Chicken with Lemon and Capers

This is another recipe I found in AllYou magazine. Another quick, easy one with SOME normal ingredients I usually have around.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 5 oz. each)
Salt and pepper
1/3 c flour
3 T unsalted butter
3 T vegetable oil
1/4 c lemon juice
1/2 c white wine
1/4 c capers, rinsed

1. Preheat oven to 200F. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Warm 1 T butter and 2 T oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 chicken breast halves; cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter and tent with foil. Add 1 T oil to skillet; repeat with remaining chicken.
2. Add lemon juice and wine to skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Boil, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5minutes. Remove from heat; stir in capers and remaining 1 T butter. Cook, stirring, until butter melts. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.
(387 cal, 18g fat (7g sat fat), 122mg chol, 1g fiber, 41g protein, 10g carb, 1,010mg sodium)

Pasta Carbonara Frittata

I pulled this out of an AllYou magazine. The picture looked really good, and the ingredients look like stuff that I generally have.

8 oz. spaghetti
2 T olive oil
4 oz. turkey bacon
6 large eggs
1/2 c grated parmesan
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook spaghetti until just tender, about 8 minutes or as package label directs. Drain, transfer to a large bowl and toss with olive oil to coat. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Cook turkey bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain. Discard all but 1 T of fat in skillet.
3. Preheat broiler to high. Whisk together eggs, parmesan, garlic, 1/2 t. salt, and 1/4 t pepper in a large bowl. Pour over spaghetti and toss to coat. Crumble bacon into bowl and mix well.
4. Place skillet on stove over medium-low heat and add egg-and-spaghetti mixture, spreading into an even layer with a spatula. Cook until bottom is well-browned, about 8 minutes, sliding a spatula underneath frittata occasionally to loosen.
5. Place pan under broiler and cook until top is golden and set, about 3 minutes. Cut frittata into wedges and serve.
(387 cal, 23g fat (8g sat fat), 359mg Chol, 1g fiber, 22g protein, 19g carb, 663mg sodium)

Sweets

Lots o' good desserts, especially Christmas ones!! Look here....

Brown Sugar Spiced Pork Loin

*Makes about 2 1/2 pounds of pork tenderloin, enough to serve 8-10 adults*

Rub Ingredients:
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 pork tenderloins (2 1/2 lb. total), each tenderloin cut into two chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil

Glaze ingredients:
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon tabasco sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon, then coat the pork with the spice rub. Heat the oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet that is ovenproof (I used my cast iron skillet) over medium high heat until the oil is hot and rippling. Brown the pork, turning, about 4 minutes total. Leave pork in the skillet.

Stir together the brown sugar, garlic, and Tabasco and pat on top of each tenderloin. Roast in the middle of the oven until a thermometer inserted diagonally in center of each tenderloin registers 140, about 25 minutes. Let pork stand in the skillet at room temperature for 10 minutes. The temperature will rise to about 155 while standing.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting

I will make these cupcakes this season. I know that it's December 23 already, but I'll make them someday.

For the cupcakes:
2 eggs 1 1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 c sugar 3/4 t salt
3/4 c vegetable oil 1 1/2 c boiling water
2 1/4 c flour 1 1/2 t pure vanilla extract
1/2 c cocoa powder

Set oven to 350. Line two 12 cup muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside. Combine eggs, sugar, and oil until smooth in a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to egg mixture while alternating with boiling water. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour a scant 1/4 c of batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 18-20 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Completely cool cupcakes before frosting. (yields 24 cupcakes)

[bakers notes: you may not use all of the batter. do not overfill, or your cupcakes will sink.]

[bakers notes: even though you have liners, I suggest spraying the top of the

tins anyways. It will help the finished cupcakes not stick to the tins after baking]

For the frosting:

6 c powdered sugar 1 t pure vanilla extract

3/4 c butter, softened 3/4 t peppermint extract

7-9 T milk red food coloring

Fit a large pastry bag with a large star tip [kara's notes: I have a Wilton M tip that is for cupcakes] and set aside. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, combine powdered sugar and butter until butter is broken down into coarse crumbs. Add milk until desired consistency is achieved. Stir in vanilla and peppermint extracts. Scrape half of the finished frosting into a separate bowl. Color the other half with a few drops of the red food coloring using the hand mixer. Add large spoonfuls of frosting into the pastry bag, alternating colors. Twist the top of the bag and gently squeeze to pipe frosting onto the tops of the cupcakes. (yields enough frosting for 24 cupcakes)

Warm Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup

2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
4 celery stalks, diced
6 large carrots, peeled and diced
4 c fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
4 cans chicken broth
4 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
6 oz dry chow mein noodle
Pinch of salt and fresh cracked pepper

Heat oil in large dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, saute onion, bell pepper, celery, carrots, and spinach for 5 minutes or until veggies are softened. Pour in chicken broth and add chicken beast. Bring to high heat until just starting to boil. Reduce heat and add in noodles. Stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, season according to taste with salt, pepper and garlic salt. Simmer until ready to serve.
Makes 8-10 large servings.

Crock Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken

I found this here. I love me some crockpot meals, and this looks excellent.

Crock Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 chicken breasts
2 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp chicken bouillon
Combine oregano, salt, and pepper. Rub onto chicken. Brown chicken in butter
on both sides. Place in crock pot. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over.
Cool on LOW for about 4 hours. (Mine was done in 3 hours.)

