My Kitchen Misadventures

Chicken and Cheese Lasagna Roll Ups

2012-01-23T17:55:00.000-08:00

These were super easy to throw together and unbelievably yummy! Not to mention they just looked pretty when I put them on the table ;) Most definitely not the healthiest recipe, but you have to have some comfort food once in a while! I think I may do this again for a meatless meal.

*I plan on freezing this batch. When I'm ready to bake them I'll just pull it out in the morning to thaw and reheat in a 375 oven.

Chicken and Cheese Lasagna Roll Ups

2 C cooked chicken *I used half of a rotisserie chicken from Kroger*

1 C ricotta cheese

1/4 C grated parmesan cheese plus 2 T for sprinkling

1/4 C crumbled fetta cheese

1/4 C milk

2 T parsley

1/4 t Italian seasoning *optional*

1/8 t pepper

8 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

2 C favorite spaghetti sauce

1 C frozen spinach, thawed and patted dry

1/2 C chopped mushrooms *I used crimini, they have great flavor*

In medium bowl combine chicken, cheeses, milk, pepper and Italian seasoning. Spread 1/3-1/2 C mixture on each noodle and pat into a flat line down the middle of the noodle; roll up like a jelly roll. In a 9x13 baking dish spread 1 C spaghetti sauce until bottom is coated. Arrange lasagna noodles seam side down in the sauce in the pan. Top with remaining sauce down the middle of each roll. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and parsley on each one. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes.

*I found through trial and error the easiest way to do this is get your water to a rolling boil and drop your noodles in one at a time. I cooked mine for two minutes less than the recommended time. After they were done I laid out a sheet of aluminum foil and using tongs to transfer each noodle to the foil. I found that doing it this way helped avoid tearing the noodles. After they are laid out top with cheese mixture, roll up and place in pan and then throw away the foil and the mess!

Quinoa and black bean tacos

2012-01-04T09:06:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe for quinoa and black bean salad on my favorite food blog, Mel's kitchen cafe, but once I had it made it just wasn't very good as a salad like side dish. So I put it in a tortilla with tomatoes, avocados, sour cream and cheese. AmAzInG!!! The salad is slightly spicy and the avocados are so smooth and creamy, the flavors just blend perfectly. Mellie LOVED it and gobbled up three giant tacos. It was such a healthy meal I had no issue letting her have seconds and thirds. I'm so glad she likes quinoa since she's not a big meat eater. The first few times I made it no one really liked it then I came across some tips for making it taste better. You need to soak it for 15min-1 hour and then rinse it really well before cooking. Then instead of using the 2:1 water to quinoa ratio usually suggested drop it down to about 1.5:1 and cook it on a lower heat for about 20-25 minutes. It produces such a light and fluffy texture. SO good!!

Black Bean and Sweet Corn Quinoa Salad

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen/canned sweet white corn
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When shimmering and hot, add the onions and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and stir for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the quinoa and sauté for a minute or two. Cover with broth, stir in cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20-25 minutes (or until all the liquid is absorbed).

Stir in the frozen corn and black beans. Cover and let the pot sit off the heat until the corn and beans are heated through, about 5-6 minutes.

Mozzarella-Baked Gnocchi

2011-12-06T19:32:00.000-08:00

Mozzarella-Baked Gnocchi

2 packages vacuum-packed gnocchi (I think they run about 15.75 ounces each)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 15-ounce can diced Italian-style tomatoes
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 to 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced (I use a full pound, because we like it really cheesy)

1. Cook gnocchi in boiling salted water, one minute shy of directions on package; drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook until softened. Add garlic, and cook and stir for 30 seconds. Add red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Heat to boiling. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

4. Add sauce to cooked gnocchi. Pour into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Top with slices of mozzarella cheese.

5. Broil until cheese is melted and begins to blister. Serve.

Leftover Stuffing Frittata

2011-12-06T19:29:00.000-08:00

We had a TON of stuffing left over and I really didn't want to throw it away so I googled recipes until I came across one that I thought everyone would like. This one was a hit. Melody was the only one that had issue with it and that's only because I dared to put sausage in it lol!

Stuffing Frittata

2 to 3 cups leftover stuffing
1-2 cups shredded Cheddar or Colby
6 large eggs
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Preheat broiler.

Coat an ovenproof nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Put stuffing in the bottom of pan to warm and stir to break up a little. Sprinkle cheese over top.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, milk, mustard powder, and nutmeg. Pour mixture over stuffing and cheese to cover stuffing. Sprinkle Parmesan over top. Cook on stovetop over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to the broiler and broil for about 2 minutes, until egg is cooked through and cheese is golden and bubbly.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fresh parsley. Serve with sliced tomatoes

Flank Steak Stir Fry

2011-10-28T17:40:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe because I had some flank steak and no idea what to do with it. It just so happened that asparagus AND red peppers were on sale. It was providence! So so yummy! If you like asparagus you will LOVE this. Jared wished he had doubled the sauce, but he likes things extra saucy. I think it was fine as it was.

Flank Steak Stir Fry with Asparagus and Red Peppers

3 T vegetable oil

1 lb asparagus trimmed and cut into 2" pieces

1 lb flank steak sliced into long, thin strips

2 red bell peppers sliced into strips

2 t cornstarch dissolved into 3 T water

all purpose stir fry sauce

3 T soy sauce

1 t finely chopped, fresh ginger (i didn't have fresh so I used powdered)

1 sm clove garlic, minced or pressed

1 green onion, including green tops, chopped finely

1/2 t chili oil ( I used 1/2 t vegetable oil with a dash of cayenne pepper)

1. While chopping ingredients, bring a small saucepan of water to boil. Parboil the asparagus for two minutes, drain, rinse with cold water, drain again and set aside. If you are planning to serve this dish with rice start that now.

2.Prepare the all purpose stir fry sauce by combining ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Stir fry the asparagus in a wok (or thick bottomed pan with at least 2" sides that can take high heat) in 1 T of oil, on high heat, for about 2 minutes until lightly browned. Remove asparagus from the pan and set aside.

4. Add another 1 T of oil to the pan and stir fry the beef strips, in two batches if necessary, for 2-3 minutes until browned but still pink inside. Return the first batch of beef to the pan and add the bell pepper. Stir and toss over high heat until just beginning to wilt, 1-2 minutes.

5. Quickly stir the cornstarch liquid and add it to the pan along with the stir fry sauce. Cook until sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Return the asparagus to the pan, toss to evenly coat and serve with steamed rice

Acorn Squash Soup

2011-10-14T18:41:00.000-07:00

All I can say is YUM! We had this with some yummy, crusty bread and it filled us right up!

