Yummy Recipes

Hashbrown Casserole

2012-02-02T15:20:00.001-06:00

If you like hashbrown casserole like the one served at a famous restaurant with an old country store...

1 2 lb. pkg. frozen shredded Hash Browns, thawed
8 oz. Sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 stick butter, melted
1 small onion, finely diced or grated
2 C. grated Cheddar Cheese

Greas a 9×13 inch pan. Melt butter in the microwave. In a large bowl add onions, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup, melted butter and 1 c. of cheese. Mix these items together. Add in potatoes and mix well.

Pour mixture into pan; sprinkle with 1c. Cheddar Cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until all is completely warm, and the cheese begins to melt.

Couscous Salad

2012-01-09T17:23:00.002-06:00

We love this with grilled pork tenderloin.

1 package of couscous prepared according to package directions
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 small cucumber, peeled and diced (i used a pickling cucumber so there wouldn't be large seeds)
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 c. chopped fresh parsley
2 t. minced garlic
zest of 1 lemon

Dressing
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Whisk all together.
These measurements are approx. as I don't use measurements to make mine May need to adjust according to your tastes.

Hummus

2012-01-08T20:52:00.003-06:00

Week 2 of trying of new pinterest recipe was a hummus recipe. Oh em gee...delish!! We loved it!! I will never buy store bought again - this was way better. We served as a dinner side dish with pita wedges, greek pork tenderloin and cousous salad.

Hummus

1 can chick peas (drain, but reserve 1/3 c of liquid)
1/3 cup tahini (I bought mine at Whole Foods)
juice from 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 tsp. of minced garlic
Healthy pinch of salt
black pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to food processor (not a mini one). Blend for 2 minutes until very smooth. Serve with pita bread.

Cheesy Hamburger Macaroni

2012-01-05T10:17:00.001-06:00

My goal this year is that if I am pinning recipes from Pinterest, then I better spend some time trying them! I found this one and changed it slightly. Great family recipe and makes plenty for leftovers! I want to try one pinterest recipe a week. We'll see if that happens - ha!

1 28-oz. can whole tomatoes with juice
1 small cans of tomato sauce
ground pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 t. dried oregano
2 t. dried parsley

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion
2 t. minced garlic

1 16-oz. package of elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

1 c. shredded cheddar
1c. shredded mozzerella

In sauce pan pour in tomatoes, tomato sauce and seasonings. Heat until warm and blend with immersion blender under tomatoes are broken up. Set aside.

In skillet add ground beef and onions, cook until there is no more pink. Add in garlic. Drain off any fat.

Combine macaroni, tomato sauce and ground beef mixes and put into 9x13 baking dish. Top with cheese and Bake for 25 minutes at 350.

Homemade Pizza dough

2011-12-27T14:08:00.000-06:00

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup warm water

Place dry ingredients in large bowl. Add water and oil. Mix all. Let rise, punch down and knead and rise again. Roll out and top with your favorite ingredients.

Peanut Butter Temptations

2011-12-17T08:41:00.001-06:00

Really - you can find this recipe on any package of Reese's mini peanut butter cups and they are absolutely delicious! I only make them at Christmas time, but they aren't a Christmas cookie. So yummy and my kids love them. I really only share in case by chance you have never had them or seen the recipe.

Peanut Butter Temptations
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 t. vanilla
1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
48 mini Reese's cups, unwrapped

Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients - flour, baking soda and salt. Once dough is combined, chill 1 hour. Shape dough into 48 balls. Line mini muffin pan cups with paper liners. Drop 1 ball into each cup. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes. Once done immediately place Reese's cup in center and press into cookie. Let cool before removing from pan.

Caprese Salad

2011-06-24T17:49:00.000-05:00

Our garden is in full production mode right now! We're loving all our fresh veggies straight out of our backyard. The challenge; however, continues to come up with new ways to eat said veggies (especially the tomatoes). I made this yummy side tonight.

2 large fresh tomatoes cut into 4 slices each

6 oz. fresh mozzerella, cut into 8 slices

8 large basil leaves

olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Layer tomato, cheese and basil alternately in a circle on a serving dish. Drizzle with oil, vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

Beef Satay

2011-06-20T14:06:00.000-05:00

We love Satay at Thai restaurants and tried this out and it closely resembles what we have had. It was so good and our girls loved it too! I will be trying a peanut sauce soon : )

1/2 t. ground ginger
5 t. minced garlic
1 12-oz. can of coke
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. fresh cilantro
1/4 c. soy sauce
ground black pepper
1 1/2 lb. flank steak thinly slice against the grain. (ours yielded 22 pieces)
mini wooden skewers

Mix 1st 7 ingredients in a marinating dish. Add meat and soak overnight. Thread meat onto skewers.
Grill a couple of minutes until desired doneness. Serve immediately.

Summer Risotto

2011-06-15T07:20:00.000-05:00

2 T. butter, divided
1 T. olive oil
1 bunch of green onion, sliced
1 3/4 c. Arborio Rice
6 c. hot chicken broth
1/2 c. diced yellow squash
1/2 c. diced zucchini
1/2 c. shredded carrots
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 c. baby spinach leaves, chopped
1 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 T. chopped fresh thyme

In a large dutch oven, heat 1 T. butter and 1 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add green onion; cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add rice; cook 2-3 minutes or until very lightly toasted, stirring constantly. Add hot chicken broth, 1/4 c. at a time, allowing liquid to absorb after each addition. Repeat until rice becomes creamy in texture - about 30 minutes. Add squash, zucchini, carrots, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in spinach, cheese, thyme and remaining tablespoon of butter. Serve immediately.

Rosemary Chicken Kabobs

2011-06-01T06:51:00.001-05:00

1/3 c. red wine vinegar
1/3 c. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. fresh rosemary leaves
1 t. salt
1 t. dijon mustard
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 red onion, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 8oz package of whole baby portobello mushrooms

Whisk together first 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Pour half of mixture into ziploc bag. Add chicken. let set for up to 2 hours. Pour remaining mix over veggies and let stand up to 2 hours.

Remove chicken and veggies from marinade. Thread chicken and vegetables onto skewers. Grill until chicken is done about 10-12 minutes.

Garden Green Beans

2011-05-31T20:10:00.001-05:00

2 lbs. of fresh green beans, stemmed and snapped
1 T. salt
8 oz. bacon, chopped
1 onion, diced
6 T. butter, cut into pieces
Black pepper

In a stockpot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add green beans and 1 T. salt. Cook, uncovered for 30 minutes or until almost done. Drain Beans.

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add onion; cook 3-4 minutes. Add green beans; cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add butter, stirring until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Spicy Queso

2011-05-30T16:17:00.000-05:00

1 small onion, diced
1 T. butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 16-oz. Velveeta Brand Pepperjack Cheese, cut into cubes
1 10-oz can Rotel
2 T. fresh cilantro
In a medium skillet, saute onion in butter over medium heat until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Combine Cheese cubes, tomatoes and onions in a microwave safe large bowl. Cook in microwave for 5 minutes or until all melted, stirring every minute.

Steak Salad

2011-05-29T16:17:00.000-05:00

8oz. top sirloin steak
Grill Steak Seasoning
Mushrooms:
1 1/2 c. sliced portobello mushrooms
2 T. butter
1 T. chicken broth
salt and pepper

Salad:
4 cups mixed salad greens and spinach
2/3 c. thinly sliced cucumber
Whole black olives
1/4 c. finely chopped red onion
Balsamic Viniagrette

Rub Steak with grill seasoning and grill to desired doneness.

