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Thursday, March 28, 2013

Easy Chic & Dumps

Like Grandma's Chicken & Dumplin's
Made: March 25, 2013

Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
- 2 soup cans water
- 4 teaspoons flour
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Directions
- Mix chicken, soups, water, flour, bouillon and pepper in slow cooker
- Cut biscuits into quarters and gently stir into mixture
- Cover & cook on low for 4-6 hours

Really good taste. I like the biscuits as the dumplin's, they bring a nice taste to the dish. As for the soups, I used one can of chicken and one can of celery and I used 2 bouillon cubes since I don't have granules.

(Recipe used: Crock-Pot suppers)

Friday, March 15, 2013

Green Brownies

St. Patty’s Day Brownies
Made: March 15, 2013

Ingredients
- 1 box Betty Crocker® fudge brownie mix (plus eggs, water and oil listed on the package, prepared according to box directions) - or your favorite brownie mix
- 1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp vanilla
- green food coloring

Direction
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray
- Pour prepared brownie batter into the prepared 9 x 13 inch dish
- In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until well blended
- Beat in the egg, flour, vanilla, and food coloring until well blended and smooth
- Drop cream cheese mixture by tablespoonfuls evenly on top of batter
- With knife, cut through mixture a few times to marble
- Bake as directed on brownie mix box or until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean
- Cool completely, about 1 hour and cut into squares
- Store in refrigerator

I wanted to do something else for St Patrick's day this year, but I think the cream cheese mixture was too much for these brownies. I probably would only use 1 tsp of vanilla vs a tbsp and I would omit the flour completely. They still taste scrumptious, but there is just something off about them. I used 5 drops of food coloring for this

(Recipe used: Real Mom Kitchen)

Rice & Beans

Salsa, Black Bean, and Rice Salad
Made: March 14, 2013

Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked long grain rice, chilled
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped yellow or red sweet pepper
- 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
- 1 cup bottled picante sauce or salsa
- 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno chile peppers, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (optional)
- Lettuce leaves
- 1/2 cup fat-free or reduced-fat sour cream

Directions
- In large bowl, stir together chilled rice, beans, tomatoes, sweet pepper, corn, onions, and cilantro; add picante sauce or salsa
- Toss to coat
- Stir in cheese, if using
- Line six salad bowls or plates with lettuce leaves
- Top with rice mixture
- Serve with sour cream

I made this with a couple exceptions. (When don't I?) I didn't add in the cilantro or green peppers and I used cheese without the jalapeno chile peppers in it. But I did love the flavor the chili and sour cream gave the mixture. I made mine more like a layered salad. I had my lettuce (strips) on the bottom and then I added the rice. Next came the mixture and then I topped it with the cheese (cheddar and Mozzarella). I really liked this for there not including a main protein.

(Recipe used: Better Homes & Gardens)

Friday, March 8, 2013

Chees'd up Tuna

Sarah's Tuna Casserole Supreme
Made: March 8, 2013

Ingredients
- 16 oz package wide egg noodles, uncooked
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 1 - 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 6oz cans tuna, drained
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 can golden mushroom souo
- 1/2 pound pasteurized process cheese spread, cubed
- 1 can peas, drained
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup potato chips, crushed
- Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions
- Cook noodles as packages directs, drain and set aside
- In a large skillet over medium-heat, sauté onion and celery in butter until translucent
- Add cooked noodles to skillet
- Stir in tuna, soups and cheese spread
- Cook until blended and cheese is melted, one to two minutes
- Stir in peas
- Transfer to lightly greased baking pan
- Top with cheddar cheese
- Bake, uncovered for at 350 F for 20-25 minutes, until hot and bubbly
- Top with crushed potato chips
- Return to oven and bake an additional 5-10 minutes, until chips are golden

I love the cheesiness to this recipe. I didn't use an onion and I used 2 cans of Cream of Celery soup instead. I cooked it for about 12 minutes until the cheese was melted enough to top with potato chips then baked for 8 more minutes.

(Recipe used: Gooseberry Patch; Mom's very best recipes)

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Non-lasagna

Easy Bowtie Lasagna
Made: March 6, 2013

Ingredients
- 16 oz package bowtie pasta, uncooked
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 32 oz jar spaghetti sauce
- 8 oz container sour cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan chese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions
- Cook pasta as package directs, drain and set aside
- In a skillet over medium heat, brown beef and onion, drain
- Add spaghetti sauce to skillet and simmer for 5 minutes
- Mix cooked pasta with sour cream, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder
- In a greased 13x9 pan, layer half of beef mixture and half of pasta mixture
- Repeat layers
- Top with Mozzarella cheese
- Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for about 30 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted

Along with the sour cream, I added in a couple spoons of cream cheese. It's not lasagna without cream cheese!! Overall, I really liked this recipe. I didn't use an onion, so I used Onion flakes instead, just to get that flavor. I also didn't use all the same measurements listed; I only used about 8 oz of pasta and 24 oz of sauce.

(Recipe used: Gooseberry Patch; Mom's very best recipes)

Monday, March 4, 2013

Deviled Eggs How To

Traditional Deviled Eggs
Made: March 4, 2013

Ingredients
- 6 hard boiled eggs
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
- 1/3 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt

My Fool-Proof way to make Hard Boiled Eggs
- Place eggs into pot
- Fill with cold tap water until eggs are under water (about an inch over eggs)
- Bring to boil
- Once the water is at a rapid boil, begin the timer; 9 minutes
- After the 9 minutes is up, place pot (with eggs and water) in sink
- Run cold tap water into pot and eggs until water is cool

Directions
- Slice your eggs vertically (long sided)
- Remove yolks into a medium-sized bowl for your filling, place your egg whites in carry case/plate
- Mix together the egg yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper until blended and smooth
- Fill the centers of the eggs with your filling

I'm not fancy, I don't pipe my filling in. I just spoon it and move on. You may adjust the recipe to make more than 12 deviled eggs or to adjust the filling according to your taste. If you want more bite, mustard (you can also use Dijon). If you're more for mild, mayo is for you. There are other variations and fancier versions of Deviled Eggs, but we usually just go for the traditional route.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Baked Asparagus

Parmesan Roasted Asparagus with Cod Cake
Made: March 1, 2013

Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
- Place asparagus in an un-greased baking pan
- Drizzle with oil, toss to coat
- Sprinkle with cheese, lemon pepper and salt
- Bake at 400 F for 20-25 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally

I didn't make the Cod Cake; we bought them from our local church. But I baked mine along with the asparagus (about 5 per person, so 15 stalks altogether) for 25 minutes at 400 F. I put Old Bay and some butter on top of my cake. Asparagus were cooked as to the recipe recommendations. Everything came out yummy :)

(Recipe used: Taste of Home Quick Cooking Annual Recipes 2013)