Chicken Enchiladas

These turned out pretty good. DH proclaimed that this was the best Mexican I had ever made for him.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
6 oz reduced fat sour cream
6 oz Ranch salad dressing
4 flour tortillas (I used 7 inch in diameter ones)
salsa
Shredded Mexican cheese

Directions:
Cook chicken breasts in EVOO over medium heat until no longer pink. Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, mix the sour cream and Ranch dressing together until well mixed. Shred or chop the cheese into bite size pieces. Add to the bowl and mix well. Grease a casserole pan. Place the chicken mixture into the center of 4 tortillas in equal parts. Top the chicken with salsa to taste and cheese to taste. Roll up each tortilla and place, seam side down, into casserole dish. Bake the tortilla for 20 minutes. Top with salsa and cheese. Return to the oven and bake and additional 5 - 10 minutes.

These enchiladas are so big and thick that DH and I could only eat one each, so for us, the recipe made 4 servings.

Spaghetti with Cheesy Meatballs

I love spaghetti, and these meatballs are really great. Anything cheesy is good with me. I served this with Italian salad. The meatballs are so filling, we could barely eat half our plates.

Ingredients:

1 lb extra lean ground beef
1/2 cup (1/2 slice) bread crumbs
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, diced
2 - 3 Tablespoons Romano cheese
2 - 3 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 can spaghetti sauce
Spaghetti noodles

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions. In bowl, mix all ingredients except spaghetti sauce and noodles. Shape into 1 inch balls. Places in a large greased dish. Bake 20 - 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat spaghetti sauce in pan over medium heat. When meatballs are fully cooked, place into pan with spaghetti sauce. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Serve spaghetti sauce over noodles.

4 servings

Emergency Spice and Herb Substitutions

I need these, because I often start a recipe and then realize I don't have all the necessary spices. Instead of leaving a spice out, use this list.

When a recipe call for fresh herbs and you only have dried, here's the trick: 1 Tablespoon fresh herbs is equal to 1 teaspoon dried herbs.

Allspice: Cinnamon, Cassia, or 1/2 amount of nutmeg or mace

Aniseed: Fennel Seed

Basil: Oregano or Thyme

Cardamom: Ginger

Chervil: Tarragon or Parsley

Chili Powder: 1/3 amount equal parts Hot Pepper Sauce, Oregano, and Cumin

Chive: Green Onion, Onion, or Leek

Cilantro: Parsley

Cinnamon: 1/4 amount Nutmeg or Allspice

Cloves: Allspice, Cinnamon, or Nutmeg

Cumin: Chili powder

Ginger: Allspice, Cinnamon, Mace, or Nutmeg

Italian Seasoning: Equal blend of Basil, Oregano, Rosemary, and Ground Red Pepper

Mace: Allspice, Cinnamon, Ginger, or Nutmeg

Marjoram: Basil, Thyme, or Savory

Mint: Basil, Marjoram, or Rosemary

Nutmeg: Cinnamon, Ginger, or Mace

Oregano: Thyme or Basil

Parsley: Chervil or Cilantro

Poultry Seasoning: 1/2 part Sage and 1/2 part equal blend of Thyme, Marjoram, Savory, Black Pepper, and Rosemary

Red Pepper: 1/4 amount of Hot Pepper Sauce

Rosemary: Thyme, Tarragon, or Savory

Saffron: 1/4 amount of Turmeric

Sage: Poultry Seasoning, Savory, Marjoram, or Rosemary

Savory: Thyme, Marjoram, or Sage

Tarragon: Chervil, or 1/2 amount Fennel Seed

Thyme: Basil, Marjoram, Oregano, or Savory

Emergency Ingredient Substitutions

UPDATED!!!! This is not a recipe, but its something I had to share! These can be used when you start a recipe, and then you suddenly realize that you don't have all the necessary ingredients. I just had to share this. Every cook should have a copy of this list in their kitchen.

