Melt-In-Your-Mouth Dinner Rolls

This is a recipe that our parents have used for years and years.  Back in their newlywed days they found that this recipe not only made delicious rolls, but required no kneading and basic ingredients.  I personally never get tired of these rolls.  

 

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Dinner Rolls

Directions/Ingredients:

Dissolve 1 pkg. yeast in 1/2 cup warm water.
Add:
1 T. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
Let stand for 20 minutes.

Scald 1 cup milk.
Add:
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
Cool then add 2 beaten eggs.

Combine all with 4 and 1/2 cups flour. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Roll out 2 hours before serving (so that they can rise). Using half the dough at a time, roll out to a big round circle and make diagonal cuts to form triangles.  Roll up triangles to make a crescent shape.  Place on greased sheet, and let rise for at least an hour (or until doubled in size). Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes:
--If you forget to make the dough the night before (which I have done more than once) it can me made in the morning.  Just stir the dough a little extra and it will rise just fine.  I find if I have less time it works better to leave the dough out on the counter to allow for a faster rise.  Once it is doubled in size it can be refrigerated until ready to use.
--The amount of flour needed will vary depending on how you measure and the altitude you live at.  I find that mine needs an extra half cup when I do it.  The recipe makes a really wet dough, but you don’t want it to be too loose or it won’t roll out. 
--When I make them I brush melted butter on them when they come out of the oven.  This adds to the flavor but is definitely not necessary.

-Paula

Thanksgiving Roundup

Hello Friends!

Paula and I are going to take a little break for Thanksgiving and enjoy the time together as a family.  I love Thanksgiving at home, and I hope to pick up some good tips and recipes from my dad as he prepares our glorious feast.

Since our blog is so new, we don't have an arsenal of holiday recipes to share with you.  (Also, like I mentioned, neither of us is cooking a Thanksgiving meal this year because we are going to be spoiled by my dad's cooking. :) )

Instead, I thought I'd leave you with some links to some Thanksgiving recipes and tutorials from a few of our favorite food blogs.

Picture from Our Best Bites

Annie's Eats has some great tips if you are in charge of preparing the meal yourself.  Her three-part prep series almost makes me want to take on the task someday.  Almost.

Our Best Bites has a great selection of mouth-watering recipes you may not think of on your own.  I especially recommend the pumpkin cheesecake.

The Pioneer Woman, of course, has an amazing holiday collection of recipes on her site.  Classic and timeless, I'm pretty sure you can't go wrong choosing her recipes.

And finally Mel's Kitchen Cafe also has a list of Thanksgiving recipes.  In my experience, and I've used her website a LOT, her recipes tend to be basically foolproof.

Happy Thanksgiving!
-Jennie and Paula

Soft Gingersnaps

I love gingersnaps.  I love them soft, warm, and with just the right amount of spices (not too spicy, but not bland at all).  I love the way they make our apartment smell.  They are a beautiful thing for fall and winter!

Soft Gingersnaps
adapted from allrecipes.com
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla1/2 cup molasses
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
additional sugar (to roll the cookies in)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.  Add baking soda, salt, and spices.  Add flour.  If dough is too sticky, refrigerate for 10 minutes before rolling.  Roll into roughly one inch balls and then roll them in sugar.  Refrigerate dough between batches.  Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes.


Notes:
--I'm too impatient to mix my dry ingredients separately from my wet, but if you are less impatient than me, feel free to do it.
--I'm always tempted to take these out before they are all the way done.  Wait until there are large cracks in the top of the cookies, and they have that golden hue (instead of the brown color of the unbaked dough).  


Enjoy!
-Jennie

Basic Chili

This is another recipe that I would give my Dad credit for because he has changed it quite a bit from the recipe found in Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.  This is a delicious and flavorful chili, is very easy, and can be made mild or spicy.  This is definitely my go to chili recipe and is found on our menu many times during the cold season.

Basic Chili

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 small can of tomato paste
1 small can of diced green chiles
2 to 3 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried basil, crushed
dash of cayenne pepper

Directions:
Cook beef, onions, and garlic until beef is brown and onions are tender. Drain fat. Stir together with all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer (covered) for 20 minutes.

Notes:
--This is delicious served with grated cheese, sour cream and corn bread.
-- The amount of cayenne you add will determine how spicy it will be. Adding just a dash will add depth to the flavor without much heat.  If you want it to be spicy add more like 1/4 teaspoon.  Add to taste…tasting being the key.
-- If you like your chili with more beans in it add another can of beans (whatever kind of bean you like).  I like it with more beans sometimes.  Other times I’m more in a meat mood. 

