Saturday, August 29, 2009

Simple Oriental Salad

I got this recipe from my mom, who in turn got it from one of her clients... It's almost too simple, and it was a hit at the latest family gathering. :-)

Oriental Salad
1 Bag of Shredded Cabbage
1 Small bag of Slivered or Sliced Almonds
1 Bundle Green onions (as desired)
1 Package Chicken flavored Ramon Noodles
Salt and Pepper to taste (optional)

For the Dressing:
2 Tbs. Sugar
2 or 3 Tbs. Garlic Herb Vinegar
1/2 Cup Oil
Seasoning packet from the ramon noodles

Make dressing, I let it sit for a while in the fridge to let all the flavors mix. Toss together the cabbage and onions. Right before you serve, add the noodles and almonds to the mix and then add the dressing. Mix well to coat all the ingredients...and there you go, an impressive oriental salad in a snap! :) The crunch doesn't keep so that's why you don't want to add the noodles, almonds, and dressing until you're ready to eat.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Crockpot Chicken

This recipe is AWESOME!! My sister-in-law made this and it was so good I called her for the recipe. But I forgot to ask what it was called, so I don't have a name for it but I believe it's a recipe her husband got while serving his mission in South Africa.

4 chicken breasts
1 can corn, drained
1 15oz can black beans, drained
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 5 oz can tomato paste
1 4 oz. can green chiles
1 Tablespoon ground Cumin
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 lb. pepperjack cheese, grated (Yes the cheese goes in the same time as all the ingredients)

put all ingredients in a crockpot / slowcooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours until chicken is no longer pink in center and shreds easily. Stir occasionally. When the chicken is done remove the breasts from the pot and shred with forks. Put back into pot and stir together.

The great thing about this is the different ways it can be eaten. You can serve it over rice, in tortillas as burritoes, or with tortilla chips as nachos. This does make a lot so if you have lots of leftovers I suggest freezing some so you don't have to eat it for every meal for a week.

The Best Meatloaf Ever!

If you're like me the word meatloaf conjures up images of a meat brick. I've never found a recipe I liked or that turned out well ... until recently. A friend of mine (who ironically enough originally started this blog) gave me this recipe. It turns out good every time, I have almost everything to make it, and it is really delicious. I challenge you to try it even if you've never liked meatloaf before.

Diner Meatloaf
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 celery rib, chopped (I usually do about 3)
2 garlic cloves, minced

Saute onion, celery and garlic in 1 Tablespoon of oil until tender.

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup ketchup
3/4 cup soft breadcrumbs (TIP: For easy breadcrumbs toast a few pieces of bread and then blend them in the blender.)
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon of dried parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 lb. hamburger

In a large bowl combine eggs, ketchup, bread crumbs, parsley, salt, pepper, nutmeg and onion mixture. Add beef and mix well. Place in a greased bread pan. Bake uncovered @350 for 1 hour. Top with desired amount of sauce.

Sauce/Topping:
1 can (28 oz) of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 Tablespoon of olive oil or vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I always omit these)

For sauce combine ingredients in 8 in. square dish. Bake uncovered @350 for 1 hour (at the same time as meatloaf).

Let meatloaf sit 10 min. before slicing. Serve with sauce.

Monday, August 17, 2009

More tid bits...

Lots of us spend plenty of time on the road and we all have gone through construction or driven behind or by someone throwing rocks from their tires. So cracked windshields beware!!

When a rock hits your wind shield and makes a crack, put clear nail polish over it before it spiders out. We had a friend tell us about it years ago and tried it. We have done it a couple times and not one has spidered on us. Our first try was 4 years ago and it is still holding up great!! I actually have a clear nail polish bottle in our glove compartment from the time before when we went to the store quickly to make the cheap repairs... so it is close and handy:)

So give it a try the next time you get a crack in your windshield, but the key is the clear nail polish has to be applied before it spideres!!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Herb Butters

You can make corn on the cob (or whatever else you can think of) even yummier serving it with a flavored butter. Here are 4 different tastes to try if you want! :)

In a medium bowl, beat 1 stick softened butter with a wooden spoon or spatula until creamy. Beat in flavor ingredients (below) blending well.

1 Tbs. prepared pesto OR
1 Tbs. prepared curry paste or sauce OR
1 Tbs. caesar salad dressing mix OR
2 Tsp. hickory barbeque seasoning mix

Give that honey a try, I bet that would be really good!!

Transfer butter to wax paper, and shape into 6-inch log. Wrap, twisting ends of paper to seal, and refrigerate until firm.

I got this recipe out of Parenting magazine years ago...

Monday, August 3, 2009

Chocolate Sheet Cake

This is another family favorite. My mom's been making it since I was a kid. If we ever need a quick and easy yet really delicious dessert, this is what we turn to! This has become my husband's favorite dessert and he describes it as a really moist brownie or like a cake brownie.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

1 cup Butter (or margarine)

1 Cup Water

Put in microwave safe bowl and boil these together. Once boiling take out of microwave and add 2 Tablespoons Cocoa

Mix:

2 cup flour

2 cup sugar

Add butter mixture to flour mixture

Then add:

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

Stir until smooth. Pour onto cookie sheet with raised edges. Bake at 250 for 20 minutes. Cover with frosting while still warm.

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

3 Tablespoons milk

2 Tablespoons Cocoa

4 Cups powdered sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

Mix with mixer and pour over warm cake.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

This has been a family favorite since I was a kid. The recipe originally came out of an old Mormon Family Cookbook of my mom's. I always have everything I need to make these and they're really good.


Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup chopped onion

3/4 tsp salt

pepper to taste

1/3 cup milk

Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Form into balls about 2 inches in diameter. Place in 9X9 or 9X13 pan (depending on how many meatballs you have). Cover with Sauce. Bake about 30 min. at 350.

Sauce

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tsp. mustard

1/2 cup BBQ sauce or ketchup (either one works well)

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Combine, blend, heat in a saucepan and pour over meatballs before putting in the oven.

Serve over rice with sauce. Note: If you have more meatballs make more sauce, enough to cover the meatballs and have to put on your rice as well.