Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Holidays are Here Again!

Got a great holiday recipe? Post it in the comments and I'll move it up front!

Starting us off, by request. . .

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Serves 12 (people that won't eat cheesecake, or 6 who will. Sarah's editorial)

1 1/4 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (crush about 20
cookies in a plastic bag with a rolling pin)
1/4 cup unsalted butter -- melted
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese -- softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
4 eggs
3/4 cup chilled whipping cream (need to whip it with
2 teaspoons sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the cookie crumbs and butter. Press
evenly on the bottom of a 9" spring form pan inches. Bake 10 minutes,
then let cool.

Reduce oven temp. to 300 degrees.

In another large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, the cinnamon and
ginger on medium speed until smooth. Add pumpkin puree. Now add in
the eggs, one at a time on low speed. Pour into the cookie crumb pie
shell.

Bake your cheesecake until center is firm, about 1 1/4 hours. Cool to
room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours. (but in
your case, you did it two days prior at least)

To loosen cheesecake from the sides of the pan, unbuckle the side and
carefully remove. Serve a dollop of whip cream on the cheesecake.

This recipe is to die for!

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Lemon Pepper Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts
1/2 c. melted margarine
1/2 cup soy sauce
Lemon Pepper
Bake 350 degrees, covered1 hour
This comes from my 4 ingredient cookbook and it is so yummy. The sauce that the chicken cooks in tastes like the dipping sauce for lettuce wraps. We served it with rice and put some extra sauce on the rice too!

from Tammy

Monday, September 12, 2005

MawMaw's Spaghetti

by Anne Jones
Great Recipe...we call it "MawMaw's Spagetti" b/c my MawMaw always made it and we have no idea where the recipe originally came from.

In skillet, saute hamburger meat just like you would for spagetti.In a saucepan add 1/2 block of Velveeta cheese(chop it up so it will melt faster), 1 can cream of mushroom soup, and one can of tomato soup. I like to also add extra mushrooms, but not everyone likes mushrooms!
Heat until all melted and blended together.
Boil pasta, and add sause and meat! Voila!

Awesome MawMaw's spagetti! We love it, especially with toast instead of garlic bread! yeah, we are cheap! :)Enjoy!

Chicken and Rice

My family LOVED MawMaw's spaghetti!
Now here is one of our favorites and it freezes beautifully.
Chicken and Rice
2 (6.2-ounce) packages fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice mix
2 (10 1/2-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) package fresh mushroom slices
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
2/3 cup (reduced fat or no fat)Italian dressing
1 (8-ounce) container lite sour cream
Cook rice in a large saucepan according to package directions, using 2 cans chicken broth instead of water. Add mushrooms before the last 5 minutes. Stir in chicken, dressing, and sour cream; spoon into a lightly greased 2-quart baking dish. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 10 minutes.
Robyn

Everything Sauce

I really don't have a name for this sauce, but it is so yummy we continue to invent things to put it on. Maybe pancakes! :-)

In a small saucepan over low heat, put:
1/2 stick butter
juice of 1 lemon (I use concentrate)
yolk of 1 egg

Heat and stir until butter is melted, then add:
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 stick butter

Stir until butter is melted and serve.

Yesterday we had baked salmon, angel hair pasta, and green peas. For the kids I made 3 little piles on their plates and poured the sauce over all of it. For Troy and I, I started with the pasta and piled the salmon and peas on.

I have also put this on top of an angel hair dish that I put grilled chicken strips and sautee'd (in garlic and butter, of course) spinach, peas, and mushrooms on. Add Faux Focaccia and you will think you're at the Macaroni Grill!

