Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

From:  www.chef-in-training.com

2.5 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thighs would be fine too)
Salt and pepper
1 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons diced onion
4 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoon canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 Tablespoons water
Sesame seeds

Season both sides of chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken.

Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through.
Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce. Dissolve 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce.

Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened.

Cut chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce before serving.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.

SURVEY SAYS:  So good!  Sean said this is one of his top 5 favorite recipes!  Above is the recipe doubled, which I recommend making, as I halved it and there was just enough for each of us to have one serving.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

From the back of the Market Pantry Elbows Noodles

makes 4 main dish servings; Prep Time:  25 Minutes;  Total Time:  55 Minutes

1 ¾ cup elbow noodles
¼ + 1 tbsp. butter, divided
3 tbsp. flour
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
2 ½ cups milk
8 oz shredded Cheddar Monterey Jack cheese blend (about 2 cups)
2 tbsp dry bread crumbs
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese


1.  Heat over to 375º.  Spray 1 ½ quart or 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.  Cook pasta according to directions; drain.

2.  In saucepan over medium heat melt ¼ cup butter; whisk in flour, mustard and salt.  Gradually whisk in milk.  Cook and stir until mixture thickens and begins to bubble.  Remove from heat.  Add shredded cheese; stir until melted.

3.  Combine sauce with macaroni in casserole.  In small bowl, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter.  Combine with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.  Sprinkle over top of macaroni.

4.  Bake 20 minutes or until crumb mixture is golden brown and edges are bubbly.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

**can also use American cheese from deli.

SURVEY SAYS:  Finally a homemade mac-n-cheese recipe that is a keeper!  Would definitely make more of the topping next time, though.

Mexi-Beef Casserole

Mexi-Beef Casserole

From "Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade:  The Complete Cookbook" - page 280

1.5 pounds lean ground beef

2 cans condensed tomato soup

1 bag (14 ounce) frozen corn with black beans I couldn't find frozen corn with black beans, so I just added a can of black beans

1 can diced tomatoes with chiles

1/2 cup frozen chopped onions I didn't use

1 packet fajita seasoning mix

2 cups shredded Mexican-cheese blend

some crushed tortilla chips

1.  Preheat oven to 375º

2.  In a large skillet, brown beef over medium-high heat; drain.

3.  Add all other ingredients and mix (soup, corn, black beans, tomatoes, onions, fajita seasoning)

4.  Bring to boil; remove from heat.  Put in casserole dish and top with cheese and crushed tortilla chips.

5.  Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown.

SURVEY SAYS:  Keeper!  This was really good and super easy to make!  Sour cream is really good with it.  Sean and I had seconds, and Ethan had thirds!  Good for when missonaries come over, too, since it made a lot.

Peanut Butter Dream Pie

Peanut Butter Dream Pie

From:  http://myfavoriterecipes-rejoice.blogspot.com/

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 (8 oz.) carton Cool Whip, thawed

chopped peanuts, snickers, peanut butter cups, grated chocolate, etc. (optional)

1 baked pie shell (or substitute a graham cracker, or chocolate graham crust)

--Whip the cream cheese until fluffy and soft. Beat in sugar and peanut butter. Fold in Cool Whip. Put in a small baked pie shell and top with chopped peanuts or grated chocolate (or other), if desired.

SURVEY SAYS:  So good and super easy to make!  Very 'peanut buttery' though so if you don't like peanut butter, than you won't like this.  Sean loved it:)

Bacon Ranch Chicken (Crockpot)

Bacon Ranch Chicken 

From http://crockingirls.com/recipes/bacon-ranch-chicken/

Ingredients

• 4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tablespoons of Real bacon bits
• 1 Teaspoon of Minced garlic
• 1 Package of Ranch dressing mix
• 1 Can of Cream of chicken soup
• 1 Cup of Sour cream
• Cooked egg noodles

Directions

1. Step One

   Combine bacon, garlic, ranch dressing mix, soup, and sour cream; mix well.

2. Step Two

   Pour over chicken in the slow cooker.

3. Step Three

   Cook on high 3-4 hours.

4. Step Four

   I then shred the chicken and put back in the pot and then add the egg noodles; mix together
   
   
   
   SURVEY SAYS:  Keeper!  The boys gobbled this up!  I thought it was a little plain, but since the boys liked it so much, we will have it again:)

Spaghetti Carbonara

Spaghetti Carbonara

Eating Light Magazine; Spring 2012 Edition

1 lb Spaghetti
3 extra-large eggs
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 oz. diced thick cut bacon
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/3 cup frozen peas, thawed
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

1.  Heat large saucepot and cook spaghetti according to package directions.  Reserve the drained water.  Drain and return to pot.

2.  In small bowl, whisk together eggs, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt

3.  In a large, deep skillet on medium, heat oil.  Add bacon and cook until lightly browned, stirring frequently.  Add garlic and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and cook 1 minute, then reduce heat to medium-low.

