Homemade Macaroni & CHeese

1 1/2 cup elbow noodles
3 tabl butter
1/4 chopped onion (optional)
2 tabl Flour
1/2 tea. salt
pepper
2 c Milk
2 c Sharp american cheese
more salt

Cool noodles till done.In saucepan add butter & flour & salt & peper.Add milk cook until thickened ( I wisk all of this)then add butter it calls for cubed cheese but shredded works just as well.stir until cheese is smooth texture, then dump noodles in cassarole dish and pour cheese mixture ontop & stir, if I have left over cheese i sprinkle ontop of noodles.Bake uncovered 30 min at 350!

Lemon Chricken Breast

My Aunt Sophie gave me this reciepe and WE ALL LOVED IT!!!!! AMAZING!!!! You dont have to do this first step, but I did not sure it is needed for next time. and we used Drumstick chicken and it tasted AWESOME!!!
Slightly brown the chicken breasts first in olive oil then set aside and do rest!
Serve with brown rice and grilled asparagus or broccoli or some other vegetable.


Ina Garten Lemon Chicken Breasts


Ingredients
1/4 cup good olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 bone in chicken breasts, skin on (6 to 8 ounces each)
1 lemon

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to turn brown. Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 by 12-inch baking dish.
Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos & Creamy Lime-Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken (for extra yumminess, use grilled taco chicken!)
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas (and actually, flour ones are really good as well)
kosher salt
cooking spray

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

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

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

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

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

Then roll it up as tight as you can

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

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

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Ranch Dressing

1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
ignore directions on the packet
1C mayo
1/2 C milk
1 lime
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 C green salsa*
hot sauce

Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too, you should get about 2T juice. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend ‘er up. Sample it and add hot sauce to taste. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken.

burrito Pie

2lbs ground beef
1 med. onion
2 cloves garlic
2 cans pinto beans
1 bottle taco sauce ( I used enchalada sauce)
1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies (undrained)
1 can chopped green chilies
1 can (3.8 oz) chopped olives
12 flour tortias (8 in.) halved
4 c. shredded cheese

Cook your meat & drain fat.. add all ingredients except tortias & cheese and bring to a boil 20 min or until thickened. bake in a cassarole dish and layer ripping tortias then layer with meat & cheese for total of 2 layers bake at 350 for 20 min covered, then uncover and cook 10 to 15 min then enjoy!!!! Seriously was THE BEST!!!! SOOO way good!!!

Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken!

Picture & reciepe from ( A Year of Slowcooking)!!!

INGREDIENTS
--1 can cream-of-something soup
--1/2 cup chicken broth
--frozen chicken pieces
--packet of Italian salad dressing mix
--2 cloves minced garlic
--block of cream cheese (to add later)

Put everything except for the cream cheese into the crockpot. Cook on low for 6 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and begins to shred. Shred the chicken with two large forks, and mix in the block of cream cheese. Switch the crock to high and cook for another 30 minutes, or until the cream cheese is fully melted.
Serve over pasta. I served with french bread & sorn & peaches...YUM!!! The kids LOVED it, great for leftovers, SOOO FAST & EASY!!!!!

2 week Menu :)

Friday- Crockpot Chicken Tacos
SO Easy! bonelesss chickbreast
can salsa
Dump chicken & salsa in crockpot cook on low all day.heatup tortias and top w/ cheese & tomaotes.

Saturday- Sloppy joes

Sunday-Fish tacos

MOnday-Beef stew w/ mushrooms toped with garlic mashed potatoes.

Tuesday-Sweet & sour chicken w/ Chineses rice

Wendsday- Free Range Porkchops and fried potaotes

Thursday-Taco Salad
Taco Salad-fry up hamburger meat and I put a can of chopped green chilies for flavor and chopped onions.add hamburger meat to Chopped lettuce,a can of kidney beans not cooked and rinsed, add a can of olives, dice a tomato.to eat get nacho cheese Doritos and crumble up add on top of lettuce mixture sprinkle cheese on top, and add some ranch and enjoy!Sounds weird but is amazing great recipe from my in laws.

Friday-leftovers

Saturday-Chicken fried steaks w/ mashed poatoes & gravy

Sunday-Layered mexican chicken rice Bake

MOnday- leftovers

Tuesday- pot roast

wends.- BBQ CHeesburgers w/ jack cheese, avacodos, roasted peppers

ENJOY =)

Chicken Ceaser Salad Sandwiches

YuM is ALL I can Say!!

This a fast & fabulouse meal and I think slightly heathy :)

This was my first time Buying & cooking (free Range Chickens) Which tasted fabulouse!! DONT BE AFRAID TO BUY ORGANIC MEAT!!!!!

