Category: RECIPES

SOUTH WESTERN CHICKEN CASSEROLE

SOUTH WESTERN CHICKEN CASSEROLE
3-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups frozen hash brown potates
1 large can Durkee’s french fried onions, divided
1 can Old El Paso green enchilada sauce
1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained
1 can white niblets corn, drained
1 cup grated sharp white cheddar, divided
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
PURE

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Spray large casserole dish with PURE.
  • Spread potatoes along the bottom.
  • Top with first half of french fried onions.
  • Top with first half of cheese.
  • Salt and pepper chicken breasts layering them over cheese seasoned side down.
  •  Salt and pepper top sides of chicken.
  • Layer corn and tomatoes over top of the chicken.
  • Melt the butter in heavy saucepan. 
  • Blend in flour and salt. Cook until bubbly. 
  • Remove from heat and gradually stir or whisk in liquid. 
  • Return to heat and cook, constantly stirring until smooth and thickened.
  • Whisk in enchilada sauce.
  • Pour over corn and tomato layer.
  • Top with remaining cheese.
  • Ring French fried onions around the edge.
  • Bake 30-45 minutes covered.
  • Bake another 15-30 minutes uncovered.
  • Let stand 5-10 minutes.

We had wonderful leftovers below and they tasted better and more full of flavor on day 2 and 3.

NOT YOUR MOM’S TUNA CASSEROLE – great with chicken too!

NOT YOUR MOM’S TUNA CASSEROLE
1/2 rotisserie chicken, cut into small pieces or 2 large cans albacore white tuna
1 can cream of mushroom soup or substitute
1 can chopped green chilies, drained
1/2 cup milk
1 large can French’s French fried onion rings
1 bunch green onions, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cups wide egg noodles

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Bring a large sauce pan of water to a roiling boil.  Add noodles and simmer 5 minutes.
  • Whisk together soup or soup substitute and milk.
  • Add onions, celery, chilies and chicken pieces blending well.
  • Add in 1/2 can French’s onion rings, blending well again.
  • Add in drained noodles and cheeses, blending again until well mixed.
  • Pour into a greased casserole dish and top with remaining Frnech’s onion rings.
  • Bake 30 minutes.
  • Enjoy.

JAMBALAYA

JAMBALAYA

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large bunch green onions, diced
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups diced cooked ham
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup long grain rice

  • Heat the oil in a dutch oven. Add the green onions and garlic and sauté until fragrant and tender.
  • Mix in remaining ingredients except for the rice and bring to a boil.
  • Add rice and reduce the heat. Simmer until rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes.

CHICKEN CORDON BLEU CASSEROLE

This is another recipe that was full of boxed, canned or preserved ingredients that I changed to “scratch” ingredients.  It was another great success and will be a wonderful cold weather dish this winter.
CHICKEN CORDON BLEU CASSEROLE
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
2 cups cooked chicken pieces (2 large breasts)**
1 cup ham steak, diced
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
4 cups cooked egg noodles
1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese
2 slices swiss cheese
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
  • Lightly spray 9×9 baking dish.
  • Melt the butter in saucepan.
  • Whisk in the flour, poultry seasoning and salt and cook until bubbly. 
  • Remove from heat and gradually whisk in liquid. 
  • Return to heat and cook, stirring, until smooth and thickened.
  • Set aside to cool.
  • Cook noodles, drain and set aside to cool.
  • Spray a skillet with PURE.
  • Over medium high heat saute chicken pieces and onions until chicken is cooked through.
  • Add ham pieces and heat through.
  • To the cooled soup mixture add the mayonnaise, parsley flakes and blend well.
  • Stir in the chicken, ham and onion mixture until well mixed.
  • Fold in egg noodles gently.
  • Arrange in baking dish.
  • Bake 20 minutes.
  • Top with cheese (see picture above).
  • Bake 10 more minutes.
  • Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

**This is a great recipe to use with rotisserie chicken!

QUICHE LORRAINE – THE PERFECT SUNDAY MORNING PIE

QUICHE LORRAINE – THE PERFECT SUNDAY MORNING PIE

1/2 pound bacon, crisply fried and crumbled
1 cup finely grated swiss cheese
1 large bunch green onions finely sliced
4 eggs
2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 deep pie crust

