Zucchini Bread

This is one of my favorites...reminds me of my Grandma!  Seems like she was always ready with a slice of zucchini bread when we stopped by her house.


*1 1/2 cups of flour
*1 teaspoon cinnamon
*1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
*1 teaspoon vanilla
*1 cup sugar
*1 cup finely shredded, unpeeled zucchini  (1 cup peeled and shredded apple can be substituted for this)
*1/4 cup oil
*1 egg
*1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)


Grease a bottom and sides of bread pan.  In medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.  Set aside.


In another bowl, combine sugar, zucchini, oil, egg; mix well.  Add dry mixture to zucchini mixture.  Stir until moistened (batter will be lumpy).  Fold in nuts.


Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove loaf from pan.  Cook completely on wire rack.  Wrap and store overnight.

Chicken Gloria

A new favorite in our house...


-3 skinless boneless chicken breasts, trimmed and filleted in half lengthwise
-1/3 cup of flour
-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
-2 tablespoons of butter
-1 (8 oz) container of sliced fresh mushrooms
-1/2 cup of sherry wine
-1 small can of condenced cream of mushroom soup
-1/2 cup whole milk
-6 slices of Muenster cheese
-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F



Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper, dredge lightly in flour to coat both sides. Shake off excess.



Add oil to frying pan and brown chicken in batches on both sides. You don’t need to cook the chicken completely. It will finish cooking in the oven. Transfer the chicken to a 9×13-inch baking dish.



Add the butter to the frying pan and let it melt over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and brown mushrooms until golden. Then add the sherry wine and cook for another minute or two. Add the creamy mushroom soup and milk and mix well.



Pour sauce over the chicken breasts, cover with foil and bake in oven for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and top each piece of chicken with one slice of Muenster cheese. You can fold the cheese in half if it is too wide for the breast.



Place chicken back in oven uncovered and broil for 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.



Top with chopped fresh parsley and serve.

Source: http://foods-exclusive.blogspot.com/2013/11/how-to-recipes-food-chicken-gloria.html

III Forks Off the Cob Cream Corn

-10 ears of fresh corn, shucked, cooked and off cob (or large bag -2.5 pound bag - of frozen corn)
-1 cup heavy cream
-1 cup milk
-2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon white pepper
-1/2 teaspoon black pepper
-1/2 teaspoon Accent seasoning
-1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
-1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
-4 ounces unsalted butter
-2 tablespoons flour

In a large saucepan, combine the first 10 ingredients.  Slowly bring it to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer.  Allow to simmer for three minutes.

In a separate pan, melt the butter until  it begins to pop, then stir the flour into the butter.  Add  the butter and flour mixture to the simmering corn.  Stirring occassionally, allow to simmer for three more minutes.  Keep warm until served.

From the kitchen of Deatra Smith...courtesty of Chef Vogeli, Executive Chef at III Forks in Dallas, Texas.

Alice Springs Chicken

Scott absolutely L-O-V-E-S the Alice Springs Chicken at Outback.  Tried this recipe just for him and it was a keeper!
 

Honey Mustard Marinade:
-1 cup Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
-1 cup honey
-1/2 cup mayonnaise
-1 teaspoon lemon juice

Chicken:
-4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
-1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
-2 cups sliced mushrooms (10-12 mushrooms)
-2 tablespoons butter
-Salt and pepper
-Paprika
-8 slices bacon, cooked
-1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
-1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
-2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley (I use dried)
 

Use an electric mixer to combine the mustard, honey, mayonnaise, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Whip the mixture for about 30 seconds. Place chicken in a Ziploc bag and pour in about 1/3 of the marinade. Seal the bag and press out as much air as you can and marinate in the refrigerator for about 2 hours. Chill the remaining marinade until later. **I typically cut the above marinade recipe in half and marinate the chicken in all of it. I don't use the extra marinade as a sauce. ** 

After the chicken has marinated, remove chicken from bag and discard the marinade that it has been soaking in.   Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and heat an ovenproof frying pan large enough to hold all four breasts and 1 Tbsp. oil over medium heat. (If you don't have an ovenproof frying pan, transfer the chicken to a baking dish).

Sear the chicken in the pan for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove pan from heat but keep chicken in the pan. As the chicken is cooking, in a small frying pan saute the mushrooms in the butter. Brush each seared chicken breast with a little of the honey mustard marinade being sure to save a little extra that you can serve on the side later with the dish.

Season the chicken with salt, pepper and paprika ( I am usually pretty generous with the paprika, I love the flavor). Stack two pieces of cooked bacon, crosswise on each chicken breast. Spoon the sauteed mushrooms onto the bacon, being sure to coat each breast evenly. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese evenly onto each breast followed by 1/4 cup of cheddar.

Bake the pan of prepared chicken breasts for 7-10 minutes or until cheese is thoroughly melted and starting to bubble. Sprinkle each breast with 1/2 teaspoon parsley before serving. Put extra honey mustard marinade into a small bowl to serve on the side.

Recipe courtesy of ZipList.com.

Macaroni & Cheese

 

Here's my go to mac and cheese recipe...adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe. 

You can easily divide this recipe in half.  Use a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish (9X9) if you do.

-6 pieces bread cut in cubes (I use 3 sleeves crushed Ritz crackers for the topping instead)
-8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
-5 1/2 cups milk
-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
-2 teaspoons kosher salt
-1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
-1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-4 1/2 cups (about 18 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar
-2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Gruyere or 1 1/4 cups (about 5 ounces) grated pecorino Romano
-1 pound elbow macaroni
-12 sliced of bacon, cooked crisply and chopped (my addition)

 Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish (9X13); set aside. Place bread pieces in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into the bowl with bread, and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside. **As mentioned about, I used crushed Ritz crackers instead of bread for the breadcrumbs.  Combine Ritz crackers with the butter and set aside.

In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Slowly pour hot milk into flour-butter mixture while whisking. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup pecorino Romano. **I typically use pecorino Romano since it's half the price of Gruyere.  Set cheese sauce aside.

Fill a large saucepan with water. Bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 fewer minutes than manufacturer's directions, until outside of pasta is cooked and inside is underdone. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.

Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar and 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup pecorino Romano; scatter breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs over the top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes; serve.

Reindeer Noses

This is our new favorite Christmas treat.  I hate baking...I burn everything.  These are so easy and YUMMY.  How can you go wrong with chocolate and pretzels?  The kids think they are fantastic and loved their job of unwrapping all the kisses. 

-Waffle shaped pretzels (I use a one pound bag of Snaps made by Snyders)
-Hershey Kisses and/or Hugs (I use 3 bags, 11 ounces each)..you can also use a chocolate melt if preferred
-Green and Red M & M's

Preheat your oven to 225 degrees. Now, spread the round pretzels on a cookie sheet so that they lie flat. Place unwrapped kiss on each pretzel.

Place the cookie sheet into your oven. Allow the kisses to melt.  It will take about 5 minutes depending on your oven. If you press on the kiss and it squishes all the way down, they’re ready. Take them out.

Now, press one M & M into each kiss. Push them around a little so that chocolate touches all of the edges of the pretzels.

I saw another version of these made with a Rolos instead of Hershey's kiss and then a Pecan on top.  Oh my, I will have to try those next year!

Nutella Bites

This is the boys new favorite after school snack!  I think I saw it on Pinterest at some point.

-Pillsbury crescent rolls
-Nutella

Unroll and separate dough as if you are going to make crescent rolls.  Scoop 1-2 tablespoons of Nutella (or a little peanut butter too) at the large end of the crescent roll.  Roll up as you would to make the rolls and bake according to the package directions.  Serve with a big glass of milk.

I have pictures to upload, but I've run out of storage space on this blog and trying to figure out if I am willing to pay for extra storage.

Italian Wedding Soup

I attempted making wedding soup this weekend for the first time.  I've been hesitant to make it...nothing quite compares to my mom's or grandma's.  After combining a few recipes online, this is what I came up with...

It turned out pretty tasty with three happy boys gobbling it up tonight.  If you visit this blog regularly, you can tell that I like to freeze a lot of meals.  The less time cooking, the better.  Therefore, this is a double recipe.  We ate half tonight and I froze the other half.

Soup:
-olive oil
-1 onion, chopped
-1-2 cups celery, chopped (about 2-3 stalks)
-1-2 cups carrots, chopped (about 20+ baby carrots)
-2 cloves garlic, chopped
-1 bay leaf
-1 teaspoon dried thyme
-1 teaspoon dried basil
-1 teaspoon dried oregano
-84 ounces chicken broth...this is 2 extra large cartons, or 6 cans of chicken broth of chicken broth
-4 cups water
-8 ounces orzo (or ditalini, pastina or any other tiny pasta)
-2 cups escarole, sliced thin (you can use spinach in place of the escarole, but I grew up with the traditional Italian version with escarole)
-Parmesan cheese

Meatballs:
-1 pounds meatloaf mix
**I can never find this so I make my own:
-3/4 pound ground beef
-1/2 pound ground pork
-1/4 pound ground veal
-3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
-1 eggs
-1/8 cup Parmesan cheese

Mix meatball ingredients together and roll small meatballs the size of a marble. (If forming the meatball is difficult, cover and refrigerate first.

 

In a large pot, saute onion in olive oil. When the onion starts to turn a golden color; add garlic, carrot, and celery and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in chicken stock and herbs.  Gently add in meatballs.  Simmer lightly, until veggies and meatballs are cooked through (about 10 minutes).  Add in orzo and escarole and gently simmer for about 10 minutes until pasta is cooked.  Serve immediately. 

 

Garnish soup with Parmesan cheese before serving if desired. 

Meatballs

-3 pounds meatloaf mix
**I can never find this so I make my own:
-1 1/2 pounds ground beef
-1 pound ground pork
-1/2 pound ground veal
-1 1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
-3 eggs
-1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
-1/2-3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Combine all ingredients above.  Roll into balls the size you prefer.  Lay in a greased casserole dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-25 minutes or until browned (I flip them have way through).  If your are making sauce, stop here and place your meatballs in your sauce to continue cooking.  If you aren't making sauce, continue baking your meatballs until they are cooked all the way through (160 degrees in their center).

This recipe makes about 36 average sized meatballs.

Sauce

I just made a big batch of sauce to freeze for the winter so I thought I'd share my recipe.  I've shared my tripled recipe which will yield you about 6 mason jars full (1 liter jars).

*6 cans of whole tomatoes
*3 cans of tomato paste
*1 cup of Parmesan cheese
*1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
*Oregano (a few tablespoons to your liking)
*Basil (a few tablespoons to you liking) - fresh would be great but I tend to usually use dried herbs that I have in the pantry
*Salt and pepper to taste
*Garlic powder to taste
*3 cups or  more water
*Meatballs (I'll share this recipe next) (optional)*
*5-6 Italian Sausages, cut into 2 inch pieces (optional)*
*5-6 Pork Neck Bones (sounds gross I know, but it really helps flavor the sauce) (optional)*

Blend whole tomatoes one can at a time in a blender until they are pureed and then add to a large pot (I use a 16 quart stock pot). Add tomato paste, cheese, all the herbs and seasoning. Mix well. Add your meatballs, sausage, and neck bones if you want. You do not need to add any meat to your sauce, but I think it flavors is nicely. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Let is simmer covered for about 2-3 hours. Remove lid and let is cook to your desired thickness (usually about 30-45 minutes for mine).

When my sauce is done, I carefully fish out all the meat with a slotted spoon and put it in a separate bowl. (Make sure you get all the neck bones out...some of them are little. I toss all the neck bones and meat out but I'm sure it's tasty if you want to eat it.).  I lay the meatballs and/or sausage pieces on cookie sheets and put in the freezer.  Once frozen individually, I put meal sized portions of meat in a plastic freezer zip bag, label and pop back in the freezer.

After this, I funnel the sauce into mason jars and either use it within a few days or freeze it. I label the mason jars with some masking tape and make sure to include the date. As I mentioned before, this recipe will make about 6 liters (6 large mason jars) of sauce.

