Melly's Kitchen

Salsa Chicken (Crock Pot)

2012-02-08T22:50:00.000-06:00

1 3lb bag frozen chicken breasts (boneless skinless)
1 jar salsa (I use mango flavored)
hot sauce to taste (I use cholula)

Put the frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot on low. Cover with salsa and hot sauce (if you choose). Cook on low 6 hours (high 4-5hrs). Serve with rice or shred and serve inside tortilla shells with taco fixings.

Easiest. Meal. EVER.

Beanless Bean Dip

2012-01-04T17:48:00.000-06:00

1 2lb box Velveeta, cubed
1 can Hormel tamales
2 can Hormel Chili, no beans

Remove tamales from their paper wrappers and smash with a fork. Mix ingredients together in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook on medium power for 10 mins. Stir well and cook for another 10 minutes on medium power or until cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips.

Easiest. Dip. EVER.

Chicken Fajitas (Slow cooker)

2012-01-04T17:46:00.000-06:00

1 2½ bag frozen boneless/skinless chicken breasts
2 pkgs Fajita mix
2 onions
3 green peppers
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
2 T hot sauce (I use Cholula)
1 c water
1 tsp salt

shredded cheddar cheese
tortilla shells
sour cream
salsa

Put frozen chicken breasts in the slow cooker on low. Mix fajita mix with water, hot sauce and spices. Pour over chicken breasts and cover. Cook on medium for 4-5 hours. Limit the times you lift the lid (remember, every time you open it up, you add 20 mins to the cook time!) and let it cook without interruption. Julienne onions and peppers. After at least 4 hours, shred chicken using a fork and return to the broth in the slow cooker. Add peppers and onions and replace cover. Let cook for an additional hour or until vegetables are tender. Serve with cheese, sour cream and salsa on tortillas.

This chicken is great for use in chicken enchiladas or my chicken tortilla soup recipe.

Roast Beef (Slow Cooker)

2011-12-30T14:45:00.000-06:00

1 2-3lb roast (rump, pot or chuck)
1 onion, cut into chunks
salt & pepper
1 can Coke (or Dr. Pepper)
1 6oz can tomato paste
2 c beef broth (I used 1 hefty tablespoon Better than Bouillon and 2 c water, but canned broth is fine)
3 cloves garlic peeled & crushed
¼ c flour
2 T parsley flakes
1 T onion powder
½ tsp of each of the following: Lawry's Seasoned Salt, ground white pepper, ground oregano, celery seed, Italian seasoning, paprika.
2 bay leaves

Set your slow cooker on low and cover the bottom of the crock with the onions. Generously salt and pepper the roast and place on top of the onions.

In a blender, mix the Coke, tomato paste, beef broth, garlic and flour on a low speed (so the carbonation from the soda doesn't blow the top of the blender off), then at a high speed until well blended. Add everything but the bay leaves and blend again until mixed. Pour over the meat and onions in the crock. Toss in the bay leaves and cover.

Stir VERY infrequently (every time you remove the lid, you add 20 mins to the cook time) and cook for the next 6-8 hours on low. It doesn't hurt to leave it in longer, but add an extra ¼ - ½ c of broth for anything over 8 hours. The gravy should thicken as it cooks. If it becomes too thick, add a bit more water or broth to thin it out. Make sure to remove bay leaves before serving.

Best with mashed potatoes. Leftovers are excellent for beef & noodles!

Sugared Broccoli

2011-12-22T19:48:00.000-06:00

3 T butter/margarine
2 T brown sugar
1 lb fresh broccoli (or frozen pieces, thawed and drained)
1 c chicken broth

In a skillet, melt butter and add brown sugar, cooking on medium-high heat until sugar has dissolved. Add broccoli and saute for two minutes. Stir in broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer 8-10 minutes until broccoli is tender. Remove broccoli and keep warm. Cook sauce uncovered until reduced by half. Pour over broccoli and serve.

Beer Cheese Soup

2011-12-22T19:45:00.001-06:00

2 lb box Velveeta, cubed
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed & minced
2 T butter/margarine
1½ c milk
½ c beer
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
few dashes Frank's hot sauce

Melt butter over medium-high heat and cook onion & garlic in a saucepan until translucent. Lower heat to medium-low and add cheese, milk, beer, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Stirring frequently, cook until cheese has melted. You can add more beer, if you choose, but it does have a strong beer taste if you do.

Dee's potatoes

2011-12-22T19:43:00.001-06:00

A while ago, I worked at a transportation company and the best part of that lousy job was all the food days we had. And the best part of the food days was a slow cooker full of these potatoes. When I left that craphole place, my severance pay was Dee's recipe in my hands. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

1 2lb bag chunk-style hash brown potatoes
1 16oz carton sour cream
2 c shredded cheddar cheese (Colby Jack is good, too)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 T butter
2 T chives
½ medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed & minced
salt & pepper to taste

Mix everything together and put in slow cooker on low for 4-5 hours (6-8 hrs if hash browns are still frozen). You can top with crushed Ritz crackers or corn flakes if you want added texture.

Cake Mix Cookies

2011-12-13T21:31:00.000-06:00

I hate baking. No, seriously. I hate it. I can't stand the mess. I don't like the hassle and I tend to burn everything that goes into my oven. These, however, were easy peasy. FIVE ingredients.

1 box cake mix (your choice of flavor - I used Devil's Food Cake)
1 egg
¼ c applesauce (or oil, if you don't have applesauce)
¼ c water
1 c add-in of your choice (I wanted to use the Cherry Cordial M&M's, but SOMEbody ate them all, so I used plain)

Preheat oven to 350°

Mix first four ingredients together until smooth. Stir in add-in's. Using a miniature ice cream scooper (or a teaspoon), drop small balls of dough onto a cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully, using a spatula, place them on a cooling rack. Serve with frosting or ice cream.

And a big glass of milk.

Makes about 3 dozen.

(and yes, I burned the first batch.)

Mexican Lasagna

2011-12-11T20:54:00.000-06:00

My nephew requested a Mexican-style version of my lasagna recipe a few weeks ago. This post is for him.

1 box lasagna noodles
1 qt chili (homemade works best, but you can use canned, if you prefer)
1 green pepper, sliced into strips
1 red pepper, sliced into strips
1 onion, sliced into strips
½ pkg shredded colby jack cheese (or the cheese blend of your choice)
1 jar nacho cheese sauce (queso is fine, too)
1 large can refried beans

Optional toppings:
shredded lettuce
diced tomatoes
black olives
sour cream
chopped green onions
guacamole
crushed tortilla chips or Doritos

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook noodles according to package directions. While they're cooking, heat up the chili and the refried beans. Put the peppers and onions into a small amount of olive oil and sautée until onions turn transparent.

Cover the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with a couple scoops of chili. Then add a layer of cooked noodles so they cover the chili. Add a thin layer of beans and cover with a light layer of cheese sauce. Add another layer of noodles. Add a layer of the peppers and onions and cover with a light layer of chili. Repeat these layers until you get close to the top. You want to leave a little bit of room so you can put the shredded cheese on top later.

Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 30 mins. Remove foil, cover with shredded cheese and bake an additional 10 mins. Let sit for 10 minutes. Cover with optional toppings if you choose and serve.

Lasagna

2011-10-27T19:54:00.000-05:00

This recipe can be as extravagant or as easy as you want to make it. I enjoy cooking, so I make my sauce from scratch and combine three cheeses for part of the filling, but you can do this with three ingredients, if you so choose. The main things you need are: noodles, sauce and cheese. How much you do from there is entirely up to you.

Preheat oven to 350°.

1 16oz box lasagna noodles, uncooked (You don't need to buy the No-Boil noodles)
1 qt spaghetti sauce (your choice of homemade or store-bought)
1 pint Ricotta cheese
2 c shredded Mozzarella cheese (reserve ½ c)
1 c Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2 T parsley
1 tsp garlic powder

1. Whip the eggs together with the garlic powder and parsley. In a separate bowl mix together the cheeses, then carefully add the egg mixture. Combine until everything is mixed well.

2. In a rectangular baking dish, spread a layer of spaghetti sauce over the bottom. Cover the sauce with three uncooked noodles, laid side-by-side. On top of the noodles, spread a layer of the cheese mixture. It doesn't need to cover every inch of pasta, but you do want a good layer of cheese. Top the cheese with sauce and flatten out with a wooden spoon if there are lumps. Repeat this process until you reach just below the rim of the baking dish. (You may not use all the cheese mix, sauce or noodles. If you choose, you can make a second pan with the remaining ingredients.)

3. Cover the dish with foil, set it on a foil-lined cookie sheet to catch any boil-overs and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle the rest of the Mozzarella cheese on top and return to the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese turns a golden brown.

4. When it comes out of the oven, let it sit for a full fifteen minutes before you serve it. This will allow the liquids to soak back into the noodles and you won't have runny sauce all over your plate.

Apple Crisp

2011-10-23T14:12:00.001-05:00

Preheat oven to 350°.

6 c sliced apples
¾ c white sugar
¼ c brown sugar
1 T flour
pinch salt
¼ tsp cinnamon

Mix together these ingredients and spread in a lightly greased 9x13 pan.

½ c butter (or margarine), softened or melted
1 c flour
1 c oatmeal
1 c brown sugar
¼ tsp baking powder

Combine these ingredients and spread evenly over the top of the apples. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Let cool completely before serving. Best with cinnamon ice cream and caramel topping.

Crockpot Steak & Gravy (Beef Stew)

2011-10-22T17:26:00.001-05:00

This recipe can be made one of two ways: just the meat and gravy or cook all your vegetables at once and make it into a stew-like concoction. I was trying to do a hundred things today, so you get the latter.

