Apple Pumpkin Muffins, Cumin-Scented White Rice, Pierogi Chicken Lasagna

Hi everyone! Tomorrow is my birthday so we're going out to eat! I'm not sure where yet but I'm sure it will be somewhere good!

I am going to make some Apple Pumpkin Muffins for my family. The recipe is below.

I'll leave you with a couple recipes to try. First is Cumin-Scented White Rice. This is a great change on plain white rice and goes well with so many dishes. The other recipe is for Pierogi Chicken Lasagna. I hear this is excellent! If you love pierogis, you have to try this!

Apple Pumpkin Muffins
barriebaby (allreipes via taste of home) - OP??????
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup canned or cooked pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups finely chopped peeled apples
STREUSEL:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons cold butter or margarine

DIRECTIONS
1. In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In another bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apples. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
Aerin's notes: I used half whole wheat flour, half the amount of sugar (1 cup - 1/2 brown sugar, 1/2 white sugar), subed 1/2 the oil for applesauce, I added about 3 Tablespoons of ground flax, and I omitted the topping altogether. Also I grated the apple instead of chopping it.

Cumin-Scented White Rice
Michelle (MMmom) adapted from food&wine

1 1/2 tablespoons bacon grease or vegetable shortening
1 garlic clove, minced
½ -1/4 small onion, diced
½-3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat the bacon grease in a saucepan. Add the garlic and onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin and bay leaf; cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the rice, stirring to coat with the bacon grease. Add the water and salt and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork, remove bay leaf and serve. Serves 5.

Pierogi Chicken Lasagna
~*~Sandy~* ~
Preparation Time: 10 Mins
Total Time: 40 Mins
Number of Servings: 4

A nice twist on classic lasagna! Try this creative version with layers of potato stuffed pasta and tender slices of white meat chicken baked in a traditional red sauce and lots of cheese.

Ingredients and Steps:
1 lb pierogies, frozen
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1 (18 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
4 grilled chicken breasts, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Pour half of the sauce into a 9"x 9" casserole dish.
3. Layer pierogies over sauce and top with sliced chicken breast.
4. Pour remaining sauce over casserole and sprinkle with cheese.
5. Cover with sprayed foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes

Amy

Beef Bourguignon, Bow Ties with Pesto, Feta and Cherry Tomatoes

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Beef Bourguignon. This is done in the crock pot. If you don't want to take the time to cut up the roast, go ahead and buy stew meat. On the side, we're having Bow Ties with Pesto, Feta and Tomatoes. There is a recipe that follows for pesto but feel free to use store bought pesto too.

Beef Bourguignon
Amy - amylz
The Everything Slow Cooker Cookbook

2 pound chuck roast
1 1/2 tbsp flour
4 onions
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup beef broth
1 cup burgundy wine

Cut the meat into cubes, trimming off fat as you go. Dredge the meat in flour by pressing the chunks firmly into a bowl containing the flour. Peel and slice the onions in 1/4-inch rings. Add all ingredients to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Bow Ties with Pesto, Feta and Cherry Tomatoes
Amy - amylz
Recipe courtesy Dave Lieberman

1 pound bow tie pasta (farfalle)
3/4 cup Pesto, recipe follows
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil, as needed

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Stir in the bow ties and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and run it under cold water just until it stops steaming. Bounce the pasta around to get rid of as much water as you can. Dump the pasta into a large serving bowl. Stir in the pesto until the pasta is coated. Toss in the cherry tomatoes and the crumbled feta. Taste the salad and season it as you like with salt and pepper. You can make the salad up to about 1 hour before you serve it. Check out the salt and pepper just before you serve the salad. If it's looking a little dry, add some olive oil and stir it around.

Pesto:
5 big handfuls basil leaves (about 2 hefty bunches)
1/2 cup pine nuts or 3/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
Juice of 1 small lemon
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Kosher salt
About 20 grinds freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Place all ingredients with 1/2 cup of the oil in a blender and blend. Gradually drizzle in the remaining 1/4 cup of oil until pesto is thick and smooth.
Yield: about 1 1/2 cups

Amy

Hamburger Potato Casserole, Raisin Bread

Hi everyone!

For dinner, we're having Hamburger Potato Casserole. It's done in the crockpot. It's just carrots, peas, potatoes and ground beef. For our bread, I'm making raisin bread. You just need to follow the amounts for whatever size loaf you want to do.

Hamburger Potato Casserole
Amy - amylz
The Everything Slow Cooker Cook Book

1 pound ground beef
3 potatoes
4 carrots
1 onion
1 cup peas
2 tbsp dry white rice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup tomato juice

Brown the beef in a skillet. Drain off grease. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Peel the carrots and slice into 1/4-inch rounds. Peel the onion and cut into 1/4-inch pieces. Combine all ingredients except peas in the slow cooker; stir well. Cover and cook on low setting for 5-7 hours. Add peas and cook for 2 hours.

Raisin Bread~
soonermomto4
water 3/4c 11/8c 11/4c
marg or butter 11/2 tbs 2tbs 21/2tbs
sugar 11/2 tbs 2tbs 21/2 tbs
salt 3/4tsp 1tsp 1tsp
bread flour 2c 3c 31/2 c
yeast 1tsp 1/12tsp 2tsp
At beep add:
raisins 1/2c 3/4c 1c

Amy

Salmon Croquettes

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having dinner at my parent's house to celebrate my birthday. I think we're having tacos (my favorite). So, I'll leave you with a salmon Croquette recipe that comes highly recommended.

Salmon Croquettes
Dusanka

1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying
1 (15-ounce) can pink salmon
1/4 small onion, grated
1 cup cracker crumbs
1 tsp. salt (optional)
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 egg
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Preheat oil in a deep skillet to about 375 degrees. Flake salmon into a medium bowl with a fork, remove any bones & skin. Add onion, cracker crumbs, salt, pepper, egg & lemon juice to bowl; mix well. Shape salmon mixture into 8 patties. Fry patties in hot oil until browned, about 4 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.

Amy

Cider Grilled Salmon, Cheesy Creamed Corn

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow I am making John some Cider Grilled Salmon. You just make up a marinade and then grill the fish. On the side, we are having Cheesy Creamed Corn. The boys and I will finish up some leftovers as well!

Cider Grilled Salmon
Katie (KatieDid) from Recipezaar

¾ c apple cider
6 T soy sauce
2 T unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 whole salmon fillet


Combine cider and soy in nonreactive pan. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium and cook for 3 minutes. Add butter and garlic. Cook until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Cool for 30 minutes Brush marinade over salmon, let sit 30 minutes then cook on grill.

Cheesy Creamed Corn
Michelle (MMmom)

3 packages (16 ounces each) frozen corn
2 packages (one 8 ounces, one 3 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
1/4 cup butter, cubed
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons sugar
6 slices processed American cheese, cut into small pieces

In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine all the ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until heated through and the cheese is melted. Stir well before serving. Yield: 12 servings.

Amy

Beef Tidbits With Horseradish Sauce, The Chewy

Hi everyone! With the price of groceries so out of control high, I'm having to cut back on a lot of things. We'll be eating a lot more canned veggies as our side dishes. I probably won't talk about those so if it seems from now on that I don't have a complete meal, it's because I'm going to throw out some type of fruit or veggie!

Tomorrow we are having Beef Tidbits with Horseradish Sauce. I love horseradish! The recipe calls for an Eye of Round roast but use whatever you have. For dessert, I'll be making the Chewy which is a chocolate chip cookie!

Beef Tidbits With Horseradish Sauce
Amy - amylz
Makes 10 to 12 servings Southern Living, DECEMBER 2007

1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup bourbon*
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1 (3-lb.) eye-of-round roast
48 small dinner rolls
Horseradish Sauce

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a 1-gal. zip-top plastic bag; add roast, turning to coat. Seal and chill 2 hours or up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.
2. Let roast stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Remove roast from marinade, discarding marinade. Place on a lightly greased wire rack in a roasting pan.
3. Bake at 500° for 10 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 375°, and bake 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 135°. Cover loosely with foil, and let stand 10 minutes.
4. Cut roast into thin slices; serve with rolls and Horseradish Sauce.
*1/4 cup apple juice may be substituted for bourbon.