In a small skillet, saute mushrooms in butter until golden brown. Add broth and cook 1-2 minutes until liquid is evaporated. Set aside and keep warm.

Mix salad vegetables and toss with viniagrette. Divide between 2 plates. Top each with half of the steak and mushrooms.

Italian Picnic Sandwich

2011-05-28T06:42:00.001-05:00

1/4 c. butter softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. roasted red bell pepper
1/4 c. black olives
1/4 c. red onion
1/4 c. marinated artichokes
Put butter and cream cheese in food processor and process until creamy. Add veggies; process until finely chopped and combined.

1 loaf of ciabatta bread, sliced horizontally
4 large leaf lettuce leaves
1/4 lb. Turkey
1/4 lb. Ham
1/4 lb. Salami
4 slices provolone
Spread half of spread mixture onto each cut side of bread. Layer with lettuce, meats and cheese. Slice and Serve.

Grilled Vegetable Pizza

2011-05-27T20:02:00.002-05:00

1 package of pizza dough (we use Publix Brand)
2 T. olive oil
1 t. minced garlic
fresh rosemary, finely chopped
fresh basil, finely sliced
1/2 small red onion, finely sliced
1 small jar of marinated artichokes
1 red bell pepper, roasted and sliced
4 oz. fresh sliced portobello mushrooms
Whole black olives, sliced in half
15 baby spinach leaves
8oz. mozzerella, shredded

Cover flat surface in flour and roll out pizza dough. Brush with olive oil and garlic. Top with fresh herbs.

Layer vegetables on pizza crust and top with shredded mozzerella. Grill until crust is crispy and cheese is melted.

Pecan Cheesecake Bars

2011-05-21T15:58:00.001-05:00

I made these a couple of years ago - just forgot to post about them! Trying to reduce my recipes laying around so time to get it on the computer!

1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. brown sugar divided
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 c. finely chopped pecans, divided
2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
2 t. vanilla
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1/3 c. butter, melted
3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350*

In a medium bowl, combine flour and 3/4 c. brown sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/2 c. pecans. Press into 13x9 pan and bake for 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl combine cream cheese and sugar; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add milk and vanilla, beating until well combined; pour over cooled crust. Bake for 15 minutes; remove from over and cool for 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine 3/4 c. brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, and eggs. Stir in 1 1/2 c. pecans. Pour mixture over cream cheese layer. Bake 40-45 minutes or until center is set.

Pineapple Bake

2011-04-21T11:17:00.002-05:00

2 20-oz. cans of pineapple chunks, drained
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

5 T. flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter melted
1 roll of Ritz crackers, crushed

Put pineapple in a baking dish. Mix cheese, flour and sugar together. Sprinkle over pineapple. Mix Butter and Ritz together and sprinkle evenly over casserole. Bake 350 for 30 minutes.

Pork Grillades with Parmesan Cheese Grits

2011-03-29T13:36:00.004-05:00

1 pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
1/4 c. flour
2 t. old bay seasoning
4T. olive oil, divided
1/2 c. each of chopped red and green bell pepper
2 c. sliced mushrooms
1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes with garlic and onions
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 t. thyme
1/4 t. oregano
1/4 t. salt

Combine flour and old bay seasoning; dredge sliced pork in flour mixture. Cook pork in 3 T. hot oil in a large skillet over medium high heat about 3 minutes per side or until browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add 1 T. of oil to skillet and saute bell peppers for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and saute 2 more minutes. Add tomatoes and next 4 ingredients; cook over medium heat 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

While vegetables are cooking, prepare parmesan cheese grits.

2 c. grits
1 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese

Prepare grits according to package directions. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese.

To serve, put down grits, top with pork and pour vegetable mixture over all.

Easy Enchiladas

2011-03-11T16:28:00.003-06:00

2 c. cooked, shredded chicken
1 8-0z. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
8-8inch flour tortillas
1 c. sour cream
1 c. salsa
2 c. shredded cheddar

Mix together chicken, cream cheese, onion and jalapeno. Spread mixture evenly among tortillas and roll up. Place in 9x13 dish.

In a small bowl, combine salsa and sour cream. Pour over tortillas. Top with Cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until heated throughout.

Nutty Wild Rice

2011-02-13T16:17:00.002-06:00

1 package of microwave brown and wild rice
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
2/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup sunflower kernels
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Cook rice according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, saute onions in butter until tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients; heat through. Remove from the heat.
Mix in rice and serve.

Cranberry Chicken Salad

2011-02-05T19:38:00.003-06:00

1 c. light mayo
2 t. fresh lemon juice
3 c. cooked, diced chicken
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. minced celery
1 red delicious apple, unpeeled and diced
salt and pepper to taste.

Combine mayo and lemon juice. Add chicken, pecans, cranberries, celery and apple. Season with salt and pepper. Mix Well. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

2011-02-04T21:37:00.002-06:00

Another one from our Soup Lunch.

6 T. butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 c. flour
2 c. half and half
3 c. chicken broth
salt and pepper
4 c. broccoli florets
1 large carrot diced
2 1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese

Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook about 5 minutes or until tender. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, about 3-4 minutes. Gradually whisk in the half and half until smooth. Add the chicken broth and then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, uncovered until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth. Return to the pot. Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Add up to 3/4 c. water if the soup is too thick.
Garnish with additional shredded cheese if desired.

Mozzerella Ham Stromboli

2011-02-01T09:39:00.004-06:00

1 large onion, finely chopped
1 T. butter
1 t. minced garlic
2 loaves (1 lb. each) frozen bread dough, thawed
1/2 c. pesto
1/2 lb. sliced ham
1/2 lb. sliced salami
1/2 lb. sliced mozzerella
1/4 c. grated parmesan

In a large skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Set aside to cool.

On 2 greased baking sheets, roll each loaf of dough into a 16x10 rectangle. Spread each one with 1/4 c. of pesto and sprinkle with onion mixture. Arrange ham, salami and mozzerella over each triangle leaving an 1/2" inch border. Sprinkle with parmesan.

Roll up jelly roll style, starting with a long side. Pinch seams to seal and tuck ends under.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before slicing.

Tomato Basil Cheese Puffs

2011-01-30T09:22:00.003-06:00

1/2 c. butter, softened
8-oz. Mozzerella, shredded
1 c. all purpose flour
1 t. finely chopped fresh basil
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
3 T. finely chopped sundried tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, combine butter and cheese, mixing well. Add in flour, basil, and seasonings. Pat tomatoes dry with a paper towel. Add tomatoes to dough, stirring well.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes. Serve Warm.

Strawberry Citrus Punch

2011-01-13T09:16:00.000-06:00

1 can (12-oz.) Pink Lemonade concentrate
1 can (6-oz.) Orange Juice concentrate
1 package (10-oz.) frozen strawberries
3 c. water
1 28-oz. Gingerale.

Mix 1st 4 ingredients and chill at least 4 hours. Add Gingerale right before serving.

Roasted Mini Potatoes

2011-01-12T18:49:00.004-06:00

1 bag of mini mixed color potatoes (mine had red, white and purple)
Olive Oil
Kosher Flake Salt
Ground Pepper
Garlic Powder

Wash and dry potatoes. They should all be pretty close in size, but you made need to cut a few in half to make them all uniform in size. Place in mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Probably a 1/4 cup. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place on baking sheet. Roast in 400 oven for 25 minutes or until tender; stirring occasionally.

