Mom, What Else Is for Dinner?

Cinnamon Rolls

2007-12-11T19:58:00.000-05:00

Cinnamon Rolls
-The Pioneer Woman

I've got a link over to the Pioneer Woman and really like her recipes. She's really funny and I love the step by step pictures. Last week I had to make something for the teacher appreciation breakfast at the kids' school, and I've done muffins, French toast casserole, and banana bread. At the same time, our Enrichment leader was gathering Christmas traditions to put together into a book for our December Enrichment night. I had mentioned that we always have homemade cinnamon rolls and she asked for the recipe. I had always used Betty Crocker, but I couldn't find the cookbook (it has since reappeared- hmmmmm) so I was looking online for it. While I was looking, I remembered the Pioneer Woman had a recipe on her blog, so I went to check it out. It makes a ton! So I decided to treat Perry and make some for him to take to work. They were such a hit! So much that they were requested for his breakfast potluck next week.

Makes 7 pans of about 8-9 rolls each.

My Notes
Because I haven't been in school forever, 1 quart= 4 cups. A package of yeast is 2 1/2 tsp. When I do this again, I'm going to soften the butter, not melt it. I also left the coffee out of the icing.

Reviews
I'm making this for Perry's bosses- maybe he'll make VP this year. Seriously, they're good.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

2007-11-19T19:32:00.000-05:00

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

The first time I made this, I got it out of Simple and Delicious. I went to make it tonight, and couldn't find my magazine and their website had it listed as subscriber only (last month was my last month as a subscriber- go figure!). So, I improvised with the ingredients I knew that were in it, and probably doubled or tripled the recipe to fit our family.

4 cans cream of potato soup
1/2 of a 26 oz bag of shredded hash browns
sharp cheddar cheese
milk
water
1/2 lb bacon
pepper
sour cream

Combine soup, pepper to taste, and hashbrowns in a large pot. I added about a cup of milk (I just splashed some in). I added water until it was the consistency I wanted. I heated that until it was starting to boil. While I was waiting for that to happen, I put the bacon on a cookie sheet and baked it at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or so. I love how the Pioneer Woman taught me how to cut bacon, and then I wrapped the remaining slices individually on a large piece of saran wrap and threw it in the freezer. Tonight's dinner was the frozen bacon and it went straight from freezer to oven.
We have a soup bar on the table consisting of the bacon all crumbled up, sour cream, and cheese.

Reviews
Everyone LOVES this! The first time I made it, I made it according to the directions, which used 1 or 2 cans of soup (I think 1). It was gone so fast and everyone wanted more. We had just enough left over with the 4 cans of soup (I was worried it might be too much) for Perry to take it to work for lunch.

Barbara's Macaroni and Cheese

2007-11-18T19:24:00.000-05:00

Barbara's Macaroni and Cheese
-Barbara Kinney

This mac and cheese is such a hit in the family. I love it because not only is it tasty, but it's super simple, too.

1 box (16 oz) pasta (I use rigatoni because I think it's the best on the planet)
1 jar spaghetti sauce (my stepmom uses Ragu, I use Hunt's in a jar 'cause I'm cheap that way)
1 package (2 cups) shredded shart cheddar
1 package (2 cups) shredded mozzerella

Cook the pasta. I undercook it a little so it doesn't get too mushy during the baking. Drain. Add the sauce and cheeses and mix it all together. I usually put this in a big aluminum casserole pan (the deep kind). Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on if you want some of your pasta on top to have a little crunch or not.

It doesn't seem like a lot to me (we make a pound of spaghetti all the time for dinner and we just plow through it), but tonight one pan fed 4 adults and 8 kids. Guess that second pan I made for dinner will just have to be my lunch tomorrow. Life it tough that way.

Reviews
Everyone loves this, even Josh, my non-cheese eater.