*Sometimes I start out by cooking diced garlic, onion, and carrots in some olive oil and then pureeing them in a food processor and adding to the sauce.  It depends what I have on hand and how motivated I am on my cooking day.

Ranch House Pork Chops

Soccer has started again and this year I have 2 kids to get to and from practice and games.  There are a couple days a week when I have to feed the kids dinner at 4pm because we leave the house for practices at 5 and don't get home until bedtime.  These are my crockpot days.  I'm always looking for quick and easy crockpot recipes that my kids will eat.  They don't always like the consistency of chicken out of the crockpot so I thought I'd try a new pork recipe.  This one was a hit!

-6 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick (I use boneless)
-1 packet dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning
-10 oz. can Cream of Chicken Soup

Place pork chops, Ranch seasoning and soup into a medium sized crock pot over high heat for 4 hours or low heat for 6 hours.  I serve with mashed potatoes and use the sauce as gravy.

Recipe courtesy of Real Mom Kitchen.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

My mother in law makes an amazing pumpkin pie.  I planned on making this last Thanksgiving so I got the recipe from her.  I never ended up making it...I'm posting it for myself so I can make it this year. 

-1 envelope unflavored gelatin
-3/4 cup milk
-1/2 cup sugar
-2 slightly beaten egg YOLKS
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 cup canned pumpkin
-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
-2 eggs WHITES
-1/2 teaspoon allspice
-1/4 cup sugar
-1/4 teaspoon ginger
-1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped
-1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
-1, 9" graham-cracker crust

Combine 1st 7 ingredients in saucepan. Stir in milk, egg YOLKS and pumpkin. Cook and stir over medium heat till mixture boils and gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat and chill till partially set
(this might take 1/2 hour or more). When its almost ready, start the next steps.

Beat egg WHITES till soft peaks form; gradually add sugar and beat to stiff peaks. Fold into pumpkin mixture with whipped cream. Pile into crust. Chill till firm. You can trim with more whipping cream or just walnut halves.

Note from my MIL:
I never put more whipped cream on top because there is plenty in the pie. I have also had enough of the pie mixture left, so I get the individual size graham-cracker crust and fill them. This is be frozen
for 4-5 months, also.

From the kitchen of Jan Segal.

Salmon Yakitori

Scott made this the other night and it was great.  I'm not usually a big fan of salmon, but even I loved it.

-1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets (he used boneless, skinless fillets)

-lemon pepper to taste

-garlic powder to taste

-salt to taste

-1/3 cup soy sauce

-1/3 cup brown sugar

-1/3 cup water

-1/4 cup vegetable oil

Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper, garlic powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and vegetable oil until sugar is dissolved. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Baked in a 450 degree oven for 12-15 minutes, until fish gently flakes. 

San Francisco Pork Chops

Here's another Pinterest find that's a keeper.  Unfortunately, I can't find the original link to give the owner credit. 

-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
-4 pork chops, about 1-inch thick
-Salt and pepper for seasoning
-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
-1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
-1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
-2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
-1 tablespoon cornstarch
-1 tablespoon cold water
-Mashed Potatoes or Hot Cooked Rice (for serving)

In a large 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it is simmering and hot. Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Brown the pork chops for 1-2 minutes on each side in the hot oil until golden. Transfer the chops to the slow cooker. Add the garlic to the drippings in the skillet and stir constantly over medium heat until the garlic is aromatic and golden (but not burned or it will turn bitter!). Stir in the soy sauce, broth, brown sugar and red pepper flakes; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour over chops.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours until the meat is tender. If using bone-in pork chops, fish out the bones from the slow cooker. Remove the chops from the slow cooker to a shallow pan or plate – they will most likely be falling apart in tenderness at this point. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Pour the sauce into a pan and place it over medium heat on the stove. Add the cornstarch slurry and bring the sauce to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes until the sauce is thick. Add the pork and heat through.

Asian Cole Slaw Salad

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this stuff and finally got my hands on the recipe!

-1 bag (8 ounces) cole slaw (I use a larger bag...I think 12 ounces)
-1 bunch green onions, chopped
-2 packages Ramen noodles chicken soup (break up the noodles, uncooked)
-1 cup sunflower seeds
-1 cup chopped walnuts

Combine all the above ingredients.

Dressing:
-1 cup sugar
-2/3 cup white vinegar
-1/2 cup olive oil
-1 1/2 packages of the chicken soup seasoning mix

Combine dressing ingredients by shaking together in a container.  Mix desired amount of dressing (may not need it all) into the salad and serve.

Chicken Tetrazzini

Thank you Martha Stewart for our favorite tetrazzini recipe.  This recipe makes two 9X13 casseroles.  When I make this, I pop the second in the freezer for another meal later in the month.  It freezes very well.

-Coarse salt and ground pepper

- 6 tablespoons butter

- 1 pound white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick

- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

- 3 cups milk

- 1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth

- 3/4 cup dry white wine

- 3 cups grated Parmesan cheese

- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

- 1 pound linguine, broken in half

- 1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed, meat shredded (about 4 cups)

- 1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed and drained

Preheat oven to 400. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (for pasta). In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over high heat. Add mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until tender and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and set aside.

Make sauce: In same saucepan, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add flour; cook, whisking, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, gradually add milk, broth, and wine. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and add 2 cups Parmesan and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta 2 minutes less than package instructions for al dente; drain and return to pot. Add sauce, chicken, peas, and mushrooms. Toss well to combine. Divide between two shallow 2-quart baking dishes; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Freeze or bake until browned, about 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe from MarthaStewart.com.

White Chicken and Artichoke Lasagna

I tried another pinterest find last night from Tasty Tidbits. It sounded so good that I went ahead and doubled it and made an additional lasagna to freeze.  It turned out great and is being added to the dinner rotation.  The recipe below is for a single lasagna.

-2 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts (I diced 6 chicken tenderloions and sauteed in olive oil)
-1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained, chopped
-1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese with a TOUCH OF PHILADELPHIA, divided
-1/2 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
-1/2 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
-2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
-1 cup milk
-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
-1/4 cup tightly packed fresh basil, chopped, divided
-12 lasagna noodles, cooked

Heat oven to 350°F.  Combine chicken, artichokes, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan and tomatoes. Beat cream cheese, milk and garlic powder with mixer until well blended; stir in 2 Tbsp. basil. Mix half with the chicken mixture.

