Welcome to my recipe blog! I started it when my brother, Mark, moved away and was in need of some recipes....or so I thought.... The goal is to post recipes that can be made quickly, easily, and inexpensively. If you have something to contribute, please let me know and I will be glad to add it!!

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Chicken Ceaser Casserole

I made this up today for lunch. I didn't have the stuff to make any particular meal, so I just threw some stuff together. It turned out really tasty!!

Ceaser Chicken Casserole

2-3 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 heads broccoli
3 cloves garlic, pressed or diced
1/2 cup Ceasar salad dressing
8 oz noodles, cooked
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
Sauteed mushrooms, if desired
Shredded cheese

Cook chicken and garlic. Add cream of mushroom soup, Ceasar dressing and milk. Simmer until thickened. Steam broccoli until bright green. Cook noodles.

Layer ingredients in 9x13 pan -- Noodles, broccoli, chicken. Top with shredded cheese....as much as you want. Bake at 350 until cheese is melty. Yummies!!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Mississippi Mud Cake

Mississippi Mud Cake

1 Cup Cooking Oil
1/3 Cup Cocoa
4 Eggs
1 ¾ Cups Sugar
1 ½ Cups Self-rising Flour
2 tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Chopped Nuts

Mix ingredients together and bake in an oblong cake pan at 300 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Cover with small marshmallows when removed from hot oven.

Icing:

1 ½ Sticks Oleo
1 Tbsp. Vanilla
1 Lb Powdered Sugar
1/3 Cup Cocoa
½ Cup Evaporated Milk
½ Cup Chopped Nuts

Mix all ingredients well. DO NOT COOK. Pour over cake while still warm

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Sausage and Apple Stuffing

Another recipe I found looking for something for Christmas dinner. This one sounds better. I think.

Sausage and Apple Stuffing

8 cups cubed white bread (about 16 slices)
1 pound pork sausage
1 large onion, diced
2 large apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
Preparation:Spread bread cubes on large cookie sheets; place in a 250° oven for 10 minutes, until dry. Remove from oven and set aside.
Brown sausage in a skillet; breaking up larger pieces. Cook until no longer pink, fully cooked. With a slotted spoon, remove sausage to a large bowl and combine with bread cubes.
Pour off all but 1 to 2 tablespoons of drippings from skillet. Add onions; sauté until tender. Stir in water and apples; heat to boiling. Pour over bread and sausage mixture; add salt; toss lightly until evenly moist.Makes enough to stuff a 10 to 12-pound turkey

Apple Pecan Stuffing

I am in charge of bringing stuffing for Christmas dinner. I've never made it before, so I was looking online for recipies. This sounds yummy!!

Apple Pecan Stuffing

1/4 cup melted butter
1 small onion, chopped, about 1/4 cup
1/2 cup chopped celery
8 slices soft white bread, torn into small pieces
1 large apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chicken or turkey stock
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon dried sage leaves, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper


Preparation:Sauté chopped onion and celery in the butter. In a large bowl combine the onion mixture with the bread, apple and pecans. Beat together the chicken stock, egg, sage, salt and pepper; add to the bread mixture, mixing in gently. Place the mixture in a greased 2-quart casserole; cover with lid or foil and bake at 325° for 25 to 30 minutes. Uncover the last 5 minutes of baking time.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Holiday Party Mix

9 cups oven-toasted corn cereral squares
4 cups popped popcorn
1 1/2 cups dry-roasted peanuts
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 cups (10-oz. pkg.) Nestle Toll House Holiday Shapes and Morsels**
1 pkg. (7.5 oz.) Nestle Flipz White Fudge-covered Pretzels

Prehat oven to 250 degrees F. Grease large roasting pan.
Mix cereal, popped popcorn and peanuts in large bowl. Pour into prepared pan.
Combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract and baking soda. Pour evenly over cereal mixture, sitr to coat evenly.
Bake for 45 minutes stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely in pan, stirring frequently to break apart mixture. Shir in Shape & Morsels and Flipz. Store in airtight container.

Makes about 5 quarts.

**If you can't find these use semi-sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips. At Christmas you can usually find some holiday shaped chips or colored white chocolate chips.

