Southwestern Bean Medley

1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth *you could use beef or chicken broth as well
1 tbl. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 can white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained
1/2 c. dried lentils
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can green chilies

Mix broth, chili powder, cumin, black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans and lentils in a crock pot that has been sprayed with a non-stick spray. Cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 4-5. Add the tomatoes and chilies during the last hour of cooking. Serve over rice.

Golden Mushroom Pork & Apples

2 cans golden cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. water
1 tbl. packed brown sugar
1 tbl. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dried thyme
8 boneless, thick cut pork chops (you can cook less if you like)
4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
2 large onions, chopped

Mix soup, water, brown sugar, Worcestershire and thyme in a crock pot that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Add pork, apples and onion. Cook on low for 8-9 hours, or on high for 5-6.

Nacho Style Beef & Potatoes

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can nacho cheese soup
1 c. milk
1 4 oz. can green chilies
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
1/4 tsp. garlic salt

Brown the ground beef with the onion. Stir in nacho cheese soup, milk and chilies. Place the potatoes in a crock pot that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Pour meat mixture over the potato wedges. Cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 4-5. Before serving, stir. *Serving: you can serve with sour cream, salsa, chopped green onion, shredded cheese, etc.

Chicken & Rice Pacifica

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
20 oz. chicken broth
1 c. water
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium green or red pepper, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks in juice
1 c. uncooked, long-grain white rice

Place the chicken in a crock pot that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Add remaining ingredients. Cook on high 4-5 hours, or on low for 7-8.

Barley & Lentil Soup

2 32 oz. boxes beef broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
4 large carrots, peeled & sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 c. dried lentils
1/2 c. uncooked barley

Add all ingredients to a crock pot and cook on low 8-9 hours, or until tender.

Caesar Pork Chops

6 boneless pork chops
1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. creamy Caesar salad dressing
1 oz. shredded Parmesan cheese

Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with a non-stick cooking spray. In a shallow dish, mix flour and Italian seasoning. Pour Caesar dressing in another shallow dish. Dip both sides of pork chops in flour and then in the dressing, coating well. Place in baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, or until cooked through. *Note: this baking time works for thin cut chops. I usually use thick ones and so my baking time is closer to an hour.

Pork Fried Rice

1/4 lb. ground pork
5 green onions, chopped
5 eggs
soy sauce
About 4 cups of cooked rice

*My sister in law emailed me this recipe ages ago and I've lost track of it. Sorry Ai, if you read this. I know that it's different from the original, but it's how I decided to make it when I couldn't find the recipe. ☺

In a large, deep skillet or wok, heat a small amount of vegetable oil, about 1 tsp. Add the ground pork and stir to break up and brown. You can season with salt and pepper while browning if desired. Remove from pan. If necessary, add another tsp. of oil. Put onions in the pan and stir fry for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the pan. Add another tsp. of oil if necessary and scramble the eggs. When scrambled, add the meat and onions back to the pan. If it seems like the rice will stick, you can add a little more oil to the pan. Add rice to the pan. Season with soy sauce. Stir fry until cooked through. I'm calling this a side dish, but it's so filling it really works as the main course.

Cheesy Mini Burgers

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 c. ketchup
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste

Mix the meat, 2/3 c. cheese, 1/4 c. ketchup and garlic powder. Shape into 12 balls. Place on a foil lined cookie sheet that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Flatten each ball into a patty, about 1/2 inch thick. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Spread remaining ketchup on patties and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes. Serve with rice.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, do not drain
1 pkg. chicken stuffing mix
1 tsp. dried basil
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

Place tomatoes in a medium bowl. Add garlic, stuffing mix and 1/2 c. water. Stir just until stuffing mix is moistened. Set aside. Place the chicken in a 9 x 13 baking dish that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with basil and cheese. Top with stuffing mixture. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 3o minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Foil Pack Chicken & Mushroom Dinner

1 pkg. chicken stuffing mix
6 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 c. frozen peas
1 3/4 c. water, divided
1 c. sliced, fresh mushrooms
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

Mix stuffing mix with 1 1/2 cups of the water. Dividing evenly, place stuffing in the center of 6 separate sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Layer 1 chicken breast, mushrooms and peas on top of the stuffing. Dividing the mushroom and peas evenly between each of the 6 foil packs. Mix soup with the remaining 1/4 c. of water. Pour an equal amount over each pack. Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to seal the pack, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Place the packs on a cookie sheet. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Place packs directly on dinner plates. As packs are hot, cut slits into foil using a knife in order to release steam before opening.

