Hamburger Soup

My mom made this when we were kids, and we loved it. I even got Claire to eat a little bit of it.

1 lb. ground beef
5 cups water
1 (16 oz.) can tomatoes
1 med. onion, chopped
2 med. carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/3 cup pearl barley
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp. beef bouillon
2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. dried basil
1 bay leaf

In soup pot, brown ground beef. Drain. Add remaining ingredients. Stir. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

This is delicious. We served it over rice, and the kids loved it, and so did Chad. I promise you won't be disappointed!!
Ingredients
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks
1 cup plain dried bread crumbs
1 cup oil for frying
8 ounces Swiss cheese, cubed
8 ounces cubed ham
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Beat egg and 1/2 cup milk together until combined. Stir in the chicken chunks to coat, then drain, and coat with bread crumbs. Heat oil in a large skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Fry breaded chicken cubes in hot oil until golden brown on all sides, then remove, and drain on paper towels.
Place chicken cubes in a glass baking dish, along with the Swiss cheese, and ham. Stir together the soup with 1 cup milk, pour over casserole.
Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Swirled Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Bars

I made these for a work luncheon. We topped them with a little whipped topping.   They were yummy.  Perfect for fall.

Yield:  Makes 24 bars


6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature

1. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until smooth. Beat in 2 eggs, pumpkin, and 1/3 cup water until well blended, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. In another bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and nutmeg; stir or beat into butter mixture until well blended. Spread batter evenly in a buttered and floured 10- by 15-inch baking pan.
2. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, remaining egg, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until smooth.
3. Drop cream cheese mixture in 24 evenly spaced 1-tablespoon portions over batter. Pull a knife tip through filling to swirl slightly into batter.
4. Bake in a 350° oven until center of pumpkin batter (not cream cheese mixture) springs back when touched, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely in pan, then cut into 24 bars.

 Recipe from myrecipes.com

Shanna's Rolls

Here are my famous rolls! They truly are quite easy to do and I will share with you my tricks of the trade. First thing is that letting the rolls raise is key, the more they raise the lighter and fluffier they are. What I do to spead up the process, is preheat my oven and put the metal bowl in the oven to get slightly warm and then I put the dough in that and cover it with a towel and set it on top of the oven to finish raising, it only takes about 40 min if that. Also once you roll them out, letting them raise on the baking pan is what you need to do. Secondly, you never want to use flour to roll out your bread dough, OIL is key!! just put like a couple tablespoons on the counter when you are ready to roll them out. This makes them light and fluffy as well. Good luck~

1/2 C. oil
1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 T. yeast
1 3/4 C. warm water(remeber not too hot, but fairly warm)
2 eggs
6 cups flour (you may not use all of this, put in a little at a time and when the sides of the dough start pulling away from the sides, you have enough flour, another one of my tricks!!)

Put water, and sugar in bowl. Mix till dissolved. Then add yeast on top of water. Let sit for a few minutes. Add eggs and salt, then mix. Then add your flour. Let raise, it's best too let them raise in the bowl and then roll them out to make rolls and then put on a pan and raise again for about 15 min. Bake at 350 for 15-20 min.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Vermicelli

This was yummy!! I didn't have vermicelli so I just used spaghetti and I didn't have fresh parsley so I used dried. I also used fresh, chopped and crushed tomatoes with tomato sauce. Don't you love how I always change and substitute stuff?

I got the recipe from delish.com.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Vermicelli

Ingredients

2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 16 oz can)
1/4 tsp dried red-pepper flakes
1/4 c water
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
3/4 tsp salt
1 lb med shrimp, shelled
3/4 lb vermicelli

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Directions

1. In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds longer. Stir in the tomatoes, red-pepper flakes, water, parsley and salt. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook, covered, just until the shrimp are pink, about 4 minutes.
2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the vermicelli until just done, about 9 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with the tomato sauce and shrimp.

Hummingbird Cake

First off, I love the name of this cake. It's not something boring like "banana pineapple cake", even though that's what the cake is. Anyway, I had extra bananas and needed to do something with them. I found this recipe on Bake or Break. I made it and loved it.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup vegetable/canola oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 cups chopped bananas

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9X13 cake pan. Set aside.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, pecans, and bananas.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

After cooling, frost with cream cheese frosting. Garnish with pecans, if desired. Store in refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Very yummy homemade frosting!!

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 16 ounces confectioners sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.

Angel Rolls

From the Taste of Home Best Church Supper Recipes book. Brad and Brecklyn really loved these!

3 1/2 cups bread flour, divided
2 Tbsp sugar
1 pkg (1/4 oz) quick-rise yeast
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 c. warm buttermilk (120º-130º)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. warm water (120º-130º)
Melted butter

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 c. flour, sugar, yeast, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the buttermilk, oil and water; beat until moistened. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Roll out to 1/2 in. thickness; cut with a 2 1/2 in. biscuit cutter. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400º for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Brush tops with butter.

Makes 14 rolls.

*Warmed buttermilk will appear curdled.

Mango Salsa

When I used this salsa on shrimp tacos they tasted just like Bajio's shrimp tacos to me...yum!!! If you don't like shrimp just cook up some chicken or just tortilla chips.

Mango Salsa

1 cup finely chopped pineapple
2 cups chopped mango, fresh or frozen (I just used the 4 mangoes from my Bountiful Basket)
1/4 c finely chopped red onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (be sure to avoid touching your face/eyes)
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed (I put the whole can in and it seemed fine)
2 Tbls lime juice
1/4 c finely chopped cilantro

Mix all ingredients. Let them all marinade together for at least an hour in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Does anyone know if mangoes are available for purchase in our stores here? I've never noticed them.