Potato Flake Chicken

2007-08-20T07:59:00.001-04:00

Potato Flake Chicken
-Simple and Delicious

This sounds like a chicken dish I had at Olive Garden once, without the sauce that went with it. I know I printed out the recipe- I'll have to find it.

2/3 Cup mashed potato flakes
1/3 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic salt
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (8 oz each)
1/3 Cup butter, melted

In a shallow bowl, combine the potato flakes, Parmesan cheese, and garlic salt. Dip chicken in butter, then coat with potato flake mixture.
Place in a greased 13x9 inch baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until juices run clear. Broil 4 inches from the heat for 3-5 minutes or until lightly browned.

4 servings

Kids' Favourite Chili

2007-08-20T07:55:00.000-04:00

Kids' Favourite Chili
-Simple and Delicious

1 lb ground turkey
1/2 Cup chopped onion
1 can (15 3/4 oz) pork and beans
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp chili powder

In a large saucepan, cook turkey and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.

4 servings

Cottage Cheese Salad

2007-08-20T07:53:00.000-04:00

Cottage Cheese Salad
-Simple and Delicious

1 Cup (8 oz) cottage cheese
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 Cup chopped cucumber
1/3 Cup chopped green pepper
2 Tbsp mayo
1 Tbsp sour cream
1 Tbsp ranch salad dressing mix

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Serve immediately.

3 servings

Country Ham Sandwiches

2007-08-20T07:50:00.000-04:00

Country Ham Sandwiches
-Simple and Delicious

2 Tbsp mayo
2 Tbsp sour cream
1/8 tsp garlic powder
4 slices whole wheat bread
2 oz smoked cheddar cheese, sliced
4 slices tomato
4 oz thinly sliced deli ham
2 lettuce leaves

In a small bowl, combine the mayo, sour cream, and garlic powder. Spread over two slices of bread. Layer each with cheese, tomato, ham, and lettuce. Top with remaining bread.

2 servings

Roasted Potatoes

2007-08-20T07:45:00.000-04:00

Roasted Potatoes
-Simple and Delicious

This is listed as Zippy Potato Chunks in the magazine. I'll never put in the hot pepper sauce it calls for (I'll put it on the table for Perry, though), and the thought of "chunks" isn't very appetizing, so I'm changing it.

4 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1/3 Cup butter, melted
1 envelope herb and garlic soup mix
1 Tbsp hot pepper sauce
blue cheese or ranch salad dressing

Place the potatoes in a greased 13x9 baking dish. Combine the butter, soup mix, and pepper sauce; drizzle over potatoes.
Bake, uncovered, at 450 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Serve with salad dressing.

6 servings

Pork Kiev

2007-08-20T07:40:00.000-04:00

Pork Kiev
-Simple and Delicious

4 tsp butter, softened
2 tsp minced chives
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp pepper
4 boneless pork chop loins (4 oz each)
1 egg
1 tsp water
1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
1/2 Cup dry bread crumbs
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

In a small bowl, combine the butter, chives, parsley, garlic, and pepper. Cut a pocket in each pork chop. Fill with butter mixture; secure with toothpicks.
In a shallow bowl, beat egg and water. Place flour and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip chops in flour, then in egg mixture; coat with bread crumbs.
In a large skiller over medium heat, cook chops in oil for 6-8 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

4 servings

Italian Sausage with Bowties

2007-08-20T07:16:00.000-04:00

Italian Sausage with Bowties
-Simple and Delicious

1 package (16 oz) bow tie pasta
1 lb bulk Italian sausage
1/2 Cups chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) Italian stewed tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 1/2 Cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried basil
shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook the sausage, onion, garlic, and pepper flakes over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until meat is no longer pink; drain.
Stir in the tomatoes, cream, salt, and basil. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 6-8 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta; toss with sausage mixture. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

5 servings

My Notes
Didn't add onion (as usual) or pepper flakes (didn't have). Subjected my family to the tortures of grated cheese, yet again. I made 2 lbs of pasta, so I used 2 cups of cream, 2 cans of Italian diced tomatoes, undrained, and added 4 oz of sliced mushrooms, drained. The sauce never really thickened up for me.

