RECIPES – Page 301 – Chasing MY Life WHEREVER it Leads ME

Slow Cooking Thursday ~ Cherry Pork Chops & Potatoes

Hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

CHERRY PORK CHOPS & POTATOES

4 extra thick pork chops
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
3 large russet potatoes
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
4 ounces Velveeta, cut into chunks
1 can Comstock cherries

Melt butter in a large skillet.
Sprinkle salt and pepper generously on both sides of chops.
Brown chops on both sides.
While chops are browning, wash the potatoes and slice into 1/4 inch slices.
Spray crock pot with PURE.
Whisk together the soup, milk and sour cream.
Layer potatoes slices, cheese chunks and soup mixture 2 or 3 times.
Lay pork chops on top.
Pour cherries over everything.
Cook on low 6 hours.

I can’t wait to try it with Comstock peaches!

I participate in the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy

, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom

, Homemaker Mondays hosted by Robyn at 11th Heaven’s Homemaking Haven, Making a Happy Home Monday hosted by LL at As for me and my house…, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday hosted by Lisa at Blessed with Grace, Slow Cooking Thursday & Tips on Tuesday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

, $5 Dinners is hosted by Erin at $5 DInners and Tempt my Tummy Tuesday hosted by Lisa at Blessed with Grace. Doing them all make great additions to help keeping me on track and finding so new recipes!

♥

Slow Cooking Thursday ~ Chicken in Italian Cream

Hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

CHICKEN IN ITALIAN CREAM

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenders, cut in half
1 package Good Season Italian dressing mix
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon Chicken Base
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped fine
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
Hot linguine

Combine water, Italian dressing mix and bouillon in a large Ziploc bag.
Add chicken tenders and onions. Marinade at least 2 hours or overnight is better. I like to prepare the chicken after dinner the night before so it can let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.
Place chicken in slow cooker and pour marinade over top.
Cook on low 3 hours.
Beat together the cream cheese, heavy cream and sour cream.
Pour over chicken and cook another hour.
I like to make boiled potatoes and mash them with a bit of butter only with salt and pepper. When you spoon the Italian cream over them it tastes so smooth and creamy or you can serve it over hot linguine.

I also participate in the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy

, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom

, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks

♥

Simply Delicious Sunday [3] ~ Chocolate Carrot Cake

Won’t you join us?

CHOCOLATE CARROT CAKE with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

CAKE
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup butter, softened
3 Jumbo eggs or 4 LARGE
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla extract
1/4 cup golden rum*
3 cups grated carrots
8 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained well
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Pour rum over raisins and set aside for at least an hour.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Grease and flour 2-9 inch cake pans.
In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa, cinnamon and sugars.
In another bowl cream together the butter, brown sugar, vanilla and 1 egg. Add additional eggs and beat until well creamed.
Add dry ingredients gradually until well blended.
Add carrots, pineapple and walnuts until well blended.
Drain raisins and fold in last.
Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes.
Invert cakes onto rack and cool completely.

*As an option you could soak the carrots in orange juice instead and then substitute 1 teaspoon maple flavoring for the rum.

NOTE: To make this as the plain Rum Raisin Carrot Cake, just eliminate the cocoa.

FROSTING
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar

In a medium bowl beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Add lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until blended.
Add powdered sugar gradually until well blended and smooth.
Ice first layer and then add 2nd cake top and ice again including sides of cake.
Refrigerate 1 hour to set icing before serving.

♥

Slow Cooking Thursday ~ Linguine & Chicken or Italian Chicken

Hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

LINGUINE & CHICKEN or ITALIAN CHICKEN
2 pounds chicken tenders, cut in half
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon each sea salt & white pepper
1 heaping teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon ground basil
olive oil
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes with herbs
2 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1 1/3 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon chicken base
Fresh cooked linguine
Parmesan cheese
Garlic Bread

Mix together the flour, sea salt, white pepper, basil & Italian seasoning.
Coat each chicken tender well.
In a large skillet heat enough olive oil to coat bottom well.
Brown chicken pieces until golden on each side, but not cooked through. With a slotted spoon transfer to slow cooker.
Add onions to oil and saute until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add tomatoes, boiling water and chicken base until well blended.
Bring to a boil.
Pour over everything.
Cook 4 hours on low.
Serve over hot cooked linguine.
Top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and a slice of garlic bread.

You can also skip the skillet portion, but need to increase the cooking time by 1 hour. I prefer the grilled edges to the chicken and onions.

