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.

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.

Wonderful Fettucine Alfredo

This is sooooooo easy and good. Watch out for the calories though.....

Preheat: --
Group: Pasta

16 ounces Fettucine noodles
2 Tablespoons Butter
3/4 Cup Parmesan cheese, fresh
1/4 Cup Heavy cream

1. Cook fettucine noodles and set aside.

2. Combine butter, cheese and cream on a medium heat until thoroughly hot. I sometimes will do a variation of this based on what is in my pantry. Instead of heavy cream, I'll do milk and thicken it a little with flour... then I add the cheese and butter. It's not as good, but it's a decent substitute. OR, if you don't have fresh Parmesan, use the stuff you put on your spaghetti!

3. Toss noodles and sauce; serve hot.

Allie's Delicious Mac'n'Cheese

You need to start early--here's the breakdown of the time I spent on this dish!
* 20 multitasking minutes: Boiling water, macaroni noodles, greasing 8x13 pan, measuring & shredding cheeses and dicing ham.

* 2 minutes accepting a care package from my mom (from the post man!)

* about 5 minutes chasing my kids away from the cheese

* about 15 minutes thickening up the milk, flour and butter mixture

* about 5 minutes answering the phone.

So... the prep time is 35 uninterrupted minutes... :)  Don't forget to add in BAKE time, which is at least one hour (that should be plenty to get the mixture hot, bubbly and thickened) AND 20 minutes set time after baking.  That's a grand total of just shy of two hours.  The hour baking time is what I'm using to update this recipe, and it'll be used to get a salad ready, dishes washed and put away. ;)

Preheat: 350*
Group: Pasta

1 8-ounce package Macaroni noodles

5 Tablespoons Butter
5 Tablespoons Flour

1 Quart (4 Cups) Milk, warmed  (warming is important to keep your sauce from clumping!)
Salt & Pepper, to taste
1 Pinch Cayenne pepper

1/4 pound Ham, cooked & cubed
5 ounces Cheddar cheese, cubed
5 ounces Mozzarella, cubed
5 ounces Monterrey jack, cubed

Paprika, to taste, for garnish

1. Cook pasta to al dente and drain. It's important not to get it too cooked because it'll spend more yummy, sauce-absorbing time in the oven.


2. Melt butter and add flour. Whisk in the warm milk. Simmer until thick (5 minutes on low, gentle boil), then add salt, pepper and cayenne pepper seasonings.


3. Remove from heat and add the cheeses, ham.  If you want it meatless, leave out the ham.  I actually doubled the ham to a full half-pound.


4. Mix in the noodles


5. Pour into a greased baking dish, topping with paprika.


6. Bake at 350* for 45-60 minutes. I think I ended up leaving mine in for the full hour. But I got all of my dishes done, so what do you do. :)

7. Let dish rest for 20 minutes before serving.

Gramma Hargrove's Taco Dip (not to be confused with layered bean dip!)

It is so good. You have been warned. ;)

Layer #1 (spread):
2 Cans Refried Beans

Layer #2 (mix, spread):
3 Avocados, mashed
2 Tablespoons Lemon juice

Layer #3 (mix, spread):
1/2 Cup Sour cream
1/2 Cup Mayonaisse
1 Package Taco seasoning

Layer #4 (spread):
1 Pound Cheddar cheese, shredded

Layer #5 (spread):
3 Tomatoes, chopped

Layer #6 (spread):
1 Can (small) Olives, chopped

Layer #7 (spread):
3 Bunches Green onions, chopped

1. Spread each layer in order. I only use ONE bunch of green onions. My grandma really likes onions! ;)

2. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

3. Serve with tortilla chips. We always serve flour tortillas, and my mom would often serve this as a meal.

Bread Maker Banana Bread

This is pretty good for being made in a machine! ;)

Preheat: --
Group: Breads

2 Bananas, cut in half length-wise
2 Eggs
3 Tablespoons Vegetable oil
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1 teaspoon Baking powder
2 Cups Flour

1. Place ingredients in breadmaker, in the order your machine requires them (probably in the order I listed the ingredients).

2. Select Dough Setting; after 10 minutes, press Stop.

3. Start the Bake Cycle and allow bread to cool for about 50 minutes. Use the toothpick test for this. :)

4. Remove bread and allow it to cool on a wire rack.

Ooooh, does anybody else have a cold?? Oy Vey.

Tabitha's French Bread

This is too much for the bread machine to take care of, unfortunately, but it's so easy maybe you'll feel inspired to make it anyway! It's fantastic for the first day, and makes really good toast and French toast when it dries out a little.

