Frito Dip

Another fabulous dip from Len's amazing mom!  Great for after school snack, as an appetizer at a party, or one of those "but mom, we're starving to death!!!" after you already made dinner & they are watching a movie...

2 8oz pkg cream cheese
1 Hormel chili with beans
1 Hormel chili without beans
1 pkg shredded cheese

Mix cream cheese & chilis together, spread in a small baking dish
Sprinkle cheese on top
Bake at 325 until cheese has melted & its bubbling

Serve with frito corn chips or scoopable tortilla chips

Taco Dip

Len's mom gave me several fantastic dips...which I confess, we don't make up nearly as much as I should for how much the kids love to snack!

8oz cream cheese
8oz sour cream
1pkg taco seasoning

Mix together & spread onto pizza pan

Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, diced cucumber, diced onion (all are optional based on your family's preference)
Finish the creation by topping it all off with shredded cheese
Serve with corn chips or tortilla chips

Cheese Ball

Tired of spending 5.00 on a cheese ball for parties?  I can't seem to get the dumb thing into the cart...which prompted a search to figure out how to make one!

1 wedge soft fancy cheese
3 1/2 oz blue cheese
1/2 sm grated onion
1 clove crushed garlic
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
8oz cream cheese
3-4 drops hot pepper sauce
1 Tbs sour cream

Mix all ingredients thoroughly with a mixer.
Pat into a ball shape with a spatula
Spread chopped parsley on waxed paper & roll ball until covered
Set on dish, cover & refrigerate till solid
Enjoy with a cracker assortment, even pretzels

Cream Cheese Braids

Fantastic breakfast danish!  I love to make up things like this the day before a busy Saturday...be it football games, heading out for a trip, or when I know we have to be up early for church.

Yield: 2- 12" loaves
16oz pkg hot roll mix                                                          1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
8oz pkg cream cheese, softened                                         1 c sifted 10x sugar
1/3 c sugar                                                                         1 Tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla                                                                        1 tsp vanilla
1 egg yolk

Prepare dough according to pkg directions using yeast packet.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead 4-5 times
Divide dough in half
Roll each portion into a 12x8" rectangle
Position knife blade in food processor bowl, add cream cheese & next 4 ingred.
Process until blended. 
Spread 1/2 mixture down center of each one.
Working with 1 rectangle at a time, cut nine 3" deep slits into each long side of dough.
Fold strips over cream cheese filling, alternating sides & making a braid
Pinch ends to seal, tuck under
Carefully place loaves on greased cookie sheets
Cover & let rise in a warm place, free from draft, 30 minutes
Brush tops with beaten egg yolk.
Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Combine 10x sugar, milk & 1 tsp vanilla stirring well.
Drizzle over warm loaves

Broccoli - Cauliflower Salad

This recipe comes from my husbands grandma.  He adores broccoli salad so this is one of his all time favorites any time of year.


1lb broccoli-bite size
1lb cauliflower-bite size
1lb bacon-cooked & cut up
1 sm red onion-diced
1 rib celery-diced
8oz shredded cheddar cheese

DRESSING:
1 c mayo
2 Tbs vinegar
1/2 c sugar
sunflower seeds

Mix salad ingredients in large salad bowl.
in a sm bowl mix together all the dressing ingred except the sunflower seeds
Combine the dressing with the salad & mix well.
Chill until ready to serve
Sprinkle top with sunflower seeds if desired

Tofu Cheese Souffle

I know, "TOFU" but seriously, this is so good it is requested by my meat loving, tofu shrinking children.  I started making it when we took our twins off the formula & I needed something soft that would help give them the nutrients they needed...it became a weekly lunch menu for the 3 "babies" and myself...

6oz tofu
2 Tbs butter
2 eggs
3 slices bread
6oz shredded cheese
1 1/4c milk

Coat a smaller casserole dish (with higher sides then a typical 13x9 type baking dish) with butter
Butter bread, then tear into pieces. 
Layer bread, then tofu slices, shredded cheese...repeat until all ingredients are used.
Combine milk & eggs...pour over the layers & allow to stand for 1-2 hours.
Bake casseroled in a pan of water at 350 for 45 minutes
(meaning, place small casserole dish in a larger, like a 13x9, that has about an inch of water in it)

Spoon out while hot & enjoy!!

