Appetizers, Soups, & Salads
3 Cans of Chicken, or Bite Size Chicken Pieces
1 Can of Rotel Tomatoes
1 Onion (Diced)
2 Cups of Chicken Broth
4 – 6 Cups of Water
Fresh Cilantro
½ Lb. Of Velveeta Cheese (Cubed)
1 Small Package of Desired Noodles–Macaroni, Egg Noodles… (if you are doing a low-carb diet, use the low-carb noodles 5 g.)
In a large dutch oven, saute the chopped onion. When it is transparent, add the chicken broth, chicken, water, & rotel tomatoes. At this point, I use kitchen scissors to snip the cilantro in. You can use the amount you like. I like a lot, so I usually use almost ½ of one bundle. Let this heat up and boil for 5-10 minutes. If it looks like you need more liquid to keep it at a “soup” consistency, you can add water or chicken broth back in. When you are almost ready to eat, add the noodles and cook according to the package time.
If everyone in your family likes Velveeta Cheese, you can add it in at this time as well. It will melt nicely. Just stir the soup frequently. The other option is to set the cheese on the table and let each person put it in their own bowl before adding their soup. It will still melt. One other option is to use grated cheddar cheese to top the soup instead of adding Velveeta. I love both types of cheeses, but for this recipe, the Velveeta is wonderful!
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Cranberry Relish
2 Cups of Chopped Pineapples
1 Cup of Chopped Cranberries
1-2 Chopped Jalepenos
Juice of ½ of a Lime
1 – 2 Tablespoons of Fresh Cilantro
Brown Sugar to Taste
I usually buy the canned pineapples in the tidbit size and drain them
well. The other chopped ingredients I put in a food processor. You mix
all of the ingredients together and serve.
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Berry Syrup
This recipe comes from cookingvillage.com and is excellent!
1 pint of fresh berries (I used blackberries)
1/4 Cup of water
1/2 Cup of Sugar
1 T. of Lemon Juice
Place the rinsed berries in a 3 qt. saucepan with the water and sugar.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium to high heat. Reduce the heat to
low and cook until it thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Press the berries through a sieve, reserving the juice and discarding
the skins and seeds. Add the lemon juice and mix well. Let it cool. Pour
into a glass jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 3
weeks.
This is great for pancakes or waffles. I used it on vanilla ice cream --
wonderful!
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Stuffed Cranberry Sauce
*2 Pkgs. Cream Cheese (room temperature)
*¼ C. Mayonnaise
*½ C. Chopped Pecans
*2 Cans Jellied Cranberry Sauce
Directions:
Stir together cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth, then add pecans.
Remove the cranberry sauce from the can, in one piece. Cut each piece
crosswise into 16 round slices (about ¼ inch thick).
Spread ½ of the cranberry slices with 2 ½ T. of the cream cheese mixture
each. Top with remaining cranberry slices, like a sandwich. If desired,
use cookie cutters to cut into shapes. Keep refrigerated until ready to
serve.
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French Toast Casserole
(Adapted from Taste of Home’s 5 Ingredient Cookbook)
12 Slices of Bread, cubed
1 Pkg. (8oz.) Cream Cheese, cubed
8 Eggs
1 Cup of Milk
½ Cup of Maple Syrup
Cinnamon, to taste
Arrange half of the bread cubes in a greased shallow 2 qt. Baking dish.
Top the bread with the cream cheese and then add the remaining bread. In
a bowl, whisk eggs, milk, cinnamon, and syrup; pour over the bread.
Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes
before baking.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 20-25
minutes longer or until golden brown. Serve with additional maple syrup.
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Quick Caramel Rolls
Taken from Taste of Home 5-Ingredient Cookbook
* 1/4 Cup of Butter
* 1/2 Cup of Chopped Pecans
* 1 Cup of Caramel Ice Cream Topping
* 2 Cans of Refrigerated Crescent Rolls (8 oz. each)
Place butter in a 9 X 9 inch baking pan; heat in a 375 degree oven until
it is melted. Sprinkle with pecans, add ice cream topping, and mix well.
