since it was several hours until we would be dipping them...I should have put them in the freezer for a few minutes just before we started. A few balls fell off the toothpicks as we were dipping them.)

Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir frequently until smooth. When chocolate is melted, stir in 2 TBL of peanut butter. (This is my own addition to the original recipe :). Dip frozen peanut butter balls in chocolate holding onto toothpick. Leave a small portion of peanut butter showing at the top to make them look like buckeyes. Put back on cookie sheet and refrigerate until serving.

My mom always put the peanut butter balls in mini muffin cup liners and just spooned the chocolate over top.

Candy Cane Cookies


I wanted to make a cookie the kids could help with...and make something different than sugar cookies since we'll already make these w/ our nativity cookie scene next week. I remember these cookies from treat plates when I was little. I've always thought they were tasty and thought they would be fun and do-able for the kids. By far, they are not perfect candy cane shape but we had lots of fun! Here's the recipe I used. I made the recipe twice...once for the red dough and once for the white dough.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp almond extract (I didn't have to I just used more vanilla)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red food coloring

Cream together the shortening, butter, sugar, egg, and extracts. In a separate bowl, mix flour and salt and add to shortening mixture. Divide dough in half (or make another batch of dough:). Blend red food coloring into one half. Roll about 1 tsp of the red dough and 1 tsp of the white dough on a lightly floured surface into about 4" strips. Place strips side by side and press lightly together and twist like a rope. Curve top of rope down to look like the handle of a candy cane. Bake 9 minutes or until lightly browned at 350 degrees. Remove while still warm. Sprinkle w/ 1/2 cup of crushed candy cane and sugar...we used peppermint sprinkles mixed with sugar. When searching for a recipe of these cookies, I found a lot that just used a sugar cookie recipe w/ an extra 2 TBL of flour...think I'll give that a try next time.

Frog Eye Salad


This salad has always been a family favorite. I took this salad once for a preschool event and no one had EVER heard of it. They were all quick to try it out because of it's unique name. One of my friends likes it so much that she makes it before they go camping and takes it with them. Since it makes a HUGE salad, they eat it the whole camping trip. Dave loves to take it to work potlucks also because of the name...always a conversation starter. 'Tis the season for potlucks so I whipped up this batch of "Frog Eye Salad" yesterday. ETA: Can you believe there was another frog eye salad at his work lunch??? Needless to say, we ate this salad for a long time! The recipe comes directly from the Acini de Pepe box. Here is a picture of what the box looks like that the pasta, acini de pepe, looks like.

1 cup sugar
2 TBL flour
2 1/2 tsp salt (divided)
1 3/4 cup pineapple juice (from canned fruit)
2 eggs, beaten
1 TBL lemon juice

Combine sugar, flour, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Gradually stir in pineapple juice and beaten eggs. Cook over moderate heat, stirring until thickened. Add lemon juice and cool mixture to room temperature. Set aside.

3 quarts water
1 TBL cooking oil
1 pkg (16 oz) Acini de Pepe
3 cans (11 oz each) Mandarian Oranges (drained)
2 cans (20 oz each) Pineapple tidbits (drained, save)
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple (drained, save)
1 carton (9 oz) cool whip
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup coconut

Bring water and remaining 2 tsp of salt and oil to a boil. Add Acini de Pepe. Cook to a royal boil until done. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again and cool to room temp. Combine egg mixture, Acini de Pepe mixture lightly but thoroughly. Refrigerate overnight in air tight container. Add remaining ingredients. Mix lightly but thoroughly. Can be refrigerated up to one week. Serves at least 25.

Banana Bread


It's baking season at our house and yesterday was a busy day! I made two batches of this yummy banana bread. It's my mom's recipe so it's always the stand-by.

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3-5 bananas (did you know you can FREEZE over-ripe bananas? I just stick them in a ziplock until I have enough to make banana bread or have time to do it :)
2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
4 cups flour
1 cup nuts

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Add mashed bananas. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add nuts. Pour into 2 well greased bread pans (I usually do one large pan and then 5 mini loaf pans). Bake at 350 for 1 hour...the mini loafs usually only take about 35 minutes so keep an eye on them.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Cornbread Muffins


Last week I got to help Sierra's kindergarten class make these yummy muffins. The kids were so excited to help. It was fun to hear them talk about baking, although, it was a little sad to me that in each of the four groups only about one or two kids in each group had ever cooked with their mom or dad before. They were all so eager to help so hopefully they'll ask their parents if they can help in the kitchen...especially during the holiday season. Here is the recipe we used. Each of the kids gobbled them up!

¾ cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
¼ cup cornmeal
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup milk
1 egg
¼ cup oil

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients. Combine milk, oil, and egg with a fork. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix. Pour 2/3 cup full. Bake mini muffins for 8-10 minutes and regular muffins for 18-20 minutes.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Calzones


Tonight for dinner the kids wanted to make their own pizzas so we opted for the stuffed pizza choice. We had so much fun making them. I just used my regular pizza dough recipe.

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 all together. Let dough rise for approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour. Then knead onto pizza pan. Preheat oven to 400. Cook dough for 5 minutes. Take dough out of oven and then add toppings. Cook for an additional 15 minutes.

For the calzones, I didn't pre-cook the dough. After all the toppings were stuffed inside, I brushed the top of the dough with egg white and cooked it for 20 minutes. The kids gobbled them up!

Pumpkin Spice Cookies


We tried a different cookie recipe for Halloween this year. I got the recipe from this blog.