The Chewy
Amy – amylz
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Hardware:
Ice cream scooper (#20 disher, to be exact)
Parchment paper
Baking sheets
Mixer

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside. Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Amy

Smoky Steaks With Chunky Bbq Sauce, Sunday's Best Fruit Salad

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Smoky Steaks with Chunky BBQ Sauce. You can skip the sauce completely if you like. I'm not going to do the grill packets either as I don't have all the stuff. We'll just grill them like normal. On the side, we're having Sunday's Best Fruit Salad. With the fruit salad, use whatever fruit you have on hand!


Smoky Steaks With Chunky Bbq Sauce
Amy - amylz

2 Porterhouse or T-bone steaks
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend
1 tablespoon chili powder
Wood Chip Foil Packet (see below)
Salt
Chunky BBQ Sauce:
¼ cup drained canned pineapple chunks, coarsely chopped
¼ cup chopped red onion
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons balsamic vinegar
½ cup mild barbecue sauce

1. For sauce, combine pineapple, onion, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and vinegar in small saucepan. Cook over high heat 2 to 3 minutes or until liquid is syrupy, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; add barbecue sauce. Cook and stir about 1 minute or until heated through. Set aside.
2. Combine 2 tablespoons brown sugar, steak seasoning and chili powder in small bowl; press evenly onto beef steaks.
3. Place wood chip foil packet on one side of grill directly on medium, ash-covered coals. Place cooking grid over coals. Place steaks in center of grid, not directly over foil packet. Grill, covered, 20 to 24 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally. Carve steaks into slices and season with salt, as desired. Serve with Chunky BBQ Sauce.

Wood Chip Foil Packet: Tear 12/12-inch square of heavy-duty (or double layer of regular) aluminum foil. Place 1 cup dry hickory wood chips onto center of foil. Seal packet by bringing the two opposite sides together above the chips; fold down in a series of 2 to 3 tightly sealed folds. Fold the remaining open sides up and over 2 to 3 times, pressing firmly to seal at each fold.

This recipe is courtesy of the Nebraska Beef Council.

Sunday's Best Fruit Salad
Karla

1 can pineapple chunks (20 ounce) juice reserved
2 apples, peeled and cored
1 can peach pie filling (21 ounce)
2 bananas, peeled and diced
3 kiwis, sliced
1 pint strawberries, sliced

1. In a small bowl, toss the chopped apples in reserved pineapple juice
2. Allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes
3. In a large salad bowl, combine the peach pie filling and pineapple chunks.
4. Remove apples from pineapple juice and add to pie filling and pineapple mixture.
5. Add chopped bananas to reserved pineapple juice and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Peel and slice kiwi and 1/2 of strawberries.
7. Chop the other 1/2 of strawberries and set aside.
8. Remove bananas from pineapple juice and add to pie filling mixture.
9. Add chopped strawberries; toss together.
10. Arrange kiwi slices around the edge of the serving bowl and alternate with strawberry slices.
11. Chill and serve.

Amy

Grandma Roberts' Maple Glazed Apples and Hot Dogs, Roquefort Pear Salad

Hi everyone! Tomorrow is grocery day (I'm not liking Wednesday shopping at all but I'm trying to give it a chance). Safeway has pork loins (with bones) on sale for $1.39 pound which is pretty good. You may want to stock up on those! The boneless, skinless breasts and thighs are on sale for $1.99 pound and that's pretty good too. Right now is definitely the time to be buying apples and making pies, applesauce and apple butter to go in the freezer. I like to make apple pies and then throw them in the freezer (uncooked). They're great to pull out when you need a dessert in a hurry. QFS has whole fryers on sale for $0.67 pound so stocking up on those would be smart. And oh my goodness, Honeycrisp Apples are on sale for $1.99 pound at QFC so run and buy some. That's the cheapest I've ever seen them. If you haven't had a honeycrisp, you don't know what you're missing! They really are the best tasting apple ever! They're only out this time of year too.

Tomorrow we are having Grandma Roberts Maple Glazed Appled and Hot Dogs. I know, it sounds weird! In one of my cooking groups, they started this new Meal Of The Week thing where we all make whatever the meal is. This was the meal for this week. The poster swears it's delicious so I thought "what the heck." On the side, we're having a Roquefort Pear Salad. I will be skipping step 1 since we're nut free but if your family likes nuts, I highly recommend you add them to the salad!

Grandma Roberts' Maple Glazed Apples and Hot Dogs
(Astrid)

1 T butter
2 T prepared mustard
3/4 c maple syrup (real, Dark Amber or Grade B works best)
1 lb hot dogs
6 medium-sized tart apples, cored and sliced to make thick rings with skins left on

Melt butter in skillet. Stir in mustard and maple syrup. Make slashes in hot dogs and add them together with the apples, to the sauce. Cover and simmer over very low heat for 10-15 minutes.

This is especially good with cornbread and baked beans.

Roquefort Pear Salad
Amy – amylz
All Recipes
Yields: 6 servings

1 head leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
3 pears - peeled, cored and chopped
5 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled
1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup white sugar 1/2 cup pecans
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a skillet over medium heat, stir 1/4 cup of sugar together with the pecans. Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto waxed paper. Allow to cool, and break into pieces.
2. For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, mustard, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. In a large serving bowl, layer lettuce, pears, blue cheese, avocado, and green onions. Pour dressing over salad, sprinkle with pecans, and serve.

Notes: You really should double the dressing!

Amy

Mrs. Starke’s Flank Steak Marinade, Oven Roasted Green Beans

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having steak! I'm using Mrs. Starke's Flank Steak Marinade for my recipe. There's really no directions to this. Just mix the marinade ingredients and marinate your steak. I like to marinate over night but if you don't have that, even an hour is good. Use any kind of steak you like and then grill them up! On the side we're having Oven Roasted Green Beans. Make sure you read Katie's notes below on those.

Mrs. Starke’s Flank Steak Marinade
OP?????

¾ cup of vegetable oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup worcestshire sauce
1 Tablespoon mustard
1 teaspoon pepper
¼ cup wine vinegar
¾ teaspoon parsley flakes
1/6 cup lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, crushed

Oven Roasted Green Beans
Katie (Katiedid)

2 lbs green beans, trimmed
4 tsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher or sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 F. Place a jelly-roll pan in oven for 10 minutes. Place beans in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Arrange green beans in a single layer on preheated baking sheet. Bake at 425 F for 8 minutes or until crisp-tender.
Katie's Notes: Preheating the baking sheet helps the beans cook faster, but is not necessary. I usually even turn my oven up to 450 because we like our beans to get a little crispy. I also usually just put the beans on the baking sheet if I don't preheat it and then just drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper without measuring.

Amy

Low Carb Big Beef Bacon Cheeseburgers with Sauteed Mushrooms, Marinated Tomatoes, Italian Bread

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we're having Bacon Cheeseburgers for dinner. This is a Rachael Ray recipe. I believe she wrote this during the low carb craze so the idea here is that you eat these without a bun. This recipe includes sauteed mushrooms (my favorite). Of course you could use a bun if you like but it's optional. On the side, we're having Marinated Tomatoes. My kids love these! You can really use any tomatoes but I like to use big giant ones and cut into thick slices. And since it's Monday, I'll be making Italian Bread in the bread machine.

Low Carb Big Beef Bacon Cheeseburgers with Sauteed Mushrooms
Amy – amylz
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

8 slices applewood or other thick, center-cut bacon, from the meat case of market
1 1/2 pounds ground beef sirloin
Worcestershire sauce, for brushing
Olive oil, for drizzling
Grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Seasoning by McCormick)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan in a slow stream
1 clove crushed garlic
1 pound crimini (baby Portobello) mushrooms, cleaned with a damp towel, sliced
3 or 4 sprigs fresh sage
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup dry cooking sherry
8 ounces fontina or Swiss cheese, thinly sliced
Grainy, stone ground prepared mustard, for passing at the table

Let meat rest to take the chill from the refrigerator. Preheat 2 nonstick skillets over medium high to high heat. Place the meat in a bowl and score it into 4 equal sections and form the meat into patties. Season each patty with grill seasoning. Pour a few tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce into a small dish and using a pastry brush, lightly baste the burgers with sauce. Drizzle a touch of oil into the 1 hot skillet and arrange the burgers. Do not move the meat for 2 minutes. Turn and sear the reverse side to caramelize the meat. Lower the heat slightly and cook 5 minutes longer on each side. Place bacon slices in the other skillet and cook for 3 minutes on each side, until crisp. Drain fat and reserve bacon. Return the skillet to the stove top. Add 2 tablespoons oil, the garlic and mushrooms to the pan. Thinly slice sage leaves, then add to the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Saute the garlic and mushrooms 5 minutes until just tender. Deglaze the pan with dry sherry and scrape up the pan drippings. Pile the mushrooms on top of burgers, then top with bacon and cheese and cover with lid or foil to melt cheese. Transfer burgers to dinner plates. Pass grainy mustard at the table.

