Cajun Pasta

This is the most popular dinner at my house right now.

1 pkg. bowtie pasta (or any pasta)

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in chunks

Cajun seasoning

1¼ t. salt, divided

¼ C. butter

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 C. sliced mushrooms

2 green onions, sliced

1½ C. cream (I have used whole milk in a pinch)

¼ t. lemon pepper

¼ t. dried basil

¼ t. garlic powder

Boil pasta according to package directions. Sprinkle chicken generously with Cajun seasoning and 1 t. salt. Melt ¼ C. butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until done; remove chicken. Add to the skillet and sauté until tender and liquid evaporates. Add red and green peppers and green onions and saute a couple more minutes. Return chicken to skillet. Stir in cream, lemon pepper, basil, garlic powder, and remaining ¼ t. salt. Cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat until heated. Add pasta; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Stuffed French Toast

I like to make this for Clint on our anniversary. It reminds us of the yummy french toast served at The Merry Inn - a delightful bed and breakfast we stayed at on our honeymoon.

1/2 C. cream cheese
3 T. of your favorite jam (homemade apricot pineapple is my fave)
2 T. chopped pecans
12 slices of your favorite bread

Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. (Or just use the whipped kind.) Stir in jam and pecans. Spread onto 6 slices of bread and top with remaining bread to make sandwiches. Cut each sandwich in half diagonally to form triangles.
Make a french toast mix by combining eggs, milk, a splash of vanilla and some cinnamon. Dip both sides of each triangle in egg mixture and cook. When both sides are done, I stand them up on the cut side to brown it just a tad so it isn't soggy. Top with a bit of your favorite syrup. YUM!

Club Cracker Chicken

This has become one of our favorite family quick-fixes!! The whole family is crazy about it, and we NEVER have leftovers!! Even the boys get excited to eat this dish...and for anyone who knows our Dryden...that is really saying something!! Enjoy!

Defrost desired number of chicken tenderloins, boneless and sprinkle lightly with baking soda (to maintain moisture).

Completely smash up a single pack of club crackers.

Immerse tenderloins in melted butter and then cover in cracker crumbs.

Place breaded tenderloins in greased bakind dish in a single layer.

Sprinkle remaining crumbs over entire dish, salt and pepper to taste.

(we usually drizzle a little melted butter over top entire dish as well!)

Bake at 375' for 30 minutes.

Easy and delicious!!!!

Yummy Homemade Oreos

Cookie Ingredients:
1 Devil's food cake mix
2 eggs
3/4 cup softened butter

Frosting Ingredients:
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup softened butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Mix cookie ingredients together well. Roll into small balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350' for just about 8 minutes. Let cool until warm. Frost with cream cheese frosting and sandwich together.

Enjoy these tasty treats!!!!

Bow Tie Romaine Salad

This one may not sound appealing as you read the ingredients. It's a little different. One time when Matt, Ali, Mike, and Kamala were all here, I told them what I was making and I think they were all a bit leery of it. So they were all pleasantly surprised at how yummy it actually was. We had no leftovers and they all wanted the recipe. Give it a try. It's a great summer salad.
Disclaimer: Although the adults loved it, most of the kids didn't. I usually make this one when entertaining adults, and have a regular kid friendly salad for the kiddies.

Salad:
8 c. spinach or romaine lettuce (I like Romaine)
8 oz. bow tie pasta cooked, rinsed, and cooled to room temperature
1 bunch green onion, chopped
¼ c. cilantro, chopped
¼ c. salted sunflower seeds (optional)
½ c. red and yellow bell chopped (you can use red only or even tomatoes)
2-3 chicken breasts boiled and shredded

Dressing:
*½ c. oil
2/3 c. soy sauce
2/3 c. rice vinegar
6 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. pepper
¼ c. sesame seeds (optional)

*I don’t add oil to the marinade; I add it to the salad and mix just before the chicken.
Marinate cooked, shredded chicken in dressing at least 2 hours. When ready to serve, mix all other ingredients together and add chicken with dressing.
Sometimes if I'm not going to need that much for one meal I'll keep the dressing separate from the salad in the refrigerator and mix it the next day for leftovers.
Serve with a focaccia bread or breadsticks. Enjoy!

Corn Salsa

This is one of our favorites.

1 can corn, drained
1 can black eyed peas, rinsed and drained
3 plum (roma) tomatoes, chopped
2 ripe avocados, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 bunch (or less, to taste) cilantro, chopped
1 packet good seasons italian dressing, mixed with oil and vinegar as per directions (do not add the water, there will be plenty of that in the salsa)

Combine all ingredients well in a bowl. You may not need all the dressing. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. It is best to make a little ahead so that flavors can meld, but take it out of the fridge a little before serving so it is room temperature.
Serve with tortilla chips.
Enjoy!!!

Beanie Weenie Casserole

This was a yummy meal that my mom fixed for us when we were little. It was quick to make and fairly cheap too. Enjoy!