This recipe can also be made without slow cooking: but I prefer slow cooking which I believe makes for much more tender chicken pieces.

Mix together the flour, sea salt, white pepper, basil & Italian seasoning.
Coat each chicken tender well.
In a large skillet heat enough olive oil to coat bottom well.
Add onions to oil and saute until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Brown chicken pieces until golden on each side and cooked through.
Whisk together water (reduced to 2/4 cup if not slow cooking) and chicken base until well blended. Add tomatoes. Pour into skillet.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
Serve over hot cooked linguine.
Top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and a slice of garlic bread.

While I call this Linguine and Chicken we much prefer to have it over Parmesan Potatoes and that’s when we call it Italian chicken.

I also participate in the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy

, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom

, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks

♥

Simply Delicious Sunday [2] ~ Chicken Paprika in Balsamic Cream Sauce & Banana Blueberry Crunch

Won’t you join us?

When I was a little girl we went a restaurant on the west coast called the Sea Lion for special occasions. The restaurant sat right on the beach and my favorite time to go was during a storm. My family always reserved a window table in advance. The waves would crash up on the windows while you were eating and it created such an ambiance that ALL food tasted better in my opinion. I wasn’t much on fish back then (silly me) so I would always order their Paprika Chicken which I have not yet been able to completely duplicate, but have settled for this recipe until I can. The flavor is similar, but creamy. Their recipe was more like a broasted chicken, but the flavor combination was just so unique!!

CHICKEN PAPRIKA IN BALSAMIC CREAM SAUCE
2 pounds chicken tenders
1/2 teaspoon each sea salt & white pepper
1/2 cup flour for dredging
1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika
2 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
2 large bunches green onions, thinly sliced
olive oil
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon chicken base
1/2 cup heavy cream

Mix together the sea salt, white pepper and 1 tablespoon of paprika with the flour in a plastic bag.
Coat each chicken tender well with flour seasoning mix. Reserve any remaining flour mixture.
In a large skillet heat olive oil.
Brown chicken pieces until golden on each side, until almost cooked through, set aside.
Add onions to oil and saute until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add balsamic vinegar and lemon juice to deglaze the pan scraping up any bits stuck to the pan for added flavor.
Whisk the boiling water, chicken base 2 tablespoons paprika together until smooth.
Bring to a boil.
Add any remaining flour seasoning mix and whisk until smooth.
Reduce heat, return chicken to pan and simmer 5-10 minutes.
Add cream and simmer 5-10 minutes more until chicken is cooked through.
Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

BLUEBERRY CRUNCH
I usually make everything from scratch, but this recipe is too good to mess with much. I have reduced the fat a bit and altered the ingredients to meet my family’s likes, but other than that this recipe is fantastic as is. The key is to remember to layer exactly as listed! It is great in a pinch since most ingredients are always in the cupboard or freezer. The original recipe called for the butter before the nuts and coconut, but I changed that. By putting it last, the nuts and coconut toast up fantastically.

1 large can crushed pineapple, undrained
2-3 cups frozen blueberries
1-3 ripe banana(s), sliced thin
1 cup sugar
1 box yellow cake mix, dry
1/2-1 cup minced walnuts
1/2-1 cup flaked coconut
1 1/2 -2 sticks butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Layer exactly as listed in even layers
Bake 45-60 minutes until it tests done

I look forward to seeing your home style recipes! Don’t forget to link your specific recipe post link on Mr. Linky so we can see what’s cooking at your house! Be sure to put the title of your recipe in parenthesis! It makes it so much easier for everyone to search for recipes.

I also participate in the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks, Homemaker Mondays hosted by Robyn at 11th Heaven’s Homemaking Haven, Making a Happy Home Monday hosted by LL at As for me and my house…, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday hosted by Lisa at Blessed with Grace, Slow Cooking Thursday & Tips on Tuesday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom, $5 Dinners is hosted by Erin at $5 DInners and Tempt my Tummy Tuesday hosted by Lisa at Blessed with Grace. Doing them all make great additions to help keeping me on track and finding so new recipes!

