Spinach & Bow Tie Salad

Salad:

1 11 oz can of mandarin oranges

one bag of baby spinach

slivered almonds to taste

sesame seeds to taste

chopped green onions

chopped red onions

1 bag of bow tie pasta

 

Boil the pasta following package directions and let cool.  Mix the spinach and pasta together and then layer toppings as desired.

Dressing:

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

 

Put all ingredients into a sauce pan and heat to a boil stirring.  Let boil, while stirring, for 2 mins.  Let cool completely.

Pork Taco's with Cilantro Mayo

PORK RECIPE:
Pork Roast {I like the roasts from Costco that come in the 4 pack} But, I only cook one roast {unless we are having company for dinner, and then we make two roasts}.
Garlic Salt
Cumin
Basil Flakes
Oregano Flakes
Onion Powder
2 Cups Water
Thaw the pork roast and place in a crock pot. Pour in about 2 cups of water. Sprinkle roast and water with garlic salt, cumin, basil and oregano flakes and onion powder. I actually don't measure these, I just sprinkle them generously on the roast and water. Cook the pork until it starts to fall apart.
I cook the pork all 5-6 hours on high {depending on your crock-pot, you may need to adjust times}.

JALAPENO CILANTRO MAYO RECIPE:
2 cups mayo {a few friends have said that 1 1/2 cups is plenty, but I have always used 2 cups)
1/2 bunch of cilantro {leaves only}. Just wash your cilantro, and hold the bunch in your hand and pull off the top leafy portion. You do not need to pick off each leaf individually. 
1 clove garlic
1 jalapeno {without seeds unless you like it hot}
2 Tbsp White Vinegar
2 Tbsp Water
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 t. salt
Place all ingredients in your blender and blend until it is smooth. Make at least 2 hours ahead of time and place in the refrigerator to thicken.

After the pork is done, remove the meat from the crock pot. Next, strain out the chunks of fat and sludge. I usually put a bowl in the sink {to catch the broth}and use a pasta strainer to catch the sludge. Discard the sludge and save the left over pork broth.

Next, put the meat back in the crock pot and shred the pork. I usually add some of the broth back in to add moisture and then pour in 1 jar of green Herdes Verde Sauce.  If your pork still seems dry, add more broth until it's as moist as you prefer.

OTHER INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

White Corn Tortillas
Shredded Green Cabbage
3-4 Limes cut restaurant style.

Warm your white corn tortillas on a griddle prior to eating. We warm up a bunch and wrap them in foil to keep them warm.

Serve with fresh squeezed lime juice, shredded cabbage, and cilantro mayo. ENJOY!

Broccoli Chicken Casserole

1 1/2 cups chopped or pulled chicken breast
1 chopped onion
1 1/2 cups diced celery
1 cube butter
1-2 cups frozen broccoli
Slivered almonds (optional)
Sliced mushrooms (optional)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream (sometimes I add more)
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp rosemary
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup chicken broth (if needed)
2 cups cooked rice
salt/pepper to taste
1 Box Stove Top Stuffing

In a pan melt butter and cook celery and slivered almonds for 5 minutes. Add onion, seasonings, salt & pepper to taste. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Add cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cooked rice, diced chicken and combine until done and warm. Add chicken broth or additional milk if the mixture is too dry. Combine with frozen broccoli and pour into a 9x13 dish. Cook stove top stuffing according to mix and sprinkle on top. Cook 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until stove top stuffing is lightly browned.

**If cooking an already prepared freezer meal let casserole thaw out, remove plastic wrap and cook with tin toil at 375 degrees for 1/2 hour or so. Pull from oven, add stove top stuffing mix on top and cook uncovered at 400 degrees for an additional 25 minutes or until done.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

1 lb chicken breast, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 flour tortillas, softened (8 inches each)
1 1/2 cups grated monterey jack cheese or 1 1/2 cups Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 (15 ounce) can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
1 small can enchilada sauce (optional)

Directions: 1 In frypan, cook chicken and onion together in oil over medium-high heat until chicken is just done.

2 Divide cooked chicken evenly between 8 tortillas; add 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese to each tortilla.

