Gingerbread Boys and Girls

Guess what kind of cookies I made for Bunco/Cookie Exchange tonight????? Our family tradition.....

Looks like I will be making more too! Hubby was so devastated this morning when he found out that they were all going to be exchanged for something else!

Not as good as Grandma's....but sure close!

Oklahoma Beef Noodle Bake

Some of my favorite cookbooks are from the Gooseberry Patch. Here is a new recipe we tried yesterday!

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
15-1/4 oz. can corn, drained
10- 3/4 oz. can of cream of chicken soup
10-3/4 oz. cream of mushroom soup
8-oz. container sour cream
1/4 c. pimentos
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
3 c. wide egg noodles, cooked
1 c. bread, buttered and torn

Combine all ingredients except noodles and bread in a lightly greased 13"X9" baking pan. Stir in noodles. Sprinkle bread pieces evenly over top of casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

Low Fat Tortellini Soup

One of the cookbooks I got from my Grandma's collection was a Kiwanis Cookbook. I got this recipe from it and tried it today. It was very flavorful!

2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 med. onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 red pepper chopped
2 lg. carrots chopped
1 stalk celery chopped
2 (28 oz. total) diced tomatoes
1 c. dry white wine
5 c. chicken broth
9 oz. chicken tortellini
1 1/2 T. dried basil
Parmesan cheese (opt)

Heat oil in large Dutch oven or soup pot. Add garlic. Saute 3 minutes. Add onion. Saute' 5 more minutes. Stir in 28 ounces tomatoes (liquid included), wine, chicken broth and basil. Bring to boil and simmer 30 minutes. Cook tortellini separately according to package. Add tortellini to soup 5 minutes before serving. Parmesan cheese may be sprinkled on each serving if desired. Serves 6 to 8.

Paula Deen's Pumpkin Cheesecake

I made this the other day for one of the gal's that I work with. It was her birthday and she LOVES cheescake. I had never made a cheesecake before, but wanted to give it a try.  The reviews were AMAZING!!! I have never ever received so many compliments on something. SERIOUSLY!

Enjoy!!

Ingredients


Crust:

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin

3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

For filling:
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.
Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Greek Style Minestrone with Turkey and Feta Meatballs

I am really enjoying so many of the recipes that is on the For the Love of Cooking Blog.

This recipe is AMAZING! Hubby and I LOVE it....I think it's our new favorite...and I had to share! This is the first soup that we ate all the leftovers. Delicious!

Hope you all love it as much as we do!

Turkey Meatballs:


1 lb of ground turkey meat with Italian seasonings

2 tbsp sweet yellow onion, diced finely

2 tbsp feta cheese (I used reduced fat)

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 egg

1/4 cup of garlic and herb bread crumbs

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

1 tsp olive oil (for cooking meatballs)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and gently combine with fingers until thoroughly mixed. Roll into very small meatballs.

Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium heat, once the pan is hot add the meatballs and cook for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside.

Soup:

1/2 cup sweet yellow onion, chopped

2 carrots, coarsely chopped

2 stalks of celery, coarsely chopped

4-5 cloves of garlic, minced

6 cups of chicken stock

1/3 cup of long grain brown (or white) rice

1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes

1-2 tsp fresh dill, chopped

1 tsp of oregano

Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

1 zucchini, chopped into bite size pieces

1 yellow squash, chopped into bite size pieces

1 can small white beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups sliced fresh spinach (about 3 ounces)

Turkey meatballs

1/2 cup of feta cheese for topping

Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, stock, rice and tomatoes in a large Dutch oven, over medium heat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered, until the vegetables and rice are tender, about 25-30 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium and add beans, meatballs, zucchini and squash. Taste and re-season if needed. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring once. Stir in spinach and simmer, uncovered, until spinach is wilted and all vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes longer. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with feta cheese. Enjoy.

Note: If not serving immediately, add the spinach just before serving to retain the bright color and prevent overcooking.

