5 Minute Dinner

I found this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens awhile ago. I tried it tonight because I had a tiny bit of Pesto left over that I wanted to use up. It was so simple and delicious. I sat the toddler down to play but it was ready so fast she didn't even get to play! This has a great simple pesto recipe if you don't have any on hand. I just used a little store bought pesto and it was great as well. Serve with a little salad or bread and you're set. Dinner in 5! Enjoy!

Ravioli with Spinach Pesto

9 oz pkg 4-cheese ravioli

12 oz. baby pattypan squash, halved, or yellow summer squash, halved and sliced 1/2 inch thick

3 ½ cups fresh baby spinach

½ cup torn fresh basil

¼ cup bottled Caesar Parmesan vinaigrette salad dressing

Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Cook ravioli according to package. Add the squash the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Drain. Meanwhile, for pesto, in blender container combine spinach, basil, salad dressing, and 2 tablespoons water. Cover and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down blender as needed. You can also use store bought pesto. Just use about 2 Tbsp. Toss ravioli mixture with pesto. Sprinkle with cheese.

Ooey Gooey Popcorn

Just made this last night, and it turned out great. Perfect for taking to friends and neighbors!

One large bowl of plain popcorn (pop it however you wish)
1 stick of butter
1 bag of mini-marshmallows
1 bag of seasonal candy

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the marshmallows. Pour over the popcorn and mix well, adding in the candy as you go.

Let cool.

*Tip: its a lot easier to mix into the popcorn if everything (including the bowl and your hands) are greased.

Pass the Couscous!

I got this recipe from a filipino classmate. It is delish.

1 (5.8-ounce) box instant couscous
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 orange, juiced
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 lemon, juiced
3/4 cup almonds, toasted
Freshly ground pepper

Stir the couscous, cranberries, curry powder, salt, and sugar together in a heatproof bowl. Bring water (amount will be listed on package directions) to a boil and pour it over the couscous. Add the orange juice. Give it a big stir, cover the bowl tightly and let it stand, giving it a big stir once or twice, until the water is absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 5 minutes.

Fluff up the couscous with a fork. Add the olive oil, parsley, lemon juice, and almonds. Stir around until everything is distributed evenly throughout the couscous. Make up to 2 hours ahead of time and keep at room temperature until you're ready to serve. Check the seasonings just before you serve the salad and add salt and pepper, to taste.

Note: To toast the almonds, spread them out on a baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree F oven until they turn a shade darker, about 8 minutes or put in a dry pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes-watch closely to avoid burning...I have burned my nuts several times...rugh!

new potato salad and healthy(ish) onion rings

for our labor day celebration today, we tried out a couple new sides with our hamburgers. i liked them both. so now i am sharing them!

dijon potato salad

i usually dislike traditional potato salad. probably because i strongly dislike pickles (how un-american, i know!) so i'm always on the look-out for a decent alternative. i think i found it. i REALLY liked this one. it comes from everyday food magazine.

1 1/2 lbs red new potatoes, scrubbed and halved
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 C chopped fresh flat-leaved parsley

steam the potatoes. in a serving bowl, combine vinegar and dijon and season with the salt and pepper. add the hot potatoes, toss and then let cool. after it's at room temperature add the oil and parsley and toss. yum.

baked onion rings (also from everyday food magazine)

1 1/2 C cornflakes
1/2 C breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1/2 C low-fat buttermilk
1/4 C flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
1 sweet onion
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. preheat oven to 450. in a food processor, pulse cornflakes and breadcrumbs until fine crumbs form, then transfer to a medium bowl. in another medium bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, flour and cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper.

2. dip onion rings in egg mixture, then in the dry mixture. pour oil onto a rimmed baking sheet and stick it in the oven for 2 min to warm it up. then place the onion rings on the baking sheet. cook for 16 minutes, turning once.

Healthy Chicken Nuggets

I saw this on a blog ages ago and finally decided to try it now that the hubs is back in school and not home to tell me what he wants for dinner. Now I'm mad I waited so long! Baby girl ate 5 nuggets and was begging for more. Hubs came home and ate the entire rest of the batch. They really are good! I thought it was weird to use rice crispies, but it works! For some reason they don't let any of the juice out of the nugget so the inside is super tender while the outside is nice and crispy. Don't be afraid to use the fat free sour cream, it actually tastes great in the dipping sauce! Enjoy!

