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Saturday, December 12, 2009

Jean's Favorite Cheese Soup by Jean Roy

1 1/2 quart water
2 1/2 cubed potatoes
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup onion, diced
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 bag frozen California-style vegetables
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pound Velveeta

Cook water, potatoes, celery, onion and bouillon cubes for 20 minutes. Add vegetables and cook until tender. Add chicken soup and Velveeta; simmer and stir.

**I used frozen hash brown potatoes (half a bag) and this turned out wonderfully. Joy isn't a big soup eater but he really liked this one. Very thick and hearty. I found this recipe in the holiday cookbook put out by the Sarcoxie/Pierce City/Jasper newspapers. Whoever Jean is, she makes a mean bowl of soup!

BBQ Pork Chops by Wilma Jenkins

BBQ Pork Chops

4-6 pork chops
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup chopped onion

Mix and pour over meat. Bake 2 hours at 375.

**This is an old recipe of my mom's. She was one heck of a good cook and if she said something was "good", then it is truly GOOD. I actually cooked this one in the crockpot instead of the oven and it was very good and tender. In the Maberry household, you can't go wrong with ketchup and cream of mushroom soup! haha

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Blueberry Zucchini Bread by Amanda McCullah

BLUEBERRY ZUCCHINI BREAD

3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup oil
3 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
2 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 pint fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 2 loaf pans. Beat together eggs, oil, vanilla and sugar. Fold in zucchini. Beat in flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Gently fold in blueberries. Pour in pans. Sprinkle with oatmeal crunch topping (see below). Bake 50 minutes or until done.

OATMEAL CRUNCH TOPPING
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup oats
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Mix brown sugar and flour, cut in butter. Add oats and cinnamon.


***I received this recipe from a dear friend and made it for my Christmas tea. It is excellent and very moist (my regular zucchini bread recipe is a little on the dry side). The blueberries and oatmeal crumb topping gives it that "something extra". I used my very own home grown zucchini from the garden this summer.

Monday, November 23, 2009

New recipes I tried for Thanksgiving

CARAMEL NUT DELIGHTS
1 package caramels
1 1/2 Tbsp. evaporated milk
2 cup nuts (I used cashews)
10 ounces almond bark

Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper and butter slightly. Melt caramels and evaporated milk, stirring frequently. Quickly stir in nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfulls onto the buttered wax paper. Allow to cool. Melt almond bark and dip caramels in chocolate to coat. Place on waxed paper until chocolate is set.

PUMPKIN BARS (more like cake)
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. EACH ground cloves, ginger and nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin (not pie filling)
3/4 cup milk
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350. Coat a 15x10x1 jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Line bottom and sides with wax paper; coat paper with spray. Beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and pumpkin. Add dry ingredients alternating with milk. Stir in nuts. Bake 20 minutes. Let cool and ice with cream cheese icing. (8 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 3 cups powdered sugar).

TURTLE PUMPKIN PIE
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1 graham cracker crust
1 cup cold milk
2 pkg. vanilla pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tub cool whip

Pour caramel into crust. Sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired. Beat milk, pudding mixes, pumpkin and spices until well blended. Stir in cool whip. Pour into pie crust. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

EASY CAULIFLOWER & BROCCOLI AU GRATIN
1 package frozen cauliflower
1 package frozen broccoli
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar

Microwave vegetables until tender. Mix cream cheese and milk until well blended. Add sour cream. Pour over vegetables and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Microwave 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

SALSA ROLL-UPS
1 package cream cheese
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup shredded cheese
chili powder
4 flour tortillas

Stir cream cheese and salsa together. Spread on tortillas and sprinkle with cheese and chili powder. Roll up and slice. Refrigerate.

SAUSAGE HASH BROWN CASSEROLE
2 lbs. sausage, browned
2 cups shredded cheddar
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
8 oz. French onion dip
30 oz. frozen hash brown potatoes
onion, bell pepper if desired

Combine cheese, chicken soup, sour cream, dip, onion, peppers, salt and pepper. Fold in thawed potatoes. Mix well. Spread half of hash brown mixture into bottom of 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with half of sausage. Repeat layers. Bake at 350 for about 1 hour or until casserole is golden brown. Can be made ahead and frozen.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Pork Chops, Potatoes & Gravy. Oh. My. Gosh.

