Whole Wheat Pancakes

I am trying to incorporate more whole wheat into our diet.  :)  Here's one such attempt!  I would like to point out, that to make them taste good, there is WAY more sugar and way more oil than in my favorite "Classic Pancakes" recipe.....

Preheat: --
Category: Pancakes, breakfast, wheat

2 2/3 c. Whole wheat flour
2 T. Baking powder
1/4 c. + 1 T. Sugar
1 t. Salt
4 Eggs, beaten
2 2/3 c. Milk
1/4 c. + 1 T. Oil

Optional: Serve with:
Syrup
Jam
Butter

1.  Mix well.

2.  Preheat skillet.

3.  Pour batter (I like to use 3/4 c.) and wait for bubbles to form, pop, and NOT refill with batter.

4.  Flip and cook the bottom.  Serve hot.

Chicken Packets

I've gotten sick of our regular recipe list so went poking around for new recipes--can you tell? :)  This is specifically for prepping then quickly throwing things together during the month.

Preheat: 350*
Category: Chicken, freezeable

2 c. Chicken, chopped and cooked
1 (6-8 oz.) pkg. Cream cheese, softened
1 T. Chives, chopped
2 T. Milk
Salt
1/2 c. Seasoned croutons, crushed to crumbs (I plan on using bread crumbs.)
2 (8-oz.) pkgs. Refrigerated Crescent rolls (I plan on using my recipe for Calzone dough so I don't have to buy the refrigerated rolls.)
1/4 c. Butter, melted

1.  Mix (warm is best) Chicken, cream cheese, chives, milk and salt with hands.  If you're pre-making this part, store in a 1-quart freezer bag.

2.  Put crouton crumbs in another 1-quart bag, attaching it to the first.  Freeze the two bags for future use.

3.  Refrigerate Crescent rolls.

***
4.  Preheat oven and undo rolls to a rectangle shape.

5.  Place about 1/4 c. of chicken mixture into center of each rectangle.

6.  Fold dough over, pinching shut.

7.  Dip each packet in melted butter and coat with crumbs.

8.  Bake at 350* for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Duggar Tater Tot Casserole

I've made these a couple of times. I like that I can have everything sitting in my pantry and it's one of those things I can have for food storage that I can "whip" together when we're out of food. :)

Preheat: 350*
Category: Casserole, Tater tots, Potatoes, Duggar

1 lb. Ground turkey, cooked, seasoned, drained (I general use ground beef.)
2.5 lbs. Tater tots (Regular potatoes are okay, but I like the consistency of the tater tots better.)
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Evaporated Milk
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1. Brown meat and place in casserole dish.  I have to use my 9x13 baking dish.

2. Cover with tots.

3.  Separately, mix soups and milk, then spread over the top of the tots.

4.  Bake at 350* for one hour.

Grilled Cheese Classic

I know everybody knows how to make grilled cheese, but if I didn't have this notecard in my recipe list, I would forget about this yummy basic. :)


Preheat: --
Category: Sandwich, Cheese

Per Sandwich:
2 slices Bread
Butter
Cheese, cut into thin slices, enough to cover the surface of a slice of bread

1. Preheat the pan to a medium-high heat.

2. Butter each slice of bread on one side. Place the butter side of one slice down on the hot pan, layer the cheese and put the top slice of bread on top, butter-side up.

3. Grill both sides of the sandwich until bread is golden brown and cheese has melted.

Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard

I made this a while back when the kids were begging for chicken nuggets. I made their nuggets instead and they loved 'em! Then Daddy got home and happily finished off the rest. It was messy (with the milk and flour making a mess on my fingers--yuck!), but soooo good. Definitely something to make when you don't have little kid distractions though! And the honey mustard sauce is good, too. :)


Preheat: --
Category: Chicken, Fast Food Substitutes, Honey, Mustard

16-oz. Chicken breasts
1 c. Flour (I do 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup bread crumbs--mmmm!)
1/2 t. Salt
1/4 t. Pepper
3/4 c. Milk

HONEY MUSTARD We eat it with barbecue sauce, soooo...
1/2 c. Honey
1/4 c. Dijon mustard

1. Cut chicken into 1/2 x 2" strips.  We like chicken nuggets, so we cut our chicken accordingly.

2. Mix flour and salt & pepper. Dip chicken in milk, then in flour mixture, coating well. Set on wax paper.

3. Fry chicken in a skillet, turning once, for about 3 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. I would drain the oil about half-way through and replace it with new oil.  Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't, depending on my mood. :)

Crock pot Split Pea Soup

We've enjoyed this a couple of times, and it's perfect for our upcoming menu!


Preheat: --
Category: Soup, Peas, Crockpot, Ham

1 16-oz. pkg. Dried split peas, rinsed
2 c. Ham, diced
3 Carrots, chunky-cut
1 med. Onion, diced
2 stalks Celery, chunky-cut
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Bay Leaf
1 T. Seasoning salt
1/2 t. Pepper
1 1/2 quarts hot water (4 cups = 1 quart, so 6 cups)

1. Layer ingredients in crockpot in the order presented.

2. Pour in water--DON'T STIR.

3. Cover and cook: 4-5 hours on HIGH or 8-10 hours on LOW.

4. Remove bay leaf before serving while hot.

Egg/Cheese/Muffin

This is a VERY easy dinner. It's definitely a "sometimes" food.


Preheat: --
Category: Eggs, Breakfast

Per person:
1 English muffin
1-2 Eggs
1 super-thin slice Sharp cheddar cheese
Butter or mayo

1. Toast English muffin. Pan fry the eggs, breaking the yolks with the spatula.

2. Spread either butter OR mayonnaise on one side of the muffin as soon as it's out of the toaster. Add slice of cheese right away so it can melt.

3. When eggs are fried, fold them so they fit on the muffin and assemble the sandwich. Serve hot.

Jana Glass' Marinara Sauce

I swear I posted this before, but I can't find it!! So if this is a repeat post, I apologize. I saw a picture of this on Jana's blog, and it looks AMAZING. I can't wait to make it this week!

Preheat: --
Category: Tomatoes, sauce, Marinara

2 T. Oil
3/4 c. Onion, minced (1 med. onion)
1 T. Parsley, chopped
1 lg. clove Garlic, minced
4 c. Fresh tomato purée (about 10 Roma tomatoes; Jana likes to use Romas, obviously)
1-2 T. Basil
1 t. Salt
Celery (optional)
1 t. Sugar (optional)

1. Sauté onions until transluscent over medium heat.

2. Add parsley, garlic and cook for about 1 minute.

3. Add tomatoes, basil, salt

4. Simmer until sauce-like consistency. Stir occasionally so it doesn't stick.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

I've been looking for a good, simple, easy recipe for Mac & Cheese and this is it. I'm reviewing Jessica Seinfeld's book where you sneak vegetables into kid-friendly recipes... Once I get throuh that I'll have another, more healthy, Mac & Cheese, I hope! :)


Preheat: 400*
Category: Cheese, Pasta

1 lb. Shell macaroni
3/4 t. Salt
Pepper
4 c. Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (4c. is about 1 lb.)
2 T. Butter, melted
4 c. Milk

1. Cook shells until al dente and drain well.


2. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and layer ingredients three times each:

Layer 1: Shells
Layer 2: Mix: Cheese, Salt & Pepper, Milk, Butter

Duggar's Three-Bean Chili

This is delicious (I always say that, I know, ha!)! And I love that it's crockpot.