Healthy Chicken Nuggets with Creamy Dijon Dipping Sauce

1 ½ pounds chopped chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins

½ c flour

1 – 2 eggs slightly beaten

4 c crisp rice cereal

2 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

½ c reduced fat sour cream

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp honey

carrot and cucumber sticks for dipping

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the rice cereal in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. Pulse in the olive oil, salt and pepper. Place crumbs in a shallow bowl. In a second shallow bowl add the flour and in a third beat the eggs. Coat each piece of chicken in the flour first, shake off the excess, dredge the chicken in the egg next, and then press the chicken in the crumbs to help them stick. Place each piece on a baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until light golden brown and cooked through (turn once halfway through). Meanwhile, mix the sour cream, mustard, and honey. Serve the chicken nuggets with carrot and cucumber sticks with the sauce for dipping.

Delicious Pot Roast

Ingredients:
1. pot roast, pork or beef variety
2. dijon mustard.


Smear the mustard (about 4 tablespoons) across the top and bottom of the pot roast. Place the pot roast in a pan that does not lose moisture. Put tin foil across the pan under the lid if necessary. Place in oven and cook for 5 hours at 250 degrees. If desired add vegetables for last 2 and 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and let stand 20 minutes. Serve.

(I made this today and just left the oven on while we went to church. It turned out great and was ready to eat as soon as we got home. Wondeful.)

Best Chocolate Fondue Ever

This is a recipe I found here, after panicking when I realized I was out of chocolate chips and therefore couldn't do my usual shortcut method. It is delish.


1 cup of sugar
3/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa
1/3 cup of water
1 cup of milk
1 can of condensed milk
1/4 cup of butter
1 teaspoon vanilla


Combine the sugar and cocoa in a medium saucepan. Add in the water and stir until completely blended. Turn to medium heat. Stir in both types of milk and the butter. Stir constantly until it begins to boil, and then stir while it lightly boils for about 10 minutes. (When I made this it took the full 10 minutes to thicken). Remove from heat. Add the vanilla.

Pour into a fondue pot to serve, or be awesome like us and dunk everything straight into the saucepan. This makes 3-4 cups!

A Different Sort of Salad...

We had this for lunch today. It's different, refreshing, and fun! Logan and Sophie ate so much I had to take it away. I think it's the corn chips.

Some of the ingredients look weird, I know, but trust me...it's fabulous!

Mexican Salad
1 large head lettuce chopped, romaine or iceberg
2 or 3 tomatoes chopped
1 bell pepper chopped
1 onion chopped
1 can kidney beans, rinsed well
1 bottle Catalina French dressing
1 ½ lbs grated cheddar cheese
1 large bag Frito Lay Corn Chips

Toss together the first 5 ingredients, cover and refrigerate until needed. Mix in the remaining ingredients when ready to serve.

Enjoy!

-Em

Funeral Potatoes

Here's a funeral potato recipe that we really like. I hope it works for you, Amy, and that you start feeling better soon!

Funeral Potatoes
32 oz pkg hashed browns
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 c sour cream
1 ½ Tbsp chopped green onions
1 c cheddar cheese

Put potatoes in a greased pan. Add soup, sour cream, onions, and cheese; mix well. Thin out with milk if needed. Bake covered in oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Top with Corn Flakes and 4 Tbsp butter if desired.

Greek Shrimp Kebabs

I've never made anything with shrimp before and there was a random sale at WINCO the other day so...voila!

These were pretty good and easy to make. I hope you try them before summer runs out!

Greek Shrimp Kebabs
1 ½ lb shrimp, uncooked
1 onion, chopped
¼ c fresh lime juice
¼ c olive oil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb bacon, uncooked

Peel and devein shrimp. Tails may be left on. Combine onion, lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Add shrimp. Cover. Refrigerate for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Discard liquid. Wrap each shrimp in ½ strip of bacon. Thread 5 to 8 shrimp on each skewer. Grill over low heat (bacon burns easily) just until shrimp are opaque and firm. Yield: 4 servings.

Enjoy!

-Emily

Popcorn Balls

This recipe was really easy to make!

