The Family Cookbook

Breakfast Casserole - Crock Pot Style

2012-01-24T07:25:00.000-08:00

So Andrea mentioned this and I can't wait to try it. Don't know if this is the best recipe, but it's worth a shot.

Ready in over 5 hours; serves 6 or more. For large crock pot add 25% to the recipe and tips suggest adding extra cheese and salt; Serve with Salsa and Sour Cream.

INGREDIENTS:

1 bag (32 ounce size) frozen southern style hashbrown potatoes
1 pound bacon cut into pieces, fried and drained
1 pound sausage, crumbled, browned and drained
1/2 cup diced onions
1 green bell pepper diced
3/4 pound cheddar cheese diced
12 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
salt & pepper

PREPARATION:

Layer the frozen potatoes, bacon, onions, green pepper and cheese in the crock pot in two or three layers. Finish up with cheese.

Beat the eggs, milk and mustard, salt and pepper together. Pour over the whole mixture. Cook on low for ten to twelve hours.

NUTRITION:

1288 calories, 99 grams fat, 34 grams carbohydrates, 63 grams protein per serving.

Recipe came from:
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/41/Breakfast_Casserole55552.shtml

Vegas, California

2012-01-07T12:01:00.001-08:00

doing our Manaquin poses in Muir Woods

foggy San Fran

aww

you cant see the Golden Gate Bridge behind us because of all the fog but it is there

Sunset Beach in Cali, its funny cuz Trav and i went to a Sunset Beach in Hawaii

our hike to the Pinnacles

Christmas morning

My 22nd birthday, don't judge my appearance we got up at 4 am and drove 8 hours. :)

for some stupid reason it wont let me place my pictures after my post so here they are first...

Sorry it has taken me so long to get on here. Lots has happened since my last post but I'm only going to sum it all up and post pictures, i mean everyone just likes to look at pictures anyways, am i right? :)

Well we ended up leaving the day on the 22nd of December down to Vegas, we stayed at Prim Valley hotel and casino and it was nice, but the roller coaster at Buffalo Bills was down so we were pretty sad about that. We were so excited to get to California that we just stayed that night in Vegas, got our 75 min massages which were much needed, had dinner and went to bed. We woke up real early to head to California so my whole birthday wasnt spent in the car. We got to my parents house around... 11:30 or so. It was so good to see them again and it was awesome my mom and dad made my favorite dinner for my birthday, Tostadas with Mexican rice, and lots of guacamole!!! They even made me a Red Velvet cake with cream cheese icing yum!!!! We had so much fun while in Cali. Christmas was great, we had fires in the back yard went on a hike up to the Pinnacles, went to San Fransisco, china town, ate at Bubba Gump, went to Muir Woods, went to the Mission in San Jose and had lots of fun just being with family it was a great trip!!

Cinnamon Rolls, Cinnabon Style

2011-12-19T17:00:00.000-08:00

1/2 cup warm water
2 pkg. active dry yeast
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 3 1/2 oz. pkg. instant vanilla pudding
2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
8 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
1+ cup sugar
1/4+ cup good quality cinnamon

In a small bowl, combine water, yeast, and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside.

In large bowl, make pudding mix according to package directions. Add butter, eggs, and salt; mix well. Add the yeast mixture; blend. Gradually add flour and knead until smooth and elastic.

Place in very large greased bowl. Cover and let rise until double (about 1 hour). Punch down and let rise again (45 minutes).

On a lightly floured surface, roll out to a 1/4 inch thick rectangle, 21 inches in its smaller dimension. Note: you may wish to divide the dough in halves and roll out two rectangles. You may have to partially roll it out, then cover it with a damp cloth and let it rest before finishing. Spread 1/2 cup melted butter over surface. Mix cinnamon and sugar together, and spread evenly over surface, leaving a 1-inch margin along one of the long edges. Roll up tightly, starting from a long side. Press together along the edge not covered with cinnamon sugar.

Slice at ~1 1/4 inch intervals. Place on greased baking pan, ~2 inches apart. Cover and let rise until double again.

Bake at 350oF for 15-20 minutes. Remove as soon as they turn golden. Frost warm rolls with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk

Combine all ingredients, mix until smooth.

Hazelnut Crinkle Cookies

2011-12-01T08:33:00.000-08:00

3 c. all-purpose Flour
2 t. Baking powder
½ t. Salt
1 – 11oz jar Nutella
¼ c. Shortening
1 1/3 c. Sugar
1 t. Vanilla
2 large Eggs
1/3 c. Milk
½ c. Hazelnuts, toasted/chopped
2 c. Hazelnuts, toasted/finely chopped
3 T. Powdered Sugar

1. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl combine Nutella and shortening; beat with electric mixer on med/med-high speed until combined. Add Sugar; beat medium speed until fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; beat until combined.

3. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to creamed mixture, beating on medium speed just until combined. Use a spoon to stir in the ½ cup chopped hazelnuts. Cover and chill at least 4 hours until firm.

4. Shape dough into 1- or 2-inch balls. Roll in finely chopped hazelnuts; Roll in powdered sugar. Place balls 2 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet. (The cookies will spread and crinkle as they bake.) Bake in 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 min or until surface is cracked and cookies are set. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool. Makes about 72 cookies.

Lofthouse Cookies

2011-02-21T10:14:00.001-08:00

You know those lovely cookies at all the grocery stores with all the fluffy colored frosting?... ya, these are the ones :)

Ingredients:

* 1 cup butter
* 2 cups sugar
* 3 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 1/2 cups sour cream
* 5 -6 cups flour (until desired consistency for rolling)

Directions

1. Cream together butter and sugar.
2. Beat in eggs, sour cream, and vanilla.
3. Mix in dry ingredients.
4. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or 6-8 hours).
5. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
6. Roll out dough to a 1/4 to 3/8 inch thickness using a generous amount of flour.
(I took 2 3/8" dowels and put them to the sides of the dough so the rolling pin spanned across to both dowels making the dough a perfect consistency once rolled out)
7. Cut out shapes and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8 minutes.
8. Cool on wire rack.
9. Frost and decorate as desired.

Frosting

4 c. Confectioners Sugar
1/2 c. Shortening
5 T. Milk
1 t. Vanilla
Food Coloring (optional)

Combine all the ingredients together and mix with mixer until combined and fluffy.
(I ended up adding an extra Tbsp of Milk to make it easier to spread).

Thin Pizza Crust from So Living

2011-01-18T15:07:00.001-08:00

1 c. Warm Water (105 to 115)
2 T. Veg Oil
2 t. Sugar
1/2 t. Salt
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 t.)
3 c. all-purpose Flour

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl; sprinkle yeast over mixture, stir until dissolved. Gradually add flour, mixing well.

Knead dough until smooth and elastic. Make a ball and place in greased bowl, turn to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85) for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Punch dough down; divide in half. Lightly grease hands and shape into two lightly greased 12 inch pizza pans. (Do not let dough rise).

Bake at 450 degrees F for 5 minutes. Top with toppings and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.

(I made it extra thin and did 1-12" pizza and 6 individual sized pizzas)

Pad Thai

2010-02-09T08:42:00.000-08:00

8 oz. Thai Rice Sticks (dry - find them in the asian section of your regular grocery store)
3 T. Veg Oil
1 clove Garlic, minced
3 Eggs
4 T. Fish Sauce
1 Green Onion, cut into 1" lengths
2 T. Sugar
1 t. Paprika
1 c. Bean Sprouts
1/4 c. ground Peanuts

In a large bowl, soak rice sticks in warm water for 30-45 minutes until tender but firm. Heat oil in a large frying pan, then add garlic. Add egg and scramble until done; reduce temperature. Drain rice sticks well and add to egg mixture. Increase temperature and stir fry noodles until they are translucent, adding up to 1/4 c. water if needed. When rice sticks begin to stick together, add fish sauce, sugar, paprika and green onions. Continue to cook mixture until dry. Garnish with bean sprouts and peanuts. You can also add tofu, pork, chicken or beef.

Pampered Chef Apple Crisp

2009-11-20T06:21:00.000-08:00

(Actually called Quick Apple Crisp)

5 Granny Smith Apples (I used whatever I had and I used 9 because I didn't think 5 was enough apple for all the topping it has)
1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp sugar (which I omit)
1/2 c butter, melted
1/2 c. chopped nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350. Peel, core and slice apples. Place in prepared dish.
2. Combine cake mix, sugar, cinnamon, butter and nuts. Mix until crumbly and sprinkle over apples.
3. Bake 35-40 min
Enjoy!!

Chicken Marinade

2009-11-17T05:49:00.000-08:00

This is another allrecipes.com find that got even my kids to eat their meat!

1/4 c. Soy Sauce
3 T. Honey
2 T. Rice Wine Vinegar
1 t. Onion Powder
2 large cloves Garlic, pressed
1 1/2 t. ground Ginger
3/4 c. Vegetable Oil
1/2 t. Pepper

Mix all together in a bag or deep dish and place meat in it. Marinade in fridge for about 4 hours or more. (We did it less and it was still amazing for chicken on the grill.)

Great Meat Marinade or Glaze

2009-11-17T05:45:00.000-08:00

This comes from the Herb Roasted Pork recipe on allrecipes.com and we loved it on Pork and on Chicken to grill.

1/2 c. Sugar
1 T. Cornstarch
1/4 c. Rice Vinegar
1/4 c. Water
2 T. Soy Sauce

In a small saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch so there are no lumps then add in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil until thickened and pour over Pork roast in the last 15 minutes of baking, or use as marinade for chicken or fish, and set some aside for dipping. Great served with rice.

