Chicken Pesto

Menu:

Pesto Chicken
Rice-a-Roni
Peas (or other vegetable)

Pesto Chicken
by Your Homebased Mom

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 C pesto
2 oz. shredded part skim mozzarella cheese (1/2 C)
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Spread 1/4 cup of the pesto in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Lay chicken breasts over pesto in an even layer and spread remaining pesto on top of chicken. Cover baking dish with foil and bake chicken until cooked through – 20-25 minutes. Uncover and top with cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, 5 more minutes. Serve hot.

Food Storage Chicken Pot Pie

This was 1st made for me when I gave birth to Hannah. I loved it and asked for the recipe. I was even happier when I saw how easy it was to make! Of course you can always substitute fresh ingredients for canned items. I always buy prepared pie crusts as well, it just makes it even easier!

Menu:

Chicken Pot Pie
Cornbread
Salad

Chicken Pot Pie

Pie crust:

4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups shortening
12-14 TBSP ice water

Filling:

4 small cans of chicken with juice (drain some of the juice)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of potato soup
1 can of peas and diced carrots
pepper to taste

Combine chicken, soups, peas and carrots and pepper. Pour into pie crust. Place top layer of crust on and bake at 400 for 30-35 minutes

Cornbread

1 cup cornmeal
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup flour
1 egg (or use gelatin substitute)
¼ cup sugar
1 can corn, drained
3 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk (fresh or from powdered milk)
1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 425°F. Put half of the olive oil in a 9x9x2 cast iron skillet and preheat in oven without burning oil. Mix all remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour batter into preheated cast iron skillet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until done. (If you don't use cast iron, mix the other half of the oil in the batter and cook as usual.)

Baked Spaghetti

This dish isn't hard to make, but it does take a while to cook on the stove. It is definitely worth the wait!

Menu:

Baked Spaghetti
Garlic Bread
Salad

Baked Spaghetti

2 cups canned petite diced tomatoes
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup water
½ cup diced onion
½ cup diced green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
1 ½ tsp House Seasoning (which is 1 tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. black pepper & ¼ tsp. garlic powder)
1 ½ tsp. seasoning salt
1 ½ tsp. sugar
2 small bay leaves
1 ½ pounds ground beef
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
1 cup grated cheddar
1 cup grated Monterey Jack

Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a stockpot, combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, onions, peppers, garlic, parsley, seasoning mixtures, sugar, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat and let simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Crumble the ground beef in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until fully cooked, with no pink color remaining. Drain the fat from the meat, and then add the ground beef to the stockpot. Simmer for 20 more minutes & remove bay leaves. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Cover the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan with sauce. Add a layer of pasta and then a little less than 1/2 of each cheese; repeat the layers, ending with the sauce. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Top the casserole with the remaining cheese, return it to the oven, and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 more minutes. Cut into squares before serving.

Source: foodnetwork.com (Paula Deen)

(CrockPot) Party Meatballs

These meatballs are very easy to make, but taste so good!

Menu:

Party Meatballs
White Sticky Rice
Salad or Vegetable of Your Choice

Party Meatballs

1/3 to 1/2 bag of Costco meatballs
8 oz Russian salad dressing
15 oz can jellied cranberries
1 Lipton onion soup mix
8 oz can crushed pineapple (optional, but we always include it)

Dump all ingredients in crockpot. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or 4-5 hours on low, stirring occasionally. (These are also great as an appetizer)

Source: Tonya

Burritos Smotherd with Green Chili

Menu:

Burritos Smothered with Green Chili
Shredded Lettuce, Chopped Tomato and Onion
Guacamole
Easy Churros

Green Chili

2 TBSP oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
5 TBSP flour
1 14 ½ oz. can tomatoes, chopped
2 cans water
1 4 oz. can chopped green chili
1-2 jalapeno peppers, chopped, more or less to taste (optional)
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
Sauté onion in oil over medium heat, cook until onion is soft but not brown. Add meat and cook until done. Stir in flour; add tomatoes, water, green chili, jalapeno peppers, salt, and garlic powder. Stir until thickened. Reduce heat to low, simmer 30 minutes. Use green chili to cover burrito casserole.

Burrito Casserole

1 package, whole grain, corn or flour tortillas (I use corn)
2 cups refried beans; canned, or homemade (about 1 ½ (16 oz.) cans)
2 cups - 4 cheese Mexican blend or cheddar cheese, shredded
sour cream

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat tortilla briefly in microwave or on hot griddle so the tortillas are pliable. Place 1/4 cup refried bean mixture inside the tortilla, with 1-2 TBSP shredded cheese, and 1-2 tsp. sour cream. Roll up tightly, place in 9 x 13 casserole dish. Make 8-10 burritos. Smother the burritos with hot green chili in casserole dish. Place casserole in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly. Serve hot burritos on plates, and pass around the optional garnishes below.