Crescent Roll Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1 can crescent rolls
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 can green beans, drained
1 14. 5 oz. can tomato sauce
1 egg, beaten
shredded cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Brown ground beef with the onion. Drain fat. Add cumin, salt & pepper, tomato sauce and green beans. Spread crescent rolls in a pie plate or baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with cheese. Add the meat mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle more cheese on top. Return to oven and bake for 5 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Chicken Enchilada Bake

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked *Option - 2 12.5 oz. cans cooked chicken
1 4 oz. can green chilies
2 tbl. cumin
13 oz. bag tortilla chips
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
1 large onion, chopped *Option - 4-5 green onions, chopped
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 c. grated Monterrey Jack cheese
8 oz. sour cream

Cut cooked chicken into cubes. If using canned, drain. Mix chicken will all ingredients, except corn chips. Crush 3/4 of the corn chips and mix in with the chicken mixture. Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish that has been generously sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Spread mixture into the baking dish. Crush remaining chips and sprinkle over the top. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.

Polynesian Meatballs

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. onion salt or 1/4 c. dried onions
1 tbl. soy sauce
1 egg
3/4 c. uncooked oatmeal
1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
dash of red pepper
1/2 c. milk

Combine all ingredients together, beat the egg separately first and then add, and mix well. Using about 2 tbl. of mixture, shape into meatballs. Heat a small amount of oil in a large, deep skillet. Cook on medium to medim high heat until cooked through. *Option: you can also bake them on a cookie sheet in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through.* Remove from skillet or frying pan and set aside.

Sauce
1 8 1/2 oz can crushed pineapple
2 tbl. cornstarch
1/2 c. vinegar
1/3 c. green pepper, chopped
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 c. beef broth
2 tsp. soy sauce

Drain and separate the juice from the pineapple. Set aside. In a large saucepan over medium heat, mix together the brown sugar and cornstarch. Add the pineapple juice, beef broth vinegar and soy sauce to the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the sauce becomes thick and translucent. Boil for 1 minute. Add the pineapple and green pepper. Pour over meatballs. Serve with rice.

Chicken Lo Mein

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken strips
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 c. water
1 tsp. Better Then Bouillon Chicken Base
1 6 oz. pkg. lo mein noodles
1/2 onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 broccoli crown, chopped
1 c. cabbage, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 c. bean sprouts
2 tbl. soy sauce

Heat 1-2 tbl. vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the chicken and stir-fry over medium-high head for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, water and bouillon. Bring to a boil. Stir in vegetables and lo mein noodles. Cook 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and noodles are done. Remove 1/2 c. of the liquid from the pan and blend with cornstarch. Return to pan and stir over medium heat until liquid thickens. Stir in soy sauce and serve hot.

Teriyaki Chicken Rolls

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 c. cornstarch
1 c. ketchup
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4-1/2 c. teriyaki sauce (to taste)

Place chicken in a crock pot that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Combine remaining ingredients, except cornstarch, with 1 quart of water and stir well. Pour over chicken. Cook on high 3-4 hours, or on low for 5-6. When chicken is cooked through, remove from crock pot and shred. Add cornstarch and stir well. Cook without lid on until sauce is thickened and bubbly, stirring often. Return shredded chicken to crock pot. Serve on hard rolls.

