Chicken Breast Supreme

When the weather is colder out, it is nice to put a meal in the oven to bake. It helps warm the kitchen. Plus, it warms the heart and body of those who share the meal with you.

This is our favorite go to meal. Instead of frying it low and slow on the stove top, I will often put it in the oven to bake at 175° for 8 to 9 hours. At the end of that time, you will have chicken that is falling off the bone tender.

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts
1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbs. butter 
2 Tbs. oil
1 onion, diced
1 (3 oz.) can mushrooms, undrained
1/2 c. sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Directions

Remove the bone from the chicken breast if desired. This step is optional.

In a shallow pan or plastic bag, combine flour, paprika, salt, and pepper together. Shake the chicken breasts in the flour mixture. Place them on a plate or pan. Allow them to stand for 15 to 20 minutes until a crust forms.  

Melt the butter and oil in a heavy cast iron skillet. Fry the chicken breasts over medium heat until they are golden brown on all sides. 

Combine onion, mushrooms, sour cream, and cream of mushroom soup together in a bowl. Pour over the chicken and heat until bubbling. 

Simmer covered over low heat for 45 minutes, or until chicken is tender or tests done at 165°. 

Serve on a bed of rice or with mashed potatoes.

 Blueberry Pineapple Salad

Ingredients

1 small can crushed pineapple
1 (14) oz. can blueberries
2 boxes raspberry gelatin
1/2 pt. Whipping cream whipped or 2 c. whipped cream
1 1/2 c. miniature marshmallows
1/2 c. pecans, chopped (optional)

Directions

Drain pineapple and blueberries, reserving liquid in a measuring cup.  

Add water to the reserved juice to make 4 cups.  

Heat 2 cups of the water and reserved juice until it comes to a boil. 

Add the raspberry gelatin, stirring until the gelatin is fully dissolved. 

Pour in the remaining liquid, stirring to combine.  Place in the refrigerator and leave until the gelatin is partially set. 

Gently fold in the whipped cream , fruit, marshmallows and pecans.

Place in the refrigerator and chill until firm. 

Cut into squares and place on a lettuce leaf if desired.

 Poor Man's Cookie Bars

This is an old fashioned cookie bar recipe that I found in one of my mother's old cookbooks,  It is yellowed with age and stained with use. She used to make these often while I was growing up. I had lost the recipe and was so happy to find it again. I can make it for my kids and they can have some good memories as well.

Ingredients

1 c. raisins
1 1/4 c. water
1/4 c. shortening
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg, beaten
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. flour
1/2 c. nuts (optional)

Directions

Cook raisins, water and shortening together for 10 to 15 minutes.

Add vanilla and set aside to cool.

After the mixture is cool add the egg, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, soda, salt, flour and nuts.

Spread the cookie dough in a greased cookie sheet. 

Bake at 375° for 18 to 20 minutes. 

Cut into bars when slightly cool.

 Carrot Bread

 

Instead of making the usual banana bread, try using carrots instead.  This quick bread is super easy to put together and it tastes delicious. 

Ingredients

3/4 c. oil
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. grated raw carrots
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

Beat oil, sugar, and eggs until light.

Add baking powder, salt, cinnamon and flour. blend well.

Stir in the carrots, and nuts.  Blend well.

Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Yields one large loaf or 2 small loaves.  You can double the ingredients except nuts to make larger loaves.

Buttery Baked Mushrooms and Rice

 

Buttery Baked Mushrooms and Rice is a creamy rice dish with lots of butter. It is an easy dish to prepare and one that your family will enjoy. If you use less butter, increase the amount of beef broth to make up for the loss of liquid. If you have butter floating on the top at the end of the baking time, that is all right. It will be absorbed when you fluff the rice with a fork.

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
1 sweet pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can mushrooms, drained
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. rice
1 1/4 c. beef broth, or hot water with 1 to 2 bouillon cubes
1/2 to 1 stick butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. rice

Directions 

Preheat oven to 375° to 400°

In a casserole dish that has a lid, combine onion, garlic, mushroom soup, mushrooms, salt, rice, beef broth or hot water with 1 to 2 bouillon cubes dissolved in.

Put pieces of butter over the top and cover the casserole dish with a lid. If you don't have a lid, a piece of aluminum foil will work just as well.

Bake for 30 minutes. Check the rice to see if you need to add more liquid. Remove lid or foil and bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes or until rice is tender.  Check to make sure the rice does not dry out.  Fluff with a fork.

Pepper Steak

 Pepper Steak is one of our favorite go to recipes. You can add different vegetables to the dish like green beans, broccoli, frozen Oriental Stir Fry Blend Vegetables, or corn for a change. Round steak is usually the cheapest cut of meat, but it can be the toughest as well. If you find another cut of meat cheaper or about the same price, buy that instead.

