Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 11 minutes

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350*. Pour the cake mix into a large bowl. Stir in the butter, eggs, and vanilla with an electric mixer until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake for 11 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are golden. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Chicken Noodle Soup

2 lg. Chicken Breasts boiled (Cubed or shredded)

8 cups Chicken Broth

1 can undiluted cream of chicken soup

4 finely chopped celery stalks

3 finely chopped carrots

1 small onion

2 cups uncooked egg noodles

1 tsp. seasoned salt

Cook chicken breasts then shred or cube it based on your preference. Start with 8 cups chicken broth. Next add your chicken, celery, carrots, and onion to chicken broth. Bring to a boil and add to cups wide or medium noodles. Reduce heat and cook noodles until tender (about 20 minutes). Finish soup off by adding Cream of chicken soup and seasoned salt let simmer for about 5 minutes and serve.

Prep Time: 10-20 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes

Broccoli Salad

Prep Time: About 15-20 Minutes

1-2 Broccoli, Large Bunch
1 Red Onion, Small, Chopped
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
1/2 lb Bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 Cup Mayonaise
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 T Red Wine Vinegar

Cut up broccoli into bite size pieces
Mix broccoli, red onion, cheddar cheese, and bacon.
Combine Mayo, Sugar, and Vinegar in separate bowl. Stir well
toss with broccoli mixture 1 hour before serving. Serve Cold

Cabbage Salad (From Stacy)

Cook time: 15-30 (if you have to cook chicken) minutes Prep Time: 5 to 10 minutes

1-2 Whole Chicken breasts, Cooked and Cubed (I usually buy chicken strips from the deli)
1/2 head Cabbage, shredded
4 green onions, Chopped
1/2 cup Slivered almonds, toasted
1 pkg. Ramen noodles, broken up (do not cook)

Dressing:
2 T Sugar
1/3 c Oil
1 t Salt
3 T Vinegar
1/2 t Pepper
1 pkg Chicken Ramen flavor packet

Toss everything together
Add dressing about 15 minutes before serving.

Chicken Broccoli Delight

Prep Time: About 45 minutes if chicken is uncooked
15-20 if you already have your chicken cooked
Cook Time: 35 to 40 minutes in oven ( I prefer cooking in the oven)
12 t0 14 minutes in the microwave

What you will need:
(2) 6-10oz packages of frozen broccoli
4 cups of chicken Cooked (I usually just boil mine for about 30 minutes) and cut into chunks
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup Sour cream
1 TBS Lemon Juice
1 tsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp garlic Powder
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 TBS melted butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

How to make:
If broccoli is still frozen microwave on high for about 3 minutes. Layer Broccoli on the bottom of Casserole dish (9X13). In a separate bowl combine cream of chicken soup, sour cream, lemon juice, soy sauce, and garlic powder. Cut cooked chicken into chunks and combine with sauce mixture. Layer the chicken and sauce mixture on top of the broccoli. Next melt butter in a small bowl. Once butter is melted add the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese to melted butter. Layer bread crumb mixture on top of Casserole. Cover and back in Oven for 35 to 40 minutes at 375* or until warmed through. You can also heat up the casserole for about 12 to 14 minutes in the microwave if preferred

Mrs. Scadden

Ok this meal is simple, quick, and easy.
Prep Time: 10 minutes or less

What you will need:
Bag of Ranch Doritos
Can of Chili or homemade if you would like
Shredded Cheese
Sour Cream
Lettuce (Optional)
diced Tomatoes (Optional)

How to make:
If you don't buy shredded cheese you will need to shred the cheese. Next heat up your can of chili (You will need as many cans of chili as you think it will take to feed your family). Next put it all together. It is kind of like a Mexican Haystack. First layer your plate with ranch Doritos, then add the chili, and layer with whatever other toppings you would like.

As a matter of fact I think we will be having this for dinner tonight since I have a bag of Doritos that is opened and needs to be used.

Hope you enjoy!

I'm back!

So I know I have been so terrible about posting new recipes. I have totally thought about it but then I seem to get distracted and don't end up posting. I have even carried the recipes upstairs to the computer and still not posted. Believe it or not I have been pretty good about cooking lately. Here is a weeks menu for you and one of my favorite recipes. Hope you enjoy.

Sunday: Greek Chicken, lemon rice, Salad, & Pitas
Monday: Grilled Cheese and Soup
Tuesday: Tator-Tot casserole & Green Beans
Wednesday: Chicken Burrito's
Thursday: Mrs. Scadden (This weeks featured meal)
Friday: Chicken Fajitas & Asparagus
Saturday: French Dip

Scout Packs in a Pan

What you will need:
1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper
3 large Potatoes, sliced
2 carrots, shredded
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef in a skillet with chopped onions; cook until onions are tender. Drain off excess fat; transfer ground beef and onion to casserole dish. Add layer of sliced raw potatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper; shred carrots to cover potatoes. Put soup over carrots. Bake at 350* for 40 to 50 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle shredded cheese over top and bake for about 5 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted. This serves 4 to 6.