Remove the dough from the cans, but do NOT unroll. Cut each section of
dough into 6 rolls. Arrange rolls in the prepared pan, cut side down.
Bake at 375 for 20- 25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately invert
onto a serving plate and serve warm. Makes 2 dozen.
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Semi-Homemade Pico de Gallo
1 Can of Rotel Tomatoes, drained
Chopped Onion, Desired Amount
Chopped Cilantro, Desired Amount
Chopped Jalapeno, Optional
Mix all ingredients and serve!
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Tomato Dipping Sauce
1 (8 oz.) Can of Tomato Sauce
1/2 t. Chili Powder
1/2 t. Tabasco Sauce
Black Pepper to Taste
1 T. Lemon Juice
Warm all ingredients together.
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Green Salsa
2 Large Green Tomatoes or Tomatillos
3 T. Chopped Cilantro
1 Chopped Jalepeno
Juice from 1 Lime
Mix all ingredients together.
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Semi-Homemade Dinner Rolls
This trick comes from Robin Miller's show. I was at
Dominoe's Pizza the other day and asked about getting some pizza
dough to make dinner rolls. They actually just gave me a pound. I
pulled pieces off and rolled them into about 6 inch cylinders, tied them
into a knot and placed them on a baking sheet. Once they were all tied,
I sprayed them with cooking spray and sprinkled them with Parmesan
cheese then baked until they were golden brown - Delicious!
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Easy Homemade Rolls
1 Cup of warm water (105-115 degrees)
2 Packages of Active Dry Yeast
1 Stick of Melted Butter
½ Cup of Sugar
3 Eggs
1 Teaspoon of Salt
4 - 4 ½ Cups Unbleached, All-Purpose Flour
Additional Melted Butter (optional)
Combine the warm water and yeast in a large bowl. Let
the mixture stand until yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in butter,
sugar, eggs, and salt. Beat in flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough is
too stiff to mix (some flour may not be needed). Cover and refrigerate
for 2 hours. (It can be left for up to 4 days at this stage).
Grease a 13 X 9 inch baking pan. Turn the chilled dough out onto a
lightly floured board. Divide dough into 24 equal-size pieces. Roll each
piece into a smooth round ball. Place balls in even rows in the prepared
pan. Cover and let dough balls rise until doubled in volume, about 1
hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake until rolls are golden brown, 15-20
minutes. Brush warm rolls with melted butter, if desired.
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Roasted Tomatoes
*Desired amount of ripened tomatoes (Roma's work well)
*Olive Oil (Spray works best)
*Minced garlic
*Salt & Pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Cut tomatoes
in half or larger tomatoes in quarters. Place cut side up on a
foil-lined baking sheet. Scatter garlic on top and spray or drizzle with
oil. Salt & pepper generously. Bake 2 hours or until soft and shriveled.
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Alfredo Sauce
1 (8oz.) Pkg. Cream Cheese, cubed
3/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1/2 Cup of Grated Italian Cheese
Put all ingredients in a large saucepan and stir over low heat until
smooth. Use sauce over fettucini. You can also add chicken.
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Taco Soup
(Given by Patsy Leshe)
2 Lbs. Hamburger Meat
1 Medium Onion - Chopped
1 Package Dry Ranch Dressing
1 Package Taco Seasoning
1 Can of Corn – Drained
2 Cans of Rotel Tomatoes
1 Large Can of Crushed Tomatoes
1 Can of Ranch Style Pinto Beans
1 Can of Pinto Beans with Jalepeno Peppers (optional)
4 Cups of Water
1 ½ Lb. Velveeta Cheese – cut into cubes
Directions:
Brown ground beef and onion in a large dutch oven. Drain the fat off of
the meat. Add all ingredients except the cheese to the pan and simmer
until thoroughly heated. Before serving, add the cubes of cheese and
warm while stirring until completely melted.