Ingredients

1 lb. round steak or roast, with fat trimmed
1 Tbsp. oil
1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 1/2 Tbs. sugar
Dash pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 to 2 stalks celery, chopped (optional)
1 can mushrooms, drained
2 sweet peppers, diced or cut into strips
1 can (10-1/2 ounces) beef broth or
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/3 c. water
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
2 c. cooked rice 

Directions

Cut round steak into thin strips. I usually cut the steak while it is partially frozen, so I can cut it really thin.

In a glass bowl, combine Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and a dash of pepper. Add meat and allow it to sit and marinate for at least 30 minutes. Stir occasionally so all the meat has a nice soaking. It gives flavor to the meat and it helps to tenderize as well. 

Heat oil in a heavy cast iron skillet. Strain off the sauce mixture from the meat, but do not discard it. Brown the steak in batches until meat is browned. It does not take for the meat to be done when thinly sliced.

Add the garlic, onion, celery, mushrooms and peppers.  Saute them about 3 to 4 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add a little more oil if needed. 

Combine the beef broth and the rest of the marinade.  Pour into the beef and vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil. 

Mix the cornstarch and water together until smooth.  Pour into the beef mixture, stirring until thickened. and bubbly. 

Serve over rice with tomatoes on the top or on the side. 

Easy Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

We love Sweet and Sour Chicken. Although this recipe may seem complicated, it really isn't. It is quick and easy to make. Sweet and Sour Chicken is an inexpensive dinner idea and one that I'm sure you and your family will love.   

Making this meal at home is so much cheaper than eating out, and it is better for you as well. You control the ingredients you want in the meal.

Ingredients

3 to 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, about 1 pound
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. cornstarch or more
1/4 c. flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tbs. oil
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 to 2 sweet pepper, diced
1 onion, chopped

Sauce

2/3 c. chicken stock or broth
4 Tbs. cornstarch
3/4 c. vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1/4 c. ketchup
1/3 c. pineapple juice
1 can pineapple chunks (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°.  Spray a 9 x 13 with cooking spray.

Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper. 

Place the cornstarch in a bowl or in a big, zip-lock plastic bag. 

In another bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy.

Place the flour in a zip-lock, plastic bag or a large bowl. 

Add the chicken pieces into the bag or bowl of cornstarch. Shake the bag or gently toss the chicken in the bowl until all the pieces are coated with cornstarch. Add more cornstarch if needed to coat all the pieces.

Dip the chicken pieces into the eggs, and then into the flour.  Shake the bag until all the pieces are coated with flour. Add more flour if needed.  

Heat the oil in a heavy cast iron skillet. Working in batches, add some of the chicken and cook until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Place the fried chicken onto a paper towel lined plate to absorb the excess oil.

Add the garlic, peppers and onion to the skillet. Sauté them until tender.

Place the chicken, garlic, peppers and onions into the prepared baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine chicken stock and cornstarch together. Add vinegar, sugar, brown sugar, soy sauce, ketchup pineapple juice and pineapple. Pour over the chicken and vegetables.

Bake for 55 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened. Stir every 15 minutes, so the chicken is evenly coated.

Serve over rice or have some broccoli on the side.

 

Company Beef Casserole

 

Ingredients

12 oz. pkg. noodles
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1 (16 oz.) tomato sauce
1 tsp. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 ( 8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 c. sour cream
1 c. cottage cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain

In a large cast iron skillet, brown the hamburger and onion together.  Drain off grease.

In a bowl, combine eggs, cream cheese, garlic powder, sour cream, cottage cheese, salt and pepper. 

In a 9 x 13-inch pan, layer the noodles, cream mixture and meat mixture alternately. 

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil.

Bake for 30 minutes.  You can also make this the evening before and refrigerate until ready to bake. Increase baking time by 10 minutes.

 Fluffy Sourdough Pancakes

Instead of throwing away the starter discard, you can use it to make some delicious pancakes. They turn out light and fluffy, and they are so good.  It's a great way to start your day, and they don't take long to prepare, either.

Ingredients

2 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 milk
1 c. sourdough starter
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbs melted butter or oil

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. 

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk, sourdough starter, egg and butter or oil. Whisk only until combined. It is all right if there are a few small lumps in the batter. 

Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle plate on medium heat. Spray the surface with cooking spray, or use some butter or margarine. Be careful, so the butter does not burn. If you have a temperature control on the griddle plate, heat 300° to 350°.

Pour about a 1/4 to 1/3 cup of batter onto the hot skillet.  You can use more batter if you want bigger pancakes.. Cook until you see bubbles appear on the surface and the edges start to become firm up. It can take 2 to 3 minutes, depending on your griddle and how hot the skillet is. Carefully, lift one side of the pancake to see if it is lightly browned. If it is, then flip the pancake with a spatula. Cook until browned on the other side, about 1 to 2 minutes, or until the pancake is cooked through. 