Baking chocolate: For 1 ounce, mix 3 Tablespoons cocoa with 1 Tablespoon shortening

Baking powder: For 1 teaspoon, mix 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar with 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Buttermilk: For 1 cup, mix 1 Tablespoon vinegar with milk to make 1 cup OR mix 2/3 cup plain yogurt with 1/3 cup milk

Cake Flour: For 1 cup, use 7/8 cup all purpose flour

Cornstarch: For 1 Tablespoon, use 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour

Corn syrup: For 1 cup, mix 1 cup granulated sugar with 1/4 cup water

Cream: For 1 cup, mix 1/2 cup butter with 3/4 cup milk

Garlic clove: Use 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic seasoning OR 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Honey: For 1 cup, mix 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar with 1/4 cup water

Lemon juice: For 1 teaspoon, use 1/2 teaspoon vinegar

Milk: For 1 cup, mix 1/2 cup evaporated milk with 1/2 cup water

Molasses: For 1 cup, use 1 cup honey (and vise versa)

Mustard: For 1 Tablespoon, use 1 teaspoon dry mustard

Onion: For 1 small onion diced (or 1/3 cup diced onion), use 1 teaspoon onion powder

Ricotta cheese: For 1 cup, mix 1 cup cottage cheese with 1 Tablespoon skim milk

Sour cream: For 1 cup, use 1 cup plain yogurt (and vice versa)

Sugar (granulated): For 1 cup, use 1 cup brown sugar OR 2 cups powdered sugar

Sugar (brown): For 1 cup, mix 3/4 cup granulated sugar with 1/4 cup molasses or honey

Tomato sauce: For 2 cups, mix 3/4 cup tomato paste with 1 cup water

Yogurt: For 1 cup, use 1 cup buttermilk

Source: Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

Pork loin roast

This turned out really well, but the recipe made so much that we ended up eating the leftovers for days. DH said 2 thumbs up!

Ingredients:

1 (3-4 lb) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed
6 medium carrots, peeled and quartered
3 large baking potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 1/2 onions, sliced
1 1/2 cups (1 can) beef broth
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon caraway seed
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions:

Mix oregano, onion salt, pepper, caraway seed, and garlic salt. Rub over roast. Wrap the roast in plastic and refrigerate overnight. Place carrots, potatoes, and onions in slow cooker. Add broth. Unwrap roast and place in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Reduce heat to low and cook 6 hours longer. Transfer roast and vegetables to serving platter. Pour broth into sauce pan. Mix 1/3 cup cold water and flour until smooth. Stir into broth. Boil and whisk for 2 minutes. Serve over roast.

12-14 servings.

Source: Taste of Home magazine

Spicy Chicken and Peppers

Hmmmm good. DH and I loved this one. The name is a little misleading, because although it definitely has a kick to it, its not too spicy.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
1 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
15 oz can tomato sauce
14 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups egg noodles

Directions:

Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in skillet, cook chicken, green peppers, garlic, and onion in olive oil. When chicken is cooked, stir in tomato sauce, tomatoes, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Serve over egg noodles.

4 servings

Crostini

These make a great appetizer or a side dish with pasta.

Ingredients:

6 slices of bread
1/4 cup EVOO
6 oz cream cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons basil
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Optional: 1 cup chopped black olives

Directions:

Mix EVOO and garlic. Spread over one side of bread. Bake 8 - 10 minutes at 400. Cool for 10 minutes. Mix cream cheese, Parmesan, (and black olives). Spread over bread. Top with tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese. Return to oven for about 5 minutes, until cheese melts.

6 servings.

Slow Cooker Steak Burritos

All I can say is these are great. Just leave them in the crock pot all day, and dinner is ready when you get home. This recipe make 10 burritos, so you may want to half it.

Ingredients:

2 beef flank steaks (about 1 lb each)
2 packages taco seasoning
1 medium onion, diced
1 can (4 oz) green chilies
1 Tablespoon vinegar
10 flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
3/4 cup sour cream

Directions:

Cut steaks in half and rub with taco seasoning. Place in slow cooker coated with non-stick cooking spray. Top the steaks with onions, chilies, and vinegar. Cover and cook on low for 8 - 9 hours until meat is tender. Remove steaks and cool slightly. Shred steaks with two forks. On tortillas, spread sour cream. Top with steaks, onions, chilies, cheese, and tomatoes.

Makes 10 tortillas.

Source: Taste of Home magazine

Smothered Pork Chops

These are great. Its a classic recipe that everyone will love.

Ingredients:

2-3 pork chops
1/3 cup flour
1 Tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:

Mix flour, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper with fork in shallow bowl. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Dredge the pork chops in flour mixture. Shake off excess. Fry until cooked thoroughly, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove chops. Add remaining flour and chicken broth to pan. Cook about 2 minutes. Stir in butter milk and sour cream. Simmer about 5 minutes. Return chops to pan for 1 minute. Serve pork chops with sauce mixture on top.