*Cooking times: I almost always use frozen, straight from the bag chicken breasts. I buy them from Costco and I hate taking the time to defrost them. So, my cooking times are always much longer. For example, with this recipe, I would cook on high for 6-8 hours, or on low for 10-12. Just thought I should share that (finally), in case anyone else cooks with those too. ☺

Ranch Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 c. plain bread crumbs
1/3 c. sour cream
1 pkg. Buttermilk Ranch Dressing mix

Spray a cooking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. In a shallow dish, mix together the bread crumbs and ranch dressing mix. Place the sour cream in a separate, shallow dish. Dip chicken in sour cream, coating well. Roll chicken in bread crumb mixture, cover evenly. Place chicken on the cookie sheet. Bake at 375 got 30-35 minutes. *In my oven, it usually takes 45 minutes to an hour. Just check the center to make sure it's done. Chicken is done when the juices run clear and it's no longer pink.*

Tortilla Stew

2 chicken breasts
2 c. water
1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 16 oz. can Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 4 oz. can green chiles
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
tortilla chips
shredded cheese
sour cream

In a large pan, place chicken, water and bouillon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and shred. Return to pan and add paprika, tomatoes, chiles, onion, chili powder, garlic powder & cumin. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Serve with chips, cheese & sour cream.

Garlic Bread Sticks

1 c. warm water
2 tsp. yeast
1/3 c. oil
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 c. flour

Stir water, yeast, oil and sugar together. Let rest for 5 minutes. Stir in salt and flour. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead for 3-4 minutes. Roll out the dough and place on a large, greased cookie sheet. Spread butter over dough. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning if desired. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 2 inch strips and then cut the strips in half. Bake at 450 for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Salsa Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 16 oz. bottles salsa
1 c. sour cream (optional)
2 c. cheese, shredded

Place chicken breasts in a crock pot that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Cook on high 3 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove the chicken from crock pot and shred. Return to crock pot. If desired, spread sour cream over the top and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cook an additional 30 minutes. Serve over rice, or in tortillas.

Tater Tot Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 soup can of milk
abt. 1/2 c. sour cream
tater tots
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef with the onion. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Drain off the excess fat. Add the soups, milk and sour cream. Pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Top with tater tots. About 1 2 lb. bag. Cover with foil and bake at 350 until bubbly. About 30-40 minutes. Remove and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Cover with foil again and allow the cheese to melt.

*Option: You can add 1 can of green beans (drained) to this. They're not really my thing and so I don't like to add them.

Orange Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
1/3 c. teriyaki sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. orange marmalade
2 c. water
6 green onions, chopped
3 tbsp. cornstarch
3/4 c. walnuts, chopped

Place the chicken in a crock pot that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Mix all ingredients together, except walnuts, and pour over the chicken. Cook on high 4-5 hours or low for 6-7 hour. Add walnuts during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Chicken Cacciatore

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
2 cans Italian style diced tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
1 4 oz. can mushrooms

Place the chicken breasts in a crock pot that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over the chicken. Cook on high 4-5 hours, or on low for 6-7 hours. Remove chicken and cut each breast in half. Thicken the sauce with 2 tbsp. sugar and 2 tbsp. cornstarch. Place the chicken on top of cooked, hot spaghetti noodles and smother with sauce.

Baked Mac & Cheese

2 c macaroni
1/4 c butter
3 tbsp. flour
1 1/2 c milk
1/2 onion, chopped
2 c cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 c Parmesan cheese

Cook and drain macaroni according to package directions. In a large, heavy pot, melt butter. Add flour (to make a rue) and cook and stir until smooth. Slowly add milk, cooking and stirring until thickened. *If you would like, you can season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste, at this point.* Remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese and macaroni. Pour into a 9 x13 baking dish that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 450 for 15-20, until bubbly and lightly browned.

*Option: Butter 4 slices of sandwich bread on both sides. Grill on hot griddle or skillet. Cut the grilled bread into small squares and toss over the macaroni. Top with Parmesan cheese and bake.

Beef Stroganoff

1 pound ground beef, browned (You can also use finely chopped, lean stew meat)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 4 oz. can mushrooms
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 c sour cream
1/2 c milk
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
beef broth

Brown the meat and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Drain off fat. Add the onions and cook until they become translucent. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat until bubbly. *If extremely thick, and it usually is ☺, thin it down with beef broth. Serve over egg noodles.

Chicken & Rice

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package Lipton Onion soup mix
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 soup can of milk
abt. 1/2 c sour cream
rice

Place the chicken breasts in a 9x13 baking dish that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix the onion soup mix, Cream of Mushroom soup, Cream of Chicken soup, milk and sour cream together. Pour over the chicken. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 1 hour, or until cooked through. Serve with rice.

