Friday, December 11, 2009

December Meals

Swiss Steak - Britta

Chili - Heidi

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce - Julianne

Mediterranean Pizza and Garlic Bread and Apple Pie Filling - Julie

Chicken Cordon Bleu - Kim Roylance

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti - Kimberly Summers

Sweet and Sour Meatballs - Lindsay

Spinach Ravioli Lasagna with Pesto Bread Crumbs and Chocolate Filled Cupcakes - Melanie

Curry Chicken and Rice Soup - Naomi

Grilled Chicken Alfredo - Tawnee

Curry Chicken and Rice Soup

2 large carrots, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
1 onion, chopped
¾ c. butter or margarine
¾ c. c. flour
1 tsp. seasoned salt

½ to 1 tsp. curry powder (I use 1 tsp)
3 cans (12 oz each) evaporated milk
4 c. chicken broth
2 – 3 c. cubed cooked chicken (thighs are good for this)
2 c. cooked long grain rice

In a large saucepan, sauté carrots, celery and onion in butter for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in flour, seasoned salt and curry until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Gradually add broth. Stir in chicken and rice. Return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until vegetable are tender.

10-12 servings

Chocolate Filled Cupcakes

Filling: add the following ingredients in a medium bowl, mix well and set aside
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
dash salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Cake dough: add the following ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with whisk.
1 ½ cup flour
1 cup sugar
¼ cup cocoa
1 tsp salt

Then add the following ingredients and blend well:
1 cup warm water
1 TBL vinegar
1 stick melted margarine

Line muffin tin with about 18 cupcake liners. Fill ½ full with cake dough. Top with a heaping tablespoon of filling. Bake 15-18 mins at 350°.

Spinach Ravioli Lasagna with Pesto Panko Bread Crumbs

Spinach Ravioli Lasagna
1 - 23oz jar Alfredo Sauce (your favorite brand)
1 - 38oz pkg Spinach & Cheese Ravioli from Costco (cooked according to package directions)
¼ cup Basil Pesto
1 cup roasted red peppers, sliced in ½ inch strips (or chopped)

Pesto Panko Bread Crumbs
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
½ cup basil pesto
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray
2. To prepare bread crumbs, mix all ingredients in a small bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
3. Smooth 1/3 of the jar of Alfredo sauce over the bottom of the prepared pan.
4. Layer 18 of the ravioli in slightly overlapping rows (3 across, 6 lengthwise)
5. Smooth 1/3 of the jar of Alfredo sauce over the ravioli. Dot with pesto.
6. Layer the remaining ravioli in slightly overlapping rows (3 across, 6 lengthwise). Tuck any extra ravioli into this layer.
7. Smooth 1/3 of the jar of Alfredo sauce over the ravioli.
8. Place red pepper strips (or chopped) evenly across the top. Sprinkle with Pesto Panko Bread Crumbs.
9. Cover with foil and bake until the sauce is bubbling, about 35 minutes. Remove the foil and broil until the bread crumbs are lightly browned.
10. Let the lasagna rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 12 servings (cut ingredients in half to serve 6)

Note 1: Pesto Panko Bread Crumbs can also be used as a topping for baked chicken or fish.

Note 2: Instead of boiling the ravioli, I steam the ravioli for about 5 mins… they tend to stay in tact better

Note 3: I also prefer red & white sauce vs. straight Alfredo. I mix a can of diced tomatoes with the Alfredo.

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

1 Cup Plain Yogurt
1 t fresh grated ginger
1 t minced garlic
1 T curry powder
1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders

Combine all the above in a bowl. Cover, put in fridge and let marinade for 2 hours. Thread chicken on skewers. Grill 3-5 minutes on each side. Serve with white rice.

Peanut Sauce
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 t chili garlic sauce (found in Asian isle)
2 T brown sugar
2 limes juiced
1/2 cup hot water

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Serve with chicken and rice.

Swiss Steak

1/4 c. flour
salt, pepper to taste
1 1/2 lb. round steak, cut
3 Tbsp. oil
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, shredded
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Mix flour, salt, pepper. Coat steak. Heat oil in skillet on medium heat. Saute celery, onion, and carrots for 5 minutes until tender. Set aside. Cook steak pieces until lightly browned. Place steak and veggies in crock pot with tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar. Cook on low 8-10 hours. Serve over potatoes. (You can include potatoes in the crock pot if desired.)

