Recipes by Kristin:
Easy Potato Casserole
2 lb pkg of shredded hashbrowns (thawed)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 pint of sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. melted butter
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
Mix all together and pour into a 13x9 casserole dish. Bake at 350 for about 1
hour and 15 minutes.
notes:
(1) defrosting is over-rated
(2) I always add garlic and onions to serve for a group of adults, but kids
seem to like it plain.
(3) on top before I bake I crunch corn flakes and drizzle melted margarine
Night Before French Toast Casserole
1 long, think (10oz) loaf of french bread
8 large eggs
1.5 cups milk
1.5 c cream (light or coffee cream)
4 tsp sugar
0.75 tsp salt
1 TBS vanilla
2 TBS butter
dash of nutmeg
dash of cinnamon
Grease a 13x9 glass pan
Cut bread into 1 inch slices. Arrange in 1 layer in pan.
In large bowl beat eggs with remaining ingredients except butter.
Mix well and pour over bread.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
To bake - uncover and dot bread with butter. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes at 350, until puffy and lightly browned.
Lime Chicken Fajitas
boneless skinless chicken breasts
green peppers
onions
burrito wrappers
fajita seasoning (pre-made at the store)
lime juice
farmer cheese
Cut the chicken, peppers and onions up as you would for fajitas.
Sprinkle some fajita seasoning in a bowl, toss the chicken in it.
Heat a pan with some olive oil, throw in the chicken.
When the chicken is about half-done, turn it, throw in the peppers and onions.
About 1 minute before you think the chicken will be done, squirt lime juice
on it and finish cooking.
Put chicken, peppers and onions in the wraps, top with cheese.
Penne with Turkey Sausage and Veggies
1/2 lb of turkey sausage (or you can substitute cut up chicken)
1 green bell pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 small summer squash
1 small zucchini
1/2 package of fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 can of tomatoes with garlic and basil, undrained
1/4 to 1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 lb uncooked penne/bowties/etc.
salt and pepper to taste
Start pasta in a large pot.
In a big skillet, brown the sausage. When sausage is almost done, add all veggies except mushrooms and tomatoes. When pepper is about half cooked, add mushrooms. Cook for about 5 more minutes. Add can of tomatoes, put a lid on the pan, turn the heat down and cook for 5 or so minutes.
Drain pasta (at this point it is likely done). Add pasta, sour cream and salt/pepper to taste.
Let it sit for about 5 minutes so that the pasta soaks up some of the flavor of the sauce.
Mint Chocolate Brownies
Melt together: ½ cup butter or margarine and 4 squares of unsweetened chocolate
in another pan cream: 2 cups sugar and 4 eggs
Add: 2 tsp vanilla and 1 cup flour. Then add chocolate mixture. Put in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350. Let the brownies cool.
For icing:
Cream together: 1 stick of butter, 4 c powdered sugar and 2 tsp of cream de menthe or peppermint extract
Add milk to make the frosting spreading consistency – add 1 tbs at a time and green food coloring (to make it seem like mint, after all). Spread icing on cool brownies and chill so the frosting firms up a bit.
For chocolate top:
Melt together: 1 cup chocolate chips and 4 tbs butter. Spread over the top of the brownies. Chill until hardened.
Mom Coleman's Chocolate Fudge
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup sugar
1 small can (5 1/2 oz) evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
Bring First three ingredients to a boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla and then pour into an 8 inch pan.
Spaghetti Carbonara
2 TBS olive oil
1 sm onion finely chopped
4-8 pieces of bacon
12 ounces of spaghetti
4 eggs
4 TBS cream
4 TBS parmesan cheese, grated
fresh ground pepper to taste
Heat oil in skillet, and cook the chopped onion until soft, but not brown (~5 min over low heat).
Add bacon and cook. Meanwhile cook the pasta.
Put eggs, cream and cheese in a bowl. Grind in some fresh pepper. Beat the egg mixture.
Drain pasta and turn it into the pan with the bacon and onion and toss well. Turn pan off. Immediately add the egg mixture so that it cooks lightly and coats the pasta.
Citrus Stuffed Turkey
we stuffed the turkey cavity with orange halves and lemon halves in addition to sage and s/p. The lemon and orange gave the turkey a citrus-y sort of hint of a taste.
Chicken Nuggets
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken, cut into nuggets
1/4 c milk
1/4 d ranch dressing (bottled salad dressing)
1 c bread crumbs
1/2 t paprika
mix milk and dressing together. put breadcrumbs into large ziplock dunk chicken into sauce then throw in bag. when about 1/2 is in the bag, shake. Place nuggets on a lightly spray-coated baking sheet. (finish other pieces in same manner). bake at 375 for 15-20 minuts, turning once. remove from oven, cool on baking sheets.
when cool - place trays of chicken in freezer and freeze until firm. then transfer to freezer bags.
to cook: place frozen nuggets on baking sheet and heat at 400 for 5-10 mins until sizzling and hot.