*You can cook the rice and chicken together in the same pan. Pour 1 cup of rice in the bottom of the baking dish and add 2 cups of water to the soup mixture. I prefer to cook it separately because the rice can sometimes get crunchy cooking it this way. My kids complain about crunchy rice.

Mexican Pie

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1 package taco seasoning
1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies
1 1/2 cups grated cheese
1 14 1/2 oz. can diced stewed tomatoes
1 large can black olives, chopped
*Optional* 1 can of kidney beans

Brown the ground beef and onions. Add the taco seasoning. When thoroughly browned, add the green chilies, can of tomatoes and chopped olives. Bring to a boil and them simmer for about 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid cooks off. You don't want it to be too runny.

Topping
1 1/4 cup milk
1 1/4 cup Bisquick or other baking mix, like Jiffy
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
3 eggs
1/8 tsp. red pepper sauce (if you like a little heat. You can substitute with an 1/8 tsp. of cayenne pepper)

Mix all together with an electric mixer until smooth.Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9x13 baking dish. Pour in ground beef mixture. Top with cheese. Pour over topping. Bake until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. About 25-30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Sweet & Sour Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Mango (Crock Pot)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
10 oz. jar mango jam (you can substitute with apricot if you can't find mango)
3 tbl. soy sauce
1 tbl. Sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. chili paste (you can substitute with red chili flakes according to how hot you want it to be)
1 inch peeled and grated ginger (you can substitute with 1 tsp. ground)
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

*You can add 2 whole jalapeno peppers in with this. DON'T CHOP THEM. ADD THEM WHOLE. I don't add them because I'm trying to keep the heat down for my kids.

For the wraps
2 mangoes, peeled & chopped
romaine lettuce leaves
2 limes
2 tbl. sesame seeds

Place the chicken in the bottom of the crock pot. Mix together all other ingredients and pour over the chicken. Cook on low 6-8 hour, or on high 4-5. The chicken is done when it easily shreds with a fork. To serve: remove all the chicken and shred. Place on romaine lettuce leaves with chopped mango, a squeeze of fresh lime and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Roll up and enjoy.

*Serving option: serve the shredded chicken over rice.

Chili

1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can black beans, undrained
1 can pinto beans, undrained
1 can kidney beans, undrained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1/8 - 1/4 c taco seasoning
1 c black olives, chopped (optional)

Brown the meat with the onion and seasoning. When cooked, add the remaining ingredients and heat through.

*Taco seasoning substitution:
1 tbl. cumin
1 tbl. paprika
1-2 tsp. chili powder

Sometimes, taco seasoning can be a little overwhelming. At least to me. ☺ Cumin has a nice smoky flavor and the paprika and chili powder give it just enough heat to have it still be palatable and not too hot for most kids.

Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce

1/3 c half & half
1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbl. butter
about 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
cracked black pepper to taste

Allow the half & half to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add the half & half and cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Add the nutmeg and cracked black pepper. Pour over fettuccine noodles and toss to evenly coat. You can serve with chicken or shrimp.

*I always double and sometimes even triple this recipe. I do that to make enough sauce to cover the amount of pasta I need to feed 6. This recipe works for about 4 ounces of pasta.

Potato Chowder

1-1 1/2 c crumbled bacon bits (NOT the freeze dried, crunchy kind)
6-8 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 c onion, chopped
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 c sour cream
1 can whole-kernel corn, drained
1/4 tsp. thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil the peeled and chopped potatoes until tender. Drain water. In a large pot, heat about 1 tbl. of olive oil. Saute onions until translucent. Add the bacon and garlic. Stir and saute for 1-2 minutes longer. Add the potatoes to the pan, stir. Add the remaining ingredients. (You might want to add a little extra milk if it's extremely thick.) Heat through.

Hot Fudge Topping

1 c chocolate chips
1 c cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a medium saucepan, combine the chocolate chips and the cream. Cook and stir over medium heat until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

*You can make this with any kind of chips. Like, semi-sweet. It will make kind of a "dark" chocolate sauce. I'm more of a "milk" chocolate person and like milk chocolate chips.