Preheat: --
Category: Chili, Beans, Crockpot

2/3 c. Pinto beans, dry
2/3 c. Great northern beans, dry
2/3 c. Small red or Kidney beans, dry
1 clove Garlic
3 t. Chili powder
1 t. Oregano
2 t. Salt
1 lg can whole tomatoes (I used diced and I would definitely drain them next time!)
1 T. Apple cider vinegar
1 T. Soy sauce
4 c. Water (I ALWAYS have to add an extra cup, for a total of 5 cups.)

1 lb. Ground beef, cooked
Chips/Fritos
Sour Cream
Cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Combine, cook 8 hours on HIGH. I can't always time the 8 hours right, so I like to put my chili on the night before after the kids go to bed (by 9PM or so) and let it cook on LOW until lunchtime--and it's sooo delicious!  (You'll see in the pictures that I add 3 stalks of chopped-up celery to my chili.)

We really don't like those whole tomatoes.......

This is what it looks like in the crockpot before adding the water!  Mmmm, good.

2. Add 1 lb. cooked ground beef just before serving.

3. Serve with Fritos, Sour cream and Cheddar cheese. I haven't ever used the Fritos. We buy the huge box of restaurant-style corn tortilla chips from Sam's Club. :)

Oven-Baked Chicken Parmesan

This has been on my list of recipes to try for a while--it sounds soooo good! We're having it in a couple of nights, so had to post the recipe!

Preheat: 400*
Category: Chicken

1 1/4 lb. Chicken breast
1 Egg, slightly beaten
3/4 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 jar (26-28 oz.) Spaghetti sauce
1 c. Mozzarella, shredded

1. Dip chicken in egg, then in crumbs, coating well.

2. Arrange in a 13x9 baking dish.

3. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

4. Pour spaghetti sauce over chicken and top with cheese.

5. Bake another 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.

6. Serve with hot, cooked pasta. I think we'll do spaghetti noodles? :)

Broiled Fish

This is a staple among basic recipes. :)


Preheat: Broiler
Category: Fish, Broiler

Fish
Butter
Salt & Pepper
Paprika

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Place fish on greased, unheated rack of broiler pan. Tuck under any thin edges.

3. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with paprika.

4. Broil 4 inches from heat for 4-6 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness. If 1" or thicker, turn fish 1/2-way through broiling.

It is soooooooo good this way! We're having broiled catfish tomorrow night. :)

Best Chicken Pot Pie

This is oh-so-good, and it happens to be what I'm making for dinner tonight.  I am going to make TWO so that we have leftovers to eat for lunch tomorrow. :) :)

Preheat: 425*
Category: Chicken, pie, PICTURES

2 Unbaked pie crusts (use my double pie crust recipe)
1 lb. Chicken, cooked and cubed
1 c. Carrots, sliced
1 c. Frozen green peas
1/2 c. Celery, sliced
1/3 c. Butter
1/3 c. Flour
1/2 t. Salt
1/4 t. Pepper
1/4 t. Celery seed
1 3/4 c. Chicken broth
2/3 c. Milk

1.  Combine chicken, carrots, peas & celery.  Cover with water and boil for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and drain.  Set aside.

2.  Cook onions in butter; add flour, salt and pepper, celery seed. 

3.  Slowly add chicken broth and milk.  Simmer until thickened.

4.  Place chicken mixture in the bottom of the crust.  Pour the hot liquid over.

5.  Place 2nd pie crust on top and seal edges.  Cut 3 slits on top for steam.  Or like I do, gently fork in a C for Chicken pot pie. :) :)

6.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the insides are bubbly.

7.  Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Yummiest, Most Simple Apple Pie

This recipe turns out EVERY SINGLE TIME!  I love it!  I use my nice knives my SIL bought for me us for Christmas last year and I can get my apples nice and thin.  Plus I slice my slices in half so they fill the pie plate better.  You're gonna love it!

Preheat: 375*
Category: Pie, apples, dessert, PICURES

1 recipe for Double Pie Crust
6 c. Apples, thinly sliced
3/4 c. Sugar
2 T. Flour
1/2 t. Cinnamon
1/8 t. Nutmeg

1.  Line the bottom of a greased pie plate with rolled-out pastry. 

2.  Mix the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.  Add the apples and toss until they're coated.

3.  Dump the apples into the pastry-lined pie plate and pack them in.

4.  Cover the pie with the 2nd pie crust.  Roll the crust up and in, and crimp.  Cut slits on the top of the pie. Or like I do, gently use a fork to make the letter A to show what kind of pie it is!

5.  Bake with edge of pie crust covered with foil and bake at 375* for 25 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes.  Let pie sit for about five minutes before slicing in!  I like my new Pampered Chef pie crust shield--I hated the foil!  What a waste and what a hassle!

Optional: Serve pie with a slice of cheddar cheese on top!  Mmmmm.

Pie Crust

This pie crust is versatile! I have several more crust recipes I have recently copied down and I want to have a pie crust-off to find out which I like, which is easiest to roll, etc.  But this is my tried-and-true crust from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. :)

Preheat: 400*
Category: BHG (Better Homes & Gardens), Crust, Pie, PICTURES

Single Crust:
1 1/4 c. Flour
1/3 c. Shortening
4-5 T. Cold water
Dash Salt

Double Crust:
2 c. Flour
2/3 c. Shortening
6-7 T. Cold water
2 Dashes Salt

1. Cut the shortening and flour together until you get a bowlful of pea-shapes.

2.  Cut in the COLD water one Tablespoon at a time until you have a good, workable crust.  This is something I learned from experience... When you roll the dough into a ball, it has a good marbeling of shortening and it's not really sticky (sticky enough you need to have flour on your hands though!).