2 servings.

Source: Tyler Florence - www.foodnetwork.com

Buttermilk Cheese Potatoes

It was clean out the fridge time, and I had these potatoes that needed to be eaten. They turned out really good.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons butter
4 red potatoes, peeled and sliced
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cup (6 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
Parsley flakes

Directions:

Melt butter in skillet. Cook potatoes until lightly browned. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour buttermilk in pan over potatoes. Boil gently until the buttermilk is absorbed. Sprinkle with cheese and allow to melt. Stir well and sprinkle with parsley.

4 servings.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats

I made this for DH, because he said he was craving "something sweet." It turned out great, and I got to combine DH's two favorites - chocolate and peanut butter - with ingredients I already had around the house.

Ingredients:

4 cups (30 large) marshmallows
3/4 cup peanut butter
4 cup Rice Crispy's
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Melt butter, peanut butter, and marshmallows in pan over medium heat. Grease a casserole pan. When everything melts, add the rice cripsy's and chocolate chips. Mix and pat into greased pan.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I also made these for our potluck luncheon at work. This was my first time trying the recipe. I liked them, but they were very very sweet. The cream cheese frosting tasted more like candy than cake frosting. However, I would still recommend them, as most people liked them.

Cupcakes:

2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Cream the eggs and the sugar together in a bowl. Stir in the oil and pumpkin. Mix well. In a separate bowl, sift all the dry ingredients together. Stir into the pumpkin mixture, and mix well. Pour into greased cupcake pan (or you can use the liners). Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, until knife in center comes out clean. Let cool for 1 hour.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 - 2 teaspoons vanilla

Cream butter and cream cheese together in mixer. Add in powdered sugar and vanilla. When the cupcakes are cool (after about 1 hour), frost with the frosting.

This recipe makes about 20 - 24 muffins.

Source: Bliss~Felicite cooking blog - lifeinblissfulness.blogspot.com

Squash Casserole

I made this for a potluck luncheon we had at work. I can't remember where I got this recipe at, but I've made it several times, and it is always a crowd favorite. It really is the best squash casserole recipe I've ever made. I made 2 pans - one for work and one for me at home :) If you are only making it at home, you will probably want to half this recipe. The portions set out below make about 16 - 18 servings.

Ingredients:

1 box cornbread mix
6 eggs
2 sticks (1 cup) butter
1 onion, diced
2 cans sweet cream corn
3 lbs (8 – 10) squash, sliced
¼ cup sugar
8 oz. cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Boil squash in water for 8 – 10 minutes, but not more than 15 minutes. In bowl, mix all ingredients, stirring well. Add additional seasonings if needed. Pour into 2 small greased (or 1 large greased) dish. Bake for 45 minutes.

Meatloaf

This is one of my favorites. Its not very pretty, but it tastes great. Its so easy to make - just mix up the ingredients and pop it in the oven. I usually help myself to two servings.... DH likes it too :)

.

Ingredients:

.

1 1/2 lbs. extra lean ground beef

1 tomato, diced

1/2 onion, diced

1 bread slice, torn into small pieces

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

8 oz can (1 cup) tomato sauce

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 Tablespoons mustard

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoons parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Mix all ingredients together. Form the meat mixture into a greased pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour.

.

4 - 6 servings.

Salsa Chicken

I had a lot of left-over salsa from the other night that I wanted to use. I created this easy recipe using some ingredients I already had around the house. DH ate two huge plates full, so I'm pretty sure he liked it.

.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 breasts)

1 package Spanish rice (I used Zatarains)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can corn, drained

1 cup salsa

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Spices to taste (cumin, cilantro, salt, pepper)

Directions:

.

Preheat oven to 375. In a greased casserole pan, place the uncooked rice, the seasoning packet that come with the rice, and 1 1/2 cups of water. Mix well. Stir in can corn (drained) and diced tomatoes (with juices). Place the two chicken breasts in the pan on top of the rice. Season the chicken with spices. (I used about 1 teaspoon each of cumin, cilantro, salt, and pepper). Top each chicken breast with 1/2 cup salsa. Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake covered for 45 - 50 minutes. Top the salsa chicken with cheddar cheese. Return to oven and bake uncovered for an additional 10 - 15 minutes.

.

2 servings. I served this with Velveeta shells and cheese (DH's favorite side dish).