Cooking With Court

Cooking With Court has MOVED!!!!!!!!!

2011-10-23T18:25:00.000-05:00

Due to some issues I've been having with Blogspot, my cooking blog has massively suffered over the past several months.

After finally getting all my old posts transferred over, I'm happy to announce my BRAND NEW Cooking With Court Blog is up and running! You can expect a lot more recipes coming your way soon.

Please join me over at my NEW SITE. All previous recipes can also be found there as well.

Please BOOKMARK this new web address: www.cookfoodwithcourt.wordpress.com

Grandma's Ramen Noodle Coleslaw

2011-05-15T14:35:00.000-05:00

This was a huge staple within my family growing up. It made an appearance at almost every family BBQ or family get-together when we were up in Michigan visiting my grandparents. It remains a huge favorite within my family today. It is SOOOO easy to make. I had the whole thing whipped up in under 10 minutes. Perfect compliment to any summer meal you plan to make!

Grandma's Ramen Noodle Coleslaw

2 seasoning packs from ramen noodles (BEEF flavored)
3/4 cup of canola oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup of sugar (we used Splenda)

Mix above ingredients in a jar and refrigerate

1 pkg coleslaw
1 large sweet onion
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 1/2 cups slivered almonds

Pour dressing over salad and mix.

Add 2 pkgs of crushed ramen noodles just before serving.

"Good For You" Bars

2011-02-23T20:46:00.000-06:00

Hands-down some of the yummiest bars I've ever had. And SO easy. I was surprised just how many of the ingredients I had on hand already in my kitchen.

Try em!!

"Good For You" Bars

Bottom:
4 cups of oats
1 cup of packed brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup of creamy peanut butter

Mix all ingredients and press into a 9 x 11 pan. Bake at 375 for 12-14 minutes, until edges are golden brown.

Top:
1 pkg. of butterscotch chips
1 cup of chocolate chips
2/3 cup of peanut butter
1 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts

Melt the chips and peanut butter until smooth. Add the peanuts and pour over the bottom mixture. Let stand in fridge for about 1 hour or until firm.

*PICTURE TO COME SOON!!!*

Ziti with Meat Sauce

2011-02-07T13:29:00.000-06:00

On the menu this week!

Got this recipe from my lovely mother and wanted to share it with you all.

Love me some pasta! Really simple and easy dish to prepare that will definitely leave your tummy very satisfied. Feed the hunger. Carb load.

Ziti with Meat Sauce

Serves 6

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
l red onion
Olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 lb. ground sirloin or round
3 sweet Italian sausages, cut into rough chunks
1 bunch parsley
Basil, salt, and pepper, to taste
1 lb. ziti
Ricotta and grated Parmesan

Drain juice from tomatoes and reserve liquid. Simmer, covered, in a large pot.

Chop onion. Saute, using enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the skillet, over medium-low heat until translucent. Mince garlic and add to the onion.

Put sauteed onions and garlic into the tomato pot.

Brown chopped meat and sausage in skillet. Add to tomato pot.

Add cut up parsley and basil; season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for several hours. Add some reserved tomato juice, if needed.

Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.

Spoon pasta into bowls with sauce. Add a dollop of ricotta cheese and a sprinkle of Parmesan, to taste. Finish with fresh basil.

Panera's Broccoli Cheddar Soup

2010-12-15T19:06:00.001-06:00

I am a HUGE fan of Panera Bread. Those of you that aren't fortunate enough to have one in your area are definitely missing out. May I highly suggest you schedule a trip to the Midwest soon so you can divulge in all the Panera goodness we have to offer??

One of the Panera's "blue ribbon" items is their Broccoli Cheddar Soup. You can either have it served in a bread bowl or regular bowl and it is a huge staple around here in our family; especially in the winter months.

Knowing how much I like to recreate recipes of other food establishments *cough*Chipotle's Guacamole*cough*...I had to definitely try my hand at Panera's B&C soup.

This recipe definitely does not disappoint and tastes quite a bit like the original if I do say so myself. I added some celery to my recipe just for some added flavor and texture, but I'll not include that in the recipe below as it's clearly an option. And I'm not sure Panera has celery in theirs.

So if you're looking to recreate your favorite soup at home, look no further!

Panera Bread's Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Serves/Makes: 4
Ready In: 30-60 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 pound fresh broccoli
1 cup carrots, julienned
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
salt & pepper, to taste
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar

Directions:
Saute onion in butter. Set aside.
Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for about 4 minutes. Be sure to stir frequently.
Slowly add the half-and-half, continue stirring.
Add the chicken stock whisking all the time.
Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender, about 20 minutes.
Add salt and pepper.
By now the soup should be thickened.
Pour in batches into blender and puree.
Return the puree to the pot and place over low heat, add the grated cheese; stir until well blended.
Stir in the nutmeg.
Serve.

I apologize that my picture below is HORRID and it's in gladware. I didn't have the time to stage it nicely, but it's not about the pic, right? Just focus on the awesome goodness that is this soup! HA!

Three-Alarm Spaghetti and Pinto Bean Chili

2010-12-08T18:50:00.000-06:00

Oh my goodness...if you don't try this chili, I will truly think you're NUTS. In all sincerity, this is one of the best chili recipes I've tasted in a LONG time. And I'm not pullin your leg. It's spicy, but not so spicy that you should be heading to bed with heart burn. But it's just the right amount of spicy to add some "kick" to your day. And for those of you in the bone-chilling midwest like me right now, this is exactly what you need to WARM UP! I'm not so sure I'd call it a true "chili" as I felt it was a little less "hearty" in that respect. It's kind of more of a soup, in my opinion.

I got this recipe from a weekly email I receive from Betty Crocker called "Dinner Made Easy." I had this whole chili whipped up in under 30 minutes from chopping board for the veggies to a nice steaming bowl of chili topped with sour cream. This is so simple to make and easily adaptable to lessen or enhance the spice as you see fit.

I doubled the recipe so the hubby and I can have leftovers for a few days. I'm looking forward to my lunch hour at work tomorrow, I'm tellin ya...

I also used whole wheat spaghetti as that's all we eat for pasta around here, but I'm sure regular spaghetti would be just as good.

I loved that it had a touch of cinnamon! The flavor added SO much. At first I was a bit freaked out when I saw it on the list of ingredients, but without it, I think you'd definitely notice something missing in the flavor.

Please let me know if you try this! I'd be curious your thoughts on it!

Now GO WARM UP!

Three-Alarm Spaghetti and Pinto Bean Chili
1     tablespoon vegetable oil
1     large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1     medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
3     cups water
1/2     cup taco sauce
2     teaspoons chili powder
1/2     teaspoon salt
1/4     teaspoon ground cinnamon
2     cans (10 ounces each) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
4     ounces uncooked spaghetti, broken into thirds (1 1/2 cups)
1     can (15 to 16 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
Sour cream, if desired
Jalapeño chilies, if desired

1. Heat oil in 4-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook onion and bell pepper in oil 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until crisp-tender.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients except spaghetti and beans. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in spaghetti and beans. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until spaghetti is tender. Garnish each serving with sour cream and jalapeño chilies.

**side note: This chili is based off the rather famous "Cincinnati Chili recipe" that is typically served over spaghetti.

Slow Cooker Green Chili Beef Enchilada Casserole

2010-12-01T19:48:00.000-06:00

Wow! Where has the time gone?! I missed the entire month of November! Honestly, I've definitely been in the kitchen, but I've been making past recipes from the blog that we haven't had in a while, hence the minor blog hiatus.

I have tried a couple recipes lately and want to share one with you all this evening. I got the original idea from this Betty Crocker Chicken Enchilada recipe, but adapted it to fit us a bit more, and fit with what I had in my kitchen at the moment!

It was so easy to whip up this delicious meal and it's very easy to adapt to fit your taste buds too!

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Green Chili Beef Enchilada Casserole

2 cans (4.5 oz each) chopped green chiles
1 can (10 oz) green chile enchilada sauce
1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
12 corn tortillas (6 inch), cut into 3/4-inch strips
1 lb. ground beef, cooked
1 package of taco seasoning
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained, rinsed
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (8 oz)
2 large tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 cups chopped lettuce
1/2 cup sour cream
green olives
black olives

1. Brown ground beef in pan and add taco seasoning mix according to package directions.

2.Spray 3- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, spread 1 can of the green chiles. In medium bowl, mix remaining can of green chiles, enchilada sauce and mayonnaise.

3. Arrange 1/3 of the tortilla strips over chiles in cooker. Top with 1/2 cup of beef, 1/2 cup of the beans, 1/2 cup of the cheese and 1 cup of the enchilada sauce mixture, spreading to edges of cooker to completely cover tortilla strips. Repeat layers twice, reserving last 1/2 cup of cheese.

4.Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 7 hours.

5. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Cover; cook about 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serve with tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream, and olives

I promise there's casserole under that big mound of lettuce and fixins!



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Chili Mac Soup

2010-10-31T14:41:00.000-05:00

This is an adaptation of a recipe I got from BettyCrocker.com.

Love the flavor and I had the whole thing whipped up in just over half an hour.

The original recipe didn't seem "hearty" enough for me, so I made some changes and what you'll see below is my version of the recipe. I really felt like the corn chips added a lot of flavor, so be sure to try that out as an added bonus!

ENJOY!

Chili Mac Soup

1 lb. lean ground beef (at least 80%)
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
5 cups of hot water
1 box Hamburger Helper Chili Macaroni
1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic salt
28 oz. can of diced tomatoes
2 cans (11 oz. each) of Green Giant Mexicorn whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained
3/4 cup of black pitted olives, sliced

tortilla chips or Fritos
Shredded cheddar cheese

In 4-quart Dutch oven, cook beef, onion and bell pepper over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.
Stir in hot water, sauce mix (from Hamburger Helper box), chili powder, garlic salt and tomatoes. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in uncooked pasta (from Hamburger Helper box), corn and olives. Cover; cook 10 minutes longer.
Crush chips and place in bottom of soup bowl. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of chips. Spoon soup over chip/cheese mixture and enjoy!

Texas-Style Beef Chili

2010-09-23T21:15:00.000-05:00

I was looking for a new slow-cooker/crock pot recipe to try this fall, and I came across this recipe which appeared easy, full of flavor, and didn't require me to run right out and spend $40 on all the ingredients.

I don't know where you all live, but here in the midwest, we've got some serious rain coming down outside. There's not a more perfect day to be holed up at home and trying out a new recipe that will warm you right up.

Forgive me, Texans, for not knowing what makes this particular chili "Texas-Style," (please enlighten me if you know!). All I know is that it's YUM-TASTIC.

Above I posted the original recipe, below is my version of it. I adjusted a few of the ingredients and amounts to give it a bit more flavor and make it just a wee bit more on the healthier side.

Texas-Style Beef Chili

8 strips bacon (I used turkey bacon for less fat)
2 lbs. boneless beef cubes (I used organic ground beef that I just happened to have in the freezer)
1 can (15 oz.) dark or light red kidney beans, drained
1 can (28 oz.)diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce or paste (your choice)
1 small finely chopped yellow onion
3/4 cup diced carrots
1 large chopped green bell pepper
1 cup finely chopped celery
2 tbsp. minced parsley
3 medium cloves garlic minced (Ka-POW! with the flavor!)
1 bay leaf (let it be known that I no longer have to avoid recipes that call for bay leaves as I finally got some)
3 tbsp. chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

Fry bacon until crisp; remove bacon with slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Brown half the beef cubes in pan with bacon drippings, about five minutes. Place in slow cooker. Repeat with remaining meat. Stir bacon and remaining ingredients into 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for about 7-8 hours or until beef is tender. Stir occasionally. Serves 6.

Pizza Pasta Salad

2010-09-22T20:40:00.003-05:00

My mom came across this one from Kraft's Food & Family magazine.

Check it out! Are you drooling yet?

Pizza Pasta Salad

3 cups penne pasta, cooked, drained and cooled
4 tomatoes (1 1/2 lb.) chopped
12 slices Oscar Meyer Hard salami, chopped
1 cup Kraft Natural Mozarella Cheese Crumbles
1/2 cup sliced fresh basil
1/2 cup Kraft 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup Kraft Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing

Toss all ingredients in large bowl; cover
Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Makes 10 servings, 1 cup each.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

2010-09-19T12:29:00.003-05:00

Easiest.Pizza.Ever.

You can feel free to make this a bit more to your liking (say a homemade crust, alfredo sauce, spices, etc. etc.), but since we're all about the simplicity here at Cooking With Court, you'll be able to whip up this easy meal in a matter of minutes.