3.  Roll out dough to the right diameter.  Tricks? Roll dough into a ball and press with the flat of your hand until it's ready for a rolling pin.  Roll out starting in the center as if rolling out to the numbers of a clock.  Center to 12, center to 1, center to 2, etc., until you've gone in a full circle.  My deep dish pie pan from Pampered Chef needs me to roll out my dough to 12".  Make sure your rolling surface and your flat surface have plenty of flour to keep your dough from sticking!  To transfer dough from the flat surface to the pie plate, roll the flattened dough carefully and loosely onto your rolling pin.  Lay the dough on the side of your pie pan and voilà!  Of course I say voilà but it's never really that easy, is it? :) :)

OR, if you are not putting a top onto the crust,

Cookbook Review: The Six O'Clock Scramble by Aviva Goldfarb

Title: The Six O'Clock Scramble: Quick, Healthy, and Delicious Dinner Recipes for Busy Families
Author: Aviva Goldfarb
Copyright: 2006
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, New York, NY
Pages: 321, including a brief author bio, an index and dozens of yummy-sounding recipes!


One of my favorite things about going to the library is being in a... "culinary" mood and picking out a cookbook.  I put culinary in quotes because that does NOT describe me, nor does it describe my family.  I have a very picky clan and somehow I can't envision them eating something exotic like... couscous and savory vegetable casserole with feta (p. 64).  It's not just that... the price of some of these one-use recipe fillers scares me away.  And with this example, I have to admit I'm not crazy about couscous, but that's beside the point!

That disclaimer of bias aside, I loved looking through Ms. Goldfarb's book. The first thing that caught my attention was that she organized the meals by season.  I'm terrible at cooking for the season!  If spaghetti sounds good in summer, I make it.  I know it's a little heavy for summer, but I can't quite keep my seasons straight when it comes to cooking!  Having recipes sorted for me is quite the revelation!

The next thing I noticed (and liked) is that the recipe titles are sorted by weeks.  Fall has 13 weeks of recipes, and all of them look amazing!  The rest of the seasons have 13 weeks, too, making a year-total of 52 weeks.  A sample week? I thought you'd never ask!

Winter, Week 4
Easy Baked Ziti (it looks good, but I already have a delicious baked ziti recipe)
Pumpkin Black Bean Soup
Mediterranean Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives
Baked Sausage and Egg Casserole
Southwestern Bulgur Pilaf

Here's a week six months later from

Summer, Week 4
Grilled Sausage Kabobs with Summer Vegetables
Lime-Garlic Shrimp with Black Bean and Corn Salad
Rigatoni with Asparagus and Lemon
Celia's Honey Chicken
Japanese Eggplant and Green Beans in Garlic Sauce

Believe it or not, but each of these meals is simple, taking about 30 minutes per dish!

The book wraps up with a few notes and a comprehensive index.  One other worthy note--Ms. Goldfarb fills the book with little sticky-note-like tips.  They're for families of every age, one case in point being the example of puréeing a portion of dinner and freezing it in ice cube trays--then labeling and using thawed out for baby.

All in all, it's a lovely book!  I wish I could have found more recipes suited to my family, but you may be fancier than I am!  The book is available on Amazon.com, both used and new: The Six O'Clock Scramble.  New books are $12.21 (from Amazon) and the least expensive used book is currently $8.99.

Tuna Melts with Sliced Avocado and Tomato

This is something one could easily come up with by themselves, but I like having notecards with these kinds of recipes for those days when my brain is foggy. :)  Thank you to Six O'Clock Scramble for this one!

Preheat: 350*
Category: Sandwich, Tuna

2 6-oz. cans Chunk tuna, drained
1-2 T. Mayonaisse, to taste
1 stalk Celery, finely diced
4 slices Sourdough bread
1 ripe Avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
1 ripe Tomato, thinly sliced
4 slices Muenster cheese

1.  Mix tuna, mayo, celery thoroughly with a fork.

2.  Lightly toast the bread. Spread 1 scoop of tuna on the bread, topping it with slices of avocado, tomato and one thin slice of cheese.

3.  Bake at 350* for about 5 minutes on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Cheese should be melted.

Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken

Six O'Clock Scramble again!  There are million more amazing recipes in here that are just too fancy for my meat'n'potatoes family.  You should check it out!

Preheat: --
Category: Chicken, Grill

5 T. Honey
5 T. Dijon mustard
1 pack (4-5 lbs.) Chicken thighs and drumsticks (about 12 pieces)

1. Mix together honey and mustard.

2.  Place chicken in a large dish with cover. Pour or brush marinade over chicken and coat thoroughly.  Marinate 1-24 hours (the closer to 24 hours, the better in this case!). 

3. Grill the chicken on a preheated grill or broil in a preheated broiler for about 8-10 minutes on each side. (or 5-6 minutes if you are using boneless thighs).  Baste once again with marinade until it's cooked through and slightly browned.

Chicken is supposed to be good warm or cold! :)

Sloppy Joes

Yet another recipe from The Six O'Clock Scramble!

1 lb. Ground beef
1/2 Yellow onion, diced
1 Red bell pepper, finely diced
1 Large carrot, or 5-6 Baby carrots, finely diced
1 can (15 oz.) Tomato sauce
2 T. Worchestershire sauce
2 T. ketchup
1 T. Brown sugar
8 Buns

1. Brown ground beef until almost cooked through; drain excess liquid and add diced vegetables.

2.  Sauté mixture for two minutes and add remaining ingredients.

3.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cover the skillet.  Simmer 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

4. Toast the buns and fill each one with a large (slotted) spoonful of the meat mixture.

Fluffy Scrambled Eggs

This is different!  It looks yummy!  Let me know if you prepare this!  Again, this recipe is from The Six O'Clock Scramble.

Preheat: --
Category: Eggs, breakfast

6 Eggs
1 heaping T. Plain yogurt
1 heaping T. Cottage cheese

1. Combine ingredients and cook in a nonstick skillet.  Stir occasionally over medium heat until they are just firm. Season with salt.

Baked Sausage and Egg Casserole

This looks so yummy! I haven't tried it, but it looks hard to mess this one up. ;)  If you try it, be sure to comment and let me know how it turns out.  This recipe is from The Six O'Clock Scramble by Aviva Goldfarb.

Preheat: 350*
Category: Casserole, eggs, breakfast

1 lb. Sausage
2 c. Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 oz. Chopped green chiles, drained
9 Eggs
2 c. Skim milk
3/4 t. Dry mustard
1/2 t. Salt

1.  Brown sausage and drain fat.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, dry mustard and salt.

3.  Layer in a greased 9x13 pan: Sausage, cheddar cheese, chiles, egg mixture.

4.  Bake at 350* for 35-40 minutes and serve hot.

Fudge Crinkle Cookies

This is a little expensive (in my opinion!) because you buy a cake mix.  Maybe one of these days I'll take a few minutes and modify my sister's cake recipe to make this recipe...

