Stove-top Mac and Cheese ~ Jaci

At Maureen and Fauna's request.....This is quick and pretty tasty.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
4 Tbsp. butter
2 eggs
6 oz. evaporated (canned) milk
1/2 tsp. hot sauce (I use a lot less)
1/4 tsp. salt (or less)
fresh black pepper
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
10 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded (about 4 cups I think)

Directions:
In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta to al dente and drain. return to the pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, adn mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes, or until creamy. Apparently, something about the eggs makes the cheese stay creamy instead of globbing together. This makes enough for 6-8 people. It can be reheated for leftovers, but the cheese does tend to get a little globby in the microwave - maybe reheating it old-school style on the stove while stirring would work better.

Beef Stroganoff ~ Jaci

1 pound beef (I use lean ground beef, but you can also use a sirloin steak, cut into thin strips)
1 8 oz. carton sour cream (I use light)
2 Tbps. flour
1/2 cup water
optional: 1-2 Tbsp. sherry, if you have it, adds a LOT of flavor
2 tsp. beef boullion
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. butter
1 clove minced garlic
2 cups hot cooked egg noodles

Brown the beef, drain, add butter and garlic.

Meanwhile, stir the flour into the sour cream, add the boullion, pepper, water, and sherry. Mix well.

Pour into the meat and cook until thick and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 more minute and serve over hot noodles.

*Cooked greens (Spinach, kale, etc.) go really well with this as a side dish.

Start to finish: 20 minutes or less. Enjoy!

Stir-fry ~ Jaci

We were talking about this the other night after MNO - so here it is!
This recipe is from Food Network Magazine (The "FN" Magazine, as I like to call it) ;) Don't be afraid of the length of this recipe. It takes a little prep, but it can be done ahead and the cooking part goes really quickly. I'd suggest having someone keep your kids out of the kitchen while you do the stir-fry part, as it's a bit hectic and hot oil splatters a bit.

I NEVER marinate things, as I always forget or don't think about it until too late, but this is really worth it - even if you only let it sit for 30-45 minutes while you prepare everything else....

I serve this with white rice.

First, marinate 3/4 pound of protein (thinly sliced chicken, flank steak, pork tenderloin, peeled shrimp, or tofu). If the meat is slightly frozen, it's much easier to slice thinly.

Marinade:
1 egg white
1 Tbsp. dry white wine (sherry or Chinese rice wine)
1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Whisk together and stir into your protein. Cover and refrigerate one hour (or as long as you can while you get everything else ready).

Then, slice up 3 cups worth of any veggie combination - I use snow peas, brocolli, carrots, zucchini, etc.) I usually do more like 5-6 cups and make a little extra sauce.

Sauce: there are lots of options, but I like the Brown Sauce best, which is as follows:
1/2 cup chicken broth (I use chicken boullion to make the broth)
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce (I use the garlic flavored one I found at Win-Co)
1 Tbsp. dry white wine (I use cream sherry and it's good!)
I also put in 1/2 tsp. sesame oil and a squirt of lemon juice (about 1 Tbsp?) tonight and it was super good.

Then to stir-fry:
1- Drain the marinade from the protein, and place your veggies and sauce near the stove. I have a big wok, but probably any large pan will work.
2- Heat 1/4 inch oil (canola or peanut) over med. heat. Add the protein and stir till almost done/opaque. Transfer to a plate and wipe out your pan.
3- Heat the pan over high heat for 1-2 minutes, add 2 Tbsp. oil, then 2 cloves minced garlic, 1-2 Tbsp. minced ginger (I keep mine peeled in a ziploc in the freezer to use a bit at a time), 2 minced scallions, and a pinch each of salt and sugar. Stir-fry all of this for about 30 seconds
4- Add the veggies a little at a time, starting with the ones that will take the longest to cook (carrots, for example). Stir-fry till crisp-tender.
5- Add the protein and sauce and stir till sauce is thick and the veggies and protein are cooked through (3-5 minutes). If the sauce is too thick, you can thin it with more chicken broth. Garnish with peanuts or sesame seeds.
6- ENJOY!

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

This is sooo much better than the kraft stuff, and almost as easy! I'm not much of a Velveeta fan, this is the only recipe I use it for, but it really tastes good!