I love Chicken Alfredo and I love pizza; so it was natural that I decided to combine the two. You can add your favorite pizza toppings of choice. We did red onion, green pepper, green olives, and mushrooms.

Lots of other chicken alfredo pizza recipes call for broccoli florets, parmesan cheese, other fun foods...

But here's our's. We love it, and I have to say it went really great along with NFL Football today!

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

1 Boboli pre-made pizza crust (we used whole wheat crust)
1 small jar of alfredo sauce with cheese (at least 12 oz)
1 package of pre-cooked chicken strips, heated through and cut into bite-size pieces
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup of sliced red onion
3/4 cup of diced green pepper
4 oz. can of pieces and stems mushrooms
1/4 cup of sliced green olives

Obviously you can use whatever toppings you prefer. And if you do use others, please comment below and tell my readers how it was!

Preheat oven to 450.

Lightly spray bottom of pizza pan or cookie sheet to avoid sticking.

Spread alfredo sauce evenly all over pizza crust. Top with chicken, onion, green pepper, mushrooms, and green olives. Top with generous portions of mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.

Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and serve.

Sweet & Spicy Picante Chicken with Rice

2010-09-10T16:13:00.003-05:00

You guys are gonna LOVE this recipe. Chances are you have most, if not all of the ingredients already in your kitchen.

If you're a busy bee like me and you're looking for a super cheap, RIDICULOUSLY simple, and fast recipe for dinner tonight? You've stumbled upon the right one. I had this whole thing whipped up and in the oven in less than 5 minutes.

Sweet & Spicy Picante Chicken with Rice

4 cups of Success White Rice (I used Instant Brown Rice)
4 boneless/skinless chicken breast halves, thawed
1 1/2 cups Pace Picante Sauce (use Medium or HOT to give more kick with flavor)
3 tbsp. packed light brown sugar
1 tbsp. Dijon-style mustard (I used spicy brown mustard)

Prepare rice according to package directions.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken into 2 qt. shallow baking dish. Stir picante sauce, brown sugar and mustard in a small bowl. Pour picante sauce mixture over chicken. Bake 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve chicken and sauce over rice.

It's as simple as that!

Parmesan Spinach Cakes

2010-09-08T12:26:00.002-05:00

I got this recipe off one of my weekly emailed newsletters from eatingwell.com

Given the big lover of spinach that I am (if you're a faithful blog reader, you know this well), I had to try these cute little cakes.

The hubby and I were in love at first bite. Surprisingly, there was a lot of flavor and they kept us "full" for a decent time. So if you're looking for a healthy snack, check this out!

Unfortunately, I could not get a decent picture with my camera, so I'm using the pic from the actual newsletter.

Parmesan Spinach Cakes

12 ounces fresh spinach
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese, or low-fat cottage cheese (I used ricotta)
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
2 large eggs, beaten
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Pulse spinach in three batches in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add ricotta (or cottage cheese), Parmesan, eggs, garlic, salt and pepper; stir to combine.

Coat 8 cups of the muffin pan with cooking spray. Divide the spinach mixture among the 8 cups (they will be very full).

Bake the spinach cakes until set, about 30 minutes. Let stand in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges with a knife and turn out onto a clean cutting board or large plate. Serve warm, sprinkled with more Parmesan, if desired.

**THE ORIGINAL RECIPE CALLS for cakes to bake for 20 minutes...I found it to be more like 30-35. So keep an eye on your oven!

Cheddar Chicken Crunch Salad

2010-08-29T17:11:00.002-05:00

Here's another great recipe I got from Kraft's Food & Family. I'd been looking to try at least one new salad before the end of summer and I definitely found one. Now, if you're not a huge fan of broccoli, then you'll probably hate this one, but we LOVE it in our household.

So fresh. So good!

Cheddar Chicken Crunch Salad

1/4 cup Miracle Whip Salad Dressing

1/4 cup Ranch Dressing

4 cups small fresh broccoli florets

2 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts (the hubby had shrimp instead and said it was just as good)

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

6 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled (I cheated and used real bacon salad bits)

Mix dressings in large bowl. Add all remaining ingredients except cheese and bacon; mix lightly.

Refrigerate 1 hour.

Top with cheese and bacon just before serving.

Healthy Living Tip:

Save 60 calories and 8 grams of fat per serving by preparing with MIRACLE WHIP Light Dressing, KRAFT Light Ranch Dressing, KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese and turkey bacon.

Paula Deen's Taco Chili - Cooking with Court Style

2010-08-26T15:23:00.006-05:00

Those of you that know me in real life know that I'm a HUGE fan of the one and only Paula Deen. That woman can make a mean anything and she is the epitome of the "down home cook."

For those of you, like me, who are really big into fall, the cooler/crisper weather, colorful leaves, and FOOTBALL, you're probably lookin for a new recipe to try out here as we head into some wonderful cooler temps.

OR if you're gearing up to host any Monday Night Football get-togethers, this might just be the hearty chili recipe you're looking for.

My fab mom passed along this recipe a couple weeks ago and I knew I had to try it. I gotta pay homage to Mrs. Deen and share it with you all.

Talk about chili with a "kick!" POW! This chili will sucker-punch your taste buds. In a GOOD way.

Even though I love me some Paula, I had to change up the original recipe a bit, to make it simpler, and give it a more personal touch.

So here ya go...

Paula Deen's Taco Chili - Cooking with Court Style

1 lb. ground turkey or ground beef, browned and drained if needed (Paula uses the drippings for flavor)

2 cups of water
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup diced tomatoes
2 oz. of green chilies (to give it some heat)
1 cup of pinto beans (dried)
1 cup of red kidney beans
1 envelope of buttermilk ranch dressing (dry mix)
1 1 oz. pkg. of taco seasoning
1/3 cup of minced onion
1 tbsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. dried cumin

Add all the ingredients to the browned meat and simmer on low heat for 2 hours.

Crush taco chips and place in bowl under chili or crush and place on top. OR BOTH! Sprinkle with cheese, black olives, a dollop of sour cream, and sliced green onion tops.

Yields: 4 servings

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

2010-08-03T13:11:00.002-05:00

I'm sharing a recipe that my mom sent to me recently. In my mind (and you don't have to agree with me, but I might think you're crazy if you don't) chocolate and peanut butter are the two best flavor combos IN THE WORLD. So I was pretty excited when she sent me this recipe. If you're heading to an end-of-the-summer get-together, or you're really just craving something awesome to put in your tummy, check these out. Who cares about your waistline? Live a little, eh???

Chocolate - Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

(Makes about 24 Bars)

2 - 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 - 2/3 cup (10 oz. pkg.) Nestle Toll House Swirled Milk Chocolate & Peanut Butter Morsels, divided.
2 pkgs. (8 oz each), cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine, crumbs, butter and 1/4 cup sugar in medium bowl. Remove 1 cup mixture and reserve for topping.

Press remaining mixture onto bottom of ungreased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle 3/4 cup morsels over crust.

Beat cream cheese, remaining sugar, flour and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth.

Pour over crust and morsels in pan. Sprinkle with reserved crumb topping and remaining morsels.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars.

Canadian Cheese Soup

2010-07-14T15:45:00.003-05:00

You're probably looking at this post and saying right now "Court! Why in the world would I want soup in the middle of July?!?!?" And my answer would be "Because sometimes you just need to eat soup." End of story.

Try it and you'll love all its cheesy goodness. Trust me.

Canadian Cheese Soup (no idea what makes it "Canadian," bytheway)

1/4 cup finely chopped onion
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup finely diced carrots
1/2 cup finely diced celery
2 cups of cooked broccoli florets (optional)
Dash each salt and paprika
1 cup diced sharp process American cheese

Cook onion in butter till tender. Blend in flour. Add remaining ingredients except cheese; cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; add cheese; stir to melt. Simmer 15 minutes. Serves 8.

Yogurt Pie

2010-06-23T11:13:00.002-05:00

Looking for a berry pie to satisfy your cravings, but you don't want all the fuss? Here ya go!

This is a great way to end a summer night of grilling a fab meal...

Yogurt Pie

3 containers of flavor of choice low-fat yogurt

1 4-serving pkg. of low-fat sugar-free INSTANT vanilla pudding mix

1 4-serving package of sugar-free jello mix of choice flavor

1 graham cracker pie crust

2 packets of artificial sweetener

1 cup lite cool whip

*if doing key lime pie add 2 tbsp. of lime juice

Whisk together all ingredients except for the cool whip until smooth.
Add 1/2 cup of cool whip and whisk until mixed. Pour in pie crust and
spread evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Spread remaining
cool whip on top and refrigerate until ready to serve. :)

add fruit if desired.

The pic below is of a strawberry banana yogurt pie...

Ashley's Chicken Pot Pie

2010-06-18T10:57:00.006-05:00

I'd like to welcome our latest Guest Chef here on Cooking With Court. Ashley has been a dear friend ever since we met back in 2002. She was a junior in HS and a VERY good clarinet player! Ashley was a band student at the HS where I did my student teaching during my senior year of college. She and her husband, Larry, were both students of mine during my time there and I'm so thrilled that we're still in touch!

Ashley is a fantastic photographer and she's always got these delicious meals that she's making. She's the perfect fit for a guest chef here on Cooking With Court and I'm so happy she agreed to share one of her favorite recipes with us today!

And there's a lot you readers out there who have her to thank for THIS RECIPE :-)

If you're looking for the perfect "comfort food recipe," here ya go...

Thanks Ashley!

My husband and I are high school sweethearts and have been married for nearly three years now. (Incidentally, I also met Court in high school too, she was our student teacher in band.) We just bought our first house in Des Moines, Iowa. We're learning by trial and error how to complete the many renovations our vintage house needs. Cooking is a way to temporarily escape from the house projects. I learned to cook under my mom's instruction, but it hasn't been until recently that I've really learned to love it! Somewhere along the line I figured out that cooking and baking is just another way to express artistic talent and share it with others. I love carefully arranging food, photographing it, and sharing it with family and friends. When Court asked me to be a guest chef I couldn't resist the temptation to share with a few new friends!

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

2 cups of cooked chicken- either shredded or cubed (it could even be left over chicken)

1- 15 oz can of chicken broth

3/4 cup of warmed cream or milk

1 cup of frozen carrots

1 cup of frozen peas

1/4 cup finely chopped onions

3-4 small red potatoes

3 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons of flour

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp sage

1/4 thyme

black pepper to taste

pie crust

Directions:

1. Melt the butter over medium heat. While the butter is melting, chop the onion.

2. Add the chopped onion to the melted butter. Cook until the onions are softened- about 2 or 3 minutes.

3. Combine flour, salt, pepper, sage, and thyme in a bowl. Stir dry ingredients to evenly combine them. Add the dry ingredients to the melted butter and onions and stir to create a roux.

4. Cook the roux until the flour smells toasty- about a minute or two.

5. Warm the cream or milk in the microwave for 1 minute and then add to the roux. Whisk while adding the milk to the roux. It will create a thick paste. Gradually add the chicken broth to the mixture.

6. Add chopped potatoes, chicken, frozen carrots and peas. There’s no need to thaw the frozen vegetables.

7. Simmer over med low heat while you line a pie tin with pie crust and preheat the oven to 450°

8. Fill the pie crust with the gravy and vegetables. Place an additional crust on top and seal the edges.

9. Bake the pie at 450° for about 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Allow the pie to cool for 15 minutes. This will allow the gravy to thicken slightly before serving.

Here's step-by-step photos...

Mom's Dilly Dip

2010-06-08T10:23:00.003-05:00

It's summertime and one of my favorite things to eat is fresh veggies all cut up with some dip.

In fact, that's just what I had for a late-night "dinner" last night.

This is the dill veggie dip that I literally grew up on. Anytime we'd have a family BBQ or Grill night, this dip came along with it. It was a staple at our Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day gatherings. And honestly, it's the best dip I've ever tasted in my life.

Not only does it go great with chopped veggies, it makes an awesome sandwich spread as well. Just yesterday I spread a little bit onto a turkey wrap that I'd made for lunch and it was so yummy!

This dip could not be more easy to make. It only has a few ingredients that most of you might have around your kitchen at this very moment.

In fact, I think I hear those fresh veggies in your fridge screaming for it right now! ;-)

*we double the recipe so that we have lots of leftovers for veggies and sandwiches all week

Mom's Dilly Dip

2/3 c. mayonnaise
2/3 c. sour cream
1 Tbsp. onion, grated (if you don't have a grater, then finely minced onion works too)

1/2 Tbsp. parsley
1 1/2 Tbsp. dill
1 tsp. salt

Mix all of above together and chill in fridge for 1-2 hours.