Apricot Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 c apricot jam
1/3 c lemon juice
1 tsp. nutmeg
salt and pepper

Place the chicken breasts in a 9x13 casserole dish that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Mix together the apricot jam, lemon juice and nutmeg. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Spread the apricot sauce over the chicken. Cover with foil. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until cooked through. *Note: chicken is thoroughly cooked with the juices no longer run pink. Serve with rice.

Chili Relleno Casserole

2 c half & half (you can substitute with milk)
5 large eggs
1 can green chilies
2/3 c flour
1 lb. shredded cheese (you can use 1/2 lb. cheddar and 1/2 lb. jack)
salsa

Mix together the eggs, half & half and flour. In a 9x13 baking dish that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray, layer the chilies, half of the cheese and half of the egg mixture. Repeat again and top with salsa. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes-1 hour, or until brown and bubbly.

*At times, I like to add browned ground beef on top of the first egg, cheese and chilies layer. I would say about a half a pound. I then top with the egg, cheese, chilies and salsa. It just makes it a little more hearty and more of a main course. Also, I sometimes like to top with chopped black olives.

Smothered Pork Chops

6 medium, boneless pork chops
1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
1 pound baby carrots
6 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
Salt and pepper
1 family size can Cream of Mushroom soup (or 2 14-0z. size cans)
1 c sour cream
1 c milk

Place the pork chops in a crock pot that has been sprayed with a non stick cooking spray. Add the remaining ingredients. Cook on high 4-5 hours or low for 7-8. When cooking time is done, carefully remove the pork chops and smother with the vegetables and mushroom sauce.

Creamy Vegetable Soup

4 potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp. butter (I use olive oil. I prefer it because butter can sometimes scorch and go brown. A combination of 1 tbsp. butter and one tbsp. of olive oil would work well.)
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 16-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
2 c water
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
1/2 c sour cream (I use the homemade kind and this is optional. Add if you want to up the creamy factor.)
1 tbsp. butter (this in an additional tbsp. of it and is optional)

Combine bouillon, water, garlic and potatoes in a large pot and cook until the potatoes are tender. Pour in a food processor or blender, add 1 tbsp. of butter (optional) and blend until smooth. In a skillet, heat the butter (olive oil). Saute the carrots, pepper and onions until lightly browned and softened. Add the diced tomatoes to the vegetables. Return the potatoes to the pot. Stir in the vegetables, milk and sour cream. Heat through.

*Frozen corn or peas added when stirring the vegetables in with the potatoes would work well too.

Burrito Casserole

10 flour tortillas
1 can refried beans
2 c cheddar cheese, shredded
1 4-oz. can green chilies
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 c milk
1 16-oz. can enchilada sauce
1 c olives

Fill tortillas with beans and cheese. At times, I have also filled them with seasoned ground beef, or canned chicken. Fold in sides and roll up into burritos. Place the burritos in a 9x13 baking dish that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Combine the remaining ingredients, reserving 1/2 c of the cheese, and pour it over the burritos. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until bubbly. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes to allow the cheese to melt.

Chicken Pot Pie

3 c chicken, cooked and chopped (I have a secret. I actually use canned chicken for this. I prefer Kirkland Signature Premium Chunk Chicken Breast. It's the Costco brand. I couldn't find it on their site, so no link for it. Sorry. I use 2 12.5 ounce cans for this recipe.)
2 celery ribs, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 small-medium onion, diced
1/4 c butter (I use olive oil. It would also work well to do a combination of butter and olive oil.)
1/4 c flour
2 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
1 c water
1 can evaporated milk
1 c cheese, shredded

Crust:

1 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. cold butter
1/2 c milk

This is actually more of a casserole pot pie, but this can be made into individual pie servings.

Spread the chicken in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Saute the vegetables in butter (olive oil) until tender. Add the flour and stir until a paste forms. You're making a rue which is the reason for the butter, but it works just fine with the olive oil. Slowly add the water, bouillon and milk, cooking and stirring until thickened and bubbly. I season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste at this point. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Sprinkle with the cheese.

