Sausage Rice

This is tasty and quick! And it didn't give me heartburn! Shocking since it has both onions and sausage...

1 lb pork sausage
2 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, diced
1 6 oz box long-grain and wild rice mix (I used Uncle Ben's and used the herb seasoning packet too)
2 cups chicken broth
1 10-oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Cook sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat until well browned. Drain fat. Combine browned sausage, celery, onion, rice mix, broth, soup, and cheese. Pour in a 9x13 pan. Cover with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir casserole before serving.

Variation: Can replace sausage with ground beef

Honey Dijon Glazed Chicken (On the Stovetop!)

Hey, Guys!  Found a great chicken recipe that we'll be using this summer because it doesn't require the oven.  Paul was a HUGE fan, so I felt pretty good about that.  I made several modifications, so just note that.
It came from http://www.recipegirl.com/2008/09/15/honey-molasses-chicken-drumsticks/

HONEY- MOLASSES CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

INGREDIENTS:

SAUCE:
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon minced garlic

CHICKEN:
1 teaspoon olive oil
6 chicken drumsticks, skin removed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl; whisk together and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan, browning on all sides. Add honey mixture to pan, turning chicken to coat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 15 minutes or until chicken is done, turning chicken every 5 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional minute or until mixture is thick and darker color, and the chicken is well coated. Remove from heat; serve immediately, or cool before refrigerating.

I didn't have balsamic vinegar, so I just used regular vinegar.  I also didn't have molasses, so I just skipped that part.  Additionally, I used chicken thighs because that's what was on sale.  

I made sure to drain any excess oil/liquid after cooking the chicken before I added the sauce.  The sauce was really watery and wasn't glazing, so I let it cook uncovered on the stove for quite awhile (20 min?) to get it more to a glaze.  Then once it starts glazing, watch it!  I almost burned it all!  

Hope you enjoy!  

Quinoa & Black Bean Salad

I got this recipe from one of my supervisors at the clinic. It's super healthy and really yummy!

Salad Ingredients:
2 cups cook quinoa
1 cup drained and rinsed black beans
1 cup corn (defrosted if frozen)
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, small diced
1/4 cup Roma tomatoes, seeded/diced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Dressing Ingredients:
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp rice or red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin, ground

Directions:
In large bowl, combine quinoa, beans, corn, pepper, onion, tomato, and cilantro.
In a small bowl or jar, combine dressing mixture. Pour over salad ingredients and stir to coat well.

Serving suggestions:
Eat it by itself as a side dish or on a bed of greens or in a whole wheat tortilla for a healthy meal.

Coconut Lime Banana Bread

This is an AMAZING coconut lime banana bread from Our Best Bites.  I got it from my roommate Lisa Relf Jones and it has been my go-to ever since.  Try it out!

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

adapted by Our Best Bites from Cooking Light

2 C flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 C sugar

1/4 C (4 Tbs) real butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 1/2 C mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large bananas)

1/4 C sour cream or plain yogurt

3 Tbs apple juice or milk*

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 C coconut

Topping: 2 Tbs additional coconut

Glaze: 1/2 C powdered sugar whisked with 1 1/2 Tbs fresh lime juice

*as in: don't go buy apple juice just for this recipe.  If you don't already have some, just use milk!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until blended.  Add eggs and beat to combine.  Add banana, sour cream or yogurt, apple juice (or milk), and vanilla.  Beat until blended.

Add flour mixture and beat at a low speed until just combined.  Stir in 1/2 C coconut.

Pour batter into a 9x5" loaf pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Sprinkle additional 2 Tbs coconut on top.  

Bake in the oven for about 1 hour or until a knife or skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Note: Check bread after about 40 minutes.  If the top has browned and the coconut pieces are looking toasty, cover top of bread lightly with a piece of foil.  Continue baking until done.

When done, remove pan from oven.  Let cool on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes and then carefully remove from pan.  Whisk powdered sugar and lime juice together for the glaze and then drizzle over top.    Cool for another 15 minutes before slicing.

Easy Fried Rice

This is ultra easy.  I also buy a little package of diced ham to go in it so we can eat it for dinner instead of as a side dish.  This really works best with rice that is at least a day old so it can dry out just a little (otherwise, it all kind of turns into a gooey mess).  It's so easy though.  If we are doing rice on Sunday, we just make extra and I have a super quick, easy, cheap Monday dinner.
*Note: Paul said let the rice cool until it's cold before putting it in the fridge. It's his fried rice secret...

It comes from this website: http://life-in-the-lofthouse.com/baked-sweet-and-sour-chicken-with-fried-rice/

Enjoy! Lou

FRIED RICE

Fried Rice that is super easy to make and delicious!