Easy Turkey-Tortilla Roll-Ups

From www.kraftfoods.com


3 flour tortillas (6 inch)
3 Tbsp. PHILADELPHIA Chive & Onion 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese
12 slices OSCAR MAYER Deli Fresh Shaved Smoked Turkey Breast
3/4 cup shredded lettuce

Make It!
SPREAD tortillas with cream cheese; top with turkey.
PLACE lettuce on bottom halves of tortillas; roll up.
CUT each into 4 slices

Mini Beef and Provolone Crescents

I got this recipe from www.pillsbury.com

INGREDIENTS
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 tablespoon Italian salad dressing
2 slices (1/2 to 1 oz each) provolone cheese, each cut into 8 strips
2 tablespoons chopped roasted red bell peppers (from a jar)
3 oz thinly sliced cooked roast beef (from deli), cut into 16 pieces

DIRECTIONS
1.
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough and separate into 8 triangles; press out each triangle so shortest side measures 4 inches. Cut each triangle in half lengthwise from tip end to short side to make 16 triangles.
2.
Brush each triangle with salad dressing. Top each with 1 cheese strip, scant 1/2 teaspoon roasted peppers and 2 pieces of beef, folding to fit on triangle. Roll up each, starting at shortest side of triangle and rolling to opposite point; place point side down on cookie sheet.
3.
Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Bunco Buns

http://kellyskornerrecipes.blogspot.com/

You need:1 pkg 24 party rolls (or I used 2 pkgs of 12 dinner rolls)
1/2 stick butter, melted
4 tablespoons poppy seeds
4 tablespoons mustard
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Sliced ham
Swiss cheese

In a bowl - mix together the butter, poppy seeds, mustard and Worcestershire sauce.

Spread sauce on both sides of rolls and put a piece of ham and cheese on each.

Cover and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until cheese melts. Best if served warm!!!!

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESE BALL

http://kellyskornerrecipes.blogspot.com

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESE BALL
· 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
· 1/2 cup butter, softened
· 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
· 2 tablespoons brown sugar
· 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
· 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in confectioners' sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
2. Shape chilled cream cheese mixture into a ball. Wrap with plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
3. Roll the cheese ball in finely chopped pecans before serving. But it can be hard to form a ball so I skipped the nuts and just put the mixture in a bowl. (I think it's better that way!)

B.L.T. Dip

http://kellyskornerrecipes.blogspot.com

1/2 Jar Mayonaise
16 oz sour cream
12 bacon strips cooked and crumbled
2 small tomatos - diced
2 Teaspoons Garlic Salt

Mix ingredients together and serve with crackers.

Knorr Spinach Dip

http://purelittlefire.blogspot.com

1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
1 cup Mayonnaise
1 package Knorr® Vegetable recipe mix
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)
3 green onions, chopped (optional)

Combine all ingredients and let chill in the fridge for about 2 or so hours.Soo yummy!!! I served this with pumperknickel and rye bread pieces.

Apple Toffee Dip

When Boomama held a Diptacular posting...I grabbed a ton of great new recipes...here is one from....http://southernfrieddreams.blogspot.com/

SO GOOD!!! And a HUGE HIT!


1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 pkg almond toffee bits (found in the baking section)
5-6 large sliced apples

Mix together first four ingredients until well blended and fluffy. Fold in toffee bits. Serve with sliced apples.

Cottage Cheese Veggie Dip

This dip we use to have at every high school dance way back in the day...and it was always a hit!


1/3 c. milk
1 pt. cottage cheese
1/2 pkg. ranch dressing mix or vegetable soup mix
Lots of raw veggies, cut up for dipping

1. Blend 1/3 cup milk, 1 pint cottage cheese and soup mix in a bowl.
2. Put in refrigerator for 1/2 hour.
3. Serve with raw veggies. Dip and enjoy.

Stop by BooMama’s for more DipTacular!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I have to make extra muffins and freeze them because we love this recipe so much!

I got the recipe from www.fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com. So delicious!

1 3/4 cup flour (I use wheat flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1/2 cup of vanilla yogurt (I used low fat)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large, very ripe bananas
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a muffin tray with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, white sugar and brown sugar until well combined. In another bowl, mix the egg, oil, yogurt, vanilla and mushed bananas until mixed thoroughly. Slowly combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients without over mixing. Add the chocolate chips and fold them into the batter. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown and a tester inserted into the muffin comes out clean. Cool on a rack then serve with butter. Enjoy!