Serve warm with butter, syrup, fruit, powdered sugar or what ever you like to put on your pancakes.

Herb Sourdough Focaccia Bread

This bread is so good! The downside is that it takes longer to make using sourdough starter then if you make it with yeast. This is a great way to use up the discard starter instead of throwing it away.  Besides, who can resist fresh home baked bread hot from the oven?

Ingredients

1/2 to  3/4 c. starter
2 c. very warm water
4 c. flour
3 Tbs. oil or soft butter
1 Tbs. rosemary, finely minced
2 1/2 tsp. salt
4 1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. oregano
1 Tbs. basil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbs. olive oil
Salt, pepper
Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a large bowl, combine starter, warm water and 1 cup. flour. Beat with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes.

Add the oil or butter, rosemary, salt, sugar, oregano, basil and garlic, stirring to combine. 

Add as much flour as you can stir in with a wooden spoon.  When it becomes to hard to stir, turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough by hand, adding the rest of the flour as necessary to keep it from being really sticky.  However,you will want the dough to be a little bit sticky. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes our until it is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Turn the dough over so all sides of the dough is coated with oil to keep it from drying out. Cover the bowl and place it on the counter and allow to rest for 30 minutes.  When the half hour is up, reach into the bowl, grab one corner of the dough, pull it up and press it into the center of the dough. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the process at least 8 times. Then cover the bowl again and leave out at room temperature overnight, or 12 to 18 hours.

The next day, when the dough has doubled in size, punch the dough down to deflate it.

Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into a 12 x 17-inch baking sheet.

Place the dough on the cookie sheet. Press the dough with your hands and fingers, until it almost covers the bottom of the cookie sheet. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top of the dough and place in in a warm location to rise until doubled. This can take approximately 4 hours or more.

After the dough has doubled in volume, you will want to dimple the dough. With oiled hands, begin  dimpling the dough with your fingertips. Stretch the dough as well until it reaches the sides of the baking sheet.

Sprinkle the top with the coarse salt, pepper, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese. You can also add other toppings like tomatoes, olives, onions, browned hamburger, crumbled cooked bacon or other cheeses. The choices are endless.

Place the pan in the oven. Set the oven to 375° and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown.

 Sourdough Biscuit Recipe

Don't throw out the discard starter if you don't want to  make bread.  You can use the discard to make Sourdough Biscuits.

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 stick cold butter Or margarine, butter flavored shortening
1/2 c buttermilk* or you can use whole milk
1 cup sourdough starter discard

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°. Grease a cookie sheet or baking sheet.

Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.

Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two dull knives held together in your hand. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs or small peas when it is done. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

Pour in the buttermilk and sourdough starter. Stir only until the dry ingredients are moistened and a ball starts to form. Do not over stir or the biscuits will be tough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 10 to 12 times. If the dough is really sticky, add a little flour.

Roll out the dough until it is 1/2-inch thick. Cut with a biscuit cutter dipped in flour. You can also use a glass or a cup. Dip the rim of the glass or cup in flour so the dough does not stick to the sides. 

Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 10-12 baking powder biscuits.

You can make your own buttermilk by adding a half tablespoon of vinegar to the whole milk. Allow this to sit for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Potato Flake Sourdough Starter

If you have a lot of instant potato flakes, you can make Potato Flake Starter. It is like the sour dough starter, except it uses instant potato flakes. It does need yeast at the beginning, but after that, you feed it every once a week with potato flakes, sugar and water.  

Ingredients

1 pkg. or 1 Tbsp. yeast
1 cup warm water (110°-115°)
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. instant potato flakes

Directions

Mix yeast, warm water, sugar and instant potato flakes in a glass jar or container. Cover loosely and let stand on the kitchen counter for 2 days. Stir daily.

Feed the starter with 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons potato flakes and 1 cup water. Stir until smooth. Leave it in a warm location, 70° to 76°, for 8 hours.

Place in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

Stir the mixture well. Remove 1 cup starter to make your sour dough bread.

Feed the starter with sugar, water and instant potato flakes. Stir well. Cover loosely and leave it on the counter for 2 days, stirring daily. Place it in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

Simply repeat the process of stirring the mixture well. Remove 1 cup of the starter to use for your baking, needs and then feed the starter with the potato flakes, sugar and water.

If you don’t make bread, biscuits or pancakes when you feed the starter, you will need to discard 1 cup of starter at each feeding. Or give it to a friend with directions on feeding and recipes to use it in.