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion chopped
1 can pork & beans
1- 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
fritos corn chips

Brown hamburger with onion. Drain fat. In separate bowl mix together tomato sauce, brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, vinegar, and worcestershire sauce. In a 9 in. round casserole dish, layer half of the pork & beans, half of the hamburger, half of the tomato sauce mixture, and half of the cheese. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Bake, covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve over fritos.

Taco Chicken

Cheryl - here is a yummy easy dinner that my kids actually like.

12 chicken tenderloins
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup milk
1 cup cheese (I like cheddar)

Place chicken in 9x13 pan. Mix all other ingredients and pour over chicken. Top with broken taco shells (or tortilla chips), then sprinkle with a bit more cheese. Bake at 350 until chicken is done.
Serve over rice with broccoli or a side salad.

Em's Easy Wraps

4 to 6 large flour tortillas
3/4 cup ranch dressing
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 head iceberg lettuce, very thinly sliced
1/2 pound pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
1 cup pitted black olives, chopped
1 cup red bell peppers, chopped
1/2 pound smoked or buffalo-style turkey, thinly sliced
Handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered

Make the sauce by combining the ranch dressing and barbecue sauce in a small bowl and stir until blended. Layer each ingredient on half of the tortilla. Start with a bit of sauce (there'll be plenty left to serve on the side as well), then add the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, avocado, olives, and peppers, using as much of each as you like. End with some turkey. Fold in each side of the tortilla and begin rolling the wrap from the end with the filling. Tuck in the filling as you roll. Slice each wrap in the center, on the bias, with a sharp serrated knife and serve (with the extra sauce in a bowl). Makes 4 to 6 wraps.

Obviously this is one that you could add anything you want, or omit anything you want, according to your (or your children's) tastes. The sauce is surprisingly tasty and the flavors blend so well - this was the very first "wrap" I've ever made and we loved them! I made a "nuts about berries" salad to go with it and felt like I was eating out at Zupa's or something. Yum.

Jeter loves these in his lunchbox, so I'll just do about 2 parts ranch to 1 part bbq sauce and throw in a little ham or turkey and cheese and voila! A non PBJ sack lunch.

Yummy Black Bean Soup

1 cup tomato salsa
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Sour cream (optional)

Combine the salsa, beans and broth in a pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the soup, covered, for 15 minutes. Let the soup cool slightly, then ladle half of it into a food processor or blender and puree it. Return the pureed soup to the pot. Stir in the lime juice and chopped cilantro and heat the mixture through. Serve the soup warm, topped with a dollop of sour cream, if desired. Makes 4 servings

I like to serve it with nachos or quesadillas.
So easy!

White Chicken Chili

This is my one of my favorite soups.

1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
2 chicken breasts, cubed
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 (14oz) can chicken broth
2 (4oz) cans green chilies
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp. oregano
2 cans great northern or white beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 c. whipping cream or heavy cream

green onions

shredded cheese

Heat oil, add chicken and onions with garlic powder. Cook 4-5 min. Stir in chicken broth, green chilies, cumin, oregano, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Simmer 5 min. Stir in drained rinsed beans. Simmer uncovered for 30 min. Remove from heat and add sour cream and whipping cream. Garnish with green onions and cheese on top and serve with tortilla chips.

If your family can't take a little spice then omit the cayenne pepper. If you need a little more, use jalapeno cheese. I think the recipe has the perfect amount of spice – you can taste it, but it doesn’t hurt.

Lemon Truffle Pie

*Ok Debbie, A year later here it goes.

1 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons flour
1 Cup water
2 Egg Yolks
1 Tablespoon butter
1/3 Cup lemon juice
1 1/2 Cups vanilla milk chips (preferably Nestle)
1 8 oz Package cream cheese softened

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and flour in heavy saucepan. With wire wisk, stir in water until smooth. Cook over medium heat until boiling, stirring constantly. Cook 2 minutes. Stir about 1/4 cup of cooked mixture into eggs yolks and blend. Return egg yolk mixture to sauce pan and cook 2 more minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in butter and lemon juice.

Transfer 1/2 cup of cooked lemon filling to small bowl with the vanilla milk chips. Set rest of lemon filling aside. Microwave the chip mixture on low 1-2 minutes stirring occasionally, until chips are melted. Beat cream cheese and add vanilla chip/lemon filling mixture and beat well. Spread into baked and cooled pie crust. Spoon remaining lemon filling over the cream cheese layer. Refridgerate 4 hours to set. Top with whipped cream.

* this is how the recipe is written, I like the lemon so much I sometimes make just a little more than called for. It is really good on its own as well served with whipped cream.

So Good Soup

2 large cans of diced or stewed tomatoes
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, washed and bulk of stems cut off
1 small can of mild chilis
8 C. chicken broth (canned or homemade)
1 T. cumin
1 bag leaf, broken in half to release flavor
1/2 t. pepper
1 T. onion powder
3/4 t. garlic powder
2 C. cooked rice
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 C. chopped, cooked chicken

In a blender, pulse the canned tomatoes, cilantro, and chilis until chopped up but still a little chunky. Pour this mixture into a soup pot and add the other ingredients. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve each bowl of soup topped with a bit of shredded cheese. So good! Even my boy who won't each any other soup will eat this.

request for easy dinner ideas

hey all! We're tired of eating the same things over and over. Any suggestions for your family's favorite meal or any easy dinner?