Reviews
Josh didn't even want to try the sauce, and he's a sauce boy. Caleb said he liked it. Perry and I weren't wild about it. The only seasoning came from the sausage- the sauce itself was very bland. It really needed the pepper flakes. I don't know if it was the headache I had at the time, but I felt really nauseous for a long time after eating this.

Creamy Marinara Tortellini

2007-08-06T10:52:00.001-04:00

Creamy Marinara Tortellini
-Simple and Delicious

2 Packages (9 oz each) refrigerated cheese tortellini
2 Cups marinara sauce
1 Cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 Cup cold water
1 Can (14 oz) water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and chopped
2 Tbsp minced fresh thyme or 2 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
1/4 tsp pepper

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine marinara sauce and cream. Combine flour and water until smooth; gradually add to sauce. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Add the artichokes, thyme and oil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 2-4 minutes or until heated through. Drain tortellini; toss with sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, parsley, and pepper.

Serves 6

My Notes
I could not find the tortellini anywhere in the store (it disappears only when I'm looking for it), so I used 2 bags of frozen cheese ravioli. I also used a can of spaghetti sauce and guessed on the cream (I had made a pie with the other part of the cream and chose this recipe just to finish off the carton). I also had no thyme at all in the pantry, so I used some fresh oregano we had from one of my husband's recipes. I think I used a few sprigs. Didn't use parsley, and added the pepper to the sauce. And we won't go into how I made my family suffer with grated Parmesan... I also served the sauce and pasta separate.

Reviews
The ravioli were a big hit with everyone but Josh, who is a little leery of all things cheese. The baby had about 5, and Caleb and Mischa declared that we should have them again as soon as possible. The few little left over ravioli were also a very good snack a little later for me : ). The sauce was good, no one rejected it.

Baked S'mores

2007-07-20T14:14:00.000-04:00

Baked S'mores
-Tara

8-10 whole graham crackers
1 box fudge brownie mix
3 C miniature marshmallows
2/3 C chopped peanuts (opt)
1 C milk chocolate chips

Place graham crackers in a single layer on bottom of greased 9x13 pan. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions; pour on top of graham crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Top with marshmallows, peanutes, and chocolate chips. Return to oven to brown the marshmallows. Cool before cutting into squares.

My Notes
Didn't do the peanut option, obviously. I think I let it cool too much (4 hours) before cutting, because the marshmallows wouldn't let go of the knife when we went to dig in.

Reviews
I did this for my dad's birthday gift. Everyone agreed this was one to make again.

Chicken Roni Casserole

2007-07-20T14:03:00.000-04:00

Chicken Roni Casserole
-Tara

1 C uncooked elbow noodles
1 1/2 C cooked, cubed chicken
1 C shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 oz Velveeta cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 C milk
1/2 tsp garlic powder, onion powder, and salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 C bread crumbs
1 Tbsp melted margarine

Cook macaroni and drain. In another saucepan combine soup, cheeses, seasonings, milk, and chicken. Heat until cheeses are melted. Add macaroni; turn into 2 qt baking dish. Combine bread crumbs and melted butter, sprinkle on top of casserole and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

My Notes
I cooked a box and a half of macaroni noodles and used a 9x13 pan. I also used 8 oz of Velveeta (the entire small box) and 8 oz of sharp cheddar cheese (the whole bag). I don't know how much milk I used, I just added it until it looked like a good consistency. I also melted about 3 Tbsp of butter and added the bread crumbs until it looked right.

Reviews
This was pretty well received. Josh wasn't too big on the cheese thing. Caleb ate all of his. Mischa ate about half. I had seconds, and I'm trying not to do the seconds thing. Perry liked it, too.