Cheese Crusted Lasagna Soup

Soup
1 lb. Italian sausage
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (you may omit these)
2 T tomato paste
1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 medium bell pepper, diced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 C fresh spinach
6 C chicken broth
8 oz. whole wheat pasta shells

Cheese Base {per bowl}
1 T ricotta cheese
1 T Parmesan cheese, shredded
2 T Mozzarella cheese, shredded
salt and pepper, to taste


Brown sausage until cooked through. Drain excess grease.
In a large stockpot, add onion, garlic, oregano, mushrooms, bell pepper, and red pepper flakes and a bit of olive oil (if needed) and saute about 5 minutes. Then, add in sausage and tomato paste and saute until lightly browned.
Add in the tomatoes, broth and bay leaf.
Simmer the soup for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
Add in the pasta and spinach and cook until tender; about 7-9 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
Add in basil and season with salt and pepper.Place ricotta cheese in the bottom of the soup bowl. op with Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, salt and pepper, as desired. Serve soup over the cheeses in the bowl. Makes about 13 C ups of soup.

Happy Eating!!!

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

CHICKEN ENCHILADA PASTA

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded {or shredded rotisserie chicken…I used the breasts}

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 {4 oz.} can diced green chiles

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

2 {10 oz.} cans green chili enchilada sauce

2/3 cups red enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded cheese {I used colby & monterrey jack}

1 cup sour cream

Penne pasta

Optional toppings

Avocado

Green Onions

Black Olives

Tomatoes

Sour Cream

Cook chicken, drain, and shred {or shred your rotisserie}. Meanwhile boil pasta according to package and chop the veggies. The most time consuming part of this recipe is the time spent chopping the veggies.

Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet and cook onions for about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic & red pepper and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Add cooked chicken, green chiles, cumin, chili powder, salt, & enchilada sauces. Let sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes.

Add cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and heated through. Now toss in the sour cream, but whatever you do, DO NOT bring to a boil! Cook on low heat or the sour cream will curdle. Gross. Stir until sour cream is well mixed and heated through.

Drain pasta & return to pot. Pour sauce over pasta and mix well. Serve and garnish with avocado, tomato, green onion, and a dollop of sour cream.

This recipe is really good. It makes a ton. Hope you enjoy!

Did someone say Chicken???

I am not quite sure how it happened but it seems like we had lots of chicken this week. It turned out to be a crazy week so we didn't do as good at making dinner as we should have but here is this weeks menu:

Sunday: Cafe Rio Pork Burritos
Monday: Little Caesars Pizza
Tuesday: Chicken pita's (This weeks Featured meal)
Wednesday: Garlic Chicken Voila
Thursday: Chinese Noodles
Friday: Chick-fil-a (This was Miss A's Choice!)
Saturday: Leftovers

This weeks meal was so simple. You just need some type of grilled meat, chicken or steak would probably work best. Once the meat is cooked and cut into bite size pieces, it's time to assemble your pita. We put sour cream, cheese, lettuce, and tomato in ours. You could add lots of different things sprouts, spinach, avocado, ect. Then all that is left to do is enjoy. We just picked our pita's up at Walmart they were the Kangaroo style so they had a nice little opening in the middle to stuff all the ingredients in.

Week Three less than 50 to go....

This week has been a little crazy. We have had a ton of stuff going on, so getting dinner in has been rough. We also needed to go to the store and I kept having a hard time going when I knew I had to take both girls with me. Ok, enough all ready I know you didn't come to hear me ramble on and on so on to the Menu.

Sunday: Hawaiian Haystack, Pot Luck Salads, and Homemade Bread
Monday: Grandma Jandy's spaghetti, French Bread, and Green Beans
Tuesday: Greek Chicken, and Lemon Rice
Wednesday:Rigatoni (This weeks featured Dinner)
Thursday: Grilled Cheese and Soup
Friday: We went out to eat but on the menu was Chinese Noodles
Saturday: Mr. B's Favorite PIZZA!!!!

Rigatoni

First prepare 1 package of rigatoni noodles (Just follow the directions on the package). Next in a microwave safe bowl combined one jar of your favorite Ragu with one package of Polska Kielbasa cut up into bite size pieces. Heat sauce and meat until hot. Combined sauce, meat and noodles. Give it all a good stir and enjoy!

Cafe Rio Pork Salads.

Lovely L asked that I post the recipe for the cafe Rio pork salads. I was going to wait until we had pork burritos at my moms in a couple weeks but since that is still a couple weeks away here you go. I originally got these recipes from my friend Alice when we worked together.

Café Rio sweet pork

Ingredients:

2 pound sirloin pork roast

1 can Dr. Pepper

2 cups enchilada sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 can diced green chilies

1 tablespoon garlic salt

Pour Dr. Pepper, brown sugar, enchilada sauce and chilies into your crock pot and stir to combine. Add the roast and sprinkle it with garlic salt. Cook on low for 4 hours, then remove meat and shred. Return to crock pot, stir well to cover meat with sauce and cook for another 2 hours.

