Monday, February 25, 2019

Granola Bars

2 1/4 c quick cooking oats
1 1/2 c crispy rice cereal
6 T butter
1/3 c honey
3/4 c light brown sugar, packed
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 c chocolate chip

Line a pan with parchment paper.  In a large mixing bowl stir together oats and cereal.  Add butter, brown sugar and honey to a large microwave safe bowl and heat mixture for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir mixture until butter has melted. Return to microwave and heat for 1 minute.  Stir in vanilla. Pour over oats mixture and stir gently until coated evenly. Gently stir in chocolate chips.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. Lightly grease your hands with cooking spray and press the mixture evenly into the pan.

Lay a piece of parchment or wax paper over the top of the bars and press extra firmly all around the pan to flatten the bars. This is the most important step to insure they don't crumble when you cut them.  Refrigerate for about 1-2 hours before pulling up on the parchment paper to remove them from the pan and cut them. 

Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for firmer bars or at room temperature for softer bars). 
Bars are best enjoyed within 7 days.

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Chicken Spinach Enchiladas

Chicken
1/2 c onions
Olive Oil
11/4 c spinach
2 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 c sour cream
1can enchilada sauce
Tortillas

Cook chicken and cut into pieces.  Saute onion in olive oil until onion is transparent. Add spinach and cook.  Combine chicken, onion, spinach, cheese, and sour cream in a mixing bowl and mix well.  Fill tortillas with spinach-cheese mixture and roll up enchilada-style. Placing seam side down in a 9x13 baking dish.  Drizzle enchilada sauce over dish and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350°.

Short Sharp Chops

4 boned center-cut loin pork chops
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 teaspoons grated, peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil

Trim fat from pork and slice into 1/4-1/2 inch strips. Combine soy sauce and the next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a large zip-lock bag. Add pork to bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour (turning the bag occasionally). Remove pork from bag; discard marinade.

Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add strips; sauté until cooked through. Serve over sticky rice.

Simple Feta Chicken

Chicken
1 teaspoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup chopped red pepper
5 ounces feta cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Combine parsley through pepper. Sprinkle half of the herb mixture over top chicken, flip the chicken, and sprinkle the rest of the mixture over.  Sprinkle 1 cup chopped red peppers over top and finish it off by sprinkling the feta cheese over top all the chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Pineapple Pork Chops

1 (8 ounce) can pineapple rings, juice drained and reserved
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 pork chops
1 pinch ground black pepper

Mix together the drained pineapple juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, and garlic powder together in a large plastic zipper bag, and smush the bag a few times with your hands to mix the marinade and dissolve the sugar. Place the pork chops into the marinade, squeeze out any air in the bag, seal it, and refrigerate overnight. Reserve the pineapple rings.

Remove the chops from the marinade, shaking off excess, and grill until browned, the meat is no longer pink inside, and the meat shows good grill marks, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Brush several times with marinade and let the marinade cook onto the surface of the meat. Discard excess marinade. While the meat is grilling, place 4 pineapple rings onto the grill, and allow to cook until hot and the slices show grill marks; serve the chops topped with the grilled pineapple rings.

Crockpot Broccoli Beef

1 1/2 pounds flank steak, thinly sliced and chopped into 2 inch pieces
1 cup beef broth
2/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
4 cups broccoli florets
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons cold water

Grease the inside of a slow cooker. Add steak, beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and chili flakes. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low 4-5 hours.

Minutes before serving, uncover the slow cooker. In a small bowl whisk corn starch and water until dissolved. Add to slow cooker and stir. Cover and allow to cook another 20-25 minutes.

Just before serving, cook the broccoli and add to the crockpot.

Florentine Meatballs

1 bunch spinach
2 lb ground turkey
olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large egg
1/4 c milk
3/4 c bread crumbs
1/2 c parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat a medium saute pan with 1 T olive oil over med heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Take off heat and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, stir together the egg, ¼ cup of the milk, bread crumbs, cheese, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Combine spinach and cooled onion mixture with bread crumb mixture. Add ground turkey and fluff all ingredients together with your hands or two forks, careful to mix lightly.
Form desired sized meatballs and place on a sheet pan lined with sprayed aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes.