3-4 lbs chuck steak (or a chuck roast), largely cubed (I marinated it last night.)

1 c flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 can Coke (Dr. Pepper works well, too)
1½ c beef broth (I used 1 hefty tablespoon Better than Bouillon and 1½ c water, but canned broth will work, too)
1 onion, cut into chunks
2lbs small yellow potatoes, cleaned & halved (don't peel)
4-5 carrots, peeled & cut into chunks
1 stalk celery, cut into chunks

If you make it like stew, put the vegetables on the bottom of the Crock-Pot. Toss the steak in the flour just enough to coat it evenly. Discard remaining flour and add meat to the pot. Pour in the Coke and the beef broth and generously sprinkle in salt and pepper. Put on low for 6-7 hours. Stir only once or twice (every time the crock pot is opened, you add 20 mins to the cook time). The gravy will thicken as it cooks and you'll end up with the perfect consistency.

If you choose not to add the vegetables to the Crock Pot, you can serve this with mashed potatoes, rice or egg noodles for an excellent, filling meal.

Beef marinade

2011-10-22T03:14:00.001-05:00

1 c beef broth
½ c red wine (I used some leftover sweet red)
¼ c Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp Lawry's seasoned salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp celery seed
¼ tsp onion powder
1 bay leaf
pinch thyme
pinch rosemary

Mix together and pour over trimmed beef steaks, roasts and stew meats. Marinate for at least one hour. Perfect marinade for the grill because there are no oils to cause flare-ups.

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken

2011-10-18T18:10:00.003-05:00

(shown here with ranch dressing and shredded lettuce on a Hoagie roll)

This recipe is SO versatile! I stumbled upon it on Pinterest. Since my grocery store was out of the Frank's Buffalo Wing sauce, I substituted. We put it on hoagie rolls tonight, but it can be put in tortilla shells with lettuce and cheese for a chicken wrap. You can use it as a pizza topping, put it over pasta, mix with cream cheese for a buffalo chicken dip, combine with bleu cheese and put over a greens salad or serve with tortilla chips with melted cheese, chopped green onions and sour cream as buffalo chicken nachos. You can even combine it with onions, green peppers and Provolone on a hoagie as a Buffalo Philly. The best part about this recipe is you don't have to worry about thawing out the chicken first. For those concerned about the spice, I'd give it a 5 on a scale of 1-10 for heat. It's got a little bite, but it's not totally intolerable, unless you think ketchup is spicy.

1 3lb bag frozen chicken breasts, skinless & boneless
½ bottle Franks Buffalo Wing Sauce (I used Cookies Wings & Things)
1 envelope dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix

Combine all three ingredients in a Crock Pot on low. Cook for 6-7 hours. Remove chicken breasts, shred them and return them to the sauce. Simmer for an additional hour. Serve as mentioned above.

***There's a LOT of sauce when this chicken is ready to serve. Make sure to use a slotted spoon to scoop it out of the pot so you don't get a watered down sandwich. I'd also suggest draining it before using it in other recipes, such as buffalo chicken dip or on nachos.

Mom's Macaroni Salad

2011-10-18T13:47:00.002-05:00

2 c uncooked macaroni (or small shells)
3 ribs celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
½ onion, diced
2 T sweet pickle relish
2 tsp pimento, diced
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 T mustard (yellow or Honey Dijon)
¾ c Miracle Whip (If you use mayonnaise, add ¼ tsp paprika)
¼ tsp white pepper
¼ tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
¼ tsp garlic powder

Optional ingredients:
½ c petite sweet peas
½ c chopped chicken or tuna
¼ c chopped black olives
2 T Parmesan cheese

Cook the macaroni until right before it becomes al dente. If you cook it completely, when it absorbs the liquid, the salad will become too dry.

Mix all the remaining ingredients and let sit while the pasta cooks.

Drain the pasta and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. When the macaroni is cool, combine with the salad mix. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. If you decide to add the Parmesan cheese, add it right before serving.

Minestrone

2011-10-16T19:38:00.001-05:00

I looked at at least a dozen recipes for minestrone before I finally gave up and decided to create my own. I took ingredients from a bunch of the recipes and combined them with ones from other recipes and came up with a mix of them all. Normally, I'm one who uses a lot of spice to get flavors into my food, but this soup doesn't need it. I'm very happy with the results.

2 cans diced tomatoes, smashed up
1 can tomato sauce
1 can beef broth
3 c water
1 can kidney beans
4 stalks celery, sliced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 onions, diced
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp ground oregano
½ tsp ground marjoram
¼ tsp thyme
1 T parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ T sugar
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1½ uncooked pasta (gemelli, conchigliette or even tortelli are great choices)
1lb italian sausage, cooked and drained

In a large pot, combine all the ingredients except the pasta. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, simmering for 40-45 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add pasta and cook an additional 10 minutes on a low boil. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and garlic bread.

Parmesan-crusted Dijon Chicken

2011-10-13T19:35:00.001-05:00

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 c bread crumbs
½ c Parmesan Cheese
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
1 tsp lemon pepper
3 T mayonnaise
¼ c Dijon mustard
¼ c heavy cream
2 T honey

Preheat oven to 375°

Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder and lemon pepper together in a shallow dish. In a separate dish, mix together the mayo, mustard, cream and honey. Cover the chicken breasts with the mustard mix, then coat with the bread crumbs. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and place each chicken breast on the pan.

Bake at 375° for 10 minutes each side until it develops a crusty coating.

(If you choose to have a crispier crust, fry lightly in ¼ c vegetable oil 7-8 minutes on each side until the juice from a cut to the center of the meat runs clear.)

Taco Soup

2011-10-12T19:50:00.001-05:00

Stumbled onto this recipe on Pinterest, but it seemed a little blah. I exchanged a few ingredients and added a few spices and came up with this. Hope you enjoy!

2 lbs lean ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 8oz block cream cheese
2 cans beef broth
2 cans Ro-Tel tomatoes with chiles
½ c heavy cream
2 T cumin
1 T chili powder
½ tsp coriander
2 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp paprika
1 T cayenne pepper
2 c shredded cheddar or Colby cheese
1 can pinto beans, drained

Optional toppings: sour cream, hot sauce, green onions, black olives, crushed tortilla chips

Brown the ground beef over med-high heat with onion and garlic. Drain and return to pan with the spices. Drop cream cheese, small bits at a time, into the pot and with the back of a spoon smash it into the meat until the white disappears. Mix well and add the remaining ingredients, leaving the cheese and cream for last. Heat thoroughly and serve with optional toppings.

***If you don't have all the spices on hand, you can substitute them for 1 pkg of taco seasoning. I know not everyone has spices like coriander and cumin in the cupboard.

Dorito Chicken and Spicy Southwestern Potatoes

2011-10-11T01:32:00.001-05:00

Dorito Chicken
1 bag Nacho Cheese (or Cool Ranch) Doritos
3 eggs, beaten
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Using a food processor (or a ziploc baggie and a rolling pin) crush the Doritos into small pieces. Dredge the chicken through the egg mix, then press into the crushed chips, coating both sides completely. Place on the cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes. (Recipe adapted from @DonniesDancer's "Cheez-It Chicken")

Spicy Southwestern Potatoes
1 box Au Gratin potaoes (any brand will do)
2 T butter or margarine
½ c milk
¼ c taco sauce (I used Cholula hot sauce, but you can use salsa or regular taco sauce, too)
1¾ c water
Toppings: Sour cream, green onions, black olives, cheddar cheese

In an 8-10" skillet, mix the potatoes and sauce mix with the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then cover and lower the heat to medium. Simmer for 10-12 minutes. Turn off the heat and uncover. The sauce will thicken upon standing. Serve with optional toppings.

Hot Barbecue Chicken

2011-10-06T21:24:00.004-05:00

The other day, my sister and I were talking with one of the many kids my mom "adopted" over the years about how she cooked for us. The discussion of her infamous hot barbecued chicken came up. This recipe is a two-parter and I'll get to that in just a minute, but you have to understand the story behind this sauce.

In the 70's and 80's, Kraft made a "Hot Barbecue" sauce that my mother used on her fried chicken. Unfortunately, like many things, they stopped making it. My mother had to improvise - which wasn't tough for her, but she never felt like it tasted the same. She always started out with a foundation of Kraft barbecue sauce (as do I) and she doctored it from there. Over the years since my mom's death, I've worked very hard to duplicate the sauce and I think I've got it figured out. There are considerably more ingredients in mine than hers, but my mom was a purist in the kitchen. She didn't use a lot of spices beyond salt and pepper, maybe a little garlic or cayenne here and there. The spices I use, however, are typical of what's usually in my cupboard...of the cupboards of anyone who does any amount of cooking whatsoever. If not, they're easily obtained from your local supermarket.

When mom made this BBQ chicken, it took your breath away. Literally. She baked the chicken in the sauce, so when you opened the oven door, the spicy heat from the sauce floods your senses and momentarily causes you to lose your breath. It's absolutely intoxicating.

Now, I will warn you, this shit is hot. Like, HOT hot. It's not for the meek. It's definitely not for those who think ketchup is spicy. I started eating it when I was 4 years old, but I don't recommend it for kids (my mom was a little nuts. lol). But it's my favorite sauce of all time. My advice? Have plenty of iced tea on hand. You're going to need it.

Story aside, let's get to the recipe!

