Homemade Ice Cream

2 c. heavy cream

1 cans (14oz) sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the heavy cream, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl until thick, stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes.  Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan or freezer-safe container, cover and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours and up to 2 weeks.

Hot Corn Dip

2  cans (11oz)  mexicorn, drained
2  cans (4.5oz) chopped green chilies, drained
2  c. grated monterey jack cheese
3/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 c. mayonnaise (not miracle whip)
corn chips, for dipping (frito scroop or tostitos scoops)

Preheat the oven to 350°F Grease a 9 × 13 × 2-inch casserole dish. In a medium bowl, mix the corn, chile's, cheeses, and mayonnaise until fully combined.  Spread the mixture in the prepared casserole dish and bake, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges. Serve the dip warm from the oven with corn chips.

* Can also be prepared in a crockpot on low until all cheeses are melted, stirring occasionally.

Charleston Cheese Dip

1/2 c. mayonnaise
1  8oz package cream cheese, softened
1  c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2  c. grated Monterey jack cheese
2 green onions, finely chopped
Dash of cayenne pepper
8  Ritz crackers, crushed
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix the mayonnaise, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, green onions and cayenne pepper.  Transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish.Top mixture with cracker crumbs and bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through.  Remove the pan from the oven and top with the bacon. Serve immediately with corn chips, bagel chips or crackers.

 

Chocolate Chip Cheese Dip

 ½ c. butter
 ¼ c. brown sugar, slightly packed
 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
 8 oz cream cheese , room temperature
 ½ c. powedered sugar
1 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients.  Serve with Teddy Grahams.

Hamburger Steaks with Brown Gravy

Hamburger Steaks:

1lb ground beef

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp garlic powder

 

Brown Gravy:

2 tbs pan drippings

2 tbs flour

1 ¾ c. beef stock (or 1 beef bullion cube in 1 ¾ cups water as a substitute)

Salt & pepper to taste

 

Crumble ground beef in a medium bowl and add salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder; mix by hand until seasoning is evenly distributed taking care not to over-work the meat. Shape ground beef into four thin hamburger steaks (about ½ inch thick).  Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is good and hot, cook steaks on each side for 4-5 minutes or until nicely seared. Remove steaks to a plate and set aside (do not worry if they are cooked through, they will finish cooking in the gravy). 

 

Reduce frying pan temperature to medium. Pour off pan drippings into a cup or bowl then measure two tablespoons of the drippings and add back to the pan (the hamburgers should yield almost exactly two tablespoons but if you’re short, add melted bacon grease or butter). Add flour to pan and whisk to incorporate. Continue cooking and whisking for about 3-4 minutes or until roux is medium brown. Add beef stock and continue whisking for 2-3 minutes or until gravy starts to thicken a little (gravy will be thin). Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Add hamburger steaks to gravy, reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until meat juices run clear and gravy has reduced and thickened.

Serve with white rice or mashed potatoes.

 

 

Ritz Cheesy Chicken and Gravy

Chicken
4 large chicken breasts
2 sleeves Ritz crackers
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1/2 C milk
3 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 t dried parsley

Gravy1 14 ounce can cream of chicken soup
2 T sour cream
2 T butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut each chicken breast into 3 large chunks. In a small food processor grind up the ritz crackers.  Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans. Toss the 1/4 t salt and 1/8 t pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture around to combine.  Dip each piece of chicken into the milk then the cheese and finally the cracker crumbs.  Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and lay the chicken inside the pan.  Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken.
Cover the pan with tin foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy.

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

Pasta e Fagioli Soup

1 lb ground beef

1 small onion, diced 

1 large carrot, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced 

2 14.5oz cans diced tomatoes

1 15oz can red kidney beans, undrained

1 15o. can Great Northern Beans, undrained

1 Tbs white vinegar 

1 ½ tsp salt 

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

½ tsp pepper

 ½ tsp thyme

½ lb. Ditali pasta

 

Brown the ground beef in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and saute for 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender.  Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring often.  At 50 minutes into simmer time, cook the pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Drain the pasta and add to the pot of soup.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Serve with garlic breadsticks.

 

Stovetop Christmas

It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas....mmmm, heat this on your stove to fill your house with warmth and good tidings!

one whole orange or just the orange peel

1/2 cup cranberries

1 Tbsp. whole cloves

3 sticks of cinnamon or a small handful of small pieces of cinnamon

a bit of grated nutmeg if desired

Quarter the orange (a really ripe one is best) or just use the peel.  Add all ingredients to a pot, add water, simmer on low heat.  You can reheat this same mix everyday for weeks.  Don't let all the water evaporate though.

Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

5 c. of chicken broth (boxed or can is fine)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. onions, chopped fine
1/2 c. celery, chopped fine
1/2 c. carrots, chopped fine
1/2 c. green onions, sliced
1 can of whole kernel corn, drained
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 1/2 cup Egg noodles
2 cups cooked chicken chopped

Add everything but the noodles and cooked chicken to the crock pot.  Cook on low for 7 hours.  During the last hour, boil noodles as directed on package, drain.  Add chicken and cooked pasta to crock pot, stir, serve with crackers.

No Peek Beef Tips

2 lbs stew meat
1  can cream of mushroom soup
1  packet brown gravy mix
1 packet lipton dry onion soup mix
1 4 oz can mushrooms (I personally leave these out because we don't like mushrooms)
1 c. water

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Add cubed meat to a 9 x 13 inch pan.  In a large bowl mix the remaining ingredients together and pour over the meat.  Add mushrooms and stir to coat. Cover with foil and bake at 300 degrees for 3 Hours.  No peeking!  Do not remove foil until done.  Serve over rice, mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

Spicy Sausage Pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 14-ounce package smoked turkey sausage, sliced into rounds
1 1/2 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
1 10-ounce can Ro-Tel Tomatoes and Green Chiles, Original Style
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces uncooked penne pasta (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Thinly sliced scallions
Salt, to taste
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet (or other oven-safe skillet) until smoking.

Add the sausage and onion, and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add in the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the broth, Ro-Tel, heavy cream, uncooked pasta, and pepper, and give the mixture a good stir. Bring to a boil, cover the skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until the pasta is tender, about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice while cooking. Preheat the broiler while the pasta is cooking.

Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in 1 cup of the cheese. Taste, and add salt as needed. Top with the scallions and remaining cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and lightly browned - about 3 minutes.

Cheesy Taco Casserole

3/4 box of ziti noodles
1lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 c. water
4 oz cream cheese
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Boil pasta as directed.  Set aside.  Brown ground beef and drain, mix in taco seasoning and water.  Simmer for 5 minutes, add cream cheese, stirring until melted.  Add to pasta, add 1 cup of cheese, gently mix.  Pour into casserole dish, top with remaining cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Brussels Sprouts Gratin

About 1.5 pounds of Brussels sprouts, halved
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1.5 cups milk
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup mayo
black pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 350
Clean, trim stems of Brussels sprouts. Cut in half and keep all of loose leaves that fall off. Fill medium stock pot half way with water, bring to boil. Add Brussels sprouts, stirring in hot water and blanch quickly for about 2 minutes or until they turn bright green. Immediately drain. Do not cook Brussels sprouts and make them soft!
In large pan melt butter, then add flour and quickly stir with whisk to combine and remove clumps. Turn off heat.
Add milk, salt, cheese, mayo and black pepper. Stir until cheese is melted.
Add Brussels sprouts and combine with cheese mixture. Pour into baking dish and bake for about 30-45 minutes or until Brussels sprouts are tender.
For extra cheese crust, sprinkle cheese on about 10 minutes before Brussels sprouts are finished.