Stacy's Carrot Cake

3 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. oil
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
4 eggs
2 c. cooked carrots (mashed)
1/4 tsp salt

In large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar until smooth. Gradually add remaining ingredients. Beat untili smooth. Pour into greased tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately one hour. Cool in pan before removing cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese softened
1 stick margarine softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 box powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and margarine until smooth. Add vanilla. Gradually add the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Frost cooled cake. Can top with chopped nuts.

Shrimp Casserole

from Southern Living....so good!

1 1/2 c. uncooked long-grain rice
1 1/2 c. lbs medium-size raw shrimp
1/2 c. butter
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 green onions, chopped
2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans cream of shrimp soup, undiluted *
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 c. (4 oz) shredded cheddar-colby cheese blend
1/4 c. fine, dry breadcrumbs

Prepare rice according to package directions.

Peel shrimp, and devein, if desired.

Melt butter in a large skillet, over medium heat; add bell pepper and next 4 ingredients, and saute' 10-12 minutes or until tender. Stir in soup, shrimp, salt and pepper; cook 3 minutes or just until shirmp turn pink. (Do not overcook)

Combine shrimp mixture and rice. Pour into lightly greased 13X9 baking dish. Sprinkl evenly with 1 c. shredded cheese and 1/4 c. breadcrumbs.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 miutes or until cheese is melted.

* 2 cans cream of celery soup, undiluted, may be subsitituted.

Spaghetti and Meatballs by Emeril

I made this recipe last week and my hubby LOVED IT!


10 cups Simple Tomato Sauce for Pasta, recipe follows, or store-bought pasta sauce

For the meatballs:
1 large egg
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon freshly chopped basil leaves
1 teaspoon freshly chopped oregano leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Emeril's Original Essence, recipe follows
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
For the Spaghetti:
1 pound spaghetti, cooked al dente according to package directions
Salt, for seasoning cooking water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
Place the Basic Red Sauce in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Place all the remaining meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir well with a wooden spoon to combine, then form the meat into balls by rolling about 2 tablespoons of meat between your hands. Place meatballs on a plate as they are formed. (Hint: if your hands are slightly damp, the meatballs will roll more easily and will not stick to your hands!) When all the meatballs are formed, gently place the balls into the sauce 1 at a time using a long handled spoon. Be careful - bubbling sauce splatters! Simmer the sauce uncovered, and allow the meatballs to sit undisturbed for 10 minutes before stirring. Stir the meatballs into the sauce when they rise to the top.
Simmer for an additional 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
While sauce is simmering, cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water until al dente. Strain and toss with the olive oil. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Simple Tomato Sauce for Pasta:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (1 medium)
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves garlic)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 (3-inch piece) Parmesan rind
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, salt, crushed red pepper, oregano and black pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Place the tomatoes in a large bowl and squeeze to break into small pieces. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, and sugar to the pot with the onions, and stir well. Add the Parmesan rind. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally with a long-handled wooden spoon, until flavors have come together and sauce is thickened. Stir in the basil and let sit for 10 minutes before using.
Remove from the heat, and use as needed. You can store this sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Yield: 10 cups, 2 1/2 quarts

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Yield: 2/3 cup

Frosted Banana Cookies

So....I found this recipe from my Kitchen Klatter cookbook that my mom found me. They are so to YUMMY!!! I can't say enough about them....makes me drool! ha!

3/4 c. shortening
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla flavoring
1/2 tsp. banana flavoring
2 mashed ripe bananas
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
2 c. flour

Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg, flavorings and banana and beat well. Sift and add dry ingredients. Drop by teaspoon onto a greased cooky sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. This makes about 40 nice, soft cookies.

Icing (which I didn't make)

6 tbsp. brown sugar
4 tbsp. cream
4 tbps. butter or margarine
powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla flavoring

Combine brown sugar, cream and butter or margarine. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and add enough powdered sugar to make frosting a nice consistency to spread on cookies. Lastly, stir in vanilla flavoring.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Another recipe I used from Money Saving Mom's blog. These are really good and are great frozen too!

