Brooke the Cook

Kale Chips! (yum)

2012-02-08T15:06:00.003-07:00

This is how most of the kale disappeared. My almost 3-yr-old said it tastes like popcorn. We went through half of the huge bag in one meal. This stuff tastes 1000x better than it looks.

Kale Chips
by Brooke

Kale leaves (1-2 inches wide)
olive oil
salt

Preheat oven to 300-325. In a bowl, toss kale in olive oil. Spread onto a baking sheet. sprinkle with salt. Bake about 15 minutes, turning it halfway. It will turn dark green and very crispy.

Note: I added paprika to one batch, but couldn't taste much difference.

Roasted Kale and Sweet Potatoes

2012-02-08T15:01:00.001-07:00

This recipe is from here. Thank you pinterest. I made it just for me but Justin ate half of it. I used coconut oil and it was delectable. I also used dried cranberries.

Roasted Kale and Sweet Potatoes

from She Cooks He Cleans

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ~3/4-inch dice
Bunch of kale, stems removed, coarsely chopped
butter/bacon fat/coconut oil (or your fat of choice)
2 T dried cherries and/or cranberries
salt and pepper
balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400F. In a small roasting pan, toss the sweet potatoes with salt, pepper and enough coconut oil to coat potatoes and pan. Cover with foil and roast 15 minutes; remove foil and continue to cook until potatoes are tender and slightly browned (shaking pan occasionally, about 10 minutes). Remove from oven. [This step can be done in advance and the sweet potatoes set aside until dinner time.]

In the meantime, heat ~2-3 T of butter/bacon fat in a frying pan over medium high heat. Start adding handfuls of kale and toss in pan until wilted. Keep adding kale until you have the amount you’d like, cooking until wilted and to desired tenderness. Add the dried fruit and a dash of balsamic vinegar and mix well.

Add the sweet potatoes to the kale and toss until heated throughout and well mixed. Adjust seasoning and serve!

Mashed Potatoes and Kale

2012-02-08T14:50:00.002-07:00

This is how I often ate Kale on my mission. They added tons of butter.

I just steamed the kale like in my last post, added garlic as the spice, then mixed the kale into a bowl of already prepared mashed potatoes. Yummy! Easy! Something different!

Steamed Kale

2012-02-08T14:43:00.004-07:00

I've noticed that kale is becoming a trendy food to eat nowadays, so I thought I'd bring it back into my life. I ate it all the time on my mission. Justin did the grocery run and came home with a HUGE bag of pre-washed kale, so I found a handful of ways to prepare it. I like them all. We'll be finishing the bag tonight. I'm excited to have kale back in my diet with all it's nutritional goodness.

Thanks to my ziplock steam bags, this is super fast and simple. It's another equation recipe.

Steambag + kale + spices of choice + splash of veggie stock = leafy green side dish

I zapped it in the microwave for two minutes and it came out perfect. For spices I've tried garlic and basil. Both were good.

Coconut Chicken Poppers

2012-01-31T19:01:00.003-07:00

Inspired by this recipe. I changed the original enough that I just rewrote the recipe.

Coconut Chicken Poppers
by Brooke Cheesman Hochstein

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2 eggs
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 cup panko crumbs
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350. Mix eggs, coconut milk, and salt in one medium bowl. Mix panko crumbs and coconut milk in another medium bowl. Dip chicken pieces in the egg mix, then the crumb/coconut mix, being sure to cover the chicken entirely with the mix. Lay the chicken on a baking sheet (I cover mine in foil). Bake for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the coconut is toasted.

NOTE: I served this with a sweet chili sauce I made with agave and sriracha - wonderful. I tried turning the chicken halfway through to get an even bake, but the coconut just stuck to the tin and I stopped. The chicken still tasted fine without turning it.

I also mixed the leftover egg mix with the leftover coconut/crumb mix and baked them in a muffin tin and it made a yummy coconut treat.

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

2012-01-23T15:49:00.003-07:00

Justin requested this twice in one week. A tip I learned recently: to make the perfect shredded chicken, bake the chicken and then put it in the kitchen aid using the flat beater. Let the mixer work it for a few seconds, watching for your desired consistency. For these sandwiches I like it a little chunky. It only takes about two seconds to go from chunky to finely shredded so you have to watch closely! Finely shredded is not bad either, Justin actually prefers it to chunky.
I can't call this a recipe, really, more of an equation, since I just use Lefty's Spices, LLC BBQ sauce. It's our favorite here in DC.

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
by Brooke Cheesman Hochstein

shredded chicken + bbq sauce + hamburger bun = happy husband.

Easy Peasy

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2011-12-11T19:11:00.005-07:00

I got this from under the cap of the Quaker Oats container. It works for me. I only made half a batch for our little family, and it was perfect. Mason helped me make them and it was adorable.

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
from Quaker Oats

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 6 tbsp butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup raisins

Heat oven to 350°. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy.

Add eggs and vanilla; beat well

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Pour large bowl with sugar mix; mix well.

Add oats and raisins; mix well with spoon, not mixer.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Bar cookies: Bake 30-35 minutes in ungreased 9x13 inch metal baking pan.

Notes: In DC I baked these for 10 minutes one pan at a time, and they were perfect.

Spicy Roast Chicken

2011-10-21T11:43:00.002-06:00

Always looking for new things to do with a chicken breast-- Justin liked this a lot. I changed a few things from another recipe.

Spicy Roast Chicken

24 ounces whole cherry tomatoes (about 4 cups), stemmed
1/4 cup olive oil
5 garlic cloves, pressed
1 1/4 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
4 bone-in chicken breasts (10 to 12 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 can of diced tomatotes

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Toss the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper, and rosemary. Add diced tomatoes.

2. Place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken, arranging the tomatoes in a single layer on the sheet around the chicken. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast until the chicken is cooked through and the tomatoes are blistered, about 35 minutes.

3. Transfer the chicken to plates. Spoon the tomatoes and juices over the chicken. Serve.

Note: I added the diced tomatoes to make it more saucy. I would like this without as well.

Chick-Fil-A Carrot and Raisin Salad

2011-10-21T11:41:00.001-06:00

Tried this for the first time on a road trip. Delicious!

Chick-Fil-A Carrot and Raisin Salad

4 cups finely shredded carrots
1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple, with juice
1 cup raisins
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Chill all ingredients except sugar at least 30 minutes. Dissolve the sugar in the pineapple, then combine everything gently in a large bowl. May be refrigerated up to 72 hours. Serves 8.

NOTE: Fresh carrots are the secret, according to Chick-Fil-A.

Sugar Cookies

2011-10-16T18:47:00.003-06:00

A friend made these for me and Justin said they were the best cookies he's ever eaten. So I got the recipe:

Sugar Cookies
by Lethe Bradshaw

2- 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup butter softened
1-1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg

Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. They will bake on the pan when you take them out. She overcooked them by two minutes when she made them for us. :)

Smothered Chicken n Bacon

2011-10-05T19:01:00.003-06:00

I made this tonight when I didn't think about dinner until after 6pm. I just threw this together with what I had on hand and Justin really liked it. Not the healthiest, but yummy. I used chicken that had already been grilled and then frozen tonight, but I'm writing the recipe as if I started with fresh chicken.

Smothered Chicken N Bacon
by Brooke Cheesman Hochstein

Chicken Breast
Sriracha Chili Sauce (or other favorite hot sauce)
Ranch Dressing
Bacon
Cheese of choice

Preheat oven to 375. Grill chicken breast. Lay grilled chicken on pan (I cover my pans with aluminum foil to reduce cleanup.) Put small amount of hot sauce on chicken. Squirt quarter-size amount of ranch dressing on top of that. Tear one strip of bacon in half and lay the halves side-by-side over the chicken. Cover chicken with cheese. I used shredded mozzarella tonight. Cook for about 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bacon is cooked.
Notes: Bacon bits can be substituted for bacon for more color on top of the cheese. I added a strip of bacon on the side of the pan to help me know when the bacon was fully cooked since I couldn't see it under the cheese.

French Toast Ooh-la-la

2011-08-14T18:05:00.003-06:00

I had this at a hotel and tried to copy it the best I could.

French Toast Ooh-la-la
by Brooke Cheesman Hochstein

4 slices of bread
2 cups corn flakes (if large flakes, crush them a little)
2 eggs
2 glubs of milk (Dad's term)
Cinnamon
Fresh fruit of choice

Preheat oven to 375. Break the eggs in one bowl, glub the milk in, mix it up. Add a dash of cinnamon to the mix. In another bowl or on a plate with a rim, pour the corn flakes. Dip one piece of bread, make sure it is totally covered, but do not let it get so soggy that it falls apart. Then drop the bread in the corn flakes and flip it around until it is completely covered in flakes. You should not see much bread when you are done. Place bread on a cookie sheet. Repeat for all four pieces of toast.
Bake at 375 for 5-10 minutes or until egg is cooked through.
Top with syrup and/or fresh fruit (strawberries, bananas, and blueberries are my favorite).

