Boy 1 won't eat hamburgers and complains when I have hamburger ground up in other dishes, but he will actually ask me to make meatloaf. I haven't figured that one out yet. I think he mostly likes the usual sauce that goes on top of most meatloaf recipes. You know the one with ketchup, maybe some mustard, and brown sugar. Personally, I'm not a big fan of that topping, so when I saw this meatloaf recipe I figured I would give it a try. I think it's probably one of the best meatloaf recipes I have ever used! Totally moist and yummy. When I first made it, it did seem to be missing a little something without the sauce, which I think was mostly because I've always made meatloaf with the sauce on it. So when I make this I just make up a little bit of the sauce and cook it on the stove or in the microwave for a few minutes and then those who want it can use it if they so desire. Even the girl eats most of her serving without complaint. And, as usual, Boy 2 just won't try it. I try to be patient. He's four and what he eats is one of the few things he has almost total control over. Someday he'll like this, too! (At least that's the dream I hold onto with both fists.)
Champion Meat Loaf
by Melanie Lewis (from a ward/church cookbook)
1 1/2 lb ground beef (I usually just use two pounds since I buy them in 1 pound packages)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup decrusted soft bread crumbs (I just use store bought bread crumbs)
2-3 strips bacon or bacon bits (NOT Bacos! Bacon strips is best but if you use bits, use real bacon bits.)
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. (Yes, 500 - you don't bake it at that temp.) Mix together beef, eggs, soup mix, sour cream, and bread crumbs. Shape in loaf pan and top with bacon or sprinkle with bacon bits. Put in oven and turn the temperature down to 375 degrees. Bake for 1 hour.
Showing posts with label Main Dish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Main Dish. Show all posts
Monday, December 12, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Beef Vegetable Soup
This is a soup that Boy 1 loves. It's good, covers a whole meal essentially and, if you do the whole recipe, will leave lots of leftovers. When we make it we usually have two to three meals worth which is great for dinner the next day or several lunches. Add some bread or rolls alongside and you have a yummy meal!
Beef Vegetable Soup
from Redbook magazine
This takes about 2 hours or so to cook, depending on how small you chop your veggies.
1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut in 3/4" chunks (I use stew meat, already cut!)
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cans - 14 1/2 ounces each, beef broth (or a 48 oz box and one can)
1 can - 28 to 35 ounces, plum tomatoes in juice (diced tomatoes work, too)
2 cups water
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1 pound carrots, peeled and diced (I just use a bunch of baby carrots, sliced)
1 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and diced (I use regular white potatoes)
3 celery stalks, diced
1 package - 10 ounces frozen peas (I can ever only find 16 oz, so I use those)
1 package - 10 ounces frozen corn (I can ever only find 16 oz, so I use those)
(I like to add some salt but I've never measured it. You can always just add a little to your bowl before eating, too. It really needs a little extra salt.)
Brown beef in oil in a large pot (I use a stock pot). Add onion and cook for five (5) minutes. Stir in broth, tomatoes and juice, water, bay leaf, thyme, and pepper. (And salt if you want to add it). Bring it to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes.
Add carrots, potatoes and celery. Cover and simmer for another 45 minutes or until the carrots and potatoes start to soften. Add peas and corn and cook for another 15 minutes.
Beef Vegetable Soup
from Redbook magazine
This takes about 2 hours or so to cook, depending on how small you chop your veggies.
1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut in 3/4" chunks (I use stew meat, already cut!)
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cans - 14 1/2 ounces each, beef broth (or a 48 oz box and one can)
1 can - 28 to 35 ounces, plum tomatoes in juice (diced tomatoes work, too)
2 cups water
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1 pound carrots, peeled and diced (I just use a bunch of baby carrots, sliced)
1 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and diced (I use regular white potatoes)
3 celery stalks, diced
1 package - 10 ounces frozen peas (I can ever only find 16 oz, so I use those)
1 package - 10 ounces frozen corn (I can ever only find 16 oz, so I use those)
(I like to add some salt but I've never measured it. You can always just add a little to your bowl before eating, too. It really needs a little extra salt.)