Chicken Ranch Pasta

8 ounces penne pasta
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp dry ranch dressing seasoning mix
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup cooked, chopped bacon
2 cups cooked, chopped chicken

In a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.  Meanwhile, boil chicken in water (can use broth for more flavor) until completely cooked through.  Fry bacon.  Shred both, set aside.

In same pot (while pasta is draining) melt butter. Add flour and stir. Cook flour for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk. Continue cooking until sauce thickens. Stir in ranch dressing mix and cheese. Stir until cheese melts. Add chicken, bacon and pasta. Stir to coat.

Braided Spaghetti Bread

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

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray (or use parchment paper).  Roll loaf or combined dinner rolls into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10-15 minutes.  Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and let cool slightly.  Remove wrap from dough. Place spaghetti lengthwise in a 4-inch strip down the center of dough. Top with sauce and cheese cubes. (I mixed my spaghetti and sauce together and added a ½ pound of cooked Italian Sausage)  Make cuts 1 ½-inches apart on long sides of dough to within ½-inch of filling.  Begin braid by folding top and bottom strips toward filling. Then braid strips left over right, right over left. Finish by pulling last strip over and tucking under braid.  Lift braid with both hands and place on large sprayed baking sheet. (or transfer parchment paper to baking sheet). Brush with egg white and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley (I added garlic powder).  Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and slice to serve.

Crockpot Italian Chicken & Vegetables

4 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 bottle Italian dressing
1 pkg Italian seasoning
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
4-6 potatoes, peeled and wedged
1/2 bag mini carrots

Combine all ingredients in crockpot, layering vegetables over chicken.  Cook low 8-10 hours until chicken is cooked through.

Mexican Chicken Skillet

1 lb Chicken Breast (Cut into Chunks)
1 16oz Container of Salsa
1 Box of Whole Grain Pasta
1 10oz Bag of Frozen Corn
1 8oz Package of shredded cheese (I used Mexican Blend)
*top with hot sauce and sour cream optional

Cook your pasta according to directions on box and drain.  Heat on med 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet.  Cook your chicken for 5min.  Pour in container of salsa.  Pour in package of frozen corn.  Cover skillet simmer for 10 min until chicken is cooked through.  Stir in pasta.  Remove from heat
Pour cheese over top of mixture.  Place lid again cover for 5min until cheese melts.  Serve!

Cheesy Potato & Smoked Sausage Casserole

3 cups idaho potatoes, peeled, boiled and cut into cubes when cool

4 Tbs butter
4 Tbs flour
2 c. milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, diced
1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb skinless smoked sausage
1/8 tsp paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut skinless smoked sausage in half, lengthwise, and then chop into 1/2 inch "half moon" cuts. Cook in a frying pan for about 15 minutes, turning frequently to SLIGHTLY brown.  Meanwhile, put cooked & diced potatoes in 2 quart casserole. Add cooked meat and give it a gentle toss.  Mix all remaining ingredients (except for shredded cheddar cheese & the paprika) in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, melted and smooth. (Use a whisk and stir constantly) do not let the cheese scorch!  Pour cheese sauce over potatoes and meat. Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top, and then sprinkle paprika evenly over the top.  Bake for 35-45 minutes (watch, until golden brown on top).  Serve. 

* Meat can be substituted with hot dogs, ham, or even Spam if that's your thing ;)

Strawberries and Cream Pie

Mmm, the cooler weather makes me want to bake sweets.  This isn't really baking since the only thing that needs baked is the crust, but it's still pie nonetheless.

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (About 9 full/long crackers — just throw them in a gallon bag, zip, and crush with a rolling pin.)
5 tbsp butter, melted

Filling:
2 8oz blocks of cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups heavy cream + 1 tbsp
2/3 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 carton strawberries, sliced into thirds or halves
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 375.  In a small bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until a crumbly, moist mixture forms.  Gently but firmly press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom/sides of a pie dish.  Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

In a medium bowl, use an electric mixture to beat your cream until it holds firm peaks. Set aside.  In a separate, larger bowl, mix cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar until smooth and creamy.  Fold about 1/3 of the whipped cream into your cream cheese mixture to lighten it, then add the rest. Gently fold until evenly incorporated and smooth.  Spoon filling into your cooled pie crust, and spread it out in an even layer.  Layer sliced strawberries in an overlapping rows around the top of the cream.  Melt chocolate + 1 tbsp cream, and stir until smooth and liquid. Drizzle melted chocolate over the top of the strawberries.  Stick the pie in the fridge for a few hours to allow the creamy filling to firm up.  Slice and serve immediately. Enjoy!  This will only last a few days in the fridge, so eat it up!

Cheesy Turkey Stromboli

Perfect for those nights when you need something fast or on the go.

1 can refrigerated pizza dough
6 slices colby jack cheese slices
1 pkg applewood smoked turkey breasts (oscar mayer is good)
1/2 c. chopped roasted red peppers
1 tsp. basil leaves
1 egg
1 Tbsp. water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Unroll dough on lightly floured surface.  Roll out or patn into 12 in square; top with cheese, turkey, peppers and basil, leaving 1/2 inch rim around all sides.  Roll up, pinch seam and ends together to seal.  Place seam side down on foil covered baking sheet.  Beat egg and water; brush onto dough.  Bake 22-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool 10 minutes before slicing.  Serve!

Creamy Bacon Carbonara

You can easily add chicken to this for a dinner, or leave it as is for a lunch.

2 eggs

1/4 cup Cream or Heavy Cream (Whipping Cream)

1/3 cup Parmesan

Fresh diced Parsley or dried flakes

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp Red Pepper flakes

*(I doubled the Sauce recipe, and it was perfect)

1/2 lb. bacon

1 small onion, chopped (opt)

3 mushrooms sliced (opt)

1/2 lb. Pasta

Beat the eggs, cream, parmesan, parsley, salt and the red pepper together in a bowl. I just used a fork. Fry the bacon until crisp, then crumble and set aside. With 1 -2 Tbsp. bacon grease, saute the onion and the mushrooms until the onions are translucent and golden. Drain the pasta and while still warm, add to the onions and mushrooms (I personally do not like mushrooms and leave them out). Pour cream mixture into the pasta, and stir over low heat for one to two minutes. (**I doubled the sauce recipe and I saved a bit of the pasta water, just in case my sauce got thicker than I liked – simply add a bit if you need it) Don’t do this on high heat, or you will make scrambled eggs. Serve with additional parmesan, a loaf of Crusty French bread, and a salad. So Good!

DIY Laundry Detergent

I know this isn't food, but this is my blog where I like to store ANY recipe : )  I've read a lot of DIY recipes for laundry detergent, but this one really caught my eye.

