Turkey Tortilla Soup

Soup stock (if you have some)
2-3 cups turkey or chicken pieces
2 quarts chicken broth
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 bunch of cilantro (chopped)
juice from two limes
Serve with cubed pepper jack (or plain monterey jack cheese), tortilla chips sour cream.

Take your turkey soup stock and add about 2 quarts of chicken bullion. (You can use the canned kind or the dried cubes with water). Chop a large onion and add to the broth. You can add 1tsp garlic powder or one clove of fresh garlic. Add 1 tsp. black pepper. Add about 2-3 c. of turkey or chicken. Add 1/2 bunch of cilantro (or more). Add juice from 2 limes. Bring soup to a boil and then simmer.Just before serving add 1c. cubed pepper jack cheese (or have this on the table so you can serve yourself) and tortilla chips. Serve with sour cream. Jennifer S. Kreutzer

Pumpkin Pancakes

This was a fun fall breakfast. I made this on a weekend when Parker was home because its a little more time consuming than regular pancakes. It made some extra for our family so I put it in the fridge and we ate them for the rest of the week (heated them in the toaster or microwave). Lark

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 Cups Flour
4 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 ½ Cup Milk
4 Eggs, Separated
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
¼ Cup melted butter

Sift together dry ingredients. Combine milk, egg yolks, syrup, butter and pumpkin puree. Stir into dry ingredients until just blended. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into batter. Pour onto hot, oiled griddle, about 1/3 cup at a time. Cook until tops bubble, turn, and cook other side. Serve with maple syrup or whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon.

Brisket

This was a yummy dinner I made on Sunday. We hardly ever treat ourselves to meat except an occasional roast. I decided to try Brisket when I found this simple recipe. It is kind of pricey and I had to go to 2 supermarkets to find it (Albertsons was out but Vons had some). The kids liked it too.
Lark

Marinated Brisket

In a 9x13 pan add:
2-3 lbs. Beef Brisket
1 bottle of Liquid Smoke
¼ Cup Worcestershire Sauce
A dash of garlic, onion and celery salt

Marinate overnight, cover with foil

Bake covered at 400 for ½ hour, then at 275 for 4-5 hours. 1 hour before end, pour on 1 small bottle of BBQ sauce.


Mashed Potatoes
Red potatoes, washed and diced (leave skin on)
Milk
Butter
Cheddar cheese
Green onion
Fresh minced garlic
Salt and pepper

Boil potatoes until very soft. Drain and return to pot. Add a dash of milk and a few Tbsp. butter and mash potatoes. Add more milk and butter if needed to make creamy. Before completely mashed, add remaining ingredients until blended.

Fresh Green Beans
Cut off ends of beans; blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes or until desired tenderness. Toss with butter or oil olive and salt and pepper. Lemon Pepper and garlic salt are also good.

Chicken Parmesan Bundles

This was a BIG hit. My husband told me how delicious it was even before I had tasted it. And usually with new recipes I have to ask him how he likes it. My kids ate it up too. I forgot the spaghetti sauce and it still tasted great. The cheese filling helped keep it moist. And I only used 2 chicken breasts, halved, since my family doesn't eat huge servings, so I eye-balled the amount of spinach and moz. to make just enough cheese filling for our chicken. And my kids didn't say anything about the "green stuff" in the filling. ;-) I served it with steamed broccoli and cauliflower and brussel sprouts and with a fruit salad. We didn't need any rice or potatoes with all the fruits and potatoes. Delicious!

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
1-1/4 cups KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, divided
6 Tbsp. KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.), pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1 egg
10 RITZ Crackers, crushed (about 1/2 cup) or bread crumbs
1-1/2 cups spaghetti sauce, heated

PREHEAT oven to 375ºF. Mix cream cheese, spinach, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 3 Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese until well blended; spread evenly onto chicken breasts. Starting at one of the short ends of each breast, roll up chicken tightly. Secure with wooden toothpicks, if desired. Set aside.

BEAT egg in shallow bowl or pie plate. Mix remaining 3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese and the cracker crumbs in separate shallow bowl or pie plate. Dip chicken bundles in egg, then roll in crumb mixture. Place, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through (165ºF). Remove and discard toothpicks, if using. Serve topped with the spaghetti sauce and remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese.

Bacon, Cheese and Potato Chowder

Supper fast and easy! Why didn't I think of this soup before? The hashbrowns saves time instead of chopping potatoes. Serves 4. Easy to double for larger family or leftovers. Even my baby likes it. Yummy!