Serve with raw cauliflower, cucumbers, carrot sticks, celery or any other favorite vegetables. Or spread it on your favorite sandwich!

*picture courtesy of Stiletto Sports Magazine

BLT Salad with Basil Mayo Dressing

2010-06-06T17:26:00.003-05:00

The hubby and I had been craving BLTs lately and I happened to come across this fabulous "Summer Salad" on allrecipes.com last week. Since I'm not particularly huge on eating tons of bread, this was a great alternative for us to try and satisfy our BLT craving.

I adjusted the recipe on my own to have it fit our taste a bit better. This salad isn't meant to be just a side, but rather should really be an entree salad. I'd never made my own croutons before, but after enjoying them both by themselves, and in the salad this afternoon, I'll never buy bagged croutons again!

Try this salad. It should become a "regular" on your plates this summer.

BLT Salad with Basil Mayo Dressing

9-10 strips of bacon
1 cup of mayo
4 tbsp of red wine vinegar
4 thick slices of multigrain bread, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
salt
fresh ground pepper
2 tbsp canola oil
1 lb of romaine lettuce - rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, quartered (we seeded them as well)
2 ripe avocados sliced
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside, reserving 5 tbsp of the drippings.

In a small bowl, whisk together the reserved bacon drippings, mayonnaise, vinegar and basil and let dressing stand, covered, at room temperature.

In a large skillet over medium heat, toss the bread pieces with the salt and pepper. Drizzle with the oil, continue tossing and cook over medium-low heat until golden brown and slightly crispy.

In a large bowl mix together the romaine, tomatoes, bacon, avocado, cheese and croutons. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well (you may not use all the dressing, we kinda like our dressing to "drench" the salad).

You could easily add some turkey to the salad and it instantly becomes a "turkey club salad."

ENJOY!

Paula Deen's Chicken Florentine

2010-05-20T16:42:00.002-05:00

My mom originally sent me this recipe after she made it for my dad and sister a couple weeks ago. She told me I had to try it, so it went straight to the menu plan for this week.

She used broccoli florets instead of the frozen spinach, which is an option. My hubby and I also cut the recipe in half for just the two of us, and it was the perfect amount. We both had seconds!

My hero, Paula Deen, has not failed in this recipe. It was SO good. With Paula, you always get comfort food, and this meal was no exception!

Paula Deen's Chicken Florentine

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

Remove the outer wrappers from the box of spinach. Open 1 end of each box. Microwave on full power for 2 minutes, until thawed. Drain the spinach and put into a large bowl. Add the shredded chicken.

In a medium bowl, combine the soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, Cheddar, lemon juice, curry powder, salt and pepper, to taste, and wine. Whisk together to make a sauce. Pour the sauce over the spinach and chicken. Mix well with a spatula.

Place the mixture into an 11 by 7-inch casserole dish or 2 (9-inch) square disposable aluminum foil pans that have been sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray. Pat down evenly and smooth with a spatula. Combine the Parmesan and bread crumbs and sprinkle over the top. Dot with the butter.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Yields 6-8 servings

"Best Of" Cooking With Court

2010-05-17T10:30:00.002-05:00

Thought I'd take a moment to share some of the "big hit" recipes from Cooking With Court.

The following recipes either get the most "page hits" from readers or they've been tried by a lot of people and I seem to get the most feedback on them.

I thought we'd take a little stroll down memory lane here at Cooking With Court and put all the "top recipes" here in one post. Some of them were blogged so long ago that they may get lost in the shuffle! We can't have that!

"Best of" Cooking With Court

*click on the title of the recipe and it'll take you right to it!...

Chipotle's Guacamole Recipe

Easy Taco Casserole

Chicken Pad Thai Pizza

White Chicken Lasagna

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

Goulash

Pasta e Fagioli

15-Minute Smoked Sausage Jambalaya

Rachel Ray's Grilled Cheese Sammies

Garlic Chicken with Spinach Pesto and Whole Wheat Penne Rigate

Easy Key Lime Pie

Spinach Balls

2010-05-11T09:59:00.004-05:00

Today we welcome one of my best friends, Alison, to Cooking With Court. Alison and I met almost 2 years ago on a local forum for newlyweds. We initially started chatting because she and I have the same career, only at 2 different hospitals in our area, but we also soon found out we have sooooo much more in common than just our jobs, it's a wee bit scary! HA! Alison and I quickly became very good friends and we can be found a couple times a month at a local coffee shop or restaurant talking for hours on end.

Like me, Alison really loves to cook and I asked her to share one of her favorite recipes with you all.

So with that...heeeeeeeeerrrrrrreeee's Alison!

My name is Alison and I really enjoy food- cooking it, eating it, sharing it! Most of my childhood memories involve some kind of food. These spinach balls are a family favorite! They are like gold sitting in the freezer! They are never absent from the appetizer extravaganza on Christmas Eve! My job was always to drain and squeeze the water out of the spinach! Besides my love of food I have another love of my life, My Husband Geoff. We have been married for almost 3 years and have enjoyed every minute of it! We share a love for camping, going on cruises, biking, going to our favorite home improvement store, and the TV show The Biggest Loser! We are also currently training for a local half marathon! Although our parents would love for us to provide them with grandchildren they have our cute, lovable fur child Lily to tide them over!

I was so honored that Court asked me to contribute to her fantastic cooking blog and am blessed to call her my friend!

Spinach Balls

2 10 oz packages chopped spinach (drain and squeeze the water out)

2 cups Pepperidge Farm Herb stuffing mix (the dry crumb type)- roll with rolling pin to break up large crumbs

1 medium onion finely chopped

6 large eggs slightly beaten

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (the kind that comes in the can)

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp. ground thyme

1/2 tsp. pepper

3/4 cup softened margarine (DO NOT USE BUTTER)

Mix all the ingredients together. Chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator. Roll into balls the size of walnuts and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper. Put cookie sheet in freezer. Remove from cookie sheet when frozen, put into a zip top bag and store in freezer until needed. Bake frozen for 15-20 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Makes about 4 dozen spinach balls.

Chipotle Cheeseburgers

2010-05-06T15:03:00.003-05:00

If you're looking to add a little "kick" to your grilled cheeseburgers this summer, you might want to try these out! It has just enough hint of flavoring in the meat to really make these some pretty special burgers for a fabulous lunch out on the patio.

Chipotle Cheeseburgers

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro

1 serrano chili pepper, very finely minced

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. seasoned salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 lb. ground beef

4 slices part-skim mozzarella cheese

4 hamburger buns, split and toasted

Lettuce leaves and tomato slices, optional

In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into four patties.

Grill, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees and juices run clear. Top with cheese. Cover and cook 1-2 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serve on buns with lettuce and tomato if desired.

We used my Chipotle Guacamole recipe as a topping.

Chicken Pad Thai Pizza

2010-05-02T16:22:00.003-05:00

I originally came across this idea in one of the more current issues of Taste of Home Magazine. I decided to tweak it a bit myself to fit our food preferences more, and to make it easier!

So here's my version of Chicken Pad Thai Pizza.

It's AMAZING and we had the whole thing done in under half an hour.

Chicken Pad Thai Pizza

1 Boboli Pizza Crust (we had whole wheat)
4 tbsp creamy peanut butter
4 tbsp teriyaki sauce
2 tbsp thai chili sauce
2 tsp honey
2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup chopped salted peanuts
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 green onions thinly sliced

1/3 cup of fresh bean sprouts (The magazine called for this, we left it off)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a small bowl, whisk the peanut butter, teriyaki sauce, chili sauce, and honey. Place chicken in another small bowl; add half of the peanut butter mixture and toss to coat.

Using a spatula, spread remaining peanut butter mixture over crust; top with chicken and cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crust/cheese is golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients.

Carol's Pumpkin Bars

2010-04-15T13:16:00.002-05:00

It's that time again! Things have been so weird, schedule-wise, since I got back from my trip a couple weeks ago so I apologize for the delay in posts!

Life gets in the way when you're busy making plans, ya know?

I'd like to take a moment to introduce yet another fabulous guest chef. Carol is a co-worker of mine and a fabulous RN on our nursing unit. She's been a wonderful friend to me since I started my new job last year and she's a FABULOUS cook!

Carol and I are always swapping cooking stories at work and I asked her right away to give me one of her recipes to share with all of you! I'm so happy she agreed and I'm sure you all will be also!

So here it is...

Carol's Pumpkin Bars

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin or squash

Mix above ingredients well. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees in a greased jelly roll pan.

Frosting:

1 - 3 oz. cream cheese
6 tbsp of butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 - 2 cups of powdered sugar
1 tbsp milk or cream

Beat the above ingredients well for the frosting and spread on cooled bars.

Olive Lover's Pesto

2010-03-31T17:33:00.000-05:00

I found this black and green olive pesto recipe out this month's Taste of Home Magazine and knew we had to try it. My hubby is a huge fan of olives. He literally puts them on everything, so I knew he'd love this recipe.

There's so many different uses for pesto that this, and any other recipe like it, is so versatile. You can easily toss this in with some pasta, or use it as a spread for sandwiches, or as a dip with bread or crackers.

Tonight we stuffed our burgers with the pesto before throwing it on the grill! It was our first grill-out of the season and they were YUMMY.

I caution you to be reserved in any salt or seasonings you might want to use when serving the pesto. The green olives alone can be high in salt/sodium content, so you really don't need much else.

ENJOY!

Olive Lover's Pesto

1 cup black olives
1 cup of pimento-stuffed green olives
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves
2-3 tbsp of olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and chop them very fine. Use on pasta, on sandwiches, as an appetizer, or to stuff or slather on meat!

Apple Breakfast Lasagna

2010-03-25T15:08:00.002-05:00

I apologize for the lack of posts this month so far. I've been on vacay in FL visiting my family for the past week and have a few days left here until I head back to my end of the country. But my mom made a wicked awesome breakfast dish the other day that I just HAD to share with you all.

She came across this recipe years ago in some magazine (that she can't remember), and made it a long time ago. Somehow I missed out on its goodness at that time, but am so glad I got to partake in the deliciousness this week!

Go with me on this. When I first heard the ingredients I thought "Ew. That sounds really weird together." But trust me, it's FAB.

If you want a super easy breakfast dish to prepare, that makes you look like a super fancy chef that everyone will be envious of, make this.

Apple Breakfast Lasagna

1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 packages (9 oz. each) frozen french toast (12 slices)
1/2 pound sliced boiled ham (we used diced ham)
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 can apple pie filling
1 cup granola with raisins

In a small bowl, blend sour cream and brown sugar; chill.

Place 6 french toast slices in bottom of greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Layer ham, 1 1/2 cups cheese and remaining 6 slices of french toast. Spread apple filling over top; sprinkle with granola.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake for 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

Drizzle sour cream and sugar mixture on top. Yields 6 servings.

Chicken Chow Mein Hot Dish

2010-03-14T15:42:00.003-05:00

Want the same great taste and flavor of chicken chow mein only with half the carb load?

Here's a great hot dish for you!

I'm revisiting my hot dish cookbook that I wrote about in a few previous entries. My mom recommended that I try the Chicken Chow Mein in there and we decided to give it a go for lunch this afternoon.

I made a few adjustments of my own and I have to say, it was REALLY fantastic! This is chow mein without the noodles or rice, but oh so good!

My hubby couldn't stop raving about it.

Chicken Chow Mein Hot Dish

1 cup of chopped onions
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1/4 cup of butter
1- 10 3/4 oz can of condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1- 10 3/4 oz can of condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
1/2 cup of chicken broth
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
3 cups of cooked chicken
3/4 cups of mushroom pieces and stems
1- 3 oz. can of chow mein noodles
6 tbsp cashew halves

In a saucepan, stir and cook onions and celery in butter until tender.

Stir in soup, chicken broth, and soy sauce. Add chicken and mushrooms; stir and cook until hot.

Pour mixture into a greased 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with chow mein noodles and cashews.

Bake at 350 uncovered until bubbly hot, about 25 minutes. Serves 4.

Beef & Cheese Enchiladas

2010-02-25T16:56:00.003-06:00

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a huge lover of Tex-Mex and Mexican food. Big time. In fact, the hubby and I can be found at our favorite local Mexican restaurant several times a month. We're a tad bit addicted.

I decided to try my hand at some enchiladas. I don't tend to lean towards making them as they can be a wee bit on messy side, but thought I'd try my hand at my own recipe. I have featured a previous enchilada recipe on the blog here, but it's been a looooong time; and that one used chicken.

So here we go. This is my own version of Beef & Cheese Enchiladas. It may be messy, but you'll forget all about that once you take one bite. I swear it.

