Pasta e Fagioli

I made this Monday night and invited some friends over for dinner. Yum-O! I went to The Olive Garden and picked up salad, breadsticks and alfredo sauce to complete the meal. DELISH!!!!

1 lb. ground beef, turkey or italian sausage (I used ground beef)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1-2 carrots, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1-28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1-15 oz. can kidney beans
1-15 oz. can white beans
1-15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups V-8 juice
1 T. vinegar
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 t. oregano
1 t. basil
1 1/2 t. thyme (or just replace all 3 of these with 3 t. italian seasoning)
1/2 lb. ditalini pasta

Brown meat in large stock pot. Add all fresh veggies and saute for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except for pasta. Simmer for 1 hour (or however long you have until dinnertime!). Meanwhile, cook pasta, drain and toss with olive oil. Put soup and pasta together in bowl and top with grated parmesan cheese.

Kristen (picture courtesy of Once upon a dinner time - where I found the recipe)

Easy Pot Roast

This is a really easy way to make an inexpensive roast. Buy a chuck roast about 3 pounds for 6-8 people. Look for some fat marbeling, but not lots. I prefer boneless...why pay for the weight of the bone. FREEZE the roast. (adds the extra liquid you need for gravy)

Place the frozen roast in a roasting pan.
Sprinkle 1 packet of dry onion soup mix over the roast.
Carefully pour about 1/3 C water over the soup mix so it dampens it but doesn't wash it off.
Cover the pan and put it in the oven at 250 degrees for about 8 hours.

On these cheaper cuts of meat, the secret is slow-w-w-w cooking. It makes the tougher ones really tender.

For a slightly different flavor, mix one can of cream of mushroom soup with the onion soup plus 1/2 C water and pour it over the roast.

If you add potatoes and carrots, do this only a couple of hours before serving, otherwise they will be overcooked.
(word of warning: sometimes you think you are getting a great piece of meat, but sometimes they are just plain tough....be glad you cooked it this way or you would never be able to bite it! )

Grandma Linda

Chicken Breasts Diane

This is quick, easy and really has a nice flavor. Have all your stuff measured, chopped and ready because it goes really fast!

*4 boneless chicken breasts (I used larger chicken tenders). If using chicken breasts pound slightly between sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap. (I didn't with the tenders)
*Salt & pepper them
*Heat 1 T each of oil and butter in large skillet
*Cook chicken over high to medium high heat for 4 minutes on each side. (It only took 2 min each side with tenders) Watch out! It splatters! Do not cook longer as they will become too dry & over cooked.
*Remove to serving plate (warmed is nice)
*Add 3 T green onions or chives, Juice of 1/2 lime or lemon, 3 T chopped parsley and 2 tsp Dijon mustard to drippings in frying pan. Whisk constantly for about 15 seconds.
*Whisk in 1/4 - 1/2 C chicken broth. Stir until smooth.
* Whisk in 1 T butter.
Pour sauce over chicken. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Grandma Linda

Yummy Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
3/4 C. oil
1 tsp soda
3 tsp vanilla
1 C. chopped nuts (optional)
2 C. sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp BP
3 tsp cinnamon
2 C. raw shredded zucchini
2 1/4 C. flour

Beat eggs, add oil, sugar, vanilla. Add in dry ingredients. Add zucchini. I also add about 1 C raisins. (You can also add about 1/4 C cocoa and chocolate chips if you prefer the chocolate version!)
Spray bottoms of bread pans. Sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Bake 1 hour at 325. Makes 2- 4 loaves.
Grandma Linda

EASY TOMATO BAKED CHICKEN

I made this for dinner last weekend. Mike said that he felt like he was at the Olive Garden. It was super yummy and smelled super good! And to top it off, it was super EASY!

1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 chicken breasts
1 can diced tomatoes (I use the kind that is seasoned with basil and garlic)
1/4 cup light Basalmic Vinaigrette Reduced Fat Dressing (I used Italian)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup grated parmasan cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Place onions in bottom of 9x13 baking dish; top with chicken.

Combine tomatoes, dressing, and garlic; pour over chicken; sprinkle with cheese.

Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Serve with your favorite pasta (Mike suggests an alfredo) and vegetables, and crusty bread. Mmm, mmm, good!

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

FIRST OFF, let me start by saying this is sincerely one of my MOST treasured recipes. My family got this recipe from one of the best known cooks of my home ward growing up. When the ward would have bake sales, Maria's cakes would fretch 3 figures they are just that super incredible - no kidding. Our family jokes that we'd do anything for Maria's food :) Anyway, after family debate we decided it was okay to share but only if you praise & thank Maria when you take the first bite!