All-Australian Hamburger
1.5 to 2 lbs of hamburger
2 onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon mustard
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
a pinch of dried oregano
plenty of salt and freshly ground pepper
Place the meat, onions, breadcrumbs, egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, oregano and salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Mix well until combined. Divide and form into patties. To freeze, stack between sheets of wax-paper squares and pop into a ziplock. Thaw as needed, then fry the burgers or BBQ for 6-7 minutes on each side.
Basil Tomato Tart
1 unbaked pie crust
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 ounces)
5 Roma tomatoes or 4 medium tomatoes
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
Optional Additional Items (just add them before the final layer of cheese)
Mushrooms
feta cheese
spinach (instead of or along with the basil)
1. Unfold pie crust according to package directions. Place in a 9-inch quiche dish or glass pie plate. Flute edge; press with the tines of a fork, if desired. Line shell with double-thickness of foil. Bake in 450 degree F. oven 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 4 to 5 minutes more or until set and dry. Remove from oven. Reduce temperature to 375 degree F. Sprinkle crust with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Cool slightly on a wire rack. (NOTE: I just pop it into the oven for ~10 mins on 375, no sense warming up the kitchen and the whole house to 450!!)
2. Cut tomatoes into wedges; drain on paper towels. Arrange tomato wedges atop cheese in the pie shell. In a food processor bowl (or if you are lazy like me and don't want to wash, in a measuring cup with kitchen shears)combine basil and garlic; cover and process until coarsely chopped. Sprinkle over tomatoes. (Add mushrooms, feta and/or spinach)
3. In a medium mixing bowl combine remaining mozzarella cheese,
mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, and pepper. Spoon cheese mixture over basil mixture, spreading to evenly cover the top.
4. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until top is golden and bubbly. Serve warm.
Lentil Soup
1.5 cups lentils (either brown or green french lentils)
3 tbs olive oil
1 yellow onion, minced
2 celery ribs, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 TBS minced garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
4 c beef stock
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp each salt and pepper
(I didn't soak the lentils overnight, even though the recipe calls for it).
In a heavy stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil
Add the onion and saute until translucent.
Add celery and carrots, saute until veggies are soft. Add garlic and cook for ~2 more minutes.
Add tomatoes, lentils, stock, red pepper and 4 c of water.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered until the lentils are completely tender (25-60minutes).
Taste soup, season with salt and pepper.
Serve warm with bread.
Baked Potato Soup
2 teaspoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1-1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 Baked Potatoes chopped into soup-sized bits
1 tbs sour cream (approximate)
1 tbs light cream cheese (approximate)
1 (16-ounce) can chicken broth
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2-3 slices of cooked bacon or chopped ham or turkey lunchmeat
Melt butter in a fairly large soup pan over medium heat. Add onion and celery, garlic and bay leaf; saute ~5 minutes. Add milk, thyme, salt, pepper, chopped Loaded Baked Potatoes, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes.
If soup is too thin ---> mix (in a separate cup) about 1/2 tbs flour and enough milk to make a paste that is just about liquid. add that liquid-y mixture to the soup and bring to a boil. Stir until thickened.
Ladle soup into 4 bowls; top each serving with 1 green onions and meat. (or sometimes I top with a bit of cheddar cheese).
Crockpot Pork Chops
2- 2.5 lbs of pork chops
1 cup dry white wine
2 carrots
4 potatoes
1 medium white onion
1 lb of mushrooms
Slice the veggies....the mushrooms, potatoes and carrots in thin little chips and the onion into little slices.
Dip the pork in flour and then brown the pork chops in olive oil in a skillet on the stove.
When they are browned add to the pan 1 cup of white wine.
In the crock pot put the potatoes and other veggies on the bottom.
Add pork and the wine.
Add about 1 cup of warm water.
Season with salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme.
Let it cook for 4 hours (on high) or 8 hours on low.
Sweet Potato Enchiladas
1 medium sweet potato cooked
1 medium acorn squash cooked(any other winter squash would work too)
8 oz cream cheese
4-5 green onions chopped
1 Tbs cumin
salt and pepper to taste
Throw it all in the food processor.
Process till reasonably smooth.
Fill wheat tortillas with the above mixture. We made about 10.
Put into a glass baking dish, cover with jack cheese and your favorite enchilada sauce.
Cover and bake for about 20 minutes or until heated through.
Serve with lettuce, sour cream and whatever other things your family likes with mexican food.