Sneaky Smoothies

2011-06-20T10:29:00.004-06:00

My 2 year old is pretty good about eating fresh fruit, and he'll eat some veggies if they are prepared the right way, but the variety is lacking. I've been trying to figure out how to get leafy greens into his diet, and the only way I'm successful is by putting it in smoothies. This sounds so gross, but my son likes it so much, he drinks a large glass and then is upset when I tell him it's all gone.
I have a few things I always put in the smoothie, and then the rest of the ingredients depend on what I have in my kitchen.

Sneaky Smoothie
by Brooke Hochstein

Standard Ingredients:

1 Banana
1 heaping spoonful creamy peanut butter
1 large handful of fresh spinach (or whatever greens you want to throw in. I put unseasoned steamed asparagus and edamame in yesterday with spinach. I fill half the blender with these greens. Other ideas: Avocado, cucumber peels, peas, cooked beans, etc.)
2-4 c water (to meet desired consistency)

Additional Ingredients:

Frozen fruit to make the smoothie icy (Strawberries, blueberries, peaches, raspberries, etc.)
Fresh fruit (Strawberries, blueberries, apples, melon, raspberries, whatever you have in your fridge and need to get rid of soon)

Blend well!

You could also put some greek yogurt or whatever you want to make it creamy. I leave this out since I've cut dairy out of my diet. The banana makes the smoothie creamy enough for me. Sometimes I'll add two.
I'm sure there are nutritionally balance recipes out there. These are usually called "green smoothies." The color of mine tend to be a purple-orange color (is that possible?) with green specks. The appearance doesn't seem to effect the consumption rate at this point.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

2011-05-14T10:01:00.003-06:00

I love this. We make them every time we grill now to replace french fries. We're still tweaking how we do it, so I might adjust this post with time.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes
by Brooke Cheesman Hochstein

2 Sweet Potatoes
Olive oil
Seasoning to taste (eg. Rosmary and Basil)

Scrub the sweet potatoes clean, but do not peel. Slice potato into 1/4" slices. I try to angle my cuts to make them a little longer and more oval-shaped. I'm sure there is a term for that which I do not know. In a small bowl, mix the oil and seasonings in a small bowl, and then brush the mixture on each side of the potato. Place the potato slices on a medium-hot grill. Cook for 5 minutes on each side (This time will vary depending on the thickness of the potato slice and the temperature of the grill). Only flip once if you want clean grill marks.
Notes: I've been playing with different spice combos. Sometimes I use different peppers to give it a kick, sometimes I use more subtle spices to just enjoy the potato. I'm no pro on spices so it's more of an educational experiment each time I make these.

The Perfect Boiled Egg

2011-04-24T15:13:00.005-06:00

For Easter, we boiled eggs, but I wanted them to be good, so I did a search for the perfect boiled egg. This is what I found on eHow.com

Instructions

Place eggs in the saucepan, it does not matter if it is 2 or 12 eggs, this way works. Just cover them with cold water, not too deep. Do NOT salt the water. Place on burner on HIGH heat.

Place on burner on HIGH heat. Once they start to boil turn on the timer to 3 minutes.

When the timer goes off, quickly take off the heat, put on the lid and reset the timer to 8 minutes.

When 8 minutes are up, take to sink and run cold water over them for about a minute, let them soak a bit to cool off. They will peel best if you set them in the refrigerator for about 1/2 to 1 hour, but you can eat them now!

Never have green or gray yolks again!

Easter Bunny Buns

2011-04-24T15:09:00.004-06:00

We made these this year for a gift basket. I didn't put faces on the bunnies, but they sure did taste good. This is copied straight from Mason's April 2011 Friend Magazine.

Bunny Buns

1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup milk, warmed not quite to boiling
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
5 1/2 cups flour, sifted
Glaze: 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup hot water, 1 teaspoon butter

Wash hands with soap and water.
Sprinkle yeast in the warm water and set aside.
In another bowl, blend milk, sugar, shortening, and salt. Cool until lukewarm, then add eggs, water with yeast, orange juice, and orange peel.
Stir in flour a few cups at a time to make a soft dough. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Knead dough 5–10 minutes on a lightly floured surface until dough is smooth and elastic. Place it in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover bowl with a clean towel and put it in a warm place. Let dough rise for 2 hours, or until double in size. Punch dough down and let stand for 10 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a rectangle 1/2 inch thick. Cut dough into strips 1/2 inch wide and 14 inches long. Roll between hands into rounded snake shapes. Cut one strip into pieces 1/2 inch long, and roll into balls.
Place one long piece of dough on a greased cookie sheet. Place one end of the strip over the other to make a loop; bring the end that is underneath up and cross it over the other end. Place a ball of dough on top of the bottom loop.
Cover bunnies and let rise in a warm place for 45–60 minutes, until nearly double in size. Bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for 12–15 minutes.
For the glaze, stir powdered sugar, water, and butter together. Frost bunnies with the glaze while they are still warm.

Illustrations by Julie F. Young

Note: I used butter instead of crisco. Same amount.

Chocolate Covered Clementines

2010-12-22T12:41:00.004-07:00

I love the chocolate oranges you find during the holidays, but I'd never tried REAL oranges dipped in chocolate! And it's so easy! And juicy!

Chocolate Covered Clementines
by Brooke Hochstein

Dark Chocolate
White Chocolate
Clementines

Peel the clementines and separate the slices. (I left two together sometimes if they were really small). Melt the dark chocolate. Dip the slices in the dark chocolate, lift out with a fork and tap on the side of the bowl to shed the excess. Place on wax paper to harden. When you've finished dipping all the slices, melt the white chocolate. Drizzle white chocolate over the covered slices for garnish. For best taste, refrigerate and eat chilled.

NOTES: I didn't list quantities because that's all up to the candy maker. I would probably only dip half the slice next time. It would probably be prettier.

Pork Chop and Pineapple Pie

2010-12-22T12:22:00.003-07:00

I love Paula Dean. Justin loves her food. He couldn't say enough about how much he loved this meal. He was disappointed when I made pork chops a few days later and didn't make this again. I didn't do it exactly her way, since we only have a gas grill and it was below freezing outside, but it sounds like a fun way to cook when you have guests over. I'll list her original recipe, and then explain how I cooked it.

Pork Chop and Pineapple Pie
by Paula Dean

1 boneless pork chop per person
1 slice red onion per person
1 slice green bell pepper per person
2 canned pineapple slices per person
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce per person
1 tablespoon margarine or butter per person
Salt and pepper

For each serving, lay a pork chop on a large square of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Top each chop with the onion, green pepper, and pineapple slices. Drizzle with the teriyaki sauce. Top with the butter and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly in the foil, rolling ends to completely seal the package. Freeze or refrigerate.

When ready to eat, place packages directly in coals for 15 to 20 minutes. Check to see if the pork chop is cooked through; rewrap and cook a little longer, if necessary.

NOTES: First off, Paula loves butter, so I cut it down to about 1/4 of what she asks for. And that is still usually a bit more than I'd like. I didn't marinate this at all, since I usually don't think about dinner till 1/2 hour before I want to eat. I browned the pork chops a bit on each side first, splashed them with teriyaki sauce, then added the veggies and pineapple. I put a small square of butter in each of the pineapple holes and splashed more teriyaki sauce on it. I cooked these covered in my chicken fryer for about 15 minutes until we were ready to eat! I noticed some people mentioned they added cheese and bacon and such, but I thought it was great just the way it was listed (minus a lot of butter)! I served it with rice pilaf.

Thanksgiving Turkey Again!

2010-11-15T12:33:00.002-07:00

I am using the same method of baking my turkey as last year, since it was easy and delicious and I don't feel like experimenting with my husband' s Thanksgiving work party turkey! I don't think I have to bake the "real" thanksgiving turkey this year, since I'll be with FAMILY! ! ! woohoo!

Sweet Potato Soufflé

2010-11-15T12:23:00.004-07:00

I LOVE Thanksgiving! ! ! ! I especially love the food that only seems to appear on the table at this time. I made this for a church dinner the other night, and it was a hit. I made a few adjustments to my mom's recipe, not that it needed it. I just wanted to experiment. I'm posting the original recipe for future use. Thanks to my Granny for reading this whole thing to me over the phone :)

Sweet Potato Soufflé
from the kitchen of Carol R. Cheesman

3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add ½ cup butter. Beat until smooth. Spoon into greased 2qt. casserole.

Combine flour, sugar, 1/3 cup butter. Add pecans. Sprinkle over top of casserole.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

NOTES: I threw in a dash or two of nutmeg and cinnamon while I was beating the potatoes in my kitchen-aide. I'd seen a few other recipes which called for them and it seemed very holiday-ish. I really couldn't tell that it was in there, but it tasted really fabulous, so I thought I would mention that I did so.