Marinated Tomatoes
Amy - amylz
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 to 3 green onions, chopped
4 to 6 large tomatoes, each cut into 6 wedges

Combine all ingredients, except tomatoes, in a large measuring cup or mixing bowl. Whisk well. Place tomatoes in a resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over. Marinate at room temperature for up to 2 hours, turning the bag occasionally.

Italian Bread - Bread Machine
Sandy ~ ~*~Sandy~*~

1 1/2 cups water
2 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups bread flour
2 1/2 tsp yeast

Layer in bread machine pan according to manufacturers recommendation. Bake on the basic cycle. Makes a large loaf (2 lbs). Add a tablespoon or two of water if the machine sounds like it is struggling (dough may be dry). Sandy’s Notes: Sub’d 1 cup of whole wheat flour for 1 cup of white bread flour, added about 3 T vital wheat gluten. Baked on the Rapid Whole Wheat cycle - awesome!

Amy

Laura's Slow Cooker Chicken Marengo

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we're having Laura's Slow Cooker Chicken Marengo. We serve this with rice. There's not a lot to say about this, it's so simple. The only down side is you need to turn the crock pot down two hours in to it. If you're going to let this cook all day, you'd probably be fine cooking it on low from the start!

Laura's Slow Cooker Chicken Marengo
Amy - amylz

Cut-up, skinned chicken parts (about 3 lbs)
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, sliced
10 strips bacon, divided
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 can mushrooms, or use fresh sliced mushrooms

Spray sides of crock with non-stick spray. Place washed, skinned chicken parts in bottom of slow cooker/Crock Pot. Scatter onion slices on top. Lay 5 slices of bacon on top of chicken and onions. Add can of diced tomatoes (with juice). Cook on high 1 hour then switch to low for 2 hours. Add can of tomato paste and mushrooms. Cook on low about another hour. (My crock tends to cook a bit fast on low, so you may need to adjust times). Meanwhile, (Optional) cook then crumble the remaining 5 slices of bacon. When serving, sprinkle the crumbled bacon over top of chicken. We like to serve over rice.

Amy

Grilled Lime Chicken, Jen & Ang's Pasta Salad

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we're having Grilled Lime Chicken for dinner. I got this from Family Fun Magazine. It's a very easy recipe. You just marinate and grill! On the side we're having a pasta salad. This recipe used the Suddenly Salad pasta mix and a can of chicken. I prefer the all white meat chicken whenever I use canned chicken in a recipe.

Grilled Lime Chicken
Amy – amylz
Family Fun Magazine

1/2 cup lime juice
1/3 cup olive oil
4 green onions, chopped
3 tbsp. dill
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Use a 1-gallon zip-top plastic bag, set in a large bowl. Put first 6 ingredients in bag and "mush" to mix. Add chicken, seal bag and mush again to coat chicken well. Set in bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 to 4 hours--all day is best. Grill for 12 to 15 minutes, until tender and juices run clear.

Jen & Ang's Pasta Salad
By Luckycat99

Ingredients:
2 boxes of Suddenly Salad Pasta Salad - Bacon & Ranch Flavor
Hellman's (or best foods) mayo
2 cups of finely shredded cheese
1 large can of chicken (also can use leftover grilled chicken)
3-4T of ranch dressing
1 container of cherry tomatoes cut in half

Directions:
Make pasta salad according to directions on box. When adding in the mayo, you will need to add a few TBS extra becase of the extra ingredients. When salad is mixed together, then simply add in everything except for the cherry tomatoes. Mix well. When completely mixed, add in the tomatoes and give it one last stir. Throw in the fridge for about an hour. This is SO yummy and I always get compliments on how good this is!

Chicken Florentine, Crunchy Bacon Coleslaw, Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

Hi everyone!


Tomorrow we are having Chicken Florentine for dinner. If you're not familiar with this dish, think chicken meets spinach. This is a Paula Deen recipe and this recipe makes 2 casseroles. She tells you how to freeze one for later. Chicken Florentine is definitely comfort food at it's best! If you like spinach, you will love this! On the side we're having Crunchy Bacon Coleslaw. Sure, you could chop up fresh cabbage but I always take the easy way and buy the coleslaw mix in the produce section. Since it's Friday, I'm making Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies for dessert.


Chicken Florentine
Amy - amylz
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen, 2007

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach
6 chicken breast halves (about 4 pounds), cooked, boned, and shredded
2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
2 cup grated sharp Cheddar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter

Remove the outer wrappers from the box of spinach. Open 1 end of each box. Microwave on full power for 2 minutes, until thawed. Drain the spinach and put into a large bowl. Add the shredded chicken. In a medium bowl, combine the soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, Cheddar, lemon juice, curry powder, salt and pepper, to taste, and wine. Whisk together to make a sauce. Pour the sauce over the spinach and chicken. Mix well with a spatula. Place the mixture into an 11 by 7-inch casserole dish or 2 (9-inch) square disposable aluminum foil pans that have been sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray. Pat down evenly and smooth with a spatula. Combine the Parmesan and bread crumbs and sprinkle over the top. Dot with the butter. Wrap the uncooked casserole securely with plastic wrap, then with aluminum foil. Place each pan into a plastic freezer bag and seal. Place into freezer. Allow casserole to thaw 24 hours in refrigerator. When ready to bake, remove the plastic wrap and foil. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes until bubbly.

Crunchy Bacon Coleslaw
Amy – amylz
Kraft
6 servings, 1/2 cup each

1/2 cup MIRACLE WHIP Light Dressing
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. cider vinegar
4 cups shredded green cabbage
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1/2 cup PLANTERS Salted Peanuts, chopped
4 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, crisply cooked, drained and crumbled

MIX dressing, sugar and vinegar in large bowl. ADD remaining ingredients; toss to coat. REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour before serving. NOTES: Prepare as directed, substituting 1 pkg. (8 oz.) coleslaw blend for the shredded green and red cabbages and/or substituting 1/4 cup OSCAR MAYER Real Bacon Bits for the cooked and crumbled OSCAR MAYER Bacon.

Calories 150 Total fat 11 g Saturated fat 2 g Cholesterol 10 mg Sodium 320 mg Carbohydrate 11 g Dietary fiber 2 g Sugars 7 g Protein 5 g Vitamin A 0 %DV Vitamin C 35 %DV Calcium 4 %DV Iron 4 %DV

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
RecipeGirl

½ cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup flour
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1/3 cup chunky-style peanut butter
¼ cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium saucepan, heat butter until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar and eggs. Beat slightly by hand just until combined. Stir in flour. Remove ¾ cup of the batter; set aside. Stir melted chocolate into remaining batter in saucepan. Spread chocolate batter into a greased 9x9x2" pan. Set aside. Stir peanut butter into reserved ¾ cup batter; dollop atop the chocolate batter. Sprinkle with the chocolate pieces. Swirl the batter with a knife. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until brownies appear set on the surface. Do not over bake. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into squares to serve. Makes 16 brownies.

Amy

Cinnamon Bread Delight, Veggie Jack Burritos, Best Chicken Pasta Salad

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow I am hosting play group so I am making Cinnamon Bread Delight. This recipe makes two loaves of bread so it's a great opportunity to throw one in the freezer for later. For dinner, we're having Veggie Jack Burritos. These are completely vegetarian. You could really use any combo of veggies you like. If you had to have meat, you could easily add in some diced chicken or shredded beef. I'm also making a Chicken Pasta Salad. Feel free to use any pasta you like. My family won't eat avocados so I'll leave those on the side just for me to add in. If you buy an unripe avocado, just leave it on your counter for a couple days and it will ripen quickly. If your avocados are already ripe, keep them in the fridge (unbagged) and they will last a bit longer. Once they start to shrivel, you pretty much need to make guacamole.

