Loaded Potatoes 2.0

This is a delicious dish that isn't very hard to prepare. I got this recipe from a lady I used to work with who was always bringing in goodies for the rest of us. I make it for guests and occasionally just for myself. LOL.

4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 dozen red potatoes
1 pound peppered bacon
1 packet onion soup mix
1 pound shredded cheddar cheese (mild or sharp according to personal taste)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Take four large boneless, skinless chicken breasts and place them on a greased pizza pan. Sprinkle lightly with garlic salt. Bake for thirty minutes or until they fork tenderly; cut into bite sized pieces when done.

Turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees.

Take two dozen red potatoes, wash them thoroughly and cut each potato in half. Boil until tender (about half an hour to 45 minutes depending on the size of the pan you use.) Drain in a colander.

Fry one pound peppered bacon until crispy. Drain grease from the bacon and cut into pieces roughly the same size as the chicken chunks you’ve already prepared.

Put your potatoes into a casserole dish, add the chicken and bacon, and stir it all together until well mixed.

Prepare one packet of onion soup mix per directions. Pour over the meat and potatoes. Sprinkle one pound of shredded cheddar cheese over everything.

Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted and slightly browned (about fifteen to twenty minutes.)

Serve with steamed vegetables (Bird’s Eye make a delicious blend called Asian Medley that you can find in the frozen food section of your grocery store) and whichever bread you choose.

Enjoy!

Carey

 

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

The name says it all.

 

Origin of recipe: Who knows?

 

Take a 9 x 7 casserole dish and grease with margarine.

 

2 cans milk chocolate cake frosting (Whatever brand you like.)

2 cups creamy peanut butter (Whatever brand you like; if you're feeling adventurous use chunky peanut butter!)

 

Melt the cake frosting in your microwave. (Be sure to peel away all the aluminum sealant from under the lids or you'll be sorry.) This will take 1-2 minutes depending on the power of your microwave.

 

Once melted, pour the frosting into a mixing bowl and add in the peanut butter. Take a spatula and beat the hell out of the whole mixture! The aim is to have everything stirred together until it is a creamy consistency.

 

Pour into the greased dish and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

 

The next day cut into bite size squares and serve.

 

You can thank me later.

 

Enjoy!

 

Carey

Tex Mex Lasagne

This recipe was given to me by my mother. She got it either from a Spanish class my sister took in high school or a friend who's since passed away. How it came into my family is not important. All you need to know is that a. it's delicious b. it is incredibly easy to prepare and c. you will never again wonder what to make for guests... unless you're a vegetarian.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

1 pound ground beef

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

8 ounces Picante sauce (I use the medium variety but you use whatever you like best.)

1 large bag shredded cheddar cheese

1 bag Tostitos Rounds

 

Brown ground beef and drain. Set aside.

 

In a sauce pan, combine cream soups and Picante sauce and cook over medium heat until hot, stirring frequently to prevent sauce from burning to the bottom of the pan. Add the meat. Remove from heat.

 

Crush 1/2 bag Tostitos and spread evenly in the bottom of a casserole dish. Next, spoon your meat and sauce mixture over the crushed chips until you have an even layer. Evenly spread the cheese over the top of the meat and sauce. Use whole Tostito Rounds to make rows of chips along the top of the casserole. (You'll wind up with three or four rows if you place them "longways" and five or six rows if you place them "shortways.")

 

Bake at 350 degrees for twenty minutes.

 

Serve with rolls of your choice and a green salad if desired.

 

Enjoy!

 

Carey

Malva Pudding

This is a traditional South African dessert. It is absolutely delicious and will compliment any gathering from a formal dinner party to something sweet to serve when just having friends over for coffee or tea. It's also very easy to prepare. The name is derived from its consistency when done.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cake

3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon apricot jam (or preserves, chopped very finely)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter (a generous tablespoon)
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/3 cup milk

Sauce

3/4 cup fresh cream
1 stick butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Beat or whip the sugar and eggs (preferably in a food processor but if you don't have one then a hand mixer will do just as well) until thick and lemon colored. Then, add the apricot jelly or preserves and mix thoroughly.

