Cooking With Kelly

Cafe Rio Chicken

2012-01-11T10:12:00.000-08:00

2 lbs chicken breasts
1/2 cup zesty italian dressing
1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 pkt ranch dressing mix
1/4 cup of water
1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin

Place chicken in a crock pot.
In a bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken.
Cook on High 5-6 hours OR on Low 8 hours.
Remove chicken from crock pot and shred.
Remove half the liquid from the crock pot and place in a bowl. Add the chicken to the crock pot and combine with the liquid left in the crock pot. You want the chicken nice and moist. Add more of the reserved liquid if needed.

Serve in tacos, burritos, salad, quesadillas, etc.

Crockpot Provolone Chicken Casserole

2011-09-20T16:18:00.000-07:00

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 to 6 slices of provolone
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
2 cups herb seasoned stuffing mix
1/2 stick butter, melted

Spray bottom of crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken breasts in bottom of crockpot. Cover chicken with slices of cheese. In separate bowl, mix soup with milk/white wine and spread over cheese slices. Combine stuffing mix with melted butter. Spread mixture on top of everything else. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

The BEST Playdough

2011-08-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

1 cup flour

1 cup water

1/4 cup salt

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 packet non sweetend kool-aid (this adds color and scent to the dough)

Just dump all the ingredients into your pot and give them a good stir. Put your pot on the stove and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it forms into a ball. As soon as it joins into one big glob, take it off the heat and dump it onto your counter or some wax paper. Wait for it to cool, then knead it a few times until it is nice and soft.

Fail Proof Pizza Dough

2011-08-22T20:08:00.000-07:00

1 cup Warm Water
2-¼ teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
1 Tablespoon Honey
2 teaspoons Salt
2 Tablespoons Olive Or Canola Oil
3 cups Bread Flour {not All-purpose!}

Preparation InstructionsIn a large mixing bowl, preferably that of a stand mixer, stir yeast and honey into the warm water. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes or until bubbles form and mixture starts to foam. This tells you that the yeast is alive and kicking. Pour in salt, oil and half the flour and mix. Once that flour is incorporated, start adding flour, bit by bit until you get the pizza dough to the consistency you want: slightly tacky, but when you touch it, it doesn’t stick to your hands.

Once you reach this stage, turn the mixer on high to knead for 6 minutes. Turn a timer on and walk away! Resist the temptation to stop earlier than 6 minutes! That seems to be the magical number. The dough should be smooth and easy to work with. And the bowl should be clean at the end of the 6 minutes. If the bowl still has flour in it, add a few drops of water. If the dough is still sticking to the sides, add a little more flour.

Then, lightly grease the bowl and the dough so it doesn’t dry out, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise 1-2 hours.

Then top it and prepare it according to your favorite pizza recipe.

Baked Tortellini

2011-07-27T15:06:00.001-07:00

2 bags of frozen cheese tortellini
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 jar of your favorite Alfredo sauce
handful of fresh parsley (just tear some off and add to taste)
2 garlic cloves
freshly ground salt and pepper
mozzarella and Parmesan cheese

Boil the tortellini, drain and set aside. Add the two sauces, parsley, salt, pepper and garlic cloves to a blender or food processor. Spray your pan (13x9 for two bags) add tortellini and cover with sauce. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes. If topping with cheese, simply add around the 20 minute mark and continue baking uncovered for the remaining 10 min. (If you like your cheese to brown a little then either cook a little while longer or turn your broiler on for about 2 minutes.)

Cheesy Potatoes

2011-06-03T09:22:00.000-07:00

32 oz. frozen shredded hashbrowns
1/2 cup butter
1 pint sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 tbsp. minced onions
2 cups of cheese

Coat 9x13 pan with 1/4 cup of butter. Melt the remaining butter. Mix sour cream, soup, milk, butter and onion in a bowl. Stir in hashbrowns and 1 cup of cheese. Pour into 9x13 pan. Top with remaining cup of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

2011-06-02T09:22:00.001-07:00

1 pound ground turkey, cooked and drained
1 can 15 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
black pepper
8 ounces egg noodles
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cup small curd cottage cheese
1/2 cup (or less to taste) sliced green onions
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add tomato sauce, salt and black pepper to ground beef. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.
Cook egg noodles until el dente. Drain and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of black pepper. Add to cooked noodles and stir, then stir in green onions.
To assemble, place half of noodles in a baking dish. Top with half of meat mix, then sprinkle on
half of the grated cheese. Repeat layers.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Dripping Beef Sandwiches

2011-03-23T04:20:00.000-07:00

•1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed French Onion Soup
•1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
•1 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef
•6 Hoagie Rolls with Sesame Seeds
•butter
•6 slices deli provolone cheese cut in half

1.Preheat your oven on broil.

2.Heat the soup and Worcestershire in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Add the beef and heat through, stirring occasionally.

3.Lay rolls out open on a baking sheet. Butter the top half of each roll on the cut side.

4.Divide the beef evenly among the half of the rolls that aren’t buttered. Reserve the soup mixture. Top the beef with the cheese slices.

5.Broil sandwiches on the middle rack until the sandwiches are toasted and the cheese is melted. Spoon some of the reserved soup mixture onto the beef half of the sandwiches and top with a few pepper rings, if desired. Makes 6 sandwiches.

Laffy Taffy Frosting

2011-03-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

•10 pieces of strawberry (I've also used the fruit punch ones) Laffy Taffy candy (the fun sized ones)
•2 Tbsp. heavy cream
•1 cup butter, room temperature
•1-2 cups powdered sugar

1. In a small sauce pan, melt the taffy and the heavy cream together stirring until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat to cool.

2. In a mixing bowl, whip the butter until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar, a half cup at a time, whipping until fluffy. Then add the melted and cooled laffy taffy a spoonful at a time. You don’t want it too thick. If needed, place it back on the stove for a few seconds to soften it just enough. After each spoonful of the laffy taffy, turn the mixer up to high and whip the frosting until it’s fluffy. You can also add a little pink or red food coloring to get the desired shade but I was happy with the color as it was.

Marshmallow Buttercream

2011-01-04T07:06:00.000-08:00

4 sticks butter, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
One 16-ounce tub marshmallow cream

1.In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy.

2.Beat in one-fourth of the sugar until fluffy, then repeat with the remaining sugar.

3.Beat in the vanilla, then stir in the marshmallow cream until well blended

Lemon Pasta

2010-12-06T13:55:00.000-08:00

1 pound Penne Pasta, Cooked Until Al Dente
1/2 stick Butter
3 whole Lemons, Juiced
3/4 cup Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Half-and-half
1-½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (or Romano)
Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste

Cook pasta, reserving 1 cup of hot pasta water when you drain. Set pasta aside in a colander.