Lemon Chicken

2011-01-09T16:26:00.001-06:00

1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Place in 9x13 baking dish

Marinade
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
zest of 1 lemon
2 t. dried oregano
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper

Mix all. Pour over chicken breasts and marinate overnight.

Bake at 350* for 30 minutes or until chicken is done.

***Alternate**** instead of baking, have your husband grill them : )

Soup

2011-01-07T10:29:00.001-06:00

I copied this recipe down and have no idea the title or where it came from so we'll just call it what it is - Soup, ha!

3 c. chicken broth
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
9 slices of bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 c. cooked wild rice
1 pint of half and half
2 c. milk
8 oz. shredded American Cheese

Cook potatoes in broth until tender. Puree in food processor. Put back in soup pot. Cook bacon in a skillet and remove from pan and crumble. Add onion to the drippings and cook until tender. Add bacon and onions to the potato mix. Add in the remaining ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with green onions if desired.

Hamburger Noodle Bake

2011-01-05T16:31:00.002-06:00

1 8-oz. package of fine Egg Noodles

1 lb. ground beef
1 t. salt
1/8 t. ground black pepper
1/4 t. garlic salt
1/4 t. onion powder
1 8-0z. can of tomato sauce

8-oz. package of lite cream cheese, softened
8-oz. lite sour cream
1 bunch of green onions

1 c. shredded cheddar

Cook noodles according to package directions, drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, brown ground beef in skillet. Add next 5 ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Mix cream cheese, sour cream and green onions.

In a large casserole dish, layer noodles, meat mixture, cream cheese mix, and top with shredded cheddar. Bake for 30 minutes or until heated throughout.

Mini peanut butter cheesecakes

2011-01-04T11:13:00.004-06:00

1/2 package of peanut butter filled oreos
2 8-oz. pkgs of Lite Cream Cheese (NOT FAT FREE!!)
1 1/4 c. brown sugar
1 c. creamy peanut butter
1 t. vanilla
3 eggs

Chocolate Glaze

Garnish - chopped peanuts or reese's cups (optional)

Preheat oven to 325. Line Muffin Cups with 24 paper baking cups.

Place oreos in a food processor. Pulse until moist crumbs form. Press 1 T. of crumbs evenly in the bottom of each cup. Freeze until ready to fill.

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in sugar, peanut butter and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Spoon about 2 1/2 T. of filling into each muffin cup. Bake for 20 minutes or until puffed. Cool completely.

While cheesecakes are cooling, prepare glaze.

Chocolate Glaze:

3 oz. semisweet baking chocolate
2 T. butter
2 T. light corn syrup
1/2 t. vanilla

Place all in microwave safe bowl. Cook at 30 second intervals until melted and smooth, stirring each time. Spread over cooled cheesecakes.

Another Asian Slaw

2011-01-03T16:29:00.003-06:00

Another variation...

1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. vegetable oil
3 T. honey
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 t. ground ginger
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all and refrigerate overnight.

2 bags of coleslaw
1 bunch of green onions thinly sliced
2 t. sesame seeds lightly toasted

Sesame Chicken

2011-01-03T10:17:00.003-06:00

1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 T. vegetable oil
1 T. white wine vinegar
1/8 t. ground mustard
1/4 t. ground red pepper

1 package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces or tenderloins

1/4 c. sesame seeds toasted

Combine 1st 8 ingredients in a ziploc bag. Add in the chicken and seal. Marinate at least 1 hour in the fridge, shaking occasionally.

Remove chicken from marinade. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. When done sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Ice Cream Dessert

2011-01-02T18:35:00.003-06:00

I made a super quick and easy dessert to have on Christmas Eve Eve and Eve.

1 box of 12 ice cream sandwiches
1 8-oz. container of cool whip
Caramel Ice Cream Topping
Chocolate Ice Cream Topping

In 8x8 dish cover bottom with ice cream sandwiches. (I had to cut and manipulate some). Top with 1/2 cool whip and then squeeze caramel and chocolate to your liking. Repeat layers. Store in Freezer.

New Years Brunch

2011-01-01T11:51:00.002-06:00

This year I made some breakfast casseroles for New Years Day.

Egg Casserole

1 lb. ground sausage, cooked and drained
3 slices of bread torn into cubes
6 eggs, beaten
2 c. milk
1 c. cheese
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 t. ground mustard

Mix all and place in 8x8 or 2 qt. casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

French Toast Casserole

1/2 c. butter, melted
12 slices of white bread

1 c. brown sugar
2 t. ground cinnamon

5 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c. milk

Melt butter. Place 1/4 c. in bottom of 9x13 pan. Place 6 slices of bread on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 brown sugar and cinnamon mix. Top with remaining 6 slices of bread. Pour remaining butter over top of bread. Mix eggs and milk together and pour over entire casserole. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Roasted Red Pepper Spread

2010-12-24T16:24:00.003-06:00

****Note****This does not keep well. Use immediately!

4 roasted, skinned red bell peppers
1 glove of garlic
1/4 c. toasted pine nuts
1/4- 1/2 c. grated parmesan

Puree all in food processor. Spread on toasted baguette slices. Topped with Shaved parmesan.

Holiday Cranberry Lemonade

2010-12-21T12:10:00.004-06:00

46oz. can of chilled pineapple juice
32 oz. bottle of cranberry juice, chilled
12oz. container of frozen lemonade, thawed
3 c. vodka
1 2-liter Gingerale, chilled.

Mix all and serve immediately. Float fresh cranberries on top for garnish.

Using Fresh Blueberries

2010-12-17T06:31:00.002-06:00

Each summer we pick delicious blueberries and I stock my freezer to have for things like these homemade Blueberry Muffins. I also kept some of these muffins in the freezer.

3 c. flour
1 c. sugar
3 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
3/4 c. milk
3/4 c. sour cream
1/2 c. butter, melted
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
Streusel Topping

Preheat oven to 350. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, mix the milk, sour cream, butter and eggs. Add to flour mixture; stirring until just combined. Fold in blueberries.

Divide batter among pans. Sprinkle with topping and bake for 18 or so minutes.

Streusel Topping
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. flour
1 t. cinnamon
3 T. butter, slightly softened

Add all ingredients to a bowl. Mix well with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.

Maple Thumbprint

2010-12-15T15:52:00.002-06:00

From Holiday Cookies Magazine, slightly adapted

Cookie:
1 c. butter, softened
2/3 c. sugar
1 T. vanilla
2 1/4 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
1 1/4 c. finely chopped pecans

Combine butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and mix well. Add flour and salt and beat until dough forms.
Put pecans in a small bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch round balls. Roll in pecans. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheets. Make indentation in the center of each cookie with your thumb. Bake 11-13 minutes. Cool completely.

Frosting:
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar, sifted
3 T. butter, melted
2 T. Milk
1 T. maple syrup

Combine all in small mixing bowl. Beat at low speed until smooth. Fill centers of each cooled cookie.

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

2010-11-20T08:30:00.003-06:00

1 package of frozen cheese tortelli, cooked according to package directions.

2 cans of condensed tomato soup
2 cans of vegetable broth
2 c. of milk
2 c. of half and half
1/2 c. chopped oil-packed sundried tomatoes
1 t. onion powder
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese, plus some for garnish.

In large soup pot, combine, soups, broth, milk, 1/2 and 1/2, tomatoes and seasonings. Heat on medium heat until hot. Add drained tortellini to the soup and stir in parmesan cheese.

Turkey Pinwheels

2010-11-19T12:49:00.004-06:00

I made these yummy pinwheels to go with a soup lunch.

