Chicken Nut Puffs

Whether you are looking for an appetizer or a main course, this recipe will work great either way.  Serve with Sweet and Hot Mustard Dip,  Easy Baked Beans and a salad for a complete meal.

Ingredients

1 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. salad oil
1 Tbs. parsley flakes
2 tsp. seasoned salt
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. celery seed or 1 Tbs. celery leaves, minced
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 c. flour
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. minced cooked chicken
1/3 c. chopped almonds or walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°.  Greased baking sheet.

In a saucepan, combine chicken broth, salad oil, parsley flakes, seasoned salt, Worcestershire sauce, celery seed, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. 

Reduce heat to low. Stirring rapidly with a wooden spoon, add the flour. Cook and stir until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a smooth compact ball.  Remove from heat.

Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Beat until the mixture is shiny.

Stir in chicken and almonds. 

Drop by heaping measuring teaspoonfuls (or use a silverware teaspoon and then only use a half a teaspoon to measure) onto a greased baking sheet. 

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot with Sweet and Hot Mustard Dip.

Sweet and Hot Mustard Dip

This sweet and hot mustard dipping sauce is the perfect compliment to dip chicken pieces into, spread over bread for sandwiches, and many other dishes. 

Add less ground mustard if you don't want it as hot. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. honey
1 c. vinegar
3 eggs
1 (4 oz.) tin ground mustard or less for not as much heat
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

Combine honey, vinegar, eggs, mustard, and salt in a blender.  Blend until well combined and smooth.

Pour the mixture into a saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until the mixture thickens and reaches a temperature of 160°. This takes about 15 minutes.

Pour the mixture into small jars and cover with a tight-fitting lid.  Place in the refrigerator.

Use this sauce to dip chicken nuggets, pretzels, sausage, or ham sandwiches.  

This keeps between 1 week and 2 months in the refrigerator, depending on the refrigerator setting and how long the jar sits out.

Cottage Bread

This bread recipe is so easy.  You can make it as an artisan bread or form into a loaf.  It is very good fresh from the oven with butter or honey butter spread over the slice.

Ingredients

1 pkg. yeast
1 1/4 c. warm water
1 1/2 Tbs. sugar
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. shortening or cooking oil
4 c. bread flour

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Let sit for 10 minutes to make sure the yeast is active. 

Add the remaining warm water, sugar, salt, shortening and 2-cups flour.  Beat until smooth.

Add 1 3/4 cup flour.  With a wooden spoon, stir until dough cleans the side of the bowl. 

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough until the dough is smooth. If you press your finger into the dough, the indention will spring back. That lets you know the dough is ready for rising. 

Place dough in greased bowl. I use the bowl that I mixed the dough in to save on washing extra dishes. Cover with a tea towel or a sheet of plastic wrap.  Set the bowl in a warm location and let the dough rise until doubled in volume, about an hour. 

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a loaf. Place into a greased loaf pan. Cover with a tea towel. 

Set the loaf pan in a warm location and allow the dough to rise for 30 to 45 minutes, or until doubled.

With a sharp knife, make 5 slashes across the top of the loaf, about 1/4-inch deep.  Sift the remaining flour over the top of the loaf.  

Bake in a 400° oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until done.

Remove from pan and cool on a rack.

Western Hospitality Casserole

An easy recipe that is filling and delicious. It is comfort food that your family will love. 

Instead of buying already cut up beef stew meat, just buy a roast and cut it up yourself. You can save a lot of money by doing this. This recipe can be doubled to serve at least 12 people.  It can also be frozen, before you add the cheese, so you can serve it later. Just defrost and then bake.

Ingredients

1/3 c. flour
1 tsp salt
2 lbs. beef roast or beef stew meat 
1 Tbs. c. oil
2 garlic cloves
6 Tbs. tomato paste
2 c. beef bouillon or dry red wine
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 bay leaves 1
1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms 
1 (4 oz.) pkg or 2 c. uncooked egg noodles
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Combine flour and salt in a shallow bowl or pan. Cut beef roast into 1-inch cubes.

