Salisbury Steak Meatballs

I found this recipe on Pinterest. A friend suggested some things she had changed and then I made a couple more. I apologize in advance that there are no pictures. (See original recipe for pics of the deliciousness!) My family gobbled it all up so fast, I didn't have a chance to take any pictures. I'll remedy that later & update the post. Take my word for it, this recipe is delicious! Here's the recipe with my changes:

*indicates my changes

For meatballs:
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used the plain ones I had on hand)
1 egg
*2 large cloves garlic, pressed 
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup coarse grain mustard (I used dijon mustard I had on hand and did just under 1/4 cup)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp onion powder
2 Tbsp olive oil (for frying)

For gravy:
2 Tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped fine and set aside
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
*1 can Campbell's beef consommé
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1 Tbsp ketchup
Parsley for garnish (optional)

*Mashed Potatoes:

4 large russet potatoes 

1 cube butter

1/4-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Note: I prefer to make the meatballs ahead earlier in the day. It makes the balancing of cooking the meatballs, dicing potatoes for mashed potatoes, turning the meatballs, and all that so much easier! Before I start cooking the meatballs, I also premeasure the gravy ingredients and set aside for quick adding.

In a bowl, mix everything for meatballs together except for the olive oil. Roll into 1" balls. Should make close to 40 meatballs. (I think got just under 40.)

In a skillet, over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Add meatballs, about 20 at a time -depending on the size of your pan. (Mine was a 12" pan.) Don't overcrowd the meatballs. You want plenty of space to be able to turn them over. The original recipes suggests leaving 1/2" buffer zone around the meatballs to avoid meatballs falling apart. Cook the meatballs well on all sides (you want them completely cooked on the inside). Take cooked meatballs out and set aside. I put mine on a plate with foil over them. Repeat with remaining meatballs.

For the gravy, once the meatballs are all done cooking, add the butter and onions to the pan. Using a rubber, heat resistant spatula, stir the butter and onions around. You'll pick up all that yummy goodness left behind by the meatballs. It will add excellent flavor to your sauce. In a bowl, add the cornstarch to the consommé and whisk well to get rid of any lumps. Keep stirring the onions around until they are softened and translucent. Add in the consommé/cornstarch mixture as well as the other gravy ingredients. Mix well with spatula and allow to thicken. This will take about 3-5 minutes. I like to lower the temperature to low after it thickens and add the meatballs at this point. I cover the pan while I finish mashing the potatoes.

Mashed Potatoes directions: 

Peel and dice potatoes. Boil until tender. Drain and pour potatoes into bowl for mixing or into bosch mixer. With mixer or in bosch (with whisk attachment), beat potatoes with butter, cream, and salt and pepper. Add small dashes of extra cream if needed. These mix up fast. Don’t over mix. Taste test for fluffiness as well for taste. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve meatballs over mashed potatoes and enjoy! Absolutely delicious!!!

Adapted from Jo Cooks.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, diced (as fine as you prefer)

2 cloves finely minced

1-2 cups* cooked long grain rice (not instant), *see note below

4 cups beef broth (I like Pacific beef broth in the box)

2 cans Campbell’s Beef Consommé

2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained

2-4 green bell peppers**, chopped (I like mine cut small), **see note below

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper 

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, plus a small dash

Cook long grain rice according to package directions. In a large pot (at least 3.5 qt size), brown hamburger with onion and garlic until beef is no longer pink. Drain any grease from hamburger mixture. Add beef broth, beef consommé, tomatoes, green peppers, brown sugar, salt, pepper, Worcestershire and rice. Turn heat up to medium high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid, and simmer for 35-45 minutes.

Serve with saltine crackers. This soup gets even better the next day and makes great leftovers.

*Note: I prefer only 1 cup of rice because I like more broth in my soup and, if there are leftovers, the rice soaks up plenty of the broth. If you like your soup less "brothy," then use two cups of rice. The result will be a slightly thicker soup and that is still delicious

**Note: The original recipe calls for 2 green peppers. I have since used several different kinds of peppers with great results. I love the look and taste of the green peppers. Orange and yellow are equally as pretty and tasteful. So I began using two green peppers, 1 orange pepper, and one yellow pepper (or just two orange or two yellow). I always dice my peppers very small so it wasn't overly pepper-y. It has been delicious with 4 peppers each time and I will probably continue to do it this way from now on.

