4.20.2011

Oreo Popcorn

1 C. White chocolate chips
Oreos
Popcorn (Either 1 bag popped or 1 batch in the air popper)

Directions: Make your popcorn, set aside. Take out a row of Oreos and crush them in a ziploc bag using your fingers (you could also use a rolling pin), set aside. Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds and then in 15 second increments until all chips are melted. (Note: If you use too much heat the chips turn into dough...I, of course, didn't ruin half a bag by doing this...).

Place popcorn in a fairly large bowl, pour the melted white chocolate over the popcorn, add the crushed oreos, mix carefully until the popcorn and oreos are coated. You can then either leave it in the bowl or pour it out onto a cookie sheet for the chocolate to harden. Voila! You are done!

4.17.2011

Slow Cooker Tomato Soup...

2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 C finely diced celery
1 C finely diced carrots
1 C finely diced onions
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried basil
4 C chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 C flour
1 C Parmesan cheese
1/2 C butter
2 C half and half warmed
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, onions, chicken broth, oregano, basil and bay leaf in crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours until veggies are soft. About an hour before serving make a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 mins. Slowly stin in 1 c hot soup. Add another 3 c and stir until smooth. Add back into the crock pot. Stir in Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for another hour until ready to serve.

If you don't want to do this soup in a crock pot you can just do it on the stove in a pot and it works great. I just followed the directions but I boiled it until the veggies were soft and then brought it to a boil and let it boil for a few minutes. I also added shredded chicken and some kidney beans. I put shredded white cheese on top and crusty bread. Enjoy!

**Emily's notes
I like to use an immersion blender before the roux step.  I like it smooth and creamy.

4.15.2011

Green Chili Enchilada Casserole

This recipe makes to big batches, for some reason it does not taste the same if you try to half it. So make two batches and share one or freeze the other. This dish freezes nice.

Mix the following ingredients in a pan on medium heat. Heat enough to mix all ingredients well, but do not boil this cream mixture. (visually divide the above cream mixture into 4 equal parts)

1 large (26 oz) can cream of mushroom

1 large (26 oz) can cream of chicken

16 oz tub of sour cream

1 cup of milk

3 (7 oz) cans of green chiles (do not drain)

1 bunch of green onions diced

1 tablespoon of salt

1 tablespoon of pepper

Tear 2 bags of flour tortillas into bite size pieces (divide into 6 piles)

Shred 2 rotisserie chickens (1 for each pan)

you will also need 3 bags of shredded cheese (1 ½ per pan)(divide into 6 piles)

Layer in 2 foil pans the following

a layer of torn tortillas

a layer of cheese

a layer of mixture

a layer of torn tortillas

a layer of cheese

a layer of all of 1 rotisserie chicken

a layer of mixture

a layer of tortillas

a layer of cheese

Bake uncovered on 375 degrees for 35-50 minutes depending on how crunchy you like the top layer.

Freeze uncooked casserole, covered and then bake frozen on 375 degrees for an 75-90 minutes depending on how crunchy you like the top.


4.14.2011

Tequila Lime Chicken

I'm going to marinate this tonight and try it tomorrow.

3 whole limes-juiced
5 cloves garlic-peeled
1 whole jalapeno, sliced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cilantro
1/2 cup tequila (optional)
5 TBS. olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup monterey jack cheese, grated
pico de gallo
beans, pinto or black
mexican rice
sour cream
avocado
tortillas

Combine lime juice, garlic cloves, jalapeno, salt, cilantro and tequila (optional) in a food processor or blender. Pulse until combined. Turn on the blender and drizzle the olive oil in until it's all combined.

Slightly flatten chicken breasts with a mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet. Place in a ziplock bag and pour in marinade. Seal bag and marinate for several hours or overnight (preferably).

When ready to cook, remove chicken from bag and place on grill. Cook until completely done. Toward the end of cooking, top with grated monterey cheese and allow to melt. Serve topped with pico de gallo, salsa along with beads mexican rice, sour cream, avocado and tortillas.

4.11.2011

Broccoli, Chicken Bake

4 chicken breasts-cooked

2 lbs. fresh broccoli, well trimmed and cooked

1 can (10 ½ oz.) cream of chicken soup

½ cup milk

¼ cup mayo

¼ cup sour cream

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

2 tsp. lemon juice

½ cup bread crumbs or grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Simmer chicken in water with onion, carrot, salt and pepper until tender. In casserole dish, arrange cooked broccoli and chicken. Make a sauce by combining soup, milk, mayo and sour cream. Stir until smooth. Add cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Pour sauce over chicken and broccoli to cover. Cover with parmesan cheese or bread crumbs if desired. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbly.