Spread half the remaining cream cheese mixture onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with 3 noodles and 1/3 of the chicken mixture. Repeat layers of noodles and chicken mixture twice. Top with remaining noodles, cream cheese mixture and mozzarella; cover.
Bake 25 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining basil. Let stand 5 min. before cutting to serve.

Original recipe from tasteofhome.com

Pasticcio di Spinaci

Since there are NATO operations at our current base, we have friends from various parts of the world.  From time to time we have the pleasure of sampling authentic food from their respective country.  One of Scott's fellow instructor pilots (from Italy) brought this in for him to sample the other day.  Scott loved it so much that the guy's wife made an entire pie for our family to enjoy for dinner the following day.  This recipe doesn't sound like much, but I promise you....it is DIVINE.  Pasticcio di Spinaci translates into Spinach Pie. 

-2 sheets puff pastry
-1 pound bag baby spinach
-Ham, thin slices
-Swiss cheese slices, thin slices
-Parmesan cheese, as much as desired
-1 lightly beaten egg

Cook spinach on low heat in a pan with some butter and a pinch of salt. Once the spinach is tender, mix it in a bowl with egg and Parmesan cheese.  Lay one puff pastry sheet on parchment paper sheet in a baking pan. Spread the spinach mixture over the puff pastry, put one layer of ham and one of cheese on top of the spinach and cover with the second sheet of puffy pastry.  Wrap together the two sheets along the sides.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the puff pastry turns golden. Let cool and cut in 3x3 inch pieces to serve.

From the kitchen of The Trebisonda Family.

Baked Pesto Rotini with Chicken Sausage

This recipe was created last night after trying to use up all of the following ingredients in my fridge, freezer and pantry.  It was a huge hit.  Adam (my picky, complain about every meal kid) scarfed it down and told me how fantastic it was.  Zach seconded that notion with, "Thanks for making this dinner for me Mom."  Decided I should jot it down to duplicate in the future. 

-4 sun dried tomato chicken sausages, grilled and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
-1 pound rotini pasta, cooked and drained (1/2 pound wheat pasta and 1/2 pound regular pasta)
-1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
-4-5 green onions, chopped
-1 cup shredded mozzarella
-A few tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
-1 jar pesto (8 ounces)...or make your own
**I realized afterward that I had some pine nuts in the pantry that I should have toasted up and added to this...must do this next time.

Combine all ingredients except for the cheeses and mix gently.  Pour into a greased casserole dish and top with cheeses.  Put under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and just starts to brown.

Strawberry Daquiri

-6 ounce Minute Maid Limeade
-1 full can of vodka or rum
-1/3 full can of triple sec
-1/2 bag of frozen strawberries
-Ice

Blend and serve.

From the kitchen of Heather Campbell.

Campbell's Greatest Margarita

-6 ounce can of limeade
-tequila
-triple sec
-ice

Use the limeade can to measure liquors... 1 full can of tequila and 1/3 full can of triple sec.  Blend with ice and serve in a salted glass.

You can also add 1/2 bag of frozen strawberries to make strawberry margaritas.

From the kitchen of Heather Campbell.

Cowboy Margarita

Spring and Summer bring a higher than average consumption of tequila in this house.  I have two favorite margarita recipes that I thought I would share.  This one as well as the Cambell's Greatest Margarita which you can find here.

-1 can limeade
-12 ounces tequila
-2 beers (we like corona in this)
-2 cans of Sprite or Sierra Mist
-Ice
-Salt for rim of glass

Blend thoroughly and add to a salted glass.  Add a lime and enjoy!

From the kitchen of Angela Smith.

Copycat Olive Garden Dressing

Olive Garden salad dressing is a favorite in our home.  All three Segal boys L-O-V-E it.  But, at about $5 a bottle, it doesn't come cheap.  I recently found a copycat recipe via Pinterest from Because Barenaked Chef Said So. The original recipe can be found here.  I thought the original recipe was a little too thick so I adapted it just a tad. 

-2 envelops Good Seasons Italian Dressing (I just used the generic Albertson's brand packets)
-1/2 cup olive oil
-3/4 cup white wine vinegar
-1 cup water (original recipe calls for 9 tablespoons water but I thought it was too thick)
-1 teaspoon dried Italian spices (I used basil and oregano)
-1 teaspoon salt
-Freshly ground black pepper to taste
-1 teaspoon sugar
-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
-1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend on high until combined, about 30 seconds or so.  I washed out our original Olive Garden dressing bottle and used in for our new copycat dressing.  This recipe makes enough to fill that bottle plus an additional 1-2 cups worth in a Tupperware container. Shake dressing before serving.

The boys know that I made this Olive Garden dressing at home.  I think it takes a little different, but the boys all think it takes the same as the restaurant version and RAVE about it.  The husband has been taking it with him to work all week and kept telling me..."make sure you write down what you did....this stuff is AWESOME!"  I guess it's a keeper.  After a week, the entire container is almost gone.

Onion Soup

My in-laws were recently here for a visit and my husband was thrilled that my MIL made her famous onion soup recipe for us.  It's one of his favorites from when he was young.  I will share her original recipe along with her modifications.

-9 large onions, sliced (she used 4 large)
-3/4 cup oil
-3 quarts beef stock (she used 1 quart beef stock and 2 cans of beef consumme)
-1 bay leaf (she used 3)
-2 tablespoons salt
-1 teaspoon pepper
-3/4 cup port wine (you can use any red wine...I only has cooking marsala in the house so she used that)
-6 slices french bread, toasted (Jan usually uses cocktail sized rye bread and toasts it.  The store here didn't have them so she made the soup with some Texas Toast croutons and it turned out great!)
-3/4 cup grated swiss cheese (She used provolone slices)

Cook onions in oil until brown.  Pour off oil.  Add the beef stock, bay leaves, wine, salt and pepper.  Cook over low heat for 1 1/2 hours.  Pour into oven proof bowls.  Float a piece of toast or about 7-10 croutons in the bowl. Layer cheese over bread/croutons and brown under the broiler for a few moments. 

