Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Mandarin Chicken

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup catsup
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 to 3 cups cooked rice

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, honey, lemon juice, and catsup. Place chicken breasts in an 8-inch square glass pan or similar dish. Pour sauce over chicken breasts. Cover and marinate 24 hours in refrigerator. Bake, covered, 45 minutes and an additional 10 to 15 minutes, uncovered. Serve with rice. May also be grilled on medium heat 20 to 25 minutes.

Mexican Fiesta Biscuit Bake

1 (1 lb. 1.3 oz) can Pillsbury Grand Biscuits, cut into quarters
1 (16 oz.) jar thick and chunky salsa
12 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro or amount to taste
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
sour cream for topping

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place quartered biscuits in a large bowl. Add salsa, cheese, green pepper, onion, cilantro, garlic and chicken. Mix. Place mixture in a greased 8-inch square pan. Bake, uncovered, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Home Style Macaroni and Cheese

7 ounces macaroni
1/4 cup butter
3 tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
1 (8 ounce) pkg. cream sheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 cups shredded Cheddar sheese

1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. In a 3 quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and stir in flour. Cook for about 1 minute, until smooth and bubbly; stirring occasionally. Mix in milk, cream cheese, salt, pepper, and Dijon mustard. Continue cooking until ssuce is thickened. Add cooked macaroni and Cheddar cheese. Pour into 2 quart casserole dish. In small bowl mix together bread crumbs, butter and parsley; spread over macaroni and cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and heated through.

Chicken Enchiladas

1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. margarine
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
1 (4 ounce) can chopoped green chili, drained
8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl mix the soup and sour cream; set aside. Melt margarine in a medium soucepan over medium high heat. Add onion and chili powder, saute until tender. Stir in the chicken, chili and 2 tbsp. of the soup mixture. Cook and stir until heated through. Spread 1/2 cup of the soup mixture in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up tortillas, and place seam-side-down in the baking dish. Spoon remaining soup mixture to top, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Mexican Casserole

1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
3/4 onion, diced
5 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1 cup salsa
2 cups shredded Cheddar or Colby Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9-inch pie pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a saucepan, cook refried beans and onions (to soften them) on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Place one tortilla in the bottom of the greased pan. Spread about 1/3 cup of the bean mixture over it. Layer a few tablespoons of salsa over this. Then, place another tortilla over the salsa, and add more of the bean mixture. Follow the beans with a big handful of cheese, spreading evenly. repeat layers, spreading the ingredients evenly over the tortillas. On the top layer, make sure to use lots of salsa and cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

Chocolate Billionaires

1 (14oz.) pkg. caramels
3 Tbsp. water
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 cup rice crisp cereal
3 cups milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 tsp. shortening

Line 2 baking sheets with wax paper, grease the paper and set aside. In a lg. heavy saucepan combine the caramels and water; cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Stir in pecans and cereal until coated. Drop by teaspoon fuls onto prepared pans Refrigerate for 10 minutes of until firm.

Meanwhile, in a small heavy saucepan, melt chocolate and shortening over low heat; stir until smooth. Dip candy into chocolate, coating all sides; place on prepared pans. Refrigerate until set. Store in an airtight container.

6 Can Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 can chicken
2 cans chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can corn
tortilla chips
cheddar cheese, grated
sour cream

Combine contents of all cans in pot and bring to a boil. Top with crumbled tortilla chips, cheddar cheese and a dollup of sour cream.

Banana Bread

2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Caramel Brownies

1 (18.25 oz.) pkg. German chocolate cake mix with pudding
3/4 cup melted butter
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup chopped pecans
13 oz. pkg. individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate ships

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 pan with non-stick coating. Combine the cake mix, butter and 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Mix well and pour 2/3 of the batter into pan. Press pecans into batter and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the caramels and 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Stir until melted and smooth; pour over cooled cake mix. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of caramel and top with spoonfuls of remaining cake mix. Bake for an additional 15 to 18 minutes; cool and cut.

Rice Pudding

1 cup water
1/2 cup rice
4 Tbsp. butter
4 cups milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cook rice in water until it is almost absorbed. Add the milk, cover and simmer very gently for 1 hour. Stir it every 10 min. or so. Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla til smooth. When you take the pan off the heat stir in the egg mixture until well incorporated. Cover with Saran Wrap to avoid that creepy skin on top and refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Friday, June 19, 2009

White Chili

2 1/2 cups water
1 tsp. lemon pepper
1 tsp. cumin seed
4 chicken breasts
Bring water and spices to a boil add chicken. Reduce heat to low; cover & simmer until chicken is fork tender. Drain (cut into bite size pieces)

Sautee
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup chopped onion
In a skillet spray with cooking spray heat and add garlic and onions until tender. Add to chicken

Combine
1 tsp. ground cumin
2-3 Tbsp. lime juice
2 cans Shoepeg White corn (Green Giant), not drained
2 (4 oz.)cans diced green chilies, not drained
2 cans Great Northern Beans (white beans), not drained
Add to chicken and onions in a pot. Cook until thoroughly heated.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with
crushed tortilla chips
Monterey Jack cheese, grated
salsa
sour cream

Muddy Buddies

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla
9 cups Chex cereal (any kind)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a 1 quart microwavable bowl or on stove top, mix chocolate chips, peanut butter nad butter. Microwave uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla.