Cinnamon Bread Delight
posted by Heidi

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 (5.1oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 325. Grease 2 5x9 loaf pans. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, mix the milk, oil, applesauce, eggs and vanilla. Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture until smooth. Sprinkle the bottoms of the pans with cinnamon sugar and divide the batter between the 2 pans. (I usually sprinkle this ON TOP after it bakes and not the bottom - it made the bread stick to the bottom too bad, in my opinion) Bake 1hr or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Veggie Jack Burritos
Sandy~Bettyinthekitchen

1 T vegetable oil
2 cups broccoli flowerettes
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 medium zucchini, shredded
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup prepared green salsa
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded Wisconsin Monterey Jack cheese or Mexican Shredded Cheese blend
8 flour tortillas
Green or red salsa

In a 10 inch skillet, heat oil until sizzling; add vegetables and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, until vegetables are slightly tender. Stir in 1 cup salsa. Distribute vegetable mixture and 2 cups cheese evenly on tortillas. Fold burrito- or taco-style; place in 12x8 inch baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake at 400° F for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through. Top with salsa and remaining cheese. Continue baking 5 to 7 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Best Chicken Pasta Salad
Amy - amylz
Yields: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup steak sauce
1 (12 ounce) package fusilli pasta
2 cubes chicken bouillon
1 Vidalia onion, diced
2 avocados - peeled, pitted and diced
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup Ranch-style salad dressing

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Place breasts into a glass baking dish and marinate in steak sauce for 15 to 60 minutes.
2. Grill chicken until no longer pink and the juices run clear. Remove from grill, and chop into bite-size pieces.
3. To a large pot of boiling water, add bouillon cubes and pasta. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain, and rinse under cold water.
4. In a large bowl, combine chicken, pasta, onion, avocados and tomatoes. Mix in salad dressing, cover, and refrigerate until chilled.

Amy

No Peek Tips, Potatoes and Carrots Au Gratin, Spinach and Berry Salad

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having No Peek Tips. This is a great recipe! You used cubed stew beef and throw it in the crock pot with a few ingredients and that's it. The trick is, you don't peek at them. Leave the lid on the entire time! You can make this recipe in the oven or the crock pot but you know I love the crock pot! Then you serve it over rice or pasta. I'll probably go with rice! On the side, we're having Potatoes and Carrots Au Gratin. This is a good way to get extra veggies into your family's diet. We're also having a Spinach and Berry Salad. I've been craving Spinach Salad lately! We all love it!

No Peek Tips
Rose (fourwonderfulboys’)

2 lbs cubed stew beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can mushrooms (I'm using fresh)
1 pkg dry onion soup mix
1 pkg dry brown gravy mix
1 c. ginger ale or 7 up

Layer ingredients in proceeding order. Cover and bake at 300* for 3 hours. I'm making in the slow cooker for 6hrs. Serve over rice or pasta.

Potatoes and Carrots Au Gratin
Amy – amylz
All Recipes
Yields: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups sliced peeled potatoes
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup milk
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of celery soup, undiluted

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a greased 2-qt. casserole, place potatoes, carrots, green pepper and onion. Combine half the cheese and remaining ingredients. Pour over vegetables; gently toss. Bake at 350 degrees F, covered, 35-40 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Top with remaining cheese; bake, uncovered, 10-15 minutes more.

Spinach and Berry Salad
Sandy~Bettyinthekitchen

2 (10-oz) pkgs baby spinach
4 T poppy seed dressing
2 cups mixed berries (raspberries and blackberries)
1 cup sliced mushrooms

Combine spinach and dressing, toss to coat. Add berries and mushrooms, toss gently and serve.

Amy

Pork Chops With Herb-Mustard Butter, Mashed Potato Soup

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Pork Chops for dinner. I got this recipe from Southern Living Magazine. This can't be easier. You broil the chops with the herb mustard butter and that's it. I'm sure my husband will love this. Just make sure your pork is done by using a meat thermometer. On the side, I'm making Mashed Potato Soup. It's a Rachael Ray recipe, does that surprise you? I'm sure she came up with this when she was looking for a way to use up mashed potatoes. If you don't have left over potatoes, just whip some up. You can also buy mashed potatoes in the freezer section of the super market. This soup is really a cheesy, bacon and potato soup. It should be good!

Pork Chops With Herb-Mustard Butter
Amy - amylz
Yield: Makes 4 servings Southern Living, OCTOBER 2007

4 (1/2-inch-thick) bone-in pork loin chops
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons honey mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage

1. Sprinkle chops evenly with salt and pepper, and place on a wire rack in an aluminum foil-lined broiler pan.
2. Stir together butter and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl until blended. Top each chop with 1 rounded Tbsp. butter mixture.
3. Broil 5 inches from heat 8 to 10 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 155°.

Mashed Potato Soup
OP????
Yields: 4 servings

Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
6 slices bacon, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
4 tablespoons flour
1 quart chicken stock
2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
8 ounces shredded yellow cheddar cheese
Chopped chives, for garnish

In a medium pot or Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve. Drain off excess bacon fat from the pot and add butter. When it is melted, add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour into the pot and cook with a wooden spoon for 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken stock and bring to a bubble. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Whisk in mashed potatoes, then stir in the cheddar cheese with a wooden spoon and cook until the potatoes are hot and the cheese is melted. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved bacon and chopped chives. Yum-O!

Amy

3-Cheese Potatoes, Ginger Beef & Noodle Bowls, Herbed Onion Focaccia

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow is our first Mops meeting of the year and I'm bringing 3-Cheese Potatoes. These could be used as a breakfast dish or a side dish with dinner. It doesn't matter. I'm going to cut the potatoes into small bite-size cubes and make it more like a breakfast dish. You could also get away with using frozen southern style potatoes (the ones that are cubes). If you don't have Romano cheese, use parmesan. For dinner, we're having Ginger Beef & Noodle Bowls. You can buy oriental-style noodles or just use Ramen noodles. If you can't get flat iron steak, go ahead and use any cut from the shoulder or really, any steak will do. I'm mkaing Herbed Onion Focaccia for our bread. You use your bread machine to make the dough. If you don't have a machine, just make the dough by hand, it will be fine. Just make sure you let it rise once before you go to the step where you would take it out of the bread machine. I have found that the microwave is a good place to let bread rise. It stays nice and free from drafts. I used to let it rise in my oven (I would heat it to like 150 then turn off) but I often need my oven so that doesn't work for me.



3-Cheese Potatoes
Dottie (hokiesmom)

1/2 c. butter, melted
2 lbs. potatoes, peeled, quartered and boiled
2 t. garlic, minced
4 T. grated Romano cheese, divided
1/2 c. milk
1-1/2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1-1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
2 T. green onions, chopped
2 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1-1/2 t. white pepper
1 t. paprika

Pour butter over potatoes; add garlic, 3 tablespoons Romano cheese and remaining ingredients. Mix well and spread in a lightly greased 13"x9" baking pan. Sprinkle remaining Romano cheese over top; bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Serves 8.

Ginger Beef & Noodle Bowls
Amy - amylz
Total Prep and Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 each Flat Iron Steak (about 1 lb)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 large cloves garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper
2 cans (13 ¾ to 14 ½ ounces each) ready-to-serve beef broth
¾ cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons mirin or rice wine vinegar
6 cups cooked fresh Oriental-style thin cut noodles or unseasoned instant ramen noodles
½ cup matchstick-style shredded carrots

Procedures:
Cut steaks crosswise into ¼ inch thick strips; cut strips in half. Heat ½ tablespoon sesame oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add ½ of beef; stir-fry 2 minutes or until outside surface of beef is no longer pink. Remove from skillet. Repeat with remaining oil and beef. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Keep warm. Add broth, green onions and mirin to skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile divide noodles and beef evenly among 4 large soup bowls. Bring broth mixture to a boil over high heat; ladle boiling mixture evenly over beef and noodles. Garnish with carrots.

*Recipe brought to you by the National Beef Cookoff 2003.