Berry Pie

2009-11-16T08:24:00.000-08:00

This is unbelievably easy and so delicious!

30 oz. Frozen Mixed Berries, thawed
3/4 c. Sugar
3 T. Cornstarch
1/4 t. Salt
Few drops of Red Food Coloring
Pastry for 2 pie Crusts (I'll admit, I switched to Pillsbury and won't ever go back!)

Drain berry syrup into a pan. Blend in sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in Red coloring. Cook an stir over low heat until thickened. Stir in Berries. Put one pie crust in the pie dish. Pour in berry filling. Cover with the other pie crust. Bake in preheated oven at 425 for 30 minutes.

Wendy's Red Jello Salad

2009-11-16T08:18:00.000-08:00

2 sm. or 1 lg. pkg. Strawberry Jello
20 oz. Frozen Strawberries
2 Bananas, sliced
1 can crushed Pineapple, drained well
1 small container Sour Cream
2 c. Boiling Water

Dissolve Jello in Water and add Strawberries, bananas and pineapple. Divide in 2 and set half in a 9x13 glass dish while the other half keeps warm in water. Layer sour cream & pour other layer on top and chill to set.

Yams & Apples

2009-11-16T08:11:00.000-08:00

This is a sweet and tangy take on your traditional yams.

6 or 8 yams
5 or 6 Roman Beauty apples (if you can't find that, green granny smith or other baking apple will work)
1 scant cup Sugar
5 Tbs. Cornstarch
2 c. Orange Juice
1/2 c. Butter
1 t. Salt

Boil the yams in a large pot of water for about 20 minutes. Yams should be soft but not mushy. Remove from water and after they've cooled, peel and slice into 1/2" rounds. Peel and core the apple cutting into 1/2" rings about the same shape as the yam circles. Layer them in a lightly buttered glass baking dish alternating yams and apples up on their sides. In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch then add in Juice, Butter and Salt. Bring to a boil and stir until thickened. Pour over yams and apples and bake at 350 for 1 hour or more. (Note: Can be made ahead and reheated, also, you may want to double the sauce.)

Cranberry Stuffing

2009-11-16T08:08:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Andrea, this is a yummy twist to your box dressings!

3 c. Apple Juice
1/4 c. Butter
2 small apples, chopped
1 c. dried Cranberries
2 pkg. Stove Top Stuffing Mix
1/2 c. Pecans, toasted & chopped

Bring juice and butter to boil on high in medium saucepan. Stir in the rest, except nuts, cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes then stir in pecans.

Cranberry Relish

2009-11-16T08:05:00.000-08:00

1 pkg. Cranberries
2 c. Sugar
2 Oranges, peel and clean off all the white you can
1 qt. Crushed Pineapple
Red Food Coloring

In a food processor or blender, grind the berries and oranges until their about the consistency of the crushed pineapple, then add the rest, adding as much color as you want to get it to a shade you like.

Jalapeno Jelly

2009-10-03T07:25:00.000-07:00

1 c. chopped Bell Peppers (red makes it an amber color, I'm going to try green next time to see if I can keep the color a nice green)
1/2 c. chopped jalapeno pepper (I did a 1/2 c. and there was no heat at all, you might want to do more or keep the seeds in)
5 c. white sugar
1 1/2 c. apple cider vinegar
1 (6oz) container liquid pectin
additional peppers for garnish, chopped finely

1. Combine peppers in food processor or blender until finely chopped.

2. Transfer to a large saucepan and stir in apple cider vinegar. Bring to boil and let simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Strain through at least 2 layers of cheese cloth and discard pulp. Should have at least 1 c. liquid.

(This is a good time to warm the jars... either time it to come out of a hot dishwasher when you're ready to pour or you can place them on a cloth in a large pan and warm in a 200 degree oven.)

3. Return liquid to saucepan and stir in salt and sugar until dissolved. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. When it comes to a rolling boil that can't be stirred down, boil for one minute, then stir in liquid pectin.

4. Stir in remaining peppers for garnish and ladle into warmed, sterile jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Cover with sterile lids and rings and let cool slowly, creating a vacuum seal. Refrigerate jelly after seal is broken.

(Disclaimer.. I wasn't too happy with how this turned out, so I'm trying again today. I'll let you know if I can figure it out better the second time around)

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2009-10-01T09:04:00.000-07:00

1 lb. Chicken - cut into bite-sized pieces
coat with:
1 egg - beaten

Mix these together and coat chicken with it:
1/4 t. ground Ginger
1/2 t. Salt
1/2 t. Onion Powder
1/2 t. Garlic Powder
1/4 c. Flour

3 T. Olive Oil - Heat to medium-high and brown coated chicken.

Chop and cook these to a tender-crisp:
Green Peppers
Carrots
Onions

Add to chicken with this:
1 can Pineapple chunks, set aside juice

Mix juice with:
1/2 c. Brown Sugar
1/4 c. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 T. Soy Sauce
2 T. Corn Starch

Add to chicken mixture and cook until thickened. Serve over rice.