1 (4 lb 12 oz) Box of Borax

1 (3 lb 7 oz) Box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

1 (3 lb) Container of OxyClean (This is optional but I highly recommend adding it)

2 (14.1 oz) Bars of Zote Soap

2 (2 lb) Boxes of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda

1 (55 oz) Bottle of Purex Crystals Fabric Softener

Grate soap.  In large bucket (5 gallon) layer a bit of each ingredient, stir, repeat.  This was easier than dumping all the ingredients together then trying to stir them all at once.  Fill up the empty Purex bottle for easier dispensing.  Measure to middle line on cap.  Only takes about 1-2 tbs (yes, tablespoons!) for one load.  This bucket should last a year for about 6 loads a week.  You're welcome : )



Mississippi Roast

1 chuck roast
1 pack of Hidden Valley ranch dressing mix
1 pack of McCormick Au Jus gravy
1 stick of butter
5 pepperoncini peppers

Place roast in crockpot, cover in ranch dressing mix.  On top of ranch dressing mix, cover with au jus gravy mix.  Place stick of butter on top of roast.  Place peppers on the roast around the stick of butter.  Do NOT add any water.  Cook on low 8-10 hours.

Butter Pecan Sweet Potatoes

4 medium sweet potatoes olive oil
course salt
1 T. butter, cut into small pieces
1 T. light brown sugar
1/4 c. pecan pieces
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel potatoes and halve lengthwise; slice crosswise 1/2 inch thick. On a baking sheet, toss potatoes with olive oil (I like to put mine in a ziploc bag and shake it); season with salt.

Cook until potatoes are tender, tossing occasionally, 25-30 minutes.

Sprinkle with butter, brown sugar, pecan pieces and cayenne pepper, dividing evenly. Bake until sugar is carmelized and hard, about 10 minutes. Toss gently; serve immediately. Serves 4.

Crockpot Cube Steak and Gravy

This isn't a "pretty" dish, but those are usually the one that taste the best!  This could easily be cut in half to serve 2. 

Cube steak (I used a family size pack)
2 cans (10.75 ounce size) cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope onion soup mix
3/4 cup water
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix water, soup, and soup mix until blended.  Pour half in crockpot, add steak, pour other half of soup mix over steaks.  Cook on low 8 hours. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes, or with your favorite side dishes.

Southern-Style Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken:

1 large fryer chicken (4-5 lbs.), neck and gizzards removed

1 large onion, peeled and cut in half

3 carrots, cut into large pieces

3 stalks of celery, cut into large pieces

Kosher salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Dumplings:

3 cups cake flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

4 1/2 tbsp. shortening

1 cup milk

For chicken:

Place the chicken, onions, carrots, and celery in a large stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat so water maintains a gentle simmer. Cook chicken for 1 hour or until cooked through (about 165 degrees). About 30 minutes after you start cooking the chicken you can start making the dumplings or you can wait until the chicken is fully cooked.

Once chicken is done, remove from the broth and let cool. Remove chicken from the bone (this shouldn’t be hard, it should be falling off pretty easily at this point) and shred into medium-sized pieces, discarding bones and skin.

Pour the chicken broth through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheese cloth (I improvised and used a coffee filter), discarding vegetables. Reserve 6 cups of the broth for the dumplings. Refrigerate or freeze the rest to use in for another recipe. 

For dumplings:

Mix flour, baking soda, and salt together in bowl. Cut shortening into flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles small peas.

Add milk — 1/4 cup at a time, you may not need a full cup — and stir until a ball of dough just begins to form, being careful not to over-mix. 

Roll out the dough onto floured surface that you don’t mind cutting on. Roll about ¼ inch thick. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut dough into rectangles about 1 inch wide by 3 inches long. Place strips on wax paper and allow to harden up a bit, about 30 minutes.

In a large pot, over medium-low heat, bring broth to a gentle simmer and drop in dumplings. Cover and allow to cook for 6-7 minutes. 

Reduce heat to low and add chicken. Allow to cook until thickened, approximately 15-20 minutes, or longer. Season generously with salt and pepper.  serve hot.

Crockpot BBQ Chicken

1 whole Tyson chicken
1 bottle of favorite BBQ sauce
1 onion, peeled and quartered
1 lemon, quartered
1 can of Coke

Place chicken in crockpot.  In separate bowl, mix soda and bbq sauce, pour over chicken.  Add onion and lemon to the crockpot.  Bake on low for 6-8 hours.  Serve with corn on the cob and potato salad.  Summer dinner in the crockpot. Who knew?

Too Easy Lemon Bars

I love easy recipes with minimum ingredients.  This one was too simple not to share. 

1 box of angel food cake mix
1 can of lemon pie filling

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix both ingredients together, pour in greased 9x13 pan, bake for 20 minutes.  As they are cooling, sprinkle with powder sugar.  Slice and serve.

Cajun Chicken Alfredo

4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts - thin sliced
1 ½ Tbs. Cajun blackening spice
2 Tbs. butter, divided
1 Tbs. olive oil (or more if needed)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 C. (1/2 pint) grape tomatoes, halved
¼ C. chicken broth or dry white wine
1 ½ C. half and half
2 C. good quality, freshly grated Italian cheeses (I like a blend of Asiago, Parmesan, and Fontina.)
1 tsp. kosher salt (or more, to taste)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper (or more, to taste)
1 pound cooked fettuccini
Pinch of ground nutmeg, for serving
Chopped parsley, for serving

Cook fettuccini “al-dente” according to package directions, stirring often. Drain, and rinse with hot tap water, to keep pasta from sticking. Drain again.

Chicken:
Preheat oven to 350.  Rinse chicken breast in cool water, and pat dry.  Sprinkle a heavy amount of blackening spice on both sides of each chicken breast, pressing to adhere.  Heat 1 Tbs. of the butter, and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, until butter begins to brown.  Place chicken in the pan, and sear on one side, until it is very brown, about 3 minutes. Flip chicken and sear the other side until very brown, about another 1 ½ minutes. Work in batches so as not to crowd the pan.
Place browned chicken onto a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.  Remove chicken from the oven and thinly slice against the grain; set aside.

Sauce:
If the skillet looks dry, add a bit more olive oil. Re-heat the skillet over medium heat.  Pour in the dry white wine (or chicken broth) into the skillet to deglaze the pan—whisk all of the delicious brown bits off the bottom of the pan. (1-2 minutes)  Add the garlic and tomatoes to the pan and sauté to soften and lightly caramelize, stirring occasionally. (1-2 minutes)  Reduce heat to medium-low and pour the heavy cream to the pan with the tomato mixture, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
Add the salt, pepper, and the remaining tablespoon of butter.

Continue to stir the cream mixture while it simmers for 3-4 minutes. The cream will reduce slightly.
Remove from heat. Add the grated cheeses to the cream sauce. Stir constantly until all the cheese has melted, and sauce is smooth. Taste sauce and adjust seasonings if needed. 