In large bowl, place cereal. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon food storage plastic bag.

Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Tbs. minced onion
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chili
1/2 can evaporated milk (4 oz.)
1/2 cup chicken broth (from pot chicken was cooked in)
12 corn tortillas
grated cheese

Quickly fry tortillas in oil to soften. Combine remaining ingredients except for the cheese. Layer in a 9x13 pan starting with 1/3 of the soup mixture, 6 tortillas, 1/2 of remaining soup mixture, 1/2 of the cheese, remaining tortillas, remaining soup mixture and remaining cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

Ice Cream Cake

1 gallon of ice cream (any flavor in the square carton so it can be sliced easily)
Cool Whip (12 oz.)
chocolate syrup
pkg. of Oreo cookies, crushed


Line a layer of Cookies on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Drizzle with chocolate syrup. Cut ice cream and layer on top of cookies. Freeze until hard. (1 hour) Spoon cool whip on top of frozen ice cream. Freeze until frozen. (1 hour) Sprinkle a layer of cookies and drizzle with chocloate syrup. Enjoy!

Rainbow Cake

1 baked white cake in 9x13 pan
1 small pkg. jello, red or green
1 cup boiling water
1 container (8oz.) Cool Whip, thawed

Prick cake with large fork at 1/2 inch intervals. Dissolve Jello in 1 cup of boiling water and carefully spoon over cake. Chill 3 to 4 hours. Cool Whip to be served with the cake.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Chili

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped (optionsl)
1 qt. canned tomatoes
1/2 tsp. chili powder
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 1/2 cup dry kidney beans

Soak beans overnight. Drain and cover with warm water. Cook until tender. Brown meat. Add onions and celery; saute and drain fat. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper, chili powder, vinegar and brown sugar; mix well. Add beans. Cook 1 hour. Serves 6 to 10.

Creamy Chicken with Rice

2 pkgs. boneless, skinless breast of chicken
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cans cream of celery soup
carrots, cut up
celery, cut up
minced onions
cooked rice

Cut up chicken into bite size pieces. Place in crock pot. Put in soups and cut up vegetables. Cook 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. Serve over rice. (cook rice with chicken broth) Serves 10.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Chicken and Herb Casserole

3 cups cooked, diced chicken breasts (4 lg. breasts)
1 cup butter melted
4 cups Pepperidge Farm herb stuffing
1 1/2 cup frozen peas
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 cup milk
1/2 cup diced celery
1 Tbsp. minced onion
1 Tbsp. chopped pimento

Place chicken in flat pan; cover and bake 1 1/2 hours at 300 degrees. Mix stuffing and melted butter. Press 1/2 of mixture on bottom and sides of 9x13 dish. Mix soups and milk until well blended. Add diced chicken, peas, celery, onions and pimento. Pour over stuffing. Top with rest of stuffing and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 10 to 12

Chicken and Broccoli

2 (10 ounce) pkg. frozen broccoli pieces
2 cups cooked chicken (3 breasts)
2 cans cream of chicken
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. curry powder
3/4 cup grated sharp cheese

Cook Broccoli according to pkg. Arrange in a 9x13 dish. Place sliced chicken over broccoli. Mix together soup, mayo, lemon juice, and curry. Pour over chicken. Top with cheese. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.

Baked Swiss Chicken

4 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 (6 ounce) pkg. stuffing (I like herb flavor Pepperridge Farm)
4 slices swiss cheese

Place chicken in shallow baking dish. Top with cheese, soup (spreaad evenly) and bread crumbs. Drizzle melted butter over crumbs. Bake for 45-60 minutes at 375 degrees until done.

Caramel Corn

2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks margarine
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
7 1/2 qt. popped popcorn

Put first 4 ingredients together in saucepan. Bring to boil and cook 5 minutes. Add baking soda. Stir. Pour over popcorn. Bake on cookie sheets at 200 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Apple Crisp

2 cup sliced apples`
1 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar (white or brown)
3 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. butter

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put apples in an ungreased 1 3/4 cup (square) casserole dish. Sprinkle water, lemon juice, and cinnamon on apples. Mix remaining ingredients till crumbly. Sprinkle on apples. Bake, uncovered, till apples are tender and topping is golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
sugar and cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg. Beat all together. Sift dry ingredients into egg mixture and beat well. Chill dough at least 1 hour. Roll into walnut sized balls. Roll balls in a mixture of 1 tablespoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 400 degree for 5 to 10 minutes.