Heres the reciepe:
Ceasar Salad Dressing
" lettuce (Yes I did buy the package kind)
Bread from the bakery (I used Sourdough)
Pancheta
Some kind of good $$ cheeses (I used a itialian mozzerella)
olives
Grilled chicken

SOO EASY! Grill chicken and season however...Mix salad add olives & dressing & chicken.Heat up Pancheta & bread in oven like 12 minutes throw chees on so it kind of melts and add salad. ENJOY:)

Spring Chicken Salad

Ingredients
1/2 pound small red-skinned potatoes, CHopped & Add TONS of Salt
2 Handfulls chopped green onion
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 romaine hearts, torn
1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat shredded
(I just grilled up a few pieces of Chicken)
1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise sliced
4 radishes, cut into wedges (I did NOT add these)
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced (Or these I have a picky Hubby)

Directions
Place the potatoes in a small pot and cover with water. Season with salt, cover and boil until fork-tender, Drain and cool.

Meanwhile, pulse (I just put them in my kitchen aid & mixed it up) the chives, vinegar, yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a food processor. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and pulse to make a thick dressing.

Toss the romaine, potatoes, chicken, cucumber, radishes and bell pepper with the dressing in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

I also added a chopped tomato..and I bought the allready cooked & chopped bacon and added that as well.It was SOO good.Even my parents loved it too!!

Recipe Courtesy Food Network Magazine! Photograph by Antonis Achilleos
Enjoy :)

2 week menu!

I have read on a few blogs that tell you if you make a 2 week menu / grocery tripe you will save $$$!!!I have been doing this for the past month 1/2....and its true, On this menu I was able to buy 18 dinner meals and keep it at $150!So give it a try & leave a comment if u have a way or meals to save on $$$$!!!!!!They are ALL fast meals & easy & inexpensive.I think the hardest part of it all is coming of with meals hopefully this will give u some ideas.

2 week Menu:

Friday 19th- Sausage & Rice a roni w/ brocoli.
I bought the smoked sausage (The kind u use on the BBQ) cut it up cook your rice add cooked brocoli & sausage and we add soy sauce too.

Sat.20th- Pigs-N-Blanket....I threw in some frozen french fries & made one Kraft mac n cheese. (VERY SIMPLE)

Sun.21st-Hamburger helper I throw in a can of corn & a slice of homemade bread & butter.

MOn. 22nd-Spaghetti & garlic bread. I make my own sauce 1 can tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, tomato paste & minced garlic.And I use sausage instead of hamburger meat.YUM!

Tues.23rd-Shepards pie...1 can corn, green beans, macarroni noodles, mashed potatoes, hamburger meat, 1 can cream of mushroom, and cheese.Mix ALL together except potatoes top mixture with potatoes and cheese & bake till cheese is melted.

wed. 24th Sloppy joes & tatertots & green beans.

Thurs. 25th Cheesy CHicken Corcon Blue Rice Cassarole & homemade bread & butter.

CHeck out this cute website with this receipe & tons others HERE
Cheesy Chicken Cordon Bleu Rice Casserole

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
½ lb diced ham
2 Cups cooked shredded chicken breast
4 Tablespoons butter
¼ Cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
14 oz can chicken broth
3 Cups cooked rice of choice (I used white long grain)
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Cup shredded mozzarella or swiss cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil into a large 5 qt rimmed skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ham and chicken. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Melt butter then stir in flour, salt and pepper until combined. Slowly stir in chicken broth until well combined. Stir in cooked rice then transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cover the dish with foil the last 10 minutes for oozing cheese.

Fri-26th-LEFTOVERS!!!

Sat. 27th- Quick tatertot bake.

SUN- 28th- Drumstick chicken ( Crockpot) Pull off all the fat cook on low dump all chicken in crockpot and add BBQ sauce we LOVE the Stubbs brand.I put it in after breakfast & its ready when we get home from church I make fried potatoes and have a veggie fast and amazing!The chicken will just fall off the bone.

Mon.29th- Beef Straganoff

Tues. 30th- Meatloaf & baked potatoes.

Weds. 31st- LEFTOVERS

Thurs.1st Stuffed porkchops with mashed potatoes

Frid.2nd-DATE NIGHT

Sat.3rd Families house / picnic.

Sun. EASTER Eggs benidict & hashbrowns.

