Meg's Stir Fry

I have hesitated to put this recipe on, although it is really good, because when I come up with my own recipes the measurements are, at best, very vague. Hopefully, I can give you a good enough idea to recreate what I make. :-)

Stew meat (or any meat you can cut into half-inch cubes) I use elk or deer most of the time, sometimes beef. I use about a half-pound of meat, but you can use as much or as little as you like.

1 bag frozen vegetables -- I've used many different varieties, our favorite is GV Deluxe Stir Fry, I've also tried adding my own mix of veggies, but the frozen bags are much easier.

Sauce:
2 c. beef broth
2 T. cornstarch
1/2 c. soy sauce

Cut the meat into half-inch cubes and fry in a large skillet. Add the veggies, heat until warm

Meanwhile, mix broth, soy sauce and cornstarch. When the veggies are heated add the sauce to the meat and veggies. Bring to a boil and let thicken.

Serve over rice.

Sweet & Spicy Glazed Steaks

I officialy have the most awesome husband ever. Last night he surprised me with dinner! He made Sweet & Spicy Glazed Steaks, a recipe he found himself. It was YUMMY, and I asked for the recipe so I could put it on here.

1/2 cup chunky salsa
1/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp Dijon-style mustard
Steaks

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup; brush remaining on steaks during last 5 minutes of grilling (or broiling). Serve with reserved sauce. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Christmas Recipes

Last year mom e-mailed my this link to all these fun recipes for Christmas. It is a fun site and I thought I would share. Christmas Cookies!! There are other recipe ideas on here such as Christmas candy, pies, cakes etc. that look fun too. Happy Cooking!! Let us know if you try one and you LOVE it.

Country-Time Green Beans

2 cans green beans, drained
3/4 T. butter
3/4 T. all-purpose flour
3/4 t. sugar
1/3 c. chicken broth, warmed
3/4 t. cider vinegar
pepper to taste
3 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled (or bacon bits)

Melt butter in a 12" skillet; whisk flour until smooth. In a small bowl, combine sugar and broth together; add to flour mixture. Bring to a boil; stir for one minute. Reduce heat; mix in vinegar without boiling. Season with pepper; add green beans and bacon, heating until warmed. Serves 6.

Chicken & Noodles

8-oz. pkg. medium egg noodles, cooked
3 10-3/4 oz. cans cream of chicken soup
16 oz. can chicken broth
6-1/2 oz. can chicken

Combine ingredients in a large saucepan; heat until hot and mixture reaches desired consistency. Makes 4 to 6 servings.


Note: There are endless possibilities with Chicken & Noodles! Add whatever veggies are handy or sprinkle with cheese for a twist!

Cookie Dough Truffles

Attention all Cookie Dough Lovers! The filling of these truffles tastes like genuine chocolate chip cookie dough! (And it has no eggs!) I am SO excited to have found this. I even made some without the chocolate chips for my hubby, the chocolate-hater who loves Cookie Dough. And this recipe is EASY!!! I know Christmas is a ways off yet, but these are definitely going on my treat trays this year.

Recipe:

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1-1/2 pounds semisweet chocolate candy coating, chopped

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour, milk and vanilla; mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips. Shape into 1-in. balls; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Loosely cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until firm.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt candy coating, stirring often until smooth. Dip balls in coating; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. If desired, remelt remaining candy coating and drizzle over candies. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 5-1/2 dozen

Zucchini Cake

With Meg's brownie recipe with Zucchini I thought, that maybe you all would like this recipe too. It is actually Amanda's, or my mom's. It is really good.

3 1/2 cup shredded zucchini (Packed) Don't peel.
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa + 1 TBS
1 1/2 tsp. soda
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs

Mix wet ingredients with zucchini. Sift dry ingredients together and mix into wet ingredients. Pour into oiled 9 x 13 pan. Bake 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

Icing
3 oz. cream cheese, softened a little
3/4 stick of margarine, softened a little
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 TBS cream
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix all together.

Zucchini Brownies

Mix together:
1 1/4 c sugar
1/4 c cocoa
1 t salt
1/2 t soda
2 t vanilla
2 c grated zucchini
1/2 c vegetable oil

Add 2 c flour

Put into greased and floured 9"x13" pan or 2 layer pans
Bake at 350 for 25 min or until toothpick comes out clean

Mint Sundae Brownies

This recipe is super easy and so delicious. I made it one day and took to my brother for his birthday and he loved it and mentioned it often. When one receives a compliment from Matt, you know it's got to be worth it:) So I made it again last night for a family dinner we had (Matt's request)and it was a hit, both with adults and with kids. So here you go!