Court's Beef & Cheese Enchiladas

2 - 10 oz. cans of green enchilada sauce
1 - 16 oz. container of sour cream, divided
10 corn tortillas
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced (optional)
1 jar of pace picante sauce
4 cups of shredded Mexican Style cheese, divided
1 pkg. of taco seasoning
shredded lettuce
diced black and green olives

In a large skillet, blend enchilada sauce with sour cream. Heat through until simmering.

In separate skillet, brown meat, adding onion and green pepper. Drain grease and add taco seasoning.

Dip tortillas, one at a time, in sauce mixture to cover.

Assemble enchiladas in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Place part of the meat mixture on each tortilla; top with a handful of shredded cheese. Roll to enclose the meat mixture and place tortilla, seam side down, into pan. When tortillas are all rolled and placed in pan, pour remaining sauce and any meat mixture leftover on top of enchiladas.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

Top with shredded lettuce, picante sauce, leftover sour cream, shredded cheese, and olives.

Bisquick Sausage and Cheese balls

2010-02-24T10:00:00.004-06:00

I came across this recipe in my email. I'd saved it from somewhere, but just happened to find it again recently!

Thank goodness I did! SO good. They're good for either a little breakfast dish or they work really well for a fun appetizer should you be hosting a party anytime soon. Your guests will devour them in seconds!

Check it out.

Bisquick Sausage and Cheese Balls

3 cups of bisquick mix
1 lb. pork sauasage
4 cups of shredded mild cheddar cheese (or cheese of your choice)
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup of half and half
1/2 tsp dried/crushed rosemary leaves (optional)
1/2 tsp parsley flakes (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease bottom and sides of 13 X 9 X 2 baking dish.

Stir together all ingredients, using either your hands or a spoon. Shape mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place in baking dish.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until brown. Immediately remove from the pan and serve warm with your choice of sauce for dipping.

* photo courtesy of Betty Krocker

New England Sausage Gravy on Herbed Biscuits

2010-02-11T12:56:00.003-06:00

I'd like to take a moment to introduce our Guest Chef for the month of February!

E Scot Fuller comes to Cooking With Court from the beautiful state of Maine. Scot and I met back in 2000 where we spent 3 fun-filled days together at a Music Education Conference/Convention held in Indiana. I was immediately drawn to his incredibly fun personality and even though we have not seen each other in person since, he remains a good friend.

In reconnecting with Scot over the past couple of years, I have discovered he has quite the passion and love for cooking, and has even started his own in-home personal chef/catering business called Newfangled Eats. His culinary creations never cease to amaze me and I knew immediately that he needed to be a guest chef and share some of his masterpieces with you all.

You can check out Scot's business website and learn more about him HERE!

Thank you, Scot for being such a great friend and for sharing with my readers! I wish you continued success in the future.

"Although sausage gravy is often thought of as a traditional southern food, you'll be hard pressed not find it on the menu of any good "Yankee" breakfast dinner. In this recipe, I combine the traditional savory gravy with a touch of sweet maple syrup and delicious herbs baked into a classic country biscuit. You are sure to enjoy!"

Prep & Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6-8

Herb Biscuit

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. fresh chopped thyme
1 tsp. fresh chopped parley
1 tsp. fresh chopped rosemary
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), room temperature
3/4 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix in fresh chopped herbs.

3. Using your fingers, rub in the butter to the flour mixture until the butter is well incorporated. Add the milk in three parts stirring until a soft dough is formed.

4. Turn dough onto a floured surface and kneed for 30 seconds. Roll dough to 1/2 thickness and cut with a 1 1/2 to 2 inch biscuit cutter. Gather dough and roll again until you have 6-8 biscuits.

5. Place biscuits on the lined baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

While biscuits are baking, start the sausage gravy.

Sausage Gravy

1 12oz package bulk sausage (found in the meat department)
5 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
6 cups whole milk
1/2 cup real maple syrup
Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Break sausage into small chunks and brown in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Remove sausage from pan using a slotted spoon, leaving the drippings in the pan.

2. Add the butter to the sausage drippings stirring till fully melted. Add flour and stir until smooth. You've just made a roux!

3. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook roux until light brown. Gradually whisk in milk and cook until thickened. Whisk in maple syrup and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cooked sausage .

4. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 12-15 minutes. Taste the gravy and add more salt and pepper to taste. Gravy will continue to thicken. If gravy become too thick, stir in more milk to your liking.

5. For plating, cut 1 herb biscuit in half and ladle sausage gravy on top. Garnish with diced chives or parsley. Serve with Paprika Home Fries.

Paprika Homefries

Prep & Cook Time: 40 minutes
Servings 6-8

6-8 medium size red or yellow skin potatoes, washed with skins
1/4 cup olive oil
2-3 tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. herb and garlic seasoning
2 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray lighly with non-stick spray.

2. Dice the potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. Try to make the dice as evenly as possible so that the potatoes cook evenly.

3. in a large mixing bowl, toss the diced potatoes with the remaining ingredients except the pepper.

4. Pour the potatoes onto the lined baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutues. When pototoes can be easily pierced with a fork, remove from oven and sprinkle with pepper.

Pepper is added at the end because it would burn at 450 degrees.

Zesty Minestrone

2010-02-09T17:42:00.004-06:00

I came across this recipe on Kraft Food's website. I'd been looking for a great minestrone recipe that seemed simple enough and yummy enough to add a warm touch to a bitterly cold winter's day.

I found just that in this recipe.

I'm hoping to make it again for an upcoming "luncheon" with friends!

Zesty Minestrone

1/4 cup Italian Dressing

1 onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 carrot, peeled, chopped

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (19 oz.) red kidney beans, rinsed

2 cans (14 oz. each) vegetable broth or reduced sodium chicken broth (for added flavor)

2 cups water

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1-1/2 cups small shell macaroni, uncooked

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions, celery and carrots; cook 2 min. or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Spoon into slow cooker. Add tomatoes, beans, broth, water and seasoning; stir. Cover with lid.

Cook on LOW 6 hours (or on HIGH 3 hours).

Stir in macaroni; cook 10 to 15 min. or until macaroni is tender. Sprinkle with cheese just before serving.

*photo courtesy of kraft foods

Become a "Fan"/Follow my "tweets"

2010-02-04T09:50:00.002-06:00

Cooking With Court now has its own "fan page" on Facebook!

Come join the rest of the blog followers, keep up on the latest, and share your own awesome recipes on our discussion page! Just click on the link below to sign up.

COOKING WITH COURT ON FACEBOOK

Or if facebook isn't your thing, but twitter is, come follow my tweets!! And I'll follow you!

COOKING WITH COURT ON TWITTER

Butterscotch Cake

2010-01-30T12:02:00.002-06:00

An oldie, but a goodie in my family...

If you make this, it won't last long. You won't be able to stop devouring it. For real. And it's so simple, it literally takes just seconds to prepare.

Butterscotch Cake

1 yellow cake mix
2 eggs
15 oz. Butterscotch pudding (4) plastic cups such as Hunt's ready made pudding
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 bag of Butterscotch chips

Mix cake mix, eggs and pudding together. Pour into 9 x 13 cake pan. Top with brown sugar and butterscotch chips. Bake at 350 degrees until done.

GASP! I missed my birthday!

2010-01-21T05:33:00.003-06:00

2 days ago was Cooking With Court's 2nd Blog Birthday!

My bad.

Thank you to all my faithful readers, and to all my new ones as well (all over the world)!

Over 4000 people have hit up the blog in just the past 2 months! Blows my mind. What started out as just a fun little side project to get me in the kitchen more has turned out to mean so much more than that to me!

So THANK YOU!

More to follow...for sure!

Rachel Ray's Grilled Cheese Sammies

2010-01-17T12:31:00.003-06:00

My mom came across this one and the hubby and I made it for lunch today. Super yumm-o.

Today we can call them Court's NFL Play-Off Game Day Sammies. How does that sound?? SKOL Vikings! HA!

Nah...can't take the credit. This one's all Rachel.

YUMMY stuff. Pair the Sammie with your favorite bowl of soup and you've got a winner of a meal.

Rachel Ray's Grilled Cheese Sammies

Pumpernickel Bread (we used multigrain as our grocery store was out. BUMMER)
Butter or Margarine
Dill pickle relish
Watercress
Sliced Muenster or Havarti Cheese (we used muenster)

Butter one side of bread only. The sides you will be browning in the pan or on a griddle.

Spread dill relish on one slice of bread, top with a few pieces of watercress, and two slices of Muenster Cheese.

Ttop with the other buttered piece of bread and heat through until cheese melts. Turn once.

Rachel also adds sliced corned beef at St. Patricks Day time and serves with her Cabbage Stoup.

Doris' Very American Chop Suey

2010-01-01T00:05:00.003-06:00

Happy New Year from Cooking With Court! As we welcome in 2010, we'll also start the new year off right with our very first "GUEST CHEF" feature on the blog! Throughout the year, I'll be featuring guest chefs as they share their favorite recipes with you all. I've got several more people lined up in the next couple of months, so keep checking back!

Who better than to start this whole Guest Chef feature off than my very own MOM! :) My Mom and my Grandma are two of the best home cooks I've ever known. I might just be a wee bit biased, however... And if it weren't for them, this blog never would have existed. Some people have their "food idols" like Bobby Flay, Julia Child, Paula Dean, but I've got my very own in my Mom and Grandma.

So without further delay, I bring you...my mother.

My name is Sue and I am the proud mother of Court from Cooking With Court and most honored to be guest chef for the month of January. I consider myself more a good cook than a chef. I live in Florida with my husband, Steve, of 37 years and our youngest daughter, Kimberly. I come from a long line of good cooks for which I am very thankful. The Chop Suey recipe I am sharing with you is one of my Mom's that we grew up on, and one I had to learn to make without a recipe to follow. I did my best to come up with one and trust you will enjoy it as much as my family.

Doris' Very American Chop Suey

1 Tblsp. Veg. Oil

1 1/2 # Pork Loin Cutlet or Bottom Round Steak or a combination of both. (You can ask your butcher to cut the meat in bite size pieces. Some grocery stores have Chop Suey meat already prepackaged and sometimes ground in small pieces. Either is okay.)

1 small Onion, diced
Salt and Pepper
Flour and Soy Sauce
White Rice
Chow Mein or Rice Noodles

In a Dutch Oven, brown meat in vegetable oil along with onion and seasonings. When meat has browned, pour enough water over the meat just to cover. Place lid on Dutch Oven and simmer on medium low for 2 hours. Taste the juice to see if it needs any salt as covering the meat with water can sometimes dilute the taste but keep in mind too that you will be adding Soy Sauce which will also add some saltiness to the taste.

Combine about 1/3 cup of Flour with 1/4 cup Soy Sauce and about 1/8 cup Water and whisk until smooth. You may need to add a little more Flour if it seems thin. You are using the mixture as a thickener just as you would in making gravy so should be of that consistency. Bring meat to a boil and slowly add flour mixture as you whisk. The gravy will thicken.

I spoon the Chop Suey over White Rice and top with Chow Mein or Rice Noodles for crunchiness. Serve with a salad or fresh rolls. You could also add some diced celery during the simmering time and when done a can of Bean Sprouts for added flavor. Enjoy!

Thanks Mom! I Love You!!

White Chicken Lasagna

2009-12-29T18:16:00.005-06:00

Let me preface this post by saying YOU ARE INSANE IF YOU DON'T TRY THIS RECIPE!!!

And I mean that in the nicest way possible ;-)

I love lasagna. Heck, I love all types of Italian food and any and all noodles. So I was thrilled when I came across this gem of a recipe. I tweaked a few different White Chicken Lasagna recipes to create my own; as most home cooks probably do anyways, right?

I'm tellin ya this was one of the best meals I have ever had in my entire 30 years of life on this earth.

Try it. You'll be smiling for several days afterwards.

BEST.EVER.

White Chicken Lasagna

3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup of onion minced
3 tbsp butter
4 chicken breasts, cooked & cut into small pieces/cubed
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1- 8oz. package cream cheese, cubed
2 cups sour cream
1 lb. lasagna noodles, COOKED AND RINSED IN COLD WATER (I used whole wheat)
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried parsley

In a large sauce pan, over medium heat, brown onions & garlic in butter. Add cream cheese, cream soup, sour cream. Stir until cream cheese is melted. Add chicken. Add oregano, basil, and parsley. Mix together and heat through.

Spray bottom of 9X13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Layer noodles, white sauce with chicken, then cheese. Repeat steps to create 3 layers, ending with mozzarella cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until top layer of cheese is browned.

P.S. Sorry there's so much "red" in my picture. I have a terrible camera. Trust me. It's AWESOME.

