good and easy recipes

i miss blogging

2012-02-01T23:19:00.002-07:00

okay... so it's been like a month, but i really do miss blogging. the second i decided to stop (on my personal blog) for now, i think about all these things i want to blog about. anyway, as you know... justin was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes right before christmas. he has to take insulin shots and to know how much insulin to give himself, he has to count every carb that goes in his mouth. so... that means that i am in charge of counting dinner carbs.

for a whole year (between living in our condo and our new home) i did not cook at all. i missed it. since we moved in, i've been cooking a ton. i cook four nights a week. sunday, we usually eat with our families. monday, tuesday, wednesday, and thursday i cook. friday and saturday are take-out nights for now. i also teach school, tutor, and have an almost five month old. i am very busy, so all of the future recipes can usually be prepped before or with not too much hassle.

i figure i might as well put these online so that someone else can hopefully benefit. :)

zucchini bread

2010-09-06T22:54:00.004-06:00

adapted from allrecipes

this is definitely the best zucchini bread i've made and even tasted. it's delicious and moist - you won't be disappointed. happy autumn :)

zucchini bread (makes 2 loaves):

3 cups flour (i used whole wheat)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

3 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. baking powder

3 eggs

2 c. sugar

3 tsp. vanilla

1 c. oil

3 c. grated zucchini

1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, baking powder. Beat eggs. Add and mix well sugar, vanilla, and oil. Add zucchini to egg mixture. Add dry ingredients, mixing well. Stir in nuts if desired. Pour into 2 loaf pans. Bake for about an hour.

Anniversary Chicken

2010-06-22T15:45:00.003-06:00

This update is for Patrice... :)

Anniversary Chicken:

2 Tbs. oil

3 chicken breasts

½ c. BBQ sauce

½ c. ranch dressing

1 c. cheddar cheese

3 green onions, chopped

Bacon bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in skillet. Add chicken and sauté 4-5 minutes each side until lightly browned. Place in casserole dish. Brush with BBQ sauce, the spoon on salad dressing. Sprinkle with cheese, onions, and bacon bits. Cook about 25-35 minutes.

"Market Street" Clam Chowder

2010-02-10T20:47:00.002-07:00

...for reals. This tastes just like it. My mom found a recipe from somewhere and adapted it and perfected it. Totally worth making.

"Market Street" Clam Chowder:

(this makes a lot)

1 c. potatoes, diced
1 c. celery, diced
1 c. onion, diced
1 c. green pepper, diced
3/4 c. chopped clams (canned, keep juice)
3/4 Tbs. pepper
1 1/2 Tbs. salt
3/4 Tbs. thyme
6 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. (or so) Tabasco
3/4 c. red wine
2 c. water
3/4 c. butter
1 c. flour
2 qts. half n half

Combine melted butter and flour in oven safe dish and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

In large saucepan, combine remaining ingredients except half n half. Simmer until potatoes are soft.

Stir butter-flour mixture into chowder and stir until thick.

Remove chowder from heat. Stir in half n half until blended. Heat to serving temperature, stirring. Serve immediately.

Crockpot Dill Chicken

2010-01-20T19:18:00.003-07:00

Dill Chicken (serves 4):

2 chicken breasts (browned and cut up)

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 cup sour cream

2 potatoes, peeled and sliced

1/2 onion, chopped/sliced

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

Put in crockpot. Low for about 7 hours.

Add:

1/4 cup peas

1/4 cup corn

1/2 tsp. dill

Cook for about 30 more minutes. Serve over rice with salt and pepper to taste.

Orange Caramel Yams with Pecan Streusel

2009-11-30T16:26:00.002-07:00

These are the most delicious yams i've ever tasted - ever! thanks to my sil brittani for the recipe. I modified it a bit and these are seriously the best! this recipe serves about 12.

Ingredients
5-6 lbs. Yams
½ tsp Salt

Place yams and salt in sauce pot and cover with water. Simmer until knife penetrates yam with no resistance. Drain water and put yams into fridge until cool.

Orange Caramel
1 stick Butter
1 c. Brown sugar
2 Oranges - zest and juice

Place butter, brown sugar and orange zest with juice in a sauce pan. Boil until thickened and starts to resemble caramel. Take off heat and set aside.

Pecan Streusel
1 stick Butter (soft)
1 c. Brown sugar
½ c. Oats
1 T Flour
½ tsp Cinnamon
½ c. Pecans

Combine dry ingredients, mix. Add butter and crumble.

Assemble
Peel yams and cut into discs 1/4". Place in a 9x9 baking dish. Pour orange caramel over the top of yams and apples. Top with pecan streusel. Cook in a 350 F oven for 30 minutes or until browned. This dish can be made one or two days before using.

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

2009-11-29T12:50:00.003-07:00

Sorry that there is no picture. I have made this multiple times for Sunday dinners and everyone loves it. Very easy and delicious!

Twice Baked Potato Casserole - serves 12
5 lbs. potatoes (I use Yukon Gold, but it doesn't matter)
8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. sour cream
2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
About 1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
4 Tbs. butter
Paprika

Peel and cook potatoes; mash. Beat sour cream and cream cheese together. Gradually beat into mashed potatoes until smooth. Mix in garlic salt and pepper. Fold in cheese. Turn into a buttered (I just used Pam) 3-4 quart casserole dish. Dot with butter and sprinkle with paprika. Bake covered @ 400 degrees, about an hour until heated through. Then. remove foil and cook for another 10-15 minutes so the top gets a tiny bit crispy.

Calzones

2009-10-23T21:15:00.004-06:00

As you know, Justin loves meat. I bought sausage and didn't have anything to do with it, so I decided to make some calzones. Since I can't eat the dough, I only made 2 calzones for Justin, so double this recipe if you want more.

Calzones:
Frozen dinner rolls (or any dough) - I used about 4 thawed rolls for one
Italian meat sauce
Chopped pepperoni
Sausage
Italian (mozzarella) cheese, shredded

Top with a little olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.
Bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes.

Meal and Snack Ideas for Busy People

2009-08-22T12:25:00.004-06:00

If you know me personally then you know that I have always been a little bit of a health freak. These last six months, though, I have gone downhill as far as eating goes. Anyway, I have changed my diet to consist of gluten free, no white foods, and a little more limited dairy. Also, I am trying for a 1,200 calorie diet. So... I don't know if anyone is interested, but I thought I would write down some of my ideas. This is a pretty "busy person" diet too so I will be trying to discover quick ways to prepare, etc.

BREAKFAST - 10 min. (250 cal.)
Fruit smoothie (either fresh or frozen) made with rice/skim milk
* Bananas are great for a natural sweetener for shakes, but keep in mind that they can have up to 200 cal., so use half of one
Oatmeal with a little milk and fresh fruit
Cream o Wheat (if you're not gluten free) with a little milk and fresh fruit
Quinoa
Omelette with mushrooms and green pepper w/salsa
Scrambled eggs w/cheese and salsa

MID-MORNING SNACK - 0 min. (100 cal.)
Fresh cut up fruit (apple, orange, peach, whatever is in season)
Dried fruit (5 prunes = 100 cal.)
String cheese (70 cal.)
Yogurt
Nuts (small amount)

LUNCH - 10 min. (250 cal.)
Spinach salad w/fruit (apple), craisins, and chopped nuts
1 can of green beans, drained and heated (70 cal.)
Small corn cheese quesadilla (200 cal.)
Tuna or chicken salad w/lettuce wrap instead of bread
Raw vegetables n dip
Cottage cheese on spinach w/an apple and almonds
Salad w/cooked chicken and veggies
Canned soup (Low sodium)

AFTERNOON SNACK (100 cal.)
Rice cake snack bites (10 cakes = 70 cal.) - lots of different flavors
Air popped popcorn lightly buttered and salted
Corn chips and salsa
Raw veggies n dip
Apple or other fresh fruit

DINNER (400 cal.)
Brown rice, steamed veggies
Chicken stir fry
Broiled salmon
Grilled, seasoned chicken n brown rice
Taco soup
Chili
Tacos
Roasted vegetables
Soup
Chicken fajitas
There are so many other ideas for dinner

TREAT (100 cal.)
Frozen yogurt bar
Juice bar (80 cal.)
5 chocolate kisses

TIPS FOR THIS DIET
Buy fresh sirloin steak (4 pieces) at Costo, cut them into fourths and freeze them individually. For about $16, you get 16 meals. Season and cook in a pan right on the stove!

Go to the grocery store on Saturday or Monday and cut up ALL VEGETABLES right when you get home for easy access to raw or steamed veggies.

Buy brown rice from Costo. Cook a lot at a time and freeze it in individual serving sizes for easy access for dinner.

Buy fresh chicken and ground beef and freeze it in individual serving sizes. As for grilling chicken, season and grill right on the pan, or a george forman grill. For cooking ground beef, just cook it right on the stove.

They have really good seasoning stuff for meat at Costo. They also have frozen "stir fry vegetables" that come in a big bag. They sell rice milk in bulk and it is much cheaper than getting it at the grocery store and can be stored for a while.

Get snacks ready for the week right when you get home from the store. Air pop your popcorn and cut up veggies. Everything else for snacks is pretty much ready to eat.

All lunches can be taken on the go, you might just have to put it together the night before.

Greek Potato Salad

2009-07-26T22:16:00.004-06:00

- Betty Crocker website

I was a little bit skeptical when I found this recipe because I think the Betty Crocker recipes are a tad hit and miss sometimes. This was so amazing though! I made it for my mom's surprise 50th birthday party and it was a hit! She had just given me a huge bag of new potatoes and this was the perfect way to use them...