Tomato, Zucchini, and Squash

2007-07-02T08:10:00.000-04:00

This is such a yummy recipe! I was walking through Harry's Market (like Whole Foods Market) one day because I saw that their Ugly Ripe tomatoes were on sale (I've heard about them but had never tried them). There was a guy there making this recipe. It smelled soooo good. But I hate zucchini and squash. Really hate. So I just hung around his stand, torn. I finally gave in, and Oh. My. Gosh. I still hate zucchini and squash in everything else.

Tomato, Zucchini, and Squash

2 Ugly Ripe tomatoes
1 zucchini
1 squash
3 Tbsp olive oil
Pinch of crushed garlic

Chop tomatoes, zucchini, and squash to decently uniform size. Saute everything together until fork tender.

Serve as a side dish or on a bed of rice.

My Notes
I put a spoonful of minced garlic in there, and usually end up sprinkling a little bit of garlic powder, too.

Lemon Sheet Cake

2007-06-25T09:18:00.000-04:00

Lemon Sheet Cake
-Taste of Home

1 package (18 1/4 oz) lemon cake mix
4 eggs
1 can (15 3/4 oz) lemon pie filling
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cake mix and eggs until well blended. Fold in pie filling. Spread into a greased 15x10x1 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Spread over cake. Store in the refrigerator.

Yield: 30-35 servings

My Notes
I did this in a glass baking dish, and it took close to 30 minutes to bake. I think I'm going to add a splash of lemon juice to the frosting next time, too.

Reviews
Didn't last too long. Caleb had 2 pieces the first night- he said the first piece we gave him wasn't big enough, lol.

Beef Stirfry

2007-06-24T19:53:00.000-04:00

Beef Stirfry
-Kraft

This link will take you to the original recipe. I've changed it to make it quick and easy for us.

1 lb beef (I get whatever is on sale)
1 bag (16 oz) frozen stir fry vegetables
1 lb spaghetti or thin spaghetti
teriyaki sauce
pepper
garlic

Cook spaghetti according to directions. Slice beef thin and stir fry over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Add vegetables and cook another 10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Pour in some teriyaki sauce. I use about 1/4-1/2 cup. Combine meat and veggies with spaghetti.

Reviews

This is the only stirfry that I make anymore.

Manicotti

2007-06-24T19:32:00.000-04:00

Manicotti

1 lb hamburger
1 pkg manicotti
mozzerella cheese
Parmesan cheese
1 lg can spaghetti sauce

Cook manicotti until almost al dente (about 1 minute less than what's listed on the box). Brown hamburger, drain, and season with pepper, garlic, oregano, basil, and cinnamon. Place about 1/2 cup of sauce on bottom of baking dish. Fill manicotti with a few spoonfuls of meat. Cover with remaining sauce, Parmesan, and mozzerella. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Reviews
Winner with the hamburger eaters in the family.

Quick and Easy Tater Tot Casserole

2007-06-17T21:28:00.000-04:00

Quick and Easy Tater Tot Casserole
-Shelby

1 lb hamburger
1 sm. onion
1 can cream of mushroom (or chicken) soup
tater tots

Brown hamburger and onion. Mix in baking dish with soup and cover with tater tots. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. For variation, add frozen veggies and sprinkle top with cheese.

My Notes
I leave out the onion and add 1 cup sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, pepper, and mix in the cheddar cheese (Josh won't eat it if he sees the cheese).

Reviews
This is pretty well received. Mischa won't eat it since it has hamburger, although I get her to eat the tater tots with the addition of sour cream.

Cherry Turnovers

2007-06-17T21:02:00.000-04:00

Cherry Turnovers
-Woman's Day

1 box (15 oz) refrigerated ready-to-bake pie crusts, at room temperature, unfolded
White from 1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling

Position rackes to divide oven in thirds. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray. Cut each crust in quarters. Brush all edges with egg white. Put 1/4 cup cherries slightly to one side of each wedge. Fold other side over filling; seal edges with tines of a fork. Put on baking sheets. Brush with egg white; sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Cut 3 slits in top of each. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden (edges may open a little). Immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 8.