Herbed Onion Focaccia
Katie (Katiedid) from Taste of Home

1 cup water (70° to 80°)
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
TOPPING:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

In bread machine pan, place the first 11 ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed). When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a greased baking sheet and punch down (dough will be sticky). With lightly oiled hands, pat dough into a 9-in. circle. Brush with oil; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 400° for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into wedges; serve warm. Yield: 1 loaf (1-1/2 pounds).

Amy

Ziti Casserole

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we'll just be getting home from camping so I needed something easy to throw together. I'm going with a Ziti Casserole. This recipe makes two 13X9 pans. So, if you don't need that much, cut the recipe in half. However, this would be a great recipe to throw in the freezer so make the two if you have the room!

Ziti Casserole
Amy - amylz

1 pk ziti
3 lb ground beef
2 c chopped onions
1 lb sliced mushrooms (5 c.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c sour cream
4 c spaghetti sauce (1 qt.)
1/2 red wine
2 ts oregano
2 ts salt
1 ts pepper
8 oz Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Cook pasta, reducing cooking time by 5 minutes. Meanwhile, saute beef and onions until beef is well browned. Use 2 large skillets or brown half at a time. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook 3 minutes. Drain ziti. Combine meat mixture, sauce, wine, oregano, salt and pepper. Add ziti and mix. Pour into 2 greased 13 x 9 inch baking dishes and sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Serve with sour cream. Makes 8 servings.

Amy

Easy Beef Tacos, Western Potato Rounds

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow for dinner, I'm making Easy Beef Tacos. You don't really need a recipe for tacos but for those who do, here is one. Tacos are my favorite food. In this recipe, you use salsa to flavor the meat. If you prefer, you can use taco seasoning but I've found this salsa method works well too. Then serve with your favorite taco toppings! On the side, we're having Western Potato Rounds. This is a Pampered Chef recipe so some of you may have seen this before. It's basically potatoes with cheese and bacon! Yum!

Easy Beef Tacos
Amy – amylz
Betty Crocker

Prep Time:15 min
Start to Finish:30 min
Makes:10 tacos

1 pound lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
10 Old El Paso® taco shells
1/2 head lettuce, shredded
1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

1. Cook beef in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain.
2. Stir salsa into beef. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour beef mixture into large serving bowl.
3. Heat taco shells as directed on package. Serve taco shells with beef mixture, lettuce, tomato and cheese.

Nutrition Information:
1 Serving: Calories 190 (Calories from Fat 100 ); Total Fat 11 g (Saturated Fat 5 g); Cholesterol 40 mg; Sodium 320 mg; Total Carbohydrate 10 g (Dietary Fiber 1 g); Protein 12 g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 8 %; Vitamin C 6 %; Calcium 8 %; Iron 6 % Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 1 1/2 Medium-Fat Meat; 1 Fat

Want a veggie version? Open a 16-ounce can of Old El Paso® refried beans, and place in a microwavable bowl. Cover and microwave on High, stirring a few times with a wooden spoon, until hot. Spoon beans into a serving bowl, and serve with the salsa and other taco toppings.

Western Potato Rounds
Katie (Katiedid) from Pampered Chef

2 large unpeeled baking potatoes (about 1 1/4 lbs)
Vegetable oil
1 c (4 oz) shredded colby jack cheese
6 bacon slices, crisply cooked, drained and crumbled
1/3 c green onion slices
1/4 c barbecue sauce

Preheat oven to 450 F. Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Spray or brush both sides of potato slices generously with oil; place on baking stone or baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned; remove from oven. Combine cheese, bacon and green onion. Brush potato slices generously with barbecue sauce; sprinkle with cheese mixture. Return potato slices to oven. Bake 3-5 minutes of until cheese is melted. Yield: 24 rounds

Amy

The Ultimate Barbecued Chicken, Tortellini Ala Fini

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having The Ultimate Barbecued Chicken. This looks complicated but it's really quite easy. You first create a brine for the chicken. Then you grill it part way and then bake it. This is the best way to make barbecue chicken so that the sauce doesn't burn. I plan to use white meat since that's what my family prefers. On the side, we're having Tortellini Ala Fini. This is creamy tortellini with peas and prosciutto. This is also very easy and fast to throw together! You could sub bacon for the prosciutto if your family prefers that. It will give it a smokier flavor but it will still be good!

The Ultimate Barbecued Chicken
Amy - amylz
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Brine:
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a large knife
4 sprigs fresh thyme
6 chicken legs and thighs, still connected, bone in, skin on, about 10 ounces each

The Ultimate Barbecue Sauce:
1 slice bacon
1 bunch fresh thyme
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika if available
Freshly ground black pepper

For the brine, in a mixing bowl combine the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and thyme. Transfer the brine to a 2-gallon sized re-sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken, close the bag and refrigerate 2 hours (if you've only got 15 minutes, that's fine) to allow the salt and seasonings to penetrate the chicken. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Wrap the bacon around the bunch of thyme and tie with kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook slowly 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly without coloring for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors. Once the sauce is done cooking, remove about 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and reserve for serving along side the chicken at the table. The rest of the barbecue sauce will be used for basting the legs. Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Preheat a grill pan or an outdoor gas or charcoal barbecue to a medium heat. Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel and carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a nonstick surface. Take the chicken out of the brine, pat it dry on paper towels. Arrange the chicken pieces on the preheated grill and cook, turn once mid-way, and cook for a total of 10 minutes. Transfer the grill marked chicken to a cookie sheet and then place in the oven. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and then brush liberally, coating every inch of the legs with the barbecue sauce and then return to the oven for 25 to 30 more minutes, basting the chicken for a second time half way through remaining cooking time. Serve with extra sauce.

Tortellini Ala Fini
Grace (TigMode)

15 ounces cheese tortellini
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
nutmeg
6 tablespoons grated parmesan
3/4 cup frozen baby peas (thawed)
1 1/2 ounces prosciutto

Cook tortellini in large pot of boiling salted water until barely tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Drain thoroughly. Meanwhile, bring cream to boil in heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat. Add nutmeg and simmer until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Return tortellini to pot. Add warm cream, parmesan, peas and prosciutto. Simmer over low heat until tortellini are tender and sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Amy

High Temperature Eye of Round Roast, Mandarin Orange Salad, Lemon Shrimp Pasta

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we're having a nice fall dinner. I'm making a High Temperature Eye of Round Roast. I love this recipe. It's more of a method than anything else. You can use this on any cut of roast. The key is to use 7 minutes per pound. You put it in a screaming hot oven and then turn it off. It comes out perfect every time! For the salad, I'm making a Mandarin Orange Salad. This is just salad with oranges and red onion. I love fruit in my salad. For the side, I'm making Lemon Shrimp Pasta. This could be a main dish but since John is the only one who will eat the shrimp, I'm serving it as a pasta side dish. Think of this as a creamy pasta dish. What I'll do is cook the shrimp per the directions but I'll wait to add the shrimp back in. I'll take the shrimp out and set aside and then cook the peas and carrots. And since he's the only one eating the shrimp, I won't need so much.

High Temperature Eye of Round Roast
(JoAnn via Allrecipes)

1 (3 pound) beef eye of round roast
salt and pepper to taste (I used kosher salt & fresh ground pepper mixed together and then rubbed it into the meat)

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Season the roast with salt and pepper and place in a roasting pan or baking dish. Do not cover or add water. Place the roast in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Roast for 21 minutes (seven minutes per pound) then turn off the oven and let the roast sit in the hot oven for 2 1/2 hours. Do not open the door at all during this time! Remove the roast from the oven, the internal temperature should have reached at least 145 degrees F (65 degrees C). Carve into thin slices to serve.

Mandarin Orange Salad
Sandy~~*~Sandy~*~
Prep: 4 minutes

1 (5-oz) pkg mixed salad greens
1 (11-oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 red onion, sliced
1/2 cup low-fat balsamic vinaigrette

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently to coat. Yield: 4 servings (servings size: 1 1/2 cups). Calories 73 (1% from fat), fat 0.1g, protein 0.7g, carb 16.6g, fiber 0.9g, chol 0mg, iron 0.7mg, sodium 473mg, calc 21mg

Lemon Shrimp Pasta
babbzy/Shanna from Recipezaar

2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
10 ounces shrimp, deveined
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
2/3 cup coarsely shredded carrots
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (I used normal)
2 Tablespoons light cream cheese (I used regular)
4 cups cooked farfalle pasta (bowtie pasta)
6 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind (I used lemon juice)
fresh ground black pepper
fresh chives (optional- I didn't use)

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Add oil and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add minced garlic and saute 15 seconds. Add shrimp and saute until pink. Add peas and carrots and saute for 1 minute, remove from skillet and set aside. Add broth and cream cheese to skillet; cook over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Stir in shrimp mixture, farfalle, and next 4 ingredients. Cook 1 minute. If desired, garnish with chives.