4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 (16 oz) can pureed pumpkin
1 1/2 c. oil
3 c. flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 package chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 16-20 minutes at 400 degrees. Makes 24-30 muffins.

Banana Bread

I wanted to try the Money Saving Mom's favorite banana bread recipe. It is good, but I still prefer my mom's recipe better. Try it out and see what you think.

2 c. flour (all purpose, whole-wheat, or a mixture of both)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
3-4 bananas, mashed
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp. milk

Stir together dry ingredients. Beat together remaining ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and blend until just combined. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted into bread comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

Noodle Bowl

Found this recipe online from Southern Living. In order to serve both my hubby and I, I doubled the recipe.

1 (3 oz.) package of Oriental-flavored ramen noodle soup mix
2 cups water
1 chopped green onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
½ c. fresh snow peas, trimmed
6 peeled and deveined medium-size raw shrimp (26/30 count)
¼ c. shredded napa cabbage
1 to 2 Tbsp. chopped peanuts

Stir together flavor packet from ramen noodle soup mix, 2 cups water, chopped green onion, and chopped fresh cilantro in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; add noodles and snow peas. Cook 1 minute, and stir in shrimp. Cook 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and top with shredded cabbage and chopped peanuts.

Note: You can substitute ½ c. chopped cooked chicken for the shrimp.

Bubba's Creamy, Spicy Seafood Pasta

My sister gave me the Paula Deen Family Cookbook for my birthday and I tried this recipe for dinner tonight. Tasted just like a restaurant in Jersey! So good! If you are not a pasta lover, you can substitute with sausage, hamburger, chicken.

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. vodka
1 - 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste
salt and pepper
1/2 pound bay scallops
1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut crosswise into thirds
1 pound uncooked linguine

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the vodka and turn the heat up to medium-high; cook until the liquid has reduced by half. Add the tomatoes, cream, pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened. Add the seafood and cook for about 3 minutes, until it's just opaque.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to the package directions. Drain and transfer the pasta to a large bowl, pour the sauce over it, and toss to combine.

Serve immediately.

Strawberry Pie

I got this recipe from Tammy's Recipes. So good!

3 T cornstarch
1 c sugar
1 c cold water
2 T white corn syrup
2 T strawberry flavored gelatin
3 drops f red food coloring (optional)
about 3 c. washed strawberries, sliced or diced ) - I used 4 cups
one 9 inch baked pie pastry

Combine and cook first 4 ingredients for 5 or 6 minutes, stirring until thick to prevent lumps.

Remove from heat and while still hot add strawberry gelatin and red food coloring.

Pile strawberries high in baked pie shell and pour glaze over strawberries. Chill and serve with cool whip!

YUMMO!

Classic Potato Salad -

6 medium potatoes (2 lbs)
1 1/4 c. mayo
1 tbsp. mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 c. sliced celery
1/3 c. chopped onion (I used red onion)
1/2 c. chopped sweet or dill pickles/relish (I used sweet relish)
6 hard-cooked eggs, coarsely chopped

In a medium pan place potatoes and a small amount of water to cover. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes or until just tender. Drain well; cool slightly. Peel and cube the potatoes. ( I peeled them before I cooked them)

Meanwhile, for dressing, in a large bowl combine the mayo, mustard the 1/2 tsp salt and pepper.

Stir in the celery, onion, and pickles. Add the potatoes and eggs. Toss lightly to coat. Cover and chill for 6-24 hours.

I got this recipe out of my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

Avocado- Mango Chicken

1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tsp. adobo sauce (from canned chipotle chiles)
2 limes
1 avocado
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 large mango
1 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
1 tbsp. finely chopped onion
2 tbsp. sea salt

Mix Worcestershire, soy and adobo sauces with juice from 1 of the limes in a bowl. Place chicken in a sealable plastic bag and pour in marinade. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine mango, avocado, cilantro, onion, salt and juice from remaining lime in a bowl and refrigerate. Transfer chicken and marinade to a baking dish and cook until tender and no longer pink, approximately 30 minutes. Remove chicken from the oven, place breast on a plate and top with salsa.

I got this recipe from the Self magazine email newsletter and decided to try. Really yummy..hubby prefers I don't use onion next time. Still a great flavor!