Ranch Oyster Crackers or Pretzels

12 to 16 oz. plain oyster crackers

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (buttermilk recipe)

¼ tsp. lemon pepper

½ to 1 tsp. dill weed

¼ tsp. garlic powder

¾ to 1 cup salad oil

Combine Ranch dressing mix and oil. Add dill weed, garlic powder and lemon pepper. Mix well. Pour over crackers. Stir to coat. Place in warm oven for 15 to 20 minutes. (Stir once in a while in over). Serve.

Also works well with pretzels.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Fruit Slushy Punch

Oh-so-yummy!!! This is my favorite-est punch!!!

Fruit Slushy Punch

4 Bananas
1 Can Frozen Orange Juice
1 Can Frozen Lemonade
1 Can Pineapple Juice
1 Pkg. Tropical Punch Kool-Aid (or Strawberry or Cherry...anything red)
1 Cup Sugar
3 1/2 Cups Water
1 Liter Ginger Ale or Sprite, Chilled


Partially thaw frozen juice. Blend bananas and 1 -2 cups of water. I usually add the Kool-Aid, too, because it's easier to mix up. Mix all ingredients together. Freeze about 24 hours (the bigger your container, the longer it takes to freeze....). About 15-20 minutes before serving, mix punch and Ginger Ale with a 1:1 ratio. Use a big spoon or something to mush the frozen stuff up. It should be really slushy and really yummy!!!

Friday, December 5, 2008

Hot Chocolate Mix

2 lb. box Nestle Quik
1 lb. box confectioner's sugar
11 oz. jar Coffee-mate
8 qt. box powdered milk (10 2/3 c.)
Mix all together and sift. Store in airtight container. Fill cup half full of mixture and add boiling water. Stir and enjoy.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

PANERA BREAD FRENCH ONION SOUP

PANERA BREAD FRENCH ONION SOUP

1/4 c unsalted butter
1 Tbls ketchup
8 c sliced white onions (4-5 med onions)
1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2- 14oz cans beef broth (books saids use swanson)
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c chicken broth (swanson again)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
3 Tbls all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 c water
couple drops tabasco pepper sauce
GARNISH croutons
shaved asiago cheese
butter

1) Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When butter is melted add sliced onions and saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until onions turn brown.
2) Add remaining ingredients (but NOT the garnish) to the pan and stir to combine. Heat soup until it's boiling, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
3) Make croutons for the top of the soup by slicing foccacia bread (or any bread you may have) into 3/4-inch thick slices. Butter both sides, slice into bite-size cubes. Bake the bread in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes or until crispy. Shave some asiago cheese.
4) Serve the soup super hot with a handful of croutons floating on top followed by a couple tablespoons of the shaved asiago cheese.
Yield: 8 Cups

Chicken Rosemary

This is my friend Tiffany's favorite dish. And I realylove it to....SUPER YUMMY!! I think the cooking Sherry is what realy makes the flavor so yummy. Oh.....you can find cooking sherry next to the Red Wine Vinegar in the baking/condiments isle.

Chicken Rosemary (Serves four)
4 Chicken breasts
enough olive oil to cook the chicken
1 small onion chopped1 cup celery chopped
1/3 cup cooking Sherry
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Brown chicken until throughly cooked in a large skillet. Add veggies, spices and cooking sherry. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 35-40 min. Serve over rice.

Ho Ho Cake

Ho Ho Cake
.....shhh it's a secret..love Marilyn

1 Chocolate cake mix (dark or devils food)
1 Large vanilla instant pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
8 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
8 oz. Cool Whip
2 cups of confectioners sugar


1. Mix all ingredients and blend with electric mixer until smooth.
2. Immediately pour equal portions into 4 round prepared cake pans ( to prepare cake pans, I place a circle of parchment or waxed paper on the bottom of the pans and then grease pans. The batter will be thick. I usually tap mine a few times on the bottom to settle any bubbles.
3. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
4. Let cake cool in pans for 5 minutes then remove.
5. For filling, mix with electric mixer until smooth
8 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
8 oz. Cool Whip
2 cups of confectioners sugar
6. After cake cools put one layer on a plate.( I usually put waxed paper just under the edges of the cake to keep the filing and icing from messing up the plate.) Put one-third of the filling on this layer and smooth over it. Repeat with the other layers ending with the fourth cake layer on the top.
7. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting. You can put a cherry in the middle of frosted cake for decoration.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Chicken Casserole

So my friend Jeremy made this for lunch today. It is SUPER yummy!!