1 cup unsalted butter (I used margarine)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
5 cups flour (can do half whole wheat)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. salt
1 cup raisins, chopped (can sub mini chocolate chips or other dried fruit)

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well. With mixer running on low, slowly add the honey and molasses. Beat well.

Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add a cup at a time to the creamed mixture.

Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl to make sure there isn’t any flour left. Add the raisins. Transfer the dough to an airtight container or large Ziploc bag. Chill until very cold–about 4 hours or overnight.

Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface and cut with cookie cutters.

Bake cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets at 375 degrees F for 6-7 minutes (shorter for smaller cookies, longer for larger cookies) or until cookies are firm to the touch and lightly golden. (If you like crisp cookies, bake for longer.)

Decorate as desired.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Carmel Popcorn


To celebrate Sierra's special award today, we had this yummy Carmel Popcorn while we watched a movie tonight! This is our favorite Carmel recipe for popcorn.

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup dark Karo syrup

Boil 3 minutes. Add:

¼ lb butter (1 cube)
2 tsp vanilla
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Bring to a boil and pour over popped popcorn (enough for approximately 2 cups unpopped popcorn).

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Country Captain Chicken Curry

Dave's been asking that I try a curry recipe. I told him it had to be kid-friendly so I visited this site and tried this recipe:

1/2 cup flour
2 - 3 tablespoons curry powder (plus a sprinkle to season flour)
1 tablespoon thyme (plus a sprinkle to season flour)
Salt and pepper
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into cubes)
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, sliced into thin circles and halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes (with juice)
1/2 cup golden raisins (or 1/2 cup currants)
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place flour in a shallow baking or plastic bag. Season flour with salt, pepper along with a sprinkle of curry and thyme. Dredge chicken to coat lightly.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken and brown on each side, about 10 minutes. Do this in batches to not over crowd the pan. Remove chicken to paper towel to drain and place in a casserole pan.

To the same skillet, add onions and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add curry powder, thyme, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir to blend. Add tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes.

Pour the tomato and onion sauce over the chicken and bake uncovered for 20 - 30 minutes until chicken tender and cooked through. During the last 5 minutes of baking, remove casserole from the oven, stir in raisins (I just couldn't bring myself to add raisins, so we skipped out on those) and return to the oven to finish cooking.

Garnish with parsley and almonds (since I have a child that refuses to eat nuts I did without the almonds). Serve over rice.

Over all, a very tasty dish! I need to try my hand at a few more curry dishes before I declare this one the winner, though :) Let me know if you have a delicious curry recipe your family enjoys!

Sunday, September 6, 2009

G-Force Cookies


Saturday we enjoyed the movie "G-Force." I had seen these cookies in the Family Fun Magazine so we tried them out today. Fun for the kids to do :)
RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Peanut halves
Mini chocolate chips
1. Cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fluffy. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then stir them into the wet mixture, just to blend. Cover and chill until firm, about 1 hour. (We didn't want to wait another hour, so we just went to the next step :))
2. Heat the oven to 350°. Form level tablespoons of dough into cylinders, pinching the ends a bit to make rough guinea pig body shapes. Use a knife to chop the peanut halves in half, then add peanut-piece ears and mini chocolate chip eyes to each cookie. Place the guinea pig cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until firm, about 8 minutes.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Malibu Chicken

While I was on vacation this summer, I kept seeing a commercial for Sizzler advertising their YUMMY Malibu Chicken. Of course, before I left, I had to go to Sizzler to eat :) I've been thinking about how it tasted for weeks now. So I went on a search to find the recipe. I found it at www.cdkitchen.com. I was so eager to taste it so I forgot to take a picture. It was tasty! I have one child who doesn't like cheese (except on pizza) so he's didn't have melted cheese on top...but everyone ate everything else! We'll definitely add this to the monthly menu!

1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 egg
1 TBL water
6 chicken breasts, skinned, boned, pounded thin (I actually used chicken tenderloins)
3/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs (used the usual...Progresso Italian Bread Crumbs)
2 TBL vegetable oil
2 TBL butter
6 slices cooked ham
6 slices Swiss cheese (used Mozzarella...that's what's in the freezer)

Combine flour, salt, and pepper. Stir egg and water together with a fork. Coat each chicken piece with flour, dip into egg mixture, and then coat w/ crumbs. Press crumbs in firmly. Heat oil and butter in large skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken 4-5 minutes on each side. Place browned chicken on oven-proof platter, (I just used a 9x13 baking dish) top each piece with a slice of ham and a slice of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese melts.

Dipping sauce...mix 1 tsp prepared mustard with 1/4 cup mayonnaise.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Preschool Recipes

As I've attended the same preschool the past 5 years with my kiddos, I'm reminded of these FUN recipes for GUARANTEED fun with the kids by our AWESOME teacher. Just thought I would share :0

GLOOP
Water, White Glue, Borax, Food Coloring (optional)
Add 1 1/2 cups water to 2 cups white glue. Pour 1/3 cup warm water into 3 different cups. You may add 1-2 drops of food coloring into each cup. Stir 1 tsp of borax into each cup until dissolved. One at a time, pour the contents of each cup into the glue and water mixture. Mix until dissolved. Pour off any extra liquid and knead until smooth and no longer wet. Store in an airtight container.

PLAYDOUGH
3 cups flour
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups salt
3 TBL oil
6 tsp cream of tarter
Food coloring of choice
Optional: glitter, scents....use your imagination :)
Mix all ingredients in a large pan over medium heat until it forms a semi-sticky ball. Remove from heat and knead until smooth. Store in an airtight container.

