Cole Slaw

I really like this cole slaw on pulled pork sandwiches or in a wrap (see Blackened Chicken Wraps).

Serves 10-12

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
1/3 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup milk
1/4 Cup buttermilk
2 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
8 cups finely chopped cabbage (about 1 small head)
1/4 cup shredded carrot (1 medium carrot)
2 Tablespoons minced onion

Directions:
1. Combine chopped cabbage and carrots
2. Combine the mayonnaise, sugar, milk, buttermilk, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and beat until smooth.
3. Add the cabbage, carrots, and onion, and mix well.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Japanese Salad

This is a crunchy cabbage salad that our family likes to have occasionally. The next few recipes I'm posting all deal with cabbage since the last one I bought was huge. :)

Ingredients:
2 Cups cooked chicken, diced
2 Tablespoons slivered almonds
1/2 head cabbage, shredded into bite size pieces
2 green onions, chopped
1 package chicken flavored Top Ramen, break up noodles, do not cook
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted until browned (about 8-10 minutes)
1 package seasoning from Top Ramen
Dressing:
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 C salad oil
1 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon pepper
3 Tablespoons white vinegar

Instructions:
Combine ingredients for salad, set aside. Combine ingredients for dressing and pour over salad, tossing. Let stand in refrigerator overnight.

Homemade Croutons

Is it just me, or do croutons at the store seem way over priced? I think they are and decided to try my hand at making my own. You can use any bread that you may have on hand - stale bread works great - and enjoy yummy croutons at a fraction of the cost.

Virtually any kind of seasonings can be used - experiment to see what your family likes!

Ingredients:
4 cups bread cubes
4 Tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 Tablespoons dried basil
2 Tablespoons dried thyme
2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 35oF.
2. Warm butter until melted on stove top or in microwave. Add garlic and seasonings and mix well. Add bread to mixture and toss to coat all the cubes.
3. Transfer to baking sheets, spreading bread out in a single layer, and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden brown.
4. Cool completely and serve. You can also store in an airtight container or freeze until needed.

*I like to double or triple the batch and store it.

*If you use a strong-tasting bread, like homemade whole wheat bread, I find you have to increase the seasonings to get a good flavor.

Ginger Mango Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:
1/2 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 lb. chopped chicken breasts
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 1/2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger*
1/2 Tablespoon minced fresh lemon grass
1 Large mango, peeled, pitted, chopped
8-12 lettuce leaves
1/4 Cup red bell pepper, chopped - optional
2 Tablespoons green onion tops, sliced - optional
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped - optional, but adds flavor

Directions:

1. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add chicken - cook, stirring frequently, until slightly browned.
2. Stir in soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger, and lemon grass.
   
3. Finely chop half of the mango and add to the skillet.
4. Cook 5 minutes, or until sauce is very thick; cool slightly.
5. Spoon chicken into lettuce leaves and top each with remaining mango, bell pepper, green onion, and cilantro.
   

*This has a strong ginger flavor, so use less if you are not a big ginger fan. 1 tsp ground ginger can be substituted.

Red Pepper Chicken

The night before I served this, Kellen and I went out to eat at a fancy restaurant with his family. He said he would have rather eaten this than what we had there. It is basically an open and dump recipe to be cooked in the crock pot, as well as budget and figure friendly. My favorite kind!

4 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 jar (15 oz) roasted red peppers, undrained
1 can (14.5 oz) Mexican stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
Hot cooked rice

Place the chicken in a slow cooker. In a bowl, combine the beans, red peppers, tomatoes, onion, salt, and pepper. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until chicken juices run clear. Serve over rice.

I bought the roasted red peppers at the dollar store. Yes for only $1. It was a 12 oz jar instead of 15 oz but that's ok. I roughly sliced the tomatoes and peppers. I did not mix in a separate bowl but poured everything into the crock pot and gave it a quick stir. At the end of cooking, I removed about 1 cup of the juices to make the rice. If you add a little more liquid, maybe 1/2 cup liquid to 1 cup rice, you could probably add the rice in the beginning and cook along with the chicken (you might have to experiment with the amounts).

A trick I use almost always when I have juices with crock pot cooking is to add about 1-2 Tbsp of corn starch and turn on high for the last 15-20 minutes of cooking. The juices thicken just enough to give you a sauce that coats instead of a runny juice. I also grated a little cheese over the chicken breasts.

Cream of Crab Soup

Oh, I made this again the other day, and just couldn't go the week without sharing!! This is one of those "can-opener gourmet" recipes. You, and you're guests, will be suprised at how FANTASTIC it is!! I usually serve it with a hearty bread that has a thicker crust, like Beer Bread (made with ginger ale though).

