Val's Chicken Tenders

10 pounds flour
5 pounds corn meal
5 pounds masa harina corn flour
4 pounds salt ( we only use 3)
8 oz. Onion salt
8 oz. Paprika
1 oz. Sage
8 oz. Season salt

Mix and coat chicken, then deep fry. I really need to find a smaller version of this recipe. It is great for making for a huge party.

Oven Bake Cream Cheese French Toast

 One 16-ounce loaf unsliced Italian bread,
cubed with crusts on
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, cubed
8 eggs
2-1/2 cups milk,
light cream, or half & half
6 Tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
Cinnamon

Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Place 1/2 the bread cubes on the bottom, then the cubed cream cheese, and then the remaining bread cubes. Beat together eggs, milk, melted butter, vanilla, and syrup (we use a blender). Pour egg mixture over bread. Press bread down so all is covered with egg mixture.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 24 hours (we freeze and thaw overnight in the
refrigerator).

Bake at 325 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes (it will stay warm in the oven for a few hours).
Serve with warm maple syrup.

Maple Bars

1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup shortening (I used butter flavored Crisco)
4 Tablespoons  granulated Sugar
2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup lukewarm water

2  (1/4 ounce) envelopes yeast
2 large eggs, beaten
5 cups flour (might need a bit more)
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Maple Icing
1/3 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons mapleine (found by the flavor extracts and seasonings) or maple extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the dough:
In a medium saucepan scald milk; add shortening, 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar, and salt. Stir to combine and set aside to cool to lukewarm.

In a large mixer bowl, add the lukewarm water and the yeast (remember the water should be just lukewarm, too hot and it will kill the yeast) Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of sugar to the yeast and water and whisk to combine. Let sit for about 5 minutes until it starts to bubble and become foamy.

After the yeast is foamy and the milk mixture is luke warm. Add the eggs to the yeast and stir to combine, then add the milk mixture to the yeast mixture. Whisk the cinnamon into the flour and gradually add to the yeast mixture. You may need to add more, you want the dough slightly sticky but not too sticky.  Knead for 3 to 5 minutes. I let my kitchen aid do the kneading for about 5 minutes.
Spray another large bowl with non-stick spray, place dough in the bowl and let raise for an hour or until double in size. Punch down and roll out into a large rectangle about 1 inch thick.

Cut into rectangles, I cut the rectangle in half, and then each half into 6 pieces to make 12 bars, then place on a greased baking sheet. Let raise for about 30 minutes. While bars are raising,  preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake the bars for 7 to 8 minutes or until light golden brown, Watch carefully. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before icing.

 

Make the icing while the bars are raising:

In a small saucepan mix butter, brown sugar and milk. Bring to boil for medium heat and simmer 3 minutes.l Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes. Add the mapleine and powdered sugar and blend well with a hand mixer. Add a little more powdered sugar if needed (I added about 1/4 cup more)

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Foil Dinner

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed – I cut mine into bite sized pieces because they cook better and who wants to dirty extra knifes while camping.

1 package Stuffing mix

1 1/4 cup water

fresh broccoli, washed and cut into bite sized pieces

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

5 Tbsp Ranch dressing

Lay foil out on counter. I do all of mine at once, its like one big assembly line. Spray with nonstick cooking spray (which I never remember to do, so don’t sweat it if you forget). Mix stuffing and water and then divide onto foil. Add chicken and broccoli pieces over stuffing. Then sprinkle the bacon crumbles. Then top with the cheese. Lastly, pour 1 Tbsp of Ranch over the top. Seal dinner up.

Blueberry Breakfast Cake with a hint of lemon

I found this recipe here. I made a few mistakes and changes from their recipe but it came out perfect for us!

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
zest from 1 large lemon
3/4 c
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup buttermilk (I juiced the lemon first and then filled it to the cup mark.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.

Place in greased 9x9 pan and bake for 45 minutes.

Linda's Mexican Cornbread

2 boxes Jiffy Cornbread Mix
4 eggs
2/3 cup oil
3/4 large can of cream style corn
Jalapenos, chopped plus a little juice
Medium onion chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp sugar

Mix and bake in a greased 9x13 pan for 40-50 min.

Crock Pot Beef Tips

My family loved this! Its kind of like beef stroganoff but its different and really delicious.  Make sure you give the meat a good 8-10 hours to get really soft. We changed it up so here is how we did it.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds beef sirloin tips (stew meat)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 can (10.5 ounce size) condensed beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons ketchup
1/4 cup white cooking wine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
egg noodles

Directions:

Combine 1/2 cup flour with the salt and pepper and toss with beef cubes to coat thoroughly. Place in crock-pot. Add green onions.

Combine with beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, cooking wine, and ketchup. Pour over beef and onions; stir well. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 8 to 12 hours. One hour before serving if you want to thicken it up pull about 1/3 cup juice from the crock-pot and mix with 1 Tbsp cornstarch. Mix well and add back into crock pot. Simmer until noodles are ready. Serve over well drained egg noodles.

