Chicken Stuffing Casserole

Now look at this wonderful mess of goodness. It one of those that tastes better then it looks, trust me. This is a very simple recipe that reminds me of growing up. My mom always used to make this and this is probably the first recipe I knew by heart. I used to love it when she would make this and this is actually the first thing I ever made for Shawn when we were dating. (It's the only thing I knew how to make back then, besides Hamburger helper) He raved about it of course. Come to think of it he used to rave about my Geo Metro too... when we were dating. As soon as we were married he nicknamed it the G0-Cart.

So I'm sharing this recipe just because it has a lot of good memories for me. Isn't it funny how food can evoke good memories and bad. I'm only going to share the good though. This recipe makes me think about my mom and how hard she has always worked for our family. She hasn't always enjoyed working as much as she did and I know she was very under appreciated for it much of her working life by our family. She's taught us all a lot through it though. She's taught us about responsibility and the importance of working hard and forgetting oneself and loving your family with all your heart no matter the sacrifice. So thanks for all you do mom. I love you!

Chicken Stuffing Casserole - Kathy Wilson

2 pkg. chicken flavored stuffing

4 chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)

grated cheddar cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

Cook stuffing according to directions on package. Place stuffing in 9x13 pan. Top with cooked, shredded chicken. Mix soups and sour cream. Pour over chicken and top with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

**I usually half this recipe for my family and use only one can of soup. I also add 10 oz of frozen veggies with the chicken layer and then top it with the soup mixture. Gotta get veggies in those kids some way or another.

Cashew Chicken

I got this recipe from my friend, Sara. You know if you get a recipe from Sara it's going to be good. She only cooks the best and now that I think about it she pretty much does everything well. I could really dislike her if I didn't like her so much. She has been a friend of my for probably more than 10 years. She always has her hair done nicely, her house spotless and she is always running her kids from one event to another and to top it all off she's probably woken up at 4 or 5 in the morning to do somebody's hair. It's almost sickening how put together she is but I love her and I love all her advice and I love her recipes. So here comes a goodie. I hope she doesn't mind me posting it. She served this once at her home when she was hosting our monthly "Club" (which hardly exists anymore). What good days those were. This was recieved with rave reviews by everyone in attendance and I think we all asked for the recipe. Now I make it all the time, at least once or twice a month, and everyone loves it! Thanks for the great recipe Sara.

Cashew Chicken -Sara Olson

MARINADE
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp water
1 tsp cornstarch
*Mix in small bowl. Add chicken and stir to coat. Set aside for 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb. boneless chicken cut in cubes or strips
2 tsp oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced fresh gingerroot or 1 tsp ground ginger
1 small onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
1/2 cup chicken broth

COMBINE
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
ALSO COMBINE
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water

3/4 cup unsalted roasted cashews

Heat wok, add oil. Add garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant, 5-10 seconds. Add chicken and fry 2 minutes or until done. Add onion, carrot, zucchini, celery and broth. Cover and cook 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, oil and sugar. Add cornstarch solution. Cook until sauce boils and thickens. Stir in nuts before serving. Serve over rice.

**I always add more veggies than the recipe calls for to stretch it a little farther.

Fettucine Alfredo

Not the best picture I'll admit but super yummy. I'm actually posting this for my sister and my mom. They wanted the recipe and I needed something to post on here. We made this for my sister's birthday. Chicken Alfredo is one of her favorites. You pretty much always know what she's going to order when we go out to eat and you really can't blame her. I think this recipe is just as good as any resturants and it's not as fattening besides.

Fettucine Alfredo - Kraftfoods

8 oz fettuccine, uncooked

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

4 tsp flour

1/3 light cream cheese spread

3 tbs grated parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp pepper

2 tbs. chopped fresh parsley

Cook pasta as directed

Meanwhile, combine broth and flour in medium saucepan. Stir in cream cheese spread, 2 tbsp of the Parmesan cheese, the nutmeg and pepper; cook 2 min., stirring constantly with wire whisk until mixture boils and thickens.

Drain pasta. Toss with sauce. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Cook of the year! This girl can smell me cooking! As soon as I get started on dinner or a dessert she comes running and has to do EVERYTHING by herself.

Sugar cookies

I made some sugar cookies at the request of one of my good friends. She loves sugar cookies and since she doesn't like a very wide variety of foods (she can be impossible to cook for) and her husband was busting his butt in my yard connecting the sprinkler system to the city's irrigation with my husband I made some. I don't think they ate enough though and they wouldn't take them home. My husband complained of too much frosting which I totally think is great. So where does that leave me? I'll tell where, it leaves me having two sugar cookies for breakfast! Ugh! I could kick myself but they did taste ever so yummy.

Sugar Cookies -Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

1/3 cup butter or margarine

1/3 cup shortening

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1. Beat butter and shortening on medium to high speed 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and a dash of salt. Beat till combined, scraping bowl. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour. Divide dough in half. If necessary, cover and chill dough for 3 hours or till easy to handle.

2. On a lightly floured surface, roll half at a time to 1/8 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter cut into desired shapes. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in 375 degree oven for 7 to 8 minutes. Cool on rack. Frost.

Butter Frosting

1/3 cup butter or margarine

4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

milk

food coloring

1. In a mixing bowl beat butter till fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in the 1/4 cup milk and vanilla.

