Let's Get Cooking!

Spinach Balls

2008-03-06T12:16:00.000-08:00

This is a great appetizer to take to parties!

2 10 oz packages of frozen chopped spinach; cook and drain (squeeze it).
1 pkg chicken flavored stuffing (do not prepare)
6 eggs (beat)
1 1/2 sticks of butter (softened)
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Mix together and make balls; put on cookie sheet. Then, put in freezer for a little while.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Balsamic Roasted Chicken

2008-03-06T12:08:00.000-08:00

Another whole chicken recipe that we love!

whole chicken
onion
a few garlic cloves
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
thyme or rosemary
Cut up onion and put on bottom of baking dish. Place whole, cleaned, and gutted chicken on top. Put a few garlic cloves around the chicken. Mix in bowl balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and rosemary to taste (I usually use about a half cup of oil and 1/4 cup vinegar). Place a few extra sprigs of rosemary inside the bird. Pour mixture over it. Bake at 350 for 90 minutes. Chicken should be crispy and golden when done.

Slow Cooker Chicken

2008-03-06T12:03:00.000-08:00

Here is a great Crockpot recipe. We love it around here.

Whole chicken
1/2 cup of broth
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1 t Worchestshire(sp?) sauce
2 t balsamic vinegar
2 t lemon juice
1 t sesame oil
2 T minced garlic (I don't use the garlic...too strong!)
Empty inner cavity of chicken
Pat chicken dry with towel and place in the slow cooker
Mix ingredients together and pour over chicken.
I cook on high for 4 hrs. Tastes great over rice.

Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Bean Soup)

2007-08-14T16:50:00.000-07:00

I've had this before at restaurants, and I couldn't believe that when I made this, it was even better than the restaurants!

2 cans white beans(also called navy beans)drained and rinsed well
1 piece of Parmesan rind (its okay if you don't have this, but it definately adds some good flavor)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. dry red pepper flakes (1/4tsp. if you are shy about spice)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium size onion peeled and chopped
1 medium size carrot peeled and finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves minced
28 oz can canned tomatoes drained, seeded and coarsly chopped (or 1 1/2 lbs. ripe tomatoes peeled, drained, seeded and coarsly chopped)
3 to 4 cups of water as needed
2 to 3 tsp of salt or more to taste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
6 ounces macaroni shells or fusilli
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring, until tender, 5-8 minutes. Add half the garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic begins to color, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring often, until they cook down a bit and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the water, the parm. rind, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt (about 1 1/2 tsp), add the remaining garlic, the beans, oregano, thyme, and rosemary, and simmer covered for another 15 minutes. Remove 2 cups of the bits with a bit of broth and puree in blender (don't be intimidated by this step, it really helps to thicken the soup). Return to the pot and stir together. Bring some extra water to boil in another sauce pan in case the soup gets too thick. Add the pasta to the soup and stir and cook until pasta is al dente (10-15 mins.) Add lots of pepper. Taste and add salt if needed. Stir in parsley. Serve with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

PIta Crisps

2007-06-19T19:56:00.000-07:00

I adapted this recipe from a recipe I clipped in Real Simple a couple years ago. I hope you like it!

Serves 2 (or Thomas and I will eat all of it), takes about 20 minutes

4 pitas pocket halves (the half circles), opened and cut apart (So you will have 8 little half circles, does that make sense?)
3+ Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
~1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 jar roasted red peppers, rinsed and sliced
1 clove garlic
1/2 of a lemon, cut into 4 slices, the end discarded
1 chicken breast, chopped small
mozzarella cheese (eyeball it)

Lay pitas out on large baking sheet. Brush the pita halves with about 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the oregano. Heat another 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook for about 3 minutes, or until it is almost done. Add the pepper, garlic, lemon slices and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook for 3 minutes or until peppers are tender and chicken is cooked through.

Heat pita halves in broiler for 2 minutes, or until slightly crisp. Spoon chicken/pepper mixture over (I leave the lemon slices out), evenly distributing. Sprinkle tops with cheese. Return to oven and broil for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2007-05-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law made this a couple of weeks ago and it tastes just like the lettuce wraps from Pei Wei or PF Changs. You're gonna love it!!!