I also substituted marshmallows in for the streusel on top. Add the marshmallows AFTER you bake the sweet potatoes, then put in the oven just long enough to melt the marshmallows. I also sprinkled some brown sugar on top because I thought it might look cool, but there was no cool factor at all. I'd leave that out next time. I toasted the marshmallows on accident, but I think I like it better that way.

Mr. John's Stuffed Peppers

2010-09-26T17:18:00.004-06:00

Yum. Definitely will make it again. Got this at FoodNetwork.com.

Mr. John's Meat-Stuffed Bell Peppers

6 green bell peppers, tops cut away and seeds removed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell peppers
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 cups cooked long or medium-grain white rice
8 ounces tomato sauce
Water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling water, parboil the peppers until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and dry on paper towels.

In a large saute pan or skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and chopped bell peppers and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the beef, pork, garlic, parsley, salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes. Cook until the meat is browned, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon to break up the lumps, about 6 minutes. Add the rice and tomato sauce and stir well. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste.

Pour enough water into a baking dish to just cover the bottom, about 1/8-inch deep. Stuff the bell peppers with the rice mixture and place in the baking dish. Bake until the peppers are very tender and the filling is heated through, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Mango Chicken Curry

2010-08-22T16:51:00.004-06:00

Yum Yum Yum. Found this on the internet and I don't know where. The person didn't say where they got it from either. I was trying to find Tofu recipes and I found this instead. The way I made it was very different from this recipe... but still good.

Mango Caribbean Chicken Curry

1/2 c. chicken or vegetable broth
2 Tbsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. lime or lemon zest
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. corn starch
12 oz. chicken breasts or thighs
2 tsp. cooking oil
2 cloves garlic
1 c. sliced red onion
2 cups chopped, peeled mango or papaya
2 cups hot cooked rice
lime peel strips

For sauce, in a small bow stir together broth, lime juice, lime zest, brown sugar, curry powder, and cornstarch; set aside.
Rinse chicken; pat dry, cut into bite-sized pieces
In a large skillet/wok, heat oil until very hot. Stir fry garlic for 30 seconds. Add onion slices; stir fry for 3 minutes. Remove onion from wok or skillet.
Add chicken and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Push chicken into center of pan.
Stir sauce mixture. Pour sauce into center of pan; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return onion to work.
Add mango or papaya. Stir ingredients together to coat with sauce. Cook 2 minutes or more until mixture is heated trough.
Serve over rice, garnish with lime peel strips.

Makes 4 servings.

NOTES: Okay, the way I made this was way different due to circumstance, but I wanted to have the original in my records to try another time. Today, I wanted to slow cook this. I did not have a lime, so I just used lemon juice. I only had bottled Mango, not fresh. I also wanted to try to use some Tofu (my first time!). I added a whole block of tofu and three chicken breasts and increased the ingredients a bit. I just browned the chicken, dried the tofu, dumped all the ingredients together in a crockpot and cooked it on high for three hours. I took out some of the juices and added cornstarch to make a gravy in a pan, but this time my gravy was runny. How do you master that?! I think I've only made gravy well one time! EVER! We have this divine mango coconut chili sauce that we drizzled on top for fun after a few bites. I didn't tell Justin there was tofu in it till the end, and he hadn't even noticed!

McCormick Recipes

2010-08-17T19:22:00.002-06:00

I just want to say that whoever came up with this idea of pre-packaged herb combos for those of us who may be herbally challenged is a genius for whom I am grateful.
The three I have tried out so far are (ranked in order of deliciousness)

-Apple & Sage Pork Chops
-Garlic Lime Chicken Fajitas
-Spanish Chicken Skillet

They added some variety to the tastes that come out of my kitchen, and I plan on buying more as they create more in the future.

Mom's Sweet & Sour Pork or Chicken

2010-08-17T19:12:00.002-06:00

I made this tonight with chicken, but pork works well too. Justin kept commenting on how delicious it was throughout the meal. I felt like a cook tonight.

Mom's Sweet & Sour Pork or Chicken
from the kitchen of Carol R Cheesman

6-8 pork chops or 4-5 chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can of water (or chicken/beef stock)
1 can mushrooms (optional)
1 large green pepper, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1/3-1/2 c. brown sugar (I used 1/2. I was going for taste, not health this time.)
Pineapple chunks (optional)

Brown meat in electric fry pan. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over meat. Simmer for 2 hours or put in Dutch oven and bake at 350 for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. (Carol's preference). Add pineapples if desired. Serve over rice.

Layered Enchilada Pie

2010-08-11T14:22:00.003-06:00

There were ooh's and aah's during the whole dinner from both me and Justin while we ate this yummy meal.

Layered Enchilada Pie
by Sherry Newell, from Family Favorites Cook Book, p. 23

1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 minced clove garlic
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp. chili powder (or more)
1 (4 1/2 oz.) can chopped ripe olives
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
6 tortillas, lightly buttered
2 c. shredded cheese
2/3 c. water

Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic in butter. Add seasonings, olives and tomato sauce. In a round casserole pan, alternate layers of buttered tortillas, meat sauce, and 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese on top of tortilla. Pour water at edge into bottom of casserole. Cover. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from pan to serving plate. Cut in wedges.

Caramelized Banana French Toast

2010-08-07T14:53:00.003-06:00

I changed this recipe from the one in Cook this! Not that!, p. 45.
It is very very yummy. I served it for a breakfast-for-dinner night.

Caramelized Banana French Toast

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. crushed walnuts
2 bananas (mine had yellow spots, but not over-ripe)
1 c. milk
2 Tbsp. orange juice
3 eggs
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
8 slices of bread (homemade is the best!)

Heat butter in a medium pan with medium heat, add 2 Tbsp. orange juice and all of the brown sugar. Stir until dissolved. Cook until bubble (1-2 minutes). Add walnuts, cook for 2 minutes. Add bananas and heat through. Stir in 1/4 c. milk. Set aside and keep warm.
Whisk together the remaining 3/4 c. milk, eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla. heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with Pam. Dip the bread for 30 seconds on each side.
Place the bread on the skillet and cook about 3 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve with banana topping.

Oven Potatoes

2010-08-07T14:47:00.003-06:00

Oven Potatoes
by Ruth Roberts, Family Favorites Cook Book

1 1/2 dried bread crumbs (I use Panko)
1/2 Tbsp. ground nutmeg
8 medium potatoes, washed, pared and cut into quarters. Not peeled.
1/2 c. melted butter
salt and pepper to taste

Combine bread crumbs, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Dip potatoes in butter and roll in bread crumb mixture. Place in a greased pan. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes, or until crispy and tender.

NOTES: Next time I will use a shallow pan (like 9x13) so that the potatoes are more crispy. May taste extra good with some cheese thrown on.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

2010-07-26T12:18:00.005-06:00

I got this idea from 101 Things To Do With a Cake Mix, p. 117. I changed some things.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

1 Box of your favorite chocolate cake mix (I used Triple Chocolate)
1/3 C. Oil
2 Eggs
Vanilla Ice Cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together cake mix, oil, and eggs in a large bowl. The dough will be stiff.
Lightly flour a clean surface. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Use a round cup or cookie cutter to cut out uniform cookies. Spray a cookie sheet with vegetable oil. Place the cutout dough on the pan.
Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove cookies onto a cooling rack. When cool, place a scoopful of ice cream in-between two cookies. Wrap the sandwiches in plastic wrap. Store cookies in a an airtight container in the freezer.

Note:
We did open-faced sandwiches. Next time I will make some hot fudge to top it off. I may even use other ice cream flavors. Justin said this was the best dessert I'd ever made :)

Chicken Parmesan

2010-07-26T11:47:00.004-06:00

Also from Cook This, Not That!, Justin loved this one. It was fast and easy, also.

Chicken Parmesan

4 Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 c bread crumbs (I used Panko. Awesome)
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
1/2 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 c. tomato sauce
4 oz. shredded part-skim mozzarella (I just used pepperjack. It changed the flavor, but oh well)
fresh basil leaves (optional)

Pound chicken until it is uniformly 1/4" thick.
Season with salt and pepper
Place the egg whites in a shallow bowl. Mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning on a large plate.
Dip each breast into the egg whites to coat both sides and then into the crumb mixture, patting the crumbs so they fully cover the chicken.
-Option 1: Fry in skillet --
Heat the oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes on the first side before turning. (The crust should be deeply browned and crunchy.) Cook for another 2-3 minutes, then transfer the chicken to a baking sheet.
-Option 2: Bake in oven (what I did)
Bake chicken breasts in a 400 degree F oven until the crust is golden and the meat is firm, about 15 minutes.
-With both options:
Spoon the tomato sauce over the chicken pieces, then top with the cheese and place underneath the broiler for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted an bubbling. Serve garnished with basil (if using).

