Sunday Chicken

I got this recipe from Paula Williams, our singles ward's bishop's wife :) The proportions weren't specific so you can just kind of choose how much you want of each. I love to cook broccoli on the side and enjoy it with the sauce also.

Potatoes ( I usually do 6)
Chicken Breasts (about a lbs worth)
Baby Carrots (enough to even out the potatoes)
3 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 soup can of milk
1 pkg of Italian salad dressing

Cut up the chicken into strips. Peel potatoes and keep whole. Cut the carrots in half. Mix the soup with 1/2 of a soup can of milk, more or less. You want a gravy consistency, not too runny. Add the package of Italian seasoning and mix together. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour some of the soup into the pan, lightly covering the bottom. Place the potatoes and carrots in the middle of the pan and the chicken around the potatoes. Pour the rest of the soup onto the potatoes and chicken. Cover the pan with foil and put some holes in the top for steam. Cook at 350 degrees for 2 hours. I usually cook it for 3 hours, the whole time we are in church. You could probably cook it at 325 for 3 hours.

Molten Brownie Cupcakes

I got this recipe from the Betty Crocker website, and I must say that it is absolute Heaven! Yummy! It reminds me of a molten lava cake I ate somewhere once, it is worth making!

1/2	cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2	cup butter or margarine
3	eggs
3	egg yolks
1	package Supreme brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch) or regular brownie mix with 1/4 cup of hershey's syrup on the side.
	About 1/2 cup Decorative stars, confetti, or critters decors (I like using nuts)

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	Heat oven to 400°F. Grease 12 muffin cups (2 3/4x1 1/4 inches). In medium microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and butter uncovered on High 45 to 60 seconds or until melted and mixture can be stirred smooth.
	In large bowl, beat eggs and egg yolks with wire whisk or electric mixer until foamy. Reserve chocolate syrup pouch from brownie mix. Gradually beat dry brownie mix into egg mixture until well blended. Gently stir in melted chocolate mixture. Fill muffin cups half full of brownie mixture; top each with 1/2 teaspoon decors. Top with remaining brownie mixture.
	Bake 11 to 14 minutes or until edges are set. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Centers will be soft. Cool 2 minutes.
	Loosen each cupcake with knife; turn upside down onto heatproof tray or cookie sheet. To serve, place cupcake on plate; drizzle with reserved chocolate syrup and top with additional decors.

Brownies

I got this recipe off of allrecipes.com and they sure do taste like they came right out of the box.

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.

In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.

To Make Frosting: Combine butter, cocoa, honey, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar. Frost brownies while they are still warm.

I didn't make them with the frosting, but like I said they tasted great!

Sausage Pizza Loaf

I got this off of my friend Elizabeth's blog and the whole family loved it.

1 lb bulk Italian sausage

1/4 cup each chopped red onion, red pepper, green pepper, and olives

2 packages (6 1/2 ounces each) pizza crust mix

1 cup (4 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup chopped pepperoni

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

In a large skillet, cook the sausage, onion, and peppers over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink; drain.

Combine crust mixes; prepare according to package directions. With greased fingers, press onto the bottom of a greased 15-in x 10-in x 1-in baking pan. Combine the sausage mixture, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, olives and egg; spread over dough to within 1/2 inch of the edges.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, oregano and garlic powder. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with the long side; pinch seams to seal. Arrange seam side down on pan and shape into a crescent. Bake at 400F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Yields: 15 servings

This recipe has no sauce in it so I heated up some spaghetti sauce and we dipped our pieces into it.

Thelma's Rolls

Thelma is my grandma Sorensen and this is her roll recipe (who knows where she got it, but that's where I got it!). I make it in a Bosch mixer and always double it because it seems to mix better that way. This is one of my favorite foods of all time!

2 packages dry active yeast (about 2 low tablespoons)
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 tsp Salt
5-1/4 C Flour (approximately)
1-1/2 Cups Warm Water (about 130 degrees)
2 Eggs
1/4 Cup Oil

Mix half of the flour with the other dry ingredients. Add the water and mix. Add eggs and oil and mix. Add remaining flour until the dough reaches a good dough consistency. Let rise in a greased, covered bowl (between 1 and 2 hours). Form into rolls and place on greased cookie sheets. Cover with a towel and let rise again between 1 and 2 hours. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Yield approximately 15-20 rolls.

Cilantro-Lime Soup

One of my favorite soups. Good as leftovers too.

2 tbs olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs chili powder
1-2 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in small chunks
5 cups chicken broth
1 can corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 bunch cilantro, tied together with string

1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 fresh lime juice

cooked rice
sour cream and/or grated cheese

avocado (if you have one lying around...if not, the soup still tastes great without it!)