1 pkg fudge brownie mix (9x13 pan size)
3/4 c. chopped almonds (or pecans, or whatever nut you prefer, really)
Mix brownie according to directions, add nuts. Pour into a greased 9x13" pan and bake at 325 degrees for about 25 minutes (or until done). Let cool.

1 (14oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons peppermint extract (I like it minty, but you can add less if you want)
4 drops green food coloring (to make it pretty, but you don't have to)
2 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped or an 8 oz tub of cool whip
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips
Combine the milk, extract and food coloring in a large bowl. Fold in whipped cream and chocolate chips. Spread over brownies. Cover and freeze for SEVERAL hours.

Hot fudge sauce
chopped peanuts (again, whatever nut you prefer)
Drizzle dessert with the hot fudge (warmed)and sprinkle with nuts and enjoy.

*Making this on a hot afternoon I realized just how quickly it melts, so try to cut and eat while it's still mostly frozen. It takes good melted, but is so much more satisfying frozen. Yum.

Question for you, fellow Culinary Enthusiasts...

OK everyone,

I have a question for you. I got this recipe off the Martha Stewart show a few weeks ago. It sounded so yummy, and Martha claimed it was heart-healthy, so I gave it a whirl yesterday. It tastes delicious, but it was so crumbly! So I was wondering if any of you can look at it (or try it) and give me some pointers on how to make it not so dry. I baked it for the lowest amount of time it called for (35 minutes; I started off baking it for 30 minutes, but then it didn't quite seem done, so I put it in for 5 more minutes), so should I have baked it for even less time, or do I need to tweak the ingredients a bit to add more liquid somewhere?

Oatmeal-Raisin* Squares

* (You can substitute for the raisins any of the following: cranberries, prunes, dried apricots, blueberries, or cherries)

4 cups oats
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup chopped nuts such as pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds (I used almonds)
1 teaspoon baking soda

Combine these ingredients in a large bowl.

Melt 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter; pour over oat mixture and add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix well. Let sit while you make the filling.

Filling:
1/2 cup boiling water
2 cups raisins
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Zest of 1 lemon

Let these ingredients come to a boil, cook for 2 minutes, and then take off the burner to let cool a bit.

Pat 1/2 of the oat mixture into 9x13 pan (Martha used a glass pan, I used a tin pan; would that have anything to do with it?). Purée raisin mixture; spoon onto and spread over oat mixture. Pat rest of oat mixture on top of raisin mixture. Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes, or until golden brown. Cut with serrated knife. Makes 24 squares.

The raisin mixture made only a thin layer between the two oat layers; should I double the raisin mixture? The bottom oat layer held together nicely, but the top layer just crumbled, almost just by looking at it.

We ate this for our home evening treat just now. Everyone liked it, but we had to scrounge up a bite of vanilla ice cream to put on top to help with the dryness. So, if anyone has any tips, please send them my way, 'cause I'd love your input! Thanks in advance!

Make Ahead and Freeze Mexican Wraps

I tried this recipe the other day, it turned out really good and it's quite easy. A couple of notes: it makes a ton. It says it's for 16 tortillas, I halved the recipe, filled 12 tortillas, and still had enough left over for one or two more. I would say if you make the full recipe you will need a lot more than 16 tortillas. Also, I used frozen corn, cheddar cheese, and put in a full can of diced tomatoes, since I didn't know what to do with half a can of leftover tomatoes. I didn't try freezing any of them because they all got eaten. Enjoy!

2 cups uncooked brown rice
4 cups water with salt added (may use garlic salt)
4 (15-ounce) cans black beans
2 (15.5-ounce) cans pinto beans
1 (10-ounce) can whole kernel corn
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies (or your favorite salsa)
16 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 pound shredded pepper jack cheese

Combine rice and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, or until tender.

While rice is cooking, place black beans and pinto beans into a colander or strainer and rinse. Add corn and diced tomatoes with green chilies and mix. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in rice and cheese.

Divide the mixture evenly among the tortillas and roll up.

If freezing: wrap individually in plastic wrap, place into a large freezer bag and freeze. Reheat as needed in the microwave for lunch or snacks.