I served this over spaghetti with some of the tomato sauce mixed in. The book suggests garlicky sauteed spinach. Probably not going to do that yet.

Quinoa Pilaf

2010-07-26T11:28:00.004-06:00

I'd heard quinoa was the best grain you could eat, so I wanted to see if it tasted good. I had a hard time finding it first, but they sell it in the "healthy" section of the commissary on our base, next to the power bars and such. I got the kind that is already rinsed, since I guess you have to rinse a bitter flavor off the grains before you cook it. It makes a good substitute for rice.
Anyway, this is from Cook This, Not That! p. 294, and even my 15 month-old liked it!

Quinoa Pilaf

1 c. quinoa
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, minced
1 carrot, finely chopped
3 c. low-sodium chicken broth or water
2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
1/4 c. golden raisins (these make it so good!)
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley (I used dried)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place the quinoa in a large bowl and rinse in several changes of cold water. Drain thoroughly (or buy the already rinsed kind and skip this step)
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and carrot until softened, then stir in the quinoa and cook until lightly toasted and giving off a nutty smell, about 3 minutes. (I could only smell the onions, I never got the "nutty smell")
Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the liquid is fully absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and fluff with a fork. Stir in the pine nuts, raisins, and parsley.
Makes 4 servings

Four-cheese Italian Sausage with Garlic Basil Sauce

2010-03-05T21:48:00.005-07:00

We had some leftover Italian sausage, so I went to the manufacturer's website for ideas on how to serve it. This was yummy.

Four-cheese Italian Sausage with Garlic Basil Sauce
From www.Johnsonville.com

1 pkg. Johnsonville Four-Cheese Italian Sausage Links
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 3/4 cups chicken broth (14 oz.)
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Hot cooked angel hair pasta.

In a skillet, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add peas. Combine the cornstarch, broth and pepper until smooth; stir into onion mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in sausage and basil. Serve over pasta.
Makes 5 servings.

Chicken with Whole Cranberries

2010-03-05T21:39:00.002-07:00

I've made this a couple times already. Everyone's liked it who's tried it. It's good for a Sunday when you want to throw something together quick in the morning and have it be ready at the end of the day.

Chicken With Cranberries
from southernfood.about.com

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup fresh cranberries (I froze mine. Still great)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3 Tbsp brown sugar or honey (honey for me)
1 cup orange juice
3 tbsp flour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water

Place all ingredients, except flour-water mixture, in a slow-cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, until chicken is tender. Add flour mixture in the last 15-20 minutes and cook until thickened. Taste and adjust servings.
Makes 4

Kate's Cranberry Chicken

2010-03-05T21:33:00.003-07:00

I have a few different cranberry chicken recipes. I wanted to eat it one night but didn't have time to let whole cranberries cook down. So I found this one to use my cans of cranberry sauce that I didn't use at Thanksgiving. It was yummy!

Kate's Cranberry Chicken
from Cooks.com

1 whole chicken, cut up. (I used a few chicken breasts)
1 -15 oz. can whole or jellied cranberry sauce
2 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. lemon juice
3 tbsp. soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter; add soy sauce, lemon juice and cranberry sauce. Pour sauce over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes, basting frequently the last 1/2 hour. Excellent over noodles or rice.

Pretend Chicken Marsala

2010-03-05T21:22:00.009-07:00

I don't usually keep marsala wine on hand, so I just substituted white grape juice instead. I love this new book...

Pretend Chicken Marsala
from Cook This, Not That! 2010, p. 272

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to uniform 1/4" thickness
1 cup flour
salt and black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 oz prosciutto, sliced into thin strips (I used bacon. They look the same)
8 oz cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced. (don't know which I used)
3/4 cup Marsala wine (white grape juice)
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 chopped fresh parsley

Season the chicken with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and add the chicken; coat evenly, shaking off any excess flour.
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken (don't overcrowd the pan; cook in two batches if need be) 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown on the outside and cooked all the way through. Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm.
Add additional oil to the pan if needed, then saute the prosciutto for 1-2 minutes, until it starts to crisp up. Add the mushrooms and continue sauteing until well browned. Stir in the Marsala/juice and broth, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. cook until the liquid has reduced to about 1/2 cup. Season with salt and pepper, add the parsley, and pour over the chicken.
Makes 4 servings.

Chicken Fingers

2010-03-05T21:11:00.004-07:00

Justin said these qualify for "Brooke's Top Ten." I don't know what the other nine are. . .
Super Easy, super fast. And heathy! Sort of. I didn't plan ahead for this one, so I had to substitute a few things.

Chicken Fingers
from Cook This, Not That! 2010, p. 86

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken tenders
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 Egg whites, lightly beaten
2 cups panko bread crumbs (I used crushed Stovetop instead)
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp chipotle pepper puree (optional- didn't have it on hand, but I want to use it next time)
1 Tbsp honey

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the egg whites in a shallow bowl. Place the crumbs on a plate and season those, too. Dip the chicken tenders into the egg, then toss in the crumbs, being sure to coat fully.
Place the breaded chicken pieces on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray and bake for 10-12 minutes, (I did 15-ish with fries baking at the same time) until the crumbs have browned and the chicken is firm.
Combine the mustard, chipotle, and honey in a large bowl. toss the cooked chicken tenders in the mixture so they are all evenly coated with spicy-sweet sauce.
Makes 4 servings.

Squashana

2010-01-04T18:05:00.004-07:00

I pulled the classic move of seeing something in the grocery store that I'd never cooked before (not too difficult to find that for me) and took it home with no idea what to do with it. I did this a couple weeks ago with an eggplant and the meal I made does not qualify for my blog. This time it was spaghetti squash. I read that the squash can replace the noodles in lasagna. I've never made homemade lasagna. So I just made this up. Justin liked it alright.

Squashana
From the kitchen of Brooke C Hochstein

1 Spaghetti Squash
1 jar of spaghetti sauce (I used Ragu Veggie Delight)
1 bag of cheese
1 lb ground beef

Cut the spaghetti squash in half and scrape out the seeds and guts. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes. When finished baking, scrape from stem to stem with a fork to create spaghetti-like strands of squash. While the squash is baking, brown the ground beef. Add the jar of spaghetti sauce to the meat. In a baking dish, spread a layer of squash at the bottom, then add the spaghetti sauce on top. Cover in cheese. Repeat until you run out of room or ingredients. Make sure the top is covered with cheese. Bake in oven at 350 for about half an hour.

Notes:
If you do not want to cut the squash in half before you cook it (because it's really tough to cut it and I may not cut it next time), bake at 350 for at least an hour. Be careful when you cut it, it will be very hot!

Gravy

2010-01-04T18:01:00.003-07:00

I used this for the Thanksgiving Turkey. Everyone loved it.

Gravy
from the kitchen of Helen Robertson

3 T oil
3 T flour
Turkey drippings
Can of cream of chicken soup
Broth*
Corn Starch*

Brown the oil and flour. Add drippings and cream of chicken soup. If too thick, add the broth. If too thin, add the cornstarch until you reach the desired consistency.

*maybe

Penne Pasta with Spinach, Bacon, and Chicken

2010-01-04T17:56:00.003-07:00

Got this recipe from Disney Family Food's website. I have no idea how I stumbled on it. The recipe does not call for chicken, but I wanted to make it the main dish.

I just copied from the page:

Prep Time:	10m
Cook Time:	15m
Ready in:	25m
Yield:	4 servings

Ingredients
	1 (12 ounce) package penne pasta 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 6 slices bacon, chopped 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 bunch fresh spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta, and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place bacon in the skillet, and cook until browned and crisp. Add garlic, and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook until heated through.
Place the spinach into a colander, and drain the hot pasta over it so it is wilted. Transfer to a large serving bowl, and toss with the remaining olive oil, and the bacon and tomato mixture.

Caramel

2010-01-04T17:47:00.003-07:00

I tried to be domestic this year again for Christmas and made some turtles. Last year I made this caramel and burned it. I was pregnant and I cried. This year I bought extra of everything because I didn't care how many times I would have to try, I was going to get it right! Luckily it only took one try. And a lot of mess. But it was fun! And yummy~!
This was enough caramel to make about 170 turtles.

Caramel
from the kitchen of Carol R Cheesman

4 c. sugar
1/2 lb. butter
2 c. light corn syrup
2 cans evaporated milk
2 tsp vanilla

Melt butter, add sugar and corn syrup. When this mixture begins to boil, add milk approx 1/2 cup at a time every 4-5 minutes. You should allow about 1/2 hour to add the 2 cans of milk. Cook at med-fairly high temp, stirring constantly, scraping the sides and bottom of the pan. Cook to 240 degrees or to a firm ball stage in water (when you drop a little in a cup of water, it keeps its shape and doesn't dissolve immediately). Pour into buttered pan for caramel. For turtles place nuts on counter sprayed with cooking spray and pour small amounts of caramel on top while still pourable. After set, pour melted chocolate over the top of the turtles.