Curry Chicken Salad w/ Canteloupe

2009-09-28T11:43:00.000-07:00

1 c. Chicken breast, cooked, diced
1/2 c. Celery, sliced
1/2 c. Red Seedless Grapes, halved
2 T. Slivered Almonds, toasted
1/2 c. Mayo
1/2 c. Sour Cream
1 t. Soy Sauce
1/2 t. Curry Powder
1 Large Cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and halved

Combine mayo, sour cream, soy sauce and curry and mix well. Stir in the rest (except the cantaloupe). Serve salad in cantaloupe bowl and enjoy.

Tomatillo Salsa

2009-09-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

We have to thank Cassie for this recipe, and the extra jar she scored out of it too!!! Our first jar was delivered to Wendy's house for Christmas from the neighbors... it was so yummy we had it gone in an hour :) Somehow I guess I stole the recipe for myself, so to make up for it I'm posting it here for everyone else to access to!

1 1/2 lbs. Tomatillos
2 Green Chilis, cored & seeds taken out
3 Jalapenos, take out the seeds unless you want some more heat
2 cloves Garlic
1/2 c. Chicken Broth or 1/2 tsp. Bullion
1/4 c. Rice Vinegar
1 T. Oil
1 tsp. Cumin
1/4 to 1/2 c. Cilantro
1 tsp. Sugar
2 T. Lime or Lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. Salt (may want to add more, taste and see)

Combine everything except cilantro in food processor.
Transfer to saucepan and bring to a boil, continuing to boil 5 - 10 minutes.
Stir in cilantro and fill pint jars with sterile lids and rings.
Cold Pack for 30 minutes in hot water bath or 20 minutes in steam canner.
This makes 2 pint jars... just so you know :)

Cranberry Chicken

2009-09-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

Ok so I don't have a picture for this yet, but it was soooo good I couldn't wait to share it!! This is one of those super easy recipes that you can't believe taste so good!

Cranberry Chicken

4-6 Chicken breasts
1 bottle Catalina dressing
1 pkg Onion soup Mix
1 can whole berry Cranberry sauce

1. Mix the cranberry sauce, soup mix and dressing together.
2. Place chicken in a 13x9 in pan.
3. Pour sauce over chicken and bake @ 350 for 30-35 minutes.
4. Serve over rice, make sure you get lots of the sauce!!

ENJOY!!
So easy and super delicious! Try it and tell me what you think!

I found a recipe for Catalina dressing... haven't tried it yet, but good reviews...
1/2 c. Ketchup
1/2 c. Sugar
1/2 c. Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 c. Onion, grated
1 t. Paprika
1/2 t. Worcestershire Sauce
1 c. Salad Oil

Blend all but oil together and check taste... add salt & pepper if desired, then slowly blend in oil

Peanut Butter Cookies

2009-01-30T12:17:00.000-08:00

Once again, I love AllRecipes! My husband wanted some PB Cookies, so I searched and found this awesome recipe and read the reviews... which I loved. Someone recommended adding a little extra flour and peanut butter, which I did, and they were chewy, yummy delicious! So here's the recipe I ended up using:

1 c. Butter
1 1/2 c. Crunchy Peanut Butter
1 c. White Sugar
1 c. Packed Brown Sugar
2 eggs
3 c. All-purpose Flour
1 t. Baking Powder
1/2 t. Salt
1 1/2 t. Baking Soda

Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in eggs.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into batter. Put batter in refrigerator for 1 hour.
Roll into 1 inch balls (of course I used my Pampered Chef Small scoop instead) and put on baking sheets. Flatten each ball with a fork, making a criss-cross pattern. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes or until cookies begin to brown. Do not over-bake.

I drizzled some hershey's hot fudge on top for your cocoa fix and they were a huge hit :)

French Toast

2009-01-23T12:10:00.000-08:00

1/2 c. Flour
1/2 c. Milk
2 Eggs
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Baking Powder
Cinnamon

Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Coat bread with batter and cook, flipping half-way. Serve with your favorite syrup or jam and enjoy!

Vegetable Stir Fry

2009-01-23T11:59:00.000-08:00

Vegetable of your Choice - Costco has a great Stir Fry Blend... quick and easy!
2 T. Olive Oil
1/4 c. Chicken Broth
1/2 t. Sesame Oil
2 T. Soy Sauce
1 t. Grated, fresh Ginger
1 t. Cornstarch
1/2 t. Red Pepper Flakes

Heat skillet or wok and stir fry vegetables in olive oil. Combine all the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl. When vegetables are cooked pour sauce over and heat until thickened. Serve over rice.