Brown beef in oil in a large pot (I use a stock pot). Add onion and cook for five (5) minutes. Stir in broth, tomatoes and juice, water, bay leaf, thyme, and pepper. (And salt if you want to add it). Bring it to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes.
Add carrots, potatoes and celery. Cover and simmer for another 45 minutes or until the carrots and potatoes start to soften. Add peas and corn and cook for another 15 minutes.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Vegetable Stir-Fry
Getting my kids to eat vegetables that are anything other than baby carrots and occasionally salad is nearly impossible. Boy 1 doesn't like broccoli unless it's in the form of Broccoli Cheese soup. (Go figure.) The girl likes broccoli but doesn't really care for anything else except carrots, as long as they're not cooked. Boy 2 will occasionally eat carrots as long as they are uncooked and only baby carrots. Not carrot sticks or large carrots. None of the kids like celery or cauliflower. HOWEVER, I can make this vegetable stir fry and I never get complaints from the older two kids. Boy 2 doesn't complain either, but he'll only eat the rice that we put under this. It's wonderful to have a non-complaint meal!
Vegetable Stir-Fry
from Swanson (Think broth - I got it from a magazine, I think it was Woman's Day but I can't remember for sure.)
1 cup Swanson Chicken Broth (Regular, Natural Goodness or Certified Organic)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 cups cut-up vegetables ~ broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, baby carrots and sliced celery
2 tsp grated fresh ginger root or 1/8 tsp ground ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
Toasted sesame seeds ~optional
(I add about 1/2 tsp of salt while this is cooking but you can just season as you like after it's on your plate, too.)
Stir the broth, cornstarch and soy sauce in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth.
Heat the oil in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables, ginger root and garlic and stir-fry until they're tender-crisp.
Add the broth mixture to the skillet. Cook and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds, if desired.
We serve this recipe over rice and it makes a whole meal for us. Enjoy!
Tips:
- You may be tempted to use frozen veggies for this recipe. I'm here to tell you that it will work, BUT it turns out a whole lot better with fresh veggies.
- Remember that fresh ginger is usually more potent than the bottled stuff you find in your spice cabinet. If you aren't a huge fan of ginger, like me, then you might want to go with just a bit less than 2 tsp of fresh grated ginger. It can be pretty strong for me with the full 2 teaspoons.
Vegetable Stir-Fry
from Swanson (Think broth - I got it from a magazine, I think it was Woman's Day but I can't remember for sure.)
1 cup Swanson Chicken Broth (Regular, Natural Goodness or Certified Organic)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 cups cut-up vegetables ~ broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, baby carrots and sliced celery
2 tsp grated fresh ginger root or 1/8 tsp ground ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
Toasted sesame seeds ~optional
(I add about 1/2 tsp of salt while this is cooking but you can just season as you like after it's on your plate, too.)
Stir the broth, cornstarch and soy sauce in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth.
Heat the oil in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables, ginger root and garlic and stir-fry until they're tender-crisp.
Add the broth mixture to the skillet. Cook and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds, if desired.
We serve this recipe over rice and it makes a whole meal for us. Enjoy!
Tips:
- You may be tempted to use frozen veggies for this recipe. I'm here to tell you that it will work, BUT it turns out a whole lot better with fresh veggies.
- Remember that fresh ginger is usually more potent than the bottled stuff you find in your spice cabinet. If you aren't a huge fan of ginger, like me, then you might want to go with just a bit less than 2 tsp of fresh grated ginger. It can be pretty strong for me with the full 2 teaspoons.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Sour Cream Lasagna
This is a recipe that my grandma used to make. When she passed away my aunt gathered a bunch of her regular recipes and put together a cookbook for all the children and grandchildren. I use it fairly often, but mostly for two or three of our favorites. This one doesn't really appeal to the kids too much because it has hamburger in it. Hamburger to my kids is akin to liver and onions for most everyone else. I have yet to figure out why.