Request: Kamala's lemon pie

I would love the recipe for the lemon truffle pie Kamala made for Thanksgiving :)

Alan's Apple Crisp

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Bake Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Crust

1 yellow cake mix package

2 cups white/all-purpose flour

1 1/3 cups melted butter

2-4 Tbspn cold water

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

½ cup brown sugar

3 Tbspn cinnamon

1 Tbspn pure vanilla

1 Tbspn flour

½ tspn nutmeg

5 large red-gala apples (or apples of your choice)

With pastry tool, mix cake mix, flour and melted butter until doughy. With hands, kneed dough adding cold water until reaching desired consistency. Form dough in to small snowballs and grate dough into pan with cheese grater. Using extra grated dough, form a lightly-packed wall of crust around the pan.

Wash and peel apples. With slice-grater, take apples and slice-grate apples into a bowl. Rinse and thoroughly drain. If desired, sprinkle pure lemon juice on top of apples to prevent browning. Place layer of sliced apples into prepared crust until almost even with crust walls. Sprinkle layer of cinnamon-sugar on top of apples (9 inch by 9 inch pan shouldn’t call for full mixture, but this is what I always use. Remaining sugar mixture can be saved in zip-lock bag for next time or for Bob's cinnamon rolls.). Grate dough on top of apples and cinnamon-sugar to create top crust of roughly ¼ inch thickness.

Preheat oven to 375 and bake for 40-45 minutes.

Soft Ginger Snaps

This delicious recipe is from Clint's aunt Michelle.

1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Cream sugar and shortening, add egg and molasses. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Chill. Roll into walnut size balls and roll in sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 for 11 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen.

Notes:
I don't usually take the time to chill the dough and mine turn out fine.
I roll cookies in powdered sugar, but granulated would work too.

Cafe Rio Burrito Meal

Meal makes about 10-15 burritos

Pulled Sweet Pork

3-4 lb. pork roast
1 12 oz. can coke
2 cups brown sugar
1 16 oz. salsa

Put your roast in the crock-pot; fill crock-pot halfway up with water. Cook on high for 5 hours. Drain off water and remove all fat. Cut pork into thirds. Mix coke, brown sugar, and salsa together and pour on top of the pork. Cook an additional 3 hours on high. Shred pork with fork. Leave on low until ready to serve. **Note: because I like my pork more sweet than spicey, I only use about half of the 16 oz. salsa. But use it to taste.**

Lime Cilantro Rice

3 cups long grain rice
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 bunch of cilantro
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp oil
4 cups water

Chop garlic and cilantro finely. Heat oil in skillet, add cilantro and garlic. Add rice. Saute 3-5 minutes. Transfer to pot. Put 4 cups water and lime juice in pot with rice. Bring water to boil, reduce heat to low, cover for 20-25 minutes. Take off heat and keep covered until ready to serve.

Enchilada Verde Sauce

2 lbs. green tomatillos
1-2 jalapenos
3 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. salt

Clean thin dry skins off tomatillos. Chop tomatillos and garlic coarsely. Boil all ingredients together until soft. Cool 30 minutes. Puree in food processor. Yeilds 3 cups. Thin with chicken stock if too thick. **May want to double recipe for large groups.**

Creamy Tomatillo Salad Dressing

1 pkg. buttermilk ranch salad dressing mix
1/2 pint buttermilk
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tomatillos
2 cloves garlic
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Blend all ingredients in blender. Makes a really good dip. Also good on top of burritos.

Mesquite Lime Chicken

Makes 6 servings
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tbls. McCormick Grill Mates Mesquite Seasoning
2 tblsp. vegetable oil
2 tblsp. honey
1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Mix lime juice, mesquite seasoning, oil, and honey in small bowl. Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add marinade; turn to coat well. Refigerate 15 minutes or longer for extra flavor. Remove chicken from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade. Grill over medium heat 12-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, turning frequently. Remove from heat and slice in thin strips.

**We like to cook our burritos enchilada style by smothering enchilada verde sauce and cheese over formed burritos and broiling on cookie sheets until cheese is melted.**

Request for Emma's Gingersnap cookies

Aubrey requested this recipe on New Year's Eve.
Test for Request label

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Boil    2 1/2 cups water in a large pan
Add:  4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
          1/2 cup celery, chopped
          2 cups carrots, chopped
          1 cup onion, chopped

Steam vegetables for 20 minutes.  Then,
Add:  1 10 oz pkg chopped broccoli

Steam again for 7 minutes

While vegetables cook, in a separate pan:
Make a basic roux:

Melt     1/2 cup butter
             1/4 cup flour
Cook until bubbles for 1 minute

Slowly Add:
              2 cups milk
              3 chicken bullion cubes
              1/2 tsp pepper
              1 Tblsp dry mustard

When mixture thickens and vegetables are cooked:
Add to vegetables without draining water:
               cream mixture
               1 pound velveeta cheese, cut into pieces

Stir until well mixed.

Serving tip:  This is a great soup for serving in bread bowls.