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Fix It and Freeze It

Did you hear? I have a job that starts the same day that school starts. The only part of this working thing that fills me with dread is working all day and coming home and looking into their antsy, hungry little eyes asking, "What's for dinner?" (I like to answer, "We're having 'yuk, I hate that'" since that is the general reply I get). On very rare, on-the-ball moments for me I have been known to spend the better part of a Saturday cooking things to freeze for later. Let's post recipes that will freeze well. I like to do 'big doin's' cooking one day a week and double the recipe so that I can freeze part of it. I'll jump in with one that my whole family likes.
Constantly trying to expand my cooking horizons, I'm pretty much willing to try anything once. I found a new recipe that had lots of familiar ingredients and sounded good, but it also called for lentils. I purchased the lentils and prepared them as directed, and still have no idea what they are. Riley (7 yrs.) had helped me put them away the day before and we had been discussing the unknown origin of them. So, when I prepared the recipe I announced at the dinner table, "Riley, this has lentils in it." Ashley's (9 yrs.) reply was, "Ewwwwww -- did you get it from the washing machine?" Then we had a discussion that while I wasn't positive what lentils ARE, I know they AREN'T the same thing as LINT!

Penne Pasta

I didn't realize that I have already posted this recipe here. But on this post I will alter it for freezing. It is SO easy to make, and SO easy to double that I freeze half of the sauce and then only have to boil some noodles later.

I used to make this ALL the time -- super easy to throw together, and, yes, my kids actually eat zuchini AND red bell peppers in this! (Thrifty hint -- buy red bell peppers when they are on sale. Not on sale they can run up to $2/each! Keep them in the freezer, then just slice them frozen with a good knife)

1 pound Italian sausage
2 garlic clove, minced
1 large zuchini, diced
1 largered bell pepper, diced
1 c. mushrooms, sliced
1 c. frozen peas
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes, Italian style
1/2 lb. penne pasta, prepared as directed
4 oz. sour cream

Brown sausage in large 10"-12" skillet. Add garlic clove, saute' for 30-60 seconds (I think the original recipe called for onions, too -- but we're not big on onions here). Add all other veggies and continue to saute' until 'crisp-tender', about 5 minutes. Add can of diced tomatoes, cover and simmer for 20 minutes (while this is simmering, you can be boiling your penne pasta). At this point I divide the sauce in half. I let one half cool and later pour into a gallon-size Ziploc bag. The other half I continue as follows: Stir in cooked pasta (at this point I have to transfer it all to the pasta pot, running out of room in my skillet) then the sour cream until hot. When you thaw and heat the sauce next time, you will (again) need 1/2 lb. penne pasta (I let the sauce heat in a skillet while the pasta boils) and the 4 oz. sour cream. Easy dish from the freezer -- no chopping this time!

Saturday, July 09, 2005

Savory Summer Pie

Denise

Ok-Southen Living I like to use any fresh tomatoes not just plum

1 refrigerated pie crust
1 sm red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 purple onion, chopped
2 garlic clove, minced
2 T. olive oil
2 T. chopped basil
4 lg. eggs
1 C. half and half
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 C. (8 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack
1/3 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
3 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4 in slices

Put pie crust into 9-in deep dish pie pan; prick bottom and sides w/fork Bake at 450 for 10 min: set aside

Saute pepper, onion, and garlic in olive oil until tender and stir in basil

Whisk together eggs and next 3 ingredients. Stir in veggies and chesses. Pour into crust and top w/tomatoes.

Bake at 375 for 45 to 50 min or until set. Shield the edges w/aluminum foil after 30 min to prevent over browning Let stand 5 min before serving

7/08/2005 9:53 AM

Poppy Seed Chicken

Denise Waldrop

I know you already make this but for the 1 person who doesn't...

2(or 3)chicken breasts, cooked and
cut into pieces
8 oz. light or fat-free sour cream
1 can fat-free cream of chicken soup
2(or 3) T. poppy seeds
1 sleeve buttery crackers, crushed(Ritz)
2 T. butter or margarine

combine sour cream, soup, and poppy seeds in a small baking dish. I use an 8 in square size.
Mix in Chicken and top w/crackers. Dot w/butter and bake at 350 for 30 min
Serve over rice. Even Abbie will eat it :)

7/08/2005 9:35 AM

Friday, July 01, 2005

Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie

Fast quick and easily made with reduced fat ingredients!

1 pound lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs


1. Heat oven to 400°F. Grease 9-inch pie plate. Cook beef and onion until beef is brown; drain. Spread in pie plate; sprinkle with salt and cheese.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients until blended. Pour into pie plate.
3. Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes.