Pour the fettuccini onto the sauce, and top with the sliced chicken.  Toss the pasta and chicken into the sauce with tongs, until well combined.  Turn tossed pasta into a large serving bowl.
Sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg, and a bit of chopped parsley.  Serve immediately.

Crockpot Italian Chicken

4 chicken breasts

1 packet dry Zesty Italian dressing

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1-2 cans cream of chicken soup

Place the chicken in a crockpot and sprinkle Italian dressing over it. Combine cream cheese and cream of chicken soup in a small pot over low heat and pour over chicken. Cook on low in the crockpot for at least 4 hours. You can leave it in there all day. Once chicken is done you can leave the chicken breasts whole, cube it, or even shred it. I always cut the breasts into tenderloin size strips. Once you have cut up the chicken, throw it back in the crockpot and stir into the sauce.
If you feel the sauce is too thick you can thin it to your preferred consistency with a little milk. Serve over spiral pasta.

Sour Cream Chicken

2 pounds chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups of Pepperidge Farm Herbed Stuffing, the crumbles not the cubes
1 cup (approximately) of full fat sour cream
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
garlic powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lay the chicken close together on a foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Coat with a thick layer of sour cream.  Top that with the seasoned Pepperidge Farm breadcrumbs and then dot with the butter.  Bake for 35 minutes for chicken tenders or up to an hour for chicken breasts.  It's ready when the chicken is cooked through and the breadcrumbs are nicely browned.

Roasted Potatoes and Carrots

2 lbs. red potatoes

3 or 4 peeled and quartered carrots

1 tsp salt

1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper

1 tsp fresh chopped rosemary

3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine ingredients together. Spread on a roasting pan. I prefer an aluminum foil covered one to help with cleanup. Roast for an hour.

Baked Zucchini

1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1/8 tsp black pepper
heaping 1/2 cup flour
1 cup cold milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 cups sliced zucchini (about 2 small zucchinis)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a medium bowl combine breadcrumbs, cheese (if using) and black pepper.  In separate bowl add flour, milk and vinegar. Gently stir until combined but do not over stir.
Dip zucchini slices in flour mixture and then dredge in breadcrumb mixture.  Place coated zucchini slices on a baking sheet (I line mine with non stick foil for easy clean up!) and bake for 30 minutes, flipping the slices over once halfway through cooking, or until browned and crisp.

Hamburger Pie

Mashed Potatoes (made from 4-5 potatoes)

1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Dash black pepper

2 1/2 cups frozen cut green beans, thawed

1 10 3/4oz can condensed tomato soup

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare Mashed Potatoes; set aside. In a large skillet cook meat and onion until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat. Add the salt and pepper. Stir in thawed beans and soup; pour into a greased 2-quart rectangular baking dish or casserole.

Spoon Mashed Potatoes in mounds on bean mixture (or, if desired, pipe potatoes using a pastry bag and a large star tip). Sprinkle cheese over the potatoes. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes or until mixture is bubbly and cheese begins to brown.  Serve!

Cinnamon French Toast Bake

Ingredients
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cans (12.4 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
5 eggs
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup maple syrup

Garnish
Icing from cinnamon rolls
Powdered sugar
Maple syrup, if desired

Preheat oven to 375.  Melt butter and pour on ungreased 13×9 inch glass dish. Separate cans of dough into 16 rolls reserving the icing for later use. Cut each roll into 8 pieces and add to buttered baking dish.  Beat eggs in medium bowl. Add cream, cinnamon and vanilla and beat until well blended. Pour over cut pieces of cinnamon roll pieces.  Sprinkle with pecans and drizzle 3/4 cup syrup over the top. Bake for 20 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes.  Remove the covers from icing and microwave on medium or 50% power for 10 to 15 seconds. (Should be thin enough to drizzle.) Drizzle icing over the top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with syrup if desired. Yum!

Stuffed Green Peppers

I only make two peppers, but you could easily double this to make four peppers.

2 large green peppers

1/2 pound ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce, divided

1 cup cooked rice

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup mozzarella cheese (Italian blend is great, too!)

Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds. Place peppers in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook for 3 minutes. Drain and immediately place in ice water; invert on paper towels.

Preheat oven to 350.  In a small skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Remove from the heat. Stir in 1 cup tomato sauce, rice, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Spoon into peppers.  Place in an ungreased shallow 2-qt. baking dish. Drizzle with remaining tomato sauce. Top with cheese.  Cover and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 more minutes or until peppers are tender and cheese is bubbly.  Serve with mashed potatoes for the maximum comfort food effect!

Cayenne Chicken with Avocado Salsa

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, (6 to 8 ounces each)

2 tbs olive oil

1 medium red onion, finely diced

2 tbs fresh lime juice

1 avocado, pitted and cut into chunks

In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne; rub all over chicken.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add chicken, and cook until browned on the outside and opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes per side. 

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine onion and lime juice; set aside. Just before serving, fold avocado chunks into onion mixture; season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken topped with salsa.

Beer Bread

I love bread!  Seriously, can never have enough warm bread topped with butter.  This recipe was too easy not to try.  And it turned out great!

1 can of beer (I used Busch Light because that's what we had on hand)
1/4 sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 cups sifted flour (if you don't have a sifter, just spoon the flour into the measuring cup so it's not packed)
1/2 c. melted butter (I used 1/4 cup and it was perfect for me)

Heat oven to 375.  Combine dry ingredients, add beer (I microwaved mine on defrost for about a minute just so it was about room temperature since it had come from the fridge) Mix just until all ingredients are wet.  Over mixing will result in tough bread.  Pour into greased loaf pan.  Pour melted butter over top.  Bake for one hour, until top is golden brown.  Let bread set about 15 minutes before removing from pan, cool for about 15 minutes outside of pan before serving.  YUM!

Tip: If you use a 1/2 cup of butter on top, I suggest putting a cookie sheet on the rack below to catch any overspill of the butter as it bakes. 

Swedish Meatballs

1 pkg Farmrich Italian style frozen meatballs (you can use 1/2 a pkg if serving 2)
3/4 pkg egg noodles
1 tbs olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup flour
4 cups beef broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt & pepper

Prepare meatballs and noodles according to package, set aside.  Heat oil in skillet, sautée the onions & garlic until just about soft and transparent, adding a little more oil if needed. Push the onions to the side of the pan, creating a well in the middle. add the 2 tablespoons of butter. When melted, add the flour and whisk together. Whisk and cook until the flour turns brown, about 2-3 mins. It's ok to mix it all up w/ the onions. Add in the beef broth slowly, constantly mixing to ensure the flour does not leave clumps. Add the cream, mix and bring the sauce to a simmer until a desired consistency is reached. the longer you simmer, the thicker the sauce will get. Taste of seasoning and add salt & pepper as needed.

Add the meatballs in, heat through if needed, serve over noodles.  Enjoy!

Cali Style Turkey Sandwich

Sandwiches are perfect for hot summer nights when cooking is out of the question!  This one is great!

6 slices turkey breast lunch meat
2 slices sourdough bread, toasted
1 ounce herb mayonnaise
1/2 avocado, peeled, thinly sliced
2 slices Monterey Jack cheese

Spread mayonnaise on one slice of bread.  Top with turkey breast, avocado slices, Monterey Jack cheese and second slice of bread.  Take it a step further and toast it in a skillet.  Yum!