Mom's Chili

My mom, as most people's mom, makes the worlds greatest chili hands down.  This one is fantastic, especially when you need your sinus' cleared out from a bad cold & your soon to be sister in law (me) accidentally makes it with 3 Tbsp cayanne pepper instead of 3 Tbsp chili powder...oops!  The guys loved it, and my poor sister in law had such a bad cold that she couldn't tell except that it gave her temporary relief from the pressure!  I, on the other hand, TOTALLY knew as my mouth was on fire!  Len will never let me forget this when I mention making a batch up...sweet man!

3 onions, diced                                             3 Tbs chili powder
1/2 stick butter                                             1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 c olive oil                                               3/4 tsp oregano
2lbs ground beef                                          2 c tomato puree (big can)
2 tsp salt                                                      1 c tomato juice
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped                     2 lg cans kidney beans, drained (one light, one dark)

Saute onions in butter & oil till soft & translucent.
Add beef & brown quickly with onions.  Drain.
Add all remaining ingredients with the ground beef/onion mixture.
Set simmer very slowly for 2 hours
Add more tomato juice if it becomes too thick.
Serve with rice or crackers (rice will make it go a LOT further, it also helps to make it easier for the kids or those who don't like spicy so they can easily eat it)
We love to top ours with some freshly shredded cheddar sharp cheese!

This is known to get better with age, if you have any left overs...or if you need to take it to work, or a gathering, make up a day or two before & warm up in crockpot!

Grilled Bacon, Cheese, & Tomato Sandwiches

When the kids get tired of the reg. grilled cheese...we pull out all the stops & make up these fantastic sandwiches.  Eat alone or serve with a bowl of your favorite soup...these sandwiches are sure to please!

Serves 4

8 slices bread
1/4 c butter, softened
8 slices Swiss cheese (or your favorite cheese)
3 plum tomatoes, sliced thinly
1/2 tsp dried basil
12 bacon slices, cooked

Spread butter on one side of bread; turn over & top with a cheese slice, layer of tomato, basil, bacon & another slice of cheese.  Top with second piece of bread (outside spread with butter).
Place a lg skillet over med heat until hot.
Cook sandwiches, two at a time, until golden brown on both sides (turning once)

Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

My mom found this recipe & it quickly became a huge hit with everyone who has tried it!  Fantastic way to enjoy the warmer weather & an easy dinner to have with friends where you can just chill & catch up without stressing over pans on the stove!  ***One catch~ you do need to let it sit in the marinade at least 6 hours but better if its overnight!

Serves 4

MARINADE:                                             SANDWICHES:
1/4 c lemon juice                                             1lb (4 pieces) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 c olive oil                                                  4 kaiser rolls
2 tsp parsley                                                   1/4 c butter
1 tsp horseradish                                             4 slices Cheddar Cheese
1/2 tsp basil                                                    4 slices tomato
                                                                      4 slices bacon, crisply cooked, halved

In a 13x9 baking dish, combine all marinade ingredients.  Place chicken, 1 piece at a time, smooth side up, between plastic wrap & pound till chicken is 1/4" thick.
Place pounded chicken in marinade, coating both sides.  Cover & refrigerate at least 6 hrs if not overnight.
Turn the chicken occassionally.  *****You can also do this marinade step in a lg ziploc bag in place of the dish...makes it easy to have both sides coated easiley*****

Heat grill & oil it before placing chicken on to cook.
Grill 8-10 minutes or until juices run clear.  Brush with marinade, turning once.
Spread butter on rolls & grill for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
Before you take the chicken off the grill, place a slice of cheese on each & let melt (about 2 min)
To put together the sandwiches, place on piece of chicken/cheese on a roll, top with bacon slices & tomato.
We serve these with mayo for those who want it.

Fettuccini con pollo (Chicken Fettuccini)

This is a huge favorite in our house!  Kids love it because its fantastic, I love it because it calls for so little & is quick for me to throw together.  Win Win for everyone!

Serves 2
(yes, 2 people, so multiply accordingly!!)