Acorn Squash Soup

1 small onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
dash cayenne pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
3 cups mashed cooked acorn squash
1/2 cube cream cheese
salt and pepper to taste
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

In a large saucepan, saute the onion and celery in butter. Stir in flour, bouillon, dill, curry and cayenne until blended. Gradually add broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add the squash, salt and pepper; heat through.

In a blender, process the soup in batches until smooth, add cream cheese at this point into one of the batches. Pour into bowls; garnish with bacon.

chicken and dumpling soup

2011-10-10T18:00:00.000-07:00

Yet another recipe from Melanie at Mel's kitchen cafe. I swear over half of my weekly menu comes from her site!

Chicken and Vegetable Dumpling Soup

*Serves 6

Chicken and Broth:
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
2-3 chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
*I did two chicken breasts, but after I shredded it it seemed like way too much, so I halved it. Next time I'll only do one.*

Vegetables:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 large carrots (6-7 baby carrots), chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas
*I double the veggies because I like them :)*

Dumplings:
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme or sage
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

In a large pot, boil the chicken broth, water and chicken breasts until the chicken is cooked through and tender (about 15 minutes). Remove the chicken from the pot, reserving the broth in the pot, and shred the chicken with two forks. Set the chicken aside and keep the broth warm on the stove.

While the chicken is boiling, in a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the celery, carrots and onions. Saute for about 6-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the vegetables to the hot broth in the pot after the chicken has been removed. Add salt, thyme and pepper to the vegetable/broth mixture and stir to combine. Heat the soup to a simmer.

In a small bowl, blend ½ cup cold water and 1/4 cup flour with a wire whisk until smooth. Whisking vigorously, slowly add the flour mixture into the hot vegetables and broth and whisk until well combined. Add ½ cup frozen peas and the reserved chicken and cook, stirring gently for one minute.

For the dumplings, in a medium bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, milk and oil. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined (don't overmix, it is ok if there are a few dry spots of flour here and there).

Heat the soup to boiling and drop teaspoonful amounts (the dumplings should be small, they'll expand while cooking) of dumpling dough into the boiling soup, covering the entire surface of the soup (don't make more than one layer of dumplings). Reduce the heat to simmering, cover and let the dumplings cook for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid of the pot while the dumplings cook.

When the dumplings have cooked fully, remove the lid and gently stir the dumplings to break them apart. Serve.

Dry Onion Soup Mix

2011-10-01T18:31:00.000-07:00

Dry Onion Soup Mix

3/4 c instant minced onion (1 bottle of the 5th season brand at Walmart is the exact amount)
1/3 c beef bouillon granules
4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp white pepper

Mix all ingerdients together well. Store up to 6 months in cool dry place. Stir before each use. 5 TBS of mix is equal to 1 package of purchased soup mix

Cranberry Crunch

2011-10-01T18:29:00.000-07:00

Cranberry Crunch
3 c unpeeled apples, chopped
1 16 oz can whole cranberry sauce
2 TBS butter, melted
1 c quick- cooking oatmeal
1/3 c light brown sugar
1/4 c flour
1/4 c chopped walnuts

Combine apples and cranberry sauce. Spread in 8x8 in pan Combine remaining ingredients and spread over apple/cranberry mixture. Bake 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve warm. If I have them I add dried craisins to the mix also.

Texas Pork Chops

2011-09-10T18:09:00.000-07:00

4 6-oz center cut pork chops

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 c. brown sugar

3/4 c. ketchup

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp chili powder

In a saucepan, mix together black pepper, brown sugar, ketchup, onion, garlic, and chili

powder. Simmer for 15 minutes or until thickened. Place pork chops on a grill over medium heat and spoon a tablespoon of sauce over each one. Grill until cooked through, adding remaining sauce throughout the process.

Oh so yummy salad!

2011-03-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from Mel's kitchen cafe. She literally changed the way I look at cooking. More than half the recipes that make regular appearances at my dinner table came from her blog. If you haven't visited her site you should!

I love that my hubby is game for whatever I make for dinner, including salad. Salad was not something we had as a main course very often when I was growing up. Mostly because my dad is such a meat & potatoes kind of guy. Jared, however just said thanks for dinner and then proceeded to polish off two helpings. I can't tell you how much pleasure I get out of watching my family consume mass amounts of vegetables! This salad is definitely one I'll be making again. It was sweet and crunch and creamy and salty and it all blended together to perfection!

Sweet Chicken Salad

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3-4 medium)
Salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup water
1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (about 8-10 cups)
8 ounces sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped or sliced thin
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup spiced pecans, store-bought or following the simple recipe below

*It also called for homemade cranberry vinaigrette, but that was more work than I was willing to put in so I just bought some low cal raspberry vinaigrette and it tasted fantastic!

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is shimmering and hot. Add the chicken and cook until it is nicely browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip the chicken over, add the water, and cover the skillet. Cook the chicken, letting it poach, until it is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it cool slightly before carving.

Toss the lettuce, cheese, apple, pecans, onion and dried cranberries together. Divide the salad among the serving plates. Slice the chicken on a diagonal and arrange over the salad. Serve with the vinaigrette. I prefer to let everyone douse their own salad with dressing, but you could toss the salad with 1/2 cup or so of the vinaigrette before assembling it on the plates and serve the extra dressing on the side.

Quick Spiced Pecans:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups pecan halves
1 tablespoon sugar

Melt the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the spices and then the pecans. Toast the nuts, stirring often, until the color deepens slightly and they are lightly toasted, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a bowl and toss with the sugar. Let them cool completely before tossing with the salad. *watch these carefully as they're toasting, I got distracted and they burned.

Stuffed French Toast

2011-03-08T13:21:00.000-08:00

So this wasn't strictly low GI since I didn't use skim milk, splenda, or the egg substitute, but I like to think it was still pretty healthy. It was sweet enough that we didn't need syrup or any other topping. This is definitely on the menu rotation!

