Better Cranberry Sauce

Better Cranberry Sauce
Source: Crockpot365

12 oz. fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Rinse the cranberries; drain and put them in your crockpot (1.5 quart size). Add the sugar and water and gently mix. It's a lot of liquid, but it will cook down.

Cover and cook on high for approximately 3 hours. Stir every 45 minutes or so. When the cranberries start to get mushy, use your spoon to crush them (about 1-1/2 to 2 hours into cooking), by pushing on them.

Once they are all nice and smooshed, take the cover off of the crockpot and continue to cook on high for another 30 to 45 minutes. It will still be a bit liquidy (but shouldn't be really runny), but it will thicken a bit as it cools down slightly.

*****

Both my husband and I declared that this cranberry sauce was even better than the basic one.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

These are the absolute best mashed potatoes ever! Well, at least I think so. I honestly can't remember where I got the recipe from, but I've been making them for years now and I think they are wonderful.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

5 lbs. of potatoes, peeled and diced
3 tbsp. butter
0.5 tsp. garlic powder
0.5 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 - 1 cup milk*
1 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. sour cream

1. Boil potatoes until tender; drain.
2. Mash/mix potatoes adding in garlic salt, onion powder, salt, cream cheese, butter and sour cream. Add in milk* until the potatoes reach the right texture/consistency for your taste.
3. Divide among 8x8 pans; cover pans with a double layer of aluminum foil*. Label and freeze.

**These can be eaten as is, or heated in the oven (350*) for approximately 30 minutes before serving.

To serve from frozen: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake at 350* for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until heated through, keeping covered until the last 20 minutes of baking.

Family-Favorite Cheeseburger Pasta

Family-Favorite Cheeseburger Pasta
Source: Taste of Home

1.5 cups uncooked mini pasta (any kind, just do a mini style)
1/2 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) no-salt-added diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Drain pasta; add to meat mixture.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, relish, mustard, ketchup, steak seasoning and seasoned salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with cheese. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand until cheese is melted. Garnish with green onions if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

*Skip the pasta and this would be a great filling for a Cheeseburger Burrito or on a bun as is.

Spicy Tuna Melt Pie

Spicy Tuna Melt Pie
Source: $5 Dinners

1 (4 oz) can mushrooms, drained
1 (8 oz) can mushrooms, drained
1 4 oz can green chilies
1 (12) oz. can tuna, drained
6 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 cup shredded cheddar choose
2 cup milk
6 eggs
2/3 cup flour
4 Tbsp butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the tuna and mayonnaise, breaking up the tuna. Stir in the mushrooms and green chilies, then stir in shredded cheese.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, flour and butter. Stir into the tuna-cheese mixture.
4. Pour the spicy tuna melt into the greased baking dish.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until is set in the middle and begins to golden on top.

Chicken a la King

Source: Tammy's Recipes


Chicken a la King

1 cup butter (do not use margarine)
1-1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
4 cups (32 oz) chicken broth
4 cups (32 oz) milk
7 cups diced cooked chicken
16 oz canned sliced mushrooms, drained
1 red bell pepper, diced
*Chicken bouillon powder

1. In a large Dutch oven melt butter. Whisk in flour and salt. Add chicken broth and milk and cook and stir until thickened.**
2. Once thickened, stir in chicken, mushrooms and bell pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes to let the flavors blend together.
3. Serve over hot rice, broken toast or egg noodles.

Makes 4 batches (so 4 separate meals worth) of 4 servings each.

*Taste as it’s cooking after the chicken, mushrooms and bell pepper are added and if desired, add some chicken bouillon powder to taste to create a stronger flavor. You may or may not need to add this depending on your preference.

**Make sure to let the base thicken before you add in the remaining ingredients or it will not thicken up afterwards.

To freeze: Let cool and divide into quart or gallon size freezer bags. Remove excess air and seal. Lay flat to freeze.

To serve: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Heat through and serve.

Cornbread

Cornbread
Source: Pennies & Pancakes (This site is awesome!!!)

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup oil*
1 egg
1 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix cornmeal, flour, sugar and baking powder together.
3. Lightly beat egg.
4. Add egg, oil and milk to dry mixture. Mix until batter is smooth and there are no more lumps.
5. Pour batter into lightly greased muffin tins and bake for 18-22 minutes or until lightly golden.