Chimichangas

This is seriously Chad's new favorite recipe.

2 pounds hamburger - cook and add taco seasoning.
1 pound refried beans
2 C. Cheese
12 flour tortillas

Place refried beans, taco meat and some cheese into each of the 12 flour tortillas. I used the bigger ones, you can get them for a great price at Costco.

Tuck sides of tortilla in then roll up and seal with a toothpick. Heat 1 C. of canolla oil, and fry chimichangas until golden brown.

Serve with salsa, sour cream and lettuce.

I would double the recipe, so you make 24. Fry them all - eat what you want, then cool the other ones and place them in a ziploc bag. Freeze the leftovers and to cook again you place the frozen chimichangas in the oven at 425 for 11-15 minutes. They are sooooo easy and delicious!

Sweet Sloppy Joe Mix

I know it has been forever, so I thought I'd share a few of our new favorites!

2 pounds ground beef
1/2 C. chopped onion
1/2 C. chopped green bell pepper
2 t. mustard
1 1/2 C. Ketchup
1 T. brown sugar
1 t. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Brown hamburger with onion and pepper. Drain.
Stir in rest of ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Serve with hamburger buns.

The best part is this makes enough for about 10 people. So, eat half of it, and then put the rest in a ziploc and put it in the freezer. When you want to use it again defrost it in the microwave.

Taken from the book Fabulous Freezer Meals by Jenny Stanger

Pizza Pasta Casserole

We found this recipe in the Taste of Home Best Church Supper Recipes Book. The girls LOVED it and Annie even had seconds. I loved how fast it came together :)

2 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 jars (28 oz each) spaghetti sauce
1 pkg (16 oz) spiral pasta, cooked and drained
4 c. (16 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
8 oz sliced pepperoni

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and pasta.

Transfer to two greased 9x13 pans. Sprinkle with cheese. Arrange pepperoni over the top. Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months.

Bake the second casserole, uncovered, at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until heated through.

**I cut the recipe in half (because I only had one spaghetti sauce) and then put it in 2 8x8 pans. Perfect.

Creamy Italian Slow Cooker Chicken

2-3 lbs chicken (4-6 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts)
1/2 to 3/4 cup Italian dressing (to taste)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
8 oz cream cheese

Place chicken in bottom of slow cooker. In a separate bowl, blend- Italian dressing, soup and cream cheese. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hrs. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Wraps!

Wraps are so yummy and so easy to adapt to anyone's tastes.  We've been making them lately and feeling a lot healthier- but that's probably all in my head as some of the stuff we put on these isn't the most healthy.   There are so many different ways to make a wrap- here is what we've been doing lately:

Ingredients:

10 in. tortillas-  Regular, Garden Spinach Herb or Tomato Basil
Cheese
1 can black beans
Cream cheese spread
Avocado sandwich spread
Broccoli slaw
Peppers- green, yellow or red
Meat-- sandwich or grilled chicken, turkey, or ham
Bacon bits
Olives

First I shmear the tortilla, usually I like to eat the Garden Spinach one, with the cream cheese and then the avocado spread.  Next I slice up some cheese, I've used Munster and cheddar- both are delicious, and put them down the center of the tortilla.  Then I pile everything on top, wrap it up and enjoy!

This is so simple and fresh. I just love the broccoli slaw.  It's an easy way to get veggies and adds a yummy crunch. The black beans are so filling and are good for you, plus they're cheap.  We've only had sandwich meat to make these but I think cubed grilled chicken would be fabulous.

So be creative and enjoy a wrap tonight!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast and Gravy

I made this yesterday. Taletha and I LOVED it. I've never made a roast in the crock pot and I was skeptical about my abilities and the taste but was really, really yummy.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast and Gravy
4-5 lb roast (I actually used a 2.5 lb rump roast)
1 pkg onion soup mix
2-4 c. water
1/4 c. flour
1/3 c. cold water

Put roast in crock pot. Sprinkle with onion soup mix. Add water-- enough to come about 1/2 way up sides of roast. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove roast and put in microwave or oven to keep warm.

Turn drippings up to high. Mix flour and water in small bowl until smooth. Add to crock pot mixture. Mix until smooth (mine had a few lumps but they went away). Cover and let thicken. (The thickening part was taking a while so I added more flour/water. It took about 1/2 hour to get the right consistency.)

Peppermint Bark

I got this recipe from Amy over at The Idea Room. Check it out for pictures and for other fun ideas. Love her site!

Peppermint Bark:

12 oz chocolate chips
1 pound white chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (I used 3/4 teaspoon)
1/2 cup peppermint candy, crushed

1. Preheat oven to 250. Line a 9x13 pan with foil, letting it hang over the sides. Spray foil. Pour the chocolate chips in an even layer on the foil. Place in oven for 5 minutes or until almost melted. Remove from oven, smooth with an offset spatula or knife. Place in refrigerator until cold and firm, about 20 minutes.

2. Melt white chocolate chips in a double boiler or in a metal bowl over simmering water (don’t let bottom of bowl touch water), until chocolate is almost melted. You can use your microwave for this if you’re brave! Remove bowl from water and stir until completely melted, stirring in extract. Let cool a little bit so it does not melt the chocolate layer when you pour it on top. Pour this over chocolate layer, and, working quickly, spread to cover.

3. Sprinkle with crushed candy.

4. Chill until both layers are firm. Lift foil out of pan and shake off excess candy. Trim edges. Cut into 2” wide strips. Peel bark from foil and cut each strip as desired. Chill in covered container. Makes about 2 pounds.

Thanks Amy for a new addiction.... love this stuff!! :D