For the crust: sift together the dry ingredients. Cut in butter until it's coarse and crumbly. Stir in enough milk to form a soft dough. It most likely will not require the entire half of a cup. *Remember to not overwork it. It will make the pastry tough and the butter will get warm. The secret to flaky crust is cold butter. The butter basically explodes in the heat of the oven and the explosion of steam is what creates the flakiness in the crust.* Roll out the crust. Lay over the dish. Cut slits in the crust for ventilation. You can brush the crust with an egg wash, cream or melted butter if you would like. An egg wash is simply 1 egg mixed with some water, or it can be mixed with cream. The cream or butter can be brushed on alone. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Buttermilk Biscuits

1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c butter or shortening
1/3 c buttermilk
2 tbsp. heavy cream or melted butter

*Any biscuit or pastry works best if the butter is cold. Don't let it got too warm.*

Sift dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in butter or shortening until mixture is coarse and crumbly. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes or more. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add enough buttermilk to hold the dough together. Mix quickly with your fingers just until dough forms. DON'T OVER MIX! You'll end up with tough biscuits if you do. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to 3/4 inch thick. Cut with a biscuit cutter (any kind of cutter will do) and place on ungreased baking sheet. Brush the tops of the biscuits with cream or melted butter. Bake at 400 for 13-15 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.

Chicken & Wild Rice

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp. chicken bouillon (I actually use a product called "Better than Bouillon Chicken Base". It's more of a paste. Much better then the cubes or powder.)
2 cups water
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 6-oz. package seasoned long grain and wild rice mix
2 cups broccoli florets

Place the chicken in a crock pot. Mix all ingredients (except broccoli) together and pour over the chicken. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-7. Add the broccoli during the last hour of cooking.

Tomato and Basil Spaghetti

1 pkg. thin spaghetti
2 cloves of garlic, minced
6-8 medium to large tomatoes
8 oz. ball of fresh mozzarella (Use the soft fresh variety. Preferably the balls of mozzarella packed in water. The low moisture type tends to be oily when in melts.)
fresh basil (about 2 tablespoons and that's about 10 large leaves)
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Chop the tomatoes in a small to medium dice, tear/shred the basil leaves and cheese and put all into a large bowl. Add the minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes so that the tomato juices will start to run (macerate). While doing this, cook the spaghetti until it is al dente. Drain and pour immediately into the bowl of other ingredients. Pour in olive oil (about 1/4-1/3 cup) toss to evenly coat. Serve immediately.

Homemade Sour Cream

4 T cultured buttermilk
2 C half and half

Pour the buttermilk into a bowl. "Splash" in 2 C half and half. DO NOT STIR IT! SIMPLY POUR IT IN. Cover with a lid and leave out for 12 -48 hours to achieve desired sourness and thickness. Once it's how you like it, place it in the refrigerator to stop the cultures from growing. It will keep for a week.

I found this recipe here.

Chicken Nuggets

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 C cornstarch
1/3 C flour
3 T corn meal
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
3 eggs
1/4 C milk

Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and milk together. Add to dry ingredients. Cut the chicken breasts into bite size pieces. About an inch to an inch and a half in size. In a large, deep skillet, heat some oil. Place the chicken into the batter and allow to sit for a few minutes. This will make for a more tender piece of chicken. Remove from batter and cook in the oil. Cook until golden brown. About 5-7 minutes. Remove and place on a paper towel to drain. Serve with your favorite dipping sauces.

*You can also use chicken tenders to make "fingers" or "strips" instead of nuggets. Something I thought of tonight (after I already made it, of course) was that I should have made the batter with buttermilk. It's a classic fried chicken ingredient and would definitely make the chicken more tender. I'm going to use it next time.

Beef Macaroni Bake

This is essentially Hamburger Helper from scratch. I like to make things like this when I want something fairly decent and edible, without a lot of prep time. It's dishes like this that dried minced onions are perfect for.