Makes approximately 12 muffins.

******

This is a perfect cornbread. No more Jiffy cornbread mix for me!

Copycat Boston Market Tortellini Salad

Copycat Boston Market Tortellini Salad
Source: Taste of Home Forum

1 large pkg. (about 40-48 oz) cheese tortellini
16 oz. creamy Caesar dressing
1 cup Hellman's mayonnaise
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
3-6 tbsp. water
2 envelopes dry Italian dressing mix
2 tsp. Mrs. Dash original seasoning
1 red pepper, diced

Cook tortellini according to package directions; drain. Mix remaining ingredients together. Stir in the tortellini. Chill overnight for best flavors.

*****

My husband worked at Boston Market as a teenager - almost 20-ish years ago. He all of a sudden remembered that he LOVED their tortellini salad, and off to Google he ran. We cooked up this recipe really quick and threw it in the fridge to let the flavors meld overnight. This turned out great. My husband declared it to be just like he remembered and said to add it to our rotation of recipes. I thought that it was pretty good too. I'm not big on pasta salads of any kind, but overall, I thought it was really good.

*We buy frozen tricolor tortellini in 48 ounce bags.

Chicken & Stuffing Stuffed Shells

Chicken & Stuffing Stuffed Shells
Source: luckymommyto2boys on BBC

2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1 box Stove Top Stuffing mix (turkey or chicken)
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 box large shells
2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1-1/4 cup chicken broth
Italian cheese blend

1. Cook shells until al dente (I cook mine for 10 minutes). Rinse in cold water.
2. While shells are cooking, prepare stuffing according to package directions. Add in chicken and mayonnaise.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the condensed mushroom soup and chicken broth. Mix well.
4. Stuff the shells with the chicken mixture and place in two 8x8-inch pans. (You can also do one 9x13-inch pan for one larger meal instead of two.)
5. Cover with mushroom soup mixture. Top with shredded cheese.
6. Bake at 350*F about 30 minutes or until heated throughout and the cheese is melted.

To freeze: Do not bake, and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Label and freeze.

To cook: Thaw in fridge overnight. Bake at 350*F for about 30 minutes or until heated throughout. (If you're like me and forget to thaw it, you can bake it, loosely covered, at 350 degrees for about 1-1/2 hours. Uncover and bake an additional 15-20 minutes.)

Makes about 32 stuffed shells (about 16 per pan for 8x8 size).



*****

I actually made this dish ahead of time and froze both portions right away. I ended up cooking mine from frozen (I tend to forget to thaw things) and it still turned out great. I honestly expected my oldest daughter to turn up her nose at this one tonight, but she declared it a keeper - with the stipulation that I don't tell her what was in it because she might then have to tell me that it's gross. Fine by me. I didn't tell her what was in it, and it's a keeper recipe for everyone who ate it.

White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili
Source: SparkPeople

4 cans (15 oz. each) cannellini beans (8 cups cooked beans if cooked from dried)
1 can (29 oz.) petite cut diced tomatoes
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chiles
2 pkgs. McCormick White Chicken Chili seasoning
3 cups water
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb.)

1. Drain and rinse beans (this is to reduce the sodium since canned beans are high in sodium). Add beans, tomatoes, chiles, seasoning packets and 3 cups water to crockpot. Stir ingredients to mix well. Lay chicken breasts on top.
2. Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
3. Before serving shred chicken and mix throughout chili.

Makes approximately 12 (1 cup) servings.

*****

*I used a large turkey tenderloin instead of 2 chicken breasts.

My husband declared this recipe a winner. I'm on the fence. It was good, but I'm definitely not in love with it. It will still go into our rotation of meals though. Like I said, it was a good meal, but I wasn't in love with it. I've never had a white chicken chili before, so I might try another recipe sometime in the future. Until then, this is definitely in our meal rotation.

Taco Joe aka Taco Chili

Taco Joe aka Taco Chili
Source: GroceryBudget101.com

1 (16 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can Fire Roasted tomatoes, undrained
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
1 envelope taco seasoning
1/2 cup diced onion (I left this out)
1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained
*For chili add 1 (29 oz) can diced tomatoes

Combine all ingredients and cook over low heat until flavors combine. Can also be cooked on low in a slow cooker.