1/4 c. apricot preserves
2 T. Dijon mustard

Mix well and divide mix between 2 sheets of puff pastry (1 box). Spread out evenly.

Divide1/2 lb. finely shaved Turkey and 3/4 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese between each pastry sheet.

Roll up jelly roll style. Slice each sheet in 1/2" increments.

Bake at 400 for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Lemon Thyme Chicken

2010-11-12T19:33:00.002-06:00

Every now and then I come across a recipe I have made and kept, but never copied over to the blog or computer. I try to trash these sheets of paper b/c I have so many. I loved this dish and glad I came across the recipe again.

1 package of chicken tenders

3/4 c. mayo
2 T. fresh thyme
1 1/2 t. lemon zest
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/2 c. grated parmesan

Arrange chicken tenders in baking dish. Set aside. In a small mixing bowl, stir together mayo and remaining 6 ingredients. Spoon mayo mix over chicken tenders. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until chicken is done. Serve over Angel hair pasta (recipe follows)

Angel Hair Pasta with tomatoes

8 oz. Angel Hair Pasta, cooked according the package directions and drained.

1/2 c. butter
3 T. lemon juice
1 t. salt
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. black pepper
1 bunch of green onions, sliced
1T. chopped fresh parsely
1 c. chopped Roma Tomatoes.

Mix all.

Arrange tenders in baking dish

Rave Reviews

2010-11-10T13:27:00.005-06:00

"Rave Reviews" post of recipes that we have tried over the past couple of weeks.

1st of all Pioneer.Woman....Yum. If you haven't visited her site and tried her recipes you need to.
I made this spinach salad the other night and I can't wait to make another. OMG so good...

Spinach Salad

For Halloween I made my children's teachers a treat of caramel corn. I made the following recipe
this way - I popped 2 bags of plain popcorn and halved the caramel topping. I baked it for a full hour.

Caramel Popcorn

Turkey Burgers were a hit the other night. I made them exactly like the directions for the burger and used store bought Honey mustard and served with Sweet Potato Fries.

Turkey Burgers

Another slow cooker recipe that we really enjoyed. I had frozen homemade tomato sauce so I used it for my base instead of the stewed tomatoes and tomato paste, but the seasonings in my sauce matched up with this recipe so I used what I had.

Meditteranean Chicken

Poppy Seed Chicken

2010-11-10T13:23:00.002-06:00

Basic and Easy.

1 package of chicken, cooked and shredded
1 8oz. sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 T. poppy seeds
2 T. butter
1/2 sleeve of Rit.z Crackers

Mix chicken, sour cream, sour cream and poppy seeds. Put in 8x8 dish. Melt butter and mix with cracker crumbs. Sprinkle on top of chicken mix. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Serve over rice.

Chicken Taco Meat

2010-10-01T15:40:00.002-05:00

Our new favorite way to do tacos - crock pot!

1 package of boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 package of taco seasoning
1 c. chicken broth
1 onion, sliced
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1 t. minced garlic

Place everything in the crockpot. Cook on high for about 4 hours. Great for tacos, burritos, nachos, you get the picture!!

Lemon Delight Cookies

2010-09-22T21:03:00.002-05:00

I love using cake mixes as bases for cookies. It's like a homemade cookie with little effort. These were good. I definitely recommend letting them cool on the cookie sheet before trying to move them. They also need to cool for awhile before trying to serve them. They are delicate, but firm up as they cool.

1 18-oz. package lemon cake mix
1 8-oz. tub of non-dairy whipped topping, thawed
2 eggs, beaten
Powdered sugar

Mix cake mix, topping, and eggs. Stir until well mixed. Drop by tablespoon onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for a couple of minutes and then move to cookie rack. Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar.

Makes 3 dozen

Cheesy Ham and Potatoes (CrockPot)

2010-09-09T13:56:00.003-05:00

Cheesy Ham and Potatoes

1 32-oz bag frozen, shredded hash brown potatoes
8 oz sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 small onion, chopped fine

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

2 c. diced ham

1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

black pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Crockpot Directions:
Coat the inside of a crockpot with cooking spray or butter. Spoon the potato mixture into the crockpot. Cover, and cook on High for 1 1/2 hours, then reduce heat to Low, and cook for an additional 2 1/2 hours.

Steak Bites and Veggies

2010-09-05T10:40:00.002-05:00

Grilled Marinated Steak Bites

3 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 t. black pepper
1 lb sirloin, cut into 1″ chunks

Whisk together the olive oil, garlic, and pepper in a small bowl.

Combine the sirloin chunks and marinade in a large, resealable bag. Seal and let marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Preheat the grill on its medium setting. Just before cooking, divide the meat evenly among skewers.

Cook the skewers on the grill, flipping once, to desired doneness.

*** for the sides we did 8 oz. whole button mushrooms, 2 green bell pepper, 1 Vidalia onion, drizzled in Olive oil, salt and pepper.

Oatmeal Scotchies

2010-09-04T12:52:00.001-05:00

1 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 sticks of butter, soft
1/4 c. vegetable oil
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla extract
3 c. oats
1 c. butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 375. In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In large bowl, cream together butter, vegetable oil and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually add in the dry ingredients, beating just until incorporated. Stir in oats and butterscotch chips. Drop by tablespoon onto cookie sheet. Flatten each one slightly. Bake about 11 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen.

***I dipped mine in a mix of white chocolate chips and the remaining butterscotch chips.

Sausage Cheese Grits Casserole

2010-07-28T16:16:00.003-05:00

Since we were doing this for "Breakfast for dinner, we added some garlic and peppers. You might want to omit for breakfast.

4 c. water
1/2 t. salt
1 c. quick cooking grits
2 c. shredded cheese
1/4 c. butter
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c. milk
1 garlic clove, minced
2 whole banana peppers, diced
1 lb. pork sausage, browned and drained.

Grease a 2qt. casserole dish and set aside. In saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Add grits, reduce heat to low , cook 5 minutes and stir occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 1/4 c. cheese and butter; stir until melted. Add eggs, milk, garlic, banana peppers and sausage; blend well. Pour mixture into dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese
Bake at 350 for 45 min - 1 hour - I will try this in a 9x13 next time to see if I can get the cook time down. Mine would never really set up - still good.

Honey BBQ Sauce

2010-07-27T16:14:00.002-05:00

This is great on grilled chicken or chicken fingers.

1/2 c. BBQ sauce (your favorite)
1/2 c. Mayo
1/2 c. Honey Mustard

Mix all. Chill before serving.

Summer Foods: Cucumber Dill Spread

2010-07-04T09:20:00.001-05:00

My summer foods is all made with fresh summer veggies, either picked by us or else shared from other gardens.

4 oz cream cheese
1/3 c. mayo
1 small cucumber, peeled and finely diced
dill (fresh or dried) to taste
salt and pepper

Mix all. We served ours up on French bread slices, crackers and good ole white bread. I topped Alan's with a fresh sliced tomato.

Mini Deep Dish Pizzas

2010-06-17T12:30:00.002-05:00

Great for our lunches! A total change from our usual turkey sandwiches. They were quick, easy and children can help too!

1 can of refrigerated biscuit dough
pizza sauce
shredded mozzerella cheese

Take each biscuit and roll out flat. Place into a standard size muffin cup covering the bottom and sides. Fill each one with a spoonful of pizza sauce and top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes.

You could fill these with whatever toppings you would like but plain cheese was pretty good!

yum...

2010-06-15T21:19:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure what to call these...the recipe calls them Twi.x Bars, but I don't think it's a good title.