Stuffed French Toast

Berry Filling:
4 cups mixed field berries (fresh or frozen)
3 tbsp sugar substitute
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp cornstarch

French Toast:
1-1/4 cups liquid egg
2 cups skim milk
1 tbsp sugar substitute
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp (approx) canola oil
12 slices whole-grain bread

Make berry filling: In saucepan over medium heat, combine berries, sugar substitute, and lemon zest; cook for about 5 minutes or until sugar substitute is dissolved and berries have released some of their juice. In small bowl, blend cornstarch with 1 tbsp of juice from berries; stir into berry mixture. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
Make French toast: In large bowl, whisk together egg, milk, sugar substitute, vanilla and cinnamon.
Brush 1 tsp oil onto non-stick griddle or large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Dip bread 1 slice at a time, into egg mixture, pressing down and letting soak for 10 seconds; turn and press again for 10 seconds. Lift out, letting excess mixture drip back into bowl. Fry soaked bread slices, 2 at a time (4 at a time if using griddle), for 3 minutes; turn 1 piece over and evenly spread golden brown side with 2 heaping tbsp of the berry filling. Flip second slice, cooked side down, onto filling to form sandwich; press firmly with back of spatula. Continue frying for 3 minutes; turn sandwich over and fry for 3 minutes longer or until golden brown on both sides. Repeat with remaining bread slices, brushing griddle with more oil as needed.
Put any leftover berry filling in bowl and serve alongside toasts.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

2011-03-07T12:04:00.000-08:00

This is a little different than the recipe I usually use so I wasn't sure if it would be good. It turned out a little dry, probably because I didn't use all of the butter. 1/4 C seemed like a lot, but obviously it needed it! Again I served it with steamed veggies, a salad and mashed potatoes. I've started serving the salad first because my kids tend to eat more of it when they have nothing else on their plate.

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 slices swiss cheese
6 thin slices lean ham
1/4 C butter, melted
6 tsp dried parsley

Preheat the oven to 375
Pound out chicken breasts with meat hammer until they are all about the same thickness. I used two chicken breast for my little family and just cut them in half. It was enough to feed us all and some left over for Jared the next day.
Place 1 cheese slice and 1 piece of ham inside each breast. Roll up and secure with toothpicks.
Dip breasts in butter and sprinkle with parsley.
Bake in a covered baking dish for 45-55 minutes.

Pork Bites with Apples

2011-03-07T11:53:00.000-08:00

This is a low GI meal and I was really impressed with how filling and yummy it was! The kids even ate some, which is high praise. I served this with steamed fresh green beans, cauliflower, and boiled new potatoes.

2 TB olive oil
1 1/4 lbs lean pork loin, cut into bite sized pieces
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 C apple juice
2/3 C water
2 crisp eating apples, such as Granny smith, cored and sliced
3 TB chopped fresh parsley

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown pork. Transfer pork to a platter.
Add onions to the pan, and brown lightly. Remove onions to the platter and drain any fat from the skillet. Return to heat and stir in lemon rind, apple juice, and water and boil for about 3 minutes. Return pork and onions to the skillet and cook over low to medium heat for about 25 minutes or until tender.

Add apples to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes. Transfer pork, onions, and apples to a warmed serving dish. Sprinkle with parsley.

Best whole wheat bread EVER!!

2010-08-17T13:45:00.000-07:00

     Right before I got my fantastic new kitchen aid I decided to venture into bread making. I wanted to make all of our bread and stop spending so much on store bought. I tried two or three different recipes, and they were all ok, but not amazing. When I tried this one I was sold!
     It's 100% whole wheat, but still light and fluffy. It's dense enough that I can cut it thin, but not so heavy that it feels like a stone in your stomach like some of the other ones I tried! It has a lot of ingredients, but one of the things she does is when she makes one batch, she then mixes all the dry ingredients for a few more batches into Ziploc bags. Then when your ready to make more you just get your yeast ready, add the vinegar and butter and dump the mix in. Easy peasy! I've been making this for about a month now and I still think it's worth all the effort. I'll link to her video too so you can see how she makes it if your not familiar with bread baking. It helped me a ton! Also I usually double this because my family goes through two loaves of bread in a week.
     Making it by hand was tough, but not impossible. However, with a mixer to do all the work for you this recipe is down right simple! Just one more reason to love my hubby! :)

Easy whole wheat bread (1 loaf)

slightly adapted from everydayfoodstorage.net

1 1/4 cup warm water

1 Tbs active dry yeast
1/4 C 1/3 cup brown sugar
2 3/4 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C wheat gluten
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs nonfat non instant dry milk
1 Tbs butter
1 Tblsp vinegar
1/4 C potato flakes (NOT potato pearls)

Mix ingredients in order listed in mixing bowl of mixer with dough hook attachment (like kitchen-aid) for 12-15 minutes.
Let rise until double, 1-1 1/2 hours.
Punch down, roll out into a rectangle. Roll up like a jelly roll and tuck under the ends. Place in lightly greased bread pan and let rise again until double.
*Place in cold oven, turn to 350 and bake for 38 minutes. If your not sure if its done, turn onto wire rack and tap the bottom. It should sound hollow.

Here's the video link.

*I don't follow her baking time and temp. I got this from another blog. Melony from melskitchencafe.com has a ton of tips and tricks on her blog. She hasn't failed me yet. She said that no matter what bread recipe she used she always bakes it this way and its always perfect. I've done it the way the recipe calls for and the way Melony suggests and I like the latter much better.

Summer Garden Vegetable Soup

2010-08-17T13:16:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe yesterday and since I had all the veggies it called for sitting in my fridge just begging to be used I decided we'd give it a try. I truly love all the colors and textures and flavors in this soup. It was like a symphony in my mouth. Jared's not a huge fan of veggies, but even he liked this one. Definitely on the dinner rotation through fall!

Summer Garden Vegetable Soup

from www.melskitchencafe.com

3 med zucchini, chopped into bite sized pieces
4 med tomatoes, chopped into bite sized pieces
2 Tbs minced fresh parsley (I didn't have any on hand, so I didn't add this)
1 tsp dried basil (or 1 Tbs fresh)
2 Tbs butter
1 med onion, chopped
1/4 C flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 C chicken broth
1 tsp lemon juice
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 C frozen or fresh corn kernels
1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add zucchini, basil, parsley and onion and saute, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes.
Add the flour, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for one minute.
Gradually add chicken broth, stirring constantly until fully incorporated. Add the lemon juice and mix well.
Bring the soup to a simmer, stirring to prevent sticking, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the zucchini is tender but still has some bite to it.
Add the tomatoes, evaporated milk, and corn. Bring the soup to a boil and reduce heat to med-low. Cover the soup and simmer until the corn and zucchini are tender. Stir in cheese just before serving.

Minestrone Soup

2010-05-14T14:12:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite soups of all time. I love all the veggies I can include and since I keep every thing kind of chunky the kids can pick out the things they like and don't like which is an upgrade from not eating at all!