Sauce
1 bottle Kraft Original Barbecue sauce
1 bottle Kraft Honey Barbecue sauce
¼ c Louisiana Hot sauce
2 T Vinegar
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Cayenne pepper
2 tsp Paprika
2 tsp Garlic powder
2 tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1 tsp Onion powder
1 tsp salt

Combine and bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer for about an hour. This should make roughly a quart of sauce. It will keep in your fridge for 3-6 months, but I can promise you, it won't last that long.

Fried Chicken

1 whole fryer chicken cut up and rinsed
2-3 c vegetable oil

Marinade/Milk Bath
3 eggs
4 c milk
2 oz Louisiana Hot Sauce

Blend well and soak the chicken pieces in the milk bath 6-12 hours.

Breading
6 c flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 T onion powder
1 T garlic powder
1 T seasoned salt
2 T black pepper
1 T cayenne pepper

Take the chicken pieces out of the milk bath and toss in the flour mixture until covered. Put the chicken pieces BACK in the milk bath and then back in the flour again, coating well.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or pot. I don't use a thermometer, but I put it over a medium-high flame and when I put a pinch of flour in the oil and it sizzles, I add the chicken pieces.

You'll have to cook the chicken in batches. I start with the dark meat (thighs and legs) since it takes the longest to cook (13-15 mins total) and retains heat the longest. Then I go to the white meat (breasts and wings) which take about 10-12 mins total. The best way to check the doneness is to cut into the thigh or breast. If the juice that comes out is clear (not pink), it's done. If it's the least bit pink, put it back in the oil and cook longer.

When cooked thoroughly, drain on a baking rack (not paper towels or the breading will get soggy and fall off the chicken).

Once the chicken cools a little bit, carefully dip each piece in the barbecue sauce, coating liberally and put on a wire rack inside a baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350° for about 20 minutes until the sauce has baked into the breading. Let cool a few minutes and serve.

ANNOUNCEMENT!

2011-10-04T19:27:00.001-05:00

I just created a Twitter account specifically for my cooking blog. Follow me now @MellysKitchen. I will still have my main profile, but this account will make it easier for those just wanting to keep up with my recipes to do so. I've also created a Facebook Fan Page you can "like" as well, to allow for more interaction between myself and my readers.

I will be working on turning this blog into more than just recipes by adding cooking tips and other food-related topics and this new Twitter profile is the best way to share those with all of you.

I love feedback, so if you have tried my recipes or think I should try one of yours, please contact me and let me know! Leave comments, follow me on Twitter or email me. I look forward to hearing from you!

Apple Pie (mostly homemade)

2011-10-04T01:26:00.000-05:00

1 bag of apples (usually 10-12 average sized apples) I use Granny Smith.
2 T lemon juice
½ c granulated sugar
2 T brown sugar
½ tsp ginger
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp nutmeg
1 T cinnamon
2 T flour
2 T butter or margarine, softened
½ tsp vanilla
4 pie crusts (two bottom crusts, two top crusts) (I use premade for the sake of simplicity)

Preheat oven to 350°.

1. Peel, core and slice apples, then drizzle with lemon juice to keep from browning.
2. In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients well, then add the butter and vanilla, blending until it forms a crumbly mixture.
3. Pour half of the mixture over the apples and stir well so all the apple slices are coated. Save the other half.
4. Splitting the apple mix into two parts, fill each pie crust shell with the filling. Then divide the sugar mixture into half again, putting one half over each pie.
5. Carefully cover with the top crust and pinch it shut around the edges. Slice a vent hole in the center on the top. I brush on some butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, but you don't have to.
6. Cover the edge of the pie crust with foil so the edges don't burn.
7. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes. About 15 mins from the end of cook time, remove the foil so the crust can finish baking.
8. Let cool for 30 mins. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-09-26T11:15:00.000-05:00

1 c softened butter or margarine
½ c granulated sugar
1½ c packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2½ c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 16oz pkg chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Cream together the sugars, butter, eggs and vanilla in a medium sized bowl. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients, then add to the butter mixture and mix well.

Chill for 30 minutes.

Using a mini-ice cream scooper, form the dough into golf-ball sized portions and place them about 4" apart on an UNGREASED cookie sheet. Slightly flatten the dough until the cookies are about ½" thick. You'll need at least two cookie sheets. If you use the same sheet for the second batch, make sure to let it cool first.

Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes, or until they become a light shade of brown. Let sit for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan onto a wire cooling rack.

**DO NOT OVERBAKE** The cookies will continue to bake even after you take them out of the oven while they sit on the cookie sheet.

Chicken Noodle Soup

2011-09-24T20:21:00.004-05:00

Soups are my favorite part about cool weather. Every week, I make at least one pot of soup or two, depending on my mood. Chicken noodle is one of my favorites, but unfortunately, can also be the most time consuming, if you really want to do it right. Because of that, this recipe will also be long. My apologies, but I promise you, it's worth it.

You can open up a can of chicken broth, throw in some chicken meat, some noodles and call it good. I emphasize you can. I can't. That's not my style.

For this particular recipe, I use a whole chicken, fresh vegetables and (usually) I make the noodles myself. This time I used Reames Frozen egg noodles, which, for the sake of simplicity, is what I'll include in this recipe.

1 whole chicken, rinsed with "parts" removed (liver, kidney, giblets, etc.)

1 8oz jar Chicken "Better than Bouillion" (I got mine at Target)

1 lb full sized carrots, peeled

6 stalks of celery, washed with leaves still on

1 large onion, chopped

3 qt water

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground sage

½ tsp ground thyme

½ tsp poultry seasoning

¼ tsp ground marjoram

3 bay leaves

1 24oz pkg Reames frozen egg noodles

The first thing you have to make is a solid chicken stock. This cannot be rushed. It cannot be improvised. It's going to take a good six hours to get a flavorful stock. If you don't have time to do this, go find another recipe to make. Don't say I didn't told you so when the flavor isn't what you want it to be. This recipe will make enough chicken stock for TWO pots of soup, but we'll get to that in a minute.

STOCK:

Clean and rinse off the chicken, make sure there are no stray feathers. Also check that the organs and neck have been removed. Some people leave them in and remove them later. It's up to you. I don't simply because they kinda gross me out. (I'm a wuss.) Season the inside of the chicken cavity with a healthy sprinkle of salt and pepper and put it in the pot. (Make sure you're using a large pot so the broth and vegetables have room to move around while it cooks.)

Take the rinseed celery stalks and cut off the leafy tops, including about an inch or so of regular stalk. This is the part that is going in the stock. Save the bottom half of the celery stalks for later. You should have 6-8 full sized carrots in a pound. Peel them all, but set aside half of them for later. For the stock, I don't bother chopping the vegetables very delicately. They're going to fall apart over that six hour time frame anyway, so I don't worry about it. In fact, when I put the veggies in the pot after I've cleaned them, I break them into chunks instead of chopping them.

Over the top of the chicken, celery, onion and carrots, I add the 3qts of water, then the spices and the entire jar of Better than Bouillion. This isn't my usual broth enhancer when I need a touch of chicken flavor, but I've found it has the best flavor of anything else on the shelf and is PERFECT in the soup. It's also not as salty as other bouillion or soup bases on the market.

Put the pot on the stove and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to where bubbles are just coming to the surface around the edge and in the center of the pot (around the chicken). Anything hotter and you're losing a lot of flavor to steam. Anything lower and you're not hot enough to get the flavor out (Thank you Alton Brown for that cooking tip). Simmer for 5-6 hours, stirring occasionally.

While the chicken is cooking, I chop up the remaining carrots and celery into coin-sized pieces and put aside for later.

Once the stock has finished simmering and everything has cooked down to limp little carcasses of their former selves, caaaaaarefully remove the chicken from the broth. I use large tongs, but you can use a slotted spoon, as well. Chances are, the chicken will fall apart, but if you're careful, you should be able to get the biggest part of it out without too much trouble. I usually set the chicken inside a colander, then the colander inside a bowl so any broth that drains out can be put back into the pot later. Scoop any remaining chicken out of the pot and add it to this colander. Let the chicken cool a bit.

In the meantime, carefully scoop all the rest of the vegetables (and any fallen chicken parts) out of the broth so nothing is left but the plain stock. (I usually strain it into another pan to make it easier.) Throw away what you scoop out. It's done its job. Let it rest in peace. :) ***

Now, is where I become a chicken snob. I don't like dark meat. It's got a different texture and flavor than white meat and, to me, it doesn't work well in soups and other recipes that require continued cooking. So I remove the chicken breast meat from the carcass and shred it into bite sized pieces. (The rest of the chicken carcass gets put in my pressure cooker with 2 c of water and some salt & pepper and later becomes chicken broth to use in other recipes down the road. Holler if you want to know how to do this.)

Next, you're going to combine the chicken meat, the broth and the vegetables you chopped up earlier and combine them together. Bring to a full boil, lower the heat and let it cook at a low rolling boil until the vegetables are tender. Once everything has cooked, I ladle out about half of the soup into a freezer-safe container. Let the soup cool on the counter, then cover it tightly and freeze it. This can be used later and combined with a pkg of egg noodles to create a healthy soup when you don't have the time to cook. It's also perfect just by itself when you're feeling under the weather.

Some people cook the noodles in the broth. I prefer to do it separately in a pot of slightly salted water while the vegetables are cooking. The package directions call for a 20 minute boil. I typically do about 15 mins, then drain the noodles. By now, the vegetables should be tender. I add the noodles to the chicken stock and cook an additional 10-15 mins. Add a homemade loaf of bread or rolls and you've got the perfect meal for a cool night.