Asian Glazed Chicken Drumsticks

Holy cow this recipe is so tasty and good for you too! the recipe is from Skinny Taste

8 medium chicken drumsticks, skin removed
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup water
1 tsp Sriracha hot sauce (in the Asian section- you can add more if you like things hotter)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tsp sugar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp ginger, grated
2 tbsp chives or scallions, chopped
1 tsp sesame seeds

In a heavy large saucepan, brown chicken on high for 3-4 minutes with a little olive oil. Add water, balsamic, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, hot sauce and cook on high until liquid comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes. Remove cover and bring heat to high, allowing sauce to reduce down, about 8-10 minutes, until it becomes a thick glaze, turning chicken occasionally.

Mine didn't get too thick so I added a little of the liquid to some cornstarch and then added it back in and it helped thicken it up. (Keep an eye on glaze, you don't want it to burn when it start becoming thick) Transfer chicken to a platter and pour glaze on top. Top with chives/scallions and sesame seeds and serve. Serve with rice.

Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

We love this recipe!So easy for busy mornings. You can not allow it to overcook! 7 hours and then unplug or turn off the slow cooker. I found the recipe from The Yummy Life. You also have to use steel cut oats. Don't try this with rolled oats or it will be a mushy mess.

• 2 apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2-1/2 to 3 cups chopped)
• 1-1/2 cups fat-free milk
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1-1/2 tablespoons butter, cut into 5-6 pieces (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 

Coat inside of 3-1/2 quart (or larger) slow cooker with cooking spray. Stir, cover, and cook on low for 7 hours.  We love to eat it drizzled with maple syrup.

Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup

This soup was yummy! We made it with half and half like the original recipe from 365 Days of Slow Cooking. It was delicious and super creamy but I think it could have been thinner. Considering how much fat this recipe has in it next time we will just add milk. If I ever take it to a soup party I will do it with the half and half though because it is super rich and yummy. Its like spaghetti or pizza in soup form!

2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced onions
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano
1 T dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
4 cups chicken broth
½ cup flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup butter
2 cups milk (half and half if you want it really creamy)
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, and basil to a large slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.

About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly until smooth. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.

Baked Oatmeal

Holy Cow! This is SO good. Ive made a few changes but the recipe came from Inspired tastes. It is perfect for a nice breakfast and yet not nearly as fattening as Cinnamon Rolls. Plus its super easy to make and you can get ready while it bakes. Its going to be a staple for Sunday mornings around our house.

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup walnut pieces, chopped
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups milk
1 large egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ripe banana, peeled, 1/2-inch slices

Preheat oven to 375°F and generously spray the inside of a 10-1/2 by 7 inch baking dish with cooking spray and place on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sugar, baking powder, orange zest, cinnamon, salt, nuts, and chocolate chips. Melt the butter in a large glass measuring bowl. Add milk, egg, and vanilla and whisk together.

Add the oat mixture to prepared baking dish. Add the banana slices to the top then pour the milk mixture over everything. Gently shimmy/shake the baking dish to help the milk mixture go throughout the oats.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is nicely golden brown and the milk mixture has set.

I didnt do this step but it sounds yummy:
For an extra tasty top, sprinkle a tablespoon or so of extra brown sugar on top then place back in the oven under the broiler and broil for 20-30 seconds. Serve warm with an extra sprinkle of sugar or drizzle of maple syrup.

Chicken Gyros

I found this recipe on The Girl who Ate Everything. John loves gyros so I was excited to try this recipe. I tweeked a few things for our tastes (thanks Val!) but they were good! Even our boys ate them! Its best to prepare the sauce and marinade the night before and it makes putting them together a cinch. We used the pitas from Costco.

Pitas

Tomatoes

Red onion, we sauted ours slightly

Tzatziki sauce:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

For the chicken:
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Juice of 1 lemon (1 Tablespoon)
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips

Directions:
Peel cucumber and remove seeds. Chop in food processor. Wrap in a towel and squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together the yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to blend but I think its best overnight.

To prepare the chicken, combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk together until mixed well. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour, best overnight.

 

Cook the chicken in a saute pan. I added quite a bit of the marinade I liked it already cut into strips so it had a lot of the marinade flavor.. Heat pitas. Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, diced tomatoes and sliced onions. Serve immediately. 

 

Chicken Parmesan

Yummy and easy. I found this recipe off of Food Wishes. He has a great video tutorial. I made the marinara from our freshly canned tomatoes. So yummy!

2tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
hot red pepper flakes, to taste
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used 5, but they were huge!)
2 cups marinara sauce
1/4 cup chopped basil
8 oz mozzarella, shredded
4 oz Parmesan, grated
1 (5-oz) package garlic croutons

Drizzle olive oil, garlic, red pepper into baking dish. Place chicken on top. Add marinara sauce and fresh basil. Add half of the cheese, then top with the croutons. Ours were huge and I should have broken them up a little bit. Next time I think I will lightly crush them. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for about 40 min. I also think next time I will wait 10 to 20 minutes before adding the top cheese because it got a little too done by the time the chicken was done.

Teriyaki Sauce

 This recipe came from Our Best Bites.