Chile-Cheese 'Taters

32-oz. pkg. frozen seasoned potato wedges
1/2 c. butter, sliced
1 onion, chopped
4-1/2 oz. can chopped green chiles, diced
12-oz. pkg. shredded mozzarella and Cheddar cheese blend
10-3/4 oz. can cream of chicken soup
1-1/2 c. sour cream

Arrange a layer of potato wedges in the bottom of a greased 13"x9" baking pan; dot with butter. Combine remaining ingredients; spread over potato wedges. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Serves 4-6.

Pina Colada Smoothie

5 Tbs. Coconut milk
2 1/2 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
1/2 frozen banana (chunks)
1 1/2 cups frozen pineapple chunks

Pour all liquid ingredients into the blender.
Add all frozen ingredients.
Blend together until smooth.
Serve immediately.

serves 3-5

Zucchini Bread

This recipe came from the Poulson family Delectable Collectables cookbook, submitted by Aunt Alma. I tweaked it just a bit. It was sooooo yummy and moist. The Boys and I have been devouring it every possible second. It made 4 loaves, so we still have some left over, even though we've been eating so much of it!

6 eggs
2 cups white sugar
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups oil
3 cups grated zucchini
1 cup mashed banana
6 tsp. vanilla
6 cups flour
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon*
1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg*
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2-3 cups chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, or a combination of these (I actually FORGOT to add chocolate chips -- I know, I can't believe it either -- but it still is irresistable.)

* You can adjust these according to your liking.

Beat eggs, sugars and add oil. Stir in grated zucchini and mashed banana. Add vanilla. Sift together flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, soda, and baking powder. Add to zucchini mixture. Add chocolate chips, raisins or nuts. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until done. (You can do straight zucchini if you want, by doing 4 cups zucchini and eliminating the banana.)

Deluxe Mashed Potatoes

These are to die for. Oh MAN. My mouth's watering for them right now.

Serves 6. Prep time: 25 minutes. Cooking time: 15-20 minutes.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
½ small yellow onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
½ cup nonfat sour cream
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (like I said, this is the best!!)
½ teaspoon white pepper (I used black and it tasted yummy; I wonder how it’d taste with white?)
¼ teaspoon salt
4 cups cooked mashed potatoes
¼ cup bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a small skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Stir sour cream, thyme, nutmeg, pepper, and salt into skillet. Mix well.
3. In a medium bowl, combine mashed potatoes with onion mixture. Mix well. Spoon into a 1-quart casserole dish; smooth top.
4. Sprinkle bread crumbs over potato mixture and dot with remaining butter.
5. Bake potato casserole until heated through and top is golden, about 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Macaroni Salad (The Best!)

I am not a fan of pasta salads, but I absolutely love this one! I got the recipe from a friend, who got it from her mother. The sauce makes the recipe - it is creamy and delicious!

1 cup elbow macaroni (amount uncooked)
1 cup cubed cheddar cheese
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 cup chopped ham
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/3 cup chopped onion, or LESS (I love onions, but the kids eat it better with less!)

Cook macaroni & drain. Combine all of the above. Then add the sauce (ingredients below):

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Miracle Whip
1/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. milk
2 Tbsp. sweet pickle relish

**Chill 4 to 24 hours

Creamy Watermelon Pie

I love to make this when we have watermelon. It's cool and refreshing!

1 pkg (3 oz.) watermelon gelatin
1/4 cup boiling water
12 oz. Cool Whip, thawed
2 cups cubed seeded watermelon
1 9" graham cracker crust

In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Cool to room temperature. Whisk in whipped topping; fold in watermelon. Spoon into crust. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.

Check this out.

Girls, I know this isn't a recipe but I thought I would pass along a little kitchen tidbit I recently was made aware of.

How many times do you pull aluminum foil or plastic wrap from the box and have the whole roll come flying out?

Well some of you may know this, but for those of you who don't - Did you know there are little tabs on the end of the foil and plastic wrap boxes that if you push them in they will hold the roll inside the box? I did not know they were there until a couple of weeks ago, and I was almost giddy when I found that out. Mine are pushed in now so no more flying rolls.

By the way - all your recipes sound wonderful.

Creamy Italian Chicken

This is from 101 Things to do with a crock pot. We LOVE it and it is super easy.

4 frozen skinless chicken breasts
1 envelope dry Italian salad dressing mix
1 can (10 3/4 oz. ) cream of chicken soup
1 pkg. (8oz.) cream cheese, softened

Combine all ingredients in greased 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours. (We like it plain or serve over white rice.)