Chicken Casserole

2 lbs. cooked chicken
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
2 Boxes Stuffing Mix (prepare as on directions)
1 Bag Frozen Broccoli (Steamed until tender-crisp)
Velveeta Cheese


Mix chicken and soup and pour on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Add broccoli. Layer slices of Velveeta cheese. Top with prepared stuffing. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Let sit 5-10 minutes.

Yummy!!!

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Main Dish

Sweet and Sour Meatballs
(from Fix It and Forget It cookbook)

Meatballs:
2 lbs. ground beef
1 1/4 cups bread crumbs
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2-3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
1/2 tsp. galric salt
1/4 cup finely chopped onions

Sauce:
1 can pineapple chunks, juice reserved
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cvup cold water
1-1 1/4 cups ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/r tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. galric salt
1/2 cup chopped green peppers.

1. Combine all meatball ingredients. Shape into 60-80 meatballs. Brown in skillet, roling so all sides are browned. Place meatballs in slow cooker.
2. Pour juice from pineapples into skillet. Stir into drippings.
3. Combine cornstarch and cold water. Add to skillet and stir until thickened.
4. Stir in ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Season wit salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Add grteen peppers and pineapples. Pour over meatballs.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 6 hours.

Posted by Jody

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Cheesecake Brownies

So I had a whim to make cheesekcake brownies. This is the recipe that I came up with....partly fron a website, and partly online. Oh-so-yummy!!!


1 Cup Butter, Melted
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
2/3 Cup Baking Cocoa
1 Cup Self-Rising Flour

8 oz. Cream Cheese
1 Can Sweetened, Condensed Milk
1 Egg

Mix butter, sugar and eggs with spatula (do not use a mixer....you want it to be just blended in so your brownies don't have air pockets). Add Cocoa, stir again. Add Flour, stir again. Spread on the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Blend cream cheese, milk and egg.....it's ok to use a blender for this. Pour on top of brownie mix. Bake at 325 for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown on top. If it is a little gooey when you test with a knife, that's ok.

Yummy!!

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Carrot Cake

I made this for Ben and Tiffany's one year anniversary. I think it turned out pretty good, especially considering I've never made carrot cake before. It was pretty simple, though. So here you have it:

Carrot Cake
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots (that's about one small bag of baby carrots, minus a few here and there that I ate. Also, I chopped them up in the food chopper instead of grating them)
1 cup chopped pecans


Icing:
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.

Ice Cream

Ice Cream

1/2 gal. whole milk
1 cup sugar
2-3 eggs, beaten
vanilla
1 pt. whipping cream

Combine milk an sugar. Bring to a boil and slowly add the eggs (slowly so they don't cook and leave clumps of egg in the custard). Add vanilla and whipping cream.
Follow the directions with the ice cream maker for freezing. Yummy!!!
Fresh fruit or other flavorings can be added before freezing.

Monday, June 30, 2008

Fruit Cobbler

So I made Blackberry Cobbler last night for dessert after dinner. It was sooo yummy and sooo tasty!! So here's the recipe.

1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Milk
1 Stick Butter (melted)
2 Cups Fruit (any kind)

Mix flour, sugar, milk and butter together. Pour over fruit and bake in square pan at 350 for 45 mintutes or until nice and brown.

Suggestions:
Blueberries
Peaches (canned, with juice)
Blackberries

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Banana Nut Cake

This was my great grandmother's recipe, and it is just about the yummiest cake in the whole wide world. I really REALLY love this one!!!