***Warning : this recipe is EXTREMELY good! Be prepared to eat so much you will feel miserable!

8 medium potatoes
1/2 medium onion
salt and pepper to taste
white sauce (see recipe below)
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp. seasoned salt
8 por chops
1/3 cup oil

White sauce:
1 stick butter
1/2 cup flour
1-2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 cups milk
parsley/chives (optional)
Melt butter; remove from heat. Stir in flour; add salt and pepper. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Add milk, 1 cup at a time. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 1-2 minutes, then let stand at least 1-2 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Peel potatoes and slice. Place in well greased 9x13 pan. Cover with onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover potatoes with white sauce. Cover casserole dish with plastic wrap and microwave for 5 minutes on high or bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Mix together flour and seasoned salt. Dredge pork chops in flour mixture; lightly brown in oil. As chops are removed from frying pan, lay them on top of potatoes. Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. Serves 8.

**Many thanks to Paula Deen for creating this recipe, Ginia Oehlschlager for sharing this recipe and Jessicca Oehlschlager for preparing this recipe. IT WAS INCREDIBLE!!!! The kind of stick-to-your ribs meal that everyone loves!

Fiesta Chicken Casserole

1 package refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts)
1 jar (16 oz.) salsa
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 package (24 oz) frozen corn
2 big cans of chicken, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

Preheat oven to 400. Let the pie crusts stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or until they are easy to handle. Stir the salsa, soup, sour cream, cheese, corn, chicken and beans in a large bowl. Spoon into 13x9 baking dish. Unfold the pie crusts on a lightly floured surface. Lay the crusts side by side so that they overlap by about 3 inches in the center. Press the seam to seal. Roll the pie crust into a 14x10 rectangle. Place the pie crust over the chicken mixture. Cut several slits in the pie crust. Bake for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

**I got this recipe from the coupon insert in the Sunday paper and it was yummy! It would be easy to make and freeze ahead. It would be good with homemade crust and you could use boiled chicken instead of canned also. However, following the recipe "as is" was very quick and easy.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Fresh Apple Coffee Cake by Mrs. Martin Kleiboeker

2 c. sugar
3 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. coconut (optional)
3 c. apples, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 c. oil
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. nuts (optional)

Combnie sugar, flour, soda, salt and cinnamon. Add oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add apples. Add coconut and nuts if desired. Grease and flour bread pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

**This is a recipe from the Freistatt cookbook and it is EXCELLENT. I omitted the coconut and nuts but added about 1/2 cup of craisins. I also sprinkled the top with some sugar for that coffee cake "crust". I never peel the apples when I bake bread and it always turns out great.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

One-Pan Taco Beef and Noodle Skillet

1# lean ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
2 cups water
1 box macaroni & cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
1 large tomato, chopped
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 cup tortilla chips, broken up

Brown meat. Add seasoning mix, water and macaroni. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover. Simmer 7 minutes or ntil noodles are tender and liquid is almost completely absorbed. Stir in sour cream and cheese mix from macaroni box. Top with tomatoes, lettuce and tortilla chips.

**This ended up very much like Hamburger Helper. Joy loved it and declared it "a keeper". Quick and easy and the ingredients are stuff you probably have around the house.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes by Ginia Oehlschlager

10# potatoes
2 eggs
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp salt
16 oz. cream cheese

Peel and quarter potatoes. Cover completely with water in saucepan. Boil and cook gently until tender. Drain well. In large bowl, combine potatoes with other ingredients. Mash well. Spoon into well greezed 3 qt. or 9x13 pans. Refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze. To bake: thaw. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes or until top is golden.