  • Preheat oven to 425°. 
  • Prebake the pie crust and cool before filling. 
  • Sprinkle the crumbled bacon, finely sliced onion and grated swiss cheese evenly into crust. 
  • Beat the eggs, whipping cream and seasonings until well blended. Pour over mixture in pie crust. 
  • Bake 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 300° and bake an additional 35 minutes or until just golden and knife comes out clean. 
  • Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

OVEN OMELETS


Ingredients are per person:
2 eggs
1 ounce heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
PURE
1/3 cup finely diced ham, sausage or crumbled bacon
1 slice cheddar cheese, the size of a single layer over the meat
1/4 cup shredded cheddar or jack cheese

Using oven proof Pyrex dishes generously spray them with PURE. In the bottom of each one, layer the meat, slice of cheese and salt & pepper.

Whisk together the eggs and cream and then add the baking powder and whisk until smooth. You can whisk all the portions together and then proportion them out after. It just makes it less of a mess and hassle ~ especially if you’re preparing for a large number of people.

Pour equal amounts into each dish and top with shredded cheese. Place them all on a cookie sheet and bake for a total of 25 minutes or more as needed until centers don’t jiggle and edges are golden brown. Check after 10 minutes and adjust oven temp if necessary. You want the centers to quit jiggling about the same time the edges turn brown. The pictures above in the oven were taken at 10 minutes, 20 minutes and 25 minutes. As you can see, they become like little souffle’s.

LUAU BENEDICTS, HOT HOLLANDAISE SAUCE and SWEET & SOUR BBQ PULLED PORK

LUAU BENEDICTS
1 English muffin per person
2 eggs per person
enough leftover sweet and sour pulled pork
Hollandaise sauce

  • Prepare Hollandaise sauce.
  • Toast English muffins.
  • Poach eggs.
  • Layer together starting with English muffin, pulled pork, poached egg and the hollandaise sauce.
  • Enjoy.

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
1/2 cup butter
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
dash cayenne pepper or hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons hot water
finely chopped fresh parsley, if desired

•    Heat butter in a heavy saucepan until hot and foamy, but not browned.
•    In a small bowl, whisk or beat egg yolks with lemon juice, salt, and  hot sauce.
•    Gradually beat in butter, then water.
•    Return mixture to saucepan and beat over very low heat until mixture is slightly thickened.
•    Serve immediately or let stand over warm water for up to 30 minutes.
•    If desired, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

Makes about 2/3 cup of Hollandaise sauce.

This is a relatively good for you, tasty slow cooker recipe that is great for the freezer and a favorite of the kids, especially when you put it on a roll like a sloppy Joe. This is another recipe that I like to make in large portions and then freeze in portions after the initial meal which is great for week nights. In this case I will freeze the remainder for the Christmas Holiday gang we’ll have.

Sweet & Sour BBQ Pork
6 pounds boneless pork sirloin roast
1/2 pound bacon, cut into pieces
1 large sweet Vidalia onion, sliced into rings
1 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cup apricot pineapple jam
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 teaspoon minced garlic, jar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

  • Cut the bacon into small pieces.
  • Cut all large portions of fat off the roasts.
  • Spray the crock pot with PURE and set for high.
  • Place bacon on bottom with the roasts arranged over it.
  • Slice onion into thin rings and layer over roasts.
  • Whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, molasses and honey.
  • Add the brown sugar until dissolved.
  • Whisk in the seasonings, garlic and jam.
  • Bring to a SLOW BOIL.
  • Pour over meat and onions.
  • Cook on high for 4-6 hours.
  • Remove roast and shred meat. Return meat to slow cooker and cook another hour.
  • For a more adult meal I thicken the gravy and serve it over mashed potatoes.

HASH BROWN HAM & CHEESE QUICHE

I found this recipe in an old Taste of Home magazine that I bought at a library book sale – best book sale I’ve been too in a long, long time. I spent $9.80 at the sale and then calculated the retail prices of all the books and magazines plus tax ($309.73) and found I saved $299.93 when all was said and done!

I did make a few changes to the original recipe which are indicated in green and the items I removed are in red. I have to tell you this was one of the easiest brunch items I’ve ever made. Crisp and tasty too!