Sour Cream Lasagna
by Grandma W
8-oz uncooked egg noodles
1 lb ground beef
16-oz tomato sauce (or 2 8-oz cans)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
(or season to your tastes)
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup green onions, chopped (about six onions)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Cook noodles and drain. While noodles are cooking, brown the meat. Stir tomato sauce, salt, pepper and garlic salt into cooked meat. Simmer 5 minutes. While meat mixture is simmering, combine the noodles, sour cream, cottage cheese and green onions. In a 2-quart casserole, alternate layers of noodle mixture and meat mixture, starting with noodles. (Or you can simply mix it all together but that's not as "pretty".) Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Sour Cream Lasagna
by Grandma W
8-oz uncooked egg noodles
1 lb ground beef
16-oz tomato sauce (or 2 8-oz cans)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
(or season to your tastes)
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup green onions, chopped (about six onions)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Cook noodles and drain. While noodles are cooking, brown the meat. Stir tomato sauce, salt, pepper and garlic salt into cooked meat. Simmer 5 minutes. While meat mixture is simmering, combine the noodles, sour cream, cottage cheese and green onions. In a 2-quart casserole, alternate layers of noodle mixture and meat mixture, starting with noodles. (Or you can simply mix it all together but that's not as "pretty".) Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Trout Chowder
I am generally not a big fan of fish. I tolerate salmon because my kids like it but that's usually about the only fish we have in our diet on an irregular basis. We rarely even do fish sticks here. Occasionally I'll get fish at a restaurant, but as a general rule I don't like to eat fish. HOWEVER, this chowder is really very good, with very little of a fish taste, and has recently been added to our "box" of favorite recipes.
Trout Chowder
by Fran Hopper, Wild Game Cookbook
2 - 3 lbs trout (We don't have trout readily available in our stores here, and we don't catch trout when we fish, so we use Tilapia for this recipe. Other fresh, white fish can be used, too.)
Bay leaf
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 - 3 medium russet potatoes (This is to your liking, we usually use 4 or 5.)
1 large carrot
3 stalks celery
2 medium onions (We usually only use one small onion.)
1 pint half-and-half
2 cups milk
1 Tablespoon flour, stirred into the milk
Grated cheddar cheese (Optional)
Paprika (Optional)
Boil trout in large kettle of boiling water with the bay leaf, lemon juice and salt until the fish flakes, approximately 10 minutes. (Or less if you use already cut fillets like us.) Remove from the kettle; skin and debone trout and break into bite-size pieces. Peel potatoes, carrots and onions; clean celery. Chop vegetables into bite-size pieces and boil in a small amount of water until barely tender. Drain and season to taste. Combine half-and-half and milk. Season to taste. Combine fish, vegetable and white sauce. Heat through, but do not boil. Serve in soup mugs and sprinkle with grated cheese (my family doesn't like it with the cheese) and a small amount of paprika. (My husband is the only one who likes paprika.)
** One thing to note is that when it says "season to taste" in this recipe it really means "season to taste and then add more". It doesn't seem to matter how much salt or pepper I add during the cooking process, we always seem to need more after we've put the chowder in our bowls.
** Another thing to note is that this makes a lot. The first time I made it, following the recipe exactly, we (a family of five) ate it for dinner twice and then I still had it for lunch for another two days. Unless you have a really big family, you might want to half the recipe.
Trout Chowder
by Fran Hopper, Wild Game Cookbook
2 - 3 lbs trout (We don't have trout readily available in our stores here, and we don't catch trout when we fish, so we use Tilapia for this recipe. Other fresh, white fish can be used, too.)
Bay leaf
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 - 3 medium russet potatoes (This is to your liking, we usually use 4 or 5.)
1 large carrot
3 stalks celery
2 medium onions (We usually only use one small onion.)