Variation: When serving, sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve with breadsticks.

Recipe adapted quite a bit from sixsistersstuff.com

Changes made:

8 cups beef broth—I use 4 cups plus 2 beef consommé (much better flavor!)

2 lbs ground beef—1 lb was plenty for my taste
2 cups rice - I use only 1 cup rice to have more broth
2 peppers - I use 4 peppers (combining green with orange/yellow peppers)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire - I like to add one extra splash ;)

Buffalo Chicken Chili

1 lb chicken, cooked and shredded
15 oz can white navy beans
14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup buffalo chicken wing sauce (Frank's Red Hot Wings Buffalo Sauce)
1 pkg dry Ranch dressing mix
1 cup frozen corn kernels (we like super sweet white frozen corn)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp freeze dried cilantro (I've used finely chopped fresh with success as well)
1/4 tsp (optional to add at end if needed)
4oz to 8oz of cream cheese, softened to room temperature (do not use low fat, result is a grainy soup)
Bleu cheese crumbles, optional

1. Cook chicken
2. Simmer all ingredients except cream cheese for 30 minutes. Or 4-6 hours on low in crockpot.
3. Remove from heat and add cream cheese in small chunks.
4. Whisk carefully until smooth and serve with bleu cheese crumbles

More in depth instructions:
I like to use my crockpot to cook my chicken with a little chicken broth. I put all remaning ingredients, except cream cheese, in a bowl to combine with chicken later. I just keep it in the fridge until I'm ready. Makes it fast and easy! However, this is originally all done in the crockpot & you can do it that way as well. Your chicken just needs to be cooked first. A word of caution, if you don't like the "heat" from the buffalo sauce, start with 2 tbsp and then add in 1 tsp increments at the end to your desired heat. I've found 1/4 cup is just right for me and my family. The recipe originally called for 1/2 cup and that is a hold-onto-your-seat level of hot for our family. So, test it out and see what works best for you.

Once my chicken is cooked and shredded, I pour the ingredients from the bowl into a 3.5 quart pot and add the chicken. I bring it to a boil over medium high heat, then turn temperature to low and simmer for 30 minutes. (Note: if you do this in the crockpot, you can cook it on low for 4-6 hours.) Remove from heat and add the cream cheese in small clumps using a fork. Allow cream cheese to warm up in soup, then carefully whisk until the cream cheese is melted down and smooth. I used to use an entire package of cream cheese, but I've since found that about 6 oz is right. Perfect amount of creamy and buffalo heat. If you're trying to cut calories, just use 4 oz. However, the cream cheese tempers the buffalo sauce "heat." If some of your family likes it hotter than others, simply place the bottle of hot sauce on the table to add additional "heat."

Recipe adapted from crockpotgourmet.net. My changes include: chicken broth reduced from 4 cups to 2 cups, not draining the beans or tomatoes, reduced cream cheese, and optional salt.

This recipe makes about 12 cups. Nutritional facts per serving: Calories-163, Fat (g) 5.1, Carbs (g) 12.3, Protein (g) 15.6.

I could not get a picture of this because we would always forget! My family loves it. I barely remembered to get a picture until the bowl was almost gone. It isn't a flattering picture but I promise the picture doesn't do it justice. The chili/soup is delicious and I always get rave reviews when I share it with family and friends! Hope you enjoy!!!

Chicken Noodle Soup

This is an update from an older post. Each time I made this, I found I was making the same adjustments. It was time to update the blog to reflect that. I love this recipe and always have lots of compliments when I've taken it to people.

2 lbs chicken, cooked & cut up
I prefer to cook my chicken in the crockpot with 1 cup water & 2 tsp chicken bouillon & sprinkle with pepper.