2. Slowly beat in remaining powdered sugar. Beat in additional milk, if needed, to reach spreading consistency. If desired, tint with food coloring.

Dollar Pancakes

My wonderful neighbor brought me some sourdough starter. It was started clear back in 1930. I've never made anything with sourdough so I was a little wary but she assured me that I couldn't mess it up. I've never been a huge fan of sour dough either but how could I not try it. She gave me two recipes to go along with her sourdough starter: Dollar Pancakes and Honey Gold Bread. Now that I've tried the pancakes I can't wait to try the bread. The pancakes were so good. They rose a bunch while I cooked them and they were very light and fluffy. The kids inhaled them. Though as I cooked them they whined about how gross the pancakes were going to be. Sometimes cooking with kids isn't as pleasant an experience as I would like. Today they fought and whined the whole time but as soon as they were eating it was as quiet as can be. I can be so thankful for good food at times.

Here's the recipe (it's long because of the starter and I don't know how to make sourdough starter so if you want some just ask me):

Basic Sourdough batter

The basic batter is set the evening before you want pancakes for breakfast or wish to make bread:

Put all of your 1 cup of Sourdough Started in a large mixing bowl (large enough to allow for any expansion of dough or batter that may take place- depending on how warm the kitchen is) preferably a pottery, glass or stainless steel bowl. Add 2 cups of warm water (up to 90 degrees F) and 2 1/2 cups of flour. Mix thoroughly- mixture will be thick and lumpy but it will thin down from fermenting and be lively by breakfast time. Cover bowl and set in a warm spot overnight. (Allow 10-12 hours during the night in a warm spot in your kitchen for complete fermentation). Because our kitchens aren't as warm as our grandmother's were... I set my bowl on a heating pad which I have wrapped a small towel around and set it at it's lowest setting.

IMPORTANT: In the morning, put 1 cup starter in your Sourdough Pot and keep in the refrigerator until next time- this will leave you with about 4 1/2 cups of batter.

Dollar Pancakes -Marie Reese

25-30 dollar size pancakes

In the morning stir the batter and put 1 cup of this starter back into your sourdough starter pot. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use again. To the batter remaining in the bowl add:

1 egg

2 Tbs cooking oil

1/4 cup instant dry milk or evaporated milk.

Beat thoroughly. Then combine:

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 Tbs. sugar

Blend until smooth, eliminating any lumps of soda. Sprinkle evenly over top of batter; fold in gently. This will cause a gentle foaming, rising action.

Allow batter to rest a few minutes, then fry on a hit lightly greased griddle. If pancakes do not brown rapidly and sizzle slightly as you drop each spoonful of batter on the griddle it isn't hot enough.

IMPORTANT: Always made dollar size pancakes using a tablespoon full of batter for each pancake. If your batter seems too thick, it wasn't warm enough during the night and didn't ferment sufficiently- a common fault in modern kitchens. It may be thinned with a little milk. The sourdough pancake batter is normally fairly thin but lively. You'll find that sourdough pancakes require a hotter griddle than other pancakes.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Clara was feeling a little sad today. She had been playing and since she is only 3 years old, she had been fighting too. I knew just what to do to cheer her up. I suggested we make cookies together and she instantly lightened up. She loves cooking more then I even. She loves the whole process. She wants to be the one to mix it, to crack the eggs, and to measure everything. She loves the beaters when we are done mixing and is constantly eating cookie dough out of the bowl. This cookie dough is very tasty too. I make this recipe for most potlucks because it is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever! I never have any left when the party is through. It's always a hit and I always get asked for the recipe. So here it is for you to enjoy if you would like.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies -Laura Daley

1 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3/4 package chocolate chips (I like milk chocolate)

Cream shortening, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and eggs. Add flour, salt, baking soda. Mix in chips. Bake on un-greased sheet at 375 degrees for *9-11 minutes.

*The recipes call for you to bake it for 9 to 11 minutes but I think this is way too long. I only bake them 6 to 7 minutes. They will be barely brown on top. Then don't eat them until they have cooled off quite a bit and they are soooo good.

Fajitas

I think the meat is so good in this recipe. I usually finish off the meat after everyone is finished with dinner as I'm cleaning up. It's just sooo good.

Beef Fajitas -Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

1 lb boneless beefsteak (cut into strips)

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing

1/2 cup salsa

2 tbs lime or lemon juice

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

12 7-inch tortillas

1 tbs cooking oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 medium green, red or yellow sweet pepper, cut into strips

2/3 cup chooped tomato (1 medium)

sour cream

salsa

cheddar cheese

Marinade: Combine dressing, salsa, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and pour over strips of beef. Cover and let marinate in refrigerator for 6 to 24 hours.

Pour oil into large skillet. Prehead over med-high heat. Cook and stir onion in hot oil for 1 1/2 minutes. Add sweet pepper strips; cook and stir 1 1/2 minutes more or till crisp-tender. Remove from skillet.

Add half the undrained beef strips to hot skillet. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or to desired doneness. Remove beef and drain well. Repeat with remaining beef. Return all beef and vegetables to skillet. Add tomato. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes or till heated through.

To serve, immediately fill warm tortillas with beef mixture. If desired, add sour cream, Guacamole, cheese, and salsa. Roll up fajitas. Makes 6 servings. Enjoy!