Chicken Spinach and Mushroom Dish

Ingredients:

6 thin sliced chicken breasts

1 container green onion cream cheese

¼ C. olive oil

½ C. chicken broth

1 large package sliced mushrooms

1 small bag fresh baby spinach

1 dash garlic seasoning

1 dash pepper

8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. In a 9"x13" pan lay out chicken in single layer.
2. Top with spinach and mushrooms.
3. Sprinkle the seasonings over the top.
4. Soften cream cheese and whisk in olive oil and chicken broth.
5. Pour over mixture.
6. Lay piece of foil over the top but do not seal.
7. Bake at 375° F for 20 minutes.
8. Remove foil and bake uncovered for another 20-25 minutes, then sprinkle cheese on top.
9. Bake another 10 minutes, or until starting to brown.
10. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

Turkey & Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

2 c. uncooked rice

1 lb. turkey tenderloin, cubed

1 T. canola or vegetable oil

2 cans cream of chicken soup or cream of celery soup

1 C. milk

¼ C. Parmesan cheese

½ t. garlic powder

½ t. ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375º F. 
2. Spray a 7 x 11-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. 
3. Cook the rice according to package directions. 
4. Season the turkey with salt and pepper.
5. Cook the cubed turkey breast in a skillet with canola oil until cooked through.
6. Combine the turkey, soup, milk, cheese, garlic powder, cumin, and rice in a large bowl; 
7. Transfer to the baking dish.
8. Bake 20–25 minutes.

Tuna Casserole with Cheese Swirls (aka Tuna Roll-Ups)

Ingredients:

⅓ C. chopped onion
3 T. shortening
¼ C. Bisquick baking mix
1 can (10 ¾ oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1½ C. milk
1 can (6½ oz.) tuna, drained
1 can (8½ oz) peas, drained
2 C. Bisquick baking mix
½ C. cold water
¾ C. shredded mozzarella

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425° F.
Tuna Mixture:

1. Cook onion in hot shortening in a 2-quart sauce pan until tender.
2. Stir in ¼ cup baking mix.
3. Add soup; gradually stir in milk.
4. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly.
5. Boil and stir 1 minute.
6. Stir in tuna and peas.
7. Pour into oblong baking dish, 11x7-inches.
8. Keep hot in oven while preparing biscuits.

Biscuits:

1. Stir 2 cups baking mix and ½ cup cold water to make a soft dough; beat vigorously 20 strokes.
2. Gently smooth dough to a ball on flour covered board.
3. Knead 5 times.
4. Roll into a rectangle; 15"x9"; sprinkle with cheese
5. Roll up tightly, starting with the long side.
6. Seal well by pinching edge of dough into roll.
7. Cut into twelve 1¼ slices; place cut side down on tuna mixture.

Bake 20-25 minutes;
4 to 6 servings

Chicken Casserole Variation:
Substitute Cream of Chicken soup for Cream of Mushroom, and shredded chicken for tuna.

Date Nut Bread

Ingredients:

½ C. butter or margarine

2 C. boiling water

2 t. baking soda

1 C. chopped walnuts

1 C. chopped dates

1 C. packed brown sugar

1 C. granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

4 C. flour, sifted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300° F.
2. Combine water, baking soda, nuts, and dates in a sauce pan.
3. Cook, stirring constantly for about 4 minutes.
4. Set aside to cool.
5. Cream together butter and both sugars
6. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until fluffy.
7. Add flour and date mixture.  Mix well.
8. Grease and flour baking pans.
9. Bake for 1¼ to 1½ hours, until cake tester comes out clean.
10. Remove from pans and let cool

Baked Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

3 T. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 t. chili powder
1 t. garlic powder
salt and ground pepper to taste
10 chicken wings

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Combine olive oil, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper in a large resealable bag.  
3. Seal and shake bag to combine ingredients.
4. Add the chicken wings, reseal and shake to coat.
5. Arrange chicken wings on a baking sheet.
6. Cook the wings for 1 hour, or until crisp and cooked through.

White Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

10 soft taco shells

2 c. cooked, shredded chicken

2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3 T. butter

3 T. flour

2 c. chicken broth

1 c. sour cream

4 oz. can diced green chilies (mild)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Grease a 9"x13" pan.
3. Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese.
4. Roll up in tortillas and place seam-side down in pan.
5. In a skillet, melt butter, whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. 
6. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
7. Stir in sour cream and chilies.  Do not bring to a boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.
8. Pour over enchiladas
9. Top with remaining cheese.
10. Bake 22 minutes and then under high broil for 3 minutes to brown the cheese.