1/4 cup popping corn
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup water

Pop the popping corn and place it on a cookie sheet that you've greased with butter. Set it aside while you make the syrup. In a saucepan combine the butter, salt, sugar, corn syrup and water. Stir it until it starts to boil. Then stop stirring and let it cook until it hits 270 on a candy thermometer. Pour it over the popcorn. Stir it up to coat all the pieces evenly.

Grease your hands with butter and as soon as it cools enough start forming the mixture into balls. Place them on wax paper. Eat after they've cooled or wrap in plastic and enjoy later!

summer tip

add a dash of super finely ground cloves to your lemonade. it's divine! (or you can add fresh mint leaves, too, if you haven't tried that before.)

Scalloped Potatoes aka Funeral Potatoes: Plea for Help

Hey Everyone,

Potatoes are one of the few things I can eat right now without dryheaving, so they are in heavy demand in my house.

I got a new recipe for funeral potatoes from my mom, who got it from my grandma, who got it from the old lady in her ward of whom everyone requested to make her funeral potatoes for every funeral in the ward (my grandma lives in a retirement community so there are funerals on a fairly regular basis, fyi).

The recipe sounded ok, and it even smelled ok while it was baking. When it came out, it tasted disgusting. My husband and son wouldn't even touch it, the dish tasted so gross. I'm thinking elderly taste buds must be very different from mine and my family's...

I need a recipe for scalloped potatoes or funeral potatoes soon! I don't want to have another fail in this category because that will just send me right over the edge. Do you have one I should try??

spruced-up oatmeal

this really isn't a recipe, but i just thought i'd share the yumminess i've been eating for breakfast for the past couple of days:

2/3 C raw quick oats
a couple generous shakes of generic grape nuts
a handful of toasted slivered almonds
a handful of craisins
some brown sugar
milk

mmm...

Pepperoni and Cheese Breadsticks

These are really easy for the kids to help with and they love them - major plus!

Pepperoni and Cheese Breadsticks
2 ¾ c Original Bisquick mix
1 c shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 medium onion, finely chopped
½ c sour cream
½ c buttermilk
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 package (3 oz) sliced pepperoni, chopped
1 c grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2 cookie sheets. Stir all ingredients except Parmesan cheese until a dough forms. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons into the Parmesan cheese. Roll in cheese to coat. Roll into 8-inch breadsticks. Place about 1 ½ inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, cheese sauce, or ranch for dipping!


ENJOY!

gimme your best 30-min recipe

this past week we've just happened to have some of my favorite recipes, so i thought i would share them all. sorry to be a blog hog...but they're all good stuff!

also, you'll notice that two (three if you count the bonus recipe at the end of the "baked fish yummy" post) of the recipes i posted are dinners that can be ready in under 30 minutes. what's your favorite quick meal? please share!

baked fish yummy--less than 30 minutes!

the previous owner of our house gave us some tuna he caught himself off the coast of san diego…so i tried this recipe and liked it lots.

juice of one lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
2 oz fresh fish (ahi tuna, salmon, mahi-mahi), cut 1 ½ inches thick
½ tbsp ground pepper
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp honey
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp (or more) worcestershire sauce
1 scallion, chopped
1 tsp spicy mustard

heat oven to 375. melt butter and sauté garlic 1 minute. add honey, Worcestershire and mustard and cook another minute. add lemon juice and pepper and let sauce cool 10 minutes to thicken. put fish in a greased baking dish. pour sauce over fish, then salt, the basil and scallions. bake 10-15 minutes (depending on how rare you would like the fish).

p.s. and if you just happen to have WAY too much fish to eat and it's the second night of tuna steak and you don't think you can do one more (even though it was yummy), but you don't want to waste it, you can make the following tuna casserole and be really worried you'll have to feed it to the dog, but then be pleasantly surprised when it's actually quite tasty:

(sorry i don't have precise measurements because i just sort of threw everything in and hoped for the best)

3/4 package egg noodles, cooked til nearly done
1 celery stalk, sauteed in cooking spray
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 - 3/4 can of milk (using the dirty mushroom soup can)
a handful of canned mushrooms
a handful of shredded cheddar cheese
3 slices of whole wheat bread made into crumbs
1ish tbsp butter, melted
oh yeah, the tuna--cut it up and put in whatever amount looks good

mix everything together except bread crumbs and butter. mix together bread crumbs and butter. put the tuna mixture in a greased baking dish. top with bread crumb mixture and bake @ 375 for about 20 minutes. not bad for the not-so-great reputation the tuna casserole has been given. our girls ate it up!

lentil soup with spinach

i find this is a good way to use up extra tomato paste and spinach of which i always seem to have a bit extra after making other things during the week.