Sweet & Sour Chicken with Chinese Rice

First, I am giving credit to where credit is due....MY frined from High School has a wonderful blog HERE and thi is where I got this FABULOUS Meal Idea.IT WAS SERIOUSLY AMAZING!!!!Not only is any meal I can get everyone in my family to eat it & LOVE it a HUGE sucess, but it tasted SOOO stinkin good you gotta try it!And go to this wonderful blog and let them know you LOVED it too! :)

Sweet and Sour Chicken:
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
3/4 C Sugar
3/4 C Vinegar
1/4 C Chicken Stock
4 tbs Ketchup
1 tbs Soy Sauce
Dash Salt

Directions: Cut chicken into small cubes. Dip in beaten egg and then cornstarch. Brown lightly on both sides. In a pot, add sugar, vinegar, chicken stock, ketchup, soy sauce, and salt. Bring to a boil (until sugar is melted). Put chicken in a square, glass pan. Pour sauce over the top. Sprinkle LIGHTLY with garlic salt. Cover with tin foil. Bake @ 350 for 1 hour.

Chinese Rice:
2 tbs Olive Oil
3 Large Carrots chopped
3 Large Celery sticks chopped
1/2 an Onion Chopped
1/2 a package of bacon chopped
4 eggs
2 cups of Rice

Directions: While Rice cooks... put olive oil in large frying pan on low to medium heat (depending on your stove), add carrots, celery, and onions. Let cook until done. (Add a little soy sauce to them and other seasonings that you like...I do salt, pepper and a little garlic salt). When they are done, set them aside and fry the small bits of bacon. When bacon is done add it to the veggie mix. Then beat the eggs and scramble them in the pan (so they get the yummy bacon flavor). When the eggs are done mix it all together in a bowl. Fry the rice in the same pan...and then add the whole mix together.

White bread dough....Cinnamon Rolls & Navajo Tacos

Ok so I made more bread yesterday. and while that was rising and made more and plit the dough in 1/2 the 1st I got the rolling pin out and rolled it all out, and covered the dough with butter,brown sugar, reg. sugar, cinnamon.then rolled it up and cut about 15 cinnamon rolls out onto a greased pan, I got a picture of before they had risen then after they were cooked and frosted.

The frosting I put 2 teaspoons of vanilla, about a tablespoon of milk, tablespoon of butter and a few cups of powdered sugar just mix and keep adding until it is the thickened you want, mine was a little runny but it harden perfect on the cinnamon rolls.These were AMAZING & super easy. I let them rise and baked them for about 17 minutes so they were still soft. ENJOY!

With the other half I rolled into a ball, and let it rise and made Navajo tacos.Just fry hamburger meat up and put onions, green chilies and lots of seasoning in there and then pull about a roll size of dough and gently stretch fry them up only a few minutes on each side.Serve with refried beans, cheese, sour cream, lettuce tomato it all.And then if you eat the meat Navajo tacos...You get one with butter & jelly on it, or butter & Honey MmMm...SOOO good!

Homemade Stew

MmMm...We had this for dinner tonight and it was so delicious!I cook mine in the crock pot all day so it can just absorb flavors all day & cook nice & slow.

2 cans stwed tomatoes empty, and fill each can with water to get All tomato juice.
1 can corn
1 can green beans
2 packages stew meat (we like alot of meat)
1 onion
4 -5 red potatoes
carrots

I brown my meat an dsprinkle flour over meat while frying,add lots of S&P and I put some steak seasoning on it too tonight.put all other veggies in crockpot and dump meat in once its been browned.I cooked on high today and served it with some rolls warm out of the oven MmMm..soooo soooo good. :)

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts with Tomato and Basil and Potatoes with Peppers and Onions

I go tthis recipe from Rachel Ray...I do NOT like her but this reipe was soo easy and SUPER Delicis....ENJOY :)

Ingredients
1 1/2 to 2 pounds fingerling potatoes or red skin baby potatoes
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 Italian mild green pepper, cubanelle, seeded and thinly sliced
1 medium yellow skinned onion, thinly sliced
4 large cloves garlic, cracked away from skin
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Coarse salt and pepper
2 cups shredded Parmesan, available in tubs near deli -- make sure to get shredded cheese, not grated
4 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 plum Roma tomatoes or small, vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
15 to 20 leaves fresh basil, pile leaves, roll then thinly slice -- chiffonade
Directions
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Cut fingerling potatoes into halves or quarters, depending on thickness of fingerlings -- thin, small fingerlings may also be left hole, larger potatoes should be quartered to speed cooking process. If you are using small red potatoes, halve or quarter them in the same way.

Cover a large cookie sheet with foil. Place potatoes on cookie sheet. Combine with peppers and onions, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Coat the potatoes, peppers and onions with extra-virgin olive oil just enough to coat vegetables in a thin layer, 2 to 3 tablespoons. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Place potatoes in the oven and roast 20 to 22 minutes, until potatoes are just tender and peppers and onions are crisp at edges. Toss mixture with tongs, turning the potatoes after 15 minutes. When the potatoes are cooked, transfer them to a serving dish and peel the foil off the cookie sheet and discard for super-quick clean up!