10oz fettuccini
1 c chicken, cubed (if you already have cooked chicken, use that & skip down the directions to the adding mushrooms & garlic)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs basil
1/2 c quartered mushrooms
1 clove minced garlic
2 c heavy cream
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese

Heat saute pan.  Add olive oil & saute chicken until almost done.  Add mushrooms & garlic, saute 2 min.
Add basil & cream, reduce sauce by 1/3 (this is another way of saying cook till it thickens).
Add parmesan & pasta, mixing well.

Pasta Primavera

I found this recipe shortly after Len & I got married.  At first I thought "hmm, this looks interesting" and tossed it into the box.  It wasn't long before I was digging for that recipe because we were running out of money & I had to come up with some wild concoction for supper that would fill him up, but that I should have on hand!  It instantly became a favortite that has continued to bail me out over all these years. 

Serves 4 (which in our house means triple since everyone loves spaghetti any way they can get it!)

1 can (10 3/4oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 c water
3 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp basil leaves, crushed (dried is best)
1/8 tsp EACH garlic powder & pepper
1 bag (16oz) frozen california blend (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)
4 c hot cooked spaghetti

In a lg pan, bring water to boil & cook spaghetti according to pkg.
While the water is coming to a boil & you are cooking the spaghetti, in a lg skillet, mix soup, water, cheese, lemon juice, basil, garlic powder, pepper & veggies.  Over med heat, bring to a boil.  Cover & cook over low heat for 5 min or until veggies are tender, stirring occasionally.
Toss with spaghetti
We like to top each serving with a little more freshly grated Parmesan cheese but that is up to you.

Moussaka

My grandma would make this periodically for family meals on Sunday evenings...all we knew was that we loved it...once I got married & started cooking for my crew, I got the recipe from her to find out it was Greek!  Yet again, the Mediterranean countries have found a grand place at our table!!  She has on the card that this recipe came from The WASHINGTON POST (iowa) SEPT 20, 1973!!

2 med eggplants                                                                 2 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs salt                                                                           1 tsp pepper
1 c olive oil                                                                        1 tsp oregano
2 Tbs butter                                                                       2 Tbs soy sauce (or worcestershire sauce)
1 c onion, chopped                                                            TOPPING:
2 cloves garlic, minced                                                       1 1/2 c grated sharp cheese
2 1/2lbs ground beef                                                          1 c light cream
2lbs tomatoes                                                                    3 eggs

Cut eggplants into 1/2" slices.  Sprinkle with salt, let stand 30 minutes.  Blot, then brown in olive oil.  Remove from skillet, lining bottom of an 11x16" pan with eggplant.  Set aside.
Melt butter, saute onion & garlic till tender.
Add ground beef & brown (approx 10 minutes), drain.
In saucepan, combine tomatoes & sugar; cook over med-high heat for 10 min.  Mash.
Combine all the above into the skillet.  Add in the remaining ingred until "TOPPING"  Mixing well.
Cover the eggplant in the dish with a layer of meat mixture; top with more eggplant, then the remaining meat.
Cover & bake at 400 for 45 min - 1 hour
While the Moussaka is baking, you can make up the topping.
In a mixing bowl, combine all topping ingred. with a whisk.
Once the time is done for the baking, you will uncover the dish, pour in the topping SLOWLY.
Leave uncovered & bake until topping is brown and firm (20-30 minutes)

Serve over rice! 
Definitely a fabulous way to get kids to eat eggplant, as it really is un-noticable in the mixture...at least our kids haven't bothered to ask yet!!

Hearty Chicken Casserole

This is a different twist on a chicken casserole.  Nice change of pace from the "normal" combinations!  Great way to incorporate food from the garden into your dinner so its fresh & delicious.

2 cans (6.5oz each) chunky chicken (you can also use salmon, or tuna)
6oz (3c) uncooked wide egg noodles
1/2 c chopped celery
1/3 c sliced green onion
1/2-2/3 c sour cream
2 tsp mustard
1/2 c mayo
1/2 tsp thyme leaves (or parsley, dill, basil, chives)
1 sm zucchini, sliced
1 c shredded monterey jack (or cheese of choice)
1 med tomato, chopped

Drain & flake chicken, set aside
Cook noodles, drain & rinse in cold water to stop cooking
Combine noodles, chicken, celery & onion
Blend sour cream, mustard, mayo, herb of choice & salt (optional)
Spoon half mixture into a buttered 2qt casserole
Tope with half of the zucchini mixture. 
Repeat layers
Top with cheese
Bake at 350 for 30 min or until hot & bubbly
Sprinkle with chopped tomato before serving.