1/2 c milk
2 inches of a Velveeta brick
same amount of Cheddar
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (I like the little ones, but the bigger ones probably work just as well)

In small pan, heat milk and cheeses until smooth and creamy, stirring occasionally. If cheese mixture burns on the bottom/sides of pan, just keep stirring, but don't unstick the burned parts - that just mixes them in! Leave it alone and it will be fine. Meanwhile, boil macaroni according to directions - 6 to 8 mins usually. Drain when done, dump cheese mixture on top, and mix! Yum!

Chicken and Orzo Frittata ~ Jaci

This is actually pretty quick once you get the ingredients gathered. Colton helped make this the other night!

3/4 cup orzo pasta

6 eggs

1/3 cup whole milk ricotta (I use cottage cheese usually)

1/4 cup creme fraiche (sour cream or plain yogurt works fine)

2 cooked chicken breasts, cubed (about 2 cups) (I've even used canned chicken in a pinch)

4 scallions, chopped (I use a little onion powder)

1/4 cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley (1-2 Tbsp. dried parsley is fine)

1/3 cup diced roasted red bell peppers (I use sundried tomatoes)

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occassionally - about 8-10 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the eggs, ricotta, and creme fraiche and stir until the eggs are beaten and the ingredients are combined. Add the cooked orzo, chicken, scallions, parsley, red bell peppers, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Pour the mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish (I use a pie plate). Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes (till eggs are set). Turn on the broiler. Place the pan under the broiler until golden on top, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let set for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with a side salad (fresh tomatoes go REALLY well with this). Leftovers are great, too!

Eggs in Muffin Cups- Fauna

This is a quick yummy breakfast or it could be brinner( breakfast for dinner).

12 thin slices deli roast beef( or ham)
6 slices any kind of cheese( I use cheddar) quartered
12 eggs

Press one slice of meat into the bottom and up the sides of each greased muffin cup, forming a shell.
Arrange two cheese pieces in each shell. Break one egg into each cup.
Bake, uncovered,at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until eggs are completely set.

* Of course you can shorten this depending on how many people you are feeding. Or how much you will eat.

It is easy and yummy...that is if you like eggs.

Easy Hoppin' John ~ Jaci

This is from the newspaper's "Kid Page" when I was little and I've been making it ever since.

1 package frozen black-eyed peas
2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup cooked chopped bacon (or ready-to-use bacon bits from Costco)
optional: 1/4 cup softened butter (or to taste)

Directions:
Cook the rice and black-eye peas according to package directions. Drain the peas and add the peas and bacon to the rice. Stir. Serve (or stir in) the butter. Sometimes a little salt is nice too. Occasionally, I'll cook the rice in chicken boullion for a little added salt/flavor. I like to serve this with breaded/fried pork chops. It makes yummy leftovers, too! Enjoy!

Quinoa Salad

Quinoa Side Salad (Jen W.)

2 C. Quinoa, cooked and drained
8 – oz. Jar of sun dried tomatoes
2 T. dried basil
2 T. dried parsley
½ cup toasted pine nuts
1 can of artichoke hearts
4 oz jar of small capers

Dressing
4 T. red wine vinegar
6 large garlic cloves, minced
1-teaspoon salt
Generous seasoning freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup olive oil

Mix all ingredients and serve chilled. I also sometimes add chopped chicken breasts. We also like to have it with a steamed artichoke and fresh fruit salad for dinner.

DELICIOUS Sweet Potatoes (from Jaci)

Bake 5-6 sweet potatoes (peeled and diced) at 350 for 45-60 minutes in a casserole dish (or microwave them till they're tender)

Mix

1 cup of pineapple juice

1 cup of brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 1/2 Tablespoon Cornstarch

Bring sauce to a boil and pour over potatoes. Serve. (maybe even as dessert!)

Homemade Granola Bars (from Jaci)

2 cups rolled oats

¾ cup packed brown sugar (I use 1/2 cup)

½ cup wheat germ

¾ tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup raisins (I use dried cherries)

¾ tsp. salt

½ cup honey (I use 1/3 cup)

1 egg, beaten

½ cup vegetable oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. In a large bowl mix oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins, and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the honey, egg, oil, and vanilla. Mix well (might want to use your hands). Pat the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake 30-35 minutes until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, cut into bars while still warm. These turn out with a nice chewy texture.

