Toffee Bars

Can't believe we haven't posted this one yet! Every now and then I forget the recipe and want to double check it, so figured we better put this on the blog so I can always have it at the tip of my fingers!

1 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg yolk
2 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla
chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Cream butter and brown sugar. Mix all other ingredients, excluding the chocolate chips. Press into the bottom of a baking sheet. Sprinkle top with chocolate chips. Bake for 11-15 minutes.

Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce

Grandma Wood made this for us a while back and we both loved it.  I'd been craving it for a while, finally got the recipe from Grandma, and made it tonight. Yummy! So quick, so simple, yet so satisfying. Danny rated it a 10!

1/3 cup light mayonnaise
4 salmon steaks (6 ounces each)
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. dried dillweed
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Preheat broiler.  Coat a broiler pan or rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.  Place salmon steaks on the pan.

In a small bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients; mix well.  Spread evenly over the top of the salmon steaks, then broil for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.  Serve immediately. 

While broiling, the mayonnaise mixture puffs up and seals the juices in, and makes for one yummy, amazing, comforting dish!

Creamy Black Bean Salsa Chicken

I found this recipe on a crock pot website and decided to try it as we had some salsa we needed to use up.  This was super easy, and we loved it!  What's great as well is that you could easily do many variations of this (adding ingredients you like, not using those you don't have) and it would still be tasty.  For example, I thought about how you could make an easy crock pot chicken tortilla soup with this just by adding some chicken broth and keeping the sour cream and cheese out.  Enjoy!

2 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 8 chicken tenders)
1 cup salsa (what salsa you use can have a big impact on your meal. I love and used Jack's Special from Costco. Fresh and yummy cilantro flavor!)
1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
1 package taco seasoning (1 tbsp.)
1/2 cup light or fat free sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Place the chicken in the slow cooker.  Pour the salsa, corn, beans, and taco seasoning over the chicken.  Cover and cook on low heat 6-8 hours or on high heat 3-4 hours (with tenders, check a little earlier just to make sure they're not cooking faster than the chicken breasts would).  Remove the chicken and shred.  Stir sour cream and cheese into sauce in slow cooker, then put chicken back in.  Serve with tortillas, rice, or tortilla chips.

p.s. I'm attaching "healthy" as with the no-fat sour cream and light on the cheese, it is. :)  But can be less healthy depending on how you make it.

Honey Baked Chicken

I have made this over and over again. It is a recipe that I can make without any previous planning, as I almost always have the ingredients on hand. We love it. Serve over rice.

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken tenders (or 2 chicken breast halves, cut into strips or pieces, however you fancy)
1 tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup honey
1/8 cup spicy brown mustard
1/8 cup dijon mustard
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. salt
a dash cayenne pepper

Directions;

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Place chicken pieces in a shallow baking pan. Combine all remaining ingredients and pour mixture over the chicken. Cover with tin foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Flip chicken pieces over and finish cooking uncovered. (usually about 5-10 minutes)

Mexican Meat Mix

Ingredients:
5 lbs. beef roast or combination of
Beef and pork roasts
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3 onions, chopped
1 4-oz. can chopped green chilies
2 7-oz. cans green chili salsa
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
4 tablespoons flour
4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Juices from beef roasts

Preheat oven to 200 F. Place roasts in large roasting pan or Duct Oven. Do not add salt or water. Cover with a tight lid and roast about 12 hours, until well done. Or cook roasts with 1 cup water in pressure cooker 35 to 40 minutes. Drain meat, reserving juices. Cool meat, then remove bones. Shred meat, and set aside. Melt shortening in a large skillet. Add onions and green chilies. Saute one minute. Add green chili salsa, garlic powder, flour, salt and cumin. Cook 1 minute over medium-low heat. Stir in reserved meat juices and shredded meat. Cook 5 minutes until thick. Cool. Put about 3 cups mix each into three 1-quart freezer containers, leaving ½ inch space at top. Seal and label containers. Freeze. Use within 6 months. Makes about 9 cups of Mexican Meat Mix.

Use for: Green chili burros, chalupa, Chimichangas, Sour Cream Enchiladas or Tacos

Daddy's Favorite Cake

SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE

Ingredients for Cake:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ cup butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips

Ingredients for Topping:
½ cup nuts
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
¼ cup butter (only to be used with second half of mixture)

1. In mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time mixing well. Then add sour cream.
2. In small bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to wet ingredients. Mix in vanilla and chocolate chips.
3. Put one half batter in greased and floured bundt cake pan. Sprinkle half of topping on first half of cake and add remaining batter.
4. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
5. Melt ¼ cup butter and add to remaining topping mixture.
6. At 30 minutes remove cake from oven, pour topping mixture over cake and return to oven for 15 more minutes or until knife comes out clean.
7. Wait 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Thai Chicken Salad

This recipe really belongs to Chef S, but I had the document up and knew Chef Z wanted it. It's delish and a staple at our house. Thanks S!


2-3 chicken breasts, boiled or simmered in bouillon and shredded
1 pkg spaghetti or linguini noodles, cooked and cooled
1 ½ Tbs sesame oil
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs sugar
½-1 tsp chili powder
2-3 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs peanut butter

Warm the oils, sugar, chili powder, and soy sauce in a small bowl in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Add the peanut butter and mix until smooth. Add the shredded chicken and noodles and stir into the sauce. Serve over lettuce.

Chef S wants to add a little note here - this recipe has evolved at our house over the years. My favorite lettuce to serve it over is the spring mix. You can use the rice noodles if you prefer. We also add shredded carrots, snow peas (which we've boiled for a couple minutes), cilantro on top, and squeeze lime juice on it. There are lots of ways to mix it up!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

You cannot mess this recipe up. I make it all the time and leave something out or add something extra. Here's the basics:

Chicken Tortilla Soup

4 cups chicken broth
1 can stewed tomatoes
enough Cream of Mushroom soup to make the broth the consistency of medium/thin gravy
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 heaping teaspoon cumin
salsa to taste
cilantro to taste
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar (left out and it's still tasty)
2 cups cooked chopped chicken or turkey
1 can drained corn (not in the recipe, but I always add it)

Mix all the above. Heat. Serve with tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream.


Here's some add-on's if you have them:
avocado
rice left over from last nights dinner
beans


Oh, by the way, I got this recipe from mom while looking for cheap meals. I don't really remember growing up with it though, but it's a keeper.