Monday, September 20, 2010

Emily's Yummy Crockpot Chicken

My sister Emily shared this recipe with me--she got it from her mother-in-law. We recently served it at the annual Jones family campout and it was a big hit! I loved it served taco style with all sorts of taco fixings. Emily also likes it as the main dish served alongside veggies, rolls, and such.

6 chicken breasts
1 package taco seasoning
1 can of black beans
1 can corn or 1 bag frozen corn
2 cups salsa

Put ingredients in a crockpot and cook on high for 4-6 hours. If serving taco style, remove chicken when done and shred with a hand mixer. Then return to soak in sauces for 30 minutes.

Yummy Potatoes

Otherwise known as funeral potatoes. This is the recipe Justin's Grami Del always uses and it turns out perfect every time!

6-8 potatoes shredded in a 9x13 pan or one bag of frozen shredded hashbrowns (hashbrowns are super easy!)
1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pint of sour cream (I use fat free- It makes me feel better!)
1/3 cup chopped onions
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

Stir all ingredients except potatoes together in and saucepan and heat. Put potatoes in a 9x13 pan and dump warm sauce mixture over top. Mix together. Mix 1/2 cup of crushed cornflakes and 3 tbsp. melted better together and sprinkle on top of potatoes. Sprinkle a little shredded cheese then bake at 350 degrees for 40- 50 minutes.

Chicken with Tarragon Cream Sauce

This is one of my mother-in-laws delicious chicken recipes. It's pretty easy, though a little time consuming. She makes it better than me, so I don't make it too often. Instead I just hope it's on the menu when we go and visit them.

3 chicken breasts, split
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup butter
2-3 tbsp. green onions thinly sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp. tarragon leaves
1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream

Combine flour, salt, pepper, and seasoned salt and lightly coat chicken. In a skillet, melt 3 tbsp. butter (or use olive oil) and brown chicken. Remove chicken when browned and set aside. Add green onions to pan and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth and stir well with onions and chicken drippings in pan. Add any remaining flour coating and stir to make paste. Add tarragon and remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth. Return chicken to pan and simmer for 25 minutes. Remove chicken, add remaining butter and cream. Stir with onions and other ingredients to make a sauce. Heat sauce thoroughly and serve over chicken.

Parmesan Chicken

This is a family favorite! I usually make lots of the bread crumb mixture up in advance and then use it a 1/4 or 1/2 a cup at a a time.

Bread Crumb Mixture
2 cups dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup flour
3 tbsp. paprika
4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. oregano

Combine ingredients and save in tightly sealed container in the pantry of the freezer.
When ready to use, mix equal amounts of bread crumb mixture and parmesan cheese. I usually use 1/3 cup of each for 3-4 large chicken breasts that have been split. Dip chicken in melted butter or beaten egg (your choice) and then dip in bread crumb/Parmesan mixture. Place coated chicken in a greased baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until done.

*We discovered this summer that this bread crumb/Parmesan cheese mixture also tastes delicious on zucchini and crookneck squash from the garden. After coating the squash with egg, then the crumb mixture, fry in a butter/olive oil combination in a frying pan til tender.

Jessa's Delicious Whole Wheat Bread

I'm not sure I'll ever be able to make this as well as my awesome neighbor Jessa does, but I'm going to keep trying. It's seriously some of the best bread I've ever had!

2 tbsp. dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
3 heaping tbsp. gluten
5 cups hot water
2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup honey
2 tbsp. salt
10-12 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour (Jessa uses hard white wheat)

Combine 1/2 c. warm water with 2 tbsp. yeast in a small bowl. Allow about 10 minutes to become bubbly. Place 5 cups of hot water into mixer bowl with 6 cups of flour. Blend. Add yeast mixture and gluten. Blend 2 min. Blend in order: oil, honey, and salt. Add remaining flour until dough begins to clean bowl. Leave in mixer to knead for 8-10 minutes. Remove dough and divide equally into four loaves. Shape and place in well oiled loaf pans. Let rise til double (approx. 45-60 min.). Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minute. Remove from pans promptly and place on rack to cool. I like to rub some butter on the top of the loaf while it's still warm.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

My Mom always called these cookie bars, My mother-in-law calls them blondies. Either way they're delicious! I found this recipe here www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com and it looks like she found it here Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I made them today and they were fast, easy, and delicious!

Time: 45 minutes
Yield: about 30 bars

2 1/8 C flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
12 T butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C white sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 t vanilla
2 C chocolate chips (I used semi sweet, buy you can use what ever suits your fancy- I also only used 1 1/2 cups and that was plenty of chocolate for me and believe me, I like chocolate)
You could throw in some nuts too, if that's your thing- it's not my thing though

1. Melt your butter in the microwave. Add the brown sugar, white sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla to the butter. Whisk it around until well combined.
2. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients.
3. Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
4. Fold in your chocolate chips.
5. Line a 9x13 pan with tin foil. Spray it down with some cooking spray and press your cookie dough into the pan. The tin foil is going to make it super easy to pull these bars out of the pan.
6. Bake at 325 for 24-28 minutes.
7. Let your pan cool on a wire rack for a bit. I didn't let mine get all the way cool before I cut them, and it worked out fine. I like to eat my cookies warm!
8. Pull the tin foil out of the pan and on to a cutting board. Cut the bars as desired. ENJOY!