Esther's Chicken

This is a recipe we got from a friend years ago and it's still one of our favorite crock pot meals.

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 garlic cloves, crushed with a garlic press or minced
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 pounds skinless chicken thighs

Put all in crock pot on high for a couple of hours, until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with rice.

Oven carnitas

This has become a favorite for us because it is so easy. :) The ingredients are super simple. It comes out flavorful and tender, and the roast itself is so cheap. You only need to do about 10 minutes of prep work then let it cook all day, then 20 minutes of high heat at the end to get the skin crispy.

Ingredients:

1 pork shoulder roast (bone in, skin on. I usually use a half picnic roast about 4-5 lbs. you can use a whole roast if you have a lot of people to feed)
3 1/2 Tbs salt
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder

Wash and thoroughly dry the roast. Mix all the spices and rub into all sides of roast. Put roast on a metal rack in a foil covered pan (for easy clean up) :) place roast in 250* oven for 8-10 hours. Remove the roast from the oven and let it sit for 15 minutes to rest.

Preheat oven to 500*. Change the foil out under the roast to minimize smoking. Place roast back in oven for 5 minutes. The skin should become crispy. After 5 minutes, rotate roast and put back in to crisp the next side. Repeat until all 4 sides have had a high heat roast, then remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes.

Remove the skin and shred the meat, which will basically fall off of the bone. Chop the skin into small pieces and mix it into the shredded meat. Serve with salsa, avocado, cilantro, or whatever you like on a taco. We like to have it with corn tortillas or as lettuce wraps. It also makes fantastic nachos or topping for a salad.

Jungle Rice

1 chicken breasts, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 cup basmati rice
2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves fresh garlic
1 1/2 tsp fresh ginger root, finely minced
1 cup water
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsp fresh basil, minced
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup raw unsalted cashews
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in oven safe skillet and cook chicken breast with garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper, just until chicken starts to get some color. Add rice and stir until evenly coated with oil. Toast rice about 2 minutes. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. When at full boil, cover rice with fitted lid and transfer to oven. Bake 15 minutes, stir, then bake another 5-10 minutes.

Warm and creamy bacon dip

Warm and Creamy Bacon Dip

• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 c. sour cream
• 3 oz. cooked bacon, crumbled (or bacon bits.)
• 2 c. Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 c. green onion, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Place in a 1-quart baking dish. Cover and heat in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until hot. Serve with sliced French bread, crackers, and/or chips.

Lemon bars

• 3 cups all purpose flour 
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 cups of butter (3 sticks) melted completley




• 6 whole eggs
• 3 cups white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup FRESH lemon juice. 
• the outer yellow zest from 2 or 3 lemons.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix flour and powdered sugar together, then pour the butter over the dry ingredients. Mix together gently, until just crumbly. Lightly spray a 9 x 13″ pan with cooking spray, and press the crumbs firmly into the pan in an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes at 350.
3. In bowl whip the six eggs with a whisk until they are uniform and light. Add the sugar, baking powder and flour, and stir to combine well. With a microplane or small grater, zest only the outer yellow skin from two of your lemons, about 2 tablespoons. Add to the egg/sugar mixture. Squeeze the lemons, straining out the seeds and pulp, and add 1/3 cup of juice.
4. After 15 minutes, pull the crust from the oven, and immediately pour the curd mixture over the hot crust, scraping the bowl to get it all. Return to oven it for 45 minutes, or until set.
5. Let cool COMPLETELY before slicing into neat squares. Dust with powdered sugar. 

7 up biscuits

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups Bisquick
1 cup sour cream
1 cup 7-up
1/2 cup melted butter

DIRECTIONS:
Mix Bisquick, sour cream and 7 up. Dough will be very soft - don't worry. Knead and fold dough until coated with your baking mix. Pat dough out and cut biscuits using a round biscuit / cookie cutter. Melt butter in bottom of cookie sheet pan or 9x13 casserole dish. Place biscuits on top of melted butter and bake @ 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until brown.

Southern Fried Cornbread

2/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup self rising flour
1/3 cup low fat buttermilk
1 large egg
oil for frying (I used about 3 tbsps coconut oil, but you can use whatever you like)

Combine first 4 ingredients together in a bowl, mixing well. Mixture should be very moist but not soupy. Heat oil in skillet and drop by spoonfuls into oil. Cook til brown on one side and flip (it cooks kind of like a pancake) to brown on the other side. Place on plate with paper towels and blot any excess oil.