Notes: I put the caramel in the squirting containers too soon and my first squirt send the top flying off and left a huge puddle of caramel on my counter. The top melted off. Had to use my extra squirter.

Thanksgiving Turkey

2010-01-04T17:43:00.004-07:00

It's been a while!
I used this recipe from "Uncle Bill."

It was FANTASTIC! And easy! I was so so so nervous to be in charge of the Thanksgiving turkey, but shrinking the skin was a great way to make it juicy.
I'm just copying and pasting straight from RecipeZaar.com.
We had a 16 lb turkey.

Uncle Bill's Method for Cooking Turkey Recipe #46262

Scalding the turkey makes for a very nice moist turkey. I have been doing this method for over 25 years. Cooking time shown in the method is for a 16 pound stuffed turkey.

by William (Uncle Bill) Anatooskin

5½ hours | 30 min prep

SERVES 14 -18

Turkey must be thoroughly thawed before preparing for the oven unless you are using a fresh turkey.
Remove turkey parts from cavities and use as you desire.
Wash cavities well with cold water.
Boil a kettle of hot water (scalding hot.).
Place turkey in a clean sink or a large roasting pan.
Pour hot water over the entire turkey including in the cavities.
The skin will shrink tightly to the turkey.
"This will help hold the natural juices in the turkey while it is cooking.
"Pat dry both inside and outside of turkey.
Sprinkle cavities with salt and black pepper.
Line inside of cavity with cheesecloth, then stuff with your favorite dressing,"stuff loosely".
Tie legs and wings with a good meat wrapping twine and leave a lifting loop to remove the turkey from the pan when cooked.
Place a wire rack in the bottom of roasting pan.
Place the turkey on the wire rack, breast side up.
Pour 2 cups of water or 2 cups of chicken broth into the pan.
Pour about 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil over the exterior of the turkey.
Cover the top of pan with heavy aluminum foil, but do not let foil touch the turkey as it will stick to the turkey while cooking.
Pinch foil tight to the sides of the pan.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place turkey on lower rack in oven and cook for 1 hour.
Reduce heat to 325 F and cook for 2 1/2 hours.
Now turn heat up to 350 F and cook for another 1/2 hour.
Remove foil from turkey and baste, then continue cooking for an additional 1 hour at 350 F, basting about every 15 minutes so that the turkey turns a nice brown color.
When the time for cooking is finished, test for doneness. Insert a thermometer in the thickest portion of the turkey breast, reading should be between 175 F to 180 F but no more than 180°F When inserted into the thickest portion of the leg, readings should be the same. Or, cut a small slice from the breast portion and make sure that there i no pink showing. Or, you may also use a fork and insert it into the thickest portion of the leg and if the juices run clear, then the turkey is done.
Remove from oven, lift turkey out the roasting pan using the string loops.
Cover with foil and let the turkey rest for about 1/2 hour before carving.
Total time for cooking a 16 pound stuffed turkey is 5 hours.
There is no need to baste the turkey until the last 1 hour of cooking, this saves you a lot of time as you do not have to remove the foil tent during the first 4 hours.
For a crispy browner skin, you may wish to consider rubbing butter over the entire bird after pouring olive oil. This works very nicely.
COOKING TIMES: Left Side -Stuffed---- Right Side - Unstuffed.

*12-14lbs.

4- 4 1/2 hours-- 3 1/2-3 3/4 hours.

*14-16lbs.

4 1/2- 5 hours-- 3 3/4-4 hours.

*16-18lbs.

5- 5 1/2 hours-- 3 3/4-4 1/4 hours.

*18-20lbs.

5 1/2- 6 hours-- 4 1/4-4 1/2 hours.

*20-22lbs.

6- 6 1/4 hours-- 4 1/2-5 hours.

*22-24lbs.

6 1/4-6 1/2 hours-- 5- 5 1/4 hours.

NOTE: Test for doneness by inserting a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast, reading should be 175 F and in the thickest part of the leg or thigh, reading should be 180°F.

Chicken N Pepper Stir-fry

2009-11-23T10:27:00.002-07:00

We like this. Muchisimo.

Chicken N Pepper Stir-fry
Recipetrove.com

2 T soy sauce
2 T ketchup
1/2 t ground ginger
2 cloves garlic -- finely chopped
3 skinless boneless chicken breast halves -- thinly sliced (3/4 lb)
2 T vegetable oil
6 green onions -- cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium green bell pepper -- thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper -- thinly sliced
4 cups hot cooked chinese noodles

Mix soy sauce, ketchup, ginger in resealable heavy-duty plastic bag. Add chicken; seal bag and turn to coat with marinade. Let stand 15 minutes. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in 10-inch skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add green onions and bell peppers; stir-fry until crisp-tender. Remove from skillet. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in skillet. Add chicken; stir-fry 4-5 minutes or until no longer pink in center. Stir in bell pepper mixture. Serve with noodles.

Sweet N Sour Chicken Wraps

2009-11-23T10:15:00.003-07:00

Not the healthiest. But quick and yummy. Everything is yummy wrapped in a crescent roll.

Sweet N Sour Chicken Wraps
Cooks.com

1 c. chopped cooked chicken
2 T chopped green onions, including tops
1 T crushed canned pineapple, well drained
2 T sugar
1 T soy sauce
2 t mustard
1 (8 oz.) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 egg, beaten
2 t sesame seed

Heat oven to 375. In small bowl, combine chiccken, green onions, and pineapple; mix well. In another small bowl, combine sugar, soy sauce and mustard; blend well. Pour over chicken; stir to coat.
Separate dough into 4 rectangles; firmly press perforations to seal. Cut each rectangle in half crosswise (to make 8 squares). Spoon 1 rounded tablespoonful chicken filling onton center of each square. Pull 4 corners of dough to center of filling; twist ends and pinch seams to seal. Brush wraps with egg; sprinkle with sesame seed. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes or until deep golden brown. Makes 8 sandwiches.

Notes: I used dried onions instead of green onions. We couldn't taste them. The rolls taste amazing, but they overpower the taste of the filling. It was still a good eat. Oh- I thought the rolls were done since the egg turns brown, but you really need to wait until the whole roll is deep golden brown.

Quick and Easy Apple Crisp

2009-11-10T12:43:00.004-07:00

Quick and Easy. Just my style. Made this for a dinner party, and everyone really liked it. It only took me about ten minutes to prepare, and it took that long because of all the peeling and slicing.

Quick and Easy Apple Crisp
from 101 Things to Do With a Cake Mix, p. 113

4-6 apples (about 6 cups)
1 yellow cake mix
1/2 c quick oats
2 t sugar
1 T cinnamon
1/2 c butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Peel, core, and slice apples. Spread over the bottom of a greased 8x8-inch pan.
Mix cake mix, oats, sugar, and cinnamon together in large bowl. Pour melted butter over the top. mix with fork until crumbly.
Bake 35-40 minutes, until apples are tender and top is golden brown.

Notes: I barely cooked this for 35 minutes, and it was kind of crumbly/powdery. I served it with ice cream and that kept all the powder contained. I will cook it longer next time. I used three large gala apples to make it this time, and it seemed like plenty. Maybe I could have done four and had more juices cooking. . .

Green Salad Ideas

2009-10-28T19:45:00.003-06:00

I never plan my salads ahead of time. I just always have spinach or romaine lettuce handy, I open my cupboards and start throwing stuff in. I don't usually eat dressing on my salad, so I make sure there is enough flavor for me. I throw in something juicy/chewy, something crunchy, and something colorful. A combination of these usually ends up in the bowl.

Juicy:

tomatoes
mandarin oranges
raisins
craisins
apple chunks
grapes
pineapple chunks

Crunchy:

chow mien noodles
almonds
sunflower seeds
carrots
celery

Colorful

cheese
bacon bits

Apple Cinnamon Glazed Chicken

2009-10-28T19:37:00.002-06:00

I wanted something, light, fruity, and easy. This hit the spot! Justin liked it too!

Apple Cinnamon Glazed Chicken
by Linda Larsen, About.com

2 T applesauce
1/3 c. apple jelly
1 T honey
2 T Dijon mustard
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Prepare and preheat grill. In small bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken breasts and stir to combine. When ready to cook, oil grill rack. Brush apple mixture on chicken and place on grill 4-6" from medium coals. Cook 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally and brushing frequently with jelly mixture.

Notes: I made a lot more of the sauce and served this over rice. I also baked an apple with butter and cinnamon and sugar to serve on top of the chicken and rice.