♥

Favorite Ingredient Friday ~ Light and Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole

hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy

Light and Creamy TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE
1 recipe of Basic Cream Sauce (see below)
2-5 ounce cans solid white albacore tuna*, drained well
1 can LeSeur baby peas, drained well
2 cups dry Farfalle or Fusilli pasta
1/3 cup boiling water
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon Chicken Base
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cook and drain pasta al dente.
Prepare sauce (recipe below).
Spray 2 quart baking dish with PURE.
In a large mixing bowl dissolve chicken base into lemon juice and boiling water.
Whisk in Alfredo sauce to thin smooth consistency.
Add tuna, peas and pasta. Toss gently until well blended and coated with sauce.
Spoon into the casserole.
Melt butter and add bread crumbs until well blended.
Sprinkle crumb mixture over top of casserole.
Bake 30 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

SAUCE
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon minced garlic, jar
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/2 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add garlic until fragrant. Gradually add heavy cream, stirring constantly. Stir in salt, pepper and cream cheese. Add grated Parmesan cheese and stir constantly until melted. Whisk in egg quickly and heat through.

*white meat chicken substitutes well

♥

Slow Cooking Thursday ~ Hungarian Goulash

Go see what’s cooking at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom where Slow Cooking Thursday is hosted by Sandra

HUNGARIAN GOULASH Serves 4-6
2 pounds chuck steak or roast, cut into bite size pieces*
1 small Vidalia onion, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1/2 teaspoon each sea salt and white pepper
1 heaping tablespoon sweet paprika
1/3 cup flour
1 can plain diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup sour cream
2 cups dry egg noodles

Spray sides of 3 quart slow cooker with PURE.
Pour 1/2 of the tomatoes into the slow cooker.
Add the onions and garlic.
In a bag combine the flour, paprika, salt and pepper.
Coat beef pieces well, using all of the mixture by patting into the beef pieces.
Add to slow cooker.
Pour remaining tomatoes over top.
Cover and cook on low 8 hours until meat is tender.
Just before serving, add the sour cream and heat through.
Serve over prepared egg noodles.

*Don’t cut the fat off. It’s that fat that helps make the meat tender. And you do need a little in your diet.

Normally the meat, onion and garlic would have been sauteed in an oil or butter and you would have spent time at the stove doing that. Now we have eliminated the time and the fat. It is still just as tasty too! So, in our opinion the 1st rework recipe is a total success!

I also participate in the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy

, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom

, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks

♥

Simply Delicious Sunday [1] ~ Homemade Green Bean Casserole

Today begins Simply Delicious Sunday. Won’t you join us?

One of the reasons I began this meme was to show that we can eat deliciously while still eating simply. By simply I mean without the aid of processed foods (not that it is a requirement for this meme ~ just my personal choice). Due to my illness I am supposed to avoid processed foods like they are the plague so I go out of my way to re-invent everyday, taken for granted recipes originally produced by the processed foods companies so that you buy their products and re-create them using everyday, simple, found in your pantry or generic house brand ingredients. One of the side benefits to eating healthier without the all the preservatives is that we also save money. For example the green beans in this recipe cost me $2.34 whereas the canned beans would have been $3.78. The whipping cream was on sale for $1.77 but the normally used condensed soup would have cost $2.78.

HOME MADE GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

While this is a family favorite and tradition, I try to make it healthy and with more flavor. This recipe is great to make ahead and freeze so that I’m not having tons of dirty bowls and measuring cups to wash on the “ACTUAL” day.

2 pounds fresh green beans ~ washed, trimmed and cut into pieces
1 box sliced fresh mushrooms ~ minced
1 LARGE bunch green onions ~ sliced thin
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 slices sourdough bread
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large can French’s Cheddar Cheese Fried Onion Rings

Tear sourdough into chunks.
In food chopper coarsely grind sourdough bread pieces and the 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
Combine with French’s onion rings in a freezer Ziploc.
In a medium skillet, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter.
Add onions and mushrooms and saute for about 5 minutes or liquid has evaporated.
Add garlic, thyme, sea salt and cook until fragrance is released.
Sprinkle flour evenly over the tops and mix in until golden.
Slowly whisk in broth and cream and bring to a slow boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent burning until sauce is thickened.
Let cool.
Toss green beans with with cornstarch.
Pour into a large baking dish, 9×13 or so.
Pour the sauce evenly over top of green beans.
When they have cooled, top with plastic wrap and then foil.
Freeze.
When ready to cook, remove plastic wrap and recover with foil.
Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes* or sauce is bubbling.
Stir again.
Add topping.
Bake until golden, about 10 minutes.

*Stir beans and sauce together about half way.