3 Roll enchiladas and place seam-side down in 9x13" baking dish that has been lightly sprayed with no-stick cooking spray. (Optional- I opened a small can of enchilada sauce and placed some in the the bottom of the pan.)

4 Melt butter in a medium saucepan; stir in flour to make a roux; stir and cook until bubbly; gradually whisk in chicken broth then bring to boiling, stirring frequently.

5 Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and green chiles; pour sauce evenly over enchiladas.

6 Top with remaining 3/4 cup cheese (baking dish may be double-wrapped and frozen at this point) and bake at 400F for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce near edges of baking dish is bubbly.

Read more at: http://mexican.food.com/recipe/simply-sour-cream-chicken-enchiladas-129926?oc=linkback

Teriyaki Meatballs

1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup(s) minced scallions
2 tablespoon(s) soy sauce
2 1/2 teaspoon(s) grated peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoon(s) toasted sesame oil
1 clove(s) garlic, crushed through a press
1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pound(s) ground hamburger or pork
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup(s) thick teriyaki sauce and marinade (we like and used Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki for this meal)
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

In a large bowl, whisk egg, scallions, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, garlic, and pepper until blended. Add hamburger/pork and mix in with your hands until combined. Shape into 30 (1 1/2-inch) balls.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Sauté until lightly browned on all sides and meatballs firm up.

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Place meatballs in a glass dish. Brush with teriyaki sauce. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, brushing once with remaining sauce, until cooked through and glazed.

Insert toothpicks into meatballs and transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds

Taco Soup

1 lb. Hamburger
1 package Taco Seasoning
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch mix
1 onion
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can northern white beans, drained
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes with juices
1 28 oz. can stewed tomatoes with juices
1 can corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes - Mexican style with juices
Tomato juice
Sour cream
Cheese
Oyster crackers

Cook meat and onion with taco seasoning and Ranch packet. Put the meat and canned items in pot on stove except corn. If needed, add tomato juice or water to get the desired consistency. Simmer until heated thoroughly. Add the corn about 10 minutes before it's finished cooking. You can throw in an extra can of drained kidney or black beans if you want.

Serve with oyster crackers, sour cream, and cheese.

Martha Stewart Chicken Tetrazzini

Coarse salt and ground pepper
6 tablespoons butter
1 pound white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup dry white wine (I used white grape juice as a substitute)
1.5 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1.5 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 pound linguine, broken in half
1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed, meat shredded (about 4 cups)
1/2 package (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed and drained

Preheat oven to 400. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (for pasta). In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over high heat. Add mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until tender and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and set aside.

Make sauce: In same saucepan, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add flour; cook, whisking, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, gradually add milk, broth, and wine/white grape juice. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and add parmesan, cheddar cheese and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta 2 minutes less than package instructions for al dente; drain and return to pot. Add sauce, chicken, peas, and mushrooms. Toss well to combine. Divide between two shallow 2-quart baking dishes; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Freeze (see below) or bake until browned, about 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Buttermilk Chicken Strips

1 lb chicken fillets
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp paprika
1 cup corn flakes, crushed into fine crumbs
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tsp parsley
salt & pepper

Place tin foil in a cookie sheet. Mix buttermilk, salt & pepper and paprinka in bowl. Mix rest of dry ingredients in another mixing bowl. Dredge each piece of chicken into buttermilk mixture. Then place in bowl with dry ingredients until entire piece of chicken is covered in the crumb mixture. Place chicken pieces on pan and cook un-thawed at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Serve with Honey Mustard Sauce.

Honey Mustard Sauce

1/3 cup low fat Hellman’s Mayo
1-2 Tbsp liquid honey (depending on taste)
2 heaping Tbsp Dijon mustard

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Serve in individual ramekins alongside chicken strips.

Lasagna

1 lb hamburger, thawed
8-10 Lasagna Noodles
1 onion, chopped
1 can 16 oz Tomato Sauce
1 can 28 oz can whole Tomatoes (optional if you want it more "saucy")
1 small can 6 oz Tomato Paste
1/2-3/4 cup water
2 Tbs Parsley
1 Tbs Basil
1 Tbs Oregano
16 oz Cottage Cheese
Grated cheese
Salt/Pepper

Brown hamburger in pan along with chopped onion. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, water and seasonings. While sauce is cooking boil the lasagna noodles in a pot of boiling water for 9-11 minutes. Layer in lasagna pan in this order... sauce, noodles, cottage cheese (I add a little bit of parsley to the cottage cheese), cheese and repeat twice. Cook at 350 oven for 1 hour.