2 pounds ground chicken
2 cans water chestnuts chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup hoisen sauce
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons real sherry (I used 1 Tablespoon cooking sherry because I didn’t have the real stuff and it turned out fine)
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
Boston lettuce
Bean sprouts (large kind)
Shredded carrots (I found some already cut up in a bag at the store)

Brown chicken and water chestnuts in skillet, set aside. Combine all remaining ingredients in skillet. Let simmer until combined. Add chicken mixture and simmer together 10 minutes. To eat – put chicken mixture in a leaf of lettuce and top with carrots and sprouts.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

2007-04-12T18:02:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to post this one as it is oh, so delicious and I eat about half a bag of spinach (yes--that much fresh spinach) in one sitting when I eat it. I can't get enough!

Bag of fresh baby spinach
Fresh strawberries, sliced
feta cheese (I used reduced-fat, if you are pregnant, I'd steer clear of the feta)
Brianna's Home-Style Blush Wine Vinagrette Salad Dressing (essential!)

Put spinach in a bowl, add some strawberries until you think it is enough, crumble some feta on top and drizzle with dressing. Go nuts.

Cold Chicken Satay Noodles

2007-04-06T15:49:00.000-07:00

This is a great recipe for those warm spring and summer nights. I saw Rachel Ray make it on TV the other day and I tried it. We loved it! It is especially good for those who like chinese food. Anyways, it makes a ton and is pretty cheap. Most of the ingredients I keep around the house. Hope you enjoy.

1 lb. whole wheat pasta
1/4-1/3 cup smooth or chunky peanut butter, soften by putting in the microwave
2 T honey
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup tamari (I just used soy sauce, since that is what I always have in the pantry)
1 clove garlic, grated
Juice of 2 limes, zest of 1
1 t hot sauce
3 T vegetable oil
2 cups chicken (shredded)
Handful of shredded carrots (I just chopped mine small)
4 scallions, thinkly sliced
1 cup spinach greens, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
2 T chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley (I didn't put any in mine and it was still great)
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, salt water liberally, then drop pasta in and cook to al dente. Run cooked pasta under cold water to cool. Drain well and reserve.
While the water is coming to a boil and the pasta is cooking, whisk together softened peanut butter, honey and warm water in a large bowl. Once combined, whisk in the tamari, garlic, lime juice and zest, and hot sauce. While whisking continuously, pour the oil in a steady stream to complete the dressing. Add noodles, veggies and peanuts to the bowl and toss until everything is mixed well. Place noodles in shallow bowls and top with chicken and cilantro or parsley.
Can be served as is or chilled.

Sausage and Black-eyed Peas

2007-04-06T15:04:00.000-07:00

I just got a hold of my mom's recipe book, and I have been retyping a bunch of old recipes for her - you know the ones that you can barely read cause they've been used so much. So, anyways, here is one of the recipes I have found. I grew up on this one. I made it for Adam last week, and he and I loved it. I remember not liking it as a kid, though. Funny how your taste palate can change over time. It is so easy, makes a ton, and is really cheap. Hope you all enjoy!

Brown and drain 1 lb. ground sausage (I used the cheapest kind HEB has and it tasted great)
Add and cook until limp 1 chopped onion and 1 clove minced garlic
Add 2 cans black-eyed peas, 1 t chili powder, and 1/4 t pepper
Simmer for 20 minutes
Serve over rice. Serves 6.

Caramel- Bananas Dessert

2007-02-13T18:25:00.000-08:00

This recipe is really similar to Bananas Foster, just without the rum. We love it around here! It's so easy and made with ingredients you have on hand.

Serves 4
4 not-overripe bananas, cut into thick slices
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 cup brown sugar
dash of cinnamon

Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the sugar, cinnamon and lemon. Stir constantly over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, a minute or two. Add the banana slices and stir, coating them in the sauce for a couple minutes until they look really coated and start to shrink in size a little bit. Serve over ice cream. Don't think about all the butter and sugar, you're eating bananas!

Easy Chicken & Dumplings

2007-02-09T13:01:00.000-08:00

I found this great website full of down-home country cooking recipes. Some are healthier than others. I've made this chicken and dumplings recipe a few times, and it's great! Thomas loves it.

Chicken & Dumplings

Gingerbread Men

2006-12-17T18:44:00.000-08:00

This is a great recipe that I've tweaked a bit since I don't like the taste of molasses that much.

1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 - 1/3 cup molasses (I use the mild flavor kind)
1 egg yolk
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

In medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in molasses and egg yolk. Combine the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and blend into the molasses mixture. Cover and chill for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350. Roll out small portions of the dough into 1/2 inch thickness. It gets sticky fast, so don't dilly-dally. Cut into desired shapes. Place cookies 1-2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool a few minutes and then move to wire racks. Frost when cool with powdered sugar icing.