Again, it's a long process and to people with tight schedules, this probably won't work for your random Tuesday evening. But it's great when you've got the time or desire to cook. A friend of mine (a baker) said "I hug people with food." I could probably say the same thing. When you spend over six hours making a meal for someone, they know you love them. :)

*** At this point, if you prefer a healthier soup, you can set the broth in the freezer for a couple hours so the fat rises to the top and you can skim it off. I did this, but in the fridge overnight. I think the fat provides a fantastic flavor to the soup, but for those who are watching their weight, it's still got great flavor without the unnecessary fat.

Olive Garden - Cappellini Pomodoro

2011-09-05T03:01:00.003-05:00

I haven't made this yet, but I'm anxious to soon! I got the recipe off their website. There are others, as well.

14 oz capellini pasta (angel hair)
8 medium tomatoes, cut into ½” pieces
11 fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 ½ lbs capellini pasta (angel hair)
16 medium tomatoes, cut into ½” pieces
22 fresh basil leaves, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
12 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 lbs capellini pasta (angel hair)
24 medium tomatoes, cut into ½” pieces
33 fresh basil leaves, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
18 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Procedures

COOK capellini pasta according to package directions.
MIX diced tomatoes, chopped basil, garlic and oil. Season with salt and pepper.
DRAIN pasta. Toss pasta with tomato mixture in a sauté pan and heat throughout.
SERVE immediately.

Smothered Steaks

2011-08-31T21:40:00.003-05:00

2-3lbs round steak (I don't use tenderized, but you can)
2T oil (vegetable, canola, corn or olive are all fine)
2 medium onions, sliced
1 family size can Cream of Mushroom soup
1-2 tsp beef bouillon (dry mix or 2 cubes)
1 cup water
1 cup milk (or more)
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Cut the steaks into serving sized portions and brown in a skillet with the oil (olive oil is what I use). When browned, put in the crockpot on low. Put the diced onions in the skillet and with a wire whisk scrape off any drippings from the meat still left in the pan. When the onions start to become translucent around the edges, scrape everything into the crockpot and add the beef bouillon and water. In a separate bowl mix the soup and the milk together. (You may have to add a bit more milk later, it just depends on how thin or thick the gravy is when it's time to serve it.) Cover the steak and onion with the soup mix and let it cook on low for 6-8 hours (high 4-6 hours).

Don't open the lid on the crock pot! Every time you open the lid, you add 20 minutes to the cook time. The heat stays in and cooks the food more consistently when you don't peek.

Season as desired and serve with mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

*** If you're short on time, you can bake it in the oven instead of putting it in the crockpot at 350° for about 30-40 minutes. I usually put it in the oven just before I put the water on for potatoes. By the time I'm done mashing potatoes and they're ready to serve, the steaks are ready to come out.

*** You can also substitute the beef for chicken or pork if you're trying to cut down on red meat. They're all very good with this recipe.

Frickles and Beer Ranch

2011-07-19T21:13:00.001-05:00

Some people use beer batter when frying food. Me? I put the beer in the sauce instead.

Frickles (Fried Pickles)
1 cup dill pickle slices, drained
½ c flour
½ c milk
½ c flour + ½ c corn meal
hot oil

Add the pickles to the first portion of flour so they're evenly dusted and shake off the excess. Dip them in the milk so they're fully coated and then put them in the flour/corn meal mixture. When thoroughly covered, shake off the excess and fry them until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with ranch.

Beer Ranch
1½ c real mayonnaise
1 c buttermilk
½ c beer (Budweiser tastes best, but any regular beer will do)
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp Lawry's seasoned salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp dill weed
½ T dried parsley

Put the mayonnaise in a bowl and drizzle in the buttermilk, mixing as you go so it will blend smoothly. Once the mayo and milk have been mixed, add the beer and stir well. Add the spices and whisk together. Let set for about 30 minutes in the fridge and serve with frickles or chicken lips.

Chicken Pot Pie

2011-07-14T19:10:00.002-05:00

The other day, I made dinner and had a lot of leftover mixed veggies. The first thing that came to mind to use them in was homemade chicken pot pies. The kids frowned. "Mom? You don't bake." Well, in my world, they threw the gauntlet. I had just a few days to figure out how to make a pot pie worthy of their criticism. EEP!

Tonight, they ate my pot pie AND a mouthful of crow. :)

3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (or diced)
1 pkg Bear Creek Creamy Potato Soup (Wal-Mart sells it. You don't have to order it online).
1 can chicken broth (**see below)
1 pkg chicken gravy mix
3 med potatoes, peeled & diced
1 16oz bag frozen mixed veggies
2 frozen deep-dish pie crusts
2 cans refrigerator crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 350°

**Typically, I use my pressure cooker to cook my chicken. It only takes about 10-15 mins or so and turns out more tender than if I cook it on the stove, but how you cook yours is up to you. I do season it, however, with thyme, sage and poultry seasoning. When the pressure cooker is done and I've shredded the chicken, I pour off the broth from the pan and use that as part of the "water" for my soup. If you don't use this method to cook your chicken, just use a can of chicken broth instead. You'll have approximately 2 cups or so.

Bring 6 cups of water (and/or broth) to a rapid boil and add the potato soup mix and gravy packet. (I substitute chicken broth/drippings for some of the water). If the soup is too thick, add another cup of water/broth.

Add the diced potato to the soup and bring back to a low boil. Cook for 15-20 mins until potatoes are tender.

While the soup is simmering, warm up the veggies.

Once they're both done, carefully mix the soup into the bowl of veggies and add the shredded chicken. Stir it all together and let it cool for a few minutes before pouring the mix evenly into two deep-dish 9" pie shells. (You'll have a cup or two of the filling left over. You can freeze it if you want to use later.)

Open the crescent rolls and carefully place the triangles around the top of the pie, points facing into the center, pinching the outer sides together with the pie crust. You can leave a little space between the pieces to let the pie vent, but it's not vital. When each pie has 8 crescent rolls spread over the top of it, put them both on a cookie sheet and place in the oven.

Bake for 12-15 mins at 350° or until the crust is a golden brown. Let sit for 5-10 minutes and serve.

Cinnamon Rolls

2011-07-14T17:18:00.002-05:00

I wish I could take credit for this recipe, but let's face it, I don't bake. Therefore, I don't create new things to bake. When I do bake, I borrow recipes from other people, such as this recipe for cinnamon rolls that I got from Karen Crossland on justapinch.com. They're phenomenal rolls and the only recipe I use now. :)

3/4 c	milk
1/4 c	butter, softened
3 1/4 c	all purpose flour
1 (.25 oz) pkg	quick acting dry yeast
1/4 c	white sugar
1/ 2 tsp	salt
1/4 c	water
1	egg
1 1/2 c	brown sugar
1 Tbsp	cinnamon, ground
3/4 c	butter, softened
1/2 c	raisins or nuts (optional)

Frosting/Glaze	------------------------------------------
2-3 c	powdered sugar
2 Tbsp	butter, softened
1/2 tsp	vanilla extract
2-6 Tbsp	milk or cream(can also use a little sour cream)

1) Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in margarine; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.

2) In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt; mix well. Add water, egg and the milk mixture; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has just pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.

3) Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon.

4) Roll out dough into a 12x9 inch rectangle. Spread butter all over dough, sprinkle sugar/cinnamon mixture

evenly over dough.Sprinkle with raisins or nuts if desired. Roll up dough and pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal size rolls and place cut side up on lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

5) Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until browned. Let cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then remove to plate. Serve warm

6) Frosting/Glaze: Mix first 3 ingredients (using 2 cups sugar to start),add milk or cream 1 tablespoon at the time, until you get the desired consistency.If you add to much milk, add a little more powdered sugar,until you get it just right for you.You want to drizzle it over the rolls while still warm.I also use this for my cake frosting, just make it thicker so it is spreadable.

Chicken Lips

2011-06-14T22:24:00.001-05:00

Lips breading & batter

3lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into long strips about as thick as your thumb

1c all-purpose flour

½t black pepper

¼t paprika

¼t cayenne pepper

½t salt

½t garlic powder

2 eggs

2c milk or buttermilk

6c vegetable oil –heated to 375°

Hot Sauce

½c butter or margarine

½c Louisiana Hot Sauce

1T white vinegar

¼t celery seed

¼t cayenne pepper

¼t crushed red pepper

½t garlic powder

¼t Worcestershire sauce

2t Tabasco sauce

(Or cheat like I do most days and buy a bottle of wing sauce like "Wings n' Things" from Cookies or Hooter's Wing Sauce.)

Lips instructions:

1. Combine flour and spices in a large bowl with a lid and in another bowl whisk together eggs and milk

3. Two or three pieces at a time, dunk chicken into milk mix coating completely before tossing in breading mix.

4. Put lid on breading mix bowl and shake your lips until they’re well coated.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 (carefully!)

6. After double-coating the lips, deep fry them for about 5-7 mins until golden brown and drain on paper towels or newspapers.

Sauce instructions:

1. Heat butter until barely melted, put it in a blender and add remaining ingredients.

2. Blend until mix turns a light, frothy orange color.

3. Heat in the microwave or on stove top until warm and bubbly.

(Or again…crack open that bottle of Wing Sauce and mix it with about a ½ C of ranch dressing – depending on how much of a weenie you are)

Place lips in a large container and pour sauce over them, coating completely. Gently shake the lips around in the sauce until they’re covered. Get yourself a big glass of sweet tea, a bottle of Tums and dig in!

Perfect with beer ranch dressing.

Cucumbers & Sour Cream

2011-06-07T04:31:00.001-05:00

This has been a favorite of mine since I was little. My mom made it quite a bit in the summer months with the homegrown items out of our garden. Still a favorite of my family's today.