Happy Eating
Robyn

6/29/2005 2:30 PM

Monday, June 13, 2005

Miss Patty's Peanut Butter Milk-Shake

Several scoops vanilla ice cream
1 cup plus more milk
2-3 Tbls. peanut butter, more to taste
optional chocolate syrup

Mix all ingredients in the blender, add milk until milkshake consistancy. If you want to add chocolate syrup you can add it in the blender or drizzle over the top of the shake.

This recipe was given to Jack from his speech therapist at Baylor. We made it and the kids all loved it, I made a second batch that same day.

from Tammy
6/10/2005 9:09 AM

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Happy June!

Okay, is anyone cooking out there? I had a theme for June in mind, but it's not appropriate for hot weather. How about just good summer recipes? What's your favorite? What do you like to do for summer (grilled burgers are too easy -- I think we can all handle those!)

Let's get posting!

Saturday, June 04, 2005

Spicy Oven Fries

This goes great with your hamburgers. It's from Southern Living and it's light(for fries.) I also change it up some but I wanted to include the calories and fat so this is as published.


3 lg baking potatoes (about 2 lbs)
2 T. olive oil
2 T. Creole seasoning
Pam spray

Cut potato lengthwise into 8 wedges
Combine olive oil and seasoning in zip-loc: add the potatoes. Shake to coat. Arrange potatoes, skin down, in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with Pam.
Bake at 450 for 20 min or until golden brown

Calories per 4 wedges: 181(24%from fat) Fat 4.9g; Carb 32g
(Creole Seasoning = Tony Cachere's, ooooh-cha! s.s.)
6/4/2005 10:09 AM

Friday, June 03, 2005

Tater Tot Casserole

72 tater tots
1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 can lowfat cream of chicken soup
1 can lowfat cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup Kraft 2% shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350

Brown ground beef and drain. Add in soup. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with Pam & arrange tater tots in a single layer on the bottom. Top with beef/soup mix, spread cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes.
Makes 12 servings and is 4.5 Weight Watcher points a serving
Karene

6/2/2005 9:33 PM

Five Minute Lasagna

1 (26 oz.) jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 (30 oz.) bag of frozen cheese ravioli (unthawed)
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 (8 oz.) package shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

Preheat oven to 350

Lightly grease a 13 x 9 baking dish and spoon in 1/3 of the sauce. Arrange 1 layer of ravioli, then evenly lay all of the spinach over the top of the ravioli. Top with 1/2 of each cheese. Now cover with another layer of the ravioli, the remaining sauce and the remaining cheese. Tent with foil (don't let cheese touch foil or it will stick) and bake 25 minutes; then uncover and bake 5 to 10 minutes more until bubbly. Serves 6 and really is very quick to put together. My family all likes this even my child who doesn't care for green veges.
Karene

6/2/2005 9:28 PM

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Quick & Yummy Strawberry Trifle

Pound cake cut into cubes
White chocolate-flavored instant pudding, prepared according to package directions
Sliced strawberries
Whipped topping

Layer the cake cubes, pudding and strawberries in a trifle dish, making about three layers. Top with whipped topping.

This is a very pretty and easy summer dessert.
Robin Saylor

Friday, May 20, 2005

Recipe Swap 101

Welcome to the launch of recipe swap! Please feel free to post a recipe in the comments -- I can move them to the front, then we can all comment and ask questions. The idea for this site was launched from the need for hurried moms to work something new into their recipes that they cook on a regular basis. I may TRY to have a theme for a month. For May, however, the theme is "Get Real!" What is something I will actually make, that my kids will actually eat? For me, the trick is going to be taking the time to post my recipe here. . .!

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts

from MC Jennings

6 boneless chicken breasts
6 slices ham
6 slices Swiss cheese
12 strips bacon
tarragon
parsley

Pound breasts until 1/4" thick. Top each piece with a slice of ham and 1 slice of cheese. Fold chicken over ham and cheese. Wrap each bundle with 2 strips of bacon. Place in a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with tarragon. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until chicken and bacon are browned. Garnish with parsley.