1 C lentils
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
½ carrot, chopped
1 bay leaf
¼ tsp oregano
3 tbsp tomato paste
6 C liquid (4 broth, 2 water)
1 ½ tsp wine vinegar
½ bunch spinach, chopped

put all but spinach and vinegar in a soup pot and simmer 2 hours. puree half, add spinach and cook 30 min then add vinegar.

granola

if you don’t like the stuff i put in it, the base ingredients are still a great place to start to build your own granola. in fact, i just made some today with nothing in it but the oats, rice krispies and some toasted almonds.

10 C oats
3 C rice krispies
1 C wheat flour
cinnamon to taste
½ C unsweetened coconut
½ C sunflower seeds
1/3 C green pumpkin seeds
1 ¼ C oil
1 ½ C honey
¾ C water
½ C raisins
½ C chopped dates

combine dry ingredients except raisins and dates. heat oil, honey and water until it boils, stirring. pour over dry ingredients and mix until it’s all coated. place on two cookie sheets and cook @ 300 for an hour to an hour and a half, rotating the two pans between the top rack and the bottom rack every 15 minutes. after it’s cool, add the raisins and dates.

bocconcini with tomatoes and prosciutto bruschetta

i just hosted a baby shower and therefore had a reason to make one of my favorite appetizers. this was passed on to me by megan, by the way, so thanks, megan, for a fabulous recipe!

1 lb bocconcini (bite-sized mozzarella balls), or fresh mozzarella, cut into ½ in cubes i actually found pearl-sized balls this time and they worked perfectly!
1 lb grape tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ C olive oil
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1/8 lb thinly sliced prosciutto
¼ C chopped sun-dried tomatoes
½ C chopped roasted red pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp (or more) chopped fresh basil
½ tsp salt
1 baguette

toss everything (except baguette, of course) to combine. slice bread into 1 in pieces, sprinkle with garlic salt and broil on both sides until golden brown. let the baguette slices cool before serving.

*i always make this without the roasted red pepper because peppers make me ill. and i’ve made it without the prosciutto and fresh parsley and it’s still yummy. if the budget is tight, you can use regular mozzarella, but it will change the flavor quite a bit…and in my opinion, you simply cannot make this without fresh basil—dried just won’t do in this case. enjoy!

che bella notte pasta--only takes 30 minutes!

this is my favorite dinner. it can seem gourmet, there are myriad variations...and i timed myself the last time i made it and it literally took me 33 min, start to finish.

10 oz pasta (i’ve used farfalle, rotini, ziti, penne, capenelli)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp (or more) capers
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into medallions
1 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1 C chicken broth
½ C sun-dried tomatoes, julienne
½ C heavy cream
¼ C grated parmesan cheese

cook pasta as directed on package. in the meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. add garlic, capers and chicken. add basil and red pepper. cook for about 4 minutes to brown (don’t overcook—it will continue cooking in the sauce!) add broth and tomatoes. simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. take off heat and stir in cream and cheese. pour over pasta and enjoy.

*i rarely actually make this with chicken—it’s great without it. super yummy to add any combination of the following: roasted pine nuts; diced fresh tomato; steamed zucchini, mushrooms asparagus, yellow squash, spinach, eggplant; and i always sprinkle fresh shredded parmesan over the top.

*i’ve also tried it with just milk and/or half and half and non-fat half and half to be easy on the arteries. nothing is as good as the real thing, but if you’re gonna skimp, skimp using the non-fat half and half (and you’ll need to add some salt). i hope you love it and eat it as much as we do!

million dollar muffins

i LOVE, LOVE these muffins! have some yogurt on the side and you've got the perfect breakfast. they stick with you and they're perfect for taking on a camping or hiking trip.

1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 C sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 C oil
2 C grated carrot
1/2 C coconut
1/2 C chopped pecans
1/2 C undrained crushed pineapple
1/2 C raisins

dry stuff, then eggs and oil, then everything else. bake @ 350 for 20 min. makes a few more than a dozen.