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INGREDIENTS

1. 3 cups cooked white rice (day old or leftover rice works best!)
2. 3 Tablespoons sesame oil (or vegetable oil)
3. 1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)
4. 1 small onion, chopped
5. 2 teaspoons minced garlic
6. 2 eggs, slightly beaten
7. 3-4 Tablespoons soy sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the peas/carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender.
2. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side, then pour eggs on the other side of skillet. Stir fry until scrambled.
3. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated!

Baked Lemon Chicken

This has become one of my all-time favorites. It's so quick and yummy. I don't even know how many times Bert and I made it!

Baked Lemon Chicken
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

In a shallow dish, combine the butter, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Place bread crumbs in another dish. Dip chicken in butter mixture, then coat with crumbs.
Place in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Drizzle with remaining butter mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until juices run clear.

Crock-Pot Chicken and Dumplings

This one came from Aunt Maxine on one of our trips to Vegas to the tournament. While we were there, she decided to go through some of her recipes and give me some good ones :)

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or 2 very large ones)
2 Tablespoons butter
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken broth
1 onion, diced
1 cup diced carrots
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
4 grands Flaky refrigerator biscuits (I did them uncooked)

Place chicken in crock pot. Add the butter, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, onions, and parsley. Cook on high for 4-6 hours. After cooking time has elapsed, take a fork and break the chicken into pieces. Cut biscuits into 9 pieces. Stir into hot chicken and continue to cook for 30 minutes (Turn crock pot back on).

Easy and Elegant Chicken

This is the chicken recipe from my Achievement Day girls days. I really like it but it makes a TON of sauce.

Easy and Elegant Chicken

6 Chicken Breasts
1/2 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Lay chicken breasts in the bottom of a 9x13 glass pan. Mix together all of the other ingredients and pour over the op of the chicken. Place aluminum foil over the top. Cook at 350 for 45 minutes. Serve with noodles, rice, or baked potatoes.

Taco Soup

I got this recipe from Breanna, my roommate freshman year. It has become one of my winter go-tos. I love it!

Taco Soup

1 lb. hamburger
1 lg can stewed tomatoes
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 16 oz cans kidney beans
1 envelope taco seasoning grated cheddar cheese
sour cream
tortilla chips

Brown hamburger and onion. Drain. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer 15 minutes. Add cheese and sour cream to taste. Serve with corn chips or corn muffins

Mom's Easy Minestrone Soup

Yummy and healthy?! Yes please!

Easy Minestrone Soup

1/2 cup butter/margarine
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen peas, thawed
1 up diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1/2 to 1 cup diced onions (preference)
1 Tbs. chopped parsley
1 tsp basil
1 (28 oz) can Italian tomatoes (or 1 qt. home canned)
3 (13 3/4 oz) cans chicken broth
1 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 lb. zucchini, sliced
3 (16 oz) cans kidney (or other variety beans)
1/2 cup spaghetti, broken into small pieces
salt
grated Parmesan cheese

In Dutch oven/large pot over medium heat, melt butter/margarine. Cook peas and next 5 ingredients for 10 minutes. Stir in next 6 ingredients. Cook 20 minutes or until spaghetti is tender. Salt to taste. Serve with cheese. Makes 15 cups (8 servings).

Cashew Chicken

I found this recipe at http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/crock-pot-cashew-chicken.html#comments and decided to try it out for Sunday dinner since it was pretty easy and went in the crock pot.  A few things I changed that are worth noting:

1. I used chicken thighs instead of breasts (because they were way cheaper, but even though they're probably not as healthy, they were very tender/flavorful).

2. I doubled the sauce recipe.  A lot of comments on the recipe said to do that and it worked great

3.  I used low sodium soy sauce and salt free cashews (I just rinsed them a couple times to get the salt off).  A lot of reviews said that it was too salty otherwise and they threw it out.

4.  I just used powdered ginger and used a little less

5.  I didn't use red pepper flakes.  I used a little powdered red pepper, but even that was a bit too much kick for me.  I'd skip that part.

6.  This would be good without cashews, too, if you need a meal that's a little cheaper.

It was a huge hit at our house and will definitely be a repeat!  :)  Plus, it was pretty cheap and easy, which is a win for me.
~Lou

Crock Pot Cashew Chicken

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Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (About 4 pieces), cut into smaller pieces
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp ketchup
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ tsp grated fresh ginger
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• ½ cup UNSALTED cashews

Instructions

1. Combine flour and pepper in resealable food storage bag. Add chicken. Shake to coat with flour mixture.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken about 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken in slow cooker.
3. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes in small bowl; pour over chicken.
4. Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. Add cashews and stir.

This recipe came from The Recipe Critic who adapted the recipe from 365 Days of Crockpot