Chicken Apple Gouda Smoked Sausage With Rice

1 package Hillshire Farm Chicken Apple With Gouda Cheese sausage links
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups prepared wild or brown rice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup sliced green onion
2 tablespoons candied pecans or walnuts (optional)

Cut sausage into 1/2-inch pieces. Add sausage and bell pepper to a large nonstick skillet; cook, stirring frequently, 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned.

Add chicken broth and cinnamon to skillet; bring to a boil. Stir in prepared wild rice, cranberries and green onion. Cook until heated through. Sprinkle with nuts, if desired, just before serving.

Chicken Monterey

1 1/2 c. flour

1 packet taco seasoning

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 stick melted butter or margarine

3 cup crushed tortilla chips (I like Doritos, but you can use plain)

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Pour flour and taco seasoning in a large bowl with lid and shake to mix. Coat chicken in flour mix, dip in melted butter and then roll in crushed chips; place in a greased baking pan and  bake for 20-30 minutes until chicken is no longer pink in the center.  Serve hot with fiesta corn and rice.

Quick Breakfast Pizza

Love this for Saturday mornings, and it's also good reheated for rushed Sunday mornings.

1 premade pizza crust (I used Boboli thin crust, do not bake first)
2 c. shredded colby jack cheese
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
sausage, cooked and crumbled (I used about a 1/3 a package)
4-5 eggs, scrambled
onions, chopped
green peppers, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spread about half the cheese onto the crust.  Top with remaining ingredients, finishing with other half of cheese.  Bake for about 20 minutes, until cheese is melted through.  Serve hot.

Hoppin' John

I'm obviously on a Cajun kick!  This would make a great dish for Thursday nights when we watch Swamp People.  I got this recipe from a lady I work with, she makes it for our "food days" in the office.  I'm excited to be able to make it for myself anytime I want now.

1 lb Black Eyed Peas (dry)

2 packages Smoked Ham Shanks (they’re meatier than ham hocks but you can use hocks if you want)
1 cup uncooked rice (I don’t use instant rice)
salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste

Wash peas.  Put in stockpot with ham shanks and cover with several inches or more of water. 

Cook til peas are tender (several hours) adding hot water as necessary.  Remove ham shanks and add the salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste.

Make sure there is about three cups of juice in the pot and add 1 cup of uncooked rice. Cover and simmer gently til rice is tender (about 20 min).  You probably could use instant rice but I’ve never made it with it so I don’t know how much juice would need to be in the pan when you add the rice.

Meanwhile, remove the ham from the bones and shred into small pieces.  When the rice is done, return the ham to the pot.  Serve.

Cajun Chicken Breasts

1/2 c. mayo
1-1/2 tbs Cajun spice
1/2 c. shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
2 tbs finely chopped parsley
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 oz. ea.)
1/4 c. fresh bread crumbs (I cheat and use the kind from the cannister)

Preheat oven to 425.  Combine mayo, cajun spice, 1/4 cup of the cheese and parsley. Spread on chicken, then sprinkle with crumbs. Bake 20 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; heat 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted.

Crispy Chicken Wraps

I buy the Tyson frozen breaded chicken strips to save time and for easy clean up.  This recipe is so versatile, you can really add whatever you like, or use grilled chicken.  The possibilities are endless :)

4-6 chicken strips
4-6 flour tortillas
romaine lettuce (or baby spinach leaves.  I'm not a fan of iceberg lettuce)
1 tomato (diced)
shredded cheddar cheese (or your favorite)
ranch dressing (also good with southwest ranch)

Bake your chicken strips according to package.  Spread dressing onto tortilla.  Add one chicken strip, lettuce, tomato, and cheese, then roll it up!  Serve.  That easy!

Bacon Double Cheese Burger Dip

A hot cheesy baked dip with all of the flavors of a bacon double cheese burger.  What's not to like?!!

1/2 lb ground beef

6 strips bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 small onion, diced

1 clove garlic, chopped (I cheat and use garlic salt)

4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 c. sour cream

1/4 c. mayonnaise

1/2 c. mozzarella, shredded

1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tbs worcestershire sauce

2 tbs ketchup

Preheat oven to 350.  Cook the ground beef in a pan over medium heat, drain, set aside.  Cook the bacon in the pan until crispy, about 6-10 minutes, set aside, and drain all but a tablespoon of the grease.  Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute about a minute.  Mix the ground beef, bacon, onions and garlic, and all remaining ingredients.  Pour it into a baking dish.  Bake about 20-30 minutes, until bubbly and golden.  Serve with baguette slices or tortilla chips.  You can also top with tomato slices and/or lettuce.

Crispy Chicken with Creamy Thyme Gravy

I cut this recipe in half for just 2 servings.  I loved this recipe.  You are basically making really crispy chicken breasts and a deliciously creamy gravy. 

4 chicken breasts (thin sliced, or pounded flat)
1 1/2 sleeves Ritz Cracker, ground into crumbs
Olive Oil
1 c. chicken broth
4 tbs butter
1 c.  + 2 tbs half and half, divided
1/2 tsp thyme, dried
2 tbs flour
salt and pepper

Grind the Ritz Crackers into crumbs in a small food processor. Place them in a shallow pan, I find a loaf pan to work best for this step.  Press each chicken piece into the crumbs, being sure to coat both sides generously. Place each coated chicken piece on a plate.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Once it is good and hot, pour about 5 tablespoons Olive Oil into your pan. Let your oil heat up just for 30 seconds or so, and then put the chicken carefully in the pan. Be sure not to overcrowd.  You may need to cook the chicken in two batches.  Cook chicken 3-4 minutes on each side.  The chicken is done when it's no longer pink inside. 

Once you have cooked all of the chicken you'll have some crispies left in the pan.  Add 4 tablespoons of butter and 1 cup chicken broth to the pan allowing the butter to melt. Whisk the mixture around a bit, scraping the bottom of the pan to break the crispy pieces loose.  Add 1 cup half and half and 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme. Whisk it around to incorporate and allow it to come to a boil.

Into a small bowl pour 2 tablespoons half and half and 2 tablespoons flour. Stir it around until smooth.  Pour the flour mixture into your pan and stir it with a whisk. Allow it to return to a boil...as it heats it will thicken into a gravy. Remove it from the heat, give it a taste and add a bit of salt and pepper to you liking.  Serve it over the crispy chicken!  I like to serve mine with buttery mashed potatoes with the gravy poured over both.  YUM!

Strawberry and Spinach Salad

I had this at a friend's house and I loved it.  Such a different sweet twist on salad.

1 bag of fresh spinach leaves
small carton of fresh strawberries, washed and thinly sliced
chopped vidalia or sweet onion
whole pecans (as many as you like)
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C vinegar
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
paprika
salt
pepper
butter
garlic salt

Sautee pecans in butter and garlic salt
In a blender, blend sugar, vinegar, worcestershire sauce, seeds, dash of paprika, salt and pepper. Add mixture, berries, onions and pecans to spinach leaves. Warm pecans will wilt leaves somewhat (this is okay). Serve immediately, otherwise wait to add dressing until serving time. 