Doritos Chicken Casserole

Comments suggested adding diced green chilies, black beans, frozen corn. Can also sub ground beef for the chicken and use cream of mushroom instead. 

Chicken Casserole

• 4-5 chicken breasts or tenderloins 
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tube crushed Ritz crackers
• 1 stick melted butter
• 1 T poppy seeds (optional)

Cook chicken in oil on the stove, seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper)

cut up cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces, and put in a 9 x 13 casserole dish

Mix cream of chicken soup and sour cream and spread over chicken. Put the tube of crackers in a ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin, spread crushed crackers over soup and sour cream mixture. Melt butter and drizzle over the top. Sprinkle poppy seeds on top (I usually omit these.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour until golden brown and bubbly.

Sausage Balls

One lb. spicy breakfast sausage
Two cups grated cheddar
Three cups bisquick

Mix all ingredients together and make bite sized balls, put on baking sheet (ungreased) and bake 350 degrees about twenty or 25 minutes or till done and nicely browned. 

Cheese Dip

8 oz cream cheese 
1 cup grated cheddar
Half cup grated Monterey Jack
1 Cup mayo

Mix all the above, spread in oven safe baking dish. 

Crackers crumbled with Dash cayenne pepper, spread on top of the cheeses. 

Bake at 350 about fifteen or twenty minutes. Top with bacon crumbles and serve. 

Creamed corn.

• (1) 24 oz bag of frozen shoepeg corn 
• 8 oz. heavy cream
• 8 oz. milk
• 1 tsp. salt
• 6 tsp. sugar
• 2 T. melted butter
• 2 T. Flour (or cornstarch for GF)
• pinch white pepper (black pepper is just fine too)
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Put corn, cream and milk in saucepan and bring to a boil. (At first it will be a solid frozen mass….just give it time….it will warm up and liquify) Melt butter in microwave and add flour to make a roux (thickener). Will be the consistency of paste.

Mix this into the corn. Continue to cook until thickened. Add pepper. Pour into casserole dish (9 x 13 if you doubled it) and top with Parmesan cheese. Put into 350 degree oven for 20 minutes (or until cheese is good and melted!)

Banana bread crumb cake

From cookies and cups:

.

serves 12

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 ripe bananas
• ½ cup butter, room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup milk

Crumb Filling and topping

• 1 cup cold butter, cubed
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 2 cups flour

*optional glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 Tbsp milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray, set aside
3. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. set aside.
4. In a large bowl mash bananas until they become liquified.
5. Mix in butter until combined and then stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla until mixed well.
6. Stir in milk and flour until combined.

Crumb Filling/Topping

1. Prepare crumb filling/topping by combining all the ingredients together cutting them together with a fork or pastry cutter until a coarse crumb forms.
2. Pour ½ of the batter into the prepared pan. Top with ⅓ of the crumb mixture. Cover the filling with the remaining batter and top with remaining crumb mixture.
3. Bake for 50-55 minutes until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean.
4. Cool for 10 minutes.
5. *If desired mix powdered sugar and milk together and drizzle on top.
6. Can be served warm or at room temperature.

Can be served room temperature or warm.
Store airtight for up to 2 days.

Mandarin Pasta Spinach Salad with Teriyaki Dressing

This salad is easy, quick, healthy, and tossed in the most addictive teriyaki vinaigrette dressing!

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 8 ounces bowtie pasta noodles
• 4 cups spinach leaves
• ½ cup craisins
• ⅓ cup cashews or pine nuts (such as Diamond of California)
• 1 4-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

dressing

• ⅓ cup teriyaki sauce (the thicker, the better!)
• ⅓ cup rice wine vinegar (may sub apple cider vinegar)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder (if you have it)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ cup oil (such as vegetable oil, canola oil, olive oil)

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
2. While pasta is boiling, prepare the dressing. In a jar combine all dressing ingredients. Cover and shake to combine. Chill until ready to use.
3. In a large bowl toss together pasta, spinach, raisins, nuts, mandarin oranges, and cilantro. Just before serving pour dressing over salad, toss, and serve.

creamy mac and cheese

Ummm.... yes please :-)

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup cottage cheese (not lowfat)
2 cups milk (not skim)
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch cayenne
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
½ pound elbow pasta, uncooked.