BUBBLES
1 cup Dawn or other high quality dish sopa
1 TBL glycerine**
1 gallon water
Mix and let stand overnight or for several hours.
**Glycerine can be purchased at a pharmacy...for a less expensive alternative, try corn syrup.


PUD
Water, Cornstarch
Mix 1 cup cornstarch with 1/2 cup water. Let the children play with it on the grass. Mixture will be hard until put in hands and then it becomes liquid again.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Crepes (Swedish Pancakes)


My friend Tiffany from Preschool shared this family recipe with me. They were VERY scrumptious! The kids devoured them :)

6 eggs
½ cup oleo (my friend uses soft butter...so that's what I did)
2 cups milk
1 ½ cups flour
1 TBS sugar
Cinnamon
Nutmeg

Mix in the blender until well blended. No need to grease griddle unless it sticks and only the first round. Heat the griddle at medium high, and pour about ¼ cup per crepe. Just after pouring try to swirl the pan around this thins them out better. Or use the back of a ladle to thin them out that way too.

We used frozen strawberries that I has smashed and added a little sugar. We also had fresh blueberries which were my favorite. Of course, we each had to a little whipped cream to the inside, too! The kids enjoyed them so much they asked if we could eat them every day! Thanks, Tiffany!!!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Cowboy Cookies


This recipe come from my MIL. Dave really enjoys these cookies. The original recipe calls for making them into bar cookies but we prefer them as regular cookies so I just scoop them and bake them for about 10 minutes on 350.

2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
1 lb margarine
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
2 tsp soda
1 tsp baking powder
4 cups oats
2 cups coconut
12 oz chocolate chips

Cream sugars, margarine, eggs & vanilla. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bake in 3 9x13 pans (or 1 cookie sheet + 1 9x13) at 350 for 15 minutes or less.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Chicken Fried Steak


Whenever we got out and the restaurant offers Chicken Fried Steak, it's my hubby's preference for dinner. So...for our anniversary (well, actually the night before) I thought I would give it a try. From all the recipes I found, you basically just make your own breading to go on the meat so this is what I did:

Mix 1 egg with about 1/4 cup milk. Stir well. Dip meat in mixture (I used round steak). Then dip your meat in breading. I chose to use Bread Crumbs Italian Style made by Progresso. Put meat in a hot skillet that has been heated with 1 TBL shortening. Brown meat on both sides until meat is done. I then made potatoes and gravy to go with our chicken fried steak. Not bad for my first attempt :)

Monday, August 17, 2009

Bottled Spaghetti Sauce


Some of our tomatoes survived our summer vacation so Sydney and I made Spaghetti Sauce today while the other two were at school. Here is the recipe that I use. It's one that I got last year from my mom who got it from my aunt who got it from a lady at church. I cut the recipe in half for the amount of tomatoes I had :)

1/2 bushel of tomatoes (10 quarts of juice)

Cook the tomatoes and then run them through a juicer and then you don't have the seeds and peelings. Personally, I just boil my tomatoes, pour off the water, and then puree the tomatoes in the blender.

8 - 8 oz. cans tomato sauce (I really think this is suppose to be tomato paste but we like the taste of it with the tomato sauce, although, it does make the end result more runny)
1 1/2 TBL oregano
1 cup sugar
1 tsp basil
1/2 cup salt
1 TBL parsley flakes
1/2 tsp thyme
3 TBL Italian seasoning

Mix all together and simmer. Add juiced tomatoes.

3/4 pint oil (about 1 1/2 cups should do it)
2 green peppers
3 stalks of celery (use less to avoid a strong celery taste)
3 lbs. onions
2 heads of garlic

Chop veggies and cook in oil until soft. Put through colander. Add veggie mixture to tomato mixutre and simmer until quite thick. Pour into jars. Process 20 minutes in boiling water bath. This sauce can be used for spaghetti, pizza, ravioli, lasanga, manicotti...just open and warm :)

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Pineapple-Upside-Down Cake


Dave first tried this recipe out for a girls' camp for church. It was suggested by another leader so he gave it a try. He said it was delicious so we tried it again tonight...I have to agree...very delicious!

Topping
4 TBL butter
1 cup brown sugar
8 pineapple rings (SAVE the pineapple juice)...I used pineapple chunks tonight and it was just as good :)
8 maraschino cherries (Dave used these the first time...we didn't use them tonight...still tasty :)

Melt butter in bottom of a 12" dutch oven (we used a 10" tonight). Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter being careful not to touch the sugar once it has begun to dissolve into the butter. Carefully place pineapple rings on top of the brown sugar, 7 around the outside and 1 in the center. Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring.

Cake Batter
1 yellow cake mix
1 cup pineapple juice (that you save from the can of pineapple)
1/3 cup water
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil

In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, pineapple juice, water, eggs, and oil; mix well. Spoon cake batter carefully over the top of the pineapple rings. Spread batter evenly to edges.

Cover Dutch oven and bake using 10-12 briquettes bottom and 14-16 briquettes top for 45 mintues or until top of cake springs back when touched. (We didn't have to cook ours more than 20 minutes using coals from the fire.)