How about I just share the recipe and you can call them what you want, but make them. They are yummy.

1 sleeve of Soda Crackers (ie Club)

1 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. milk
1/2 c. butter

2/3 c. peanut butter
1 c. chocolate chips

Place a layer of club crackers on 15x10 jelly roll pan. One sleeve should fill the entire pan.

In a saucepan, mix crumbs, sugars, milk and butter over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Immediately pour evenly over cracker layer and smooth evenly over crackers with a knife or spatula. Place in the fridge to slightly cool.

Meanwhile, mix peanut butter and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Heat in intervals until just melted and combined. Pour over the the top of the caramel layer. Return to fridge to set. Once set, cut into 1 inch squares. Makes alot!

(Note: I am in the south. It is hot, really HOT. And humid. I can not make desserts like this and have them set up properly. They will not. If you live in a not so hot (and humid) climate. You can skip all the fridge parts and just allow the bars to cool and set at room temp.

Vidalia Mac and Cheese Bites

2010-06-08T12:21:00.000-05:00

A fun twist on Mac and Cheese! adapted from Paula..Deen Magazine

3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c. half and half
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. ground red pepper
1/4 t. fresh black pepper
1 c. uncooked orzo, cooked
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 c. shredded havarti cheese
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 medium vidalia onion, diced

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 24 muffin tins with cooking spray. (I highly recommend this as I forgot and cleaning the pan was not a treat).

In large bowl, stir together eggs, half and half, and seasonings. Add orzo, bacon, cheese and onions. Mix well. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full of mac and cheese mix.

Bake about 25-20 minutes or until center is set.

Wedge Salad

2010-06-07T07:49:00.001-05:00

Altered this one a bit from a Southern.Living Recipe.

Wedge Salad with Homemade Ranch
1 c. mayo
1 c. milk
1 envelope Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
1 T. dried parsley
1 T. horseradish
Lemon Zest
Pepper to taste

Iceberg Lettuce cut into 6 wedges
thinly sliced cucumber
finely diced red onion
finely shredded carrot (smallest holes on a box grater)
grated parmesan,asiago, romano mixed cheese

Mushroom Tart

2010-06-06T09:53:00.001-05:00

1 pie crust (either store bought or homemade)

4 T. butter
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 T. minced garlic
2 c. sliced portabello mushrooms
1 c. sliced button mushrooms
2 c. shredded Monterey Jack
1/2 c. shredded cheddar
3/4 c. half and half
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. fresh black pepper
1 t. rosemary
1 t. parsley flakes

Preheat oven to 350.

Press dough in 9 inch pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Increase oven temp to 375.

In skillet, heat butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Add onions and garlic; cook 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, cook 5 more minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

In bowl combine cheeses, half and half, eggs, mushroom mix, salt and pepper and rosemary. Pour into prepared crust. Sprinkle with parsley. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Candy Bar Apple Salad

2010-06-01T07:53:00.001-05:00

(Side note: This does not keep well. If not served all at once or within a day - I would recommend tossing out.)

1 1/2 c. milk
1 small package of instant vanilla pudding
1 8-oz. container of Cool Whip
2 red apples, chopped
2 green apples, chopped
2 king sized Snickers bars cut into small pieces.

In a large bowl, whisk together milk and pudding mix and let set up a few minutes. Fold in cool whip. Add apples and candy bar. Chill until serving time.

Lemon Garlic Marinade

2010-05-31T07:44:00.000-05:00

I used this on pork for Greek style Kabobs served with this pasta salad.

1/2 c. fresh lemon juice
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 t. dried oregano
1 t. salt
1 t. fresh black pepper
1/2 c. olive oil
Mix all and refrigerate if not using immediately.

Pour mix over pork and marinate. Sprinkle pork with greek seasoning before skewering. Grill.

Tomato and Corn Risotto

2010-05-30T07:56:00.000-05:00

2 1/2 c. water
2 c. milk
3 T. chicken broth
1 large vidalia onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 T. butter
3/4 c. uncooked arborio rice
5 ears of fresh corn, cooked and corn removed from cob
1 medium tomato peeled seeded and chopped
3/4 c. grated parmesan
1/2 c. fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
3/4 t. salt

In large saucepan, heat water, milk and broth; keep warm. In large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until tender. Add rice; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in 1 c. of warmed liquid mix. Cook and stir until all water is absorbed. Add remaining liquid, 1/2 c. at a time, stirring constantly. Allow liquid to fully absorb each time. Cook until risotto is creamy and rice is almost tender. Stir in remaining ingredients and heat through.

Lemon Bars

2010-05-29T08:09:00.004-05:00

Yummm....I don't make them as good as others but they are good in the summer.

Crust:
2 c. flour
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. butter softened

Mix all and press into 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Filling:
4 eggs, beaten
2 c. sugar
1/3 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. baking powder

Mix and pour over crust. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. When done baking, sift powdered sugar on top.

Beer Bread

2010-05-18T21:08:00.003-05:00

4 simple ingredients to delicious homemade bread!

3 c. self rising flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 12-oz. beer

Mix all. Dough will be sticky. Place into greased or buttered loaf pan. Bake at 375 for 45-55 minutes. Drizzle with 2T. of melted butter when done.

Basic Chicken Salad

2010-04-24T22:14:00.001-05:00

I know I have a couple of Chicken Salad Recipes, but this one is pretty basic and a good easy one.

I poach 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts for about 20 minutes in simmering water, celery ends (that I take from dicing up my celery) some onion powder and salt and pepper. Then I cool.

Meanwhile I finely chop celery to equal 1 cup. I add about 1/2 c. of slivered almonds, about 1/4 cup of quartered purple grapes (or halves depending on the size of grapes) 1/2 t. salt and a few grinds of fresh cracked black pepper.

I process my chicken in the food processor until finely chopped. I add it to the mix and add enough mayo to combine all.

Chicken Salad

2010-04-24T18:11:00.004-05:00

Tonight we had the spicy lime chicken reheated with pepperjack cheese. We served it over shredded iceberg lettuce with lots of guacamole. On the side is lime cilantro hummus w/pita chips.

Spicy Lime Chicken

2010-04-23T13:28:00.004-05:00

Spicy Lime Chicken - adapted from Ina Garten

1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (5 to 6 limes)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, finely diced
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (3 cloves)
1 t. dried cilantro
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions

Combine the lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, jalapeno pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper in a ziploc bag. Add the chicken breasts. Refrigerate for 4 hours.

Grill until done.

Serve over iceberg lettuce with a dollop of guacamole

A great slaw!

2010-04-17T18:23:00.002-05:00

Oriental Slaw

2 pkgs Ramon noodles - break up (discard flavor packet)

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Melt 1 stick of butter and brown above - do it on low so it won't burn - Cool

1 cup salad oil

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vinegar

3 T. soy sauce

Bring to boil and simmer until sugar dissolves, cool.

Mix two packages shredded cabbage with above. (I mix cabbage and noodles, first then add dressing at serving time. Usually after initial serving there is enough dressing in the bottom to add a third package of the cabbage.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

2010-04-09T18:08:00.002-05:00

Our house is on the market and I've been cleaning up and cleaning out and found this favorite laying around. I haven't made it in awhile and one of the only cheesecakes I've ever attempted. It's easy and good!

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

2 c. finely crushed oreo crumbs
1/4 c. melted butter
3 8-oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
1 14-oz. can of condensed milk
3 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 c. mini chocolate chips
1 t. flour

Combine crumbs and melted butter. Press firmly on the bottom of 9-inch springform pan. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in milk until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Toss 1/2 c. of chocolate chips in flour. Stir into cream cheese mix. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes.