Pancakes

1 egg
1 c flour
3/4 c milk
2 T melted butter
1 T sugar
3 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

Beat egg until fluffy.  Add remaining ingredients, mixing until smooth.  For thinner pancakes, add 1/4 c milk.  Substitute flour and sugar for whole wheat, if desired.

Brown Sugar Waffles

2 eggs
1 3/4 c milk
1 stick butter, melted
2 c flour (whole wheat)
4 t baking powder
1 T brown sugar
1/2 t salt

Beat eggs until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth.  For regular waffles, sub flour for white flour and brown sugar for white sugar.

Fruit Torte

1 package graham crackers, crushed
1 stick butter, melted
2 T sugar

Mix these together, press into a cake pan.  Bake 350 for 10 minutes.  Save a few tablespoons of crust mix.

1 package cream cheese, softened
1 container whipped topping
1 small package jello, desired flavor

Mix these in a mixer.  Spread on top of cooled crust.  Top with pie filling (same flavor as jello).  Garnish with saved crust mix.

Caramel Puff Corn

2 sticks butter
1 1/4 c brown sugar
2/3 c corn syrup
1 t baking soda

Melt butter and sugar.  Add in corn syrup.  Mix in baking soda.  Spread over puffcorn.  Bake on cookie sheet at 250 for 45 minutes.  Stir every 15 minutes.

Crockpot Mongolian Beef

1 1/2 lb Flank Steak
1/4 c cornstarch
2 T oil
1/2 t minced garlic
3/4 c soy sauce
3/4 c water
1 c grated carrots
green onions

Cut flank steak into thin strips. In a ziplock bag add flank steak pieces and cornstarch. Shake to coat.
Add olive oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar and carrots to slow cooker. Stir ingredients. Add coated flank steak and stir again until coated in the sauce.
Cook for high 2-3 hours or on low 4-5 hours until cooked throughout and tender. Can serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

Eggrolls

1 med cabbage
1 bag shredded carrots
1 shredded onion
1 lb ground turkey or pork
2 T salt
2 T sugar
2 eggs
1 package clear noodles
1 pack 40 sheet eff roll wraps
oil

Soak clear noodles in hot water and drain.  Let it sit for 5 minutes.
In a pan, mix ground pork and clear noodles with 1 egg until it's evenly mixed
Put shredded cabbage in, mix with 1 more egg.
Add 2 T sugar, 2 T salt
Add in shredded carrots
Lastly, put in onion.
Wrap into egg roll wrappers. 

Deep fry for 5 minutes or air fry at 350 for 8 minutes (small)/13 minutes (large)

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

Chicken
Milk
Ritz crackers, crumbed
Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper

Dip chicken in milk, then crackers - mixed with salt and pepper, lastly cheddar cheese.
Lay in a foil coated, greased 9x13 pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350, depending on how big chicken pieces are.

Copycat Crunchwrap Supreme

6 large flour tortillas
6 small corn tortillas (or tortilla chips)
1 pound ground beef
1 package taco seasoning
sour cream
nacho cheese (or shredded Mexican blend cheese)
shredded lettuce
diced tomatoes

Brown ground beef in a skillet, then add taco seasoning.  Set aside.  Heat tortillas and lay out the flour tortilla. Spoon some of the seasoned beef into the center of the tortilla. Top with some nacho cheese, or shredded cheese. Place the crunchy corn tortilla on top of the cheese/beef; spread a dollop of sour cream on top of it, then toss on some diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce. 

Starting with the bottom of the tortilla, fold the edge up to the center. Continue doing this in a clockwise or counter-clockwise movement until all of the tortilla is folded over, and the filling is entirely enclosed. If your filling isn't entirely enclosed and you have an open spot, simply cut out a circle from another flour tortilla and place it on the exposed area, then wrap the tortilla again.
Spray a frying pan with cooking spray.  Carefully place the Crunchwrap, seam-side down, in the pan. Press with a spatula and cook on medium-low heat, for about 3 minutes, until the bottom is nice and brown. Flip it over and cook for another 3 minutes.

Corn Chowder

1/2 lb. bacon
5-6 potatoes - cubed
2 c. water
2 c. evaporated milk
1 can of corn
1 small onion - minced
3 T. butter - melted
3 T. flour
salt & pepper to taste

Fry the bacon and drain the grease.