Easy Apple Galette

2006-12-10T13:14:00.000-08:00

This is a great dessert that you can throw together in 45 minutes or less, and uses inexpensive ingredients---a lot easier than an apple pie.

1 refrigerated pie crust (the kind that rolls out)
2 large apples peeled, and thinly sliced
1 tbs of white sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbs of brown sugar
1/4 cup (approx.) of pecans (or dried cranberries or favorite nut)
2 tbs of fresh lemon juice (if you don't have this, I think you will still be okay)
2 tbs of butter

Preheat to 375. Roll out pie crust on cookie sheet flat. (Laying parchment paper down first would probably prevent sticking and make for an easy transfer to serving plate.) Put apples in a bowl and mix with white sugar, cinnamon, and pecans. Spread apple mixture evenly in the middle of the pie crust leaving about 1 inch of the crust uncovered. Slice the butter in slivers and place on the top of apples. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top. (you could eliminate the butter and brown sugar for a lower calorie alternative) Gently fold the outside flap of pie crust around pile of apples to form a one inch border. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes to make for easier. Great with a scoop of icecream or coolwhip!!! Serves 4-6.

mmmmmmm!

ZIPLOC OMELET- sounds weird, I know

2006-11-24T17:05:00.000-08:00

My mom went to a party and this is what they did for food. She said it was actually really fantastic & it is such a fun idea.

(This works great !!! The best part is that no one has to wait for their special omelet !!!) Have guests write their name on a quart-size Ziploc freezer bag with permanent marker. Crack 2 eggs (large or extra-large) into the bag (not more than 2) shake to combine them. Put out a variety of ingredients such as: cheeses, ham, onion, green pepper, tomato, hash browns, salsa, etc. Each guest adds prepared ingredients of choice to their bag and shake. Make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up. Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13 minutes. You can usually cook 6-8 omelets in a large pot. For more, make another pot of boiling water. Open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed. Nice to serve with fresh fruit and coffee cake; everyone gets involved in the process and a great conversation piece.
I
Imagine having these ready the night before, and putting the bag in boiling water while you get ready. And in 13 minutes, you got a nice omlette for a quick breakfast!!! I think my kids are going to like this! I used tomatoes, ham, green onions, cheddar cheese and mushrooms in this one! MMMMMMMM

Pumpkin Dump It Cake-Vanessa

2006-11-13T08:35:00.000-08:00

1 - 29 ounce can Pure Pumpkin
1 - 12 ounce can Evaporated Milk (I used Fat Free)
3 - Eggs (I used egg beaters)
1 - Cup Sugar
1 - Teaspoon Salt
3 - Teaspoons Cinnamon
1 - Box Yellow Cake Mix
1 - Cup Chopped Pecans
3/4 Cup Melted Margarine or Butter (I used butter)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first six ingredients until will blended. Pour batter into a 9 x 13 greased pan. Sprinkle cake mix on top. Cover with Pecans.
Pour melted margarine or butter over top. Bake 50-60 minutes.

Top with Whipped Cream or Cool Whip. Tastes great warm and served with ice cream too! Also very good refrigerated overnight and served cold with Cool Whip or Ice Cream!

Tracy's Wassail

2006-11-12T17:40:00.000-08:00

Now that it's getting chilly outside, it's time for warm beverages! My friend Tracy gave me this recipe that I made for Lacy's shower, with a few improvisations from me.

Wassail
2 quarts apple cider
1 quart orange juice without pulp
1 quart apple-cranberry juice (if you want a sweeter wassail, omit the apple-cranberry and use 2 quarts OJ)
6-8 whole cloves
6-8 allspice berries
3 sticks of cinnamon
1 Tablespoon crystallized ginger (if you don't have this, don't worry about it)

Mix everything in a large pot. Simmer on the stove a couple hours before serving, and it makes your house smell great! You can fish out the spices before serving, or just serve around them. Garnish with orange slices for extra flair. Makes 10-15ish or more servings. I put the leftovers in the empty apple cider container and have been reheating cupfuls for myself--delish!

Bread Machine Rolls

2006-10-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

These rolls are great. I tend to make a couple of batches right after another and freeze them so we have rolls for dinner. You could make these without a bread machine, you'd just have to knead everything and let it rise for about an hour before making the rolls.