Let the cake cool for 10 minutes or so in the dutch oven with the lid cracked. Run a rubber spatula around the inside edge of the oven to loosen the cake. The recipe then tell you to lay a piece of parchment paper across the top of the oven so it lays flat and then replace the lid. Then tip it over so the cake falls onto the parchment paper on the lid...who has parchment paper when they're camping?!?!?! So after loosing the cake with the spatula, we just replaced the lid, turned over the dutch oven, tapped on the bottom, and ta-da....the cake is on the lid (it didn't even leave a mess :) Allow cake to cool slightly before serving.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream as topping.

SO YUMMY!!!!! I love how moist this cake is :)

Dutch Oven Chicken


Dutch Oven Chicken is the BEST way to have chicken. Just a few tips that we've learned through experience...you must use bone-in chicken with skin...don't cook over a flame (coals only...yup, we learned this lesson tonight as you can tell from the pic :). We usually just buy a package of chicken drumsticks because we know the kids will for sure eat the chicken. In a gallon ziplock, add about 1 cup of flour, a sprinkle of salt, and a sprinkle of pepper. Add your chicken and shake. Heat dutch oven on coals and add 2 TBL of cooking oil. After the oil is hot, add your chicken. Chicken needs to be turned often so that browns evenly. You'll know the chicken is done when the chicken starts to fall off the bone.

Dutch Oven Potatoes


My Grandpa Roberts got me HOOKED on dutch oven cooking when I was a little girl. Whenever the family all got together, Grandpa always cooked up a feast for us...and I truly mean a feast...each family always went home with plenty of food for the next day or two :) Grandpa's potatoes were always perfectly done with plenty of cheese and onions. Here's the recipe for Grandpa's potatoes:
Slice potatoes and chop onions enough to feed an army.
Heat dutch oven in coals and add 2-3 TBL of cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, add the potatoes and onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir often so they don't burn. When potatoes are done, remove from heat and stir in LOTS of cheddar cheese.

Fried Potatoes


One of the easiest side dishes to make is fried potatoes. I scrub 5-7 potatoes (depends on the size) and then chunk them. I usually leave on the skin but you can take it off if you choose. Add them to a hot skillet that has been about 1 TBL of hot vegetable oil in it. Fry up the potatoes--stirring occasionally. When they are brown, they're done :) Add shredded cheese if you choose.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Chocolate Sauce

While visiting my MIL we had ice cream (of course). Of course it was served with her famous chocolate sauce. I'm not really a fan of chocolate syrup on ice cream but this is very tasty! :) She received this recipe from a friend several years ago and gave me permission to share this yummy topping!

1/2 C corn syrup, light
1 C sugar
9 TB cocoa (equates to 0.56 cups)
3 TB butter/margaine
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C canned milk (evaporated milk)

Cook corn syrup and sugar in microwave on high for 4 minutes. (My MIL uses her 1 qt glass measuring bowl and a short handled wooden spoon. She mixes corn syrup and sugar together, leaving the spoon in the bowl. Next she puts it in the microwave for 4 min but stir it once at about 2 minutes.)
Add cocoa and butter and stir until blended.
Add vanilla and canned milk, blend. (gradually add canned milk until well blended)

Monday, August 3, 2009

Apricot Jam


You can't beat homemade jam! Just follow the recipe inside the pectin box :)

Monday, July 27, 2009

60 Minute Cinnamon Rolls

My mom made these yummy cinnamon rolls yesterday morning :)

1 3/4 cups warm water
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
3 TBL yeast
1/2 tsp gluten (optional...it will guarantee that your dough rises and makes the dough lighter)

Mix above ingredients well and let sit for 18 minutes.

Add:
1/2 txp salt
2 eggs
5-6 cups of flour

Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness and spread with brown sugar and cinammon. Cut and put into pans. Let rise 10 minutes. Bake 10-15 minutes at 425. (Although, we turned down the oven to about 350 because it was burning the bottoms by the time the tops were brown...watch carefully :)

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Bavarian Cream Dessert

One of our favorite desserts :)

1 cup flour
3/4 cup butter
1 cup nuts, chopped
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cool whip
1 pkg chocolate pudding mix (large)
1 pkg vanilla pudding mix (large)
3 cups milk

Mix together flour, butter, and nuts. Spread in bottom of 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Set aside until cool.

Mix together softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. Fold in 1 cup of cool whip. Set aside until crust is cool.

Mix chocolate pudding and vanilla pudding mixes with 3 cups of milk. Cook until thick. Set aside to cool.

Layer beginning with baked crust, then cream cheese mixture, then cooled pudding mixture. Top layer can be additional cool whip with sprinkled chocolate chips. Refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Cinnamon Quesadillas


These are a quick treat my kids LOVE. The kids named them last night when I made them after dinner. Cut up tortillas into strips. Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry the strips in the oil. Turn with tongs until the strips are evenly browned. Lay them on a plate lined with a paper towel. Dab off the grease. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on the strips. Enjoy!

ETA: Yes, I realize "quesadillas" mean with cheese...but my kids named them this so that's what they'll be... "Cinnamon Quesadillas"

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Crunchy Sheet Cookies


These bar cookies are my hubby's very favorite cookies...so as a way to say "thank you" for the kitchen...I had to make them for him. :)
2 eggs
2/3 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup whole wheat flour
¾ tsp salt
¾ tsp nutmeg
¾ tsp soda
2 cups oatmeal

Mix all ingredients together. Spread onto a large cookie sheet to within 1” of the sides. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Cut into squares immediately. Frost with a lemon frosting, if desired. (I just put about 2 cups of powdered sugar in a bowl and squeeze a fresh lemon into it. Mix and pour over the cookies)

Friday, June 12, 2009

No-Bake Cookies


One of our favorite treats :) They remind me of elementary school...I loved it when they served these for lunch. I remember all the kids lining up for seconds after everyone had gone through. You could buy an extra one for a quarter.