In a large stock pot, combine the potatoes, water, evaporated milk, corn & onion. Remove about 1 c. of the broth and pour into small sauce pan. Combine with melted butter & flour until smooth. Add sauce pan mixture back into stock pot.

Heat through on low until potatoes are soft.

Chicken Corn Stuffing Casserole

1 large chicken breast - shredded
1 can of corn
1 can creamed soup
1 can water
Shredded cheese
1 box of stuffing - prepared as directed

Mix shredded chicken breast, corn, soup & water in bottom of 9x13 pan. Top with shredded cheese. Cover with prepared stuffing.

Cook at 350 for 30 minutes.

Cheese Soup

6 c. cubed potatoes
Water - enough to just cover potatoes
1 c. carrots
1/2 c. onion - minced
2 chicken bullion cubes
2 tsp. parsley flakes
1 t. salt
1 lb. velveeta - cubed
3 c. milk
6 T. flour
broccoli (opt.)

Mix potatoes, water, carrots, onion, bullion cubes & parsley in stock pot until veggies are soft.

Whisk milk & flour in bowl and stir into soup along with broccoli. Turn down heat.

Add cubed cheese and stir until cheese is melted in. Keep heat low.

Layered Mexican Dip

In a 9x13 pan layer ingredients as follows:

1 can refried beans
8 oz. sour cream blended with 8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. taco sauce or salsa (taco sauce is better)
1 lb. browned hamburger with taco seasoning
chopped tomatoes, onions, green pepper (opt.)
1 can nacho cheese soup
shredded cheese

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

NYE Meatballs

2 T. cornstarch
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. vinegar
1 T. soy sauce
1 can pineapple chunks, juice separated and reserved
1 bag of meatballs

Mix cornstarch and sugar. Stir in pineapple juice, vinegar & soy sauce until smooth. Pour into skillet and cook on medium, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Boil for one minute. Add meatballs & pineapple chunks. Heat through.
Crockpot option:  Mix all ingredients in crockpot and heat on high for 2-4 hours.

Baked Ziti

1 box ziti pasta
1 onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef or turkey
2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
1 1/2 c sour cream
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 T grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta,
and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.

In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add
spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13 inch
baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour
cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and
remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.

Stroganoff

1 lb. ground beef or venison
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 t. pepper
1 t. salt
Little squirt of ketchup
Small drizzle of Worcestershire sauce
2 T. flour
1/4 c. butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 c. sour cream
1 pkg. egg noodles, cooked as directed on package

Brown hamburger with onions and seasonings. Drain grease. Make sauce by adding flour and butter to burger. Add soup and then sour cream. Heat through but do not allow to boil. Serve over cooked egg noodles. You can also serve over rice.

Potato Rolls

3 c. flour
1 T. dry yeast
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 t. salt

Mix together in large mixer bowl.

1 c. mashed potatoes (no liquid added) - may also use 1/3 c. water & 1/3 c. dehydrated potatoes
2 1/2 c. potato water
1/2 c. shortening
2 eggs, beaten

May blend for smoother texture. Mixture should be warm when added to flour mixture. Mix well, then add:
4 c. flour, gradually.
Do not add more flour. Dough will be soft. Put in covered bowl and let rise until doubled. Place dough on generously floured board. Sift flour lightly over the sticky dough so it won't stick to your hands. Cut into squares with a spatula, place on tins, and let rise slightly. Bake 13-15 minutes at 350.

Oven Pancakes

Mix:
6 eggs
1 c. milk
1 c. flour
3 T. melted butter

Pour in pan/cookie sheet and bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Serve with butter, syrup, or powdered sugar.

Wheatberry Chili

1 c. wheat
4 c. water
Cook these on low/simmer for 1 1/2 hours.  Do not drain!

1 lb. hamburger OR 1 lb. chicken, shredded/cubed
1 large can tomato juice (the big one)
2 packages of chili seasoning

Combine these with the wheat & water in large pot.  Mix and heat through.  The Plesheks mix in sour cream, shredded cheese & fritos.