Once chicken is cooked, in a large pot combine:
2 quarts chicken broth, I use Pacific organic chicken broth
1 quart water

1+ cup chicken juices leftover from crockpot (I usually use all that is leftover)
1/4 cup chicken soup base

1 large family size cream of chicken soup (26oz)
1 regular can cream of chicken soup (10 3/4 oz)

2 tsp dried minced onion
3+ carrots, grated

pinch of dried minced garlic

Dash of pepper
Very small dash of celery salt (my kids won't eat celery!)

1 24oz bag Reames frozen noodles (or use your own homemade noodles)

Start cooking the noodles in their own pot of water.Important: I usually sprinkle just a little bit of chicken bouillon in it to give them some flavor. Cook noodles until half done. These noodles take a bit to cook but I've fooled many people into thinking they're homemade... so it's worth the time to let them cook. (I've never mastered the whole homemade noodle thing, so I leave the work to Reames. However, my sister makes my mom's homemade noodle recipe all the time. Click here if you want authentic homemade noodles.) 

Meanwhile, put water, chicken bouillon granules, chicken soup base, cream of chicken soup, minced onion, and pinch of minced garlic in a large pot.I prefer to cook it on medium to help start the flavors to mix together. I use a whisk to make sure the soup mixes into the broth well. Once it is slightly boiling, grate carrots into the pot. These add great flavor and texture. And my kids eat the soup better if they are grated and not chopped. Plus, they cook faster that way. Allow the soup to continue a medium boil.

Once the noodles are almost done, throw them in the broth and let them finish cooking and absorb the flavor. The broth will also thicken from the starch of the noodles. Keep the soup at a rolling boil, being sure to stir often so the noodles aren't sticking to the bottom.Finally, add chicken. Add a dash of pepper for taste. I usually taste test along the way just to be sure it doesn't need a little more chicken soup base or bouillon. The cream of chicken soup usually does a great job of adding great flavor while still keeping the broth very chicken-noodle-like. I let it cook just a couple minutes past the noodles being done to be sure the chicken has absorbed lots of flavor from the broth.

After the noodles are done and it has passed a couple of taste tests, serve up with your favorite roll, breadsticks, or just a simple side salad! I promise you won't be disappointed. It's hard to mess this soup up.
It makes a big batch. Perfect for making some for your family & taking some to the neighbors or someone who just needs homemade chicken noodle soup in their life! :) This soup is also amazing served over homemade mashed potatoes! Oh heaven!!!

Baked Ziti

From Becki

 

I received this recipe from a friend and neighbor in my community. It looked different and delicious!

 

1 lb Italian sausage, browned and drained
1 jar pasta sauce
3/4 cup water
1 box penne pasta, cooked and drained
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs basil
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 roma tomatoes, sliced
8 slices frozen garlic bread
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Mix cooked sausage, cooked pasta, pasta sauce, water, garlic powder, pepper, basil and parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Toss lightly. Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. Place garlic bread slices on top of mixture. Cover with shredded mozzarella. Dip 8 slices of Roma tomatoes in olive oil, and place one slice on each bread slice. Bake uncovered in 400 degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes. Let set for 10 mins before serving.

Chicken Pot Pie

I am reposting the recipe because it has been on the blog for over 2 years and I took some new pictures. Plus, I've found making individual pot pies rather than 1 big one helps them cook better.

Crust:
Click here for the recipe. I just used the dough from a previous batch and let them thaw all day to room temperature.

Roll out one crust and place it in the bottom of 9 inch pie dish. Roll out top crust and leave until your filling is done.

Chicken:
2 chicken breasts, thawed

Salt and pepper

Place chicken in glass baking dish and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Cover with foil. Bake chicken at 350 for about 40-45 minutes or until done. Cut up all veggies while chicken is cooking. After chicken is done, put chicken on cutting board to cool. After it is cooled, cut up into desired chunks. (Note: I've found that baking the chicken keeps it much more moist than boiling it. If you don't care, then just boil it or for even quicker cooking time, cook it in a George Foreman grill and sprinkle with the salt & pepper. This takes about 15 minutes but it's a little crisper on the edges.)