Salad
2 lb unpeeled new potatoes
2 medium bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium tomatoes, seeded, cut into eighths
1 medium cucumber, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 medium red onion, very thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup whole kalamata or ripe olives
1 package (4 oz) crumbled feta cheese (1 cup)

Lemon Dressing
1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1. If potatoes are large, cut in half. In 3-quart saucepan, place steamer basket in 1/2 inch water (water should not touch bottom of basket). Place potatoes in steamer basket. Cover tightly and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Steam 18 to 22 minutes or until tender (I ended up steaming them for at least a half hour); cool to room temperature.
2. In large glass or plastic bowl, beat all Lemon Dressing ingredients with wire whisk until blended; set aside.
3. Add potatoes and remaining salad ingredients except cheese to dressing; toss. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Sprinkle with cheese just before serving.

Perfect Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-07-25T08:24:00.004-06:00

- From the World Wide Ward Cookbook
Adapted by Brittani Knudsen

Theses are the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I've ever had. I've made them a few times now. They are definitely worth trying. They are nice and full and taste delicious. I think they are my newest favorite cookie. :)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies: (makes about 2 1/2 dozen)
2/3 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 1/2 c. oatmeal
1 c. chocolate chips

Beat butter, sugar, nutmeg, vanilla, and egg. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

I hate summer cooking

2009-07-23T18:19:00.002-06:00

Is it just me, or does summer menu planning suck?! I have all these things I wanna try, but when it really comes down to cooking, I don't want to in the summer. Justin and I need to get a BBQ grill because I feel like I would cook then. Anyway, sorry I have sucked at posting, but it's because I honestly haven't been cooking. :I Anyway, I am just so excited for when it cools down a little bit because I will definitely cook more. So... I haven't given up, I promise.

Classic Pasta Salad

2009-07-21T07:17:00.005-06:00

-Ann Hogan (my mom)

This is honestly the best classic pasta salad I've ever tasted. The mixture of flavors are great and the dressing is what makes it.

Pasta Salad (serves about 16):
1 bunch green onions, chopped
10 oz. frozen peas
1/2 cauliflower, cut into flowerets
1/2 broccoli, cut into flowerets
4 stalks celery
1/4 bottle bacon bits
1/4-1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
2 c. shredded white cheese
12 oz. Rotelli noodles (tri-colored), cooked according to box.

DRESSING (blend together):
3/4 c. oil
1/3 c. vinegar
1/3 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. onion, grated
3/4 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 1/3 tsp. salt
1 tsp. mustard

*Add mushrooms, cheese, peas, bacon right before serving. Also, add just enough dressing to moisten the noodles, just before serving.

Chicken Enchiladas (red sauce)

2009-07-10T17:21:00.002-06:00

- Ann Hogan

Chicken Enchiladas: (serves about 8)
4 large chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
2 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1 can (20 oz.) Rosarita enchilada sauce
1 small can green chilies
1 small can diced olives (optional, but good)
1/2 onion, diced
1 pkg. tortillas (use corn for gluten free)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook chicken and cool. While chicken is cooling, warm enchilada sauce on the stove and cut chicken into tiny strips. Mix 1/2 the sauce, 1/2 the cheese, the green chilies, onion, and olives together and put the chicken into the bowl. Pour 1/4 of the sauce into the bottom of the pan (sprayed with pam first), so the tortillas don't stick. Steam or heat up tortillas, then fill with chicken mixture. Put rolled tortillas in pan seam side down. Pour remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Pour foil on top. Back until cheese is melted. Top with sour cream, lettuce, and salsa. Serve with rice and beans.

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

2009-06-25T19:42:00.006-06:00

I found this chipotle sauce on the website Our Best Bites and it was a hit! This salad was delicious! I don't use very much dressing on my salads, but my husband used thirds on the sauce. I almost had to make more. YUM! I am going to write what I would do for a whole family. For just us, we only used half of each of these things.

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad: (serves about 6)
1 bag lettuce
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Meat of one rotisserie chicken (or you can use your own cooked chicken)
Salsa (to your liking)
Fritos/tortilla chips to crunch on top (omit for gluten free)
1-2 avocados, sliced and diced

Sauce/dressing (might need to double):
1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 c. light sour cream
1 1/2 + tsp. adobo sauce from canned chipotle chilies
1 tsp. chili powder
4 tsp. fresh lime juice
¼ tsp. salt

Lemon Cream Pasta

2009-06-23T18:07:00.005-06:00

Lemon Cream Pasta: (serves 3)
1/2 lb. thin spaghetti
2 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 lemon
3/4 c. cream (I think next time I will try cream cheese)
1/4 tsp. salt
Parmesan cheese, grated
Parsley, chopped

Cook spaghetti;drain. Melt butter in skillet - then add oil. Add garlic and then squeeze juice from half the lemon into the skillet. Add cream and mix. Add salt, some of the parsley, and any other seasonings you would like. Pour drained spaghetti into skillet and stir to coat. Top with more fresh lemon juice, parsley, and cheese.

Banana Crumb Muffins

2009-06-21T10:22:00.003-06:00

- Recipe adapted from Allrecipes

These are amazing - seriously the best banana muffins I've ever tasted. I know I haven't posted about banana muffins before, but actually, I have made three different banana muffin recipes in the last year and none of them were good enough to post. See, I am honest in my recipe posting :) I found this recipe because I had exactly 3 mushy bananas. These are great. I will post the original recipe and then the alternative topping that includes oats and nuts for those of you who would like that better.

Banana Crumb Muffins: (makes 12 muffins)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Alternative crumbly topping:
1/3 cup rolled oats
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Do the same thing with this topping as the other.

Fresh Thai Spring Rolls

2009-06-17T18:53:00.009-06:00

Justin and I love this restaurant downtown called Five Star. It is this Thai/Chinese place and it is seriously amazing. It really is in my top three places to go eat. Anyway, for an appetizer, we always get these spring rolls and they are so good. I thought I would try making them because they really are so simple. They probably don't look as pretty as the real ones, but I made them a couple weeks ago and Justin and I agree that they tasted just like them! It was obvious what was in the spring roll, but the sauce is what makes it. I could not figure out what the sauce was, so I finally asked Nami (the waitress that we are friends with there) what the sauce is and she told me. I will do my best to try and explain how to make these. Seriously, if you are in an adventurous cooking mood one night - try these!

Fresh Thai Spring Rolls: (makes 10-12 rolls):
2 cups cooked chicken
2-3 large carrots, shredded (I just used my peeler)
1 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
Rice noodles (about 3 cups done)
Rice paper (Spring roll wraps)

1. Ingredient Preparation: Cook rice noodles according to package directions. While those are cooking, shred carrots, chop cilantro, cook and cut chicken into like 2 1/2 inches in length. Drain noodles. Set all ingredients by you so they are ready to go.

2. Rice Paper Prep: the rice paper comes hard, so get a pie plate (or other shallow dish) and fill it with warm water. Dip the rice paper in for about 5 seconds and place on a plate.

3. Assembly: (I know it is hard to see on this plate - sorry.) Place all ingredients (a little bit of each, but the noodles are kind of the filler, so use more of those) on bottom of rice paper so that they cover from the bottom to the middle of the paper.

4. Folding... Take one side of the rice paper and fold across.

5. Folding... Take the top of the rice paper and fold down.

6. Folding... Finish that little bad boy off.

TA DA!

Now for the sauce (this is what makes these amazing)...
1 c. sugar
1 c. vinegar
Crushed red pepper flakes
10 peanuts to crunch on top

Combine sugar and vinegar and stir, stir, stir until the sugar is dissolved. Next time I will just use my blender. Sprinkle some red pepper flakes on the mixture and then crunch some peanuts to throw on top. If I were actually making this for people, I would give everyone their own little dish of sauce cause these can get messy. You can either dip the spring roll in the sauce - or - get a spoon and spoon it into the spring roll. I like the second way better. ENJOY!

Parmesan Pesto Tortellini

2009-06-14T22:24:00.005-06:00

I have been using a lot of help from Costco for quick and easy dinners lately. I buy pesto sauce from there and freeze them in little containers and then I can use them as I please (see picture below). So, I used one of those today. I just bought store bought tortellini (the kind in the refrigerator section) for this and then used parmesan cheese that I already had. It was grated - I like the shredded kind better but I didn't want to buy more cheese.

(I didn't have the mushrooms or tomatoes this time)

Pesto Parmesan Tortellini: (serves 2)
12 oz. tortellini
1/4 c. prepared Pesto sauce
Parmesan cheese (to your liking)

1-2 tsp. minced garlic (optional)
1 tomato, largely diced (optional)
Mushrooms, sliced (optional)

Boil tortellinis according to package directions. Heat up large skillet. Saute garlic, then add mushrooms and cook until pretty soft. Add tomatoes and pesto, stir all together and heat through. Drain tortellini and put in serving dish. Add pesto mixture and stir to coat pasta. Top with parmesan cheese.

Meatball Panini

2009-06-12T07:10:00.001-06:00

I am actually way proud of this. ;) Have you ever tried the meatball panini at Paradise Bakery? If so, this is just as good. If not, you should just make this. Justin's been asking me to make it again. Anyway, I made this with the help of Costco frozen meatballs, but feel free to use any meatballs for this. This "recipe" makes two paninis.