Great, easy sauce... you can add chicken to make it a hardier meal

Spinach Dip

2009-01-20T08:29:00.000-08:00

1 cup mayonnaise
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1 (1.8 ounce) package dry leek soup mix (Knorr)
1 (4 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

Mix it all up and put it in the fridge for at least 4-5 hours. I think it gets better the longer it sits, like overnight.

ENJOY :)

Simple Whole Wheat Bread

2009-01-09T15:05:00.001-08:00

INGREDIENTS

3 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1/3 cup honey
5 cups bread flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon salt
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.
Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.
Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely.

(Now, you can play with the amount of whole wheat you use if you want it more wheaty, but I found my family likes it half and half.... no longer will you be cursing all that wheat in your food storage :)

To give credit where credit is due... I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com!
5 out of 5 stars with over 300 reviews was convincing enough for me :)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies from Tara

2009-01-08T13:10:00.000-08:00

1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 c. Butter
1 1/2 c. Sugar
1 c. Pumpkin
1 Egg
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 1/2 c. Flour
1 c. Chocolate Chips

Mix together all but the flour and chocolate chips until smooth. Then stir in the flour. After it's all combined, mix in the chocolate chips. Scoop onto cookie sheet. Bake 350 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Remove from pan immediately and let cool on rack. (I used the Pampered Chef Small Scoop and baked for 15 minutes and they were a perfect 2 bite cookie:)

Budget Friendly Menus

2008-11-12T12:57:00.000-08:00

I just got an email from AllRecipes.com and loved what I found. Here are a couple of the links they had that are great for menus, pantry stocking, and keeping your food cheap!

Cooking on a budget - Great tips and links to more information!

The Perfect Pantry - What to stock up on and how to cook with it!

Twenty for Twenty - 20 ingredients that will make 20 different meals!

Angela's Semi-Homemade Meat Sauce

2008-08-15T14:47:00.000-07:00

Herb may not have found anything Prego needed, but Angela did :) This is a great semi-homemade meat sauce you can use over pasta, tortellini, or in lasagna.

1/2 - 1 lb. Hamburger Meat
2 cloves Garlic
1 can Tomato Sauce
Water
1 t. Pampered Chef Italian Seasoning
Prego Traditional Spaghetti Sauce

Brown hamburger and garlic until good and dead. Pour tomato sauce over meat, fill tomato sauce can with water and add to pan. Sprinkle italian seasoning on and simmer down for about 15-20 minutes. Add desired amount of Prego... I probably do 1-2 cups, but you can add more or less as needed. Heat and serve.

Chicken Broccoli Stuffing Casserole

2008-08-14T19:40:00.001-07:00

1 pkg. Frozen Broccoli (chopped or flowerettes)
1 Box Stove Top Stuffing - prepare according to package
Chicken (canned or cooked and diced)
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 c. Mayo
Breadcrumbs (optional)

In a 9x13 baking pan, layer broccoli, stove top, then chicken. Mix soup and mayo (I add a little water or milk too) and pour over mixture. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake 350 for 30-40 min.

Taco Soup

2008-08-14T19:34:00.000-07:00

Boil 3-4 Chicken Breasts, shred and retain broth
1 Large Onion, diced
1 Large Bell Pepper, diced
Oil or butter for sauteing
1 can White Beans
1 can Red Beans
1 can Black Beans
1 can Kidney Beans
1 can Pinto Beans
1 Large can Diced Tomatoes - do not drain
3/4 c. Salsa
2 1/2 c. Frozen Corn
1 c. Cooked Rice
1 t. Cumin
1 t. Chili Powder
1 1/2 t. Salt
optional: tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, avacado

Boil and shred chicken. Saute onion and bell pepper. Drain cans of beans and rinse slightly. Combine everything but the broth in a large pot. Add 1-2 cups of broth or more for desired consistency. Heat thoroughly and serve with any of the following chips, sour cream, shredded cheese and avacodo.

Menu Items from Food Storage

2008-08-14T19:09:00.000-07:00

Chicken Meals

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu: Chicken, ham, cheese, cream of chicken soup and rice (Pound out or slice chicken, place ham on then slice of cheese and fold it over. Place in baking dish and cover with soup mixed w/ just enough liquid to pour. Bake 20-30 minutes until chicken is done, serve over rice)

Ritz Chicken (could serve with baked potato): Chicken, butter, ritz crackers

Parmesan Chicken Tenders: Chicken in strips, bread crumbs, garlic salt, paprika, parmesan

Chicken and Rice w/ Peas: Chicken, minute rice, cream of chicken soup, frozen peas

BBQ Chicken with Pork N Beans and Frozen Corn

Hawaiian Haystacks: Cooked Chicken, diced. Rice, coconut, cream of chicken soup, curry, pineapple, Chinese noodles

