Busy Day Soup

This recipe, if doubled, can also be cooked in a crockpot on low for 4-5 hours.

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 cans bean and bacon soup
2 cans vegetable soup
2 8oz cans tomato sauce
4 c water
1/2 tsp chili powder

Brown meat and drain. Add all ingredients into large pot and simmer until bubbling hot.

Ground Beef Casserole

I often 1 1/2 or double this recipe because everyone loves it so much for leftovers. If you do 1 1/2 or double it, you will need to use a larger casserole dish. We love this served with green peas.

1 lb ground beef
1 c uncooked minute rice
2 medium onions, chopped (optional)**
2 c celery, chopped
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 c water

Brown meat with onions. **If you don't use the onion, then you can add onion powder as an alternative if you wish.** Mix all ingredients together and pour into 9x13 casserole baking dish. Bake at 350 uncovered for 2 hours.

Crockpot Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Dinner

A very filling and hearty dinner

6 medium red potatoes, chunked, leave skin on OR 2 normal large potatoes cut into chunks, leave skin on
4 large carrots cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4-6 boneless chicken breasts cut into large pieces
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 clove garlic, minced
4 stalks celery cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
3/4 cup sour cream
1 8oz package Extra Sharp White Cheddar Cheese, shredded (optional)
1 envelope Lipton Golden Onion Soup mix (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Any seasonings you would like to add *I added some Italian Seasoning for flavor*

Put soups and sour cream into crockpot and add 1 1/2 cans of water. Add your seasonings to the soup and stir. Place chicken and cut up vegetables in with the soup and stir making sure all the vegetables and chicken are covered with the soup. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours or until vegetables are tender and chicken is no longer pink. 10 minutes before serving, add shredded cheese and stir well. Serve over rice if you like.

Entertaining Dinner Guests -- What Do You Serve?

--I would like to send out  a request to everyone -- What are your favorite entertaining recipes? When you have folks over for a nice dinner, what do you serve them?  You don't have to post the recipe, if you don't want, a list of your menu would suffice.  

When we have guests, I usually make breaded chicken (or Schnitzel), rice pilaf, rolls and a vegtable.

The meals and food items I prepare usually fall into a few categories: 

- pot luck and holiday, 

- home cooking (Includes kid-friendly foods) 

- entertaining, and 

- organic (for us that means whole-grain and vegetarian type dishes).  

Since being married I have concentrated on the home cooking and organic food prep, because I have been practicing making my husband the foods that he loves.  I have a few recipes that I make for entertaining, but would like to broaden my menus.  Let me know what you do for guests at your house!

Awesome Freezer Pie Crust Recipe

My mom got me hooked on the "Make-a-Mix" Cookbook.  Every year for Thanksgiving she would turn out awesome pies.  Pie crust can be tricky, but with this recipe it seriously works every time!   It makes enough for 7 crusts so you can freeze and have ready!

Freezer Pie Crust
    
6      cups          flour     
2      teaspoons     salt     
2 1/3  cups          shortening    
 1 1/4  cups          cold water -- * see note    *can use up to 1 1/2 cups    
 
In a bowl, combine flour and salt. 
Cut in shortening  until mixture resembles 
cornmeal in texture. 
Add 1 1/4 cups water all at once.  
Mix lightly with a fork until water is absorbed 
and mixture forms a ball. 
if  necessary add additional water.    
Divide into 7 portions and shape into balls. 
Flatten each ball slightly. Wrap  each ball in 
plastic wrap then foil. 
Label and date. Store in freezer. 
Use  within 10 months.
When ready to use, dethaw on counter top 
for only a few hours at the most.  
This recipe works best if the dough is cold. 

If you are doing a pre-baked crust for a pudding pie and want to avoid a collapsed side, you may want to prick the crust with a fork and put a piece of sprayed tin foil over it; then fill with dry uncooked beans, like pinto. Bake in a 425 oven for 15 minutes. Take out and remove beans and foil (save them for baking other crusts). Pop back in for a few minutes if you want the crust a little browned.

Oreo Truffles

Sorry... I know this isn't a dinner meal.... but they are yummy and easy to make. You've got to try them! These are sooooooo easy to make! They are great to bring to a party, or make for your family and friends for special occasions.

Ingredients:
1 pkg Oreos
1 pkg cream cheese- soft
2 bags of chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Mix Oreos in a blender until very fine.

2. Put ground Oreos and pkg of cream cheese in a large bowl.

3. Use the back of a large spoon to mush and blend them together until it forms a soft and moist blend that is sticking together.

4. Use a 1 tsp measure to make round balls, and put on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper.

5. Put pan in fridge for about 15 minutes for balls to harden a bit.

6. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 sec increments so it doesn't scorch (mix it after each 30 seconds).

7. Dip the balls and let harden!

These are a new favorite! Try variations using nutter butters, or mint oreos!

Enjoy!

Gwen Owens

Wheat Flat Bread

We made these last night (finally, Ryan has been wanting to try them forever).  We ate some with honey (especially yummy) and some with strawberries - didn't have any cream but that would have been the idea.  Reallly good.  You could eat these with soup (maybe the chowder or potato soup recipe's posed earlier?) use instead of yeast bread for sandwiches.  Serve with tuna salad.  Use as a dipping bread with oil and vinegar or hummus.  Use for Passover meals to explain Jewish culture.  Any other ideas? 

2 C Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

3/4 C Warm Water

2 Tbsp Cooking Oil of Your Choice

Combine flour and salt in one bowl and water and oil in the other.  Stir wet and dry together until a soft ball is formed.  Knead the dough well with a little extra flour as needed.  Cover or wrap in a damp cloth and rest for 1 hour (the recipe says you can skip this step and it will still work). 

Knead again and break off golf-ball size balls or whatever size you want.  Flatten balls and roll out, using a little more flour.  Roll to 1/4 inch thick or whatever thickness you prefer.

Heat a barely-greased heavy skillet over medium-low heat.  Pan-bake each bread round 2 minutes on each side (I used an oblong electric skillet and it worked well).  They should brown, looking something like a tortilla.  If it gets too blackened, turn down the heat a little more.  

This recipe is based on the chapatis recipe in the "More-With-Less" Cookbook.