Freezer Friendly Friday - Sloppy Joe's

I swiped this from my sister-in-law, and we love it around here! Just make sure you've got hamburger buns on hand & enjoy!

SLOPPY JOE’S

1 lb hamburger & onion –brown together

Add:

1 can tomato soup

½ C catsup

1 T dry mustard

1 t chili powder

1 T Worcestershire sauce

½ C brown sugar

Simmer for about 20 minutes. Put into quart freezer bags & freeze!

Freezer Friendly Friday - Bean Soup

NO NAME BEAN SOUP

3 cans (14 ½ oz) kidney beans
1 pkg chili mix
2 cans (14 ½ oz) green beans, cut
1 pkg taco mix
2 cans (14 ½ oz) white beans, cut
2 large onions
1 can (14 ½ oz) butter beans (lima)
3 lb hamburger
2 cans (8 oz) tomatoes with green chilies

Brown 3 lbs hamburger and onions; drain grease. Add tomato with chilies. Mix well. Put in soup pot. Add all ingredients including their liquid. Heat and eat. Makes 6 quarts.

This is a super yummy and easy recipe for a quick dinner or lunch that is healthy too! I froze mine in quart freezer bags, which serves about 4. Feel free to change up the beans to what you have on hand!

Freezer Friendly Friday

I have wanted to start posting Freezer Friendly Friday ideas for a while, but Fridays usually slide right by before I know it, and Freezer Friendly Saturday doesn't sound quite as nice. So here goes. With any luck, I'll post one each week - or if you have an idea, please post as well.

This recipe was found online, but I am not sure of the source. They have been passed around in emails for a while. So thank you - whoever you are!

Sweet & Sour Chicken

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
3 Tbl canola oil
1/2 cup onion, chunked
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chunked
1 1/3 cups cold water
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce

Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes. Brown chicken in hot oil until cooked through. Add onion and green bell pepper. Cook and stir for about 1 minute. In a saucepan, combine water and cornstarch. Stir in sugar, brown sugar, vinegar and soy sauce. Heat to boiling. Cook and stir until thick and glossy. Pour sauce over chicken and stir to coat. Allow to cool completely. Place chicken and sauce in quart sized freezer bags to serve about 4. Label and freeze.

To serve: Thaw and heat. Serve in bowls over rice. If you microwave the frozen bag for about 3 minutes to soften then dump the sauce into a sauce pan and heat. This meal will be ready by the time the instant rice is! So quick and easy. Great for one of those, "I completely forgot about dinner" nights.

**You can double the batch for dinner tonight and freeze one for later!

Motherload Cookie Bars

I think these are my heaven...

Motherload Cookie Bars

Layer 1: Sugar Cookie

•1 Roll of Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Press sugar cookie dough into bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish that’s been lined foil and sprayed with cooking spray.

Layer 2: Double Chocolate Chip Cookie

•1/2 cup butter
•1/2 cup white sugar
•6 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
•1 egg
•1/2 tsp. vanilla
•3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. flour
•1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
•1 tsp. baking soda
•1/8 tsp. salt
•3/4 cup chocolate chips
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Slowly add egg and vanilla until well combined.

In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to wet ingredients then stir in chips. Layer over sugar cookie layer, pressing gently.

Layer 3: Peanut Butter Cookie

•1 cup creamy peanut butter
•1/2 cup granulated sugar
•1 egg
Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix until combined. Press over chocolate cookie dough.

Layer 4: Chocolate Chip Cookie

•1 stick softened butter
•1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp.granulated sugar
•1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
•1 egg
•1/2 Tbsp. pure vanilla
•1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
•1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1/2 bag chocolate chips plus more for drizzling
Make sure oven is preheated to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer cream the butter and sugars until well combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Place flour, baking soda and salt into a large bowl; mix to combine. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips. Spoon the dough evenly over peanut butter cookie dough but don’t press, just leave uneven. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until center of dough is cooked mostly through. Edges will be brown. I covered pan with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking.

Let cookies cool completely. Lift out of pan with edges of foil. Drizzle top with 1/2 Cup melted chocolate chips if desired. (optional)

NOTE: You can layer dough and refrigerate until ready to bake.

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

YUMMY!! Found it here...

Zuppa Toscana Soup:

Ingredients:
1 package sausage
3-4 Red or Russet Potaotes
1 garlic clove minced
1/4 finely diced onion or onion dry flakes
3-4 tbsp bacon bits *optional
2 Cartons 32 oz chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 bunch of kale

Directions: Slice up your sausage. Place sausage in frying pan with a little pam and fry till browned. Then add the chicken broth, sausage, onion, garlic, bacon bits and sliced potatoes to a crockpot. Slow cook for 4-5 hours. Add the Kale and heavy cream for the last 30 minutes. Serve and enjoy! Makes enough for 6 people.

Perfect One Bowl Brownies

I'm a boxed brownie kind of gal...but I can't wait to try these. I got the recipe from here.

Perfect One Bowl Brownies
submitted by Melanie
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
4 eggs
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips (although I never measure--I just sprinkle them on top)

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl melt butter in microwave, then stir in oil, sugar and cocoa. With a wooden spoon stir in the remainder of the ingredients except for the chocolate chips. Spread into a 9x13 pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. If your toothpick comes out clean you have cooked them too long! DO NOT OVERCOOK!