Avocado and Bean Salad (from Jaci)

2 16 oz cans Kidney Beans

1 15 oz can Garbanzo Beans

1/4 cup sliced green onion

1/2 cup salad oil

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 T sugar

3/4 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp garlic salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Lettuce

3-4 Avocados halved lengthwise

Drain beans; toss with onions in large bowl. Mix oil, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, chili powder, salt, garlic salt, and pepper: pour over beans. Chill (this is even better if it’s made a day in advance). Arrange lettuce on platter or plates; place avocados on lettuce. Spoon bean mixture into avocado halves. Serves 8-10

Chicken Adobo (from Jaci)

2 ½ lbs. chicken (or 4-6 pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

½ cup water

¼ cup soy sauce

1/8 tsp. pepper

3 Tbsp. vinegar

4 cloves fresh garlic, pressed, or ½ tsp. garlic powder

2 bay leaves

Put everything into a skillet and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 45-50 minutes or until done. Serve with rice. Mmmmm!

Chicken Florentine Artichoke Bake - Nicole

8 oz dried bow tie pasta, cooked al dente

1 TBS butter
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/3 c)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 c milk
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 c chopped cooked chicken
2 c (8oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 14oz can quartered artichoke hearts drained
1 10oz pkg frozen chopped or leaf spinach, thawed and well drained
1/2 c oil packed dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1/2 c bread crumbs
1/2 tsp paprika
1 TBS butter

Preheat oven to 350*. In a medium skillet, heat the 1 TBS butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook for 4 to 5 minutes until tender.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, Italian seasoning, salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper. Stir in cooked onion, chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, artichoke hearts, spinach, dried tomatoes, and half of the parmesan cheese. Stir in cooked pasta. Transfer to an ungreased 3 qt rectangular baking dish.

Bake uncovered for 20 min. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, paprika, and the remaining Parmesan cheese; stir in melted butter. Sprinkle over pasta mixture. Bake, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until mixture is heated through and crumbs are golden!

*** NOW don't let the length of this recipe scare you off!! It seems lengthly but it's really not bad, PLUS it can be made earlier in the day since all ingredients are put in a casserole dish then cooked!!

D-LISH!

Artichoke Chicken and/or Dip - Nicole

This is my favorite artichoke dip recipe, I also use it for chicken. If you have any mixture leftover, heat in another dish for an appetizer. (Fat free or light sour cream and mayo can be used)


3 or 4 chicken breasts
1 14oz jar artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c mayo
3/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1/4 c green onions, chopped
1/4 tsp pepper

Slice chicken lengthwise to make it half as thick but don't slice all the way through, you are kind of wanting to "butterfly" it. I also like to pound the chicken out with a meat mallot instead of slicing it.

Mix all ingredients together and stuff inside the chicken, making sure to cover the mixture with half of the chicken. Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray and place chicken in baking dish.

Bake 375* until done about 20-30 minutes. Goes great with a nice green salad and french bread.

Chicken Tacos - Maureen

This is really very easy and everyone loves it:

3 or 4 chicken breasts, cooked (boiled, broiled, grilled, whichever you prefer, or similar amount leftover roasted chicken)
2 cups salsa
hard or soft shelled tacos
sour cream
grated cheddar cheese
guacamole (I just smash avocado and add salt or salsa)

Shred the chicken by hand - just tear it apart into small pieces - and place in a large pan. Cook on medium heat until warmed, add salsa, stir and cook until heated through. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, grated cheddar, etc. on warmed hard or soft shells. Super easy and very good!

Roast Chicken - Maureen

OK, maybe you all already know just how easy and yummy and inexpensive it is to roast a chicken, but just in case you don't, here goes:

2 1/2 - 3 lb whole chicken
2 tbsp vegetable oil (or melted margarine or butter)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder (or 2 cloves minced garlic)
1 tsp dried basil (these seasonings are suggested, but you can leave one or two out if you don't have them)
1/2 tsp ground sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Remove the guts and stuff from inside the bird (that part is a little yucky, but worth it). Rinse with water, put breast side up on a baking pan (I use a 9 x 13 pyrex) and coat with oil. Put all seasonings in a small bowl to mix up, then sprinkle onto the bird. Stick a meat thermometer into the thigh or somewhere, not touching a bone. Bake uncovered at 375* for 1 - 1.5 hrs, until the temp on the thermometer reads 180 degrees. Let stand 10 mins after you take it out. I usually have this with mashed potatoes and a salad. I LOVE this stuff and think it's healthy! :-) If someone doesn't think it's healthy, please don't tell me!!