In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Squeeze in the juice of 3 to 4 lemons. Whisk together. Pour in cream and half-and-heat. Whisk until hot. Dump in cheese and whisk until melted. Add salt and pepper. Check consistency, adding some of the hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.

Pour pasta and sauce into a large serving bowl. Serve immediately!

Baker’s Dozen Yeast Rolls

2010-11-02T13:23:00.001-07:00

•2 to 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•2 tablespoons sugar
•1 package (1/4 ounce) quick-rise yeast •1/2 teaspoon salt
•3/4 cup warm water (120° to 130°)
•2 tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons butter, melted, divided
•3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
•2 teaspoons honey
•1/8 teaspoon garlic salt

1.In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add water and 2 tablespoons butter; beat on medium speed for 3 minutes or until smooth. Stir in cheese and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

2.Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Divide into 13 pieces. Shape each into a ball. Place in a greased 9-in. round baking pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.

3.Bake at 375° for 11-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Combine the honey, garlic salt and remaining butter; brush over rolls. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Yield: 13 rolls.

Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter

2010-10-02T01:54:00.000-07:00

28 ounces whole peeled tomatoes from a can (San Marzano, if you can find them)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium-sized yellow onion, peeled and halved
Salt to taste

Put the tomatoes, onion and butter in a heavy saucepan (it fit just right in a 3-quart) over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer then lower the heat to keep the sauce at a slow, steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free of the tomatoes. Stir occasionally, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, discard the onion, add salt to taste (you might find, as I did, that your tomatoes came salted and that you didn’t need to add more) and keep warm while you prepare your pasta.

Serve with spaghetti, with or without grated parmesan cheese to pass.

Fluffy Apple Dip

2010-09-25T10:31:00.000-07:00

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
Assorted apple wedges

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and pie spice until blended; fold in marshmallow creme. (or you can do what i did and throw everything in a bowl and blend) Serve with apple wedges.

Fattoush

2010-09-21T15:53:00.000-07:00

Dressing Ingredients

1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cups Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar (can Substitute White Vinegar)
2 teaspoons Dried Mint
2 cloves Garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon Sugar
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Fresh Gound Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Sumac (I bought mine online)
1/4 cups Loosley Packed Fresh Parsley
approximately 10 mint leaves (more or less depending on your taste)

Place all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow all of the flavors to blend together.

For the salad, use Romaine lettuce, cucumbers, green onions and tomatoes. I also add feta.

Top the salad with Pita Chips that you can make. Take some very thin pita bread (Arabic if you can find it), cut into 1-inch strips by about 2 inches long and fry in some olive oil until crispy. (You don’t need a lot of oil to fry these in, just enough to crisp them. I also use a nonstick skillet when frying these). Sprinkle on top of the salad and enjoy!

5 Soup Chicken

2010-09-17T05:55:00.000-07:00

•8 pieces Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast
•1 can (10.75 Oz. Can) Cheddar Cheese Soup
•1 can (10.5 Oz. Can) French Onion Soup
•1 can (10.75 Oz. Can) Cream Of Mushroom Soup
•1 can (10.75 Oz. Can) Cream Of Celery Soup
•1 can (10.75 Oz. Can) Cream Of Chicken Soup

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place chicken in a large baking dish. It should be large enough to hold the chicken with room to spare. If necessary, you can split it up into two containers. Combine all soups in a bowl and pour over the chicken. Cover with foil and place in the oven for 4 hours. Remove foil and continue cooking for another hour. Serve with rice or potatoes.

Note: You can speed up the cooking time by cooking at 325 degrees for 3 hours, but I think it tastes better if you cook it for 5 hours. Also, if you don’t have all the soups, you can do a 3-soup version—use the cheddar cheese, French onion and one of the “cream of” soups. A crock pot can be used with this recipe if you can find one large enough.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-09-16T05:50:00.000-07:00

24 paper liners for cupcake pans (2 1/2 –inch size)
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain German chocolate cake mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring
3 large eggs
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)

Note: Use reduced-fat sour cream, and you’ll sacrifice only fat and calories, not flavor. If you can’t find plain German chocolate cake mix, buy the pudding in the mix version and forgo the added pudding. For more chocolate flavor, use chocolate pudding mix instead of vanilla, but the cake won’t be as red in color.

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.

2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, water, oil, food coloring, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon or scoop 1/3 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Place the pans in the oven.

3. Bake the cupcakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, lift the cupcakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.

5. Place a heaping tablespoon of frosting on each cupcake and swirl to spread with a short metal spatula or a spoon, taking care to cover the tops completely. Place these cupcakes, uncovered or in a cake server, in the refrigerator until the frosting sets, 20 minutes. The cupcakes are ready to serve.

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

6 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 ounces (half an 8-ounce package) reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
2 to 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

1. Place the white chocolate in a small glass bowl in the microwave oven on high power for 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the oven and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until it is smooth. Set the chocolate aside to cool.

2. Place the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until well combined, 30 seconds. Stop the machine. Add the melted white chocolate and blend on low speed until just combined, 30 seconds. Add the 2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar and blend on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 30 seconds more. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the frosting is fluffy, 1 minute more, adding up to 1/2 cup more sugar if needed to make a spreadable consistency.

Chicken Lemon Rice Soup

2010-09-13T14:07:00.000-07:00

•8 cups Chicken Broth
•½ cups Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
•4 Tablespoons Chicken Base Granules
•½ teaspoons Ground White Pepper
•½ cups Butter, Separated
•½ cups Finely Chopped Yellow Onion
•½ cups All-purpose Flour
•6 whole Egg Yolks
•½ cups Whole Milk Or Heavy Cream
•1-½ cup Cooked White Rice
•1 cup Finely Diced Chicken Meat
•6 slices Lemon

1. In a large pot, combine the chicken broth, lemon juice, soup base and pepper. Bring to a boil on high, then simmer for 20 minutes.

2. In a separate frying pan, melt 1/4 of the butter and saute the onions until translucent. Empty into the stockpot. Then add the rest of the butter to the hot frying pan that you just cooked the onions in. Stir in flour to make a roux, keeping over medium heat (and stirring frequently) for about 10-15 minutes. Gradually add the roux to the soup mixture in the stock pot. Simmer for 10 minutes more.

3. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks until light in color. Then beat in cream/milk. Gradually add some of the hot soup to the egg yolks, stirring constantly (about a cup or so). Return the egg/milk mixture to the soup pot and heat through. Lastly, add the cooked rice and chicken and simmer for another ten minutes. Garnish with lemon slices, and add salt/pepper to taste.

Malted Milk Ball Cupcakes

2010-09-12T16:37:00.000-07:00

24 cupcake liners
1 package (18.25 oz) plain yellow cake mix
1 box (3.8 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips
Malted Milk Buttercream (see recipe below)
40 malted milk balls, coarsely crushed, for garnish

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.

Place cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, water, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds until the ingredients are well blended, then stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look smooth and thickened. Fold in the chocolate chips, making sure they are well distributed throughout the batter. Spoon or scoop 1/3 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. (You will get between 22-24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Place the pans in the oven.

Bake the cupcakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18-20 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners. Lift the cupcakes from the bottoms of the cups using the end of a knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

Meanwhile, prepare the Malted Milk Buttercream. Place a heaping tablespoon of frosting on each cupcake and swirl to spread it out with a short metal spatula or a spoon, taking care to cover the tops completely. Garnish with crushed malted milk balls.

Malted Milk Buttercream

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
3-1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
5 tablespoons malted milk powder (the author of Sweetnicks used chocolate syrup instead)
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and add the confectioner’s sugar, malted milk powder, milk and vanilla. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 1 minute more.

Perfect Lemon Cupcakes

2010-08-31T08:51:00.001-07:00

Cake:
1 package lemon cake mix
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs
1 small package lemon instant pudding

Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Mix with electric mixer on medium speed for about two minutes. For cupcakes, bake them at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes (I was able to get 24 very full cupcakes from the recipe).

Lemon Buttercream Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, very soft
6 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of sugar, then the juice and the zest. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, until icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. Use and store at room temperature. (Don’t refrigerate and it will last in a covered container for about three days.)

Rice a Roni Chicken Salad

2010-07-14T06:34:00.001-07:00

2 boxes of Rice a Roni fried rice, cooked according to package and cooled
1-2 Tbsp. butter
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
4 chicken breast, cooked and diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup green onion, diced
1 cup mayonnaise
While you are coking the Rice a Roni, saute mushroom slice in butter until tender. Allow to cool along with the Rice a Roni.
In a large bowl, combine Rice a Roni, sauteed mushrooms, and remaining ingredients. Stir until well combined. (I like to put mine in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving but isn’t necessary.) Makes 6-8 servings.

Oyster Crackers

2010-05-24T18:07:00.000-07:00

* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1 (1 ounce) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
* 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
* 1 (12 ounce) package oyster crackers

Pour crackers into a bowl (preferably one that has a lid) Dump the packet of Ranch, dill and oil on top of crackers. Put lid on bowl and shake well until everything is mixed well, Let sit for at least 2 hours. Enjoy!

Ginger Ale Meatballs

2010-05-19T13:59:00.000-07:00

40 frozen, fully cooked meatballs (I used turkey ones)
2 cups ginger ale
2 cups ketchup
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Place frozen meatballs in a 3- to 4-quart slow cooker prepared with nonstick cooking spray. In a bowl, combine ginger ale, ketchup, and garlic. Pour mixture over meatballs. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or on high heat for 3 hours. Serve with toothpicks as an appetizer, on hoagie buns, or over hot cooked noodles.

Perfect, Simple Chili

2010-05-18T09:27:00.000-07:00

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond.

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 pounds ground beef (i used turkey, as usual)
One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup masa (corn flour, found in the Mexican section of many supermarkets)

Optional Ingredients

1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
1 can diced tomatoes and chilis
(i didn't use any of these)

For Serving

Shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped green onion
Fritos

* Place the ground beef (or turkey) in a large pot and throw in the garlic.

* Cook the until brown.

* Unless you want to tick off your cardiologist, drain off the excess fat.

* Pour in the tomato sauce, followed by the spices and the salt.

* Stir together well, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If the mixture becomes overly dry, add in 1/2 cup water at a time as needed.

* After an hour, place the masa in a small bowl. Add 1 cup of water and stir together with a fork.

* Dump the masa mixture into the chili and stir together well. Taste, adjust the seasonings, and add more masa paste and/or water to get the chili to your preferred consistency, or add more corn flavor. Add the beans, jalapeño, and tomatoes if desired. Simmer for 10 minutes.

* Serve with shredded cheddar, chopped green onions, sour cream, and Fritos.

Ramen Noodle Salad

2010-05-17T13:44:00.000-07:00

Dressing Ingredients:
* 2/3 cups oil
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup vinegar
* seasoning packets from ramen noodles

Salad Ingredients:
* 1 pkg. cole slaw mix
* 1 bunches of green onions (chopped)
* 1 cup sunflower seeds
* 2 pkg. chicken ramen noodles (broken up)

Mix dressing ingredients. I mix them in the blender, makes it much easier. Mix salad ingredients. Add dressing and toss. Let stand for a few hours to overnight in the refrigerator.

Cheesy Chicken Lasagna

2010-04-22T13:20:00.001-07:00

2 cans (12 oz) evaporated milk (not fat-free)
1 (1 oz) pkg. dry Ranch dressing mix
3 C. cubed, cooked, chicken
1/8 tsp pepper
1 (16oz) lasagna noodles, cooked
1 1/2 to 2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 to 2 C mozzarella cheese, grated

Cook the chicken and noodles first at the same time. Once noodles are done–rinse in cold water and set aside (it keeps them from sticking together). Combine evaporated milk (don’t use fat-free version) and Ranch dressing in a 3 quart heavy saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently until dry ingredients are dissolved. Stir in chicken and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes (don’t do any less), stirring frequently. Layer half of lasagna noodles, poultry sauce, and cheese in well-buttered 9×13 pan. Repeat layers again. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Meatballs ala Kelly

2010-03-21T08:34:00.000-07:00

* 2 eggs
* 1 small onion, minced
* 2 pounds ground turkey
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
* 1 1/2 cups ketchup
* 1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard
* 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
* 3/4 cup brown sugar

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl. Add the onion, beef, milk, and salt; mix well. Sprinkle in the bread crumbs and mix until evenly combined. Form the mixture into 40 meatballs and place into a 9x13 inch baking dish; set aside. Whisk the ketchup, mustard, vinegar, and sugar in a bowl; pour over the meatballs.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the meatballs are no longer pink in the center, about 1 hour.

