Saturday, October 1, 2011

Italian Crockpot Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
1/3 cup water
1 package (8 ozs.) cream cheese, softened
1 can (10 3/4 ozs.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
Hot cooked rice or noodles

Place the chicken breast halves in a slow cooker. Combine salad dressing mix and water; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together cream cheese and soup until blended. Stir in mushrooms. Pour cream cheese mixture over chicken. Cook 1 to 3 hours longer or until chicken juices run clear. Serve Italian chicken with rice or hot cooked noodles.
Serves 4.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Andes mint cookies


Oven 350*        8-10 minutes
12 cookies
1 box devils chocolate food cake
1 block butter
2 eggs
1 bag of Andes mints - chopped up
Mill all together.  Roll into a bit smaller than a golf ball size.  Bake.

Moussaka



1 lb. eggplant
2/3 c. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 lb. ground lamb
1 T. flour
14 oz. can chopped tomatoes
1/2 T. chopped fresh herbs
1 lb. fresh tomatoes, sliced
salt & ground pepper
 
For the topping:
1 1/4 cups plain yogurt
2 eggs
3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
 
1. Cut eggplant into thin slices, sprinkle with salt, cover with plate & weight; leave for about 30 minutes. Pat dry with paper towel.
2. Heat 3 T. oil in a large pan.  Cook onion & garlic until softened.  Add lamb & cook over high heat until browned.
3. Stir in the flour, canned tomatoes, herbs & seasonings. Bring to boil, reduce heat & simmer for 20 min.
4. Heat remaining oil in frying pan. Add eggplant slices & cook until golden on both sides.
5. Preheat oven to 350. Arrange 1/2 of the eggplant slices in large, shallow ovenproff dish.  Then add a layer of 1/2 of the fresh tomatoes.
6. Top with half of the meat & tomato mixture. Repeat with another layer of each.
7.  Beat together yogurt, eggs, & cheeses.  Pour over the top.
8. Bake 35-40 minutes, until golden & bubbling.

White Bread or Pizza crust


3 1/2 cups hot tap water (starting to be uncomfortable to put your hand into)
3 1/2 cups bread flour / reg. white flour is fine too
1/4 to 1/3 cup of sugar
3 to 4 heaping Tbsp. of instant yeast
Mix until moistened, cover, let "sponge" for 8 to 10 minutes
Add remaining flour (4 to 6 cups - I usually add about 5 cups).  Add 4 1/2 cups to begin and 1 Tbsp. of salt after you've added the flour.  From the time you start the mixer and start adding flour until desired consistency is reached, let the mixer knead for a total of 8 minutes.
Let dough sit in the bowl - covered - for approx. 10-15 minutes while it rises.  Punch down.  Pinch off three equal portions for you pizzas.  If you put shortening/olive oil/flour on you hands, the dough will not stick to your hands. 
Spread cornmeal/flour out on you work surface .  Roll out the dough, always pushing from the center towards the outside.  While rolling the dough, occasionally "slide and shake" the dough to make sure it's not sticking to the work surface.  If it sticks, lift the dough a bit and spread more corn meal under it. 
Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  You can cook the crust prior to putting toppings on:  Cook just the dough for 4 minutes.  Poke holes in the dough during cook time if it gets too fluffy.  Remove and create your pizza cooking for 7 minutes or until crust is a nice golden brown and the toppings have melted. 
Or
Add toppings to unbaked crust and bake 10-12 minutes or until crust is a nice golden brown and the toppings have melted.

For bread: bake 350 degrees for 27-30 min

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Porridge


Per serving:  1 C. milk
                            2 Tbsp. flour
                            dash of salt
    Blend in blender or with wire whisk till smooth.  Heat on stove over med-high heat stirring continually till it starts to bubble.  Remove from heat.  Pour onto plate and top with small dabs of butter.  Smooth melted butter evenly over top of porridge and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

English Yorkshire Pudding

  In a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 2" roasting pan, retain 1/4 cup roast beef pan drippings.  Place 4 eggs and 2 cups milk in mixing bowl.  Add 2 cps all-purpose flour and    1 tsp. salt; beat mixture about 2 minutes or till batter is smooth.  Pour batter into pan atop drippings.  Bake in 400 degree oven about 40 minutes.  Cut into squares; serve immediately with roast beef or other meat.

Butter Tarts


   2 Eggs
    2 C. Brown Sugar
    2 tsp. Vinegar
    1 tsp. Vanilla   
    1/2 C. melted butter
    1 1/3 raisins
    1 tsp. syrup (optional)
   
    Make pastry for a pie.  Roll out to 1/8" thick (or as thin as possible) and cut with 2" diameter cup for tart tins.  Gently push pastry circles into tart tin.  Mix filling with ingredients above and pour into pastry cups.
    Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until crust is beginning to turn light golden.

Best Ever! Chimichangas!


    Meat Mix:    2 1/2 lb. cooked roast, shredded
                        1 1/2 Tbsp. shortening or veg. oil
                        1 onion, chopped
                        1/8 tsp. garlic powder
                        2 Tbsp. flour
                        2 tsp. salt
                        Juices from roast
    Melt shortening in a large skillet.  Add onions.  Sauté 1 minute.  Add garlic powder, flour,  and salt.  Cook 1 minute over medium-low heat.  Stir in reserved meat juices (add water and bullion if too dry) and shredded meat.  Cook 5 minutes until thick.  Cool. 
    Warm tortillas in microwave about 30 seconds.  Heat 1/2-inch deep oil to 400F in a large skillet.  Spread about 1/2 cup meat mixture over the lower third of each tortilla.  Fold the bottom edges of each tortilla up over filling.  Fold both sides toward the center and roll into a cylinder.  Secure rolled tortillas with a toothpick.  Fry 2 chimichangas at a time in hot oil about 2 minutes until golden and crisp.  Drain on paper towels.  Serve hot over a layer of shredded lettuce.

LOUISIANA SURPRISE

First Layer:  1 stick of melted margarine; 1 cup flour; 3/4 cup chopped nuts.
Mix and pat flat in an oblong Pyrex dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for fifteen minutes, then cool.
Second Layer:  One 8 oz. package of cream cheese (softened); 1 cup powdered sugar; 1 cup Cool Whip (12 oz. container);
Beat and soften cream cheese till smooth, then add sugar and fold in Cool Whip.  Spread on cooled crust and chill.
Third Layer:  1 package (3 3/4 oz. size) Chocolate Instant Pudding; 1 package same size Vanilla Instant Pudding; 3 cups milk.
Beat for two minutes in mixer at lowest speed, then spread over second layer.
Fourth Layer:  Spread remaining Cool Whip on and sprinkle with chopped nuts and shaved chocolate from a chocolate bar.  Chill until served.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Teriyaki Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
5 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 -2 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water


 Mix all but cornstarch and 1/4c water in a sauce pan and begin heating.

 Mix cornstarch and cold water in a cup and dissolve. Add to sauce in pan.

 Heat until sauce thickens to desired thickness.

 Add water to thin if you over-thick it :).

source