Hawaiian Chicken

Tried this recipe last night! It was so easy and delicious! Can be served over rice.


4-5 skinless chicken breast
1/4 c. honey
1 can crushed pineapple
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 c. mustard
1/4 c. sherry/rum

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a greased 9X13 pan, place the chicken breasts. Combine all remaining ingredients and cover chicken breasts with the mixture. Bake in oven for 45-60 minutes.

Buttery Garlic Chicken

2 eggs, beaten
1 c. round buttery crackers, crushed
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c. butter, sliced

Place eggs in a shallow bowl; set aside. Mix cracker crumbs and garlic salt in a separate bowl; set aside. Dip chicken in eggs and then coat in crumb mixture. Arrange in an ungreased 13X9 baking pan; dot with butter.

Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with fork.

Hamburger-Corn Casserole

1 lb. hamburger, cooked & drained
1 c. cubed raw potatoes
3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. chopped onion
salt and pepper
1 1/2 c. corn drained (1 can)
1/2 c. cubed velveeta cheese

Combine all ingredients and place in greased 9X9 baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

One of my favorite recipes my Mom always made for us when we were kids.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs

I got this recipe from www.allrecipes.com. I doubled the recipe and made them into small eggs. I also substituted the 8 squares of chocolate with 1 1/2 packages of semi-sweet chocolate chips and melted them and dipped the eggs into it and let cool on wax paper.

Enjoy!

1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon milk
8 (1 ounce) squares semi-sweet chocolate
1 tablespoon shortening

DIRECTIONS
In a mixing bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter and milk (if needed for moisture) until blended. Shape mixture into two 1/2 pound eggs or make a bunch of smaller eggs. Freeze eggs for 1 hour.

While the eggs are freezing, cut semi-sweet chocolate into small pieces and place in top of double boiler with shortening. Melt over medium heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Stick a long-tined fork in top of each peanut butter egg, dip it in melted chocolate to cover then drain on waxed paper. When the eggs are cooled and set, decorate the eggs to suit your fancy.

Parmesan Chicken Bites

So I decided to try a new recipe tonight.....Parmesan Chicken Bites...

Don't they look yummy?

With some homemade sauce....

And some whole wheat pasta...

Voila! Dinner is served!

Ok...so now that you have checked the pictures out..do you want the recipe?? Here it is!

Parmesan Chicken Bites

1 clove garlic, minced

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 c. dried bread crumbs

1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1/4 tsp salt ( I didn't use)

1/4 tsp garlic salt

A large pinch of Italian Seasoning

1/8 tsp black pepper

2 lbs skinless chicken breasts cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a bowl, combine minced garlic with the melted butter. In another bowl mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, salt, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Dip chicken pieces into garlic butter, then into crumb mixture to coat.

Placed coated chicken pieces on a 9X13 pan. Try to leave a little room between each piece. Drizzle with remaining garlic butter and bake uncovered 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Note that the chicken will get much more browned on the bottom side than on the top.

Homemade Tomato Sauce (from www.kevinandamanda.com)

2 Tbsp. butter

3-4 cloves minced garlic

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1/4 tsp sugar

1/4 c. heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

6-8 basil leaves, chiffonaded

fresh flat leaf parsley

Melt 2 tbsp butter in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook about 2 minutes. Pour in tomatoes and sugar. Increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer, then reduce heart to medium-low, cover and continue simmering for 10 minutes,stirring occasionally. Once the sauce has simmered, stir in the cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for an additional 3 minutes. Lower heat and keep sauce warm. Add in basil and 1 tbsp parsley and stir well before serving.

Homemade Granola Bars

I have made this recipe several times. It is my cousin Rachel's and Muscleman and I LOVE IT! I can't seem to make enough as we eat it so fast!

3 cups oats-I use quick cooking oats
2 cups coconut
1 cup almonds sliced
1/2 cup walnuts
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup dried mixed berries-I use the blueberry, cranberry, cherry mixture
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt-which I don't do
3 eggs slightly beaten
3/4 cup honey
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
Sprinkle first 4 ingredients into a large roasting pan or jelly roll pan. Bake 18 minutes at 350. Stir once during baking. Cool. Combine rest of ingredients. Mix well and stir in oat mixture. Mix well. Press into at 15 1/2x10 1/2x1 pan or I use a jelly roll pan. I use a measuring cup and press down the mixture really well in the pan. If the mixture is not pressed down well the granola bars may fall apart. Bake 20 minutes. Cut into bars wrap in foil. Keeps 3 weeks. Can substitute: dried peaches,dates,apricots,choc. chips, pineapple, pecans.