Banana Nut Cake
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 cups flour
4 tbsp. buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 mashed bananas
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mash bananas and set aside. Blend sugar and butter. Add eggs, buttermilk and soda. Blend. Add bananas and blend. Add flour and blend again. Pour into 3 round pans (8 or 9 inch) and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until done. Let cool

Icing:
1/2 cup butter
1 box powdered sugar
2 mashed bananas
1 cup chopped pecans

Mash bananas. Add butter, suger and pecans. Ice the cake -- the icing just goes between the layers. You don't have to smear it on the edges if you don't want to. Garnish with addtional whole pecans, if desired.

Yummy!!!

Cheesy Corn

Here is another dish we had today for Easter Dinner. It is such a yummy way to cook corn!! AND, ya gotta love that crock pot!!

Cheesy Corn
3 pkgs frozen corn
8 oz cream cheese
6 slices American cheese
1/4 cup butter
6 tsp sugar
4 tsp milk
4 tsp water

Place corn in crock pot. Cube cream cheese and American cheese; stir in. Add butter, sugar, milk and water. Stir. Cook on Low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.

Snowy Mashed Potatoe Casserole

I got this recipe from my neighbor, Tiffany. She made it for Easter Dinner today, and it is REALLY yummy!!

Snowy Mashed Potato Casserole

4 lbs potatoes (12 medium)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 c sour cream
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 /4 c chopped chives or 1/2 minced onion
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp butter or margarine

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water for 15 min or until tender. Drain. Mash potatoes with electric mixer. Add cream cheese, sour cream, salt. pepper, and garlic. Beat at high speed until smooth and light. Stir in onion. Spoon into lightly greased 10 cup baking dish. Sprinkle w/ paprika and dot with butter. Bake at 350 for 30 min or until lightly golden and heated through.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Jello Cake

Someone asked me if I know how to make Jello Cake....and YESS!!! I love, love LOVE that stuff!!! So, here it is


Jello Cake

1 Cake Mix (any flavor except maybe chocolate)
Ingredients for cake mix (see box)
1 large or 2 small packages of Jello (any flavor)
1 16-oz tub of Cool Whip

Bake cake according to directions on box. Let cool slightly, but can still be warm to finish the cake. Mix Jello according to instructions on box. Using a spoon, stir the cake in a few places. You don't have to scoop the cake out, just kind of cut through it a little bit. The idea is to help the Jello absorb into the cake better. I usually to 10 or 12. Pour the hot Jello over the cake. Chill until Jello is set, or overnight. Top with Cool Whip when you are ready to serve.

Mmmm....yummy!!

Here are some Jello/Cake flavor combinations:

Vanilla Cake, Orange Jello - top with Mandarin Oranges
Vanilla Cake, Strawberry Jello - Top with fresh strawberries and/or blueberries
Coconut Cake, Raspberry Jello - Bake some coconut into the cake....this is my Mom's favorite. She calls it Zinger cake, because it tastes just like those Zinger snack cakes you can buy

Pretty much, any cake mix will work for this, except maybe chocolate or yellow.

Happy Cooking!!

Monday, March 3, 2008

Quiche

This Quiche is super SUPER yummy!!



Quiche

1 T Dried onion
1 cup Shredded cheese (combine mozzarella, cheddar, swiss, or your favorite)
1 T Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper
1 Unbaked pastry shell (9 inch)
3 Eggs
½ cup Half ‘n half

Combine all ingredients. Pour into pastry shell. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes

Variations:
Chicken and cheese
Add 1 chicken, cooked and chopped
A touch of Thyme and Basil
½ tsp McCormick’s Garlic and Herbs Spice
Spinach and chicken
Add 1 chicken, cooked and chopped
Spinach
Use mainly swiss cheese
Enjoy! May God continue to lead you.

Friday, February 29, 2008

Spaghetti Lover's Soup

I got this recipe from my friend Jean (naturecoastcrafter on SCS)......

Hey Mel: I borrowed your recipe for Chicken Alfredo Soup, so I'm sending a payback. I found this soup in a magazine and we had it this week. It was so good, my husband was even eating it cold from the refrigerator instead of his nightly ice cream. Remember school lunch spaghetti, this was a nostalgia trip back there!