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Baked Potato Soup
4 Large Potatoes, baked
1 Small Onion, chopped
4 Green Onions, coarsely chopped
2 Cans (10 1/2 oz.) Chicken Broth
1 Cup Milk
Salt & Pepper to taste
Scrape the potatoes from the shells. Add potatoes, onion, green onions,
and broth to a large saucepan. Depending on the size of the potatoes,
you may have to add more liquid to get the desired consistency. Cover
and simmer until the onions are tender. (For a smooth soup, puree the
mixture in a blender or use an immersion blender.) Add remaining
ingredients and heat until heated through. Top individual bowls with
grated cheese and crumbled bacon.
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Individual Peach Salads
My mother-in-law has made this ever since I have known her. At first I
thought it was an odd combination, but it is delicious! I have almost
made myself sick on them before.
1 Can of Peach Halves in Syrup, drained
Miracle Whip
Grated Cheddar Cheese
Lettuce leaves
Assembly: Lettuce Leaf, Peach half (cut side up), a dollop of Miracle
Whip, Cheddar Cheese on top. Quick, Easy, Different, Delicious!
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Turkey & Rice Soup
2 1/2
cups turkey, cooked and diced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 6-ounce box long-grained rice
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients with 6 cups of
water. Simmer, covered, until rice is cooked, approximately 30
minutes. Great with fresh bread.
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Candy Cane Hot Chocolate
4 Cups of Milk
3 (1oz.) Squares of Semisweet Chocolate, chopped
4 Peppermint Candy Canes, crushed
1 Cup Whipped Cream
4 Small Peppermint Candy Canes
Heat the milk until steaming hot, not boiling. Add the chocolate and the
crushed peppermint candy and allow them to melt and become smooth.
Pour into mugs and garnish with whipped cream. Add candy canes for stir
sticks.
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Cream of Jalapeno Soup
(From Chef Grady Spears)
1 1/2 T. Butter
5 Jalepeno Peppers (Stemmed, Seeded, & Minced)
3/4 C. Finely Chopped Red Onion
3 Cloves of Minced Garlic
1 Avocado, Peeled & Diced
2 C. Diced Tomatoes
8 C. Heavy Cream
1 Bunch of Cilantro, Chopped
Salt & Pepper to Taste
In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the
jalapenos, onions, and garlic. Saute, stirring until the vegetables are
soft. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the avocados, tomatoes
and cream. Lower the temperature and return the pan to the heat,
watching and stirring so the cream does not separate. Bring the soup
slowly back to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes to reduce by 1/3
and to blend the flavors. Be sure to stir occasionally to prevent
sticking or scorching. Season with salt & pepper.
Just before serving, stir the chopped cilantro leaves into the soup,
reserving some for a garnish.
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Cream Cheese Dip
This is my sister's recipe. She makes it for family gatherings and we
all LOVE it.
2 (8 oz.) cream cheese (softened)
Approx. 5-7 green onions (greens only)
1 (2.25 oz.) jar of dried beef
Accent Salt
Chop green onions (greens part only) into small chives, chop dried beef
into small pieces (A small chopper works well). Combine the softened
cream cheese, chopped green onions and chopped beef together in a medium
mixing bowl. Mix until well blended. Add Accent Salt to taste. Blend in
Accent Salt to taste . Refrigerate before serving. Chilling over night
has the best results. Serve with crackers. Wheat Thins are my favorite
with this dip.
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Jacob's Spicy Chicken & Cream Sauce
1 (14.5 oz.) Can of Chicken Broth
1 Cup of Heavy Cream
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 T. Crushed Red Pepper
1 T. Thyme
1/2 t. Jalapeno Salt
1 T. Parsley
1 1/2 T. Mexican Chili
Mix all ingredients together in a sauce pan. Warm and let it reduce.
Serve in dipping bowls for any type of meat.
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Jacob does more "cooking" than baking. Therefore, there are no exact
measurements, and only basic directions.
Creamy Potato Leek Soup
3 Large Potatoes, Peeled and Cubed
1 Leek, Cleaned well and Sliced into thin strips
Milk
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Boil the potatoes and leeks in enough water to cover them. Once the
potatoes are tender, add enough milk to make the soup creamy. Season
with salt & pepper. Let this simmer for 10-15 minutes on low. Before
serving, puree the mixture with a submersion mixer or in a blender.
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