Marsala Chicken-and-Mushroom Casserole

Today I found this recipe in my Rachel Ray magazine. I decided to try it this evening and it is pretty yummy and easy!

2 tablespoons butter
10 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup marsala wine or white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper
1 cup long-grain rice
2 packed cups coarsely chopped rotisserie chicken
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat until just melted. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on top and stir in for 1 minute. Stir in the marsala and cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water, the parsley, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. 2. In a greased 9-inch-by-13-inch casserole, spread the rice in an even layer; top with the chicken. Pour the mushroom gravy on top. Cover snugly with foil and bake until bubbly, about 35 minutes. Discard the foil, sprinkle the parmesan on top and bake for 5 minutes more.

Chicken Spaghetti

Another of my favorite cookbooks is one from my hometown, Fairfax Heritage Cookbook. I LOVE IT and use so many of the recipes out of it.

Here is one of my favorites.

2 whole or chicken parts, totaling approx. 5 lbs. ( I used 3-4 chicken breasts and that was it)
12 oz. spaghetti
1 1/2 to 2 c. broth (reserved from the cooking of the chicken and then the spaghetti)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb Velveeta cheese, chunked
1 stick butter

Boil and debone chicken. Reserve the chicken broth. Cook the spaghetti in the chicken broth according to the package directions. Drain and reserve the chicken spaghetti broth. While the spaghetti and broth is hot, add the chicken, cheese, soup, onion and butter. Mix together in a large bowl very well. Making sure the spaghetti and broth is hot makes it easier for the butter and cheese to melt!! Place in a 9X13 pan and bake for 30 minutes and 350 degrees.

This recipe is good to mix up the night before baking or freeze ahead to have on hand for easy fixing! Very easy and so good!

(recipe by L.Smith)

Spanish Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 chopped green pepper ( I didn't use this)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can diced tomatoes undrained
1 cup water
3/4 c. uncooked rice
2 teaspoons chicken bouilion granules
1 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 c picante sauce
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 can sliced ripe olives, drained

In large skillet, brown chicken in oil for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, saute the onion, green pepper and garlic until tender. Stir in the tomatoes, water, rice, bouilion and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Pour into a greased 11 in X 7 in X 2 in baking dish, top with chicken.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until rice is tender. Uncover, spoon picante sauce over chicken and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Garnish with olives.

I found this recipe on www.allrecipes.com. It is really tasty!

Brenda's Beef Stew

I made this recipe from my "Time to Eat at Crybaby Farm" cookbook. I tweaked it just a bit though...here is how I made it:

3 stalks of celery chopped
2 carrots chopped
4-5 baby red potatoes cubed
2 cans of corn
2 cans of green beans
2 cans tomato soup
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 lb stew meat
3 tbsp. corn starch
salt and pepper, to taste
a dash of savory seasoning
a dash of dried parsley flakes

Do not drain canned vegetables. Cut up fresh vegetables. Mix all ingredients together. Bake covered at 325 degrees for 5 hours.

Personal Pizzas

After reading MKMama's blog about the pizzas she made with her kids...I decided to make some myself. It is basically all we have eaten today and they are yummy!

Here is what you will need:

1 package of whole wheat pitas
1 package mozzeralla cheese
1 can of pizza sauce
Olive oil
Parmesan Cheese
Oregano/Pizza Seasoning
Any other topping you want to add.

Layout the pitas individually and drizzle olive oil onto each one. Cover with pizza sauce and a sprinkle of oregano/pizza seasoning. Then place any toppings of your choice and cover with cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees until cheese melts. So simple and delicious!

Chicken Breast Supreme

Taken from Kelly's Korner blog recipes. One of my new favorites!!!!