 Sourdough Bread

Sour dough  bread is made by using sourdough instead of yeast. It gives your bread a slightly different taste then if you used yeast, but it is still every bit as good.  This recipe takes 2 days to make a loaf of bread, so you will need to start making your bread the day before.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 c. water
6 to 8 c. flour
1 Tbs. melted butter or olive oil
1 c. starter

Directions

One day before you want to serve the bread.

Dissolve the soda in the warm water.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, salt, soda, water, starter, and 3 cups flour. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended.

Cover the bowl with a towel. Place the bowl in a location that is free from drafts. Let the batter rise at room temperature for at least 18 hours.

About 4 1/2 hours before serving.

Stir 3 1/2 to 4 cups flour to make a soft dough. Turn out the dough on a floured surface. Knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Cut the dough in half. Shape each piece into 2 flat, round loaves measuring about 7″ in diameter. Or shape the dough into 3 loaves. 

Place the loaves on well greased cookie sheets or in well greased loaf pans. Cover with towels and let rise in a warm location until doubled.

Preheat oven to 350°. Brush the top of the loaves with melted butter. Cut 3 to 5 slashes across the top of each loaf if you are baking them on a cookie sheet.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown. The loaves should sound hollow when tapped.

Sourdough Starter

Last year, yeast was very hard to find in most grocery stores.   If you like home-made bread, but you suddenly find that you can't get to the store, or the store's shelves are empty, you don't have to despair. You can still make home-made bread by using Sourdough Starter.  This starter has been known to last generations. 

Ingredients

2 c. flour
1 package active dry yeast
2 c. warm water

Mix the flour and yeast together in a 4 quart glass jar or a large bowl. Stir in water and beat until smooth.

Cover loosely with a piece of plastic wrap, waxed paper or a kitchen towel. Let stand for 2 days or 48 hours in a warm location. Stir occasionally. The mixture should have a sour smell, have some bubbles and there will be some clear liquid on the top. However, if your starter turns a strange color, smells really bad or has mold on it, throw it away and start again.

When you are ready to use the starter, remove it from the refrigerator. Stir to blend the liquid that may have formed on the top. Remove the amount of starter you need to make your sourdough bread.

To replenish the starter

If you are going to be making sour dough bread once a week, you will have to give your starter some food to keep it going. You will need at least 1 cup starter left in your container and you will have a never ending supply . . .as long as you keep feeding it. 

Combine 1 cup flour with 1 cup warm water and beat until smooth. Stir into remaining starter. Leave at room temperature for a few hours until mixture begins to bubble. Cover the bowl or jar loosely and place in the refrigerator.

Remember, you will need to feed and replenish the starter once a week. If you don’t plan on using the starter for a week, discard half the mixture. Add 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water into the sour dough starter and stir well.

 If throwing the starter away does not appeal to you, then place it in a container and gift it to someone who will enjoy baking sourdough bread as much as you do.You can also make biscuits, pancakes or pizza dough from it as well.

Home-made Butternut Squash Pie

Butternut Squash Pie 

We were given butternut squash late in the fall.  Although I love to half it and bake it in the oven with butter, salt and pepper, I always have extra left over.  Instead of eating it for days, I use it to make a Butternut Squash Pie. It is just like Pumpkin Pie, but so much better.

Pie Crust Ingredients

1 c. plus 1 Tbs. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. shortening or lard
3 to 5 Tbs. cold water

Butternut Squash Pie Filling Ingredients

3/4 c. brown sugar
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1/1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. butternut squash puree  See recipe below
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk 

Directions

Make the pie crust. In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt.  Cut in the shortening with a pastry knife or two knives held together until it resembles course crumbs about the size of small peas.

Add the cold water, one tablespoon at a time, stirring with a fork until all the flour is moistened and the pastry holds together. The water amounts vary depending on the amount of humidity in the air.

Form the pastry into a ball and place it in a plastic bag or wrap it in a sheet of plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Remove the plastic wrap and turn the pastry out onto a lightly floured surface. With a floured rolling pin, roll the pastry out until you have a circle 2-inches larger then your inverted 9-inch pie pan.  To check the size of your pastry, turn the pie pan over so the open side is over the pastry.  If you have at least 2-inches of crust outside the rim of the pie pan, then it is the right size.

Carefully and loosely fold the crust into fourths and then place it in the pie pan. Unfold the pastry and position it so you have ample crust hanging over the rim and it is flush against the bottom and sides of the pie pan. Be careful at this point not to stretch the pastry. This causes the pastry to shrink while it is being baked. 

Flute the edge of the pastry as desired..

Bake pie crust at 350° for 1-2 minutes until crust starts to puff with small bubbles. This prevents the crust from being soggy.  Set aside to cool while you make the butternut squash pie filling.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Mix to combine. 

Add the butternut squash puree, eggs and vanilla.  Stir until it is thoroughly blended together.

Pour in the can of evaporated milk, stirring to combine. 

Pour into prepared pie shell. 