Chicken Curry: Chicken, curry, apple juice, whipping cream, rice (jasmine)

Sweet and Sour Chicken: Chicken, onion, pineapple, bell pepper, rice

Chicken Fried Rice: Chicken, rice, frozen mixed vegetables, soy sauce, eggs

Chicken Alfredo Pasta: Chicken (can or fresh cooked), pasta, butter, flour, broth, parmesan cheese, garlic

Chicken Broccoli Stuffing Casserole: Chicken (can or fresh cooked), Stove Top, Frozen Broccoli, Cream of Chicken soup, mayo

Beef Meals

Stroganoff: Hamburger, brown gravy, cream of mushroom soup, rice or noodles

Quick Beefy Vegetable Soup: Hamburger, can tomatoes, tomato sauce, frozen mixed vegetables, Italian seasoning, beef broth

Mexican Style Meals

Chili Plus: Chili, rice, corn chips, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes

Hard-Shell Tacos: Hamburger, taco seasoning, taco shells, refried beans, tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, sour cream

Burritos: Beans, rice, chicken or beef, cheese, whatever else

Taco Salad: Tortilla chips, meet, refried beans, rice, lettuce, tomato, salsa, dressing

Taco Soup: Beans (red, white, black, pinto), rice, frozen corn, chicken, can tomatoes, onion, bell pepper salsa, sour cream, chips, cheese, cumin, chili powder, ?avacados

Chicken Enchilada Casserole: Chicken, Corn tortillas, onion, cream of chicken & mushroom soup, cheese, green chilis

Calavacita: Pork, garlic, zucchini, canned tomatoes, frozen corn, rice.

Migas: Corn Tortillas, oil, rice, corn, salsa, eggs. (Basically like fried rice, just Mexican style. Tear tortillas and fry in oil, add the rest like fried rice.)

Italian Style Meals

Spaghetti or Other Pasta (ziti, curly pasta): Hamburger, spaghetti sauce, pasta, garlic

Lasagna (I’ve heard of people doing this crock pot style, never tried it myself): Hamburger, spaghetti sauce, noodles, garlic, cottage & parmesan cheese, eggs

Tortellini: Frozen tortellini, Red sauce or white sauce with spinach or broccoli

Chicken Parmigiana: Chicken, spaghetti sauce, cheese, pasta, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese

Desserts

Erma Bars

Butterletchotskotchkies

Brownies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Food Storage

2008-08-14T18:41:00.001-07:00

Thanks to my sis-in-law, Melissa, I started thinking about my food storage again! Having food on hand makes dinner time run so much smoother. We try to maintain a 3 month supply of food we eat on a regular basis and then longer term supply of grains. But the key is using and rotating the food. So, welcome to my pantry. Here's the list I made of what I keep on hand and some of the menu items you can make with it. You'll need to spruce it up with a few items from the store, but that's easy to do on your weekly trip to the grocer!

Pantry Items:

Canned Tomatoes, Tomato Sauce and Spaghetti Sauce

Parmesan Cheese

Stove Top Stuffing Mixes

Variety of Canned Beans (black, pinto, white, red)

Refried Beans—good for a side with anything mexican with rice or in burritos

Canned Chili, Green Chilis, Bottled Salsa

Pork N Beans

Cream of Chicken Soup & Cream of Mushroom Soup

Chicken Broth—Or Chicken/Beef Bullion to make broth (buy at Costco for best value)

Peanut Butter, Jelly

Pasta- spaghetti, ziti, lasagna, curly

Mac N Cheese & Spaghetti Oh’s – ya, kids stuff, but you never know when you’re in the mood J

Canned Corn—in case I’m out of frozen, it’s good to have on hand

Canned Green Beans -- just in case you need some greens

Olives – for fun

Apple Sauce—if you like it

Canned Pineapple

Canned Fruit Varieties – if you would eat these as a snack

Hard Taco Shells, Tortilla Chips, Corn chips

Chinese Noodles for Hawaiian Haystacks

Coconut

Choc/Butterscotch Chips

Brownie Mixes and Cake Mix w/ Frosting

Brown Sugar & Corn Syrup

Graham Crackers, Ritz Crackers, Saltines

Sweetened Condensed Milk

Minute Rice, Brown Rice, Jasmine Rice and Regular Rice

Bread Crumbs

Instant Potatoes

Back up bottle of Ketchup, Mustard, Mayo, Ranch, Poppy Seed, BBQ Sauce, cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, Italian seasoning, curry powder, taco seasoning, brown gravy mix, poultry gravy mix

Olive Oil & Canola Oil

Flour, Sugar, Salt, Baking Powder, Baking Soda & Vinegar

Lots of Cereal (Rice Krispies for treats) and Oatmeal

Fridge Items:

Cheese

Cottage Cheese

Ham Lunch Meat

Fresh Garlic

Tortillas – white and corn

Onions & Bell Peppers

Freezer Must Haves:

Frozen Corn

Frozen Mixed Veggies

Frozen Broccoli

Frozen Chicken Breast

Frozen Hamburger

Butter

Tortellini

Burrito Boo-Ya

2008-07-18T14:16:00.000-07:00

Almost all home-made.... minus the tortilla, which I have attempted to make, but for lack of ability and time we went with good-old homestyle store-bought! It may seem time-consuming, but with a little thought and good timing it was a piece of cake!