Filling:
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 Tbsp chicken soup base

1 cup potatoes, cubed to desired size
1/3 cup carrots, chopped to desired size

3 Tbsp celery, chopped into itty bitty pieces
A couple shakes of dried minced onion

Individual foil pie dishes

(Recipe makes 5)

Boil all veggies until they are still firm, but close to done. If needed, add more water if the veggies are absorbing a lot of the water. Add 3 Tbsp to 1/4 cup cream of chicken soup. Add more chicken soup base if needed to taste. Add salt -if needed- and pepper to taste. Stir in until blended, with a taste check afterward, of course! :) (If you want your pie more runny/juicy add a little extra soup/water.) Let cool slightly. Add in chicken and pour into pie dishes. I buy the foil individual pie dishes. They come in a pack of 6. I just reuse them and wash them in the dishwasher! Super easy. The pies cook better as individual rather than one big one.

Put top crust on top and flute the edges. With a sharp knife, cut about 4 slits in the center to let steam escape.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 350 and cook for an additional 10 minutes or less... just until golden brown. (I got mine a little too golden this time... as you can see in the picture.) Maybe a little foil around the edges? I've done that for other pies, so I guess it would work for this, too.

Let set up for about 5 minutes and then serve.

Note: You could do other veggies if desired. I'm not a pea or green bean person so I opted for potatoes, celery, and carrots. If you do peas, cook them separately and throw them in at the end with the chicken. I guess you could do frozen veggies, but I've found that fresh tastes soooooo much better. It's worth all the effort to cut it all up and have it taste so yummy.

Crispy Southwest Chicken Burrito

I got the idea for our crispy burritos here. I tweaked it to fit our family. We've made them several times now & changed one thing here or there. And they've been amazing every time. Hope you enjoy them, too.

This recipe made 12 burritos total. We made up as many as we needed the first day and then used the leftover ingredients for more the next day.

Ingredients:

Chicken, cooked & shredded (instructions below)

1 can Mexican RoTel (it has lime & cilantro)

1/2 pkg Taco Bell taco seasoning

1 pkg Knorr Rice Sides Spanish Rice

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well

Uncooked tortillas, as many as you need for your family

Shredded cheese

Sour Cream

1 can Green Chile Enchilada Sauce

-----

Directions.........

In crockpot:

2 lbs chicken (I use mine from frozen)

1 can Mexican RoTel

A little water to cover the bottom of the crockpot

Cook on high for 3 hours.

Do not drain the juices. Push the rotel into the crockpot and remove chicken. Shred chicken with forks and return to crockpot. I always add about a 1/2 pkt of Taco Bell taco seasoning and stir until all the chicken is coated. Put the lid on and let the crockpot "keep it warm."

On the stovetop:

Cook 1 pkt of Knorr Rice Sides Spanish Rice according to pkg directions. Let sit when it is done. It's okay if it cools off a little.

On the griddle:

Heat griddle to 400. Cook tortillas according to pkg directions. It is usually about 30 seconds on each side. Ours are from Costco and are Tortilla Land brand. I can cook 2 at a time on our griddle. Don't turn off the griddle. You're going to use it soon to "crisp" the burritos. Keep it at 400 degrees.

Now it is time to build the burrito. Place the tortilla on a plate. Starting at the bottom of the tortilla, add:

spoonful of rice

spoonful of chicken

few dollops of sour cream

spoonful of black beans

Sprinkle with shredded cheese

Carefully wrap it up and place seam side down on the griddle. Once that side is "crisped," rotate to the back side, and continue with the remaining 2 sides.

I can do quite a few burritos at a time on the griddle. I just build the other burritos while the others are "crisping."

Serve hot with green chile sauce on the side. We use a spoon and drizzle it on!

I couldn't get a good picture of a cross section of these and didn't think about it until they had cooled off. But this gives you an idea....

Beef Fajitas

We were craving fajitas one night, but we didn't have a seasoning packet. I turned to the internet and I found this homemade seasoning recipe. I cannot even find it again. It was in really random place. But I had all the ingredients on hand for it, so it is the one I used. And boy it did not disappoint.