Amy

Texas Barbeque Bacon Burger, The Bomb Bakers

Hi everyone! Is everyone adjusted to back to school now? I think we're finally getting into the swing of things!

Tomorrow we are having burgers and potatoes. The burger are called Texas Barbeque Bacon Burgers. The idea here is more the toppings than the actual burger. You can use those frozen burger patties or just make up some patties out of 1 pound of ground beef. You grill the burgers with steak seasoning (we always use Montreal Steak Seasoning) and then top the burgers with sauteed onions, cheese, bacon and barbecue sauce. Yum! This is right up my alley. I think my kids will eat this too but I know John will just want a plain bacon burger. That's fine with me. On the side, we're going with The Bomb Bakers. This is a Guy Fieri recipe (from Guy's Big Bite). I love his show! The directions are very easy to follow and he gives a recipe for a horseradish sour cream to go with them! I can't wait!

Texas Barbeque Bacon Burger
Amy – amylz
4 servings

4 Kaiser Rolls
4 Burgers
Steaks Seasoning
1 cup Sautéed Onions
4 slices Cheddar Cheese
12 slices Bacon
1 cup Barbeque Sauce

Procedure:
1. Toast the Kaiser Roll.
2. Cook and season (with steak seasoning) the burgers to your desired doneness.
3. Melt the Cheddar Cheese on the burger.
4. Heat the Bacon and place on the cheese.
5. Heat the Sautéed Onions and place on the bacon.
6. Top all with the Barbeque Sauce and serve.

The Bomb Bakers
Amy - amylz
Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri

1 1/4 cups kosher salt
6 medium russet potatoes, washed
2 tablespoons garlic salt
2 tablespoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Horseradish Sour Cream, recipe follows

In large mixing bowl dissolve 1 cup kosher salt in 8 cups of water. Add potatoes. Insure that all potatoes are submerged, and brine for 2 to 8 hours.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the potatoes from brine and liberally coat with the remaining kosher salt, garlic salt, seasoned salt, and pepper. Place the potatoes on a wire rack in the center of the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Do not puncture skin with tongs, fork, or tooth picks. Potatoes will be soft to the touch when done. Let potatoes rest 5 minutes before cutting.

Horseradish Sour Cream:
2 cups sour cream
4 tablespoons prepared horseradish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients. Serve with potatoes.


Amy

BBQ Meatloaf, Vegetable Brown Rice

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we're having BBQ Meatloaf. I know, it's another meatloaf recipe. I'm telling you, we love meatloaf and love to try different recipes. Now this recipe makes 2 meatloaves. If you don't need 2, cut the recipe in half. However, I think you should make two and then freexe one for later. You can freeze it before you cook it (then thaw it and cook) or freeze it after you cook it in individual serving sizes. Meatloaf is a great food to put in the kid's lunch for school since it can be eaten at room temp. It's great on sandwiches too! On the side, we're having Vegetable Brown Rice. This uses those boil in a bag rice. You should be able to find them at most grocery stores. The only change I'm making is I won't use curry. We hate curry. I haven't decided what flavor I'm going with yet but I want something with a little spice to it. Since this is cooked with tomato juice, it needs to match that. I might even use a cajun seasoning.

BBQ Meatloaf
~~Kerry~~(my 2 little monsters)

2 lb. ground beef
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup water
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 envelope ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup barbeque sauce, divided

Mix all ingredients well except for ¼ cup of the barbeque sauce. Shape meat mixture into 2 oval loaves, side by side, in a 9”x13” baking dish. Top with remaining barbeque sauce. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until center is no longer pink. .


Vegetable Brown Rice
~*~Sandy~*~ (inspired by Grace)

2 T safflower oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped carrots
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup frozen peas
1 tsp curry powder
1 can chicken broth
1 cup tomato juice
2 pkgs Success Brown Rice (boil in the bag)
1 cup frozen peas
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat, add oil. Add carrots and sauté until crisp tender. Add garlic, green onions, peas, curry, chicken broth and tomato juice, bring to a boil. Remove the rice from the bags and add to pot, bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to LOW. Cook, stirring occasionally until rice absorbs the liquid and is done, about 10 minutes.

Amy

Ribs with a Kick, Special Fried Rice, Cloverleaf Dinner Rolls

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we're having Ribs with a Kick. This is spare ribs cooked on the grill and you make a BBQ sauce to baste it with. The only thing I don't like about ribs is they take forever to cook but for those who love ribs, they're worth it! The sauce for these ribs is a tad spicy, thus the name "with a kick." On the side we're having Special Fried Rice. You want to use long cooking rice for this recipe. I never buy shredded carrots as I can shred them myself with a hand grater in about 10 seconds. Tamari is a dark soy sauce and it can be found on the Asian Food aisle by the regular soy sauce. If you don't want to buy Tamari, you could use regular soy sauce but there is a difference so I recommend investing in the Tamari! Since it's Monday, it's bread day. I'm going with Cloverleaf Dinner Rolls this week. I'll admit, they're a bit of work (you have to let them rise twice) but definitely worth it. What's better than fresh baked rolls?

Ribs with a Kick
Katie (KatieDid)

2 medium onions, chopped (1 lg red)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T butter (1 T + 1 T olive oil)
1 c packed brown sugar (2-3 T)
1 c water
1 c spicy ketchup (1/3 c ketchup + 2/3 c chili sauce)
3 T white vinegar
3 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T Liquid smoke, optional
2 tsp ground mustard
2 tsp chili powder (1 1/4 tsp hot)
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (dash)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion salt (onion powder)
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
5 to 6 lbs baby back ribs, cut into serving-size pieces

In a large saucepan, saute onions and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in the brown sugar, water, ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Liquid Smoke if desired, mustard, chili powder, paprika and cayenne. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer and stir until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Combine the salt, onion salt, garlic salt and pepper; sprinkle over ribs. Grill ribs, covered over indirect medium heat for 1-3/4 hours or until meat is very tender. Set aside 1 cup barbecue sauce for serving. Brush some of remaining sauce over ribs; cook 20 minutes longer, turning ribs and basting with sauce. Serve with reserved sauce. Yield: 5-6 servings. Editors Note: This recipe was tested with Heinz Hot & Spicy Kick'rs ketchup. Katie's Notes: 1 used 1 large red onion, 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil, an extra 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/3 cup ketchup and 2/3 c chili sauce, used the liquid smoke, 1 1/4 teaspoons hot chili powder, a dash of cayenne pepper, onion powder. I made the full batch of sauce and had only about 2 1/2 pounds or spare ribs. I had plenty of sauce left over to use for another meal. I accidentally added the salt, onion powder, garlic salt and pepper into the sauce, so I added a little more brown sugar to balance the taste. For the rib rub I used maybe 1/4 tsp each of salt, onion powder, garlic salt, and pepper. The ribs were delicious, but next time I will make it the correct way, and then add any seasoning to the sauce that it may need.


Special Fried Rice
Amy – amylz
From Rachael Ray Serves 4

2 3/4 cups water
1 1/2 cups white rice
3 tablespoons vegetable or wok oil
2 eggs, beaten
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 inches fresh ginger, minced or grated
1/2 cup store-bought shredded carrots (a couple of handfuls) 1 small red bell pepper, diced
4 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/3 cup Tamari (dark soy sauce)

Bring water to a boil. Add rice and then reduce heat. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until tender, 15-18 minutes. Spread rice out on a cookie sheet to quick cool it. Heat a wok, a wok-shaped skillet or a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add oil to the pan. Add egg to hot oil and break into small bits as it scrambles. When eggs are scrambled, add garlic and ginger to the pan. Add carrots, pepper and scallions to the pan and quick stir fry the veggies for 2 minutes. Add rice to the pan and stir fry rice with veggies for 2-3 minutes. Add peas and Tamari to the rice and stir fry 1 minute more; then serve.