3 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced into half-moons
1 8oz carton sour cream
1 bundle green onions, diced
3 T white vinegar
1tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper

Mix all together and let sit for at least an hour to let the flavors mix and the juices from the cucumbers to mix with the sour cream and vinegar to create a creamy sauce. Perfect dish for cook-outs.

Hot Naked Sauce (over tortellini)

2011-05-31T18:37:00.002-05:00

I don't make my own tortellini, but I'm particular about which brands I buy. I prefer those that are made & sold by local Italian restaurants. They seem to be fresher and have more filling than the typical frozen brand. You can, of course, also buy fresh or make your own, but I'm not your girl for those recipes.

Hot Naked Sauce
¼ c butter, melted
¼ c EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1-2 Tablespoons fresh sweet basil, crushed and torn (or 2-3 Tbls dried basil leaves)
3 cloves garlic peeled & minced
¼ tsp sea salt

Mix everything together and simmer over a medium heat to allow the flavors to mingle. Serve over fresh pasta (tortellini or otherwise) or pour over thick slices of Italian bread and bake at 350 until golden brown.

You can add diced sun-dried tomatoes or a splash of cream for variety.

Creamy Sweet Onion Soup

2011-04-19T17:23:00.002-05:00

4 sweet yellow onions, quartered and sliced
2 T butter or margarine
8 c beef broth
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ c flour mixed with 1c cool broth
1 c heavy cream
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
¼ c shredded cheddar, colby or monterrey jack cheese

In a large pan, sautee sliced onions in butter until softened. Add beef broth, garlic powder, salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat until soft and transluscent. Mix the flour and cool broth together to create a thickening agent. Slowly (and carefully) whisk the flour mixture into the soup. The onions can tear easily, so be gentle. Cook for an additional 20 minutes over low heat. Add the cream and the cheddar cheese and cook until the cheese has melted (about 5-10 minutes). Serve with a sprinkle of cheese on top. Excellent also with a large slice of garlic toast.

Grammy's Banana Cookies

2011-04-17T14:49:00.001-05:00

½ c shortening
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c mashed bananas (about 2)
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ c nuts or flavored chips (butterscotch or vanilla)

Combine shortening and sugar. Add eggs and bananas. Combine dry ingredients and fold into above mixture. Add chips/nuts and mix thoroughly.

Chill dough for an hour. Preheat oven to 375°. Grease cookie sheet. Form dough into ball and bake for 8-10 minutes. (I use a small ice cream scoop for easy cookie forming.)

God bless you, Mary Ann!

2011-03-09T19:34:00.002-06:00

When I saw this video I wondered how well it really worked. In concept, I thought it was brilliant, but as you know, most of what you see on TV or YouTube is inaccurate. This, however, was an exception. It totally works!!!

I was very pleasantly surprised. She said to boil them about 15 minutes, but I did 20, as they still seemed a bit too firm after 15. Also, what she doesn't tell you is to use a couple more potatoes than what you think you'll need because sometimes the peel takes off a little bit more of the potato than it should. Not a lot and not with every potato, but it'll allow for a little extra just in case. Also, there may be some peel left on the potatoes. You can cut it off or leave it on. I left it on and you couldn't even tell once I mashed them.

So thank you, Mary Ann for the potato trick! You've peeled precious time off of mashed potatoes for me!

Potato Dumplings

2011-02-28T19:43:00.001-06:00

My daughter begs me for these and I swear would eat them every day if I let her. My mother made them for me when I was a kid and I'm sure my daughter will make them for her kids. These dumplings are more of a Polish tradition than anything, but the "recipe" I use resembles the Norwegian dish, Kumla.

3 potatoes, peeled and diced into small pieces
3 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 qt water with a bit of salt (you can also use ham, beef or chicken broth)

2 onions, diced finely
1 cup of butter or margarine

Bring the water to a boil. While it's heating up, put the diced potatoes in a food processor or blender with just enough water for the potatoes to be pureed. They should be a milkshake consistency. Pour them in a large bowl with the salt and baking powder. One cup at a time, stir in the flour. I usually mix by hand so I can feel the consistency as I'm mixing.

(It's hard to describe the consistency the dumplings should be - you don't want them as hard as noodle dough, but it shouldn't be liquidy either. The dumplings should hold their shape, for the most part, but if you hold them for any length of time they'll start to flatten out just a bit.)

Once the dough is to the consistency you want, rinse your hands in COLD water, this way the dough won't stick to your hands when you're forming them into golf-ball sized balls. One by one, slip them into the boiling water, putting each dumpling in a different spot in the pan. Once they've been in the boiling water for a minute or two, their shape is set and you don't have to worry about them sticking together too much. Once all the dough has been formed into dumplings and put into the boiling water, very carefully, stir them with a wooden spoon and turn the heat down from high to medium. Let them simmer for about 30-45 minutes (depending on the size of the dumplings).

While the dumplings are cooking, melt the margarine in a sauce pan and add the diced onions. The onions will become transluscent and tender.

Serve the dumplings (if you cooked them in broth, feel free to serve it with the broth) and pour some of the butter and onions over the top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

These are excellent in the winter or on a rainy day. They stick to your ribs (and you're ass, unfortunately. They're NOT conducive to a healthy diet, that's for sure!).

It's not Heaven, it's Iowa...chops, that is

2011-02-02T20:41:00.005-06:00

Iowa's known for their pork products. I've never been a big fan of pork, though, because I like my meat more rare and obviously, you can't cook pork rare. Well, you can, I suppose, but the results aren't pretty.

I saw a basic form of this recipe on a Facebook group and being as I can't ever just stick to the basics, I added some extra bang and came up with the most AMAZING dish I've ever tasted.

Smothered Pork Chops

4 butterflied Iowa chops - boneless with the fat trimmed off

2 boxes Stove Top stuffing, prepared per box instructions

2 large cans Cream of Mushroom soup

2 c. milk

3 onions, sliced

½ c. flour (seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder to your taste)

¼ c. vegetable oil

½ c. apple juice

¼ c. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 325°

Bread the chops in the flour mix and sear in the hot oil in a skillet. While they're cooking, prepare the stuffing mix according to box directions and set aside. Also, mix the mushroom soup and milk and pour half of it into the bottom of a large baking dish. Once the chops are browned, put them in the baking dish. and cover with the remaining mushroom soup.

With the oil still on a medium-high flame, brown the onions (seasoned as you choose- I used a bit of sage, salt, pepper and garlic powder). Carefully scoop out the onions and place over the chops in the baking pan. Leave the oil drippings in the pan and add a few tablespoons of the flour mix that didn't get used for the breading. Stir together and create a roux. Add the apple juice and brown sugar and stir until a gravy consistency is achieved. Pour the gravy over the onions and cover the baking dish with foil.

Bake at 325° for 45 minutes, covered. Remove foil and spread the stuffing over the top of the chops. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes.

Serve with mashed potatoes or rice. Also excellent with soups!

Ranch Dill Crackers

2011-01-30T16:15:00.001-06:00

My favorite snack and SO easy to make!

2 bags oyster crackers
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix
1 T dill weed
1 T lemon pepper
1 c warm oil

Mix the spices & oil, then pour over crackers. Put a lid on the bowl and shake the crackers until everything is evenly coated.

Chicken & Rice Enchilada Soup

2011-01-12T19:15:00.005-06:00

¼ c canola oil
1 pkg chili seasoning
1 pkg fajita seasoning
2 T flour

Combine these to create a wet roux, and stir over medium-high flame. Then add:

2 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 29oz can tomato sauce
1 29oz can diced tomatoes
1½ c long-grain white rice
3 c water
½ tsp Chili powder
½ tsp Garlic powder
¼ tsp Seasoned salt
1 T vinegar
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Coriander
¼ tsp Cayenne pepper
Few dashes of Tabasco or Cholula to taste

Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cover, stirring every few minutes so rice doesn't stick to the bottom. Cook until rice is tender, about fifteen minutes.

Serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheese and sour cream. (For the picture above, I made white rice separately with some chili seasoning mixed in and scooped it on top instead of putting it in the soup.)

Paula Deen's Magical Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-01-06T16:02:00.001-06:00

(adapted from Paula's recipe on FoodNetwork.com)

2 c peanut butter
3 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Reserve 1/3 c of sugar and mix the remaining ingredients together. You can add chopped peanuts or use chunky peanut butter if you prefer the texture. I didn't. Using a miniature ice cream scoop I dipped in sugar, I formed 1½" cookie balls and then flattened with a fork, also dipped in sugar.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Before they cool, sprinkle the tops with sugar, then let sit on the cookie sheet for a couple minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Perfection.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-01-06T15:24:00.001-06:00

I went looking for an old lunch room recipe the other day. These weren't exactly what I had in mind when I went looking for the recipe, but I remember these and they were excellent, too!

½ C. butter
12oz peanut butter
3 C. powdered sugar
2½ C. Rice Krispies
1 pkg melted chocolate chips

Mix the first four ingredients together and form balls. Place the peanut butter balls on a large cookie sheet and drizzle with the melted chocolate.

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

2010-12-11T21:19:00.001-06:00

(Yams ready to go back in the oven to toast marshmallows)

2-4 large yams
butter
2c mini-marshmallows
¼ c brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400°. Scrub yams under running water and cut off any bad spots. Prick skins with a fork. Rub a light coating of butter on the skins to soften them while baking and wrap in tin foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes (depending on size). When tender, bring them out and let set for a few minutes in the foil. Unpeel the foil and carefully slice open potatoes and spread open. Put a few dabs of butter inside each one, sprinkle with brown sugar and top with marshmallows. Put back in the oven for 5-8 mins until marshmallows have melted and are golden in color. You can also stick them under the broiler for a couple minutes until marshmallows are toasted.

