Hash Brown Casserole

I remember the first dinner we had over at Jalene's house she served this as a side dish.  Now I look forward to this casserole every holiday dinner!

1 32 oz. pkg. frozen southern style hash browns (thawed)
1/2 cup butter
1can cream of chicken soup
1 8 oz. carton of sour cream
1/2 onion chopped (can use dry minced onion instead)
12 oz. shredded cheese
2 cups corn flake crumbs

Spread potatoes evenly in a 13 x 9 pan.  In a saucepan melt the butter, then add the soup, sour cream, onion, and cheese.  Mix well.  Pour over the potatoes.  Top with corn flake crumbs.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbling in the center.  Serves 12.

Salsa Chicken

2-3 chicken breasts
Taco seasoning, as much or as little as you like
2 cups salsa
1 can cream of chicken soup

Add all to crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours.

Add 8 oz cream cheese
Cook on low 1 hour. Stir and serve over rice.

Pesto-Alfredo Tortellini

This is my easier then ordering pizza meal!!

Ingredients
1 package cheese tortellini (cooked according to package)
1 small jar pesto sauce
1 jar alfredo sauce

Mix all three ingredients together in large sauce pan or crockpot and heat.  That's it, easier then looking for the number to pizza hut.

Quick tips:
I like to buy this meal in bulk, which is close to the same price as the small portion you buy at a grocery store, 3 meals for the price of one.  Costco carries the tortellini and a big jar of basil pesto.  Between those, I spilt it 3 ways.  One of the portion I will cook up that week, and the other two I freeze.  When I'm ready to cook up the frozen portion, I toss them in the crockpot (still frozen) and add the jar of alfredo.  It cooks up perfectly.
I've also been able to purchase jars of alfredo at costco too (4 jars in a package).

Celery Mushroom Soup over Quinoa

You can substitute raw spinach for the greens and you can also use dried food storage mushrooms in place of the fresh ones. I like to make homemade pizza when I make this soup or some cheese bread the kids love it!!

This recipe feeds 4 adults

1 Tbls of olive oil
2 celery stalks sliced thin
1/2 diced onion
1.5 cups of shitake mushrooms (I use more and have not noticed the kind of mushroom matters)
Uncooked greens (collard greens, kale, or spinach)
4 cups of chicken stalk
pinch of red pepper flakes
prepared Quinoa

add oil, onions and celery to pot cook until fragrant

Add mushrooms, greens, red pepper flakes and chicken stalk, bring to a boil reduce heat and simmer until greens and mushrooms are tender. (about 20 min.)

put perpared Quinoa in a bowl and ladle the soup over Quinoa.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Malibu Chicken

When I was growing up, it was super rear for us to go out to eat, even more rear for us to be patrons at a sit-down restaurant.  As a kid the most fancy restaurant we went to was Sizzler.  My favorite dish was the Malibu Chicken...That is other then mom's salad bar.  I always loved stealing bites from mom's salad bar plate.  I even tried ordering a salad bar once and assembling it the way she did, but I promise it didn't taste nearly as good as mom's!  Just one of those things, right! 

Ingredients:
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (pound 'em thin)
6 slices of cooked ham
6 slices of swiss cheese
*(sometimes I have to double the items for the breading on the chicken, just depends on how big you chicken pieces are)
1 egg
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Stir egg and 1 tablespoon water together with a fork.  Combine flour, salt, and pepper; coat each chicken piece.  I set up an assembly line, a large pyrex dish with the flour-coated chicken, next - a shallow dish with the egg mixture, next a shallow dish with the breadcrumbs.  Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Now work you way down the assembly line: take a piece of floured-chicken, and dip in egg mixture (coating both sides), then move it into the bread crumbs (coating both sides), and place in your hot skillet.  Brown both sides.  Place browned chicken onto a cookie sheet, top each piece with a slice of ham and slice of cheese.  Bake a 350 degrees, until the cheese melts.

For the dipping sauce combine mustard and mayonnaise.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

This was the most intense cake I've ever made, but so worth it!!! 

 I got the recipe here, and there is even a youtube video here! 