**I had a big bag of potatoes that needed to be used up and this recipe was a great way to do it. I left out the eggs (something about uncooked eggs freaks me out) and added some extra butter and some leftover heavy whipping cream that I had in the fridge. Creamy, yummy goodness! Great with the stroganoff (see recipe below).

Crockpot Stroganoff by Theresa Barnett

1# lean beef cut diagonally into very thin strips
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can water
small can mushrooms (undrained, optional)
1 pkg. onion soup mix
2 cups uncooked noodles
1 carton (8 oz.) sour cream

Place beef into crockpot. Add soup, water and onion soup mix. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Add noodles. Cook an additional 30 minutes or until noodles are done. Stir in sour cream before serving.

**I used stew meat for this recipe and it turned out fantastic - so tender! I just threw the meat in there right out of the freezer and omitted the can of water. We ate it with Ginia's mashed potatoes (see recipe above).

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Garden Update
















I have been picking about a dozen strawberries per day and have picked a couple of handfuls of green beans already. The yellow squash and zucchini are coming on STRONG and I have probably 30+ tomatoes on their way. Summer fun!

Banana bread by Jessicca Oehlschlager

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
2 bananas (or more)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
cinnamon (optional)

Grease and flour pan. Heat oven to 350. Beat sugar and oil together. Add eggs, bananas, sour cream and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

**I doubled the recipe with 5 bananas and came out with 3 loaves of very moist banana bread. Excellent warm out of the oven!

Layered Ice Cream Cake by the Duggars

Makes a 9x13 pan.

24 ice crem sandwiches
8 oz. Cool Whip
1 chocolate syrup bottle
1 caramel syrup bottle
2 king size candy bars, chopped up

1st layer - 12 ice cream sandwiches
2nd - half of Cool Whip
3rd - half of candy bars, caramel and chocolate syrup

Repeat layers and freeze.

**I made this over the weekend for a camping trip. It was great! The recipe suggests Butterfingers but I prefer Snickers. I think it would be excellent with Skor or Heath bars too. A cool summer dessert that serves a crowd.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Mashed Potato soup by Yours Truly

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, diced
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 cups water
1 cup diced celery
4 cups milk
2 cups cold mashed potatoes (prepared with milk and butter)
1 can evaporated milk
salt and pepper to taste

In a soup kettle or Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the cubed potatoes, water and celery; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add milk, mashed potatoes, evaporated milk, salt and pepper. Heat through but do not boil.

*I actually found this recipe at allrecipes.com because I was looking for a way to use up leftover frozen mashed potatoes from Christmas. As usual, I left out the onion, but I did use some minced onion. I never peel my potatoes either. Joy likes soup to be very thick so I didn't add the 4 cups of milk. This really is a hearty, chunky soup. Great with grilled cheese!

Sloppy Joes by the Duggars

1 pound ground beef or turkey
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1/2 envelope dry onion soup mix
2 tsp. liquid smoke

Brown and season meat. Add all other ingredients and heat through. Serve on buns.

**I got this recipe from the Duggar's website (18 Kids and Counting on TLC). It was wonderful and I like it better than the sloppy joe sauce that comes in a can. This has a smoky/BBQ flavor that is really yummy.

Chicken & Noodles by Ginia Oehlschlager

1 chicken, cooked and deboned (or canned chicken)
2 cups chicken broth
1 pkg. frozen egg noodles
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cans cream of chicken soup.

Mix all ingredients and simmer. Can also add frozen veggies if you like.

**You would not believe how fantastic this turned out. I could have eaten the whole pot all by myself! I bought one of those rotisserie chickens from the store and there was plenty of meat. I can't wait to fix it again!

Grilled Turkey Club Quesadillas by Kraft Food & Family

2 flour tortillas (6 inch)
1 Tbsp. Miracle Whip
1/4 tsp. chili powder
4 slices turkey breast
1 slice bacon, cooked
1 slice of cheese

Spread tortillas with dressing; sprinkle with chili powder. Layer turkey, bacon and cheese. Grill for 2-3 minutes.