To adapt to crockpot:
I put chicken breasts in sprayed (with Pam) crockpot. I put cheese and bacon on top of each piece of chicken and added 1/4 cup water in bottom. Cook on low for 4-5 hours (I do this because my crockpot has a warming function that while only supposed to warm, continues to cook). The chicken was very moist and tender and so easy.

5/17/2005 8:25 AM

Monday, May 16, 2005

Beef Tips

by Denise

I have a disclaimer at the start: my 3 year old only wants bean burritos and my 7 year old will eat most anything. So with that said...

I love the crock pot!
Beef Tips
2 lbs. beef tips (or roast that United cuts up for free)
1 can of Campbell's French Onion soup
1 can of Campbell's Golden Mushroom soup

I cut the tips smaller so there is less cutting at the table for the kids. Just put all in the crock pot and cook on LOW all day. Serve over rice or noodles.
Denise

5/16/2005 2:07 PM

Friday, May 13, 2005

Penne Pasta Dish

This is 'what's for dinner' Monday night. I used to make it ALL the time -- super easy to throw together, and, yes, my kids actually eat zuchini AND red bell peppers in this! (Thrifty hint -- buy red bell peppers when they are on sale. Not on sale they can run up to $2/each! Keep them in the freezer, then just slice them frozen with a good knife)

1/2 pound Italian sausage
1 garlic clove, minced
1 zuchini, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 c. mushrooms, sliced
1/2 c. frozen peas
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes, Italian style
1/2 lb. penne pasta, prepared as directed
4 oz. sour cream

Brown sausage in large 10"-12" skillet. Add garlic clove, saute' for 30-60 seconds (I think the original recipe called for onions, too -- but we're not big on onions here). Add all other veggies and continue to saute' until 'crisp-tender', about 5 minutes. Add can of diced tomatoes, cover and simmer for 20 minutes (while this is simmering, you can be boiling your penne pasta). Stir in cooked pasta (at this point I have to transfer it all to the pasta pot, running out of room in my skillet) then the sour cream until hot.

Melanie’s Chicken Pie

from Mignon

Pastry for a 2-crust pie*
6 Tblsp butter or margarine
6 Tblsp flour
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1-3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped **

Melt the butter; add flour and seasonings. Let bubble. Add liquids and cook slowly until thickened. Add chicken. Pour into pastry-lined pan. Top with rest of pastry. Pinch edges together. Bake at 425 degrees for 35 minutes. Yield: 4 (generous) servings

*I use Pillsbury Pie crust in the refrigerator section.
**If I cook my own chicken, I cook it in water with celery, onion, salt, and Tony’s or some sort of Cajun seasoning. If I use canned chicken (which works pretty well), I season it with Tony’s before adding it to the mixture. Two 10-ounce cans is slightly more than 2 cups of chicken, so I use the two cans for each recipe that I make.

Serve with fruit salad (I really like pear halves topped with mayo and grated cheese) and any green veggie that your family will eat.

5/13/2005 10:16 PM

Pulled Pork

From Mignon
(originally from Billie Teague)

For each 2 lbs of Boston Butt Pork roast
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup vinegar

Combine brown sugar & vinegar in roaster. Put in roast and add water to cover completely. Cover with a lid and bake at 300 degrees for 12 hours. Remove roast from liquid and let cool. Pull and put in 9 x 13 dish. Mix with Bar-B-Q sauce (I used K. C. Masterpiece hickory; it took an 18-oz bottle for 6 lbs of meat.). Heat, covered, for 1-1½ hours at 200 degrees.

5/13/2005 10:11 PM

Hot Ham Sandwiches

From Mignon
(Originally from Billie Teague)

¼ cup yellow mustard
1 tsp poppy seed
½ cup grated onion
8 Tblsp butter
8 slices ham, 3/8”-1/2” thick
8 slices Swiss cheese
8 buns


Mix mustard, poppy seeds, butter, and onion. Make 8 sandwiches each consisting of 1/8 of the sauce, one ham slice, and one slice of Swiss cheese. Wrap each sandwich in foil. May be frozen at this point. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

5/13/2005 10:09 PM

Saturday, May 07, 2005

Faux Focaccia

Got the idea for this from Rachel Ray's 30-Minute Meals (the TV show, although I currently have the book checked out). She used it as a pizza crust -- my family uses it to PIG out on!