3 cups fat-free milk
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of potato soup
1 can corn
2 cups frozen Southern-style hash browns (the squares)
1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 slices Bacon, crisply cooked, drained and crumbled
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

MIX milk and soup in large saucepan. Stir in hash browns. Bring to boil on high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 min., stirring frequently.

LADLE into six soup bowls.

TOP evenly with the cheese, bacon and onions.

I served this with sourdough baguettes that had been toasted and with a side salad.

Cinnamon Crisps

Here is a delicious way to end any Mexican dinner night. This dessert is the best.

4 T. butter
6 (6-inch) flour tortillas
2 T. sugar
1/4 t. cinnamon
Vanilla ice cream

Heat oven to 450. Put butter on a large baking sheet and melt in oven, about 2 min. Place tortillas on baking sheet (they may overlap a bit) and coat with butter, turning each once to coat both sides. Bake for 6-7 min, until golden and puffed in spots.
Stir together the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the tortillas. Top with scoops of ice cream and let it melt just a little. Serve them warm. Delicious!

Pork Soft Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

This is a GREAT new recipe that I just tried. I got it out of a Cooking Light magazine (thanks Paige!) It was a BIG hit with my family--and my kids don't usually eat tacos when I serve them. Must have been the pineapple salsa! Pretty easy to make and you could make it in advance and refrigerate it until dinner. I served it with watermelon and chips and salsa, quacamole and afterwards:dessert--Cinnamon Crisps (another Mexican inspiration). The recipe for that will also be posted. Enjoy! Laura

T=tablespoon
t=teaspoon

Salsa:
1 15 oz. can crushed pineapple minus about 1 large spoonful, drained
1 C. minced apple (any kind will do)
1/4 C. minced shallots (I don't know what these are so I used green onion instead)
2 T. chopped cilantro
1 T. lime juice
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. Salt

Combine ingredients, stir until blended. Cover and chill

Tacos:
1 T. canola/vegetable oil
1 C. thinly sliced yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 lbs. pork (see below for cooking instructions. You can either cook in crock pot or in pot on stove. Cooking in crock pot will produce very moist and tender meat--this is the method I recommend, but if time doesn't permit you can cook it on the stove).
1/2 C. chicken broth
1 T. cider vinegar
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
12 cherry tomatoes, quartered (or 1-2 large tomatoes diced)
1 can diced green chilies (how ever spicy your family likes it!)
corn tortillas, warmed according to package (tip:warm tortillas in the microwave wrapped up in a dish towel )

Cook pork in crock pot in 1 C. water for 4 hours on High. When cooked through, shred/dice pork. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 2 min. or until tender. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds. Add pork to pan and add chicken broth (If you don't have time to cook the pork in the crock pot, cut meat into chunks and add it to the pot); cook for 7 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients (through chilies). Cover pot if meat was not pre-cooked in crock pot (no need to cover is meat is pre-cooked). Let simmer for 10 minutes (or until meat is cooked through) and liquid is nearly evaporated. Warm tortillas according to package and serve with salsa. Yields 6 servings

Steak and Cheese strombolis

This is a quick and delicious dinner. My kids love it. Pretty much just a big pizza rolled up into a log but for some reason they like it better than just regular pizza. You can use whatever meat you have on hand--deli roast beef, thinly sliced steak/beef, even ground beef if that's all you have. And use whatever cheese your family likes best: Cheddar, Jack, Swiss. I serve it with steamed broccoli and cauliflower and sometimes with a fruit shake to drink.

1 pkg. Pillsbury refrigerated pizza dough
1/2 C. chunky pasta sauce
1/2 lb. beef
1 C. shredded cheese
Jalapeno or green chili peppers (optional)

Heat oven to 450. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. On a well-floured work surface, roll out pizza dough into a large rectangle. Spread pasta sauce over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges. Top with meat, cheese and peppers. Starting at one of the short sides of the rectangle, roll up jelly-roll style. Pinch the ends and tuck underneath as you go. Place on the prepared baking sheet, seam side down. Bake at 450 for 20 min. or until browned on top and hollow sounding when tapped. Let cool for 10 min. before slicing.

Mini Pizzas

A fast and fun dinner--your kids can help you make it. And they can "personalize" their own pizzas to their liking. It's a good way to use up your leftover hamburger buns.

8 Hamburger buns or english muffins (I prefer the hamburger buns because it makes for a softer crust)
Spaghetti sauce
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Shredded Jack cheese
Pizza toppings such as:
Pepperoni
Mushrooms
Onions
Ham
Pineapple

On a cookie sheet or pizza pan arrange the hamburger buns or english muffins (1 bun = 2 mini pizzas) Spread spaghetti sauce on bun. Top with favorite pizza toppings and then with cheese (the Jack cheese helps it all stay together). Bake at 375 until cheese is melted. Serve with salad and fruit.