*This recipe is originally meant for a BBQ grill but I did it on my George Foreman with ham, Swiss cheese and that bacon you can buy that is already cooked. Joy really liked it and I didn't have to heat up the kitchen to cook during the summer. Always important because we haven't turned on our air conditioner yet!

Crockpot BBQ chicken by Jennifer Carter

4 chicken breasts
1 bottle of BBQ sauce

Put chicken in crockpot. Pour BBQ sauce on top. Cook on low for 6 or 7 hours.

It doesn't get any easier than this one! I shredded the chicken, added more BBQ sauce and we ate it like sandwiches. So simple and so yummy!

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Psalm 30:1-12, in our words

SUNDAY SCHOOLERS: My "version" is below. Make a comment with your "version" so we can all enjoy!

I will exalt You, Lord, because you have made my life worth living and have not allowed me to live without purpose.

Lord, my God, I cried to You for help, and You rescued me.

Lord, You bright me out of my sin habits; You spared me from great personal losses.

Sing to the Lord, you His faithful ones, and praise His holy name.

For His allowed hard times last only a moment, but His favor, a lifetime.

When I was secure, I said, You are my Redeemer.

Lord, when You showed Your favor, You made me fruitful despite my barrenness; when You did something I couldn't understand, I was terrified.

Lord, I called to You; I sought favor from my Lord:

"What gain is there in worldly entertainment?"

Lord, listen and be gracious to me; Lord, be my helper."

You turned my barrenness into fruitfulness; You removed my scarlet sin and clothed me with a white garment fit for a bride so that I can sing to You and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise You forever.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Peaches 'N Cream Cheesecake by Me and Kraft Food & Family Magazine

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tbsp. margarine
1 cup sugar, divided
4 pkg. cream cheese (can use light)
1 pkg. peach Jello
1 large can sliced peaches, drained
1 tub Cool Whip

Combine 1/4 cup sugar with graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press into bottom of 9x13 pan. Mix cream cheese, peach Jello, peaches and cool whip. Pour over crust. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

**I didn't want to mess with making the crust so I bought 2 graham cracker crusts instead and it made 2 very full pies. You probably could even make 3 pies. I'm sure it would work great with fresh peaches too. Absolutely delicious!

Monday, April 6, 2009

Turkey or Chicken Casserole by Naomi Shelton

1 1/2 c macaroni (cooked)
1 jar Cheese Whiz
1 1/2 cup diced cooked chicken or turkey, or use canned
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350. Stir all ingredients together, pour into casserole dish and bake for 30-45 minutes. Sprinkle shredded cheddar on top (optional).

**I threw in a couple of handfuls of frozen broccoli and it turned out great!

Bean dish by Janey Hood

3 cans of beans (black beans, navy beans, any kind you like), undrained
1 can Rotel
1 can corn
1 cup brown rice
ground beef (optional)

Throw it all together, bring it to a boil, put it in your crock pot and you're done!

**I added about a pound of Velveeta to this and left out the rice. Very hearty for a cold day!

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake

1 1/2 cups penne pasta
1 pkg. fresh spinach leaves
1 lb. chicken bresats, cut up
1 tsp. dried basil
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
2 oz. cream cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375. Cook pasta, adding spinach to boiling water for last 1 minute. Cook and stir chicken and basil in non-stick skillet for 3 minutes. Add sauce and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Stir in cream cheese. Drain pasta mixture; return to pan. Stir in chicken mixture and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Spoon into 2-quart baking dish. Bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake 3 minutes.

**I got this recipe from the Kraft magazine. A great way to sneak in a vegetable with the spinach leaves.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Beef Burgundy by Mindy Schiman

Stew meat
2 packets dry onion soup mix
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 Tbsp. burgundy wine
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Place meat into 9x13 or crockpot. Spread soup over meat. Sprinkle onion soup on top. Drizzle wine and Worcestershire over all. Cover and bake at 250 degrees (or on low for crock) for 6 hours. Serve over cooked rice.