-Paula

Hamburger Stroganoff

This is another recipe that is not much to look at visually.  Believe me though, this meal never fails to hit the spot for me.  Never.  I don't know why, but it's just tasty.  It was especially delicious to me when I was pregnant.  It is comfort food at its finest.  It's also fast and easy, so it makes a great weeknight meal.  It's great over rice or egg noodles.  I have come to prefer rice over the years. 

Hamburger Stroganoff
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1 onion, finely diced
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon flour
1 can cream of mushroom soup
garlic salt, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup sour cream

Directions:
Saute onions in olive oil or butter over medium heat for about five minutes.  Add ground beef and cook until meat is no longer pink.  Add flour and spices and stir for about a minute.  Pour in condensed soup and stir.  Mixture will be very thick.  Bring to a simmer, and reduce heat.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.  Add sour cream and heat through.  Serve over rice or egg noodles.

Notes:
--Do not bring the stroganoff to a boil after adding the sour cream.  The flavor of the sour cream is best that way.
--If your kids do not like onions, you can grate the onions into the mixture when you add the cream of mushroom soup.  Grated onion is stronger, so only grate about half an onion.

Enjoy!
-Jennie

Basic Brownies

Jennie has had this handwritten brownie recipe in her recipe book for a few years now and it has become her go to recipe for quick but absolutely delicious brownies that use ingredients you have on hand.  But you see, she always assumed it was my recipe and that it was my handwriting.  I took a look at it and confirmed that it definitely wasn’t my writing.  Though we have no clue where the recipe came from, we both use this recipe all the time and we’re grateful to whoever gave it to Jennie.  If you’re reading this and realize that this is your recipe, please tell us so we can give you credit and also please forgive us for forgetting who you are :).  And here’s the recipe for delicious, moist, chocolaty mystery brownies…

Basic Brownies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup+2 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 8x8 pan.

In medium pan melt butter, then mix in cocoa.  Remove from heat and stir in sugar.  Add eggs one at a time mixing between.   Add vanilla and stir.  Add flour and chips (if using) and mix until combined.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.

Notes:
--Though the chocolate chips are optional, they make them more chocolaty and delicious.  Technically the recipe calls for 1/2 cup nuts, we just prefer chocolate chips.

The end!  Isn’t that so easy?  You will love the brownies too!

-Paula

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

I've had a go-to potato soup recipe that I have used since I left home for college.  It's a basic recipe that can be adapted and changed depending on the ingredients you have and the flavors you want.  It can be a ham chowder, a corn chowder, a clam chowder, or just potato soup.  Recently I came across a recipe from allrecipes.com that was very similar to my family recipe.  I took a couple of ideas from it and combined it with my trusted recipe, and it was delicious!  It was a big hit with my family and friends.  I don't think I'll ever go back to the old way.

So, here is my new and improved potato soup recipe!

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup
inspired by allrecipes.com
Ingredients:
4 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
2 large ribs of celery, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 pound cooked ham, cubed
chicken broth (I use fat free, lower sodium)
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
crumbled bacon and cheddar cheese for topping

Directions:
Chop all your vegetables and your ham and place them all in a large pot.  Pour in chicken broth until it barely covers the vegetables.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour and whisk vigorously for about 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in milk.  Add salt, pepper, and sugar, and stir continuously until the mixture becomes very thick.  Set aside until vegetables finish cooking.

Once vegetables are cooked, add the white sauce to the pot (do not drain the vegetables first).  Stir to combine, and heat through if necessary.  Serve with crumbled bacon and cheddar cheese as toppings.

Notes:
--There are two keys to a thick and creamy soup. First, make sure you don't add too much chicken broth to the pot.  The vegetables should barely be covered and shouldn't all be floating.  Second, make sure you let the white sauce cook until it's very thick.  I always stir it until I think it's thick enough and then keep stirring for another minute or two longer so it gets even thicker.
--The only differences between this recipe and my old family recipe is that the vegetables are cooked in chicken broth instead of water, there are carrots added, the ham is added with the vegetables instead of at the end, and regular milk is used for the white sauce instead of half and half.  I believe these changes make the soup more flavorful and at the same time lower in fat.
--This soup is delicious without meat, and it can be adapted and changed easily to use other vegetables or meats.
--We like to serve this soup with what my family calls Toasties.  Butter both sides of bread and cut each slice into four strips.  Place on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes on the first side (until nice and toasted) and then flip and cook for 2-3 minutes on the second side.

