Orange Chicken With Bulgur Pilaf | Real Simple Recipes

Orange Chicken With Bulgur Pilaf Real Simple Recipes

Chicken Stroganoff | Real Simple Recipes

Chicken Stroganoff Real Simple Recipes

Super Easy Cream of Broccoli Soup

OK, I know this doesn't look good, but don't let it scare you from trying it. . .it is super yummy! It's best on a cold day with some warm rolls.

Broccoli Soup

This is not an exact recipe so you will have to guess a little. This is how my friend, Shalon, told me how to make it over the phone one day:

Place broccoli flowerets in a soup pan. Maybe 1/2 full. Add chicken broth to just over the top of the broccoli. Add a few stocks of celery chopped up. 1/2 onion if you like onions. Simmer until the broccoli is soft. I use a hand wand shake blender(whatever its called) but you can scoop the broccoli out into your blender or food processor and cream till smooth. I leave a few chunks in the soup to give it a little texture. Add back into pan. Now this is the good part. I have only seen this cheese on the farm in Idaho, but put about 1/2 a block of velveeta cheese in the soup and heat until it is smooth and melted. Trust me, your kids will take one look at the green soup and not want to eat it, but once they try it, you'll have to make it again and again.

Suggestion: Great with Oatmeal Rolls posted earlier.

Mexican Casserole

I made this for dinner tonight and I was a little scared at first but I loved it. I wanted to eat more but I was stuffed after one serving. I got the recipe off Allrecipes.com and then modified it a bit because that's how I roll.

Ingredients
oil for frying
3/4 pound cubed skinless, boneless chicken breast meat
1/2 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained (I used pinto beans and didn't drain them)
1 (8.75 ounce) can sweet corn, drained
1/4 cup salsa (My new favorite is Targets fresh Mild Salsa)
water as needed (if you don't drain the beans you don't need to add water)
1 cup shredded Mexican-style cheese
1 1/2 cups crushed plain tortilla chips (I cut up flour tortillas and added a layer to the center aswell as the top)

DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet over medium high heat, saute chicken in oil until cooked through and no longer pink inside. Add taco seasoning, beans, corn, salsa and a little water to prevent drying out. Cover skillet and simmer over medium low heat for 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Transfer chicken mixture to a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with 1/2 cup of the cheese and crushed tortilla chips.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.

I threw a little cheese in the middle for good measure but waited till the tortillas where crisp before I put some on top then cooked for about 5 mins more.

I know this is about the most non-thanksgiving recipe I could post the day before Thanksgiving but it's what I had for dinner and I liked it so much I had to post it. Thanks Cate for all your fun holiday recipes.

Chilli, Indian Fry Bread & Wheat Bread

Here's another of Sharon's meals - that Mom made - and I'm posting - deligation at it's best!

Sharon’s Chili and Fry Bread

1 lb hamburger
1 cup chopped onions (I use 1 small onion)
¾ cup chopped green pepper
1 glove garlic minced
Brown and drain the above ingredients

Add:
1 16 oz can cut up tomatoes
1 16 oz can red kidney beans (drain and rinse)
1-8 oz can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons basil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Simmer 20 minutes. Serve over fry bread

Indian Fry Bread

Mix:
1 cup hot mashed potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons melted shortening
2 Tablespoons yeast dissolved in 2 cups warm milk
2 beaten eggs

Add: 6 cups flour approximately
Let rise/ roll out/ cut in squares/ fry

Sharon’s Whole Wheat Bread

Use Hard White Wheat

9 cups fresh ground hard white wheat
3 cups white flour
2 T Salt
½ cup powder milk

Mix slightly

Add:
½ cup canola oil
½ cup honey or sugar
2 T lecithin
3 eggs
5 cups very hot water from tap

Mix till moist

Add:
2 ½ T yeast
Mix 10 minutes

Add more flour if needed

Let rise. Flour counter. Cut into four equal pieces. Press out and roll to make loaf. Flour outside. Place in ungreased pans. Bake 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Variations:
Add 2 cups 6 grain flour for 1 cup whole wheat flour
Can add cranberry dried things for fruit

Can roll and add butter, cinnamon and sugar and roll to make cinnamon loaf

Corn Chowder

Corn Chowder

(requested by dad)

Fry until tender:

1/2 pound bacon

2 cups red potatoes

1 cup onion

Mix:

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup milk

1 cup sour cream

pepper thyme

Add potatoe mixture and one small can of corn (drained).

Heat until flavors blend. (about an hour)

For my family I at least double it. You can estimate and adjust depending on your family or in my case, who will be home to eat on a certain night.

These are my favorite rolls to make with it altho corn bread is always good and easy.

Oatmeal Rolls

2 c boiling water

1 cup quick oats or regular

2/3 cup brown sugar

3 Tab butter

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup cold water

2 Tab yeast

4 cups flour

Cook quick oats in boiling water for 1 min. Combine brown sugar, butter, salt, and cold water. Add oats and leave till butter melts. Add yeast and flour beat dough and knead for 4 minutes. Let rise till double. Spoonful in balls, let raise 30 min. Bake 350 20-25 minutes.

I love these rolls because you don't have to shape them. They are a little sticky and you just take a large heap on a spoon and let it goop on the pan. I'll take a picture next time. Sorry.

They are really easy and yummy. Amy Hatfield gave me this recipe. Thanks Amy!

