Breakfast to Chicken Breast

Yet another recipe my husband wanted me to share. This one is very basic and simple.

Prep

Take a chicken breast. Cut it into strips. Crack an egg or two-- you'd be surprised how far one egg can go in this situation. Scramble with a fork a little-- do not cook. Take your favorite breakfast cereal,-- I'd avoid the tooty fruity one's and stick with ones like regular captain crunch, or possibly frosted flakes-- we chose Honey Bunches of Oats, and crunch it up somehow. You can stick it in the blender or just use a rolling pin if you like. After you have crunched it up place it in bowl.

Make

Now take your uncooked chicken strips and dip them in the eggs. Then dip them in the cereal until they are covered.

Bake

Bake at 350 or higher, or broil, until fully cooked. Serve any way you like-- on a sandwich, with dipping sauces, as a main course to a fancy meal, etc.

Suggestions

Having the chicken fully thawed may make it easier to get it fully covered in egg and cereal. You can just prepare the whole chicken breast this way, without cutting it into strips, but I recommend cutting it because it cooks a little better.

*I just learned a new secret for making chicken like this. Give the chicken a light coating of flour before you dip it in the egg. The flour will help the egg stick better.

Eggs All-a-Golden Rod

We used to celebrate Easter up in Colorado at my Great Aunt's ranch. We would do all the traditional Easter stuff including an Egg Hunt. Well, my Great Aunt insisted that my mom and my aunt not leave her with all those eggs to deal with so they started cooking Eggs All-a-Golden Rod. A recipe my mom got from a home ec. class. Thus began our traditional Easter meal.

First boil a dozen or so eggs. Peel and separate yolks and whites.

Next make a white sauce. I use the "Better Home's and Gardens" recipe and double it. This is the recipe not doubled.

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

A Dash of Pepper

1 1/2 cups milk

Melt butter over medium heat. Sir in flour, salt and pepper. Stir in Milk. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Cook and stir for one minute more.

Once sauce is complete cut up the whites of the eggs and put them in the white sauce.

Lightly crumble the yolks with a fork.

Toast and butter some bread. Serve the white sauce on the toast with the egg yolks sprinkled on top.

"Better Than THAT" Cake

Bake a white or yellow cake. Take a wooden spoon and use the handle to poke a bunch of holes in the cake-- after it has cooled. Then pour a medium sized jar of caramel evenly over the top. Pour a can of sweetened condensed milk over the top. Spread a tub of whipped topping on like frosting. Than sprinkle coconut flakes and toffee trips on top. Best if it sits four a couple hours before serving so everything can soak in.

Yummy Peanut Buttery

Mini Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

This one came from a neighbor. She gave it to me at my bridal shower. You'll need a bag of Reeses Mini Peanut Butter Cups for the final step.

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup of butter softened

Cream together and then blend in:

1/2 cup of peanut butter

2 tablespoons of milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 egg

Stir in:

1 3/4 cups of flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of salt

Bake in a mini muffin pan or a regular muffin pan. Line the pan with muffin liners or spray well with cooking spray. Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes. Immediately after removing from oven press an unwrapped mini peanut butter cup in the middle of each cookie.

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Beat in a large mixing bowl until creamy:

1 1/4 cup of peanut butter

3/4 cup of butter

Gradually beat in:

1 cup of powdered sugar

Then with hands or a wooden spoon mix in:

1 more cup of powdered sugar

3 cups of graham cracker crumbs

Press evenly into a prepared pan. It helps if you use wax paper to press it in.

Melt:

3/4 cup of peanut butter

12 oz package of Chocolate chips

You can take 1/2 a cup of the chocolate chips-- before you melt them-- and add it to the crust. The recipe says to do it, and you would do it before you press it into the pan, but I personally prefer the crust without the chocolate chips.

Pour the melted mixture on top of the crust and then place in the fridge for at least an hour.

Grandma's Sugar Cookies

I got this recipe from my Grandma Andreason. It's great when you want a sugar cookie, but you don't want to pull out the cookie cutters and the frosting.

2/3 cup of shortening

3/4 cup of sugar

Cream together then add:

1 egg

Then sift together in a seperate bowl:

1 1/2 cups of flour

1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/4 teaspoon of salt

Add above mixture alternately with:

4 teaspoons of milk

Then add:

1 teaspoon of vanilla

roll into balls and place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Taco Soup

A family favorite from my mom's friend.

1-2 lbs of hamburger

1 onion chopped

Brown hamburger with onion and some salt and pepper. Set aside.

1 can of pinto beans

1 can of white or northern beans

Drain and combine in a big pot with the hamburger and onion.