German Pancake

2009-10-25T21:23:00.004-06:00

I wanted Justin to get in touch with his heritage. I have to add a picture because I don't want to forget my shock at the way this thing looked when it came out of the oven. I opened the oven and the fire alarm went off simultaneously, so it added to the effect. We liked it! I think I would only have it for breakfast, not dinner. It didn't fill Justin up too much.

German Pancake
from Jonesboro Ward Relief Society, Margie Mayfield

6 eggs
1 c. flour
1 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
6 T. butter

Melt 6 Tblspoons butter in a 9x13 pan. Heat in the oven while mixing batter. Mix other ingredients and pour in the pan. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes (I did for 12 minutes and it was fine. I might look for a different opinion next time of time and temp.). Serve with syrup or fresh peaches or strawberries. (We used vanilla yogurt and peaches, and liked it.)

Bacon Cheesburger Hotdish

2009-10-25T21:13:00.002-06:00

This is definitely a man dish. Justin loved it.

Bacon Cheeseburger Hotdish
From the Blessings cookbook, p. 158

1 pkg. penne pasta
2 lb. ground beef
2 tsp. bacon bits (I use real bacon)
1 (10 oz.) can tomato soup
1 c. Cheese, shredded (I'm liberal)

In pan, cook pasta as directed on package, drain. In skillet brown hamburger, drain. Add bacon bits, pasta, and soup. Heat thoroughly. Sprinkle cheese on top. Cover and cook until cheese is melted. Serve.

Meat Loaf

2009-10-25T21:04:00.003-06:00

My first meatloaf! This is a combination recipe from Liptons Onion Soup Mix box, Great American Recipes Cottage Meat Loaf, my mother (Carol R. Cheesman), and my neighbor.

Meatloaf
compiled by Brooke Hochstein

1 lb ground beef
1/4 c. ketchup
1/4 tsp salt and pepper
1 egg
1/2 c. stovetop (dry and crushed)
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1/2 package onion soup mix

topping:

1/4 c. ketchup
1/4 tsp. prepared mustard
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Mix all ingredients but the ground beef. Add the beef and massage the ingredients thoroughly into the meat. Add the meat to a 9x5 pan. Use foil to line if necessary. Combine topping ingredients in separate bowl and spread over the top of the meat loaf. Bake at 350 for about one hour.

Turkey-Swiss-Guac Burgers

2009-10-12T22:06:00.007-06:00

Justin liked these so much we've had them twice in two weeks. You're supposed to eat this instead of the Ruby Tuesday Avocado Turkey Burger.

Turkey-Swiss-Guac Burgers
From Eat this Not That by David Zinczenko, p.293

1 lb ground turkey
4 slices Swiss cheese (I used pepperjack-yum)
4 Hamburger buns
4 T. Wholly Guacamole
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
4 T. Ortega chopped green chiles (pepperjack took care of this)
2 Tomatoes, sliced
1 red onion, sliced

Mix the turkey, salt, and pepper and shape into 4 patties. Preheat grill, grill pan, or cast-iron skillet. Cook the patties over medium-high heat until lightly charred on the outside, about 4 minutes, then flip. Place a tablespoon of the chiles on top of each patty, then cover with a slice of cheese. Cook until the patty is firm, about 8-10 minutes total. Dress buns with tomato and onion slices, top with the burgers, and slather with the guacamole.

Notes: I added bacon. It was really yummy, who's counting calories? I served these with sweet potatoe fries.

Crepes

2009-10-12T21:55:00.002-06:00

In the Netherlands, we called these pannekoeken. I love them.

Pannekoeken
by Brooke

6 eggs
2 c. milk
1 t. salt
1 c. flour
butter for frying
toppings of choice: Nutella, bananas, shredded apples, yogurt, powdered sugar, butter, syrup, strawberries, peanut butter, nuts. . . it's hard to go wrong with this.

Beat eggs until frothy; add milk and salt. Slowly stir mixture into the flour. Melt butter in a frying pan. Hold pan while pouring batter and rotate to make a thin coat of batter over the bottom of the pan. Add fruit or nuts to batter if desired to have it cooked in. Cook until the top turns glossy. Flip and cook other side. Spread on toppings, if desired. Roll up, fold up, cut up, whatever your style is. Best to serve hot.

Poppy Seed Chicken

2009-10-12T21:46:00.003-06:00

My first casserole.

Poppy Seed Chicken
inspired from the Blessings cookbook, p 203

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 oz. sour cream
1/2 c. cream of chicken soup
"a little chicken broth" that is not helpful. 1/4 c.?
1/2 stick Ritz crackers (or any other crackers. . . we used olive & rosemary Triscuts)
1/2 stick butter
1 tsp. poppyseed

Brown chicken. Place browned chicken on bottom of a medium dish. Cover with soup, sour cream, and broth. Top with crushed crackers, sprinkle poppyseed over top. Pour melted butter over crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Serve with wild rice or mashed potatoes.

Notes: This is actually half of the original recipe, but we are only two people. I put in more than "a little chicken broth" because it was a bit soupy. The triscut crackers tasted awesome. Justin liked this one a lot.

Chicken Spaghetti

2009-10-01T20:09:00.003-06:00

I make chicken a lot. Justin loved this one. It's very filling. Not very healthy.

Chicken Spaghetti
inspired from a recipe in the Bountiful Blessings Cookbook, but changed by me

1 lb. chicken breasts, cubed
1 can chicken broth
1 small onion, diced
1 box spaghetti
6-8 oz. pepper jack cheese, cubed
8 oz. shredded cheese of choice
1 can mild rotel tomatoes, drained (diced canned tomatoes with green chilies)
1 can cream of chicken soup
Salt and Pepper

Boil water with chicken, broth, and onion for 5-10 minutes. Add spaghetti noodles. When noodles are done, drain. Pour into a baking dish. Add pepper jack cheese, tomatoes, soup, salt, and pepper. Cover with shredded cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly.

Honeyed Chicken Bake

2009-10-01T19:49:00.002-06:00

Honeyed Chicken Bake
from the Bountiful Blessings Cookbook, p. 201

6-8 chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1/2 c. honey
1 c. ketchup
1 large lemon, sliced
1 can peach halves

Arrange chicken breasts in a shallow baking pan and season with salt and pepper. Combine ketchup and honey; pour over chicken, turning to coat well. Place lemon slices over the chicken [SEE NOTES!]. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake chicken uncovered for 1 hour, or until tender. Turn chicken pieces halfway through baking. During the last 15 minutes of baking, increase oven temperature to 350 and arrange drained peach halves around chicken. Baste.

Notes: The lemons will take over the whole meal! Go easy on the lemons! I cooked them with the rinds for the whole time. Right after it was done cooking it tasted fine, but we couldn't even eat the leftovers because of the lemon domination. So maybe only use half a lemon and cook only half the time next time. Maybe even just squirt the lemons on it after it's done baking and not bake them at all.

Cranberry-orange Pork Chops

2009-09-05T21:19:00.003-06:00

Simple, light, quick, good. I now have all the ingredients in my kitchen, so it's a good last-minute recipe. (Justin's mom got us this cookbook. Her hometown catholic church is celebrating 100 years next year, so they made a cookbook from all the German, Czech, Dutch, and Bohemian families in the area. I like it!)

Cranberry-orange Pork Chops
by Emily Bartunek from the Bountiful Blessings cook book from Dante, South Dakota

6 boneless pork loin chops, 1/2 inch thick
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 T oil
1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. paprika

Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, brown chips in oil on both sides. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until meat juices run clear. Prep/total time 25 minutes. Yield 6 servings.

Notes: I added more broth for more sauce. I was also liberal with the dried cranberries. Next time I will throw in some corn starch after I'm done cooking to make the juices thicker. I served this with brown rice this time, maybe mashed potatoes or some pasta would taste good also as a side. I will also mix the broth, the paprika, and allspice before I pour them in the pan next time.

Spicy Spareribs

2009-09-01T20:42:00.004-06:00

LOVED THIS ONE!
I learned something new with this one - Spare ribs are pork. Well, that's what I gathered when I saw this sign in the meat section of walmart. This can be cooked as individual ribs for appetizers or in 3-4 rib sections for a meal. We did the meal.

Spicy Spareribs
from the SlowCook Book

3 1/2 lbs pork baby back ribs, cut as you want them.
2 c. bottled salsa
1/2 c. honey
1 T quick-cooking tapioca
1 t ground ginger

Preheat boiler. Place ribs on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 6 inches from the heat about 10 minutes or until brown, turning once. Transfer ribs to slow cooker.
In a medium bow combine salsa, honey, tapioca, and ginger. Pour sauce over ribs.
Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6-7 hours on on high heat for about 3 hours. Serve sauce with ribs.