Easy Baked Chicken

2010-04-09T18:04:00.002-05:00

Love this one.

8 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 slices of swiss cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 c. white wine
1 c. herb seasoned stuffing mix ( I used Pepperidge Farms)
2-3 T. melted butter

Arrange chicken in baking dish. Top with cheese. Combine soup and wine and spoon over chicken. Sprinkle with stuffing mix. Drizzle melted butter over the stuffing. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until chicken is done.

Another Crock-Pot Recipe

2010-02-19T15:16:00.004-06:00

Really Good!

Chicken Risotto
1 1/4 cups brown rice
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can of chicken broth

1/2 c. melted butter
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 c. slivered almonds
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Spray crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. In a bowl combine soups and butter. Place rice in crock pot and pour 1/2 soup mixture to cover. Place chicken in next. Pour remaining soup over chicken. Top with almonds and cheese. Cook on low 6-8 hours.

Chewy Toffe Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-01-30T15:52:00.001-06:00

2 1/4 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 stick of butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs
1 c. Bits of Brickle chips
1 c. mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Stir together flour, soda and salt and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs; mix thoroughly. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating well. Stir in toffee and chocolate chips. Roll into 1 inch balls. Place on baking sheet and bake for 9-10 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.

Cheese Muffins

2010-01-17T18:39:00.002-06:00

A copy cat recipe I found of some cheese muffins similar to those served at a well-known Birmingham BBQ place. Needed a little less sugar and a little more cheese, but none the less - very tasty!

4 T butter (no substitutes), melted
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
2 1/2 t baking powder
1 c sugar
3/4 c milk
1 egg
1 c shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients together and pour into greased mini-muffin tins. Bake at 400* for 10 minutes.

White Chili

2010-01-13T13:09:00.003-06:00

It seems like I've posted lots of soups lately, but they are so good for all this cold weather we are having. I made this a few weeks ago and then again for tonight's Crock Pot Potluck at church.

Here is how I make mine, a conglomeration of a couple variations of the recipes I have seen.

1 package of chicken breasts, cooked and diced up.

1 onion, diced and sauteed in 3T. of butter for about 8 minutes with 1 1/2 t. minced garlic thrown in at the end.

Add in 4 cans of chicken broth, 3 cans of great northern beans (drained), 1 small can of diced green chiles (drained), 1 can of fire roasted tomatoes (drained) {I used Muir Glenn in the organic section} and 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced. I season with 1 tsp. of salt and 3/4tsp of oregano and some black pepper.

You can either make this in big pot on the stove - if I do it that way, I just start the onions in the pot I will use. You can also just put it all in the crock pot and heat on low for an hour or two before serving. if serving it for a group.

Cornbread

2009-12-31T17:41:00.003-06:00

This was a good recipe I made to go with our white chili the other night. I really liked it.

Southwest Cornbread
1t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
3/4 c. yellow cornmeal (mine was self rising)
3 T. melted butter
1 can corn, drained
1 small can diced green chiles
1/4 c. sour cream
3 eggs
1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese

mix all. Pour into greased 8x8 dish. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Chicken Sandwiches

2009-12-24T12:54:00.003-06:00

I found this one on the internet the other day...absolutely delish.

Place 1 package of chicken breasts (3-4) in a crockpot. Cover with 3/4 bottle of your favorite hot wings sauce (mine is Frank's). Sprinkle with 2 packages of Ranch Dressing Mix (or a few tablespoons if you have the new shaker jar of it). Turn on low for 6-7 hours. Shred chicken when done. Serve on hoagie rolls with white american cheese. Yummm...

Quiche Lorraine

2009-12-21T15:26:00.002-06:00

I made this the other night for our dinner. I think quiches make good, inexpensive filling dinners.

1 9-inch pie crust

1 onion, chopped
2 T. butter
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c. milk
1/4 t. salt
1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 oz. swiss cheese shredded

Preheat oven to 325.

In skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Add onion and saute until tender; drain and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix eggs, milk and salt. Stir in bacon and onion. Add cheese; stir well. Pour mix into pie crust. Bake 35-40 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Beer Cheese Soup

2009-12-20T15:29:00.002-06:00

Beer Cheese Soup

adapted from Penzey's Spice Catalog Recipe

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
1 cup onion, minced
1 cup celery, minced
1 cup carrot, diced
1/4 cup flour
1 lb potatoes, peeled and diced
6 cups chicken broth
1 (12 ounce) bottle beer(We used Terrapin Rye Pale Ale)
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ c. Frank’s Buffalo wing sauce
1/2 cup milk
8 oz. package sharp cheddar cheese, grated
½ package of kielbasa sausage, cooked and sliced

1. Heat olive oil in soup pot over medium heat.

2. Add onion, celery and carrots.

3. Cook about 15 minutes or until tender, stirring every so often to keep from sticking.

4. Stir in flour, cook about 1 minute.

5. Add potatoes, broth and beer.

6. Bring to a boil and cook 10- 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

7. Add mustard powder, granulated garlic, salt and pepper.

8. Combine milk and wing sauce in a small bowl and then Stir into soup.

9. Remove soup from heat; Add cheese, stirring until cheese is melted and smooth.

10. Remove 2 cups of vegetables with some liquid and add to a blender or food processor and puree. Pour back into soup.

11. Return to low heat and add sliced sausage and Cook until warm- about 5 minutes.

Another Easy Side

2009-12-03T17:17:00.003-06:00

This casserole is quick and easy to make. I took it for potluck last night. I use it as a side, but it could probably be a bread too.

Corn Casserole

1 15-oz. can of corn, drained
1 15-0z. can of creamed corn
1 stick of butter, melted
1 box of jiffy corn muffin mix
1 8-oz. sour cream
2 eggs

Mix all and spread into 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Macaroni and Cheese

2009-11-21T07:23:00.002-06:00

We love homemade mac and cheese. It's definitely one of the girls favorites. This is absolutely fabulous!

3 eggs
8-oz. sour cream
4 T. of butter, melted + 2T. butter
1/2 t. salt
1 c. milk
12-oz. cheddar cheese, grated (should be about 3-4 cups)
1 16-oz. package of macaroni, cooked and drained

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter a 9x13 baking dish.

In a large bowl, Beat eggs, add in sour cream, melted butter, salt and milk. Add in macaroni and 3/4 of cheese (just reserve enough to cover the top). Spread into prepared dish. Top with remaining cheese and dot with remaining butter.

Bake about 30-45 minutes.

Chip Dip

2009-11-14T07:51:00.003-06:00

This comes from my JLMC's Cotton Country Cooking. It's been served at meetings and I have made it for gatherings. It's really good and really EASY! I did use light sour cream and mayo.

1 c. sour cream
1 c. mayo
1 1/4 t. dill
1 t. minced onion flakes
3 t. parsley, fresh or dried. I used dried.

Mix all. Let set at least 1 hour in the fridge. Serve with potato chips.

It would also be a good base for spinach dip....just add in 1 10-oz. package of frozen, chopped spinach that had been thawed and drained really well. I would increase the sour cream to 16 oz. if I made the spinach dip.

Oven Baked Chicken Nuggets

2009-10-21T07:18:00.001-05:00

Oven Baked Chicken Nuggets

1-2 t. garlic powder
1/4 c. dried parsley
4 slices dry bread
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper

2 T. milk
2 T. butter

1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes

In a food processor combine garlic powder and next 5 ingredients. Process until bread has turned into crumbs. Pour into gallon sized ziploc bag.

