Almond Chicken Salad Croissants

This is so easy, and the perfect dinner to follow the roast chicken from last night.  I don't really measure the ingredients, but the measurements should give you a guide.  You can add more or less of anything for a combination to your liking.


Almond Chicken Salad Croissants

3 cups cooked and seasoned chicken, diced (I used leftovers from the roasted chicken below.)
1 cup grapes, halved
1 cup pineapple tidbits
1 cup salted almonds (I chopped mine)
1 cup celery
mayonnaise
seasoning salt, pepper
lettuce

Combine first 5 ingredients.  Add mayonnaise and stir to make a dressing.  You can dilute it with milk if you like.  Season with seasoning salt and pepper to taste.  Serve on split croissants with a leaf of lettuce.

Served with potato chips, fruit slices, veggies and dip.

Lemon-Herb Roast Chicken and Oat Dinner Rolls

Lemon-Herb Roast Chicken

1 roasting chicken (4-5 pounds)
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp kosher salt (or half as much table salt)
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 fresh herb sprigs (I love thyme--rosemary or marjoram would work too.)
1 half lemon, cut into two pieces
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced thick
carrots, celery sticks, etc as desired (optional)
1 cup water

Heat oven to 450.
Remove giblets from cavity of chicken.
Rub chicken with butter all over.  Salt inside and out.  Put garlic, herbs, and lemon in it's cavity.

Spread olive oil in roasting pan.  Arrange onions and veggies over the bottom of pan.

Place chicken on top.  Pour in water.

Roast until cooked (about 1 1/2 hours-2 hours.)  Meat thermometer in thick part of breast should read 170 degrees.

Let stand 15 minutes.  Carve and enjoy!

Served with: Mashed potatoes and gravy from the drippings (see roast beef post below for that recipe.), carrots from the roasting pan--oh so flavorful!, green salad, and oat dinner rolls.

Oat Dinner Rolls

2 c quick oats

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 c butter, cubed

1 T salt

3 c boiling water

2 T yeast

1 c whole wheat flour

5 c white bread flour

Additional butter, melted

Combine in Bosch: oats, brown sugar, butter, and salt.  Mix in boiling water.  Cool to 110-115 degrees.  Add wheat flour and yeast.  Mix in enough remaining flour to form soft and slightly sticky dough.  Knead 8 minutes. 

Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top.  Cover and rise about an hour (finger indentation in risen dough should remain.)  Punch down.  Turn onto lightly floured surface.  Divide into 24 pieces and shape into balls.  Place 15 balls in greased 9x13 pan and 9 balls in greased 7x11pan.  Cover and rise about 45 minutes.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove pan to wire rack; brush rolls with melted butter.  These freeze well--just thaw on counter and reheat in the oven. 

Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy

We bought half a cow this year, and this is something new we tried with all that beef!  Everyone liked it and it was really easy.  

Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy
1 egg
1 can Condensed French Onion Soup
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs (I used my 'old' bread reduced to crumbs in the magic bullet)
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp mustard
6 cups hot cooked egg noodles or rice

In large bowl, beat egg.
Stir in 1/3 cup soup, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper.
Add beef and mix.
Shape into six patties.
Brown patties in a skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side.
Remove and set aside.  Discard drippings.
Combine flour and water until smooth.  add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and remaining soup.  Pour in skillet.  Bring to boil.  Cook and stir 2 minutes.
Return patties to skillet; cover and simmer 15 minutes, turning patties once.
Serve patties and gravy over noodles or rice.

Served with: fruit, steamed broccoli, and homemade bread.

Veggie Salad Pizza, Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza, and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Served for Staff Luncheon March 2011

Veggie Salad Pizza
This is always a hit.  It is so fresh tasting and delicious!

1 multigrain pizza crust (see below)

2/3 c favorite Italian dressing +1 tsp (divided)

1/2 c Parmesan or Italian blend cheeses

1 t lemon pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

1  pkg reduced fat cream cheese (8 oz)

2 cups thinly sliced romaine

2 cups small broccoli florets

1 c diced peppers (red, yellow, orange, green, banana. . . etc.)

1 green onion, chopped

3 mushrooms, chopped

1 cucumber, chopped

2/3 c halved cherry or grape tomatoes

1 half avocado, diced

sliced olives (1/2 a small can, or to taste)

Combine dressing, parmesan, lemon pepper and garlic.

Combine cream cheese with 1/2 of dressing mixture until smooth.