1 pint half-and-half
2 cups milk
1 Tablespoon flour, stirred into the milk
Grated cheddar cheese (Optional)
Paprika (Optional)
Boil trout in large kettle of boiling water with the bay leaf, lemon juice and salt until the fish flakes, approximately 10 minutes. (Or less if you use already cut fillets like us.) Remove from the kettle; skin and debone trout and break into bite-size pieces. Peel potatoes, carrots and onions; clean celery. Chop vegetables into bite-size pieces and boil in a small amount of water until barely tender. Drain and season to taste. Combine half-and-half and milk. Season to taste. Combine fish, vegetable and white sauce. Heat through, but do not boil. Serve in soup mugs and sprinkle with grated cheese (my family doesn't like it with the cheese) and a small amount of paprika. (My husband is the only one who likes paprika.)
** One thing to note is that when it says "season to taste" in this recipe it really means "season to taste and then add more". It doesn't seem to matter how much salt or pepper I add during the cooking process, we always seem to need more after we've put the chowder in our bowls.
** Another thing to note is that this makes a lot. The first time I made it, following the recipe exactly, we (a family of five) ate it for dinner twice and then I still had it for lunch for another two days. Unless you have a really big family, you might want to half the recipe.
Shish-Kabobs
This yummy recipe is one that I remember loving as a child. It was a special treat to go to Grandma and Grandpa's house in the summer because Grandpa would often make these kabobs and cook them on his big charcoal grill. He'd place large chunks of meat on these giant skewers that looked like swords and cook them until they were juicy and oh so good. Grandpa is long since gone, but the recipe is not, plus I have the added bonus of having received those long swords after both Grandma and Grandpa passed away. They hold good memories for me.
Shish-Kabobs
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup red wine
(Since we don't drink alcohol, and therefore don't buy it, I usually combine these two and use about 1/2 - 3/4 cup red wine vinegar, dependent on how much of the vinegar-like taste you want.)
1/2 cup salad oil (I use vegetable or canola oil)
1 teaspoon Seasonall or savor salt
1/4 teaspoon barbecue spice
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 lb beef, tender cut of roast or steak
Mix all marinade ingredients. May also include chopped fresh onions if desired. (I don't usually do that.) Cut meat into 1-inch cubes. (For the interest of time, I've been known to just buy stew meat at the store since it's already cut up. It works fine on regular size skewers.) Add meat to the marinade and marinate for several hours at room temperature. Put meat onto skewers and cook over hot coals to desired doneness.
** I will often prepare this either the night before or that morning and then stick it in the fridge until the afternoon. I then let it sit on the counter for three hours or so before cooking.
Shish-Kabobs
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup red wine
(Since we don't drink alcohol, and therefore don't buy it, I usually combine these two and use about 1/2 - 3/4 cup red wine vinegar, dependent on how much of the vinegar-like taste you want.)
1/2 cup salad oil (I use vegetable or canola oil)
1 teaspoon Seasonall or savor salt
1/4 teaspoon barbecue spice
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 lb beef, tender cut of roast or steak
Mix all marinade ingredients. May also include chopped fresh onions if desired. (I don't usually do that.) Cut meat into 1-inch cubes. (For the interest of time, I've been known to just buy stew meat at the store since it's already cut up. It works fine on regular size skewers.) Add meat to the marinade and marinate for several hours at room temperature. Put meat onto skewers and cook over hot coals to desired doneness.
** I will often prepare this either the night before or that morning and then stick it in the fridge until the afternoon. I then let it sit on the counter for three hours or so before cooking.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Wisconsin Five-Cheese Bake
Sorry it's been a while! Things get hectic and unfortunately this blog isn't at the top of the priority list. Anyway, I thought I would add a recent recipe we tried. Boy 1 complained about the look and smell while I was putting it together. Then he complained about the smell while it was baking. Then he sat and pouted about having to eat it when we sat down to dinner, but he knows the rule of the house (just like many other families) and that is, YOU HAVE TO AT LEAST TRY IT. He finally gave in and tried a bite, chewed it up, swallowed and then graced us with a sheepish grin. "Okay. I admit it. It tastes pretty good."