Zesty Pineapple Chicken Freezer Recipe

2 lbs chicken breasts, with skin (about 4 breasts)
2 tbsp melted butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Zesty Pineapple Glaze:
8 3/4 oz. can pineapple tidbits
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 tbsp. prepared mustard
1 tsp. soy sauce

Preheat oven to 375F. In a disposable 9" foil container (or baking dish that is
freezable) place chicken breasts with the skin side up. Brush each piece of
chicken with melted butter, then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake
for 30 minutes. Just before chicken is finished baking, make glaze. Remove
chicken from oven and brush with flaze. Allow to cool completely then freeze.

On cooking day, remove dish from freezer to thaw. Once thawed, bake in preheated
375F for 50-60 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and glaze is dark
brown.

Italian Meatballs & Marinara Sauce

*Food Network

2 slices white sandwich bread, stale
1 lb ground pork
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup fresh parsley
2 tsp kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red cayenne pepper (optional)
1 large egg, beaten
fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup olive oil, divided

Grate the bread or pulse crumbs in a food processor. In a small bowl toss the bread crumbs with 1/3 cup cold milk to re-hydrate.

In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, pork, beef, parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper, onion, garlic, cayenne and egg and mix until combined. Using your hands, gently form the meat mixture into slightly larger than golf ball-sized balls (packing the meat tightly together will result in tough meatballs). Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Heat half the oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally until well browned on all sizes, about 6 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Drain the oil and wipe out of the skillet, return to the heat and repeat with the remaining oil and meatballs.

Drain and wipe out the skillet again. Return all the meatballs to the skillet and pour in the marinara sauce. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, covered, swirling the pan occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through about 15 minutes. The cheese in the meatballs will start to melt when the meatballs are ready. Serve immediately with Fettuccine noodles. Toss 1/3 of sauce with the noodles. These meatballs can be stored, covered in the refrigerator for 3 days or frozen for up to six weeks.

Marinara Sauce
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 (28 oz) cans of whole peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 small bunch fresh basil, leaves chopped
2 tsp kosher salt
fresh ground pepper

Heat the olive oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and garlic, stirring until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, the herb springs and basil and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 15 minute or until thickened. Remove and discard the her sprig. Stir in the salt and pepper to taste. Serve or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to two months.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

1/2 stick margarine
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cup milk
3 cups cooked rice
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 cups diced cooked chicken
1 cup slivered almonds (optional)
2 tsp parsley
1-2 crowns of broccolli
1 cup cheese
1 package chicken stove-top-style stuffing mix, prepared according to package directions

Melt margarine over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add celery and cook about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onion and cook another 5 minutes. Stir in soup, salt, pepper, parsley, rice, chicken, milk and slivered almonds and cook until warm and bubbly. Steam broccoli for 3-5 minutes (do not overcook!) Mix steamed broccoli into the mixture and pour into 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle cheese on top of dish. Spoon stuffing over the top and bake, uncovered in 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until stuffing is toasted.

Tater Tot Casserole

1 bag tater tots
1 lb hamburger
1 chopped onion
1 16 oz sour cream
1 can cream of chicken
1 cup of milk
1 Tbsp parsley
salt/pepper to taste

Brown hamburger in a large pan, add chopped onion to hamburger mix about five minutes before the hamburger is done. Add all other ingredients and cook until warm. Place mixture in 9x13 glass pan and add tater tots on top of the mixture. Cook uncovered for 375 for 30 minutes or until tater tots are crispy and casserole is bubbly. Enjoy!

Triple Citrus Chicken

4-6 skinless, boneless breasts
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp grated orange zest
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 Tbl chives, chopped
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
3 Tbl fresh lime juice
2 Tbl fresh lemon juice
1 Tbl honey
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbl vegetable oil

For freezing: Place all ingredients into a 1 Gallon freezer bag. Lay flat
in freezer. Thaw overnight. Bake in the oven at 350 for 30 mins or you can grill them. Serve over rice.