1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
1 Tablespoon honey
1 cup wheat flour (you can omit this and use all bread flour if you are married to someone who hates wheat)
2 cups bread flour
1/4 cup powdered milk
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons butter, softened and cut into pieces
2.5 teaspoons active dry yeast or 1 packet

Place all the ingredients in your bread machine according to manufacturer's instructions (ours says water first, then honey, flour, etc.) Select dough setting and start. After it is completed, remove the dough and punch down. Break into 12 balls (you can make buns with about 6-8 balls). Place on ungreased baking sheet (I use our stone). Cover with damp cloth and let rise about 30-40 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 and bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Brush tops with melted butter when they are warm. They freeze well (thaw for 25 seconds in microwave).

Super Bran Muffins

2006-10-18T17:39:00.000-07:00

I am always hungry and always in search of a good, healthy, filling snack. This one hits the spot and is good for you, too.

Half a box of All Bran (bran buds) cereal (15-18 oz. box)
1/2 cup oil (I use 1/4 cup applesauce, 1/4 cup oil)
2 cups buttermilk (2 cups milk with about 1 Tbsp lemon juice)
2.5 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2.5 cups flour (I use half wheat/half white)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
fruit of choice (my favorites are blueberries--just pour in however much you think is good, chopped apple (1) + 1/2 cup raisins, or bananas)

Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and stir well. Add fruit and stir. Fill muffin tins 2/3 of the way full and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Makes ~30 muffins. I leave some out but they tend to spoil on the counter after a few days with so much fruit in them. I put the rest in a freezer bag and freeze. Just pull out a muffin and microwave it for 25-30 seconds and it's nice, warm and you'd never know it was frozen.

Spinach Quiche

2006-10-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

I'm so proud of this recipe--I mixed several recipes and my own personal touches to create a delicious quiche. We have so many eggs from our chickens, I feel like I'm always cooking with them!

Spinach Quiche
1 pie crust (refrigerated or frozen)
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed DRY
6 eggs
1 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 bunch of green onions, chopped, white parts only
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups cheese (I like 1/2 cheddar, 1/2 mozzarella or whatever is on hand--monterrey jack works well too, just mix and match!)

Place pie crust in 9 inch pie pan. On the stove, cook onion and garlic in olive oil or butter a minute or until they begin to soften some and are nice and fragrant. In bowl, combine eggs, spinach, onion and garlic, sour cream and heavy cream. Blend with mixers. Stir in cheese. Pour into pie pan--hopefully it won't overflow--mine did just a little bit. Place on baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until set.

Another Great Banana-nut Bread Recipe

2006-10-08T18:26:00.000-07:00

You'll REALLY never go back to your old recipe once you try this one....It is great as muffins too and stays moist for over a week in an air tight container.

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8oz.) pkg cream cheese
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (4 medium)
1 cup chopped pecans or favorite nut
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until blended each time. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients and gradually add to butter mixture until just blended. Add bananas, nuts, and vanilla. Goes well into 2 8x4 inch loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Shield with aluminum foil for last 15 minutes to prevent browning. (also makes about 24 muffins, but only bake for 25 minutes)
Enjoy!

Vietnamese Fried Rice

2006-09-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

I got this from a new cookbook Thomas gave me for my birthday. I made it last night for dinner and it was wonderful, but the house smelled like an Asian house, oh well!

Have 3 cups cooked rice ready (1 cup uncooked, but you have to prepare it)
Heat in large skillet:
3 Tablespoons oil
Add:
1 chicken breast, cut into thin strips (or any other meat, raw or cooked)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce

Stir fry untilmeat is tender and hot, about 2 minutes.
Add:
3 cups cooked rice
Stir fry 5 minutes. Add:
1 cup leftover or frozen vegetables (I used peas and carrots)
Stir well. Just before serving atdd:
2 eggs, beaten
Over medium heat, stir carefully through rice until eggs are cooked.

I like it because it is super-easy and you can use any leftovers you might have on hand.