1 pound lean ground beef
1 package elbow macaroni
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce (you may need a 3rd can, depending on how much moisture the pasta absorbs)
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 cups cheddar cheese
dried chopped onions to taste
Salt & Pepper
garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350. Cook the macaroni until al dente. Drain the water. Brown the hamburger with the dried chopped onions (I would say I use a couple of tablespoons of them), season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Drain off excess fat. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, macaroni and half of the cheese. Mix well and pour into a 9 x 13 casserole dish you have sprayed with non-stick spray. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly. Sprinkle remaining cup of cheese on top and bake until melted, or cover again with foil and let it stand until the cheese melts.

Whole Wheat Bread

This a whole wheat bread recipe as it was originally written. I had to tweak it a little bit because I have a smaller mixer and the amount of bread dough this makes doesn't really fit. In Utah, you can purchase the dough enhancer and vital wheat gluten from Harmons, or from Kitchen Kneads in West Jordan. I found the lecithin at Kitchen Kneads. Outside of Utah, I'm not sure where you would go. I've been using Fleischmann's Bread Machine Yeast because it works well for rapid rising recipes. That's exactly what this recipe is. You'll want to use this recipe if you have a Bosch mixer, a 5 quart Kitchen Aid, or Professional size Kitchen Aid. It will fit in one of those and you'll get 3 loaves out of this recipe.

Whole Wheat Bread

4 cups lukewarm water
1 T salt
2 T dough enhancer
1/2 C vital wheat gluten
1/2 C honey
3 T yeast 2 T lecithin
3 T lemon juice
1/2 C oil
8-10 C whole wheat flour

Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. You can remove the dough and knead by hand for 5 minutes, or allow it to continue mixing and knead in the mixer. Separate into 3 sections. Roll out each into a ball to remove bubbles. Roll balls into loaves and place in greased loaf pans. This is a link to the type of pans I've been using. I have a larger size than the 8 inch ones shown. I think that mine are 10 in. long. They're great because they force your bread to have height. I let it rise for a couple of hours, while sitting on my stove top above the oven that has been preheated. The heat from the oven keeps the bread warm enough and encourages it to rise. If you are using the rapid rise yeast, it will be ready really fast. I still just like to give it some time. Place into a preheated 350 oven and bake for 30-35 minutes.

These are the changes I've made to the recipe. They work for my size mixer and for the area I live in. Bread is kind of a fickle thing and environment seems to play a big part in how well a recipe works.

2 1/2 C lukewarm water
1 T salt
2 T dough enhancer
1/2 C vital wheat gluten
1/2 C honey
4 T sugar
3 T yeast
2 T lecithin
3 T lemon juice
1/2 C oil
6 cups whole wheat flour

You'll notice that I didn't cut all of the ingredients in half. I tried that and it didn't work very well. The bread was really bland and flat. Really, the only things that were cut in half are the water and the flour. The water isn't actually half either. ☺ Anyway, this is how it works for me. I also added the sugar. It helps a lot. It's not bad without it, but it enhances it just a bit. If you don't want to add it, it's totally fine. I get two large loaves out of this recipe. The oven temp is the same. The rising and baking methods/times are the same as well.

Cake Mix Cookies

You can do just about anything with a cake mix. I learned this when Jillene put into our ward cookbook several dessert recipes that use them. I now use them pretty much every time I make cookies. Well, cookie bars to be more exact.

The "recipe" is pretty basic and I do it this way every time, with any kind of mix. The base of mix, oil and egg is always the same. I just change what I mix into it. By the way, you don't add the water called for on the back of the mix. You want this to be stiff like a cookie dough. Here's a few examples.

Caramel Toffee Cookie Bars

You can use any variety of a Yellow or a White mix

1 cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
about 1/2 of a bag of caramel bits (the kind you use for making caramel apples)
about 1/2 of a bag of Heath toffee bits

Mix all ingredients together and place in a lightly greased, 9 x 13 baking dish. You will have to smoosh the cookie dough to get it into the corners. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven, for 22-25 minutes. Check the center with a toothpick.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Any variety of a Yellow or White cake mix.

1 cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 bag of chocolate chips

Same directions as above.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

1 chocolate cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
about 1 bag of Andes Mint baking chips (the entire bag might be a bit much for some. Just use your own judgement.)

Same directions as above.

Cake mixes are great when you need a dessert in a hurry and any variety of things can be mixed into them.