Dinner Rolls....

This is an absolute favorite of mine, rools that I have been making for years--this recipe was passed to me from my grandma Dawn who got it from Margaret Ann Heiselbetz.  You can make the rools any shape you want, dipped in butter or not, rolled out and cut out or pinched off and balled up, they turn out fabulous no matter what!!

Mix Together:

1 Qt. Warm Water

1/2 C. Sugar

1/2 C. Oil

1 Tbsp. Salt

Mix 2 Tbsp Instant Yeast with 2 C. Flour and add to above.

Add at least 8 more C. Flour

Knead REALLY well!

Rise until doubled (about 45 minutes)

Shape in to rolls of your choice

Rise another 45 minutes

Bake at 350

for 20-25 minutes

Brush with Butter

Mmmm, would somebody bake me up a fresh batch right now? ;)

Caramel Apple Bread.....

This takes a bit of time and effort, it was really yummy, I made it a second time and cut out a few of the waiting periods and didn't see a big difference, so that is good, but the second time I used dulche de leche instead of homemade caramel and it just wasn't quite as yummy as the homemade caramel in it.  Also, I didn't seal them as well, because I put too much and it was leaking out everywhere, so not as much stayed in the 2nd time.  My advice, use caramel, seal the edges well.

CARAMEL APPLE BREAD

Ingredients

• 1 cup apple cider
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 13 1/2 ounces (about 2 1/2 cups) bread flour, divided, plus more as needed
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 pound Jonathan apples (about 2 medium)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• About 7 ounces dulce de leche
• 1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened (optional)

Procedures

1.      In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the apple cider and instant yeast. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add about 2/3 of the bread flour and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour.

2.      Add the remaining bread flour, sugar, and salt. Knead with the dough hook on low speed until the dough starts to become elastic, about 5 minutes.

3.      Peel one apple, and working quickly so the apple doesn't go brown, grate it directly into the bowl, stopping at the core. Continue kneading dough on low speed until the apple is completely incorporated. Add flour as needed, until dough is supple and elastic, but no longer sticky (about 1/4 cup). Add olive oil and continue kneading until the oil is completely incorporated. Form the dough into a ball, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and return to bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside until doubled in volume, about one hour.

4.      Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper.

5.      Add dulce de leche and peanuts to small nonstick pan and heat slowly on medium-low heat. As the caramel begins to melt, peel remaining apple, core, and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Add to caramel immediately before apple begins to brown. Cook on low for one more minute and remove from heat.

6.      Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Knead it briefly and form into rough square. Using rolling pin, roll dough into approximate 9-inch by 16-inch rectangle. Spread the caramel mixture onto the dough leaving 1/2-inch border along long edges and 2-inch border along short edges (rewarm caramel sauce as necessary if it is not spreadable)

7.      Starting with one of the shorter ends, roll up dough jellyroll style, tucking in sides as you go and ending at the short end hat was left uncovered. Seal seam and the ends, and place in the prepared loaf pan. Cover loaf with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.

8.      Uncover loaf, slash as desired (see note), and bake at 325 degrees until golden brown, about 45 minutes. For a soft brown crust, take the loaf out of the oven about five minutes before it is finished baking, and spread butter over top of loaf. Return loaf to oven and bake for the final five minutes. Cool loaf for five minutes in the pan, turn it out, transfer to a wire cooling rack, and let it cool completely before slicing.

Chicken Nacho (or Enchilada) Soup

Really, how lazy can I be--but I knew that I wouldn't want to go upstairs and find the recipe after I had sat down at the computer.  So, here's the skinny on it--I double it, minus the milk, you can add as much or as little milk as you like, beacuse I love mine thick and creamy, but I usually only put one can of chicken (I really prefer my own bottled chicken to anything from the store, and this would be a pint or half a quart) and then we crumble tortilla chips on top!! LOVE LOVE LOVE This!  The ease, the flavor, I don't know which is greater!!

So quick, So easy, So Yummy, thank you, thank you to my big sister for sharing this recipe, it has become one of my FAVORITE soup recipes, EVER!!

Chicken Broccoli Braid

Original Recipe Yield 6 servings

 

Ingredients

This barely makes enough for our family, so I usually buy more rolls and do two, the quart of chicken and a little extra of the rest of the ingredients makes it plenty.  THIS IS SOOOOO YUMMY!!

• 2 cups diced, cooked chicken meat  (Once again I use my bottle chicken off the shelf of the pantry)
• 1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 clove crushed garlic (or about a teaspoon or half of powder depending on your tastes)
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons dried dill weed (?  I don't have dillweed on hand and have never added it)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds  (love the almonds, they add a little crunch!)
• 1/4 cup diced onion (Usually throw in a bit of dried because it is quick and easy)
• 2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1 egg white, beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees F).
2. In a large bowl, toss together chicken, broccoli, red bell pepper, garlic, Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, dill weed, salt, almonds and onion.
3. Unroll crescent roll dough, and arrange flat on a medium baking sheet. Pinch together perforations to form a single sheet of dough. Using a knife or scissors, cut 1 inch wide strips in towards the center, starting on the long sides. There should be a solid strip about 3 inches wide down the center, with the cut strips forming a fringe down each side. Spread the chicken mixture along the center strip. Fold the side strips over chicken mixture, alternating strips from each side. Pinch or twist to seal.
4. Brush braided dough with the egg white. Bake in the preheated oven 25 to 28 minutes, or until golden brown.

