Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Yummy Chicken and Dumplings

Ok so here goes the no measurements thing again...only with making the broth though.

Broth
Add 6 or so chicken thighs to 2/3 pot of water and cook on med low heat for an hour or so.
Skim off any fat
Remove the skin from the thighs and take meat off the bone. Add the chicken back to the broth.
Bring the broth to boil.

Dumplings
1 cup Bisquik
1/3 cup milk

Drop by spoonfuls into the boiling broth.
Turn the heat to low and let cook for 10-20 min
Don't stir the dumplings, instead use a ladle to lightly submerge.

We serve them over mashed potatoes.

Copy Cat Costa Vida Cilantro Lime Rice

3 cups cooked rice
juice of 2 small limes
zest of 1 lime
1/2 cup cilantro
1 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy.
This is SO yummy! We love to make this! It makes taco salad at home a little different!

Copy Cat Costa Vida Ranch Dressing

1/2 jalepeno- (remove seeds)
1 clove garlic
1 tomatillo
1 handful cilantro
1 lime (zest of it and the juice)
1 cup milk
1 cup mayo
1 pack Hidden Valley Ranch mix

Blend all ingredients except the mayo in the blender until all green is very tiny
Add blended ingredients to bowl with mayo and whisk
Chill

Jed and I made this once and it called for 1 jalepeno and didn't say to take the seeds out. It was TOO hot!! This works better

Parmesan Chicken


Cook Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup dry bread crumbs, plain
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup ground oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup melted butter or margarine, divided
  • 3 to 4 pounds chicken parts

Preparation:

Directions for Parmesan chicken
Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, oregano, pepper, and salt; set aside. In a skillet in 2 tablespoons butter, sauté garlic until tender. Add remaining melted butter. Dip chicken in garlic butter; roll each piece in bread crumb and Parmesan mixture. Place Parmesan chicken in a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; sprinkle with remaining bread crumb mixture and pour remaining garlic butter over all. Bake Parmesan chicken at 350° for 55 minutes, or until golden brown. Parmesan chicken serves 6.
From About.com

Wilton's Buttercream Frosting

OK this is SOOO yummy. I make white cake cupcakes and fill them with white chocolate pudding and frost with this icing. If anyone is wondering how to fill the cupcakes (I always did) you use one of Wilton's decorating tips. I can't remember the number, but the only way I've found it is in their Cupcake Decorating kit. It's about $10.

1/2 cup Criso
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla*
4 cups (1lb) powered sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Cream Crisco and butter
Add Vanilla (and other flavorings if desired) and any food coloring
Gradually add sugar 1 cup at a time and continue mixing
Add milk and beat on Medium speed until light and fluffy.
You can add a little more milk if you need to make the consistency better for spreading.


*This is the recipe Wilton has on their website, but I do the flavor a little different. I use 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon of butter flavoring, and 1 teaspoon (or more) of almond extract.

Everyone's Favorite! Puppy Chow (Muddy Buddies)


Everyone has this recipe... I'm just really trying to get rid of all paper recipes!

9 cups Chex (we prefer Rice)
1 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Peanut Butter
1/4 cup margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter, and margarine in a 1 quart microwaveable bowl, uncovered on High for 1 minute; stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer or until the mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal in large bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Pour in large plastic baggie and add powdered sugar. Seal bag and shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool.

Hot Parmesan-Artichoke Dip


Prep Time:
10 min
Total Time:
35 min
Makes:
2-1/4 cups or 18 servings, 2 Tbsp. each

What You Need!

1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained, chopped
1 cup KRAFT Real Mayo Mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped tomatoes
1 green onion, sliced

Make It!

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

MIX first 4 ingredients.

SPOON into shallow ovenproof dish or 9-inch pie plate.

BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with tomatoes and onions. Serve with WHEAT THINS Crackers.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Serving Suggestion
This hearty dip is best served with chunkier vegetable dippers, such as thick bell pepper wedges, large mushroom caps and/or thick zucchini slices.
Make Ahead
Mix all ingredients except tomatoes and onions until well blended. Spoon into pie plate. Refrigerate up to 3 days. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 min. or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with tomatoes and onions.
Variations
Prepare as directed, using one of the following flavor options: Spicy Artichoke Dip: Add 1 drained 4-oz. can chopped green chiles. Spinach-Artichoke Dip: Add 1 thawed and well-drained 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach. Zippy Artichoke Dip: Add 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce.

From KraftFoods.com

Whole Wheat Berry Flapjacks

Jed and his oldest brother, Jon, fell in love with these pancakes at the Twin Falls Farmer's Market.
It's a great way to use your wheat berries from your long term food storage!

1 cup whole wheat berries
1 cup milk
Blend berries and milk in blender for 3-4 minutes on Hi
Add another 1/2 cup milk and blend an additional 2 minutes.
Add 1 egg and 1/2 cup oil and blend together
Add 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and blend together
Cook on grill and enjoy!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Polynesian Chicken

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
18 bamboo skewers
1/2 cup Lowrey's Teriyaki Marinade
1/2 2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 clove garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

The recipe doesn't call for any veggies but we added fresh pineapple, green peppers, onions, and whatever else we had... I think cherry tomatoes.

Soak skewers in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning

Cut chicken into strips about 1 inch wide
Thread chicken and veggies onto skewers
Combine all other ingredients except for the sesame seeds into bowl (or baking dish)
Let marinade for 15 minutes
Add to grill (one of Jed's favorite things to do!) for 8 - 10 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in center. While grilling turn once and brush with remaining glaze.
ENJOY

Hawaiian and Pineapple Punch


For Jed's birthday I had a murder mystery dinner and it was a luau theme. This punch was really good! I found it online but for the life of me I can't remember where.

1 lg can Hawaiian Punch
1 lg can Pineapple Juice
1 sm frozen Orange Juice
1 sm frozen Lemonade
1 2 liter 7-Up
1 qt Pineapple Sherbet

Combine in punch bowl and enjoy!

Katie's Chicken Stroganoff

This is really a yummy dinner! I had to have the recipe!

-2 Chicken Breasts
-1/2 tsp chicken bouillon
-1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
-1/2 reg size container of Sour Cream
-Garlic Powder, Salt, and Pepper to taste
-Cooked broad noodles

Cook Chicken and keep drippings
Add 1 1/2 tablespoons water, soup, sour cream, bouillon, and garlic and simmer for 15 minutes
Serve over noodles

Cabbage and Potatoes


We eat this meal on New Years Day (and lot throughout the year too). Cabbage leaves represent money and is a symbol of good luck for the rest of the year.
My family is rich in Welsh heritage and this meal was made as far back as my family can remember. This is really a "poor man's meal". When money was tough my ancestors made this meal without meat or butter and everything else came from their gardens. This might be one of those comfort foods that others don't like, but Jed's family has enjoyed letting me keep my family tradition alive while celebrating with them.

This is one of those recipes that doesn't have exact measurements....SORRY... :O) Just how I learned to cook.

In a large pot combine
-One head of cabbage cored and quartered (don't cut small than this because the cabbage will "cook away"
-A small bag of baby carrots or carrots cut into slices
-Potatoes peeled and cut into thick slices (maybe 4 0r 5. I normally add them last and just fill the pot)
-Diced Onion (maybe 1/4 to a 1/2 med onion)
-One package smoked sausage (the "horseshoe" type package and my mom and I really like the skinless)
-One cube of real butter
-Salt and Pepper to taste

Cover with water and bring to boil then simmer for about 2 hours. When stirring do so very carefully.

We always make cornbread and A-1 sauce is really yummy mixed with it.

Hot Wing Sauce

Super Easy....Jed loves his hot wings!
Combine 3 parts hot sauce with 2 parts hot, clarified butter.
Mix well and keep warm.
Deep fry wings and toss in sauce.