I can't explain how good this soup is.  The other night, I ate bowl after bowl.  The leftovers are even better heated up the next day!

From the kitchen of Jan Segal.

Once a Month Cooking

Whenever I cook a time-consuming meal, I try to at least double the recipe so I can freeze the other half for a dinner later in the month.  I have been wanting to apply the economies of scale to dinner planning and prep meals on a larger scale to make the most of the time, energy, and money I put into cooking for my family.  I've recently become motivated by a lot of "once a month cooking" posts I have seen on Pinterest and I finally took the plunge this week.   

Three days, 13 hours, 18 recipes, and $308.91 later I have 32 meals in my freezer for my family.  Not bad as that works out to only $9.65 per meal and each meal will include leftovers.  I figure these meals with last us at least 6 weeks or so as I'll probably continue to cook one or two nights a week.  I just need a break from cooking Every. Single. Night.  My only regret is not waiting until the weekend to do my cooking when I could have some help with kids and dishes.  I had a plan for doing all my prep work one day and all the cooking the next.  I ended up just jumping in and my lack of organization (and managing kids and other stuff throughout my days)  added hours to what it could have been.  Next time I do this, I will definitely enlist Scott's help with childcare and dishes....I'm guessing it would have cut about 5 hours off my time. 

In case you are interested in doing something similar, here's what I made... 
(1) All Day Flank Steak
(2,3) Tamale Casserole
(4,5) Crockpot Stroganoff
(6,7) Italian Beef Sandwiches (doubled and will use extra meat for Beef Tacos)
(8,9) Chicken Delicious
(10) Autumn Stew
(11,12) Sausage and Vegetable Stew
(13,14) Cashew Chicken
(15) Chicken Cacciatore
(16,17) Arizona Chili
(18,19) Chicken Waikiki
(20,21,22,23) Tuna Casserole
(24,25) Shepherd's Pie
(26) Marinated Flank Steak
(27,28) Kielbasa and Sauerkraut
(29,30) Pepper Steak
(31) Lasagna
(32) Spanish Rice

Quick Tips:

**Meat is cut more easily when it's partially frozen.  Pop meat in the freezer for a few hours before slicing.

**For crockpot dishes, I labeled the bag with the recipe name, date, and any necessary instructions.  I placed a gallon ziploc in a medium mixing bowl and folded down the edges of the bag so they were inside out (this way any ingredients didn't drip on the outside of the bag when assembling).  I then put all ingredients together in a ziploc bag, closed it up, and layed it flat in the freezer so the contents would freeze that way.  After frozen, you can line it up/stack it up however will best fit best for you.

**For casserole dishes, I prepared the dish as much as needed and then placed in a disposable casserole dish.  I covered with foil, labeled it recipe name, date, and any necessary instructions.  I then wrapped the entire thing in Glad Press N Seal (love.that.stuff!) to seal it up real well. 

**For recipes I will heat up on the stove, I cooked the meal in it's entirety.  I then let it cool and dumped into gallon ziploc bags as I did with the crockpot meals. 

I'm curious if anyone else does this mass cooking in their home.  I'd LOVE for you to share your favorite freezable meals with me.  Most of what I came up with here was because I needed to use up certain items in my pantry or freezer.

Lasagna

-9-12 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
-1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed, browned, crumbled and grease drained
-2 jars (24 ounces each) pasta sauce
-1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
-4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
-1/2 cup (or so) Parmesan cheese
-2 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large pan, combine cooked meat and 1 jar of sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.  In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 3.5 cups mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and eggs. Spray 9X13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.  Spread 1/2 jar of sauce in bottom of baking dish.  Place 3-4 noodles over the bottom, slightly overlapping.  Spread half of the cheese mixture over noodles and cover with 1/2 the meat sauce.  Repeat layers.  Cover last layer with remaining noodles and remaining sauce.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and a little Parmesan.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Chicken Curry

Before yesterday I hadn't made Indian food at home (other than buying jarred Tikka Masala and the like and throwing in some chicken).  This curry recipe was a good start and very simple to make.  Since moving back from England we have really missed Indian food.  Yes, I meant to say England...there is a huge Indian population and lots of fab Indian food over there.

-3 tablespoons olive oil
-1 small onion, chopped

Saute onion in olive oil over medium heat until lightly browned.

-3 teaspoons chopped garlic (about 6 cloves)
-3 T McCormick Red Curry Powder plus 4 T McCormick Hot Madras Curry Powder (I use 4T McC Red Curry Powder and 3T McC regular regular curry powder because that's all I had)
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-1 teaspoon paprika
-1 bay leaf
-1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated (I use 1/4-1/2 t ground ginger)
-1/2 teaspoon white sugar
-Salt to taste

Stir in the above ingredients and cook for 2 minutes...

-3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bit size pieces
-1 tablespoon tomato paste
-1 cup plain yogurt
-3/4 cup coconut milk

Add in the ingredients above. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes. 

-1/2 lemon, juiced
-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Remove bay leaf and stir in lemon juice and cayenne pepper and simmer 5 more minutes.  Serve over rice with Naan.

From the kitchen of Denise Flick.

Chocolate Spoons

This year, I made some chocolate spoons to add to the goodies I gave to friends and neighbors for Christmas.  They can be used in coffee or warm milk to make hot chocolate.  My kids had fun watching the chocolate on their spoons melt and then drinking it up.  These are very easy to make and you can decorate however you like.

Melt chocolate or white chocolate chips (I microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so).  Dip plastic spoon and coat with the chocolate.  While chocolate is still wet, coat with your choice or topping/decoration.  We have used shredded coconut, Christmas sprinkles, crushed candy canes, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, etc.  Then, lay on a sheet of wax paper and let the chocolate completely harden. 