Three Cheese Beef Pasta Shells

2006-09-09T19:03:00.000-07:00

24 uncooked pastashells
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 jar (26 oz) chunkytomato pasta sauce
1/4 c water
1 (8 oz) chive and onion cream cheese spread
1 1/2 c shredded 6 cheese Italian cheese blend (6 oz)
1/2 c grated parmesan
1 egg
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley if desired

Heat oven 350 degrees. Cook and drain pasta
shells as directed on pkg. In skillet cook ground
beef over medium high heat 5-7 min, drain. Cool for
about 5 minutes. In large bowl mix pasta sauce and
water. Pour 1 c of sauce in bottom of 13 x 9 in glass
baking dish.
In medium bowl mix cheese spread, 1 c of
the Italian cheese, the Parmesan cheese, egg and
cooked ground beef. Spoon heaping tablespoon mixture
into each shell. Arrange stuffed shells over sauce in
baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over top, covering
shells completely. Cover with foil.
Bake 40-45 min or
until bubbly and cheese filling is set. Sprinkle with
remaining 1/2 c Italian cheese. Bake 10 minutes
longer, Sprinkle with parsley.

Secret Recipe Salmon from a real eskimo!

2006-08-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

umm...even if you don't like salmon--you will love this...it is overly fantastic!!!!

you need salmon and the ingredients in the sauces below...

Make 2 sauces:

Sauce 1:
3/4 cup of Terriaki
1 tbls veg. oil
3/4 tbls lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic

Sauce 2:
1/4 pound of butter (sounds good for you, I know)
3/4 tablespoons of chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon of dill
1/8 teaspoon of taragon
1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice

Grilling Steps:
-Oil the Grill
-cook skin side down
-Baste with Sauce #1 & then #2 (use all of 2)
-Grill until the Skin is a little Burnt
-Flip over and remove the skin
-Baste w/sauce #1
-Cook until grill marks appear

Fantasticness for your mouth!!!

Crockpot Chicken Lasagna

2006-08-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

I can't remember if I posted this before or not, but here it is anyway!

I got this recipe from my Katherine Patrick who I *think* got it from Southern Living's Quick & Easy Weeknight Cookbook.

2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 (10 oz.) pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1 (9 oz.) pkg frozen diced cooked chicken (or 2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped--rotisserie chicken works great too)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/3 cup chopped onion
9 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded mozzarella

Combine first 7 ingredients (everything but noodles and mozzarella) in large bowl. Place 3 uncooked noodles in crockpot coakted with cooking spray, breaking noodles in half. Spread 1/2 of the mixtrue over it, sprinkle with 2/3 cup mozzarella. Layer 3 more nooldes, mix and cheese two more times. Top with cheese. Cover and cook on high 1 hour, reduce to low and cook 4 hours, or until pasta is done. Watch it closely, sometimes mine will start to get overdone.

**It is VERY important to get as much moisture out of the spinach as possible or else the dish has a bitter taste. After draining it, I squeeze it in a bunch of paper towels and it does the trick.

Corrie's Delicious Chocolate Chip Cake

2006-08-10T12:20:00.000-07:00

1 box yellow cake mix
1 box vanilla instant pudding (I used small)
1 box chocolate instant pudding (small)
4 eggs
1/2 c oil
1 1/2 c water
6 oz pkg. mini chocolate chips (I couldn't find mini,
and used regular size just fine)

Mix all ingredients together, pour in tube (or bundt)
pan. Bake at 350 for one hour or until done. (Recipe
says: "This cake is very moist and doesn't need a
glaze." Jacob likes glazes, so I went ahead and put a
powdered sugar one---powdered sugar and milk.)

She made this for us a few weeks ago and it was SO moist and good!

Summer Cake from Vanessa

2006-08-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

2 yellow cake mixes (you can use one, it will just be thinner)

2 regular size boxes of jello (the original recipe said to use lime & lemon flavors--but i just pick other flavors that i like).

1 lg. tub of cool whip (it's ok to use the lowfat kind)

2 round cake tins

make the cake mix & separate the mix in half (you can go ahead and put it in the tins)..then, add a flavor of jello powder to each, stir till mixed. Bake and ice with the cool whip! it's so fun and easy--you have 2 cake flavors with fluffy cool whip--it looks pretty too!

Niki's Poppycock from Christine

2006-08-07T19:59:00.001-07:00

3 quarts butter popcorn (you can buy a big bag at HEB)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
2/3 slivered almonds
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 sticks magarine
1/2 cup Karo syrup

Place popcorn in a large container (like a big roasting pan).
Sprinkle pecans and almonds on top. Melt margarine and add sugar and
Karo syrup. Cook for about 10-12 minutes. Mixture will turn a light
caramel color. Remove from heat and add 1 tsp vanilla. Pour over
mixture and stir. Then pour mixture over wax paper to cool.

