Holiday Scented Play Dough

I found the instructions and picture here.

Peppermint Play Dough

• 2 Cups Flour
• 1 Cup Iodine Salt
• 4 Teaspoons Cream of Tarter
• 4 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• 2 Cups Water 
• 3 Teaspoons Peppermint Extract
• Few drops red food coloring

1) Add peppermint extract and red food coloring to water. Measure flour, salt, cream of tartar and vegetable oil into a heavy, medium size sauce pan. Pour water mixture into dry ingredients, mix well.

2) Cook over low heat, stir the mixture contentiously until it begins to thicken and pull away from the sides of the sauce pan.

3)Remove the mixture from the burner. Once the mixture is cool enough to handle, kneed until consistency of play dough. Store in a Ziplock back up to a few weeks.

Gingerbread Play Dough

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 4 tsp cream of tartar or alum
• 5 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 2 cups water
• 2 Tbsp. oil

1) Combine the dry ingredients in a saucepan.  Add the water and oil and mix well.

2) Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to thicken and pull away from the sides of the sauce pan.

3)Remove the mixture from heat and knead when cooled enough to handle.  Store in a Ziplock bag when cooled to keep from drying out.  

Santa Fe Chicken (Crockpot Meal)

I found recipe and image here.

 Ingredients:

15 oz can white beans
15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 - 1 1/2 cup bottled chunky salsa
1 pkg of chicken breasts (1.65 lb)
5 oz of low fat cream cheese, cut into chunks
1 cup shredded cheddar

Directions:

1. In a slow cooker, mix beans, and 1/2 cup salsa. Top with chicken and pour remaining salsa over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours (or high for 3 hours) until chicken is tender and cooked throughout.

2. Shred chicken with a fork or any type of utensil you want. Add cream cheese. Stir and let cream cheese melt into the mixture to create a creamy sauce.

3. For serving: I served the chicken & sauce over rice with cheddar cheese, green onions and a little sour cream on top. Or you can serve these as tacos with cheese and a couple of taco fixings such as lettuce and tomato. We also just like to eat it with tortilla chips.

Sour Cream Enchiladas

I found this recipe and picture here.

 Ingredients:

 

1 1/2 dozen tortillas

2 cans cream of chicken soup

4oz. can diced green chilis

1 pt. sour cream

1 med onion

1/2 lb. grated cheese

3 C. cooked chicken (diced)

 

 

Directions:

1) Put soup, chilis, sour cream in pan and heat to boiling. 

 

2) Put about 1 tsp. of soup mixture on each shell. 

 

3) Sprinkle each shell with cheese, onion, and chicken. Roll up and put in pan. 

 

4) Pour the rest of the sour cream mixture over them and sprinkle with cheese and onion. 

 

5) Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

 

Chicken Pillows

I found this recipe and image here.
 
Filling Ingredients:

6 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tbs butter or margarine, softened
2 cups cooked and diced chicken breasts (I used 1 1/2 cans of chicken from Costco)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Rest is optional: green onions, celery, mushrooms

Filling Directions:

1) Heat oven to 375 degrees. 

2) Mix softened cream cheese with butter, Add chicken, salt and pepper and mix. 

3) Add green onions, celery, and mushrooms, if desired. 

Biscuit Dough Ingredients:

4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbs sugar
5 tsp baking powder
1 cup shortening
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk

Biscuit Dough and Assembly Directions:

1) Combine flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. 

2) Cut shortening into dry ingredients. 

3) Mix eggs and milk together in a small bowl, then add to flour mixture. 

4) Dough will be sticky. Knead lightly on a floured breadboard or counter about 20 times. 

5) Roll out and cut dough with cereal bowls.

6) Put a tablespoon or two of the filling in the middle of each circle and folded it up. 

7) Put a little egg wash on the top to give it a nice golden yummy look. 

8) Place dumplings on a greased (pamm-ed) cookie sheet, and bake 20-25 minutes. 

9) Serve with gravy. "Gravy" is a can of cream of chicken soup mixed with 1/2 soup can of milk and heated through.

Easy Breadsticks

I found the recipe and image here.


Ingredients:

1 ½ cups warm water
1 tablespoon instant yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
3 ½ cups flour ½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted (for the baking sheet)
 
Directions:

1) Mix all ingredients (except melted butter) in a large bowl or electric mixer and knead for three minutes. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. 

2) Heat oven to 375 degrees. 

3) Spread melted butter onto an 11X17-inch baking sheet. 

4) Roll out the breadstick dough about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick and cut into strips with a pizza cutter. Twist slightly if desired and place about 1/2-inch apart on the baking sheet. 

5) Sprinkle with garlic salt, herbs of choice, and Parmesan cheese. 

6) Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes. 

7) Bake 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees until golden brown.


*Makes about 20-25 breadsticks, depending on how thick or thin you cut them

Creamy Chicken & Pasta Bake

I found recipe and image here.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups bow tie pasta, uncooked

1 small bunch broccoli, cut into florets (about 3 cups)

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 cup chicken broth

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) cream cheese, cubed

1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

2 Tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese 

Directions:

HEAT oven to 375ºF. Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, adding broccoli for the last 3 min. 