Sweet & Tangy Meatballs

These look amazing! I'm going to try them this week...I bought the meatballs today. I'll post the recipe and my "vote" after I make them. :)

Chocolate Frosting

For G's birthday cake, I made two round chocolate cakes from a Betty Crocker cake mix. Then put strawberry ice cream topping in between the two layers and frosted it with a chocolate frosting I found on Allrecipes.com. Can't find it now...so sorry no link. It was SUPER good!!! I will definitely make it again for my cakes.

1/2 c (1 stick) butter/margarine
2/3 c Hershey cocoa
3 c powdered sugar
1/3 c milk
1 t vanilla

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternating add powdered sugar and milk (add more milk if needed for consistency). Stir in vanilla.

Cranberry Cheesecake Pie

A good idea for Thanksgiving???

Chocolate Fudge Butterfinger Cookies

Um...these look YUMMY! I got them from here...one of my favorite recipe blogs.

Chocolate Fudge Butterfinger Cookies!

1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder)
2 tsps. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

2 Full size Butterfinger Bars, crushed

1 1/2 Cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and use a cookie sheet with a silpat liner.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Slowly add eggs and vanilla until well combined.

3. In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to wet ingredients then stir in crushed butterfinger and chocolate chips. Using a medium cookie scoop, drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 9-11 minutes, should still be soft in center. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

3 dozen cookies

Taco Soup

I am hoping to make this soon. It has very little ingredients and looks tasty and easy!! (perfect for me)

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 c. water
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 pkg. taco seasoning mix

In a heavy saucepan cook ground beef with onion. Drain off fat. Then add water, tomatoes, un-drained kidney beans, tomato sauce and seasoning. Simmer together for 20 minutes!

Oreo Chunk Brownies

I will love someone FOREVER if they make me these. :) Don't they sound like the BEST thing ever. I'll let you know how they are when I make them (after my diet is over)

Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops

I found this recipe here. SOOOO easy and good! Next time I'll make the potatoes too.

6 pork chops, 1/2 in. thick (I only did 3)
1 packet dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning
10 oz. can of Cream of Chicken Soup

Place ingredients in crockpot, cook on low heat for 6 hours or high heat for 4 hours.

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

This bread was pretty good. It was moist, and easy to make.

3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c. vegetable oil
3 t. vanilla
2 1/4 c. white sugar
2 c. shredded zucchini
3 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1 1/4 . baking soda
1 T ground cinnamon
1 pint fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly grease 4 mini-loaf pans. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Fold in the zucchini. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gently fold in the blueberries. Transfer to the prepared mini-loaf pans. Bake 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Poppyseed Bread

3 c. flour
2 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. baking powder
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/8 c. oil
1 1/2 T. poppy seeds
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 1/2 t. almond extract
1 1/2 t. butter flavoring

GLAZE
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. orange juice
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. almond extract
1/2 t. butter flavoring

Mix together and beat 2 minutes. Bake in 2 large loaf pans (greased) at 350* for 1 hour. As soon as out of oven, pour glaze over bread after poking a few holes in bread with toothpick. Be careful to brush it on slowly so it can be absorbed. Take out of pans when cooled.

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies were excellent! They are also really good frozen!

2 1/4 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
1/4 c. smart balance margarine (or similar high-quality marg)
3/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. packed DARK brown sugar (I'm sure you could use dark or regular)
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs
1 c. heath bits
3/4 c. semi-sweet choc. chips* *you can use 1 c. choc. chips
1/4 c. white choc. chips* instead of splitting them.

Preheat oven to 375*. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Combine brown sugar, sugar, butter, margarine, and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add in eggs and beat well. Slowly add in flour mixture and mix until combined. Add in chocolate and white chocolate chips. And then mix the toffee bits until they're combined. Drop dough onto cookie sheets and bake 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.

Mock Eclair Cake

Mock Eclair Cake:

Ingredients:

3 Packages of graham crackers
3 cups of milk
1 box instant chocolate pudding
1 box instant vanilla pudding
1 8 oz tub of cool whip
1 chocolate frosting container OR frosting recipe that is below:

FROSTING:

3 TBL Butter
3 TBL Cocoa
1 1/3 cp powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
3 TBL hot water

Mix each box of pudding with 1 1/2 cups of milk and 1/2 of the cool whip and put into seperate bowls. Layer 9x13 pan with graham crackers. Spread one flavor of pudding on top. Cover that layer with graham crackers. Spread the other flavor of pudding over the top of that. Add one last layer of graham crackers. Mix ingredients for frosting together and spread over the top layer of graham crackers. (or use store-bought frosting. The home-made is much better) Chill overnight or at least 8 hours. Enjoy!!

Fruit Dip

1 can fruit cocktal, drained and crushed
1 8-oz block cream cheese
1 package vanilla instant pudding
1 T orange juice

Allow the cream cheese to soften (you can use the microwave if necessary. Add drained and crushed fruit cocktail, package of pudding dry, tablespoon of orange juice and mix well. Refrigerate for three hours and serve with graham crackers, vanilla wafers and the line. You can also shape it into a log and cover it with almond slivers.

Irresistible Brownies

3/4 c. butter
2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
4 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients, reserving 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. Pour into baking pan. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top. Bake 30 to 35 minutes.