Cookie Salad

This is not a main dish but my family sure liked it--by the title of it, who wouldn't like it? I served it with our fun dinner of homemade hamburgers and french fries. You could also save it and serve it for dessert so your kids don't pile it on their plate higher than their dinner is stacked (that's what Luke did!) Enjoy! Laura

1 small pkg (3.4 oz.) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 C. buttermilk
1/2 container (12 oz. container) whipped topping (Cool whip)
1/2 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks, drained
1 can (10 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 pkg. fudge-striped shortbread cookies

Combine pudding mix and buttermilk. Fold in whipped topping. Add drained pineapple and mandarin oranges. Crush cookies into large pieces and fold into mixture immediately before serving. Serve as a salad, a dessert, or as individual parfaits.

Pan-fried Ravioli

This recipe is a variation of a Rachael Ray recipe. It has become a family favorite and its very quick and easy. I have done this with several different types of ravioli and all turn out great. Yesterday we had it with sauteed zucchini with butter, onion, salt and Mrs. Dash. I have served it with salad or peas. Sometimes I serve it with garlic bread, but its quite filling with just a vegetable on the side.

Fresh ravioli (found in refrigerator section of grocery store) or frozen ravioli, cooked and slightly cooled
Combine on one bowl:
2 eggs
Splash of milk
In another bowl, combine:
Bread crumbs (Italian or regular)
Handful fresh chopped flat leaf Italian parsley (basil also works or dried Italian spices)
Handful shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

Dip ravioli in egg mixture, then bread crumb mixture until evenly coated. Fry in skillet filled with olive oil. Let cook on each side a few minutes, until golden brown. Serve with pasta sauce of your choice. Or use 1 can Italian style diced tomatoes with fresh garlic and extra Italian spice (cooked for a few minutes) for a chunky and fresh sauce.

Baked Spaghetti

This is one of Paula Deen's recipe from the Food Network. I have been wanting a baked spaghetti recipe after I had my friend's last year. It turned out pretty good. Nothing spectacular from this recipe (I should get my friend's), but I did alter a few things in my sauce because I didn't have them. I also don't like the flavor of bay leaves, so I left that out. I only did about 1/2 this recipe (maybe a little more) and put it in a 8 1/2x11 casserole instead of a huge 9x13. It's worth doing again though. I served it with a tossed green salad, homemade rolls from the night before and I meant to put grapes on too, but forgot. Lark

Baked Spaghetti
2 cups canned diced tomatoes
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cup diced onion 1
/2 cup diced green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 small bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta 1 cup grated cheddar 1 cup grated Monterey Jack
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees 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. 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.
House Seasoning: 1 cup salt 1/4 cup black pepper 1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Apricot Chicken

This is a very simple dish to make and I like the sweet/salty combo. I served it with Couscous because we are getting sick of rice. You can find couscous in the asian isle of the supermarket-close to the mediterranian foods. I also served steamed brocoli with it. Laura

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 jar (10 oz) apricot or orange marmalade jam

Heat oven to 350.

Place chicken breasts in a 3-quart dish that has been sprayed with PAM. Mix dry onion soup and marmalade in a small bowl and spread over chicken. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes.

You can also cook this in a crockpot and it turns out fabulous. Prepare it the same way and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.

Sweet and Sour Pork or Chicken

This recipe is from a lady in my ward who is actually from China so maybe it has more authenticity than my previous "chinese chicken" post. It is quick and easy to make. It calls for red and green peppers which I have used but I have also substituted carrots for the peppers because my kids are more willing to eat carrots (that and right now I just can't eat peppers).
You just have to add the carrots at the beginning with the meat instead of at the end. Paige

1 can (16-0z) pineapple chunks in syrup (don't drain)
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
2 Tbs ketchup
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 lb. boneless pork or chicken cut into bite-size cubes
1 onion, chopped
1 green and red bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces
1 Tbs cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbs water

1. Heat 1 Tbs oil, stir in pork/chicken and onion, cook for about 10 minutes, until meat is cooked and onion is tender.
2. Add pineapple with syrup, vinegar, ketchup, and soy sauce, cook for 10 minutes more.
3. Add cornstarch and stir to make sure the juice thickens.
4. Add the pepper, stir till pepper is coated and warm. Serve over rice.

Mexican Lasagna

Another way to eat the mexi food combination. This recipe is from Rachel Ray and it really is easy to prep. The recipe calls for ground chicken but I used ground turkey and I'm sure that ground beef would also substitute well. As yellow onion could be used instead of red and kidney beans instead of black, and canned corn instead of frozen.