**Oh my goodness, this one was fantastic! This recipe was Mindy's grandmother's. Even better the next day! I used 2 packages of stew meat (approximately 2 pounds) and found the burgundy wine by the salad dressing and vinegar at the grocery store. We ate it over mashed potatoes instead of rice but I'm sure it would be fantastic with the rice too. EXCELLENT!

Ranch Stew by Mindy Schiman

Brown 1.5 lbs hamburger with one diced onion (optional). Drain, put in crockpot. Add 2 cans Ranch style beans, 3 cans minestrone soup and 2 cans of Rotel. Cook on low. Serve with cornbread or tortilla chips (best with tortilla chips).

**Joy isn't much for soup but he liked this one because it is thick and hearty. Makes a BIG batch. In fact, I froze half of it to eat another day. We ate it with tortilla "scoops" and a little dab of sour cream.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Cheesy Potato Soup by Yours Truly

6 potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 Tbsp. parsley flakes
5 cups water
Salt & pepper to taste
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 evaporated milk
1/2 to 1 lb. Velveeta

Cook potatoes, celery, carrots and onion in the water and bouillon, salt and pepper. When tender, add evaporated milk, margarine, parsley and Velveeta. Heat on low so cheese doesn't stick. Serve topped with chives, if desired.

**My favorite potato soup recipe, hands down. I leave out the onion, as usual. Yum-O!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast by Janet Weldy

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pouch dry onion soup mix
6 small red potatoes, halved
6 medium carrots, cut up
3 to 3 1/2 pound boneless beef bottom round roast or chuck pot roast

Stir soup, onion soup mix, potatoes and carrots in 5 quart slow cooker. Add beef and turn to coat. Cover and cook on low 8 to 9 hours or until beef is fork tender.

**Yummy, classic recipe!

Monday, March 2, 2009

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas by Gayle Cameron

1 large container sour cream
2 packages cream cheese
1 can cream fo chicken soup
4 cups cooked chicken breast
1 can diced green chiles
1 onion, chopped finely
12 oz. can evaporated milk
12 flour tortillas
12 oz. jack cheese, shredded

Mix sour cream, cream cheese, chicken soup, chiles and chopped onion together. Microwave until melted and well blended. Thin with evaporated milk if needed. Spray a 9x13 pan with Pam. Spread a small amount of sauce on bottom of baking dish. Spread a small amount of sauce on each tortilla and place 1/3 cup chicken inside. Roll tortillas and place seam down in baking pan. Spread leftover sauce over tortillas. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

**These taste like Maggie Mae's! I actually split this recipe in half for just the two of us and used 2 big cans of chicken because I had them on hand. As always, I left out the chiles and onion. Yum-O!

Easy Chicken & Rice

4 chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 package Rice-A-Roni chicken flavor
2 tbsp. margarine or butter
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup frozen or canned peas
1/2 cup chopped red or green bell pepper

Sprinkle chicken withp aprika; set aside. Saute rice and vermicelli mix in margarine until golden brown. Add water, chicken and seasoning packet. Bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat to medium/low. Simmer 15 minutes. Stir in peas and bell pepper. Cover; simmer 5 minutes more or until liquid is absorbed and chicken is no longer pink inside. Let stand 5 minutes.

**I left out the paprika and bell pepper and used chicken thighs because Joy likes dark meat. Quick and easy!

Monday, February 23, 2009

Taco Soup

1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 cans mild chili beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 1/2 cup water
shredded cheddar
sour cream
Scoops chips

Brown beef with onions. Place all remaining ingredients except cheese, sour cream and chips into slow cooker. Cook on low all day. Serve topped with cheese and sour cream. Crumble chips or use instead of a spoon!

**This one was so good we almost licked the bottom of the crockpot. Joy isn't much for soup but he really liked this one. Good and hearty!

Slow Cooker French Beef Dip Sandwiches by Lisa Curl

3 pound boneless beef chuck roast
1 can French onion soup
1 can beef consomme
1 can beef broth
1 tsp. beef bouillon
8 French or Italian rolls, split

Halve roast and place both halves into a slow cooker. Pour the soup, consomme, broth and bouillon over the roast. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until meat is tender. Remove meat and shred with two forks. Serve on rolls. Skim fat from cooking juices and serve as a dipping sauce.