We used homemade salsa and fresh tortillas (the kind you heat up on the skillet yourself). They really contributed to a restaurant-style fajita. I doubt I can eat a regular tortilla again. Mmmmmm...... What a fabulous meal it was! Just thinking about it again makes my mouth water. ;)

Fajita Seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Red pepper
1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
1/8 teaspoon Garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon Onion powder
2 Tbsp juice from a fresh lime
Small Dash of worcestershire

Cut steak into fajita strips. Pour seasoning over steak in a ziploc bag. Zip bag and rub seasoning all over meat. We didn't let it marinate. We didn't have time. We just cooked it. But it worked out just fine. You can add peppers and onions if desired. We cooked the onions in a separate pan to caramelize. Once the steak is cooked, pour off the juices and continue cooking steak to "dry it out" a little (not really dry, but not soggy meat pieces). Serve with desired toppings.

Hashbrown Pie

This is a re-post of a much much older post. I finally took a picture of it. It is difficult to get a good picture of any casserole, but oh-well. The taste is great. It is an all-in-one dish meal & always a kid and husband favorite. We're not huge casserole fans, but on busy nights, this dish is easy to throw together.

from a cookbook at a bed & breakfast in Utah

1 bg frozen hashbrowns
1 lb browned hamburger
1 can corn
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup sour cream
½ pkg Lipton Onion Soup
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Put about 1” of hashbrowns in bottom of greased 9 x 13 casserole dish. You can do more. I’ve just found that 1” to 1 ½” works well. That way the layers are even. Brown hamburger with Lipton Onion Soup and a dash of pepper. Layer hamburger on top of hashbrowns. Add corn. Combine soups & sour cream. Pour over corn. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil. Bake at 350º for 45 to 60 min. Let sit a few minutes before serving.

Lo-fat tip: Use ground turkey and yogurt sour cream.

Cream Cheese Chicken and Vegetable Soup

I found this recipe at Mel's Kitchen Cafe while I was looking at her cornbread recipe. (Also very yummy!) The soup has cream cheese in it and I said to myself...."If it has cream cheese in it, it can't be bad." ;) In short, my family LOVED it. It makes a good size batch and I barely had 1 bowl leftover. It was nice that I always have all the ingredients on hand. It will definitely be going on our list of favorite soups.

2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP minced onions (can use yellow onion, but I prefer dry minced)

2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1/2 cup diced carrots (I used my ones I freeze each fall)
3 cups chicken broth
2-3 potatoes (Mel suggests leaving the peels on the reds if you use them)

1 cup milk
4 tablespoons flour
1 (8 oz. package) cream cheese (light can be used)
About 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced (I seasoned with salt & pepper also)

Salt and pepper (I had to add about 1 tsp+ after it was all done)

In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Saute, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes, until the veggies are slightly tender and the onions are translucent. Add the chicken broth and potatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. In a liquid measuring cup, vigorously whisk the flour and milk together until smooth. Whisk the mixture into the soup, stirring quickly, and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the soup begins to thicken slightly. Stir often to ensure the soup doesn’t burn. Soften the cream cheese in the microwave until it is very soft/melty. I usually place the unwrapped cream cheese on a plate and microwave it for one minute at 30% power. I like it really, really soft so it doesn’t leave lumps in the soup. Add the cream cheese to the soup in small tablespoon-size pieces. Let the pieces sit in the soup and warm through then whisk or stir the soup until the cream cheese melts and mixes in well. Add the cooked chicken and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Memphis Dry Rub Ribs

from Renee

2 racks baby back ribs (4 to 5 pounds)

For the rub:
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons celery salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Wash the ribs and blot dry. Remove the thin papery skin on the back of each rack of ribs. (Pull it off in a sheet with your fingers, using a corner of a dish towel to gain a secure grip.)
Combine the ingredients for the rub (the paprika, black pepper, sugar, salt, celery salt, cayenne, garlic powder, mustard, and cumin) in mixing bowl and stir with your fingers to mix. Rub 2/3 of this mixture on the ribs on both sides. Transfer the ribs to a roasting pan and let marinate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Cover cookie sheet with tin foil and place on pan. Bake at 350 oven for 2-3 hours. Enjoy with your favorite BBQ sauce!

Chicken Stir Fry

Courtesy of Allrecipes.com
This recipe is very yummy and passed onto me from my Sister-in-Law Amy.