Garnishes

½ cup sour cream
2 cups shredded lettuce
1-2 tomatoes, diced
guacamole
green onions, chopped

Quick Guacamole

2 ripe avocados
¼ tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1-2 TBSP lemon juice
1-2 TBSP salsa, optional
Peel and mash avocados. Add seasonings, adjust seasonings to taste.

Very easy to make ahead and store extra green chili (if any) in the freezer. It's even better the next day as leftovers for lunch!!

Easy Churros

Pillsbury refrigerated bread sticks (or homemade)
cinnamon & sugar mixture

Twist the bread sticks by holding each end and twisting in the opposite directions. Roll gently in cinnamon and sugar mixture and bake as directed.

Source: Menus4Moms.com

Toasted Almond Chicken

This recipe is so good, but definitely NOT low fat!

Menu:

Toasted Almond Chicken
Broth Simmered Rice
Salad or Green Beans

Toasted Almond Chicken

6 skinned and boned chicken breast halves
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
3 TBSP butter divided
1 ½ cups whipping cream
2 TBSP orange marmalade
(I take out the slivers of orange and just used the “jam” part
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
1 (2.25 oz.) pkg. sliced almonds, toasted

Place chicken between two sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to ¼ inch thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Melt 1 ½ TBSP butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of chicken, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove chicken from skillet. Repeat procedure with remaining butter and chicken. Reduce heat to medium; add whipping cream and next 3 ingredients to skillet, stirring well. Add chicken; sprinkle with almonds, and cook 8 minutes or until sauce thickens. Serve over rice.

Source: Southern Living at Home – Easy Weeknight Favorites

Broth Simmered Rice

1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
¾ cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice

Heat the broth to boiling over medium-high heat. Stir in the rice. Reduce heat to low. Cover the saucepan and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Source: campbellskitchen.com

Shoyu Chicken

My mom made this for us growing up. It's a wonderful meal that reminds me of home.

Menu:

Shoyu Chicken
White Rice
Salad or Veggies

Shoyu Chicken

5 lbs. of chicken thighs
2 cups sugar
2 cups shoyu (Aloha brand Soy Sauce)
2/3 cup cider vinegar
1 ½ inch length of ginger cut into 1/8" slices (remove before serving)
3 clove garlic - chopped
(or you can buy a jar of chopped garlic & use about ½ to 1 tsp. of the chopped garlic)

Place sugar, shoyu, & vinegar into a sauce pan and heat until the sugar
dissolves. Add the ginger & chopped garlic & stir. Place chicken (skin side up) in a large pan. Pour sauce over chicken. Cover with aluminum foil & cook for 1 & 1/2 hours at 350 degrees (uncover for last 1/2 hour). Remove ginger slices. Serve over rice with your choice of salad or veggies.

We have a rice cooker, so I always make my sticky white rice in there and don't have a stovetop recipe for it. Sorry.

Sweet & Spicy Meat Loaf Sandwiches

(photo from bhg.com)

Menu:

Sweet & Spicy Meat Loaf Sandwiches
Potato Bread
Horseradish Spread
Potato Salad (Store Bought)

Sweet & Spicy Meat Loaf

2 eggs beaten
2/3 cup seasoned fine dry bread crumbs
1 cup onion – finely chopped & sautéed
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup milk
½ cup raisins (I use golden)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 ½ lbs ground sirloin

1/3 cup ketchup
3 TBSP brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Combine first set of ingredients and cook in 9x5x3 pan for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Mix ketchup and brown sugar together and spread over meat and bake for another 5 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve on potato bread with horseradish spread.

Horseradish Spread

1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 TBSP horseradish
Mix together until well blended.

My Notes:
This meatloaf is the sweet (cloves and raisins) and the spread is the spicy. It goes GREAT together. Also is great for leftovers the next day, or to take with you to work for lunch.

Source: bhg.com (with changes)

Thanksgiving Dinner

Here is our traditional Thanksgiving Dinner that my mom has made every year for Thanksgiving. Some of these may not be her original recipes, but the menu is!

Menu

Turkey & Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes & Gravy
Green Bean Casserole
Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce
Pearl Onions
Veggie Tray with Spinach Dip
Ritz Crackers with Cheese Ball
Blueberry Muffins (for breakfast!)
Red Jello Salad
Green Jello Salad
Cranberries
Fresh French Bread or Rhodes Rolls
Cream Soda
Pumpkin Pie

Turkey by Alton Brown

1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey

For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock (16 cups)
1 TBSP black peppercorns
1/2 TBSP allspice berries
1/2 TBSP candied ginger
1 gallon iced water

For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 sage leaves
Canola oil

Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey (with insides removed) breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6 to 8 hours. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining.

A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.

Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine.

Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil.

Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees F. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.