MEANWHILE, heat large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 min. or until no longer pink, stirring frequently. Stir in broth; simmer 3 min. or until chicken is done. Add cream cheese; cook and stir on low heat 1 min. or until cream cheese is melted. Stir in 1/2 cup mozzarella. 

DRAIN pasta and broccoli. Add to chicken mixture; mix lightly. Spoon into 8-inch sq. baking dish; cover. 

BAKE 15 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake, uncovered, 3 min. or until melted. Let stand 5 min.

Navajo Taco's

I found the recipe and image here.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 - 1 cup hot water
oil for frying



Directions:

1) Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in mixing bowl. 

2) Add the water a little at a time to make a soft dough. 

3) Knead a few times then let rest. You can actually let this rest for up to an hour but we cook them right away.

4) Pinch off balls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll out each ball on a floured surface with a rolling pin until dough is about 1/8 thick.  

5) Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep pan to about 375 degrees. 

6) Fry dough one piece at a time until golden. Turn to cook other side. 

7) Drain on paper towels. If done correctly the fry bread will puff up with several bubbles in the dough. Makes about 7 pieces of fry bread.

Pile them high with chili or beans, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, sliced olives, diced tomatoes, sour cream, and salsa. For dessert you can slather them with honey and butter. YUM!

Italian Chicken

I found the recipe and image here.

Place 8 chicken tenders in the crockpot (I just put it in frozen)

Combine in a separate bowl:
8 oz. cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. Italian salad dressing

Pour mixture over chicken in crockpot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Serve over rice

Hawaiian Haystacks

I actually make Hawaiian Haystacks 2 different ways.

1. My favorite way to make them is with a homemade gravy and left over chicken. I cook a whole chicken in the crock pot and we will eat that for a meal. Then the next day, I will make a gravy from the drippings and add left over bits of chicken meat to the gravy to serve over the rice.

2. When I want to make Hawaiian Haystacks,but have not cooked a whole chicken. I just put chicken tenders in the crockpot and 2 cans of cream of chicken soup. I will let this cook on low for 4-6 hours and use this to serve over the rice.

Both ways are really simple. This is a quick and easy meal that my family loves.

Basically all you do is cook the rice. Serve rice with chicken and gravy and each person can add their own toppings.

Some of our favorite toppings.

I usually just use toppings that we have around the kitchen.

Toppings can include:

shredded cheddar cheese
pineapple tidbits
sliced olives
diced green onion
chopped celery
shredded coconut
slice almonds
diced fresh mushroom
Chow mien noodles
diced tomatoes
peas
mandarin oranges
raisins
diced green pepper
corn
or anything else that you think would be good

Mexican Casserole

I found this recipe and image here.

Ingredients:

1 lb. cooked ground beef

1 lb. grated cheese
1 can refried beans
1 can Rosarita enchilada sauce
2 flour tortillas

Directions:

1) Grease dish. Put 1 tortilla on bottom, then a layer of refried beans, hamburger, cheese, and half of the enchilada sauce. Repeat layers again. 

2) Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. 

3) Chop lettuce and tomato wedges to go with casserole.

**I usually tear the tortillas up into pieces so that they cover the bottom of the dish.

Skillet Lasagna

http://sistersstuff.blogspot.com/2009/09/skillet-lasagna.html

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/4 cups water
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups bow tie pasta, uncooked
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Dash basil, pepper

In large skillet, brown beef with onions and garlic; drain. Add tomatoes, water, tomato sauce, parsley, basil, oregano, and salt. Mix well. Stir in uncooked pasta. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; cover, simmer for 20 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring once. Stir in cottage cheese. Cover with and Parmesan cheese, and sprinkle in basil and pepper to taste if desired. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

My Tips:
* I usually just use dried chopped onion and garlic. It is just easier for me.
* I strain the cottage cheese before adding it.
* I only add 1 tsp. dried parsley.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

http://sistersstuff.blogspot.com/2009/06/blog-post.html

1/2 pound penne pasta
1 jar alfredo sauce
5 chicken tenders
1 tomato
Cajun Seasoning

Cook pasta accoring to package directions. While pasta is cooking, sprinkle chicken tenders on both sides with seasoning and grill them. I grill mine on my George Foreman Grill. Drain pasta and put it back into pot with the jar of alfredo sauce and I sprinkle a little of the cajun seasoning to give it a little kick. After in is heated, place pasta on plate top with chicken cut into strips and diced tomatoes. Enjoy!

This recipe feeds my family of 4.

Easy Chicken Ceasar Wraps

http://sistersstuff.blogspot.com/2009/07/chicken-caesar-wrap.html

This really is not a recipe, but more of a lunch or dinner idea. I take a bag of salad mix and add caesar dressing and mix well. Then in warm tortillas, ( I use the kind that you cook) I add salad, chicken, and cheese and a little more dressing. I think that bits of bacon is yummy in this too. It is quick, easy and we love them!