2 cups sugar
1 cube butter
2 TBL cocoa
½ cup milk

Mix and bring to a boil-stir-boil for one minute. Take off heat and add:

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup coconut
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups oats

Stir well. Spoon onto waxed paper or cookie sheets and let set in the fridge. I usually double this recipe because they don't usually last long :)

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Garlic Bread

We're back in our kitchen completely as of midnight!!!!!! Last night for dinner I actually was able to use my stove top so I made a very yummy Cheesy Veggie Chowder that I added about one cup of chopped ham to. I also made DELICIOUS garlic bread that I was craving more of all night!!! I didn't even get a picture because it was devoured so quickly.

I bought a loaf of French bread earlier that morning. I preheated the pan I was baking it on at 350 degrees for 10 minutes while I prepped the bread. I laid out a piece of foil, cut the bread in half, and made this mixture in a bowl: 1/2 cup margarine, 2 cloves of garlic pressed with my Pampered Chef garlic press, and about 1/2 tsp parsley. Mix together well and spread on top of each half of bread. I then sprinkled grated Parmesan Cheese on top. By this time, the pan was warm, so I switched the oven to Broil (high) and added the bread to the top of the pan with the foil under the bread. I broiled the bread for about 3 minutes. Checked it and broiled it for one more minute. PERFECT-O!!!!!! The kids ate more soup than they ever have because they had something yummy to dip in it. Give it a try :)

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Menu

It's getting harder and harder to figure out what to make...here's what we've had the past few weeks:

26--Fried Chicken
27--Denny's (Kids eat FREE on Tuesday & Saturday nights)
28--Hamburgers & Hot dogs
29--Alfredo Pasta
30--BBQ Chicken w/ Corn on the Cob
1--Tostadas
2--$5 Pizza (kids had a babysitter)
3--Porkchops
4--Hurdsman Chicken
5--Tried to go out for mexican food...ended up at Hometown Buffet
6--Western Burgers
7--Spaghetti
8--Ate out for mexican food since we didn't get any on Cinco de Mayo
9--No cooking at home...we were very busy! :)
10--Turkey (yeah, for my roaster!)

As for the kitchen, we're on hold until the last cabinet arrives. (Hopefully by Friday it will arrive.) As soon as it's installed, the counter tops can be made (which take about 2 weeks) and the flooring can be installed. So...we'll be living like this for at least 3 more weeks. We'll make it!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Meatball Sandwiches

Remember the meatballs I made before we demolished the kitchen? I used them for meatball sandwiches this week. I put them frozen into my crockpot, added about 2 cups of spaghetti sauce, and heated it up for 4 hours on high. Served them on buns with a slice of mozzarella cheese. Quick and easy! :)

Monday, April 20, 2009

Ghetto Kitchen


Here's my make-shift kitchen in the garage. Everything I need is in here except for the fridge which just gets moved around from plug to plug in the kitchen. I also have a grill and a camp chef on the patio. Some of you have asked what we're eating (I know...I haven't posted my monthly menu like I usually do to my cooking blog...but I wasn't really sure when I wouldn't have a kitchen so I didn't want to plan too far ahead this month...I know, shocking!! :)

Last week I made extras at the first of the week so I knew we would have leftovers by the weekend since I figured everything would be out by the weekend.
Easter Sunday--Ham & Twice Baked Potatoes
Monday--Chicken Enchiladas
Tuesday--Tomato & Garlic Pasta
Tuesday night we started doing electrical work and some of the power was left off...so it began the first day of cooking by other means.
Wednesday--Cajun Chicken
Thursday--Leftovers
Friday--Tacos
Saturday--Hamburgers & Hotdogs
Sunday--Crockpot Roast
Monday--Grilled Salmon
So...my goal is to only eat out once a week. So far we're not doing too bad :) In the next few days, I'll probably post a menu for the rest of the month and next month. I do so much better getting dinner done early when it's already scheduled.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Meatballs

These meatballs are yummier than the first ones that I tried.

2 lb Lean ground beef
1 eggs slightly beaten
1/2 cup dry Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup milk
2 TBL worchestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine all ingredients. Blend well. Shape mixture into 1-1/2" balls. (I used an ice cream/cookie dough scoop to create my balls.)

Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 25minutes until brown.
Remove immediately and drain on paper towels. When cooled put into ziploc bags. Meatballs came be frozen or you can use them immediately. This recipe made about 50 meatballs. For this meal I just added them to spaghetti sauce. We have very yummy spaghetti. I'll use them soon (when the kitchen is down) as meatball sandwiches. Just pour spaghetti sauce in a crockpot and add the meatballs. Cook on low during the day. Serve each meatball on a roll with a slice of mozzarella cheese. (Thanks for the meatball sandwich idea, Tiffany...can't wait to give it a try!)

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Cafe Rio Meat

This recipe was shared with me by Annie one of my cousins-in-law. It's super yummy and super easy!! :)

1-2 lbs.of beef or pork or whatever meat you can find that's cheap (Annie's even used elk meat and still claims it's yummy)
3/4 c. salsa
3/4 c. brown sugar

Brown the meat in a skillet on HIGH heat. Only a few seconds on both sides will do. Place the meat into the crock pot. Combine the sugar and salsa in a bowl and mix well; pour it over the meat.

Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 7. With 1 hour remaining shred the meat with a fork and knife. Cook for another hour. (Annie think this takes too much time and work, so she skips this step and then cut the meat in little slivers instead at the table. It STILL tastes great!)

Serve with tortillas that have been browned with cheese. Roll it all up with black beans, rice, tomato sauce, salt, lettuce and juice from a lime. Enjoy!

Monday, March 30, 2009

Calling all Cooks!!!!

We'll be in the process of remodeling our kitchen for the next two months...so I'm in a desperate need for recipes that can be made in the crock pot, microwave, stove top, or grill since I'll be without my wall oven. Thanks for any suggestions you can give :)

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Grandma's Sugar Cookies


These are the cookies I always remember in my Grandma's cookie jar. They bring back so many memories of Grandma's house :)

1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp baking soda
1 ¼ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp vanilla
4 cups flour

Mix all together and put in fridge to chill for 1-2 hours. Roll into balls and dip in sugar (or cinnamon and sugar), place on cookie sheet and flatten with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Mini Pizzas


When dad travels, I have to get creative for dinner sometimes. Mini pizzas were high on the kids' priority list this week. Something about making it themselves makes them eat it :) Find the pizza dough recipe here.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Party Potatoes


This dish has many names...confetti potatoes, funeral potatoes, scallop potatoes, Sunday potatoes, etc. I grew up eating this dish so it's one food that reminds me of home...guess it's a comfort food :)

Boil 3-6 potatoes. Let cool and then grate. OR you can use a package of frozen hash browns (I usually ALWAYS use these...just because of the matter of convenience). Put potatoes in a 9x13 casserole dish. Add 1 cube of melted butter(I usually use 1/2 this amount), 2 cans of cream of chicken, 1 cup of sour cream, and 1 cup of grated cheese. Add 1 to 2 cups chopped ham. Mix together. Cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Put foil on top after 30 minutes.

I often leave out the ham and serve ham on the side. JR refuses to eat anything w/ potatoes but he likes ham...so if I want him to eat dinner, I choose to serve ham on the side :)

Friday, March 13, 2009

Turkey Pot Pie



This recipe came from my MIL a few years back....I ashamed it it's the first time I've tried it...it's delicious!!

1/3 cup potatoes, diced
1/3 cup carrots, sliced
1/3 cup peas, frozen
¼ cup celery, chopped
1 TBL onion, chopped
½ cup water, boiling
2 TBL soft margarine
¼ cup flour
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp poultry seasoning
1 1/3 cup turkey broth
2/3 cup milk
1 ½ cup turkey, cooked and diced

Add vegetables to boiling water. Cover and boil gently until vegetables are just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain. Melt margarine; stir in flour and seasonings. Add broth and milk slowly, stirring constantly; cook until thickened. Stir in turkey and vegetables.

Some how I totally MISSED putting in the potatoes (which if FUNNY because that's what I was looking forward to the most!!!). I basically doubled the recipe and added a bit more seasoning. I also added white pepper (since that's one of our favorite spices!!). I used chicken broth instead of turkey broth since I didn't have any. The turkey is left over from Christmas time so it was super easy to just pull the turkey out of the freezer, let it defrost, and cut it up with my kitchen scissors. It was VERY yummy. I definitely serve this after we've had turkey again to use up some of the turkey. Since there's no "crust", you could serve this in bread bowls or even add dumplings to the top.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Flank Steak Marinade

We were first introduced to this delicious marinade several years ago when we first moved to San Diego. Andrea had invited us over for dinner (if I remember right it was Easter) and they made this marinade. We don't just use it on flank steak...although, it's definitely the best with flank steak...but it works for other beef cuts as well :)

1 ½ cup oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
¾ cup soy sauce
½ tsp parsley
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp pepper
¼ cup vinegar
1 tsp salt
2 TBL dry mustard
1 clove minced garlic

Pierce 3 flank stakes and marinate for 3 DAYS. (very important) Grill. Cut crosswise in thin slices and serve.

Can also marinate other beef steak cuts, but the key is the time (3 days...if you don't have time for 3 days, you must marinate for at least 6 hours) and cutting it crosswise.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Cinnamon Rolls


Give Melissa's yummy cinnamon roll recipe a try. We tried it this afternoon! Yum, Yum!
1/3 cups sugar
3Tbs yeast
1/2 cup oil
1 1/4 cups warm water
Mix until dissolved; cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
Mix in 2 beaten eggs to the yeast mixture.
Add 1 1/2 tsp salt and 4 1/4 cups flour.
Melissa mixes this in her kitchen aid for about 5 minutes until it's a soft dough. Roll dough into rectangle shape. Brush with 1/4 cup melted butter, sprinkle with 1 1/2 T cinnamon, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cups nuts (I opted for no nuts), a 3/4 cup raisins (I only used raisins on half the dough). Carefully roll dough, seal edges, and slice. Place on ungreased cookie sheet (I had a few extra so I also put them in a glass casserole dish) and let rest 10 mins. Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes.
Frost with glaze while still hot. Glaze: 2 cups powdered sugar 1/4 cup hot water, 1 T soft butter. (I had some frosting left over from something else in the fridge so we just used that :)

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Muffin, Muffin, Who's got the muffin??


I made these muffins to go along with the quiche. This is my very favorite muffin recipe.

3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Stir together dry ingredients. In a different bowl, cream together sugar and shortenin. Add eggs and mix well. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Add any additions and lightly fold in. Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 for 20-25 min.