Spaghetti Lover's Soup
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 small green sweet pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery (1 stalk)
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups water
2 14-1/2 ounce cans diced tomatores
1 13-to 15-ounce jar spaghetti sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Dash crushed red pepper
2 ounces dried spaghetti broken into 2-inch pieces

In large saucepan or dutch overn, cook meat, onion, sweet pepper, celery, carrot, and garlic over medium heat until vegetables are tender and meat is no longer pink. Drain off excess fat. Add water, undrained tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, and black and red pepper. Bring to boiling. Add broken spaghetti. Return to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until spaghetti is tender. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 Servings

Saturday, February 23, 2008

New York Style Cheesecake

New York Style Cheesecake


Crust
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
¼ Cup Sugar
1 Tsp grated lemon rinds
¼ Cup Butter
1 Egg Yolk
½ Tsp Vanilla

Cream Cheese Filling
5 (8oz) pkg. Cream Cheese
1 ¾ Cups Sugar
3 T flour
2 Tsp grated lemon rinds
2 Tsp Vanilla
5 Eggs
2 Egg Yolks
¼ Cup Whipping Cream
Stir together flour, sugar, and peel. blend in butter, egg yolk and vanilla with fork till dough holds together. Press 1 cup of mixture onto bottom of 9x13 inch spring form pan. Bake at 400o for 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool then press remaining dough up sides of pan. In mixer beat together cream cheese, flour, peel and vanilla on med high speed till light and fluffy. Add eggs and yolks and beat well after each egg. Blend in cream. Pour into ready spring form pan. Bake 10 minutes at 500o. reduce heat to 250o and bake for 50 to 60 minutes till a knife inserted in center comes out clean when cooled top with sour cream mixed with sugar.

Mississippi Mud Cake

Mmmmmmm......this one ALWAYS wins awards!!


Mississippi Mud Cake

1 Cup Cooking Oil
1/3 Cup Cocoa
4 Eggs
1 ¾ Cups Sugar
1 ½ Cups Self-rising Flour
2 tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Chopped Nuts

Mix ingredients together and
bake in an oblong cake pan at
300 degrees for 30-45 minutes.
Cover with small marshmallows
when removed from hot oven.

Fast and Simple Cheesecake

Fast and Simple Cheesecake

8 oz cream cheese
1 can cherry pie filling
1 box cheesecake mix with crust

Make cheesecake according to directions on the box. Add cream cheese. Using a Tupperware Jello mold, layer as follows: Pie filling, cheesecake, crust. Chill 2-3 hours or overnight. Remove cheesecake from mold just before serving.

Cranberry Pecan Cheesecake Treats

Cranberry Pecan Cheesecake Treats

4 8-oz packages cream cheese
4 eggs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups chopped cranberries
1 ½ cups chopped pecans
1 box vanilla wafers
1 pkg white chocolate chips

Blend chream cheese until smooth.
Add eggs; mix well. Add sweetened
condensed milk; blend well. Stir in
cranberries and nuts. Place one vanilla
wafer in the bottom of each cupcake paper.
Add cheesecake batter until about 2/3 full.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until set in
the middle. Cool completely. Melt
chocolate chips and drizzle over the top.
Yield: about 2/12 to 3 dozen

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

OK....here is another soup recipe that I really enjoy. When we make this at my parent's house, we often make it with the Chicken Alfredo Soup....to give some variety. When I have people over for soup, I like to make two kinds. That way if someone doesn't like one kind, they will probably like the other one.


Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

8 oz wild rice, uncooked (1 1/3 cup)
1 ½ Lbs Fryer Chicken, cut up
7 Cups water
12 oz mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 cup onions, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
4 cups milk
¾ tsp white pepper
½ cup butter
¾ cup flour
2 tbsp instant chicken bouillon granules


Cook wild rice according to pkg. directions for 30 minutes; drain off liquid and rinse thoroughly. Set partially cooked rice aside. In a large saucepan, Combine the chicken and water. Bring to boiling, reduce heat, and simmer for 40 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Remove chicken from broth and let stand until cook enough to handle. Skim fat from broth. Strain and reserve broth. Cut into bite-size pieces. In the same saucepan, cook celery and onion in hot oil for 4-5 minutes; add mushrooms and cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until everything is tender, stirring now and then remove from heat. Return broth to the saucepan. Add the partially cooked wild rice to the chicken broth mixture. Stir in the bouillon granules and white pepper. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. In a large separate saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in flour until it all clings together and is smooth. Add the milk all at once and stir and cook until it's bubbly and thick. Add some hot broth mixture to the white sauce mixture and stir until smooth; return all to the broth mixture. Stir in the chicken pieces and heat through.