Dill Dip

2010-02-01T08:43:00.001-08:00

* 2 cups mayonnaise
* 2 cups sour cream
* 3 tablespoons chopped onion
* 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
* 3 teaspoons dried dill weed
* 1 tablespoon white sugar

In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, chopped onion, seasoning salt, dill weed, and white sugar. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving to blend flavors.

STAINED GLASS WINDOW COOKIES

2009-12-24T08:55:00.000-08:00

* 2/3 cup butter
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 eggs
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/3 cup milk
* 40 fruit flavored hard candies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with foil.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla and eggs.
3. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add to egg mixture alternately with milk.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut dough into desired shapes. Using a smaller cookie cutter or a knife, cut shapes into centers of cookies, reserving these center bits to add into extra dough.
5. Keeping the colors separate, place candy in plastic bags and crush with a hammer. Use a spoon to sprinkle the crushed candy into the hollowed-out centers of the cookies, filling to the edges. Try to keep the candy within the centers. Any candy specks that fall on the cookie will color the cookie.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until candy is just melted. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, until candy is hard. Carefully lift cookies off baking sheet with spatula.

PRETZEL KISSES

2009-12-23T08:52:00.000-08:00

1 bag pretzels
1 pkg. M&Ms
1 pkg. Hershey Kisses

Place pretzels on baking stone or sheet. Place a Kiss on each pretzel and bake at 200 degrees for about 8 minutes (just watch for the Kisses to melt). Remove from oven and promptly place a couple of M&Ms on each pretzel, pressing into the melted chocolate. Allow to cool before serving. At room temperature, this takes SEVERAL hours. I would recommend making these the day before you plan on eating/delivering. Or you can put them in the refrigerator to speed up the process.

PEPPERMINT CRUMBLE COOKIES

2009-12-22T08:46:00.000-08:00

3/4 c. butter
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 T. water
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
bag of crumbled peppermint pieces

Melt butter, brown sugar, and water in a saucepan over medium heat until melted and then add the chocolate chips, stirring until completely melted. Cool for 10 minutes. Put this in a mixing bowl and beat in 2 eggs. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix together and chill for about 45 minutes.

Spoon onto cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. When cookies come out of oven, sprinkle peppermint crumbles on top of the cookie and do not spread. The pieces will get soft at first, but then keep their shape and re-solidify when cool.

Ranch Cheeseburgers

2009-12-05T06:18:00.000-08:00

1 packet (1 ounce) Hidden Valley® The Original Ranch® Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix
1 pound ground beef (or turkey)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
4 hamburger buns

Combine Ranch mix, beef and cheese. Shape into patties; cook thoroughly, until meat is no longer pink in the center. Toast buns before serving, if desired.

Perfect Crispy Potatoes

2009-11-03T13:53:00.000-08:00

1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 russet potatoes, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon butter (I used salted)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the potato cubes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Saute stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, add the water, stir, and cover the pan with a lid. Steam the potatoes until the water evaporates, about 3 or 4 more minutes. (Every 1 to 2 minutes, open the lid long enough to stir the potatoes so they don't stick.) Lower the heat to medium, and saute another 1 to 2 minutes until all traces of water are gone. Toss in the butter and stir to coat the potatoes. Spread the potatoes out on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven until the potatoes are crisp and browned to your liking, about 15 to 25 minutes depending on how dark you want them (I recommend stirring them half way through cooking). Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl and serve.

soft pretzels

2009-11-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

* 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1 1/8 teaspoons salt
* 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup bread flour
* 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 2 tablespoons baking soda
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt

1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast, brown sugar and salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Stir in flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let rise for one hour.
2. Combine 2 cups warm water and baking soda in an 8 inch square pan.
3. After dough has risen, cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 3 foot rope, pencil thin or thinner. Twist into a pretzel shape, and dip into the baking soda solution. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets, and let rise 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Bake at 450 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with coarse salt, garlic salt or cinnamon sugar.

Chinese Meatballs with Sesame Rice

2009-10-12T15:53:00.000-07:00

* 1lb. ground turkey
* 1 small can water chesnuts, minced
* 2 scallions, trimmed and minced
* 2 tbsp. soy sauce
* 1 tsp. Asian (dark) roasted sesame oil
* 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
* 3 cups hot cooked rice, preferably Basmati, Texmati or Jasmine (I use Jasmine)
* 2 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
* 1 scallion thinly sliced

In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, water chesnuts, minced scallions, soy sauce and sesame oil. Use a fork to stir mixture until it's well mixed. Use your hands to shape tiny meatballs (approx. 1 inch diameter). Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, stirring often, until browned on all sides. Cover and cook until meatballs are no longer raw in the center. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine rice, sesame seeds and sliced scallions. Toss well to combine. Serve meatballs beside or over rice.

**To toast sesame seeds, place a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sesame seeds and toast, stirring occasionally, until the seeds turn golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove seeds from skillet right away to prevent further browning.**

Cheeseburger Soup

2009-10-08T13:45:00.000-07:00

* 1/2 pound ground beef
* 3/4 cup chopped onion
* 3/4 cup shredded carrots
* 3/4 cup chopped celery
* 1 teaspoon dried basil
* 1 teaspoon dried parsley
* 4 tablespoons butter
* 3 cups chicken broth
* 4 cups cubed potatoes
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
* 1 1/2 cups milk
* 1/4 cup sour cream

1. In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine over medium heat: cook and stir vegetables and beef , until beef is brown.
2. Stir in basil and parsley. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes.
3. Melt the remainder of butter and stir in flour. Add the milk, stirring until smooth.
4. Gradually add milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through. Do not boil.

Quick Potato Rolls

2009-09-26T14:34:00.001-07:00

Makes 12 Rolls

3-1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 envelope Fleischmann's Rapid Rise Yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup instant potato flakes or buds* (I used buds)
2 eggs

In large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, and salt. Heat water, milk, and butter until very warm (120o to 130oF). Stir in potato flakes; let soften 1 minute. Stir into dry ingredients. Stir in 1 egg and enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 4 to 6 minutes. Cover; let rest on floured surface 10 minutes.Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece to 12-inch rope. Coil each rope to make "snail" shape. Arrange rolls in a circle on large greased baking sheet with sides barely touching. Place large shallow pan on counter; half fill with boiling water. Place baking sheet on pan. Cover; let rise 15 minutes. Lightly beat remaining egg; brush over rolls. Bake at 375oF for 25 minutes or until done. Remove from sheet; let cool on wire rack.

*To use fresh potato: Follow above directions except decrease water to 1/2 cup and replace potato flakes with 1/3 cup cooked, mashed potato (at room temperature). Stir mashed potato into dough along with egg.