Below is the link to the original recipe. Five-cheese bake, not KFC.
Wisconsin Five-Cheese Bake
by Kim B at allrecipes.com
1 16-ounce package elbow macaroni
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream (I didn't have sour cream so I used plain yogurt - it worked)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni, and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain.
In a large bowl, toss together the mozzarella cheese, Swiss cheese, Parmesan cheese and Provolone cheese. Remove about 1/2 cup for topping and set aside. In a separate bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, sour cream and heavy cream. Season with parsley, Italian seasoning and garlic salt.
Pour the ricotta cheese mixture and drained macaroni into the bowl with the cheeses and toss lightly. Do not mix too thoroughly, it's better left messy. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top.
Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes, then turn the oven to broil. Broil for about 5 minutes to brown the top.
**************
I didn't measure anything. I usually just guesstimate at what I'm putting in, unless it's something that's really important to measure. This turned out really well, but in my personal opinion it needed a little more flavoring. I had to add some salt and pepper to what was on my plate and I hardly ever use extra salt on my food. Next time I will probably add more seasoning than what it calls for and add a little extra salt for good measure.
Below is the link to the original recipe. Five-cheese bake, not KFC.
Wisconsin Five-Cheese Bake
by Kim B at allrecipes.com
1 16-ounce package elbow macaroni
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream (I didn't have sour cream so I used plain yogurt - it worked)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni, and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain.
In a large bowl, toss together the mozzarella cheese, Swiss cheese, Parmesan cheese and Provolone cheese. Remove about 1/2 cup for topping and set aside. In a separate bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, sour cream and heavy cream. Season with parsley, Italian seasoning and garlic salt.
Pour the ricotta cheese mixture and drained macaroni into the bowl with the cheeses and toss lightly. Do not mix too thoroughly, it's better left messy. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top.
Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes, then turn the oven to broil. Broil for about 5 minutes to brown the top.
**************
I didn't measure anything. I usually just guesstimate at what I'm putting in, unless it's something that's really important to measure. This turned out really well, but in my personal opinion it needed a little more flavoring. I had to add some salt and pepper to what was on my plate and I hardly ever use extra salt on my food. Next time I will probably add more seasoning than what it calls for and add a little extra salt for good measure.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Chicken Pot Pie IX
This is a recipe I got off of Allrecipes.com.
Chicken Pot Pie IX
Allrecipes.com
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (the kids and I would probably cut this down a little)
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts
1.Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
2.In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
3.In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
4.Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
5.Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Chicken Pot Pie IX
Allrecipes.com
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (the kids and I would probably cut this down a little)
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts
1.Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
2.In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
3.In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
4.Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
5.Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Potato Bar
This is a simple meal that I seem to forget about most of the time. I guess I somehow assume that meals have to be more elaborate or something. I don't know, but we had a potato bar last night. Boy2 wouldn't eat a potato, he just ate cheese and bacon bits, but the other two children ate all of their potatoes, including the skins, and Sister asked for a second potato. Nice! Anyway, this is what we do for a potato bar.
Potato Bar
Baked potatoes - however many you need
Chili
Olives
Bacon Bits
Shredded Cheese
Chives
Sour Cream
Butter
Salt and Pepper
Bake your potatoes either in the oven or the microwave. We have a cool bag my MIL made for me a few years ago that lets you bake moist potatoes in the microwave. I love it! If you don't have one of these cool bags, here's how you can bake your potato.
Oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees (you can also do 400 degrees if you want them to cook a little faster). Scrub each potato thoroughly before baking. Pierce each potato with a sharp knife or fork several times so that moisture can escape while baking. Place potatoes directly on the rack in the middle of the oven. You could place a cookie sheet on the rack under the potatoes to catch any drippings if there are any, or you could just keep aluminum foil on the bottom of your oven like I do. It makes cleaning the oven so much easier. Anyway, bake the potatoes for about one hour. The cooking time really depends on the size of the potato. The way I tell if the potato is done is by taking a pot holder and squeezing the potato a little in the middle. If it gives easily to pressure than it is done. If it still feels a little hard, then cook it for a little while longer.