HASH BROWN HAM & CHEESE QUICHE
3 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
4 tablespoons butter, divided 1 + 3 tablespoons
1 cup shredded jack cheese
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
+1 large bunch green onions, sliced
+6 button mushrooms, sliced
1 cup cooked ham, diced
2 eggs
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
-1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
PURE

  • Thaw hash browns between paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
  • Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Spray 9 inch pie plate* with PURE.
  • Press hash browns into the bottom and along the sides of the pie plate.
  • Melt 3 tablespoons of butter and drizzle it all over the hash browns.
  • Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until edges are browned.
  • While these are browning, melt remaining tablespoon of butter in a small skillet and saute’ green onions and mushrooms.
  • Reduce heat to 350 degrees.
  • Combine the cheese and ham chunks. Layer over potatoes.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the whipping cream, eggs, salt and pepper.
  • Pour over the ham layer.
  • Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes or until set in the center.
  • Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

*next time I will use an 8×8 baking dish for ease of serving.

hubby approved

HAM & CHEESE QUICHE

I have used this same recipe for traditional quiche for years and adapted it today to use what I had on hand. It was a pleasant success.




1/2 pound diced ham
1 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 shallot finely chopped
4 eggs
2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 deep pie crust

  • Preheat oven to 425°.
  • Pre-bake the pie crust and cool before filling.
  • Lightly saute shallot and ham.
  • Sprinkle the ham and onion and grated swiss cheese evenly into crust.
  • Beat the eggs, whipping cream and seasonings until well blended. Pour over mixture in pie crust.
  • Bake 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 300° and bake an additional 35-45 minutes or until just golden and knife comes out clean.
  • Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

GERMAN PANCAKE

GERMAN PANCAKE
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted + a little to coat the pan
1 teaspoon vanilla
Juice of 1 lemon
Powdered Sugar

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  • Coat the inside of an ovenproof 12 inch skillet with butter or PURE. Be sure to remember to edges and sides.
  • In a mixing bowl beat the eggs until well blended.
  • Add the milk and blend again.
  • Sift together the flour and salt and gradually fold into the egg mixture.
  • Add the melted butter and vanilla, blend until smooth.
  • Pour batter into the buttered skillet.
  • Bake 15 minutes.
  • Reduce heat to 350 minutes and bake another 10 minutes until pancake has billowed high and turned golden brown.
  • Sprinkle with lemon juice and powdered sugar. You can also use regular maple syrup or molasses or I especially like it with Blackberry Pineapple Dipping Sauce or Lemon Sauce.
  • Serve immediately.

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FLUFFY BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

As my good friend Martha over at Menagerie tells me, storm days are perfect “CAVE” days. Days to just snuggle in and do nothing or better yet ONLY what you WANT to do! Today is one of those days as we batten down the hatches for what they tell us will be a “significant late season storm“. The temperature has dropped almost 20 degrees and the wind is blowing almost 60 miles an hour so I decided brunch was in order – a comfort brunch that is. Hot, fluffy buttermilk pancakes! Hubby likes to top them with molasses, but I love my homemade maple syrup.
The key to fluffy pancakes is not to over mix the batter.
Do NOT beat it smooth. You should have some small lumps.

FLUFFY BUTTERMILK PANCAKES
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • Heat griddle to 375 degrees.
  • Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar into a medium bowl.
  • Add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons butter; whisk to combine. Batter should have small to medium lumps.
  • Using a 1/2 cup measure, pour pancake batter about 2 inches away from each other.
  • When pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over.
  • Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute.
  • Repeat with remaining batter, keeping finished pancakes warm.
  • Serve with homemade maple syrup.

Maple Syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
scant 1 cup water
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
2 tablespoons maple extract

  • Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.
  • Bring to a slow boil.
  • Simmer gently 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
  • Store in refrigerator.

CHAMPAGNE MAPLE GINGER PANCAKES

I had some strawberries left from last night’s CHAMPAGNE STRAWBERRY BANANA SHAKES so I decided to make pancakes! What a great combination of flavors!

FLUFFY CHAMPAGNE MAPLE GINGER PANCAKES
2 1/3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/4 tablespoons baking powder
2 Jumbo eggs, beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon maple extract1 can ginger ale

  • Arrange pancake mixture in a large bowl, leaving a well in the center.
  • Whisk together the butter, eggs and vanilla extract.
  • Pour egg mixture into the flour well and mix just until consistent.
  • Add ginger ale and whisk until smooth and blended.
  • Heat griddle and coat with a thin layer of butter.
  • Drop batter onto hot griddle.
  • Cook until bubbles form along the top.
  • Flip pancakes and cook until golden.
  • Serve with butter, PURE maple syrup and strawberries.