Ingredients

Crunch Topping

• 3 Cups (450 g) walnuts, finely chopped (I omitted these)
• 3 Cups (360 g) nilla waffers (about 75 cookies) 
• 3 Cups (540 g) brown sugar
• 12 oz (340 g) butter

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

• 1¼ (250 g) cup sugar
• 6 oz (168 g) softened butter
• 1 16 oz (425 g) can solid pack pumpkin
• 2½ ( 300 g) Cups flour
• ½ Cup (96 g) Greek yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla
• 1 Tablespoon (15 g) pumpkin pie spice
• 2¼ Teaspoons( 12 g) baking powder
• ¾ Teaspoon (4 g) baking soda
• ½ Teaspoon (2.5) Salt
• 4 Large Eggs

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 24 oz (454 g) cream cheese
• 8 oz (227 g) softened butter
• 2 cups (150 g) confectioners (powdered) sugar
• 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla

Instructions

Crunch Topping

1. Melt Butter
2. In a food processor, pulse cookies to a fine crumb. Remove from processor and put into a medium bowl.
3. Then pulse walnuts to very small pieces. Add walnuts to the bowl with the cookie crumbs.
4. Add in Brown Sugar and mix well.
5. Add in Melted Butter and mix until completely blended.
6. Place one very full cup of the mixture into 3 greased 8″ round cake pans, pressing into bottom and spreading it evenly into the cake pans. Reserve about 2 cups of the mixture which will be baked to use on the sides of the cake.
7. Set pans aside and begin cake.
8. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

Pumpkin Cake

1. In your mixer beat sugar and butter for about 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy, scrapping down the bowl frequently .
2. Add In Pumpkin and all the rest of the ingredients, except the eggs. Mix just until blended. Do not over blend.
3. Add in the Eggs, one at a time just until blended.
4. Divide batter equally into your 3 prepared cake pans on top of the nut/cookie mixture, smooth it out and make it as even as possible in the pan.
5. Place remaining crunch mixture in a 4th cake pan or pie dish and allow to bake for the same amount of time as the cakes.
6. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you use 2 racks to bake on in the oven, at the halfway mark rotate the pans .
7. Allow pans to cool about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire racks and allow to completely cool. DO NOT LET THE CAKES COOL IN THE PANS. This is important because the crunch mixture will stick to the pans and you’ll be scraping it out. I made this mistake and ended up scraping much of the crumb mixture off the pans and piecing it back together on top of the cake layers. This was almost a Pinterest FAIL! Luckily I fixed it all in the frosting stage of the cake.
8. Break up the extra crunch mix to very small bits to use to decorate the cake with.
9. While your cakes are baking prepare a Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Whip the cream cheese and butter till very smooth and creamy
2. Slowly add in the powdered sugar while mixer is on low setting
3. Add in Vanilla and mix well. Set aside till needed.

Assembly

1. After your cake is completely cooled. I recommend refrigerating the layers for an hour or so to make frosting easier, especially if you had to piece the crumb mixture back on top of the cake. Then begin frosting the layers and putting the cake together.
2. Frost one layer of cake. (If you use the icing recipe I list here, you’ll have plenty of frosting to make pretty thick layers in between the layers.) Top the frosted layer with a second layer and frost the top. Repeat with the third layer.
3. When you have assembled all the layers with some frosting between them, start to spread the remaining frosting on the sides and top.
4. When finished frosting the cake, coat sides and top with your extra crunch mixture. Just take handfuls of the crunch mixture and carefully smash it into the sides of the frosted cake.
5. *Store cake in refrigerator.

Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of powdered milk

1/2 cup water

1 Tbls. Butter

•heat water and butter to a boil in microwave 45-60 seconds. 

•putt sugar and milk in blender

•add water and butter to sugar and milk and blend

•good in fridge for 7 to 10 days

•makes 1 1/4 cups (one 14 oz. can)

Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken

 I was kinda surprised the first time I tasted this.  I LOVED the big chunks of tomatoes.  Normally I'm only a fan of tomatoes in my BLT's, but the favor of the balsamic slow cooked in the these tomatoes are heavenly! 

Ingredients

4-6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (about 40 ounces)

2 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 medium onion thinly sliced (Not chopped)

4 garlic cloves

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp each: dried oregano, basil, and rosemary

1/2 tsp thyme (I go skimpy on this because I’m not a huge fan of thyme)

ground black pepper and salt to taste

Directions

Pour the olive oil on bottom of slow cooker, add chicken breasts, salt and pepper each breast, put sliced onion on top of chicken then put in all the dried herbs and garlic cloves. Pour in vinegar and top with tomatoes.