Dredge the beef cubes in the flour and salt mixture, shaking off the excess.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Carefully add the meat and cook the meat until browned, flipping them over to brown all sides.

Add the garlic, tomato paste, beef bouillon, thyme, and bay leaves.  Cover. Simmer for 90 minutes or until beef is tender. 

Remove bay leaves.  Stir in mushrooms.  

Cook noodles according to pkg directions.  Drain. Add noodles to the beef mixture.

If your Dutch oven is oven safe, bake the beef mixture for 1 hour. However, you can also pour the meat and noodle mixture into a 12 x 8-inch pan. Cover with foil or a lid.

Bake for 1 hour.   Uncover and sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top. Bake for another15 minutes.

Notes:

You can replace 2/3 cup of the beef bouillon with dry red wine. Do not use cooking wine because that is too salty. Use the wine that you like to drink for a great flavor.

Blonde Brownies

Instead of making the traditional dark chocolate brownies, switch it out and try blond brownies. They have a buttery, butterscotch, and vanilla flavor.

Ingredients

1/3 c. butter
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. nuts, chopped (optional)
1 c. white or dark chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease or spray a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in sugar with a wooden spoon. 

Beat in egg and vanilla.

Stir in baking powder, soda, salt, and flour.  Mix well.  

Add the mixed nuts.

Spread batter in prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The top should just be starting to turn golden brown.

You can also add the white or dark chocolate chips in the batter instead of sprinkling them over the top.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Moist, tender pork loin chops with a sweet and sour sauce.  This simple, no fuss recipe is so easy and one that your family will love. Serve with broccoli or mixed vegetables and serve over rice or noodles.

Ingredients

6 boneless pork loin chops
1 Tbs. cooking oil
1 onion, sliced into half rings
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1 c. chicken or beef bouillon or water
2/3 c. cider vinegar
1/2 c. brown sugar
4 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbs. cornstarch
4 Tbs. cold water
1 small bag of frozen broccoli or mixed vegetables (optional)
Hot cooked rice

Directions

Season both sides of the pork chops with black pepper.  

Over medium heat, in a heavy cast iron skillet, add cooking oil.  Carefully place the pork chops into the pan and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until lightly browned. Turn the pork chops over and fry the other side until lightly browned.  Remove the pork chops to a plate and keep warm.

Add the onion, sweet bell pepper, and garlic cloves. Sauté the vegetables until they are tender. You may need to add a little more cooking oil to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.  

Add bouillon, cider vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Make sure to scrap the bottom of the skillet, so you can get all the flavored brown bits off  because that is where the flavor is. 

In a cup or a small bowl, combine cornstarch and cold water.  Stir until the mixture is smooth. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the skillet, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened.

Return the pork chops to the pan. Add the frozen broccoli.  Cover and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the meat is tender and the broccoli is hot.

Deluxe Hash Browns

Deluxe Hash Brown Potatoes

We love hash brown potatoes! This is a recipe I remember my mother making so to me, it is comfort food.  Frozen hash brown potatoes, cheese, sour cream and butter. If you want a meal that goes together quickly, this is definitely the one.

Ingredients

1 (2 lb.) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of potato soup
1 c. sour cream
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
2 c. Colby cheese cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
paprika
2 c. crushed cornflakes
1/4 c. melted butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 300° .

In a large bowl, combine thawed hash browns, melted butter, 2 cans of cream soups, sour cream, onion, shredded Colby or cheddar cheese, salt and pepper.

Spoon the mixture into a 3-quart casserole dish or a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.  

Sprinkle paprika over the top.

Add the crushed cornflakes over the top of the hash brown potatoes evenly.  Drizzle with 1/4 cup melted butter.

Cover and bake for 1hour.  Remove cover and bake an additional 30 minutes for a crispier top.

Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes before cutting.

Notes:

You can mix or match the cream soups. You can use cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, cream of broccoli, etc.

Not only that, but you can also skip the crushed cornflakes and use Crispy Fried Onions instead.

For a little spice, add a can of sliced jalapenos.

If you want some meat, fry up some ground sausage. Drain off the excess grease and mix that in with the hash browns.