3 Tbs. olive oil
2 pounds ground chicken or turkey breast
2 Tbs. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 (14-oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 cup taco sauce
1 (15-0z) can black beans, drained
1 cup frozen corn kernels
salt
8 8-inch flour or spinach flour tortillas
2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or pepper jack cheese

Preheat the oven to 425.
Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 Tbs olive oil. Add chicken/turkey and season with chili powder, cumin and red onion. Brown the meat, 5 minutes. Add stewed tomatoes and taco sauce. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2-3 minutes then season with salt, to your taste.

Coat a shallow baking dish with the remaining olive oil. Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas then cheese. Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again. Bake lasagna 12-15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly.

Quick-Fix Beef Burrito Skillet

This turned out pretty good--nothing gourmet, but we enjoy different types of Mexican food. It's really good if you eat it with a chunky homemade salsa made of diced tomatoes, red bell pepper, avocado, can of black beans, can of corn, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic. Laura


1 lb. lean ground beef
1 pkg. (1-1/4 oz.) Taco Seasoning Mix
1 can (19 oz.) kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup Salsa
1 cup water
4 flour tortillas (6 inch), cut into 1-1/2-inch squares
1 cup Mexican Style Shredded Four Cheese
1/3 cup Sour Cream
1/3 cup chopped green onions (about 1 large)



BROWN meat in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat; drain.
ADD seasoning mix, beans, salsa and water; stir. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 min.
STIR in tortillas; top with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Top with sour cream and onions.

Microwaved Salmon and Yogurt Sauce

When I saw this recipe I didn't think it would work to microwave the fish but it actually turns out great. It is nice for me because I don't have a hood on my oven and this makes less of a fish smell after dinner. And it is really quick. I served it with Lark's lemon rice and a green vegetable. Paige

Salmon:
1 Tbs. chopped fresh ginger (I used dry spice but less than a Tbs.)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp curry powder
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 1/2 lbs salmon filet, cut into 4 pieces.

Sauce:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
3 Tbs fresh chopped mint
1 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp fresh minced onion, shallot or scallion
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

1. Sauce: In a small bowl, combine yogurt and the rest of the sauce ingredients. Cover and refigerate until ready to serve.
2. Salmon: In a small bowl, mix together ginger, garlic, curry powder, lemon juice, paprika, salt, cinnamon and cayenne. Place salmon in a microwave-safe baking dish. Spread ginger-curry mixture over salmon.
3. Cover with plastic wrap, venting in one corner. Microwave on High for 5 minutes. Let rest for a few minutes.
4. Slip thin spatula underneath skin and lift salmon off; serve salmon with yogurt sauce on the side.

BBQ Ribs

My kids call these "cow bones" and they always go over well. We sometimes grill them outside and sometimes cook them in the crockpot. When done in the crockpot the meat comes off the bone much easier and the flavor soaks in better, but some times we like the flavor of the grill. I served them with french fries and had happy, busy mouths that night!

1 pkg. beef (or pork) ribs from the meat department (I buy them when they are on sale. This week the short ribs were on sale--half the size of a regular size rib)
1/2 bottle of BBQ sauce

Put meat in slow cooker. Dump BBQ sauce on top--you can add water to thin the sauce. Cook about 5 hours on high. They stay hot for a long time after coming out of the slow cooker so I usually just cut the meat off the bones and serve them.

Homemade Pizza

I often make pizza when I don't feel like doing a lot, or when I am totally out of ideas. I always keep a bag of pepperoni in my fridge so I can make it anytime. I also always make the dough from scratch because I'm cheap and don't plan ahead sometimes to buy the Bobolli crust...but that works great too. I always serve with salad. Lark
Quick Pizza Dough
2 C. flour
1 Tbsp. quick rising yeast
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. sugar or honey
¾ C water (hottest water from tap works)
Combine everything except water. Then add hot water (if mixture is too dry you can add 1 or 2 Tbsp. more hot water)
Knead until dough forms a ball.
Transfer dough to a lightly floured bowl (or leave in your Kitchenaid as is - no need to dirty another bowl!) Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
On floured surface, using a rolling pin, roll out your pizza – about 12” in diameter and ½” thick.
Transfer dough to a floured cooking surface and poke with a fork in a few places.
Bake at 425* for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.
Then add sauce, cheese and favorite toppings and cook again until cheese is melted.
For sauce, I use a jar of spagetti sauce or a can of tomato sauce with Italian seasonings, fresh garlic and sometimes canned diced tomatoes.
Then add your favorite toppings:
1. Pepperoni w/ olives: either slices of pepperoni or a stick, chopped up in your food processor.
2. Canadian bacon and pineapple: I use ham lunch meat, cut up and canned pineapple chunks and slivered almonds.
3. BBQ Chicken pizza (one of our favorites!): Sprinkle crust with colby jack cheese, then BBQ sauce (1/2 bottle or more), then cubed, marinated BBQ chicken, then red onion slices and finally more cheese. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes or so. Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh, chopped cilantro.