Enjoy!
-Jennie

Grandma’s Baked Chicken

I call this chicken recipe my Grandma’s because she would make it all the time and whenever I eat it, it reminds me of her.  She was all about comfort food.  She enjoyed providing delicious meal for her family.  I love this recipe because it is one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever made, but at the same time it tastes like it took a lot of work.  It makes an absolutely delicious gravy that is ready to serve out of the oven.  I love that when I make this recipe, my house smells like my Grandma’s house.  I took a picture before and after I cooked it because I think the chicken looks pretty with the bacon wrapped around it.

 

Grandma’s Baked Chicken
Adapted from Heritage Cookbook

Ingredients:
8-12 slices of bacon
4-6 chicken breasts, halved
2 cups sour cream
2 cans cream of mushroom soup

Directions:Roll bacon around each breast half.  Fasten with a toothpick if needed (I usually just fold the bacon under) and place in 9x13 pan.  In small bowl stir together sour cream and soup. Pour over chicken.  Bake at 300 degrees for 2-3 hours.  Serve gravy on the side and/or over mashed potatoes.

Notes:-- The original recipe said to cook it at 250 degrees for 3 to 4 hours. I don’t usually have that time and so I have changed the recipe to be hotter for a shorter amount of time.  Whatever you have time for.
--When I made it last night I used 2 very large chicken breast and cut each into 3 pieces.  I put it into a 8X8 pan and halved the sauce and it served 4.  It’s easy to change the amount depending on how many people you’re serving.
-- The gravy tastes awesome over mashed potatoes.  I also pour extra gravy over my meat.  Just remove chicken from baking dish and pour gravy into a gravy dish (or a glass liquid measuring cup if you’re like me and don’t have a gravy dish).

-Paula

Cream Puffs

The nice thing about cream puffs is that they aren't nearly as difficult or complicated as they seem.  They are actually quite basic and use simple ingredients.  Just be prepared to do a lot of stirring by hand!  Here is my family's tried and true recipe (in three parts).

Cream Puffs (the pastry part)
from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup (one stick) butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cups flour
4 eggs

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook and stir until the mixture forms a ball (this only takes about a minute). Remove from heat and cool for ten minutes (this is important because if you add the eggs when it is too hot, they will start cooking and make the dough lumpy). Add eggs one at a time. Each time, stir well with a wooden spoon until the egg is completely incorporated. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet. Drop dough onto the baking sheet by the heaping spoonfuls. I like to make my cream puffs pretty small so it makes about 24 cream puffs. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, checking after 20 minutes. Cream puffs are done when they are golden and the peaks are light brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.  Cool completely before filling.

Notes:
--As you can see, there isn't any sugar in the puffs themselves, so they can be used for appetizers or lunch items if you want to fill them with chicken or tuna salad, or anything else you can come up with.
--Even though it seems like a lot of work (and it gives your arm quite a work out), the stirring the dough by hand after each egg is the key to good cream puffs.  Don't try to get around it by using a mixer or adding the eggs all at once.--If you make the puffs the night before you need them, don't store them in an airtight container or bag.  This will make them turn soggy.  Just keep them on a tray or baking sheet with a towel or piece of plastic wrap lightly draped over them in the fridge.

Cream Puff Filling
Ingredients:
1 large box vanilla instant pudding
1 pint whipping cream
1 1/2 cups milk

Directions:
Prepare pudding according to the directions on the box, using only half the indicated amount of milk (1 1/2 cups). While pudding chills, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in the pudding gently, until the cream and pudding are completely mixed together. This makes more than enough filling for one batch of cream puffs.

There are two ways to fill the cream puffs. Either you can slice them in half and scoop a generous amount into each one, or you can poke a hole in each one and fill them using a frosting bag and wide piping tube. Slicing them in half is much easier and faster, but also messier.

If you like your cream puffs without chocolate on top, you can simply sprinkle some powdered sugar on top at this point and call them done.  If you are a chocolate lover, like me, continue on to the final step.

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting:
from the side of the Hershey's Cocoa container
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Melt butter in the microwave. In a medium, heat-safe bowl (pyrex glass works well) stir together melted butter and cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistency. Add more milk or more powdered sugar as needed. Stir in vanilla.