Minestrone Soup

2 T Olive oil

2 Potatoes cubed

5 Carrots, chopped

4 stalks of celery leaves and all, chopped

1 onion, chopped

4-6 cloves of garlic depending on your tastes

1 15 oz can of kidney beans

1 sm can tomato paste

1 lg can petite diced Italian tomatoes

2 cans or 2 C chicken broth

4 C water

2 T chopped fresh basil

2 T chopped fresh oregeno

1 T salt

2 C cooked shell pasta

Heat olive oil in large soup pot over medium heat. Stir potates, carrots, celery, onion and garlic into pot. Mix in tomato paste, beans, tomatoes, broth and water.. Season with basil and oregano and salt. Cook and stir 30-40 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Stir in cooked pasta and heat through.

Savory oven baked chicken

2010-04-29T11:20:00.000-07:00

I originally started this blog as a way to organize my favorite recipes and be able to exchange them with my mom a little easier. However, I have been a huge slacker and pretty much forgot about this blog unless I needed a copy of a recipe. Then I lost one of my favorites that I got from my MIL. It was the only copy I had and I make this one ALL the time! Luckily I had emailed it to my mom so I dug around my sent mail until I found it. That got my tail in gear! I will probably post a ton of recipes over the next few weeks because I want to get them all down to prevent this close call with disaster from happening again!

Savory Oven Baked Chicken

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I usually use 2-3 and cut them in half so they aren't as thick and will cook faster)

2 T finely chopped parsley, basil or oregano

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1/2 C dried bread crumbs

2 t finely chopped or pressed garlic (I usually do 2-4 cloves, but I really like garlic)

1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 C butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375

Combine bread crumbs, parmesan, parsley, pepper, and salt in shallow bowl.

Combine butter and garlic in pie plate ( I usually put the pie plate in the oven while its preheating until melted)

Dip one breast at a time into butter mixture; then crumbs mixture, turning to coat evenly.

Place chicken in un-greased 9X13 pan. Drizzle with any remaining butter mixture.

Bake 25-35 minutes, or until chicken is lightly browned and juices run clear when pierced with a fork.

Hot Pockets

2009-12-29T12:19:00.000-08:00

I had posted this recipe several months ago, but since then I have made some changes to it and wanted to post my updated version.

1 c warm water
1 1/2 tsp yeast
2 Tbs oil, cannola or olive
1 tsp salt
1 Tbs sugar
2 1/2 -3 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add oil. In separate bowl mix salt and sugar and 2 cups of flour. Add yeast mixture. Gradually add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough pulls away from sides of the bowl and forms a ball. I mix this part with a wooden spoon instead of a mixer.

Turn out onto lightly floured counter and knead in remaining flour until it forms a soft and slightly sticky ball. I don't always use all the flour, sometimes I only need 2 cups so try to base it off of the feel of the dough.

Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes to an hour.

Separate dough into 4- portions depending on how big you want them. I usually make 4 big ones for the adults and then 3-4 small ones for the kids. Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Let it rest for 5 minutes.

Put 1/4- 1/2 cup filling on one side of your circle. Fold over and clamp shut with a fork, or just fold the edge over and pinch closed.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

For the filling you can get pretty creative. Here are a few of the combinations I've done:
Pizza Pockets with pizza sauce, green peppers, pepperoni, cheese and mushrooms.
Cheeseburger Pockets with hamburger, green peppers, cheese and tomato sauce.
Ham and Cheese Pockets for sauce mix 1/2 cup miracle whip or mayo and 2-4 Tbs of dijon mustard. Then add chopped ham, cheese and broccoli. I chop up the broccoli and nuke it in the microwave for about a minute just to get it partially cooked.

Jack 'o Lantern Chicken Pot Pie

2009-10-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on everyday food storage when I had no groceries left and had no idea what to make. I knew when I went to her site that I'd find something I could make because her recipes all revolve around using your food storage...and that was about all I had left! I confess I did run to the store for a pie crust, I'm not that brave yet. It turned out SO yummy, I modified it a bit because I like my food really heavy on the vegetables, but make sure if you do that you beef up the liquids too or it'll end up really dry. I made one in a regular pie plate and I made a few in some little ceramic cups I got from my grandma. No idea what they're called, but they sure are handy! My girls loved having their own personal little jack 'o lantern. Enjoy!

jack 'o lantern chicken pot pie

slightly modified from everydayfoodstorage.net

4 med potatoes, diced

1 med onion, diced (I used dehydrated)

1 cup celery, diced

1 cup carrot, diced

1/3 cup melted butter

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 cups chicken broth (i use bullion)

1 cup half and half (I used canned milk)

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 8 oz can of corn

4 cups chicken, cooked and chopped (I used canned chicken)

a pie crust

1-Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2-If using raw chicken, boil it in water (I boil it in extra chicken broth) for 15 to 20 minutes until white. Let cool, then chop or shred.

3- Meanwhile, saute onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes in butter for 10 minutes.

4- Add flour to sauteed mixture, stirring well. Cook one minute, stirring constantly.

5- combine 2 cups broth and half and half

6- gradually stir into vegetable mixture and add DRAINED can of corn

7- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly.

8- Stir in salt and pepper; add chicken and stir well. Pour into shallow 2 quart dish (or divide between personal sized ramekins) and top with pie shell. Cut in slits for the steam to escape, just little lines around the face to make it look like a pumpkin.

9-Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly and cooked through. (the 6 little ones cooked for about 35-40 minutes)

Homemade Oreos

2009-07-31T13:06:00.000-07:00

I found this amazing little recipe on wonder mom envy. I think it has become my favorite cookie and I will definitely be making it for the next gathering I attend! I had to cook them a little longer but I'm pretty sure it's due to the humidity here. i have had to relearn how to cook since moving to Texas, I never realized how much the weather affects the way we bake! I found this article, How weather affects cooking, that I thought was pretty helpful without getting to in depth, if your interested you should check it out. Another reason I really like these is because they are so simple Melody can do a lot to help. She loves being in the kitchen, but if you've ever tried baking with a preschooler you know why I don't allow her in very often. With these she can add the ingredients (we just learned how to crack eggs carefully after losing 4 or 5!), she can mix it (with mom's help of course), and she can help roll them into balls and put them on the cookie sheet. Needless to say these are also her favorite cookie!

Homemade Oreos

from wonder mom envy

1 box devil's food cake
3/4 cup shortening
*2 eggs
1 tub of cream cheese frosting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Stir dry cake mix, shortening, and eggs until well moistened. Drop small spoon sized balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 9 minutes. (I bake mine for about 12-13 at about 70% humidity)

They don't look completely done when you pull them out. I just watch for the little cracks to appear on top. Then after I pull them out I let them set on the cookie sheet until cooled, otherwise your going to have a hard time getting them off the cookie sheet in one piece!

Also I frost these the night before and let them set. I think they taste better after the cookies have hardened a little and the frosting's not soft and gooey anymore.