Crockpot Chicken & Noodles

Ingredients:

24 oz. package frozen egg noodles

2 - 14.7 oz. cans cream of chicken soup

½ c. butter (1 stick) cut into pieces

32 oz. chicken broth

mixed vegetables (optional)

chicken bouillon to taste (optional)

6 small or 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Salt and pepper chicken breasts and place in the bottom of crock pot.
2. Spoon soup over the chicken.
3. Cut butter into several pats and place pieces evenly over soup.
4. If using bouillon, whisk with the broth and pour over the soup.
5. Place lid on crock and turn to low.
6. Cook for 6 hours.
7. Remove chicken and tear into pieces.  Add back to pot.
8. Add noodles and if adding veggies, add those as well.
9. Cook for another 2 hours or until noodles are desired tenderness.  Stir a few times during the last 2 hours.
10. Salt and pepper if needed.
11. Serve

Spaghetti Lasagna

Ingredients:

16 oz. package spaghetti
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
26 oz. jar meatless spaghetti sauce
½ t. seasoned salt
2 eggs
⅓ c. grated Parmesan cheese
5 T. butter, melted
2 c. small curd cottage cheese
4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
4. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and seasoned salt; set aside.
5. In a large bow, whisk the eggs, Parmesan cheese, and butter.
6. Drain spaghetti; add to egg mixture and toss to coat.
7. Place half of the spaghetti mixture in a greased 9x13 baking dish.
8. Top with half of the cottage cheese, meat sauce, and mozzarella cheese.
9. Repeat layers.
10. Cover and bake at 350° F for 40 minutes.
11. Uncover and bake 20-25 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

I have tried a couple of different homemade taco seasoning recipes, but this is the one the family likes the most.

Ingredients:

¼ c. chili powder

3 T. paprika

3 T. cumin

1½ T. salt

1 T. onion powder

1 T. garlic powder

1 T. cayenne pepper

2 t. oregano

1 t. black pepper

Directions:

1. Mix together all ingredients.
2. Store in an air-tight container.

• When a recipe calls for a packet of taco seasoning, I use about 2 tablespoons of the homemade mixture.  
• For each pound of ground beef, use 2 tablespoons mix with ¼ cup water.

Ham & Turkey Stromboli

Ingredients:

1 sheet Puff Pastry, thawed

1 egg

1 T. water

½ lb. sliced deli ham

½ lb. sliced deli turkey

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. In a small bowl, beat together egg and water.
3. Sprinkle work area lightly with flour.
4. Roll Puff Pastry to a 16" x 12" rectangle
5. Starting on the short edge, layer ham 1" from the edge.
6. Repeat with turkey.
7. Sprinkle with cheese.
8. Again, starting with the short edge, roll Puff Pastry and filling as you would a jelly roll.
9. Place seam side down on a cookie sheet.
10. Tuck ends under.
11. Brush with egg/water mixture.
12. Bake at 400° F for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
13. Remove from cookie sheet and place on wire rack for 10 minutes.
14. Serve and enjoy.

Basic Chicken Stock

Ingredients:

Carcass from a roast chicken or about 2 pounds chicken bone, chopped into pieces
3 large carrots, peeled
1 parsnip, peeled
1 large leek, washed
2 onions
1 stalk celery, trimmed
Small bunch of parsley
Sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
4 black peppercorns
8 cups boiling water

Directions:

1. Put the carcass into a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
2. Roughly chop all the vegetables and add to the pan together with the herbs and peppercorns.
3. Pour in the water, bring to a boil, and then remove all the surface sediment with a slotted spoon.
4. Half cover the pan and simmer gently for 1½ hours or until the liquid is reduced by half.
5. Allow to cool, then leave in the fridge overnight.
6. Remove any congealed fat from the top in the morning.
7. Strain the chicken and vegetables to make the stock.

Cinnamon Crumb Muffins

Ingredients:

2 c. plus ⅓ c. flour, divided

⅔ c. plus ¼ c. sugar, divided

1 ½ t. baking powder

½ t. baking soda

¼ t. ground nutmeg

1 c. chunky applesauce

¼ c. milk

¼ c. vegetable oil

1 egg, lightly beaten

4 t. cinnamon extract

¼ c. butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper baking cups. Set aside. Mix 2 cups flour, ⅔ cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg in large bowl. Mix applesauce, milk, oil, egg and cinnamon extract in medium bowl. Add to flour mixture; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.
2. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each cup ⅔ full. Mix remaining ⅓ cup flour, remaining ¼ cup sugar and butter. Sprinkle over batter.
3. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of muffins comes out clean. Serve warm.

Chocolate-Peppermint Layer Cake

Ingredients:

1 (18 ¼ -oz.) package dark-chocolate fudge-cake mix

1¼ c. water

½ c. light mayonnaise

¾ c. fat-free egg substitute

¾ t. peppermint extract

2 (12-oz.) container frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Spray 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with nonstick spray.
2. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat the cake mix, water, mayonnaise, egg substitute, and peppermint extract in a large bowl until blended, about 1 minute.  With the mixer on medium-high speed, beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Spread the batter evenly in the pans.  Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.  Cool in the pans on a rack 15 minutes.  Remove from the pans and cool completely on the rack.
3. With a large serrated knife, slice each cake in half horizontally to make a total of 4 layers.
4. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a serving plate.  Spread the top with 1 cup of the whipped topping.  Repeat with the remaining 3 layers and whipped topping.

Serves 16