**This has been one of my favorite recipes for years. My sister makes this for me almost every time we come to visit. Her name for it is Soupy Roast but I have always called it Stewy Meat. No matter the name, this one is great!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Lazy Day Lasagna

1 carton cottage cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
1/3 cup parsley
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/8 tsp. pepper
32 oz. spaghetti sauce
1 pound ground beef/turkey/sausage
9 lasagna noodles, uncooked
3/4 cup. water

In large bowl, mix cheeses, eggs, parsley, onion powder, basil and pepper until well blended; set aside. In medium bowl, mix together spaghetti sauce and cooked meat. In 9x13 baking dish, spread 3/4 cup meat sauce. Layer 3 uncooked noodles and top with meat sauce. Spread with 1/2 of cottage cheese mixture and 1 1/2 cup meat sauce. Layer 3 more noodles on top of meat sauce. Spread with remaining cottage cheese mixture. Top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining meat sauce. Pour water around edges.

Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil for freezing. To serve, thaw and bake covered (don't forget to remove the plastic wrap) at 375 for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before eating. To bake from frozen stage, add 30 minutes to total baking time.

**This is my tried-and-true lasagna recipe. I love it because you don't have to cook the noodles. I usually make several of these at a time and keep the rest in the freezer. I have quite a large collection of baking dishes that I have accumulated here and there from yard sales and thrift stores. I have made up to six of these at once. It's so easy to grab it out of the freezer, throw it in the oven and have a really good dinner on the table.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Slow Cooker Barbecue Pork Sandwiches by Lisa Curl

1 can beef broth
3 pounds boneless pork ribs
1 18-ounce bottle barbecue sauce
12 French sandwich rolls, split

Pour the can of beef broth into slow cooker and add ribs. Cook on high heat for 4 hours, or until meat shreds easily. Remove meat and drain. Using two forks, pull meat apart to shred it. It may not seem like it's working right away, but keep working at it and it will. Stir in the entire bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce. Cover and cook on high for another 30 minutes or until completely heated through. Fill split rolls. Serves 12.

**I screwed up on this one but thankfully it turned out okay if you go ahead and cook the ribs in the broth and the barbecue sauce! This one was YUMMY!

Mashed Potato Soup by Rachael Ray

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
6 slices bacon, chopped
4 tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, chopped
4 tbsp. flour
1 quart chicken stock
2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped chives for garnish

In a medium pot or Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove back to a paper-towel lined plate and reserve. Drain off excess bacon fat from the pot and add butter. When it is melted, add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour into the pot and cook with a wooden spoon for 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken stock and bring to a bubble. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Whisk in mashed potatoes, then stir in the cheddar cheese with a wooden spoon and cook until the potatoes are hot and the cheese is melted.

**I froze some leftover mashed potatoes from Christmas just to try this recipe. I left the bacon out to spare the calories but I'm sure it would be great. I left out the onion and chives as usual. Joy isn't much for soup but I really liked this one.

Orange Pop Chicken by Jane Clifton (my sister)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can diet orange pop
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cups instant rice

Place chicken in crockpot. Combine soy sauce and orange pop in medium bowl. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. During the last hour, remove chicken and stir in instant rice and place chicken back on top of rice. Cook for 1 hour then serve.

**My sister just uses regular rice and puts it in at the beginning of the recipe and lets it cook all day. I confess that I cheated and left the rice out altogether. I ran through Bamboo Gardens drive-thru and got some there instead!

Monday, February 2, 2009

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp. oil for sauteing
2 pounds chicken, baked or boiled, chopped or shredded
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel
1 can beef broth
1 can chicken broth
1 can tomato soup
1 1/2 cans of water
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce

Saute onion and garlic in oil, adding more oil if needed. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 30-35 minutes. Cool. Freeze in freezer bags.