Meatball Paninis (makes 2):
4 pieces of bread
About 8-10 meatballs, heated and then cut in half
Provolone cheese, sliced (any white cheese would be good)
Cooking spray

1 small can tomato sauce
Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper

(You can substitute these three ingredients for your favorite spaghetti sauce)

Heat up panini maker/George Foreman/grilled sandwich maker, etc. If you don't have any of these, you can grill it on the stove and just put a plate on top to smoosh it down so it is a real panini. Combine and heat up sauce and sliced meatballs. Top all slices of bread with cheese. Scoop out meatballs and lay on cheese of two of the breads (divided so that they're half and half). Pour a little excess sauce over meatballs (not too much because you don't want it spilling everywhere when pressed). Place other bread and cheese on top and then cook to your liking. The Costco frozen meatballs make this meal SO EASY. It took like 15 minutes from start to finish to make this.

Broccoli Salad

2009-06-11T16:35:00.004-06:00

Tried and true broccoli salad recipe! So good - I love it! This makes quite a large bowl full, enough for a family and a half. This is a good one to bring to a pot luck, BBQ, or Sunday dinner.

!

Broccoli Salad:
2-3 heads broccoli, broken into bite size pieces
1/2 jar of bacon bits
1/3 c. chopped celery
1 bunch green onions (or red onion), thinly chopped
Sunflower seeds
Craisins
2 c. Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Dressing:
1 c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. sugar
3-4 Tbs. vinegar

Mix ingredients and pour dressing in the bowl to coat right at serving time.

*Only use enough dressing to moisten everything - don't use too much
*If making ahead of time, mix everything except cheese and peas. Add those right at serving time.

Ranch Chicken

2009-06-06T17:14:00.011-06:00

Good and easy! The side with this is noodle casserole. There isn't very much on this plate, but it's really good.

Ranch Chicken: (serves 4-6)
About 4 thawed chicken breasts
1 packet Ranch dressing mix
3/4 c. Parmesan cheese
3/4 c. Corn Flakes
Butter, melted

Mix the Ranch packet, cheese, and corn flakes in a large baggie. Dip the chicken (one at a time) in the butter and then put it into the baggie. Shake to coat. Repeat with all chicken breasts. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min. to an hour. Serve with potatoes or rice and vegetables.

Baked Chicken Taquitos

2009-05-28T14:38:00.009-06:00

- adapted from Our Best Bites

I have never tasted taquitos this good. Yum! I made this recipe and froze half and baked another day and they turned out great. I think next time I will even double the recipe and freeze them and use them for busy nights. Anyway...

Baked Chicken Taquitos: (makes 12)
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. salsa verde
1-2 Tbs. fresh lime juice (I used the juice of 1 whole lime)
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
3-4 Tbs. chopped cilantro
3 Tbs. green onion, sliced thinly
2 c. shredded cooked chicken (I used rotisserie chicken meat)
1 c. cheese (any kind you like)

small corn tortillas (I made 12 w/this recipe)
cooking spray
salt

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and grease with cooking spray. In a bowl, mix cream cheese, salsa verde, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and garlic salt. Stir in cilantro and green onion. Add chicken and cheese and mix well.

Place about 3 tortillas between two damp paper towels on a plate. Heat for 45 seconds, until tortillas are soft and don't crack when you roll them. Scoop about 3 Tbs. of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla, spread it out a bit, and roll it up tightly. (I used a cookie scoop to do that.) Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. Place on baking sheet; Spray the taquitos with cooking spray and then sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until crispy and edges become golden brown. Dip in guacamole, sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, etc. If freezing, do everything except bake them.

Chicken/Black Bean Enchilada "Dish"

2009-05-28T12:31:00.004-06:00

Justin said that this was too good to be called "casserole," so he wanted me to name it "Fiesta Dish." Whatever you want to call it, this was really good and easy!

(This is not a very good picture, but whatever)

Chicken/Black Bean Enchilada "Dish (serves 5-6):"
2 c. diced chicken breast meat, cooked
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, rinsed and drained
1 small can diced green chili peppers, drained
1 can red enchilada sauce (I did medium and it was great)
8 corn tortillas
2 c. Mexican blend cheese, shredded
1 c. (8 oz) low fat sour cream

Preheat the oven to 375°. Spread half of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of an 9x13” baking dish. Place 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas (I use a cookie scoop - it makes it so much easier), and sprinkle with half of the cheese and half of the sour cream (again, using the cookie scoop). Spoon the remaining enchilada sauce over the cheese, and make another layer of tortillas. Layer the remaining chicken mixture over the tortillas. Cover dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the cover, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and dot with sour cream. Continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with pico de gallo salsa or hot sauce

Spinach Poppy Seed Salad

2009-05-23T15:48:00.003-06:00

This salad totally reminds me of Sunday dinners growing up. It goes with everything and is a tried and true, everyone loves it recipe.

Spinach Poppy Seed Salad:
1 bag Baby Spinach/lettuce
1 c. Almonds, sugar roasted on the stove
1 1/2 c. Craisins
1-2 cans Mandarin oranges
Jicima or apple, peeled and cut into sticks

Dressing:
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. Honey
2 Tbs. poppy seeds

Cilantro Lime Rice

2009-05-18T19:51:00.007-06:00

This rice tastes exactly like Cafe Rio rice, if not better (because I added more lime). :) I pretty much just cooked the rice in chicken broth and then blended everything else in a blender and stirred into the rice at the end. This recipe yields about 7-8 cups of cooked rice.

Cilantro Lime Rice (yields 6-8 cooked cups of rice):
Cook about 3-4 cups rice according to package directions, substituting at least half of the water for chicken broth. Add butter once cooked and fluff with forks. In a blender or food processor, mix:
4 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 can green chilies
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 onion
Juice of 1 (or 2 or 3) limes

Stir mixture into rice.

Mini Cheesecakes

2009-05-16T17:24:00.003-06:00

Mini Cheesecakes: (makes 24)
2 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
Vanilla wafers (about 24)

Preheat oven to 350. Beat all (except for Vanilla wafers) until smooth. Put vanilla wafers in cupcake liners in muffin pan. With a cookie scoop, drop mixture onto wafers (one heaping scoop per muffin cup). Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Cool. Add topping (after mixing together)...

1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tbs. sugar
About 1 c. powdered sugar

Finally, top with a scoop of cherries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries (pie filling) - fruit mixture of your choice.

Monkey/Pull-Apart Bread

2009-05-15T16:36:00.004-06:00

This is seriously amazing and should probably only be eaten on special occasions because of the caloric intake. I got this recipe from the Pioneer Woman Cooks. The only thing I did different is that I halved the butter/brown sugar mixture because I don't believe in putting 2 sticks of butter to top off my desserts. It makes me not even want to eat it because of the calories haha. But it turned out great! The only other thing that I did different was that I used crescent rolls instead of biscuits because that's what I had in my refridge. Enjoy... This is to die for! (I will put the original recipe on here and then what I did in parenthasis.)

Monkey Bread:
Bundt Cake Pan (I used a square casserole dish)
3 cans of Buttermilk Biscuits, the non-flaky ones (I used Crescent Rolls)
1 c. Sugar
2-3 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 c. Brown Sugar (I used only 1/4 c.)
2 sticks of butter (I used only 1 stick)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut up individual biscuits into quarters (I just rolled the rolls into little balls and it worked great). Combine white sugar and cinnamon into a ziploc bag and shake until mixed. Add all the biscuits (or dough balls) into the bag! Seal and shake until they are all covered. You will have extra sugar in the bag and that's okay. Now arrange them into the dish you will be using. No need to grease. On the stove, melt butter and then add the brown sugar. Cook until it is well mixed and only one color. Pour over the doughs. Bake for about 30-40 minutes. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes and then turn over onto a plate to serve. YUM!!

Classic Baked Beans

2009-05-10T10:50:00.010-06:00

This original recipe is from my mom. These are great baked beans! Also, they taste so good when they are reheated so they will last a couple days as a side dish (if needed).

Baked Beans (Serves 8-10):
About 32 oz. Pork and Beans, drained
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked till crispy and crumbled
1 c. ketchup
2 Tbs. Worchestershire sauce
3/4 c. brown sugar

Cook bacon. Add all ingredients to oven-safe bowl or stoneware. Bake for about 3 hours, at 225, uncovered.

Chicken Pesto Stacks

2009-05-06T19:50:00.008-06:00

Oh my - these look so weird, but they were so good! It is like a way random dinner, but it turned out so good! It only took like 20 minutes total to make and, this is a really low calorie, healthy dinner! If you wanted to add a carb, this would be a way good panini. Or, I was thinking, it would be a great on a pita (I just couldn't find them at the store - where do you find pitas? I've bought them before...?).

Chicken Pesto Stacks: (serves 2)
1/2 sweet onion, cut into rings
1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into slices
1 tomato, sliced
2 chicken breasts, cooked (I used rotisserie chicken)
1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 c. pesto sauce, divided (and prepared-Costco, baby)

Heat up skillet and spray with pam. Throw in onion and pepper, stir, and turn down the heat. Cook for about 10 minutes or until a little tender. Scoop in 2-3 Tbs. pesto and mix around in the pan. Cook for a few more minutes, until done. Set veggies aside and put in chicken. Melt cheese onto chicken. To serve, spoon onions onto each plate. Place pepper on top of onions, and then a slice or two of tomato. Chicken with melted mozzarella on top of that, and then drizzle with heated pesto.