Buckeye Bars

2009-12-23T17:34:00.002-06:00

In my family, growing up, Buckeyes have always played a significant role in our Christmas traditions. This year, I came across a recipe by Kraft for Buckeye bars. Not really having the time to roll buckeye balls and deal with a ton of ingredients, I decided to give this recipe a shot.

SO easy. The whole thing took less than 15 minutes to put together and it's chillin in the fridge even as I type this.

Gracing our dessert plates this Christmas day will be these fabulous Buckeye Bars! WOOHOO!

Buckeye Bars

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter

22 Nilla Wafers, crushed

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 of 8-oz. tub Cool Whip Whipped Topping (Do not thaw.)

3 squares Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Line 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Beat butter and peanut butter with mixer until blended. Mix in wafer crumbs. Gradually add sugar, mixing well after each addition. Press onto bottom of pan.

Microwave Cool Whip and chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min.; stir. Microwave 15 to 30 sec. or until chocolate is melted; stir until blended. Spread over peanut butter layer

Refrigerate 2 hours. Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting to serve.

** Photo courtesy of kraftfoods.com

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

2009-12-17T18:18:00.003-06:00

I wanted to try my hand at breading something. Honestly, I don't have much experience with doing it, so I tried to find the easiest recipe I could get my hands on to try.

I came across this Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe from www.cooks.com

It was super easy to make, not nearly as messy as I thought it was going to be, and it was SUPER tasty.

We're definitely making this again.

I have to confess, though. I don't own a meat pounder. So I improvised on flattening the chicken breasts. My husband informed me that Alton Brown once showed a "quick tip" for pounding meat on his show. I decided to give it a try tonight. I placed the thawed chicken breasts in individual sandwich bags. I placed the bags in between 2 cookie sheets and pounded away at it with my huge "Fundamentals of Nursing" textbook. YEP! That book is huge and I've found a second purpose for it outside of cramming my head full of knowledge! :)

The chicken breasts came out very flat and easy to roll. Try it! I'm sure you can find a thick textbook of your own to use.

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast
4 slices Swiss or Provolone cheese
4 thin sliced smoked ham
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg; beaten
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
4 tablespoons butter

Pound chicken breast to 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle each piece on both sides with salt and pepper. Place 1 cheese slice and 1 ham slice on each breast. Roll up each breast using toothpicks to secure if necessary. Dredge each in flour, shake off excess, then in egg and finally in bread crumbs. Place seam side down in baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam. Place 1 tablespoon butter on each piece of chicken.Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes until juices run clear.

Goulash

2009-12-06T11:21:00.000-06:00

Comfort food at its very best.

Good old fashioned GOULASH!

It's December now...time to warm up!

American Goulash

2 lbs lean ground beef
1 medium onion
1 medium green pepper
1 32-oz can tomato juice
2 cups rotini noodles (this makes it a bit more "hearty")
1 16-oz can diced tomatoes
grated parmesan cheese

Brown ground beef until done.

Cup up green pepper, onion and mix in with beef.

Pour in tomato juice, diced tomatoes, and rotini.

Simmer/Cook on low to medium heat for 45 minutes or until noodles are tender.

Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and serve.

Spam Hot dish

2009-12-04T17:09:00.004-06:00

Ok...first off, let me just say that I know Spam isn't necessarily everyone's "cup of tea." But here in Minnesota, where it originated, I know plenty of Spam lovers. And as they say..."Don't knock it till you've tried it."

I was a wee bit skeptical at first of this dish, as I felt the ingredients together were a bit strange, but surprisingly, it was REALLY GOOD. It's a very very creamy casserole/hot dish and we will definitely have it again. And it's incredibly cheap to prepare as well.

So Spam lovers...here ya go!

Spam Hot Dish

1 12 oz. can of Spam luncheon meat, cut into small cubes
2 cups of shredded cheese (we used cheddar)
3/4 cup of bread crumbs
1 10 3/4 oz. can of condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup of half and half
3 eggs, well beaten
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Pour mixture into a 2-quart baking dish. Bake for 1 hour. Serves 4 to 6.

Thanksgiving Leftovers

2009-11-28T15:23:00.002-06:00

It's the Saturday after the big "feast" and you're probably wondering what in the world do I do with all this leftover food?

Why not make an entirely different meal out of it all?

If you're looking for some easy ways to "eat it all up," check out a couple of my posts from our last holiday season! Enjoy!

Stuffing Frittata

Turkey Tetrazzini

Spuds, Ham & Eggs Hotdish

2009-11-27T19:16:00.002-06:00

My good friend, Alison, is coming over for brunch tomorrow...this is on the menu! :)

Spuds, Ham & Eggs Hotdish

1 2-pound bag frozen hash brown potatoes, not thawed
2 cups diced cooked ham
2 cups shredded swiss cheese
1 1/2 tbsp. butter
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 8 oz. package fresh mushrooms, sliced
6 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Layer half the potatoes into a 13x9x2 inch greased glass baking dish. Top with ham and cheese.

In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter. Add pepper and mushrooms; stir and cok 5 minutes or until tender. Spoon over ham, cheese layer; top with remaining potatoes.

In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, cottage cheese, and black pepper. Beat until well blended. Pour mixture over all.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until ligh brown and center is set.

Serves 8.

2010

2009-11-23T22:20:00.003-06:00

2010 will bring undoubtedly bring new recipes, but I'm also starting a new "feature" on the blog. Each month we'll showcase a "guest chef" here on Cooking With Court. Just some fellow foodies in my life who will be sharing some of their favorite recipes. We can all gleam fabulous recipes from each other, and some of them even have their own blogs that need to be shared.

So keep checking back...I've already got several chefs lined up and ready to go for ya'll!

Stay tuned.

Ultimate Crispy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

2009-11-19T18:05:00.003-06:00

My latest issue of Kraft Food & Family showed up the other day, and I was thrilled to see several new recipes I'm looking forward to trying out.

Tonight, the hubs and I were looking for something quick to eat as we were both starving after a long day at work...usher in Kraft's Ultimate Crispy Grilled Cheese Sandwich and a bowl of tomato soup and our tummies were HAPPY!

It's a nice "twist" on the typical grilled cheese sandwich we all know and love. And if you're looking for another great "twist" to add...check out my previous blog on grilled cheese sandwiches here.

Ultimate Crispy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

8 slices of your choice of bread (we did wheat)
8 slices of your choice in cheese (we did provolone & american)
8 tsp soft margarine
4 tsp of grated parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees

Fill bread slices with cheese singles to make 4 sandwiches

Spread the outside of sandwiches with margarine, place on baking sheet.

Bake sandwiches for 8 minutes. Then sprinkle with half the parmesan cheese. Flip sandwiches; sprinkle with remaining parmesan. Bake 6 to 9 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Serve with your favorite soup of choice!

Lemonade Muffins

2009-11-14T11:21:00.004-06:00

My sister actually sent me this recipe. It's originally from this blog. I'm a sucker for a good muffin, so I was really intrigued by these. An easy alternative to the typical lemon poppyseed muffin.

Try it. You'll like it.

Lemonade Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 beaten egg

1 (6 ounce) can frozen lemonade, thawed

1/4 cup milk

1/3 cup cooking oil

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, mix only 1/2 cup lemonade, egg, milk, and oil. Add to dry mix, stirring until just moistened. Gently stir in nuts.

Spoon into prepared pans and bake and bake at 375° F. for 15-20 minutes or tests clean.

While hot, brush with remaining lemonade and sprinkle with white sugar.

YIELD: 8-9 Large Muffins

Cabbage & Meatball Soup

2009-11-11T08:06:00.002-06:00

I frequent an online forum where I stumbled across a really great cooking blog. Elizabeth is from the Minneapolis area like myself, and has some really great recipes. You should really check her out! I was immediately drawn to her Cabbage & Meatball soup as 1) it sounded delicious and 2) it was a recipe from her Grandmother that she grew up on. Knowing how close I was to my Grandma and how everyday I strive to be even 1/10 the home cook she was, I thought it was great to share such a personal memory.

My hubs and I made this soup on a Sunday afternoon as we settled in to watch some football. It's a perfect fall/winter recipe and it was FAB. Very easy to make as well! Try it. You'll like it. And be sure to check out Elizabeth's other recipes here!

Cabbage & Meatball Soup

1 TBSP butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

1-2 carrots, sliced

1 medium head cabbage (somewhere between 1/2 & 1 lb), sliced

salt & pepper

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup water

2 cups beef broth

1/2 lb (more if you like) ground beef

2 tsp parsley, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg

1/4-1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in a large stockpot. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and cook about 5 minutes, or until the onions begin to soften. Season with salt & pepper. While the veggies are cooking, chop up the cabbage.

Add cabbage and stir. Let the cabbage cook for about 3 minutes. Add broth & water. Put a lid on the pot and let simmer.

While the pot is simmering, mix together the ground beef, salt & pepper, garlic, parsley, egg, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese. Form into small balls (about 1" - 1 1/2") and add to the pot. Keep the cover on and let cook for about 10-15 minutes. If the pot comes to a heavy boil, turn down the heat. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Jeanne's Chicken-Mac

2009-10-16T17:35:00.004-05:00

This is my very first "MN Hotdish" out of my new cookbook that arrived on my doorstep 2 days ago!

This one in particular caught my eye for 1 main reason...it's mac & cheese. Mac & cheese is theme on this blog, or has been in the past, so I'm always looking for new ways to "jazz up" the good old comfort food main-stay.

This new recipe definitely didn't disappoint. In fact, you'd only be letting yourself down if you don't try it!

Check it out now...

Jeanne's Chicken-Mac

1-7 oz. package of elbow macaroni, UNCOOKED
2 cups of cubed cooked chicken
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 oz. jar of diced pimentos, or 2 tbsp chopped roasted sweet red bell pepper
3 tbsp of minced onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of black pepper
1/2 tsp curry powder
1-10 3/4 oz. can of condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup of whole milk (I used half and half)
1-4 oz. can mushroom pieces and stems, undrained

Preheat oven to 350.

Place all ingredients into a 2-quart glass baking dish; mix. Cover and bake about 1 hour or until macaroni test done. Serves 4.

Yep. You really don't cook the macaroni first. I'm serious! Enjoy!

Pasta e fagioli

2009-10-01T15:53:00.002-05:00

I got this recipe from my friend, Ashley, as she tried it a couple weeks ago and loved it. Knowing that I'm just a wee bit obsessed with cooking and trying out new recipes, she sent it to me and I immediately added it to the weekly menu. The soup is kind of a "rip off" of the soup at Olive Garden. I know Olive Garden has more vegetables in theirs, but trust me, this is just as good. And not to mention, ridiculously cheap to make. You can make a huge stock pot of this stuff for the price you'd pay for a bowl of it there.

Check it out! So good on a chilly fall day! Thanks Ashley!

Pasta e fagioli

1/2 cup of chopped onion
1/2 pound mild Italian sausage
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 15 0z can of dark red kidney beans
1 15oz can of great northern beans
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
60 oz of chicken broth
3 tablespoons fresh parsley
3 teaspoons of dried basil
1/2 lb elbow macaroni or similar pasta
shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine Italian sausage with chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook until the sausage is almost entirely cooked through and the onion has softened.

Drain and rinse both the kidney beans and the great northern beans. Add to the meat. Leave the tomatoes undrained and add all contents to the meat. Also add chicken broth, parsley, and basil.

Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove cover; increase to heat to high. Heat to boiling. Add the macaroni; reduce heat to medium. Cook 10 to 15 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.

Sprinkle with cheese and serve. Makes about six servings

Slow-Cooker Lasagna

2009-09-30T10:51:00.004-05:00

A couple weeks ago, my best friend came over for a nice dinner with me and the hubs. I wanted to make something nice, but didn't really want a whole lotta fuss as I'd had a ridiculously busy week ahead of me as well.

Luckily I'd just received my latest Kraft Food & Family magazine and there were a bazillion yummy dishes in there just ready to be made.

I came across their Slow-Cooker Lasagna recipe and knew we had to try it. We love lasagna around here, but I never want to really take the time to make one. This recipe was made for people like me. Put it together, put it in the crock pot and walk away!

And it was DE-LISH.

Check it out.

Slow-Cooker Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef

1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce

1 cup water

1 container (15 oz.) Ricotta Cheese

1 pkg. (7 oz.) 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided

1 egg

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

6 lasagna noodles, uncooked

Brown meat in large skillet; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water.

In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 Tbsp. Parmesan, egg and parsley.