Chicken Vegetable Alfredo Soup

Ok -- here is a really yummy soup recipe. I've been thinking about making it for a while....yum!!
When we make this at my parent's house, we often make it with the Chicken and Wild Rice Soup....to give some variety. When I have people over for soup, I like to make two kinds. That way if someone doesn't like one kind, they will probably like the other one. If anyone was wondering, this is a Pampered Chef recipe.

Chicken Vegetable Alfredo Soup

1 Cup Chopped Broccoli
½ Cup Chopped Carrots
½ Cup Chopped Onions
½ Red Bell Pepper, Diced
1 Garlic Clove, Minced
14 ½ Oz Chicken Broth
2 Cups Cooked Chicken, diced
16 oz Alfredo Sauce

Place broccoli, carrots, onion, bell peppers, and garlic in sauce pan. Add broth.; bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until veggies are crisp-tender. Add chicken and alfredo sauce to broth; simmer 5 minutes, or until heated through. Delicious served in bread bowls.

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Chocolate Peanut Butter Delight

Well....I'm having my first dinner party tonight at the new apartment, so I decided to make some of my favorite foods -- BBQ Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Corn, Salad, and this really YUMMY and very rich chocolate cake that I absolutely LOVE!! We don't get to make it at home very often, because Joshua is allergic to peanuts.

So, without further ado -- here it is....
(DA DUM DA DAAAAAAAAA)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Delight
1 Chocolate Cake mix
1 Egg
1 fourth Cup Milk
1 half Cup Butter, Softened
1 Cup Sugar
8 Oz Cream Cheese, Softened
1 Cup creamy peanut
16 Oz Cool Whip, divided
butter
1 Tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Chocolate Chips Nuts (optional)
14 Oz Sweetened Condensed Milk


Mix cake mix, egg, milk, and butter. Bake in a 9x13 greased pan at 350 approximately 25 minutes, or until almost set. Let cool. Mix cream cheese, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter, and vanilla until creamy. Fold in half of the cool whip. Spread on top of cake mixture. Spread remaining cool whip on top. Melt chocolate chips with 1 tbsp butter and a dash of vanilla. Drizzle on top. Note: Can add nuts to first and second layers if desired.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Soutwest Salsa

My friend Connie (SCS - cmc2stamp) sent me this FABULOUS salsa recipe. I can't wait to try it!

Thanks, Connie!

Connie's Salsa
1 habanero pepper
1 bunch of cilantro
1 medium white onion
12 Roma tomatoes
1-2 minced garlic cloves (optional)
24 oz tomato sauce
Juice from 2 limes
1 package of taco seasoning

Mince habanero with cilantro in food processor (if you do not have a food processor and want to make a chunkier salsa then put the habanero in a blender with some of the tomato sauce and blend until the pepper is VERY well minced). Add onion and tomatoes to the food processor and pulse until well chopped. Move contents of food processor to a large bowl. Add minced garlic cloves, tomato sauce, lime juice and seasoning packet. Mix well. Enjoy!!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Skor Bar Cake

Ok....I have to say this is one of the most yummy desserts EVER in the whole wide world -- seriously. It's a cake, but more like a torte. AND....it's way better left over the second day.



Skor Bar Cake

1 chocolate cake mix
1 pint of whip cream (not whipped)
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/4 cup of cocoa
4 Skor bars (chocolate covered toffee bars)

Make cake mix according to directions. Put in 2 layer pans (circle or square) and bake until done. Cool. (When I bake in layer pans to make sure the cake comes out I put wax paper in the bottom. Trace around the outside of the pan on wax paper and then cut out and put in bottom of pan. Cakes come out perfect every time!)