German Pancakes/Hootenannies

2009-05-06T19:08:00.009-06:00

These totally remind me of slumber parties because growing up, my mom would always make them for us in the morning when we'd have friends sleep over. Anyways, I know this is one of those recipes that everyone has their favorite, but here's mine that I love...

*I halved the recipe below and made it in a square casserole dish and it turned out great!

German Pancakes: (serves 8)
6 eggs
1 c. milk
1 tsp. salt
1 c. flour
1/2 c. butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In blender, mix eggs, milk, and salt. When oven is preheated, melt butter and pour into 9x13 casserole dish. Then, tap flour into blender while blending on low to finish mixture. Pour mixture into dish and bake for 20 minutes.

Zucchini Muffins

2009-04-27T16:32:00.008-06:00

I made these on Sunday because I had a zucchini in my fridge and it just sounded good. This is a great recipe! It's slightly adapted from B.H.G. I really like the taste of cinnamon and pecans in it. YUM!

Zucchini Muffins: (makes 12 muffins)

1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 egg, beaten
1 c. sugar (or applesauce for something less processed)
1 c. finely shredded (grated) zucchini (for me this was 1 med. size)
1/3 c. cooking oil
1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 375. Chop pecans (or nuts of your choice) and spread them all over cookie sheet. Cook for 2 minutes, stir and bake for 2-3 more. Let cool. In a medium bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Make a well in center of mixture; set aside. In another medium bowl combine egg, sugar, zucchini, and oil. Add zucchini mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in nuts. Spoon batter into greased pan. Bake for about 20 minutes. Let cool.

Weekly Menu #2

2009-04-25T14:31:00.004-06:00

*This week's menu consists of buying some random ingredients. I bought the rotisserie chicken and pesto at Costco. Take the extra pesto and freeze it in little containers or in ice cube trays for future use.

Meals this week:

Pesto, Pine Net, and Feta Pizza
Honey Glazed Chicken
Chicken and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole
Pesto Pasta

Monday
Pesto, Pine Nut, and Feta Pizza

1 Bobeli pizza crust
1 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ c. prepared Basil Pesto
4 oz. Feta cheese
½ red onion, sliced
½ tomato, sliced thinly

Mozzarella cheese
Pine Nuts, slightly roasted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place crust on baking sheet. Spread pesto onto crust. Sprinkle half of cheese onto crust. Layer on the rest of the toppings and top with the rest of the cheese. Bake according to package directions.

Side: Salad or steamed veggies

Tuesday
Honey Glazed Chicken

2 lbs. chicken, diced
1/3 c. flour
2 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper
4 Tbs. butter
¼ c. honey
3 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. soy sauce
½ tsp. ground ginger

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour and seasonings in shallow dish. Dip chicken in mixture to coat. Melt 2 Tbs. butter and pour in casserole dish. Arrange chicken in pan. Bake uncovered 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in saucepan, melt remaining butter. Add lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, and ginger. After 30 minutes, turn each piece of chicken over and pour sauce over chicken. Bake another 30-40 minutes more, basting frequently. Serve over rice.

Side: Salad or steamed veggies

Wednesday
Chicken/Black Bean Enchilada "Dish:"
2 c. diced chicken breast meat, cooked
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, rinsed and drained
1 small can diced green chili peppers, drained
1 can red enchilada sauce (I did medium and it was great)
8 corn tortillas
2 c. Mexican blend cheese, shredded
1 c. (8 oz) low fat sour cream

Preheat the oven to 375°. Spread half of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of an 9x13” baking dish. Place 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas (I use a cookie scoop - it makes it so much easier), and sprinkle with half of the cheese and half of the sour cream (again, using the cookie scoop). Spoon the remaining enchilada sauce over the cheese, and make another layer of tortillas. Layer the remaining chicken mixture over the tortillas. Cover dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the cover, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and dot with sour cream. Continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with pico de gallo salsa or hot sauce

Thursday
Pesto Pasta

Pasta (your choice)
1/8 – ¼ c. pesto
½ tomato, diced
Mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta and drain. Pour pasta into heated skillet and add remaining ingredients except cheese. Top with cheese.

Side: Flatbread

Grocery List:
1 Rotisserie chicken
Pesto sauce (Costco)
1 Pizza Crust
Red onion
Tomato
Pine Nuts
Feta cheese
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese, fresh/shredded
Mexican blend cheese
Fresh vegetables (for sides)
Canned black beans
Cilantro
1 small can Chopped Green peppers
1 can Enchilada sauce
Corn tortillas
Sour Cream
Mushrooms
Pico De Gallo
Flatbread

Stuff you should always have:
Frozen Chicken
Frozen Pesto
Lemon juice
Garlic Powder
Honey
Flour
Ground ginger
Oil
Soy Sauce
Butter
Cumin
Rice
Pasta

Weekly Menu #1

2009-04-16T17:15:00.003-06:00

WEEK 1

Meals this week:

Sweet n Sour Chicken
Broccoli Cheese Soup
BBQ Chicken Sand.
Chicken Parmesan
Fiesta Salad

Optional Meal Idea:
Make a fiesta salad with bbq chicken (from Wed. night) on top of lettuce. Garnish with guacamole, salsa, corn and black beans. Top with small amount of ranch.

Treat of the week:
Chex Muddy Buddies
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ½ c. powdered sugar
½ c. peanut butter
(6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ c. butter
9 c. Chex cereal (corn is good for this)

Measure cereal into large bowl; set aside. Microwave chocolate, peanut butter and butter in bowl, uncovered on high for 1 minute; stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal in bowl, stirring until coated. Pour into large plastic food storage bag; add powdered sugar. Seal bag and shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool.

Monday
Sweet n’ Sour Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1/2 c. cornstarch
1 egg, beaten
¼ c. oil

Thaw chicken breasts completely. Cut into bite-sized pieces, if desired. Heat up oil in skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dip in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry the chicken in oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour half of it over chicken. Serve with grilled pineapple pieces and green peppers.

Sauce:
¾ c. sugar
4 Tbs. Ketchup
½ c. vinegar
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. In the last 15 minutes, bring the rest of the sauce to a boil on the stove. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced – about 6-8 minutes.

Side: Rice (and roasted cauliflower)

Tuesday
Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 can chicken broth (or 1 ½ c.
boiling water w/chicken bouillon)
1 small onion, diced

1/3 c. flour
¼ c. butter
Pepper to taste (about ½ tsp.)

2 c. milk
1 ½ c. shredded cheddar cheese
½ c. shredded Swiss cheese

2-3 c. steamed broccoli

Simmer broth and onion for 15-20 minutes in a covered small saucepan, until onions are tender. Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes. In a separate medium-sized pot, melt butter, then add flour and pepper. Cook these together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in warm milk. Stir and heat together on medium-high until soup starts to thicken. Next add chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheese and steamed broccoli. Serve immediately.

Side: Grilled meat sandwiches or rolls/biscuits.

Wednesday
* Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Frozen chicken
BBQ sauce
Grape Jelly
Provolone/mozzarella cheese
Buns

This is the crockpot meal for the week. Barely cover chicken in crockpot with mixed equal amounts grape jelly and bbq sauce. Cook on low for 6 hours. Shred chicken and cook for another hour.

Just before serving, grill buns on the stove and top with a piece of cheese. Fill with meat.

Side: Raw veggies with dip, baked/canned beans heated up.

Thursday
Chicken Parmesan w/Pasta

3 chicken breasts
1 1/2 c. bread crumbs
1 can tomato sauce
1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 c. grated parmesan cheese, fresh and
shredded
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Thaw chicken if frozen. Cut each chicken into thick strips. Wet each piece in water and coat with bread crumbs. Put chicken in square casserole dish. Sprinkle seasonings onto chicken. Pour tomato sauce onto chicken. Top with cheddar/mozzarella, then parmesan until covered. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until chicken is completely cooked. In the mean time, cook pasta of your choice. Serve chicken on top of pasta with extra sauce.

Side: Steamed green beans and carrots. Make some buns from last night into garlic buns.

Grocery List:

Grape jelly
1 Onion
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Swiss cheese, shredded
Broccoli
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese,
fresh/shredded
Buns/large rolls
Provolone cheese, sliced (or just use some mozzarella for sandwiches)
Fresh vegetables (for sides)
Canned baked beans (opt.)

Stuff you should always have:

Frozen Chicken
Salt and Pepper
Cornstarch
Eggs
Oil
Sugar
Ketchup
Vinegar
Soy Sauce
Garlic Salt
Chicken broth/Chicken Bouillon
Flour
Milk
Butter
BBQ sauce
Bread crumbs
Tomato sauce
Italian seasoning
Garlic salt
Rice

Menu Planning

2009-04-16T17:12:00.005-06:00

K, so I have been so busy and my cooking has been lacking. But when I am on top of things here at home, I usually plan out a weekly menu on Sunday and then go grocery shopping on Monday, so I'm not running to the store every day before I make dinner. I am going to start posting my weekly menus (as I do them) along with the recipes, so if you need ideas or want to follow along, you can. They will be posted randomly so just bare with me.

Artichoke Dip

2009-04-16T16:54:00.009-06:00

-Ann Hogan

Not only is this easy, but it is so good!! The lack of ingredients doesn't mean that it lacks in flavor.