1 refrigerated roll of Pillsbury Italian bread dough
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Rosemary

Preheat oven to 425*. Cut in half, unroll, and spread in bottom of 8x8 casserole dish that you have put about 1 TBSP. of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the bottom of (LOTS is great). It won't fit -- just kind of keep folding it over to make it fit. Put in the 2nd half the same way. Puncture the top of the dough with a fork several times, then put another TBSP. (or so) of EVOO on the top. Sprinkle the top of the dough with salt, pepper, and Rosemary (I personally like lots of salt, but it's a personal preference). Put in oven until golden brown (I THINK about 20-25 minutes, but I lose track!) The EVOO will still be sitting on top, but allow the bread to sit for a few minutes after you take it out of the oven -- it just soaks right into the bread making it EXTRA yummy! For calorie counters, it's a definite don't ask, don't tell dish! Rip apart and dig in!

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Southwestern Chicken Spaghetti

Robin Sailor

This is a quick and easy recipe that my daughter loves:

Mix together in a saucepan:
1 large can of chicken from Sam's (you can also boil and bone a chicken if you've got more time)
1 can original Rotel tomatoes, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup velveeta cheese, cubed

Heat until creamy and pour over cooked spaghetti. Serve immediately, or you can put in a casserole dish and rewarm to serve later.

Tuesday, May 03, 2005

Beef -n- noodles

Originally from Roxanne:

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
3 c. egg noodles
2 12 oz. cans of v-8
2 tsp. Worcestire
1 tsp. celery salt
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. sour cream

3 qt. saucepan -- put in meat, egg noodles, and cover noodles with V-8. Add Worcestire, celery salt, and salt and pepper. Simmer until noodles are done -- 20-25 minutes. Stir in sour cream and heat until warm. A Riley Stirman favorite!

Crock Pot Barbeque Chicken

Robyn

"an easy and often requested recipe"

Six Frozen Chicken Breasts, One cut up chicken (fresh), or a package of leg quarters (thawed)

1 Bottle of KC Masterpiece Barbeque Sauce

1 Tablespoon of liquid smoke

1/4 C Water

Spray crockpot with cooking spray. Place chicken and then cover with the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low for 8 to 9 hours.

Eat and enjoy!!!!
"My mother always gave us two choices for dinner: Take it, or leave it."
Buddy Hackett

Fajita Night

Roxanne

This is Roxanne and I had NO idea that recipe was a "Riley Stirman Favorite." Yahoo.

Okay--here's mine that is a big time no brainer. . .and all of you wonderful moms probably already do it, but it involves MINIMAL cooking and is cheaper than eating out. We had this last night, and my VERY picky children just gobble it up. PLUS everything comes out of a box or bag unless you want to make some of Sarah/Diana Perkins' awesome salsa to go with.

Buy either chicken or beef Fajita meat (available at Sam's AND Wal-Mart(and H-E-Bs.s.))--throw it on a George Foreman-ish grill or just in a skillet on the stove to cook.

Slice thin and serve with. . .

Sour cream
flour tortillas
grated cheese
lettuce (the shredded stuff)
salsa
refried beans
other veggie of choice
tortilla chips

Easy Roast Beef

Roxanne
If you own a crock pot, you can make this. . .it cooks itself. You have to start it in the morning, but if you know ahead of time you have a booger of a day coming, you will be prepared. I have also cooked it overnight and served it for lunch. The "secret" ingredient would make my Daddy cringe, but Momma has made it for him this way and he is none-the-wiser!

Buy a roast beef--doesn't matter what cut
Trim the fat
Dump salt and pepper all over it and seer (seer=small amount of oil in a skillet--about half an inch deep--heat the oil, put the meat in and cook all sides until just brown to lock in the juices)
Put the seered meat in your crock pot
Make THREE packages of instant brown gravy (I use Pioneer Brown Gravy mix). Just follow the directions on the package.
Pour that on top of your meat.
Turn on low and cook all day (about 6 hours) until meat is fork tender.

This tastes like what your Granny made. . .the meat juices cook into the packaged gravy and makes a "perfect" gravy every time.

Serve with salad, bread, and veggies