1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. cold water
½ c. white sugar
½ c. soy sauce
¼ c. cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. black pepper

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and black pepper. You can use either ground ginger as directed or about 1 1/4 tsp. of fresh ginger. Combine your ingredients in the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. While sauce is heating, combine cornstarch and cold water. When sauce comes to a full boil, add cornstarch mixture and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. You can store it in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks

Bacon-Wrapped Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

This recipe came from Our Best Bites and it is YUMMY! Their recipe is more for a party where we have adjusted it for large dinner.

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

About 8 oz. lean bacon, NOT thick-sliced (thick bacon is too hard to work with in this recipe)

1 large can pineapple chunks

Homemade Teriyaki sauce (recipe at bottom)

Kebab skewers or toothpicks

 

Use kitchen shears to cut the bacon slab in half.. Refrigerate until ready to use. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Drain the pineapple and set up a little work station with skewers, bacon, chicken, and a 9x13 baking dish. Wrap a piece of bacon around a chicken piece, add pineapple and onionand repeat until skew is full. Repeat until you run out of chicken. We ran out of bacon first and we did some plain chicken mixed into our skewers. Pour Teriyaki sauce over everything, reserving about 1/4 c., and marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours, no longer than about 8.

 

Preheat grill; when about 350-400 degrees, place skewers on grill and baste with reserved Teriyaki sauce. Cook about 7 minutes and flip skewers. Baste again and cook another 7 minutes.

 

Teriyaki Sauce

1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. cold water
½ c. white sugar
½ c. soy sauce
¼ c. cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. black pepper

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and black pepper. You can use either ground ginger as directed or about 1 1/4 tsp. of fresh ginger. Combine your ingredients in the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. While sauce is heating, combine cornstarch and cold water. When sauce comes to a full boil, add cornstarch mixture and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. You can store it in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks

Grilled Salad

Oh my goodness prepare yourself! This is SOOOO yummy. My sister in law Sarah and her husband Erik introduced us to this.

You need Romaine hearts to do this. The ones from Costco are perfect. Cut the bottom 2 inches off and wash. Then you are going to cut the hearts down lengthwise, from the top of the heart to the bottom. You want to have the two halves that look the same. After they are cut place them on a plate with the insides facing up. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder and salt.

Put them face down onto the BBQ and cook for a couple of minutes. Just until the edges are starting to wilt. Take off grill and put face up on plates. Drizzle with Caesar dressing, cut, and enjoy!

Canning tomatoes

Blanch tomatoes in hot water for a few minutes (usually until skins start to split). Ladle into ice bath and then peel the skins off. I leave Roma tomatoes whole and big round tomatoes I cut into quarters. Be sure to cut off any green parts. Add tomatoes into a pot as you peel them and when they are all peeled turn the pot on and boil tomatoes for 5 minutes.

While the tomatoes are boiling remove clean hot jars from the dishwasher and add 2 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp salt per quart jar, or for pints 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1/2 tsp salt. Ladle hot tomatoes into hot jars and use any remaining liquid to fill jars. Add boiling hot water if needed to the jars to fill them leaving 1/2 inch head space. Run a nonmetallic spatula around the jar and through the tomatoes to release any trapped air.

Wipe jar rims with clean damp cloth and place lid from warm water onto jar.

Process for quarts 45 minutes/ pints 40 minutes in a hot bath canner. When time is complete remove and set on a towel to cool.

Cheesy Chicken Italian-o

My Bro and Sis in law made this while camping and it was so yummy. They even had everything all cut up in bags so there was very little prep while camping. The recipe came from Byrons Dutch Oven Recipes. When they made it they had adjusted a few things and I liked it that way so I adjusted it here the way they made it.

1 lb. bacon
1/4 cup honey
8 chicken breasts; cut into chunks
2 tsp. ground oregano
3 cloves garlic; minced
2 tsp. basil
1 large yellow onion; sliced
1 1/2 tsp. parsley
6 large tomatoes; diced
(1) 10 3/4 oz. can tomato puree
1 tsp. salt
1 yellow red pepper; cut into chunks
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. ground black pepper
3 cups Mozzarella cheese; grated
3 cups Cheddar cheese; grated


Heat a 12" Dutch oven using 20-22 briquettes bottom. Slice bacon into 1" strips then add to hot oven and fry until brown. Remove bacon from oven. Remove and reserve all but 2 Tbs. of the bacon grease from the oven. Add chicken and garlic to oven and cook, turning frequently, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork. Remove chicken from oven and add reserved bacon grease. Line the bottom of the oven with onion slices then put chicken on top of the onion. Add tomatoes and bell pepper.

Cover and bake using 12 briquettes bottom and 12-14 briquettes top for 30 minutes. In a large measuring cup make a sauce with the tomato puree, balsamic vinegar, honey, oregano, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix well. Sprinkle bacon over top of cooked vegetables then pour sauce over vegetables. Cover and bake another 15 minutes. Sprinkle cheeses over the top. Replace lid and let sit for 15 minutes until cheese is melted.

Raspberry Pretzel Jello Salad

While my Mom was sick her friend Suzie made our family the most delicious Jello salad ever! You can use different fruit flavors but I like raspberry the best. Be sure to start this recipe early so you have time to let the layers cool.