Perfect Grilled Chicken from Christine

2006-08-07T19:59:00.000-07:00

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup Caesar dressing
1/4 cup BBQ sauce

Use a mallet to flatten the chicken to about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Pour
dressing into a large plastic bag and place the chicken in it. Seal
and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour to marinate. Preheat the
grill to medium heat and after enough marinating time, grill the
chicken 6-8 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Brush with
BBQ sauce during the last few minutes of grilling time. Yummy!

Summer Chicken from Rachel

2006-08-07T19:58:00.000-07:00

chicken breasts
salt & pepper
lemon
tomato
avacado
mozzarella cheese
Take however many chicken breasts you want to eat and shake them with a little salt and pepper. Place in lightly greased baking dish. Squeeze some fresh lemon over them (I used about 1/2 a lemon for 3 chicken breasts). Slice tomatoes (I used fresh romas from our garden, mmmm) and place on top of chicken. Place avacado slices on top of tomatoes and COVER in mozzarella. Be generous. I didn't measure so I have no idea how much I used. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. This was a really good dish, if you like avacado. Thomas isn't the biggest avacado fan, and he had seconds!

Rachel's Easy BBQ Chicken

2006-08-07T19:57:00.001-07:00

Put some chicken breasts in the crockpot. Cover with about 3/4+ bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce. Cook on low for about 6 hours or until the chicken is really tender. Shred up the chicken and stir it with some sauce. I served this on some homemade buns and it was DELISH!

Meat Loaf Brasciole from Laura

2006-08-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

Meat Loaf Brasciole (Roll-Ups)
From "Cooking 'Round the Clock" by Rachel Ray

1 lb - 1 1/2 lbs meat loaf mix (ground beef, pork, and veal - available at the butcher's counter - I just used ground beef)
Salt & Ground Black Pepper
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons golden raisins, chopped (I actually used whole dark raisins)
3 tablespoons pine nuts, chopped (I didn't have these, so I used
chopped/crushed walnuts - I'm realizing I basically altered the WHOLE recipe)
3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano Cheese (I added more b/c I LOVE cheese)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I just dumped in some dried Parsley)
1 cup arugula or baby spinach
6 slices prosciutto di Parma (I omitted for budget's sake)
6 slices provolone cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Mix meat, salt, pepper, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, onions, raisins, pine nuts, Parmigiano, and parsley as if you were making meat loaf. Flatten meat out on a cookie sheet into a thin layer, 1/2-inch thick, 12-inches long by 6- to 8- inches wide. Cover meat with arugula or spinach, prosciutto, and provolone. Roll the meat up into a large log, working across the shorter side so that you have a 12-inch-long log.

Roast 20 minutes. Cut into 1-inch slices and serve.

Yield: 4 servings (3 - 1 inch portions per servings)

Chicken Enchiladas from Erin

2006-08-07T19:56:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
6 –8 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
Salsa verde (I use 4 of the small cans)
1 red pepper diced
1 yellow pepper diced
1 onion diced
1 can of sliced black olives
1 bunch of fresh cilantro
Fresh garlic to taste
3 cups Monterey jack cheese
3 cups cheddar cheese
2 pkgs fajita size flour tortillas
Pint of whipping cream or half and half
1 bunch of green onions

Directions:

Sauté the peppers, cilantro, onion and garlic. Combine in a large bowl with the shredded chicken, salsa verde, olives, and ½ of the cheeses. Pour the cream
into a bowl and dip the tortillas into the cream so that they are covered on both sides. Then put about 2 TBS of the chicken mixture in the tortilla and roll it up. When your pan is full, sprinkle remaining cream over the enchiladas, followed by the remaining cheese and green onions. Bake at 350 for
30 – 40 minutes.

You can make them ahead and keep them in the refrigerator overnight, too.

This recipe should make 2 large pans or 3 small pans.

Fancy Vanessa Chicken

2006-08-07T19:55:00.000-07:00

Chicken cheese rolls....easy and it looks and tastes like you did a lot

3 lg chicken breasts

8 oz cream cheese (much better if you use regular--i know, right)

Chives

6 slices of bacon

pound chicken breasts to 1/3 inch thickness. Whip the cream cheese w/chives (you can really use as many chives as you want) Spread chicken each with some cream cheese mixture...don't be afraid...you want it to be oozzy. Curl the ends up or fold over ends. wrap a slice or two of bacon around each roll. Place seam down in a shallow baking pan sprayed with Pam. Bake on top rack of 400 degrees oven for 40 mintues or until chicken is tender and juices run clear when meat is pierced. Broil for about 5 mintures until bacon is crisp and golden.

ok...anyone else agree that we are chickening our husbands to death? ask my mother in law and she will tell you that sooo much chicken decreeses sperm count. I'm serious.