Serve with tortilla chips, grated cheese and sour cream.

**This one was FANTASTIC! As usual, I left out the onion (used a few onion flakes instead because I can usually sneak those past Joy). I used minced garlic as well. I also used Progresso Tomato Basil soup because I had a coupon. I used mild Rotel and left out the Tabasco because we are wimpy when it comes to spicy food. I cooked the whole thing in the crockpot all day and we ate every last bite. Very good on those snowy and icy days we had last week!

Tater Tot Casserole

2 pounds ground beef
1 packet meatloaf seasoning
1 can cream of celery soup
1 pound Velveeta
1 bag tater tots

Brown beef and stir in meatloaf seasoning mix. Place in greased 9x13 pan. Spread soup over meat. Slice Velveeta and arrange over soup. Top with tater tots. Bake for 30-45 minutes at 350.

**This is an old stand-by from back in the day when Joy and I were dating. It is easy to prepare several of these in advance and keep them in the freezer. I actually split the recipe in half when I make it just for us. Great to keep on hand in case someone gets sick or has a baby, etc. You can use any kind of "cream of" soup and it's no big deal if you don't have the meatloaf seasoning either. You can use taco seasoning, or even just plain salt and pepper.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Creamy Chicken & Tortillas by Michelle Duggar

4 c. cooked chicken, diced
1 dozen corn tortillas
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. jar salsa
1 c. sour cream
1 c. cheddar cheese

Combine the soups, salsa and sour cream in a bowl and blend well. Grease the crockpot and make 2-3 layers of chicken, tortillas and sauce. Cook on low heat for 4-5 hours. Add the cheese 15 min. before eating.

**This one was fantastic. We like flour tortillas better and will make it with those next time.

Taquito-Enchilada Bake

20 oz. can red enchilada sauce
20 oz. box shredded beef or chicken taquitos
16 oz. can refried beans, heated
1/3 cup diced onion, red or green bell peppers
1 1/2 cup Mexican-blend cheese
Sour cream

Preheat oven to 375. Pour 1/3 of enchilada sauce into 9x13 baking dish. Spread half taquitos over enchilada sauce. Evenly sperad heated refried beans over taquitos. Use 1/3 more enchilada sauce, half onion mixture and half shredded cheese. Top with remaining taquitos and enchilada sauce. Bake, covered, for 25 minutes or until heated through. The last 5 minutes, uncover and top with remaining cheese. Garnish with remaining onion mixture and sour cream.

**Again, I left out the onion and bell peppers. Joy LOVED this one!

Cheeseburger Sandwiches by Ginia Oehlschlager

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 tsp. garlic pepper
8 oz. Velveeta, diced
2 Tbsp. milk
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
Sandwich buns

Cook beef and garlic until brown. Drain. Mix in remaining ingredients and cook on low heat in crock pot until ready. Fill buns.

**I left out the bell pepper and onion. This one was excellent!

Chicken Macaroni Casserole

3 cups chicken, cooked & cubed
2 cups elbow maracroni, uncooked
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 1/2 cups water with 3 tsp. chicken bouillon granules dissolved
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
8 oz. jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
2 oz. jar sliced pimentos, drained
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
4 cups herb-flavored stuffing mix
1/2 cup butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except stuffing and butter. Transfer to greased 13x9 dish. Refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Toss stuffing mix with butter and sprinkle over casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 50-55 minutes.

**We are having this one tonight. I left out the water chestnuts, green pepper and pimentos because we don't like them. It only took a few minutes to throw this one together.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

A college graduate in the family
























































My oldest niece, Jessica Kathryn Clifton, has received her Bachelor's Degree from Tulsa University. We celebrated with her as she received her diploma on December. She begins her Master's Degree in January so it is right back to the books!

Christmas Recap



































































What a whirlwind was this holiday season! Parties galore, time spent with family and friends. Christmas is my favorite time of the year and it always goes by too fast. Here are a few snapshots to commemorate the fun that was had by all!