4.  Add drained pasta, egg mixture, and peas, plus ½ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water to the skillet with the bacon.  Stir and cook 1 to 2 minutes, adding more pasta cooking water if necessary, until sauce has creamy consistency.  Add Parmesan; toss; serve immediately.

SURVEY SAYS:  Definitely a keeper!  This is so easy to make and really, really good!!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup - Panera Style

Broccoli Cheddar Soup – Panera Style

• 2 T. Butter, melted
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 c. butter, melted
• 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• 4 c. half and half
• 4 c. chicken broth
• 1 lb. fresh broccoli
• 2 cups, julienned carrots
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 t. nutmeg
• 16 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Saute onion in butter.  Set aside.   Whisk butter and flour over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.  Stir constantly and slowly add half and half.  Add chicken stock, still whisking.

Simmer 20 minutes.

Add broccoli, carrots and onion.  Cook over low heat until veggies are tender – about 20-25 minutes.  Add salt and pepper.  The soup will have thickened by now.

Carefully transfer soup mixture to blender and puree.  Return soup to pot (or crockpot) over low heat.  Add cheese.  Stir until well blended.  Add nutmeg right before serving.

Makes 8-10 servings.

SURVEY SAYS:  Keeper- but next time definitely only use half the amount of carrots and more broccoli. Sean and Ethan helped me make this one, so it was fun to have family time while making it:)

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

From  Our Best Bites: Mormon Moms in the Kitchen

2 cups low-fat milk
1/3 cup (3 ounces) low-fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (best if you grate it yourself, as pregrated is too dry and the sauce will be lumpy)

1.  In a blender, blend milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt until smooth and set aside

2.  In a large, nonstick saucepan, melt butter on medium-high heat and add the garlic.  Saute the garlic for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from sticking and burning.

3.  Add the milk mixture ot the pan.  Stir constantly for 3-4 minutes or until it just comes to a simmer.  Keep stirring and let it cook for a few minutes more or until the sauce thickens, about 6-7 minutes.

4.  Once the sauce has started to thicken, remove from heat.  Whisk the cheese into the sauce and immediately cover the pan.

5.  Allow the sauce ot stand for at least 10 minutes before using.  It will continue to thicken upon standing.

6.  Serve immediately.  Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days.  The sauce will become very thick once refrigerated.  To use it, reheat the sauce and add a little milk until the desired consistency is reached.


FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS:  After step three, transfer the mixture to an 8x8 inch disposable aluminum baking pan.  Sprinkle with cheese and cover tightly with aluminum foil.  Freeze for up to 3 months.  When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400º and bake, covered, for 90 minutes or until the casserole is cooked through and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

SURVEY SAYS:  So good!  It is light so you don't feel weighed down afterwards. It does take a lot of stirring, though, so it makes it hard to work on other parts of the meal at the same time.. unless you recruit a helpful kiddo:)

Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups

Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups

From Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade: The Complete Cookbook

12 lasagna noodles
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon Italian dressing
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (I used Purdue chicken strips that were pre-cooked)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 350º.  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook lasagna noodles for 8 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking; drain again. Set aside.

2.  In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, beaten egg, Italian seasoning, garlic, and parsley.

3.  Spread ½ cup of the marinara sauce in a 9x13 baking dish.  Spread each lasagna noodle with 2 tablespoons of ricotta cheese mixture; sprinkle each with 3 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese.  Roll up filled noodles and place, seam sides down, in prepared baking dish.  Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over roll-ups.

4.  Cover with foil.  Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes.  Remove foil; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 10 minutes more.  Serve hot.

SURVEY SAYS:  So good!  Everyone really liked this recipe; although it takes some time to prepare it.

Roasted Broccoli

6 cups broccoli florets
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large covered pot of water to a boil.

Combine broccoli, garlic, walnuts, salt and pepper in a bowl. Drizzle with oil and stir with hands until coated. Place broccoli mixture on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast 13 minutes, stirring twice during roasting.

Pasta with Garlic Roasted Broccoli

From Amandascookin.com

6 cups broccoli florets
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound rotini pasta
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large covered pot of water to a boil.

Combine broccoli, garlic, walnuts, salt and pepper in a bowl. Drizzle with oil and stir with hands until coated. Place broccoli mixture on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast 13 minutes, stirring twice during roasting.

When water comes to a boil, remove lid and add a tablespoon of salt. While broccoli is roasting, cook pasta following package directions.  Drain and return to pot. Add broccoli mixture to pasta pot and stir in broth, butter and cheese. Serve immediately.

SURVEY SAYS:  So good!  Super easy to make, too!  I absolutely loved how the broccoli turned out!

Corn Pudding AKA Corn Mush

My mom found this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens, October 1997.