Notes: I added way more salsa than 2 c. I just dumped it on till it looked good. I served this with mashed potatoes, because it does have a bit of a kick and the potatoes balanced it well. Justin really really enjoyed this. Especially after our flop the other day.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

2009-09-01T20:36:00.003-06:00

So I didn't really like this one. I liked the idea though. I think I wouldn't cook the veggies with the meat and sauce, it made it taste funny. Maybe it was the sauce I picked. I would just cook the veggies at the end of cook time and add it later. We didn't eat the leftovers.

Sweet & Sour Chicken
from the Slow Cook Book

1 lb chicken breast
2 9-oz jars sweet & sour sauce
1 16 oz package of mixed veggies
2 1/2 c. cooked rice
1/4 c. chopped almonds, toasted

Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Combine chicken, sweet & sour sauce, and frozen veggies in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for about 5 hours or high for about 2 hours. Serve on rice, sprinkle on almonds.

Anniversary Chicken I

2009-08-14T23:03:00.003-06:00

Justin said this was one of his favorite meals ever. It makes us miss Hawaii. And I love that I could throw this together with stuff I already have in my kitchen.

Anniversary Chicken I
From Allrecipes.com, introduced to us by Stacy Christian

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 c. teriyaki basting sauce
1/2 c. Ranch-style salad dressing
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
3 green onions, chopped
1.5 oz. bacon bits
1 T. chopped fresh parsley, for garnish [yeah right]

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts, and saute 4-5 minutes each side, until lightly browned.
Place browned chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Brush with teriyaki sauce, then spoon on salad dressing. Sprinkle with cheese, green onions and bacon bits.
Bake 25-35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Notes: What is the point of a garnish, really? Didn't have one and it still tasted great. I also didn't have green onions in my kitchen, so I used a little of a white one instead. I just added as much ranch dressing, bacon bits, and cheese that I felt like adding. I probably used too much ranch. We'll be making this again. Yum.

Pork Chops with Orage-Dijon Sauce

2009-08-14T22:50:00.003-06:00

Justin really liked this one!

Pork Chops with Orange-Dijon Sauce
From my slow cooker recipe book, page 305

6 boneless pork sirloin chops, cut 1 inch thick
Salt and Pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1 c. orange marmalade
1/3 c. Dijon-style mustard

Sprinkle both sides of chops lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle chops with thyme. Place chops in a 4 quart slow cooker. In a bowl combine orange marmalade and mustard. Remove 2 T. of the mixture; cover and refrigerate. Combine remaining mixture and 1/4 c. water. Pour over chops.
Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 6-7 hours or on the high-heat setting for 3-3 1/2 hours. Transfer chops to a serving platter; discard cooking liquid. Spread reserved marmalade mixture over chops.

Notes: I made lots of extra marmalade-Dijon mix to set aside and pour over the cooked chops. We like sauce. I cooked it for four hours on high. I served this with curry rice. We'll be making this again.

Tahitian Coconut Bread

2009-08-10T21:54:00.008-06:00

Tahitian Coconut Bread
From the Tahitian Village in the PCC

2 c. fresh grated coconut
4 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. water

Combine coconut, sugar, and water. Blend flour and baking powder together. Mix all ingredients to a doughy texture adding a little flour as needed so it is not too sticky. Separate into 5 equal parts and roll into the size of a hot dog bun. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hr. to 1 1/2 hrs.
Makes 5 loaves

Notes: Justin loved this at the PCC, so I made it (after I went to the store and bought baking powder because we haven't had any in our house since we've been married. Sad.). And it is sooooo easy! Woohoo! I actually had to add a bit of water so it would all mix. It has a great, non-american, subtle sweetness and it is not even fattening. I baked it for 1 hr 10 minutes. And I stuck coconut all over the top of them before I wrapped em just for fun.

Post Script -- If you are not planning on eating all five loaves within a few hours of baking them, then cut the recipe in half. I haven't figured out how to make it taste as good the next day.
Post Post Script -- It still tastes okay with jam. It's just super dense.

Steak with Mushrooms

2009-08-09T21:43:00.003-06:00

I'm a cookin fool! Woohooooo!

Steak with Mushrooms
From Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes
(I love this book! It's Justin's. There will be many more recipes from this book to come! It has a section for meals with five ingredients or less. Yessssss!)

1 lb. boneless beef round steak, cut 1 inch thick
2 medium onions, sliced
2 41/2-ounce jars whole mushrooms, drained
1 12-ounce jar beef gravy
1/4 c. apple juice

Trim fat from meat. Cut meat into 4 servings-size pieces. In about a 4-quart slow cooker place onion slices. Arrange mushrooms over onions; add beef. Stir together gravy and apple juice. Pour over beef.
Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8-10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4-5 hours.

Notes: I doubled the meat, added more juice, cooked on high for 5 hours, and it was yummy. Good for a go-to-church-and-dinner-is-ready-when-you-get-home meal.

Beef Taco Skillet

2009-08-08T20:49:00.004-06:00

I finally started cooking again! I got this recipe from enrichment. They gave us several easy recipes you can throw together with what you usually find in food storage (if you have such a thing). I just made this tonight. It was fast and yummy.

Amber's Beef Taco Skillet

1 lb ground beef
1 can (10 3/4oz.) tomato soup
1/2 c. salsa
1/2 c. water
6 flour tortillas (6") cut into bite size pieces
1/2 c. shredded cheese (I'm always liberal with cheese)
1/2 c. sour cream

Cook beef until well browned. Drain (if desired). Stir in soup, salsa, water, sour cream, and tortillas. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Stir. Top with cheese. (I just added cheese to each bowl when I served it.)
Makes 4 servings.

Notes: We decided next time we would add taco seasoning to the meat. I think it would also be yummy to throw some fresh diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce as toppings. We ate it in bowls, but I wonder if it would be good over rice?

Chicken Fajitas

2009-08-08T20:24:00.002-06:00

Chicken Fajitas
Chicken Fajitas
From the kitchen of Brooke Hochstein

1 large onion, sliced
1 large green pepper, sliced
1 can sliced pineapple
1 package of fajita seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
6 chicken breasts
tortillas

Toppings: Sour cream, grated cheese, guacamole, diced onions, diced tomatoes, salsa

Cook the chicken through on a skillet, add the fajita seasoning according to instructions on the package. Add peppers, onions, and pineapple to skillet. Cook until the veggies are the way you like them. Serve in the tortillas and add whatever toppings float your boat.

We made this when Dean and Natalie came to visit the other day. We have a table top grill, so I just cooked up the chicken and we grilled the veggies and pineapple as we ate.

Pulled BBQ Chicken

2009-08-08T20:18:00.002-06:00

Pulled BBQ Chicken
From the kitchen of Brooke Hochstein

4 Chicken Breasts
1 Bottle BBQ sauce of choice (I used Tony Roma's Carolina Honeys)
Hamburger Buns

Simple as can be -- throw the frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot and then cover it all over with the BBQ sauce. 4-6 hours later, the chicken falls apart. Slap it on a hamburger bun and you've got your meal. Add more BBQ sauce when the chicken is on the bun, if desired.

Chicken Rolls

2009-04-27T20:38:00.000-06:00

I finally cooked something new again! Who knew how hard it is to find time to cook when you have a bitty baby around. Luckily I have a husband who is willing to help with everything! My mom made this while she was visiting a couple weeks ago, and Justin loved it, so I made it again tonight, and he still loved it! Woohooo!

Chicken Rolls
from the kitchen of Carol R. Cheesman

2 Pkg. Cresent rolls
2 Pkg. Cream cheese
3/4 c. Melted butter
1/4 c. Softened butter
2 c. Cubed chicken
2/3 c. crushed herb dressing [aka stuffing mix :)]
1/8 t. Pepper
1 small can mushrooms, drained [I used a large can. Still tasted good]
1 can Cream of chicken soup

Cream cheese with 1/4 cup butter and pepper; beat well. Fold in chicken and mushrooms. Separate rolls and place chicken mixture in center of roll. Fold rolls into a roll or ball. Dip in melted butter and roll into bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until light brown [it took me 24 minutes in Utah]. Serve with cream of chicken soup or chicken gravy. [Mix about half a can of milk into the cream of chicken soup and microwave till warm.]

Chicken Alfredo

2009-03-20T10:14:00.001-06:00

This is super easy and fast -- I make it on the nights I don't feel like cooking. That's because I don't make it from scratch! Yay!

Chicken Alfredo
From Brooke's Kitchen (Sort of. It's like claiming spaghetti)

3 Boneless chicken breasts
1 jar of Ragu Alfredo sauce
1 tomato
1 box of noodles (whatever)
Ground pepper

Cut chickens into about 1" squares or long skinny strips, whatever you feel like that day. Cook chicken. Pour the alfredo sauce in. Dice the tomato and sprinkle over the top for color. Pepper to taste. Serve with the cooked noodles. Looks better on the plate if you have a salad or something colorful next to it.