Risotto (Rice Italian Style)- Nicole

32 oz fat free chicken broth
1/2 c diced onion
1 TBS olive oil
1 c arborio rice
3 chicken breasts cooked and diced
3 cups mushrooms, sliced
1/4+c shredded parmesan cheese


In a 2 qt saucepan bring broth to a boil over med heat.

In large skillet saute onion in olive oil over medium heat- about 5 minutes. Add arborio rice, stir and cook 2-3 min. Use wooden spoon to coat rice with oil and toast evenly.

Add 1/2 c hot broth to rice, keep stirring and cook uncovered until it has absorbed. Repeat until all broth is used. With final 1/2 c broth add mushrooms and chicken. Season with salt and pepper, vegetable seasoning or what ever sounds good!. Cook until all broth is absorbed. Remove from heat and add cheese.

***Variations: no veggies or meat, seafood such as shrimp, minced garlic, frozen peas, zuchinni, chopped ham, etc.

Parmesan Broccoli - Erin

-1 bag pre-chopped broccoli heads (I usually only use 3/4 of the bag)

-parmesan cheese (I love the blend from Costco with Asiago and Romano)

-Garlic (I usually just use the pre-minced in a jar stuff)

-olive oil

-bread crumbs

-salt and pepper

-1/2 onion

-mushrooms

Get the broccoli wet, pour into baking pan. Pour a little olive oil on top, toss. Add a few handfulls of breadcrumbs and parmesan on top. Bake in oven for about 30 minutes. While it's baking, I like to saute some garlic, onions and mushrooms in olive oil to add to it. At 30 minutes add your saute mixture and what the heck a lot more parmesan cheese. Put back in oven for about 5-10 more minutes. I'm not a big veggie lover, but this broccoli tastes like steak to me! It should be soft and tender. It's so heavenly, I can eat it like a main dish instead of a side.

Chicken Pot Pie -Nicole

2 pie crusts (I prefer the store bought ones)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
3 or 4 chicken breasts, cooked and cut up (I also like to use left over rotisserie chicken)
1 16oz bag of frozen veggies, thawed (pea, carrot, lima bean combo)


Pre heat oven to 450*. Line pie plate with 1 pie crust. Mix all ingredients except pie crust in a mixing bowl then add to pie plate. Cover with second pie crust, flute edges and cut slits on top. Cover edges with foil and bake for about an hour.

Chicken Cacciatore - Maureen

4 chicken breasts or quarters (leg and thigh), whichever you prefer
1-2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped up
black pepper and salt to taste
2 bay leaves
2 cans stewed tomatoes with Italian spices
1/2 c red wine, optional
1 tbsp parsley
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
2 tbsp minced onions

Brown chicken pretty well in olive oil. Add garlic, black pepper, and bay leaves. Add stewed tomatoes (I usually cut up the big ones as I'm adding them), red wine, parsley, oregano, basil, and minced onions. Turn down heat, cover, and simmer until cooked through, about 20 mins).

I usually serve it over spaghetti with garlic bread. My kids and hubby love it!

Chicken Taco Salad - Erin

Ingredients:
Chicken (thigh or breast): enough for your family
1 bag romaine lettuce (I find chopping lettuce is faster than taring it)
1 cup shredded fiesta blend cheese
1 can black olives (drained and sliced)
1 tomato (chopped)
Taco Seasoning mix
Chili Cheese flavored corn chips (crushed)
Dressing: 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup salsa

Directions:
Grill chicken (or however you like to cook it), chop it into chunks. In skillet, heat some oil. Coat chicken generously with taco seasoning (you can just dump it on top and stir around). If you pre-cooked/grilled your chicken, this just needs to be a few minutes to let the seasoning stick to the chicken. In large bowl, mix lettuce, cheese, olives, tomato, add chicken then crush a bunch of chili cheese fretos on top (they're like Mexican croutons :). Mix up your dressing and pour on top. Yummmmmmmmmm.

The Purpose

The purpose of this blog is for us to exchange EASY recipes we use with others. When you post a recipe, please title your entry with the name of the recipe and your name so we can reference it quickly in the future, ie. "Asian Chicken Salad - Erin". I think we should use the comment section to remark on if we used that recipe and how it went over. This should be fun!