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
4-8 strips of bacon
16 oz sour cream
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of sliced mushrooms1 jar of dried beef (this is found near tuna or spam)

Wrap the chicken in bacon and put in pan
Mix up all the other ingredients. Tear up the dried beef into small pieces (this is what gives the meal the real flavor)
Pour mixture over chicken and bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hoursI always serve with white rice and pour the extra sauce on top.

SO GOOD!!!

A recipe from Great Grandma Minnie's collection

Turkey Meatloaf

2 pounds ground turkey
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
3/4 cups breadcrumbs (or regular breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup cooked spinach, chopped, excess water squeezed out (fresh or frozen)
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon pizza seasoning or dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

For Glaze:
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients and place in greased loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Creamy Stew Meat

1 -1 1/2 lb stew meat
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 small can of mushrooms
Dried Parsley
Dried Basil
Onion Powder
Black Pepper

Brown meat in a large pan. Once brown add all of the remaining ingredients. (I used just a dash of all the seasonings). Cook on low heat for 1 1/2 hours. Serve over brown rice or noodles.

Mexican Minestrone

2 (15 oz) cans black beans
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes with peppers, undrained ( I used mexican style diced tomatoes)
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
1 (12 oz) can whole kernel corn, undrained
1-2 med. red potatoes ( I substitued with 1 can chicken breast)
1 c. salsa
1 c. cut up green beans ( I used 1 can)

Mix all ingredients together in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or until veggies are tender. I made this on the stovetop last night and combined all ingredients and covered and cooked on stove top on medium heat for about an hour.

Smothered Burritos

This is one of my family's all time favorite recipes and I am making it for dinner tonight!

1/2 c. taco sauce
1 lb. hamburger
1 can refried beans
1 pkg. dry taco seasoning
8-10 flour tortillas
1 lb. Velveeta cheese
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes

Brown and drain hamburger Add beans, seasoning and sauce. Put mixture in tortillas, then roll and fold. Place in a greased 9X13 pan. Melt cheese with Ro-Tel tomatoes and blend. Pour over burritos. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Ginny's Meatballs

I used this recipe this evening and think I have found my new favorite meatball recipe. It is from my Crybaby Farm Cookbook.

1 large can evaporated milk
3 lb. very lean hamburger ( I used 3 lb. ground turkey)
2 c. quick oat
2 eggs
1 c. chopped onion
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. onion salt

Combine thoroughly; shape into 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls and put in 9X13 pan. I used two pans..makes plenty!

Sauce:
3 c. ketchup
2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. Liquid Smoke
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. onion powder

Combine all ingredients; spoon over meatballs. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Enjoy!

Creamy Pasta and Vegetables

I made this last night for dinner, I wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out as I used a recipe that I had in one of my Pampered Chef cookbooks, but didn’t follow it exactly. The hubby, LOVED IT!

Ingredients:

1 1b. penne pasta uncooked ( I used whole wheat)
4 cloves of garlic
5 ¼ c. chicken broth
1 package cream cheese (I used fat free cheese)
1 can of fire roasted tomatoes drained (the recipe called for sun dried tomatoes)
1 lb cooked ground turkey
1 package frozen stir-fry vegetables (you can use fresh vegetables, but this is what I had on hand)
¼ c. Parmesan cheese
Basil
Italian Seasoning
Salt
Pepper

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large stock pot. Slice into thin slices the 4 cloves of garlic and add to the pot with oil. Cook until golden. Remove from heat and add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and add the pasta and a tsp. of dried basil and Italian seasoning. . Cook for about 10-12 minutes. Divide the cream cheese into quarters. Add all of the remaining ingredients (cream cheese, turkey, tomatoes, veggies, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper) to the pasta and broth. Cook until cheese is melted.

Serve.

Tuscan Vegetable Soup

(From the Food Network)

1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 carrots, diced (about ½ cup)
2 stalks celery, diced (about ½ cup)
1 small zucchini, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp. dried)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (or ½ tsp. dried)
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground pepper
32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped spinach leaves
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, optional
And I also added the meat from 1 rotisserie chicken I bought at Hy-Vee

In a small bowl mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper, and cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth and tomatoes with the juice and bring to a boil. Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves and chicken and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.