Heat oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in upper third of oven. Use 1 tablespoon butter to butter a 9-inch round or square baking pan.
In a blender, purée cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg and salt and pepper together. Reserve ¼ cup grated cheese for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining grated cheese, milk mixture and uncooked pasta. Pour into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.
Uncover pan, stir gently, sprinkle with reserved cheese and dot with remaining tablespoon butter. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes more, until browned. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

tomato bisque

2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup half-and-half cream
Chopped fresh tomatoes, optional

Directions
In a medium saucepan, saute garlic in butter for 1 minute. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add chicken broth. Stir in tomato paste and cayenne until well blended.
Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; gradually stir in cream. (Do not boil.) Garnish with chopped tomatoes if desired. Yield: 6 servings

Chicken tortilla soup

Ingredients
2 1/2 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth (4 1/2 cups)
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
3/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
4 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic crusher
2 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground coriander
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
For serving:
Tortilla strips or tortilla chips
Shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
Diced avocado, diced roma tomatoes, sour cream (optional)



Directions
Pour chicken broth and diced tomatoes into a slow cooker. Add onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, coriander and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken breasts then cover with lid and cook on LOW heat 6 hours, or until chicken is cooked through.
Remove chicken and shred, then return to slow cooker along with black beans, corn, cilantro and lime juice, stir. Allow to cook until heated through.
Serve warm with tortilla strips and cheese and other optional ingredients.
Recipe source: Cooking Classy

shepherd's pie

• 1tablespoon olive oil
• 1teaspoon black pepper
• 1lb ground beef or 1 lb lamb
• 1large onion, finely diced
• 3 -4large carrots, finely diced
• 1cup frozen peas
• 3 -4sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 2tablespoons flour
• 1tablespoon butter
• 1glass red wine
• 2tablespoons tomato paste
• 2tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1cup chicken stock
• 1large quantity mashed potatoes(estimating 1L or 6 cups, fresh or leftover)
• 1egg, beaten
• grated parmesan cheese(optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat oven to 200C/400°F.
2. Saute carrots in the olive oil until starting to get tender.
3. Add in the onions and saute for a minute or two then add the meat.
4. Season with black pepper and thyme.
5. Cook until browned then drain fat.
6. Add the butter and peas.
7. Sprinkle with flour and stir through.
8. Add tomato paste, wine and Worcestershire sauce.
9. Let this reduce slightly then add the chicken stock. Allow to reduce down until you have a thick meaty gravy. Season to your taste.
10. Remove from heat. Grease an oven proof dish** (9x13 works for me, as does an oval baker) with butter and add the sauce.
11. Spoon or pipe the mashed potatoes over top. Brush with egg and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if using.
12. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the potato is nice and browned on top.
13. Serve as is or with some crusty bread to mop up that yummy sauce!

Lime Cilantro Shredded Chicken Tacos

1 (16 oz) jar salsa- I used a green tomatillo salsa
1 package taco seasoning
1 lime, juiced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

3 lbs skinless boneless chicken breast halves
Place the salsa, taco seasoning, lime juice, and cilantro into a slow cooker, and stir to combine. Add the chicken breasts, and stir to coat with the salsa mixture. Cover the cooker, set to High, and cook until the chicken is very tender, about 4 hours. If desired, set cooker to Low and cook 6 to 8 hours. Shred chicken with 2 forks to serve.
I also made lime cilantro rice with this. In my rice maker I melted 2 tbsp butter, added 1 tsp pepper, 2 tbsp cilantro and 3 tbsp lime juice. I stirred in 2 cups uncooked rice and made sure it was all coated thoroughly in the mixture. Add 3.5c water and cook. Tasted just like qudoba rice :-)

Orange Honey Salmon

Ingredients
  1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  1/4 cup orange juice
  1/4 cup honey
  2 green onions, thinly sliced
  1 tablespoon olive oil
  1 tablespoon sherry or apple juice
  1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
  1 salmon fillet (1 pound)

Directions
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first seven ingredients. Add salmon. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 1 hour, turning several times.
Line an 8-in. square baking dish with foil; coat the foil with cooking spray. Drain and discard marinade. Place salmon in prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Yield: 4 servings.

I also made an extra batch of marinade and cooked some rice in it. It was super yummy.