I don't do this recipe exactly like the website since it was too much for my family, so here is my version and you can put in the vegetables that you prefer. You could do this with a frozen bag of veggies... but fresh is SO much better!

Chicken and marinade
2 medium-large boneless skinless chicken breast halves
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Other Ingredients
3 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
1 1/2-2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 c snow peas
10 asparagus with 2-3 inches of bottoms cut off
1/4 c onion sliced (I do mine big enough to find them and take them out for the kids)
1/4-1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

Directions

1.Cut chicken into 1/2-in. strips; place in a resealable plastic bag or bowl with lid. Add cornstarch and toss to coat. Combine soy sauce, ginger and garlic powder; add to bag (or bowl) and mix/shake well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2.In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil; stir-fry chicken on a medium heat until no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes. Remove and keep warm. Don't be alarmed if the bottom is coated with the cornstarch and marinade... it will come off later and coat the veggies.

Add remaining oil; on medium heat, stir- fry broccoli, asparagus, carrots and onion for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender then add the pea pods because they cook faster than the other veggies. Mix water and bouillon and add to the veggies (this softens the buildup on the bottom of the pan and it thickens and coats the food). Reduce heat to medium low or low heat. Return chicken to pan. Mix the soy sauce, ginger, and garlic again with the cornstarch and pour over the chicken and veggies. Cook and stir until thickened and well coated. You can put the lid on to help your veggies to cook through a little bit more, you don't want them to be too limp, but not too crunchy either.

Serve over rice. *I like it with Brown Rice which you will need to start before you begin cooking the chicken since it takes 45 minutes to cook brown rice*

Note: I have tried it with bell peppers before and it was good, but I like this combo of veggies the best of all the ways I have tried it! The asparagus really is quite good for those of you that are hesitant... my kids LOVE LOVE LOVE it! Surprisingly enough! ;)

Firehouse BBQ Grilled Chicken

I first saw this recipe on Real Mom Kitchen's blog. She found it on Picky Palate. My family loves this chicken. I had to reduce the Frank's hot sauce to 2 tbsp for my small children. (Three tbsp to 1/4 cup is just right for my husband and I.) After making it several times, I realized I hadn't posted it to our recipe blog. And since this blog is used as a portable recipe box for family and friends, it needs to be on here. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

14+ thawed boneless skinless chicken tenders (you can use breasts, they just take longer to cook)
2 Tbsp - 1/4 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce

3/4 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
4 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Place all ingredients in a large Ziploc bag and marinate for one to two hours.If you are not grilling these outside, HI broil works great, too. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Place cooling racks over the foil. Place chicken across the racks. DISCARD the marinade!Broil chicken for about 5 or 6 minutes on each side, turn over and repeat. The tenders cook fast so this can be done in about 10 minutes.Super simple. Super fast. My kind of dinner!

Turkey Meatballs

from Kelly

l lb ground turkey
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp worcestershire
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 egg

Mix with hands, roll. Fry them until cooked through. Place in pan.

Sauce:
1/2 package of onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom
fill can 3/4 full of milk

Whisk together, pour over meatballs, cover and put in the oven for 60 min at 350.

Tuscan Chicken

from Joni

1 lb boneless skinless chicken cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cans italian stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can red kidney beans
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 jar sliced mushrooms
1 med green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
6 oz thin spaghetti, broken in half

Add all ingredients except pasta. Put in crockpot on low 4 hours or until veggies are tender.

Stir in noodles. Cook on high 10 min, stir. Cover and cook 35 minutes or until pasta is tender.

Teriyaki Rice Bowls

One night my husband and I wanted something different for dinner. I suggested teriyaki. He suggested steak and this is what we came up with. He did a great job cooking the meat. I think it might be his job from now on! ;) I'll stick with the rice on this one. It's hard to screw up rice!

This teriyaki sauce is so versatile. We use it for chicken. We use it for beef. But one night I wanted a rice bowl. It hadn't crossed my mind to use it for the beef for that! It was super simple and way yummy! And it could just have easily had chicken if you're not a beef person.