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Tomato Soup
1 can Split Pea Soup (can use with Ham and Bacon version, I like it better...)
2 cans Crab Meat (I use one "lump" and one just regular white crab meat)
1 pint Heavy Cream (I have used 1/2 & 1/2 and it was fine)
1 can Beef Boullion or 1 cube Beef Broth prepared

Combine all ingredients, except the can of lump crab meat. Heat on medium heat in a 3 quart soup pot or saucepan. Add lump crab meat after all the soups have mixed, so as to keep some lumps together for serving.

*I have also used fresh crab meat, mmmm , at least 1/2 a pound (I use more cause I like lots of crab, I am from Maryland). I added 1/2 in the beginning, and the rest at the end to keep some of the lumps.

If you have ever eaten the Cream of Crab soup at Clyde's in DC, this is just about the same as that one!

Best Banana Muffins (or Bread)

I can't even explain my love for muffins appropriately... But, this is my most most favorite recipe for banana bread. I seriously make it at least once or twice a month, and my kids can't eat enough of them!!

1 stick butter
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 large ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla
(1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional, but I never add them)

1- Preheat oven to 350 F
2- Cream together butter & sugar, add eggs 1 at a time.
3- Add dry ingredients & mix well.
4- Add bananas and vanilla. (and nuts)
5- Put mixture into gallon-sized Ziploc bag, cut small triangle off corner of bag, and squeeze into paper muffin pan.
6- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.
7- Cool 10 minutes in pan, then on rack. (Best served warm!)

For Bread version:
5- Pour mixture into greased bread pan.
6- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until lightly browned.
7- Cool 10 minutes in pan, then on rack.


-Don't think I have lots of time on my hands, I just have lots of my recipes on my computer already... :)

Cheesy Potato & Veggie Chowder

So, here's my first post! I'm just a little excited :)

If you like cheese, you will love this recipe! It is a fan favorite for everyone in my home, even my veggie-picky husband!

3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped (3 cups)*
4 carrots, peeled & chopped*
2 cans whole kernel corn*
¼ cup dried onions*
2 cups water
1 10 ¾ ounce can cream of chicken soup
1 cup chopped ham**
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon multi-colored (or black) pepper
12 ounces American cheese***

1- In 3 ½ or 4 quart slow cooker combine all ingredients except cheese.
2- Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or high for 4 to 4 ½ hours.
3- Stir cheese into hot soup until melted.


Notes:
*- If you want a quicker prep time, I have used the Hanover frozen stew vegetables mixture and just added extra corn (we like corn).

**- I buy either a ham steak and use half of it, or just use leftover ham that was chopped and frozen.

***- I just buy the store-brand American cheese slices and use ¾ of the package.


Also, this recipe is great for sneaking in vegetables, I have put lima beans, okra, green beans, small amount of spinach, zucchini, you name it. The cheese does a great job of covering it (my husband is the most picky veggie eater, and he’s the one that always loves this one!).

Waffle Cookies

These cookies have become a tradition to have at Christmas time in our family. They are delicious all year round though. The have a light vanilla flavor so are delicious on their own, with a scoop of ice cream, dipped in hot chocolate, or with a dollop of whipped cream.
6 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup softened butter, not margarine!
6 eggs, beaten
vanilla

Mix all dry ingredients. Add butter, eggs and vanilla. Mix all ingredients together to form a stiff dough. Drop walnut size (or slightly larger if you have a Belgian waffle iron) pieces onto a medium heated waffle iron and bake until lightly golden brown (about 2-3 minutes). Shake with sifted powdered sugar on both sides when cooled. Makes about 8 dozen.

Salsa Ranch Chicken Wraps

Yields 4 wraps









Ingredients:

• 1 or 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed.
• 4 T. Salsa
• 4 Tomato Basil Tortillas
• 8 Tomato slices
• 6 Slices swiss cheese
• 4 T ranch salad dressing
• 12 cucumber slices
• 1/2 cup julienne green pepper
• 1 T. butter, divided

Directions:

1. Pan fry chicken and season with Lawry's Montreal Chicken Seasoning with 1 T butter.
2. Spread 1 T. Salsa and 1 T. ranch over each tortilla.
3. Place chicken, cucumber, tomato, and green pepper down the center
4. Top with swiss cheese
5. Fold ends of tortilla over filling, wrap.
6. In a large skillet melt 1 T. butter.
7. Place filled tortillas on skillet for 3-4 minutes on medium heat, until each side is browned and cheese is melted.