Preheat: 350*
Category: Cake mix, cookies, dessert

1 (18 1/4-oz.) Devil's food cake mix Betty Crocker is what came recommended with the recipe, but I don't hold with any given brand... whatever's on sale!
1/2 c. Oil
2 Large eggs
Confectioner's sugar

1.  Stir BY HAND.

2. Dust hands with powdered sugar and make 1" balls.

3.  Roll balls in powdered sugar.  Let them "dry" for a few minutes

4.  Place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheets

5. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350* until the center is JUST SET.  Do not overbake.

Baked Ziti

We had this when we had the missionaries over for dinner--and they loved it!  Yea for another successful dish! :)  I like this one especially because it makes a 9x13 pan... we ate half of it for one sitting and had it for even yummier leftovers the next day!  Plus, it's so easy to make that your KID can make it.  :)

Preheat: 350*
Category: Italian, Pasta, Freezeable, Casserole

1 lb. Ziti pasts, cooked al dente
1 lb. Italian sausage, cooked & chopped I used ground beef cooked with a little garlic/onion/basil/oregano stirred in and that worked great.
15 oz. Ricotta cheese Another substitution! 15 oz. Cottage cheese!  We use full-fat cottage cheese...
2 T. Fresh parsley Oops, I left this out altogether. But you can use 1 T. dry parsley.
1 Egg
1 1/2 c. Mozzarella cheese
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese I buy mine at Sam's Club in the huge tubs so it's super-inexpensive!
22 oz. Pasta sauce

1/2 c. Mozzarella cheese
3/4 c. (6 oz.) Pasta sauce

1.  In a large mixing bowl, mix ricotta, egg, parsley, 1 1/2 c. mozzarella and parmesan.

2.  Add and mix in cooked sausage, cooked pasta and 22 oz. pasta sauce.

3.  Put mixture in a 2-quart casserole dish.  Like I said before, I used a 9x13 pan. It fit great!

4.  Top with 3/4 c. sauce and 1/2 c. mozzarella. You can see I tucked mine in the refrigerator for tonight... It sure is nice to have dinner "made," and it only takes 30 minutes in the oven. :) :)

5.  At 350*, bake covered for 15 minutes, then bake for another 30 minutes uncovered. If you're like me, you'll want to broil on high for another five minutes. :)

TO FREEZE
Cover the unbaked casserole with foil and freeze IN THE PAN.  When it's completely frozen, pop it out and into a freezer bag.

TO HEAT AFTER FREEZING
Place frozen casserole into dish and thaw.  Preheat to 350*.  Cover and bake for 20 minutes; uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more.

New York-Style Pizza Sauce

This is a new family favorite. It's soooo easy, and it's soooo good.

1 T. Water
2 T. Fresh basil, chopped (we used 1 T. dry basil)
1 1/2 t. Olive oil
2 t. Dried oregano
1 1/2 t. Sugar
1 t. Garlic, minced
1 (14.5-oz.) can Petite-cut diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (6-oz.) can Tomato paste

1. Combine in a bowl & stir with whisk.  See!  I told you it was easy! :)

Calzone Dough

This is from my friend Beth, who always has amazing recipes.  I wish I had typed this one up before yesterday--I needed it and my recipes were in my bag... that I had left at church the night before!  What a ditz! :)  I'm happy to have my recipe box back!

Preheat: 400*
Category: Pizza, Dough, Calzones, Breadmaker

1 pkg. Dry yeast
1 1/2 t. Salt
1/2 c. Shortening
2 T. Water
2 1/2 t. Sugar
2 c. Warm water
5 c. Flour I ALWAYS need more!

1.  Combine 2T. water, the sugar, and the yeast.  Allow to sit for about 10 minutes (so it can get a good head).

2.  Mix dry ingredients and then add in shortening.  I like to cut the shortening in, but it's not necessary.

3.  Mix wet ingredients in with dry.  Allow dough to sit for 5-10 minutes.

4.  Make balls from one to three inches, depending on the size of calzone you want.  Roll out the dough (we love rolling it out super-flat!).  Beth recommended to roll them out to a 3 1/2" x 5" rectangle but there's something about the half-moon shape that makes me happy.

5.  Place desired ingredients on half of the calzone.  Leave a small border for pinching the calzone closed later.

6.  Bake until golden brown.  This is about 25 minutes.  I set the timer for 25 minutes and then keep a close eye on it. I like a deeper golden brown, but that's just me.  :)

Ideas for Fillers
Mozzarella
Zucchini
Vidalia onion
Marinara sauce
Rosemary

Tomato sauce
Chicken
Cheese

Pepperoni
Cheese
Sauce
--

If you're making this for the breadmaker, cut the ingredients in half and put them in this order, using the dough cycle.  Then go back to following the above directions.

1 c. +  1 T. Water
1/4 c. Shortening
2 1/2 c. Flour
1 1/4 t. Sugar
3/4 t. Salt
1 1/8 t. Dry yeast

Best Hamburgers

These are THE BEST hamburgers.  We've stopped buying frozen, pre-formed hamburgers from the store because these are so good.  In fact, it's one of the recipes that keeps us from eating out because it tastes even better than fast food. :)

Preheat: --
Category: Hamburgers, Ground beef

2 lbs. Ground beef
1 Egg, slightly beaten
1/2 envelope Onion soup mix
1 T. Garlic powder
1/4 C. Dry breadcrumbs
1 T. Worchestershire sauce
1 t. Ground pepper
1 pinch Cayenne pepper (we use a few dashes of hot sauce instead)

1. Crumble ground beef in a bowl.

2.  Add remaining ingredients and work together.  Do not overwork! 

3. Divide into 6-8 patties.  Make a shallow dent with a small spoon (about 1" wide) in the center of each patty.

4.  Refrigerate for 6-24 hours, covered with plastic wrap.  I generally skip this step... but it's delicious if you DO wait for the ingredients to marinate!

5.  Grill or fry as desired.  We use our Foreman grill--in the words of Rachael Ray: Yumm-o!

Classic Pancakes

I love this recipe because of how many eggs are in it.  It makes me feel like I'm getting a little sneaked-in protein into my family's bellies!

Preheat: --
Category: Pancakes, Breakfast, Breads

6 Eggs
1 1/2 C. Milk
1/4 C. + 2 T. Oil
2 1/4 C. Flour
2 T. Baking powder
1/2 T. Salt
1/2 T. Sugar

1.  Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.

2.  Blend in wet ingredients with a whisk.

3.  Cook on a greased hot griddle or pan.

Austin's Yummy Lemonade

We love this lemonade recipe!  I'm claiming it as my own, as it's morphed completely from the original!  We like our lemonade more tart, first of all.  Second of all, I'm including TWO methods for making this lemonade.