*I didn't have any eggs the night I wanted to make these so I did some research and discovered that you can replace 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of applesauce. In baking eggs act as a binding agent and the apple sauce did the trick. They tasted exactly the same with the eggs as they did with the applesauce.

Blueberry Tart

2009-07-18T19:16:00.000-07:00

I found this in the Real Simple magazine. They have a great mix of super healthy, but kinda fancy recipes. Keep in mind I eat a lot of toddler friendly food, so it really doesn't take much to be fancy in my book! The store I buy all my produce at recently had a really good sale on their blueberries, $0.99/lb, so I bought 6 lbs and froze them. (for more on how to freeze berries see end of post.) I was excited to come across this recipe because I had been looking for a way to use them besides the general smoothies and cereal toppings.

Blueberry Tart

1 8 oz sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 lg egg, beaten

1 T granulated sugar

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 C heavy cream*

1/2 t grated lemon zest

3 T powdered sugar

2 C blueberries

Heat oven to 350 F. On a lightly floured surface, unfold the sheet of pastry and roll it into a 10x12 rectangle. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. (I just greased mine with Pam and it was fine, but it did stick a little. if your doing this for guests or if the presentation is important to you definitely use the parchment paper)
Using the tip f a knife, score a 1 inch border around the pastry without cutting all the way through. Brush the border with the egg and sprinkle with the granulated sugar. Bake until golden and puffed, 18-22 minutes.
Using tip of knife, rescore the border of the cooked pastry without cutting all the way through. Gently press down on the center of the pastry to flatten it. Let cool to room temperature, 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the cream, lemon zest, and 2 T of powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly within the borders of the pastry.
Arrange the blueberries in a single layer over the filling and sprinkle with remaining powdered sugar.

*I used real heavy cream for this but I don't usually have it on hand so when a recipe calls for it I usually use this recipe to make a substitute. It won't whip like the real stuff, but as an ingredient it works great!

3/4 C Milk

1/3 C Butter

1 T flour

Melt butter. Pour into milk and stir. Once combined add flour.

Freezing Berries

If you want to freeze berries, but don't want them to end up the clumpy mess you get when buy them at the store try this. Line a baking sheet with foil and spread berries evenly. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a sturdy freezer bag. Because you froze the individual berry they won't stick together, thus allowing you to pull out exactly the amount you need.

ugh there is a difference!

2009-07-02T08:44:00.000-07:00

Recently my local grocery store had pork roasts on sale for $1.50/lb. I usually use pork tenderloins but figured there couldn't be too much of a difference right? Wrong! I even asked the butcher, briefly described the recipe I planned to use and asked him if it would work out, he said and I quote; "Oh definitely! That will be really good!" I should fire him! It turned out horrible! Next time I'll find a recipe meant just for that cut of meat! If any of you have a good pork roast recipe PLEASE feel free to share!

Dangerous Chocolate Cake

2009-06-22T19:56:00.001-07:00

My mom e-emailed this to me today. Apparently it's been hanging around her inbox for a while and she finally decided to share the wealth. I really didn't think it was going to work, but it turned out so yummy! I added my favorite chocolate chip mint ice cream and I couldn't think of a better way to end the day!

Here we see what it looks like right out of the microwave.

And here it is all yummied up with my ice cream!

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)

A small splash of vanilla extract

1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well.

Add the egg and mix thoroughly..

Pour in the milk and oil and mix well..

Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again..

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. (I just put mine on highest power)

The cake may rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!

Hot Hoagies

2009-06-15T11:11:00.000-07:00

This is another from My Kitchen Cafe. I love that she has a balance of in depth and super simple recipes. This one was a last minute thing. When ever I don't know what to make I always head to her blog and look around for a minute. Inevitably I always find something that I can throw together. This one is so yummy and I may use this as a relief society dinner, you know the ones you take to people who are sick or just had a baby. Throw it together and all they have to do is pop it in the oven for a few minutes!

Hot Hoagies

from my kitchen cafe

1 loaf french bread, cut lengthwise (I get the $1 loaves at Wal-Mart)

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken* (in a pinch, you can use two large cans chicken breast)

1/2 cup light mayo (I used miracle whip, it tasted ok, but it was kinda sweet. Next time I'll use the mayo) 1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

2 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 tablespoons dried)

2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combo of Monterrey jack and sharp cheddar cheese)

Olives, chopped (I didn't put these on simply because I hate olives)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place french bread on large baking sheet. Mix all topping ingredients together in a bowl. Spread topping evenly on top of both lengths of french bread. Bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and edges are lightly browned. Slice into pieces and serve immediately.

*When I stock up on my chicken, I always boil 3 or 4 breasts, shred it and freeze it in Ziploc bags. Then I have it ready for a meal like this one.

Macaroni that big people can love!

2009-06-04T14:27:00.000-07:00

This came in my latest Kraft Food & Family magazine and I loved that it combined Melody's
favorite food with some 'big people' taste. Be forewarned that this recipe makes a TON! Jared usually has two servings, the girls and I will each have one and there is still enough for everyone to have lunch the next day. Good Saturday night meal so that lunch is ready when you get home from church (or before you go ;p) I also like this one because Melody is able to help make it. She adds the noodles, the pizza sauce and the extra cheese (I have to do the cheese sauce, she gets a little crazy!)

Pasta Pronto Italiano

1 pkg. (7-1/4 oz.) KRAFT Macaroni Cheese Dinner
1 lb. lean ground beef 1 jar (15 oz.) pizza sauce
1/2 cup KRAFT Pizzeria Shredded Four Cheese

PREPARE Dinner as on directed on package. Meanwhile, brown meat in large skillet; drain, if necessary.

ADD Dinner and pizza sauce; mix lightly. Sprinkle with shredded cheese; cover. Reduce heat to low; cook 2 min. or until shredded cheese begins to melt.

See? Easy peasy!

P.S. here's a simple, and so so yummy pizza sauce recipe I got over at the my kitchen cafe blog. In case you hadn't noticed I heart her blog!

Homemade Pizza Sauce

1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
Oregano
Garlic powder
Italian seasoning
Crushed red pepper (optional)

Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender and blend until desired consistency. I leave mine slightly chunky. On the seasonings, I just sprinkle them in to taste. If I use crushed red pepper, I only use a few flakes because my kids don't like spicy things, but it definitely adds a nice kick to the sauce to use it. I also substitute for whatever I don't have: basil leaves for oregano, garlic salt for garlic powder, etc. This recipe is open to interpretation. Use what you like and it will be delicious.