Serve over brown rice, in whole wheat tortillas, with tortilla chips or corn bread.

*****

Everyone declared this recipe a keeper. I honestly expected my oldest daughter to take one bite and turn up her nose, but she did the opposite. She took one bite and declared that she loved it. She and I ate ours like a dip with tortilla chips. My husband ate his on whole wheat tortillas, and my three year old son at his with a spoon (with cornbread and tortilla chips as a side).

The only thing I might do differently next time is just to use a can of petite diced tomatoes instead of the fire roasted tomatoes. No real reason for the possible swap other than to see how it turns out.


Please excuse the almost empty looking pot. I forgot to take a picture until after we ate dinner. The picture is also deceiving because there was a lot more leftover than it looks like.

Pizza/Calzone Dough

Pizza/Calzone Dough
Source: The Kitchen

1-1/2 cups warm water
2 tsp. active dry yeast
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp. salt

1. Combine the water and yeast in mixing bowl, and stir to dissolve the yeast. Let sit for 2-3 minutes. The mixture should be light brown and milky.
2. Add in salt and flour. Using a stand mixer, mix the dough for about 5 minutes. The dough should be tacky but not stick to you like gum. If it does, then add a pinch of flour at a time until it no longer sticks to you and is just tacky to the touch.
3. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Let dough rise for about an hour and a half. It will double in size.
4. Divide dough. You can make two pizzas with this batch.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
6. Stretch dough out to approximately a 10-inch round pizza on a pan. If dough starts to shrink back, let it rest about 5 minutes and then try again. Brush the edge of the crust with EVOO. Top with sauce, cheese and toppings. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until the crust starts to brown and then slide off of pan and bake and additional 3 minutes to crisp up the bottom of the pizza.
7. Remove from oven and eat once cool enough to enjoy.

Makes 2 (10-inch) pizzas.

*****

This recipe was orignally supposed to be for two thin crust pizzas. I had doubled the recipe - to the above amounts - and made two regular pizzas. The crust was perfect. Not too thick, and not too thin.

This pizza crust was declared a winner. My husband and myself both enjoyed this pizza crust much more than the previous recipe we have been using. It does require more planning since you need to let the dough rise and possibly rest, but it's definitely worth it. You can refrigerate this dough for up to three days before using (after letting it rise), and you can also freeze the dough. I prefer to make the pizzas and then freeze them before baking, if I'm going to freeze something pizza related.

Here are the two pizzas that I made last night: Turkey pepperoni and a buffalo chicken pizza. Yummy!!!

Broccoli & Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Broccoli & Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Source: I have no clue!

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 oz 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp. seasoned bread crumbs

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Trim chicken. Hold sharp knife parallel to cutting board and along one long side of breast; cut almost in half, leaving breast attached at one side. Open breast so it lies flat; cover with plastic wrap. Using flat side of a meat mallet, lightly pound to 1/4-inch thickness.
3. In a large bowl, combine broccoli, cream cheese, shredded cheese, and bread crumbs. Stuff a scant 1/3 cup into each chicken breast. Secure with toothpicks.
4. Brown chicken over medium-high heat in two batches in a nonstick skillet for 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, until cooked through.

Makes 6 servings.

To Freeze: Do not bake. Brown chicken and then arrange in a single layer on a pan to freeze. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Label and freeze.

To Bake: Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Bake as directed above.

*****

Oh my goodness! This was so yummy! We used to buy some frozen broccoli stuffed chicken breasts that were absolutely delicious. I no longer buy them, and have really missed having them. This recipe turns out to taste really similar. The only real difference being that the frozen ones that I used to buy were processed chicken and breaded on the outside. These are so much better!

If you need a visual on how to flatten the chicken breasts, here is a visual on Taste of Home's website.

Ranch-O Bacon Chicken

Ranch-O Bacon Chicken
Source: I have no clue!