Southwest Pasta

I love pasta.  I love Mexican.  Viola!

1 box mostaccioli (or penne) pasta
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped sweet red pepper
1 tbs olive oil
1 can condensed nacho cheese soup
1 pkg read to use santa fe grilled chicken (in the lunch meat aisle)
3/4 c. water
1 can black beans (rinsed)
1/4 c. shredded monterey jack cheese


Cook mostaccioli according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion and red pepper in oil until tender. Stir in the soup, chicken, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8 minutes.
 
Stir in beans; heat through. Drain mostaccioli; transfer to a serving bowl; top with chicken mixture (I prefer to mix all of mine together, the serve it)  Sprinkle with cheese if desired.

1, 2, 3 Peanut Butter Cookies

Three ingredients.  Don't even need flour.  Seriously.

1 c. creamy peanut butter
1 c. sugar (plus a little to sprinkle on top)
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix all three ingredients.  Roll into 1 inch balls.  Using a fork, criss cross the tops of each cookie.  These don't spread much so you can flatten them if you like thinner cookies.  Sprinkle tops with sugar.  Bake 8-10 minutes.  Let cool.

Pasta House Salad

Dressing
2/3 c. canola oil
2/3 c. olive oil
2/3 c. red wine vinegar
2/3 c. grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together all ingredients.  Set aside.


Salad
2 heads Romaine lettuce, shredded
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 can quartered artichoke hearts (not marinated), cut in half

Toss all ingredients in large bowl.  Pour dressing over salad.  Mix well. 

Not Your Healthy Salad

This salad is as good as a cheeseburger.  Really!

Dressing
1 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. white vinegar
1/3 c. ketchup
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients.  Whisk to death!  Refrigerate 3-4 hours, or overnight if possible.

Salad
1 head Romaine lettuce
1 bag spring mix salad
1 bag fresh spinach
1 bag large croutons (any flavor)
1 1/2 lb. cooked bacon, crumbled
1 lb. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Combine all ingredients, add dressing, toss well.  Serve cold.

Fettucine Alfredo

You can add cubed chicken to this, but sometimes I like just a bowl of noodles with sauce.  Special thanks to Beth for this one, too!

8 oz fettucine noodles
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 c. milk

Mix together all ingredients, except noodles, and melt over low heat on stovetop.  Boil noodles as directed, drain.  Add to sauce mixture, stir, and serve.

Easy Lemon Cheesecake

1 pkg lemon jello
1 c. boiling water
30 graham crackers (crushed)
1 stick butter, melted
8oz cream cheese
1 c. sugar
1 can milnot (chilled)

Dissolve Jello in boiling water, set aside to cool.  Combine butter and graham crackers, sprinkle bottom of 8x12 pan with 1/2 the crumb mixture, reserving the other half for the top.  Cream together cream cheese and sugar.  In separate bowl, whip milnot until thickened.  Add cheese mixture and Jello to milnot.  Whip until well blended.  Pour over graham crumbs.  Sprinkle remaining graham crumbs on top.  Chill before serving.

Barbie's Apple Dumplings

4 Gala apples, peeled and quartered
2 cans crescent rolls
1 stick of butter, melted
1 can of Sprite (or Mt. Dew!)
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  Roll apples in crescent rolls starting with the wide end.  Place in lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.  Combine sugars and cinnamon, sprinkle over dumplings.  Pour butter over dumplings.  Pour soda over dumplings.  Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown and apples are tender.

Chicken Sorrento

Don't worry, it's not as fancy as it sounds.  It's really quite simple to make!

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle creamy italian dressing
1 bag frozen stir-fry veggie blend

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat 2 tsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken.  Cook about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden.  Pour dressing over chicken, turning to coat.  Cover, reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes.  Add frozen vegetables, cover and cook 5 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through and veggies are crisp-tender.  Easy peasy!

Loaded Chicken

I may or may not have got this idea from back in the day when I worked at Colton's Steakhouse ;)

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breast (or 2 if it's just you and a hubby)
1 bottle of French dressing
1-2 c. shredded colby jack cheese
6-8 slices of bacon, cooked
green onions, chopped
3 tbs olive oil

Marinate chicken breast in French dressing for 3-4 hours (I do mine overnight) Heat oil in skillet on medium heat.  Add chicken, cook about 6 minutes on each side (depending on thickness) until no longer pink in the center.  I like to add a little more French dressing while they cook (don't use the same stuff you were marinating them in, use some fresh from the bottle!) Top with bacon, cheese, and green onions.  Reduce heat, cover, and cook until cheese is melted.  Remove from skillet and serve with a loaded baked potato.  Viola!

Pizza Spaghetti

It's the best of both worlds!  Pizza?  Goooood.  Spaghetti?  Goooood.  And really, all you have to do is boil noodles.  How easy is that?

spaghetti noodles
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 pkg pepperonis (I slice mine in half or buy the minis)
2 c. mozzarella cheese

Boil noodles as directed.  Add spaghetti sauce, pepperonis, and cheese.  Heat over low heat until cheese is melted.  Serve with your favorite breadsticks.  Ooey gooey goodness!

Strawberries and Cream

I'm not big on fruit, but add marshmallow fluff and cream cheese to it and now you're talking!

1 tub strawberries, sliced in half
8oz cream cheese (whipped mixes more easily)
1 jar marshmallow cream

Mix together marshmallow cream and cream cheese on medium speed until well blended.  Serve with sliced strawberries or any other fruit.  I like raspberries and kiwis :)

THE Best Chicken Enchiladas Ever

1 pkg Oscar Mayer santa fe ready grilled chicken strips, cubed (or do your own!)
8 oz sour cream
8 flour tortillas (I swear by Mission brand, Homestyle)
1 can rotel, drained
2 c. shredded cheddar (you guessed it, taco flavor!)
2 c. shredded white mexican cheese (Kraft makes this, I love it)
1 can cream of chicken soup

Preheat oven to 400.  In large bowl, combine sour cream, rotel, soup, 1 cup of each shredded cheese, and chicken.  Stir until well blended.   Spread some mixture on the bottom of 9x13 baking dish.  Using only about half the mixture, fill each tortilla, roll, and place in dish seam side down  They should all fit nice and snug in the dish.  Pour remaining mixture over the filled tortillas.  Top with remaining shredded cheeses.  Bake for 30 minutes until cheese is  melted and bubbly.  Serve.

Italian Pork Chops

Nothing fancy here, and very little cleanup (Score!)

4 pork loin chops (1 inch thick, with the bone)
2 c. Italian bread crumbs
3 tbs olive oil
garlic salt



Preheat oven to 375.  Heat oil on medium/high heat in a cast iron skillet.  Put bread crumbs in a shallow dish (I used a round cake pan) coat each pork chop with bread crumbs, sprinkle with garlic salt (as much or little as you like) Cook the pork chops for about 4-5 minutes on each side in skillet.  Transfer skillet and pork chops to the oven.  Continue cooking in the oven for 10-15 minutes, turning once halfway through.  They are done when centers are still juicy but no longer pink.  I served mine with mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese.  Comfort food at it's finest.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

This is one of those recipes that tastes like it took a lot of work, but didn't.