Boil the 4 ingredients below in a saucepan for 1 minute...

1/2 C. margarine
1/2 C. shortening
1 C. water
4 T. Cocoa

Sift into a bowl:

2 C. flour
2 C. sugar

Pour chocolate mixture over sugar/flour mixture and beat together (for awhile until it's nice and creamy). Add 1/2 C. Buttermilk, 1 tsp soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix again and then add 2 eggs and 1 1/2 vanilla.

Bake at 325 degrees for 35 - 45 mins (or until the middle is cooked) 9x13.

Frosting:

1 stick margarine
5 T. buttermilk
3 1/2 T. cocoa

Boil the above ingredients (careful don't burn it) then pour over 1 1/2 lbs powdered sugar (I think that is about 1 full bag of powdered sugar). Add 1 tsp vanilla and mix really well. Add desired amounts of nuts and coconut. Pour over warm cake, frost and eat it up. This is the best when it's warm and gooey. If it gets cold, seriously microwave and eat - and SO good with vanilla ice cream! I swear every time I eat this I hear the mo-tab singing or something...I LOVE IT! Next time I make it, I'll stick a picture on here to go with the recipe.

Jody

Fall Dinner Line-up

Kim is in a dinner group and this is their fall menu. Maybe it will help some of us come up with some new ideas! (I'm sure I messed up the order of the meals in transferring them over here.)

Chicken Caesar Pitas, Taco Salad
Baked Potato Bar, Deli Sandwiches
Hawaiian Haystacks, Honey Lime Chkn Sand.
BBQ Ribs, Chkn Bow-tie Pasta
Club Wraps, Hawaiian Luau
Pizza Bombs, Chk Salad Sandwich
Ham and Cheese Rolls, Chicken Tostadas
Crockpot Chicken, French Dip
Chef Salad, Tangy Oven BBQ Chkn
Lasagne Soup, Chkn Stuffing Cass.
Potato Soup, Shepherd's Pie
Lemon Rosemary Chkn, Enchiladas
Sloppy Joes, Cheesy Ham Bake
Poppy Seed Chicken, Chicken Fried Steak
Lasagne, Chkn & Rice Casserole
Perfect Pot Roast, BBQ Pork Sand
Round Steak, Baked Pork Cutlets
Café Rio Enchilada Bar, Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Pot Pie, Hot Terriyaki Sand.
Sweet n Sour Chkn, Quiche
Chicken Bow-tie Pasta, Cheesy Potato Soup
French Dip, Pork Ribs
Chili Verde Burros, Stuffed French Bread(beef)
Sticky Chicken, Chkn Squares
Pizzeria Chicken, Busy Day Soup (beef)
Pigs in a Blanket, Taco Soup
Chicken Pot Pie, Lasagne

Carameled Cheerios

1 cube margarine (I know Imperial works. Real butter does not.)
2 1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 C milk
Boil to soft ball and pour over a mixture of Cheerios, Chex or anything you want. Good on popcorn. Use a 9 x 13 pan full of cereal.
Stir until it hardens (dries and isn't sticky)
Pig out!
Grandma Linda

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg saltine crackers finely crushed
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
4 slices swiss cheese
4 slices ham (thin)
3 TBSP oil

SAUCE-
mix together:
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream

Put chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat tenderizer until flattened out and tender. Arrange a piece of ham and a slice of swiss cheese on each chicken breast. Roll up and secure with 3 toothpicks or string. Dip in the flour first, then the egg, then into the cracker crumbs which the parmesan cheese has been mixed into. Brown in hot frying pan fast, turning to get golden brown on all sides. Remove from frying pan, remove toothpicks, and arrange in a 9x13 baking dish. Cover with sauce mixture and bake, covered tightly with foil at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Don't overbake.

If you'd like to do this ahead, then prepare to the stage where you brown them, then they can be frozen or put into your refrigerator. If you freeze them, then thaw them out before baking and always allow about 10-15 more minutes baking time for the cooler temperature of the meat.

Enjoy!
Lolo

Ooey Gooey Caramel Popcorn

2 C. brown sugar
1 C. Karo syrup
1 cube butter
1 can Eagle Sweetened Condensed Milk

Mix all ingredients in sauce pan and bring to a boil. Boil 7 minutes stirring constantly. Pour over popcorn. (I am lazy and pop 2 bags of microwave popcorn and then add the above!)

Jody

Killer Confetti Salsa

1 can white corn
1 can black eyed peas
6 tomatoes diced small
2 avacado diced
a little less than 1/4 C. cilantro
1 pkg Good Season Itialian Dry Dressing
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix as directed & mix all together!