Artichoke Dip:
2 1/4 c. mayonnaise
2c. parmesan cheese, grated
2 cans green chilies, diced
2 cans artichoke hearts (not marinated)
Sliced olives

Mix together and put in a 9x13 casserole dish. Lay sliced olives on the top and sprinkle more cheese over. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Use tortilla chips/strips to dip.

Chicken, Ham, and Swiss Rolls

2009-03-26T20:48:00.009-06:00

K, so I have been meaning to make Chicken Cordon Bleu, but it just hasn't happened yet. But I did have some Crescent Rolls, Swiss cheese, chicken, and ham in my fridge, so I decided to make this random-as-ever dish. They turned out great! Justin loved them!! I am proud of this new recipe :) *If anyone has ideas of how I could make this better I would love to hear. I was wondering if pesto or some kind of sauce would be good. What do you think?

Chicken, Ham, and Swiss Rolls: Makes 4 large rolls (8 small)
1-2 chicken breast, cooked
About 16 slices thin deli ham meat, divided (use less for thicker ham)
Salt and pepper
1 can Crescent rolls
2-3 c. grated Swiss cheese
Salt and pepper, seasoning

Melted butter (optional)
Bread crumbs (optional)

Cook chicken and shred. Put chicken on microwavable plate and top with cheese. Melt in microwave for 45-60 seconds. Roll out rolls on cookie sheet. Connect triangles (8 total) to make 4 rectangles. Place ham slices on top of the rolls and then top with the chicken/cheese mixture. Fold rolls closed. Cook according to directions on roll can. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle on bread crumbs (optional).

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

2009-03-17T20:37:00.006-06:00

These are the peanut butter cookies that I grew up making for my dad - he loves them! This is straight from the Betty Crocker Cookbook. These are absolutely delicious and always turn out perfect!

Peanut Butter Cookies (makes 2 dozen):

1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. shortening
1/4 c. butter, softened
1 large egg
1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Additional granulated sugar

Heat oven to 375. In large bowl, beat 1/2 c. granulated sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, butter and egg on med. speed. Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with fork dipped in additional granulated sugar. Bake for 9-10 minutes (I went 9 and they were perfect). Cool 5 minutes.

This makes 2 dozen cookies.

Parmesan Chicken

2009-03-17T17:36:00.007-06:00

I made this tonight - it was really good. It had lots of flavor! Justin loved this dinner! Also, I had every single thing for this dinner. The only thing that I would have had to get (if I didn't already have it) was the cheese. Yummy...

Parmesan Chicken: (serves 2-4)
2 chicken breasts, thawed if frozen
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1 c. spaghetti/tomato sauce
1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese, fresh and shredded
Sprinkle of Italian seasoning
Sprinkle of garlic salt
A sprinkle pepper
Pasta (any type)

Preheat oven to 375. Cut each chicken into strips or bite size pieces. Wet each piece in water and coat with bread crumbs. Place chicken in casserole dish. Pour tomato sauce/spaghetti sauce onto chicken. Sprinkle with garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Top with mozzarella, then parmesan until covered. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes, or until chicken is completely cooked. Bake an additional 15 minutes uncovered. Cook pasta while chicken is baking. Serve chicken on top of pasta and with a side of veggies.

Easy BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

2009-03-13T08:52:00.004-06:00

***K, I know this recipe looks way weird, but trust me... My mom makes it all the time with all sorts of things - meatballs, lil smokies, chicken, pork, etc. Every time someone finds out the recipe they're like, "What the.." but TRUST ME, it's delicious

BBQ Shredded Chicken Sandwiches: (makes about 6-8 sandwiches)
3-4 Chicken breasts
1 c. (approx.) BBQ sauce
1 c. (approx.) grape jelly

Buns (grilled if you want)
Cheese (opt.)

Put chicken in crockpot. Put in jelly and bbq sauce mixture, enough to barely cover chicken. Cook on low for 6-7 hours. Shred chicken using a two forks (add bbq sauce if needed) and cook an additional hour or so.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

2009-03-10T18:50:00.006-06:00

What an awesome way to use up broccoli (I always buy way too much and I know a lot of people who do too)!! This soup really only took 30 minutes from start to finish to make - I was expecting it to take a lot longer. It's delicious too! I got this recipe off the internet somewhere and have been dying to try it! I had some crescent rolls in my fridge so I served the soup with those. Yum...

Broccoli Cheese Soup: (serves 3-4)
1 can chicken broth (or 1 1/2 c. boiling water w/1 chicken bouillon cube)
1 small onion, diced

1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. butter
Pepper to taste

2 c. milk (I used 1%)
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese or velveeta
1/2 c. shredded swiss cheese
2-3 c. steamed chopped fresh broccoli

Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for about 20 minutes in a covered small saucepan, until onions are soft. After I got that going, i chopped up the broccoli and put in steam pot over the onion/broth mixture. Heat milk in microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour and pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium-high heat until soup starts to thicken. Next add chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses and steamed broccoli. Serve immediately.

Makes 3-4 servings, so if serving a larger group of people, double the recipe.

The broccoli is in the steamer and the onion/broth mixture is in the bottom pot. This worked out great!

Amazing Sweet n Sour Chicken

2009-03-09T22:50:00.009-06:00

After looking at a lot of sweet and sour chicken recipes, the one that looked the best was this one, so I tried it and modified it to add more flavors that I like. I got this recipe off a blog called my kitchen cafe. I am very skeptical when it comes to chicken and I have to say, this is the best sweet and sour chicken I've ever tasted! The chicken turned out so tender and juicy - it was amazing! This fed 4 people, so if you're making it for more, double the recipe. I didn't have the pineapple and green pepper in the pic, but you can imagine. This would be good for a Sunday dinner.

Sweet n’ Sour Chicken: (serves 4)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1/2 c. cornstarch
1 egg, beaten
¼ c. oil

Pineapple (canned or fresh)
Green pepper, seeded and sliced

Thaw chicken breasts completely. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Heat oil in skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dip in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry the chicken in oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer of chicken in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour half of it over chicken.

Sauce:
¾ c. sugar
4 Tbs. Ketchup
½ c. vinegar
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 20 minutes. 10 minutes before chicken is done, grill some pineapple and green pepper on stove. Add the other half of the sauce and cook until heated. Serve over rice.

Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

2009-03-03T22:26:00.006-07:00

I made this for dinner tonight (to use up a few things in the refridge) and it was very delicious! I halved the recipe to make it in a square casserole dish, but I probably would have added more hashbrowns if I could go back in time. I wanted to try it with sausage, but used ham today. Notice how there's only half on 3/4 of the casserole (for justin). This was seriously way good...

Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole: (serves 6-8)
24 oz. bag frozen, shredded hash browns
1/2 c. butter

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle hash browns in a 9x13 pan. Melt butter and pour over them. Bake 20 minutes.

4 eggs, beaten
1 c. half n half
1/2 tsp. Lawry's seasoning (orange stuff)
1 c. swiss cheese, grated
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1 c. diced ham or cooked bacon, chopped

Mix these ingredients together while hash browns and butter are baking. Pour over hash browns and butter. Bake for an additional 35-40 minutes at the same temp.

Dang Good Sugar Cookies

2009-03-01T23:00:00.009-07:00

- Brittani Knudsen (my sister-in-law)
This makes a lot of cookies. The dough is amazing by the way. These are the nice, thick sugar cookies you can decorate and they look beautiful!

Sugar Cookies:
6 c. flour, sifted
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. shortening
2 c. sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 c. sour cream
2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. vanilla

Mix flour, baking powder and salt together. Add shortening and cut in like pie crust. Add the sugar and eggs. Put the baking soda in the sour cream and add to the flour mixture. Add vanilla. Mix well. Chil in refrigerator. Roll out, cut in desired shapes. Bake @ 375 for 8 minutes.

CHOCOLATE CHiP COOKiES - TRiED & TRUE

2009-03-01T22:08:00.006-07:00

- Betty Crocker Cookbook

I know that everyone has their favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, but try this one - it seriously never fails. You will never make a different recipe of chocolate chip cookies. These are the best cookies and the dough is even better! For some reason, I can make these so quickly. Another thing is that you can always switch out chocolate chips for white chocolate chips and macademia nuts (Justin's favorite kind).

Chocolate Chip Cookies: (Makes about 30 cookies)
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 c. butter (don't use light butter, gotta use the real stuff)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lg. egg

2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

12 oz. chocolate chips
1 cup nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In large bowl, beat sugars, butter, vanilla, and egg. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Bake 8-10 minutes or until light brown. Cool 1 to 2 minutes.

Fried Rice

2009-02-27T12:14:00.009-07:00

I tried this last night and it was delicious! I buy a huge bag of brown rice from Costco and cook it weekly and freeze the leftovers in baggies (there are only two of us here, but I love brown rice and it's cheaper this way - Keep in mind that brown rice only lasts on the shelf for about 6 months). So, this is a great way to use up some frozen veggies (and rice in my case). The only things I had to buy were green onions, bean sprouts, and ham.

Fried Rice: (serves 2-3)
2 c. cooked rice
2 Tbs. oil
1 carrot, finely diced
3 green onions, chopped
Bean sprouts (optional)
1/2 c. peas, thawed if frozen
2 eggs, beaten with 1 tsp. oil
Diced ham (optional) - I buy it already cooked and diced :)
Soy sauce

Heat oil in large pan. Add carrots and cook until a little tender. Add onions, rice, vegetables and a little soy sauce. Stir until heated. Make a well in center to cook eggs. Scramble eggs, then mix with rice. Add about 1 Tbs. soy sauce or to taste. YUMMY...

