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!
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Saturday, March 16, 2013
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.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
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.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
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.
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.
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!!!
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!!!
Monday, March 11, 2013
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.
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.
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