Candace's Menu

Monday-Sweet and Spicy Noodles

Tuesday-Lemon Chicken, red potatoes, veggie

Wednesday-French Dip Sandwiches, six cup salad

Thursday-Sticky Chicken, rice, asparagus

Friday/Saturday-eating out or leftovers

Sunday-Beef Tacos with Coleslaw topping

Shredded Beef Tacos with Coleslaw Topping

1 chuck roast (2-3 lbs.)
1 can black beans DO NOT DRAIN
1 16 oz. jar MEDIUM salsa

Pour beans and salsa over roast and cook in crockpot for at least 8 hours.
Remove roast and shred. Add 1 cup rice to crock pot, return roast to crockpot and cook for additional hour.

COLESLAW TOPPING
1 pkg. dry Italian dressing (prepare as pkg. directs EXPECT use lime juice instead of vinegar)
3 tomatoes-diced
3 avacados-diced
3 green onions-chopped
¼ bunch cilantro-chopped
1/2 -1 bag coleslaw

Mix and serve over top of taco meat!

Low Fat Lemon Chicken Kabobs

{fav family recipe blog}

2 Lbs chicken, cubed
green peppers, cut into pieces
red onion, cut into pieces

Marindade:
4-5 TBS. olive oil
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
5-6 TBS. soy sauce (or to taste)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
black pepper to taste (at least 1/2 tsp)

Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl. Put chicken in a large Ziploc bag and pour in marinade (adding more lemon or soysauce if needed). Press all the air out of the bag and then seal. Place bag in a bowl and refrigerate overnight. About 30 minutes prior to serving. Alternate chicken, peppers, and onion on skewers (if you are using wood skewers-- remember to soak them in water for at least an hour). You can either grill the kabobs -- OR you can put them in the oven at 375-degrees for 25-30 minutes (or until chicken is cooked through)-- turning half-way through.

I like to add mushrooms to mine!

White Corn Guacamole (copied from CPK)

I had an appetizer at California Pizza Kitchen that was pretty similar to this. We all loved it & I thought it would be really easy to make at home.

2 cups frozen sweet white corn

3/4 can black beans (drained & rinsed)

1 ripe avocado, diced small

1/3 onion, diced small

2 tomatos--I cut off the end, squeezed out the juice & seeds, then diced it small

Juice from 1 lime

Small palmful fresh cilantro

Salt to taste

Cook corn & let cool a bit. Combine all ingredients & serve with chips!

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

From Our Best Bites

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray


Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Dip 'em in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or this dressing.

My findings...I used 2 ounces of regular cream cheese and 2 ounces of onion and chive cream cheese. I omitted the green onions and chopped cilantro.

Lemon Chicken

Lemon Chicken
Susan Branch "Heart of the Home" Cookbook 

4 chicken breasts (I used tenders)

1  1/2 cups flour (this is way too much - also it's easy to put in bag and shake to coat)

1/3 cup butter

2 TBSP olive oil

salt and pepper

Place chicken between wax paper and pound to flatten. Coat with flour and cook in butter and oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Sauce

4 TBSP butter

4 TBSP parsley, chopped

1 lemon

Melt butter in pan with drippings from cooking chicken. Remove from heat and add parsley and 1 TBS lemon juice. Pour sauce over chicken.

Hilary's Notes: This calls for a TON of butter. Can easily be cut back. I'd cut back when you make the sauce. Also, I used dried parsley (forgot to buy the fresh). I also thought, "Lemons, yum-- I'll double the lemon since I like lemon so much." Not a good idea! PUCKER UP SOUR! But really tender and moist and I'll definitely repeat - just won't use so much lemon!