Crust:
2 cups crushed pretzels
2/3 cup nuts pecans (optional - they are really yummy in the crust but since Caleb is allergic to nuts we don't do them)
3 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup butter

Crush the pretzels into small pieces. Mix together with sugar and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan and bake for 10 minutes at 350. Let this cool for about 10 minutes before adding the next layer.

Cream Cheese Layer
8z cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 pt whipping cream, whipped

Mix the cream cheese and sugar and fold in the whipping cream. Layer on top of crust and refrigerate until this layer is set and cooled.

Jello Layer
1 pkg frozen raspberries, thawed
1 large raspberry jello mix
2 cups boiling water

Combine boiling water and jello and mix and add thawed raspberries. Gently ladle over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until jello is set, at least 3-4 hours.

Enjoy!

Brazilian Limeade

My friend Valerie made this for us and it became our favorite drink overnight. John recently told me he doesn't like limes but this recipe changed his mind! It seems like it would be too sweet but its actually really refreshing. A perfect summer drink!

5 limes
6 cups water
1 c sugar
6 Tbsp sweet and condensed milk


Juice limes and lightly zest skins into juice. (Most recipes have you grind the entire lime but Valerie told us that it made her batch bitter as time went on. With juicing and only using the zest it does not get bitter).

Mix with water and sugar. Right before serving stir in sweet condensed milk. Serve over ice.

Fluffy Biscuits

I was sure there was another box of Bisquick in our pantry but when I came up empty handed I went to All recipes to see if I could find a recipe fast enough for our dinner in 20 minutes! I found this recipe and will never make biscuits from Bisquick again! These are SO good and SO fast! I did make a few changes to the recipes directions since I didn't have time to read the actual directions thoroughly before I made them.

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter shortening
1 egg
2/3 cup milk

In a mixer, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add in shortening and mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and milk; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Turn onto a well-floured surface; knead 20 times. Roll to 3/4-in. thickness; cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Creamy Chicken Italiano

This recipe is from my friend Amanda. I love that its so easy and fast and yet yummy enough for guests.

1/4 Cup water
1 pkg dry Italian Seasoning (It will be by the dry packets of ranch)
1-8 oz pkg cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 boneless chicken breasts

Put the chicken in Crock pot. Mix together dressing and water and pour it over the chicken. Cook on low for 2-3 hours. Add soup and cream cheese and let warm and then stir. Cook another 1-2 hours or until its all nice and creamy. We eat it over noodles.

Caramel Dumplings

Two of my favorite things combined! This yummy recipe came from our good friends the Brinkerhoffs. It is amazing and the best part is that the ingredients are things you almost always have around!

Sift together:
1 1/4 c flour
1/3 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Then cut 2 Tbsp butter into the flour mixture until it becomes fine particles.

Combine :
1/3 c + 1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
Add that to the dry ingredients all at once and stir until the dough clings together.

In a dutch oven or large saucepan combine:
2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 c water
1/8 tsp salt

Bring this to a boil, stirring constantly and then reduce heat to low. Drop dough by tablespoons into simmering sauce. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream.

Perfect Pie Crust

I got this recipe from Tyece too. It really is a perfect pie crust! The trick is to not handle the dough to much!

2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 c shortening
1/4 c ice water

Mix flour and salt. Cut shortening in with a pastry knife until crumbly. Stir in water with a fork until mixed. Divide in half and roll out half out on a floured surface until it is about an inch larger than your pie pan. Roll over your rolling pin and then unroll over your pie pan and form to pan. Cut off excess. Add filling and repeat with top. Flute pie edges together and cut 4 slits in the top to vent.

Apple pie bakes at 400 for an hour.

The extra dough is really yummy cut into shapes and baked with cinnamon and sugar on top. My kiddos love it!

Asparagus Rolls

This recipe is from my friend Pam. They are yummmmmmy and so pretty!

4-6 Tortilla Wraps (depending on the size of the tortilla)
18 asparagus
Chicken (You could do fresh, but I use 1 can of the Chicken Salad from Costco)
1/2 c. nuts (optional)
1/2 c. Craisens
4 oz. regular cream cheese
1/2-1/3 of container of Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese (judge this to taste)
1/4 c. Mayo
Garlic Powder

Mix the Chicken on down all in bowl. Judge to your liking in taste. I usually use closer to 1/3 container of the Garden Vegetable Cream cheese, but I like it with a stronger taste.

Spread the mixture on a tortilla. Roll the already cooked asparagus into the tortilla. I usually use about 4 or 5 per tortilla. Cover the rolled tortilla in Press N' Seal and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Cut tortilla into inch thick pinwheels and serve.

Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler

3 cans peaches
1 can crushed pineapple
1 butter recipe cake mix
1/2 - 1 cube butter

Drain the peach juice into a bowl and add all 3 cans of peaches into dutch oven. You don't have to be real picky about completely draining it. I drain off most of the juice with the lid and then dump them. Add the crushed pineapple without draining it. Mix with a spoon and spread evenly over the bottom.

Sprinkle cake mix over the fruit evenly. Take the cube of butter and cut little slices off of it and spread over cake mix. You can use as little as 1/2 of the cube to as much as the whole thing depending on your tastes. Then drizzle the peach juice over the whole thing as evenly as possible. Place the lid on and then set in the coals and add a few to the top of the dutch oven to cook the top.