Catfish from Elizabeth

2006-08-07T19:54:00.001-07:00

Cajun Blackened Catfish ( or really any fish you like)

2 Tablespoons sweet paprika

4 teaspoons black pepper

1 Tbsp salt

1tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

6 skinless catfish filets

3 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp butter

In a small bowl mix together the paprika, black pepper, salt, thyme and cayenne.

Sprinkle the seasoning over both sides of each fillet (about 2 tsp per 1/2 pound) and rub in.

In a large cast-iron skillet over medium high heat, warm the oil and melt the butter.

Place the fillets in the skillet, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the fish is flaky and browned on the outside.

Tastes great served over rice. It took my fish a little longer to cook. Just keep checking with a fork to see if it flakes.

Southern Pecan Crusted Chicken from Erin

2006-08-07T19:54:00.000-07:00

Southern Pecan Crusted Chicken (serves 4)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/3 cup of buttermilk
1 egg
1 cup chicken stuffing mix
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3 tablespoons of olive oil

1. Place chicken in large resealable freezer bag- seal. Flatten chicken to 1/2 inch
using a meat mallet or a rolling pin,
2. In a small bowl combine buttermilk and egg, stir well. Add mixture to chicken,
let stand at least 10 minutes.
3. In shallow dish combine stuffing mix and pecans. Remove chicken from bag;
discard remaining buttermilk mixture. Dip chicken into stuffing mixture, coating
evenly, pressing down slightly.
4. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot; add chicken.
Cook chicken 7 to 8 minutes or until golden brown and no longer pink, turning once,
covering during last 2 minutes of cooking time.

Vanessa's Chicken Parmesan

2006-08-07T19:53:00.000-07:00

YUM
1 jar Classico Spaghetti sauce with Olives and Mushrooms
Italian Bread Crumbs
Boneless Chicken Breasts (I used Chicken Tenders)
Egg
Olive oil
Mozzarella Cheese – grated
Spaghetti noodles – Any thin noodles will do –cook according to instructions on bag.

Heat the spaghetti sauce in a sauce pan. (set aside). Pound the chicken breasts with a meat tenderizer hammer. (Make sure you put plastic wrap on bottom and top of chicken before pounding, or you will have chicken juice squirted all over the kitchen!)
Whip the egg in a bowl. Pour some bread crumbs on a flat plate. Dip the pounded chicken breasts first in the egg, then coat with the bread crumbs. Heat some Olive Oil in a fry pan. (You don't need a lot, just to almost barely cover the bottom of the pan.) Fry the breaded chicken breasts in the oil until brown on each side. I cover the pan for some of the time so the chicken breasts cook thoroughly inside. When chicken is fully cooked, (I cut the chicken in the middle and make sure there is no pink meat!) place chicken in a Pam sprayed baking dish. Cover the chicken with grated mozzarella cheese and bake until cheese is melted. Serve chicken on a dinner plate, spaghetti noodles on the side; cover both with heated spaghetti sauce.
NOTE: I did not put amounts. The jar of sauce would be enough for about 6 chicken breasts. If you just want to make for 2 people, use half the jar. Make sure you plan to use the other half of the jar within a week. This is so good; you will want to have it again soon.

Christine's Cinnamon Sticks

2006-08-07T19:51:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 loaf very thin white bread
1 stick melted butter
cinnamon sugar

Instructions:
Mix first 4 ingredients together and set aside. Cut off crust on bread slices and flatten slices with a rolling pin. Spread cream cheese mixture on bread
slices and roll up. Drip rolled slices into melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar. Place rolled slices on cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Sour Cream Pound Cake from Elizabeth

2006-08-07T19:46:00.001-07:00

Cream:

2 sticks of butter

3 cups of sugar

Add:

6 eggs one at a time

1 8oz carton of sour cream

1 tbs of vanilla

Add mixture a little at a time to above:

3 cups of sifted flour

1/4 tsp soda

Grease cake pan with Pam and flour

Cook at 325 for 80min or until done

Chicken & Dumplings from Cami

2006-08-07T19:46:00.000-07:00

Joreta's Chicken and Dumplings

Boil 4-6 chicken breasts in salted water until done. Skin and debone
chicken and cut or tear into chunks.