My Notes
I goofed and threw out the egg white after sealing the edges, and didn't have any more eggs. They turned out okay, though. I also had almost enough pie filling to do another 8. I think next time I'll use a little less than 1/4 cup of filling and make 16.

Reviews
Gone. All of them. Never made it to the fridge for tomorrow. So good for something so easy and fast to put together.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

2007-06-17T20:53:00.000-04:00

Bruschetta Chicken Bake
-Kraft

1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package (6 oz) Stove Top lower sodium stuffing mix for chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1 cup Kraft shredded mozzerella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place tomatoes with their liquid in medium bowl. Add stuffing mix, 1/2 cup hot water and the garlic; stir just until stuffing mix is moistened. Set aside. Place chicken in 13x9 inch baking dish; sprinkle with basil and cheese. Top with the stuffing mixture. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Makes 6 servings.

My Notes
I used Italian diced tomatoes.
I also didn't measure the basil and used dried oregano, too.
Next time, I think I'll brown the chicken first.
I also baked it below a baking sheet for my potatoes. The stuffing mix was too mushy- it'll be on top next time.

Reviews
The kids weren't too wild on this one. I don't think anybody willingly ate it.
We had a special guest judge (my dad) on this one. All the adults loved it and we decided the things I'll do next time will be very good for the dish.

Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread

2007-06-12T10:12:00.001-04:00

Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread
Southern Living

3/4 Cup butter, softened
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
2 Cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 Cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 medium)
1 Cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
Combine flour and net 3 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanilla. Spoon batter into 2 (8x4 inch) loaf pans coated with baking spray.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a long wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Serve with butter, if desired.

Makes 2 loaves.

My Notes
I made this without the nuts.

Reviews
Oh. My. Goodness. I don't think I'll make any other recipe for banana bread again.

Italian Roast Potatoes

2007-06-11T15:18:00.000-04:00

Italian Roast Potatoes

red potatoes
Italian salad dressing
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash potatoes, cut into quarters. Toss in bowl with Italian dressing. Put onto baking sheet, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake 20 minutes.

Review
Everyone but the baby ate these like no tomorrow. I made about half a bag of potatoes, I might even make close to the whole bag next time.

Italian Pork Hoagies

2007-06-11T15:09:00.000-04:00

Italian Pork Hoagies
-Quick Cooking

6 hoagie buns, split
1/2 cup pizza sauce
12 slices cooked pork (1/4 inch thick)
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Open hoagie buns and place cut side up on a baking sheet. Spread pizza sauce on the bottom half of each bun. Top with pork; drizzle with salad dressing. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350° for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and tops of buns are lightly toasted. Replace bun tops. Yield: 6 servings.

Review
This is our favourite pork leftover solution.

Potato Pizzas

2007-06-11T09:30:00.000-04:00

Potato Pizzas

1 package yeast

2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp butter, melted

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 lb small red potatoes

1 medium red onion

4 firm, ripe plum tomatoes

1 Tbsp cornmeal

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup fresh parsley

Add 2/3 cup warm water to yeast; set aside 3-5 minutes. Add 1/3 cup flour and stir until smooth. Add butter, 1/2 tsp salt, and remaining flour; stir until dough. Knead 5-10 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise 1 hour.
Wash potatoes and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease heat to medium and simmer 10-15 minutes. Drain and cool.
Punch dough down, divide into quarters. Refrigerate each quarter until needed. Peel onion, cut tomatoes and potatoes into 1/4 inch thick slices. Cover loosely and set aside.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Roll each portion into a 7 inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Put on a pizza sheet. Top with veggies. Drizzle oil over pizzas, sprinkle with Parmesan, oregano, pepper, and salt.
Bake for 10 minutes, then decrease heat to 400 degrees. Bake another 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

My Notes
I have only made this with russet potatoes (I'm trying it with red potatoes this week), and have never made it with the onion and parsley.
This pizza is great cold or at room temperature.