Hawaiian Chicken

This is a recipe from my best friend, Kim Olsen. It's got a sweet flavor and my family loves it (the kids don't love the bell peppers, but they eat around them). It makes a lot and is a good meal when you are having company. You can serve this with a salad and those sweet Hawaiian-brand rolls since the flavors are similar. Laura

2-3 lbs. of chicken (or however many breasts/tenderloins you need to serve)
1 20 oz. can of pineapple chunks
3/4 C. sugar
1 1/2 C. pineapple/water combined (drain canned pineapple and save and add water until you get 1 1/2 C. )
1/2 C. vinegar
2 1/2 T. cornstarch
1 T. soy sauce
1 t. ginger root
2 cubes chicken bouillon
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch square pieces

Coat chicken pieces in flour (works best if chicken is thawed. If frozen, get them wet, then coat them). Spray a deep cooking pan/skillet with PAM and brown the chicken-turning once. Remove chicken and set aside.

In deep cooking pan/skillet, to make the sauce, combine the rest of the ingredients, except pineapple chuncks and bell pepper pieces. Don't put heat on until you've added all the ingredients and the cornstarch is whisked in or else it will clump up. Bring to a boil on medium heat--whisking often. Simmer for 5 minutes on low heat until thick. Add browned chicken, pineapple chunks and bell peppers. Cover and let simmer on low heat about 20 minutes--until chicken is cooked through and peppers are medium-soft. Serve over rice.

Easy Cheese Danish

Laura - this is for you for your breakfast for dinner night! Or it would make a yummy birthday breakfast. It's really easy...make Matt make it for you! I've only made this once and I think that 16 ounces of cream cheese is too much, so I would try maybe half that, or cutting it back some. Lark

Easy Cheese Danish
Serves 8

16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup sugar
2 pkgs refrigerated crescent roll dough
½ cup raspberry or apricot jam
1 egg, beaten
4 ounces sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350. Mix cream cheese, vanilla and sugar in a bowl.
Unroll 1 can crescent roll dough on a cookie sheet, sealing perforations. Spread filling on dough, leaving ¼-inch edges. Top with jam.
Unroll second can of crescent roll dough and lay on top of first layer. Seal edges with edge of fork. Brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.
Bake for 30 minutes.

*note: 16 ounces is too much cream cheese. I would recommend only using 8 (1 pkg.) or 10-12 ounces (1 ½ pkgs.).

Simple Chinese Chicken

I know this chicken isn't really from China but it is really simple and these are ingredients that are usually in the cupboard. I served it over rice, it makes a lot of yummy sauce. And I served it with corn. I know, not very exciting but it was an easy meal. The recipe says to cook it in the oven but I put mine in the slow-cooker and that worked well too. Paige

Ingredients:
Combine the following then pour over chicken:
3/4 c ketchup
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c soy sauce
2 Tbs white vinegar
1 Tbs instant onion
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp seasoning salt

6-8 chicken pieces (I only used 5 frozen breasts because that was what I could fit in my cooker.)
Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours, turn chicken halfway through.

Broad Rice Noodles with Chiles, Pork and Basil

A quick and easy meal that both my kids love. I usually serve it with peas or fresh steamed green beans and whatever bread/rolls I have. I'm open to side suggestions on this one if anyone tries it. It has a Thai food feel/flavor to it. Lark
4 servings
Time: 30 minutes

8-10 ounces rice noodles (fettuccine-width – found in the Asian section of the grocery store)
3-4 Tbsp. peanut (preferred) or other oil
½ - 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
5 small dried hot red chiles, or 2-3 Tbsp. dried chile powder
½ pound ground meat, such as beef, turkey, or pork
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sugar
2-3 Tbsp. rice (preferred) or other vinegar
1 Cup shredded fresh basil leaves
Salt, if necessary

Place rice noodles in pot of boiling water. Separate noodles with a fork a few times while boiling. Boil for a few minutes until they are soft. Drain and toss with 1 Tbsp. oil.
Heat the remaining oil over med-hi heat in a wok or large, deep non-stick skillet for a minute or so, until the first wisp of smoke appears. Add the garlic and chiles and cook, stirring, for a minute. Add the meat and turn the head to medium. Cook, stirring and mashing with a wooden spoon to break up clumps.
When almost all the traces of red or pink disappear, add the soy sauce and the sugar; stir to mix. Add the drained noodles and toss and stir to combine. Add the vinegar and the basil. Stir and taste; add salt if necessary.