I would check it after about 15 minutes to see how quickly your coals are cooking it. If its burning, they are too hot. If it looks the same you might want to add more.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese Soup

I don't love cauliflower but this soup is to die for! Its from my friend Pam and we all loved it. Best part you can freeze it!

1 can chicken broth (13 oz - so a little less then 2 cups. 2 cups is 16 oz)
1 small onion, diced
1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. butter
Pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon)
2 c. milk (I wanted it super creamy, so I did 1 1/2 cups 2% milk and 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream)
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (the sharper the better for flavor)
1/2 c. shredded swiss cheese
Steamed chopped cauliflower
Steamed chopped broccoli
Optional: Chopped Onion, Carrots, and any other veggie!

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

Apple Crisp

I had an apple crisp recipe that was good but we have replaced it with this one which we love! We use apples I have canned in a light fruit syrup and then drained most of the juice off.

1/2 c oats
1/2 c brown sugar
1/3 c flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c butter softened
1/4 c flaked sweetened coconut

Mix the first 4 ingredients. Add softened butter and cut it in with a fork until it is evenly crumbly. Add coconut and mix well. Pour over apples and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Waffles

This recipe is from All recipes. It caught my eye because the batter can be saved and used the next day. Super yummy!

2 eggs
1 3/4 c milk
1/2 c oil
2 c flour
1 Tbsp white sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat waffle iron. Mix ingredients in a mixer starting with the eggs and let them beat for a minute before you add the other ingredients. Ladle into your waffle iron.

Chicken Ranch Quesadilla

Super easy and fast and my kids liked them minus the green onions. These were even easier because we have been watching at the end of the day for rotisserie chickens to go half off and then shredding the chicken and freezing it. Its been so great to be able to go outside and grab a bag of already shredded chicken!

1 c chicken shredded
1 c Monterrey jack cheese, grated
1/2 c ranch
1 green onion, sliced
tortillas

Mix all ingredients expect tortillas. Spread mixture over tortilla and cook on both sides until the cheese is melted and the tortilla nice and toasted.

Yummy and fast! Not a great hyperphe recipe :)

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

We had a pineapple that was starting to go bad and it was Cooking with Caleb night so we decided to make a cake with our pineapple. It was so yummy!

1/2 c butter
2/3 c packed brown sugar
1 small pineapple or 1 can pineapple chunks
1 yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 c water
1/4 c oil
1 c sour cream

We made our cake in a large stoneware pie dish. Its was larger than your normal pie baking dish and this cake fit it perfectly. Preheat oven to 350 and add butter to dish and place in preheating oven so that it melts while you are making the cake. Cut pineapple into chunks and place in a bowl. Add cake mix and all ingredients except the pineapple and brown sugar. Mix until the lumps are gone. When butter is melted sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter evenly. Then spread the pineapple evenly and top with the cake mixture. Cook on 350 for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Invert onto a serving dish immediately.

Salsa Verde/Enchilada Sauce

This recipe has been updated since I first posted it. It is delicious! We use it to give burritos and tacos a different and more yummy flavor! We also use this to make our own Enchilada sauce. It makes 4 cups total. We freeze them in 2 Ziploc freezer bags quart size bags with 2 cups each. To make enchiladas I use shredded chicken, a cup of cheese, 1/2 cup salsa verde, 1 cup sour cream and mix. Roll sauce into tortillas and then pour remaining 1 1/2 cups of salsa verde over the top.

6 cups tomatillos cut in half
1/2 c onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 Anaheim pepper, chopped
3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c water
olive oil
1 lime

In a saute pan add tomatillos, onion, garlic, and peppers. Drizzle with olive oil and saute for a few minutes on med-hi. Add water, cilantro, cumin, and salt. Cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. When the tomatillos are soft add everything to a food processor and process until its smooth. I did two batches since my food processor would not take it all. You can probably use a blender too. When its smooth cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice into the salsa. Stir and serve.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

2-4 chicken breasts
4 slices good thick ham
Swiss cheese slices
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c sour cream
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 c breadcrumbs
2-4 Tbsp butter

Cut chicken and ham up into bite size pieces. Mix and place half of the chicken and ham in a 9x9 baking dish. Cover with swiss chesse slices and then place remaining chicken and ham over the top. Combine soup, sour cream, and Worcesershire sauce in a bowl. Pour over top of chicken and ham. Top with a layer of breadcrumbs and melt 2-4 Tbsp butter in a dish and drizzle over break crumbs.

Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes.

Jeannie's Homemade Bread

This bread recipe is the BEST. You can make it in 1 hour from start to finish. I use it for everything now. Cinnamon rolls, rolls, scones, pizza...everything! The yeast and soy lecithin might be something you can only get in Utah at stores but it can be ordered off the Internet. Best part is it costs 25 cents a loaf to make this. We only eat homemade bread in our house now! I make a half recipe on Sunday and we eat a warm loaf of bread with dinner and use the other loaf for sandwiches and toast during the week. When we do Movie night on Friday I make a second half batch and use half for pizza dough and make another loaf of bread. Pantry Secrets has classes on how to make this bread and perfect it.