Perfect Party Punch

3 (three ounce) packages of fruit flavored gelatin mix
4 c white sugar
13 c boiling water
2 (46 fl. oz) cans pineapple juice
1 (16 oz) bottle lemon juice concentrate
2 (two liter) bottles ginger ale, chilled

In a large bowl, combine gelatin and sugar. Stir in boiling water until mixture is dissolved. Stir in pineapple juice and lemon juice concentrate. Divide into two containers, and freeze until solid. To serve, place gelatin mixture in punch bowl, and chop into pieces. Pour in ginger ale.

Homemade Pedialyte

Just wanted to pass this along to anyone who needs it. I haven't actually made it, but my doctor gave me the recipe for it. It is much cheaper than the real stuff and you probably have most of it on hand for when the little ones get sick!

16 oz. lemon or orange juice from concentrate
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
8 oz. water

Mix together. Chill. Serve. Mmmmm.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

I found this recipe here a long time ago and had bookmarked it to cook another time. I came across it today and realized I had all the ingredients for it, so I threw it together for dinner. My 1 year old LOVED it and ate two servings. And Glen said he really liked it. Definitely easy and tasty (and makes enough for leftovers!)

12 oz. wide egg noodles, cooked according to pkg directions (I used farfalle)
3 T butter
3 T flour
1 1/2 c milk
1 1/2 c chicken broth
2 breast of chicken, chopped and cooked (I used the canned chicken (like tuna) from Costco and just chopped it a little)
1/2 of a small onion, chopped
1 T garlic, minced
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
fresh parsley, chopped (didn't use)

For the topping:
2 T melted butter
1/3 c italian seasoned breadcrumbs

Cook pasta according to package directions, set aside. In a large skillet, melt butter and add onion and garlic. Cook until onions are soft, just a few minutes. Add flour and whisk together and let it brown a bit. Slowly add the milk and chicken broth. Cook on medium low until bubbling and the mixture starts to thicken. Add salt and pepper, chicken and noodles. Combine well.

Pour into a greased casserole dish. Mix the melted butter and breadcrumbs until well combined. Sprinkle on top of the noodles. Cook in a 375* oven for about 15-20 minutes or until breadcrumbs are nice and toasted. Top with fresh parsley. ENJOY!

Scotch-A-Roos

Melt together in a pan..
1 c. karo syrup
1 c. peanut butter
1c. sugar
1 T. butter

6 c. rice krispies
6 oz. butterscotch chips
6 oz. pkg milk chocolate chips

After the butter, syrup, peanut butter, and sugar are melted, add the rice krispies. If still sticky add more rice krispies until desired consistency. Pack tightly in 9x13 pan. Melt chips together and spread on top. Chill, or let set.

My first cake

For my birthday, Glen signed me up for a cake decorating class at Roberts. It has been so much fun and I have learned so much in just the short three week class.

This is the first cake I made. It is chocolate cake (2 tier) with chocolate pudding between the layers. And then chocolate buttercream frosting with fresh strawberries. I took it to a family party and it was a huge hit! I was fairly happy with how it turned out.

Chipotle Chicken

The other day while I was looking for something for my friend to make for dinner, I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. I made it for dinner tonight and it was a huge hit with Glen. It was V.E.R.Y. good, but it was SUPER spicy. It is a definite make again meal.

Lower Fat Banana Bread

2/3 c. white sugar
1/4 c. margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 c. mashed bananas
1/4 c. water
1 2/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. baking powder


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray one 9x5x3 in. loaf pan with a nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, beat the white sugar and margarine until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs, water and bananas with the sugar mixture until it is well blended. Mix in the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder just until the mixture is moistened. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to blend all ingredients.
Bake at 350* for about 60 minutes. Bread is done when the top is firm to the touch and a golden brown color. Time will vary according to loaf size and oven type. When bread is removed from oven, allow it to cool on it's side for 10 min., then remove from pan and let cool on rack. This fread is also excellent if you add mini chocolate chips.

Servings per Recipe: 12
Calories: 169
Total Fat: 4.9g
Cholesterol: 35mg
Sodium: 275mg
Total Carbs: 28.8g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Protein: 3.1g

Recipe from allrecipes.com

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

My mom used to make these type of cookies whenever the bananas would go bad. I have been wanting some for a long time, and I swear everytime I buy bananas I think "this will be the time." Well, the last bananas I bought went bad WAY too fast, so I finally made the cookies. I was too lazy to look for my mom's recipe, so I just searched online and found this recipe. The cookies taste JUST like my mom's. Super fast, super easy, and super yummy! EnJoY!!


BANANA OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

3/4 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 c. mashed banana
1 3/4 c. oatmeal
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Chocolate chips

Mix ingredients together and drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Fresh Citrus "Vinaigrette"

1 t orange zest, finely chopped
1 t fresh thyme
6 T fresh orange juice
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 t Dijon-style mustard
pinch kosher salt
6 T "light" olive oil

Place the zest, thyme, orange juice, lemon juice, mustard, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk to blend. After mixture is blended, continue whisking and add the oil in a slow steady stream - continue whisking until mixture is emulsified.
Makes 7/8 cup.

