Fiesta Chicken

I love this meal, because it seriously takes maybe 5 minutes to throw it all together and put it in the oven.  I wrote it down YEARS ago as a 9x9 recipe, because it is just the two of us.  I'm sure if you just add maybe an additional can of cream of chicken and then add maybe 1/2 cup more of everything else then it will work in a 9x13.  I would probably add another can of corn as well, but I love corn.  Enjoy!

1 can cream of chicken

1 can of corn

1 cup instant rice

1 cup water

1 cup salsa (I use medium salsa)

3-4 chicken breasts (cut breasts in half)

Mix all ingredients in a 9x9 pan and add the chicken.  Cover chicken with mixture.  Sprinkle paprika on top.  Cook for about 45 minutes (until chicken is cooked) @ 375 degrees.  

Left overs work great as a chip dip too!  Yummy yummy!

Oven Roasted Red Potatoes with Rosemary & Garlic

This is a Paula Dean recipe, I tried it once, loved it and now this is the only way I cook our red potatoes!

1 1/2 lbs. red potatoes, scrubbed and dried

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

4 to 6 cloves garlic crushed

1 T. fresh or 1 t. dried rosemary

Preheat oven to 350

Peel a narrow strip from each potato. In a bowl mix the oil, garlic and rosemary; add potatoes and toss well. Transfer potatoes to a shallow baking pan and roast until potatoes are tender when tested with a tip of a knife. Serve hot!!

earth day

ok, so i know this is a recipe blog...but i thought-to make all of these amazing recipe's, we all do a whole lotta shoppin. so, in honor of earth day i am planning to buy reusable shopping bags and want to encourage you all do to the same! (i'm not a hippie by any means, i just think it's about time i do something to help out!)

i really think that each person can make a difference, which is why i'm spreading the word! so if you want to join me that would be awesome, and also, spread the word!

(i'll let you know if i find any great durable bags, and if any of you beat me to this, where did you find yours?)

ok...back to yummy recipes!

Rolo Cookies

I am sure many of you have had these before...if not they are some of the best cookies ever!

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour
12 oz bag of rolos

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Mix in dry ingredients. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cover rolo in just enough dough, so you don't see it anymore. Then roll ball in sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes.

Eclair Dessert

Graham crackers
3 c. cold milk
2 pkgs. instant vanilla pudding
12 oz tub whipped topping, thawed
1 can chocolate frosting

Arrange 1/3 of the crackers on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Pour milk into large bowl, add pudding mixes and beat for 2 minutes. Stir in whipped topping. Spread half of the mixture over crackers. Place another layer of crackers, then top with remaining pudding mixture and more crackers. Microwave frosting in container until melted and then spread over crackers. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Delicious!

Crockpot Lasagna

I love lasagna, and this recipe is very easy and delicious!

1 1/2 lbs. browned hamburger (add onions if you'd like-I just sprinkle a little bit of onion soup mix on mine)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1/2 c. water
6-10 dry lasagna noodles
1 small carton cottage cheese
2 to 3 c. shredded mozzarella

Combine hamburger, sauce and water. Then layer the following in the crockpot: Meat sauce, 2-3 dry noodles, broken into potato chip size, cottage cheese, mozzarella. Repeat 2-3 layers. Cook on low for 5-6 hours, or high 2-3 hours. It's a great recipe because you dont have to cook the noodles ahead of time.

Coconut oatmeal pecan yummies

This has got to be my favorite cookie recipe.  And guess what? There isn't even any chocolate in them,  but there could be....

1 c. butter or marg

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups flour

1 cup oatmeal

2 TBS milk or cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

1 cup coconut

1 cup pecans or walnuts

Cream butter and sugars till fluffy. Add eggs, milk, and extracts. Add flour, baking powder, salt, soda and oatmeal. Add coconut and pecans. Drop by teaspoons on cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Don't over bake, they should be soft and chewy.

Lastly, make sure to lick the batter bowl clean :)  Yields: approx 7 dozen

Ice Cream in Bags

We made these for RS the other night. They would be fun to make with your kids! I have even heard where you pass the bags around the circle while you are shaking them. Each bag makes about one serving.

1 Tbs. Sugar
1/2 C. Milk or Half and Half
1/4 tsp. Vanilla
6 Tbs. Rock Salt
1 pint size Zip lock bag
1 gallon size Zip lock bag
Ice cubes

1. Fill the large bag half full of ice and add the rock salt. Seal the bag.
2. Put milk, vanilla, and sugar into the small bag and seal it.
3. Place the small bag inside the large bag and reseal. Consider putting the entire bag into another bag to ensure no spills.
4. Shake until mixture is ice cream, about 5 minutes.

Then top with your favorite toppings: chocolate, caramel, strawberries, cookies...etc.

Mini Cheese Cakes

A recipe we all know and love, and if you dont, you will.

2 8 oz packages of cream cheese softened
2 eggs beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon juice
18 vanilla wafers

Beat cream cheese, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice until smooth. Place a vanilla wafer in cupcake liners and fill with mixture. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Cool and top with fresh fruits, pie filling or chocolate ganache.