Mix together:
5 cups flour
1/2 Tablespoon salt

Add 1 3/4 cups (+/-) cooled chicken broth to flour mixture. Mix dough
together until easy to handle and no longer sticky. Add extra broth or
flour, if necessary. Roll dough out very thin on floured pastry board (foil
or countertop works well also). Cover dough with a cup towel and let sit
for at least a couple of hours until dough feels dry. May leave out all day
or overnight. Cut dough into bite sized squares with pizza cutter.

Drop dumplings one at a time into boiling chicken broth making sure broth
continues at a full boil. Continue to boil for approximately 20-25 minutes
after adding all dumplings to broth. Broth will begin to slightly thicken.
Add chicken to dumplings. Salt and pepper to taste (use quite a bit of
pepper). Add 1-2 cups (+/-) milk to dumplings (whole milk is best for
thicker juice) and bring just to boiling. Turn heat off, cover, and let sit
for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Erin's Magic Bars

2006-08-07T19:44:00.002-07:00

1/2 unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups graham-cracker crumbs (you don't have to worry about chopping them
perfectly fine, and few chunks won't hurt)
1 cup chocolate chips (I use milk-chocolate)
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup of shredded coconut

Put butter into 9 x 13 " tray and place in oven. Preheat to 350. The butter
will melt while the oven preheats. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle
graham cracker crumbs over the melted butter. Pour sweetened condensed milk
evenly over crumbs. Sprink chips and coconut. Press down carefully with
spatula. Bake for 20 minutes to until goldenn brown around the edges. Cool
about 1 hour.
These are so yummy, I had to make 2 batches!

Also, if you are looking for a great fudge recipe, I use the one on the back of
the Marshmallow creme jar- I use milk chocolate chips instead of the semi-sweet
bar though and add chopped pecans.

Christine's Cinnamon Candy

2006-08-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

Cinnamon Candy (perfect for Christmas gifts)

3 3/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 cup corn syrup

1 cup water

2 drams (1/4 oz) Lorann cinnamon flavored oil

Red food coloring

Powdered sugar

Mix first 3 ingredients in large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Boil, without stirring, until temp reaches 310 degrees farenheit or until drops of syrup form hard brittle threads in cold water. Remove from heat. After boiling has ceased, stir in flavoring and coloring. Pour onto cookie sheet that has powdered sugar spread on it. Cool completely. Break into pieces. Store in airtight containter. (You can cut candy with scissors into strips while candy is firm but not hardened and then break strips into pieces)

Company Chicken from Christine

2006-08-07T19:43:00.000-07:00

Company Chicken

8 breasts of chicken

2 cans of cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup of sour cream (or a small container of sour cream)

Bacon

Salt and pepper to taste

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Wrap each breast in bacon and put in baking dish. Combine soup and sour cream and pour over chicken. Bake at 300 for 2 hours. Sprinkle with cheese and bake another 5 minutes. It's fast and it's easy and it's really good!!

Elizabeth's Cinnamon Bread

2006-08-07T19:41:00.000-07:00

Cinnamon Bread:

1 1/2 Cup sugar, divided

1 tbsp cinnamon

2 cup all-purpose flour

1tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1/3 cup oil

1 tsp vanilla

Glaze:

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1 1/2 -2 tsp milk

Preheat oven to 350. Combine 1/2 sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and remaining sugar. Combine buttermilk, egg, and oil; stir into dry ingredients. Grease the bottom only of a 9x5x3 loaf pan. Pour half of batter into pan; Sprinkle with 1/2 of cinnamon sugar mixture. Spread remaining batter and then the second half of the cinnamon mixture. Swirl knife through batter. Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes. Cool pan10 minutes before drizzling with glaze.

This is it!

2006-08-07T19:05:00.000-07:00

Ladies,
I knew there would be an easier way to do this whole recipe club thing, and here it is! Since most of you already have a blogger account, I figured we could add our favorite recipes here to share. They would all be in one place and we could post and find them easier than the email system we had. I hope you like it!

Feel free to add your favorite recipes as you find them. I will try and archive some of our older ones, however, I didn't save them all, so if you want your's added, add it. Bon appetit!