Fizzy Orange

3 c fresh orange juice
2 c seltzer or club soda, chilled

Place orange juice in a 1-1/2 quart pitcher. Add seltzer/club soda and stir gently. Serve immediately over ice.
Makes four 10-ounce servings.

calories 84/carb 19g/pro 1g/fat 0g/sat fat 0g/chol 0mg/sod 27mg/calc 26mg/vit c 93mg/fiber 0g
From Cuisinart Juicer Instruction Manual

Fresh Lemonade/Fresh Limeade

3/4 c cold water
3/4 c granulated sugar
1 c fresh lemon or lime juice
1 liter/quart cold water or seltzer (for sparkling lemonade)
ice cubes
thin lemon or lime slices
fresh mint leaves (optional garnish)

Combine the cold water and sugar in a 2-qt saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool. (This is called a "simple syrup", and can be prepared ahead in quantities and refrigerated. For one pound of lemons - 1 cup juice - use 1 cup simple syrup).
Combine juice with cold simple syrup in a large pitcher. Add cold water or seltzer.
Makes about 2 quarts.

calories 80/carb 21g/pro 0g/fat 0g/sat. fat 0g/chol 0mg/sod 5mg/calc 5mg/vit c 14mg/fiber 0g
From my Cusinart Juicer Instruction Manual

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

So, I finally made the peanut butter bars I'd been craving for awhile. I wanted some that are just like the ones you had in elementary school or the ones you can BUY at the grocery store. These were really good, but they weren't the exact ones. :( So, I'll keep looking for that perfect recipe, just wait around. I found this recipe here, Heidi (the blog owner) is an old friend from high school.

3/4 C. butter, softened
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 egg (large)
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 C. creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. flour
1.5 C. oats
Frosting: 1 C. milk chocolate chips.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 8x8 glass pan13x9x2 inch pan. Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add egg, vanilla, and peanut butter and beat until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Press mixture evenly into pan and bake 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. (Note: Will be underbaked.) While still warm, evenly distribute chocolate chips. When chips have melted spread into a thin layer.

EASY Chicken Cordon Bleu

We made this for dinner last night. It was a combination of a few recipes and a few substitutions because I didn't want to go to the store. It turned out so good!

For the chicken part:

Bread chicken breasts in Shake and Bake or something similar. We dipped in egg then used plain Italian bread crumbs. Place chicken on a baking sheet (lined in foil for easy clean up!) Bake for 15-20 min. on 400 deg. Add a slice of (deli) ham and and a slice of Swiss cheese on top. Bake for 5 min.

Sauce: We found this here

MORAY SAUCE (Serves 4):

1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. flour
1 c. milk
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper

We mixed the flour and butter over medium low heat, then slowly added the rest, while stirring. It was so good! It tasted like Alfredo sauce from Olive Garden, but much healthier!

When the chicken was done we poured this over top.

So delicious. Easy. Enjoy!

Substitutions

I thought this was a great list, if you ever run out of something and need to substitute something else in it's place. I 'stole' the list from here (this is a great site for recipes, etc).

Handy Substitutions

Baking Products
Baking powder, 1 tsp.: 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar + 1/4 tsp. baking soda
Semisweet chocolate, 1 oz.: 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate + 1 Tbsp. sugar
Unsweetened chocolate, 1 oz. or square: 3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa + 1 Tbsp. butter, margarine, shortening, or oil
Semisweet chocolate chips, 6 oz., melted: 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, 2 Tbsp. shortening, + 1/2 c. sugar
Unsweetened cocoa, 1/4 c.: 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate (decrease fat in recipe by 1/2 Tbsp.)
Corn syrup, light, 1 c.: 1 c. sugar heated to a syrupy consistency with 1/4 c. water (GENIUS!!)
Cornstarch, 1 Tbsp.: 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

See flour substitutions here

Marshmallow cream, 7-oz. jar: 16 oz. package marshmallows, melted, plus 3 1/2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
Marshmallows, miniature, 1 c.: 10 large marshmallows
Pecans, chopped, 1 c.: 1 c. regular oats, toasted (in baked products); this is another smart one, especially for people with nut allergies!
Powdered sugar, 1 c.: 1 c. sugar + 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, processed in food processor
White sugar, 1 c.: 1 c. corn syrup; decrease liquid in recipe by 1/3 c.

Dairy Products
Buttermilk, 1 c.: 1 Tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice, plus milk to make 1 c. (let stand 10 minutes); 1 c. milk + 1 3/4 tsp. cream of tartar
Sweetened condensed milk, 14 ounces: Heat 1/3 c. +2 Tbsp. evaporated milk, 1 c. sugar, 3 Tbsp. butter or margarine until sugar and butter dissolve
Sour cream: Plain yogurt

Miscellaneous
Tomato sauce, 2 c.: 3/4 c. tomato paste + 1 c. water
Chili sauce, 1 c: 1 c. tomato sauce, 1/4 c. brown sugar, 2 Tbsp. vinegar, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, dash of grown cloves, dash of allspice
Ketchup (for cooking): 1 c. tomato sauce, 1/2 c. sugar, 2 Tbsp. vinegar

Spices
Allspice, ground, 1 tsp.: 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon + 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
Apple pie spice, 1 tsp.: 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg, 1/8 tsp. ground cardamom
Bay leaf, 1 whole: 1/4 tsp. crushed bay leaf
Chives, chopped, 1 Tbsp.: 1 Tbsp. chopped green onion tops
Garlic, 1 small clove: 1/8 tsp. garlic powder or dried garlic
Garlic salt, 1 tsp: 1/8 tsp. garlic powder plus 7/8 tsp. salt
Herbs, fresh, 1 Tbsp.: 1 tsp. dried herbs or 1/4 tsp. ground herbs
Mustard, dry, 1 tsp.: 1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
Onion powder, 1 Tbsp.: 1 medium onion, chopped or 1 Tbsp. dried minced onion
Parsley, dry, 1 tsp.: 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley
Pumpkin pie spice: 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground ginger, 1/8 tsp. ground allspice, 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
Vanilla bean, 1: 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp.: 1 tsp. bottled steak sauce