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
6 tbsp. pre-cooked crumbled bacon

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer. Sprinkle ranch seasoning evenly over chicken.
3. Evenly cover chicken with bacon crumbles. Use the back of a spatula to gently press down and help the bacon to adhere.
4. Bake until the chicken is fully cooked, approximately 20-25 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

To Freeze: Do not bake. Cover tightly with foil and freeze.

To Bake: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bake as directed above.

*****

I honestly wasn't sure if I was going to like this or not when I was making it, but I really liked it a lot. Everyone enjoyed this dish and it will definitely be a repeat in our house. Very easy and very tasty.

Freezer Biscuits

Freezer Biscuits
Source: Money Saving Mom

4 cups flour (I used all purpose)
2 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup shortening, butter, coconut oil, or FF plain yogurt (I used butter)
1 to 1-3/4 cup milk (I used 1 cup)

Mix dry ingredients together. Add in the shortening or butter and mix until crumbly. (You can use a KitchenAid or food processor to save time and effort). Add in the milk and mix until a ball forms. (Not a wet sticky dough.)

Roll out onto a floured surface and cut into biscuits. (I rolled mine out and cut it with a pizza slicer. You can also roll the dough out and cut into biscuit shapes. Reroll the dough and cut again.)

To Freeze: Freeze on a cookie sheet for 1-2 hours. Then remove and place in a airtight freezer bag.

To Bake: Pull the desired number of biscuits out and let thaw for 30 minutes to an hour. Bake at 450 degrees for 8-12 minutes. You can bake them straight from the freezer but they won’t rise much. (Bake right away at 450 degrees for 8-12 minutes if baking from fresh.)

Makes 24 biscuits.

*****

Okay, I actually made these biscuits twice. The first batch I messed up somehow, but my husband and son stilled loved them and gobbled up the half batch that I baked.

The second batch I made with room temperature butter, and 1 cup of milk that was treated with vinegar to be used as a buttermilk substitute. The second batch turned out to be exactly what I was looking for.

I might try using shortening the next time I make them to see how they turn out. That's if I can convince myself to buy some shortening since it's soy based and I avoid soy products as much as possible.

Cheeseburger & Fries Casserole

Cheeseburger & Fries Casserole
Source: Taste of Home

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed golden mushroom soup
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 pkg. (20 oz) frozen crinkle-cut french fries

1. Brown the ground beef; drain off fat.
2. Stir in soups (undiluted) with ground beef. Pour mixture into two greased 8x8-inch pans (or one 9x13-inch).
3. Arrange french fries on top. Bake, uncovered, at 350* for 50-55 minutes or until the fries are golden brown.

Makes 4-8 servings. (Each 8x8 pan = 4 servings; 9x13 pan = 8 servings.)

To freeze: cover tightly with foil. Label and freeze.

To cook after freezing: Preheat oven to 350*. Bake approximately 60-90 minutes, uncovered, until the fries are golden brown.


For bulk cooking:

4 lbs. ground beef
2 cans (10-3/4 oz) condensed golden mushroom soup
2 cans (10-3/4 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 pkg. (5 lb) frozen crinkle-cut french fries

Cook as above and divide into four 8x8-inch pans or two 9x13-inch pans.



10 lbs. ground beef
5 cans (10-3/4 oz) condensed golden mushroom soup
5 cans (10-3/4 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup
2 pkg. (5 lb) frozen crinkle-cut french fries

Cook as above and divide into ten 8x8-inch pans or six 9x13-inch pans.

Mexican Lasagna

Mexican Lasagna
Source: Taste of Home

2 lbs. ground beef
1 can (16 oz.) refried beans
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
1 envelope taco seasoning
2 tbsp. hot salsa
4 cups (16 oz.) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, divided
9 lasagna noodles
1 jar (16 ounces) mild salsa
2 cups water

1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the beans, chilies, taco seasoning and hot salsa.
2. In a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish, layer a third of the noodles and meat mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Repeat layers twice.
3. Combine mild salsa and water; pour over top. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour or until heated through.
4. Top remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes longer. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

Yield: 12 servings.

*****

I served this with a little bit of sour cream and some diced tomatoes. This was pretty good. We'll definitely be having it again, but will be splitting this in half and baking in an 8x8-inch pan instead. It's just way too much for our family right now.