The night before:
1 lb. Pinto Beans... soak in water overnight

The next morning:
Drain and rinse beans until floating skins are gone and water runs clear. Put in Crock Pot on High and add the following and let cook all day:
8 c. Water
2 T. Diced Onions
1 T. Salt (could use a little less)
2 cloves Garlic, pressed with your Pampered Chef Garlic Press

Half hour before dinner time:
Spanish Rice:
Olive Oil, a few tablespoons
2 c. Rice
1 can Diced Tomatoes
4 c. Chicken Broth (I use water and add bullion)
1-2 t. Salt
1 t. Cumin

Heat oil in large skillet, stir in rice and cook until rice gets browned. Add tomatoes and cook for a minute then stir in chicken broth and seasonings. Bring to a good boil. Cover and lower heat to simmer. Cook, covered for 20 minutes.

While Rice is Cooking make the guacamole and chicken:

Guacamole:
2 Avacados
1 Tomato, diced small
2 or 3 Green onion stalks, white part only, diced very small
Salt to taste

Cut up avacado and smash it until it's only slightly lumpy. Stir in diced tomato, green onion and salt. Add a little lemon juice if you want to keep from browning. Add more salt or onion as desired.

Chicken:
2 Chicken Breasts
1/2 c. Salsa
2 Limes, juiced

Combine chicken, salsa and limes in micro-cooker and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Cut up with kitchen shears and stir. Continue microwaving until chicken is cooked through.

Serve with tortillas and sour cream.

Ayisha's Cashew Chicken Curry

2008-07-18T13:45:00.000-07:00

I love visitors... company is so much fun to entertain and cook for, but I especially love ones that give me awesome new recipes! When my brother, Brian, came to visit, he brought his friend Ayisha and she made this dish! One of my all-time-favorite foods is Thai Coconut Curry... well, there's no coconut in this, but it tastes soooo similar I was in love! And I think next time I make it, I just might have to tweek it a little and see if I can sneak in some onions and coconut milk.

The Recipe:

2 whole chicken breasts, skinned and boned
¼ cup apple juice
1 ½ Tbsp. cornstarch
1 large clove of garlic, minced or pressed
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. curry powder (may substitute w/ground coriander)
1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
4 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 cup whipping cream
⅓ cup salted cashews
¼ cup chopped parsley
Hot cooked rice (minute rice worked great)

1. Slice chicken breasts into strips about ½” wide. Place into a bowl. Add apple juice, cornstarch, garlic, salt, and curry, tossing well. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, sauté mushrooms in 2 Tbsp. of the butter for 2 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan.

3. Add remaining butter to pan. Over high, add chicken pieces and saute until they are golden. Add mushrooms to chicken. Toss over high heat for 30 seconds.

4. Add cream. Cook, stirring, until cream is boiled down-thickened. Transfer to serving dish. Sprinkle with cashews and parsley. Serve over cooked rice.

(When she made it for me she left out the mushrooms and the cashews and it was still amazing!)

Thanks Brian and Ayisha for such a yummy meal

and such a fun week!

German Pancakes

2008-07-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

1/2 cube of butter or margarine
6 eggs
1 c. Milk
1 c. Flour
1/2 t. Salt
1/4 t. Vanilla

Heat oven to 375. Melt butter in a 9x13 glass casserole dish in the oven while it warms (don't burn). Mix remaining ingredients until there are no lumps. Pour over melted butter in dish. Bake 20 minutes, until golden brown and large peaks form. Serve with jam and powdered sugar or with syrup.

Yummy!

Ritz Chicken and Parmesan Chicken

2008-07-10T07:26:00.001-07:00

Thank you Andrea... this is the yummiest, easiest chicken ever!

Chicken Breasts or Tenders
Ritz Crackers, crushed
Melted Butter
Seasoned Salt

Dip chicken in butter, coat with ritz crackers, place on baking pan and sprinkle with seasoned salt. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until chicken is done!

Another Similar Chicken Recipe: Parmesan Chicken

4 Chicken Breasts or 12 Tenders
1/4 c. Olive Oil
1/2 c. Parmesan Cheese
1/2 c. Bread Crumbs
1/2 t. Seasoned Salt
1/4 t. Paprika
1/4 t. Garlic Salt

If using breasts, pound out flat (1/2" thickness). Mix together cheese, bread crumbs and seasonings. Brush chicken with oil, coat with crumb mixture, arrange on baking sheet. Bake/Broil at 375 for about 20 minutes or until chicken is done and tender.