Bake at 350° for 75 to 80 minutes or until  a  knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean.

Butternut  Squash Puree

Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff.

Place the cut side down on a baking sheet/  

Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes or until tender. Scoop out the pulp while it is still warm and place in a bowl, leaving the outside peel. 

Place the pulp in a blender, food processor or use an emulsion blender.  Add 1 tablespoon butter and blend until it is smooth and silky.

Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days. Or you can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. When you want to use the frozen Butternut squash puree, simply thaw overnight in your refrigerator.

 

Pineapple Hawaiian Dinner Rolls

These dinner rolls have just the right amount of sweetness, making them perfect for sliders, an accompaniment for any meal, or as a wonderful snack. They bake up fluffy and light, with a sweetness and unique flavor provided by the crushed pineapple.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. dry yeast
1/4 c. warm water
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
1/3 c. milk powder
1 egg
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, undrained
3 Tbs. butter, softened or oil
1 tsp. salt
3 1/4 c. flour

Directions

In a large bowl, mix yeast, warm water, and granulated sugar together.  Set in a warm location, so the yeast can bloom and grow for 8 to 10 minutes. 

Add milk powder, egg, brown sugar, crushed pineapple, butter, salt and 1 cup of flour.  Beat with a wooden spoon, or you can use a mixer with a dough hook attached, for about 2 minutes. This helps with the kneading process.

Continue to add and stir in as much of the flour as you can using a wooden spoon.  When it gets too hard to stir, place the dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead in the remaining flour, adding more if necessary, until you have a dough ball that is smooth and elastic. The dough should be slightly sticky, but no longer sticking to your fingers. This process usually takes about 10 minutes.

In the bowl you made the dough in, lightly grease the inside. Place dough in the bowl, turning once to grease all the dough's surface. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm location until doubled in size.  This take about an hour, depending on how warm your kitchen is. 

Punch the dough down and allow it to rest for 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface.  As the dough rests, grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

Form the dough into 12 portions.  Roll each portion into a ball under the palm of your hand on a smooth surface. Place in the prepared baking pan. 

Lightly brush the tops with oil to keep them from drying out. Cover and place in a warm location until doubled in size.  This takes about an hour. 

Preheat oven to 375°. I often have my rolls rising in the oven with the pilot light. Then, when it comes time to bake, I turn the oven on. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the tops are done and are lightly golden brown.

Brush the tops of the hot rolls with butter.  For this step, I will take a stick of butter, open one end and then run the stick of butter over the top. 

Serve with butter. Or combine 2 tablespoons honey with 2 tablespoons melted butter for extra sweetness and flavor.

 Saucy Chicken and Vegetables

 

This is a super easy dish to prepare, especially if you are tired and don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.  You can serve this meal with rice, potatoes, or dinner rolls.  Best of all, it is a one dish meal, so you don't have a lot of dirty dishes to wash.

Instead of using plain bread crumbs, add more flavor by using dried croutons or stuffing mix.  You can also cut the chicken up into strips or cubes.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 boneless chicken breasts, skinned and halved
Salt and pepper to taste
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1 (16 oz.) pkg frozen broccoli cauliflower mix
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 tsp. thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. parsley flakes
1/8 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp. Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning
1/3 bread crumbs

Directions

Sprinkle salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder over both sides of the chicken breasts. 

In a heavy cast iron skillet, melt butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and brown the chicken on all sides. Remove the chicken and set aside.

Add the frozen vegetables, onion, pepper and mushrooms to the skillet. Sauté until crisp-tender and the frozen vegetables are no longer frozen. Return chicken to skillet.  In a small bowl, combine the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, thyme leaves, parsley flakes, paprika, celery seed, and Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning. Give it a taste to see if it needs more salt or pepper.  Pour over the chicken.  Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top.   Bake for 1 hour, or until chicken is fully cooked.

 Pumpkin Ice Cream Squares

Pumpkin isn't just for Halloween or Thanksgiving, it is good any time of the year. When you combine pumpkin and ice cream together, you get a delicious treat that is sure to please.  It is an easy dessert to put together and everyone will think it took you hours. You can add some nuts or cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. melted butter 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter together. Press in the bottom of a 9-inch square pan.  

Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool.

Prepare the rest of the dessert recipe when the crust is cool.

Ingredients

1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. cloves
1 qt. vanilla ice cream, softened

Directions

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin , brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves together.  

Fold in ice cream.  

Pour the pumpkin mixture over the cooled graham cracker crust. Cover and place in the freezer. when the mixture if firm, cut into squares. 

Set out 20 minutes before serving. Top with whipped cream and pecans if desired.

 Marble Squares

If you are looking for a soft, chewy cookie bar that is loaded with chocolate and marbled throughout the dough, then this recipe is perfect. It is so much easier then making individual cookies and they are the perfect treat for any time of the day.