Jody

Paula Deen's Barbeque Meatloaf

WAY YUMMY!!

1 1/2 pounds ground beef 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 onion, diced 1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 (8oz) cans tomato sauce 3 tablespoons vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup water, to thin sauce if necessary

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix together the beef, bread crumbs, onion, egg, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce. Form this mixture into a loaf and place it in a shallow pan. Stir together the remaining tomato sauce, vinegar, sugar, mustard, Worcestershire and the water (if too thick). Pour this sauce over the meatloaf. Bake for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes with the pan juices.

Kristen

Mud Pie

24 Oreo Cookies
1/3 cup melted marg.
1/2 gallon favorite ice cream (Maple Nut suggested)

In a ziploc bag, crush Oreos with rolling pin; mix with 1/3 cup margerine. Press into 9x13 pan. Cool in fridge 15 minutes. Meanwhile, soften 1/2 gallon ice cream. Spread ice cream on crust. Return to freezer. Make the following sauce:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons marg.
2/3 cup evap. milk
4 squares semisweet choc. or 2/3 cup choc. chips

Boil all sauce ingredients till thick. COOL..... (otherwise you will melt your ice cream) Spread on ice cream and return to freezer till time to serve. Cover with foil. Serves 12-18

Kristen (Mom's recipe - you know I can't get enough of this one, thanks!)

Chicken Noodle Soup

Boil 1 fryer chicken in water (you may use chicken breasts if you want)
Add 3 chicken boullion cubes
1 large onion, chopped
Chopped celery and carrots if desired
Add 2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp parsley flakes (put in at very end)

You can let it simmer all day or start just before dinner. You just need enough time to cook the chicken.

For the noodles:
(makes ALOT of noodles)

2 cups flour
2 tsp salt
4 eggs
1/4 cup water

Mix together and roll out THIN; cut with pizza cutter and carefully drop one at a time into soup.

Kristen (thanks Patty)

BBQ Chicken Salad

I am not going to put portion amounts because it varies on the number of people you want to feed...

Lettuce
Tomatoes
Jiciama
can of corn
can of black beans
Bar-B-Que Sauce
Ranch Dressing
Chicken

Cook chicken in Bar-B-Que sauce on stovetop and cut into bite size pieces. Mix in the remaining ingredients and toss in desired amount of Ranch Dressing. Very simple dinner and really healthy depending on the amount of ranch & bbq you put in there.

Jody

Kallee's Rolls

2 Tbsp. yeast (2 pkg)
1/4 c. warm water (not too hot/not too cool)
1/2 c. melted margarine
3 eggs, well beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. milk
5 c. flour

Dissolve yeast and 1/4 cup water till it bubbles. (we add a tiny bit of sugar to the mix). In microwave, scald milk and margarine. Beat eggs till fluffy and add sugar and salt. Add milk and margarine, then yeast mixture. Add 5 to 5 1/2 cups flour. Let dough rise in 2 parts. Roll each part into a circle and butter. Cut into 12 wedges. Roll each wedge. Rise in pans for 1 1/2 hours. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. (Thank you Kallee Allen for the recipe, it is one of my very favorites!)

Jody

Pink Delight

1 large Cool Whip
1 (8 oz) sour cream
1 can cherry pie filling
1 cup coconut
1 cup choppen walnuts
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1/2 pkg. miniature marshmellows
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained

Mix all ingredients together. Store in the fridge overnight and serve!
(Thank you Maria Simmons for the recipe, it's a good one)

Jody

Blender Pancakes

1 cup milk
3/4-1 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil

Put milk into blender. Add flour; blend for 2 minutes, starting at the lowest speed and increasing gradually to highest. Add sugar, salt, soda, and baking powder, then eggs, then oil, blending until smooth after each addition. Cook on hot griddle. Serve with your favorited toppings. Makes about 10 pancakes.

Lolo

Biscuit Pizza Bake

1 lb ground beef
2 tubes (12 oz each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 can (15 oz) pizza sauce (I have used spaghetti sauce)
1 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 pkg sliced pepperoni
1 cup (4 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef. Meanwhile, quarter the biscuits; place in greased 3-qt baking dish. Top with pizza sauce. Drain beef; sprinkle over biscuits and sauce. Layer with veggies, pepperoni, and cheeses.

Bake, uncovered, 350 degree for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

*Note: I have had some trouble with getting the biscuits to cook all the way through. I like to bake my biscuits for about 10 minutes before I top it with the sauce and other ingredients. It seems to help. Enjoy!
Lolo