*i rarely put the nuts in and they're fine without the coconut, too. the last time i made them, i increased the whole wheat flour to 1 C and reduced the all-purpose to 1 C. it worked well. i'm sure you could add applesauce and reduce the oil a bit if you wanted.

Cinnamon Rolls

This is Geraldine Madariaga's recipe, so maybe some of you have it. They are seriously the best cinnamon rolls ever. Just made them and thought I would post it in case some of you don't have it.

Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:

1 pkg. active dry yeast

1 cup warm milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup margarine, melted

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

4 cups (maybe a little more) flour

Dissolve yeast in warm milk in a large bowl. Add sugar, margarine, salt, eggs, and flour and mix well. Put in bowl; cover and let rise about 1 hour. Roll dough out on a greased surface, approximately 21 inches long by 16 inches wide. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (medium-hot oven).

Filling:

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

1/3 cup margarine, softened

Combine sugar and cinnamon. Spread softened margarine evenly over surface of dough, then sprinkle sugar/cinnamon mixture over surface. Roll up and pinch seam. Cut slices 1 3/4 inches thick. Let rise in greased pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Icing:

1/2 stick margarine, softened

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup cream cheese

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Dash of salt

Combine icing ingredients and beat well with electric mixer until very fluffy. Spread on rolls.

Magelby's Syrup

This is BEST syrup in the universe!

Magelby’s Syrup

1 stick butter

1 c sugar

½ c buttermilk

1 Tbsp Karo Syrup

1 Tbsp vanilla

Bring ingredients to a boil. Remove from heat and add ½ tsp baking soda. Stir vigorously with a whisk. The soda makes syrup puff up. Let stand for 10 minutes and microwave before serving.

Chicken in a Bag

Here's what we had last night. This is a favorite that I make once or twice a month because a) whole chickens go on sale for really cheap all the time and b) it's fail-proof--I've never had it turn out anything short of delicious.

Chicken in a Bag

1 whole chicken (usually 4-5 pounds)
1 lemon
salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
spices: basil, thyme, tarragon, paprika, cayenne pepper
brown paper bag

Remove extra parts (heart, neck, liver, etc) from chicken and rinse the whole bird. Rub the salt and garlic into the inside cavity. Poke holes in the lemon, squeezing some juice into and onto the chicken. Put the entire lemon into the chicken. Place the whole chicken into the brown paper bag and fold down the top to close. Place the bag onto a cooking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for one hour. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees and cook for another hour (or until done, depending on size of the bird). Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before carving.

A few notes: No, the bag will not catch on fire, although sometimes you can smell the paper browning. Also, the timing is pretty flexible. I've done 1 1/2 hours at 450 and 30 mins at 350 or vice versa, and it has still turned out. I've also cooked a 15 pound turkey this way (increasing the time quite a bit) using an onion instead of a lemon and it was fabulous.

ribs, barley pilaf and spiced red cabbage

tonight we had yummy dinner. i thought i'd share.

OVEN-BARBECUED RIBS
this is a recipe i got out of a book my mother-in-law gave me when we got married. i haven't tried this recipe before. i've had better sauce, but this was still tasty enough. p.s. don't actually eat the lemon, it's just for added flavor.

3-4 lbs spare ribs in pieces
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced

salt ribs; place in shallow roasting pan, meaty side up. roast @ 450 about 30 min. Drain excess fat. top each piece of ribs with a slice of lemon and onion.

basting sauce

1 C ketchup
1/3 C wor. sauce
1 tsp salt
2 dashes tabasco sauce
1 1/2 C water

bring sauce to a boil and pour over ribs. lower temp to 350 and bake til well done, basting every 15 min, about 1 1/2 hours.

BARLEY MUSHROOM PILAF
i got this recipe from barleyfoods.org i added some pieces of steamed asparagus--i thought steamed spinach would have been good, too--and some great northern beans as well. hearty. i might experiment with it next time to spice it up a bit, but it was still yummy. p.s. i would saute the green onions on their own and add them after the barley is cooked.