We made the strawberry lemonade version above for a Pampered Chef party, and served it with a frozen strawberry in each cup.  Mmmmmm, it was delicious!  (And yes, that is a flower vace--it was kind of a fun change of pace instead of my plastic pitcher. ;))

Category: Lemonade, Lemon juice, Drinks

8 c. Cold water
1 c. Lemon juice

2 c. Water
2 c. Sugar

1 c. Strawberries, frozen  Other frozen or fresh fruits with work, too.  I'd be interested in knowing what combinations you try and like!

METHOD ONE (our favorite):
1.  Pour 5 cups of water into the blender.  I go ahead and use cold, filtered water.

2.  Add 1 cup of sugar into the blender.  If adding strawberries or fruit, add 1/2 cup in now.  Blend for a good minute.  I used the smoothie setting, but that's just me.

3.  Pour sugar water into pitcher. 

4.  Pour 5 cups of water into the blender.  Add 1 cup of sugar into the blender.  If adding strawberries or fruit, add 1/2 cup in now.  Blend for another good minute.

5.  Pour second batch of sugar water into pitcher.

6.  Add Lemon Juice into pitcher.  Stir and serve.

METHOD TWO:
1.  In a microwave safe container, add 2 cups of water.  Microwave on HIGH until the water is boiling (about seven minutes for me).

2.  In pitcher, pour in 8 cups of cold water and the 1 cup of lemon juice.

3.  Stir the sugar into the boiling water until dissolved.  You may need to microwave the sugar water again.  See why we like the first method better?  :)

4.  Pour the sugar water into the pitcher and stir.

5.  Refrigerate until cold and/or serve over ice.

Hermit Cookies

My step-dad used to LOVE these cookies! We quite like them, but eater beware! If you eat too many, you could end up needing to use the facilities more than you bargained for!

Preheat: 350*
Category: Cookies, raisins, dessert

1 T. Milk
3 Eggs
1 T. Baking soda
2/3 c. Butter, melted
1 c. Raisins
2 c. Sugar
1 t. Nutmeg
1 t. Cinnamon
1 t. Allspice
3 c. Flour

1. Blend milk, eggs and baking soda in the blender.

2. Gradually add melted butter.

3. Gradually add and ground raisins.  Set aside.

4.  In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients.

5.  Add wet ingredients to dry and mix.

6.  Place cookies in balls about two inches apart.

7.  Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 11 minutes, or until firm.  Allow cookies to finish baking on cookie sheet before removing.

Paula Deen's Taco Soup

Mmm-mmm-mmm!  This was delicious!  I altered it... rather significantly, now that I'm thinking about it... but it's absolutely delicious!  (This post is for you, Mary Lynn! Muah!)  If you use the dry beans like I did, it's much less expensive to make. :)

You can go directly to Paula Deen's Food Network page, and there are pictures posted.  :)

Preheat: --
Category: Soup, Paula Deen, Mexican, Crockpot, Chili

2 lbs. Ground beef
2 c. Onions, diced
2 (15 1/2-oz.) cans Pinto beans
2 (15 1/2-oz.) cans Pink kidney beans
1 (15 1/4-oz.) can Whole corn, drained
1 (14 1/2-oz.) Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-oz.) can Diced tomatoes
2 (14 1/2-oz.) cans Diced green chiles
(opt) 1 (4.6-oz.) can Black olives, drained & sliced
(opt) 1/2 c. Green olives, sliced
1 (1 1/4-oz.) pkg. Taco seasoning mix
1 (1-oz.) pkg. Ranch seasoning mix

For serving:
Corn chips
Sour cream
Cheddar Cheese, grated
Green onions, chopped

Directions:
1. Brown the meat and the onions; drain.
2. Put in the slow cooker for 6-8 hours on low OR simmer on the stovetop for 2 hours.

I made my variation so different that it merits its own recipe!

2 cups Dry pinto beans
1 cup Pink kidney beans (I ended up using red, since that's what I had available)
6 cups Water
1 can Corn
2 cans Diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel (tomatoes with chiles)
1 can Diced green chilis (those suckers are expensive at about $1.25 per can!)
1 can Black olives, drained & sliced
2 cups Onions, diced (about 1 huge yellow onion, 2 medium onions)
4 T. Taco seasoning (I refuse to buy those packets--it's way less expensive to get the big tub, ha!)
3 T. Ranch dressing mix (Same, too expensive to buy the dressing in bottles, and this is so much better!)

1 lb. Ground beef

Corn chips, sour cream, grated cheese, chopped green onion

1. Put everything but the ground beef and toppings into the crockpot the night before. Cook on LOW until lunch the next day (so, around 16 hours!). 

2. Cook the meat, drain it, and stir it into the soup.

3.  Serve with garnish & toppings.

Simple Grilled Chicken

We had the yummiest lunch today! I have been meaning to make a chicken and rice casserole, but I keep running out of time! It takes two hours of (tightly) covered baking time... SO! I needed to use the chicken and thought, "Hmmm.  Maybe grilled chicken!" I pulled out our George Foreman (the huge size my husband bought for me for Christmas last year) and served the chicken to my kids cut in hot dog-size strips, in a hot dog bun! (We ate a salad too--tomatoes for the two-year-old and me, and ranch dressing for all of us.)  Both plates were about cleared!  We were hungry and this was GOOD!

Preheat: --
Category: Chicken, grilled, simple, George Foreman

1 large chicken breast
sea salt
pepper

1.  Set your George Foreman grill on medium-high.

2.  Place your chicken breast on the grill; sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. 

3.  Poke the chicken liberally with holes.  This is to tenderize, allow for faster cooking and to allow the salt/pepper to seep through the chicken.

3. Grill until the insides are no longer pink and/or until the juices flow clear when chicken is poked with a fork.  I always, always cut mine to make sure!

If you don't have a Foreman grill, you can still prepare this simple feast, but you need 2-3 T. Oil to do it:

1.  Turn on your stovetop to medium-high.  Put in your oil and allow the pan to heat up.

2.  Poke the chicken liberally with holes.  For the same reason as above, ha ha.

3.  Cook the chicken on one side until you see the edges are getting cooked.  You do the majority of cooking on the first side of the chicken breast.  My husband likes to use steam to cook the chicken, so oftentimes, he'll cover the pan with its lid.  Another idea is to cut the chicken into strips ahead of time--the chicken will cook MUCH faster if it's in strips.

4.  Flip the chicken.  Finish cooking on the other side.  The cooking time on this side is much less, so you'll want to watch carefully for when the chicken is done, and beautifully browned.

Portion sizes for cooked poultry for an adult are two to three ounces and active preschool kids need need about five ounces of meat/beans per day.

Laundry Detergent

Update: 22 February 2011.  I'm hosting a laundry soap making party next week and a friend of mine sent me this AMAZING link: http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/.  It is THE most complete information I've ever seen on homemade laundry soap detergent.  Check out the FAQ link, and be sure to peruse the comments section for some very useful tips!