Sweet Potatoes w/Pecans n Blue Cheese

2009-02-26T17:48:00.005-07:00

This looks like a lot of ingredients, but there really are only a couple things you would have to buy for this. I tried this tonight and loved it. It would be a great side to either chicken or turkey. I love sweet potatoes!

Sweet Potaotes w/Pecans and Blue Cheese:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into thin wedges
1/2 sweet onion, sliced into 1'' pieces
2 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. butter
1/3 c. pecan pieces
1 Tbs. packed brown sugar

2 Tbs. crumbly blue cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Combine sweet potatoes and onion. Drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Toss gently to coat potatoes/onions. Spread mixture in a single layer. bake for 30-35 minutes or until veggies are tender, stirring once. Meanwhile, in small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in pecan pieces, brown sugar, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until pecans are coated in the brown sugar mixture. Remove from heat and cool completely. Serve up potatoes and top with the blue cheese and pecans.

This part is optional:
4 tsp. cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. honey
1 clove garlic, minced (1/2 tsp.)
2 Tbs. olive oil

For dressing, in a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, honey, garlic, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Slowly whisk in remaining 2 Tbs. of the olive oil until combined. Whisk in 1 Tbs. of the blue cheese. Transfer potatoes and onions to serving plate and drizzle with dressing. Top with remaining pecans and blue cheese.

Easy BBQ Shredded Chicken

2009-02-25T21:48:00.002-07:00

***K, I know this looks way weird, but trust me... My mom makes it all the time with all sorts of things - meatballs, lil smokies, chicken, pork, etc. Every time someone finds out the recipe their like, "What the.." but TRUST ME, it's delicious

Chicken breasts
Equal amounts of BBQ sauce and grape jelly
Buns (grilled if you want)

Put chicken in crockpot. Put in jelly and bbq sauce mixture, enough to barely cover chicken. Cook on low for 6-7 hours. Shred chicken using a two forks (add bbq sauce if needed) and cook an additional hour or so.

This would be great as a sandwich/panini, or on a BBQ chicken salad w/corn, black beans, cilantro, salsa, etc.

Baked Mac n' Cheese

2009-02-20T17:58:00.004-07:00

Baked Mac n' Cheese:
2 slices of bacon (optional)
8 ounces penne pasta (or pasta of your choice)
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta and drain when done. In the mean time (if making it with bacon), place bacon in a large, skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.

In the skillet, saute the chopped onion, and minced garlic. Take off heat and add chopped cooked bacon and set aside. In the mean time (to make the sauce), in a medium saucepan melt the butter or margarine over low heat. Once melted, add the flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Gradually add milk and continue stirring until thickened. Stir in 2 cups of the grated cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Combine everything except 1 cup of cheese. Pour into a 2 quart (square) casserole dish. Add the last cup of grated cheddar cheese to top of mixture. Bake uncovered until cheese on top is melted and brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Chilaquiles - Yummy Mexican Breakfast

2009-02-05T18:40:00.005-07:00

When we went on our trip to Mexico, I ate this every morning... It is so delicious and easy! Try it...

Chilaquiles:
Corn tortillas, a little dried out, maybe leave them out for an hour or so.
Any Mexican type tomato sauce or salsa (I buy it)
Mozerella or feta cheese
Red onion, sliced into rings
Cilantro
Chicken, cooked and cubed (optional!) - i didn't try it with chicken

Heat oven to 375. Quarter slightly dried out corn tortillas. Mix sauce with onion (and chicken). In a 9x13 dish, layer just like a lasagna - First, put a little sauce (so tortillas don't stick), then tortillas, the sauce, and cheese. Layer 1 or 2 more times, depending on how much you want to make. Top with tin foil and bake in the oven for about 35 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with cilantro and a fried egg. Eat with beans, and/or salsa and you may top it off with sour cream (i personally, don't love the stuff).

Noodle Casserole

2009-01-31T18:06:00.003-07:00

- Pizza family
This is one of my favorite side dishes. Good to serve with chicken.

Noodle Casserole:
2 qts. boiling water
12 oz. pkg. angel hair pasta
2 pkgs. Lipton chicken noodle soup
2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. green onions, chopped
Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add noodles and soup to water. Cook until thick (water almost gone). Add sour cream and onions. Pour into casserole dish and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Bake for 25 minutes.

Oriental Chicken Bow Tie Pasta Salad

2009-01-31T17:31:00.001-07:00

Oriental Chicken Bow Tie Pasta Salad:
8 oz. pkg. bow-tie pasta, cooked according to package
10 oz. pkg. spinach
3 (11 oz.) cans mandarin oranges
2 (8 oz.) cans sliced water chestnuts
1/2 c. parsley, finely chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/4 c. sesame seeds
6 oz. honey roasted peanuts, coarsely crunched
2 c. cooked, chopped chicken
wontons or crunchy rice noodles (optional)

ORiENTAL DRESSiNG (this dressing is bomb):
1 c. vegetable oil
2/3 c. teriyaki sauce
2/3 c. white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. pepper

Crumbly Bleu Cheese Salad

2008-12-31T18:42:00.002-07:00

-Paradise Bakery and Cafe

Lettuce
Craisins
Sunflower seeds
Bleu cheese crumbles
Ceasar dressing

Yummy Cobb Salad

2008-12-31T18:39:00.002-07:00

Lettuce
Grape/cherry tomatoes
Olives, sliced
Avocado, sliced
Bacon (bits)
Eggs, hard-boiled and sliced
Cheddar cheese
Grilled chicken
Ranch dressing

Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

2008-12-31T18:37:00.001-07:00

1 pkg. hidden valley ranch dressing mix
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic
3 tomatillos - peel off paper
1/3 c. buttermilk
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (more or less)

Blend ingredients. Store in fridge.

Green Apple Gorgonzola Salad

2008-12-31T18:33:00.002-07:00

1 bag Lettuce (Romaine or Spring Mix)
1-2 Green apples, cut into bite size pieces
1 c. Pecans, sugar-cinnamon toasted on stove
1 1/2 c. Craisins
Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Newman's Own - Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing

*This is also good with feta or bleu cheese

Carrot Bran Muffins

2008-12-31T18:29:00.001-07:00

- Good Things Utah

Carrot Bran Muffins:
1 ½ cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 ½ cups bran
3 medium carrots
2 large eggs
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ cups milk
2Tbsp white distilled vinegar
½ cup honey
¼ cup molasses
½ cup raisins

In a food processor, blend whole wheat flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg & bran. Pour into large mixing bowl. Process carrots until pureed & stir into dry ingredients. Process eggs & oil for 3-5 seconds & add to flour mixture with milk, vinegar, honey, molasses & raisins. Stir until just blended – do not over work. Spoon into muffin pan.
Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Fajitas

2008-12-31T18:15:00.005-07:00

- Family Favorites Cookbook

*While this recipe is great, I simplified it a bit. I just sauteed all the veggies in the lime juice in a skillet and added already cooked chicken to grill it a little and soak up the lime flavor. It was way easy this way!

Fajitas:
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (can use any meat)
1/2 c. lime juice
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 onion. sliced into rings
1 green pepper, sliced into strips
1 red pepper, sliced into strips
2 Tbsp. butter
Tortillas (corn for gluten free)

Cut chicken into strips. Place in glass dish and pour lime juice over top. Sprinkle with pepper and garlic salt; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours. In large skillet, saute onion and peppers in butter for 2 minutes. Remove veggies and add chicken. Cook chicken until no longer pink (about 5 min), then add peppers and onions back. Cook until heated through. Fill warm tortillas with chicken mixture; top with condiments and roll and eat immediately.

Condiments:
Salsa
Guacamole
Cheddar cheese
Sour cream

Thyme Roasted Potatoes

2008-12-18T19:58:00.002-07:00

Thyme Roasted Potatoes:
2 ½ lbs. small red new potatoes, halved and quartered
2 Tbs. chopped, fresh thyme leaves, (plus sprigs for garnish)
2 Tbs. chopped garlic
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and place baking pan on rack in lower third. Toss together al ingredients in a bowl: season with salt and pepper. Carefully transfer potatoes to hot pan, shaking pan to spread potatoes into a single layer. Roast potatoes, stirring occasionally, until tender and crispy, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

100% Bran Muffins

2008-12-18T19:55:00.002-07:00

2 c. 100% Bran
2 c. boiling water
2 c. sugar
1 c. salad oil
4 eggs
5 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
1 qt. buttermilk
4 c. Bran Flakes
5 c. flour

Pour boiling water over 100% Bran. Cool. Beat sugar, oil, and eggs in together. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk. Stir in Bran Flakes. Store in airtight container in the fridge for as long as 30 days. When ready to use, spoon into muffin cups. Cook for 20 min. at 400 degrees

Italian Crockpot Chicken

2008-12-18T19:47:00.002-07:00

My sister-in-law, Brittani made this one night and Justin and I went over to their house and it looked and smelled SO GOOD! Then, yesterday, I saw this recipe on Good Things Utah and it's the same one the Brittani made.

Italian Crockpot Chicken:
Chicken
1 can (10 oz.) Cream of Chicken Soup
8 oz. Cream Cheese
Packet of dry italian dressing

Put chicken in crockpot and stir the rest of the ingredients together. Put mixture over chicken. High 4-6 hours, low 8 hours. Serve over rice w/veggies.