In mixing bowl put whip cream, sugar and cocoa. DO NOT WHIP!!! You can stir it together a bit if you want, but don't mix it yet!! Stick it in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. (Or whenever you remember it's there....whatever!) Take out and whip.Crush all 4 Skor bars. Take 3 of the crushed Skor bars and mix them into the chocolate whip cream.

Cut each cake layer in half horizontally, so now you have 4 layers of cake. Put one layer on a plate and smear chocolate whip cream over it. Don't put it on the sides--it's more of a torte. Put on another cake layer. Smear with whip cream. Repeat until all layers are on cake and have whip cream on them.

Sprinkle last crushed Skor bar over top of cake for decoration.

BLT Dip

Here is another family favorite......

BLT Dip
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese , softened
1/2 cup ranch salad dressing
1 medium tomato (about 3/4 cup)
6 slices bacon, crisply cooked, drained and chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
2 tablespoons onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sugar

Place cream cheese in a bowl. Gradually stir in dressing; mix well. Remove seeds from tomato; dice tomato. Reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish. Chop bacon, celery and onion. Add tomato, bacon, celery, onion, and sugar to cream cheese mixture; mix well. Cover; refrigerate at least 3 hours to allow flavors to blend.

Serve with toasted bread, such as a mini loaf of French Bread

Mississippi Sin

So I have a recipe for this absolutely DEVINE ham dip -- here it is. This is one of my faves!!

Mississippi Sin

1 Lb Chopped Ham
8 oz Sour Cream
2 Cups Shredded Cheese
1 Sm. Can Chopped Chile Peppers
1 Loaf French Style Bread, hollowed out.

Mix all ingredients together. Place in Bread Bowl. Bake at350 degrees for 30 minutes or until filling is hot.

Serve with corn chips. I usually use Frito's Scoops

The bread is delicious heated up the next day.....just pop it in the oven until it's nice and crispy.

Fruit Salsa

Fruit Salsa

2 Granny Smith Apples
1 Cup Strawberries
1 Kiwi
1 Tbsp Apple Jelly
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Orange Juice
1 pkg flour tortillas
Cinnamon
Sugar

Chop fruit up small, like salsa and combine the first six ingredients. Chill.....the salsa, not nececerily yourself -- HA!

Dampen tortillas with water and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Cut into wedges and bake at 475 degrees for 5 minutes. Use for dipping into the salsa.

Yummy!!

Chicken Ring

Ok...here is a recipe for one of our family's FAVORITE recipes. I even took pictures, so you would know how to make the actual ring.

This one's for you, Krystina!

Chicken Ring
1 - 1 1/2 Lbs. Boneless Chicken Breast
1/3 Cup Mayo (or Miracle Whip)
1 Tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 Cup Swiss Cheese, Shredded
2 Tsp. Parsley Flakes
1 Garlic Clove, pressed or minced
1 Tomatoe, halved and sliced
2 Packages Crescent rolls


Preheat oven to 350 degress.

Cook chicken (duh!...but I do have a keen grasp on the obvious) and chop into eentsy teentsy pieces using a food chopper (love that tool!!), food processor, or by other means that hopefully inovlve sharp instruments. Be sure not to chop your fingers off. Stir in all ingredients EXCEPT FOR the crescent rolls and 1/4 cup of the Swiss Cheese.

Unroll the Crescent Rolls (again with the obvious....I know....) and arrange on a Pizza Stone or cookie sheet or something that can go into the oven. There are several different ways to do this. The easiest is to line up the wide end of the roll with the points facing outward. The rolls should overlap slightly and form a ring...hence the recipe name Chicken RING :o) It should look like this:




Press the wide part of the tringles together so they kind of seal a little bit. Then, for the filling -- just fill 'er up. Kind of scoop the chicken mixture around the edge of the ring and place the tomato slices on top....like this:


Then, fold the tips of the triangle over and tuck under the other edge of the ring. Next, brush on the egg whites (Mom doesn't know why I took this pic....but I think it's fun).....



.....and sprinkle with the reserved Swiss Cheese. It will look like this:

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately. YUM!!