"Jellybeans"

"Jellybeans" is what my family calls potato chunks baked in the oven.  They are kind of a simplified version of homemade fries in that the potatoes are cut into chunks instead of strips.  To make these, put a little bit of olive oil into a large bowl and add whatever combination of spices you want!  I usually try to use a combo that is included in the main dish I am making.  You don't want too much olive oil - just enough to coat the potato chunks.  With the seasonings, you probably want a bit more than you think you need or else you may not be able to taste all of the great flavors!

Our favorite "jellybeans" to make are really simple: paprika and garlic salt.  These are especially delicious with hamburgers on the grill!

Parmesan Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup crushed Corn Flakes
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 tsp. Oregano
• Dash of Thyme
• Dash of Garlic Salt
• Dash of Pepper
• 4 to 6 Boneless Chicken Breasts
• Rice 
• 1 can Golden Mushroom Soup (for sauce)
• 1/3 can Milk (for sauce)

NOTES:

• I am putting the notes first because I make this differently.  
• I don't like the idea of cooking my chicken in the microwave, so I bake it in the oven at 350 F for 35-45 minutes. 
• I don't make the sauce and I don't serve it with rice; instead, I serve it with what my family calls jellybeans (potatoes).  See note on how to make jellybeans below.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine corn flakes, Parmesan, oregano, thyme, garlic salt, and pepper.  Dip chicken in egg.  Dip in crumb mixture.  Place in baking dish.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Microwave until cooked. Don't overcook.  Heat golden mushroom soup and 1/3 can milk over stove top.  Serve over rice.

JELLYBEANS:

• Potatoes (about 1 per person)
• Olive Oil
• Garlic Salt
• Oregano
• Pepper

1. In a large bowl, mix olive oil, garlic salt, oregano and pepper.  Don't get too much olive oil or your potatoes will come out greasy.  I usually do about 4-5 medium small potatoes for this recipe and about 1 Tbsp. of olive oil.  I just guess on how much of the seasonings to put in, but when you think you have enough, add a dash more (probably around 1/2 - 1 tsp of each).
2. Cut potatoes into chunks and mix into the olive oil mixture.  Spread evenly on a baking sheet covered in tin foil sprayed with non-cooking spray.  Put in the preheated oven for the chicken before assembling the chicken as they need to cook a bit longer than the chicken!

This is a really good dish!

Adapted from Recipes to Remember Canyon Estates Ward Relief Society Cookbook (2004).

Cheesy Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 skinned Chicken Breasts
• 2 cans Cream of Celery or Cream of Chicken
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip)
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 cup Grated Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix and pour over chicken (9x13 inch pan).  Bake at 325 F, uncovered, 1 1/2 hours.
2. Note: Put potatoes in to bake at same time.  Use sauce from chicken and put on potatoes.  Cook veggies and rolls -- complete meal!

NOTES:

• I used Miracle Whip and it tasted just fine.
• I also used Cream of Chicken because we always have that in our pantry!
• For the grated cheese, the Costco bag of Mexican Blend grated cheese is my favorite for any recipe!
• I use four large chicken breasts and cut them in half to get 8 smaller pieces, although some people  (the boys...) may want to eat more than one piece!  

This is really good!

Adapted from Recipes to Remember Canyon Estates Ward Relief Society (2004).

Salsa Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 to 12 chicken breasts
• 1 large bottle Pace Picante sauce (medium, mild, or combo)
• Fajita type ingredients: tortillas, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, etc. 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put chicken in crock pot and cover with Pace's.  Cook on HIGH for 6 to 8 hours or LOW for 8 to 10 hours until chicken can be easily shredded.  Mix well in sauce and add salt, pepper, and onion to taste.
2. To serve, put on flour tortillas.  Add cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, onions, lettuce, olives, and top with fresh salsa (homemade or store bought) or toppings of your choice.

NOTES:

• I made it with 4 large chicken breasts and you could get by with the second to smallest jar of Pace.  
• I would suggest straining the chicken a bit so you don't have all of the salsa juice dripping out of your fajita as you try to eat!

Really good.  

Adapted from Recipes to Remember - Canyon Estates Ward Relief Society Cookbook (2004).