Alcohol (use water, white grape, or apple juice to make up the rest of the amount of liquid called for in the recipe)
Amaretto, 2 Tbsp.: 1/4-1/2 tsp. almond extract
Bourbon or Sherry, 2 Tbsp.: 1-2 tsp. vanilla extract
Brandy, fruit-flavored liqueur, port wine, rum, or sweet cherry, 1/4 c. or more: Equal amount of unsweetened orange or apple juice plus 1 tsp. vanilla extract or corresponding flavor
Brandy or rum, 2 Tbsp.: 1/2-1 tsp. brandy or rum extract
Grand Marnier, 2 Tbsp.: 2 Tbsp. unsweetened orange juice concentrate
Kahlua, 2 Tbsp.: 1/2-1 tsp. chocolate extract plus 1/2-1 tsp. instant coffee dissolved in 2 Tbsp. water
Red wine: Equal amount of red grape or cranberry juice
White wine: Equal amount of white grape or apple juice

Cake Balls

For Easter dinner I was in charge of bringing the dessert. I was really excited because I had wanted to try to make some cake mix balls (kinda like oreo balls), shape them like eggs, and dip them in chocolate. They are super yummy, but weren't very pretty, so I didn't take a pic.

Make a cake (any cake mix/flavor will work)
Cook it and let it cool.
Crumble the cake then mix in a can of frosting.
Roll into balls/shape you want, and stick it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Then try dipping them.

They are so rich and amazingly yummy!!!

Corn Flake Baked Chicken

This was okay, but we decided that it needed some sort of sauce/gravy with it. So next time we make it, we will make some sort of sauce with it, because the chicken was pretty dry.

1 c. milk
1 c. mayonnaise
2 c. crushed corn flakes
pinch chopped garlic
1 t. italian seasoning
boneless chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix milk & mayonnaise together. Then mix crushed corn flakes, garlic, and italian seasoning all on a plate. Dip 6 boneless in milk mixture, then roll in corn flake mixture. Bake in a greased or buttered pan until chicken is tender but thoroughly cooked, about 30-45 minutes. Serves 6.

Cafe Rio Pork

If you live in Utah or have been to Utah, you KNOW Cafe Rio pork. This is a GREAT recipe. I am going to start making it every couple weeks and freezing some. We've now eaten all the stuff we had in the freezer, by eating them on nachos and also just in tortillas. It is SOOOO good! Great sweet pork! I found the recipe here.

2 pounds pork

3 cans Coke (NOT diet)

1/4 c. brown sugar

dash garlic salt

1/4 c. water

1 can sliced green chilies

3/4 can enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness but any will work)

1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry) or on low for 8 hours.

Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

Aloha Pork Chops

These were amazing!!! We LOVED them. The recipe calls for the crushed pineapple, but I added some sliced pineapple too. SO yummy!! Plan to make these when you aren't going to be around the house, because they make your house smell SOOOO yummy, you won't be able to be around without wanting to dip in.

4-5 boneless pork chops
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and diced **(I used a whole green pepper)
1 medium chopped onion
20 oz. crushed pineapple **(I also added a couple sliced pineapple slices)
18 oz. honey-mustard barbeque sauce **(I couldn't find honey MUSTARD, so I just used Honey BBQ sauce. And I just poured almost the whole bottle in)

Place pork chops in greased crock pot. Sprinkle bell pepper and onion over meat. Spread drained pineapple over top. Pour barbeque sauce evenly over pineapple. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Cut meat into chunks **(we just ate whole porkchops). Makes 4-6 servings. Serve over hot cooked brown rice.

Pineapple Pork Chops and Rice

This was a pretty easy recipe. Wasn't as good as it looked. I think that the rice didn't turn out exactly right, but it was really good. I will definitely try it again though.

Sprinkle 4-6 1/4" thick pork chops with salt and pepper. Brown well on both sides in 2T. butter; add 1 8oz. can crushed pineapple with syrup. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Move chops to one side. Add 1c. water and 3/4t. salt in the skillet. Bring to a boil and add 1 1/2c. Minute Rice. Cook until rice has absorbed liquid.

Blonde Brownies

We used to always make these growing up. And I was in the mood to make something, so I decided on Blonde Brownies, because I didn't know if I wanted cookies or brownies. They are SO yummy. I love the crust. ((I didn't have shortening, so I used butter instead and they still turned out good))

2 c. sifted flour 2/3 c. shortening
1 t. baking powder 2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 t. baking soda 2 slightly beaten eggs
1 t. salt 2 t. vanilla
1 c. chopped nuts (optional) 1 pkg. chocolate chips

Sift dry ingredients 2 times. Add nuts. Melt shortening (add 2 T. hot water if vegetable shortening is used). Cool. Stire in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture gradually, mixing well. Spread in greased 9x13x2 in. pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes. Cool in pan, cut into bars.