I've made these with mashed bananas, cinnamon (pictured), blueberries, or chocolate chips. Each of these different additions are AWESOME (of course not all at once, though)...choose an addition or two, and you'll have some fabulous muffins!

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Asparagus-Tomato Quiche

Here's a new dish we tried last night. The recipe came from my SIL, Cara. Dave & I enjoyed it...the kids...ummm, not so much :)

1 10-inch pie shell, partially baked
4 eggs, beaten
3 TBL flour
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp dry mustard
1 ½ cup half-and-half
2 cup Swiss cheese (of course I substituted w/ Mozzarella
10 fresh asparagus spears, divided
1 med. tomato, sliced into 4 - 1/4” slices

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, flour, paprika, salt, dry mustard, and half-and-half. Stir in cheese. Chop four asparagus spears into 1-inch pieces and lay on the bottom of the pie shell. Pour liquid into pie shell. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Arrange tomato pieces and remaining six asparagus spears on top in a wagon wheel pattern. Bake 20-30 minutes more.

Monday, March 2, 2009

March Menu

Here's what's on deck for the coming month. You'll notice that some meals are the same as February. Life was a bit crazy and everything didn't get made that I had planned for...so we're still having those meals just in March instead :)

1. Garlic Tomato Chicken Pasta
2. Asparagus-Tomato Quiche
3. Salmon Loaf
4. Sloppy Joes
5. Baked Spaghetti Casserole
6. Teriyaki Chicken w/ Grilled Veggie Kabobs
7. Flank Steak Marinade
8. Chicken & Dumplings
9. Canadian Bacon & Pineapple Pizza
10. Turkey Pot Pie
11. Lasagna
12. Santa Fe Salad I just got the real recipe from my SIL so I'll be making changes to this recipe :)
13. Macaroni & Cheese
14. Baked Potato Soup
15. Crockpot Porkchops
16. Tator Tot Casserole
17. Clam Chowder
18. Chicken Enchiladas
19. French Toast
20. Spaghetti w/ Meatballs (I'm trying a new meatball recipe this time)
21. Orange Chicken w/ Fried Rice
22. Cheese Chowder
23. Western Burgers
24. Chicken Salad Sandwiches
25. Chicken Noodle Casserole
26. Fried Chicken
27. Roast
28. Honey-Lime Grilled Chicken
29. Taco Salad
30. BLT Sandwiches
31. Salisbury Steak
Hopefully, I'll get time throughout the month to post recipes for the recipes that aren't already posted. Happy Cooking!

Garlic Tomato Chicken Pasta


We first had this at our friends, the Rices, a couple of years ago. We enjoy this yummy dinner even though Dave rarely eats tomatoes. (I've tried it without the tomatoes and he even admitted it's much tastier with the tomatoes...so YEAH I get my tomato fix).

Chicken cooked and cubed
Pasta cooked and drained
1 bottle of Alfredo sauce (We usually use the "Cheesy Ragu Classic Alfredo")
Tomato, chopped
Garlic, minced.

I start by boiling the chicken since it's always frozen. When it's done, I cube it and brown it in a pan just a bit. Boil the noodles (any type of pasta will work) and drain. Pour in one bottle of alfredo, chopped tomatoes (as much as you like), and one minced garlic clove into the chicken. Stir together and heat. Pour over noodles and stir or serve sauce separately from the noodles.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Choc-Oat-Cookies

2 sticks butter, softened
1 ¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 TBL milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 ¾ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 ½ cups oats
2 cups chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Add flour, baking soda, salt; mix well. Stir in oats, chocolate chips; mix well. Drop on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 9 minutes. Cool completely.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Tetrazzini Chicken


Another yummy way to have pasta. This recipe is from my mom :)
4 cups chicken pieces
½ lb spaghetti
3 TBL butter
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 ¼ cup chopped onion
4 cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated (I've also used Mozz. cheese)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can of milk

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Sauté the onion and green pepper in the butter. Mix together all ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until bubbly.

This recipe also freezes well. :)

Monday, February 23, 2009

Creamy Chicken


My mom use to make this dish often on Sunday afternoons. It's very easy...it still doesn't taste the same as my mom's always did, though.

Mix about 1 cup of flour with about 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper. Coat chicken in flour mixture. Do NOT use boneless, skinless...it doesn't taste good at all. Place the coated chicken in a 9x13 pan. Pour a pint of half and half over the chicken. Bake in oven at 350 for 1+ hours. I've found the longer it cooks the better...this last time it cooked for almost 2 hours and was much taster this time around. :)

Chili

I also took chili to our church party. I didn't really follow a "chili recipe"...just kind of added what I felt like :) Again, I forgot to take a picture before we walked out the door...but it must have been taste because it was gone :)

I started by browning two pounds of hamburger. Put it into the crockpot. I then added 2 cans of black beans (rinsed and drained), 2 cans of kidney beans (rinsed and drained), 2 cans of diced tomatoes, 1 can of tomato sauce, 1 cup of salsa, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, white pepper, garlic salt, and onion powder. Mix it all together and heat through. We would just check it and add a few more shakes of spices as we thought it needed more. It turned out very yummy. I love chili with melted cheese so of course I added to cheese to my bowl :)

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Hawaiian Drop Cookies

Friday night we had a church party to attend. I brought these cookies that I use to make all the time (sorry...there's no picture...I forgot to take one before we left the house.)