Chicken or Pork and Cabbage Stir Fry

Okay, if you don't know it yet, I love, love, love Asian food, especially Chinese, and here is a simple and easy cabbage stiry fry that I added a quart bottle of chicken to, along with bean sprouts and topped with crunchy chinese noodles.  Once again I found the base recipe on allrecipes, but I am not sure if I have ever made a recipe without somehow changing, adapting, or adopting something else into it or out of--I guess that is why I enjoy cooking so much, because I can make it however I want!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound shredded cabbage (I used about 1 head)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine) (I use apple cider vinegar)
• 1 sliced onion
• 1 quart shredded chicken
• 1 can bean sprouts
• We use brown rice for a base, but you can use white if that is what you eat, or some kind of chinese noodles?
• Top with crunchy noodles

Directions

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook for a few seconds until it begins to brown. Stir in the cabbage until it is coated in oil; cover the wok, and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the soy sauce, and cook and stir for another minute. Increase the heat to high, and stir in the Chinese cooking wine. Cook and stir until the cabbage is tender, about 2 minutes more. You may need to increase the liquids, add the onion first, then the cabbage and then the sprouts and chicken to heat through, you can also use a bit of cornstarch and broth to thicken a bit!

Sweet & Spicy Thai Stir Fry & Noodles

About 8 or 9 years ago Mongolian BBQ opened it's doors in SG and we have been big fans ever since.  They recognize us when we come in, even though we live out of state and only get to eat there a few times a year (we think its our children that are so memorable.)  Anyway, this reminded me lots of it and it has been a favorite since I found it.  Sweet Chili Sauce is in the oriental section of the grocery store and has been a love of mine since I was a teenager.  I keep it on hand for dipping egg rolls and sausage-cheese balls, and recipes like this.  I also was looking for recipes to use cabbage in.  I used a bag of frozen stir-fy veggies and half a head of sliced cabbage in place of the veggies in the recipe, I have also used pork and/or chicken, thin sliced.  My kids LOVE the noodles, though I do reserve a little less sauce than it calls for to even out the bit of spice.  Happy Eating!

Original Recipe Yield 6 servings

 

Ingredients

• 12 ounces dry Chinese noodles
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3/4 cup sweet chili sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 (1 pound) pork loin, cut into 2-inch strips
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 onions, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 3 cups chopped napa cabbage
• 3/4 cup sliced celery
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 3 red bell peppers, chopped
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup cold water

Directions

1. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the Chinese noodles, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 5 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
2. Whisk together the 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 3/4 cup sweet chili sauce, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, the ground ginger, and the sesame oil in a large bowl; add the drained Chinese noodles and toss to coat; set aside
3. Whisk together the 1/2 cup soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder in a large bowl; add the pork and stir to coat. Allow to marinate 5 minutes.
4. Heat the cooking oil in a wok or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork, onions, and red pepper flakes to the oil; cook until the pork is browned completely. Stir in 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce, the napa cabbage, celery, carrots, and bell peppers; cook and stir until vegetables are completely heated, about 5 minutes. Whisk together the cornstarch and water and add to the stir fry, stirring until the mixture thickens. Serve the stir-fry over the noodles.

Another Twist on Chicken Enchiladas......

(Yay, I found a picture to add!!)

Okay, so I failed to get a pic of this, but since I am so far behind on posting I decided to go ahead and get it on here--I did not have cream cheese that night and so I used sour cream, I only used one can of chili's, though it about broke my heart, but I knew that the first can would be hard enough for my rugrats to swallow, whcih is was.  I also used canned milk, not skim, and green enchilada sauce since it didn't specifiy, though I wonder if next time I should try red.  I am also a believer in bottling chicken, so I used a quart of my home-bottled chicken and broth which is awesome and easy.  It was yummy, could have used a little more kick, next time I will try to spice it up just a bit more.

Mexican C hicken Casserole

BECKY LUIGART-STAYNER

Zesty, creamy and loaded with chicken, it's no wonder why this Mexican chicken casserole is one of our top-rated recipes.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup) .

Ingredients

·                                 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

·                                 2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, divided

·                                 1 3/4 pounds skinned, boned chicken breasts

·                                 2 teaspoons olive oil

·                                 1 cup chopped onion

·                                 1 cup evaporated skim milk

·                                 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

·                                 1/4 cup (2 ounces) tub-style light cream cheese

·                                 1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce

·                                 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

·                                 Cooking spray

·                                 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese

·                                 1 ounce tortilla chips, crushed (about 6 chips)

Preparation

·                                 Combine broth and 1 can of chiles in a large skillet; bring to a boil. Add chicken; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken is done, turning chicken once. Remove chicken from cooking liquid, reserving cooking liquid; cool chicken. Shred meat with two forks, and set aside.

·                                 Preheat oven to 350°.

·                                 Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 can of chiles and onion; sauté 3 minutes or until soft. Add reserved cooking liquid, milk, Monterey Jack, cream cheese, and enchilada sauce; stir well. Stir in shredded chicken; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

·                                 Place 4 tortillas in the bottom of a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Spoon 2 cups chicken mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers twice, ending with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and chips. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.