Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Tater Tot Casserole

My kids LOVED this and actually asked how many nights we would be able to have it for leftovers. Gotta love that!!

1 lg. pkg tater tots, thawed
1 lb. ground beef, cooked
2 1/2 c. frozen corn kernels
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 soup cans milk
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Cover bottom of 9x13 inch casserole dish with tater tots. In a bowl, mix together cooked ground beef, corn, soup and milk. Pour over tater tots and cover evenly. Cook, uncovered, at 350 for 30-40 minutes. The last five minutes of cooking, sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top and cook until melted.

Teriyaki Marinade

3/4 c. soy sauce
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
1 -2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. water
1/2 c. sugar

Mix and marinade chicken or steak 3+ hours.

Rice Pilaf

2 3/4 c water
1/4 c butter
4 tsp instant chicken bouillon granules
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
1/4 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 1/4 c uncooked rice (not minute rice)
1/2 c finely chopped carrots
1/4 c chopped fresh or dried parsley
2 Tbls sliced green onion

In a rice cooker, add all of your ingredients and set rice cooker to cook white rice.

Optional cooking method:

In a saucepan, bring water, butter, chicken buillon, salt, pepper and garlic to a full boil. Add rice and simmer until rice is tender. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Honey Lime Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts
2 - 3 Tbls olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 Tbls honey
Juice of 3-4 limes (depending on size)
2 Tbls soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger

In a small bowl stir together minced garlic, honey, lime juice, soy sauce and ginger. Set aside. In a skillet, cook chicken breasts in olive oil over medium to medium-high heat for a few minutes. Flip over to cook on other side and honey lime mixture to the skillet. Keep your heat at medium and put a lid over your skillet and allow chicken to cook in sauce until it is no longer pink in the middle. You may turn the chicken over after several minutes to allow the other sides to cook in honey lime sauce.

Serve with a vegetable and rice pilaf

Monday, May 11, 2009

Chicken Tomato Mushroom Alfredo Pasta

I really like a lot of alfredo sauce with my meals. If you don't like a lot of sauce with yours, then cut the ingredients for the alfredo sauce in half. This meal will serve 8-10 people easily. It will seem like there might be too much sauce, but if you have it for leftovers it won't be as saucy.

Chicken mixture

3-4 large chicken breasts, cubed
4 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 - 2 1/2 tsp basil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, chopped

1 (17.6 oz) bag pasta (fettucine, bow-tie or tube etc.)

Alfredo Sauce

2 cups (1 pint) heavy whipping cream
4 cups milk
1 3/4 c parmesan cheese
12 Tbls butter
1 - 2 tsp garlic powder
1 - 2 tsp sea salt
6 Tbls flour

In a large olive-oil greased skillet, start chicken cooking on medium high heat. While it is cooking, chop up green onions, garlic and onion. Add to cooking chicken. Add basil and a dash of salt. Stir.**

While that is cooking, in a large saucepan melt butter on low to medium heat. As butter is melting add garlic powder and sea salt. When butter is completely melted add flour to make a buttery paste. (be careful not to burn) Add parmesan cheese while continuously mixing so as not to burn. Add heavy whipping cream and stir until smooth. Add milk. Turn heat to medium - medium-high. As sauce starts to heat through, continuously stir so milk and cheese don't scald to the bottom. As the sauce nears boiling, it will begin to thicken. Once it is thickened add more salt, pepper to your taste.

**While alfredo sauce is heating, add mushrooms to your cooking chicken mixture. Cook 5 minutes. Add can diced tomatoes to chicken mixture and let simmer while your alfredo sauce is cooking and while you cook your pasta.

--In another large saucepan, boil water and add pasta and cook according to package instructions. (usually cook pasta approx 10 minutes) Drain.--

Add chicken tomato mixture to pasta and stir. Then pour in your alfredo sauce. Enjoy!

Perfect Lemon Cake

My hubby is not a big fan of Lemon Cake and I am.... however I converted him with this recipe, he now requests Lemon Cake all the time. Enjoy....

Perfect Lemon Cake
From: You Got Served

Cake:
1 package lemon cake mix
1 Cup sour cream
3/4 c water
3/4 c oil
4 eggs
1 small package lemon instant pudding

Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Mix wtih electrci mixer on medium speed for about two minutes. Pour into greased 9x11 pan or two round pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 mintes. Dont overbake or the cake will be to dry!

You can make cupcakes and bake them at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. The cupcakes will fall after they come out of the overn, but this is normal. Just fill up the indentation with more frosting.

Frosting:
1 Cup (2 sticks) butter, very soft
6-8 Cups powdered sugar
1/2 C fresh lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon zest

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of sugar, then the juice and the zest. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, untl ixing is thick enough to be a good spreading consistency. Use and store at room temperature. (Don't refrigerate and it will last in a covered container for about three days._


Granish with berries if desired.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Free Meal Planning at Aldi.com

http://www.aldimeals.com/

The above link is a free meal planner.  You can find recipes and organize them into a weekly calendar.  Then it will generate a shopping list for you.  I tried it this weekend and shopped at my favorite grocery store (Macys!!!!).  We have already tried a couple of the recipes they have available on the site.  I am posting one below.  We had it for dinner last night, it is your classic meat/noodle/tomato recipe with Steak instead of ground beef.  I also added some corn.  

Beefy Chili Mac - 4 servings

Preparation: 10 min.   Cooking: 25 min.   Total: 35 min.
Recipe photo
  • 1 tbsp Cooking oil
  • 1 lb cube steak, cut lengthwise into 1 in. strips and then crosswise into 1 in. pieces
  • 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
  • 3-1/2 cups canned Mexican style diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1-1/2 cups rotini pasta, or other spiral pasta, uncooked
  • Corn
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Cook beef and onion 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently until beef is browned. Stir in tomatoes, pasta and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer 15-20 minutes or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with cheese before serving.