Chex Muddy Buddies

2008-12-13T23:30:00.004-07:00

Chex Muddy Buddies:
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ½ c. powdered sugar
½ c. peanut butter
1 pkg. (6 oz) semi-sweet choc. chips
¼ c. butter
9 c. Chex cereal (corn is good for this)

Measure cereal into large bowl; set aside. Microwave chocolate, peanut butter and butter in bowl, uncovered on high for 1 minute; stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal in bowl, stirring until coated. Pour into large plastic food storage bag; add powdered sugar. Seal bag and shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool.

Apple Crisp

2008-12-13T23:26:00.002-07:00

This is so freakin good! Put a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream in a bowl and put a scoop of this on top. I used to hate cooked apples and fruit, but after having this I love it. I think it would be good with any fruit substituted in for the apples. I'll try it one of these days.

Here is my friend Aubrey eating it...

Apple Crisp:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup flour
½ cup melted butter

3 cups green apples, peeled and chopped

½ cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8” pan. In large bowl combine brown sugar, oats, flour, and butter. Mix until crumbly. Put half of mix in pan. Spread apples evenly over mix. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Put butter over. Top with the rest of crumbs. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Quesadillas and Rice n Beans

2008-11-10T20:19:00.002-07:00

I made this seriously fast and easy dinner tonight and, kind of to my surprise, this was one of Justin's top favorite dinners that I've made - I didn't even do anything, but all well... :)

Tortillas (corn for gluten free)
Cheese (I used Mexican blend)
Cooked chicken (optional)
Black beans, canned
Rice mix (I did the Taco rice)

Start by making rice. Follow directions on package! ;) Make chicken quesadillas. (Remember to put lid on the pan so that the cheese melts while the outside cooks cause I always end up burning it.) When you're almost done with those, heat up beans in microwave. Serve with salsa or hot sauce.

Brie, Apple, and Turkey Sandwich

2008-11-03T20:04:00.001-07:00

I made this for dinner tonight and it was really so good!!!!!

Brie, Apple, and Turkey Sandwich:
1 1/2 Tbs. honey
1 1/2 Tbs. mustard
1 loaf ciabatta bread
Sliced turkey
1/4 lb. Brie cheese, thinly sliced
1 c. greens (I just used spinach)
1 thinly sliced, peeled Granny Smith Apple
1/8 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Slice bread in half (so there's a top and bottom). Combine homey and mustard in a small cup. Spread on bottom of bread. Layer turkey first, then cheese. Bake in oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Top with the apples, greens and pepper; then, put the top of the bread on. Cut into 4 sandwiches.

Roasted Fall Veggies

2008-10-29T19:09:00.002-06:00

I tried something new tonight and it was really good! It did take some prep time though. I have always wanted to try cool types of squash, so I found some recipes with butternut squash in it and kind of made this up...

Roasted Fall Veggies:
1 butternut squash (I only used half), peeled and diced
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
1 potato (of your choice), peeled and diced

1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. fresh thyme
1 tsp. minced garlic
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Mix second group of ingredients in a medium bowl. Add first group of ingredients to it and toss to coat. Roast in oven for 40 minutes.

The Best & Simiplest Chili

2008-10-28T17:20:00.005-06:00

- Ann Hogan (my mom)

Chili:
1 - 1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced

Brown the beef in a skillet. Add the other ingredients (above) and saute. Add SALT, PEPPER, and CHILI POWDER to taste. Transfer to crockpot. Add the following:

2 cans (15 oz.) kidney beans, drained
1 lg. can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 small can (8 oz.) tomato sauce

Cook for about 2 hours.

Tacos

2008-10-26T13:36:00.004-06:00

Tacos:
1 lb. ground beef, browned
1/2 packet taco seasoning
Taco shells/Fried tortillas (my mom always did fried tortillas)
Tomatoes, diced
Lettuce, chopped
Cheddar cheese, shredded

Brown beef on stove; then add taco seasoning. Fill shells or warmed tortillas with the meat, then top with cheese and the rest of the garnishes.

Sweet n Sour Chicken w/Pineapple

2008-10-26T13:20:00.003-06:00

This is so good! My mom makes it for Sunday dinner sometimes and it is way easy!

Chicken
Green pepper
Pineapple
Sweet n sour sauce
Rice (optional)

Marinate chicken breasts in sweet n sour sauce. Grill pineapple and green pepper. Grill chicken. Mix together and toss with sweet n sour sauce to coat. Serve with rice. :) Yum...

Mediterranean Crepe Eggs

2008-10-15T23:44:00.003-06:00

OH MY GOSH! Me and my in-laws (girls) went to this restaurant in St. George called "The Egg and I." They have this things called a "crepe egg" and it is seriously the bomb! I made it like three days in a row and it's way good.

Mediterranean Crepe Eggs:
Artichoke hearts
Sun-dried tomatoes
Feta cheese
Red onion
Portabella mushrooms
Fresh spinach

K this thing is like a crepe with an omelette cooked with all the veggies inside. It's served with a side of balsamic vinaigrette. Here is what i did...

First make some crepes (recipe below); set aside. Saute all veggies, except spinach. Pour in beaten eggs and scramble them with veggies. Add cheese and make sure it melts all the way. Put on top of crepe and roll crepe up. Serve with balsamic vinegar. Seriously to die for!

Chicken Noodle Soup

2008-10-15T20:50:00.001-06:00

I have been waiting and waiting for cold weather so I could make this - YAY! I LOVE SOUP! I really didn't use exact measurements because how much of everything really just depends on how you like it. I personally, like it way chunky with tons of vegetables and not way brothy.. The best thing about this is that it's healthy!

Chicken Noodle Soup:
6 Chicken bouillon cubes
Carrots (sliced fairly thin)
Celery (chopped)
Green beans (chopped into 1 1/2 inch sticks)
White onion (1/2 of it, chopped)
Peas (frozen)
Cooked chicken
Noodles!
Salt and pepper
Fresh thyme (of course you can use any herbs/spices
that you want, but I love Thyme!)

Bring about 12 cups of water to a boil in pot. Add 6 chicken bouillon cubes. Add carrots, celery, green beans, and onion. Let cook for 20 minutes, covered. Then add peas. After a few minutes, add chicken and uncooked noodles. Cook for 10 more minutes. A few minutes from being done, add salt and pepper and thyme (or seasoning of your choice). Simmer until noodles are done. Serve with crackers. :)

Thyme Roasted Chicken (& red potatoes and green beans)

2008-10-15T20:05:00.002-06:00

This dinner was so good and easy! I found the recipe in the October "Good Housekeeping," but changed it a little bit. I bought a rotisserie chicken at Costco and used that because I am weird about cooking chicken.

Thyme Roasted Chicken (and red potatoes and green beans):
Cut up chicken
2 1/2 lbs. small, red potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
12 oz. green beans, trimmed and each cut in half

2 Tbs. chopped, fresh Thyme leaves
2 Tbs. minced garlic or Dijon mustard
(depending on your taste - I used a little of both)
2 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to to 450. Spray cookie sheet with nonstick spray. In large bowl, stir together oil, mustard/garlic, thyme, and 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Add chicken, potatoes, and beans. Toss until coated. Arrange in a single layer on pan. Roast 30-35 minutes. (I just put the chicken in for the last 10-15 minutes since it was already cooked.)

Justin's Family's Crepes

2008-09-26T12:40:00.001-06:00

- I got this from Justin who got it from my mother-in-law, Robin :)

2 eggs
2 Tbsp. oil
1 c. milk
3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar (optional)

Mix ingredients in blender while heating up frying pan (medium heat). Pour mixture into pan, about the size of a grapefruit. Swivel pan around so mixture thins. Cook side one until there are bubbles. Flip. Enjoy with jam, fresh fruit, and powdered sugar.

Easy! Crockpot Chicken

2008-09-26T12:37:00.003-06:00

-my mom

Easy Crockpot Chicken:
Chicken breasts
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 c. sour cream

Place chicken in crockpot. Mix C.O.C.S. and sour cream and pour over chicken. Cook for about 6 hours. Serve on top of rice!
(if making more, just double the ratio)

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

2008-09-26T12:34:00.003-06:00

-Betty Crocker Sunday Dinner Cookbook

Easy Chicken Pot Pie:
1 c. cut up, cooked chicken
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen peas and carrots, thawed
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Cream of Chicken Soup
I add a little poultry seasoning for flavor

1 c. Bisquick mix
1/2 c. milk
1 egg

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Stir chicken, vegetables, and soup in a bowl and then transfer to a 2-quart (square) casserole dish. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken mixture. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Poppyseed Chicken Casserole w/RiTZ

2008-09-26T12:28:00.003-06:00

Most of this stuff you will already have! This makes a large quantity (I think 2 rectangular casserole dishes), so just half it for one family.

Poppyseed Chicken Casserole:
8 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
16 oz. sour cream
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
3/4 c. milk
2 tubes Ritz crackers
3/4 c. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Mix all the ingredients except the Ritz crackers. Put mixture into casserole dish and top with crunched Ritz crackers. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes.

Cheesy Ham n' Country Potatoes

2008-09-26T12:17:00.002-06:00

- Caryol Patterson

This is seriously so good! I don't really like ham, but Justin eats all the ham and I eat the potatoes. It's a way good/easy crockpot dinner!

Cheese Ham n' Country Potatoes:
2 1/2 c. diced ham (I buy it already diced in the package)
5-6 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 - 1 white onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cheddar cheese soup

Layer ham, onions, and potatoes in crockpot. Sprinkle cheese. Pour cheddar cheese soup over mixture. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until potatoes are tender. Serves 4-6. Serve with salad and veggies.