Slow cooker pork tenderloin

2009-04-19T19:06:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this recipe and didn't even save the link so I can't give credit where it is due. I love this one because it's really easy to throw together, but it turns out so tender and moist, I just love it! I usually can find pork tenderloins for a deal, I just watch for them to be near their sale by date and ask for a discount. I got a $12 roast for just under $5 dollars last week!

2 pork tenderloins, about
1 pound each salt and pepper
1 small clove garlic, minced ( I usaully ue 2 and press them instead of mincing them)
4 Tbs grainy Dijon mustard
2 Tbs honey
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp dried leaf thyme
1 Tbs cornstarch
1 Tbs cold water

Wash and trim the pork, pat dry; sprinkle with salt and pepper, place pork in slow cooker. Combine garlic, mustard, honey, brown sugar, vinegar, and thym; pour over the pork. Turn pork to coat throughly.Cover and cook on low 7 to 9 hours, or high 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours. Remove pork to a plate, cover with foil to keep warm.

Pour the sauces into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 8 to 1 minutes, or until reduced by about 1/3. Combine the cornstarch and cold water; whisk into the reduced sauce and cook for 1 minute longer. Serve pork sliced with thickened juices.

Skillet Tamale Pie

2009-03-12T19:30:00.000-07:00

I made this tonight and it was so quick and super yummy! Melody wouldn't eat it, but Katie gobbled it up, and really Melody doesn't eat anything so I guess her opinion shouldn't really count! :) I forgot to drain the tomatoes and it made it way to runny so make sure you drain your beans and tomatoes really well. happy cooking!

Skillet Tamale Pie servings: 4-5----time: 25-30 min

Ingredients: 2 Tbs vegetable oil 1 med onion 2 Tbs Chili powder 1 tsp salt 2 cloves garlic 1 lb ground beef 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained 1 pkg corn bread mix 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 2 Tbs cilantro minced Preparation: 1. Heat oil in 12” oven proof skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, chili powder and tsp salt and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 2. Stir in ground beef, beans and tomatoes, and bring to a simmer, breaking up meat with spoon, about 5 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, mix corn-bread batter according to package instructions. 4. Stir cheese and cilantro into filling and season with salt and pepper to taste. Dollop corn bread batter evenly over filling and spread into even layer. 5. Place skillet in oven and bake at 450 until corn bread is cooked through in center, 10-15 minutes. *If you don't have an oven proof skillet, prepare filling and transfer to a 9x9 or 9x13 baking pan. If you use a 9x13 prepare 2 corn bread mixes.

Home Made Hot Pockets

2009-01-24T12:57:00.000-08:00

This recipe came from http://everydayfoodstorage.net/. She's all about building and using your food storage on a daily basis so it's being rotated properly and nothing is being wasted. She has some pretty good ideas so if you have some time to kill you should head over and browse her site for a while. This recipe is pretty easy and very versatile. You can make it a family affair and let everyone fill their own, or just try different fillings each time you make them. I had hamburger thawed so I decided to get creative and make cheese burger hot pockets. They turned out really yummy, even Melody ate some!

Hot Pockets

1 C. Luke Warm Water2 T. Olive Oil or Canola Oil 1 t. Sugar 1/2 t. Salt 3 C. Flour (I usually do Half all-purpose and half whole wheat or all whole wheat flour) 1 1/2 t. Yeast

Dough by Hand: Dissolve Yeast in warm water. Add Oil, Sugar, and salt. Slowly mix in flour and knead. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.

Dough in Bread Machine: (I imagine this would be a ton easier in a bread machine, but for those of us without one it's still a pretty quick and simple recipe)Add ingredients in order your bread machine specifies You don’t want your dough to raise for more than one hour. Most bread machine dough cycles will “beat” down the dough and you’ll want to take the dough out before it does that. Consult your users manual for timing and instructions on how to put the ingredients in.

1. Pre-heat oven to 375

2. When dough is ready, separate it in to 6 portions. 3. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/8" inch thick circles.

4. Let dough rest for 5 minutes.

5. Put 1/4-1/2 cup worth of filling. If you’re making all the same kind of hot pockets mix all your filling items together and use a scoop to fill the pockets.

6. Fold dough in half over the filling and clamp edges with fork or you can roll the edges over (this is what I usually do)

7. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 375 on a greased baking sheet.

Cheese Burger Filling

1 lb hamburger

1 bell pepper diced

1 onion diced

1 can diced tomatoes drained ( I drained it because I didn't want it to get too saucy, but you don't have to)

1 can tomato sauce

mushrooms

cheese

Brown hamburger for about 5 minutes with onions, peppers, and mushrooms (use as many or as few mushrooms as you like. I really like them s I added lots). Add diced tomatoes and sauce, allow to simmer until burger is cooked through. Turn off heat and add shredded cheese to taste. You can use any kind of cheese, I used mozzarella, and make sure you start with a small amount because a little goes a long way and you can always add more, but it's tough to take it back out! I let this cool for a few minutes before putting it in the pockets so it would be easier to work with.

She also says that these freeze well so I think I may make a batch just for snacks or quick lunches for Jared. We'll see how well that works out!

EDIT: I made a double batch of these and when they were cool I wrapped them in saran wrap and then again in foil. When I needed to cook them. I took off the foil and zapped it for 1 min. The saran wrap keeps it from getting dry so they turn out moist and yummy! I also made smaller ones for my girls so they wouldn't waste any. It worked out great!

lion house dinner rolls

2009-01-22T07:08:00.000-08:00

These are not an easy one to make if you don't have a stand mixer, which I don't! I used my hand mixer until the last two cups of flower and then the dough was too sticky and I had to knead in the last of the flower. It's not easy, but it's possible and so worth it!

Lion House Dinner Rolls

2 tablespoons active-dry yeast

2 cups warm water

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter or shortening

1 egg

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

2/3 cup nonfat dry milk

5-6 cups flour

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine yeast and water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add sugar, shortening (or butter), salt, dry milk, 2 cups flour and egg. Beat together until very smooth. Add remaining flour gradually (about 1/2 cup at a time) until a soft but not sticky dough is formed. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until it is smooth and satiny (Be prepared, if you don't have a mixer to knead for you this will be a workout!). Return dough to an oiled bowl and cover to let rise until doubled. (I think I let mine rise 3-4 hours)

Separate dough into seven or eight pieces. Roll out each portion into a circle (I tried to get mine about 1/8" thick) and cut into 8 pie-shaped pieces. (I used a pizza cutter) Roll up crescent-style and place on baking sheet. Cover with saran wrap that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes - until nicely browned. Makes about 5 dozen rolls.

If you go to the link it'll take you to the my kitchen cafe blog and she has lots of good tips in her comments. People will leave questions in the comments and she always answers them. Usually the questions other people ask are the same ones I have so it works out well for me!