At this point, the frosting is finished. However, for topping cream puffs it's nice for the frosting to have a fudge-like consistency. In order to achieve this, hold the bowl of frosting over a stove burner (hence the heat-proof bowl) on medium-low heat, stirring continuously until it just begins to melt. At this point, pour the chocolate over the filled cream puffs in a thick layer. If the frosting starts setting up before you have finished topping the cream puffs hold it back over the heat to soften it again. Because the frosting has been melted, it sets back up and ends up having a consistency that is more like fudge than frosting.

They end up looking great and tasting amazing!  Enjoy!


-Jennie

Fudge Puddles

My husband and I love to make desserts together, especially on Sundays.  One Sunday my husband asked me what we were going to make and I said, well, I don’t think we really have the ingredients for anything.  He replied with, “sure we do!”  He went to work looking online for a recipe and came across allrecipe.com where you can type ingredients you want to be included.  He typed in peanut butter, chocolate chips and flour and this was one of the recipes that came up.  As soon as I tasted them I knew they would become a regular for us.

Fudge Puddles
Adapted slightly from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Chocolate filling:
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream butter, peanut butter and white and brown sugars. Mix in egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.  Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix until combined.  Shape the dough into about 24 balls (about 1 1/2 inches). Place each ball in one compartment of a muffin tin.

Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately make wells in the center of each using a melon baller or small measuring spoon (a small spoon actually works too).  Let cool for 5 minutes and then carefully remove cookies to wire racks (I use a spoon for this a well).

When cookies are almost done cooking, start on filling.  Place chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat.  Stir until well melted.  Add vanilla and stir.  
Fill each shell with the chocolate mixture.

Notes:
--The original recipe actually uses a mini-muffin tin.  But I don’t have one and that’s why I make them in a regular muffin tin.  I think they would be great in a mini tin.  Just cook for less (probably about 12 minutes…keep an eye on them) and of course it makes 48 that way.
--You can use whatever proportion of chocolate chips you want.  The first time we made them we didn’t have milk chocolate chips so we used all semi-sweet and they were great that way.  My favorite way is with 1/2 cup milk and 1 1/2 cup semi.  But I like my chocolate a little dark :).

-Paula

Papa's Meatloaf

I'm convinced it's impossible to take a good picture of meatloaf.  You'll just have to trust me (and anyone who has tried this recipe) that it tastes like the definition of comfort food.  It's a good one. :)

This is an honest to goodness passed down through the generations family recipe!  Papa was my dad's grandfather, and he owned a restaurant.  This is one of those recipes that I'll always make and intend to continue to pass down to my children.  Growing up, we were always excited when my dad would make meatloaf.  We didn't understand the negative stigma everyone seemed to have toward meatloaf.  I mean, I know it's a kind of gross name and concept, but it's just so tasty!  It wasn't until I was in college when I learned that all meatloaf's are not created equal and our family had something special. 

Papa's Meatloaf

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 can chicken with rice soup

1 egg

1/2 medium onion, finely diced

2 cups Wheaties (or other bran flakes cereal)

ketchup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl combine all the ingredients and mix together thoroughly.  This works best if you just get over the grossness and mix it with your hands.  Press meat mixture into an ungreased loaf pan.  Spread ketchup generously over the top.  Bake for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours or until cooked through.  When it's done, the meatloaf will pull away from the edges of the pan, and it won't be pink in the middle.

Notes:

--The leaner the meat you use, the less greasy the meatloaf will be.  There is quite a bit of grease involved when you use the traditional 80/20 ground beef.

--This recipe can also be used for meatballs.  Just form meat mixture into balls and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.  

--If your kids don't like pieces of onions in their food, you can also grate the onion.  Grated onion is stronger, so just grate about 1/4 of an onion into the meat mixture.

Enjoy!

Jennie

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This is a recipe that I found in a recipe book of Brian’s that his sister gave to him when he was going out to college.  I figured that if it was a recipe that a freshman guy could make, then I certainly could find success with it.  Not only is it easy but it’s very flavorful and moist. 

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Lemon pepper or black pepper
garlic powder
salt
1/2 c. cornstarch
2 eggs
Sauce:
1/2 c. sugar
3 tbsp. ketchup
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 c. vinegar
1/4 c. chicken broth
1 tsp. salt

Directions:
Pound chicken breasts until a uniform thickness (I like to stretch my chicken so I usually pound them out a little thinner).  Cut chicken into smaller pieces (I usually cut one breast into 3 or 4 pieces depending on size).