Mexican Pollo Spud

found on this blog
Mexican Pollo Spud
4 large baking potatoes
2 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless of course)
2-3 TBSP McCormick Grill Mates Mesquite seasoning or your favorite Mexican seasoning
1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
2 tomatoes, diced (whatever is your favorite kind...I used the on-the-vine kind, but roma is very good)
1/2 yellow or purple onion, finely diced
about 1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno, finely diced optional
cheddar cheese, shredded
sour cream
butter
salt
pepper

Bake potatoes your favorite way. I wash mine, poke them with a knife a few times then wrap them in foil. Then I bake them at 400 for 1 hour or until tender. While potatoes are baking, combine diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro and jalapeno together in a small bowl. Wrap with plastic and place in the fridge. About 15 minutes before potatoes will be done, cut up chicken into slightly larger bite size pieces. Sprinkle with seasoning and toss to coat. Place oil in a large skillet and heat to medium high heat. Once hot, place chicken in pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until no longer pink in the middle. To assemble, slice potato down the middle and then pinch the sides down and in to open it up. (Unless you have steel hands you will want to use pot holders.) Add desired butter, salt and pepper to taste. Top with chicken, cheese (I like to melt my cheese a little in the microwave a little), pico de gallo and sour cream. Then dig in!

Hilary's Notes: Mike doesn't like tomatoes, and I don't like onions, so we skipped the "pico"  and just did fresh cilantro and jarred salsa. yummy! We didn't add the butter or jalapeno either. This was VERY filling.

Shelly's Weekly Menu

Mon/Tues Italian Sandwiches
Wed/Thurs Baked Chicken Taquitos and green salad with Tomatillo Ranch Dressing
Weekend Options: Chicken and Veggie Kabobs on the grill or Late Night Pasta

Pumpkin Pancakes

I always liked being able to get pumpkin pancakes at ihop in October...but now I make them year round!

1 C Water

1/2 C canned pumpkin

1/4 tsp cinnamon

-Mix these 3 and add:

1 cup pancake mix

(You will probably want to double this recipe for a bigger family)

Cook on griddle over med-high heat. Of course these are great with syrup, but I also really like them with cinnamon & a little powdered sugar! Yummy...and not as much sugar as syrup ;)

Spicy Black Beans

Spicy Black Beans
16 oz. dried black beans
1 tablespoon of lard, bacon grease, peanut oil or canola oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
2-3 chipotles in adobo, chopped
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 cup cilantro. chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup lime juice
Six cups of water
Two cups of chicken or vegetable broth
Salt to taste

Soak the beans covered in water—either overnight or the quick soak method in which you place the beans in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, cover and remove from heat and let sit for one hour.

Drain the soaked beans.

In the pot you’re going to cook the beans, sauté the onions and carrots in your preferred fat for 10 minutes and then add the garlic for one minute. Add the beans, chipotles, and cilantro.

Cover beans with water and chicken broth, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low. Stir occasionally.

After 2 1/2 hours, add the cumin, tomato paste, lime juice, salt and remaining cilantro and cook for 30 more minutes or until beans are tender. (I usually let mine simmer all day.)

**The chipotles are in a can on the international foods isle and they are spicy...start with 2 and then go from there! These are the beans I serve as part of my "knock off Cafe Rio" salads. Other recipes I use for those salads are: Rice, Dressing, Pork

Chocolate Chip, coconut, peanut butter bars

I left my boys with my friend the other day and when I picked them up she shared one of these bars with me. They were delicious and my boys loved them too!

2 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal

2 cups old fashioned quaker oats

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup honey

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup packed coconut

1/4 mini chocolate morsels

1/4 peanuts

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the rice cereal and oatmeal. Grease or line a 9x13 baking dish. (I prefer to line the pan with saran wrap because it makes for easy clean up).

Mix brown sugar, honey and peanut butter in a small sauce pan. Stir over medium heat until just boiling. Add to cereal mixture along with vanilla, cinnamon, salt, peanuts, coconut and chocolate chips.

Press into prepared pan using a spatula, spoon or your hands. Set aside to cool, then cut into bars.

TIPS:

*To keep chocolate from melting into mixture try freezing them first as well as adding the morsels towards the end of the mixture process.