Perfection!

Enchilada Sauce

2010-11-12T16:13:00.002-06:00

I realized as I got ready to make my Chicken Tortilla Soup tonight that I didn't buy enough enchilada sauce to put in it for a double batch. Not able to get a hold of my husband to see if he could pick me up another can, I had to improvise.

I found a recipe online and tweaked it to suit what I had in the cupboard.

¼ c vegetable oil
1 pkg chili seasoning
1 pkg fajita seasoning
2 T flour

I combined these to create a wet roux, which I stirred constantly over a medium-high flame. I added:

1 14oz can tomato sauce
3 c water (I would use less if you're actually using this for enchiladas)
½ tsp Chili powder
½ tsp Garlic powder
¼ tsp Seasoned salt
1 T vinegar
½ tsp Cumin
½ tsp Coriander
¼ tsp Cayenne pepper
Dashes of Tabasco or Cholula to taste

Cook over medium heat and season to taste.

Joy's Lasagna

2010-11-11T14:06:00.001-06:00

I haven't made this yet, but I didn't want the recipe to slip through my fingers. It comes from Joy Behar, co-host of the View. Sherri raves about it, as does Whoopi. Guess we'll see!

Joy's Lasagna

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup Chopped Onion
2 Garlic Cloves
1 ½ Lbs. Sweet Italian Sausage (Out Of Casings)
1 Large 28oz Can Crushed Italian Tomatoes
1 6oz Can Tomato Paste
¼ cup Chopped Parsley
½ cup Chooped Basil Leaves
2 Tsp Sea Salt
¾ Tsp Pepper

½ Box Lasagna Noodles
1 Lb Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Extra Large Egg
1 Lb Whole Milk Mozzarella Cheese
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese For Sprinkling At End

1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and position the oven rack in the middle.

2. To make the meat sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and stir for one more minute Then add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat Breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until fully cooked and no longer pink Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, basil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.

3. Soak lasagna noodles in hot tap water.

4. While the sauce is simmering, make the cheese filling In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup of Parmesan, the beaten egg, chopped parsley, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper Set aside.

5. Ladle one third of the meat sauce into a 9”x 12”x 2” casserole or baking pan Spread the sauce over the bottom of the dish Then add approximately half the pasta (in one layer, cover the sauce with the noodles), half the sliced mozzarella, half the cheese mixture, and one third of the sauce Add another single layer of noodles, mozzarella, ricotta, and the remaining sauce Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of Parmesan.

6. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling.

Tuna Casserole

2010-08-03T18:05:00.001-05:00

I'm a big fan of comfort food (which is why my ass is the size it is). If you're wanting to lose weight, this recipe is NOT for you. It does, however, kick ass on a cold, rainy day, though.

1 pkg Kluski egg noodles
1 can tuna, packed in water (don't drain)
1 can low-sodium cream of chicken soup
1 can low-sodium cream of mushroom soup
1 c frozen peas (you can also use a peas/carrots mix)
1 c bread crumbs or Parmesan cheese, optional

Boil noodles according to package directions. In separate baking dish, mix together the soups, tuna and vegetables. Mix with cooked noodles and sprinkle bread crumbs or Parmesan cheese on the top. Microwave on high for 10 minutes at 100% power or pop in a 350° oven for 10-15 minutes.

Fried Green Tomatoes

2010-07-20T19:47:00.002-05:00

I haven't made them in years (haven't had a garden), but they're SO good!! I need to track down somebody with some tomato plants and make some. I'm craving them now.

I use the same dry mix that I use for catfish breading, I just add milk and eggs to make it a batter instead of a breading.

(As always, these are rough estimates on measurements)

1 c all-purpose flour
¼ c cornmeal
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp cayenne
¼ tsp garlic powder (the garlic & cayenne are optional, but I like mine a little spicier)
1 c buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten
5-6 green tomatoes, cut into ¼" slices
vegetable oil (although bacon drippings work great and give extra flavor)

Mix the first six ingredients evenly. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and add the buttermilk, mixing thoroughly before combining it with the dry ingredients. The batter should resemble pancake batter, so add additional buttermilk, if needed.

Heat oil in a skillet (between 375° and 400°, ideally).

Divide tomatoes into batches, doing only a couple of slices at a time. (If you overpack the skillet, your tomatoes will become saturated with grease and end up soggy). Dip the tomato slices into the batter and carefully put them into the oil. I usually do three slices in my standard sized skillet. Flip them halfway through cooking and drain on a wire rack to keep them from getting soggy before serving (can you tell I don't do "soggy?").

You can eat as-is or mix up a country gravy with the drippings to serve with it. I've always eaten them plain, but I know my Southern relatives eat them with gravy.

(As soon as I get some tomatoes, I plan on making them again and will post pictures then.)

Oatmeal Pancakes

2010-07-13T11:15:00.001-05:00

Courtesy of Chuck Maldonado

1 c oatmeal
4 egg whites
dash cinnamon
dash vanilla
1-2 tsp agave sweetener (I used Stevia in the Raw b/c I didn't have agave)
Optional: Fresh fruit of your choice (I peeled & cut up an apple)

Put everything in a blender and mix on high speed until everything is blended well and it forms a thick milkshake-type texture. Measure out four scoops evenly onto a griddle (I used ¼ c measuring cup for accuracy). Unlike regular pancake batter, the middle of these will not bubble when they're ready to flip because the batter is too thick. You have to watch around the edges - they'll get tiny bubble holes and that's when you need to flip them.

You can serve with any kind of syrup you choose. I used natural apple syrup with mine and they were delicious.

Thanks again, Chuck for passing along this recipe! They were magnificent (and surprisingly filling)!!

Summer Chocolate Cake (low fat, even!!)

2010-05-28T17:12:00.001-05:00

Nothing is worse in the summer heat than having to heat up the kitchen with a 350° oven, right? So don't.You can bake a cake in your microwave. Using a Tupperwave Stack Cooker & Cone, you can have a cake that's even more moist than what you'd bake in the oven.

You can use a recipe from scratch, but I'm too lazy for that. For this cake, I used the following:

1 box Devil's Food Cake cake mix
1 1/3 c room temperature water
½ c applesauce (in place of the oil the box calls for)
3 eggs
1 container milk chocolate frosting

Mix the cake mix as directed on the box. Insert the cone in the center of the largest Tupperwave stack cooker and smear half the frosting along the bottom and sides of the stack cooker. You can add more if you like. Pour the cake mix into the stack cooker and put in the microwave, uncovered. Cook on high for 11 minutes (may need to adjust for microwave size). Let sit for a couple minutes, then invert on a large cake plate (a bit of a lip on the plate is beneficial, as the frosting will drizzle down the sides and pool under and around the cake). Serve!

**You can use applesauce in any baking recipe that calls for oil. Don't ask me how it works. It just works and it's DELICIOUS!!

Ginger Chicken Lo Mein

2010-05-13T22:48:00.001-05:00

2 c. shredded cooked chicken breast (or 2 cans chunk chicken)
½ c chicken broth
½ c brown sugar
¼ c honey
¼ c Dijon mustard
1 tsp ginger powder
3 Tbl soy sauce
8 oz lo mein noodles, cooked (I used thin spaghetti here)
1 c sugar snap peas, steamed (I used Green Giant Steamers)
1 Tbl minced garlic

In a small saucepan, mix broth, brown sugar, honey, mustard, ginger and soy sauce. Simmer over a medium heat until it turns to a glaze (about 4-5 minutes).

In a wok or large skillet, combine glaze, chicken, pasta, peas and garlic and cook over medium heat until warmed thoroughly.

Passion Tea Lemonade

2010-04-20T13:34:00.001-05:00

I. Love. SUMMER!

Summer brings Passion Tea Lemonade back to Starbucks!! Since I don't live next door to a SB and couldn't afford to buy one of these everyday even if I did, I learned how to make them at home. It's really not that tough.

2 bags Tazo Passion Tea (bought by the canister at Starbucks or online)
2 c pre-made Lemonade (I use Simply Lemonade, but Kool-Aid will do in a pinch)
Sweetener of your choice (you can use simple syrup or sugar. I use Stevia.)

Brew your tea according to pkg directions and add sweetener, if you like. Mix half-and-half with the lemonade and serve over ice. You can add a splash of any fruit juice you choose to change it up a bit, too. I know at one time, Starbucks combined it with an orange syrup for a yummy twist. :) This recipe is enough for two servings.

"Skyline" Chili

2010-03-11T20:28:00.005-06:00

I've never tried Skyline Chili, but my friend has made it and tweaked it to suit her family. She said it's exactly like Skyline's.

**ADDENDUM: I have now tried Skyline chili and I'm proud to say mine is better. No, seriously. Theirs has weird texture that isn't identifiable. I'm told there are pieces of cocoa shell in it? I dunno. Anyway. The flavors are similar, but I think mine has a richer taste. Try it for yourself.