Microwave: This varies between people so I'll give you a couple of different options. No matter which option you choose, wash the potatoes thoroughly. One method is to pierce each potato several times with a sharp knife or a fork and then place them on top of a paper towel in the microwave about one inch apart. Then cook on high power for 15-20 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. My method, when not using my cool microwave bag, is to wrap each potato in a damp paper towel, without piercing it first, and then cook them on high power for about 8-10 minutes. Again, that depends on the size of the potato and the power of your microwave. I still test my microwaved potatoes by using a pot holder to squeeze them in the middle.
Once the potatoes are baked, you can load them with whatever toppings you prefer. Sister likes it with only a little butter, salt, pepper, and a little cheese. Hubby likes to put some of everything on it. What you put on is each person's individual choice. Enjoy!
Potato Bar
Baked potatoes - however many you need
Chili
Olives
Bacon Bits
Shredded Cheese
Chives
Sour Cream
Butter
Salt and Pepper
Bake your potatoes either in the oven or the microwave. We have a cool bag my MIL made for me a few years ago that lets you bake moist potatoes in the microwave. I love it! If you don't have one of these cool bags, here's how you can bake your potato.
Oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees (you can also do 400 degrees if you want them to cook a little faster). Scrub each potato thoroughly before baking. Pierce each potato with a sharp knife or fork several times so that moisture can escape while baking. Place potatoes directly on the rack in the middle of the oven. You could place a cookie sheet on the rack under the potatoes to catch any drippings if there are any, or you could just keep aluminum foil on the bottom of your oven like I do. It makes cleaning the oven so much easier. Anyway, bake the potatoes for about one hour. The cooking time really depends on the size of the potato. The way I tell if the potato is done is by taking a pot holder and squeezing the potato a little in the middle. If it gives easily to pressure than it is done. If it still feels a little hard, then cook it for a little while longer.
Microwave: This varies between people so I'll give you a couple of different options. No matter which option you choose, wash the potatoes thoroughly. One method is to pierce each potato several times with a sharp knife or a fork and then place them on top of a paper towel in the microwave about one inch apart. Then cook on high power for 15-20 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. My method, when not using my cool microwave bag, is to wrap each potato in a damp paper towel, without piercing it first, and then cook them on high power for about 8-10 minutes. Again, that depends on the size of the potato and the power of your microwave. I still test my microwaved potatoes by using a pot holder to squeeze them in the middle.
Once the potatoes are baked, you can load them with whatever toppings you prefer. Sister likes it with only a little butter, salt, pepper, and a little cheese. Hubby likes to put some of everything on it. What you put on is each person's individual choice. Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Perfect Grilled Chicken
This is absolutely one of our favorite summer recipes. We cook almost exclusively on the grill during the summer. I love it! Everyone, including all the kids, loves this chicken. So easy with so little cleanup.
Perfect Grilled Chicken
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/perfect-grilled-chicken-65941.aspx
1/2 cup Kraft Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing
4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts - about 1 pound
Preheat grill to medium heat (or whatever works best for your grill). Pour dressing over chicken in resealable plastic bag. Seal bag; turn to evenly coat chicken with dressing. Refrigerate 5 min. to marinate. Remove chicken from marinade; discard bag and marinade.
GRILL chicken 5 to 7 min. on each side or until cooked through -about 165°F.
****
Okay, now for our variation. We use however many chicken breasts we need. We usually do five or six, dependent on their size, and then I use about half a bottle of Sun-Dried Tomato dressing to cover the chicken in the gallon size Ziploc bag. I don't think they make the Sun-Dried Tomato dressing anymore (I stocked up whenever I could find it) but they do make Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette which works just as well. For that matter you can do this same thing with Italian dressing and it's yummy, too. I prefer the Sun-Dried variation more, though.