Cream cheese chicken pasta

1 package penne pasta (16 oz)
1 chicken breast, cut into small pieces
garlic salt and black pepper
1/2 t olive oil
1 t Italian dressing
1 block cream cheese
1/2 c milk
1 T soy sauce
1/2 t Worcestershire sauce
Handful of spinach
Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to directions.
While pasta is cooking, combine oil, Italian dressing and chicken in large skillet.  Season with garlic salt and a little bit of black pepper.  Cook until done.
3. When chicken is done, add block of cream cheese and 1/4 cup of the milk. Stir constantly until cream cheese is melted.  Add soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.  Add more garlic salt to taste if needed. Add more milk to thin sauce as desired.
Add spinach last and cook until spinach is no longer crunchy.  Serve over pasta and add parmesan cheese if desired.

Seven Layer Bars

1 stick butter
1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 c butterscotch flavored chips
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 c flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for glass dish).
In a 9x13-inch baking pan, melt butter in oven and remove.  Sprinkle crumbs over the melted butter; pour sweetened condensed milk evenly on top of crumbs.  Top with remaining ingredients in order listed above; press down firmly with a fork.  Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Dad's Favorite Broccoli Cheddar Soup

1 stick butter
1 onion, chopped
Broccoli, chopped
4 cans chicken broth
1 lb Velveeta
2 c milk
1 T garlic powder
1/3 c cornstarch (or enough to thicken the soup)
1 c water

In a stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion in butter until softened. Stir in broccoli, and cover with chicken broth. Simmer until broccoli is tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Reduce heat, and stir in cheese cubes until melted. Mix in milk and garlic powder.
In a small bowl, stir cornstarch into water until dissolved. Stir into soup; cook, stirring frequently, until thick.

Michelle's College Chicken

Chicken
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1 can cream of chicken
1 container sour cream
1/2 c shredded cheese

Line 9x13 pan with chicken.  Sprinkle powders on top.  Mix sour cream and cream of chicken.  Spread over chicken.  Sprinkle cheese on top.  Bake for 45 minutes.

Cream Puff

1 c flour
1 stick butter
3 eggs
1 c water

Boil water and butter.  Stir in flour.  Beat in eggs.  Spread on greased pan.  Bake for 10 minutes at 400.  Let it cool

1 box of pudding
1 container cool whip

Make pudding and let set.  Mix with whipped topping.  Spread over top of crust.  Drizzle chocolate syrup over top.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

3-4 boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 c cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
oil

Sauce:
3/4 c sugar
4 T ketchup
1/2 c vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1 t garlic salt

Preheat oven to 325.  Cube chicken.  Dip chicken into cornstarch and then eggs.  Heat oil in skillet and brown pieces of chicken.  Put in a greased 9x13 pan.  Mix up sauce and pour over chicken.  Bake chicken for 1 hour, turning/mixing chicken every 15 minutes.

Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing

1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch mix TRADITIONAL not BUTTERMILK
1 c mayonnaise
1 c buttermilk
2 tomatillos remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro fresh
1 clove garlic
1 lime juiced
1 jalapeno

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

2 lbs pork (boneless pork rib meat)
3 (12 oz) cans Coke NOT diet
1/4 c brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c water
1 can diced green chilies
1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce 
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 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). 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.

Sloppy Joe/Sue

1 lb ground beef/turkey 
1/4 c onion, chopped 
1/4 c green pepper, chopped 
1/2 t garlic powder 
1 t salt 
1/4 teaspoon pepper 
1 c ketchup 
3 t brown sugar 
1 t yellow mustard 
1 T Worcestershire Sauce 
1/2 c water 

Brown meat with onions and green pepper.  Add remaining ingredients.  Allow to simmer 20 minutes.  
Crockpot:  Brown meat with onions and green pepper.  Add remaining ingredients to crockpot and cook on low 4-6 hours.

Zucchini Breadsticks

4 medium zucchinis
1 T garlic powder
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1 egg
1/3 c parmesan
1 t pepper
1/2 t salt
shredded cheese

Grate and drain zucchini.  Mix all ingredients except shredded cheese.  Press onto pan lined with parchment paper.  Bake at 400 for 35-40 minutes.  Add cheese.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Nauvoo Gingerbread Cookies

1 c sugar
1 c molasses
3/4 c oil
1/2 c hot water

Combine - Rinse molasses out of cup with hot water
Add: 2 eggs

Mix together the following:
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 t ginger
6-7 c flour

Refrigerate dough.  Roll out and cut with cookie cutter - Bake at 350 for 10 minutes