Reviews
Perry and I both really like this. The kids haven't had it yet.

Hidden Valley Ranch Chicken

2007-06-11T09:24:00.000-04:00

Hidden Valley Ranch Chicken

1 packet Hidden Valley Original Ranch Dressing Mix
1/4 cup cornflake crumbs
6-8 pieces of chicken (bone in)

Combine dressing mix with cornflake crumbs in plastic bag. Add the chicken, shake until coated. Bake on a baking sheet for 50 minutes at 375 degrees.

Yield: 4-6 servings

My Notes
I use boneless, skinless breasts and bake for 30 minutes, or cut them into nuggets and bake for 20 minutes.

Reviews
Everyone eats this, no problems.

Gyro Burgers

2007-06-03T20:13:00.000-04:00

Greek food and Italian food are my downfalls. I dragged the family 30 minutes away to go to a Greek festival, where my kids discovered the joy of gyros. They wouldn't touch the dolmades or spanakopita, but I didn't mind, since that meant more for me. My oldest daughter won't touch hamburger, but I thought I would try this to entice her. I started out with a recipe from a supermarket magazine, but I changed just about everything, so I'll just post my recipe.

Gyro Burgers

1 egg
2 lb hamburger (I used chuck since it was on sale)
3 slices bread (I used 2 hot dog buns since they were all I had)
6 oz plain yogurt
8 oz sour cream
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
4 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
6 pita bread rounds
lemon juice
garlic powder
oregano
pepper

1. Mix hamburger, egg, bread, garlic powder, pepper, and oregano (spices to taste). Form into
patties (I ended up making about 8- 1/2 inch thick, 3 inches wide, and 5 inches long). Fry in
skillet (or grill) until done.
2. Mix yogurt, sour cream, garlic powder (to taste), and a few splashes of lemon juice together.
3. Serve patties on pita lined with cucumber and tomato slices. Cover with yogurt sauce.

My Notes:
After the patties were cooked, I sliced them in half, widthwise, and put them in the pitas, which I had cut in half, for the kids. The original recipe shows just placing them on a whole pita, but I figured a pita pocket was the neatest way to go. I also added feta cheese to finish mine.

Reviews:
Perry, Caleb, and I really liked this.
Josh just ate a patty with ketchup.
Mischa ate the cucumbers, tomatoes, and licked the yogurt sauce from her hamburger. She wouldn't eat the hamburger.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

2007-05-13T19:47:00.000-04:00

This one is from my first roommate in college, the Dinner Fairy.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

2 cans cream of chicken soup
cooked chicken
bunch of torn corn tortillas
bunch of sour cream
bunch of cheddar cheese
2 cans diced green chiles

*Mix everything up and put it in a casserole dish at 375 until heated through

My Notes
Here's how I translated this into husband friendly terms (since he made this for me for Mothers' Day):
2 cans cream of chicken soup
3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
15-20 flour tortillas, torn up
2 C sour cream
8 oz cheddar cheese, separated
1 can diced green chiles, drained (the kids aren't that big on chilies)

Mix everything together (use about half of the cheese), then top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Reviews
Holy cow was this ever popular! I didn't think the kids would go for this, but everyone but the baby had seconds!
Perry and I loved it!

Ranch Chicken

2007-05-07T08:29:00.000-04:00

Ranch Chicken

4-6 boneless chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 C sour cream
1 packet ranch dressing
1/4 C chicken broth

Mix soup, sour cream, ranch dressing, and chicken broth together. Put chicken in crockpot; pour mixture over chicken. Cook on low 4-6 hours. Serve with rice, using drippings as gravy.

My Notes
This ended up cooking the full 6 hours, due to Church things. My crockpot cooks pretty fast, so although 6 didn't kill it, it probably would've been a little more moist before the 5 hour mark.