Sour cream chocolate cake

For the cake:

1 cup unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
1/3 cup cocoa powder (we use Dutch processed)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup water
2 cups all-purpose Gold Medal flour, plus more for the pan
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the chocolate glaze:

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons corn syrup (or agave nectar)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

directions:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10 or 12-cup Bundt pan and set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa powder, salt, and water and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring, just until melted and combined. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking soda. Add half of the melted butter mixture and whisk until completely blended. The mixture will be thick. Add the remaining butter mixture and whisk until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until completely blended. Whisk in the sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and the vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then invert onto a rack. Let cool completely before glazing.

5. While the cake is cooling, make the chocolate glaze. Place the chopped chocolate and corn syrup (or agave) in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine the heavy cream and sugar in a small saucepan and put over medium heat. Stir until the cream is hot and the sugar is dissolved. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until smooth.

6. Generously drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Cut into pieces and serve.

Bierocks

Ingredients

• For the Filling:
• 4 cups finely shredded green cabbage
• 1/2 pound ground beef (or venison or antelope or ??)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• sea salt & pepper to taste
• 3-4 Tablespoons coconut oil, bacon grease, or tallow
• For the Dough:
• 4 1/3 cups flour (you can use whole wheat, unbleached all-purpose, or a mixture of the two-but the more whole wheat flour you use, the drier the finished product will be)
• 2 1/4 t. dry active yeast
• 1 cup milk or whey
• 1/4 cup sucanat (or granulated sweetener of choice)
• 1/3 cup butter or coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 eggs

1. To make the filling: Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet
2. Add in the additional oil, peppers and garlic and sauté until tender
3. Add cabbage and allow to soften and turn golden brown
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then set the filling aside to cool- you can even prepare it ahead of time and refrigerate until dough is ready
5. To make dough: In mixing bowl, combine the yeast and 2 cups flour
6. In medium saucepan, heat milk, sucanat, butter, and salt to about 110-115 degrees until butter is just melted (too hot will kill yeast)
7. Add warm liquid mixture to flour and yeast, add eggs
8. Beat on low speed 30 seconds, beat on high 3 minutes
9. Stir in rest of flour and knead 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic
10. Allow dough to rise for an hour in a warm place
11. Punch down and roll out on a clean counter top to create a rectangle shape that's about 1/4 inch thick
12. Cut dough into 4"x4" squares
13. Add large spoonful of filling to each square (I flatten the individual squares a bit more before adding filling)
14. Bring up the four corners of wrapper and pinch together
15. Place balls seam-side down on a baking stone or tray and allow to rise 30 minutes
16. Bake at 375 F degrees 30 minutes or until golden brown
17. Serve warm with a generous dollop of sour cream on the side

Brownie cookies

From the pioneer woman

Ingredients

• 2 ounces, weight Baking Chocolate (unsweetened Or Bittersweet) 
• 2 sticks Softened Butter 
• 2 cups Sugar 
• 3 whole Large Eggs 
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract 
• 2-1/4 cups Flour 
• 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder 
• 1 Tablespoon (additional) Cocoa Powder 
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt 
• Powdered Sugar, For Dusting 

Preparation Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stir, and let it cool.

Mix the butter and sugar together until totally combined. With the mixer on low, slowly drizzle in the cooled chocolate. Scrape the bowl and mix again. Mix in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Scrape the bowl once more and mix.

Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Stir it together, then add it in scoops to the mixing bowl with the mixer on low. Scrape the bowl once and mix one final time until all combined.

Scoop generous tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with a baking mat or parchment, then bake them for 11 minutes until poufy and set. Remove them from the oven, let them sit on the pan for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove them to a baking rack to cool completely. Once cool, sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.

Spicy Marinated Summer Vegetables

SPICY MARINATED SUMMER VEGETABLES

Author: McKenzie at Girl Loves Glam

Recipe type: Side Dish

Spicy, marinated vegetables that are full of flavor and perfect for any occasion.

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ c Oil
• ¾ c Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Sugar
• 1 tsp Tabasco Sauce
• 1 Head Broccoli
• 1 Head Cauliflower
• 1 can Olives
• ¼ Red Onion
• 1 Green Pepper
• 1 Yellow Pepper
• 1 Red Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Chop up all vegetables and place in a large bowl. Put the rest of the ingredients on top of the vegetables and stir to coat all of the vegetables. If the bowl has a lid, place the lid on the bowl. If the bowl doesn’t have a lid, put vegetable mixture in a large bag that can be sealed shut. Let vegetables marinate while turning veggies every few hours. For best taste, allow the vegetables 24 hours to marinate.

It is a great side dish that is full of flavor without being packed full of calories too!