Slow Cooker Lasagna

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. Ground Beef (could be substituted for Italian sausage)
• 1 (24 ox) jar Spaghetti Sauce
• 1 cup Water
• 1 (15 oz.) container Ricotta Cheese
• 1 pkg. Kraft Italian Cheese (approx. 2 cups)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Egg
• 2 Tbsp. Parsley
• 6 regular Lasagna Noodles, uncooked

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown meat in large skillet; drain.  Stir in spaghetti sauce and water.  Mix Ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 cups Italian cheese, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, egg and parsley.
2. Spoon 1 cup meat sauce into slow cooker; top with three lasagna noodles, broken to fit; and half of cheese mixture.  Cover with 2 cups meat sauce.  Top with remaining noodles, broken to fit; cheese mixture and meat sauce.  Cover with lid.
3. Cook on low 4-6 hours or until liquid is absorbed.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese; let stand covered, 10 minutes or until melted.

NOTES:

• I used shredded Mozzarella Cheese instead of the Italian Cheese, because that was what I had on hand.

Really good and easy to make!

Adapted from sixsistersstuff.com

Quesadilla Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. Ground Beef
• 1/2 cup chopped Onion
• 2 cans (8 oz. each) Tomato Sauce
• 1 can (15 oz.) Black Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (8 3/4 oz.) whole kernel corn, undrained
• 1 can (4 1/2 oz.) chopped Green Chiles, undrained
• 2 tsp. Chili Powder
• 1 tsp. Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp. Minced Garlic
• 1/2 tsp. Oregano Leaves
• 1/2 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
• 6 flour tortillas (8-inch)
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown beef and onion in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain.  Add tomato sauce, beans, corn and green chilies; mix well.  Stir in all of the spices except Red Pepper.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes.  Add red pepper to taste, if desired.
2. Spread 1/2 cup of beef mixture on bottom of 13x9x2-inch baking dish sprayed with no-stick cooking spray.  Top with 3 tortillas, overlapping as needed.  Layer with 1/2 of the remaining beef mixture and 1/2 of the cheese.  Repeat with remaining tortillas, beef mixture and cheese.
3. Bake in preheated 350 F oven 15 minutes or until heated through.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

NOTES:

• Use whatever size tortillas you have and just make sure the majority is covered.  I usually only use 2 tortillas per layer.
• For the cheese, I use the mexican shredded mix from Costco.  Actually I use that cheese for almost everything!

Adapted from McCormick.com

Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 lbs. Potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 small Onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. Butter
• 2 cubes Chicken Bouillon
• 2 Tbsp. dried Parsley
• 6 cups Water
• 2 cups Milk
• 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the potatoes, onion, butter, chicken bouillon cubes, parsley and water into a slow cooker.  Set on low and let cook for 6 to 8 hours.
2. At least half an hour before serving, stir together the milk and flour until no lumps remain, and add mix into the soup.  Cook for 30 minutes or until soup is thickened.

NOTES:

Recipe taken from Allrecipes.com.

Kung Pao Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks
• 2 Tbsp. White Wine
• 2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbsp. Sesame Oil, divided
• 2 Tbsp. Cornstarch, dissolved in 2 Tbsp. water
• 1 oz. hot Chili Paste
• 1 tsp. Distilled White Vinegar
• 2 tsp. Brown Sugar
• 4 Green Onions, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. Chopped Garlic
• 1 (8 oz) can Water Chestnuts
• 4 oz. Chopped Peanuts

DIRECTIONS:

1. To Make Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture and mix together.  Place chicken pieces in a glass dish or bowl and add marinade.  Toss to coat.  Cover dish and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
2. To Make Sauce: In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture, chili paste, vinegar and sugar.  Mix together and add green onion, garlic, water chestnuts and peanuts.  In a medium skillet, heat sauce slowly until aromatic.
3. Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and saute in a large skillet until meat is white and juices run clear.  When sauce is aromatic, add sauteed chicken to it and let simmer together until sauce thickens.

NOTES:

• Didn't add the water chestnuts, but did add a little bit of water (approx. 2-3 tsp.).
• Serve with rice.
• I cook the chicken in the marinade and then dump everything into the aromatic sauce.
• You can adjust the spiciness by adding or subtracting to the amount of chili paste added.  I usually do just under a tablespoon and that seems to be to everyone elses' liking.  I prefer it a bit spicier!
• See poste entitled Chili Paste for my favorite kind of Chili Paste to use. 

Really good!  A family favorite!

Chili Paste

This post is about an ingredient that the family has come to love.  Chili Paste!

This can be found in the Asian aisle, but is not at every grocery store.  Around here, we find it at Smith's which is the go to grocery store for the ingredients that are harder to find.  We use this in many Asian dishes, but we also found that if you mix it into your hamburger patty, it makes for a delicious hamburger (or cheeseburger, which is what I prefer!)