• 10 ½ cups White unbleached bread flour (NOT all purpose- they do not have enough gluten)

• ½ Cup Sugar (white or brown or you can use 1/3 honey or molasses but it will not freeze well)
  

• 3 rounded/heaping tablespoons Saf-instant yeast (Macey’s sells it, keep in freezer and add to the recipe directly from the freezer, it does not have to warm up)

• 1 Tbsp Salt
  

• 3 tablespoons liquid Lecithin* (use instead of oil, it’s made of soy, it cleans arteries has a 4 year shelf life and you can buy it at Kitchen Kneads, Bosch or any health food store and buy the liquid in squeeze bottles not the granules)

• 4 cups hot tap water (you can use powdered milk and for Wheat flour you add 1 cup applesauce in place of hot tap water) mix for 10 minutes.

Mix dry ingredients. Add lecithin and water. To add the lecithin, squeeze or pour approximately 3 tablespoons of lecithin directly into the bowl. Do not measure, it’s too sticky. (An amount about the size of a quarter equals 1 Tablespoon)

Mix for 1 minute and check consistency. If dough is too dry, add more water a little at a time but only 2-4 Tbsp. If dough is too moist, add more flour (You want nice soft dough). It’s better to be on the sticky side than to be too dry and hard. The stickier dough will stretch out better when you roll it. Mix for 5 minutes in mixer or knead by hand for 10 minutes. Do not add water or flour to the dough after it has finished mixing or it will be unstable.

Spray counter and pans with Pam (do not put flour on counter; it will dry out your bread, the gluten doesn’t develop in the extra flour and the dough won’t stretch as well and the breads will crack. Get a little Pam on your hands. Cut; don’t pull the dough into four pieces, shape loves and cover with a dish towel to keep the dough moist. Let raise 25 minutes.

Bake at 350º for 25 minutes on the middle rack in the oven. This recipe makes four loaves of bread. You can half the recipe for 2 loaves of bread.

For a year’s worth of bread (4 loaves a week)
6-25 bags of flour
6 pkgs of Saf-instant yeast
4-6 bottles of lecithin

You can keep a loaf of dough overnight in the fridge. Spray the inside of a bread sack with Pam. Put dough in and tie loosely. Put in Fridge. You might have to punch down the dough before you work with it. Great for pizza, scones, braids, etc. Might not form a pretty loaf of bread though.

Tater Tot Casserole

I got this recipe from Pam. This makes the kiddos happy and its yummy for Mom and Dad too. The best part is that if you keep the a spare bag of tots in the freezer its a great meal when you don't know what else to make. I like to make it early in the day and leave in the fridge until about an hour before we are ready to eat.

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1/2 lg onion diced in processor

1 pkg or 1/4 c taco seasoning
2 cans of cream of chicken

1 can evaporated milk

1 bag frozen tater tots

Cheese

Brown meat, onion, and taco seasoning. Combine cream of chicken and evaporated milk and stir until smooth. Layer tots in a 9 x 13 pan, cover with meat, a layer of cheese, and then pour sauce over the top. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Spinach, Caramelized Pecans, and Parmesan Salad with Pepper Jelly Dressing

Pepper Jelly Dressing:
3 Tbsp Pepper Jelly
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/8 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Dijon Mustard

In a small bowl whisk together ingredients. Microwave for 30 seconds and allow to cool.

Toss 6 cups Spinach, 1 cup Caramelized Pecans, and shredded Parmesan cheese. Toss with dressing and serve.

Caramelized Pecans

1/2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup pecans

Add butter to a med sauce pan and allow to melt on low. Add sugar and pecans and cook over med heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar caramelizes. It will start to turn brown and the sugar will lose the appearance of the grains. It takes about 5 minutes.

When it is done spread out onto a cookie sheet with foil.

Alfredo Sauce

Got this off All recipes from the Quick and Easy Alfredo Sauce. The original recipe used garlic powder but I prefer the real thing. Its wonderful with Roasted Red Peppers or Sun Dried tomatoes added in!

1/2 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
2 garlic cloves minced
2 cups whole milk
6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic, stirring with whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long. Toss with hot pasta to serve.

Homemade Laundry Soap

My Friend Tyece sent me this recipe. Not the best for whites but great for all the other loads and SO much cheaper!

Ingredients:
4 cups hot tap water
1 fels-naptha soap bar
1 cup Arm and Hammer laundry soda
½ cup borax

Grate (I use my food processor) bar of soap and add to saucepan of water. Stir continually over med – low heat until soap dissolves and is melted. Fill a 5 gallon bucket half way with very hot tap water. Add melted soap washing soda and borax. Stir until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more very hot tap water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken. *optional: you can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per two gallons, add once soap has cooled.

Top- loading machine: 5/8 cup per load
Front - loader: ¼ c per load (approx 400 loads)… and you just spent $2

From the DuggarFamily.com

Pepper Jelly

This is a delicious appetizer. I like to buy red peppers when I see them for less than a dollar and then bottle a couple of batches. Each batch makes about 17-18 half pints. We like it served best over cream cheese and eaten with Ritz crackers. The recipe comes from the cookbook Putting Up by Stephen Dowdney although I have changed it a little bit.