Spoon 1 cup meat sauce into slow cooker; top with layers of half each of the noodles, broken to fit; and cheese mixture. Cover with 2 cups meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles, broken to fit; cheese mixture and meat sauce. Cover with lid.

Cook on LOW 4 to 6 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses; let stand, covered, 10 min. or until melted.

Photo courtesy of kraftfoods.com

WOOT!

2009-09-28T14:37:00.002-05:00

I came across this hot dish recipe in a gift shop at a local orchard recently and I knew I HAD to have it. "Hot dish" as we call it here in Minnesota, is the rest of the country's version of casserole. It's the essence of comfort food.

I knew I could get it for way cheaper online, and lo and behold, I scored my own copy for only 75 cents + shipping on half.com.

So once it arrives, I'm diving right in. I hope to share some fabulous MN Hot dishes in the not-so-distant future with you all on here too!

Sausage Jumble

2009-09-13T13:33:00.002-05:00

My mom sent me this recipe a long time ago and we just got around to making it. Most of the ingredients were just regular "staples" I had in my kitchen already, so going out and buying a ton of ingredients didn't happen to make this one.

It was very good. I was a little concerned about the sausage as it seemed like kind of an odd pairing with the rest of the ingredients, but it turned out to be super yummy!!

A very "hearty" meal, especially for cooler days!

Sausage Jumble

1 lb. bulk pork sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups fresh or frozen whole kernal corn, thawed
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup uncooked instant rice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup mozzarella cheese

In a large skillet cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, drain. Add the corn, tomatoes, rice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until rice is tender. Sprinkle with cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Cook uncovered 5 minutes longer or until cheese melts. Yields 4 - 6 servings.

Classic Chicken Cobb Salad

2009-08-24T23:01:00.003-05:00

What we had for dinner tonight...my all-time favorite salad.

No real "measurements," but be sure to use plenty of the following ingredients!

Classic Chicken Cobb Salad

Start with...
baby spinach

Top with...
avocado slices
shredded colby cheese
hard-boiled egg slices
sliced black olives
tomat slices
blue cheese crumbles

add...
chicken breast strips
cooked bacon strips crumbled

drizzle with...
blue cheese dressing or other favorite dressing of your choice!!

BBQ Pasta Salad

2009-08-12T09:37:00.002-05:00

AMAZING.

That's all I have to say.

Perfect salad to go along with your end-of-summer picnics and BBQs with friends. Try it.

BBQ Pasta Salad

16 oz. Rotini Twists
1 cup yellow onion diced
1 cup green pepper diced
1 cup red pepper diced
12 oz. BBQ Ham, Beef or Chicken diced
2 cups of cubed mozzarella cheese
2 1/2 cups Ranch Dressing
1/3 cup BBQ Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. When pasta reaches al dente, drain and rinse with cold water until cool to the touch. Drain well.

Return pasta to a large bowl and mix in the remaining ingredients and toss well. Chill until ready to serve.

Slow-Cooker Smoked Sausage Stoup

2009-07-22T13:37:00.005-05:00

I had a bunch of different ingredients and things lying around my kitchen and I decided to throw them all together and see what happened.

This was the result.

The ultimate in comfort food. Perfect for a rainy day or a cold winter afternoon.

Slow-Cooker Smoked Sausage Stoup

1 large green pepper cut into chunks
1/2 large yellow onion cut into chunks
1 ring of smoked sausage cut into 1" pieces
1 cup of baby carrots cut into small chunks
1 cup of brown rice (not cooked)
2 cans of cream of celery soup (undiluted)
1/2 cup of half and half
1 tsp. of pepper

Put the green pepper, onion, carrot, and smoked sausage chunks into a large bowl. Add both cans of cream of celery soup, and half and half. Mix together. Add dried brown rice to mixture and stir. Then add pepper and stir again.

Allow to cook in crock pot on high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours or until veggies are tender and rice is plumped up.

4 servings

Sorry for the bad picture. Hard to get a good one!

Taco Hot Dish

2009-07-11T23:26:00.003-05:00

From my Grandma...so you KNOW it's good.

Taco Hot Dish

1 lb. hamburger
1/4 green onions
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 package crescent rolls
16 0z. can of refried beans
1/2 cup of sliced black olives
2 cups of shredded mexican-style cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 egg

Brown hamburger with green onions and taco seasoning mix.

Lay crescent rolls in a 9 x 13 pan and press together.

Add refried beans to hamburger mixture and pour over crescent rolls.

Put sliced black olives on top of meat mixture. Mix shredded cheese, sour cream and egg together. Pour on top of bean and hamburger mixture and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

Sprinkle with shredded lettuce, black olives, chopped tomatoes and green onions when taken from the oven.

Optional: Spoon meat mixture into bowls and let individuals put their own toppings on. I also topped with a mild salsa and a dollop of sour cream. Use whatever toppings you like. Enjoy!

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

2009-06-17T10:09:00.004-05:00

On the menu tonight...

Mom sent me this new recipe a week or so ago. It was a huge hit for her, my dad, and sis. Obviously the hubs and I have to try it out now.

So simple. I had a lot of these ingredients already in the kitchen. Check it out!

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

1 Stove Top Chicken
1 cup hot water
1 1/2 lbs. Boneless-Skinless Chicken cut in 1 " pieces ( I baked mine ahead and added to the casserole)
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/3 cup Sour Cream
1 Bag (16 oz.) Frozen Mixed Vegetables, thawed and drained

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of Stove Top evenly over bottom of 13 x 9 pan. Set aside. Add hot water to remaining Stove Top. Stir and set aside.

Place chicken over dry stuffing.

Mix soup, sour cream and mixed vegetables and spoon over chicken. Top with prepared stuffing. Bake 30 minutes or until cooked.

Breakfast lovers...

2009-06-13T09:00:00.003-05:00

If breakfast is your favorite meal of the day or you're looking for some fabulous breakfast dishes, check out my friend, Scot's blog.

He's currently serving up these fabulous dishes at the Pomegranate Inn of Portland, Maine. So if you're ever in the area, stop in, say hello, and enjoy a fab breakfast!

Much love, my friend. Much love.

Lifetime's Cook Yourself Thin

2009-06-04T12:46:00.003-05:00

No recipe to share today, I apologize (I'm working on some new ones for the next couple of weeks, though), but I had to share this new show on Lifetime called "Cook Yourself Thin." I LOVE it. It's all about taking your regular favorite dishes and using alternatives to cut the calorie count and fat content in the foods we so often crave. I've been astounded by how much they can literally cut out in almost all the meals shared, without sacrificing the taste.

If you haven't checked it out yet, do yourself a favor and catch an episode or two. Perhaps you'll be just as hooked as I am! I have a whole list of recipes I'm going to try after seeing them on episodes.

BBQ Cheddar Chicken Roll Ups

2009-05-25T22:31:00.005-05:00

I got this recipe out of the latest Kraft Food & Family magazine. If you follow my blog, you know that I definitely live for my next edition of this mag to arrive in our mailbox. I especially love the summer editions as they tend to have a lot of great grilling ideas and fruity desserts.

This particular wrap struck me as something I'd like to try. Mainly because I seem to have this slight obsession with BBQ sauce at the moment, and we had all the ingredients in our kitchen already in order to make it! An obvious choice, huh? We made it for a light supper on a Friday night after work and we both really enjoyed it.

If you haven't checked out Kraft's Food & Family site, you're missing out!

BBQ Cheddar Chicken Roll Ups

1 each large green and red pepper, cut into strips (4 cups)

1 large onion, thinly sliced (1 cup)

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1/3 cup barbecue Sauce

4 whole wheat tortillas (10 inch), warmed

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook and stir vegetables in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat 3 min. Add chicken; cook and stir 3 to 4 min. or until no longer pink. Stir in barbecue sauce; cook on medium heat 3 min. or until chicken is done, stirring occasionally.

Spoon chicken mixture down centers of tortillas; top with cheese. Roll up. Cut diagonally in half to serve.

Garlic Chicken with Spinach Pesto and Whole Wheat Penne Rigate

2009-05-25T17:29:00.004-05:00

OK...this is my attempt at making a slightly "fancier" dish for me and the hubs to enjoy. Very very easy, a tad bit healthier due to the EVOO, whole wheat pasta, and spinach. I took several different spinach pesto recipes I'd found (after being inspired by Rachel Ray), and created my own. It was my first attempt at pesto and I think I succeeded! Or at least my man seems to think so! Very good dinner tonight. Very good.

Garlic Chicken with Spinach Pesto and Whole Wheat Penne Rigate

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 box of whole wheat penne rigate (or your noodle of choice!)
1/2 cup of pine nuts
4 cloves of garlic (divided)
1 pkg (9 oz) fresh spinach
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil (divided)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. oregano

Combine pine nuts & 2 cloves of garlic in food processor and process until chopped. Add spinach, 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of oil, salt and spices. Process until well-blended.

Cook penne rigate according to directions on stovetop. Drain.

Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup of EVOO into pan and heat up. Toss in remaining 2 cloves of garlic into oil. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to pan. Cook until heated through or juices run clear. Drain any excess liquid that may remain.

Toss noodles, and chicken together in a large bowl, adding the spinach pesto with it. Serve and top with shredded parmesan cheese!

Arkansas Chicken Casserole

2009-05-09T17:00:00.001-05:00

I have no idea where I got this recipe from. I stumbled across a ton of recipes on my computer that I completely forgot about! So of course we had to start making some this week in order to share the good ones with you all.

This one my mom recently made as well and apparently it was a huge hit between her and dad! Dad went back for several helpings!

Super easy to make, very yummy. I concur.

Arkansas Chicken Casserole

ARKANSAS CHICKEN CASSEROLE

2 whole chicken breasts
1 stick of margarine
1 cup of chopped celery
1 cup of chopped onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can of sliced mushrooms
3 cups of cooked rice
8 oz. jar of processed cheese food
salt to taste

Cook chicken until tender. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Cook onion & celery in margarine
until tender. Add cheese. Stir until melted. Add mushrooms & chicken. Blend in soup. Add cooked
rice. Pour into large, greased casserole dish. Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes.

Bacon Horseradish Dip

2009-05-08T20:14:00.003-05:00

I have acquired quite the taste for horseradish lately and have been on the lookout for some good horseradish dip or dressing recipes. I compiled a bunch of them and made up my own dip based upon recipe ingredient suggestions.

I can officially tell you it's FABULOUS and would be the perfect addition to any sort of get together with friends paired along with some crackers of your choice. It would also be a wonderful choice of salad dressing should you choose to go that route.

It has just the slightest hint of a "bite" to it!

Enjoy!

Bacon Horseradish Dip

1/2 cup creamy horseradish sauce
1 cup of mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup real bacon bits/pieces
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp cajun seasoning
2 garlic cloves pressed

Mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before eating. Serve over lettuce as a salad dressing or with crackers as a dip.

Tim's Taco Soup

2009-05-04T12:24:00.003-05:00

We have been making this soup for years after seeing it featured by one of our local news personalities, Tim M. Tim's Taco Soup is so easy to make and is honestly really good to have all year round. And sometimes I believe leftovers are even better...this might just be the case with this soup.

I hope you enjoy it just as much as we do!

Tim's Taco Soup

1 lb. ground chicken, turkey, or beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cups of water
(2) 16 oz. cans of stewed tomatoes (cut-up)
(1) 16 oz. cans of kidney beans
(2) 8 oz. cans of tomoto sauce
(1) envelope Taco seasoning mix

Optional:
Shredded cheddar cheese
corn chips
sour cream

In a large saucepan, cook meat and onion until meat is browned; drain.

Add water, un-drained tomatoes, un-drained kidney beans, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning mix.

Simmer, covered for 15 minutes-1 hour.

Optional: serve soup over corn chips, and top with cheese, and sour creap. Chopped avocado can be added.

Serves 8-12. Soup can be frozen.

Additonal spices can be added, season to taste.

Check out the feature!

2009-04-30T12:13:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago I was approached by Joyce, who is the author of "Oregon Mom's Empty Nest" as to whether or not I'd be interested in sharing one of my favorite recipes on her blog with her readers. Of course I jumped at the chance and my all-time favorite recipe...Smoked Sausage Jambalaya...was published this morning.

Thank you again, Joyce for asking me to contribute. I was happy to. And to all my readers, please take a gander over to Joyce's website and check out her journal, garden page, and all the fabulous recipes she also has to share!

WOOHOO!

Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

2009-04-12T18:37:00.002-05:00

I made this one up as I went, so you can feel free to adjust the ingredients as you go to fit your tastes. It's very creamy, and really "hit the spot" for my sweet tooth today!

Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

4 sugar-free milk chocolate pudding cups
1 cup of creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup of sweetened condensed milk
8 0z. container of cool whip
1 oreo cookie pie crust

Mix first 4 ingredients together and pour into pie crust. Smooth out pie filling and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Buttermilk Mac & Cheese

2009-04-01T11:20:00.004-05:00

Yet another easy one from my mom.

Homemade, so easy, whip it up, throw it together, bake it, and enjoy.

Buttermilk Mac & Cheese

6 Eggs
1 3/4 C (14 oz.) Shredded cheddar cheese
2 1/2 C Buttermilk
1/2 C Butter, melted
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Pkg. (7 oz.) Elbow Macaroni, cooked according to directions and drained

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Stir in the cheese, buttermilk, butter and salt. Add the macaroni and mix well. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 - 50 mins. or until thermometer reads 160 degrees. Yields 8 - 10 Servings.

Mozzarella Meatloaf

2009-03-26T12:00:00.002-05:00

Since it's no secret that I think THESE are the best burgers on the planet, I got the idea to try it as a little "twist" on a meatloaf.

Double the recipe and you've got yourself a fab meatloaf, which is even good for sandwiches!

Mozzarella Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground beef
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of bbq sauce

Mix all ingredients together. Form into a loaf and bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until heated through.

Chicken Fajita Pizza

2009-03-22T09:48:00.001-05:00

Ok...what's not to like in this one? I mean seriously.

Chicken Fajita Pizza

1/2 medium green bell pepper, sliced into 1/4 inch strips
1/2 medium red bell pepper, sliced into 1/4 inch strips
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. fajita seasoning mix
1 tbsp.water
1/2 cup thick and chunky medium salsa
1 cup chopped cooked chicken
1 12 inch prepackaged Boboli 100% whole wheat thin pizza crust
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded, reduced-fat Mexican style cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat and add peppers, onion, garlic, seasoning mix and water. Saute 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender crisp. Remove from heat; stir in salsa and chicken. Arrange vegetable/chicken mixture over crust. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 7-8 minutes or until pizza crust is crisp and cheese is melted. Makes 6 servings.

Crockpot Smoked Sausage Casserole

2009-03-21T01:00:00.001-05:00

My mom has made this for years and years and years. She usually doesn't do her's in the crockpot, but I thought I'd give it a try and see how it went. It's still as fabulous as I've always known it to be.

Crockpot Smoked Sausage Casserole

1 large baking potato
1 ring of smoked sausage
2 green peppers
1 large yellow onion
2 tbsp of olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Peel potato and cut up into large cubes. Cut smoked sausage into 1/2 inch pieces. Chop green peppers and onion into large chunks. Put all ingredients in the crock pot and drizzle 2 tbsp. of oil on top. Stir until mixed.

Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until veggies/potatoes are tender and cooked through. Salt & pepper to taste. Makes 4 servings.

You could also bake in a 9 x 13 pan for 45 minutes - an hour at 350.

Sausage & Broccoli Bake

2009-03-20T12:21:00.002-05:00

This is supposedly a casserole, but you could easily use this for breakfast as a sort of "egg bake."

Mom sent this to me recently and man, it's DELISH!

Sausage & Broccoli Bake

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli
1 lb. bulk Italian Sausage
3 cups seasoned salad croutons
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 eggs beaten
1 can cream of broccoli soup (undiluted)
1 1/3 cup milk
1 can (2.8 oz.) french fried onions

Cook broccoli according to pkg. directions, drain and set aside. In a lg. skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink, drain.

Combine the broccoli, sausage, croutons and cheese. Transfer to a greased 2 qt. baking dish. In a bowl combine the eggs, soup and milk and pour over sausage mixture. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Sprinkle with french fried onions. Bake for 3-5 minutes. Serves 6-8

Tuna Casserole

2009-03-16T15:04:00.003-05:00

My mom's been sending me some of her best recipes as of late, and here's a new one...

She didn't do her's in a crockpot, but rather in a 9 x 13 baking dish until heated through. I believe I'm going to go the crockpot route and see how that works.

Tuna Casserole

2 (12 oz.) cans tuna, drained and flaked
3 cups diced celery
3 cups crushed potato chips, divided
6 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
1 (10 1/2 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 (10 1/2 oz.) can condensed dream of celery soup, undiluted
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. dried tarragon leaves
1 tsp black pepper

Stir together all ingredients except 1/2 cup potato chips in slow cooker, mix well. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup potato chips on top. Cover and cook on low 5 to 8 hours. Makes 8 servings.

Recipe from 101 Easy Supper Ideas

Creamy Chicken Casserole

2009-03-04T11:54:00.004-06:00

This one is an old favorite in my family and I believe my mom got this recipe from a friend of her's from church a loooooong time ago. It makes a lot and the leftovers taste even better in my opinion!

I'm making this tomorrow and should have a picture up for you soon.

Creamy Chicken Casserole

1/2 c. wild rice
1/2 c. brown rice
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
1 4oz. can of mushrooms
1 1/2 c. half and half
3 c. diced cooked chicken
1 1/4 c. chicken broth
2 tbsp. parsley
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. slivered almonds

Prepare and cook rice. Cook onion in butter until tender. Remove from heat and stir in flour. Drain mushrooms, reserving the liquid. Add enough chicken broth to liquid to measure 1 1/2 cups. Gradually stir into flour mixture. Add half and half, cook and stir until thick. Add rice, chicken, mushrooms and seasonings. Place in 2 qt. casserole dish and sprinkle with almonds.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Milkshakes

2009-02-16T16:40:00.003-06:00

So my husband and I have been on a recent "milkshake kick," which is odd since it's the middle of winter here. But nevertheless, they are fun to make, and oh so delish to drink.

I prefer chocolate mint, whereas he's a berry guy and loves the strawberry shake.

I blame this new obsession partly on the fact that I recently inherited my Grandma's old blender.

Chocolate Mint Milkshake

4 scoops of chocolate ice cream
1/4 cup of milk
1 drop of peppermint extract

blend. enjoy.

Strawberry Milkshake

4 scoops of vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup of milk
1 cup of frozen or fresh strawberries (whatever floats your boat)

blend. enjoy.

Gorgonzola-Filled Meatballs with Bay & Onion Creamy Tomato Gravy

2009-02-15T11:02:00.002-06:00

I saw this recipe on Rachael Ray's 30-minute meals and I knew I HAD to try it. It's not every day that I watch the Food Network and come across a meal that I feel I actually have the time and the skills to make, so I always jump at the chance when I find one.

I love meat, I love cheese, and the tomato gravy is a fantastic compliment. Try it and be prepared to say "YUM!"

Gorgonzola Filled Meatballs with Bay & Onion Creamy Tomato Gravy

1 1/2 pounds ground veal (we substituted more ground beef instead, others have used pork)
1 pound ground beef
Salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk
2 handfuls grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 handfuls plain bread crumbs
3 tablespoons sliced or finely chopped sage leaves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces Gorgonzola
1 tablespoon butter
2 fresh bay leaves
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup chicken stock
1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place meat in a mixing bowl and season with salt, pepper, add in garlic, eggs, cheese, bread crumbs and sage. Mix meat, roll into 8 large balls and arrange in a baking dish. Coat balls with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Using the end of a wooden spoon, make an indentation half way into each ball and fill the cavity with some Gorgonzola. Bake until golden and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and butter in a sauce pot over medium heat, add bay and onions and season with salt and pepper. Add chicken stock and tomatoes and heat through, stir in cream, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer to thicken slightly 8 to 10 minutes.

Ladle sauce into shallow bowls and top with big stuffed meatballs.

Down Home Meatloaf

2009-02-12T14:57:00.002-06:00

I got this recipe out of an old Taste of Home magazine. While I've made meatloaf for years, something wasn't turning out right as of late, so I thought I'd actually try a recipe for once! Some people may not be huge fans of meatloaf, but I can honestly tell you this one was OUTSTANDING. So much flavor, the bread crumbs really held everything together, and we were able to eat several meals of leftovers.

I'm tellin ya...give this one a try.

Down Home Meatloaf

2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
2 cups soft bread crumbs
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup finely chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard
2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup ketchup

In a bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Press into a greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pan.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Spread with ketchup; bake 15-20 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 160° and meat is no longer pink. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Meat loaf may be frozen for up to 3 months. Yield: 8 servings.

stop by and tell me who you are!

2009-02-10T09:49:00.001-06:00

I'm just AMAZED at all the hits I'm getting on this blog a day...I'm talking in the hundreds. And it's so weird how many of you are coming from all over the world. How are you finding my blog? Are you googling certain recipes?

Please leave me a comment, let me know how you got here and where you're from! I'd love to know!

Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings

2009-01-28T18:54:00.003-06:00

I had been looking for a relatively simple Chicken & Dumplings recipe for a while now and finally got this one from "jdseggar" off the nest.com's "What's Cooking" board.

So easy, you probably have more than half the ingredients already around your house, it's minimal "fuss" and man...it's fab!

We really enjoyed it.

Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings

4 boneless skinless chicken pieces (breast or thigh), cut in small chunks
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
1/4 cup carrot, finely diced
1/4 cup celery, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 cups water
2 (10 oz) packages refrigerated biscuits

Combine all ingredients, except biscuits, in crock pot.
Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. 30 minutes before serving, tear biscuit dough into 1-inch pieces. Add to crock pot; stirring gently. Cover and cook on HIGH for an additional 30 minutes or until biscuits are fluffed up and cooked through.

Cheese Fondue

2009-01-17T18:56:00.003-06:00

This is a very basic cheese fondue recipe that I got off Allrecipes.com.

My husband and I are relatively new at the whole "fondue thing" but thought we'd give cheese a shot as we did oil fondue for New Year's Eve earlier this month.

It was really very simple to make (probably done with it all in 15 minutes) and tasted great. We dipped veggies and french bread.

It's VERY basic, you could add different spices and things to make it your own. Some people on allrecipes.com suggested adding a bit of beer to give it some more kick. We didn't do this.

Basic Cheese Fondue

2 cups milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons ground dry mustard
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

In a medium saucepan over low heat, mix together milk, Worcestershire sauce, ground dry mustard, garlic and flour. Heat until almost boiling. Gradually stir in Cheddar cheese. Continue heating until all the cheese has melted. Keep the mixture warm and melted in a fondue dish.

Peppermint Pie

2008-12-30T13:56:00.002-06:00

I made up my own recipe on this one as my husband and I have been craving a peppermint pie for some time.

I took the idea from the key lime pie I currently have in my blog, and I adapted it.

Peppermint Pie

1 oreo or chocolate pie crust
1 8 oz. cool whip
7 oz. sweetened condensed milk (half of a small 14 oz. can)
1 tsp. pure peppermint extract
red food coloring (optional)
whip cream
peppermint sprinkles/crushed candy canes

Mix coolwhip, sweetened condensed milk, and peppermint extract in a large bowl. Add red food coloring if desired. Pour mixture into pie crust and refrigerate at least 2-3 hours. Top with whip cream and crushed candy canes.

Simple Ranch Breaded Fish Fillets

2008-12-20T15:24:00.003-06:00

My husband and I recently purchased some tilapia fillets that we were planning on having for dinner tonight. I quick ran upstairs to find a breading recipe and stumbled across this one on allrecipes.com

Conveniently I had the Italian bread crumbs AND the dried ranch dressing mix...so this was perfect for us. So good!

My only suggestion would be to watch them carefully in the skillet. It went much faster than the 5 minutes the recipe calls for.

Simple Ranch Breaded Fish Fillets

3/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 (1 ounce) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound tilapia fillets
2 teaspoons butter

Place the bread crumbs in a bowl. In a shallow dish, mix the dressing mix and oil to form a paste. Coat the tilapia fillets with the paste, then dredge in the bread crumbs to lightly coat.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Place the fillets in the skillet, and cook 5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and easily flaked with a fork.

Tortilla Pizza Primavera

2008-12-17T22:26:00.002-06:00

I found this recipe stashed away in some files on my computer. We've never tried it until now, and I'm so glad we did! Obviously you can pick your own toppings, we strayed a bit from the recipe, but I'll share exactly what the recipe says and then you can go from there!

Tortilla Pizza Primavera

2 Cruz 10 inch flour tortillas Burrito style (OR) already made pizza crust
olive oil
5 oz. monterey jack cheese
5 oz. cheddar cheese
2 cups cherry tomatoes quartered
1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup ripe chopped olives
cracked black pepper

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly brush tortilla with olive oil.
2. Place on baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes on each side or until crisp and golden brown.
3. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees. Top each tortilla with half the tomato, basil, onion, olives, and shredded cheese.
4. Sprinkle with pepper to taste. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

Here's a picture below that uses different toppings...we used more traditional toppings you see below...