Cook on high 4 hours; serve alone or over angel hair pasta.

Fresh Tomato Salsa

I was a lucky girl who got a whole box of tomatoes from my mom, she had brought them home from her trip to Utah.  While researching recipes with fresh tomatoes I came across this one, from here.  It was a big hit with everyone and defiantly a keeper!

In the post that I got the recipe, she says it freezes well.  I didn't get a chance to try that this time (since we all gobbled it up), but it's good to know for the future! 

Fresh Tomato Salsa

(perfect for an appetizer for 6)

Ingredients:

8 large roma tomatoes with skin (or any medium tomato)

1 green bell pepper

1/2 cup red onion

1/2 cup vidalia onion (sweet onion)

1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt

5 tablespoons white vinegar

fresh lime juice from 1 lime

1 head of garlic (I put a little extra, because I'm a garlic lover)

crushed red pepper (very little)

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Directions:

Cut washed tomatoes in 1/2 and add to food processor. I keep the skin on for nutrients, and no one can tell. Wash bell pepper and take out the seeds. Cut in big wedges and place in food processor with tomatoes. Slice onion in wide pieces and add it to the mixture as well. Peel garlic and add whole cloves. Add salt, vinegar, lime juice, and a dash or 2 of crushed red pepper. Pulsate food processor until everything is diced up well. We like ours thin, but if you like it chunky, just don’t pulsate for too long. Add fresh parsley and cilantro last and pulsate a couple more times. This is making my mouth water. If it’s too salty, add another tomato. Not salty enough, add vinegar and/or salt. Adjust red pepper flakes as well. Serve with your favorite tortillas.

Homemade Graham Crackers

These have made Aunt Christy famous, in my children lives anyways.  I do believe this is the biggest request from my children when they are over at her house! 

These crackers have been "Bello'd" up with chocolate 

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 butter, melted

1/2 cup honey

(optional) chocolate for melting

1. Mix dry ingredients together, set aside.

2. In separate bowl mix melted butter and honey.

3. Mix honey/butter to dry ingredients, stir until combined

4. Drop mixture onto cookie sheet and roll out, making sure edges reach the sides of cookie sheet.

 Tips from Christy: Use a smaller cookie sheet for a thicker graham crackers.  Spray pan and roller with cooking spray for more workable dough.

5. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees, cut quickly once out of oven.

Chicken Ranch Taco

This one is a super easy "crockpot" recipe that I found floating around Pinterest! 

2 lbs. of chicken breast

1 packet of dry ranch dressing

1 packet chicken taco seasoning

1 can of chicken broth

Toppings

Shredded lettuce

Shredded cheese

Sour cream 

Diced tomatoes 

Taco shells

Put that all in the crockpot and cooked on high for 6 hours then shredded the chicken and let it cook on low another 30 min. If it's super soupy drain slightly.

*Although I'm more of a flour tortilla kind of girl, these taste so much better in a crunchy corn tortilla! Trust me

*Also if you use all reduced fat toppings you can enjoy 2 tacos for about 2 weight watcher points

Frozen Hot Chocolate

 I found this recipie on Pintrest it is soooo good!! I know it sounds crazy and that is probably why we tried the second we found it (even before we pinned it). It really tasts like frozen hot chocolate. Mess with your mind CRAZY!!

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
• 1 package Hot Cocoa Mix (about 3 Tablespoons)
• 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• ⅓ cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• ⅓ cups White Chocolate Chips
• 12 ounces, fluid Can Evaporated Milk, Divided
• 4-½ cups Ice
• Whipped Cream, To Taste
• Mini Marshmallows, To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Combine sugar, cocoa mix, and butter in the top of a double boiler that is set over gently boiling water. Stir often until melted and a smooth paste forms. Add semi-sweet & white chocolate chips; stir. When chips begin to melt, slowly stir in 1/2 cup of evaporated milk. Stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
Combine the chocolate base mixture, the remaining evaporated milk and ice in a blender (you can do this in batches) and cover. Blend until smooth. Pour into frosty glasses. Top each with whipped cream. Sprinkle with additional chopped chocolate chips & mini marshmallows, if desired.