Chicken Salad

This is one of my favorite chicken salad recipes. It is one that we put together from a couple of recipes for Mary's Wedding Reception.

4 lb. chicken, cooked and diced
1 1/4 lb. diced celery
1/3 cup diced onion
3/4 cup mayonaisse
1/4 cup sour cream
grapes cut in half
salt and pepper to taste (Season salt is really good)
1/3 cup crushed cashews.

Mix all together. Really good in cream puffs!

THE Spinach Salad

This is the salad that I make for every family function. It's great!


Salad:
1/2 head iceburg lettuce
1/2 small bag of spinach (make the amounts of iceburg and spinach about the same.)
1/2 c. swiss cheese
1/4 c. cottage cheese
Bacon (I throw a couple of handfuls of the bacon in a bag at costco) You can use bacon bits or fried bacon.
Red onion


Dressing:
1/3 c. oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
4 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. mustard
1/2 tsp. salt

Toss right before serving.

I usually only use 1/3-1/2 of the dressing. It makes a lot, so don't use all of it!

Caramel French Toast

This is absolutely delicious! I may or may not have licked the pan when we were through.


Ingredients:

French Baguette, better if it's one day old
--you may use French Bread but it is not as effective bcse it absorbs more of the egg mixture


Egg Topping:
3 Eggs
1/2 C milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Caramel Sauce:
1 C brown sugar
6 Tbsp butter
1/3 C whipping or heavy cream
1 Tbsp corn syrup

Directions:
1. Slice bread into 1-1/4" pieces.
2. On medium heat, heat all caramel sauce ingredients just until the butter melts. Do not boil.
3. Pour into 9x13" glass dish.
4. Combine all egg ingredients into a shallow dish. Dip bread slices and coat both sides.
5. Place in 9x13"dish.
6. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
7. Bake in oven at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes

Onion Rings

I promised Tim and Katrina that I would post this recipe just for them, so here it is.

Sliced onions
flour

Batter:
1/4 c. oil
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c. milk

Coat sliced onion with flour, then batter, then flour, then batter (repeat 3-4 times or so until thick coat appears, then as batter gets thicker you don't have to repeat quite so often) ending with the batter on the last coat before putting into oil. Then deep fry. Heat the oil to just medium-low to medium so that it will cook the onions on the inside. Cook on one side until golden brown, then turn and cook on the other side until golden brown. They are really good with homemade fry sauce too.

Curry Chicken Casserole

This is a recipe Ariana requested from Derek Curtis, but as he didn't have permission to post here or something, he sent it my way in the hope that I would pass it along. I did, and I am also going to post it here, because I have since found out that Derek does 70 to 80% of the cooking at their house, but for some reason, he tries to hide that fact. I already warned him that I was going to tell the world, so here goes!

4 large chicken breasts
1 c. Cheddar cheese
3/4 c. dry bread crumbs


Sauce

1 c. cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. Miracle Whip
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil chicken in water until tender. Remove, cool, and tear into small pieces. Put a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan, add chicken and pour sauce over the top. Mix until all chicken is covered. Add the cheese to the top and bread crumbs on top of the cheese.

Bake at 350°, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Goes great over rice; I usually use brown rice, or if I'm in the mood for a lot of curry, yellow rice (says Derek).

Cheese Enchiladas

Mary, here is the recipe you requested . . . (Yummy & easy - that's why I like it!)

1 pkg. Tortillas
Grated Cheese (about 1/4 cup per tortilla)
Chopped Onion (desired amount)
1 Can Enchilada Sauce (Rosarita is yummy - maybe a big can)
1 Envelope Brown Gravy Mix


Make gravy as described on envelope. Add can of enchilada sauce. Pour a small amount of combined gravy/sauce mix in bottom of glass baking pan. Set the rest aside. Fill tortillas with cheese and onion and roll up. Place tortillas seam side down in 9 x 13 pan. Cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle a small amount of cheese on top. Bake at 350* until cheese inside tortillas is melted and sauce is bubbly. Top with sour cream and lettuce. Optional: add cooked chicken, London broil, or other meat cooked in salt and pepper.

Sorry this recipe is a little vague - I called Heidi to see what size of can of enchilada sauce, and she didn't remember. It is flexible, though, depending on how much sauce you like on stuff!

Macaroni and Cheese

Soooo yummy!

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni
8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Muenster cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup (8 ounces) Velveeta, cut into small cubes
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2-quart
casserole.

Cook Macaroni until barely done or not quite done. Strain and return to pan.

In a small pan, melt 1 cube butter and dump into macaroni

Add half and half,1 ½ cups shredded cheese, velveta and eggs to the macaroni

Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the buttered casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2
cup of shredded cheese and dot with the remaining one tablespoon of butter.

Bake until it's bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.


Nutritional information: 798 calories, 49.3 grams of fat, 28.6 grams
saturated fat, 202 mg cholesterol, 786 mg sodium, 61.0 grams carbohydrates,
27.7 grams protein, 1.8 grams fiber

Chicken Alfredo Sandwiches

I made these for dinner last night and they tasted SOOOO good!!! They are easy and fairly fast, so when you are in need of a quick meal, these should satisfy. They are even pretty healthy and perfect for the warmer weather. Enjoy!

1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
red pepper, cut into strips (you can roast these if you'd like)
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley (or 2 tsp. or so of dried parsley)
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
4 Italian rolls, split
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup-1 cup Alfredo Sauce, warmed (the amount depends on how much you want on your sandwich, really)

1. Combine the Italian Seasoning, salt and pepper; sprinkle over chicken. In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil over medium heat for 8-10 minutes on each side (I put the seasoning on both sides of the chicken), or until juices run clear (you know the drill, right?). Top with red pepper strips during the last 3 minutes of cooking.

2. In a small bowl, combine the butter, parsley, onion powder and garlic powder; brush over cut sides of rolls. Place cut side up on an ungreased cookie sheet and broil until lightly browned.

3. On each roll bottom, layer 1/4 cup spinach, 1 Tbsp. (or more) Alfredo Sauce, a chicken breast half and another tablespoon or so of Alfredo Sauce. Replace roll tops. Eat and Enjoy!

Beef Taco Skillet

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup water
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's Tomato Soup
6 flour tortillas (6"), cut into 1" pieces
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Cook beef in 10" skillet until well browned, stirring to beak up meat. Pour off fat.
2. Stir in soup, salsa, water and tortillas. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Stir. Top with cheese. Makes 4 servings

I am such a blonde!

To all of you who saw our look a like meters, I am so sorry to ruin this blog. I ment to post them on my blog not this one. I don't know how that happened! Sorry! Maybe I shouldn't be using the computer anymore!

Mexican Roast

Super Easy and delish crock-pot dinner:

Mexican roast
3-5 lb beef roast
1/2 c water
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 14 oz can mexican style crushed tomatoes (I can't always find crushed tomatoes, so I get the sliced ones and put them in the blender for a few seconds)
1 4oz can chopped green chilies

Brown roast on all sides with oil in skillet (I don't do this and it turns out fine!)
Place in crock pot. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours. Shred beef with forks and serve with sauce,
Serve with tortillas, (I buy the kind you cook your self) cheese, beans, lettuce, sour cream, tortilla chips. Can make into salad, or taco's/burritos.

*It makes a ton, so you can freeze half and save for another meal.

Almond Chicken Salad

This is Savannah's recipe from our family cookbook and I made it for dinner last night and both Spencer and I thought it was a perfect spring/summer meal...light and easy! I had to make a few changes, due to ingredients, but anyway, thanks Vans for the great recipe.

Almond Chicken Salad
2-3 cups cubed cooked chicken
15 oz. can of Mandarin Oranges
8 oz. can Pinapple tidbits
1/4 cup almonds, cashews, or in my case last night, since I had neither of those, Macadamia nuts (worked great with the oranges and pineapple)
Salad Dressing (or Mayo, Miracle Whip, whichever you prefer) a big spoonful or so
Plain Yogurt (about 2 big spoonfuls, I think...8 oz or so would probably be good)
a bit of salt and pepper, to taste
and then I also added chow mein noodles

Mix together and serve in Pita Bread. It's really good!

Shaved Ham and BBQ Sandwiches

Tonight I had an almost empty fridge and pantry and was desperate for an easy dinner. I stumbled upon this little wonder on kraftfoods.com and was pleasantly surprised. Aaron and I loved it. Enjoy!

Shaved Ham and BBQ Sandwiches
12 slices Shaved Ham
1/4 cup Barbecue Sauce
2 Tbsp. chopped onions
2 hamburger buns, split

TOSS ham with barbecue sauce and onions in microwaveable bowl.

MICROWAVE on HIGH 45 sec. or until heated through; stir.

FILL buns with ham mixture.

***I toasted the buns and added some melted swiss cheese. Then we dipped the sandwiches in the leftover sauce.

Beef Stroganoff Sandwich

Susan Lupold brought this to my family for dinner one time when her food group was bringing me meals. My family loved it so now I use it in my food group.

2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 loaf french bread
2 cups sour cream
2 tomatoes diced
1 large green pepper, diced
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Brown beef and onion. Drain. Add salt, garlic and pepper. Cut bread lengthwise and butter both halves. (I don't always butter it. It is good either way) Place on a baking sheet. Remove mixture from heat and add sour cream. Spoon onto bread. Sprinkle tomatoes, green pepper and cheese. Bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serves 8-10.

Chicken Parmesan

Alison,
You could try this one. I am not sure I've ever had Olive Garden's Chicken Parmesan, so I'm not sure this will be the same, but my brother-in-law makes it, so it has to be SUPER easy ;) and it was really delicious. If you try it, let me know if it's what you're looking for.

Serves 4.

8 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded thin (“Thin is key!” says Brad)
1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti or marinara sauce
1 packet McCormick Parmesan mix
Vegetable oil
Linguine pasta
Shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350° (or whatever the Parmesan mix packet says.) Take chicken halves and lightly coat both sides in vegetable oil. Dredge in parmesan mix. Put in oven for approximately 20 minutes, depending on thickness of chicken. While that’s cooking, heat jar of spaghetti sauce. Cook pasta according to package directions. When chicken is done, lightly cover each piece with a layer of sauce, a layer of cheese, and put back in oven for 5 minutes. On serving plates, put pasta on the bottom, then one piece of chicken on top of each, and pour remaining spaghetti sauce on the top of that, if desired. Serve.

Panda Express Orange Chicken

A friend of mine brought this to our monthly recipe group. It was so yummy!

Marinade:
1 lb. chicken breast meat
1 egg white
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar

4 cups veg. oil to be used for frying
1 c. cornstarch (in baggie)

Orange Sauce:
1 c. water
1/2 c. ketchup
1/2 c. sugar
1/8 c. vinegar
1 T. soy sauce
4 tsp. corn starch
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 T. veg. oil
1 T grated orange peel
2 T. chopped scallion

1. Cut chicken breast into 1/2 inch cubes, set aside
2. To make marinade- combine egg white, salt, and sugar in a bowl and stir vigorously until ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Add chicken cubes to marinade and stir to coat well.
3. To make orange sauce-combine water, ketchup, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, 4 tsp. corn starch and sesame oil; stir and set aside. Place a pot over high heat. When pot is hot, add 2 T veg. oil and heat. Add orange peel and scallion and stir for about 20 seconds, taking care not to burn the orange peel.
4. Pour combined sauce ingredients into the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened, about 12-15 minutes.
5.Preheat 4 cups oil to 350-375 degrees. Meanwhile, put marinated chicken in the plastic baggie containing the cornstarch. Shake chicken well for about 20 seconds or until chicken is covered with cornstarch. Shake off all excess cornstarch and fry chicken in hot oil until golden brown, approx. 2 1/2 minutes. Remove chicken from oil with slotted spoon, drain well and set aside. Add fried chicken to pot with heated orange sauce, stir for about 30 seconds, then serve immediately over steamed rice.

Serves 4.

Tillamook Orange Hazelnut Cookies

Ok, I haven't actually tried this yet, but it sounded really yummy and I wanted to be sure I wrote it down somewhere before I threw away the box it came from, so that is why it is going here. If I ever do try it (sadly, Brent doesn't like nuts, so I don't often get to cook with them. Picture me crying silently to my sad self...), I'll let you know how I like it. And if any of you try it, will you do the same? If it turns out gross let me know, and I'll remove it from the blog. Thanks!

1 cup Tillamook Unsalted Butter (can you tell I got it from a package of butter?)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
zest from one orange (about 1 tablespoon)
2 cups flour
3 1/2 cups toasted hazelnuts or pinenuts, chopped

Cream together butter, sugars and salt. Add vanilla and zest, and beat well. Mix in flour and hazelnuts to form a soft dough. Divide dough and form into two 10-inch logs, cover with clear cling wrap and chill for 1 hour. Cut 1/4-inch-thick slices from logs. Place on a greased baking sheet 1" apart and bake at 350° for 15 minutes until lightly browned. Makes 4 dozen.

No-Bake Cookies

One of my favorite and fairly quick cookie recipes is No-Bake Cookies. They're a relatively healthy and a filling cookie due to the quick oats and are easy to pack for a school day snack for Eric and I. I won't tell you the nickname we've given them until after you've tried them for yourselves! This recipe comes from an old ward compassionate recipe book.

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 stick margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky or creamy is just fine)
3 cups quick oats

Combine the sugar, cocoa, milk, and margarine into a saucepan. Put on medium heat, stir often and bring to a boil. Take off of heat and stir in peanut butter and then the oats. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheets covered with wax paper. Cool in refrigerator. Eat up!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 C. shortening
1 C. sugar
2 C. brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. soda
2 tsp. salt
5 C. flour
1 bag chocolate chips
Nuts optional (I like them my kids don't)

Cream first 4 ingredients, then add remaining and mix well. Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

2 lb. chicken tenders
cornstarch
3 eggs

Sauce:
1/4 cup chicken broth
4 TBS. catsup
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1 TBS. soy sauce
Dash of salt
Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt and roll in cornstarch. Dip in beaten egg and fry until chicken starts to brown. Arrange in baking dish and pour sauce over it. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes @ 375 degrees, turning occasionally.

Sauce: Heat until sugar dissolves.
This is probably our most favorite meal!!

Chocolate-Hazelnut Ravioli

This is already a favorite dessert for me. The combination of chocolate, hazelnut and mint is divine. This came from Giada De Laurentis on foodnetwork.com.

16 wonton wrappers
1 egg, beaten to blend
1 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
Vegetable oil for frying
16 fresh mint leaves
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Granulated sugar, for dredging
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Line baking sheet with plastic wrap. Place 1 wonton wrapper on the work surface. Brush the edges of the wrapper lightly with egg. Spoon 1 tablespoon chocolate-hazelnut spread into the center of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper diagonally in half over the filling and press the edges of the wrapper to seal. Place the ravioli on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wonton wrappers, egg, and chocolate-hazelnut spread.

Preheat oven to 200°F. Add enough oil to a heavy large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat oil over medium heat to 350°. Working in batches, carefully add the ravioli to the hot oil and cook until they are golden brown, about 45 seconds per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Then transfer the cooked ravioli to another baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while frying the remaining ravioli. (The fried ravioli can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool them completely, then cover and refrigerate. Before serving, place them on a baking sheet and re-warm in a preheated 375° oven just until they are heated through, about 7 minutes.) Spray the top side of the mint leaves very lightly with nonstick spray. Working with 1 leaf at a time, dredge the coated side of the leaves in sugar to coat lightly. Arrange 2 fried ravioli on each plate. Dust the ravioli with powdered sugar. Garnish with sugared mint leaves and serve.

Chocolate Bundles with Chocolate Ganache

I made these for Valentine's Day this year, along with Chocolate-Hazelnut Ravioli (recipe forthcoming). Brent loved these, and they were sooo easy. (This came from Paula Deen on foodnetwork.com)

Bundles:
1 sheet puff pastry
2 eggs
1 teaspoon heavy cream
8 chocolate Kisses
8 miniature chocolate candy bars

Ganache:
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces milk chocolate, broken into small pieces
Sweetened whipped cream, optional
Fresh strawberries, sliced, for garnish
Mint sprigs, for garnish

Bundles:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Unfold puff pastry and cut the sheet into 2 (4x4-inch) squares. Beat eggs and cream together to create an egg wash. Brush pastry squares with egg wash. Place 2 chocolate Kisses and 1 miniature candy bar in the center of each pastry square. Repeat with remaining Kisses and miniature candy bars. Pull corners of the square up around the chocolate, brushing edges with more egg wash, if necessary, to create a secure bundle. Brush exteriors of chocolate bundles with more egg wash. Repeat with remaining bundles. Place bundles on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Ganache:
In a saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Place the chocolate pieces in a bowl and pour hot cream over top. Whisk until smooth. Puddle ganache onto a plate and place 1 bundle on top. Top with whipped cream and additional ganache, if desired. Serve bundles garnished with strawberry slices and mint sprigs.

Bompa's Bachelor Spaghetti Sauce

Genny requested this one. It's my father-in-law's recipe (hence the title "Bompa's".) To those of you who already have The Behemoth, it is located on page 193. For the rest, here it is. It is really delicious, especially if you use the fresh Parmesan instead of grated, though grated works great too. It makes a TON, so beware...

3 (26-ounce) jars of spaghetti sauce with herbs and spices
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound Italian sausage
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 medium tomatoes, chopped, OR 2 (16-ounce) cans of diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried leaf basil, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
Dash salt, or to taste
Hot, cooked spaghetti, drained
Shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large 4-quart pot, combine jars of spaghetti sauce, undrained diced tomatoes, oregano, basil, pepper and salt. Simmer on low. In a heavy skillet over medium-low heat, cook ground beef until meet is no longer pink. Drain off excess fat and stir in the ground beef into the 4-quart pot. In the same skillet over medium-low heat, add 2 teaspoons olive oil and cook sausage and garlic until meat is no longer pink. Bring sauce to a boil, stirring as needed, then cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours. Serve sauce over hot spaghetti and top with fresh Parmesan cheese.

Key Lime Cheesecake

I've been craving key lime things lately (and I always love cheesecake) so here is a really good recipe to fill my needs. It works great to take to parties and such.

2 3/4 c. graham cracker or vanilla wafer crumbs
1/2 c. butter, melted
2 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese
2 (14 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. key lime juice or regular lime juice
2 Tbsp. lime peel, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cracker crumbs and melted buter together. Press into a 9 x 13 pan. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes. Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in sweetened condensed milk until the mixture is smooth. Stir in lime juice and grated lime peel. Pour over chilled crust. Bake 25-30 minutes, until center is frim to the touch. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before cutting into bars and serving.

Buttermilk Syrup

Amazingly yummy.....I was strictly a maple syrup kind of gal until I had this:

Buttermilk Syrup

1 c. butter
1 c. buttermilk (see below if you don't have buttermilk)
2 c. sugar
1/4 c. dark Karo syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla

Place first 5 ingredients in large sauce pan. (baking soda makes it foam up and tends to boil over, so watch carefully) Simmer on low til sugar dissolves, remove from heat and add vanilla. Serve warm. Also great as ice cream topping.

If you don't have buttermilk, make your own. You can't tell the difference.

Buttermilk
Per one cup of buttermilk do the following:

1 cup milk
1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice

Let these sit together in a glass measuring cup for at least 10 minutes.

Pioneer Pancakes

Mary mentioned I should repost this here. This is a great way to use that food storage wheat for your Saturday morning pancakes.

Pioneer Pancakes

Blend together:
1 cup milk
3/4 cup whole wheat

Blend for 4 minutes. Turn blender to low.

Add:
2 eggs
1T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 tsp. soda
2 tsp. baking powder
4 tsp. oil

Batter will be runny. Cook on hot griddle (mine worked best at around 300-350 degrees)

Caramel Apple Salad

Ingredients
1 cup cold fat-free milk
1 package (1 oz) sugar-free instant butterscotch pudding mix
2 cups reduced-fat whipped topping, divided (8 oz)
3 1/2 cups chopped unpeeled apples (4 apples - 2 red, 2 green)
1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts

Whisk the milk and pudding mix for 1 minute. (Mixture will be thick.) Whisk in 1 cup whipped topping. Fold in remaining topping. Fold in apples. Refrigerate until serving. Sprinkle with peanuts.

French Toast Casserole

Ingredients
1 loaf bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
8 eggs
3 cups milk
4 t sugar
1 t vanilla extract
3/4 t salt, optional

Topping:
2 T butter or margarine, cubed
3 T sugar
2 t ground cinnamon

Place bread cubes in a greased 13x9 inch baking dish. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt if desired. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Dot with butter. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over the top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with syrup if desired. Yield: 12 servings

Speedy Chicken Nachos

These are a great appetizer, or even good for dinner if you have bigger sides.

Speedy Chicken Nachos

2 pouches (7 oz. each) Canned Chunk Chicken Breast
1 package (1.25 oz.) taco seasoning
1 bag (14 oz.) tortilla chips
1 bag (16 oz.) shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 can (10 oz.) diced tomatoes and green chilies, well drained
1 can (4 oz.) sliced black olives, drained

Using a fork, mix chicken with half the package of taco seasoning in a bowl until chicken is shredded and coated with seasoning. use less seasoning for a milder flavor or more for a spicier flavor. Arranged chips on a cookie sheet and cover generously with shredded cheese. Top with well-drained tomatoes and chilies and seasoned chicken. Broil on top rack of oven about 3 minutes or until cheese bubbles. Remove and top with drained olives. Serve with your favorite toppings. Makes 6-8 servings.