Chocolate Chip Dump Cake

I really want to make this cake. What kind of occasion can I use as an excuse?

Chocolate Chip Dump Cake
Jen

1/4 cup oil
1 1/2 cup water
2 eggs
1 chocolate cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hines)
1 6 oz pkg chocolate chips
1 small chocolate instant pudding

Pour oil in bundt pan to grease. (some oil will puddle at the bottom of the pan which is fine) Stir remaining ingredients until moist and transfer to pan. Bake 40 minutes - 350 degrees. Cool - dust with powdered sugar. Can be served with vanilla ice cream or cool whip.

Easter Jello

If I'm feeling super motivated on Sunday, I might make this for Easter (or maybe tomorrow night). It's SUPER cute. I'll definitely take pictures if I do.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Noodles

Noodles: Super Easy - Don't be intimidated!
First thing in the morning mix:
1 egg
1/4 c. evaporated milk
salt
Then add flour to make it the consistency of bread dough. Dump onto floured surface and knead a little. USE TONS OF FLOUR. Roll out to about 1/8 in. thick and cut into noodle sized pieces with a pizza cutter. Add flour and move the noodles around. All day. Until they dry out.

Later that afternoon:
Boil chicken in chicken broth with chopped onion, parsley, and basil. Take out the chicken and shred it. Combine it all again, add 1 can cream of chicken soup and about 6 cups of chicken broth or bouillon equivalent. Add carrots and celery. Boil until the veggies are crisp-tender. Add noodles - brush off the flour a little. Make sure you add the noodles to BOILING soup, stir while adding. They will be done in about 10 minutes, and they soak up the broth so you may need to add more.

It is a good, hearty soup. My Mom makes it after Thanksgiving with leftover turkey and serves it over mashed potatoes! So good!

Cake Mix Cookies

This is a cookie recipe that I have wanted to make forever. Today since I wanted cookies and didn't want to take the time to make them I decided to try this recipe. They were good cookies, super easy and there are plenty of varieties you can make with this simple recipe:

1 box of dry cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil

Mix and bake at 375 for 8-12 minutes.

Try any flavor with different results! Some variations are:
* Yellow Cake mix with 1 cup chocolate chips (Chocolate Chip) **This is the one I made**
* Cinnamon cake mix (or spice) with cinnamon & sugar sprinkled on top (snickerdoodle)
* White Cake mix - frost when cooled (Sugar cookies)
* Chocolate cake mix with nuts and marshmellows (rocky road)
* Chocolate cake mix with chunks of peanutbutter cups in it
* French Vanilla or Yellow - when cooled layer with strawberries and whip cream (Strawberry shortcakes)
* Strawberry cake mix with vanilla frosting
* Devils Food - cool than spread with vanilla ice cream and freeze for homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches!

Baked Mac N' Cheese

Tonight for dinner we made this Baked Mac N' Cheese and it was EXCELLENT! Glen absolutely loved it, so I guess I'll have to make it a lot more often. I found this recipe on my mom's student teachers recipe blog here. The only change we did, was adding italian bread crumbs on top of the cheese before putting it in the oven. Glen really likes it when it's crispy, so it was a good addition. E.N.J.O.Y.

BAKED MAC N' CHEESE

2 slices of bacon (optional)
8 ounces penne pasta (or pasta of your choice)
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta and drain when done. In the mean time (if making it with bacon), place bacon in a large, skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.In the skillet, saute the chopped onion, and minced garlic. Take off heat and add chopped cooked bacon and set aside. In the mean time (to make the sauce), in a medium saucepan melt the butter or margarine over low heat. Once melted, add the flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Gradually add milk and continue stirring until thickened. Stir in 2 cups of the grated cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Combine everything except 1 cup of cheese. Pour into a 2 quart (square) casserole dish. Add the last cup of grated cheddar cheese to top of mixture. Bake uncovered until cheese on top is melted and brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.

**Thanks Lindsey!!**

Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookie

I made these last Saturday and they were a huge hit!

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 T. water
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs

Mix ingredients together.

When smooth, add:
1 2/3 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt

Add 1 c. coconut (optional), 3 c. instant oatmeal and 1 pkg (12 oz) chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes 4 1/2-5 dozen.

Snickerdoodles

I have been craving Snickerdoodles for weeks. And I finally made some tonight. They were great and filled my craving. :)

Mix:
1 c. Shortening
1 1/2 c. Sugar
2 eggs

Sift:
2 1/2 c. Flour
2 t. Cream of Tartar
1 t. Baking Soda
1/2 t. Salt

Add to first mixture.

Form dough into walnut-size balls and roll in a cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place 2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.

Chocolate Mint Cookies

These cookies are amazing...but the recipes uses a lot of "mixes" and makes a lot of cookies!! Definitely for the chocolate lover in all of us.

2 boxes Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 box Brownie Mix
3 Eggs
3/4 c. Oil
3/4 c. Water

Combine all ingredients. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Place one Ande's Mint on each cookie right out of the oven. Spread with a fork when melted and let the mint dry.

Parmesan Chicken

This is a recipe I made a long time ago, and should definitely make again. Only problem is I never just have plain yogurt laying around and I'm trying to get better at not shopping everyday for dinner that same night.