*I have changed this since first putting it up because I always do a double batch

2 1/2 c very small diced red peppers, seeds removed
2 1/2 c very small diced green peppers, seeds removed
1/2 c fine diced jalapeno peppers, seeds removed
3 c cider vinegar
13 c sugar
1 Tbsp butter
1/2-1 Tbsp red pepper flakes depending on how hot you want it
2 pack liquid pectin Certo brand, found in the canning section or by the Jell-O

Bring all ingredients except pectin to a rolling boil. Add pectin and return to a boil. Time for 1 1/2 minutes and take off burner. Hot pack in warm jars for 15 minutes. Remove from canner and allow to cool for 24 hours. The jelly will set up as it cools.

I'm not going to go into all of the details of how to bottle but it you have any questions please just ask in the comments section. You can also find some helpful canning hints in this post on peaches.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

I finally found one I love!!!! Found it on All recipes and adjusted it a little bit because I don't love mayonnaise. Serve on rolls or croissants. Perfect for showers, parties, and pretty much any other time because its so stinking yummy!

4 c chicken, cubed
3/4 c mayo
1/2-3/4 c sour cream depending on how saucy you want it)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 c diced celery
3 green onions, diced
1 c chopped pecans
1 1/2 c craisins
1 c diced apple

Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, paprika, and seasoning salt. Add remaining ingredients and allow to sit in the fridge for a few hours so the flavors have time to combine. You can also wait and add the pecans right before serving so they have more crunch.

Applesauce

Its hard to gauge how many apples to a batch because apples differ so much in size. So for me I just took my big colander and filled it to the top and that was one batch.

You need to first get a large bowl filled with cold water and treat it with something that will make is so the apples wont change color. I used Fruit Fresh (found at my Walmart in the canning section) but I know some people use lemon juice.

Then I put the stopper in one side of my sink and place a cutting board right next to that. Meanwhile on the stove I get a large Saute pan (really large diameter but short with a lid...does that make any sense!?!) ready with 3-4 cups of water, depending on how runny you want your applesauce. Also have your deep bath canner full of water starting to warm up and a small sauce pan with your lids on simmer to stay warm. Also be running your jars through the dishwasher and set it for heated dry.

Peel...Peel...Peel. Some people cook the apples first and then use a strainer to squeeze the apples through but I like it chunky and also I think you get a lot more when you do it this way. Throw the apples into the big bowl of water until the whole batch is peeled. I just peel them straight into the sink that is clogged. Its easier on your back than doing it into a trash can and I just let it fill up all day and empty at the end of the day.

Take and rinse out your strainer and put that in the open part of the sink when you have peeled all of the apples. Take the apples one at a time and quarter and cut out seeds and then throw them into the stainer and discard the rest into your peeling pile in the sink.

When the strainer is about half full rinse apples well and put them into the saute pan. Do this with all of your apples. Your saute pan should be really full.

Cook on med-hi covered for about 50 minutes. Take lid off and add 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 c sugar and mash with a potato masher. You can adjust the cinnamon and sugar to fit your tastes and depending on the type of apple you are canning.

When you have mashed the apples to the consistency you would like use a rag to get a hot jar from the dishwasher and spoon applesauce into jar. Its really helpful to have the canning funnel so that you don't get the edges of your jars dirty. Place jar on counter on a dishtowel and run a clean wet rag around the lip of the jar to be sure its clean. Place a warm lid from the simmering water on the jar and screw a ring on.

Repeat for the whole batch. Process in deep bath canner for 25 minutes. Allow to cool and make sure they have popped by the next morning and that they have sealed properly.

Play Dough

Quick, easy, and most importantly soft!

1 c water
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 c salt
1 tsp cream of tarter
1 cup flour
food coloring
essential oils (optional)

Mix water, oil, salt, food coloring in a pan and mix. Turn on low and add flour and cream of tarter. Mix with wooden spoon for a few minutes, it will get thick fast. When nice and thick, add to mixer (at least I did cause Im lazy) and let kneed for about 5 minutes. I added 3 drops of lemon essential oil to one batch and 3 drops of orange to a second color to make them smell good while it was mixing. Remove from mixer and let cool for a few minutes.

PLAY!

Teriyaki Meatballs

I don't remember where I got this recipe but we really like it!

Meatballs:
1- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
3/4 dry oatmeal
2 eggs beaten
2/3 c diced onion
1/2 c milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

I put this all in my kitchen aid and let it mix it so I don't have to use my hands. Place a large skillet on the stove and turn it on med-high. Make meatballs about 1 inch in diameter and place them in the saucepan and brown them really good on the outside. I do it until they are even starting to look a little burnt. When they are browned place them in a 9 x 13 pan and do this until all the meatballs are browned.

Sauce:
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 c BBQ sauce (for this recipe I prefer a sweeter BBQ sauce)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Stir up sauce and it should be slightly thick. Pour over browned meatballs and gently turn meatballs over to coat them.

Bake in oven at 350 for about 15-20 minutes or until they are cooked all the way through. Serve over rice.