In a bowl combine milk and butter. Add chicken cubes and mx thoroughly to cover chicken. Place chicken in ziploc bag and shake to coat with crumbs.

Place chicken cubes in a single layer on cookie sheet. Bake at 425 about 20 minutes.

Rice Consomme

2009-09-08T15:12:00.003-05:00

This was a great side dish the other night.

1/2 c. butter
1 onion, chopped
1 c. regular rice
8-oz. sliced mushrooms
2 cans of beef consomme

In a skillet, melt butter and add onions. Saute until slightly softened.
Place onions in baking dish, with rice and mushrooms and 2 cans of consomme. Cover and bake at
350 for 45 minutes.

(Note I missed the "covered" part and mine took a lot longer to cook - just a note in case it does take longer than 45 minutes covered)

Turkey Skillet Dinner

2009-08-11T17:17:00.003-05:00

2 T. olive oil
1 1/2 lb. ground turkey
2 medium onions, chopped
1 t. garlic
1 can of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can of corn, undrained
1 can of water
1 8oz. package of elbow macaroni
1 T. chili powder
1 t. salt
1 c. shredded pepperjack cheese

In a skillet, heat oil. Add turkey and onions and brown. Add garlic, tomatoes, corn, water and macaroni and cook for about 20 minutes over low-medium heat until macaroni is done. Stir in seasonings and cheese.

Blueberry Lemon Squares

2009-07-05T11:19:00.002-05:00

These yummy bars are perfect for summer and for using fresh fruit!

From the Decatur Daily

For the crust:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour

For the filling:
1/2 c. sugar
3 T. flour
lemon zest from 1 lemon
juice from 2 lemons
1/8 t. salt
3 eggs
2 c. blueberries

Heat oven to 400*

Spray 8x8 pan with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, mix butter and powdered sugar together; add vanilla. Add flour and beat just until mix forms small crumbs. Press 2/3 of crumb mix into bottom of dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce temp to 350*.

To make the filling, Mix sugar, flour, lemon zest and lemon juice and salt. Add eggs and whisk until smooth.

Spread blueberries evenly over the crust. Pour filling over blueberries. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mix evenly over the top. Bake 20-30 minutes until topping is done.
Cool completely and cut into squares.

Swiss Chicken for the Crockpot

2009-06-30T08:53:00.002-05:00

It's hot here in the south! Too hot for the oven to be on - IMO!
Here's a great one for the crockpot - to keep the house from getting too hot.

1 package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c. shredded swiss cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can chicken broth
1 box of stove top dressing
1 small jar of sliced mushrooms
1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese

Lay chicken in crock pot. Top with Swiss cheese.
In mixing bowl, mix soup, broth, stove top and mushrooms and layer over chicken and cheese.
Top with parmesan cheese.
Cook on high 3 hours.

I shredded my chicken when it was done and mixed it throughout to be more like a casserole and so there would be small bites for my children.

Father's Day Dessert

2009-06-23T19:55:00.004-05:00

Bread Pudding with Chocolate Chunks with White chocolate Sauce

adapted from Betty Sims

1 loaf of bakery white bread unsliced cut into cubes (I bought bread from Publix bakery Dept.)
3 1/2 c. milk (i used reduced fat)
1 c. half and half
4 eggs
1 c. sugar
2 T. butter, melted
1 t. vanilla
1/8 t. salt
1 c. semi sweet chocolate chunks

Take bread and put in large mixing bowl. Pour milk and half and half over it and let set 10 minutes. Stir it up to make sure all the bread is covered.

Combine eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, salt. Pour into bread mix and stir to combine. Add in chocolate chips. Pour mixture into greased 9x13 dish. Bake at 325* for 1 hour or until firm and lightly browned.

Serve warm with Sauce.

Sauce:

1/2 c. sugar
1 stick of butter
1/2 c. of half and half
1 4oz. white chocolate baking bar ( i used ghiradelli in the chocolate chip section of my grocery store)
1 T. Vanilla

Combine sugar, butter and half and half in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir with a whisk until combined. About 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate and vanilla and stir until well combined and white chocolate is melted.

Salsa and Guacamole

2009-06-21T06:50:00.004-05:00

A quick Salsa to enjoy. Restaurant Style!

Salsa
1 (28-0z.) can of whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
1 onion, chunked
2 jalapenos, seeded and cut into pieces
cilantro (put in how much you like)
1 t. minced garlic
1 t. salt

Put all into a food processor and process until desired texture. Chill.

An Even Easier one...

Guacamole
1 Ripe Avocado
3 T. of Salsa (using above recipe)
Salt

Mash avocado. Stir in salsa and salt. Mix well and refrigerate.

It's time for blueberries...

2009-06-20T09:39:00.002-05:00

and I am racking up new recipes to try. We are going to pick blueberries Tuesday morning (the coolest day of the week at a whopping 91*). Blueberry Breakfast Cobbler and Blueberry Trifle are at the top of my list to try!

Veggie Sandwich

2009-06-20T09:34:00.002-05:00

adapted from Taste of the South June/July 2009

1 12-oz. container of whipped cream cheese
1/4 c. sundried tomatoes. (I bought the ones NOT packed in oil)
1/2 a small can of chopped black olives

Mix all. Will keep in fridge and will make lots of sandwiches.

Whole Grain Bread (I like Publix Bakery 5 grain)
Thinly sliced cucumber
Thinly sliced red onion
Green Leaf Lettuce
Sliced Provolone

Spread cream cheese mix on bread. Layer veggies and provolone. Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Delicious in summer!

Summer Sangria

2009-06-19T21:43:00.003-05:00

Well not exactly. Kinda a cross b/t punch, mimosas and sangria. I helped host bunco this month and made this tasty drink for us to enjoy.

1 bottle of Champagne, chilled
2 c. of gingerale, chilled
1 c. orange juice
1/3 c. fresh lime juice
1/3 c. fresh lemon juice
Sliced oranges, lemons, limes

Mix all.

This was the single batch. I actually thought when I made a double batch for bunco it was better. I used a liter of gingerale and OJ from concentrate. If your fruits are really sour you could always throw in a little sugar if needed.

Southern Caviar

2009-06-19T21:33:00.002-05:00

A combo of several versions of the tasty dip.

2 cans of corn, drained
1 can of blackeyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced
1 red onion, finely diced
1 bunch of green onions, sliced
1 1/2 c. zesty Italian dressing

Mix all and refrigerate several hours before serving. Serve with tortilla or frito scoops.

Note: you can add whatever veggies you like, chopped tomato, bell peppers, etc.. This is just the combo I like.

Zucchini and Ham Casserole

2009-06-18T07:58:00.002-05:00

Each Summer we would go to our Great Aunt and Uncle's lake house in Michigan for a day visiting with cousins and family we don't get to see too often. We would always have lots of yummy food, but one of my most favorite dishes was this casserole. I always make it when I have leftover ham. It's so good. I took it to potluck dinner at church last night and brought home an empty dish - always a good sign!

Cook 4 c. diced zucchini for 7-8 minutes, drain.

While the zucchini is cooking - make a white sauce

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 T. butter and add 1/2 onion finely chopped, after it sautes for a minute or two add in 3 T. of flour and stir to combine and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes. Add 3/4t. salt and whisk in 1 1/2 c. milk. Cook until thickened.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together, cooked zucchini, white sauce, 2 T. parsley, 2 1/2 c. cubed ham, 2 1/2 c. seasoned croutons and 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Stuffed Pork Chops

2009-06-01T13:51:00.002-05:00

Saturday Alan and I ran into Costco for a few things and found some great looking thick pork chops. We decided they would be great with a stuffing and came up with our own to try.