3 Envelope Roast

2009-09-16T17:02:00.000-07:00

3 pound beef roast (such as chuck roast)
1 envelope of dry Italian salad dressing mix
1 envelope of dry ranch salad dressing mix
1 envelope of dry brown gravy mix
2 cups water

Put the water in a measuring cup that is larger then the amount of water you are using. Now add and mix all three envelopes of dry ingredients to the water. Mix until blended completely. Add the meat to your slow cooker. Pour the water, salad dressing mixture over the roast. Cook it on high for about 4 hours on low about 8 hours.

Vegetable Pizza

2009-09-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

* 2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
* 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1 (1 ounce) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
* 1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped
* 1 cup chopped tomatoes
* 1 cup chopped green bell pepper* 1 cup chopped cauliflower
* 1 cup shredded carrots
* 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Roll out the crescent roll dough onto a 9x13 inch baking sheet, and pinch together edges to form the pizza crust.
3. Bake crust for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Once finished cooking, remove crust from oven and let cool 15 minutes without removing it from the baking sheet.
4. In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, and dry Ranch dressing. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust. Arrange broccoli, tomato, cauliflower, shredded carrots, and Cheddar cheese over the cream cheese layer. Chill for one hour, slice and serve.

Pinto Beans

2009-09-04T14:49:00.000-07:00

4 cups Dried Pinto Beans
4 slices Thick Sliced Bacon
salt
pepper

Measure four cups of beans and rinse them under cool water. If you see any little strange looking bits in there, pick them out and discard. Throw the beans into the pot. Now put some water in the pot…cover the beans by a good two inches.
Now take four slices of thick-sliced bacon (or one slice per cup of dry beans.)
Slice them into 1-inch pieces. And throw ‘em in the pot. The bacon adds a nice flavor and a slight saltiness to the beans, but you could certainly leave it out if you want your beans to be more lowfat, though I can’t imagine why anyone would want to do that. Now bring pot to a boil. Then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. We’ll add seasoning later on. After the beans have been simmering now for about two hours. The bean juice will be thick and yummy. (Or is it gravy? Or sauce? I haven’t decided.) Now it’s time for seasoning.

Start with 1 teaspoon salt. You can always add more later. Now add 2 teaspoons black pepper.

Stir together well and check the seasoning. You might want to add a little more salt, but be aware the cornbread with which you’ll serve the beans contains salt. So don’t overdo it.

banana bread

2009-08-26T13:59:00.000-07:00

4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/4 cup applesauce
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 cup mashed bananas (2 or 3 medium bananas)
1 3/4 cups flour (I sneak wheat flour in and nobody notices)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

optional:
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup chocolate chips (yum!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Smash the bananas until they’re broken up but not completely smooth. Some lumps are OK.

Add in the applesauce, eggs, milk, and brown sugar.

Blend with a hand mixer until everything is incorporated. Again, small lumps are OK.

In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients (or gently shake them through a strainer, which works the same).

The cookbooks all say you don’t have to sift your flour any more, but you know why I do?

Because these lumps are *not* OK.

Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and mix gently with a spoon. When all the flour is mixed in, add any optional ingredients.

Spray your loaf pan with cooking spray, and pour in the batter. Bake at 350 until golden and a toothpick/piece of dry spaghetti comes out clean, about 60 minutes.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool to room temperature. OK, who am I kidding? As soon as it comes out of the pan, everybody in the house is going to grab a piece because it smells sooooo good.

Quick! Cut yourself off a piece and save it for breakfast tomorrow.

garlic fridge pickles

2009-08-04T12:52:00.000-07:00

* 2 whole Cucumbers
* 2 cloves Garlic
* 1 cup Vinegar
* 1 cup Water
* ⅓ cups Sugar
* 1 tablespoon Salt
* 1 teaspoon Dill, Dried
* 1 pinch(es) Red Pepper Flakes
* 1 pinch(es) Coriander
* 6 whole Peppercorns

Use cucumbers with no wax residue on the peels.

Slice cucumbers in 1/4″-1/8″ slices.

Cut garlic cloves in quarters, then smash them a bit.

Put cucumbers and garlic in a bowl.

Heat vinegar (I like apple cider vinegar, but white works also), water, sugar, salt, dill, red pepper flakes, coriander and peppercorns in a small sauce pan until sugar and salt are dissolved.*

Pour over the cucumbers and garlic.

Cover and let marinate in refrigerator for at least two hours.

Serve cold.

* We don’t love sweet pickles around here, so next time I think I'll cut back on the sugar.

90 Second Dessert

2009-07-29T16:51:00.000-07:00

These individual desserts are a huge hit because they're so fun and so easy! The ingredients are "anything goes"! We've had them with canned sliced peaches, coconut, heath toffee bits, chocolate chips, fresh cherries chopped, broken up candy bars, cherry pie filling and so on.

* Cake mix, any flavor or flavors you choose
* Water
* Toppings such as chocolate chips, M&Ms, Reeses pieces, Toffee Bits, Coconut, nuts, fruit (bottled, canned or fresh), sprinkles, mini-marshmallows, syrups, you get the idea...
*water

In regular cereal size bowl, mix 1/2 cup dry cake mix and 1/3 cup of water. Stir with a fork until it's no longer lumpy. Add any toppings you desire. Microwave cook for 90 seconds. (My microwave takes 100 seconds for the fruity ones.) Eat! You can top the cake with whipped cream or ice cream or, again, anything goes! Enjoy!

Loose Burgers

2009-07-20T16:51:00.000-07:00

1 lb. ground turkey, browned with 1/2 an onion
1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom
1/2 can water

once turkey is browned, dump onion soup mix and cream of mushroom into it. add 1/2 can of water and stir. cook until mixture thickens. serve on your choice of bun.

Nachos

2009-07-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

1 lb. ground beef/turkey
1/4 cup diced onions
1 pint taco sauce
1 can refried beans
can cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope dry taco seasoning
2 cups cheddar cheese
tortilla chips
lettuce
chopped tomatoes
sour cream

brown ground beef/turkey and onions. drain. combine all ingredients except tortilla chips, lettuce, tomato and sour cream in crock pot. cover. cook on high 1 hour, stirring occasionally until cheese fully melted. serve with tortilla chips, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.