Notes: I usually grill the chicken on a George Foreman, but this time I put it in a pan and covered it to cook it, and it gave it a boiled effect and was way softer. But it made it taste a little more bland I think. I don't know which is better.

Broccoli Salad

2009-03-16T14:58:00.000-06:00

Whenever someone asks me to bring a salad, this is what I bring. I love it.

Broccoli Salad
from the kitchen of Carol R. Cheesman

3 Bunches broccoli florets
2-3 t Red Onion
3c Sunflower Seeds
10 slices (1lb) bacon
1c Mayo
1/2 c sugar
Raisins to taste
1c Cheese (fancy cheddar)

Mix sugar and mayo in separate bowl. Mix everything else and then add mayo/sugar mix. Save some raisins, sunflower seeds, and cheese to add to the top to make it look pretty.

Autumn Pork Chops

2009-03-08T19:35:00.000-06:00

This was the only thing I cooked (other than spaghetti) this week, and I was nervous about it. Prunes are definitely not usually found in my kitchen. I asked Justin to let me know if there is something he wants me to make, and he found this recipe online. It turned out great! I may have to edit this statement, depending on the after affects of the dried fruit.

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 1 Hr.
Serves 6

Autumn Pork Chops
From Yahoo! Food

Ingredients:
6 Pork loin chops, 1/2 inch thick
1 T Butter
12 Dried apricots
6 Dried pitted prunes
1 1/2 cups apple cider or juice
1 T Sugar
1 t salt
1/4 t curry powder
2 T cornstarch
2 T water

In a large skillet, brown pork chops in butter for 1-2 minutes on each side. Arrange apricots and prunes over pork. Combine the cider, sugar, salt and curry; pour over fruit. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Remove chops and fruit and keep warm. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; add to pan juices. bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with pork and fruit.

Brooke's Notes: I made it tonight with all the ingredients as listed here, and then I cooked in corningware at 350 for an hour instead on a skillet. I poured the juices in a pan to make the gravy afterwards and then served it in the corningware I cooked it in with the gravy on the pork. Next time I would make more juices because it was good served with rice, but there was not enough gravy for the meat and rice. I may also try slow cooking it next time; I just didn't think about it early enough today. It would also taste good with our favorite Cucina Tuscana green beans as a side which are marinated in orange juice before they are steamed. Yum. Today for sides we just had our frozen mixed veggies, spinach salad with carrots, cheese and dried cranberries, and sliced bread. Also, the curry is not very strong in this recipe, if I want to really taste the curry I would add a bit more, but I think it tastes fine with the amount called for.

London Broil

2009-02-25T08:33:00.000-07:00

I wasn't very satisfied with this one, but I would change a few things about how I cook it. I would not grill the meat, I would cook it in the oven so it was more tender. I also need to learn how to make gravy, because this one was just runny and separated every five seconds. It tasted good though. I served it with mashed potatoes, seasoned asparagus, and spinach salad with grapes, tomatoes, and poppy seed dressing. Justin ate it like a champ.

London Broil
from COOKS.COM

4lb. flank steak
1pkg. meat marinade (I had to use a steak marinade- couldn't find meat marinade pkg.)
1/4 c. oil
Dash catsup
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Dash seasoning salt
Dash garlic (opt.)
Dash liquid smoke
1 pkg. teriyaki marinade sauce (I used liquid)

Mix meat marinade, teriyaki marinade, oil, atsup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and liquid smoke together. Add enough water to make 2 cups. Place meat in casserole dish. Pour marinade over the meat and let set about 8 hours, turning once. Cook on grill 25 minutes at 350-375 degrees.

Gravy:

1/3 c. Marinade (I remixed a smaller batch instead of using the one the raw meat sat in for 8 hours)
2 cans consomme soup
1/4 c. red cooking wine (I substituted apple juice)
3T cornstarch

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Serve over meat or baked potatoes.

Taco Croissants

2009-02-23T12:55:00.001-07:00

Taco Croissants
From the kitchen on Tabitha Owens Welch

2 rolls of Pillsbury crescent rolls
1 lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
shredded cheese
sour cream
salsa

Preheat oven according to crescent rolls baking instructions. Brown meat, then season with taco seasoning. Roll out crescent rolls on cookie sheet or stone. Spoon meat into the larger end of crescent dough and roll the dough around the meat. Bake according to instructions on crescent rolls. Immediately after rolls are baked, sprinkle with cheese. Serve with salsa and sour cream according to taste.

Tony Roma's BBQ Chicken

2009-02-23T12:50:00.000-07:00

Tony Roma's BBQ Chicken
Made up by Brooke the Cook

This is super easy, I just wanted to remember that I made it and Justin liked it.

3 chicken breasts, cut in half
Tony Roma's BBQ of choice (I used Carolina Honeys)

Marinate chicken for at least an hour in the BBQ sauce. Grill. Served with mashed potatoes, squash & zucchini, salad, and fruit.

Sweet & Sour Pork over Rice

2009-02-23T12:36:00.000-07:00

Sweet & Sour Pork
From a ward newsletter

1 lb boneless pork
2 green peppers cut in 1" squares
1 can pineapple chunks (drained dry)
1/2 c cornstarch
Oil for frying
Salt to taste
Rice

Marinade:

12 T soy sauce
1 T cornstarch
1 T cold water
1 egg yolk

Sauce:

3 T vinegar
4 T cold water
3 T cornstarch
1 t sesame oil (found in asian food section)
4 T catsup

Pound pork to tenderize and cut in 1" squares. mix marinade and soak pork for at least one hour. Mix ingredients for sauce and set aside. Heat oil in large frying pan. Cook port until brown and done (about 2 minutes.) Remove from oil. Optional: Heat oil to fry the pork until crispy.
Remove port from frying pan. Drain all but 2 T oil from pan. Fry green pepper and pineapple, stirring constantly. Add sauce, continuing to stir until thickened. turn off heat. Add port and mix well. Serve immediately over rice.
Serves 3-4 people

Sticky Chicken

2009-02-23T12:32:00.000-07:00

Sticky Chicken
From the kitchen of April Walquist

1 c Catalina Dressing
1 c Apricot Jam
1 packet onion soup mix
4 Chicken Breasts
Rice

Cook chicken in a skillet until done.
Mix dressing, jam, and soup mix in a medium pan and cook at medium heat until the soup mix is soft.
Pour over chicken and stir. Heat through.
Serve over rice.
Serves about 4-5 people.

Chicken Lips

2009-02-23T12:28:00.000-07:00

Chicken Lips
From the kitchen of Carol R. Cheesman

2c 7up or sprite
1c Soy Sauce
1c oil
~1tsp garlic salt
4 chicken breasts

Marinate chicken at least 1 hour. Grill. (Optional: bake 350-400 for about 15 minutes)

YUM. We made this for our Raclette grill the day after Christmas, and it was a hit.

Chicken Enchiladas

2009-02-23T12:17:00.000-07:00

I made this for our 2008 Christmas with me, Justin, and Deano. Feliz Navidad!

Chicken Enchiladas
From the kitchen of Lisa Sorenson

Chicken Mixture:
Mix the following in a bowl and set aside

1 small can of green chilies, chopped
1 12oz. can chicken meat (or cooked chicken breast)
Salsa - enough to coat chicken

Sour Cream Mixture:
Mix the following in bowl and set aside.

2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 c sour cream
1/2 c salsa

Other Ingredients:

12 flour tortillas
2 c grated cheese (Mexican mix) split in two parts

Warm tortillas in skillet for 5 sec. then add chicken mixture to middle. Sprinkle cheese inside and roll up.
Place rolled up tortillas in 9x13 pan that is spread with some of the sour cream mixture.
Pour the rest of sour cream mix on top and then sprinkle with rest of cheese.
Bake at 350 deg. for 25-30 minutes.
Serves 8

Beef Stroganoff

2009-02-23T11:20:00.000-07:00

Beef Stroganoff
From the kitchen of Carol R. Cheesman

6 T Butter
2 lbs Beef Tips
Salt to taste
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 T minced onion
2 lbs fresh mushrooms sliced thin
Ground pepper
1 c sour cream

Melt 3 T butter in skillet. Add onion and cook slowly until transparent. Remove and set aside. Brown meat and set aside. Add remaining butter and stir in mushrooms. cover and cook 3-4 min. Season with salt and pepper and nutmeg. Whisk in sour cream. Do not boil! Add beef and onions and heat through.
Serves 8

I want to remember what works!

2009-02-23T11:15:00.000-07:00

The purpose of this blog is to help me remember what recipes I've made that Justin likes. I've been trying to domesticate myself since I have retired and am now at home with a bun in my own oven. If anyone else ever reads this and they have any suggestions, I'm always up for new ideas for food. Yay for food!