Yakisoba Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 tsp. Sesame Oil
• 1 Tbsp. Canola Oil
• 2 Tbsp. Chile Paste
• 2 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
• 1 Onion, sliced lengthwise into eighths
• 1/2 medium head cabbage, coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 8 oz. Soba Noodles, cooked and drained

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large skillet combine sesame oil, canola oil and chili paste.  Stir fry 30 seconds.  Add garlic and stir fry an additional 30 seconds.  Add chicken and 1/4 cup of the soy sauce and stir fry until chicken is no longer pink.  Remove mixture from pan, set aside and keep warm.
2. In the emptied pan combine the onion, cabbage, and carrots.  Stir fry until cabbage begins to wilt.  Stir in the remaining soy sauce, cooked noodles and the chicken mixture to pan and mix to blend.  Serve and enjoy!

NOTES:

• I use these noodles and they seem to be the best!  Cook the noodles according to directions on the package.  

•  This is the chili paste we use and it is really good, but very spicy at the same time.  

• Makes a ton, so use an extra large electric skillet!  More than enough for 10 people!

This is a family favorite!

Butter Mint Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup Butter, softened
• 1/2 cup Confectioners' Sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. Peppermint Extract
• 1 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
• Green Colored Sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in extract.  Gradually add flour and mix well.
2. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls.  Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets; flatten with a glass dipped in colored sugar.  Bake at 350 F for 12-14 minutes or until firm.  Remove to wire racks to cool.

NOTES:

• I used Crystal Sprinkles instead of colored sugar.  It calls for green, because these are an "Irish Dessert" recipe.  
• I slightly flattened the dough, then sprinkled with the sprinkles, then flattened it some more.

Not a favorite.  Kind of crumbly in your mouth and have an unusual texture.  

Adapted from tasteofhome.com 

Crumby Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Chicken Breasts, cubed and cooked
• 1 1/2 cups Sour Cream
• 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 sleeve Ritz Crackers, crumbled
• 6 Tbs. Butter
• 1-2 Tbs. Poppy Seeds
• Cooked Rice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put cooked chicken in the bottom of an 8x10x2 inch pan.  Mix sour cream and soup, then pour over chicken.  Mix cracker crumbs, butter and poppy seeds and put on top.  Cook 20-25 minutes at 350°F.  Serve with cooked rice.

NOTES:

• I use the minute rice and put the cooked casserole over top of the rice.

Really good!

Recipe courtesy of Sharilyn Hawkins: The Bountiful Ridges/Summerwood Neighborhood Cookbook.

Chicken, Beans & Chips

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can Refried Beans
• 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 can (use Cream of Chicken Soup can) Sour Cream 
• 2 large chicken breasts
• Shredded Cheese
• Crushed Tortilla Chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cube chicken and cook on stove.  Mix cooked chicken with Cream of Chicken soup and sour cream.  
2. Layer beans on the bottom of a greased 10x7x2 pan.  Layer chicken mixture on top.  Sprinkle top with shredded cheese.  Then layer crushed chips on top.  
3. Bake in preheated oven (350°F) for 25-30 minutes.

NOTES:

• I like to use the Jalapeno refried beans.
• An option is to add Green Chilies into the chicken mixture.
• I use the shredded mexican cheese mix.
• My favorite tortilla chips to use are Tostitos.

This is a family favorite dinner that we have been eating for as long as I can remember!

M&M Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups M&Ms

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, mix sugar, eggs, shortening, and vanilla thoroughly.  Add flour, salt, and baking soda to creamed mixture.  Blend well.  Add 3/4 cup of M&M candies.
2. Drop dough by teaspoonful onto greased cookie sheet.  Slightly push a few candies on top of each dough ball with remaining candies.
3. Bake at 350° F (175° C) for 9 to 11 minutes, to your liking.

NOTES:

Turned out really good!  May try and find a different recipe though...

Rosemary Roasted Chicken with Potatoes

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tsp. Paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp. Crushed Rosemary Leaves
• 1 tsp. Minced Garlic
• 1/2 tsp. Coarse Ground Black Pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (about 2 lbs.)
• 1 1/2 lbs. small red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix oil and first 5 ingredients in a large bowl.  Add chicken and potatoes; toss to coat well.  Arrange chicken and potatoes in a single layer on a foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan sprayed with no-stick cooking spray.
2. Roast, uncovered, in preheated 425 F degree oven for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender, turning potatoes occasionally.

NOTES:

• Instead of chicken thighs, I cube 2 large chicken breasts (or the equivalent).
• For the potatoes, I usually use 5 medium potatoes.
• Feel free to increase the amount of spices according to taste.  Also fun to experiment with the spices used.  A good simple one is paprika and garlic salt!

This is a family favorite that I make a lot!

Adapted from McCormick.com