Cheese Polenta

I found this recipe on All recipes and did adjust it a little for our tastes but its so yummy. We had it with grilled chicken, homemade salsa, and slices of avocado! Yummy! Seriously you should try polenta its one of my favorite sides and is great instead of potatoes.

• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups chicken stock or broth
  
• 1 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated

Add milk, chicken stock, salt, pepper in a lg sauce pan. Turn heat to high and slowly start stirring in the cornmeal while using a whisk to mix it well. I do this while the liquids are still cold so that way you don't get lumps. Once all of the cornmeal is in continue to stir constantly until the polenta starts to boil and gets thick. Remove from heat and add butter and cheese. Stir every minute or so until they are melted.

Pizza Sauce

With all the Friday night Pizza we have been having I haven't really been satisfied with canned Pizza sauce. I got a recipe off of All recipes for Exquisite pizza sauce and then changed it for our tastes and this is what we came up with and its really good!

1 (6oz) can tomato paste
6 oz of warm water
3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
2 med garlic cloves, minced
1Tbsp honey
! Tbsp Marsala cooking wine
3/4 tsp chopped onion flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp pepper

In a small bowl combine all ingredients and make sure to break up any clumps of cheese. Allow to sit for 30 minutes to let flavors blend. This was enough to do 2 full pizzas. Next time I make it I think I will double it and split into 4 and freeze 3 of the containers of sauce.

Pizza Dough

So its been 3 months and no new recipes posted...our little baby is also 3 months old so that probably explains things!

We do Pizza every Friday night with our movie night and we have wanted a thicker crust. On the web site Being Frugal is Fabulous she posted her pizza crust and we tried it and loved it. It makes 8 small personal pizzas or 2 big crusts. We make the recipe and then wrap half of the dough in saran wrap and place in a freezer bag and freeze for the next Friday. Or if we want bread sticks you can quickly make bread sticks out of the second half.

Place in kitchenaid:
1 1/2 c warm water
1 Tbsp yeast
pinch sugar

Let proof until its foamy and then add:
1/3 c sugar
1 tsp salt
~4 cups flour or until dough pulls away from the bowl and looks smooth.

I let it rise for about 30 mins and then I roll it out. Be sure to bake for about 8-10 minutes at about 425 BEFORE you add your sauce and toppings. Pull it out of the oven and add sauce, cheese, and toppings. This makes sure the dough is cooked all the way through.

Enjoy!

Creamy Green Beans

So yes, this is just a variation of Green Bean casserole but I have a mental block towards the word casserole. I played with a few different versions that I could find and added my own twist to it and this is what we came up with. Just as a reference point when I told my hubby I would be making it for Christmas dinner he turned his nose up at me. At dinner he had about 4 helpings of it!

2 Tbsp butter
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic
1-2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
2/3 c sour cream
3/4 c cheddar cheese, grated
2 cans green beans
1/2 can french friend onions

Add butter to a skillet and allow to melt. Add onion and cook on med until its starting to turn translucent. Add garlic and saute for another minute or so. Add flour to make it thick and pasty. Add sour cream, salt, and sugar and stir until combined. You can add more sour cream or even a little milk if you want it more runny but we wanted it thicker. Add cheese and green beans and stir slowly so as to not crush green beans. Add to baking dish. You can refrigerate at this point until about 30 minutes before you want them ready, I would just wait to add the french friend onions until right before you pop it in the oven. I ran our french friend onions through the magic bullet and pulsed it 7 or 8 times to break them up smaller. Sprinkle over top and place in oven about 350 for 30 minutes or until warm, bubbly, and the onions are crispy and brown.

Anytime of year Salsa

For those who know me well they know I'm kind of a snob when it comes to fresh ingredients. I think it has a lot to do with Romania where you only had fresh available and it makes a HUGE difference in cooking. My friend Tasha brought us this salsa and we all fell in love and I just about fell off my chair when she said it uses canned tomatoes because I never thought salsa like this could come from canned tomatoes (see I told you, I'm an ingredients snob). Its a huge recipe so feel free to cut it in half, but beware it goes fast. My little 2 year old even eats it with a spoon!

6-8 cans diced tomatoes
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 med yellow onion
1 jalapeno seeded
1 tsp onion salt
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp mild chili powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp lemon juice

One of the reasons this is so great is that you are going to use your blender but puree the cans to different consistencies.

Puree in blender 2 cans tomatoes, 1/2 onion, and all other ingredients. It will most likely turn very green. Pour into bowl. Next add two more cans to blender and other half of onion and chop to a medium consistency, pour in bowl. Add last two cans to blender and pulse to leave chunks as big as you like them. If the salsa is to spicy you can add one to two more cans. Mix all together and let sit overnight and then enjoy!

Cranberry Sauce

My friend Mandy made this for Thanksgiving off of the Year of crock potting Blog and even though I normally don't like cranberry sauce or turkey....I loved this recipe and will definitely make it!

12 oz cranberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 c orange juice
1/2 c water
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Rinse cranberries and place in crock pot (if you have a huge crock pot place them in an oven proof dish in your crock pot). Add remaining ingredients and cover and cook on high for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. When the cranberries get soft enough smash them and stir well. Heat until it is warm all the way though and then take the lid off and let cook for another 30-45 minutes.