Noodler

this is from my mom, who has had many years, and many children, to come up with fantastic meals that would fill us up without breaking the bank.

serves 8

1 1/2lbs ground beef (browned & drained)
16oz whole kernal corn (cooked & drained)
1/4lb noodles (cooked & drained
2 c cheddar cheese, cubed
1 can (16oz) tomatoes, drained
1/2 clove of garlic, minced
1 sm green pepper, diced
1 sm onion, diced

Heat oven to 350
Grease a 2qt casserole dish
Mix beef, corn, noodles & cheese
Combine remaining ingred. in a blender on "chop"
Add to meat mixture & pour into the casserole dish
Cover & bake 45 minutes
Uncover & continue baking 10 more minutes.

Chicken Tetrazini

Another fantastic "comfort food" and highly appreciated on those blustery days...This is also one that is super easy to multiply for large crowds, or when the boys have over all their friends & you are sure there is no amount of food that will stop them from raiding your cupboards bare!

2 Tbs chopped onion
1 Tbs butter
1 can cream of mushroom
1/2 c water
1/2 c shredded sharp cheese
1 Tbs sherry
2 c cooked spaghetti
1 1/2 c chopped chicken

Saute onion in butter, add soup, water & cheese till cheese melts.
Add remaining ingredients & heat through.
Serve with veggies of choice & some biscuits for a fantastic, quick, filling meal!

Cheesy Beef & Rice Casserole

This is one of my wild inventions that came out of desperation & amazingly, it is one of our family favorites.  An exchage student that lived with us for a bit said it was wonderful comfort food...that sealed it up in the vaults of "prized meals" for us :)

4 c cooked rice
1 lg can cream of mushroom
1 sm bag of broccoli, frozen or cooked
1lb browned ground beef
2 c shredded cheese (we like Mexican but you can use any you like)
1 Tbs tarragon

Mix all ingred. together excpet 1 c cheese. 
Pour into greased 13x9 dish
Top with remaining cup of cheese
Cover & bake at 350 for 35-45 min or until heated through.

Our kids love this kind of dish served with the ice cold cranberry sauce...

Chicken Stuffing Bake

My grandma would make this up from time to time when I was little.  Always a fantastic meal on a cold & blustery day anytime of the year!  Since it includes veggies, meat & stuffing, dinner can easily be a one dish meal...if you feel you want to add something to it, our kids go nuts over cranberry sauce ice cold from the fridge!

says it serves 6

1 (12oz) can Evaporated Milk
3 Tbs butter
1 (7oz) box herb seasoned stuffing mix
1 can cream of mushroom
2 c diced, cooked chicken
2 c shredded swiss cheese
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 c broccoli (cooked)
1/2 tsp thyme

In saucepan, blend 3/4 c milk and butter to scalding. 
In a bowl, pour milk over stuffing, toss to mix well.  Pat 1/2 stuffing into buttered 13x9 dish.
In another bowl, stir soup, remaining milk, chicken, 1 c cheese, celery, broccoli & thyme until well mixed.
Spoon evenly over stuffing, topping with the remaining stuffing from the bowl.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until hot through.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese & cook till melted.

Fantastic dish to use up leftover chicken & broccoli from a previous nights grilled dinner!  We have used cornbread stuffing in place of the herb too & both are just as delicious!