Skyline Chili

4lb ground beef (brown)
6 cloves garlic (minced)
2 onions (chopped, but I put in food processor on pulse)
2 lg cans Hunts tomato sauce (29oz each)
1 sm can tomato sauce (12 oz)
3 lg cans water + 1 sm can water (total about 100 oz but I use less if I need to, to make it fit in my pot)
3 T white vinegar
6 dashes Worchestershire sauce

Combine:
1/4 cup sugar
4T Chili powder
1 1/4 T salt
12 drops Tabasco sauce
1T Cumin
1 tsp Coriander
1tsp Cayenne pepper
1tsp Black pepper
1T Cinnamon
1T Allspice
10 Bay leaves
1 tsp red pepper (crushed)
4 oz unsweetened chocolate - (I usually use Ghirardelli Chile Pepper Chocolate, but if that's not available, I use semi-sweet dark)

Brown beef and chop finely (I put in my food processor and pulse on low for a bit to get it really fine without making a paste out of it!). Saute onions and garlic, place in LARGE pot. Add wet ingredients, combine dry ingredients and add. Simmer uncovered 5-6 hours, stirring frequently (I use a spatula to scrape bottom). Serve over spaghetti with onions/oyster crackers/cheese...whatever you like! ENJOY!!!

My coveted meatloaf recipe

2010-03-08T14:37:00.006-06:00

I've been asked for years to share my meatloaf recipe.

For years, I've declined to share any part of it.

I'm finally going to share with you the basic recipe. I will tell you that this recipe will NOT taste exactly like mine, because I'm not including the secret twist that makes my meatloaf mine. But, this recipe is still VERY very good.

1½ lbs lean ground beef (leaner the better)
½ c ketchup
1/3 c tomato juice
½ tsp each salt and black pepper
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (or a couple dashes of cayenne pepper)
2 eggs, beaten
¾ c fresh bread crumbs (crushed croutons work best here)
¼ c finely diced onions
2 tsp yellow mustard

Topping:
¼ c ketchup
½ tsp yellow mustard
2 tsp brown sugar

1) In large bowl, combine ketchup, tomato juice, salt, peppers, eggs, bread crumbs, onions and mustard. Mix until thoroughly blended.

2) Add ground beef. I mix with my hands so I can make sure all the chunks of meat are broken down and mixed thoroughly.

3) Line a 9x5" loaf pan with foil and press in the meat mixture.

4) In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients, mixing well. Spread topping over meatloaf.

5) Bake at 400° for 35-45 mins or until done.

6) Drain off fat. Rest meatloaf for 5 minutes before serving.

**This recipe can also be made in the microwave and I've found works almost better than in the oven.

1) In large bowl, combine ketchup, tomato juice, salt, peppers, eggs, bread crumbs, onions and mustard. Mix until thoroughly blended.

2) Add ground beef. I mix with my hands so I can make sure all the chunks of meat are broken down and mixed thoroughly.

3) On a microwave safe dish, form meat mixture into a 9" ring. Cover with waxed paper.

4) Microwave at 30% power for 15 minutes. Pour off any juices.

5) Repeat step 3 twice more for a total of 45 minutes cook time.

6) Cover top of meatloaf with sauce and microwave uncovered at 100% power for 5 mins.

7) There shouldn't be much, if any, fat to drain off, but if there is, do that. Rest meatloaf for 5 minutes before serving.

My Mama's Pierogi

2010-02-14T20:46:00.003-06:00

I've had several requests for this and since I made it not too long ago, I thought I'd post the recipe. I do it by memory, so you may need to play with the measurements, considering I haven't actually used the recipe in 15 years or more.

I won't lie, this recipe is the biggest pain in the ass to make, but it's SO worth it. I remember my mother enlisting the help of friends and family whenever she made them. Her motto was "If you wanna eat 'em, you help make 'em" and after having made a couple hundred of these on New Year's Day for my family, I can see why she bargained with us.

Filling
8-10 potatoes - peeled, cut & boiled
2 c - shredded mild cheddar cheese
½ c - butter
½ c - milk (I use evaporated milk, but you can use regular milk)

Combine all and mash together. Put in fridge to chill while making noodle dough.

Dough (adapted from Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook)
7 c all-purpose flour
1 c water
6 eggs
1½ tsp salt
1 T vegetable or olive oil

Stir together 6 c of flour in a large mixing bowl with the salt. Make a well in the center of the mixture. In a separate bowl combine the eggs, water and oil. Add to the flour mixture and mix well.
Sprinkle the kneading surface with the remaining flour. Knead dough until smooth and elastic (8-10 minutes total - hope you've done your bicep training at the gym!!). Cover and let rest for about 10 mins.
Divide dough into fourths. On a lightly floured surface, roll each fourth into a 12x12" square about 1/16" thick. Let stand 20 minutes, then using a wide rimmed glass or a biscuit cutter, cut dough into circles.
(You may need to double this recipe. I can't remember if it's matched evenly for the amount of potatoes that are made.)

Use about 1T of potato filling for each pierogi and seal the dough shut into a half-moon shape. Make sure to pinch the air out of each pocket or they will burst during cooking. Let the pierogi dry 30-60 minutes.

Boil pierogi in batches in lightly salted water 5-7 minutes until all of it has been cooked. (At this point, you can freeze what you think you may not use to serve at a later date. Let them cool and dry completely before putting in freezer storage bags.) You can serve these hot pierogi with melted butter and sauteed onions.

In my family however, we decided generations ago that boiled dough filled with starchy, cheesy potatoes just wasn't enough calories, so we proceed at this point to lightly fry our pierogi in oil until golden brown. Then, of course, being the cholesterol junkies we are, we serve with butter, salt & pepper.

** To avoid having pierogi break open during cooking, purge all the air out of them before you seal them shut and make sure the dough is thick so it doesn't tear during construction of the pierogi.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2010-02-09T19:20:00.007-06:00

Usually I make my soups from scratch. This one? Not so much.

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can Fiesta Nacho Cheese soup
1 can enchilada sauce
3 cooked chicken breasts, shredded (or two cans chunk chicken)
1 (soup) can milk
Tortilla chips

Mix it all together and bring to a low simmer (don't boil or the milk will curdle) until it's warm throughout. Serve with crushed tortilla chips on top.

**Variations**
Add:
     can of Mexicorn
     can of black beans (drained)
     can of diced tomatoes
     dab of sour cream
     diced green onions

Taco Chicken

2010-02-08T19:20:00.001-06:00

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1- 28oz can diced tomatoes (or two standard cans of Rotel)
1 pkg Taco seasoning

Put chicken breasts and taco seasoning in a zipper bag and shake to coat evenly. Put in bottom of crockpot and cover with tomatoes. Cook on low 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. I shredded my chicken separately, but it was fork tender.

Serve with torillas or over pasta. There is a lot of liquid in this, so if you serve on tortillas, you'll want to use a slotted spoon or you'll end up with soggy tortillas and saucy elbows.

Spaghetti Sauce

2010-01-17T15:16:00.004-06:00

Two disclaimers:

1) I make enough tomato sauce to freeze. You may want to cut the recipe in half.

2) I hardly ever measure anything, so this is best guesstimate.

6 lbs Whole peeled tomatoes

3 15oz cans tomato paste

2 large onions, diced

1 T Minced garlic

½ T Ground oregano

½ T Leaf oregano

¼ tsp Cayenne pepper

¼ tsp Sage

½ tsp Seasoned salt

½ tsp Seasoned pepper

1 tsp Thyme

1 tsp Marjoram

1 T Sweet leaf basil

1 T Garlic salt

2 T Garlic powder

2 T Parsley

½ T Italian seasoning

½ tsp Paprika

¼ tsp Black pepper

¼ c Brown sugar

Dash Worcestershire sauce

Puree the tomatoes in a blender until smooth. Cook the tomatoes over medium high heat until foam begins to form on the top. Skim it off, otherwise your sauce can become bitter. Once the foam stops forming, add the tomato paste and stir it well. Bring it to a low boil over medium-high heat and turn the sauce down to medium-low. Add the onions, garlic and other spices at this time. Stir occasionally and let it simmer over low heat for 4-6 hours. You can add the meatballs to the sauce at any time.

Some variations:

adding diced tomatoes for more texture

adding diced green peppers

adding chopped mushrooms

adding a cup of broth or drippings from the meatballs for additional beef flavor

Melly's Meatballs

2010-01-16T22:41:00.005-06:00

Got this recipe from an authetic "Southsider." And if you're from Des Moines, you know that means they're as Italian as you can get without having actually been born in Italy. :)

(makes approx. 50 golf-ball sized meatballs)

1 lb ground beef (I use 80% lean)
1 lb Italian sausage (do NOT use regular pork sausage and don't skimp on quality)
1¾ c bread crumbs
1 c grated Parmesan cheese
3½ T Sweet basil leaves
2 T Ground oregano
2 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
1 T fresh minced garlic (I use the pre-minced stuff from the jar)
4 eggs

Mix together and form meatballs. I use a small ice cream scoop for consistency & speed. Cook in an electric skillet at 300° until brown on the outside, then put in spaghetti sauce and simmer for 6-8 hours. You can also fry them in a regular skillet on med-high heat.

You can also freeze them, but make sure they're cooked throroughly and cooled before you put them in freezer zipper bags.

Egg Salad

2010-01-07T13:10:00.002-06:00

By request, my egg salad recipe

6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
½- ¾ c Miracle Whip
2-4 tbsp sweet pickle relish
1 tsp yellow mustard

I usually throw it altogether in my Smart Chopper. You can vary the amounts of ingredients, but please, please, please, from the bottom of my heart, don't bastardize it by using real mayonnaise.

Jose Cuervo Christmas Cookies

2010-01-01T21:14:00.001-06:00

Jose Cuervo Christmas Cookies

1 cup of water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup of brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle Jose Cuervo Tequila

Sample the Cuervo to check quality. Take a large bowl, check the Cuervo again, to be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one peastoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point it's best to make sure the Cuervo is still ok, try another cup just in case.Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Pick the frigging fruit off the floor. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaters just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the Cuervo to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt, or something. Who geeves a sheet. Check the Jose Cuervo. Now shift the lemon juice and strain you nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find. Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the window, finish the Cose Juervo and make sure to put the stove in the wishdasher.