Ingredients

8 oz. cream cheese
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg

Directions

Combine softened cream cheese, and sugar.  Add egg and mix well.  Set aside. 

Ingredients

1/2 c. butter or margarine
3/4 c. water
5 Tbs cocoa
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. sour cream
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
6 oz. chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan. 

In a saucepan, combine butter, water and cocoa.  Cook and stir until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat.

Stir in flour and sugar until thoroughly combined. 

Add the eggs, sour cream, soda and salt.  Mix well.

Pour into the prepared pan. 

Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the batter.  Cut through the mixture with a dull knife to give it a marbling effect throughout the bars. 

Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

 Banana Cake With Brown Sugar Frosting

If you find bananas on sale or just wondering what to make with them, this cake recipe is sure to please. It’s moist, delicious and so easy to prepare. It is a good way to use those over-ripe bananas and a nice switch from making banana bread. 

Ingredients

1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 to 3 ripe bananas, mashed up
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 c. flour
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. chopped nuts, (Optional)

Frosting

1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
6 Tbs. milk
2 1/2 to 3 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch cake pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Mix in the bananas, vanilla, baking soda, and salt. 

Alternately, add some of the flour and then some of the buttermilk, beating well after each addition. 

Stir in the nuts if desired.

Bake for 25 to 30  minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Allow the cake to cool. 

Prepare the frosting.

In a saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar and milk.  Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue to boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool until the mixture is lukewarm. 

Stir in the vanilla. With a mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar. Turn the mixer to high speed and beat until the frosting reaches the right consistency for spreading on your cake. 

Chili Beef Cottage Pie 

 

This recipe is a chili base with mashed potatoes and melted cheese over the top.  Some people drain the kidney beans, but I do not. To me, it adds flavor. You can also use a package of chili seasoning if you have one handy and omit the chili, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.

Ingredients

1 lb. hamburger
1 onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (15 oz.) can mixed vegetables, drained or 1 pkg. frozen vegetables
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 Tbs. cumin ( you can use less, but we like the taste of cumin)
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 c. beef stock or broth
2 1/2 c. to 3 cups mashed potatoes
1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. 

In a large cast iron skillet, combine the hamburger, onion, and garlic cloves. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Stir in the mixed vegetables, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and beef stock or broth. Cook and stir until bubbling and the mixture thickens. Remove from heat.

Spoon the mashed potatoes over the hamburger mixture and smooth it so they to cover the top.

Bake for 25 minutes. 

Remove from oven and sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top. Return to the oven and bake until cheese melts. 

* You can transfer this to a 9 x 13-inch baking pan or casserole dish instead of keeping it in the cast iron skillet..

 Mashed Potato and Beef Hot Dish

 This recipe is another easy to make dish. It is also a great way to use up left over potatoes instead of throwing them away because no one will eat them.  You can also add some cheese over the mashed potatoes toward the end of cooking time.

Ingredients

5 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 c. warm milk
1 beaten egg
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet pepper. chopped
1 Jalapeno pepper, chopped (Optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1 can french cut green beans, drained
1 can tomato soup, condensed

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Fill a pot with water and add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt. Add the potatoes and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender, but still firm. This can take about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Using a potato masher or electric mixer, beat the potatoes on low speed. Slowly pour in the warm milk and then add the egg. Continue beating on a higher speed until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Taste the potatoes and add salt and pepper to your liking.

While the potatoes are cooking, begin to prepare the ground beef mixture.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, brown the ground beef, onion, sweet pepper, and jalapeño pepper. Drain the excess grease off. 

Stir in the green beans and tomato soup.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the ground beef mixture into a casserole dish. 

Spoon the mashed potatoes into mounds over the top of the meat mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes.

 Buttery Yeast Dinner Rolls

Homemade yeast rolls are a wonderful way to treat yourself and your family. They bake up soft and light and are the perfect accompaniment to any meal.  They can also be a meal in themselves. Cut them in half and slather on some butter.  You can also use them for hamburger buns. 

Ingredients

1 Tbs. yeast
1/3 c. sugar
2 1/4 c. warm water
3 eggs
3/4 c. butter, melted
1/3 c. dry milk
1 tsp. salt
7 1/2 to 8 c. flour *

Directions

Grease two 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and water. Stir to dissolve the yeast and sugar, and then place the bowl in a warm location for 10 minutes, so the yeast can bloom. 

Add the eggs, butter, dry milk, salt and 1-cup flour. Beat with a wooden spoon for a minute or two until they are thoroughly combined. 

Add the remaining flour, a cup at a time, stirring until it forms a soft dough. When it gets too hard to stir, turn out the dough onto a floured surface.  Knead in the rest of the flour.  Knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. 