I ALWAYS let the chicken marinate for more than 5 minutes and I "squish" the bag around during the marinade time to make sure all the chicken gets coated well. I do 15 minutes marinating as a bare minimum. One to two days (I've even done three days before) makes it even better! So juicy and good! Enjoy!
Perfect Grilled Chicken
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/perfect-grilled-chicken-65941.aspx
1/2 cup Kraft Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing
4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts - about 1 pound
Preheat grill to medium heat (or whatever works best for your grill). Pour dressing over chicken in resealable plastic bag. Seal bag; turn to evenly coat chicken with dressing. Refrigerate 5 min. to marinate. Remove chicken from marinade; discard bag and marinade.
GRILL chicken 5 to 7 min. on each side or until cooked through -about 165°F.
****
Okay, now for our variation. We use however many chicken breasts we need. We usually do five or six, dependent on their size, and then I use about half a bottle of Sun-Dried Tomato dressing to cover the chicken in the gallon size Ziploc bag. I don't think they make the Sun-Dried Tomato dressing anymore (I stocked up whenever I could find it) but they do make Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette which works just as well. For that matter you can do this same thing with Italian dressing and it's yummy, too. I prefer the Sun-Dried variation more, though.
I ALWAYS let the chicken marinate for more than 5 minutes and I "squish" the bag around during the marinade time to make sure all the chicken gets coated well. I do 15 minutes marinating as a bare minimum. One to two days (I've even done three days before) makes it even better! So juicy and good! Enjoy!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Spaghetti (in various forms)
We cheat with spaghetti, but this is a fast and easy meal. There's no real recipe involved. In our home the sauce comes from a bottle. We also cheat with the term "spaghetti". In our house that could mean just about anything. It usually means bow tie noodles and not actually spaghetti noodles. Here are our variations on this dinner.
Pasta Night
Noodles: Usually bow tie noodles, spaghetti or sometimes even shell noodles.
Sauce: From a bottle and usually just heated up in the microwave either in the bottle or in a covered bowl. The sauce will likely explode all over the microwave if it isn't covered well. Sometimes even when it IS covered well.
Spaghetti sauce is the preference of the parents, Alfredo sauce is the choice of the two oldest children. The youngest prefers his noodles with nothing but Parmesan. You can never please everyone with one way of cooking things.
Pasta Night
Noodles: Usually bow tie noodles, spaghetti or sometimes even shell noodles.
Sauce: From a bottle and usually just heated up in the microwave either in the bottle or in a covered bowl. The sauce will likely explode all over the microwave if it isn't covered well. Sometimes even when it IS covered well.
Spaghetti sauce is the preference of the parents, Alfredo sauce is the choice of the two oldest children. The youngest prefers his noodles with nothing but Parmesan. You can never please everyone with one way of cooking things.
Chili Cheese Burritos
Hubby likes to fix these for quick lunches, especially after he gets home from church and meetings on Sundays. Sister loves to eat them, too!
Chili Cheese Burritos
1 can chili
Flour tortillas - burrito size
Cheese, shredded
Lay the tortilla flat on a plate. Put a small amount of chili (about 1/4 - 1/2 cup) on one side of the tortilla. Sprinkle cheese on top of the chili and roll the tortilla to about the middle. Fold over the ends and then finish rolling the tortilla the rest of the way. Microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Chili Cheese Burritos
1 can chili
Flour tortillas - burrito size
Cheese, shredded
Lay the tortilla flat on a plate. Put a small amount of chili (about 1/4 - 1/2 cup) on one side of the tortilla. Sprinkle cheese on top of the chili and roll the tortilla to about the middle. Fold over the ends and then finish rolling the tortilla the rest of the way. Microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Tacos / Taco Salad
This isn't really a recipe as much as it is just letting you know it's one of the things we like to eat.