Clone of Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

Another one of Christy's amazing bread machine recipes! 

Dough (Bread machine recipe):
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 c warm milk
1/3 c melted margarine
1 tsp salt
1/2 c granulated sugar
4 1/2 c bread flour
2 1/2 tsp. bread machine yeast ( I used regular yeast and it worked just fine)

Filling:
1 c packed brown sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp Cinnamon
1/3 c softened butter

Cream Cheese Icing:
(I doubled this, but I think you can't never have too much frosting)

4 Tbsp softened butter
3 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

*Note: These are moist like the original when using Cinnabon's own brand of Makara cinnamon - available at any Cinnabon Stand.

Dough: Add ingredients in order listed to bread machine baking pan.  Insert pan into bread machine and mix on dough setting.  When dough is done, turn out onto floured rolling board and allow dough to rest for ten minutes.  Roll dough out into a 16 inch wide and 12 inch long rectangle, with a dough thickness of about 1/4 inch.

Filling:  Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl until well mixed.  Spread softened butter over the surface of the dough and sprinkle sugar-cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough surface.

Roll dough jellyroll fashion along the 16in wide side of the rectangle.  Cut dough roll into 12 slices (I have found using dental floss works really well for this.  Run the floss underneath the rolled dough, wrap each side up and around dough and pull in opposite directions.  This will give you a smooth even cut).   Place 12 rolls into a 9x13 inch pan.  Let rolls rise for approximately 20 minutes.   Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 15 minutes or until light brown on top.  Remove baking pan and allow to cool.

Cream cheese Icing: Combine in a mixing bowl until well blended.  Frost cinnamon rolls with icing while rolls are still in the baking pan.

Chicken Soup from Rotisserie Chicken

I found the perfect feel good now, chicken soup.  Recipe adapted from this recipe. 

1 rotisserie chicken 

2 1/2 tablespoons Better then bouillon (my new favorite)

1  teaspoons ground thyme

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I double this because I like it with a little kick)

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, minced

1 sweet potato or yam, cut into chunks of various sizes

4-5 large carrots, washed, trimmed and cut into chunks of various sizes

1 cup egg noodles

First, eat as much of the rotisserie chicken as you want.  I usually start this soup with a carcass that looks nearly bare.  The amount of meat you leave is entirely up to you.  If you like your soup meaty leave it all on, if you like it more heavy on veggies,  use some of the meat for chicken salad or something else.

Place the chicken carcass in a pot that is just large enough to fit it.  Then, fill the pot with enough water to mostly cover the carcass.  Simmer for at least an hour.

Remove the carcass from the pot into a large bowl and relocate to the refrigerator. 

Add the remaining ingredients to the pot (except noodles) and continue to simmer.  Cutting the sweet potatoes and carrots into various sizes gives the soup amazing texture.  The smaller pieces will soften and fall apart and help to thicken the soup, while the larger pieces will remain a little more firm, making the soup a little heartier.

As the soup continues to simmer, add 3-6 cups of water.  Add the water 1 cup at a time, tasting as you go.  Once the broth has the depth of flavor you're looking for, and the liquid to veggie ratio is what you're looking for, you've added enough.

Add noodles and when the chicken is cool enough to handle, pick off all the meat you can, and add it back into the pot.

Christy's Whole Wheat Bread

Christy got this recipe from Wendy Bollard, who is known for her amazing bread.

2 1/3 c - 2 12 c water
1/4 c oil
14 c honey
4 1/2 (aprox) wheat flour (grind 4 cups of unground wheat to equal aprox amount)
2 tsp salt
1/4 c powder milk
1/4 cup wheat gluten
4 tsp of dough enhancer
1 tbsp instant yeast (make a well in dry ingredients, then add yeast)

Put into bread mixer in above order.
Mix on dough setting.
Put dough into 2 bread pans
let rise until doubled (apron. 10-20 min.)
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.

Makes 2 loaves

Bosch type dough mixers, add all ingredients, mix on speed 2-4 (assist with mixing with a rubber spatula), for 4-6 minutes.  Let dough rise in mixing bowl with plastic cover until doubled.  Mix again on speed 2-4 for 1-2 min.  Divide and put into 2 loaf pans.