Teriyaki Sauce (click for recipe)

2 lbs steak cut up into pieces

Veggies (we did just carrots this time but next time we'll do carrots, broccoli, onions, peppers, asparagus, and snow peas)

Long Grain Rice

Cook steak in a small enough pan so that the juices don't cook out. Add veggies and allow them to get soft and cooked in the meat juices. Add teriyaki sauce and cook until sauce is about half cooked out (gone into the steak and veggies).

Cook rice as desired. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Note: You can marinate the meat in half of the sauce (reserving the other half for when you cook it). For me, it worked to just cook it all in the pan together. But if you want a more subdued teriyaki flavor, marinate it, taste the meat when it is cooked and decide if you want to add the remaining reserved sauce. Don't worry, the sauce keeps well in the fridge for awhile.

Mexican Lasagna

This is a repost of a recipe I put on here 2 years ago! (I can't believe this blog is that old!) It is a family favorite but I never remember to take pictures. Super easy, a kid favorite and if there are leftovers, it reheats well. Plus, it can be made ahead and frozen. My kind of meal!

*See variations at the bottom of post

from a card at a grocery store

1 ½ lbs lean ground beef
1 pkg Taco Seasoning -I just do ½ pkg otherwise it can be a little too spicy
1 tsp Lawry’s Seasoned salt
1 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or canned
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
½ of a 4oz can of diced green chiles
–I put the other half in a Ziploc bag and freeze it for later. It works really well.
1 cup ricotta cheese – I use cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
10 corn tortillas
2 ½ cups (10 oz.) grated Monterey jack cheese –I just use whatever cheese I have

**Note: the pictures are of a 1/2 batch. It makes just the right amount for my little family of 4. You could make a whole batch in 2 different pans and freeze one for another time.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef, stirring until cooked through; drain fat. Add taco seasoning mix, seasoned salt, tomatoes, tomato sauce and chiles; blend well. (I leave out the chiles because my two little kids don't like the spice. But before we had kids, the chiles were in and they're great!) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.

In small bowl, combine ricotta cheese and eggs. (You can leave the eggs out and just do the ricotta/cottage cheese. You'll just need a little more. I don't even measure anymore... I just make sure the tortillas are covered sufficiently.)

In bottom of 13x9x2 inch baking dish, spread ½ of meat mixture.Top with ½ of tortillas;spread ½ of ricotta cheese mixture over tortillasand top with ½ of grated cheese.Repeat layering, ending with grated cheese.Bake, uncovered, in 350 oven 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into squares. I know it isn't pretty, it all got eaten before I got a picture! And after this picture, it was ALL GONE!

Variation:

For a half batch, I used 1lb hamburger, NO taco seasoning, 1/2 tsp Lawry's, ONE 14.5oz can diced tomatoes with chipotle chiles, 8oz tomato sauce, NO green chiles, NO eggs, cottage cheese, and extra thin corn tortillas. I liked it really well. Very easy having the tomatoes and chiles mixed together. It was the perfect spicy-ness for my family without losing any flavor. I liked the thinner tortillas and it didn't overwhelm the dish at all like some tortillas have in the past. Very good. Will probably do it this way from now on!

Pioneer Woman's Homemade Chicken Strips

This is a "copycat recipe" for sure. I love Pioneer Woman's recipes and have made many of them. I haven't posted all of the ones I've used, but I use this blog as my portable recipe box..... So this recipe must be on here! They were so good. So easy. And a super hit!

1 pkg chicken strips (I used tenderloins and cut them into strips)

Buttermilk (can use egg, milk, cream)

1 1/2 cup flour

2 1/2 tsp Lawry's seasoning salt

Vegetable oil

In a frying pan or skillet, pour enough oil so there is about 1 inch of oil. Preheat on medium heat.

If using tenders or strips, place them in a bowl with desired liquid (buttermilk, cream, milk, or egg). If using tenderloins or breasts, cut them into thin strips and proceed in the same step. Allow chicken to sit in liquid for at least 20 minutes. I didn't have buttermilk on hand (which is what Pioneer Woman suggests), but the cream worked well for me, too.

In a bowl, mix flour and seasoning. Carefully drizzle about 1/4+ cup of liquid, while gently stirring with a fork. This will create little crumbles of crunchy goodness later.