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2009-01-19T19:51:00.000-08:00

This is the yummiest soup I have ever had! It's all creamy and warm and flavorful, YUM! I made it tonight and easily fed six adults and three small children, plus the men all had seconds! If you don't have that many to feed or don't want it twice in one week you may want to half the recipe. This is another from my kitchen cafe blog. She also lists it with a recipe for bread bowls. I tried them, but didn't have a lot of luck! Tonight I made this with the Lion House rolls recipe, I'll put that one in the next post. I made the mistake the first time I made this of using a 5qt pot, it just barely fit! So I went and bought a 9qt pot. Everyone should have a good big soup pot!

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

½ cup butter

1 finely chopped onion

½ - 1 cup frozen corn (or ½ cup chopped celery, if preferred)

½ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

½ cup carrots, sliced

¾ cup all-purpose flour

6 ½ cups chicken broth (can use 7 bouillon cubes plus 6 ½ cups water)

2 cups cooked wild rice

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon curry powder

½ teaspoon mustard powder

½ teaspoon dried parsley (I add about 1tsp because it makes it look pretty!)

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 cup slivered almonds (I didn't add these just because I didn't have them on hand)

2 cups nonfat half-and-half (use normal half-and-half if you prefer, but you won't believe how delicious this is with the nonfat variety!)

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, corn, chicken and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté 3-4 more minutes. Then add flour and stir well. Transfer mixture to large pot. Over medium heat, gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly until all has been added. Bring just to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let simmer.

Next, add the rice, salt, curry powder, mustard powder, parsley, ground black pepper and almonds. Allow to heat through and then pour in the half-and-half. Let simmer 1 to 1 ½ hours. Be careful not to let the soup come to a boil or it won't thicken properly - let it simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally.

Yummy Pancakes

2009-01-17T20:07:00.000-08:00

I love having breakfast for dinner, but Jared's not a fan. I found this recipe and decided to give it a try. If it makes Jared agree to have them for dinner once in a while I'm all for it! They are really easy, but I don't usually have heavy cream and butter milk on hand so these are kinda a once in a while thing. Once again this came from my kitchen cafe.

Zephyr Pancakes

2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tablespoons (1 3/4 ounces) sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large egg yolks

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) heavy cream

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) buttermilk

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cream, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry, just until combined - it's okay if there are a few lumps.

Preheat and lightly grease (I didn't grease my griddle and they didn't stick) a heavy skillet or griddle. Scoop the batter onto the griddle with a 1/4 cup measure or a large spoon. Make sure the heat is slightly less than medium. The pancakes will puff up very high. When the first side is golden brown and the edges start to look dry, turn the pancakes over to finish cooking the second side. Remove the pancakes from the griddle and keep them in a warm serving dish until you have enough to feed everyone.

These are so thick and fluffy that I made them really big! Mellie thought it was pretty cool.

AMAZING bread sticks!

2009-01-17T19:49:00.000-08:00

I found the easiest, most amazing recipe for breadsticks. I've been trying to figure out the whole bread thing without a whole lot of luck, but then I tried these and they turned out great! I found it on the blog my kitchen cafe she has great bread recipes and lots of tips for people like me who are bread retarded!

Divine Breadsticks

1 ½ cup warm water

1 tablespoon yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

3 ½ cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

Butter for the pan

Mix all ingredients (except butter) and knead for three minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Melt desired amount of butter on baking pan (the original recipe called for 1 entire stick of butter - that was way too much for my taste - I use a couple tablespoons). Roll out dough about 1/8-inch thick and cut into strips. Place in butter and put close together. Sprinkle with garlic salt and parmesan cheese. Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Bake 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

I usually make half with parmesan and garlic and the other half with cinnamon and sugar. So Yummy!

New blogs to check out

2008-12-05T08:54:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to draw your attention to the new blogs I linked on the right. I found them on Brittney Longs blog (she has a huge list if you want to look at more!). I created my whole menu for the next two weeks off of these two blogs because there were so many recipes I wanted to try. Check them out and let me know what you think.

Cheesy Chicken and Salsa Skillet

2008-12-05T08:46:00.001-08:00

Yet another fast and simple one dish meal from Kraft. I like using different kinds of pasta each time I make it just to mix it up.

Cheesy Chicken and Salsa Skillet

2 cups multi grain penne pasta, uncooked 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces 1-1/4 cups TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa 1 cup frozen corn, thawed 1 large green pepper, cut into short thin strips 1 cup KRAFT Mexican Style 2% Milk Finely Shredded Four Cheese

COOK pasta as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, heat large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 2 min. Stir in salsa, corn and peppers. Bring to boil. Simmer on medium-low heat 10 min. or until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally.

DRAIN pasta. Add to chicken mixture; mix lightly. Sprinkle with cheese. Remove from heat; cover. Let stand 1 min. or until cheese is melted.

I use red, orange and yellow pepper too just because that's whats been on sale lately. If peppers are pricey where you are you can get a frozen pepper mix for about a dollar that would work just as well and it would cut out the chopping step. For the salsa I use the wal-mart generic brand. The medium chunky style is the best for those who don't like spicy food. If you like it spicier try the hot chunky style has a real kick. I also use black beans in place of chicken if I'm in a time crunch.

Mexican Meatloaf

2008-10-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

I'm not a huge fan of meatloaf, but this one sounded kinda good so I thought I'd try it. I told Jared it was converging our heritages into one meal, the spicy salsa and the traditional meatloaf . He didn't laugh, but then he usually doesn't laugh at my jokes! :0)

Fiesta Meatloaf

2 lb. lean ground beef 1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken 1 cup water 2 eggs, beaten 2 tsp. chili powder 1/2 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa, divided 3/4 cup KRAFT Mexican Style Finely Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese

HEAT oven to 375°F. Mix all ingredients except 1/4 cup salsa and cheese.

SHAPE into oval loaf in 13x9-inch baking dish; top with remaining salsa.

BAKE 1 hour or until done (160ºF). Top with cheese; bake 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 min. before cutting to serve.

Kraft Kitchen Tips

Serving Suggestion Serve this comfort food with mashed potatoes and a hot steamed vegetable, such as broccoli.

Fiesta Meatballs Mix together meat mixture as directed; shape into 48 meatballs. Cook, in batches, in large skillet on medium heat 12 min. or until evenly browned and done (160°F), turning frequently. Spoon onto serving platter or into large bowl; top with additional 1 cup salsa. Sprinkle with cheese. Makes 8 servings, 6 meatballs each.