Cafe Rio Lime Rice

Ingredients

4TBS Butter

2 1/2 cups rice

4 1/2 cups chicken broth (If you have some one that can't have chicken you can use beef broth and it still turns out good)

1 1/2 tsp salt

Juice of 4 small limes or 4 TBS lime juice

4TBS Chopped Cilantro

1/2 tsp cumin

***I usually just throw it all in my rice cooker and turn it on***

BLACK BEANS



2 Tbsp. olive oil


2 cloves garlic, minced


1 tsp. ground cumin


1 can black/pinto beans, rinsed and drained


1 1/3 c. tomato juice


1 1/2 tsp. salt


2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro



In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

Cafe Rio Style Creamy Tomatillo Salad Dressing

2 cups prepared Ranch Dressing (I usually use a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch buttermilk mix)
1 small bunch cilantro, large stems removed (about 1/2 cup chopped cilantro)
2 large or 4 small tomatillos
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
2 T fresh lime juice
1 tsp. Green Tabasco sauce or 1 diced jalapeno pepper

Prepare Ranch dressing according to directions on the package or recipe you're following and set aside.

Remove large cilantro stems, then wash leaves and spin dry or dry with paper towels. Add cilantro to food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until finely chopped. (If you don't have a food processor, I'd chop all ingredients well by hand and then blend dressing in a blender.)

Add tomatillos, garlic, lime juice, and Green Tabasco or chopped jalapeno to the food processor and pulse until ingredients are finely pureed. Add the 2 cups of prepared dressing and pulse just a few times, until ingredients are well combined. Chill dressing for an hour or two and serve.

Another week gone by.....

I think this week we will post two of the recipes, since my family tried a couple different recipes this week. I just love this picture of Miss A. She sure does love corn on the cob. Lucky for me I froze some during the summer when it was on sale!
Here is this weeks menu:
Sunday: Chicken Enchilada Pasta, Garlic Bread, and green beans (One of this weeks featured meals)
Monday: Taco Salads
Tuesday: Sweet and Sour Meatballs over rice, Green Salad
Wednesday: Hot dogs and french fries (Sorry I went to the Temple so I wasn't home to make dinner)
Thursday: Cheese Crusted Lasagna Soup, Breadsticks (This weeks Other featured meal)
Friday: Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, and Corn on the Cob.
Saturday: Roast with Potatoes and carrots

It isn't often that we eat at home on a Sunday. Usually we are off to family dinner somewhere else but on the second week of the month we get to stay home. A friend of mine Lovely L left a comment on a one of the recipes I posted and suggested this recipe so we gave it a try. It was just as good the next day when we took it for lunch if not better than at dinner.

Something New for 2011.

So for 2011 I decided to try something new with this blog. Creating a menu for the week and then just highlighting one of the recipes from the week. The menu posted will most likely be what we had the week before mostly cause I am not that good at planning meals out a head of time. Here is this weeks menu.

Sunday: Cafe Rio Pork Salads
Monday: Grilled Chicken with sauteed onions and mushrooms, green beans, and a baked potato.
Tuesday: Chicken Alfredo over noodles, green salad,and french bread.
Wednesday: THIS WEEKS FEATURED MEAL. Turkey burgers, Jello, and french fries.
Thursday: French dip sandwiches with au juice, and Green Beans
Friday: Pork Chops with Rosemary, cheesy potatoes, Green Salad, and a roll



This weeks featured Meal comes from my sister Heather:
What you will need:
Turkey Burger (Any type of ground meat would probably work)
Worcestershire sauce
Onion powder
Ground Cumin
Salt and Pepper
Bread
Butter
potatoes
Jello

For the Burgers you will need to take your ground meat and add a little bit of Worcestershire sauce, Onion Powder, ground cumin, salt and pepper. Sorry I don't have exact measurements Heather made this part and just put what looked good. Next make your ground meat into burgers. This will need to be cooked either on the grill or in a frying pan. Next peal and cut your potatoes into fries. If you want a healthier alternative you can boil the fries for about 10 minutes and then bake them in the oven. For baked fries just coat with a little bit of Olive oil and bake at 400* until crispy. We ended up turning the boiler on for a few minutes at the end to help our fries turn a nice golden color. Remember to watch your fries if you do this as the broiler will burn them pretty fast. You could also just use the deep fryer for your french fries if your not worried about being Healthy. For the buns we just used wheat bread that had been lightly butter and toasted it in a pan on the stove. This meal was served with some Jello that had been prepared earlier in the day.

Look at me it's 2011 and my family has had a home cooked meal almost every day. Thanks to Heather for making us dinner on Wednesday and Janice and Richard for having dinner ready when I got home on Thursday and Friday!

Hope this menu helps you with your Dinner preparations. Please let me know if you like the menu idea or if you would rather I just post Recipes.