1 box of pie crusts (2 pack by the canned biscuits)
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of veg-all (or you can use whatever frozen veggies you like)
1/2 c. milk
1 pkg Tyson cooked grilled chicken strips, cubed (or cut, cube, and cook your own!)

Preheat oven to 400.  Let crust set outside the refrigerator for about 30 minutes prior to cooking.  It is easier to work with that way.  In medium sized bowl, combine soup, milk, veggies, and chicken.  Stir until well blended.  Spray pie pan with nonstick spray.  Lay in first crust, pour in filling (the crust should be pretty full) Cover with second crust, press edges with fork so they are sealed.  Using a knife, cut 4 one inch slits on the top.  Cover edges with foil so they do not burn.  Bake for about 30 minutes, remove foil from edges, continue to bake another 15-20 minutes until crust is golden.  Serve.  This also freezes well if you want to make two at a time, eat one and then freeze one :)

My Big Fat Lasagna

I love making lasagna.  There is no better food coma than one caused from lasagna and breadsticks.

1 box lasagna noodles, cooked
1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained
1 c. cottage cheese
1 c. ricotta cheese
8oz cream cheese
2 jars of spaghetti sauce (Prego Four Cheese is the best!)
4 c. mozzarella cheese (Italian blend is best)
Dash of oregano and parsley

Preheat oven to 400.  Boil noodles, drain, set aside.  In large bowl, add sauce and cooked meat, stir well.  In separate bowl, combine cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, and cream cheese until well blended.   Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non stick spray.  Spread a little bit of sauce mixture on bottom.  Layer noodles, sauce mixture, cheese mixture, and sprinkle on some mozzarella cheese.  Do this for all layers, topping final layer with a LOT of mozzarella cheese.  Top with dash of oregano and parsely.  Bake for 40 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Serve hot with some Pepperidge Farm garlic breadsticks.  Enjoy your food coma :)

Hillbilly Salsa

I absolutely LOVE this recipe.  A coworker of mine made it once and I've been hooked ever since.  Thank you, Paula!  It makes a ton, so you might want to half it if you can.  Also needs to set overnight, so plan ahead!

2 cans black eyed peas (drained)
1 can black beans (drained)
1 can white corn (drained)
1 jar diced pimentos (drained)
1 can chick peas (drained)
1 can of rotel (you guessed it, drained!)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
5 green onions, chopped
1 16oz bottle of zesty Italian dressing

Mix all ingredients together, refrigerate overnight.  Serve with tortilla chips.  My favorite chips are Tostitos with lime flavor. 

Crock Pot Stroganoff

Special thanks to my friend Beth (again!) for this amazing recipe.  It's one of my family's favorites.

1 bag of egg noodles
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup (I just realized I have never used this. Oops!)
1 lb beef stew meat
1 can of mushrooms (I leave these out because I don't like mushrooms)
1 pkg stroganoff seasoning
16 oz of sour cream (also just realized I have been using only 8oz, guess that is okay since I've been using half the soup, lol)
2 soup cans of water (obviously, I've only been using one of these as well)

Combine soups, water, seasoning, and meat in crock pot.  Cook 6-8 hours on low heat.  Once meat mixture is cooked, add sour cream.  Boil and drain noodles as directed, add to meat mixture (I add slowly so I don't end up with too many noodles and not enough sauce because I always make too many noodles).  Mix well.  Serve hot.  I like to make brown and serve rolls with mine.  Enjoy!

Cake Mix Cookies

I make tons of these around Christmas time, and for classroom parties.  They are so easy, and you can choose any flavor you want.  Some of my faves are devils food, red velvet, lemon, and funfetti :)

1 box of cake mix (any flavor)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 can of frosting (any flavor) or powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix cake mix, oil, and eggs.  Roll into 1 inch balls.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Tips:
I like to roll the devils food flavor in granulated sugar before baking. 

I sprinkle the devils food and red velvet with powdered sugar once they're cooled.  Red velvet is also good with cream cheese frosting.

For other flavors, I like to use frosting.  The possibilites are endless, have FUN!

Lazy Day Lasagna

I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical of this recipe.  I made it anyway, and wow!  It tasted like nothing I expected, very good!

1 lb ground beef
1 can of pizza sauce
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 c. mozzarella cheese
1 box of Velveeta shells and cheese

Cook hamburger with onion and green pepper, drain.  Set aside.  Cook Velveeta shells and cheese as directed on box.  Add in hamburger mixture, sauce, and mozzarella cheese.  Cook over low heat on stovetop until cheese is melted.  Serve. 

Crescent Sopapilla Cheesecake

I've used crescent rolls for dinner and lunch, now for dessert!

2 8oz tubs of cream cheese
2 pkg crescent rolls
1 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. butter (melted)
1/2 c. cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  Line bottom of 9x13 cake pan with 1 pkg crescent rolls (you can now buy crescent rolls in sheets, rather than cut into triangles!) Flatten.  Mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.  Spread over rolls.  Unroll the other package of crescent rolls and place on top of cream cheese mixture.  Pour over butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Serve warm or cold. 

Beer Dip

Who likes cooking with beer?  This girl!

2 8oz tubs of cream cheese (softened)
1/3 c. of beer (or a little more)
1 pkg ranch dressing mix
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Drink can of beer until you have about half a can left ;)  Mix first ingredients until smooth.  Add cheese.  Serve with pretzels....and of course, more beer.

Sausage Stuffing Broccoli Bake

This sounds like a strange recipe, but I promise it is so delicious! 

1 pkg frozen, chopped broccoli
1/2 lb sausage
3 c. croutons (I like the cheese kind)
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
4 eggs
1 can cream of broccoli
1 soup can of milk

Preheat oven to 400.  Boil broccoli until tender, drain.  Cook sausage, drain.  Combine sausage, broccoli, croutons, and cheese.  Toss lightly to mix, add to 9x13 baking dish.  Mix soup, milk, and eggs until smooth.  Pour over sausage mixture.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until set.  I like to let it set for about 15-20 minutes before serving so it firms up a bit. 

Beth's Chicken Lasagna

This stuff is amazing!  All the credit goes to my brussels sprouts lovin' friend, Beth. 

4 c. chicken, cooked and cubed
1 can cream of chicken
1 can cream of celery
4 oz cream cheese
2 c. small curd cottage cheese
2/3 c. milk
1 box stuff mix (I like cornbread flavor)
1 stick of butter (melted)
lasagna noodles, cooked
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix cream cheese and cottage cheese together, set aside.  Mix together chicken, soups, milk, salt, and pepper.  In 9x13 baking dish, layer chicken mix, noodles, then cheese mixture.  Repeat layers.  Top with stuffing, drizzle on melted butter.  Bake for 30-40 minutes.  So good!

Mexican Casserole part 3 - remix

Yep, it's a Mexican casserole...but this time, we're using chicken. 