Place the dough in a greased bowl. Turn the dough over so the top is greased. This prevents the dough from drying out. I usually put my dough in the same bowl that I mixed it in and pour a little oil over the top of the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm location. It can take about 90 minutes for it to rise until doubled in size. 

Punch the dough down and turn out on to a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 36 pieces.

Form the dough into balls.  Divide the dough buns between the 2 baking pans. Brush the tops with oil and place in a warm location to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. *

Preheat the oven to 375°.  Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown.   Brush the tops with butter.

Tips

The amount of flour depends on the type of flour and the humidity in the air.  Some days you will use less and some days you will use more flour. 

I have a stove/oven that uses a pilot light.  What I do is I place the dough in the oven to rise.  On the last rising, when the rolls are formed and ready to be baked, I leave them in the oven until doubled in size.  Then, I turn the oven on and allow the extra heat to help the dough rise more, so they are lighter and fluffier. 

To cut down the mess on buttering the tops of the baked rolls, remove the wrapper over part of the stick of butter.  Run the exposed part of the butter stick over the hot rolls.

Overnight Casserole

This is an easy casserole that you assemble the night before and bake the next day. The recipe calls for American cheese, but we often use extra sharp cheddar cheese, pepper Jack or cheddar cheese. You can use the cheese that you like best.

Ingredients

2 c. uncooked macaroni
4 hard boiled eggs, cut up
1 pkg. dried beef, cut into bite size pieces
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 c. milk
1 onion, chopped
1 -2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (optional)
1/2 lb American cheese, cubed (or Cheddar cheese, pepper Jack or any kind you like best.)

Directions

The night before, lightly butter a 3-quart casserole dish or a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. 

Combine the macaroni, hard boiled eggs, dried beef, cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, milk, onion, jalapeno pepper, and cheese in a casserole dish.

Cover with a lid and place in the refrigerator. 

The next day, preheat oven to 350°. Place the covered casserole dish in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.

Remove cover and bake another 45 minutes or until done.  

 Boiled Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting 

We often make spice cake, and this recipe is an old-fashioned treat that came from my mother's recipe box. It is loaded with spices and that makes your kitchen smell so inviting.  The cake is moist and delicious. You can eat it plain or make up some Brown Sugar Frosting (recipe follows) to put over the top.

You can add nuts to the recipe if you like, as well.

Ingredients

1 c. sugar
1 c. raisins
1 tsp,. cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
1 c. hot water
1/2 c. shortening
1 tsp soda
1/3/4 c. flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spray a 9x13 inch cake pan.

In a large saucepan, combine sugar, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg cloves, and allspice. Stir until combined.

Pour in the hot water and add the shortening. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Boil for 7 minutes, making sure you stir the mixture frequently so it does not burn.  Set aside to cool.

Stir in the soda and flour after the above mixture has cooled completely.  Pour into prepared cake pan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the cake tests done with a toothpick inserted in the center. 

Cool completely and then frost with brown sugar frosting.

Ingredients

1 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. evaporated milk or heavy cream
2 tsp. vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and heavy cream together. Cook and stir constantly over medium low heat until it comes to a boil.

Remove from heat. Pour the brown sugar mixture into a mixing bowl and let stand until completely cool.

Using the whisk attachment, and the mixer on low, slowly mix in the powdered sugar. After the powdered sugar is added, add the vanilla. 

Turn the mixer to medium speed and mix until the frosting is combined and creamy.  Frost your cooled cake.

 Coleslaw with Creamy Calico Dressing

This coleslaw recipe is one of the best that we have tried and it is one that my kids will eat without complaining. This is one of my mother’s hand written recipes from her recipe box. It is so easy to make and with just a few ingredients, you can serve delicious coleslaw without a lot of fuss.

For more color, you can use red and green cabbage and/or red onions.  Even carrots come in different colors so you can have a rainbow coleslaw salad.  How awesome is that?

Ingredients

1 1/3 c. evaporated milk
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. vinegar plus 2 Tbs.
1/4 tsp. salt
6 c. shredded cabbage
1 to 2 carrots, shredded
1 onion, chopped

Directions

In this order, combine evaporated milk, sugar, vinegar and salt in a small bowl.

In a medium bowl, combine shredded cabbage, shredded carrots and onion. Mix to distribute the ingredients evenly. Pour the dressing over the cabbage, carrots and onion. Mix well.

Serve and enjoy! Refrigerate any leftovers.

 

Barbecued Spareribs

BBQ Spareribs are so good!! You can add all the sauce to the ribs, or save some for dipping later. Slow cooking them in the oven for 8 hours or so will give you ribs that are tender and falling off the bone.

The BBQ sauce gives them a great flavor and is so easy to prepare. 