Then add:

3 small cans of diced green chilis (the smallest cans you can find)

1 can of black beans

1 can of red kidney beans

1 can of hominy (usually found by the canned corn)

2 quarts of stewed tomatoes

Don't drain. Combine with above ingredients

Then add:

1 package of ranch dressing mix

1 1/2 packages of taco seasoning

Cook for 20 minutes, or so, then serve over sliced jack cheese and some sour cream on top. We like to have tortilla chips to dip in it as well.

Buttermilk Syrup

If you don't read this blog you are totally missing out right now. This syrup is fantastically super delicious. It joined my family, along with my sister in law, last year. And we've been addicted ever since.

1/2 lb of butter

1 cup of Sugar

1 cup of buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon of Baking Soda

1 teaspoon of Vanilla

Melt butter, sugar and buttermilk together. Add Baking Soda and vanilla. Serve over your favorite breakfast item, or just eat it by the spoonful.

Enchilada's

This first Recipe came from my mom.

Enchilada's with Red Sauce

1 big can of Enchilada Sauce (I'm guessing it would be a 30 oz can)

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 can of black beans

1-2 chicken breasts (or a can of chicken)

Tortilla's

Cheese

Mix the enchilada sauce and the can of cream of chicken soup together and set aside. In a separate bowl mix black beans, cheese, chicken, a little of the sauce mixture and whatever else you would like to put in (we've put in onions, rice, corn and my mom has even used green beans). Pour a little sauce into the bottom of your baking pan- just enough to cover the bottom. Then place the tortillas in the pan. If you use flour tortilla's bend in half and place in the pan with the top open, place the bean and chicken mixture inside and roll them. If you use corn tortilla's layer the bottom with 4 or 5 tortilla shells, spread the bean and chicken mixture on top and then top off with 4 or 5 more tortilla shells. Cover with the rest of the enchilada sauce and put cheese on top. Then cook in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling.

This recipe is one I made up.

Cheesy Enchilada's

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 8 oz package of cream cheese

1 cup of sour cream

1 small can of diced green chili's

1 tablespoon of salsa

1 can of black beans

1-2 chicken breasts (or 1 can of chicken)

Cheese

Tortilla's

Mix together the can of chicken soup, cream cheese, sour cream, diced chili's, salsa and cheese- however much you prefer. Set aside. In a separate bowl mix black beans, cheese, chicken, a little of the sauce mixture and whatever else you would like to put in (we've put in onions, rice, corn and my mom has even used green beans). Pour a little sauce into the bottom of your baking pan- just enough to cover the bottom. Then place the tortillas in the pan. If you use flour tortilla's bend in half and place in the pan with the top open, place the bean and chicken mixture inside and roll them. If you use corn tortilla's layer the bottom with 4 or 5 tortilla shells, spread the bean and chicken mixture on top and then top off with 4 or 5 more tortilla shells. Cover with the rest of the enchilada sauce and put cheese on top. Then cook in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling.

*I made it with corn tortilla's, which my husband liked, but I think I would prefer flour.

The Best Basic Brownie Recipe!

Melt together:

1 cup of butter

1 cup of cocoa

In a separate bowl combine:

4 eggs

2 cups of sugar

1 and 1/2 cups of flour

2 teaspoons of vanilla

Optional:

1 cup of nuts

Combine all ingredients and then pour into a well greased pan- I believe the size I use is 11X7. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Mock Cafe Rio Salad

Inspired by one of my favorite restaurants, Cafe Rio, this idea originally came from my friend Jenni. I don't think my recipe is even close to hers anymore, and hers probably tastes better, but this is all I've got. Hope you enjoy!

To make this salad I pull some pork out of my freezer,- about 1/2 lb to a lb- thaw it out a little and put it in a pan. I put in about 1/4 inch of water and start cooking it over medium heat. I add in sugar- you could use any sweetener, or even apricot jam- and garlic salt to taste. I really couldn't tell you how much I use, and it seems to change every time.

I then serve it in a tortilla shell with lettuce, my favorite mexican toppings and, of course, some ranch dressing.

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

1 package buttermilk ranch dressing

1 cup of buttermilk

1 cup of mayo

2 tomatillos (husk and quarter)

1 clove garlic chopped

1/3 cilantro chopped

1/2 lime juiced

1 jalapeno seeded and chopped

Puree all ingredients in a blender.

Pork Roast

Whenever I find pork on sale I like to buy a roast, take it home and cook it in the crock pot. I just cook it in a water and salt mixture for a day or two, shred it and the put it in the freezer. It's nice to have on hand for several different recipes. My favorite being my Mock Cafe Rio Salad.

Chicken, Peas and Soup

Like a majority of my recipes this was just something that I threw together. I really don't use measurements a lot. I mostly just add stuff to taste. Last night this is what we had for dinner.

I took a can of peas, a can of cream of chicken soup and a can of chicken. I mixed them all together. then I added about 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of mayo and about 4 oz of cream cheese. I cooked some rice, mixed it all together and threw it in the microwave for 5 min.

I found it delicious!