I've seen this recipe floating around a few different places, so I'm posting the two I think are the best.  I've tried one batch of the dry powdered version and loved it!  But it's a little expensive for the way I was using it...

Version #1: Powdered

3 bars (5.5 oz.) Fels Naptha, grated VERY FINELY
3 cups Washing soda (Arm & Hammer)
1 1/2 cup Borax

1. Mix
2. Store in airtight container.
3. Use 2 Tablespoons for normal loads, 3 Tablespoons for heavy loads.

Version #2: Liquid (from the Duggar's new book (that I'm coveting))

1 bar (5.5 oz.) Fels Naptha
1 cup Washing soda (Again, Arm & Hammer makes this)
1/2 cup Borax (I use a full cup)

1. Grate Fels Naptha soap into saucepan.  Cover with hot tap water.

2. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continually, until the soap is completely dissolved.

3. Put washing soda and Borax into a 5-gallon bucket. Pour in the hot (dissolved) soap mixture.  Stir well until the powder is dissolved.

4.  Fill bucket to the top with hot water.  Stir and cover, then allow to sit overnight.

5.  NEXT MORNING: Stir mixture.

6.  Mix equal amounts of soap and water into a smaller container. 

7.  Shake before using one cup per load (top loader).  Use 1/3 cup for a side-loader.

Orange Julius

Today's General Conference for our church.  In addition to making the traditional Taco Dip (mmmm!), I'm going to make this recipe. I dunno, it just sounds good. :)

2 c. Orange juice
1/2 c. Milk
6 c. Ice cubes, crushed
2 T. Sugar
1/2 t. Vanilla

1. Blend until smooth.  Serve immediately.

Gramma Hargrove's Taco Dip

This is a CLASSIC.  And yes, Gramma Hargrove is my grandma. :)

Layer:
#1 - 2 (9-oz.) cans Refried Beans (I use my recipe for crockpot refried beans; also my mom swears that you HAVE to use Frito Lay's Bean Dip, but I'm against brand names and high prices, ha!)

#2 - 3 Avocados, mashed; mix with 2 T. Lemon juice

#3 - 1/2 c. Sour cream; mix with 1/2 c. Mayonnaise and 1 pkg. Taco seasoning

#4 - 8 oz. Cheddar cheese, shredded

#5 - 3 Tomatoes, chopped (I like Romas, and use 5 tomatoes)

#6 - 1 can Chopped olives (We're talking finely chopped, not sliced--I've made the mistake before, ha!)

#7 - 2-3 bunches Green onions, chopped

Chill an hour before serving.  Serve with tortilla chips.  I like flour tortillas with this taco dip, but we're eating them today with corn tortillas for cost!  Thin flour tortillas allow you to really get the flavor of the dip. :)

Jolinn's Crockpot Refried Beans

This is also technically a Duggar recipe but between my friend Jolinn and me, we've altered the recipe from the original; thus the title!  These are amazing, and so versatile!

Preheat: --
Category: Beans, Crockpot, Duggar, Burritos

3 c. Beans (Pinto, white, whatever combination of the two to get 3 cups; I do all pinto quite often)
6 c. Water (The original had 5 cups, but my beans burned--BLECH)
3 t. Salt (It is definitely possible to over-salt!)
3 T. Chili powder
1 t. Black pepper

1. Throw ingredients into crockpot.

2. Cook on HIGH for 8 hours.  Okay, commentary needed. Eight hours is too weird for me. I like to do my beans overnight, so I put them in on low until I get up. Most mornings I get up and the beans are just past al dente, so I put them on high until lunchtime.  Whatever YOU do, make sure 1) you have enough water and 2) they're soft enough to mush.

3. Serve with Tortillas or on Rice.  We have loved these as burritos, with cheddar cheese, spinach, sour cream, sometimes with ground beef... Soooo good.

Best Country White Bread or Dinner Rolls

This is my official favorite recipe for making bread... I only make the rolls these days, but the bread's really good, too.  This is a breadmaker recipe, and I'm posting it as such.  If you hand-make the dough, it's a different process. :)

Preheat: --, but you'll bake the rolls at 350*
Category: Bread, Rolls, Bread Maker, PICTURES

1 c. Water
1 T. Water
1 large Egg
4 1/2 t. Vegetable oil
3 1/4 c. Flour (bread flour preferred)
1/4 c. Sugar
1 1/2 t. Salt (I add another 1/2 t. for preference)
2 1/4 t. Yeast
--
2 T Butter, melted or softened if making rolls

Bread
1. Put ingredients into breadmaker in order.  Make sure your flour covers all wet ingredients.  Use white bread setting and hit start.

Rolls
1. Put ingredients into breadmaker in order, making sure your flour covers all wet ingredients. Use the dough setting and hit start.

You'll want to check after about 10-15 minutes to make sure your dough is not too dry and not too wet.  This is just right:

2. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan.  I use butter, and since my 9x13 pan broke, I used my 9" round cake pan and that worked beautifully!

When the breadmaker cycle finishes, the dough rises to about this:

3. Grease hands to make 15 balls. I don't have room for 15 balls in my pan, so I make however many balls I like.  Apparently 15 is the magic number for a 9x13 pan! :)

I don't bother with a lot of fluff... Used to it made a big mess adding flour, but after several (several) batches of rolls, all I do is butter my (clean!) countertop and plop down the dough:

4. Cover and rise until double.  My favorite trick is to put the rolls into the oven, and preheat to 170*. When my oven beeps that it's at the right temperature, I shut it off... that helps the rolls rise faster (esp. in winter!). 

5. Bake at 350* for 12-15 minutes.  This is DEFINITELY for those 15 teeny rolls!!!  My larger rolls take more like 30 minutes to bake. I just watch for the tops to be a beautiful deep golden brown color and then take 'em out. 


6.  Remove the rolls from the pan ASAP and brush with butter.  If you put the rolls onto a plate, they will get soggy on the bottom!!  (Ask me how I know this.)  I put mine on a cooling rack and they turn out beautifully.  The brushing with butter keeps the rolls soft, if you didn't already know this. :)

Pampered Chef Loaded Potato Chowder

This is the recipe Lorri made tonight!

Preheat: --
Category: Main dish, Potatoes, Chowder, Soup, Microwave

3 large Baking potatoes
3 1/2 c. Milk (I used skim)
4 oz. Cream cheese, softened
2 T. Butter
2-3 Green onions (I used three)
4 oz. Sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 t. Salt
1/2 t. Ground black pepper

1. Cut potatoes into quarters. Microwave for 10 minutes and check for doneness. Rotate potatoes and microwave for another 10 minutes.

2. While potatoes are microwaving, beat milk and cream cheese together in one bowl; grate the cheese and chop the green onions.