Ingredients

3 lb. spareribs
Salt and pepper
2 Tbs. butter
1 onion, chopped
1/2 c. celery, finely chopped (Optional)
2 Tbs. butter
1 (20 oz.) bottle ketchup
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. water
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 Tbs. cider vinegar
4 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. mustard
2 to 3 tsp. liquid smoke (to taste)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed

Directions

Preheat oven to 195° to 200°. 

Cut spareribs into pieces for serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I also sprinkle some onion powder and garlic powder over the meat as well. Place in baking dish and cover with a lid or aluminum foil.

Bake until the meat is tender and almost falling off the bone. At this temperature, they can cook low and slow for 8 hours.

In a medium saucepan or skillet, melt the butter. Add the onion and celery. Sauté them for about 3 minutes.

Add ketchup, salt, water, garlic powder, onion powder, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, liquid smoke, and brown sugar. Cook slowly for 20 minutes over low heat. 

About 30 minutes before serving, remove the spareribs from the oven and drain off the grease. Pour the BBQ sauce over the browned spareribs. Continue baking in the oven until done. Serve with baked beans, and coleslaw for a delicious meal.

.

 Hamburger Meat Buns

This is a versatile recipe that you can make and eat on the go or take on a picnic. One time I had some cabbage in my refrigerator that had to be used up before it spoiled. My kids hate cabbage, but I didn't want to waste it ! So I chopped it up in small pieces and added it to the mixture. They had no idea about my addition of cabbage to the dish. They ate the buns stuffed with hamburger and said they were the best ever.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 1/2 c. chopped cabbage
1/2 Tbs. cumin
1/2 Tbs. chili powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese or Pepper Jack Cheese (optional)
Frozen bread dough, thawed or homemade bread dough

Directions

Cook hamburger with onions and cabbage until the hamburger is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender. Drain off excess grease. Add cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder and mix in to combine.

Stir in cream cheese and mix well. Mix in the shredded cheese and set aside.

Divide the bread dough into 12 pieces. Place on a lightly floured counter top or cutting board and roll each piece into a 5-in. circle. Top each with about 1/4 cup filling. Fold dough over filling to meet in the center; pinch edges to seal.

Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Brush a little olive oil over the top of each bun to keep them from drying out. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

**We brush some butter over the tops of the hot buns when they come out of the oven. This makes them super yummy!

Oven Baked Chicken With Mushrooms

 This chicken with mushroom recipe is one of our favorites to make. It doesn't take a lot of time to prepare, either. It is perfect for people who work and then come home to prepare supper.  The chicken breasts stay juicy, and baking them instead of frying them in oil gives you a healthy alternative.

Ingredients

6 chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. paprika
1 (6 oz.) can mushrooms, drained
1 Tbs. butter
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

 Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly spray a baking dish with cooking spray.

Season the chicken with salt, pepper and paprika.  Place in the baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.

In a skillet, melt the butter over medium low heat.  Add the onions and garlic. Stirring frequently, sauté for about 4 to 5 minutes until they are tender and browned.  

Pour in the chicken stock and add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper as needed.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, so the vegetables don't burn. Remove from heat and pour over the chicken.

Bake for another 12 to 15 minutes, or until chicken tests done with an internal temperature of 165°.

Sprinkle the top with cheese and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. 

Serve with mashed potatoes, or broccoli or any vegetable of your choice.

Garlic Pork Chops With Gravy

Pork chops are economical and they make a quick, easy, and delicious meal. These pork chops are juicy and succulent and loaded with garlic. Serve with mashed potatoes, or rice for a perfect comfort food supper.

Ingredients

4 pork chops
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbs. oil
2 Tbs. butter, divided
1 head of garlic, minced
1 Tbs. flour
1/2 c. chicken stock
3/4 c. heavy whipping cream, evaporated milk, or whole milk

Directions

Season the pork chops with salt and pepper to taste, paprika and garlic powder.

In a heavy cast iron skillet heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter.  Sear the pork chops until they are lightly browned on both sides. The length of time to cook the pork chops depends on their thickness. For thin pork chops, cook for 3 to 5 minutes on each side.  For thicker pork chops, cook about 5 minutes on each side.

Remove the pork chops, placing them on a plate while you prepare the gravy. 

Add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. when the butter is melted, add the garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat until the garlic is browned. 

Stir in the flour.  cook and stir for about 1 minute to remove the flour taste. 

Stirring constantly, pour in the chicken stock. Cook and stir until thickened. 

Pour in the cream, (or evaporated milk or whole milk) Cook and stir until combined. Add the pork chops into the skillet. continue to cook for another 4 to 5 minutes or until the pork chops are done. They should have an internal temperature of 145°.  Remember to stir the sauce occasionally and turn the pork chops over.

Taste the gravy and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve with mashed potatoes of rice.