When oil is sufficiently hot, take a pieces at a time out of the liquid and roll chicken around in the flour mixture.Place carefully into oil. Cook until brown on each side. They don't take long at all.As each strip gets done, place on paper towl to cool.

Serve as an appetizer, main dish, on salad, in a wrap, or just for a snack!

Egg Rolls

I got this recipe here and made a few modifications to my liking.
I have been using square wonton wrappers lately to make mini egg rolls, but the instructions are the same for full size egg rolls.

Egg Rolls

Ingredients:
Chinese egg-roll wrappers (or if you want to do mini egg rolls get the square shaped wonton wraps)
1 very large chicken breast cooked and finely chopped (you could also use Ground pork or shrimp)
1/2 c. carrots shredded
1/2 head of Cabbage shredded (or Nappa Cabbage-Chinese cabbage)
1/3 c chopped green onions
1 egg
Chinese bun noodles (or bean thread; they are in the oriental section)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp each salt/pepper
Pure Canola Oil

Soak the bun noodles in warm water in a seperate bowl for about 15 minutes or until they are soft. (I only used a tiny section of the package and I actually cut the little sectioned one in half and use the other half the next time.)

Shred the cabbage and grate the carrots; set aside. In a tablespoon of oil, fry the chicken and onion in a large saucepan for a few minutes and add in the carrots and cabbage, mixing well. Heat on medium for about 8-10 minutes or until the cabbage is cooked down. Remove from heat and set aside in a large bowl to cool.

Remove bun noodles from water and drain. Using your hands, mix the noodles into the cooled cabbage mixture, making sure to mix all ingredients well. Add one beaten egg, 1 T. sugar, 1 t. salt, and 1 t. pepper and 2 t. minced garlic, 1 T. Soy sauce. Mix well with hands.

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat (about 1/2 inch deep with oil) **I use the same pan for the oil as I did to cook the chicken and cabbage mixture**

Have a small cup of water for dipping your fingers in to seal the wraps.
Take an egg roll wrap and put a small amount of cabbage mixture in the middle. Fold in side corners and fold up bottom corner. Wet the seams a little and the top corner.

Squeeze it a little as you roll it towards the top and fold over the last flap. Wet the seam again to make sure that it is sealed and carefully place it in the heated oil.Use tongs to pick up the egg roll and flip it over. When the egg rolls are done take them out and place on a plate or cookie sheet covered with paper towels to soak up remaining grease.
They taste WONDERFUL with Sweet 'n Sour sauce! Find the recipe here!!

NOTE: You can prepare all of them then put them in the oil, but I do it as I go. I use a gas stove so often I turn the heat off if the oil is getting too hot and over cooking the outer shell, and turn it back on when it stops cooking it enough... Annoying I know but oil is tempermental! Make sure you get all sides cooked!

You can cook them in a deep fryer, but I find it is harder to get all sides cooked evenly and I also think that they are more greasy that way.

Mini egg rolls: about 22-25 egg rolls

Full size egg rolls: about 11-14 egg rolls.

Simply Beef Stew

I got this recipe from my neighbor. She brought this stew over after I had my baby. It was so simple and delicious. We'll be making it again because my kids loved it! The other great thing was the veggies were in beautiful, big chunks but they were so tender and not crunchy or mushy like in most stews. The key is cooking them separately. Hope you enjoy this simple, yet full of flavor, stew.

from Jean

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, cut up
2 cups cubed potatoes
2 cups carrots, cut in thick circles
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp thyme or oregano (we used thyme)
pepper to taste
1 tsp Worcestershire
1 can tomato soup
Reserved veggie water

Cook hamburger with salt, pepper, and thyme. (Keep hamburger kind of chunky.)

In separate pots, cook potatoes and carrots until almost done. (Cook the onions with the potatoes.)Reserve water from potatoes and carrots.

Add veggies, Worcestershire, tomato soup, and veggie water to hamburger. (You might not need all the veggie water. Add to desired broth consistency.) Simmer for 30 minutes until veggies are fully tender (but not mushy).Serve with breadsticks or saltines.