Grandma Drake's Baked Apples

These baked apples have been a holiday staple in our family since my Mom was a little girl.  From what I understand, the recipe was passed along to my Grandma so I'm sure it goes back even farther than I know.  My mom and I tried to make these for Christmas while she was visiting this year.  However, we didn't trust the original recipe (thought there was too much flour) and ended up botching the entire batch.  I tried making them again this week and they turned out PERFECT!  It's amazing how food can bring back so many memories from childhood.  We eat these right along with the turkey dinner, but you could also serve them as a dessert.   

 -3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut in half
-1 cup white sugar
-1/2 cup margarine (cold)
-3/4 cup to 1 1/4 cup flour (enough to make thick dough like consistency)
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-cinammon

To make the filling, use a pastry cutter.  I couldn't find mine so I just used a fork.  In a large mixing bowled, cut margarine into the sugar with a fork (or your pastry cutter) until thoroughly combined.  Then, slowly cut in flour until you get a VERY THICK, dough like consisentcy.  I ended up using a little over a cup or so of flour.  (When my mom and I made these we did not use enough flour and the filling just melted off the apples...make sure the filling is super thick).  Add vanilla and combine thoroughly with fork/pastry cutter. 

Lay apple halves, core side up in a 9X13 inch pan.  Spoon a generous amount of filling into the core/top of each apple.  Sprinkle lightly with cinammon (use your fingers to sprinkle just a tad on each apple.

Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for about 1/2 -1 hour.  Baking time depends on your oven and the apples. Start checking apples for doneness at 30 minutes but they will most likely cook for close to an hour.  Use a fork to poke the apple to see if it's tender.  It should be tender, but not completely soft.

Christmas Bark

Whoops...this one has been sitting in my drafts box for the last month. 

Christmas Bark is one of my favorite things to consume during the Christmas season.  Ghirardelli's version is A-mazing but gets a little pricey (at least with the amount that I consume during the Christmas season).  I'm just as happy with my version...

-24 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
-24 ounces white chocolate chips
-40 or so peppermint candy canes, crushed
-Green, red, white sprinkles

Lightly grease 2, 9X13 inch baking sheets and line with waxed paper, smoothing out the wrinkles.  Set aside.

Melt semi-sweet chips in microwave.  Heat for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.  Pour into the baking sheets and spread evenly over the bottom of the sheet.  To smooth the ridges/bubbles, I gently slam (can't think of a better word than slam) the cookie sheet on the counter a couple times.   Sprinkle half of the crushed candy on top of the chocolate and press gently with your hands.  Refrigerate until completely hardened, about 1 hour.

Melt the white chips in microwave the same as before.  Pour the white chocolate over the hardened semi-sweet chocolate layer.  Spread evenly. Cover with the rest of the crushed candies and some Christmas colored sprinkles and gently push it down into chocolate with hands.    Slam the cookie sheet on counter again to remove ridges/bubbles.   Refrigerate until completely hardened.  Remove from pan and break into small pieces to serve.  I start this by slicing a chunk with a knife and then break with my hands.

Octopus Hotdogs

I'm not a fan of hotdogs, but had to give these a try for the kids (another Pinterest find).  I save these kinds of things for when Scott is traveling for work and I want the boys to think I am super mom.  Plus, they helped me make them and thought it was a blast.

Cut 5 hotdogs into 3 pieces each.  Poke pieces of spaghetti through each piece of hotdog.

Cook hotdogs in boiling water for about 10 minutes or until warmed through.  I let the kids eat with their hands and dip in ketchup.  I wouldn't touch these things with a 10 foot pole but A & Z went ga ga for them!

Italian Salad

This salad was my dinner last night.  I almost ate the entire bowl by myself.  So good!  It was a staple in my home growing up and it's super simple.  I love veggies but I don't always love lettuce...therefore, this is the perfect salad for me.

-Box of button mushrooms, stems removed and sliced thin

-2 tomatoes, cut into bite sized pieces

-1/4 of a large  red onion, sliced very thin

-3/4 of an English cucumber, skin removed and sliced thin

-Quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar

-Salt and pepper

-Italian seasoning



Toss all the veggies in a bowl.  Sprinkle generously with salt and freshly ground pepper and add about a tablespoon or so of dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano or whatever mixture you have on hand).   Pour a few generous tablespoons each of the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over veggies and stir gently to coat everything.  Let sit and marinate at least 20-30 minutes and then serve.  I let it sit on the counter to marinate and serve at room temperature because I don't like my veggies cold.

Scott loves to take leftovers of this stuff to work with him the following day.  He thinks it tastes even better then next day! 

*I love serving this salad with pizza so I can dip my crust in the excess dressing.  Or, just serve with some fresh Italian bread to dab up all the extra oil/vinegar.  YUM!

*You can also add in fresh mozzarella balls to this mixture. 

Easy Buckeyes

Scott isn't much of a sweets guy.  This is great, cuz I'm not much of a baker.  However, this year, he kept hinting that he was craving Buckeyes...a staple at Christmas time in our home state of Ohio.  Believe or not, in all my 34 years I've never eaten a buckeye, let alone made one.  I wanted to surprise him with a batch.  Thank goodness for the Internet because I found this recipe for "Almost Instant Buckeyes."  I think making these will now be an annual tradition in the Segal home.  They got great reviews from the hubs, kids, and friends/neighbors. 

-1 (10 ounce) package peanut butter chips

-1 (16 ounce) can vanilla ready-to-spread frosting

-1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

 

Line some cookie sheets with waxed paper or parchment paper.  Melt pb chips in microwave.  Stir after every 30 seconds.  They will take about 2 minutes to melt.  Remove from microwave and stir in frosting...I use a hand mixer. Let stand about 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle. 

Roll peanut butter mixture into 1-inch balls; place on cookie sheet.  Refrigerate (or freeze) for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips the same way you melted the pb chips. 

 

 

Pierce each pb ball with a toothpick and dip into the melted chocolate.  Leave a small area around the toothpick uncoated so the ball resembles a buckeye.  Place dipped ball on a wax paper covered cookie sheet, pushing the candy off of toothpick with tines of a fork (or a clean finger).  To smooth  out the toothpick mark, give the hole a pinch and then smooth it down.  Let stand for 5 minutes or until set. (I put mine in the freezer).

 

 

Makes about 5 dozen.