Nachos

A simple and quick dinner. I bake my nachos with just cheese and then serve as side dishes some or all of the following (whatever I happen to have on hand):

refried beans (tip: heat beans in microwave and add enough water so they are the consistency you like them, otherwise they are too thick right from the can and gross).
cooked ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning
black beans and corn mixture
chopped tomatoes
chopped green onions
salsa (either store bought or homemade--my kids prefer homemade because it's not spicy)
sour cream
guacamole or avocados

It's a fun dinner for the kids because they get to make them just the way they want them.

Pull-Apart Maple Pecan Sticky Buns

This is another dish I served for breakfast foods night. It sounds (and looks) really sweet, but the cream cheese in the center of the rolls cuts the sweetness down. It's about as sweet as cinnamon rolls. I served it with eggs and milk. Our family loved it. Laura

3/4 C. chopped pecans
1/2 C. butter, divided
1/3 C. maple-flavored syrup
1/2 C. sugar
1 t. ground cinnamon
2 cans (12 oz. each) cheap, refrigerated flaky buttermilk biscuits (usually about 50 cents a can)
1 pkg. cream cheese, cut into 20 cubes


Preheat oven to 400. Spray bunt-style pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle pecans evenly on bottom of prepared pan; set aside. Melt 2 T. butter in small bowl. Add syrup; stir until well blended. Drizzle over pecans in pan; set aside.

Melt remaining 6 T. butter; set aside. Mix sugar and cinnamon in shallow dish; set aside. Separate dough into 20 biscuits; press each slightly to 1/4-inch thickness (press one at a time and then fill it because they shrink up quickly), roll cream cheese cubes in cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated on all sides. Place 1 cream cheese cube in center of each biscuit circle; gather up sides of dough to enclose filling. Press edges of dough together to seal; roll into a ball. Dip top of each ball into remaiing butter, then into cinnamon sugar.

Arrange half of the balls, cinnamon sugar sides up, in preapared pan. Repeat with remaining balls to form a second layer. Drizzle with any remaining butter; sprinkle with any remaining cinnamon sugar.

Bake 30 min. or until golden brown. Cool 1 min. in pan; invert onto serving platter. Scrape any remaining pecans left in pan; spoon over buns. Serve immediatley.

Ham and Cheese Stuff 'n Puff

This is what I served on our "breakfast foods" dinner night (every Wednesday at our house). I halfed the recipe because Matt wasn't eating with us. And my kids didn't really like all the broccoli it calls for, so next time I'll either put in less or omit it all together. I served it with a fruit salad on the side. Laura

5 eggs
1 C. milk
1/2 C. sour cream
1 10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, drained
1 6 oz. pkg. stove top stuffing for chicken
9 oz. ham, chopped
1 C. cheddar cheese, divided


Preheat oven to 375. Beat eggs, milk and sour cream in large bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Add broccoli, dry stuffing mix, ham and 1/2 C. of the cheese; mix lightly.

Pour mixture into 2 qt. baking dish or 9 inch pie plate; cover loosely with foil.

Bake 1 hour. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 C. cheese. Bake 5 min. or until cheese is melted and misture is cooked through.

Makes 6 servings.

Egg Rolls, Fried Rice and Egg Drop Soup

The egg rolls are surprisingly quick and easy to make. The egg drop soup took a little more time because you need to cook chicken and potatoes beforehand. But it is delicious and my 2-year-old loved the whole meal. Lark

Egg Rolls

1 lb. lean ground beef, pork or turkey
1 tsp. minced ginger
2 cups finely chopped cabbage
¼ lb. bean sprouts
½ cup shredded carrots
3 green onions, finely chopped
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1 pkg. large square egg roll wrappers

Stir-fry meat and ginger over med-hi heat until lightly browned. Add cabbage, bean sprouts, carrots and green onions; cook 2 minutes. Stir in soy sauce. Let cool. Use 2 Tbs. filling for each egg roll. Deep fry at 350 until golden. Serve with white or fried rice and dipping sauce. We prefer sweet and sour sauce – we usually buy a jar in the Asian foods section of the grocery store.