Old Fashioned Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 1 whole chicken fryer
1 - 12 oz package spaghetti noodles
1 - 16 oz (1 lb) package Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 - 10.5 oz can cream of chicken soup
1 - 14 oz can chicken broth or 2 cups reserved broth
1 - stick margarine (1/2 Cup)
1 - 8 oz package shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese
1 - small onion, chopped
3-4 celery ribs, chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped

Fill a big stock pot with water. Clean and rinse whole fryer or chicken pieces. Add chicken, I like to add a little seasoning salt, pepper and poultry seasoning while the chicken cooks. Wash hands after handling chicken. Let chicken come to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer chicken until done. Cook whole fryers about 2 hours and chicken breasts or pieces 45-50 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and place on a plate to cool. Drain the broth through a strainer and reserve. Cook the spaghetti per package directions. Instead of cooking the spaghetti in water, we are going to use the reserved chicken broth. Add spaghetti and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer noodles until al dente. While spaghetti noodles are cooking start deboning the chicken (make sure it is cool enough to handle) or break chicken breasts to smaller pieces. Chop up all the vegetables and set aside. Melt margarine in a small skillet and add the vegetables. Saute’ vegetables until they are tender and translucent in color. When noodles are done drain and set aside. If you are not using canned chicken broth, reserve 2 cups of the cooked broth. In a large bowl combine Velveeta cheese, chicken broth and cream of chicken soup. Place in microwave and cook on low for 5-7 minutes or until mixture is smooth and cheese is melted. (You can also use the defrost setting). To the cheese mixture add cooked vegetables with butter, spaghetti noodles and chicken pieces. Stir to combine. Spray a 9x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and add combined mixture. Top finished casserole with 8oz of shredded cheddar cheese. Place casserole in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and casserole is bubbly. Remove from oven let cool and serve.

Time saver note: If a 9 x 13 inch dish is to big for your family you can prepare (2) 8 x 8 inch size. Serve one for dinner and freeze the second one for a quick meal another night. To freeze assemble casserole, then cover unbaked casserole with plastic wrap, and two layers of foil. Date and place in freezer. To cook, remove casserole from the freezer. Defrost and proceed with baking instructions. Or For a large family just double the recipe ingredients and prepare two 9 x 13 inch baking dishes.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1 ½ lbs. hamburger
¾ cup oats
2 eggs
½ cup chopped onion or 1 Tbsp dried flakes
½ cup milk
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt & pepper to taste

Sauce
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup vinegar
½ cup BBQ sauce
2 tsp mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Use 9x13 glass pan (easier to clean than metal). Mix together all ingredients for meatballs. Use cookie scoop to form meatballs & place close together in pan. Mix together sauce ingredients until smooth. Pour sauce over meatballs & cook for 25-30 minutes.

One Jar Homemade Apple Filling

Double Crust:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup Vegetable Shortening
6-8 Tbls. water

Stir flour and salt. Blend in shortening with a fork until size of small peas. Sprinkle 2 Tbls. water and continue to blend. Repeat until all is moistened. Divide into 2 balls. Spread plastic wrap on table the size you will be rolling dough out.

Place dough on plastic wrap and flatten. Add another layer of plastic wrap over top of dough. Use rolling pin to roll out dough between wrap layers into a circle slightly larger than the pie tin. Take one layer of wrap off and place dough into pie tin. Remove 2nd layer of wrap.

Now add pie filling from jar. Repeat rolling out process for 2nd layer of dough. Place on top of pie and join top and bottom layers. Use a knife to cut a few holes in top of dough to let steam vent. You can do a cute pattern such as an apple. Place pie on cookie sheet so it doesn't drip in your oven.

Bake 425 for 10 min, then turn down oven to 375 for 45 min. Enjoy!
Note: This Apple Pie Filling Jar will make one 8" pie.

Mediterranean Pizza and Garlic Bread

Mediterranean Pizza
1 pizza crust (see recipe)
Mozzarella cheese
Crumbled Feta Cheese
Parmesan (shredded)
Baby Spinach
Grilled chicken (cubed)
Roma Tomato (diced)
garlic(minced)
olive oil
Spread a little olive oil and garlic out on crust. Add mozzarella, then
a layer of spinach, followed by chicken and tomatoes. On top sprinkle
feta and parmesan. Bake and enjoy
From Frozen: No need to defrost or preheat oven. Place on pizza
stone or cookie sheet and Bake 375 for 20-25 minutes or until
cheese is melted through.

Pizza Dough (Kim Roylance French Bread recipe)
3 cups warm water
4 Tbls. sugar
2 Tbls. yeast
Let above mix set 2 min then add
1 Tbsp salt
2 tbsp oil
7 1/2 to 8 cups flour
Stir. Batter is stiff. Stir down every 10 min for 1 hr.
Divide into 8 portions for thin crust pizzas.

Garlic Bread
1/2 cup butter (soft)
1 teaspoon mincled garlic
1/2 Tbls Italian herbs
1/2 Tbls parsley
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
MIx all ingredients and spread on sliced French Bread.
Wrap in foil and bake 375 for 15-20 min or until
butter sauce is melted.