Pesto-Potato Frittata

We are always looking for ways to have the kids, and us sometimes, try new things, and this is one of our favorite dishes that is from the Mediterranean countries.  They say its better on the second day, that you can even take it on a picnic, sliced in wedges & served with french bread.  Sounds fantastic to me!!  I love finding treasures like this from the VEGETARIAN TIMES magazine (july/august 2009)

3 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 1/2lb red potatoes, cubed (3c)
1 sm onion, diced (1c)
1 sm red bell pepper, diced (1c)
2 c fresh basil leaves, parsley leaves, arugula, or watercress
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tbs dijon mustard
2 Tbs flour
6 lg eggs
3 lg egg whites
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese, optional

heat 1 Tbs oil in a 9" nonstick skillet over med heat.  Add potatoes, onion, and bell pepper, cook 15 min stirring often.  Transfer potato mixture to lg bowl, and season with salt & pepper; cool 10 min.
Meanwhile, place basil (or other greens) in a food processor along with garlic, pulsing until finely chopped.
Add mustard & flour, pulse to combine. 
Add eggs, egg whites, and cheese; blend 1 min. or until frothy.  Stir egg mixture with potato mixture.
Wipe out skillet, then heat remaining 2 Tbs oil over med-low heat, making sure to coat the entire bottom of the skillet and up the sides.
Spread egg potato mixture into hot skillet, making sure the potatoes are evenly distributed.
Cover & cook 10 minutes.
Gently lift the bottom and sides of the frittata with a spatula to allow uncooked egg mixture to reach the pan. 
Cover & cook 10 minutes more, or until frittata is brown & crispy on bottom & sides & mostly set in center.
Remove skillet from heat, loosen edges of frittata, an dplace lg plate over skillet.
Carefully invert frittata onto plate, then slide it back into the pan, so that the uncooked top is now on the bottom of the skillet.
Cover & cook 5 more minutes so that all sides are browned & crispy.
Transfer to plate to cool.
Serve at room temperature.

Biscuit Topped Lemon Chicken

This too is from an older edition of TASTE OF HOME magazine.  I like the biscuit topping, Len's not such a fan, so this is a rare make in our house...but still a favorite.

MEAL:                                                                              CHEDDAR BISCUITS:
2 lg onions, finely chopped                                                    5 c self rising flour
4 celery ribs, finely chopped                                                  2 c milk
2 garlic cloves, minced                                                          2 c (8oz each) shredded cheddar cheese
1 c butter, cubed                                                                  1/4 c butter, melted
8 green onions, thinly sliced
2/3 c flour
1/2 gallon milk
12 c cubed cooked chicken
2 cans (10 3/4oz each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 c lemon juice
2 Tbs grated lemon peel
2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

In a dutch oven, or heavy pan, saute the onions, celery, and garlic in butter.  Add green onions, Stir in flour until well blended; gradually add milk.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Add the chicken, soup, lemon juice, and peel, pepper & salt; heat through.
Pour into two greased 13x9 baking dishes; set aside.

In lg bowl, combine biscuit ingred. just until moistened.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 8-10 times.  Pat or roll out to 3/4" thickness.  With a floured 2 1/2" biscuit cutter, cut out 30 biscuits.

Place over chicken mixture. 
Bake uncovered, at 350 for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.

***In place of SELF RISING FLOUR~ for each cup needed, use 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt in a measuring cup, adding in enough reg. flour to measure a full 1 cup.

***This recipe yields 14 servings....cut in half for a family of 4!!

Spiral Pepperoni Pizza Bake

This recipe came from an older edition of Taste of Home, 2007 I believe.  Our family adores pizza, and even more pepperoni, so this is a fabulous dinner dish for us.  Hopefully it winds up being a great alternative to ordering pizza for your family too!

1 pkg (16oz) spiral pasta
2lb ground beef
1 lg onion, chopped
2 cans (15oz each) pizza sauce
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp Italian seasonings
2 eggs
2 c milk
1/2 c shredded Parmesan cheese
4 c (16oz) shredded part-skim mozzerella cheese
1 pkg (3 1/2oz) sliced pepperoni

Cook past according to pkg.
Meanwhile, in dutch oven or heavy pan, cook beef and onion until no longer pink; drain.
Stir in pizza sauce, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning; remove from heat & set aside
In a sm bowl, combine eggs, milk & parmesan cheese.
Drain pasta; toss with egg mixture.  Transfer to a greased 3qt baking dish. 
Top with beef mixture, mozarella cheese, and pepperoni.
Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Uncover, bake 20-25 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Says it yields 12 servings, but if I add some breadsticks to it, its just enough for our crew of 6 hungry eaters.