DO NOT PREHEAT
Group: Breads

Starter:
1 Tablespoon (1 pkt) Yeast
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon Salt
2 Cups Warm Water

--

5 1/2 - 6 Cups Flour
Boiling Water
Cornmeal

1. Mix Yeast, Sugar, Salt and Water. Let stand until dissolved. Dissolving takes about 10 minutes. Also, I use about half as much salt (Tabitha likes her bread saltier than I do).

2. Add flour and mix. Knead on lightly floured surface. I like putting oil on my hands while I do this. Don't forget to take off your wedding ring! :)

3. Double in bulk. This can take an hour if your house is warm enough. If it's freezing cold (like it is today!) set the bread in front of a warm heater, or on a lightly warm surface (we don't want to bake the bottom!).

4. Knead. Shape into two French-style loaves. This is my favorite part because a lot of bread recipes have to rise one more time. :)

5. Generously sprinkle cookie sheet with cornmeal. Place shaped loaves onto cookie sheet.

6. Lightly slash tops diagonally, three times. Brush with COLD water. I use ice cubes to make my water really cold, and do this right after step #3. But cold tap water will do, or refrigerated water too.

7. Place rack in COLD oven with a roasting pan full of boiling water on bottom rack. You can boil your water now, or set your water to boil after kneading (step #4). Your choice! The boiling water makes the crust soft and chewy.

8. Bake at 400* for 35-45 minutes. And then EAT it! It's so good!

Granola / Trail Mix

This one is for anybody (*ahem* Darla) who found a bunch of oatmeal on sale! :)

Preheat: 250*
Group: Breakfast, Snacks

5 Cups Quick oats
1 Cup Sesame seeds
1 Cup Shredded coconut
2 Cups Sunflower seeds
1 Cup Sliced almonds
1 Cup Wheat flour
3/4 Cup Brown sugar
3/4 Cup Oil
1 Cup Honey
1 Cup Water

--optional--

Raisins
M&Ms

1. Mix dry ingredients together.

2. Mix wet ingredients together.

3. Mix everything together! Then spread over a cookie sheet.

4. Bake at 250* for 45 minutes. If you want to add the optional raisins or M&Ms, add them half-way through the baking process.

Cinnamon Breakfast Cake

This is one of those recipes we like and make as often as I'm not too lazy. ;) It's yummy and sweet but not too sweet.

Preheat: 400*
Group: Breads, Breakfast

Cake:

1 1/4 Cup Flour
1/4 Cup Sugar

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

1/4 Cup Butter

2/3 Cup Milk

1 Egg

Crumbly Cinnamon Topping:

4 Tablespoons Flour

6 Tablespoons Sugar

3 Tablespoons Butter

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1. Mix together all of the cake ingredients. Don't overmix--just mix it until it's moistened. If you make it a machine, get all of the wet stuff well-blended, then stir it into the dry ingredients.

2. Pour lumpy cake batter into a GREASED 8x8 square pan. I like to double the recipe and get a thicker cake. But that's just me. ;)

3. Combine ingredients for cinnamon topping; sprinkle over batter. Melt your butter down before mixing. It will be a moist crumbly texture.

4. Bake at 400*F for 25 minutes or until done.

You'll want to make this soon, trust me.

Versatile Bread Machine Pizza Dough

It's not gourmet (need some kind of starter for the best kind of crust), but it's easy and healthier than the stuff you pick up in the refrigerated section.

Preheat: Check your pizza recipe, or 400-425* if you're not sure.
Group: Breads

1 Cup Water
2 Tablespoons Cooking Oil
3 Cups Bread Flour
1 teaspoon Yeast

1. Choose DOUGH setting.

***
1. Divide dough in half. Go ahead with your pizza OR...


...to FREEZE:
1. wrap in plastic.
2. transfer to a plastic baggie.
3. seal, label and freeze for up to three months.
4. thaw 1) room temp for 2 1/2 hours OR overnight in fridge

Poppyseed Muffins

I got these from a mission companion. They are TOO good and make me wish I had those gigantic muffin forms!

Preheat: 375*
Group: Breads

Yellow cake mix
6 oz. Instant butterscotch pudding
2 Tablespoons Poppy seeds
1 Cup Oil
4 Eggs
1 1/4 Cup Water
Cinnamon Sugar

1. Mix all ingredients except cinnamon sugar. Mix it just like you would if you were making cake.

2. Grease cupcake pans; coat each cup with cinnamon sugar. You can use butter, margarine or shortening. The coating of cinnamon sugar is divine. :)

3. Bake at 375* until baked. Notice there is no amount of time to bake! Pay attention to how long you should bake cupcakes (based on what the cake mix box says) and use the timer for the shorter of the time range. Test your muffins' doneness by poking with a toothpick. You can eat these while warm, but my bias is to let them cool completely. Or eat one while warm, one while cooled--but save at least one until the next day. Mmm.