Hummus

2009-07-15T01:04:00.000-07:00

1 can of chick peas (with juice)
1 clove of garlic
2-3 tbsp. lemon juice
3 tbsp. tahini
2-3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste

throw it all in a blender and blend until smooth

chickenetti

2009-07-13T13:02:00.000-07:00

* 1 cup chicken broth
* 16 ounces spaghetti, cooked
* 4-6 cups cooked chicken or cooked turkey, cubed
* 10 3/4 ounces cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup
* 1 cup water
* 1/2 cup celery, diced
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 1 medium onion, grated
* 1/2 lb American cheese, cubed

Put chicken broth into a very large crockpot. Add spaghetti and meat.
In large bowl, combine soup and water until smooth.
Stir in remaining ingredients, then pour into crockpot.
Cover. Cook on low, 2-3 hours.

Roasted New Potato Salad

2009-07-03T18:08:00.000-07:00

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 pounds small red potatoes, diced
* 1/2 medium-size sweet onion, chopped
* 2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 1 teaspoon coarse salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 8 to 10 cooked crisp bacon slices, crumbled
* 1 bunch green onions, chopped
* 3/4 cup prepared Ranch dressing
* Salt and pepper to taste

Place oil in a bowl; add potatoes and the next 4 ingredients, tossing to coat. Arrange potato mixture in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

Bake at 425° for 30 to 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. If you like your potatoes crispier, bake about 10 minutes longer, stirring once. Transfer to a large bowl.

Toss together potatoes, bacon, green onions, and dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or cover and chill until ready to serve.

Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding

2009-07-02T18:03:00.000-07:00

* 2 dozen Krispy Kreme donuts
* 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
* 2 (4.5-ounce) cans fruit cocktail (undrained)
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1 (9-ounce) box raisins
* 1 pinch salt
* 1 or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* Butter Sauce, recipe follows
** I have also used coconut in this. I used about a cup.**
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cube donuts into a large bowl. Pour other ingredients on top of donuts and let soak for a few minutes. Mix all ingredients together until donuts have soaked up the liquid as much as possible.

Bake for about 1 hour until center has jelled. Top with Butter Sauce.
Butter Sauce:

1 stick butter

1 pound box confectioners' sugar

Melt butter and slowly stir in confectioners' sugar. Heat until bubbly. Pour over each serving of Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding.

Strawberry Jam

2009-06-26T18:44:00.000-07:00

2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled
2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

In a wide bowl, crush strawberries in batches until you have 4 cups of mashed berry. (you could also throw into the blender and give them a whirl if you want it less chunky) In a heavy bottomed saucepan, mix together the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 220 degrees F (105 degrees C). Transfer to hot sterile jars, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch headspace, and seal. Process any unsealed jars in a water bath. If the jam is going to be eaten right away, don't bother with processing, and just refrigerate. (or buy Ball freezer jars like I did and dump cooled jam into them and freeze)

We Don't Eat A Lot Of Pork Around Here

2009-06-25T11:37:00.000-07:00

my favorite pork recipe only has 3 ingredients:
2-4 lb. pork shoulder
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 envelope onion soup mix

pour all ingredients over the pork and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Baked Potato Soup

2009-06-20T17:54:00.000-07:00

2 1/2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and diced in 1 to 2-inch chunks
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 quart chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, to add at the end
crumbled bacon and green onion or chives as garnish (optional)

Peel and dice the potatoes, and put them into the crock pot. Add onion and garlic. Sprinkle in the seasonings, and pour in the broth. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4. The potatoes should be fork-tender. You can use a potato masher to mash the potatoes in the soup, or a hand-held immersible blender. )i just dumped into my blender. Maddy broke my hand blender several months ago)I suppose you can also leave the potatoes in chunks, if you really wanted, but I wanted a smooth soup.

After smashing the potatoes, crumble in package of cream cheese, and put the lid back on. Cook on high for about 30 minutes, or until the cream cheese is completely dissolved. Stir a few times during the 30 minutes.

Garnish with crumbled bacon, green onion or chives, and I'd assume cheddar cheese would be just delightful.

Garlic Chicken Farfalle

2009-06-19T09:55:00.000-07:00

16 oz. Farfalle pasta
1 c. heavy whipping cream
3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed OR garlic salt (I do a spoonful of crushed garlic)
1 Tbsp. pepper*
1/2 c. butter
1 lb. bacon, crumpled**
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (12 oz) Lawry’s mesquite marinade with lime juice

*Seems like a lot of pepper, but it has a wonderful flavor when everything mixes together. If you’re apprehensive, do less pepper. You can always add more.

**We like to cook our bacon in the oven (400 degrees, convection). Way less messy. And it’s crispy every time. Time varies, so you just have to watch it. I think it’s usually around 30 minutes. Allow to cool and then crumple.

Crock pot chicken and bottle of marinade on low for 6 hours. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a little bit, and shred (I pull it apart). Set this aside. About a half-hour before serving, boil the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, and crumpled bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir through. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded parmesan cheese on top.

too tired to cook

2009-06-09T19:23:00.001-07:00

pick up the phone and order pizza

Apple Dumplings

2009-05-25T15:18:00.001-07:00

2 Granny Smith apples
2 cans crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
cinnamon
1 small can Mountain Dew (I didn't use the whole can, maybe 1/2)

Peel and core apples. Cut apples into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan. Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

Shortbread

2009-05-23T13:28:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

* 8 ounces butter (2 sticks), room temperature
* 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients; use hands to knead until ingredients are blended. Press into ungreased pans (or chill and roll out to about 1/2-inch on a floured board and cut into shapes). Bake at 325° for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Cut into wedges while warm or break apart.

My Babies Favorite French Toast

2009-05-22T06:37:00.000-07:00

* 2 eggs
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* dash nutmeg
* 6 slices French bread, sliced on diagonal

Preparation:
In a shallow bowl, whisk egg until foamy. Whisk in milk, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg.

Heat butter in heavy skillet over medium-low heat. (I use an electric skillet) Dip 4 slices of bread in the egg mixture, turning to coat thoroughly. Let excess drip back into bowl.

Place coated bread slices in hot skillet. Cook, turning, until both sides are nicely browned, about 2 minutes each side.

Repeat with remaining bread and egg mixture. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, if desired. Serve with maple syrup.

Crockpot Oatmeal

2009-05-02T17:23:00.000-07:00

* 2 cups steel cut oats (not instant or rolled oats)
* 6-8 cups water, depending on how long the oatmeal will cook
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 2 apples, peeled and diced
* 1 cup sliced bananas
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Spray crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. If you're planning to cook the oatmeal 8 hours or longer, use 8 cups of water. If you want to cook it less than 8 hours, use 6 cups of water. Put first sixingredients in slow cooker and cook on low. Just before serving, Stir in bananas and walnuts. Sprinkle with additional brown sugar if desired.