This recipe has many variations, experiment and have fun. Try Italian seasoned bread crumbs and Garlic Salt.. yum!

Thai Salad

2008-07-10T07:13:00.001-07:00

This is the food that at the first bite you're not quite sure what to think, but you crave for ages!

1-2 lb. Beef (I use top round cut about 1/2" thick)
Salt (to rub in the beef)
2 Cucumbers, peeled and sliced thinly
1 Red Onion, thinly sliced
2-3 Limes
Fish Sauce (1/8 c. or more)
1/4 c. Mint Leaves (chopped)
1/4 c. Cilantro (chopped)
Rice (Sticky or Jasmine)

In a bowl combine cucumber, onion, mint and cilantro. Grill/Broil the salt-rubbed beef until medium rare. Slice thinly. Add to cucumber/onion mixture. Squeeze limes over the meat (the acids will cook the meat) and pour fish sauce over mixture. Toss and taste. Add more mint/cilantro or fish sauce to taste. Serve immediately over warm rice. (It's not bad left over... just heat up rice and add chilled salad.)

Quick & Easy Veggie-Beef Soup

2008-07-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

1/2 - 1 lb. Hamburger, browned
1 can Diced Tomatoes
1 t. Italian Seasoning (I love Pampered Chef's the BEST!)
1 can Tomato Sauce
2 c. Frozen Mixed Vegetables
3 c. Water
2 Beef Bullion cubes
1/8 t. Pepper
8 oz. Cooked Pasta (leftovers work great:)

Combine all together and heat, letting the flava's all simmer together for about 15 minutes.

Low-Lactose Basic Alfredo

2008-06-19T15:06:00.000-07:00

Cooking for Lactards (a.k.a. lactose intolerant individuals) can be pretty tricky, especially if you like alfredo, so here's my solution as well as the base for many good (and bad) dinner experiments, because let's face it... I have too many issues with control to stick to a 30-day menu.... I long to be freeeeee.... :)

The Ingredients:
1/4 c. Butter (marg. works, but butter's better)
1/4 c. Flour
2-3 cloves of Garlic (pressed, please :)
4 c. Chicken Broth
1/4-1/2 c. Parmesan Cheese (ok, not lactose free, but don't tell my husband)
1-2 c. Peas (unless you're weird about veggies in your main dish)
Chicken (I've been lazy and used the canned stuff lately... not too bad)
Pasta, cooked to your al dente desires

Instructions:
Melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk (gotta' love cilicon-covered whisks). Slowly add broth a few tablespoons at a time and mix into it well so you don't get lumps. Bring to a good boil to thicken it up a bit then add peas. You can either add chicken now or put chicken over the pasta and then poor the sauce over the both of them.

Calavacita

2008-06-19T14:59:00.001-07:00

Calavacita.... the perfect summer/fall meal. Fresh from the garden veggies would make it so whimsical, but frozen and from your favorite grocer will do just fine!

Calavacita

Pork, loin chops, cut into cubes
Garlic, fresh cloves pressed or diced
Olive Oil
Zucchini Squash, cut into slices or half slices
Corn, I like frozen
Can of Diced Tomatoes, do not drain the juice
Cooked Rice, I LOVE Jasmine rice... and please, it's all about the rice cooker

Saute pork cubes in oil until browned and cooked through, add garlic. Cook and stir for another minute or so. Add squash, corn and can of tomatoes. Stir, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes until flavors blend and squash is tender. Serve over rice.

Crepes

2008-06-19T14:40:00.001-07:00

Sunday Morning Crepes!
A few months ago little Ben decided that Saturday morning would be for french toast, and Sunday morning would be Crepes. So cute and it totally works for me!
Crepes
1 C. Milk
1 C. Flour
1 t. Vanilla
2 Eggs
1/2 t. Salt

Mix all the ingredients until smooth (blender works great) and pour small amount into center of a heated and buttered frying pan. Lift fry pan and rotate until batter covers the bottom then wait until the crepe starts to loose it's gloss then flip and cook other side until golden brown.
Our favorite way to eat them is buttered with cinnamon-sugar then rolled up. Or just plain dipped in syrup.

Dinner Out of the Bag

2008-06-19T14:10:00.000-07:00

After a day of shopping with 5 kids sometimes you just need one of these meals! So yummy!

Costco Rotisserie Chicken
Frozen Veggie Medley
Potatoe Pearls
Poultry Gravy

Chicken Salad

2008-05-14T12:21:00.001-07:00

Chicken Salad
Tyson canned chicken from Costco
Dried Cranberries
Some Bacon
Mayo
A little Curry
Mix together and serve it on a bed of good 'ol iceberg lettuce!