1/2 cup sliced fresh button mushrooms
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup pearl barley
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/4 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in saucepan; add mushrooms and sauté until limp. Add barley, broth, green onion and rosemary. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 45 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over pilaf and serve. Makes 4 servings.

SPICED RED CABBAGE
this is from rachel ray. i really like this recipe. i've mixed it up in the past by also adding a bit of brown sugar and some golden raisins. it's good either way.

1 small or 1/2 large head red cabbage, shredded
2 tablespoons EVOO
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
2 teaspoons paprika
1 cup apple cider or juice
1/4 cup grainy mustard

Heat a large skillet with 2 tablespoons oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add cabbage, caraway, paprika, salt and pepper, cook stirring occasionally 2 to 5 minutes, until tender. Stir the apple cider or juice together with mustard and pour over red cabbage. Stir to combine 1 minute then turn off heat.

what did YOU have for dinner?

Chicken Casserole

I seem to be in a casserole mood lately. I just tried this over the weekend for the first time, and it was delicious!

1 T chicken seasoning
1/2 C melted butter or margerine

Mix the above ingredients. Put half on bottom of 9x13 baking dish. Save other half to put on top, later.


1 can evaporated milk
2 can cream of celery soup
3 C cooked chicken, boneless (I used 9 or 10 uncooked chicken tenders)
1 package frozen peas, or frozen mixed veggies
1 T minced onion

Combine the above ingredients. Put in casserole dish; add remaining dressing over top. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.


While the casserole is baking, cook 2 cups of rice in 3 1/2 cups of water. Serve the casserole over the rice.

Wild Rice Salad

I got this by way of Trish Alderman!
(Although the recipe calls for serving it cold, I actually prefer it warm - so no chilling for 2-4 hours!)

Mix together following ingredients, Add dressing and chill 2-4 hours.

2 boxes long grain wild rice, prepared
Juice of 1 lemon
3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
4 green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
3 ounces pea pods and/or asparagus, blanched for one minute

Dressing
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar

Just before serving, add:
2 medium avocados, diced
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
¼ to ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Serve chilled on lettuce leaf, if desired.

Easy Italian Casserole

This is a really easy, really great casserole. It takes less than an hour from start to finish. You can also use canned spaghetti sauce to make it even quicker.

1 lb ground meat: hamburger, turkey, etc
1 onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
1 large can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes (or 2 fresh tomatoes)
1 package of pasta
3 large handfuls of fresh spinach
Shredded or grated mozzerella and parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Brown hamburger with onion. Add the spices. When meat is cooked thoroughly add the diced tomatoes, stir in tomato sauce. Cover and let simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Put one ladle of sauce in bottom of 9x13 pan. Roll the pan so the sauce spreads across the bottom. Add a layer of noodles, spinach, sauce, cheese. Repeat until everything is used up. Cover pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Allergen Free Pancakes TO DIE FOR!

My family had to embrace the non-dairy, non-egg side of life when our little Talmage came to us and to our complete JOY, some of the recipes we have found are actually better than the ones we used before. This recipe for pancakes happens to be one (found in Sophie-Safe Cooking.) I think that even if Talmage outgrows his allergy to milk and eggs, we will still use this recipe for pancakes! Try them! YUMMY!

Pancakes
2 cups flour
2 TBSP sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar (don't be scared of this - you CAN NOT taste it!)
2 cups soy milk
2 TBSP oil

Variation: I like to add cinnamon to taste along with shredded apples and a little apple sauce - really good!

gimme your best pancake

i have two:

cinnamon-oat pancakes
(from everyday food magazine)

2 C flour
1/4 C packed brown sugar
1 T baking powder
1 t salt
1/2 t ground cinnamon
2 C old-fashioned rolled oats
2 C milk
2 large eggs
1/4 C vegetable oil

it calls for grinding up the oats first in a food processor, but i actually just used quick oats and it worked out great...although i think i put a little bit less of the oats in than it called for. SUPER filling, but a really good way to hide oatmeal so my kids will actually eat it!

variation on apple pancakes
(my own twist on a johnson family favorite)

1 C flour
1 C whole wheat flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
2 beaten eggs
2 T oil
milk 'til right consistency
1-2 small grated apples

serve with fat-free sour cream and powdered sugar on top. this makes it taste like cream cheese frosting and actually doesn't add any more calories than your standard syrup would.