While potatoes cook, prepare chicken. Roll out a 2-foot piece of waxed paper or foil near the stove top. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat -- your pan must be very hot when the chicken is added. Pile the shredded cheese on the work surface created with the waxed paper or foil. Season your chicken breasts with black pepper but no salt; the cheese will add enough salt to the taste of the dish. Press the breasts firmly into the cheese. Coat both sides of breasts with as much cheese as possible. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet, 1 turn of the pan. Set breasts into the skillet and cook 7 minutes on each side, until cheese forms an even, golden casing around the tender chicken breasts.

While chicken cooks, combine chopped tomatoes with basil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

Drain off any excess oil from chicken as you remove it from the skillet. Top chicken with big spoonfuls of raw sauce and serve with potatoes, peppers and onions.

Spanish Chicken and Rice

This recipe found in Real Simple magazine.

Serves:4

1 Tbls. Olive Oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2 1/2 inch pieces
Kosher Salt and Pepper
1 Medium Bell Pepper, sliced
2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1 Cup dry white wine (I use vinegar plus water)
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, including liquid
1 Cup long-grain white rice
1 Cup frozen peas (I omit these)
1/4 Cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until golden brown, 2 minutes per side.

Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine, tomatoes and their liquid, rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Stir the peas into the rice and chicken and cook, covered, until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Spoon the chicken and rice onto individual plates and sprinkle with the parsley.

Serve with chopped pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives, if desired.

Stuffed Bell Peppers.

Stuffed Bell Peppers:

4 Green Bell Peppers (CUt tops off and pull seeds out) Boil until tender.

a package of hamburger meat.I add a small can of green chilies, some minced oions and S &P. (cook until meat is brown)

White rice. I cook enough for about 4 people.

When meat is browned I add a can of stewed tomatoes, add your rice to meat and cook together and then add the tobasco sauce I can't make it to spicy for my two little guys.once thats well blened.Pull the peppers out and stuff with the rice & hamburger mixture, I add lots of cheese to top it.Then cook in oven until cheese is melted.And ENJOY!!

Ranch House BBQ Muffins

Recipe from the "Western Horseman" courtesy of Stella Hughes

1 16 -oz. tubes of refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1/2 C. Ketchup
3 T. brown sugar
1 T. cider vinegar
1/2 teas. chili powder
1 C. Shredded cheese

Separate dough into ten biscuits. Flatten biscuits into five-inch circles. Press each biscuit into the bottom and up the sides of a greased muffin pan and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and chili powder. Add meat to the mixture and stir well. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the mixture into each biscuit cup. Top with cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for five minutes before serving.
Yields 10 muffins.

Sloppy Joe Remix

Again, this recipe comes from Geologist Chef Pec. Many thanks, good woman.

Pork-n-beans
Onions
Ketchup
Brown sugar
Worcestershire Sauce
Hot dogs (cut into bite-sized pieces)
Ground Beef (cooked)
Bacon (cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces)
Heat everything up in a pot OR place in casserole dish and bake 350* for 30 minutes or so.

Pec doesn't do this next part, but Danny and I do:
Spoon mixture onto hamburger buns.
Enjoy.

Egg Drop Soup, Cheater's Quick Version

Boil 5 C. Water
Add 5 chicken bullion cubes
Let boil for a few minutes.
Crack an egg into soup.
Break egg up with a fork as it cooks in the boiling soup.
Let cool, serve.

Geologic Jambalaya

My brother, Steve, is a geology major. Recently, his fellow classmates and he went on a field trip to the Grand Canyon where The One They Call Pec made this dish:

Jambalaya after Bright Angel Hike
Zatarran's Jambalaya rice mix
Kielbasa (Polish) sausage
Diced Tomatoes
Prepare rice according to directions

Which he (Steve) sent to me, and which I am now blogging to you. There's no exact measurements, just follow your heart. That's what I always do.

Parmesan-Crusted Pork Chops

Ingredients
2 large eggs
1 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
3/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
4 (1/2 to 3/4-inch thick) center-cut pork loin chops (each about 10 to 12 ounces)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil

Directions
Whisk the eggs in a pie plate to blend. Place the bread crumbs in another pie plate. Place the cheese in a third pie plate. Sprinkle the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Coat the chops completely with the cheese, patting to adhere. Dip the chops into the eggs, then coat completely with the bread crumbs, patting to adhere.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add pork chops, in batches if necessary, and cook until golden brown and the center reaches 150 degrees, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to plates and serve.

Verdict:
These were FABLOUS!!!WE made them with red potatoes and it was so good, best pork chops I have ever had, they were so good and juicy!ENJOY