Fried Rice

1-2 cups cooked white rice
Handful of frozen peas or peas and carrots
Soy sauce
2 eggs

Place rice in skillet with 2-3 Tbsp. oil. Add peas and stir. Make a space in the middle of the skillet and add eggs. Cook and scramble the eggs. When they are almost fully cooked, gradually mix them in with the rice. Finally add soy sauce and salt and pepper to taste.

Egg Drop Soup

1 qt. chicken broth
Chopped green onions
1 Cup cooked diced potatoes
Soy sauce to taste
1 Cup cooked diced chicken
1/3 Cup sliced mushrooms
2 eggs beaten slightly

Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add mushrooms, onions, chicken and potatoes. Pour eggs in thin stream into boiling soup. Add soy sauce to taste.

Coconut Chicken

1 1/3 c. packed angel flake coconut 1 c. plain dried breadcrumbs
4 chicken breasts 3/4 t. salt
2 large eggs 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
2 T. water 1/4 c. olive or canola oil

Preheat oven to 350. Pat the coconut onto both sides of the chicken. (some will fall off, but don’t worry about it.) In a large shallow bowl, beat eggs and water until combined. On sheet of waxed paper or a large plate, stir together breadcrumbs, salt, and cayenne. Dip the coconut-coated chicken into the egg mixture, patting it into the chicken. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the chicken until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and bake 5 minutes until chicken is just cooked through. Serves 4.
(Biography Magazine, July 2003, pg.89)

Marvelous Mini Meatloaves

This is a nice twist on an old classic--one that I NEVER make because a big slab of meatloaf doesn't appeal to me. But this makes it more manageable and cuts the cooking time in half. Plus, the kids think they are fun because they are mini and you can make different flavors for them to chose from. Here's what the recipe calls for...

1 lb. ground beef
1 6 oz. package of stove top or other brand stuffing mix
1 C. water.

1. Preheat oven to 375. Mix meat, stuffing mix and it's seasonings package (if separate) and water. Press evenly into 12 medium muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray; make an indentation in center of each with back of spoon.
2. In center of each mini meatloaf you can add one of the following add-ins: (add cheese at end of baking time)

for Italian flavor: dash of italian seasoning, spoon of spaghetti sauce// Mozzarella cheese

for Fiest flavor: dash of chili powder and spoon of salsa// Shredded Colby Jack cheese

for Mediterranean flavor: dash oregano and spoon of chopped roasted red peppers// Crumbled Feta Cheese

for BBQ flavor: dash garlic, spoon of BBQ sauce// Shredded Cheddar cheese

Bake for 30 min or until loaves are cooked through. Top evenly with cheese and continue baking until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 min. before serving.

Mine came out a little too dry and dense, so I recommend using only half the package of stuffing mix instead of entire package, and make sure you don't over bake them. We ate the Italian and BBQ flavors but didn't try the others. I served them with mashed potatoes and gravy and steamed green beans on the side.

Bavarian Cake

So it's not a dinner recipe, but it could be!

* German Chocolate Cake Mix
* Pint Whipping cream
* 1 Brick cream cheese-8oz
* 2/3 Brown Sugar
* 1 tsp Vanilla
* 1 Symphony Bar

Make German Choc. Cake per pkg. direction in 2 layer pans. When cooled cut each layer again to make 4 layers total.
I usually freeze the layer before frosting to make it easier to frost—but not necessary. For Frosting cream the brown sugar and the cream cheese together and then add the liquid whipping cream and vanilla, beat until you have stiff peaks in the mixture. Frost between each layer. Use a cheese planer to make chocolate curls from the Symphony bar or a veggie peeler to just make chocolate shavings and sprinkle them over the top of the cake. Anyway you do it ....it tastes good!!! Chill for a few hours and the frosting will set.

I usually freeze the layer before frosting to make it easier to frost—but not necessary.

For Frosting cream the brown sugar and the cream cheese together and then add the liquid whipping cream and vanilla, beat until you have stiff peaks in the mixture.

Frost between each layer. Use a cheese planer to make chocolate curls from the Symphony bar or a veggie peeler to just make chocolate shavings and sprinkle them over the top of the cake. Anyway you do it ....it tastes good!!! Chill for a few hours and the frosting will set.