¾ cup butter or margarine, softened
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups oats, uncooked
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 ¾ cups M & M’s
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy; beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine oats, flour, baking powder, and baking soda; blend into creamed mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake 13-15 minutes.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Blueberry Waffles

When Daddy's away, the dinner menu tends to change. Tonight...yummy blueberry waffles w/ blueberries and whip cream on top served with scrambled eggs!

I just use the Krusteaz pancake mix and add water, tiny bit of oil, and blueberries (about 1/4 cup). Pour the batter into the waffle iron (which it's taken me a long time to figure out how not to have batter pouring out the sides!!!). After they're done, take them out and while they're hot, melt a bit of butter. Add blueberries on top and a dollop of whip cream. ENJOY!!! Also yummy with fresh strawberries!!!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Scones


One of our family favorites with spaghetti or lasagna is scones!!! This recipe is from my mom.

2 TBL yeast
½ cup warm water
1 egg
1 cup warm milk
2 TBL oil
1 tsp salt
2 TBL sugar
3 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in water. Add egg. Add rest of ingredients. Let stand for at least 15 minutes. (Will be a soft, sticky dough.) Dough may be kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. To cook tear off golf ball size amount and stretch thin and fry in deep fat fryer for a few minutes each side. Drain on paper towels.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Tuna Casserole


This is my mom's recipe. I really don't like tuna much but I will eat this dish...
Boil noodles. Drain. In a 9x13 baking dish, combine noodles, tuna, 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (my mom only uses one can...but I add two...I don't like my pasta dry :), and grated cheese. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Taco Soup


This is another version of taco soup we like. This one is from my SIL, Hilary. It's yummy! The kids love to eat it (and all other mexican dishes) with tortilla chips.
1 lb lean ground beef (could use chicken or go meatless)
1 onion, diced (or 2 Tbsp dried minced onion)
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1 can tomato sauce
1 can corn
1 cup salsa
1 – 15 oz can stewed, chopped tomatoes
Taco seasoning mix to taste

Preheat pan to sear ground beef as you cook and chop it with the diced onions. Drain and rinse beans. Add ingredients in the order given. Garnish with shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Dill Dip


This is my favorite dip for veggie trays. It's also yummy with Ritz crackers or wavy potato chips. The key to get the best flavor for this dip is to be sure it gets chilled in the fridge before serving.

2/3 cup sour cream
2/3 cup mayo
1 TBL dill weed
1 tsp Bon Appetit
1 tsp lemon juice
1 TBL parsley

Mix all ingredients together. Let chill in refrigerator for approximately 1 hour before serving.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Teriyaki Chicken with Hot Rice


This recipe originally came from two different recipes in the 2003 Taste of Home Annual Recipes Book. I combined them together to make this dish...it's one of our favorites (at least when the kids don't realize there are cooked carrots in this dish :) I usually double the recipe.

2 TBL chicken broth
1 TBL soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp ground ginger
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 tsp oil

In a resealable bag, combine 2 TBL broth, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, and ginger; add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Drain and discard marinade. In a small skillet, brown chicken cubes in oil until juices run clear.

¼ cup thinly sliced celery
3 TBL chopped onion
2 TBL margarine
1 ½ cups chicken broth
1 medium carrot, halved & thinly sliced
½ cup uncooked long grain rice
¼ tsp salt
dash pepper
1 TBL parsley

In a saucepan, sauté celery and onion in butter. Add broth, carrot, rice, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in chicken cubes and parsley. Cover and simmer 5-10 minutes longer or until rice and vegetables are tender.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole


A few weeks back I was in charge of the art center at preschool. As I was spreading out the newspapers, I ran across this recipe and gave it a try.

1 egg
1/2 cup milk
Bread crumbs (I used the italian bread crumbs that I buy in the can at costco)
2 lbs. skinless chicken breasts, cut into chuncks
oil
8 oz. swiss cheese, cubed (I used shredded mozzarella since it's what I had...next time I would use the swiss just to get a better taste)
8 oz. ham, diced
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, whisk egg and 1/2 cup milk. Place bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in egg mixture, then in crumbs, coating well. Heat oil in skillet. Brown chicken until golden. Place chicken in a baking dish. Add Swiss cheese and ham. Mix mushroom soup with milk; mix well and pour over all. Bake about 30 minutes or until tender and bubbly.
JR LOVED this dish...which is a feat in itself! Dave & I were just okay with this dish...I was hoping for more flavor...that's while I'll use the swiss cheese next time since mozzarella just doesn't have much flavor when it's melted.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Triple Layer Peanut Butter Brownies



This recipe came from my sister...she found it in a "Food & Family" magazine...
1 pkg. brownie mix, prepared in a 13x 9 inch pan (I used my mom's brownie recipe)
1 cup of cold milk
1 pkg. Jello Vanilla Flavor instant pudding & pie filling (I personally use "bulk" pudding so I added about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of pudding powder)
1 cup of creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups Cool Whip whipped topping (do not thaw)
3 squares Baker's semi-sweet baking chips (I used about 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips)
1/2 cup of Planter dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped (I didn't use these since my son refuses to eat anything w/ nuts he can see)

Whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 min. while brownies are cooling. Add peanut butter and sugar; mix well. Cover and refrigerate pudding mixture until brownies are completely cooled. Spread pudding mixture over brownies. Microwave whipped topping and chocolate on high 1 min., stirring every 30 sec. spread over pudding; sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate 1 hr. refrigerate leftovers.