1/2 bag of Doritos, crushed
2 boneless skinless chicken breast (or precooked santa fe chicken slices)
1 can cream of celery
1 can cream of chicken
1 c. chicken broth
1 can rotel
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (taco flavor, of course!)

Preheat oven to 350.  Cover bottom of 9x13 baking dish with Doritos.  Pour chicken broth over Doritos.  Put shredded chicken over chips.  Spoon out both cans of soup and spread over chicken (I mix the soups together, then spread it) Add rotel on top of soup and cover with cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes until cheese is bubbly. 

Creamy Potato Soup

This soup is perfect on a cold dreary day.  Serve it with oyster crackers.

6 - 8 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed (I prefer smaller cubes for a creamier soup)
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. flour
6 c. milk
2 tsp chicken bouillon (2 cubes)
1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
1/4 tsp pepper (to taste)
shredded cheddar cheese
bacon bits
green onions

Boil potatoes until they are almost soft (you'll want to be able to smash them, but still have some consistancy)  In large pot, melt butter, add flour, and cook for about a minute, add 3 cups of milk, and stir until lumps are out.  Add remaining milk, heat to a boil, stirring constantly.  Be careful not to let the bottom scorch!  Add potatoes and use a potato masher to mash up until soup is thickened.  Add in desired amount of cheese, bacon, and green onions.  Or you can use them as topping.  Serve hot.

Rotini Lasagna

1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained
3/4 box of rotini pasta, cooked and drained
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
1/2 c. small curd cottage cheese
4 oz cream cheese
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese (I used Italian blend)

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine beef, spaghetti sauce, cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and cream cheese.  Add in pasta (I always cook too much pasta, so I slowly add in just enough so that noodles are are coated with sauce really well) Pour into 8 inch casserole dish, top with remaining cheese.   Bake 15-20 minutes until cheese is completely melted.  Serve with garlic bread. 

Bacon Cheeseburger Rollups

I bet you think this uses crescent rolls, don't you?  Wrong! 

1 lb ground beef
6 bacon strips, diced
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 8oz package velveeta cheese, cubed
1 can large refrigerated biscuits
1/2 c. ketchup
1/4 c. mustard

Preheat oven to 400.  In large skillet, brown beef, bacon, and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.  Drain.  Add cheese, cook and stir until melted.  Remove from heat.

Flatten each biscuit into a 5 inch circle.  Spoon 1/3 c. beef mixture onto each biscuit.  Fold sides and ends over filling and roll up.  Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet.

Bake 18-20 minutes until golden brown.  In small bowl, combine ketchup and mustard.  Serve with dill pickle spears and rollups. 

Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

Having a Paula Deen kinda day?  This cake is for you!  Lots of butter, ya'll!

Cake:
1 box of yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tbs butter (melted)

Filling:
1 8oz package cream cheese (softened)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
8 tbs butter (melted)
1 16oz box of powdered sugar (yep, using the entire box!)

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine cake mix, egg, and butter.  It will be sort of dry and crumbly.  Pat mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 baking pan. 

Prepare filling - in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter.  Beat until smooth.  Add the powdered sugar slowly and mix well.  Spread over cake mix.  Bake 40-50 minutes, the center should be a little gooey (it will set some) OMG YUM!

Mexican Casserole part 2

I love Mexican food.  Here's another casserole, so fast and easy. 

1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained
1 large can of red enchilada sauce
6 flour tortillas
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese (again, taco flavor is best)
1 small can refried beans
1 4oz can of green chilies (I actually only use about half this)
1 can chili beans

Preheat oven to 400.  Add to cooked ground beef 1/2 c. enchilada sauce and chilies.  Spray 8in casserole dish with cooking spray, drizzle just enough enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the dish.  Spread refried beans over each tortilla.  Layer in dish - tortilla, meat mixture, beans, and cheese.  Repeat for all layers.  I pour remaining enchilada sauce over it, but that is optional.  I like a little extra cheese on top.  Bake 20-30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and melted.  Serve with sour cream. 

Best Brussels Sprouts...Promise!

There are only 2 people in the world that like brussels sprouts.  Myself and my friend Beth.  So, Beth, this is for you!

3 slices of bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 bag frozen brussels sprouts, thawed (I prefer baby ones)
coarse salt and pepper
1 apple, cored and cut into 1/4 inche slices, then halved crosswise (or chunks, that's easier!)
2 tsp red wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 425.  Arrange bacon in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet.  Bake until browned, about 10 minutes.  Add brussels sprouts in a single layer, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast until they begin to brown, about 15 minutes.  Remove from oven, toss in apple pieces.  Return to oven, roast until apple has softened, 10-15 minutes.  Toss with vinegar and serve immediately.  Mmmm, may not smell great but they are delish!

Easy Jalapeno Poppers

As you can tell, I will use crescent rolls to create just about anything!  This appetizer recipe is no different :)

1 can crescent rolls
1 8oz tub of cream cheese
2 fresh jalapenos, diced (don't touch your face or eyes!!)
Bacon, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 350.  Roll out crescent rolls, cut each triangle in half to make 2 smaller triangles.  Add a spoonful of cream cheese, jalapeno, and bacon.  Roll up, closing all sides.  Bake 12-15 minutes until golden.  Serve with ranch dressing.

Bacon Chicken Crescent Ring

I love this for pot lucks!  It's pretty and tasty!

2 cans crescent rolls
1 10oz can chunk white chicken (drained and flaked)
1 1/2 c. shredded swiss cheese
3/4 c. mayo
1/2 c. finely chopped sweet red pepper (optional)
1/4 c. finely chopped onion (optional)
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled (I cheat and use packaged precooked bacon pieces)
2 tbs dijon mustard
1 tbs Italian salad dressing mix

Preheat over to 375.  Grease 14in circular pizza pan.  Unroll crescent rolls, separate into 16 triangles.  Place wide end of one triangle 3 inches from edge of pizza pan, with the point over hanging edge of pan.  Repeat with remaining rolls along outer edge of pan, overlapping the wide ends (dough will look like a sun when complete)  Lightly press wide ends together.

In a small bowl, combine all other ingredients, mix well.  Spoon over wide ends of dough.  Fold points of triangles over filling and tuck under wide ends (filling will be visible) Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.  Serve.

Chicken Parmesan Wraps

8 fully cooked chicken strips (frozen Tyson crispy chicken strips work great, and fast!)
8 slices mozzarella cheese, cut in half (divided)
1 can crescent rolls
1 tsp garlic salt
1 jar favorite spaghetti sauce (I prefer Prego Four Cheese)
6 oz cooked pasta (ziti or rotini are best)

Preheat oven to 375.  Separate crescent rolls into 8 triangles.  Pour sauce into a bowl or saucepan.  Place one half slice of mozzarella cheese on top of crescent roll.  Dunk chicken strip into spaghetti sauce and place on top of cheese.  Roll up crescent and place on cookie sheet.  Repeat with remaining chicken strips and crescent rolls.  Sprinkle each with garlic salt.  Bake for approxiamately 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and top each crescent with remaining cheese slices.  Bake for additional 5-8 minutes.  Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed, heat remaining sauce, and toss with pasta.  Serve pasta with crescents.