Mix sauce and set aside.  Mix batter (pepper, garlic, salt, cornstarch, eggs). Dip chicken pieces into batter, fry in oil until golden brown.  Place chicken in baking pan and pour sauce over chicken. Bake 30 minutes at 350. Turn over once during baking.  Serve with rice (I like to make a simple fried rice).

Notes:
--This recipe fills a 8x8 pan.  I would estimate that it serves 4.
--Don’t be afraid to be somewhat generous with the spices in the batter.  It gives the breading flavor.
--The breading tends to fall off pretty easily, so I try to be gentle when flipping.

-Paula

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

I have always loved mashed potatoes.  And it's no wonder, with the mashed potatoes that my dad makes!  My mouth starts watering the second I think about them.  Because my dad's mashed potatoes are so good, though, it kept me from ever making them myself for many years.  I just knew they wouldn't add up!  Earlier this year, though, I realized that if I didn't figure out how to make good mashed potatoes someday I would be depriving myself and my family of the joy of one of my favorite foods. I wouldn't want to do that, now, would I?

I finally realized (after several failed attempts) that I wouldn't be able to replicate the mashed potatoes my dad makes.  Instead, I decided to come up with my own recipe that is delicious in its own right.  I am pleased to tell you that I have been successful!  Now I don't dread making mashed potatoes, because I know they will be delicious and creamy.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes


Ingredients:
5 pounds russet potatoes
1/2 cup butter
4 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup milk or half and half
1 teaspoon garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Wash and peel the potatoes.  Cut them into roughly uniform chunks, and place them in a big pot.  Cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil on the stove.  Once the potatoes have come to a full boil, allow them to cook, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, or until they are quite tender.  Drain potatoes and return them to the pot (off the heat).  Cut butter and cream cheese into roughly one tablespoon sized pieces, and add them to the pot.  Add milk, garlic salt, and salt and pepper.  Using an electric mixer, mix the potatoes until creamy.  Add a little milk if needed to reach desired consistency.  Taste and adjust spices as needed.  Heat through over the stove or in an oven safe bowl in the oven on low heat before serving, if needed.

Notes:
--When cooking potatoes, smaller pieces will cook faster.  But be careful how small you cut them, because if they are too small they will just dissolve into the water.
--Cutting the potatoes uniformly is the key to them cooking evenly.  If the potatoes aren't cooked evenly, then you will end up with lumps.
--I think the secret to the creaminess of these potatoes is the cream cheese.  Because of that, you can cut back on the fat a little bit by using regular milk instead of half and half or cream.

Enjoy!
-Jennie

Chicken a la King

This is a meal we have a least once a month at our house.  I have always been a huge fan of biscuits and gravy and this is similar.  Like most of my recipes it uses really basic ingredients and only take about 30 minutes to throw together. 

Chicken a la King

Ingredients:
1 tube of refrigerated biscuits
1 lb. cooked chicken, cubed
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/3 cup flour
1-10.5 oz. can (1 1/3 cups) chicken broth
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Bake biscuits as directed on can. 

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Once melted add flour and whisk for a minute.  While whisking add broth and milk.  Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens.

Add salt, pepper, frozen veggies and chicken.  Stir to combine and keep on medium-low heat until hot through (about 5 minutes).

To serve split a warm biscuit and pour sauce over the top.

Notes:
--You can obviously make your own biscuits rather than store bought.
--If you don’t have cooked chicken on hand (like I pretty much never do), I find it’s easy to cut a couple chicken breasts in cubes and cook in a pan with a little oil.  I usually cook my chicken while I’m stirring the white sauce.  But it’s kind of hectic that way :).

-Paula

French Breakfast Puffs

One Saturday morning, I had a craving for something sweet.  (Yeah, ok, I get these cravings almost every morning.  Moving on...)  I wanted some kind of muffin, preferably with cinnamon sugar on top, and I wanted it right away.  I had seen some similar recipes around the internet in the preceding weeks, but I was working with only the things I already had in my cupboards.  I went to trusty old allrecipes.com, found a recipe, changed a couple things, and this was the result.  They definitely filled my craving!  They were light and fluffy and just what I wanted.  Between Paul and I, we finished off all 12 muffins well before lunchtime.

French Breakfast Puffs

adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

Muffins:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup milk

Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

6 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners (or grease 12 muffin cups).

Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Add baking soda, salt, and nutmeg and mix to combine.  Alternately mix in flour and milk by adding half the flour, then half the milk, followed by the other half of flour, and then the other half of milk.

Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through.

When the muffins are almost done, melt the 6 tablespoons of butter in the microwave in a small bowl (cereal size works well).  Combine sugar and cinnamon in another small bowl.  

As soon as the muffins are done, remove them carefully from the muffin pan.  Immediately (or as soon as they are cool enough to handle without burning yourself) dip the top of each one into the melted butter and then the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Serve warm.

Notes:

--The nutmeg really gives these little muffins a nice taste.  It makes them just a little different than you may expect, but it's unexpected in a good way. :)

--Make sure you dip the butter all the way down to the top of the wrapper.  The cinnamon and sugar will only stick where the butter covers.

Enjoy!

-Jennie

Lemon Chicken

This is a very simple and delicious dinner.  It only uses a few ingredients but at the same time looks pretty impressive.  

Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon lemon-pepper seasoning
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 package (9 oz) hollandaise sauce mix (and ingredients to prepare)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
In a large resealable bag, combine flour and lemon-pepper. Flatten chicken to 1/2-inch thickness. Add chicken one piece at a time, and shake to coat.

In a skillet, saute chicken in 2 tablespoons butter for 5-6 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through (it will take longer depending on thickness).  Meanwhile, prepare sauce according to package directions. Stir in lemon juice.  Serve chicken with some lemon sauce drizzled on top.

Notes:
--As you can tell I cut my chicken breasts into strips. You can use any cut of chicken, but smaller pieces cook faster.
--As I typed up this recipe I thought about how some garlic powder would be a yummy addition to the flour mixture. I think I’ll try that next time.

-Paula

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

In recent years I have drastically cut back on recipes that use condensed soup in an effort to decrease the amount of processed foods we eat.  There are still a few recipes that I make, though, and this is one of them.  I found the recipe in The Pioneer Woman's cookbook.  It's the most flavorful soup-based casserole I have ever eaten.  I especially like the little kick the cayenne pepper gives it.  And it has pimientos in it!  Who knew that people make things with pimientos?  

The original recipe uses a whole cut up fryer chicken.  I tried that method once, and I didn't especially like all the effort it took.  I have since adapted the recipe to use chicken breasts and fat free chicken broth.  This way it's easier and healthier.

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks


Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts
1 pound spaghetti noodles, broken into 2 inch pieces
2 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth
1 jar (4 ounces) diced pimientos, drained
1 small onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon seasoned salt (Lawry's)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, and cook pasta according to directions on package.  Meanwhile, cut chicken breasts into thirds and boil for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through.  Shred chicken and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked noodles, chicken, soup, pimientos, green bell peppers and onion.  Add the broth and 2 cups of the grated cheese.  Add spices and toss to combine.

Pour mixture into a 9x13 baking dish, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese.  Bake, uncovered, for 35-45 minutes, or until bubbly.

Notes:
--I'm sure this would be tasty using a rotisserie chicken instead of chicken breasts.  It's already an easy recipe, but using a rotisserie chicken would make it even easier, too.
--This recipe makes a lot of food.  It completely fills a 9x13 pan.  I would say it's enough for 8 servings at least.
--If you've never bought pimientos, they come in little jars and I found them in the condiments section of the grocery store.

Enjoy!
-Jennie

Roasted Red Potato Wedges

This is a recipe that I’ve made many times.  My husband and I both really like potato wedges and so I was on the search for a great recipe for a while.  Once I found this recipe I stopped looking.  These wedges are perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.  They’re very simple and yet have wonderful flavor.  Plus, they make a wonderful side dish!

Roasted Red Potato Wedges
Adapted from recipezaar.com

Ingredients:
4 large red potatoes
1/4 cup better, melted
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 teaspoon garlic, minced (about 2 cloves)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Wash and slice potato wedges and place in 9x13 glass baking dish.  In small bowl, combing melted butter, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Pour over potatoes and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Toss to coat (I actually use my hands and get them completely coated but it’s very messy this way).  Cook at 425 degrees for about 40 minutes turning potatoes once halfway through cook.  When done, potatoes will be crisp and brown.

Notes:
--Cooking time will vary depending on wedge size and how hot your oven cooks.  Keep an eye on them at around 35 minutes.  They may also take a while longer.  Judge doneness by how crisp and their color.

So easy and SO good!

-Paula