 

 

These truly were a cinch to make...I mean I made them so how difficult could they be??   Mine don't look as pretty as those on the website but hey, it was my first go at them!

Shrimp Chip Dip

I love this dip! It's super salty and great with chips or crackers. It reminds me of holiday events at my Aunt Chris' house when I was younger. I don't really like seafood, but still crave this dip.

-1 can cream of shrimp soup
-1 (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
-garlic salt to taste

Mix ingredients thouroughly and then chill. Serve with chips or crackers. The trick to no lumps in your dip is to blend the cream cheese well before adding in the soup.

From the kitchen of Christine Allman.

Chris Kringles

These are my favorite Christmas cookies. I'm not much of a baker the rest of the year, but I do bake some cookies for friends during the holidays.  These cookies taste like brownies with powdered sugar on them. Santa likes them too!

-1/2 cup vegetable oil
-4 squares unsweetened chocolate

Melt these two ingredients together. Heat slowly, mixing every 30-60 seconds in microwave or heat in a double boiler, stirring constantly.

-2 cups sugar
-4 eggs
-2 teaspoons vanilla
-2 cups flour
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 cup powdered sugar

Mix chocolate and oil mixture with sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Stir in dry ingredients until mixed thoroughly. Refrigerate dough, covered, for a MINIMUM of 2 hours or overnight. Drop teaspoons of dough into powdered sugar and roll to coat. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.*

Cool slightly (about 2 minutes) and then remove from cookie sheet before completely set. Makes about 3 dozen.

*While I have the cookies in the oven baking, I stick the bowl of dough back in the fridge or freezer to keep the dough cold. The dough is much easier to work with when it is super cold.

Chicken Marsala

This was my first go at Chicken Marsala at home and it turned out quite well. I used a few recipes to come up with this one...I elimated some steps and ingredients in the other ones. I am all about simple here! Enjoy.

-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
-1/2 cup flour
-5 teaspoons dried marjarom
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon pepper
-1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
-1/2 bunch of scallions, sliced
-3 tablespoons butter, divided
-1/4 cup chicken broth (more if you would like sauce for pasta/rice)
-1/4 cup dry Marsala or sherry (more if you would like sauce for pasta/rice)

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Slice each breast in half. (I do this while breasts are still frozen - they cut a lot easier when they are slightly frozen). Place each breast between plastic wrap and pound slightly to 1/8 inch thick. Stir together flour, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Press chicken into flour mixture on both sides. Shake off excess. In large skillet, cook mushrooms and green onions in 1 tablespoon of butter until tender. Remove from skillet. In same skillet, cook chicken in a couple tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat for about 4 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Return mushrooms and green onions to skillet. Add broth and Marsala. Cook, uncovered for 5-10 minutes or until mushroom mixture thickens slightly and chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. If you want to serve with rice or angel hair pasta, add additional broth, Marsala, and butter to make enough liquid for a sauce.

Beef, Barley & Quinoa Soup

I had a little barley and a little quinoa left in my pantry and was trying to come up with something that I could use them both in... I decided to adapt the soup recipe on the back of the barley box a little bit.  The fam seemed to like it so I think I'll make it again.

-1/2 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained
-1/2 cup onion, chopped
-1 clove garlic, minced
-8 cups beef broth
-2 cans of Rotel
-1/2 cup Barley, uncooked
-1/4-1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked
-1 can lima beans, drained/rinsed
--1/2 cup celery, chopped
-1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
-1-2 bay leaves
-1 family size package of frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, corn)

In large stock pot, saute onion, celery, and garlic in a little olive oil until tender. Add all additional ingredients EXCEPT quinoa and frozen veggies.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for about an hour, stirring occcassionally.  Add in quinoa and frozen veggies and cook about 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Add additional water if needed since the soup with thicken upon standing.

Turkey Noodle Soup

-3-4 cups cooked turkey or chicken, roughly chopped ( I used my leftovers from Thanksgiving)
-1 cup celery, sliced
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 large family size back of frozen mixed veggies (peas, carrots, green beans, corn)
-4 cans chicken broth
-2 cans waters
-1 can diced tomatoes
-1/2 cup chopped onion
-1/2 package egg noodles
-1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon
-1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
-1 bay leaf
-1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

In a large stock pot, saute onions, celery, and garlic in a little margarine.  Add all ingredients EXCEPT frozen veggies and noodles.  Simmer soup for 30-40 minutes.  Add in frozen veggies and noodles and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes.

Spaghetti Bread

Again, thanks Pinterest for hooking me up with this recipe that I found here.  Spaghetti baked in bread....hello carb overload!  This family loves their pasta and bread so I knew this would be a hit.  So easy, so good!  It's as yummy as it looks, I promise!

-1 Loaf Rhodes Bread Dough or 12 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed to room temperature
-6 oz spaghetti, cooked
-1 cup thick spaghetti sauce
-8 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 –inch cubes
-1 egg white
-Parmesan cheese
-Parsley flakes

Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray (or use parchment paper).  Roll loaf or combined dinner rolls into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10-15 minutes.  Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and let cool slightly.  Remove wrap from dough. Place spaghetti lengthwise in a 4-inch strip down the center of dough. Top with sauce and cheese cubes. (I mixed my spaghetti and sauce together first).  Begin braid by folding top and bottom strips toward filling. Then braid strips left over right, right over left. Finish by pulling last strip over and tucking under braid.  Lift braid with both hands and place on large sprayed baking sheet. (or transfer parchment paper to baking sheet). Brush with egg white and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley (I added garlic powder).  Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and slice to serve.

Next time, I think I'll add in about 1/2 pound of browned ground beef or Italian sausage.

Balsamic and Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Tenderloin

I'm always looking for new crockpot recipes to try.  Here's a great one I found on Pinterest...it's courtesy the blog,  C+C Marriage Factory.   I make pork tenderloins all.the.time (seriously about once a week).  However, I have yet to make one in the crockpot.  This recipe is seriously tasty.  I served it with my favorite Brussel Sprout recipe.