Tacos or Taco Salads
1 lb hamburger
1 package taco seasoning
Tomatoes, diced
Lettuce, shredded
Olives, sliced
Cheese, shredded
Sour Cream
Taco Shells OR Corn Chips OR Taco Salad Bowls
Brown the hamburger and add the taco seasoning, cooking according to the package directions. Build your tacos or taco salads with the additions you prefer. If using corn chips, use those as the first layer on the plate when building your salad.
Tacos or Taco Salads
1 lb hamburger
1 package taco seasoning
Tomatoes, diced
Lettuce, shredded
Olives, sliced
Cheese, shredded
Sour Cream
Taco Shells OR Corn Chips OR Taco Salad Bowls
Brown the hamburger and add the taco seasoning, cooking according to the package directions. Build your tacos or taco salads with the additions you prefer. If using corn chips, use those as the first layer on the plate when building your salad.
Taco Salad Bowls
We don't use this recipe too often because, quite simply, our family prefers to just use corn chips for our taco salads. These are fun to try, though, and healthier than the deep fried bowls you get from fast food places. I think the recipe came from the Kraft website but I don't remember for sure.
Taco Salad Bowls
Flour tortillas (8 inch)
Chili powder
Aluminum Foil - crumpled into 3-inch balls
Place one tortilla on top of each ball. Spray tortilla with cooking spray and sprinkle with chili powder. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. (Watch them carefully!) The tortillas will drape over the balls as they bake.
Taco Salad Bowls
Flour tortillas (8 inch)
Chili powder
Aluminum Foil - crumpled into 3-inch balls
Place one tortilla on top of each ball. Spray tortilla with cooking spray and sprinkle with chili powder. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. (Watch them carefully!) The tortillas will drape over the balls as they bake.
Creamy Chicken & Noodles
Creamy Chicken and Noodles
from a Tyson Chicken box
1 9-ounce package Tyson Frozen Diced Chicken Breast (or any diced up chicken, cooked)
1 10 3/4-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 12-ounce package egg noodles, cooked according to package directions
Blend soup, milk, Parmesan and pepper in a large saucepan. Stir in chicken and cover. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for five minutes or until heated through. Serve over noodles.
from a Tyson Chicken box
1 9-ounce package Tyson Frozen Diced Chicken Breast (or any diced up chicken, cooked)
1 10 3/4-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 12-ounce package egg noodles, cooked according to package directions
Blend soup, milk, Parmesan and pepper in a large saucepan. Stir in chicken and cover. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for five minutes or until heated through. Serve over noodles.
Dinner in a Skillet
This recipe comes from my "Delectable Collectibles" cookbook and was submitted by Pat Turanski. As the original recipe stands it is fairly bland so I add a few spices, although I'm not very good with adding spices without instructions regarding WHAT to add, so you can add the spices that you think might work best.
My personal notes to the recipes are in parentheses.
Dinner in a Skillet
by Pat Turanski
1 lb ground beef
2 medium zucchini (or summer) squash
1 large tomato
1/2 medium onion
1/2 cup grated cheese
Salt (1 teaspoon)
Pepper (1/4 teaspoon)
(1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon thyme)
(1 teaspoon basil)
Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Drain excess grease. Dice squash, tomato and onion; add to meat. (I usually add the onion to the beef while it's being browned.) Season to taste. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.
Boy 1 (hubby's endearment) thinks we're trying to kill him in a slow and torturous way when I make this but Sister likes it for the most part. Boy 2 just doesn't eat. Period.
My personal notes to the recipes are in parentheses.
Dinner in a Skillet
by Pat Turanski
1 lb ground beef
2 medium zucchini (or summer) squash
1 large tomato
1/2 medium onion
1/2 cup grated cheese
Salt (1 teaspoon)
Pepper (1/4 teaspoon)
(1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon thyme)
(1 teaspoon basil)
Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Drain excess grease. Dice squash, tomato and onion; add to meat. (I usually add the onion to the beef while it's being browned.) Season to taste. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.
Boy 1 (hubby's endearment) thinks we're trying to kill him in a slow and torturous way when I make this but Sister likes it for the most part. Boy 2 just doesn't eat. Period.
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