Fish Tacos!

Can you believe it? I threw together some tacos tonight and actually had my camera in the kitchen. Are you proud of me Marjorie? My pictures are in the wrong order, but I'll try to remember how I made this. I usually make it up depending on what I have in the fridge. I like fresh veggies.

FISH: The fish I made real simple. It is Talapia (great for tacos, very mild) I diced some butter on top, salt, pepper, and squeezed some fresh lemon on the top. I cook all fish 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Flakey and perfect!

PICO DE GALLO: All you spanish teachers can correct me on the spelling. Two large tomatoes diced, 1/4 diced onion, handful cilantro chopped, I used sea salt but just salt and pepper to taste makes it perfect. Add a jalapeno if you have one.

AVOCADO SALSA: Two avocados diced (I'm jealous I don't live in an orchard of them any more). This is where i make it up every time. Tonight I used some corn, whole beans (usually black beans if you have them) 1 tomato diced, two scoops of any kind of salsa. Add seasoning to taste (I.E. salt, pepper, onion salt, garlic salt, celery salt).

CREAM SAUCE: equal parts mayo, ketchup, and plain yogurt. Sounds gross, but it tastes great.

Warm corn tortillas, shred some cabbage and set out grated cheese. Its real important to serve your fish on a "fish plate" with the eyeball showing. Its all about presentation. Or whatever makes your kids laugh!

YUMMIE! DELICIOSO!!

Sorry this recipe is a little scatter brained. Sarah is waiting to use the computer for her homework and there is too much pressure!!! I'll do better on the next one. We had Calzones yesterday!

Roasted Chicken ala Hager

I caught the end of Oprah last week and everyone was making recipes with the chicken they had roasted during the first half of the show. I thought that sounded like a good idea so without really looking at the recipe I bought two chickens. I finally printed out the recipe as I was getting ready to put them in the oven. The marinade for each chicken (so double) was 1 cup of Dijon mustard, 1/2 cup of soy sauce & 1/2 cup of lemon juice. Well I have Dijon, but not that much and I wanted it for my sandwiches. Besides the chickens already cost $5 each (not much cheaper than you can buy them already roasted) and I figured the mustard would probably cost another $3 plus you were suppose to stuff the chickens with "a poultry mix of fresh herbs: rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley and oregano" Isn't that at least another $3.

Anyway, I had lemons. And some "Citrus Grill" seasoning. So I rubbed that on my chickens, stuffed a lemon inside each one (that's from the recipe), covered in foil and cooked at 425 for 2 hours. I came out yummy.

Someone will have to make the Oprah chicken someday and tell me if it was good also. Probably was.

See Oprah's recipe here

Beans and Chips

I asked Micah what we call this meal, just to make sure we didn't have some fancy name for it. Nope, its just beans and chips. I suppose if you knew how to cook you would add lettuce and other fancy things and call it taco salad. But for us, beans and chips is all it is.

Cook 1 lb of hamburger with taco seasoning.

Add one can each:

Pinto Beans, drained

Kidney Beans, drained

Tomatoes, undrained

Heat it all up, serve over tortilla chips and add some cheese.

That's it folks.

Tri-tip Dinner

In the olden days we used to slow cook tri-tip for several hours - now there is a faster way to do it.

Season an untrimmed tri-tip. I use a Santa Maria rub to season the meat. There is also a marinade with Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, lemon juice, and Lawry's seasoning salt. I also like to add ginger ale to the marinade to help tenderize the meat and help cover the meat.
Then you heat both sides of the grill. When it is hot enough turn off one side and place the meat on that side (Not on the direct fire), fat side up.
Cook for about 45-60 minutes. Don't turn over. You need a meat thermometer - 150 for medium rare, 160 for medium, 170 for well-done.
Take it off the grill and let sit for 5-15 minutes.
Slice thin slices...
Serve with green beans, rice & baked beans.

If you are not eating veggies for their healthful benefits this is a great way to cook them. Fry them up with bacon and almonds...

Chicken Croissants

Chicken Croissants

1 can crescent rolls

2 cups cubed chicken, cooked

4 oz cream cheese

1 Tbs butter or margarine

3 Tbs milk

_ Mix cream cheese, butter, and milk together. Add cubed chicken.

_ Place ½ cup (or less) of mixed chicken in center of two rolls. Fold diagonally (bring four corners together).

_ Pour melted butter on top. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.

_ Bake @ 350°F for 20-25 minutes (or until golden brown on top)

_ Serves about 4

This is a great meal that looks and tastes fancy but is fast and easy to put together (my roommates always made me make this for them when they were trying to impress a date-pretending they could cook :)

It's a great use of left over chicken...

I use crushed croutons on the top instead of bread crumbs to add a bit more flavor.

You can add any herbs or spices to the mix too - dill, garlic... go wild!

Ryan's favorite Steak

I forgot to take a pictures but this is the new way that we eat steak. It's Ryan's favorite and I know it sounds a little odd but trust me it's good.
Basically cook your steak however you prefer. Simple salt and pepper is the way I do it.
Then top it with...
equal parts
cut up pear
Blue Cheese or Gorganzola
toasted peacans
That's it. Scared? don't be. We've made it a couple times at Ryans family bbq's and everyone's been jeleous and stolen bites of our steak vs. their chicken. I'll add a pic next time I make it.