Serve topped with Parmesan, if desired. Hubby and I LOVED this recipe…in fact it is better warmed up the second day! YUM-O~!

Crispy Chicken Parmesan with Avocado Salsa

So I made this recipe from Kraft last night....SO YUMMY!

1/3 plain dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided ( I used shredded)
1/4 cup mayo
1/2 tsp. chili powder
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup tomatillo salsa ( I used my homemade salsa)
1/2 cup chopped ripe avocados
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

Combine bread crumbs and 1/4 cup of the cheese in shallow dish; set aside. Mix mayo and chili powder; spread onto both sides of chicken breasts. Coat evenly with crumb mixture.

Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook 4 to 5 min. on each side or until cooked through. Meanwhile, mash avocados with salsa.

Place chicken on plate. Top with salsa mixture and tomatoes; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Serve with rice or salad.

Black Bean Soup

This recipe is one of my favorite's and it was given to me by my good friend, Jurist, one of my Jersey girls. Enjoy!

2 tablespoons oil
1 medium onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1/2 to 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 16oz. cans black beans
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
3 cups of mild-chunky salsa
2 tbsp. of lime juice

In 4 quart stockpot heat the oil. Add onions, garlic, and red pepperflakes. Cook over medium heat until onion is tender. (about 3 minutes) Remove from heat.

In a blender, puree 2 cans of black beans and their liquid in batches with chicken broth. Add to the pot and stir in remaining beans and salsa and lime juice. Heat to boil. Reduce heat to low-simmer for 30 minutes.

Serve with cheese/sour cream if preferred.

Creamy Turkey Casserole

Can you tell that I have some turkey to use up!?

Here is tonight's recipe...taken from my Flavors of Fall cookbook by Gooseberry Patch. Super easy!

10 3-4 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
10 3-4 oz. can cream of celery soup
1 -1/2 oz. pkg. onion soup mix
1 c. instant rice, uncooked ( I used wheat rice)
1-1/2. c. milk
2 to 3 c. turkey, cooked and cubed
Garnish: bread crumbs

Combine the first 6 ingredients; spread in an ungreased 13"x9" baking pan; sprinkle with bread crumbs. Cover; bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serves 6.

Alabama Turkey Noodle Soup

I made this recipe tonight for my hubby and me...he said it was really good and I thought it was pretty good myself! (Had to use up some of the turkey meat I had from my baking last night)

1 T. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped ( I used a small one)
1 bunch green onions, chopped ( I didn't have any, so used part of a white onion)
2 c. carrots, peeled and sliced
2 c. celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 3/4 oz. can French onion soup
6 c. chicken broth
1 t. poultry seasoning
1 t. dried rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
3 c. cooked turkey breast, diced
2 c. fine egg noodles, uncooked (I used the Reams Frozen Noodles)

Heat oil in a Dutch oven. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic; cook until yellow onion is transparent. Stir in soup, broth and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until vegetables are almost tender. Add turkey and noodles; raise heat slightly and continue cooking until noodles are tender. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

*Recipe from the Autumn in the Country Gooseberry Patch Cookbook

Homemade Noodles

I received a new cookbook for Christmas and made this recipe from it for our lunch on Christmas day. The recipe was requested and I wanted to share with you all. It is from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (limited edition). Enjoy!

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 egg yolks - * can be substituted
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon cooking oil or olive oil

*Hint* for Yolkless Noodles prepare as is except substitute 2 beaten egg whites for the 2 beaten egg yolks and 1 beaten egg. Increase the oil to 2 teaspoons.

1. In large bowl stir together 1 3/4 cups of the flour and 1/2 tsp. salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. In a small bowl beat egg yolks and whole egg. Add water and oil. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; mix well.

2. Sprinkle a clean kneading surface with the remaining 1/4 cup flour. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes total). Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

3. On a lightly floured surface roll the dough out into a rectangle. Let stand uncovered for 20 minutes. Lightly dust dough with flour and cut into 2-3 inch length.

4. To serve noodles immediately, bring water to boil and place noodles into boiling water and boil for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

5. To store noodles, let them dry on wire cooling rack for about an hour or until completely dry. Place in airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Or dry the noodles and place in a freezer bag or freezer container, freeze for up to 8 months.