Swiss Chicken & Stuffing

2008-12-17T22:25:00.001-06:00

I got this recipe idea from "Spiller" over on the nest.com boards, but have changed it up a bit to make it a little bit more my own...

So incredibly good! I'm tellin ya...

P.S. I cut this recipe in half for just the 2 of us, but am putting the full recipe on here.

Swiss Chicken & Stuffing

6 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
6 slices Swiss cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
2 cups stuffing mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

Lightly spray crock-pot with cooking spray. Place chicken breasts in bottom of crock-pot. Top with cheese. Combine soup and milk, stirring well. Spoon soup mixture over cheese; sprinkle with stuffing mix. Drizzle melted butter over stuffing mix. Cook on low in crock pot for 4 to 6 hours or until juices run clear.

Cheesy Vegetable Soup

2008-12-14T09:55:00.002-06:00

I got this recipe off of allrecipes.com and thought we'd give it a try this weekend since it's been so cold and we're in for a small winter storm. Nothing helps make a cold winter day more tolerable than a nice bowl of soup!

You can really use any type of vegetable in this (broccoli, cauliflower, etc)

Cheesy Vegetable Soup

1 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon minced onion
1/4 tablespoon garlic powder
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
32 ounces processed cheese food, cubed

In a large microwave bowl, cook vegetables in microwave for 10 minutes on high. Stir and rotate midway.

In a large slow cooker, mix soup and water. Add onions, vegetables, and garlic, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix. Add cheese and mix. Simmer approximately 2 hours or until soup is creamy and cheese is melted.

Paula Deen's Slow Cooker Macaroni & Cheese

2008-11-30T19:17:00.002-06:00

On the menu this week...

Gotta love PAULA! :) She's one of my favorite Food Network stars as she's all about the comfort food, such as myself! My mom recommended I try this one out as she knows how much we love our Mac & Cheese. Can't wait!

Paula Deen's Slow Cooker Macaroni & Cheese

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (an 8-ounce box isn't quite 2 cups)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces
2 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan in plenty of water until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. In a slow cooker, combine cheese/butter mixture and add the eggs, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper and stir well. Then add drained macaroni and stir again. Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Stuffing Frittata

2008-11-28T22:00:00.006-06:00

I saw something similar to this on the Quick Fix with Robin Miller show today on the Food Network and I'm gonna give it a try tomorrow. Yet another great way to use up your leftovers! I'm going to adapt the recipe a bit, as her recipe calls for a broiler, and I'd rather just use my oven.

Stuffing Frittata

Cooking spray

2 cups leftover stuffing

1 cup of Jimmy Dean pork breakfast sausage (because our stuffing doesn't have any meat)
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
8 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon ground fresh nutmeg
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Italian blend cheese

Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 400

Coat an ovenproof nonstick skillet with cooking spray.

Place over medium heat (on stovetop).

Brown pork sausage, drain, and return to skillet.
Add in stuffing to pork sausage and mix.
Warm through mixture in skillet.

Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese over top.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, 1 tablespoon of parsley (save the rest for later), and nutmeg. Add salt and pepper to taste. It really depends on how much seasoning you have in your stuffing.

Pour egg mixture over stuffing and cheese to cover stuffing. Sprinkle Parmesan over top.

Carefully transfer to preheated oven.

Bake until the eggs are set and the sides have puffed up a little bit and cheese is golden, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Cool before cutting.

Sprinkle with remaining fresh parsley.

Turkey Tetrazzini

2008-11-26T10:53:00.004-06:00

This is a fabulous way to eat up some of your left over turkey that you'll have after Thanksgiving tomorrow. This is on the menu for Friday night's dinner, right before we trim our tree and usher in the Christmas season.

While I wouldn't call it a "Christmasy" dinner, I will say that I'm looking forward to using up the turkey on this one. And it contains a lot of ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen! I got this from Taste of Home.

YUM.

Turkey Tetrazzini

1 package (7 ounces) spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
2 cups cubed cooked turkey
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans (4 ounces each) sliced mushrooms, drained
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 jar (2 ounces) chopped pimientos, drained
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Additional shredded cheddar cheese, optional

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain. Transfer to a large bowl; add the next 10 ingredients and mix well. Spoon into a greased 2-1/2-qt. casserole; sprinkle with cheese if desired. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 40-45 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 6-8 servings.

BLT Dip

2008-11-09T17:48:00.003-06:00

Mom brought this over today while we were watching the football game. SO good! She got it from Taste of Home magazine.

My husband and I will definitely be making this for our annual Scrabble tourney on New Year's Eve at our house. Soooo perfect for a small get together or party.

Not sure what the "L" is, unless they consider the green onions as a substitute for lettuce.

BLT Dip

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped green onion, optional
Assorted crackers

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, cheese, tomatoes and bacon. Refrigerate until serving. Garnish with green onion if desired. Serve with crackers. Yield: 3 cups.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

2008-10-24T21:38:00.003-05:00

On the menu for this coming week...

I got this recipe from this blog: Rumbly Tumbly Treats and I can't wait to try it! How easy is this? Not to mention super YUM!

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

4 Frozen Chicken Breasts
1/2 a packet of Taco Seasoning
1 can of Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 a jar of salsa

Spray crock pot with some non-stick spray and then put all ingredients in the crock pot. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Top with sour cream and cheddar cheese. We'll be puttin some guac on our's too. See my Chipotle guac recipe "HERE." Eat with flour tortilla or tortilla chips. You could also put it on top of some spanish rice.

Tater Tot Hotdish

2008-10-24T18:44:00.004-05:00

A good old Minnesota tradition...Tater Tot Hotdish!

Everyone's got their own version of this, but here's mine. :) So yummy. The epitome of "comfort food."

Tater Tot Hotdish

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 (32 ounce) package tater tots, thawed
2 cans of mixed vegetables (drained)
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large skillet cook ground beef with onion, salt and pepper; drain and spread into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Add vegetables & then tater tots; mix cream of mushroom and cream of celery soup together and pour mixture over dish. Top with cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour.

If you don't top it with cheese...

And here it is WITH cheese...

Chicken Noodle Soup

2008-10-15T14:33:00.004-05:00

It's freezing outside. Officially. Or at least it is where I'm at. :) We're going to be enjoying this deliciously comforting chicken noodle soup this weekend. I got this from "MrsWindyCity," a nestie on the "What's for Dinner?" board, over on thenest.com

You should check it out sometime.

Chicken Noodle Soup

2 Tbsp. butter
1 large onion, diced
1.5 cups carrots, sliced
1.5 cups celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 cups homemade or good quality chicken broth or stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 (heaping) tsp. ground marjoram
1 tsp. thyme
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
4 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded (always prefer it roasted, myself)
5 oz. (about 1.5 cups) uncooked egg noodles
fresh ground pepper, to taste

In a large stockpot or dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook for about 3 minutes before adding the celery and carrots. Continue cooking a few more minutes before adding the garlic. Stir until fragrant.

Add the chicken, broth, bay leaf, marjoram, thyme, parsley and ground pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce. Simmer lightly for 30 minutes.

Add the noodles* and simmer until cooked, about 8 minutes.

*Note: The noodles will continue to absorb the liquid as leftover sit in the pot/fridge. If you want to prevent your soup from thickening and becoming too chunky, you can reduce the amount of broth slightly and cook the noodles in a separate pot, combining with the soup in your bowl as you are about to eat.

Slow-Cooked Pepper Steak

2008-09-26T22:46:00.003-05:00

This is an oldie, but definitely a goodie in our family. Mom's been making this recipe for year's out of the Taste of Home magazine. We just had it tonight, actually, and I had to share it with you all. So delicious. We serve our's on white rice, though instead of noodles.

Slow-Cooked Pepper Steak

1-1/2 to 2 pounds beef round steak
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 tomatoes, cut into eighths or 1 can (16 ounces) tomatoes with liquid, cut up
1 large green peppers, cut into strips
1/2 cup cold water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Cooked noodles or rice

Cut beef into 3-in. x 1-in. strips brown in oil in a skillet. Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker. Combine the next seven ingredients; pour over beef. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. or until meat is tender. Add tomatoes and green peppers; cook on low for 1 hour longer.

Combine the cold water and cornstarch to make a paste; stir into liquid in slow cooker and cook on high until thickened. Serve over noodles or rice. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Smucker's Toppings and Pillsbury Brownie Pizza

2008-09-26T22:39:00.002-05:00

Holy goodness, Batman!

Mom made this for dessert tonight and oh.my.word. it was heaven on a plate.

If you love chocolate, try this. And it's so stinkin easy!

Smucker's Toppings & Pillsbury Brownie Pizza

Prepare Pillsbury traditional fudge brownie mix as directed on package.
Spread onto greased 12-inch pizza pan.
Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes: cool completely.
Spread with 1 can Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Chocolate Fudge Frosting.
Arrange 3/4 cup chopped bite-size chocolate candies over frosting (we added crushed Heath bar).
Heat a jar of Smucker's Hot Fudge and Caramel Toppings according to the label directions and drizzle over tip of candy.
Cut into wedges and serve.

GETTING REALLY MAD!!!

2008-09-24T22:01:00.001-05:00

I've been having major problems changing my layout and background on here. Has anyone else had problems doing this as of late? I'm now stuck with a dumb blogger.com template that I don't like and now all my pictures of my recipes disappeared!

I apologize. I'm going to have to try and upload all of them again soon. Most likely this weekend. So for now, you'll just have recipes. I'm annoyed. Big time.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

2008-09-24T21:53:00.003-05:00

Another one from the Kraft Food & Family magazine. This one's on the menu for the weekend. :)

Can't wait!

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken

1/2 cup water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 tsp. dried basil leaves

1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese

Heat oven to 400°F. Mix tomatoes, stuffing mix, water and garlic just until stuffing mix is moistened.

Layer chicken, basil, cheese and stuffing in 3-qt. or 13x9-inch baking dish.

Bake 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through. Enjoy now or cover and refrigerate. To reheat, microwave each serving on HIGH 2 to 3 min.

Balsamic Chicken & Potato Salad

2008-09-19T15:25:00.002-05:00

First off, I apologize profusely for not having posted anything in a month! Both my husband and I are currently in school for health care degrees as of the end of August and we barely have time to breathe anymore between school, homework, and work. But I've been wanting to share with you all a fabulous salad recipe that my good friend, Pam, gave me. Pam & her husband, Dave, had us over for dinner one night this summer and we enjoyed this tremendously yummy, and very simple, salad. :) So I asked her if I could share the recipe with you all. Here it is!

Balsamic Chicken & Potato Salad

10-12 small red potatoes
6 pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts
1-2 pints cherry tomatoes
1 package of sugar snap peas, chopped into thirds
1 cucumber sliced in half and chopped into slices
2 peppers (assorted colors)
1 red onion chopped
1 package of cubed colby cheese
1 package of pine nuts
baslamic vinegrette dressing (see recipe below)

* You can add any veggies you like, this is just how she made it

Bake chicken breasts in oven or crock pot. Cube chicken and refrigerate until needed.
Boil red potatoes and cut into bite sized pieces. Chill.
Cut up all the veggies into relatively small pieces.
Mix 1 cup balsamic vinegrette dressing with veggies.
Add potatoes, chicken, pine nuts, and cheese cubes to veggies in a big bowl. Add any extra dressing, if desired.
Serve alone or on top of a bed of lettuce with additional dressing if desired.
Can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Balsamic Vinegrette Dressing Recipe (double batch)

2 packets of Good Season's "Zesty" Dry Italian Mix
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
6 tablespoons of water
1 cup oil (1/2 olive oil, 1/2 canola oil)
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and shake vigorously.

Homemade Bran Muffins

2008-08-18T22:54:00.004-05:00

I got this recipe from my aunt. Not only do the muffins taste just incredibly awesome, you can just bake up what you need and save the rest of the batter in your refrigerator for up to 5 weeks! :) It makes a lot, and if you're obsessed with bran muffins like I am, you'll be in heaven for about a month!

Of course you can always cut the recipe in half, or just make your muffins a bit bigger if you'd like. I'm in love.

Homemade Bran Muffins

2 cups 100% bran (I used All Bran Original cereal)
2 cups boiling water

mix above ingredients and set aside

1 cup Crisco
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. salt

creme the last 4 ingredients together

add 1 qt. buttermilk, 5 cups of flour, 5 tsp. baking soda, 4 more cups of bran to the 4 ingredients above that have been creamed together. Mix well.

Add the bran/water mixture that had been set aside to the batter. Mix well.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Batter can be stored for up to 5 weeks!