Cloverleaf Dinner Rolls
Amy - amylz
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003

1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons butter
3 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
3/4 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Strawberry, blueberry or apricot jam, for accompaniment

In a small saucepan over medium heat combine the milk, 1/4 cup of the butter, dry milk, 3/4 cup of the sugar and the salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to lukewarm before proceeding. In a large mixing bowl dissolve the yeast and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in 1/4 cup of warm water (110 degrees F). Add the eggs and stir to combine. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add the milk mixture to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Using a wooden spoon, add the flour 1 cup at a time. The dough will be quite stiff and somewhat sticky. If the dough gets too stiff to stir with a spoon, use your hands to mix. Lightly grease the inside of a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of the remaining butter. Transfer the dough to the bowl and turn to coat. Lightly grease a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap with the remaining teaspoon of butter and use it to cover the bowl. Set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, at least 2 hours. Melt remaining 1/4 cup of butter and transfer to a small bowl to cool. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 2 to 3 minutes. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a thickness of 1/2-inch. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 36 equal pieces. Tuck the cut edges of each piece under so as to form a smooth round ball of dough. Place 3 balls of dough side by side into each well of a muffin tin. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top of each roll with some of the melted butter. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the dinner rolls in the center of the oven until golden brown and puffed, about 18 to 20 minutes. Be sure to serve the rolls while they are still warm with your favorite jams.

Amy

Pan Seared Tilapia with Caramelized Vegetables, Garlic Aioli

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are going to a birthday party for dinner. So, as always, I'm leaving you with a seafood recipe.

Pan Seared Tilapia with Caramelized Vegetables
~*~Sandy~*~

4 tilapia fillets (4-6 oz each)
3 T olive oil
Salt and black pepper to lightly season
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
Aioli sauce (see below)

Season both sides of the tilapia fillets lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat a pan over medium heat with some of the olive oil. Cook the veggies until they are tender and starting to caramelize, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you prefer crisper veggies, cook only 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the veggies to a bowl to keep warm. Add a little more olive oil to pan and once hot, add the fillets. Sear on both sides for 3 to 4 minutes. Top with veggies, then continue to cook until the fish is done. The tilapia should be white, just don't over cook. To serve, top each piece of tilapia with some of the vegetables and 1-2 tablespoons of aioli sauce.

Garlic Aioli
~*~Sandy~*~

1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 fresh garlic cloves, minced
(or use bottled crushed garlic with sun-dried tomatoes)
milk

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and garlic. Whisk in a little milk, about 2-4 tablespoons. The milk will make the sauce more smooth, less clumpy. The consistency should be like smooth yogurt. Cover and chill well. Note: You can serve your aioli after chilling it for about 30 minutes, but it's better if you allow several hours for the flavors to meld and mellow. Any mayonnaise product should be kept refrigerated and served chilled. Note: Sub bottled aioli dressing from the grocery store.

Amy

Cheesy Spinach and Bacon Dip

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow I have my scrapbook night so I'm not going to be home for dinner. I'm sure my husband and kids will be fed with my parents (we're spending the day with them) and on scrap nights, I usually just eat all the yummy food there for my dinner. For tomorrow, I'm bringing Cheesy Spinach and Bacon Dip. That sounds so good. It's like spinach dip meets a bacon cheese dip. Plus, it's all made in the microwave so it's so easy!

Cheesy Spinach and Bacon Dip
(4kowboys)
Total Preparation Time: less than 15 minutes Source: rachel's cookbook
Actual Cooking Time: less than 15 minutes Total Servings: 10 or more

Ingredients
1 10oz Pkg. frozen chppped spinach, thawed, drained
1 16oz. Velveeta cheese cut into cubes
4 oz. (1/2 a block) Philedelphia cream cheese, cubed
1 10oz. Can Rotel, undrained
8 Sliced Bacon crisply cooked, drained and crumbled

Preparation
Combine ingredients into microwavable bowl. Microwave on high 5 min. or until cheese is melted completely. Stir for 3 minutes or until well blended, Serve with tortilla chips.

Amy

Chicken or Steak with Balsamic BBQ Sauce, Cauliflower with Bacon and Mushrooms, Cherries in the Snow

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we're having Steak with Balsamic BBQ Sauce. This recipe also works great for chicken. My husband is a beef eater though and will be thrilled that I went with steak. This is a very easy grilled recipe. The hardest part is making the BBQ sauce and that is even simple. On the side, we're having Cauliflower with Bacon and Mushrooms. I know most of you probably don't even think about serving cauliflower as your veggie but you really should. When it's cooked right, it's really tasty. Now, when it comes to cauliflower, you want to buy nice white cauliflower. If you see the little black dots, that is mold. You could technically eat that but if it's showing the black mold spots, that means it's getting old. You want fresh cauliflower! And since it's Friday, I'm making a dessert. I'm going with Cherries in the Snow. This is so simple. The only trick is to make sure you use room temperature cream cheese. I'll probably use regular cream cheese too (I hate fat free).

Chicken or Steak with Balsamic BBQ Sauce
Amy - amylz
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

For the Balsamic BBQ sauce:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the chicken or steak:
4 pieces chicken (any combination of breast or leg-and-thigh pieces) or 4 pieces of New York strip or Club strip steak
Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the BBQ sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and stir until all the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by 1/3, about 15 to 20 minutes. For the chicken or steak: Place a grill pan over medium heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Lightly coat with some of the BBQ sauce using a pastry brush. Place the meat on the grill. Place the remaining BBQ sauce, still in the small saucepan, over low heat or on the edge of a gas or charcoal grill and allow to gently simmer while the meat cooks. Cook the chicken about 8 minutes per side. Cook the steaks starting at about 4 minutes per side until a meat thermometer reads the desired temperature, 120 degrees F for medium rare, 135 degrees F for medium (about 6 minutes per side), 155 degrees F for well done (about 9 minutes per side). Continually brush the meat with BBQ sauce every few minutes. Remove the meat from the grill and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Serve with the heated BBQ sauce alongside. Alternately, the chicken can be baked in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the chicken skin side up in a baking dish and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and spoon the BBQ sauce all over the top of the chicken. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.

Cauliflower with Bacon and Mushrooms
Sharon via the book Vegetable Love

4 slices bacon
1 T butter (or olive oil)
small head cauliflower, cut into small bite-size pieces
8 oz. mushrooms, cut in half, then into thick slices
1/2 red onion, diced into small pieces
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of red pepper flakes to taste

Cut bacon into small crosswise strips, then cook in large frying pan until quite crisp. Remove from pan and leave at least1 tsp of the fat in the pan (I left it all), add butter or olive oil, heat for 1 minute, then add cauliflower and mushrooms and cook over very high heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook about 2 minutes more, or until veggies seem nearly done and are starting to brown a bit. Add bacon and parsley and cook 2-3 minutes more. Add 1/4 cup water, then scrape pan to get browned bits off and cook until water has evaporated. Put the lid on the pot to steam a few minutes if you like your cauliflower more tender. Season with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes to taste and serve hot.

Cherries in the Snow
(OP - Aimster??)

1 (8-ounce) tub fat-free cream cheese
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 (12-ounce) carton frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
8 cups (1-inch) cubed angel food cake
1 (20-ounce) can light cherry pie filling

Beat cream cheese at medium speed of a mixer until smooth. Gradually add the sugar, beating until blended. Gently fold in whipped topping. Place half of cake cubes in a large glass bowl; top with half of cheese mixture. Spread half of cherry filling over cheese mixture. Repeat layers with remaining cake cubes, cheese mixture, and cherry filling. Cover and chill.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 212 (17% from fat); FAT 3.9g (sat 2.5g,mono 0.0g,poly 1.3g); PROTEIN 5.5g; CHOLESTEROL 4mg; CALCIUM 100mg; SODIUM 279mg; FIBER 0.0g; IRON 0.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 39g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 1997

Amy

Baked Mushroom Chicken II, Benihana Japanese Fried Rice

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Baked Mushroom Chicken. I love mushrooms (do does my hubby) so we're looking forward to this! Remember with mushrooms that you want to keep them in paper bags, not plastic bags. There should be paper bags next to the mushrooms at your grocery store to put them in. Plus, you never want to rinse mushrooms under water. Just use a damp towel and wipe them off if they need it. You do want to flatten your chicken for this recipe. If you don't have the hammer thing, just use a rolling pin. I put a piece of plastic wrap over the chicken and pound it out. The only change I'll make is I won't put the cheese on the chicken at the end. You know my guys, they hate cheese! On the side, we're having Benihana Japanese Fried Rice. This is so easy! It does say to use long cooking rice (not Minute Rice). The thing I like about this recipe is you can cook it up the day before and then just put it in the fridge. Then you go to the last step right before you're ready to eat it. Rice also freezes nicely!