Cherry Mistmas !

(Thank to my friend Tonia for forwarding this recipe to me! LOL)

Stella's Homemade Tomato Soup

2009-12-25T01:07:00.005-06:00

4 16-oz cans whole peeled tomatoes

3-4 meaty pork hocks (Fresh –not smoked) or beef short ribs

Tone’s Pickling spice (remove cloves)

1 med onion, diced

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 pkg cooked egg noodles (dumpling style work best)

*Needed: two tea balls – found at most kitchen stores

Wash meat and put in large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Fill half of each tea ball with pickling spice (make sure you’ve removed the whole cloves or soup will end up being too sweet). Add tea balls to the meat & water. Use blender or food processor to chop tomatoes. Add to the pot along with diced onion. Add salt and pepper to taste, but start with measurements above. Bring to a rolling boil, skimming off foam as it appears. (Foam is actually the acid from the tomatoes and can cause your soup to be bitter if you don’t take it off.) Reduce heat and let simmer for 3-4 hours, skimming foam as needed. Serve with egg noodles.

Meat can be removed from bones and eaten in the soup or by itself with some prepared yellow mustard.

And never, ever, ever, ever serve this soup with crackers! It’s a sacrilege to even think about eating this soup with nasty soggy crackers!! This is one of those recipes that may take some getting used to, but it’s been served in our family for three generations and one that many have come to love over the years.

Beef Stew

2009-11-29T22:15:00.007-06:00

At the request of a friend, I'm sharing my recipe for beef stew. She said she loved beef stew, but just couldn't get the gravy right and the flavor seemed dull. This is the recipe I've used for more than ten years and our family loves it.

Some of the steps can seem confusing if you're not watching someone make it, so I'm posting more pictures than I normally would. If you have any questions, please let me know. I'd be happy to clarify! :)

2-3lb round roast, fat trimmed, cut in cubes

1½ c flour

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt

1 tsp garlic pepper

½ c vegetable oil

½ c beef soup base (I use L.B. Jamison)

2 qt cold water

½ tsp thyme

½ tsp celery seed

1 tsp garlic pepper

1 tsp minced garlic

2 T parsley flakes

1 onion, diced

1-14.5oz can diced tomatoes

3T Kitchen Bouquet (optional for coloring & flavor)

1-16oz bag frozen carrots

1-16oz bag frozen corn

6-8 red potatoes, peeled & cubed (Red potatoes hold up better in the stew without falling apart like russet or other types of potatoes)

(**The soup base will have plenty of sodium in it, so you should be careful if you choose to add more salt to the recipe. If you do decide to add it, I would do it sparingly and only when serving.)

You'll want to trim the excess fat off the roast and then cube the meat into big chunks. Anything smaller than a 1" cube will fall apart in the stewing process.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour & spices listed above in the first section of ingredients.

Toss the cubed meat in the flour mixture until well coated, while heating up the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When a pinch of flour sizzles in the oil, you'll know it's hot enough.

Add the meat to the oil. Don't bother shaking off the excess flour. That's what's going to make the gravy thick later as it's cooking. The oil won't cover all the meat, but once you stir it, it'll be fine. You'll want to brown the meat, not cook it thoroughly over a medium-high heat. Some of the meat will still be pink when you add the water. Make sure the water is cold. It'll mix better with the roux to make a good gravy. Mix it thoroughly, then add the spices. Kitchen Bouquet, onion & tomatoes.

Bring to a low boil, then turn to medium-low heat and let simmer for an hour. Stir several times so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. After an hour or so, add the rest of the ingredients and turn the heat up to medium-high so it'll come to a boil again. (The frozen ingredients will bring the temp down too far to keep it at low). Once it boils, turn the heat back down to a medium-low again and cook until potatoes are tender, 60-90 minutes. It can be served at this point, but it can be turned down to low and left to simmer for another hour or two.

Almost Campbell's Tomato Soup

2009-11-25T16:32:00.002-06:00

Yes, I realize that many of my recipes are soups. I actually *DO* cook more than just soup, but when it gets cool outside, soups are my favorite way to warm up. Which brings me to today's recipe:

1 6oz can tomato paste
3 c milk
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp italian seasoning
dash pepper

Mix together and heat thoroughly, but don't boil. Serve with Oyster crackers or a grilled cheese sandwich.

Cheeseburger Soup

2009-11-18T16:27:00.004-06:00

Always a family favorite. It does *NOT* freeze well, so prepare to serve a large group. It's great for large families or potlucks.

Cheeseburger Soup
3lbs hamburger
1 diced yellow onion
2lb box Velveeta, cubed
2 cans beef broth
1qt cream or Half-n-Half (Milk will curdle)
¼c flour
1 16oz jar dill pickle slices
1½c ketchup
½c mustard

Brown onions and hamburger and strain from drippings, putting the meat in a crock pot. Put cubed cheese in and stir together. Mix flour with a bit of beef broth and add to drippings and whisk together until thick and bubbly. Add the remaining beef broth & cream. Bring to a slow boil and pour over meat and cheese in the crock pot. Once the cheese has melted, add ketchup and mustard and simmer in crock pot on low for two hours. Add pickles (juice and all) to the soup and simmer for another 30 minutes.

**Can be made on the stove. Cook on LOW for 30 minutes before adding pickles. Once pickles are added, simmer for 10-15 minutes until soup is heated thoroughly.

**A can of diced tomatoes can be added for variety.
**You can also serve with Shoestring potato chips.

Apricot Chicken

2009-11-12T18:43:00.005-06:00

1 bottle French dressing (I use Western, but you can use Russian or Catalina, too)
2/3 c apricot preserves
2 envelopes dry onion soup mix
8-10 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
cooked white rice or egg noodles

In a bowl, combine dressing, preserves and soup mix. Place chicken in a large ungreased baking pan. Top with dressing mixture. Cover and bake at 350° oven for 20 mins, baste, bake for an additional 20 mins or until chicken juices run clear. Serve with noodles or rice.

CROCK POT adaptation:
Trim fat off chicken breasts and place in Crock Pot with dressing mixture. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Service with noodles/rice.

Simple Lasagna Soup

2009-11-10T09:55:00.005-06:00

(I used Farfalle pasta for this batch.)

Makes 10-12 servings

2lbs ground beef
½ tsp garlic powder
7 c Beef broth (w/onion if available)
2 cans (14.5oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (6oz) tomato paste
1½ tsp dried Italian seasoning
3c uncooked mafalda or rotini pasta
½ c grated Parmesan cheese

Brown ground beef with garlic powder and drain off fat. Stir in broth, tomatoes, tomato paste and Italian seasoning. Heat to a boil. Stir in the pasta. Reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir for 10 minutes until pasta is tender but firm (al dente). Stir in the cheese. Serve with additional cheese, if desired.

(Can use ground turkey and skip the cheese for a low-fat version.)

Pesto Dip

2009-11-05T10:07:00.003-06:00

*disclaimer: This is addictive. If you're watching your weight, do NOT make this without having an event to take it to. Trust me.

8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
2T butter or margarine, softened
2-3T milk
½ c Classico Pesto Sauce
4-6 sun-dried tomatoes, packed in olive oil, chopped finely
Wheat Thins or Melba Toast

Combine the cream cheese and butter and mix until well mixed, add milk until the mixture is easily spreadable. Spread on a plate or platter evenly and cover with pesto sauce. Sprinkle sun-dried tomatoes over the top and chill for thirty minutes. Serve with crackers.

(Honestly? I'm not a big pesto person, but this stuff is delicious!)

Mexicorn Dip

2009-11-05T09:59:00.003-06:00

8 oz sour cream
¾ c mayonnaise
3 cans mexi-corn, drained
1 onion, diced finely
2½c shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Mix sour cream and mayo together, then add the rest of the ingredients. Chill for a couple of hours to let the flavors blend. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

Can-Opener Chicken Enchiladas

2009-11-05T09:57:00.002-06:00

FYI, you *will* want to double (if not triple or quadruple) this recipe. It technically serves four people, but trust me when I tell you, you'll want to have more than three enchiladas!

1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 can cream-style corn
½ C chopped green onion
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
2 cans chunk chicken
½ C sour cream
¼ C milk
2 c shredded cheddar cheese, divided

½c ripe olives, sliced (optional)
12 flour tortillas – 6 inch

Mix first 8 ingredients together using only about half of the cheese. Spread about ½ C of the chicken mixture on each tortilla. Roll up tortilla and place seam side down in a baking dish. Repeat until all tortillas are filled. Pour remaining mixture on top of tortillas and top with remaining cheese and olives. You can also garnish with diced green onions if you want. Microwave on high for 10-12 mins or bake at 350° for 15-20 mins or until heated through.

Baked Potato Soup

2009-11-05T09:42:00.004-06:00

10-12 lg Baking potatoes
1 med onion – finely chopped
3 C chicken stock
6 T bacon drippings
2 T minced garlic
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 c heavy cream
2 c sour cream

Garnishes:
    Sour cream
    Cheddar cheese
    Crumbled bacon
    Chopped green onions

Scrub and peel potatoes. Cube and put in large pot with onions. Cover with water (I add a little bit of chicken bouillon). Cook covered over medium heat until done. Drain off water and mash carefully with a fork (leaving it somewhat chunky).

To potatoes and onions, add chicken stock, bacon drippings, garlic, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer on med-low 10-15 mins.

Add cream and bring to a low boil for about five minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Return to stove and heat only until thoroughly warmed.

Ladle into bowls and serve with garnishes.