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Bars (aka copykat Reese's bars)

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Bars (aka copykat Reese's bars)
Source: Bakerlady

Peanut Butter Layer:
1 cup butter melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (use the boxed kind, or grind them in a food processor. Tiny granules.)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup peanut butter
Chocolate Layer:
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
4 tbsp. peanut butter

In a medium saucepan, mix together the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners’ sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until well butter is melted and everything is blended well. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9×13 inch pan. In a metal bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Spread over the peanut butter layer. Let cool until chocolate hardens. Carefully cut squares and then refrigerate for at least an hour before eating.

*****

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! This is absolutely perfect! If you have no will power when it comes to sweets, then you should probably cut this recipe in half and make it in an 8x8-inch pan. This has the absolute right taste of a peanut butter cup (the good ones, not the generic ones that never quite taste right).

Chocolate Popcorn

This probably sounds a bit weird, but it's yummy. Or at least I think it's yummy. I've been craving chocolate like crazy lately. Popcorn is a filling snack, and low calorie depending on how you cook/top it. Chocolate popcorn was the answer to my cravings. It satisfies that chocolate craving without me gobbling down several candy bars. Lol.

Chocolate popcorn

6 tablespoons popping corn (found near the microwaveable calorie dense popcorn in plastic bags or jugs)
1 paper bag, lunch sack size (found in the grocery store on the isle with trash bags/zip lock bags, etc)
1 square of chocolate almond bark (just one square, not the whole bar)

Put the 6 tablespoons of popcorn into the paper bag. Close the bag by folding the top over tightly, twice. Lay the bag on it's side in the microwave (or instead you could use a hot air popcorn maker instead of this method) and cook on high. With my microwave I normally set it for 3 minutes and when I stop it (when you have pauses between the popcorn popping you want to stop it so that it won't burn), I have about 15-45 seconds left. Pour out the popcorn and remove the unpopped kernels.

Now heat up your almond bark in the microwave for 10-15 seconds in a glass or ceramic bowl/cup. Stir and if still lumpy, heat for another 10-15 seconds. Put melted chocolate in a piping bag, or a sandwich bag with a very tiny (important!) hole cut in the corner.

Now what I do next is to start layering my popcorn in the bowl that I store it in. It's about a gallon size bowl. I pour a layer of popcorn to cover the bottom of the bowl. I then drizzle chocolate all over that layer. I then layer more popcorn and repeat with chocolate a second time. And I find that I'm done with this with three layers of popcorn/chocolate. Now all you have to do is put the lid on (so your popcorn doesn't go stale) and set it aside and wait for the chocolate to cool and solidify again.

So yummy! I find that I can make a bowl of this and just grab a handful here and there to satisfy my chocolate cravings and it'll last me about a week or so before it either starts to go stale or I have eaten it all.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

Sweet and Spicy Chicken
Source: Smashed Peas and Carrots

2.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp. cooking oil
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground ginger
4 tsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. sriracha sauce (can use more, but proceed with caution!)
1 tbsp. cornstarch

Dice chicken into bite-size piences. Heat oil in a large skillet. Cook and brown the chicken in the oil. While chicken is cooking, combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until sauce thickens. Once chicken is cooked throughout, pour sauce over top and mix until chicken is well coated. Serve over brown rice.

*****

You can reduce the sauce ingredients by half and still have plenty to cover the chicken. We liked having the extra sauce to blend into the rice some.

*The original recipe calls for half the amount of sauce ingredients, and 2 tablespoons of srirachi sauce. I made the mistake of doubling all of the sauce ingredients. This dish is awesome, but sriracha sauce is really really spicy. My husband who absolutely loves spicy food had a hard time finishing this dish. We loved it, but will definitely proceed with caution with any recipe that calls for sriracha sauce (aka "liquid fire" as I've renamed it) in the future.

Crockpot Chicken Taco

Crockpot Chicken Taco
Source: Absolutely no clue

4 chicken breasts
1 pkt. taco seasoning (or 2 tbsp. homemade)
1 cup salsa
1 (10-3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup

Mix all ingredients together in slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours (or on high for about 4 hours). When chicken is done, shred the chicken and mix everything together. Serve over brown rice or in whole wheat tortillas.