Chicken Bundles

2 cups cooked chicken (or can of chicken from Costco)
4 green onions, chopped
2 (3 oz.) cream cheese
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. salt and pepper
8 pPillsbury croissants
Pepperridge Farm stuffing (herb flavoring)

Sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 can milk or water

Mix together chicken, onions, cream cheese, butter, salt, and pepper. Pat out croissant roll. Place about 1/2 cup of chicken mixture on roll and wrap it up, sealing all edges. Place roll in additional melted butter and then cover with stuffing. Place in baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Top with sauce.

Chicken Parmesan

8 chicken breast halves
1 cup Ritz crackers (about 34)
1/2 tsp. season salt
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cubes butter
sour cream

Sauce:
1 can cream of muchroom soup
2/3 chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Mix crushed Ritz crackers with season salt, garlic salt, and Parmesan cheese. Coat one side of breast with sour cream and lay on crumbs. Coat the other side the same way. Place on pan and spoon melted butter on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Mix and heat sauce. Pour over chicken when serving.

Tater Tot Casserole

1 (32 oz.) pkg. tater tots
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can of milk
grated cheddar cheese (1/4 to 1/2 lb.)

Brown ground beef with onion; drain. In 9x13 inch pan, arrange tater tots in a single layer. Place ground beef over the tater tots and spread evenly. In a separate bowl, mix cream of cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, and milk. Pour soup mixture evenly over tater tots and ground beef. Place in preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 25 minutes. Place cheese over casserole and return to oven until the cheese is melted.

Steak San Marco

2 lb. chuck steak
1 env. Lipton onion soup mix
1 (1 lb.) can Italian peeled tomaatoes
1 tsp. oregano
pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste
2 Tbsp. cooking oil
2 Tbsp. wine vinegar

Cut steak in 1 inch serving pieces. In large skillet, arrange meat; cover with onion soup mix and tomatoes. Sprinkle with oregano, garlic powder, pepper, oil and vinegar. Simmer, covered, 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
3 cups hot cooked pasta (a pkg.)
1 can tuna, drained and flaked
1 1/3 cup french fried onions, divided
1 cup frozen peas, thawed (optional)
1/2 cup shredded cheese

In large saucepan, prepare pasta as directed. During the last 5 minutes, add the frozen peas. Drain off water. Add soup, milk, sour cream, tuna, and 2/3 cup onions. Salt and pepper as needed. Mix well. Pour into baking dish; cover and bake 30 minutes in 325 degree oven. Remove cover and sprinkle cheese and remaining 2/3 onions on top; bake for 5 minutes more. Makes 6 servings.

Bean Dip

1 (8oz.) can tomato sauce
1 can enchilada sauce (mild)
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can Hormel chili with beans
1 pkg. Doritos chips
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 small onion, cut up
1 container sour cream

Mix together tomato sauce, enchilada sauce, kidney beans, and Hormel chili. Mix in 12 crushed up Doritos chips, 1 cup cheddar cheese, and onion. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, until bubbling. Sprinkly cheese and sour cream on top and fan chips around plate for dipping.

Quick Fix Chicken

3 large chicken breasts, skinned and halved
1 (10 ounce) can chicken gumbo soup

Place chicken in baking dish. Pour undiluted soup over chicken. Cover tightly. Bake until tender at 300 degrees. Serve with baked potato or rice and spoon excess sauce over top.

French Dip Sandwiches

2 to 3 lb. rump roast
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) beef consomme'
4-6 hoagie buns

Place roast in greased crock pot. Pour consomme' over the top of roast. Cover and cook on low heat 8-10 hours or on high heat 5-7 hours. Remove roast and save extra juice. With a fork, break apart meat and serve on hoagies. Use excess juice for dipping sandwiches. Makes 4-6 servings.

Creamy Chicken Soft Tacos

4 chicken breasts frozen boneless, skinless
1 jar salsa (16 ounces)
1 cup sour cream
6-8 flour tortillas

Place chicken in greased crock pot. Pour salsa over the top. Cover and cook on high heat 6-8 hours or on low heat 10-12 hours. Shred chicken by pulling apart with two forks. During the last hour of cooking, stir in sour cream. Makes 6-8 servings.

Fold chicken mix inside warm flour tortillas with lettuce and grated cheddar cheese, if desired.