Chicken and Rice Chowder

This is a really simple, creamy soup recipe. It uses chicken from the Creamy Basil Chicken recipe I shared. If you didn't make that recipe it would work to use other cooked chicken, even the canned chicken from CostCo. Some of the flavor would be lost because the creamy basil chicken is cooked with bacon, but overall it would still be a great soup. My kids really liked it. I didn't have mushrooms so I added some dried onions instead. Also, I had some left-over brown rice. The recipe calls for wild rice but I think any kind would work. bon appetite! Paige

Ingredients:
1 cup sliced carrots (2 medium)
1 cup sliced celery (2 stalks)
1 cup quartered mushrooms
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
2 14-oz. cans chicken broth
Chicken reserved from Creamy Basil Chicken, chopped (4 breast halves)
3/4 cup cooked rice (wild, brown, white -- leftovers are great for this!)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Salt to taste
1 1/2 cups half and half

Preparation
1. In a saucepan cook carrots, celery, and mushrooms in hot butter over medium heat until tender. Stir in flour. Add broth, chicken, wild rice, and pepper. Cook and stir until mixture is bubbly and slightly thickened. Stir in half-and-half; heat through.

Creamy Basil Chicken

This slow cooker recipe can help to make another dinner later in the week. I wrote the recipe as it appears in the magazine. Please see my notes at the end for changes I made.

Ingredients:
2 C sliced mushrooms
2 medium red/yellow sweet peppers cut into strips
1 large onion
4 oz. cooked bacon, chopped
8 cloves of garlic, minced
3 Tbs. quick cooking tapioca, crushed
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (2 1/2 - 3 lb)
1 c chicken broth
1/4 white wine
1 lb. asparagus spears
1/3 c whipping cream
1/2 cup fresh basil
2 cups hot cooked orzo pasta
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese

Prep:
1. in a 5-6 quart slow cooker stir together mushrooms, sweet peppers, onion, bacon, and garlic. Sprinkle with tapioca. Place chicken on top of mixture in cooker. Pour broth and wine over all.
2. Cover; cook on high-heat setting 3-3 1/2 hours or low-heat 6-7 hours.
3. Meanwhile, snap off and discard woody bases from asparagus. Cut into 2-3 inch lengths. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat. Stir in asparagus, cream, and the 1/2 cup fresh basil. Cover; cook 30 min. more.
4. Reserve four chicken breast halves to prepare Chicken and Rice Chowder. Serve remaining chicken, vegetables, and sauce with orzo. Sprinkle with extra basil and Parmesan cheese if desired. Makes 4+ servings and extra chicken for chowder recipe.

I put in about half the vegetables knowing that my kids wouldn't be big fans of most of them. I only put in 2 cloves of garlic. If you don't use wine, add an extra 1/4 broth to make up for it. I used 4 frozen chicken breasts from CostCo and cut them in half. I used asparagus but I think that broccoli would be a good substitute, just make sure it doesn't get overcooked. As I suspected, my kids were not big fans of the vegetables but they loved the sauce that this made for the pasta and the taste of the chicken. The smokiness of the bacon really comes through and the basil adds a really fresh flavor. I had enough sauce left over to use with chicken another day. Also, this would taste great over rice or another kind of pasta if you don't like the orzo type (orzo is very small pasta, rice-like almost). I didn't serve a side dish, other than the orzo, because this is a full meal. Enjoy. Paige

Crispy Chicken Mexicali Salad

This is a simple meal that is fast and even my kids liked it. They didn't eat much of the salad but they ate the chicken and side dishes.

1/3 c. Shake 'N Bake type chicken seasoned coating mix
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1 can (7 oz.) corn, drained
1 c. canned black beans, drained, rinsed
1/2 c. cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Ranch salad dressing
mixed salad greens

Preheat oven to 400. Measure 1/3 c. coating mix; use to evenly coat chicken, then bake chicken as directed on package.Toss greens with corn and beans in large serving bowl.Once chicken is cooked,slice and place over salad. Sprinkle with cheese. Drizzle with dressing just before serving.Makes 4 servings.This meal is under 500 calories!You can also add salsa to your salad. I served chips and salsa with this, or you can serve bread.

Welcome to our club!

I'm glad you want to be a part of our club, but you don't have to keep it a secret! Feel free to invite any friends and family members that may not already know about our club to check out this site. The more people posting the more successful this club will be.Being a member of this club doesn't mean you have to come up with GREAT recipes all the time. Each week, just post what your most popular or delicious dinner was, or a dinner that was creative or fun or that went over well with the kids. New recipes are great, and what you consider an old favorite may be totally new to someone else, so share those too. Also, please include side dishes with your main course so we can make it a full meal. You can post as many times as you want, just try and do it at least once a week so we keep new ideas coming. And if you don't want to be a member but just want to get dinner ideas, that's fine too. But hopefully enough people will post that this will become a great online recipe book for us all. And the recipes you post should be tried and tested so we know they are good.Let's standardize things a little. The title of your entry should be the title of the recipe. For abbreviations, let's use:c. for cupt. for teaspoonT. for tablespoonI hope we can have fun with this and create a great online recipe book for ourselves!