Stuffed pork chops

2 T. butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1 ear of corn - kernels removed.
2 t. minced garlic

1 pan of cornbread
3/4 finely shredded cheese. We used gouda and cheddar
water

6 1-inch thick pork chops

In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, jalapenos and corn. Once onions are almost done add in the garlic. Remove from heat and put veggies in a mixing bowl. Crumble the cornbread and add to veggies. Stir in cheese. Add just a little bit of water to moisten cornbread and make everything combine.

Season porkchops with salt and pepper. make a slit in the porkchops almost to the edge and slide the knife inside to make an opening, but leave all the sides intact. Stuff with cornbread mix.

Grill.

Chicken and Spinach Lasagna

2009-05-20T20:37:00.003-05:00

Not regular Lasagna - a spinach florentine type!

3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 10oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 c. shredded cheddar
1/2 c. grated parmesan
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 4 oz. jar of sliced mushrooms, drained
8 oz. light sour cream
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. cornstarch
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
9 Lasagna Noodles, cooked and drained
1 c. grated parmesan
2 T. butter
1 c. chopped pecans

Combine Chicken and next 10 ingredients. Mix well and set aside.

Layer 3 noodles in 9x13 pan. Top with half of the chicken mixture. Repeat and end with 3 lasagna noodles on top.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

In saute pan, melt butter. Add in pecans and cook until toasty and slightly browned.
Sprinkle over the Parmesan Cheese.

Cover with Foil

Bake in a 350* oven for 60 minutes.

Ham and Cheese Pastries

2009-05-13T19:14:00.004-05:00

adapted from holiday celebrations magazine.

2 T. dijon mustard
2 T. honey mustard
1 T. Mayo
2 t. worcestershire sauce
1 t. horseradish sauce
(You may want to alter mustards to get a taste you like, this combo worked for me)

4 slices of swiss cheese cut into 1/4s

2 c. finely chopped ham

1 package of puff pastry (contains 2 sheets)

Mix 1st 5 ingredients and set aside.

Take 1 sheet of puff pastry and unfold - take 1/3 of it and cut into 8 squares. Take the other 2/3's and cut into 8 larger squares. Repeat with the 2nd sheet of puff pastry. You should have 16 large squares and 16 small ones.

On the 16 larger squares, spread with some of the mustard spread and then top with ham. Fold corners up to make a bundle. Top with swiss cheese and then a smaller square.

Bake at 400* for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Greek Style Chicken

2009-05-09T16:44:00.003-05:00

Marinade:
1 bottle of Greek Dressing
juice of 1 lemon
1 t. minced garlic
1/3 c. mayo
Whisk together

2 lbs. of chicken cut into cubes
1 red onion, chunked

marinate chicken overnight.

Thread chicken alternately with red onion pieces on skewers.

Grill until done.

Serve with orzo pasta salad and hummus and pita bread!

Orzo Pasta Salad

2009-05-09T16:23:00.004-05:00

A great summer dish!

Orzo Pasta Salad
adapted from Taste of the South - Summer 2007

16 oz. orzo pasta, cooked and drained

16oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 zucchini, cut into julienne strips
1 yellow squash, cut into julienne strips
2 carrots, cut into julienne strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into julienne strips
1/2 red onion, cut into julienne strips
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
olive oil

Toss veggies in seasonings and olive oil. Place on baking sheet and roast 10 minutes at 350*. After 10 minutes, stir veggies around and cook about 8 more minutes. Cool and then mix with pasta. Pour in dressing and toss to combine.

Dressing:
1/2 c. olive oil
1 t. dried parsley
1 t. dried basil
1 t. dried oregano
1 T. minced garlic
2 T. apple cider vinegar
zest from 1 small lemon
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
Whisk to combine.

Strawberry Pie

2009-05-07T09:42:00.003-05:00

Strawberry Pie (adapted from allrecipes.com)

1 c. water
3/4 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
3 drops of red food coloring

Combine water and sugar in medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in cornstarch. Stir until thickened and slightly boiling. About 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in food coloring. Set aside to cool.

1 c. flour
1/2 c. butter, softened
3 T. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla

Combine all with a pastry cutter. When dough comes together, press dough into 9 or 10 inch pie plate. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool.

5 c. sliced fresh strawberries
Cool Whip

When pie filling is cooled - stir in berries. Place pie filling into cooled pie crust. Refrigerate several hours before serving. Top with Cool Whip when serving.

Santa Fe Cheesecake

2009-05-06T13:43:00.002-05:00

Yum!

Santa Fe Cheesecake
adapted from Christmas Cooking 2007

2 T. butter
2 small white onions, chopped
3 (8-oz.) packages of cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
2 (10-oz) cans of Rotel tomatoes (I used mild, but use whatever flavor you like), drained
2 c. shredded cheddar
1 packet of taco seasoning mix
1 packet of Ranch dressing mix
1 med. can of yellow corn, drained
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained

Tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 375.

Lightly grease a 10 inch springform pan. Set aside.

In a skillet, melt butter and saute onions until tender. Set aside.

In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until creamy. Add eggs, beating until combined. Add cheddar cheese and beat until well mixed. Add seasoning packets.

Next stir in onions, tomatoes, corn and black beans. Pour mixture into springform pan.

Bake for 25 minutes at 375. Reduce heat to 350 and bake another 15-20 minutes.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Pimiento Cheese....

2009-04-28T20:25:00.003-05:00

kicked up Southern Style!

Pecan-Pimiento Cheese Spread
adapted from Christmas at Home by Southern Living

1 1/2 c. mayo- (pimiento cheese tastes so much better with real mayo, but I used light)
1 4-oz. jar of chopped pimiento, drained
1 t. worcestershire sauce
1 T. finely grated onion
1/4 t. ground red pepper
8-oz medium cheddar, grated
8-oz sharp cheddar, grated
1/2 finely chopped pecans, toasted

Mix all and refrigerate.

I stuffed in celery and spread on crackers.

Chicken Salad Wreath

2009-04-28T20:09:00.002-05:00

I know, I have been super busy so no posts in a while, but I am going to add several tonight to help make up for it.

Warm Chicken Salad Wreath

1 1/2 lbs. of chicken, cooked and diced
1 8-oz. container of chive and onion cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. mayo
1 T. Italian seasoning
1/8 t. salt
1/8 t. black pepper
1 medium jar of pimientos, drained
1 bunch of green onions, diced
1/4 c. onion, finely diced
2 8-oz. packages of refrigerated crescent roll dough

Preheat oven to 375.

Lightly grease 2 (10-inch) springform pans. (I only have 1, a pie plate was a great substitute).

Mix all ingredients but the crescent roll dough.

Separate crescent roll dough into triangles. Arrange 8 triangles in the prepared pans so that the wide part slightly overlaps and the narrow end hangs over the side of the pan. Divide chicken mixture evenly and spoon mixture onto triangle bases. Fold excess dough back over the chicken mixture. Fold the points of the dough back up towards the rim of the pan.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Congealed Ambrosia Salad

2009-04-14T19:58:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

1 package (3 oz) orange gelatin
1 cup boiling water
3 oranges, peeled and cut into sections
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple undrained
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups of Cool Whip, thawed

Preparation:

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water; chill until mixture begins to thicken. Fold in remaining ingredients; blend well. Pour into a 8x8 inch pan; chill until firm.