Spread cream cheese mixture on crust. Combine romaine, broccoli, peppers, onion, mushrooms and cucumber with remaining dressing. Toss until coated. Place veggies on top of cream cheese. Toss avocado in 1 tsp dressing to preserve color. Top pizza with avocado, tomatoes and olives. Chill until ready to serve. Yields: 16 appetizer servings

This can also be made as a Chicken Salad Pizza—Cook 1 lb chicken with lemon pepper. Follow directions above, using for the vegetables: 5 c romaine, 1 diced red pepper, 3 mushrooms, 1 green onion, 1/2 cucumber, 2/3 c tomatoes. Then top pizza with chicken slices rolled in residual dressing.

Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza

1 multigrain pizza crust

1/2 c Caesar Salad dressing

1/2 c Parmesan Cheese, divided

1 t lemon pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

1  pkg reduced fat cream cheese (8 oz)

5 cups thinly sliced romaine

3 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced

1/2 red pepper, chopped

Combine dressing, 1/4 cup parmesan, lemon pepper and garlic.

Combine cream cheese with 1/2 of dressing mixture until smooth.  Add half of the chicken, chopped small.  Spread over crust.  

Toss lettuce with remaining dressing mixture.  Spread over crust.  Garnish with red pepper and remaining chicken slices.  

Multigrain Pizza Crust

Combine in bowl:

1 c white flour

1 c wheat flour

1/2 quick oats

1 t sugar

1 t salt

1 T instant yeast

Mix. Add 1 c water and 2 T olive oil. Combine thoroughly. Turn onto lightly floured board and knead 6 minutes, adding white flour as needed to form soft dough. Let rest for 10 minutes, covered. Roll out to desired size. Place on baking stone sprinkled with cornmeal. Allow to rise while oven pre-heats to 425. Pierce crust with fork. Bake in 425 oven for 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack. 


Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
I think these are fantastic!

2 cups old fashioned oats
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 + 3 Tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts*
1 cup raisins

Heat oven to 350.  Combine oats, flour, soda, powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.  In a separate bowl, cream butter with both sugars until fluffy.  Add egg, milk, and vanilla and blend.  Stir in the oat mixture, pecans, and raisins.  Using a 1/4 scoop, place dough balls on cookie sheets or baking stones (about six per sheet.)  Flatten slightly with the bottom of a cup.  Bake about 15 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.  (If you want to make them small, bake at 375 for 10-12 min.)

*I have substituted pecans here with good results, but like to toast them first.  To toast pecans, place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Served with fruit kebabs.

Ranchiladas and Mexican Rice

Ranchiladas

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend  (12 oz)
1/3 cup prepared Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing
1/3 cup sour cream
4 oz can diced green chiles
6 flour tortillas

Mix together chicken, half of cheese, salad dressing,
sour cream and green chiles.  Divide among and spoon
evenly down center of each tortilla.  Roll up
tortillas and place seam side down in a greased 11X 7”
baking pan.  Top with remaining cheese.  Cover with
foil and bake at 350o for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and
bake 10 more minutes.  Garnish with lettuce, pico do gallo,
sour cream, olives, or guacamole as desired.

Mexican Rice

3 T oil

¼ chopped onion

1 c rice

Brown together.

Add:

2 c chicken broth

1 tsp chopped garlic

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 small can tomato sauce

Simmer on low 20 minutes. Stand 5 minutes. Fluff.

Mini Meatloaves with Potatoes Au Gratin

Mini Meatloaves

1 egg

3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 t onion powder

1/8 t garlic powder

1/8 t pepper

1 pound ground beef

2/3 cup ketchup
2 T packed brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch-baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the egg, milk, cheese, oats and seasonings. Add the ground beef, mixing well, and form this mixture into eight miniature meatloaves. Place in dish.

In a separate small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Stir thoroughly and spoon over each meatloaf.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes.

Potatoes Au Gratin

3 to 4 potatoes, sliced thinly

3/4 cup milk

salt

Italian seasoning

Onion powder

Pepper

Butter

1 c grated cheese

2 T parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 baking dish. Place potatoes inside in three layers. On top of each layer, sprinkle salt, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and pepper to taste. Pour milk over all.  Cover with foil and bake one hour. Uncover. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake 10 more minutes.

Lasagna with Focaccia Bread

Lasagna

1 lb ground beef
salt and pepper
1 jar Ragu
2 cups mozzarella or Italian Cheese blend
16 oz cottage cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 T dried parsley
1 egg
lasagna noodles, uncooked

Brown hamburger. Drain as needed. Add one jar Ragu Spaghetti Sauce.

Mix 16 oz cottage cheese with one egg, Parmesan and parsley.

Layer in 9x13 pan:
Lasagna noodles (uncooked), 1/2 cottage cheese mixture, about 1/2 mozzarella, 1/2 meat sauce, repeat. Top with remaining mozzarella. Bake covered at 350 about an hour. (Test noodles with butter knife for doneness.) Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.



