Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Amazing Marinade!

Some friends had us over for dinner and we had grilled flat iron steak that had been marinaded in this marinade...it was delicious and amazing!  The recipe is from all recipes (dot) com and you can go to the original recipe by copying and pasting the following into your browser:
allrecipes.com/Recipe/Best-Steak-Marinade-in-Existence/Detail.aspx?src=etaf

We have used the marinade on chicken and it is equally good on the chicken as it was on the steak!  For chicken, I changed the servings from 8 - 6 and it was the perfect amount.

Fresh basil instead of dried basil makes it extra yummy!  Enjoy!


Ingredients
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons dried basil
1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (optional)
1 teaspoon dried minced garlic (optional)

Directions
1. Place the soy sauce, olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, basil, parsley, and pepper in a blender. Add hot pepper sauce and garlic, if desired. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds until thoroughly mixed.

2. Pour marinade over desired type of meat. Cover, and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Cook meat as desired.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Barbecups

Yes, the title of this recipe is a bit weird, but they Barbecups are good.

3/4 lb. Ground beef
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 T. Minced onion
2 T. Brown sugar
1 can of refrigerated biscuits (not the grand size)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef with onion. Drain grease if needed. Stir in brown sugar. Seperate dough into biscuits, put one in each ungreased muffin cup, pressing dough up sides to form cups. Spoon meat mixture into cups. Sprinkle each with about 1T. Of shredded cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. I usually spray the muffin cups lightly because I never believe them when they say ungreased.

You could probably use the grand size biscuits but adjust the cooking time.

I have also used taco meat to make Mexicups. :)

I have made these ahead of time and put them on the freezer. I put them straight in the oven from the freezer, covered with foil for about half the time and then check them to determine when to uncover them so the cheese melts but the biscuits don't get too brown.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Ginger, Garlic & Honey Marinade for Ribs

4 racks true baby back ribs (each 3/4-1lb) or 2 racks American baby back ribs (each 2-2 1/2 lbs)
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 piece (2 in) fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 T sugar
1 T coarse salt (kosher or sea)
2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
2 T honey
1 T soy sauce
1 T Asian fish sauce or additional soy sauce

For dipping sauce:
4 tsp. coarse salt
4 tsp. white pepper
4 juice limes, cut in half

Marinate ribs in refrigerator, covered, 1 to 4 hours.

I think this marinade would be good on any pork.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Deluxe Mac & Cheese

I don't know where my mother-in-law found this recipe, but it is one of our favorite side dishes!

2 cups small curd cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 t. salt
garlic powder to taste
pepper to taste
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
7 oz. elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
paprika (optional)

In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese, sour cream, egg, salt, garlic powder, and pepper.  Add cheddar cheese.  Mix well.  Add cooked macaroni and stir until coated.  Transfer to a greased 2-1/2 quart baking dish.  Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.  Bake, uncovered, at 350* for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Sweet and Sour Chicken Casserole

Submitted by Jill K.

2 cups cooked chicken, cut-up
1 can pineapple chunks, drained
12 oz apricot jam
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Mix everything together and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve over rice.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

Awhile ago I stopped buying fajita seasoning packets and used the marinade recipe from a great lady named Betty.  Got her cookbook as a wedding gift and refer to it often.  However, I wouldn't marinate the meat, I would just throw it all in the skillet when I was ready to make dinner, minus the red wine vinegar and with less oil.

I recently decided to try to use the crock pot for an even simpler way to make fajitas.  It worked perfectly!  The original recipe below gives the amounts for 1 pound of boneless chicken.  When making in the crock pot, I used less liquid than the recipe calls for since the chicken will add liquid as it cooks.

1/4 cup vegatable oil (I used olive oil)
1/4 red wine vinegar
1 t. sugar (I used Splenda)
1 t. dried oregano leaves
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Throw all the ingredients in the crock pot with your sliced chicken and cook on low for 4-6 hours.  Add peppers and onions when it is closer to dinner time.  Or you can cook the peppers and onions separately in a skillet and add to your fajitas as you are eating.

Enjoy!

This works great for company and large amounts of chicken.  When I tried it for the first time, I used 6 lbs. of chicken!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Pizza Crust

1 1/3 c. warm (not hot) water
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 pkgs. instant yeast
3 c. flour (blend of white and wheat)

Mix together with a wire whisk.

Add flour all at once. Mix with a fork until all the flour is absorbed. Form a ball - do not knead. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise 20 minutes.

Oil hands with olive oil. Lift dough onto a stone or oiled cookie sheet. Spread out and top as desired.

Bake at 425 degrees on bottom oven rack for 15-20 minutes.

** For us, this makes 2 crusts. I only make half of the recipe when I actually make a pizza crust. Also, I only bake the pizza for about 15 minutes. And I think I turn it down a little....

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Apricot Chicken

Approximately 10 oz of Apricot Jam
Approximately 12 oz of Catalina Dressing (I've used light, regular and fat free, all work great)
1 pkg. of dry onion soup mix

Mix three ingredients together. Pour over raw chicken breasts usually 4-6 work best.

Bake at 350 degrees, covered for 1 hr to 1hr 15min. 

Serve with rice.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Chicken and Noodles

1 1/2lbs homemade or frozen noodles (freezer section Reames is a name brand but store brand works too)
2 c. cooked chicken
1-10 3/4 oz can of cream of chicken soup
2-15oz cans of chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1 tsp seasoned salt
3/4c butter or margarine
1-10 3/4oz can cheddar cheese soup
2 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 1/2c water

Cook noodles only 15 minutes. Drain. Mix noodles with all other ingredients. Put in large, greased baking dish.

Bake COVERED at 325 degrees for 2-3 hours. Add more liquid if needed.

This makes A LOT. Probably at least 3 8x8 pans. It's SO good. :)

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Fruit Cups

1-12oz. can frozen concentrated apple juice(not prepared)
1-12oz. can frozen concentrated orange juice (not prepared)
1-2 cans of water
16oz fresh or frozen strawberries, sliced
3-6 bananas, peeled and sliced
16oz. canned pineapple tidbits (undrained)
Add any frozen fruit examples: mango, cherries, blueberries, raspberries

Combine apple juice, OJ and water in a large bowl. Add fruit, spoon into serving dishes.

Freeze for at least 1 hr before serving.


Hashbrown & Egg Casserole

Melt 1 stick of butter or margarine in bottom of 9x13 pan. Place 8 (or enough to cover bottom of pan) frozen hash brown patties in pan.

Mix 2 cups of cooked sausage or cubed ham, 2-4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, 12 eggs, green peppers and onions.

Pour egg mixture over hash browns. Refrigerate over night.

Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

**I only use 1/2 stick of butter and it tastes just great!

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Chicken Marsala

Fast...easy...delicious!

1/4 cup flour (white or wheat)
1/2 tsp. salt - optional
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
Skinless, boneless chicken - pounded 1/4 in. thick
4 T. olive oil
1-3 cups fresh, sliced mushrooms  (or more depending on your preference)
3/4 - 1 cup Marsala wine  (or more depending on how strong of a flavor you want)

Combine first 4 ingredients in a gallon bag.  Place chicken pieces in the bag and shake to coat with the flour mixture.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Place chicken in the skillet and lightly brown on both sides, but do not fully cook.  Remove chicken, add mushrooms and wine to the skillet.  Let mushrooms cook in the wine for a little while.  Add chicken back to the skillet.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, turning chicken once or twice, until chicken is fully cooked.

Great served with mashed potatoes or rice!