I also participate in the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy

, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom

, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks

♥

Favorite Ingredient Friday blends into Homemaker Monday ~ Cookie Edition & Bonus Honey Baked Ham glaze

Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy

Homemaker Mondays is hosted by Jen at 11th Heaven’s Homemaking Haven Making a Happy Home Monday is hosted by LL at As for me and my house… and Tempt my Tummy Tuesday hosted by Lisa at Blessed with Grace

CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL RAISIN PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
aka KITCHEN SINK COOKIES
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Jumbo eggs
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cups minced walnuts
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup golden raisins

Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and espresso powder.
Cream butter and peanut butter together.
Add the sugars and cream again.
Add the vanilla and eggs and cream until smooth.
Gradually add flour mixture until well blended.
Add oatmeal until well blended.
Add nuts and combine well.
Add chocolate chips and combine again.
Add raisins and mix well.
Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet.
Press down slightly.
Bake 12-15 minutes.

My great aunt who I only got to see a couple times a year used to make these every year special for me and I would wait out on the steps for her arrive just to see them. She always made them soooooooooo pretty and perfect!

HOLIDAY WREATHS
(these are better when they are made a few days ahead)
30 large marshmallows (or 1 jar marshmallow cream)
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoon green food color
3 1/2 cups cornflakes
Red Hots

Combine marshmallows, butter, vanilla and food color in top of double boiler. Heat and stir frequently until well blended.
Gradually stir in cornflakes until well blended.
Drop onto wax paper and arrange into wreath shapes. I plop them onto the wax paper and then push out from the center to form the wreaths.
Decorate with red hots.
Let cool.
If your house is warm – chill in refrigerator until set.

CRUMB COOKIES
(This is a large recipe and is great for using up all those holiday crumbs)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter
3 eggs
1 pound crumbs (cookies, cake and/or crackers)
1/4 cup milk
1 cup molasses
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground gloves
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup ground nuts
2 cups chopped golden raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift together the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and cloves. Set aside.
Cream butter.
Add sugars and cream again.
Add eggs and cream yet again.
Add molasses and beat until fluffy.
Add crumbs and blend well.
Add milk, raisins and nuts and blend well.
Gradually add flour mixture.
Chill dough for at least an hour.
Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and then roll in a bowl of fine sugar.
Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and press down gently.
Bake 15-20 minutes.

and just for Janet:

OLD FASHIONED RUM BALLS
1/4 cup dark or golden rum (I also use spiced sometimes)
3/4 cup vanilla wafer crumbs (I use my mini food processor)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup finely ground walnuts
4 cups powdered sugar

Melt the butter
Mix in sugar, cookie crumbs, nuts and rum.
Chill until firm.
Roll into balls.
Roll in coconut, more nuts, colored sugar or leave plain.
You can also change the flavor by adding 1/4 cup cocoa.

HONEY BAKED HAM GLAZE

1 cup honey
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup pineapple apricot preserves
3 ounces orange juice concentrate
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
7-10 pound ham, spiral cut

In a small food processor combine all the ingredients and pulse until smooth.
Heat in a small saucepan until translucent.
Let cool to lukewarm.
Place ham in a shallow roasting pan.
Pour glaze over ham making sure to allow glaze to run in between spiral layers.
Cover and allow to sit 48 hours in refrigerator.
Bring to room temperature before baking.
Wrap tightly with foil.
Bake at 200 degrees for 6-7 hours until done.
Unwrap and baste once an hour making sure to get glaze between the layers.
Unwrap, increase heat to 450 degrees and bake another 15 minutes for a crisp skin.

Red and green shredded beef burritos

These are the greatest burritos for leftover pot roast.

I take the leftover pot roast and shred it adding red enchilada sauce. Then I throw it in the freezer until we want enchiladas.

Then I spread some sour cream on the tortillas, plop some red meat inside and add a bit of cheese.

Roll them up, top them with green enchilada sauce and a bit more cheese. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes and serve with homemade refried beans.

♥

Slow Cooking Thursday ~ TOMATO SPINACH SOUP

Hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

TOMATO SPINACH SOUP
1/2 (+/- to taste) pound baby spinach, washed
1/3 bag baby carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
2 cans diced tomatoes with herbs
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon basil

Toss all ingredients together in slow cooker.
Cover and cook on high 4-5 hours.

♥

Tuesdays with Dorie ~ Buttery Jam Cookies

Heather of Randomosity and the Girl chose Buttery Jam Cookies on page 80 for today.

I thought these were going to be too biscuity for my tastes, but hubby loved them. After the sugar cookies last week, this week’s dough tasted so similar even with the apricot jam, but also bland, so I did make a small addition for flavor this week. I added a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and it helped a lot.

Laurie of Quirky Cupcake formed Tuesdays With Dorie as a form of accountability for baking at least once a week using the cookbook, Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.

♥

Category: RECIPES