 
Focaccia Bread

1 cup warm water
2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
1 pkg instant yeast
2 2/3-3 cups flour
3 T grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
extra olive oil

In large bowl, combine water, sugar, olive oil, and salt. Add 1 cup flour and mix well. Add another cup of flour with the yeast. Stir to combine. Continue adding flour as needed to form a soft dough.

Knead on floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled (40 min to an hour.)

Punch down dough. Place dough in greased (or parchment papered) 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Pat dough flat and let stand 5 minutes. Press dough to edges of pan. Cover and let rise 20-30 minutes.
 
Combine cheese, basil, garlic salt and garlic powder. Set aside. Heat oven to 450.

When dough has started to rise, dimple at 1-inch intervals (use end of a wooden spoon or your finger). Brush dough with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning mixture.

Bake 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cut into squares. Serve warm.
Served with seasoned green peas.

Simple Sloppy Joes and Oven Fries

Simple Sloppy Joes

1 1/2 lbs hamburger
1 can Chicken Gumbo Soup
Ketchup
Mustard
Hamburger buns
Salt and Pepper

Brown hamburger and cook through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste (I really like Lawry's seasoned pepper.)  Add Chicken Gumbo Soup, a squirt of mustard and enough ketchup to flavor and color the sauce to your liking (about 1/4 cup.)  Simmer until ready to eat.  Serve on hamburger buns.

Oven Fries

3 russet potatoes, peeled, and cut into wedges (about 12 per large potato)
1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Soak potato wedges in hot tap water 10 minutes.  Drain and dry.  Toss with 1 T oil.

Meanwhile, cover rimmed cookie sheet with 3 T oil.  Sprinkle sheet with salt and pepper.

Lay potato wedges, cut side down, in single layer on baking sheet.  Cover tightly with foil.  Bake for 5 minutes.  Remove foil.  Continue to bake 10 minutes.  Turn pan.  Continue cooking about 5 minutes, until golden and crisp on bottom side.  Turn wedges over so the other cut side is down.  Bake 10 more minutes, or until crisp on both sides.  Remove to paper towel covered plate.  Sprinkle with additional salt as desired.  Serve hot with desired condiments.

Served with green salad and fruit.

Pizza!

Our Favorite Homemade Pizza
This makes two 15-inch pizzas, or three 12-inch ones.  

Pizza Crust
4 cups flour (bread flour, if you have it)
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
1/2 Tablespoon salt
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 3/4 cup warm water

Combine flour, yeast and salt in Bosch.  Add Olive oil.  Pour in water, mixing to combine, until ball forms.  Knead in Bosch 6 minutes.  If sticky, add a little extra flour as needed.  Spray the bowl with Pam, cover and let rise about an hour (until double.)  divide into two or three pieces.  Shape into balls and rise on floured or greased counter top, covered with plastic wrap, for 20-30 minutes. 

Preheat baking stone in 500 degree oven for one half hour before baking.

Shape each ball, one at a time, into desired pizza shape and size on cornmeal sprinkled parchment paper.  Brush each dough round with olive oil.  Sprinkle with garlic seasoning (we like Johnny's Garlic Spread at Costco).  Then top with favorite toppings.  Here are some of ours:

-Pizza (or Pasta) Sauce with Italian cheeses, peppers, mushrooms, and ham
-A thin layer of cream (maybe 2-4 Tablespoons) brushed over the crust.  Top with Italian cheeses.  This makes a great cheese bread, and if you go heavy on the cream, turns kind of alfredo-esque.  Yum!
-We also like BBQ sauce with grilled chicken, green onions, peppers, and bacon.

Bake your pizza at 500 degrees for 8-15 minutes.  More toppings means it will take longer.  I like my cheese browned and bubbly.

Serve with a green salad. 

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Spaghetti and Meatballs
Easy--from the Ragu bottle

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg

Combine all ingredients.  Shape into 15 meatballs.  Brown in a little oil in a hot frying pan.

Meanwhile, heat 1 jar spaghetti sauce in a deep saucepan.  When boiling, add meatballs.  Simmer 20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.  Serve over spaghetti noodles.  Pass Parmesan cheese and a pepper grinder.

Served with: Best Breadsticks (see Feb 22 post), green salad.

Beef Broccoli, Creamy Berry Yogurt Trifle

Beef Broccoli

1 lb sirloin tip steak
1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces


2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tablespoon of juice (pineapple or orange)
dash of rice vinegar
1/2 tsp cornstarch

1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/2 tsp peanut oil

peanut oil

Slice steak into bite sized thin slices, against the grain.Combine soy sauce, juice, vinegar and cornstarch.  Pour over beef.  Marinate 10-15 minutes.