Stuffing

I use Stovetop

Mashed Potatoes

4 pounds golden creamer potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Put the potatoes into a large pot, add the bay leaf, 2 tablespoons salt, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain them well and remove the bay leaf. Meanwhile, heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan. Put the potatoes through a ricer or food mill into a bowl. Add the hot cream and season with salt and pepper. Mix together with a spoon and add the chives.

Gravy

Turkey drippings
Water
Knorr chicken bullion cubes
Cornstarch

Add 2-4 cups of water and bullion cubes Turkey drippings. Follow guidelines on box to add correct amount of bullion cubes for 2-4 cups of water. Heat to boiling over stove and then slowly add cornstarch and water mixture (see below). Use whisk to beat. Keep stirring and adding cornstarch & water mixture until desired consistency is reached. Makes great no lumps gravy.

Cornstarch Mixture

1/2 cup COLD water
2-3 heaping TBSP cornstarch

Stir with a fork until mixed thoroughly.

Green Bean Casserole

1 can (10 3/4 oz) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp soy sauce
Dash ground black pepper
4 cups cooked cut green beans (or 2 cans)
1 1/3 cups French's® French Fried Onions

Mix soup, milk, soy, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in 1 1/2-qt. casserole. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until hot. Stir, Sprinkle with remaining onions. Bake 5 minutes more.

TIP: Use 1 bag (16 to 20 oz.) frozen green beans, 2 pkg. (9 oz. each) frozen green beans, 2 cans (about 16 oz. each) green beans or about 1 1/2 lb. fresh green beans for this recipe.

Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce

1 medium cauliflower
2 cups milk
8 oz Velveeta cheese
1 TBSP butter

Take off leaves, core cauliflower and wash in cold water. Put in a microwave safe bowl with 1 TBSP water. Cover TIGHTLY with food grade plastic wrap and cook for 5-7 minutes depending on the size of the cauliflower. Let set in microwave for 10 more minutes to finish cooking.

To make the cheese sauce, cook milk, cheese and butter over medium low heat until melted. Add cornstarch mixture (see below) to hot cheese sauce until thickened.

Pour cheese sauce over cauliflower and serve.

Cornstarch Mixture

1/2 cup COLD milk
2-4 heaping TBSP cornstarch

Stir with a fork until mixed thoroughly.

Pearl Onions

Pearl Onions
2 TBSP butter
1/4 cup half & half
salt and pepper to taste

Peel skins off onions, place in pan with 1 inch of water. Cover pan, bring to boil, then let simmer until tender. Drain water, add butter, cream, salt & pepper. Let butter melt, stir & serve warm. For moms only!! Don't share with kids.

Veggie Tray with Spinach Dip

Baby Carrots
Olives
Sliced Celery or Green Bell Pepper

Knorr Spinach Dip

1 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup Best Foods mayonnaise
1 (4 oz) pkg Knorr vegetable recipe mix
1 (8 oz) can water chestnuts, finely chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped

Squeeze spinach until dry. In medium bowl, stir together spinach, sour cream and soup mix. Add finely chopped water chestnuts and green onions. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. Great with the veggies or the French Bread!

Snowflake Ritz Crackers with Cheese Ball

Usually I buy these store bought. This year I am planning to try a couple from the Galleria Gourmet Cookbook!

Blueberry Muffins with Butter

Muffins are made from a store bought mix. I add fresh blueberries instead of using the ones from the can. These are eaten for breakfast on Thanksgiving morning!

Red Jello Salad

Jello:
1 (3 oz) pkg strawberry Jello
1 cup boiling water
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling

Topping:
1 cup sour cream (approximately)
1/2 bag miniature marshmallows

Dissolve Jello in boiling water. Add cherry pie filling. Let set. Mix together sour cream and marshmallows. Spread on top of jello. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Green Jello Salad

1 (6 oz) pkg lime Jello
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups boiling water
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 1/2 cups pineapple juice and water
2 pkgs dream whip
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese
1 lb. 4 oz. can crushed pineapple

Pour boiling water over the jello and sugar. Stir and add lemon juice. Then add the pineapple juice and water mixture. Let soft set (about 2 hours in the fridge). Whip dream whip (according to pkg. directions) and then whip the cream cheese into the dream whip. Add crushed pineapple to the Jello, then fold in the dream whip mixture into the Jello. Refrigerate until set. A little harder to make than the Red Jello, but well worth the effort!

Cranberry-Orange Sauce

2 (8-ounce) packages cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 orange, zest cut into strips and juiced
1/2 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick

Put all the ingredients into a saucepan over medium heat and simmer until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve at room temperature or cool and refrigerate. Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.

French Bread or Rhodes Rolls

Store bought

Cream Soda

In bottles of course!

Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 oz) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
Whipped cream, Cool Whip or Ice Cream for topping

Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell. Bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.