Heat oil in pot over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook till clear. Add chili powder; stir one minute. Add chicken; cook about 2 min. Add broth, corn, tomatoes, beans, and tied cilantro. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove cilantro bunch and stir in chopped cilantro and lime juice. Serve over rice with sour cream, cheese, and avocado . (It's a watery type of soup, hence serving it over the rice to let it soak up the liquid a bit.)

(Sometimes if I want a lot of "stuff" and less liquid I add 2 cans of corn, tomatoes, and beans.)

Easy Truffles

8 oz Cream Cheese
3 C. Powdered Sugar
3 C. Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
1-1/2 tsp. Vanilla (or any combination of extracts that you want. I added some almond and I've heard it's also very yummy with raspberry)
Colored chocolate for decorating (optional)

Melt chocolate in a small sauce pan over low heat.
Cream together your cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add chocolate and extracts and continue to beat until there are no more white streaks. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour. Roll into balls (or press very firmly into molds), decorate or roll in nuts, cocoa powder, toasted coconut, etc, place on wax paper and return to fridge until they harden. Enjoy!

Chili mac 'n' cheddar soup

My kids LOVED this one.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 large onion diced
3/4 lb ground beef
1Tbsp Chili Powder
1/2 teas. fresh garlic minced
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 1/2 Cups milk
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cheddar-cheese soup
1 1/2 cups uncooked elbow pasta
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Garnish: with diced tomato, tortilla chips & minced jalapeno Chile

Directions

Heat oil in 5 quart pot over medium-high heat; add onion and garlic, saute 4 minutes until translucent. Crumble beef into pot and cook stirring until no longer pink. Stir in chili powder and cumin.

Add milk and broth, then stir in condensed soup until dissolved; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for three minutes. Stir in the pasta and continue to cook for 5 minutes covered. Stir in cheese until melted and smooth. Remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes
or until pasta is fully cooked.

Garnish and serve.

Fruit Roll Sushi

I'm not a big sushi fan, but I think even my kids would eat these!

1 tablespoon butter
12 marshmallows
2 cups crispy toasted rice cereal
4 (4-1/2-inch) square fruit roll-ups (1/2 ounce each)
6 assorted licorice or fruit twist sticks, cut in half crosswise

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1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the cereal until completely coated.


2. On a flat surface, unroll the fruit roll-ups. Spread equal amounts of the cereal mixture over each roll-up, covering the entire surface and packing the mixture flat.


3. Place 3 different-colored licorice or fruit twists in the center of each and roll tightly into a log, sealing where the edges meet. Squeeze the rolls gently to secure. Trim the ends and slice with a serrated knife into 1/2-inch pieces. Serve, or store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Crockpot Beans

I can't take credit for this recipe, it's Rachael's (my cousin), but I can tell you its fabulous!
That's why I asked her for it. She has several variations on how to use the cooked beans. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Beans

1 lb bag (or 2 cups) of dried beans (pinto, black, or red beans)
2 cloves of whole garlic
about 8 cups water
1 heaping teaspoon salt

Cook the beans in a crock pot on LOW overnight with the water and garlic. In the morning I add the salt and turn the crock pot up to HIGH, which gets them done just right. By noon they are tender and tasty. The finished beans can sit in the crock pot until you're ready to cook dinner, as long as you reheat them before eating. When serving, discard the garlic cloves, and you can serve them soup style with some cheese and chips. Or try one of the alternative variations below.

Refried Beans
Cook 2 Tbsp bacon (cut in small pieces) in a large frying pan over medium heat until crispy (do not drain). Using a ladle, gradually add crock pot beans with about half the liquid. Lower heat to med-lo, and smash in the pan with a potato masher. Depending on the consistency you like, you may have to add more liquid, or add some flour if it is too runny. It does thicken a bit as it cools though, or if you let it simmer. I also add some onion powder and salt to taste.

Ham & Beans
Cook beans in the crock pot with garlic as above. In the morning add a meaty ham bone from a cooked ham, one onion chopped, and 1/4 tsp ground thyme. You will probably want to half the salt, or skip it altogether if you add juices from the ham, depending on how salty your ham is. Turn the crock pot up to HIGH after adding the ham. Check it about noon, it's done when the beans are tender and meat falls off the bone. Take out the ham bone and shred the meat and return to the pot.

Chili
Use the crock pot beans above to add to your favorite chili recipe. You can finish the chili in your crock pot, or you can add the beans to a pot on the stove with the rest of the ingredients.