Baked Mushroom Chicken II
OP????
4 servings

4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup green onions, sliced

Flatten chicken if needed as you want it to fry quickly. Put flour in a zip lock bag and coat the chicken lightly. Melt butter in a skillet and brown chicken about 2 minutes per side and place in a greased baking pan. Sauté mushrooms in the same skillet until tender. Add broth, salt and pepper to mushrooms and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. You want to reduce the liquid by about half of the original volume. Spoon over chicken and bake uncover in a 375-degree oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheeses and top with the green onions returning to the oven to bake for 5 more minutes.

Benihana Japanese Fried Rice
Cindybakedababy- TSR

1 cup uncooked long grain converted or parboiled rice (not instant or quick white rice)
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons finely grated carrot
1/2 cup diced onion (1/2 small onion)
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
salt
pepper

1. Cook the rice following instructions on the package. This should take about 20 minutes. Pour the rice into a large bowl to let it cool.
2. Scramble the eggs in a small pan over medium heat. Chop scrambled chunks of egg into small pea-sized bits with your spatula while cooking.
3. When the rice has cooled, add the peas, carrot, eggs and onion to the bowl. Carefully toss all of the ingredients together.
4. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over med/high heat.
5. When the butter has completely melted, dump the rice mixture into the pan and add the soy sauce plus a dash of salt and pepper. Cook the rice mixture for 6-8 minutes, stirring often.
Tidbits: This fried rice can be prepared ahead of time by cooking the rice, then adding the peas, carrot, onion, and scrambled egg plus half of the soy sauce. Keep this refrigerated until you are ready to fry in the butter. That's when you add the salt, pepper and remaining soy sauce.

Amy

APPLESAUCE MEATLOAF, Really Good Scalloped Potatoes, Blue Cheese Cole Slaw

Hi everyone! My baby is now a 1st grader! It made me want to cry sending him to school today. He has a new teacher (new to the school) but she seems really great.

Tomorrow we have friends coming for dinner and I'm going to be making Applesauce Meatloaf. Some of you might think that sounds weird but the applesauce will really keep things nice and moist. The recipe itself is very easy and you pour the sauce over the top and bake. You can use regular breadcrumbs for this recipe if you don't want to use regular bread. A trick I learned from Paula Deen was to put a couple pieces of bread in the bottom on your loaf pan to soak up the grease from the meatloaf. When you're ready to eat, just throw that bread out. On the side, I'm making Really Good Scalloped Potatoes. I use my cuisinart and slice up the potatoes. Dishes like this are so simple that way. If you don't have the garlic and herb cream cheese, don't worry about it. I'll probably use some 2% milk in place of the half and half as well. For the salad, I'm making a Blue Cheese Cole Slaw. The directions look long because they explain how to make this with heads of cabbage. Come on, who has time for that? Just buy the bags of shredded cabbage (cole slaw mix). Heath put some notes on the bottom about using less blue cheese but I say go by what you like. This is probably very rich but it sounds so yummy!

APPLESAUCE MEATLOAF
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ Recipezaar.com)

1 cup soft breadcrumbs (approx. 1 ½ slices of bread)
½ cup applesauce
1 lb ground beef
1 egg, beaten slightly
¼ cup celery, chopped fine
2 tablespoons onions, chopped fine
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
Sauce:
½ cup applesauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vinegar
½ teaspoon mustard

Combine meat ingredients well. Shape into a round loaf in 8x8x2 pan. Make a crater or well in center of meat loaf. Mix the sauce ingredients and pour into depression. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.
* Amy’s notes: I used dried breadcrumbs, minced onions, and chunky applesauce.


Really Good Scalloped Potatoes
Amy – amylz
All Recipes
Yields: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
2 cups half-and-half cream
2 tablespoons herb and garlic flavored cream cheese spread
2 tablespoons dehydrated onion flakes
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons mustard powder
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
salt and pepper to taste
6 large baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees F).
2. In a large bowl, stir together the Cheddar cheese soup, half-and-half, cream cheese, onion flakes, garlic powder, mustard powder, chicken bouillon granules, salt and pepper. It will be slightly lumpy.
3. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish, and layer 1/3 of the potato slices over the bottom so that they overlap slightly. Sprinkle half of the garlic and celery over this layer. Repeat layers ending with potatoes on top. Pour the cheese soup mixture evenly over the whole dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
4. Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses over the top. Return to the oven uncovered, and bake for 20 more minutes, or until a butter knife can easily be inserted into the potatoes.

Blue Cheese Cole Slaw
*Heath* via Ina Garten

1/2 small head green cabbage
1/2 small head red cabbage
4 large carrots, scrubbed or peeled
2 cups (16 ounces) good mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) crumbled Roquefort blue cheese
1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Cut the cabbages in half and then in quarters and cut out the cores. Set up the food processor with the slicing blade (according to manufacturer's instructions) and place the pieces of cabbage, one at a time, lying horizontally in the feed tube. (If they don't fit, cut them to fit lying down.) Place the feed tube pusher on top and turn on the processor. Don't push on the feed tube pusher or the slices will turn out too thick! Continue with the remaining red and green cabbage quarters. Transfer into a large bowl, discarding any very large pieces. Before you pour the dressing on the salad, save a handful of the grated vegetables to decorate for serving. Change the slicing blade for the large shredding blade and cut the carrots so they also lie down in the feed tube. Since the carrots are hard, replace the feed tube pusher and press firmly with the food processor on. Transfer to bowl with the cabbages. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, both mustards, vinegar, celery salt, kosher salt, and pepper. Pour enough mayonnaise dressing over the grated vegetables and toss to moisten well. Add crumbled blue cheese and parsley and toss together. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavors to meld. Serve cold or at room temperature.
*For this recipe I cut down the work by using a bagged ready-to-use shredded coleslaw. I omit the celery salt and only add about 1/2 the total amount of blue cheese. Very decadent and so not your everyday coleslaw.

Amy

Applesauce Pancakes with Apple Cider Syrup

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a nice Labor day! Tomorrow is the 1st day of school and I can hardly believe it. Where did the summer go?

Tomorrow we are having Applesauce Pancakes for dinner. My kids love breakfast for dinner. I'm going to make some bacon to go along with it. As I've said 1000 times, I love making things like pancakes from scratch. It just seems better. I know that box mixes can be very tasty but I like to see what exactly goes in to some of the foods my family eats. Plus, these are all ingredients you likely have on hand so it's cheaper to make them from scratch. Also keep in mind that with things like pancakes and waffles, you can make a ton and then freeze the leftovers for quick breakfasts! Pancakes also work great in the school lunches. My son will eat them at room temp and I just put a little container of syrup in with them. I won't be making the syrup in this recipe because my men will only eat regular maple syrup but do give it a try for your own family. It sounds delicious!


Applesauce Pancakes with Apple Cider Syrup
Sandy~~*~Sandy~*~

2 eggs
2 cups flour, sifted (half white and wheat)
1 cup milk (1/3 cup powdered, 7/8 cup water)
1 cup natural applesauce
1 tsp salt
2 T baking powder
4 T melted butter

Combine all the ingredients, mixing until smooth. Cook on a hot griddle or skillet. Serve with Apple Cider Syrup (see recipe). Makes about 16 pancakes. Serves 4.
Apple Cider Syrup
Sandy~~*~Sandy~*~

2 cups fresh apple cider
1 cup sugar
2 T cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon
2 T fresh lemon juice (1/4 tsp lemon extract)
4 T butter (can omit)

Combine all ingredients, except butter, in a saucepan over medium heat until mixture thickens. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Serve hot over pancakes

Amy