-1 (2 pound) boneless pork tenderloin (or regular pork loin)

-1 teaspoon ground sage

-1/2 teaspoon salt

-1/4 teaspoon pepper

-1 clove garlic, crushed

-1/2 cup water

Glaze

-1/2 cup brown sugar

-1 tablespoon cornstarch

-1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

-1/2 cup water

-2 tablespoons soy sauce

Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over roast. Place in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for glaze in small sauce pan. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

Is anyone else addicted to Pinterest?  I love trying new recipes and Pinterest has become my favorite place to get dinner inspiration.  I've tried quite a few new recipes (check out my Pinterest Food Board)lately and most have gotten high marks.  I'll post them all soon.  For now, here's one that I found on Jamie Cooks It Up via Pinterest.

-4 large chicken breasts

-2 sleeves Ritz crackers
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/8 teaspoon pepper
-1/2 cup milk
-3 cup cheddar cheese, grated
-1 teaspoon dried parsley
-1 (10 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
-2 tablespoons sour cream
-2 tablespoons butter

Cut each chicken breast into 3 large chunks.  In a small food processor grind up the ritz crackers (I just put the crackers in a large ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin...I'm old school and still don't own a food processor).  Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans. Toss the salt and pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture around to combine.

Dip each piece of chicken into the milk, then the cheese, and finally the cracker crumbs.

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and lay the chicken inside the pan.  Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken.  Cover the pan with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy.

Into a medium sized sauce pan combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and butter with a whisk. Stir it over medium high heat until the sauce is nice and hot. Serve over the chicken.

 

My kids were acting up while I was making dinner and I completely forgot to make the sauce for the chicken.  Whoops!  The chicken was still fantastic without it.  You can't go wrong with cheddar cheese.  

 

 

Herbed Chicken in White Wine

I had a 1/3 of a bottle of white wine left from Thanksgiving and did some searching online for a new recipe to try to use it in tonight.  I came up with this after making some adaptations to this chicken recipe that I found on allrecipes.com.   During dinner, Scott asked if we could "add this one to the meal rotation." My five year old (who is usually telling me his dinner is gross) said "Mom, you're a great cook."  I think this recipe is a keeper!

-5 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into pieces (about 3 pieces each breast)

- garlic powder to taste

- 1 package (8 ounces) fresh mushrooms, sliced

-1 medium onion, diced

-1/2-1 teaspoon dried basil (I never measure but this is approximately the amount I used)                   

-1/2-1 teaspoon dried oregano

-1/2-1 teaspoon dried rosemary

-1/2-1 teaspoon dried thyme

-1 clove minced garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic powder

-ground black pepper to taste (probably 1/4-1/2 teaspoon)

-1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

-1-2 cups dry white wine (I used some chardonnay)

- 1 (10.5 ounces) can chicken broth

-about 1/2 cup water and 2-3 tablespoons flour stirred together until smooth in a separate bowl

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken with garlic powder, and brown on both sides. Remove chicken to paper towels.

Add mushrooms, minced garlic and onions to pot.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender.  Add wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot.  Add chicken back to pot and sprinkle in all the herbs and seasonings.  Finally, add the chicken broth.  Give it all a thorough stir to combine.  Cover and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes.  Add the flour/water mixture to pot and stir until combined.  Continue to simmer on low (this time uncovered) for another 30 minutes or until your sauce thickens a bit.

Serve over warm egg noodles or rice.   

Roasted Asparagus

This is the only way I make asparagus anymore.  All three Segal boys fight over these at the dinner table....no joke.  So, so good (and easy)!

-1 bunch thin asparagus spears, trimmed (woody stalks removed)

-a few tablespoons olive oil

-Parmesan cheese

-sea salt

-ground black pepper

Lay asparagus on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle generously with a salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese.  Toss the asparagus with your hands and make sure spears are evenly coated in oil/seasoning.  Arrange the asparagus onto the baking sheet in a single layer.  Bake at 425 degrees until tender, 12 to 15 minutes depending on thickness. The spears will just be starting to brown.  I promise you'll never make your asparagus any other way!

Raspberry Walnut Baked Brie

I am obsessed with Brie.  I could eat an entire round of it in one sitting.  I just tried this baked Brie recipe off of allrecipes.com last weekend.  Loved it and it's super simple!

-1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed
-1 (8 ounce) round of Brie cheese
-1/3 cup raspberry jam (I used raspberry preserves)
-2 tablespoons chopped walnuts (I used a little more than this)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and grease with cooking spray.  Lay the puff pastry onto the prepared baking sheet. Center the Brie wheel onto the pastry.  Spread the jam over the top of the Brie.  Sprinkle the walnuts over the jam.  Fold the puff pastry over the top of Brie, sealing the openings.  Bake in preheated oven until the pastry is golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Serve with crackers (my favorite for Brie are Table Water Crackers).

Spanish Rice

This is a recipe that is so versatile.  I usually make it with leftover taco meat. When I make tacos, I brown 2 pounds of ground beef and drain the grease.  Then, I add a packet of taco seasoning and water along with a can of black beans (drained and rinsed) and a can of corn (drained).  This is my effort to sneak a few extra veggies/fiber/protein into the kids' tacos. We usually need about 1 pound of this beef mixture for our tacos leaving the second pound for me to use for something else....like this Spanish Rice.  It can be eaten as a main dish or as a side dish. Scott has been known to pile it on top of tortilla chips to make some nachos or on top of shredded lettuce as a taco salad.  It also works well as a burrito filling.

-1 pound ground beef with taco seasoning and corn and black beans (see above)
-4 cups cooked brown rice
-1/4-1/2 cup chopped peppers (red, green, yellow...whatever you have)
-1 can diced tomatoes (or rotel)
-2 carrots, chopped (or a about 10-15 baby carrots, chopped)
-2-3 stalks of celery, chopped
-1/2 medium onion, chopped
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-shredded cheese (cojack is my fave)
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon chili powder

Saute onion, celery, garlic, carrots and peppers in a little olive oil until tender.  Mix in beef mixture, rice, tomatoes, salt, chili powder, and a little water.  Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes until water is incorporated.  Add more water as needed so rice doesn't burn.  When serving, sprinkle with a little shredded cheese.  I also like some jalapenos on mine.