Reviews
I loved this. Definately going into Sunday rotations.
Perry loved this, too. When Caleb asked for Worcestershire Sauce, the Sauce King claimed it was perfect as is.
Caleb and Josh sucked it down, which is amazing for Josh, since he doesn't really like anything overtly dairy.
I really thought Mischa would love this, since it has ranch and sour cream, her two favourites, but she only picked at it. She was really tired and we were rushed, so we'll try it again and see what happens.

Tomato and Beef Soup

2007-04-30T16:37:00.000-04:00

This is one of my favourite wintertime meals. This makes so much and is very filling. I originally searched for this recipe because I overcooked some London broil the night before and figured a soup would moisten the meat back to being edible. I buy a big London broil just to have leftovers to make this.

Tomato and Beef Soup
-By Quick Cooking

2 (15 oz) cans beef broth
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 large carrots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (46 oz) can V8 juice
1 can Italian diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
2 T sugar
1 T dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp beef bouillon granules
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp basi
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 C cubed cooked beef
2 C small shell pasta, cooked and drained

In a large pot, combine the broth, celery, carrots, and garlic; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in the next nine ingredients (up to the beef and pasta). Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add beef and pasta; heat through.

Yield: 15 servings

My Notes
I never measure the herbs and spices. I also never use garlic cloves, just a little extra garlic powder. I usually make a box of pasta and add a little water to the soup.

Reviews
Perry and I really like this.
The kids aren't too wild about it, but Caleb and Josh like the shell part and will eat the rest of the soup with them.

"Can I have your recipe?" chicken salad

2007-04-30T16:30:00.000-04:00

"Can I have your recipe?" Chicken Salad
-by Shelby

4 cooked chicken breasts
2 C grapes (green or red, halved)
3 green onions
3 celery stalks
1 C mayonnaise
1 C Miracle Whip
Lemon pepper

Finely chop chicken and sprinkle with lemon pepper. Finely chop celery and onions. Mix chicken, celery, onions, and grapes. In a separate bowl, mix mayonnaise and Miracle Whip until smooth (you can add a drop or two of milk to thin it out). Pour over chicken mixture and stir evenly. Serve alone, or on a croissant or roll.

My Notes
I didn't add the onions (you'll find that this is a common omission in my cooking). It did take a while in the prep department.

Reviews
Only I ate this one, and it is really good.

Pineapple Punch

2007-04-30T16:27:00.000-04:00

I got this one at a baby shower for my sister-in-law. I can't remember what the hostess said she froze the mixture in. But it's really, really good.

Pineapple Punch

6 C sugar
6 packets Kool-Aid lemonade
2 large cans of pineapple juice
2 large cans of hot water.

Mix together and freeze. Mix with ginger ale when ready to serve.

Artichoke Dip

2007-04-30T16:15:00.000-04:00

One of my most often used possessions is a cookbook that is a collection of tried and true recipes of an LDS parenting board I frequent. Most of the recipes I love are from this or Quick Cooking magazine.

Artichoke Dip
- By Junglejoy

1 (8 0z) cream cheese (softened)
2-3 garlic cloves
1 C Parmesan cheese
1 (14 oz) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 C mayonnaise

Combine all ingredients and place in an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish. Bake at 375 until bubbly on top.

My Notes
For the life of me, I can't even guesstimate how long this had to cook. I also used garlic powder, and it turned out pretty good. I served it with Ritz Crackers.

Reviews
I LOVED this. Very addictive.
Kids wouldn't touch it.

Stealing is the highest form of flattery, right?

2007-04-30T15:04:00.000-04:00

I'm going to admit I stole this idea from my college roommate. I just started participating in Menu Plan Monday over at I'm an Organizing Junkie. I've seen a lot of the people write down their recipes, but I'm lazy, and linking would be great, but I never thought about blogging the recipes. Hopefully I'll get my response to the meal, Perry's response, and a collective kid response. I'll also make notes about how easy it was to prepare, because I'm always making my menu fit my week.