3.  When potatoes are soft, mash, leaving mostly bite-size chunks of potato.  Add the remaining ingredients until thoroughly hot. 

4.  (you realize now, that I'm making up these directions... to get actual directions, buy the cookbook! lol) Serve with optional cooked bacon, sour cream and/or steamed broccoli florets.

I think the sour cream really made this soup great!

Megan's Chocolate Cake (modified)

This is out of my mom's collection of recipes and I made it tonight for the Pampered Chef party! I'm so glad you liked it! :) :)

Preheat: 350*
Category: Cakes, Chocolate, Dessert

3 c. Flour
2 c. Sugar
1/2 c. Cocoa
2 t. Baking soda
1 t. Salt
2/3 c. Oil
1 Egg
1 t. Vanilla
2 c. Water, cold

1. Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.

2.  Mix the oil, egg, vanilla and water in another bowl.

3. Pour the wet into the dry and mix well.

4. Pour everything into a greased and floured 9x13 pan.

5.  Bake at 350* for 45 minutes or until done.

6. Cool before frosting.  I used the Butter Frosting recipe from Better Homes and Gardens.  Obviously, I made the chocolate variation of the frosting! :)

The variation of this cake for the party was to use a stoneware baking dish--Lorri dumped in the batter, dumped the frosting on top, and it made the yummiest cake!

New York Cheesecake

My cute husband always throws away the box before I can get the recipe from the Philadelphia cream cheese box. :)

Preheat: 325*
Category: Cake, Cheesecake, Dessert

Crust
1 Cup Graham cracker crumbs
3 Tablespoons Sugar
3 Tablespoons Butter, melted

1. Mix crumbs, sugar and butter. Press firmly onto bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. I love my marble rolling pin for breaking up the graham crackers. :)

2. Bake at 325* for 10 minutes. 300* if you're using a dark nonstick springform pan.

Filling
2 1/2 Lbs. Cream cheese, softened
1 Cup Sugar
3 Tablespoons Flour
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1 Cup Sour cream
4 Eggs

Topping
Pie filling (canned or fresh)

1. Beat all ingredients. When you get to the eggs, the recipe says add them one at a time.

2. Pour over crust.

3. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until center is almost set.

4. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan.

5. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Tope with pie filling before serving. Um, I say ABSOLUTELY REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT! There's no question that the cheesecake is better after it has mellowed... and 2nd day cheesecake is rumored to be even better, but at my house it's always eaten before the rumor is confirmed. :)

Better Homes & Gardens' Butter Frosting

I literally use this butter frosting recipe for EVERY. THING. THAT. REQUIRES. FROSTING. It's versatile, based on the amount of additional milk you add.

Preheat: 350*
Category: Dessert, Frosting

1/3 Cup Butter (5 1/3 Tablespoons), melted
4 1/2 Cups Powdered sugar
1/4 Cup Milk
1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
Milk

1. Whip Butter, Powdered sugar, Milk and Vanilla. This is a nice stiff frosting by itself, and you could stop here. It's too stiff for piping, and too stiff for frosting a cake... but good for piling on to delicious hot brownies!

2. Add milk, a few drops at a time, to get desired consistency. Note to those, from experience. If you get your frosting too thin, it will SLIDE OFF OF THE CAKE! *laughing* Thick is better than thin if you're not sure.

3. To make chocolate frosting, substitute 1/2 Cup of Cocoa and 1/2 Cup of Powdered Sugar. It's delicious. Trust me.

Best Brownies Ever

I haven't posted a recipe in forever because I just haven't been baking! My husband's been doing the dirty job. But my in-laws are in town and there's always that need to impress, right? I thought I had my butter frosting recipe already posted, and it turns out it's not there... and I needed it for this brownies recipe I found, so... there you go. :D I'm back; for how long, I don't know. :)

So, brownies in this post, and butter frosting in the next one.

Preheat: 350*
Category: Dessert

1/2 Cup Butter, melted
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1/2 Cup Flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt

optional
1-2 Cups Chocolate chips, your choice, and experimenting works
1 Cup Mini Marshmallows
1 Cup Walnuts or Pecans, chopped

1. Mix dry ingredients. This includes the cocoa, the sugar, the flour and the salt. Mix it well!

2. In separate bowl, mix wet ingredients. This includes the melted butter, the vanilla and the eggs.

3. Mix wet ingredients into the dry. Mix thoroughly, but DO NOT OVER MIX!

4. Pour mix into a GREASED and FLOURED 8" square pan. It's not enough to just grease it. You can also use wax paper to line the bottom. :)

5. Bake in a preheated oven (350*) for 23-25 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE!

6. Cool completely and then cut. Now I know everybody gets excited about brownies, but really, don't cut these early! Might I add that they're very yummy frosted with the Better Homes and Gardens Chocolate Butter Frosting? :)

Austin's Chicken Noodle Soup

It takes a half-day of crock-pot and then normal dinner prep time. And it's soooo good. :)

Preheat: --
Category: Chicken

Crock Pot Chicken:
1 whole Fryer chicken
Water
Salt and Pepper

1. Put chicken into crock pot and add water until it's up about two inches. Season with pepper and liberal salt.

2. Turn crockpot onto Low and let the chicken cook until thermometer reads at least 165* when inserted. If the chicken was frozen when you put it into the crock pot, it'll take about five hours; if the chicken was thawed, it'll be more like three. I start my chicken first thing in the morning. I'm not kidding about liberal salt... it acts as a tenderizer for the chicken. Finally, the thermometer reading is right if you're reading from deep within the thigh. If you don't have a thermometer you can be sure the chicken is done if you pull gently on a wing or a thigh and the bone slides out. ;)

3. Carefully remove cooked meat. Save the liquid! I try to take the chicken out of the crock pot and let it cool for a little bit before attempting to remove the meat.

Soup:
3 cups Spiral noodles, uncooked
Chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
Liquid from crock pot, strained
3 Tablepoons Chicken stock
5 Potatoes, unpeeled and washed, cubed
3 Carrots, unpeeled and washed, sliced
3 stalks of Celery, washed and diced
1/4 cup Flour
3 Tablespoons Onion powder
3 Tablespoons Garlic powder
2 Tablespoons Oregano
1/4 cup Chicken stock
1/4 cup Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Strain and set aside. I like to make extra noodles when having pasta, then I refrigerate until I need them so I can skip this step! :)

2. Strain the liquid (again) into the stock pot. Add chicken stock, potatoes, carrots, celery and salt & pepper. Stir until the chicken stock is dissolved.

3. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer. Add Oregano.

4. In a small dish, stir together the flour, onion powder and garlic powder

5. Pull out about 2 cups of broth from the stock pot. Gradually add the flour mixture, whisking rapidly. We don't want lumps here! :)

6. Pour the flour into the stock pot and stir in. Bring to a rolling boil so soup will thicken. Boil two minutes and then lower to a simmer. Stir in chicken stock and butter while waiting for the soup to boil.