8 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 c. Plain Yogurt
2 c. Ritz crackers
1 T. Parmesan Cheese
1 T. Garlic Salt
1 t. salt

Roll chicken breasts in yogurt. Crush crackers and mix with remaining ingredients. Roll chicken in cracker mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Noodle Casserole

This was a very easy recipe. I had the ground beef already browned before I went to work. Came home and had everything mixed and in the oven within about 10 minutes (the noodles only take 5-7 minutes to cook). This is a lot better than it looks (or sounds).

12 oz. egg noodles
1 lb. ground beef
1 can corn
1 can tomato soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Cook and drain noodles. Brown 1 lb. ground beef with chopped onions. Add corn, tomato soup, and cream of mushroom soup. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

*One thing that I would change next time is to put some cheese on right at the end.*

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

I did so good at cooking this week. On Monday I made this chicken pot pie, because I had everything already at home (that doesn't happen very often) and I had a couple leftover refrigerator biscuits I needed to use. I used some different veggies than I was used to in pot pie, but it was still good.

1 lb pkg frozen mixed veggies
1 c cooked cut-up chicken
1 can cream of chicken

Mix above items altogether in ungreased 2 quart casserole dish.

1 c Bisquick
1/2 c milk
1 egg

Stir above items with a fork until blended. Pour into casserole. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. (Serves 6)

Oreo Balls

For my Grandma's birthday party, my cousin brought these AMAZING oreo balls. She originally got the recipe from here. They are SOOOO good! So, Saturday I decided to try making them. They were SO easy and good. Sorry didn't get a picture though (the website has them if you want to see the end product).


1 package oreo cookies (divided… use cookie including the cream center)
1 8oz. package cream cheese (softened)
white chocolate bark

Finely crush 7 cookies in a food processor or place them in a ziploc bag and crush into a fine consistency. Reserve for later. Crush remaining cookies and stir in softened cream cheese. Use the back of a large spoon to help mash the two together (I used my hands). Roll the mixture into 1" balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. Put in freezer for about 10 minutes. Melt chocolate as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra and set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry. You can sprinkle the tops with the 7 crushed cookies for decoration. Once dry, refrigerate and enjoy!

Makes about 36 truffles.

Notes: They are also good dipped in regular milk chocolate bark (I dipped mine in milk chocolate). And for an extra twist, use the mint oreo sandwich cookies. (I'm thinking about trying Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies)......MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!

Creamy Black Bean Salsa Chicken

This week I have been trying to be better at cooking dinner. This was a recipe that my friend had in a cookbook she gave me. It was SO good, Glen loved it.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 c. chicken broth

1 c. salsa

10 oz. corn, drained

15 oz. black beans, drained

1 pkg taco seasoning

1/2 sour cream

1 c. grated cheddar cheese

Place chicken in greased crock pot. Pour broth, salsa, corn, beans, and taco seasoning

over chicken. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. Remove chicken. Stir sour cream and

cheese into sauce in slow cooker, then pour over chicken. Serves 4. Serve with

warm flour tortillas and spanish rice.

...not exactly the most appetizing picture, but it tastes good...

These really were SO easy and so good. We ate the leftovers tonight for dinner. I just shredded

the chicken and we threw them on top of chips for nachos! AMAZING!!!

Chicken Enchiladas

One thing I have mastered and love to make is my mom's chicken enchiladas. They are really easy to double the recipe also, and you can freeze the other one. Just make sure that your freezer works before you stick it in there though (long story). This is REALLY easy (obviously, because I can make it) and can be made as spicy or not spicy as you'd like.

Chicken - I only use like 2-3 chicken breasts
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
1 c. Sour Cream
1 can chopped Green Chilis (opt)
1 doz. Tortillas

Boil chicken in a pan of water with salt, pepper, and an onion (I usually just boil the chicken...I don't worry about the other stuff). Cook til done. Remove from heat and shred. Mix sour cream, soup, chilis, and small amout of cheese. Remove about 2/3 cup for the top. Spread a small amount of sauce on bottom of greasted 9x13 pan. Add chicken to the rest of the sauce. Layer tortillas, sauce, and more cheese in pan. End with tortillas. Or you can roll the tortillas with the sauce inside. Spread reserved sauce on top, then end with more cheese. Bake in 350* for about 45 minutes, until bubbly. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

White Bread

So, anyone that knows my mom LOVES her bread. She has sold it as a fundraiser and is always in charge of bringing it to "events." My sisters have both mastered the bread making, but I haven't. This is something that I need to try...to make my mom proud. :)

Mix: 4 c. Water
4 T. Sugar
2 T. Yeast

Add: 4 t. Salt
4 T. Shortening
10-12 c. Flour

Knead well - put straight into 4 greased bread pans. Let rise for about 1 hour. Bake at 400* for 20 minutes. When they come out of the oven, my mom always brushes water on them and then takes them out of the pans within a few minutes.

The Birth...

So, I've decided to start this blog, because I'm tired of finding recipes I like and printing out the papers or writing them down and losing them! This is going to be my online cookbook/recipe holder. And I decided to share it with all my friends.

I am not a very good cook (mainly because of no time to do it)...and one of my new years resolutions is to cook dinner more (my poor husband). So I am going to be posting recipes I want to make, and recipes that I have tried. Anyone else that wants to post your favorite recipes, you are more than welcome!!

If you post a recipe, please do your best to post the link from where you go it. And if you try someone's recipe that was posted, please come back and comment on how it turned out!

Thanks...and let's try cooking. :)