Hawaiian Dream Cake

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drain but save juice
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. cool whip
1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding
1 cup milk
shredded coconut
pecans (optional)

Mix cake according to directions, substituting water with pineapple juice. Pour into greased and flour cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool in pan. Mix softened cream cheese with pudding, milk and drained pineapple. Spread on cooled cake. Spread cool whip over top and sprinkle with coconut and pecans. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 eggs
1 lb. margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
Cream above ingredients together. Then add:
2 TBS. vanilla
6 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 bag (12 oz) chocolate chips

Add a little more flour at high altitude.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-17 minutes.

Carmel Popcorn

Pop 1/2 bag of air pop popcorn
1 cup dark karo
2 2/3 cups brown sugar
1 can eagle brand condensed milk
1 cube butter

Bring sugar, karo and butter to boil. Add milk and cook to softball stage. Pour over popcorn and set on wax paper to cool.

Snicker Fruit Salad

1 box instant vanilla pudding
1 large cool whip
1 can mandarin oranges
1 small carton strawberries, sliced
1 apple cut up into bite size pieces
grapes, sliced
2 snickers cut up in bite size pieces.

Mix all together and chill for 2 hours before serving.

Six Cup Salad

1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup pineapple tidbits, drained
1 cup mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup sour cream
1 cup coconut
1 cup strawberries, cut up

Mix all ingredients except strawberries. Chill in fridge overnight. When ready to serve fold in strawberries.

Creamy Crockpot Italian Chicken

4 chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 block cream cheese
2 dry packets of good seasoning italian dressing mix

Mix all ingredients together and pour over chicken in crockpot. Cook on high 3 hours or low 5-8 hours. Serve over rice.

Lionhouse Meatballs

Let me start by saying...I don't eat meatloaf or meatballs! That is until I tried this recipe. These are really good!

1-1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
3/4 cups quaker oats
2 eggs, slightly beaten
pepper
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped onion (I do a little less)
1 tsp. salt
1-2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients together with hands and roll into balls. Place in baking dish side by side.

Sauce: ( I double the sauce)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 cup bbq sauce

Combine all ingredients and pour over meatballs.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes uncovered. Serve on top of rice or noodles.

Lasagna

Use the "no boiling" noodles (barilla brand)

Cheese mixture:
1 of the bigger ricotta cheese containers
1 of the same size cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
mix together

Sauce:
2 can of traditional marina canned sauce
1 pack of ground turkey
Brown turkey with lid on to release juices, add sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.

Cover bottom of large casserole dish with olive oil and a little sauce mixure.
Layer noodles, cheese mixture, sauce mixture, and so on. Finish with a layer of noodles, then sauce, then shredded mozzarella cheese. Garnish with basil.

Cover with foil don't let it touch the cheese. Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
*Recipe passed on from my sil. Really easy because you don't have to cook the noodles!

Citrus Summer Chicken

1 lemon
1 lime
1 orange
2 TBS. olive oil
2 green onions
2 TBS. honey
salt and pepper

Zest the lemon, lime and orange into a bowl and then squeeze the juice from the 3 fruits and add it to the zest. Add olive oil and honey to the bowl and mix well. Chop the green onion and add it as well, mixing the mixture well. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Put chicken in ziplock and pour sauce mixture into the bag. Marinade in the fridge for 2-4 hours, taking chicken out 20 minutes prior to grilling. Grill chicken.

*can't remember what blog I pulled this from but it's delicious!

Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

From Favorites Recipe Book

1 (4 lb.) bag frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (16 oz.) bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
1 cup water
2 dozen hamburger buns or french rolls.

In the morning, place chicken breasts in crock pot, frozen. Pour BBQ sauce and water over top and cook all day on low. Before serving, shred chicken with two forks to pull it apart and mix in sauce well. Spoon onto buns.

*This obviously makes a huge amount of food. I only used 3 chicken breasts and guesstimated on the BBQ sauce. Super easy and really good.

4.07.2011

Chicken Enchiladas



2 lg. chicken breasts, boiled in chicken broth and shredded
2 cans cream of chicken soup
~1 c. sour cream
1 sm. can diced green chilies
10-12 small white corn tortillas
Monterey jack and cheddar cheese, shredded
2-3 green onions, finely chopped

Combine soup, sour cream and chilies in a small sauce pan. Warm through. Pour a small amount of sauce in bottom of a 9x13 pan. Cover tortillas with a paper towel and warm in microwave for about 20 seconds. Starting on one end, bend first tortilla in a taco shape and add a small handful of chicken, a large spoonful of sauce and a small handful of Monterey jack cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in pan. Keep doing this until pan is full. You may need to put last 2 or 3 tortillas the other direction in the pan. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top and smooth evenly over tortillas with spoon until completely covered. Sprinkle with another handful or two of Monterey jack and cheddar cheeses. Sprinkle chopped green onion on top of cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 min. Uncover and bake for 5-10 min. longer or until cheese is melted and enchiladas are hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 min. before serving. Top with shredded lettuce and diced fresh tomato.