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!

Creamy Chicken Pot Pie

1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 cups cooked chicken breast
16 oz. mixed veggies, thawed
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup bisquick


Heat: oven to 400.

Cook: Chicken and shredded/cubed.

Cook: cream cheese and broth in large saucepan on low heat until cream cheese is completely melted and mixture is blended, stirring frequently with whisk. Stir in chicken, veggies and garlic salt.

Spoon: into 9 inch pie plate. Beat egg and milk in bowl; stir in baking mix until moistened. Spoon over chicken mixture.

Bake: 30 minutes. Until golden brown.

Spiced Cranberry Cocktail

4 c (1 32-oz bottle) cranberry juice

*2 c orange juice

1 c grapefruit juice

½ c grenadine syrup

¼ t ground cloves

¼ t ground nutmeg

*(I used frozen cranberry juice. It makes a little more than 32 oz. so just add a little more of each ingredient. It’s cheaper and it gives it a deeper purple color.)

Combine ingredients in a large saucepan and heat over medium heat until warm.

Mom's Broccoli Cheese Dish

1 can cream of mushroom
1/2 mayo
1 tsp. lemon juice
Broccoli, cut into bite sizes
Grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Steam broccoli and let dry off. Mix soup, mayo and juice. Place broccoli in baking dish. Smear mixture around broccoli. Place grated cheese on top. And bake for about 20 minutes.

Easy Yummy Stuffing

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups Chicken Broth

2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)

1 large onion, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)

1 pkg. (16 ounces) Stuffing

Directions:
Heat the broth, celery and onion in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the stuffing and mix lightly.

Spoon the stuffing mixture into a greased 3-quart casserole dish. Cover and bake at 350°F. for 30 minutes or until hot.

Beef & Vegetable Stew

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. beef for stew, cut into 1-inch pieces
ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. medium potato, cut into cubes (about 3 cups)
4 medium carrots, sliced (about 2 cups)
2 medium onions, cut into wedges
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/4 cups Swanson® Beef Stock
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 cup thawed frozen peas *I don't use peas
*I add celery also


Directions:

Season the beef with black pepper. Coat the beef with 2 tablespoons of the flour. Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef in 2 batches and cook until it's well browned, stirring often.

Place the potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic into a 5-quart slow cooker. Top with the beef. Add 3 cups of the stock, Worcestershire, thyme and bay leaf.

Cover and cook on LOW for 10 to 11 hours* or until the beef is fork-tender. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Stir the remaining flour and stock in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth. Stir the flour mixture and peas in the cooker. Increase the heat to HIGH. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the mixture boils and thickens.

*Or on HIGH 5 to 6 hours

Serving suggestion: Serve with buttermilk biscuits and tossed salad topped with Ranch dressing.

Fettuccine Alfredo

Prep time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4-6

1/2 cup real butter
1 pint whipping cream
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan OR Romano cheese
12 oz. fettuccine - prepared as directed
chopped fresh parsley- for garnish, optional
salt and pepper to taste
1 dash cayenne pepper

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter; add cream, garlic powder, and salt and pepper; simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove sauce from heat and stir in cheese. Serve sauce over hot fettuccine noodles.

*I serve with cubbed boiled chicken and steamed broccoli.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

1 lb. chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 egg
4 Tbsp. salad oil
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 green pepper, seeded & cut into 1-inch squares
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup canned pineapple, chucks, drained

Beat egg in small bowl. Place cornstarch in a bag. Dip chicken cubes in egg, then shake in cornstarch until lightly coated; shake off excess. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or electric fying pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add meat and cook half at a time and stir until browned. Remove meat and set aside; discard pan drippings.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil. When oil is hot, add onion, green pepper and garlic and stir fry for 1 minute, adding a few drops of water if pan appears dry. Stir in Sweet and Sour Sauce and cook, stirring until boils and thicken slightly.

Stir in pineapple and chicken and cooki until heated through. Makes 4 servings. Serve over rice.


Sweet and Sour Sauce
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/4 cup sugar
few drops Tabasco
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar