girlfriends' kitchen

Apple Cranberry Cookie Cobbler

2008-11-06T13:55:00.000-08:00

Apple Cranberry Cookie Cobbler

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1-16oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
3 tbs. Flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 - 18oz. pkg. Refrigerated Sugar cookie dough (put in freezer)
Preheat oven to 400. Peel, core, and slice apples using Apple Peeler, Corer, Slicer. Cut apples in half; place in Deep Dish Baker or Pie Plate. Combine cranberry sauce, sugar, flour, and cinnamon in 1 qt. Batter Bowl; mix well. Pour over apples; mix well with Super Scraper. Slice sugar cookie dough with Crinkle Cutter into 1/4 in. thick slices. (You may have leftover dough.) Arrange sliced dough evenly over apple mixture. Bake 30-35 minutes or until apples are tender and top is golden brown. Yield: 12 servings.
enjoy!

if you can't tell, this recipe is via pampered chef :) it's great for a fall treat!

Pumpkin Bread

2008-10-08T15:36:00.001-07:00

3 1/2 c. flour
3 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil 1 tsp. salt
4 eggs
2 c. pumpkin
1/4 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/3 c. water

combine dry ingredients with moist ingredients, mix well. Bake in 2 9x5x3 loaf pans at 350 degrees for 70 min., or until done. Cool before wrapping.

Easy Banany Nut Bread

2008-10-08T15:30:00.001-07:00

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
3 mashed bananas
1 tsp soda
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
3/4 cup chopped nuts

Sift together flour, soda and salt. Cream shortening and sugar; add eggs and bananas. Add dry mixture gradually. When well mixed stir in nuts. Bake in well greased, floured loaf pan for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

(OR fill 12 muffin tins nearly full and cook about 20 min. and check-cover with foil to finish 5 more minutes)

Brownie Cookies

2008-10-08T15:28:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to try these...

1 pkg. regular brownie mix
1/2 cup flour

Mix the brownie mix just like the directions say on the box. Add 1/2 cup of flour. Drop the dough on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Cranberry Pork Chops

2008-10-08T15:25:00.001-07:00

I haven't tried this one yet either, but I will! Click on the recipe and it will enlarge it (and be easier to print).

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2008-10-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

I haven't tried this yet, but it sounds really good. I got it on bhg.com. I'll let you know how it is after I make it!

shopping list

2 14-ounce cans chicken broth with roasted garlic
1 14-1/2 ounce can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 10 ounces)
2 cups frozen (yellow, green, and red) peppers and onion stir-fry vegetables
1 cup tortilla chips
slice fresh jalapeno chile peppers (optional)

Directions

1. In a 3-1/2-or 4-quart slow cooker, combine broth, undrained tomatoes, chicken, and frozen vegetables.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 3-1/2 hours.

3. To serve, ladle soup into warm soup bowls and top with tortilla chips. If desired, top with chile peppers.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts per serving
Calories 181
Total Fat (g) 4
Saturated Fat (g) 1
Cholesterol (mg)36
Sodium (mg) 1383
Carbohydrate (g) 19
Fiber (g) 1
Protein (g) 18

Strawberry-Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

2008-10-08T15:07:00.000-07:00

I also got spinach in my bountiful basket and it made me think of this yummy salad. I wonder if you could substitute the strawberries for peaches? hmmm...

shopping list

4 c. fresh baby spinach
1 pt. washed strawberries
1 sm. pkg. slivered almonds

dressing
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. sesame seeds
1 T. poppy seeds
1/2 tsp. minced onion
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 c. oil
1/4 c. seasoned rice vinegar

Wash and tear spinach into bite-size pieces. Slice strawberries. Toast almonds. Dressing: Mix all ingredients together and shake or mix until sugar is dissolved. This makes plenty of dressing for a very large salad. Pour dressing on salad just before serving.

**I usually 1/2 the recipe and I hardly ever toast the almonds. It's still very, very good. :)

Jerk Chicken Salad (Pampered Chef)

2008-10-08T14:48:00.000-07:00

This is more of a summer dish, but i had green onions, a red pepper, and a pineapple in my bountiful basket and thought this would be perfect! IT IS DELICIOUS!!

shopping list
1 TBSP Garlic Oil or Olive Oil
1 TBSP Jamaican Jerk Rub (you can purchase this from the pampered chef or just use your favorite spice... I was out of the JJR when I made it and it still tasted great with other spices.)
1 lb. chicken tenders
1 medium pineapple
3 green onions (white and light green parts only)
2 heads romaine lettuce**
1 can black beans
6 slices bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
2 limes
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 TBSP pineapple preserves (or pineapple/apricot) if anyone wants to make this dish i have a whole jar of pineapple preserves and you can have some...

Stove top
Mix together oil and spice.
Add chicken tenders; mix well to coat and set aside.
Slice pineapple into 1/4 in. slices.
Heat up your grill pan over med. heat.
Add chicken; cook 3-5 minutes on each side. Remove.
Add pineapple to pan. Cook 1 minute on each side. Remove.

Vegetables
Thinly slice Bell Pepper and Green Onions
Wash and chop lettuce. (for nice display, arrange 12 large leaves around a large serving platter, to serve salad in.)
Drain and rinse beans.

Dressing
Juice 2 limes.
Zest one lime; add to juice.
Add 1/3 c. mayo
Add 2 TBSP. preserves
mix well.

Directions
Layer chopped lettuce, beans, bell pepper, chicken, pineapple, bacon and green onions over each lettuce leaf. Drizzle dressing over salad.

**You can substitute the salad with pasta, which is how I prefer it. DELISH!

ALSO, I forgot to thaw the bacon when I made it, it still tasted great. I think the key ingredient here is the dressing. :)

ENJOY!

fun stuff for halloween!

2008-10-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

click on the recipes too see a bigger version of the page

Granola Bars

2008-09-20T14:25:00.000-07:00

I stole this from my friend's blog. It looked delicious!

5 cups of oatmeal, (put reg oatmeal in my blender to make it like flour! works like a charm)
1 cup of powdered milk
1 cup almonds (you might want to chop those so your kids cant tell they are there!)
1/3 cup sunflower seeds (optional)
1 cup honey
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tea spoon salt
1 tea spoon vanilla
1/4 cup of the the mini choc chips to sweeten it up a little bit! (optional)

if you use the olive oil first and then use the same measuring cup for your honey, the honey will come out really easy! Mix all together , it will be really crumbly, press it in to a cookie sheet really good and bake at 300 for 30 min if you want them crunchy and 20-25 min if you want them more soft and chewy! cut them in to squares right after they come out of the oven, then leave them in pan to cool and then you can put in container or zip loc bag! We love these!!!! (should make around 40) 1=118calories (about)

Chicken Pasta Salad

2008-06-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

This is an easy recipe you can make or put together in the morning so you don't have to cook in the evening.

Ingredients:
One pasta salad kit (Ranch or Garlic Parm.)
Cooked Chicken
Tomatoes diced
One Can of olives
Mayo

1. First you just make the pasta salad however the box instructs. You add mayo to a seasoning pack in the box and mix.

2. After your pasta is made you can add diced tomatoes, cubes of cooked chicken, and diced olives.

This is easy, cold, and can be made in the morning. You can serve it with chips among many other things.

Tiana

Chicken Quesadillas

2008-06-22T12:12:00.000-07:00

I like to make these when I do not want to cook. These are easy and taste great.

Ingredients:
Butter
cheese
green onions (optional)
black olives
chicken
cilantro (optional)

I just butter one side of the tortilla and throw any of the above ingredients (usually chicken, cheese, and olives) on the tortilla. Wait a minute and then flip half of the tortilla over. When the tortilla is crisp then I turn it over to cook the other side. These are GREAT with guacamole. I love the mix you get at fry's/walmart next to the avacado's. It is the best and I think the brand is concord foods or something like that. McCormicks mix does not even compare to the other mix.

This can be served with sour cream, beans,rice, or guacamole.
Tiana

Beef Sub

2008-06-22T12:06:00.001-07:00

Here is a sandwich that I like to make when I don't want to cook that is easy.

Ingredients:
French Bread (You can also buy french bread with rosemary or any other variety)
Roast Beef
Provalone Cheese Slices
Mayo
Mushrooms and bell peppers (optional)

I just slice the bread in half and spread mayo on both sides. Then place the roast beef on the bread and top with the cheese slices. You can saute sliced mushrooms in oil or butter if you want. Then I toast the sandwich in the oven shortly until the cheese melts and the meat is warm.

You can serve this with fruit, salad, or chips.
Tiana

Smoothies...

2008-06-22T11:55:00.000-07:00

Brother Arter's Smoothie Recipes and Tips...

Here are some of the tips that he shared from Saturday for making smoothies.

-Use frozen fruit
-Use premixed juice and not concentrate with water
-If you need your smoothie to be more thick add more frozen fruit
-Use frozen yogurt in place of milk (it holds up better)

Strawberry Bannana Smoothie

12 oz. apple juice
6 oz. of frozen yogurt
6 oz. strawberries
3 oz. bannanas
3 oz. of ice

Sorry Laura I thought I had the other recipe written down but I do not. Maybe someone else might have it that may want to share?
thanks, tiana

Peanut Butter Cups

2008-06-22T11:50:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, peanut butter and melted butter. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Melt chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring occasionally. Spread melted chocolate over the crumb crust. Chill for about 5 minutes, then cut into bars before the chocolate is completely set, then chill until ready to serve.

Thanks, Tiana

Divvies Chocolate Cupcakes

2008-04-06T20:27:00.000-07:00

The other night I wanted to make cupcakes but had no eggs. Luckily, I remembered this cupcake recipe from the Martha Stewart show...turned out super yummy! However, I don't know about the frosting as I tried something a little more traditional ;)

Ingredients

Makes 1 dozen
1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups water
Divvies Vanilla Frosting
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water until well combined. Add flour mixture to the mixer and mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Batter should look and feel more watery than normal cake batters.
Pour batter into prepared muffin tin, filling each cup 1/2 to 3/4 full. Transfer to oven and bake, rotating pan halfway through cooking, until a cake tester inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
Immediately remove cupcakes from muffin tin and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely before frosting.

check it out!!

2008-03-20T13:53:00.000-07:00

Sister Savings

You can go to this website and view all of the ads from each store in one place (ad match at Walmart). Thanks to this amazing woman! There are also many recipe ideas! :o)

Santa Fe Chicken Salad

2008-03-02T17:53:00.000-08:00

Santa Fe Chicken Salad

Ingredients
3-4 cooked, chopped chicken breast (use a food chopper to chop it really fine)
1 can corn niblets, drained
1 can black beans, drained
shredded colby jack cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)
Lettuce
1 tomato, chopped
Salsa
Ranch
Tortilla Chips
avocado (optional)

Layer in dish: lettuce, corn, black beans, cheese, tomato, salsa, chicken, ranch (in long zig zags), put chips point up around the bowl (if you want), then crush more chips to go on top. Add a few slices of avocado if desired.

**It looks really classy in a trifle bowl, but it's taller and thinner than most bowls, so you may want to split it up and layer it twice.

YUM!!

really really good minestrone soup

2008-03-01T15:53:00.000-08:00

This is one of those recipes that is very easy, but makes you look brilliant in the kitchen!!

Minestrone Soup

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. sliced celery
1 onion, diced
1 quart bottled tomatoes
1 quart water
2 large carrots, cut into coins
2 (80z.) cans tomato sauce
2 T. vegetable seasoning
1 T. parsley (dried)
1/2 tsp. ground basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 can cooked garbanzo beans
1 can cooked green beans
1 can cooked kidney beans
1 1/2 cup mostacioli macaroni (uncooked)

Brown the hamburger and onion. Add the seasoning. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and vegetables. Bring to a boil. Simmer until veggies are cooked (15 to 20 minutes). Add pasta and cook until soft. (15 to 20 minutes)

Serve and ENJOY

German Chocolate Cheesecake

2008-03-01T15:37:00.001-08:00

Okay, I realize I have totally slacked at keeping up this blog!! In an effort to do better... I copied this recipe from my friend Kylie's blog. I thought it looked heavenly.

Cheesecake Factory
German Chocolate Cheesecake
Cheesecake:
24 oz cream cheese, softened and cut into chunks
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

With an electric mixer or in a food processor, blend together all the ingredients until smooth. Set aside.

Chocolate Cake:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour

In a large microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until just melted. Cool slightly. With fork, beat in sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add flour and mix until well blended. Spoon into well greased 9 1/2 inch springform pan, spreading evenly. Carefully spread the cheese mixture evenly over the top of the chocolate batter. Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Turn off oven, open the door and let the cake cool completely to room temperature. Refrigerate until well chilled. Remove the sides from the springform pan and invert the cake onto a serving plate to the cheesecake is on the bottom and the chocolate cake in on top. Spread the sides with the Chocolate Glaze and the top with the German Chocolate Frosting. Refrigerate until serving time. Garnish with whipped cream if desired.

Chocolate Glaze:
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons whipping cream

In a small microwave safe bowl combine the chocolate chips with the whipping cream and microwave on high for 45-60 seconds. Beat until smooth. Spread on sides of cheesecake.

German Chocolate Frosting:
2 egg yolks
2/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

In a small microwave safe bowl, beat egg yolks. Stir in sugar, butter and whipping cream. Microwave on high 4 minutes, stirring every minutes. Remove from microwave ans stir in vanilla extract. Stir in pecans and coconut. Refrigerate until mixture is of spreading consistency. Spread on top of cheesecake.

Chicken Curry

2008-01-15T21:25:00.000-08:00

This is a quick, and delicious recipie. (My kids even like it)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp oil
1 small onion
4 chicken breasts (you can leave them whole or cut them into cubes)
1 small can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/3 c. raisins
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp sugar

Saute the onions in the oil. Add the chicken and brown on both sides. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes or until chicken is done. If the sauce becomes to thick add a little more water.

I serve it over rice (That I cook in the microwave while the chicken is simmering)

2 meals from one!

2008-01-11T22:28:00.000-08:00

So after I made the Hawaiian Haystack recipe (see below), I used the leftover chicken gravy mixture in Chicken enchilada's. I am tellin' ya'...it was really good! I do have to say that I would have liked the sauce to be a little thicker for the Hawaiian Haystacks ( I think next time I will only add one cup of milk to the country gravy mix), but it was still good. Anyway...back to the Chicken Enchiladas. This is what I did:

I added another can of Cream of Chicken soup to the leftover chicken gravy mixture.

I added some cumin and stirred it together, and then layered it between flour tortillas and cheese in a 9x13 pan. (I just lay the tortillas flat, starting with some chicken gravy mixture, then a tortilla, then more sauce, then cheese, then repeat). End with cheese on top of course and bake it at 365 degrees til' it's heated through. Then for the last few minutes, I turn on the broiler and it gets the cheese brown and bubbly and delicious. Serve it with a green salad, corn and refried beans mixed with a little salsa and there you have it! It was so yummy and made my weeknight meal planning and cooking a whole lot easier. I went to the store last night and got more ingredients to make it again! I hope someone else gets to enjoy these yummy recipes!

Awesome Hawaiian Haystacks!

2008-01-07T22:48:00.000-08:00

So I tried a new recipe tonight for a chicken gravy that can go over rice, potatoes or noodles by itself, or can be the start of Hawaiian Haystacks. We had it as part of Hawaiian Haystacks tonight! I will try to remember the exact recipe:

1 10 oz. can Cream of Chicken Soup
6-8 chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used canned chicken breast...3 cans.)
1 small can diced, green chiles
1 package Country Gravy Mix
2 cups milk

Mix the soup and chiles together and pour over chicken (in crockpot).
Mix the milk and Country Gravy mix together and pour over soup and chiles mixture
Stir together and Cook either on high for 1 hour (which is what I did), or on low for 3 hours.

We serve it over steamed rice with:
Grated Cheese
Coconut
Pineapple Chunks
Orange Segments
Diced Celery
Diced tomato
Chow Mien Noodles
and sometimes Green Bell Pepper

It was so good!

Nestle Toll House Chewy cocoa brownies

2007-12-22T21:56:00.000-08:00

1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup melted butter
2 tbsp water
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Nestle Tollhouse Baking cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped nuts
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 grease 13x9 in baking pan
combine sugar, butter and water in large bowl. stir in eggs and vanilla extract. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl; stir into sugar mixture. Stir in nuts. Spread into prepared baking pan.
Bake for 18-25 minutes
sprinkle with powdered sugar

Tammy Workman

turkey leftover recepies

2007-11-29T09:17:00.000-08:00

I would like to hear some recipes to use up turkey leftovers!
one of my favorite is turkey torilla soup. I have 2 new turkey leftover recipes I haven't tried yet..if they turn out to be any good I'll post them. Southwestern egg rolls and turkey cakes with apple relish.

How about everyone else? any good turkey recipes up your sleavs?

Turkey tortilla soup use up that leftover turkey!

2007-11-29T08:45:00.000-08:00

For the Tortilla Strips-

6 corn tortillas cut into strips
2 tbl. olive oiil
salt to taste.

For The Soup-

2cups onions
1 cup frozen corn
1 tbl. minced garlic
1 jalapeño diced
2 tbl. olive oil
1 tbl. tomatoe paste
1 tbl. chipotle chilies in adobe sauce ( I couldn't find this ingredient any where so I just used roasted peppers from a jar and some chipotle seasoning)
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander
4 cups chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes in juices (14.5 oz)
2 cups cooked turkey, chopped
1 cup canned black beans, drained, rinsed
1/4 cup scallions, sliced
2 tbl. minced fresh cilantro
juice of half of a lime

Toppings-
shredded cheese
sour cream
sliced avocado
tortilla strips

Prehat oven 400
toss tortilla strips in oil arrange on baking sheet bake until crisp 12- 14 min. season with salt set aside

saute onions, corn, garlic and jalapeno in 2 tbl. oil in a large pot. Stir in tomatoe paste, chipotles and seasoning. cook 1 minute. Add broth, tomatoes, turkey, and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 min. Finish soup with scallions, cilantro, lime juice and salt to taste.
top each serving with your choice of toppings

this has a long ingredient list but it taste great! beats cold turkey sandwiches on a cold day.
makes about 8 cups total time 50 min.

Waldorf salad...(fruit salad)

2007-11-29T08:34:00.000-08:00

1/2 cup walnuts (or peanuts)
1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
3 tbl. sugar
1 tbl. lemon juice
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
2 cups apples dices
1 1/2 cup seedless red grapes halved
1 cup celery sliced
1/2 cup shredded coconut

whisk together yogurt sugar and lemon juice. Sprinkle in seasoning to taste. I know it sounds odd but salt and cayenne pepper really enhances the flavor don't leave it out. you can use chili powder if you don't have cayenne. stir in all other ingredients.
delicious! this is great for any meal, Breakfast, lunch and dinner! yeah!

Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry (one of our family stand-bies)

2007-11-20T13:41:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

Chicken

(or meat of your choice)

Vegetables

noodles or rice

sauce

3 TBSP soy sauce

2 TBSP brown sugar

1 TBSP corn oil

(or whatever oil you have really)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ginger

1/8 tsp pepper

There are a lot of ways to make this. You can use fresh or frozen vegetables. I usually just get one of the frozen stir-fry varieties to have in the freezer when needed. You can also use chicken you have cooked and cubed (or shredded) or use a canned chicken. I actually like it better with canned, but if I have left over of anything... chicken, steak, pork, I'll make it with that.

Saute the veggies in 1 or 2 TBSP oil over med. to med. high heat. Add the meat half way through. Meanwhile mix all the ingredients for the sauce together. (If I'm making a lot, I double the sauce recipe.) You can add the sauce to the meat and veggies right after you turn off the heat. Serve over hot rice or noodles.

Delicious!

Spanish Rice - family standby

2007-11-18T12:26:00.000-08:00

1 onion
1 small can green chili
2 tbsp butter
1 cup rice (you can use instant, but I use regular)

Cook in pan until onion is translucent and rice is slightly brown

Add
1 large can tomato sauce
1 can tomatoes
2 cups water
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika

Boil covered for approximately 30 minutes or until rice is done

While rice is boiling brown ground beef in skillet.
Shred cheddar cheese

When rice is done stir in beef. Sprinkle cheese on top and cover. Let cheese melt.

This is soo yummy. It is a comfort food for me. Whenever I would go to my grandmas house this is what we would eat. Unless of course we had enchiladas or beef stew. But it is yummy. It took me 3 or 4 tries to get it to turn out right. So if it doesn't turn out the first time try again it is definitely worth it and cheap to make.

Our Family Stand-By

2007-11-17T21:19:00.000-08:00

Our family stand-by is probably breakfast for dinner! My mom used to do this every now and then when we were kids (usually if my dad was out of town because he didn't like breakfast for dinner). Here are a few of the breakfasts we have had for dinner:

Fried Egg Sandwiches on toast with jam, or ketchp and mayo (I love jam on my eggs! Weird, I know!) Sometimes it's good to add bacon or ham!

Waffles and Syrup (ya' know...the frozen kind!)

Cold Cereal (every now and then...nothin' beats a good bowl of cereal)

Breakfast Burrito's: Try this! (I promise it's good!) Scramble some eggs and then add white chicken breast (from a can) , some cheese and some salsa! It's yummy! I like to put it all in a tortilla and then brown the burrito a little bit in some olive oil in a frying pan to crisp it up!

Last but certainly not least...Crepes! My all- time favorite breakfast!

1 cup milk
2/3 cup flour
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. melted butter
a dash of sugar
a dash of salt
a dash of vanilla

Mix all the ingredients together and then let rest for a few minutes. Pour about 1/2 cup of the batter into a frying pan heated to medium high heat, (spray it with cooking spray first). When you can loosen all the edges with your spatula and the batter starts to solidify, it's time to flip them! ( I usually have to double the recipe to feed my family of 6!) I like to put lemon juice and powdered sugar inside them and then roll them up and eat them. My husband likes plain, maple syrup or a little chocolate syrup in his! Raspberry jam would be fabulous inside, with a little powdered sugar on top! Enjoy!

Chicken Lo-Mein

2007-11-16T15:19:00.000-08:00

1 lb Chicken, cut into bit size pieces
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cut celery, chopped
1/4 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 cup snow peas
Stir-fry sauce (any kind you want)
1/2 lb angel hair pasta, cooked & drained
soy sauce
vegetable oil

Drizzle oil in hot pan and add chicken. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook through. Remove chicken and set aside. Add onions, carrots, celery. Cook to desired doneness. I like mine a little crunchy. Add chicken, mushrooms, snow peas, stir-fry sauce and pasta. Mix well and heat through. Add soy sauce if desired.

It's quick and super yummy! You can add any veggies you like. Also, you can leave out the noodles and serve over rice! Just as yummy! My family LOVES this! We hardly ever have any left overs.

Special Request

2007-11-16T12:48:00.001-08:00

What is your family stand by? That recipe you cook when you have no idea what to make for dinner. You most likely have all of the ingredients and it's easy and it doesn't take long to make. You've made it so many times you probably don't even have to go get the recipe right now to tell us how to make it. It's something you may be really tired of, but the rest of us will love because we're very tired of our own stand by!!

Chicken Salad

2007-11-06T11:59:00.000-08:00

This is a great and easy lunch to make for you, your kids, your husband, a lunch date, whatever.

Ingredients:
Canned Chicken (it doesn't have to be, if you want to cook and cube it or if you have left over, that will work too)
Mayonnaise
whatever else you choose, I like:
tart apples
green onions
slivered almonds
lemon pepper seasoning
garlic salt
pepper
other ideas are:
peppers
raisins
grapes
shredded carrots
cheese

Mix it all together to a consistency you like and serve on a sandwich or with cheese and crackers. You could use a cookie cutter to cut out the sandwich and maybe the kids will be more willing to try something new. You can serve it right away, but it does taste a little better when you put it in the fridge for a while and let all the flavors mix.

Enjoy!!!

Laura

Texas Caviar

2007-11-05T21:09:00.000-08:00

1 15 oz can black-eyed pease, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper (1 large)
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper (1 large)
1 medium white onion chopped
3-5 green onions, finely sliced
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 oz jar of pimientos, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 8 oz bottle fat free italian dressing (don't think it needs to be fat free)
1-2 bags tortilla chips (if you use fat free dressing, may as well use baked tostitos)

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl. Pour salad dressing over mixture and stir gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Serve with your favorite tortilla chips

This is like a salsa, only like a salsa from the midwest or something.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

2007-11-05T21:03:00.000-08:00

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 TBSP brown sugar
3/4 cup minature chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a mixing bowl until creamy. Add the confectioners' sugar and brown sugar a few tablespoons at a time, beating just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Chill, covered for 2 hours. Place the cream cheese mixture ona large piece of plastic wrap and shape into a ball. Chill for at least 1 hour. Just before serving roll the cheese ball in pecans.

Serve this with graham crackers.

I promise this is yummy.

Spiced Banana Chocolate Sundaes

2007-11-05T11:23:00.000-08:00

Heavy Cream
Chocolate Syrup
vanilla Ice Cream
4 tbl unsalted butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
4 bananas, ripe, but firm.

melt butter in skillet, when heated and bubbling add sliced bananas sprinkle spices on top. stir quickly and remove bananas from skillet. Place bananas on top of ice cream drizzle with chocolate and cream, enjoy.

another rule....

2007-10-31T14:59:00.000-07:00

This is sooo fun!! Thanks for sharing all these great recipes!!

I was just going to ask, that after you share a recipe you add a "label," ie: Main Dish, Side Dish, Dessert, etc.. If two apply than write two, separated with a comma, so if it's a recipe for cherry pie, write: dessert, pie. The labels are listed on the side bar, so if someone feels specifically like eating chicken, they can click on chicken and all things chicken will pop up.

I added labels to those that didn't have... I just did it really quick, so if it needs to be changed, feel free!!

Thanks. :o)

Laura

Shrimp Verde (mexican dish)

2007-10-31T11:24:00.000-07:00

I watched my husbands Hispanic grandmother make this and it is one of my favorites!!! No cooking involved, so its great for hot summer days.

1 pound of pre-cooked shrimp
lots of tomatoes
cilantro
white onions
lemon juice
1 jalapeño pepper
1 avocado (optional)
Salt and Pepper

Put shrimp (tail off) into big bowl pore lemon juice on top of shrimp...juice should almost completely cover shrimp. Put in fridge, leave in fridge for several hours..or 20 minutes whatever your schedule is.

about 20 minutes before dinner roughly chop tomatoes and avocado, dice onions and jalapeño. Tear off cilantro leaves. pour everything into bowl with shrimp and lemon juice stir and salt and pepper to taste.

Eat with chips or tostada shells (homemade is best) or a no carb meal eat it alone.

this is not an exact science recipe..adapt it to your family's tastes.

TIP: Can't get jalapeño pepper off of your fingers? Wet finger tips then dip in salt let it soak for a minute then wash off. salt draws the pepper juice off of skin.

Fabulous Breakfast Casserole

2007-10-31T07:38:00.000-07:00

This is a GREAT recipe for Christmas morning, but it's good all year long!

Ham & Egg Casserole

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz cooked ham….strips (deli)
1 ¾ cup milk
8 eggs beaten
3 cups mozzarella cheese
¼ cup melted margarine
½ cup flour
2 Tbs. fresh parsley

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In large bowl, lightly toss the cheeses together. Sprinkle half the cheese in 13x9 baking dish. Arrange ham strips over the layer of cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese over ham.
Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup….level off. Using wire wisk, blend flour, milk, parsley and eggs. Pour over layers in baking dish.
Bake 35-40 minutes.

HAPPY EATING!

Stuffing Mix Recipes...

2007-10-29T21:46:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all the mexican recipes. I just wanted to post and tell everyone that today when I was buying the stuffing for a recipe I found on this blog, I found on the back there are three easy recipes to make meals out of the stuffing. Two were with chicken and one with sausage. They looked good and if I try one I enjoy I will post it.... P. S. The stove top stuffing is on sale for 88 cents at walmart.

I also noticed at walmart a pumpkin cheesecake in the freezer section.. Doesn't that sound good? I will have to make that at home and post the recipe if it turns out. Also, the walmart brand quick bread pumpkin mix is really good and it's only 1 dollar. It will make your house smell like heaven.

Tiana

Easy Baked Pepper Chicken

2007-10-29T20:46:00.000-07:00

6 uncooked chicken breasts
2 cups thinly sliced onion and peppers
2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. basil
1/4 cup olive oil, seperated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a deep baking pan (9x13) with foil - this will make for a quick clean up- and seal in the heat. Drizzle the foil layer with 1/2 of the olive oil to avoid sticking. Sprinkle foil with half onions, peppers, and seasonings. Put the chicken on top of the layer of onions and peppers. Place remaining onions, peppers, and seasonings on top of the chicken.

**Important: cover teh pan with another layer of foil, and seal the sides. Bake 30-45 min, or until the center of the chicken is no longer pink.
***This will be the juiciest, most tender chicken you have ever made. No knife needed!!

Serve over rice and sauteed vegetables or make into FAJITAS (my favorite)

Salsa Verde

2007-10-29T20:37:00.000-07:00

6 tomatillos (boil 1/2 until they change color)
1/2 onion
1/2 tsp garlic
1 1/2 Anaheim peppers- large (clean out)
1/2 c cilantro chopped
1 lime juice
1 tsp salt
1 avocado
1 jalapeno (clean out)

Blend all ingredients in blender. I usually add more avocado and just do it to taste.
Freezer Friendly
Can be used as a topping on enchiladas or as a dip.

Another Mexican-ish Idea

2007-10-29T06:55:00.000-07:00

This one is in one of my Pampered Chef books, and its cheap and easy and I love it!
(And I'm not going to copy word for word...so I'm just gonna go on memory here.)

Make cornbread (you want it kind of thin, I use my bar pan) (I use two pkgs, because the bar pan is large)

Then while that is in the oven:

Combine:
2 cans of refried beans
a clove of garlic
a TBS or 2 of taco seasoning

After the cornbread has cooled off a little bit, spread the bean mixture over the cornbread.

Then top it off with:
cheese
green peppers
black olives
tomatoes
and a little sour cream

Salsa

2007-10-29T06:45:00.000-07:00

So, I have never made this salsa, but my this is my cousin Lauren's recipe, and her salsa is always awesome! If you make it, let me know how you like it. :)

2 bundles of cilantro
6 cans tomatoes (2 cans juice)
1 green onion
1 anaheim pepper (de-seed it)
1 yellow pepper (also without seeds)
salt to taste (2 TBSP)
1 garlic colve
1/2 lemon
1 TBSP El pato (yellow can)

okay, that is all she gave me...so I'm confused on the 2 cans tomato juice...I'm sure you could just use your judgment and decide how thick you like your salsa. I'm assuming you just chop and dice and blend it all together. ? :) Good luck.

Wanted: Mexican Recipes

2007-10-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

I love Mexican food and I was wondering if any of you had any great mexican recipes to share. I am looking for maybe a new salsa recipe, tamale recipe, guacamole salsa, or red enchilada sauce recipe. Or any other mexican recipe? I have made enchilada sauce before it's just a pretty basic recipe and isn't too creamy. I also have a good salsa recipe but I need a new one since I already make this salsa almost every week.

Also, has anyone here made tamales before? What was your experience? Was it hard? Can you use a cake spatula to spread the masa in the corn husk?

Thanks!
Tiana

Swiss Chicken Casserole

2007-10-27T14:29:00.000-07:00

I have a bunch of slow cooker recipes that are awesome! This one for Swiss Chicken Casserole is easy and so yummy!

6 Chicken Breasts
6 Slices Swiss Cheese
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/4 Cup milk
2 Cups Stuffing Mix
1/4-1/2 Cup Melted Butter

Lightly grease slow cooker. Place chicken in pot and top with cheese. Combine soup and milk. Pour in slow cooker. Sprinkle with stuffing mix and pour melted butter on top. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. (I always cook it on high and it turns out great!)
Posted by Ranee

Bread Making recipes

2007-10-27T00:15:00.000-07:00

Basic Bread Making

Basic Bread Recipe (for a Bosch, Kitchen Aid, etc.)
2 T. yeast 2/3 C. vegetable oil (or shortening)
1 quart warm water 1 T. salt
2/3 C. honey (or sugar) 10-12 C. flour (white, whole wheat, or mix)
Add ingredients in the order they are listed, ending with the flour. Turn on the machine to high, using the dough hook (3 for a Bosch). Let it knead for 6-10 minutes. Shape into loaves. (5 loaves for the smaller pans, 2-3 for the larger) Put into greased pans. Cover with towel and let rise until doubled in size. (30 minutes to an hour) Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes. Add 10-20 minutes for the larger pans. Loaves should be well browned. Butter tops immediately. Remove from pans and let cool.
Without a machine: You can make this same recipe by hand by halving all ingredients, mixing the first five ingredients and then adding the flour a cup or two at a time. However, you will have to knead the dough by hand and let it rise an extra time in a greased bowl, until the dough is doubled. Then you would shape it as the recipe says and continue from there.
For dinner rolls: Shape into balls the size of a medium apricot. Place in a greased pan almost touching each other. Let rise until doubled (about 30 min.). Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Butter tops immediately. Makes 48 to 60 rolls.
For cinnamon rolls: Roll ¼ recipe into a 8 by 12 inch rectangle. Spread 1-2 T. softened butter (as you would lightly spread on bread) and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (1/4 c. sugar mixed with 1 t. cinnamon) to cover it. Roll up carefully starting from one of the long sides and pinch to close. Using floss or thread, slice rolls one inch thick.. Continue as for rolls. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Frost or drizzle with powdered sugar glaze.
For fun!: Let the kids each have a chunk of dough and give them rolling pins, cookie cutters, etc. Let them make their own shapes and then bake them. You can even sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar for a sweet treat.

Bread Sticks (VERY easy for a beginner)
1 T. yeast 3 T. sugar
½ C. warm water ¾ t. salt
1 C. warm milk 3 ½ C. flour (can be a mixture of white and wheat)
2 T. oil Parmesan cheese (opt.)
Dissolve yeast in water. Add to milk and oil. Add sugar, salt, and flour. Mix well; form into ball. Let rise 15 minutes.
Pull off pieces of dough. Roll into sticks. Place sticks on greased cookie sheet; let rise 30 minutes (or less if you don’t have time). Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove from oven. Spread with butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Makes 10-12 bread sticks.

Soft Pretzels
1 T. dry yeast 4-5 C. flour, divided (white or mixture)
1 ½ T. sugar 1 egg, beaten
1 ½ C. warm water Coarse salt
1 t. salt
Dissolve yeast, sugar, and warm water in a small glass bowl; let sit 5 minutes. Combine 1 t. salt and 2 to 3 cups flour in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture to flour mixture and make a soft batter. Keeping hands dusted with flour, knead in 2 to 3 more cups of flour to make a stiff dough.
Divide the dough into 12 pieces. With dusted hands, roll between your hands to make a 12 inch rope the thickness of your finger. Twist the rope into a pretzel shape (2 twists on the knot) and place on greased cookie sheet. Repeat until all dough is used. Brush pretzels with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Makes 1 dozen.

Margie’s Pizza Dough
1 C. warm water 1 t. honey
1 T. yeast 1 T. oil
1 t. salt 2 ½ C. flour
Combine all ingredients, except flour and salt and let stand for 5 minutes. Add salt. Then add 2 cups of the flour and beat until smooth and elastic. Add ½ cup more flour (enough to make a stiff dough). Turn onto floured surface and knead until smooth. Roll to fit pizza pan. Top as desired. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Makes 1 crust. Note: This recipe is easily doubled (except for the yeast) to make 2 pizzas.

Bread Bowls
2 ½ C. warm water 4 C. flour
3 T. sugar 1 T. salt
2 T. yeast 3 C. flour
2 T. salad oil
Mix together water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add oil and salt. Put four cups flour in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the flour and put the wet mixture in the well. Mix the flour into the wet mixture until well mixed. Add the remaining flour ½ cup at a time until too thick to stir. Continue to add flour and mix with your hands until you have a stiff dough. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Turn dough into a large greased bowl and let rise until doubled. Punch down dough and divide into 6 equal pieces. Place on greased baking sheet; let rise until doubled. Smooth and round the dough before rising the second time. Bake for 30 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Cool bowls on rack; slice top of and remove inside bread to form serving cavity. Makes 6 bowls.

Bread making tips:
Dissolve yeast in water first and add sweetener to help jumpstart yeast.
Let dough rise until double before baking.
Use hot tap water.
Sweeteners can be exchanged cup for cup (i.e. honey for sugar)
Knead the dough using the palm of your hand, folding the dough over each time.
When substituting whole wheat flour for white, let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes to determine if you need to add more flour as the whole wheat flour absorbs moisture more slowly due to the bran. The white flour will absorb it instantly. You will use more whole wheat flour in a given recipe than white flour for this reason.
If your house is very cold, you can let the dough rise in the oven to speed the process. Turn the oven to WARM for five minutes and then turn it off. Put the dough in the oven, covered, and let rise. Beware of putting it in a hot oven because it will kill the yeast.
You can freeze dough for later use right after you make it. Put it in a Ziploc bag and squeeze the air out. It will take about a day to thaw (on the counter), depending on the size of the dough, but the work is done. You can even freeze it in the shape of your bread pan and then just put it in the bread pan to thaw (covered) so it will be ready to bake. If you do this, make sure to cover it with a thin layer of oil so that it won’t dry out.
If your wheat flour doesn’t have enough gluten or you want to ensure 100% whole wheat success, add some Vital Wheat Gluten with your flour, 1 t. per cup. Find it at places like Sprouts in the bulk bins.
I often use instant powdered milk from my food storage (a good way to rotate it) in my bread in place of fresh milk…just add the amount you need with the dry ingredients.
My very favorite wheat to use is hard white wheat…it makes wonderfully light bread!
Experimentation is the best teacher.

Cookies

2007-10-27T00:13:00.000-07:00

Someone told me at a school advent if you add a vanilla pudding pack the powder to chocolate chip cookies it makes the taste really good. And it makes you cookies turn out everytime.

Cookies

2007-10-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

Vote on the Title

2007-10-25T07:33:00.000-07:00

SORRY!! I took the title poll off... I got some more good ideas and it wouldn't let me just add them. SO, I'm going to start it again tomorrow (sorry if you already voted, you'll have to revote); if anybody else has a good idea get it to me before tomorrow!! :o)

LAURA

All My Favorites

2007-10-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

OK, here is a quick meal idea for those nights that you need something fast and it is actually quite good. It is a copy of the KFC "All My Favorites" dish (Is that it's name?). I got the idea from Erica Orosz and have used it several times.

Ingredients

Instant Potatoes
Frozen Popcorn Chicken
Corn
Gravy (I like the McCormick packets)

Cook according to the individual directions and layer!

LAURA :o)

Posting Rule

2007-10-24T00:47:00.000-07:00

I vote that we have one rule when posting..........tell us who you are! We can't always tell from your profile name and there isn't a link to the blogs from the post. If you don't want a link, that is fine, just end the recipes with your name so we know who to thank when we try out a new good one!
Keep on bloggin'!
Jamie Hutchings

Alice Springs Chicken

2007-10-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

Alice Springs Chicken
Submitted by: Tiana Gray

This is a recipe that is very close to a dish at Outback Steakhouse. I used to work there and loved the food.

-1/4 cup or grey poupon or other store brand type
-1/4 cup of honey
-1 teaspoon of olive oil
-1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
-2 chicken breasts
-1/2 Tablespoon of oil
-1 cup of mushrooms
-butter
-salt and pepper
-4 slices of bacon
-1/2 cup of cheddar
-1/2 cup of monteray jack

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in small bowl and whip for 30 seconds.
Pour over chicken and marinate for one hour. (This doesn't look good
at all but it will taste good on the chicken later)
2. Cook chicken and bacon in a skillet till done.
3. Remove from skillet and saute sliced mushrooms in butter until tender.
4. Arrange bacon, mushrooms, then cheese on top of the chicken and
sprinkle with parsley.
5. Bake in oven till cheese has melted.
6. Then you can serve with this with:
- french fries with monteray jack and cheddar cheese and leftover
bacon sprinkled on the top with ranch dressing.
(this is really good and is known as cheese fries at Outback- tip: use
fast food fries) YUM!
-steamed vegetables
-baked or mashed potatoes
-salad
Other Tip: Use fresh mushrooms instead of canned and they taste much better I think. You can saute them in your skillet with a little garlic and butter or oil.
-Also, you may be able to find honey mustard dressing to subsitute in this recipe.

Lemon Raspberry Pie

2007-10-23T21:03:00.000-07:00

Lemon Raspberry Pie
By Tiana Gray

Ingredients:
Graham cracker pie crust
Lemon Pudding and Pie Filling (Cook and Serve) 3 cups worth
Eggs
Cool Whip (can use small container but big one would probably work better)
1 cup raspberries (I buy frozen bag)

To make:
1. Just make your lemon pie filling with the eggs as it says on the
package. Then let it cool. After it has cooled pour half
(11/2 cup) of the pudding into the crust.
2. Then sprinkle one cup of
raspberries on top. Mix most of the cool whip into the remaining
pudding that is in the pot and stir. Then pour that on top of
the raspberries. Then spread more cool whip all by itself on top of
that and garnish with berries if you want.