7. Soup is ready when the potatoes are finished--easily pierceable by a fork. Add cooked pasta and chicken at this stage and serve while hot. I like the soup best after it's had an overnight in the fridge and is reheated. Mmmm. :)

Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

We like quick and easy! :)

Preheat: --
Category: Chicken

1 Tablespoon Butter
1/2 cup Onion
1/2 cup Celery
4 14.5-ounce cans Chicken broth
1 14.5-ounce can Vegetable broth
1/2 pound Chicken breast, cooked and cubed
1 cup Carrots, sliced
1/2 teaspoon Basil
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
2-3 cups Noodles, cooked
Salt & Pepper

1. Sauté the onion and celery in butter until tender.

2. Put everything into a pot and bring to a boil.

3. Simmer 20 minutes and serve while hot.

Amy's Mom's Chicken Quesidillas

This is a yummy (and quick, if your chicken's cooked and cubed ahead of time!) twist to quesidillas. I run out if I don't make a double batch. :)

1 cup Chicken, cooked and cubed
1 cup Mozzarella
1 cup Sour cream
1/2 cup Salsa
Tortillas

1. Mix chicken, mozzarella, sour cream and salsa together.

2. Butter the outside of the tortillas and fill with mix.

3. Fry tortilla in a pan until a dark golden brown on each side. Serve hot.

Potato Romanoff

Thanks, Heather J., for your contribution! This looks fantastic!

Preheat: 350

Category: Potatoes

6 medium Potatoes

2 cups Sour cream

1 bunch Green onions, chopped

1 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

1 1/2 teaspoons Salt

1/2 teaspoons Pepper

Paprika

1. Cook unpeeled potatoes until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Cool and peel.

2. Grate potatoes into large bowl. Add remaining ingredients except paprika. Mix well.

Potato Romanoff6 medium potatoes2 cups dairy sour cream1 bunch green onions chopped about 1 cup1-1/2 c grated cheddar cheese1-1/2 teaspoons salt1/2 teaspoon pepperPaprikaCook unpeeled potatoes until tender, about 20- 25 minutes. Cool; peel. Grate into large bowl; add remaining ingredients, except paprika. Mix well. Spoon into 13- x 9-in. baking dish. Refrigerate 3-4 hours, covered, or overnight. Bake at 350 for 40- 50 minutes. Sprinkel with paprika. Yeild: 8-10 servingsI love this recipe! I have been making it since college. I have never used the paprika. oops. If you like it use it.

Greek Potatoes (Roasted)

I ran out of my own potato recipes, so I went rooting around (ha ha) on the Internet. These look GREAT and the comments are all favorable! Prep time is super fast and it's a total of 80 minutes bake time.

Preheat: 440*F
Category: Potatoes

8 large Potatoes, peeled and wedged (6-7 wedges)
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 cup Olive oil
1 cup Water
1 Tablespoon Oregano
1/4 cup Lemon juice
Sea Salt
Fresh coarse ground pepper

Optional
Buillon cube

1. Put potato wedges, garlic, olive oil, water and lemon juice into an appropriate GREASED baking dish. If you add the optional bouillon cube at this point, don't use as much salt.

2. Season generously with salt and pepper.

3. Toss the ingredients in the pan to distribute everything.

4. Bake for 40 minutes.

5. Gently stir the potatoes, putting the golden wedges side of the wedges to the bottom and the white edges to the top.

6. Add a little more salt and pepper; sprinkle on oregano. If the pan looks dry, add another 1/2 cup of water.

7. Bake another 40 minutes. Do not be afraid of overbaking.

Potato Soup

Ruthetta says it looks yummy, and I believe her! It looks like a creamy baked potato in a bowl! Mmmm.

Preheat: --
Category: Potatoes

1/2 lb. Butter
1/2 lb. Onion, minced
1 cup Flour
1 quart Half & Half
4 pounds Baking potatoes, cubed
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Basil
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Tobasco sauce
1/2 gallon Chicken stock, hot

Garnish:
Bacon bits
Cheese, shredded
Green onions

1. Sauté onion in butter. Stir in flour to make a paste.

2. Throw the rest of the ingredients (minus garnish) into a stock pot. Stir in the flour/onion mixture.

3. Cook over a low heat, stirring often. 4. Garnish with bacon bits, cheese, and green onions

Roasted Potatoes

This is a favorite at our house. I'm going to tell you what Anne Byrn says about roasted potatoes and seasoning in her What Can I Bring Cookbook, then I'm going to tell you how Jonathan makes his roasted potatoes. Mmm-mmm good. (When I liked the cookbook, I saw they are online used on Amazon for $5.50 apiece. Mine's on loan from the library, but it would be a good book for a collection.)

Preheat: 400*
Category: Potatoes

Potatoes, cubed
Olive oil

1. Toss potatoes with just enough olive oil to coat them.

2. Line a cookie sheet with foil and bake the potatoes at 400* f0r 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are crisp on the edges and soft in the center.

3. Season.

Seasoning Combo List
1. Seasoned Salt
2. Kosher salt, minced garlic & chopped fresh rosemary
3. Chili powder, ground cumin & salt
4. Shredded parmesan cheese & black pepper
5. Lemon juice & dried oregano
6. Jerk seasoning
7. Barbecue seasoning
8. Kosher salt & paprika
9. Asian curry powder & salt
10. Minced fresh or freeze-dried chives & a little onion salt

---

Now! The way Jonathan does it... Our favorite combination is:

Potatoes, cubed
Olive oil
3 cloves of Garlic, minced
Seasoned salt, sprinkled evenly, to taste
Dash of Hot sauce (more if just Jonathan's eating the potatoes)

1. Toss all of the ingredients.
2. Bake in a 400* oven for 20-25 minutes.

Soooooo good. We can easily make a meal out of potatoes and a salad. :)

Au Gratin Potatoes

These are pretty good!

1 1/2 pounds New potatoes, washed
1 Teaspoon Butter
1 Teaspoon Flour
1/4 cup Parsley, fresh
1/2 teaspoon Rosemary
1 clove Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
1 1/2 cup Fat-free milk
1 medium Onion, minced
2 Tablespoons Cheddar cheese, grated

1. Slice potatoes into 1/4" thick slices. Place in bowl & cover with water.

2. Melt butter in sauce pan. Stir in flour, parsley, rosemary, garlic and pepper. Stir until thickened.

3. Drain and pat potatoes dry. Place half of the potatoes in a square baking dish. Top with the onions, then layer potatoes and onions again.

4. Pour on sauce and cover the dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Stir potatoes gently and bake another 30 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese. Bake another 10-15 minutes, uncovered.