Combine the garlic, ginger and 1/2 tsp peanut oil and set aside.

Heat peanut oil in large non-stick frying pan over medium high heat.  Add beef in a single layer and cook until almost cooked through.  Stir fry until cooked.  Remove from heat.  Heat a little more oil in the pan and stir fry the broccoli for a minute.  Add a little water (1/4 cup.)  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Steam about two minutes.  Broccoli should be crisp-tender and still bright green.  Move the broccoli to the sides of the pan.  Add the garlic/ginger/oil mixture to the middle of the pan and stir fry 30 seconds, until fragrant.  Add the beef and stir it all together with the broccoli until hot.  If you like a little spice, sprinkle with red pepper flakes.  Serve over rice.

Served with Chinese Pot Stickers (not ready to post that one yet. . . needs some touch ups), sliced fruit, rice, and Creamy Berry Yogurt Trifle.

Creamy Berry Yogurt Trifle

fresh or frozen berries (I used frozen Nature's Berries, from Costco--raspberries, blueberries, and marionberries)
fresh strawberries, quartered
12 oz whipped topping
3 containers of strawberry yogurt
1 angel food cake loaf

Cut up the angel food cake into squares.  Mix the yogurt with 8 oz of the whipped topping.  Layer cake, yogurt mixture, berries, repeating 3 times total.  Top with remaining whipped topping and garnish with fresh berries.  I think this is better after it sits overnight and the cake absorbs the yogurt a bit.

Chicken Divan

Chicken Divan

1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
3 cups cooked chicken, diced
2 cans cream of chicken soup (or one chicken and one mushroom)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp mayonaisse
2 Tbsp sour cream
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup cheddar cheese
lemon pepper
1/2 cup corn flakes crumbs

Heat oven to 350.
Steam broccoli a few minutes until crisp tender.
Arrange broccoli and chicken in greased 9x13 dish.
Combine remaining ingredients (except crumbs) and pour over chicken.
Sprinkle crumbs on top.
Bake 20-30 minutes, or until heated through.
Avoid overcooking the broccoli. 

Serve over rice.

Served with: fresh bread, fruit, Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies (see Favorite Treats tab)

Taco Soup with Cornbread

I love Taco Soup, but my family isn't too fond of it, so I always serve it with something they love: cornbread.

Taco Soup

1 lb hamburger

1 onion,diced

1 pkg taco seasoning (I only use about half to tone it down for my family)

1 large can diced tomatoes (26 oz)

1 can corn (undrained)

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (8oz) tomato sauce

White corn chips

Grated cheese

sour cream, lettuce, tomato, avocado, olives, cilantro, green onions, salsa, etc.

Brown hamburger with onion.  Season meat.
Combine with tomatoes, corn, beans, and tomato sauce in pot (or crock pot.)
Cook until heated through (or let sit on low in crock pot until dinnertime.)
Serve with (or over crushed) tortilla chips.
Top with cheese and desired garnishes.

Cornbread

2 cups bisquick (I use Jiffy)

1/2 c cornmeal

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 c sugar

1 c milk

2 eggs

1 cube butter, melted

Stir all ingredients together, adding butter last. 

Pour into 8 or 9 inch square pan and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. 

Served with: Apple slices and Genene's Fruit Dip.

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu, Rice Pilaf

If you're looking for an exactly measured recipe, this isn't for you.  It's just a throw together, but it's yummy.  I cut my chicken breasts and ham slices in half to make smaller portion sizes.  


Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness
slices of deli ham
swiss cheese
cornflake crumbs, bread crumbs
Good Season's Italian Dressing mix
egg
oil for browning

1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup sour cream
milk

Place in each chicken piece: one slice of ham, one slice of cheese.  Roll up, securing with a toothpick or two.  Dip in egg, then in mixture of crumbs with italian dressing mix (use as much or little as you like.)

Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat.  Brown chicken on all sides.  Place on greased baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (this depends on the size you make them. . . I do them small, so they cook fast.)

Heat together chicken soup, sour cream, and milk to desired consistency.  Serve chicken with gravy.

Rice Pilaf
In saucepan, sautee 1 cup rice in 3 Tbsp olive oil.  Add 2 cups chicken broth, 1 grated carrot, 1/2 tsp dried onion flakes, 1 tsp dried parsley, and a dash of garlic powder and dried thyme.  Bring to boil.  Cover and reduce heat to simmer 15 minutes.  Add 1/2 cup frozen peas.  Return cover and let stand 5 minutes.  Mix together. 

Serve with: bread and a salad or fruit plate.