Chicken Lo Mein

2009-04-23T07:07:00.000-07:00

12 oz. fettucine noodles, cooked and set aside
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup hot water
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. oil
1 lb. uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 medium head broccoli
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
6 green onions chopped

in a jar with a tight lid, mix peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, hot water and garlic. shake well until blended. in a skillet, stir fry chicken in oil for 5-7 minutes. add vegetables. cook an additional 5 minutes. add sauce to skillet. stir in noodles. cook 2 more minutes and then serve.

Cheese Fondue

2009-04-13T16:50:00.000-07:00

* 1 cup milk
* 1 garlic clove, smashed
* 1 lb monterrey jack cheese, coarsely grated
* 2 tablespoons flour

Directions

1. Heat milk and garlic (if using) in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering, about 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Toss the cheese and flour together in a bowl or large ziploc bag until the shreds are nicely floured.
3. Whisk the cheese into the milk a handful at a time, waiting for each handful to melt before adding more.
4. When it's all melted and smooth, remove garlic clove and pour cheese into a fondue pot.

Macaroni & Cheese

2009-04-08T13:49:00.000-07:00

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

4 cups dried macaroni
1/4 cup (1/2 stick, 4 tablespoons) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 heaping teaspoons dry mustard (more if desired)
1 egg, beaten
1 pound cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (more to taste)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain.
In a small bowl, beat egg.
In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.
Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.
Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.
Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.
Add in cheese and stir to melt.
Add seasoned salt and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.
Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.

Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

Orange Cream Cheesecake

2009-03-31T06:31:00.000-07:00

CRUST
* 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon orange zest
* 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

FILLING

* 1 (3 ounce) package orange flavor gelatin
* 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 1/4 cups sugar
* 1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice
* 1/3 cup orange juice concentrate
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 (8 ounce) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed

TOPPING

* 2 cups whipped topping
* 1/4 cup sugar
* lemon slice

Directions

1. Combine the cracker crumbs, cinnamon, orange peel and butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 10 inch springform pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Prepare gelatin according to package directions. Set aside 1/2 cup at room temperature. Chill remaining gelatin until slightly thickened, about 80 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar for 2 minutes. Gradually beat in milk and lemon juice. Beat on medium-high speed 2 minutes longer. Gradually beat in orange juice concentrate, vanilla and room temperature gelatin. Fold in whipped topping. Pour over prepared crust.
4. In a mixing bowl, beat whipped topping and sugar. beat in refrigerated gelatin mixture (mixture will be thin). Chill for 30 minutes. Gently spoon over filling (pan will be full). Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Ham and Scalloped Potatoes

2009-03-21T06:01:00.000-07:00

6-8 slices ham
8-10 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
1-2 onions, thinly sliced
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
can of cream of mushroom soup

Put half of ham, potatoes and onions in crockpot. sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cheese. repeat layers. spoon soup over top. cover. cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4 hours.

Mini Meat Pies

2009-03-14T06:25:00.000-07:00

3/4 lb ground turkey (I added chopped onions, carrots and celery)
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tbsp mustard
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 can grands biscuits
1/4 cup shredded cheese

preheat over to 400. brown the turkey and drain. mix ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar to make sauce. add sauce to meat mixture. take biscuits from can and form dough into cups in a muffin pan. spoon the meat into the dough cups. bake at for about 15 minutes (or until biscuit dough looks done). sprinkle tops with cheese and let melt.

Cheeseburger Casserole aka My Family's Favorite Meal

2009-03-04T13:57:00.000-08:00

1 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked al dente
1 lb. ground turkey, browned (as usual I tend to brown it with chopped onion, carrot and celery)
1 packet onion soup mix
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 can tomato soup
1 8 oz. package of shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients(except cheese). Pour into a 13x9 baking dish. Top with cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

16 Bean Soup

2009-02-19T05:38:00.001-08:00

Trying a new recipe in the crockpot today...I'll let you know how it goes.

**Edit** Can we say yuck? I'm not even going to post this nasty recipe.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

2009-02-18T14:59:00.000-08:00

* 2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
* 1 sweet onion, diced
* 1/4 cup canola oil
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 1 (1 ounce) envelope ranch dressing mix
* 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
* 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded (not from the shaker)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. In a gallon zip-top storage bag, combine potatoes, onion, and oil.
3. Toss to coat vegetables with oil.
4. Add paprika and ranch dressing mix, toss again until coated with seasonings.
5. Bake in an ungreased baking pan 30-35 minutes until potatoes are browned, or cook longer for crispier potatoes.
6. Remove from oven and top with cheeses, return to oven for 2-3 minutes to let cheese melt.
7. Remove from oven and serve.

Spanish Rice

2009-02-09T17:04:00.001-08:00

2 lbs. ground turkey (beef, whatever), browned
2 medium onions, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped (We don't like them so I don't use them)
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 1/2 tsp, chili powder
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups rice, uncooked

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on low 8-10 hours or high for 6 hours.

Taco Soup

2009-01-19T11:45:00.000-08:00

1 lb. ground turkey (or beef)
1 large onion, chopped
2-14 oz. can pinto beans
14 oz. can tomatoes with chilies
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
16 oz. tomato sauce
15 oz. can of corn
1 pkg. dry ranch dressing mix
1 pkg. dry taco seasoning

Brown turkey and onions in skillet. Drain. Combine all ingredients in crockpot. Cover. Cook on low 4 hours, or until ingredients are heated through. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips and whatever else floats your boat.

Broccoli Tortellini Salad

2009-01-12T04:41:00.000-08:00

1 pkg. cheese tortellini (can be found in the pasta aisle)
1 head broccoli, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
12 slices bacon, fried (or baked) (I have also used real bacon bits, much easier...do not use imitation bacon bits...yuck!)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (I use more)
1 cup mayonnaise
2 T white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain. Let cool. Mix tortellini, bacon, onion and sunflower seeds in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and salt. (Or whiz it in the blender like I do) Pour over broccoli tortellini mixture.

*I've also had this with raisins in it. I prefer it without.*

Cucumber Hungarian Salad Thing

2009-01-02T07:13:00.000-08:00

This is one of my all time favorites and has been for as long as I can remember.

5 cucumbers, peeled and sliced thin
1 medium onion, cut in half and slice thin
1 8 oz. sour cream
salt

Mix the first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Add salt to taste. All done!

**Discovered last night that the cucumber hungarian salad thing juice makes excellent chip dip. I'm just saying.**

Delicious, Creamy Mashed Potatoes

2008-12-29T16:38:00.000-08:00

* 5 lbs. russet or yukon gold potatoes
* 2 sticks of butter
* 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese
* 1/2 to 3/4 cup half & half
* 1 tsp. Lawry's season salt
* 1 tsp. black pepper

With a vegetable peeler, peel 5 pounds of regular Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes. After peeling, rinse under cold water.

Now, I always like to chop the potatoes in half or in fourths before throwing them into the pot. They cook more quickly and more evenly this way. No need to freak and spaz and wig out here—just cut them so they’re generally the same size.

Bring a pot of water to a healthy simmer and then throw them in. Now, bring to a boil and cook for a good thirty minutes—possibly more. You have to give the potatoes the old fork check to make sure they’re done. When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost—but not totally—fall apart. Remember, if the fork meets with any resistance, that means there will be little hard pieces of potatoes in the final product. Translation: LUMPS!

Drain the potatoes in a large colander and give yourself a nice steam facial while you’re at it. Not really.

When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Turn the burner on low. What we’re going to do is mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients. That way, the potatoes won’t be watery or “mealy.”

Do you have a potato masher? You need one! They’re relatively inexpensive and so much better to use than an electric mixer, the sharp blades of which can break down the starch in the potatoes and make the final product gummy. Mash away…until most of the steam has escaped and most of the chunks of potato have been mashed well, about three minutes. Turn off the stove.

Find the butter you’ve been softening and just slice it right into the hot potatoes. For five pounds of potatoes, I use 2 sticks.

Now, are you ready to get SERIOUS? Okay, I’m just making sure. This, my friends and cohorts, is THE secret ingredient of delectable, delightful, creamy, perfect mashed potatoes. Do not be afraid. Do not scream and run. You must trust me. I know of what I speak. To five pounds of potatoes, I add an 8 oz package of cream cheese. It’s best if it’s softened.

Let me just say that Michael and Madison would never—NEVER—touch cream cheese with a ten-foot pole. Never. They’d sooner have their gums scraped than eat cheesecake or spread cream cheese on a cracker. But they love my mashed potatoes. And they ate them for quite awhile before Michael ever got wind of the secret ingredient. He cried for a few days when he found out he’d consumed cream cheese, but now he doesn’t even bat an eye. (Madison will NEVER find out the secret) In terms of culinary repertoire, it’s all about baby steps with these people.

To make the texture just right, we need to add a little Half & Half.

Hey, I COULD have used heavy cream. But this is a low-fat dish, people. I have to make healthy choices. Begin with 1/2 cup. You can always add another splash later.

It’s time to mash away again! If your butter and cream cheese were softened to begin with, everything should come together perfectly.

Okay. That’s the basic mashed potato recipe. From here, you can add whatever seasonings you want: onion powder, salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic salt…even mashed roasted garlic cloves. I like to keep it pretty simple. And Lawry’s, to me, is just right. It provides salt content as well as just a hint of some other flavors. Add black pepper. Stir everything together.

Voila! The perfect mashed potatoes.

Tennessee Meat Loaf

2008-12-29T16:29:00.000-08:00

* 1 1/2 pound ground beef (I always use ground turkey)
* 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (I usually bump this up to at least 3/4 cup)
* 1 egg
* 1 onion chopped (I usually chop a handful of baby carrots and 2 stalks of celery and put in it too)
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
* 1/2 cup water
* 3 tablespoons vinegar
* 3 tablespoons brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons mustard
* 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Mix together beef, crumbs, egg, onion, salt and 1/2 of tomato sauce. Form into loaf and put into shallow pan. Combine rest of the tomato sauce and all the other ingredients. Pour over loaf. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Baste occasionally.

**I recommend serving with mashed potatoes (recipe tomorrow) and green beans.

Chicken Noodle Soup

2008-12-27T05:17:00.000-08:00

This is one of those recipes that I've tweaked and tweaked until I got it just how I want it to be.

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

2 chicken bouillon cubes (or 2 tsp. granules)
2 cans chicken broth
1 c. chopped carrots
2 c. chopped celery
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/2 (half) can cream of chicken soup
1/4 c. milk
1/2 stick (4 Tbsp.) butter
1/4 c. flour
2 c. chopped cooked chicken (or do what I did tonight and use a can of chicken breast, made it even easier)
4-6 oz. egg noodles

Boil chicken until fully cooked. Cook egg noodles. Dissolve 2 bouillon cubes in 1 cup boiling water. Add chicken broth and vegetables to the liquid until tender. In separate bowl, whisk a half a can of cream of chicken soup and milk until smooth. Whisk soup and milk mixture into broth and vegetables. Melt butter then stir into flour. Add to soup mixture. Add chicken and noodles.

Christmas Morning Cinnamon Buns

2008-12-25T08:55:00.001-08:00

20 frozen dough balls (I used Rhodes frozen dinner rolls)
1 cup brown sugar
1 small instant vanilla pudding mix
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 stick of butter, melted

Place frozen dough balls into a bundt pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Mix brown sugar, vanilla pudding and cinnamon together. Pour over dough balls. Melt butter and pour over dry mixture and dough. Place a damp towel over bundt pan and let rise over night. Bake the next morning at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Andes Mint Cookies

2008-12-17T13:59:00.000-08:00

3/4 c. butter (or margarine)
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 T. water

Melt in a saucepan over medium heat until melted and then add:

2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, stirring until completely melted.

Cool for 10 minutes. Pour into a mixing bowl and beat in 2 eggs.

Add:
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix together and chill for about 45 minutes. Roll into balls (like 1 - 1 1/2 inches big), flatten slightly, and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

When cookies come out of the oven, place an Andes mint on top of each cookie and allow to melt for a few minutes. Swirl the melted chocolate like icing. Allow to cool.

Soda Cracker Toffee

2008-12-07T06:42:00.000-08:00

This is one of those "can't stop eating it until it's gone" type recipes! I prefer this to real toffee because you don't need dental work after you eat it. It's quick and easy to make and honestly, it's to die for!

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place one sleeve of saltine crackers, plus a few more to cover the entire bottom of the pan. *Do not crumble the crackers, place them whole.*

In a pan, melt 1 cup (2 sticks) butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Once it's melted, stir for three minutes. Pour the sauce over the crackers. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven. Pour one package of chocolate chips (I use milk chocolate chips) over the baked layers. Wait 30 seconds. Spread the chocolate to cover the pan. If you want, sprinkle with chopped nuts. Place in the refrigerator for one hour. Remove and then break into bite-size pieces. Store in a sealed container.