Pumpkin Praline Muffins

I'll begin my first post with a real KEEPER. These muffins are so awesome. They didn't last long enough for me to even take a pic.

Praline Tipping:
3 T. butter cut into small pieces
1/4 C. Flour
3 T. Light Brown Sugar
1/4 C Finely Chopped Pecans

Muffin Batter
1 C. Whole Wheat Flour
1 C. All-Purpose Flour
1/3 C. Sugar
2 t. Baking Powder
1 t. Baking Soda
1 t. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 t. Salt
2/3 C. Canned Pumpkin
1/3 C. Unsulfured Molasses
1/3 C. Canola Oil
2 Eggs
1/4 C. Milk
1 t. Vanilla Extract

1) Combine all the topping ingredients in a small bowl and use your fingers to rub them into a crumbly topping. Set it aside. Heat oven to 400 degrees and grease the bottom only of 12 standard muffin cups. I used muffin cup papers, it makes for ease of clean up.

2) Next, make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together both flours and the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, molasses, oil (I used Olive oil because I was out of Canola, not sure what affect this had on the original recipe, but they definitely went quick), eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients just until the batter is blended. This is very important because it makes for a much fluffier muffin. If mixed too much, the muffin will be quite dense and tough.

3) Divide the batter among the muffin cups and sprinkle on the praline topping. I found it very easy to use a smaller ice cream scoop to make the equal. Then bake the muffins for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. I had to bake my here in Utah at a higher elevation, for approximately 20 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes before removing them.

Yield: 1 Dozen

South of the Border Lasagna

I got this recipe from a ward cookbook! Gotta love it!

South of the Border Lasagna

◘ 1 lb. ground beef
◘ 1 onion
◘ 1 can mild enchilada sauce
◘ salt and pepper to taste
◘ 1 doz. corn or flour tortillas
◘ 1 can milk
◘ 1 can cream chicken soup
◘ approx. 2 c. cheese

Brown meat and onion, add enchilada sauce and simmer. Spray 9x13 pan and spread half of the tortillas on bottom (I usually tear my tortilla's up into little chunks). Pour ½ meat mixture over tortillas. Mix soup and milk and pour ½ over meat. Spread ½ cheese over the top. Repeat layers. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Yakisoba

This is one of the meals that I make when I feel like we have been eating the same type of foods all the time. It is a nice change!

Yakisoba

◘ 4 pkgs. Ramen noodles, (Save one flavor packet)
◘ ½ head cabbage, shredded (or whole if it is small)
◘ 1 c. sliced mushrooms
◘ 2 cups ham or bacon, - cooked and cubed
◘ ½ onions, sliced thinly

Soak ramen in water for 5-10 minutes, drain. Cook onion, mushrooms and cabbage until they change color. Add all ingredients and heat noodles. Sprinkle flavor packet over, and serve with soy sauce.

French Dip Sandwiches

This is a little variation on the standard French Dip sandwich:

3 lb rump roast
1/2 c soy sauce
1 beef bullion cube
1 bay leaf
1 t dried thyme
1 t garlic powder (or 1-2 cloves)
Sandwich rolls
Cheese

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Add enough water to almost cover the meat. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 hours or high heat for 8 hours. Remove meat from cooker and shred. Use juice in cooker for dipping sandwiches.

Cut rolls in half and cover each side with cheese. Place under broiler for a few minutes until cheese is melted.

I added some Worcestershire sauce as well. And instead of Swiss cheese I used Havarti because I love it so much. This meal is super easy and has very little hands-on time. It's also a great way to use up left-over roast.

Healthy Chicken Nuggets

I haven't made this for a while, but I remember my kids loving it when I did.

Chicken Nuggets

6 oz box stuffing mix (I used Cornbread flavor)
4 egg whites
1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into nugget size pieces

Preheat oven to 425
Cover cookie sheet with foil and spray
Blend stuffing mix (bread crumbs and seasoning) in blender for 30 seconds
Dip chicken pieces in crumbs, egg whites, crumbs again
Bake 15 min, turn, bake 5 min more

Crock Pot Chicken Spaghetti

This is one of our standards in our family (especially on Sunday when you want to eat the second you walk in the door!).

Crock Pot Chicken Spaghetti (I usually double on Fast Sunday or if we want leftovers)

4-6 chicken breasts cubed
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small package spaghetti seasoning
1 can mushrooms

combine, cook 4-6 hours. Add: 1 pkg cream cheese and cook 1 hour more.
Serve over rice or noodles.

Variation: use cream of celery soup and Zesty Italian dressing mix. Both are awesome and so easy!

Delicioso RIBS!

My first attempt at the meat I was always scared to make. It couldn't have been easier!
And they were gooooooood....

Country style pork spare ribs (however many pounds you need)
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 bottle of good barbecue sauce

In a crock pot, cook the heck out of the ribs, around 7 hours on low. Drain off the fat and transfer to a cookie sheet. Sprinkle mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper evenly. Spread sauce evenly over ribs and either grill or bake in oven on 400 degrees till edges are crispy.
I think these will replace many a Sunday pot roast!