Sieve together the flour, soda and salt in a sifter to thoroughly mix them and to also get any lumps out of the flour. Melt the butter without bringing it to a boil and add the vinegar. Add this mixture, along with the milk, to the eggs and sugar, alternately adding in the flour. Beat well.

 

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 - 50 minutes.

 

In a sauce pan, melt together the ingredients for the sauce but again do not bring it to a boil and stir occasionally to prevent the ingredients from separating.

 

When the cake has baked 20 - 25 minutes, take it out of oven and make five or six holes - at intervals - in it with the blunt end of a wooden spoon. Gently pour the sauce over the pudding. Return to the oven for the remainder of the baking time.

 

This is delicious served warm or cold.

 

Makes roughly 4 servings. You can double the ingredients if necessary if serving more guests.

 

Enjoy!

 

Carey

Quick and Easy Tuna Salad

This is always a favorite. And you can get creative with it all you like.

2 five ounce cans of tuna
2 boiled eggs
1/2 bell pepper
1 handful of cashew pieces
4 ounces sweet pickle relish
Yellow mustard

Chop up your boiled eggs and bell pepper. Add the two cans of tuna. (I use Chicken of the Sea brand tuna packed in spring water and I do not drain off the water.) Mix in the pickle relish and throw in the cashew pieces. Use just enough yellow mustard to make it all stick together or to taste. Using a fork, stir all ingredients until they are evenly mixed. (My friend Debbie Ryan adds some chopped jalapenos as well.)  Chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.

This is best served on lightly toasted bread.

Enjoy!

Carey

Meatloaf Recipe

Whenever I make meatloaf, this is the recipe I use. Wanna know where I got it? From Joan Crawford. That's right, from Joan Crawford. She included it in her second memoir My Way of Life. It is by far the best meatloaf recipe I've ever tried and once you make it you'll never use another recipe again.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2 pounds ground sirloin

1 pound ground veal

1 pound sausage meat

Mix together using your hands to completely combine the meats. Set aside.

Chop one medium purple onion and one large red bell pepper. Saute in just enough extra virgin olive oil to moisten the onions and peppers. Add to meat. Add three large eggs and 2 tablespoons garlic salt. Next fold in one small bottle of A-1 sauce and 1 cup flour. Again, use your hands to completely combine all ingredients

Form your meatloaf and "hide" four boiled eggs within, along the length of the meatloaf. Place the meatloaf on a lightly greased broiler pan.

To make the glaze, mix together 1/4 cup ketchup and 1/2 cup A-1 sauce. Apply as much as or little as you like on top of the meatloaf, using a brush to evenly spread the glaze.

Cover the broiler pan completely with aluminum foil being careful not to touch the top of your meatloaf with the foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Enjoy!

Carey

Homemade Pasta Sauce

My scratch Pasta Sauce recipe. It's very easy to make and most importantly you can get creative with this.

4 lbs fresh Roma tomatoes. (Wash and put in boiling water for about 1 minute. Follow this with cold water. Then you can easily remove the peelings by hand. Chop tomatoes into small chunks.)
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
4 sprigs parsley
1 tablespoon sugar

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add onion, basil, garlic and salt and saute until onion is tender, approximately 5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.

Add tomatoes, parsley and sugar; heat to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring often or until sauce has thickened.

Remove parsley.

Enjoy!

Carey

Ziti and Sausages

1 pack Sweet Italian Sausage – 4 links

1 medium onion

1 medium bell pepper

1 box Ziti

¾ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tablespoon garlic salt

Pasta sauce

Cut each link of sausage into four strips and then cut each strip in two. Chop your onion and pepper. In a frying pan, use ¼ cup olive oil and fry your sausages and vegetables until done.

Boil one box of Ziti until the pasta is tender and drain. Return pasta to the pan. Drizzle with ¾ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil and 1 tablespoon garlic salt. Mix well with a wooden spoon.

If you haven’t made your own pasta sauce, you’ll need to heat one jar of whichever sauce you choose. (My favorite is the tomato, garlic, and onion variety from Ragu.)

You’ll want to do this a plate at a time. On a bed of Ziti, put a generous helping of sausages and vegetables and a light covering of pasta sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve with garlic toast.

Enjoy!

 

Carey