*Once the bars have cooled I place a cutting board on top of my pan and then flip the pan upside down on to the cutting board. I can then lift the pan off, remove the saran wrap, and cut into bars.

*Bars taste great if frozen. Once thawed they retrain the chewy texture however, I would avoid refrigerating the bars as this seems to dry them out.

*To keep fresh store at room temperature in a sealed container.

*Try swapping out the crispy rice cereal for something you already have one hand. Corn flakes, cherrios etc.

Fun "ADD INS" to experiment with:

Chocolate morsels, M&M's, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, dried cranberries, raisins, dates, dried apricots, coconut, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, flax seed, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, toffee pieces....

Buttercream Frosting

4 tsp. vanilla

6 tsp. butter flavoring

4 tsp. milk or water (I use milk)

1 cup butter

1 cup shortening

Dash of salt

2 pounds powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients together until creamy. This makes A TON of frosting. I swear you could frost a 4 layer cake with it. The first time I used this recipe I only made 1/2 and it frosted a 9x13 cake plus left me plenty to do decorations with my cake tips.

Cinnamon Bun Popcorn...

adapted from Our Best Bites

12 cups popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels)
1 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped (optional)
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup karo syrup (or honey makes a good substitution)
1 stick real butter (1/2 C)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 bag white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 250 degrees

Place popcorn and chopped pecans in a large bowl and set aside.

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a 2 liter capacity microwave safe bowl. Mix well. Chop butter into chunks and place on top of sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup over the top of everything. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir to combine. Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Remove and stir and then microwave for 2 minutes more.

Remove from microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda. Stir to combine. Mixture will foam and rise. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and pecans and stir very well so everything is well coated.

Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined cookie sheet. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread out on a large piece of parchment, waxed paper, or foil.

My findings...I popped 3/4 cup of kernels and I did one and an additional half of the sauce recipe. I used 1/2 of bag of white chocolate chips and drizzled over the top of the popcorn at the end.

Buckeyes

aka little pieces of heaven... (ha ha, I'm teasing, but they ARE really good!)

recipe from Lori Thompson who found it in Family Circle magazine

BUCKEYES

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups confectioners sugar

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat peanut butter, butter, and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheets. If mixture is sticky, wet hands with cold water and continue rolling. Place baking sheets in freezer for 30 minutes or until balls are firm.

3. Microwave chips in a glass bowl on HIGH for 2 minutes, stirring midway (I prefer to use a double boiler, it keeps the chocolate at a more even temperature for easier dipping). (Hilary's notes: We don't have a double boiler, so I put a canning ring in a sauce pan, put water in and then put a glass bowl on top - it worked great!)

4. Pierce each ball with a toothpick (I've found a fondue fork works better if you have one) and dip into chocolate 3/4 of the way deep wiping excess chocolate on rim of bowl. Place on waxed paper; repeat with remaining balls. Return undipped buckeyes to freezer for 10 minutes if they get too soft. (Hilary's notes: It works so much better with COLD buckeyes - I kept taking them to the freezer. Otherwise they just fall off while you're dipping)

5. Chill in fridge for 45 minutes, until set. 

6. Try not to eat them all in one sitting!

Makes: about 4 dozen

Foster's 5 'P' Pasta

I normally wouldn't have thought to put these all together, but Clint had similar on his mission in Italy. It's another easy pasta that has 5 ingredients that start with P!

1 box Penne pasta

1 cup frozen Peas

2-3 small red potatoes

1 cup (or less) chopped Prosciutto (regular ham works fine)

1 cup favorite Pesto

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (of course you can always add more cheese)

Wash and chop potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. (No need to peel the red ones). Add potatoes & pasta to salted, boiling water at same time. Add frozen peas to the water the last 3-4 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta, potatoes & peas. Add prosciutto & stir in pesto & parmesan. Buon Appetito!