Corn Pudding


1 (15 1/4 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 3/4 oz) can cream-style corn
1 cup milk
2 beaten eggs
1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup cornmeal (we use Jiffy Corn Bread Mix)

• In a large mixing bowl combine whole kernel corn, cream-style corn, milk, butter, eggs, and pepper.  
• Add cornmeal; stir until moistened
• pour corn mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish.
• Bake at 350º for 50-55 minutes or until lightly browned and set in the center.

My family LOVES this recipe!  Each time I make it for guests, they ask for the recipe:)

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

From "Our Best Bites: Mormon Moms in the Kitchen" by Sara Wells and Kate Jones

1/3 cup (3 oz) cream cheese
¼ cup green salsa
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped green onions (I didn’t use)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
6 inch corn or flour tortillas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, optional
Nonstick cooking spray
Kosher salt (I didn’t use)

1. Cook chicken and then shred.

2. Heat oven to 425º. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

3. Heat cream cheese in the microwave for 20-30 seconds so that it is soft and easy to stir. Add
green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and granulated garlic. Stir to
combine and then add cilantro, green onions, chicken, and pepper jack cheese.

4. Wrap 3-4 tortillas at a time in damp paper towels and microwave for 20-30 seconds so that they
are soft and pliable.

5. Place 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture on the lower third of each tortilla, keeping it about
½ inch from the edges, then roll it up.

6. Place seam-side down on the baking sheet in a single layer. Spray the tops lightly with cooking
spray or brush with vegetable oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher sale on top. Place pan in the
oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Cool for
5-10 minutes and then serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, etc.

Freezer instructions: Place unbaked taquitos in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for 2 hours or until frozen enough to keep their shape. Pack in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To bake, follow the regular instructions, extending the baking time by 10 minutes.

Make ahead: To make dinnertime assembly a breeze, prepare this filling up to 2 days ahead of time and store in the fridge in an airtight container.

SURVEY SAYS: Keeper! The recipe says it will make 16 taquitos, however, I was only able to make 6... I did add more chicken mixture to each tortilla than they stated in the recipe. Everyone really liked them, even Ethan - which surprised me because they have a little “kick” to them. I really like the fact that I can make them ahead and also freeze them - since it took about an hour to make all at once (including cooking/shredded the chicken).

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

From allrecipes.com and my sister-in-law, Jennie

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 cooked, boneless chicken
breast halves, shredded
1 (4.5 ounce) package Uncle Bens Long Grain and Wild Rice FAST COOK RECIPE* with seasoning packet
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
2 cups heavy cream


DIRECTIONS:
1.  In a large pot over medium heat, combine broth, water and chicken. Bring just to boiling, then stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat.
2.  In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in contents of seasoning packet until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then stir in flour mixture by tablespoons, to form a roux. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.
3.  Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes


SO GOOD!!  DEFINITELY A KEEPER!

Creamy Corn Chowder

From"Our Best Bites: Mormon Moms in the Kitchen"

6-8 oz bacon (1/2 package)
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup water
2 1/2 cups 1% milk
2 chicken bouillon cubes or 2 teaspoons chicken base (I used the cubes)
2 red potatoes, diced into small cubes
3/4 cups minced onion
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14 oz) can corn, drained
a few dashes of hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste
optional garnishes:  extra crumbled bacon, shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1.  Cook bacon until crisp.

2.  While bacon is cooking, melt teh butter over low heat in a soup pot.  When melted, add flour to make a roux and whisk until it comes together in a little ball.  Add water and whisk until completely combined and there are no lumps.  Add milk and chicken bouillon or base and bring to a simmer.  Add potatoes, onion, and garlic, and simmer (but don't boil!), stirring very frequently for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

3.  Crumble the bacon and add to the soup along with the corn.  Heat through.  Add a few drops of hot sauce and then salt to taste.  Start with about 1/4 teaspoon, give it a few minutes, and then add more if you need it.

4.  Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cheese and extra bacon if desired.

SURVEY SAYS:  Keeper!  It is really easy to make and everyone loved it!  (I made this a week ago and Sean is still talking about it).  It only made about 4 servings, though, so would definitely need to be doubled if it is going to feed more than 3 people.

Thai Peanut Noodles

Thai Peanut Noodles
8 ounces linguine noodles
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1-2 teaspoons chili sauce (1 is mild with a bite, 1.5 is medium-hot, and 2 is hot)
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
chopped green onions
chopped cilantro
chopped peanuts
2 limes for garnish

1.  Cook noodles in salted water according to package directions
2.  While the noodles are cooking, combine the chicken broth, peanut butter, chili sauce, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.  Whisk until smooth and remove from heat.
3.  Toss cooked noodles with sauce and divide among 4 bowls.  Sprinkle with green onions, cilantro, and chopped peanuts, and garnish each serving with 2 lime quarters. Before eating, squeeze lime juice over noodles and stir to combine.

SURVEY SAYS:  Keeper, but needs tweeking next time.  I only put 1/2 tsp of chili sauce in it and it still had quite a "kick" to it...  Also, I didn't have any limes so maybe the lime juice would help calm the spicy-ness.