Fiesta Burgers Mix meat mixture as directed; shape into 8 patties. Grill, broil or pan fry until done (160°F), topping with the remaining salsa and cheese for the last 2 min. Makes 8 servings.

Sweet-N-Sour Meatballs

2008-10-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

Yum! This one is very easy and I just love it! I use the walmart brand frozen stir-fry veggies and if I have some fresh ones on hand I'll add those too. Usually I add extra snap peas also because Melody and Katelynn really like them. I buy the frozen prepared meatballs because it costs about the same as making my own and the frozen ones taste better! I usually just throw in four meatballs per person eating. I also double the sauce and let it reduce while cooking the meatballs so it's a little thicker. Then after the meatballs are cooked through, I add all of the veggies. If using fresh veggies I steam these separate and add at the end. If you add them all together they'll end up mushy or not all the way cooked depending on the vegetable. I've always served this over brown rice, but I think I may try noodles next time. Enjoy!

Sweet-N-Sour Meatballs

Prep Time:5 min Total Time:25 min Makes:4 servings

3/4 lb. (3/4 of 16-oz. pkg.) frozen prepared meatballs 1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen stir-fry vegetables

1/4 cup apricot jam 1/4 cup KRAFT CATALINA Dressing 2 Tbsp. soy sauce

COMBINE all ingredients in large skillet; cover. COOK on medium-high heat 10 min. or until meatballs and vegetables are heated through, stirring occasionally. SERVE over hot cooked rice or pasta, if desired.

Pizza Loaf

2008-10-08T10:28:00.000-07:00

This one is great because you could make it every day of the week and it would be different every time. I've made it about 5 different ways and Jared raves about each one. I use the Pillsbury pizza crust instead of bread dough. It's kind of thin and you have to be careful rolling it up, but the flaky texture is SO good.

Ham & Cheddar in a Loaf

Prep Time:15 min Total Time:1 hr 5 min Makes:6 servings

1 lb. frozen bread dough, thawed 1 pkg. (9 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Deli Fresh Shaved Smoked Ham 1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese 1 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

HEAT oven to 350°F. Flatten dough on lightly floured surface with hands. Roll into 12x8-inch rectangle with rolling pin. (If dough is difficult to roll, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 30 min. before rolling out.) Top with ham to within 1/2 inch of edges. Spread cheddar cheese over ham.

MOISTEN edges of dough with water. Starting at one of the long sides, fold one-third of dough over filling; repeat with other long side. Pinch seams together to seal. Place, seam-side down, on lightly greased baking sheet. Cut three diagonal slits in top of dough with kitchen shears. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

BAKE 35 to 40 min. or until golden brown. Cool 10 min. before slicing. (I only bake it for 30-35 minutes)

My Combinations

pepperoni, tomato sauce, cheese, mushrooms
shredded chicken, green chillies, cream of mushroom, cheese
turkey, cheese, salsa
hamburger, tomato sauce, mushrooms, cheese
ham, cheese, mushrooms, spinach
shredded chicken, bell pepper mix, barbecue sauce

You can use your own cheese combinations for each recipe, I usually use mozzarella, cheddar, or colby jack. Let your imagination run wild with this one and see what come out.

Fiesta Salad

2008-09-26T21:03:00.000-07:00

So tonight I made my most favorite meal in the whole wide world! It's called fiesta salad and I actually got the recipe off Kraft, but I've tweaked it so much it really doesn't seem like the original any more. This is a great recipe if you are running behind or if you just don't want to cook.

Fiesta Salad

1 can black beans rinsed

1 can corn

torn lettuce (I use a combo of red leaf, green leaf and spinach)

chopped carrots (I use matchstick)

shredded cheese

salsa

mayo or miracle whip (optional)

I serve everything buffet style so every one can get what they want and however much they want. I mix the salsa and miracle whip together, like a 4:1 ratio, and used it like a salad dressing. Walmart has an amazing store brand salsa that my Grandpa Carter turned me on to. I use the mild black bean and corn and just a little of the hot because Jared likes the kick! You can serve this over chips or in home made tortilla bowls (recipe follows)

Tortilla Bowls

Tortillas

foil

cookie sheet

chili powder

Gently crumple to foil until it forms medium sized balls. I microwave the tortillas for about 30 seconds just so they're more pliable. Drape them over the foil balls and sprinkle with chili powder. Bake at 425 for 6-8 minutes. Jared and Melody gobble these up!

And here we begin!

2008-09-22T19:32:00.000-07:00

I have been wondering how to start this blog and what recipe I should use. Tonight I had a victory and thought it would be good to start with one of those since they are so few and far between! Let me start by saying that most of the recipes I'll be posting on here will come from the Kraft website because their recipes are supper easy and supper fast! Both necessary for my life. I told Jared that the longer the recipe takes to make the more time it gives me to screw it up, so for now we're going to stick to the simple ones! Tonight I made Barbecue Beef Filled Biscuits and I think the thing I liked best about it is that Melody was able to help make it. I'm always looking for recipes that will allow her to help because she LOVES to cook. How yummy do these look! (by the way this is the pic from the website, not the ones I made!!)

Barbecue Beef Filled Biscuits

Prep Time:10 min Total Time:24 min Makes:4 servings, 2 each

1/2 lb. extra-lean ground beef 1 medium green pepper, finely chopped 1 medium carrot, shredded 1/3 cup BULL'S-EYE Original Barbecue Sauce 1 can (7.5 oz.) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits 1/2 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese

BROWN meat in medium skillet; drain. Add green pepper; cook and stir 5 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender. Remove from heat. Add carrots and barbecue sauce (I cooked my carrots for a minute); mix well. SEPARATE biscuits. Press 1 biscuit onto bottom and up side of each of 8 medium muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray. (I used jumbo biscuits so they only came with eight, but if you use regular biscuits there is enough filling for al 10. I had to over stuff mine.)

SPOON meat-vegetable mixture evenly into biscuit cups, pressing filling into cups with back of spoon. (Filling will be mounded.) BAKE at 375°F for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Continue baking 3 to 4 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and cheese is melted.

I used red pepper because I didn't have a green one handy and I also added corn because I had some hanging around in my fridge that needed to be used! :op Also instead of shredded carrots I used the matchstick ones. I was going to serve this with a side salad and a fruit salad for dessert, but we were in a time crunch.

I made a double batch and froze what we didn't use for a quick meal later. I just heat them up in the oven at 375° for 3-5 minutes, but let them thaw most of the way first. I try to do this with the meals I know will freeze well, so on those nights that cooking is just not going to happen my family doesn't have to starve! :op

Please let me know how this turns out for you and if you have any of your own tips or tricks to add.