Easy BBQ Grilled Sandwich

2008-09-03T16:57:00.006-06:00

This was my go to when I was up at Utah State. I make this just for Justin sometimes for lunch on Sunday, cause it's not overbearing. He loves it - it's more like a boy's grilled cheese sandwich.

2 slices of (wheat) bread
BBQ sauce
lunch meat (turkey or chicken)
2 slices provolone cheese (any white cheese is good)
butter

Lettuce and tomato - optional

Heat up a frying pan on stove. Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread. Spread BBQ sauce on the other side of each slice and top each slice with a slice of cheese. Meat goes in the middle. Put sandwich in frying pan, one buttered side down and cover with lid. Grill until cheese is starting to melt. Flip and grill the other side until cheese is all the way melted. Add lettuce and tomato if you want them (it's good with them). If you want it to be even more fattening and yummy, dip it in ranch.

ANOTHER VARIATION
Instead of BBQ sauce, use a tiny bit of mayo. Then, dip in BBQ sauce, fry sauce, or ranch. Same kinda thing, but a different taste.

Loaded Bagel Sandwich

2008-09-03T16:51:00.003-06:00

I am an ALL kinda girl. I like my sandwiches to be stacked, not with meat, but with the veggies. mmmm...

Loaded Bagel Sandwich:
1 bagel (flavor of choice - I like asiago)
cream cheese (flavor of choice - I like vegetable)
spinach leaves
carrots (peeled/grated)
tomato
cucumber
sprouts
turkey
provolone cheese

Baked Potatoes w/Chili n Cornbread

2008-09-03T16:38:00.001-06:00

Potatoes
Chili (canned or homemade)
Cheese
Cornbread mix

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub potatoes, dry them, and wrap them in tin foil. Poke holes with a fork into the wrapped potatoes. When oven is heated, put potatoes in and bake for about an hour or until soft. Let cool. While potatoes are baking, heat up chili and make the corn bread or biscuits.

Okay, I know that this seems stupid, like common sense. But sometimes all you need is a good idea or for these easy dinner ideas to be written down. I always make easy dinners and forget them. But they're the best!

When I really want this to be easy, I buy already made chili and a cornbread/biscuit package that takes two seconds.

(One) Club Sandwich

2008-09-03T16:36:00.001-06:00

This seems pretty obvious, but the order makes it look pretty. :)

(One) Club Sandwich:
2 bacon slices
3 slices of toast
Mayonnaise
2 lettuce leaves
Turkey (any deli meat)
2 tomato slices

Layer (top to bottom - or - bottom to top for that matter):
Toast
Turkey
Lettuce
Tomato
Bacon
Toast
Lettuce
Turkey
Toast

Chicken Pillows

2008-09-03T16:32:00.003-06:00

Chicken Pillows:
Boiled chicken breasts (however much you want - like 2 or 3 probably)
3/4 cream cheese block, softened
2 Tbs. butter, softened but not melted
2 green onions, chopped
1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls (not fat free)
2 Tbs. butter, melted
(Progresso) Italian breadcrumbs (or crunched stuffing)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil chicken and cut into small pieces. Mix together cream cheese, 2 Tbs. butter, green onions and cut up chicken. Put a spoonful of mixture on each crescent and fold up into a pillow. Dip in melted butter, then bread crumbs, then put on cookie sheet. Cook for about 20 minutes or until done – the crescent roll with be golden. You should also be able to tell by feeling them. Serve with grean beans and rice and top with some kind of chicken gravy.

*Last time I made these with half normal cream cheese and half garden vegetable. It was really good and gave them more flavor.

Lasagna

2008-09-03T16:22:00.005-06:00

- Ann Hogan

Lasagna:
I package Lasagna noodles
“Precious” Ricotta cheese (15 oz.)
1 lb. browned ground beef (or however much you want)
1 package shredded Mozzarella cheese
I big can spaghetti sauce (any flavor will do)

First, put a THIN layer of sauce in the casserole dish (just so the noodles won't stick)
Then... layer (bottom to top):
1. Noodles
2. Sauce
3. Ricotta
4. Mozzarella

Repeat (starting with noodles) 2 more times. Cover with tin foil and cook at 350 degrees, until cheese is melted (about an hour). Serve with some sort of vegetable and garlic bread (I like to buy the garlic bread ready to bake - I don't know what they put on it, but it tastes so good).

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2008-08-24T23:57:00.004-06:00

These really are way good and really not even hard. I usually have most of the stuff for them. I promised a couple people this recipe so here it is....

Chicken Lettuce Wraps:
About 2 Tbs. oil
2 chicken breasts, cooked
1 c. water chestnuts
2/3 c. mushrooms
2 Tbs. minced garlic
1/4 onion
6-7 iceberg lettuce leaves
Plum sauce (You can just buy this at any store)

Stir-fry sauce:
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. rice wine vinegar (I just use any vinegar)

Cook chicken. Chop very finely (or mince) water chetnuts, mushrooms, and onion. Heat oil in skillet to high heat and add those three ingredients. While those are sauteing, cut chicken into desired bite size pieces. Add to the pan along with garlic. Mix the stir-fry sauce and then add to the pan and saute for a few minutes until flavors mix completely. Serve in lettuce leaves and top with Plum Sauce (you can buy this at any grocery store).

Pasta w/Mizithra Cheese and Browned Butter

2008-08-21T22:41:00.002-06:00

I made this for dinner tonight and it was really really simple and good! It's the Old Spaghetti Factory pasta. It's a great dish if you just want something pretty light... I would have made a greek salad to go along with it or some sort of vegetable, but Justin didn't eat with me so I didn't bother.

Thin spaghetti noodles
Butter
Mizithra cheese, grated

Cook noodles and strain. In the mean time (when the noodles are just about done), put about a cube of butter (or however much you think you'll want, depending on number of people) in a sauce pan and cook on medim heat until bubbling. When butter starts to boil, it will foam and rise. Make sure you are stirring frequently so that it doesn't stick to the bottom. The butter will turn an amber color and have a carmelly aroma and that's when it's done. Turn off the heat and let it sit for a minute or two, then strain the butter into a small bowl. Put noodles on plate and top with browned butter and grated Mizithra cheese. SSSOOOO GOOD. :)

*Mizithra is a Greek, hard cheese and it has more of a fresh taste. I have seen it in all grocery stores, in one of those kiosk things in the middle of the floor.

Breakfast Burritos!

2008-08-19T20:46:00.003-06:00

Okay, I am going to make this sound way more complicated than it really is, but just in case you don't know I will explain it all...

This recipe is a great way to use up some things like cheese and mushrooms, but most of this stuff you will already have. And quantities just depend on taste, but I usually use 2-3 eggs for one burrito.

Breakfast Burritos:
Uncooked tortillas (or whatever kind you want)
Eggs, beaten
Bacon -or- Diced ham (I buy the ham already cooked and diced in pkg.)
Green bell pepper, diced
Mushrooms, diced
Onion, chopped
Potatoes (optional) I just make hash-browns to go with it.
Cheddar cheese
olive oil

*Any or all of these ingredients can be used and it still tastes great! TOP WITH PICO De GALLO.

Cook bacon and potatoes on stove first because they take the longest. In the mean time, dice all the things that need to be diced. Heat up oil in pan. Throw in vegetables and then turn down the heat and saute. Then, throw in the meat (bacon should be cut up) and potatoes. When it looks about done, pour the beaten eggs in. Cook them like you would scrambled eggs. Sprinkle in cheese and cook till melted. Cook tortillas and fill with egg mixture. Top with salsa or ketchup ... mmmmmmmm.....

Artichoke Chicken

2008-08-19T20:39:00.004-06:00

I kinda just threw this on together one night, and from what I remember, my family really liked it! I need to make it again...

Artichoke Chicken:
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 large jar artichoke hearts, drained
1 tomato, chopped
1 jar alfredo sauce
minced garlic (optional)
sun-dried tomatoes, diced
mushrooms
Olive oil
Penne pasta, cooked

Cook chicken. Saute onions and mushroom (and garlic) in a little olive oil. Add artichoke hearts. Dice chicken and add to onions along with sauce, sundried tomatoes, and fresh tomatoes. Heat through. Serve over pasta. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with salad or asparagus.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

2008-08-19T19:53:00.003-06:00

I made this tonight for dinner and Justin and I both loved it! It tastes like the CPK one. I originally got this recipe from the "Family Favorties" cook book, but modified it a tiny bit...

(sorry this picture doesn't do it justice, I promise - I put too much cheese on it this time)

BBQ Chicken Pizza:
1 Bobili pizza crust (I used two individual sized ones for us)
2 chicken breasts, boiled
1 1/3 c. BBQ sauce (Kraft is good)
6 oz. provolone cheese, grated
6 oz. Gouda cheese, grated
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

*If doing the two small ones, just pretty much seperate everything into halves.

Heat oven to 450 degrees. After chicken is cooked (I boil it) and cooled, cut into bite size pieced or shred into toothpick size pieces. Mix the chicken with about half the BBQ sauce in small bowl and marinade for several hours (marinading is optional). Sprinkle half the cheese over crust. Spoon the rest of the BBQ sauce over cheese and spread. Cover with chicken and onion. Sprinkle on remaining cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes (8-10 for small ones). Sprinkle with cilantro and serve. :)