Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Chili Relleno Casserole

7 ounce can whole chilies
7 ounce can diced chilies
1 pound EACH, monteray jack and sharp cheddar cheese
6 eggs
13 oz can evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Lay the split, seedless chilies in 9x13 pan. Alternate cheese and diced chilies until all used. Beat eggs and milk and pour over cheeses. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Spinach Tortellini Soup

1-16 oz frozen chopped spinach
1 T. butter
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. onion powder
2 T. flour
1 can evaporated milk or 1 c. half & half
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1 T. olive oil
diced ham
diced onion
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3 1/2 c. water
1 can chicken broth or 2 c. water & 3 chicken bullion cubes
1 envelope dry vegetable soup mix (1.4 oz)
1 20 oz. pkg refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Parmesean cheese

*Thaw spinach & drain. Melt butter in heavy skillet and add spinach. Cook and stir for a couple minutes, then add salt, onion powder, flour, and milk. Cook for about five minutes, until hot and slightly thickened. Cover and set aside. (You can also buy frozen creamed spinach and just heat it through).

Sautee onion and ham in olive oil & add to creamed spinach. Set aside.

Combine water, chicken broth, & vegetable soup mix. Heat to boiling. Add spinach/ham mixture and tortellini & boil for about five minutes. Stir in shredded cheese until melted. Sprinkle individual servings w/Parmesean cheese.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Apple Pie Carmel Apples


If you have not been to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory at the Gateway...It's a must! Here's my attempt to copy their FABULOUS apples!

I used gala apples. Kraft carmels, melted. (I may try homeade next time) White chocolate chips melted. Brown sugar with a couple Tbs. white sugar and generous amount of cinnamon. ( I didn't measure, just dumped) Wash and dry apples put sticks in stem end. The carmel package said to add 2 tbs water, i did. Dip apples in carmel, put on greased plate or pan and refrigerate. Just till cool. Then dip in melted chocolate----don't add water to chocolate! Cover with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Enjoy. I like them better cold, but it doesn't matter!

Vegetable Beef Pie

I am a little embarrased to put this on here. This is no where near gourmet. It's a tuesday night dinner, it's easy and they eat it....what can i say?! If nothing else you get my easy, yummy pie crust recipe. You can use a frozen pie crust if you'd like. this recipe is way simple though.

CRUST
1 c. butter flavored shortning
2 c. flour
1 t. salt
1/2 c. hot water
*mix together, roll out on floured surface.
FILLING
1 lb hamburger browned
1 family size can campbell's vegetable beef soup. (I like the vegetarian version with no meat and ABC noodles)
grated cheese

Line pie pan with bottom crust. Mix hamburger and soup, fill pie pan. Top with cheese. Cover with top crust. Slit holes. Bake @ 400 for 15 min then 350 for 45 min. Or till crust is done. My hubby likes to put sour cream on it.

With the remaining dough I like to make a little.......low fat cookie. haha Just roll it out, generously cover with sugar, sprinkle with cinnamon. (or mix cinnamon and sugar together then cover crust) Bake about 15 min.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Marie's pretzels



These are similar to the taste of the mall pretzels...but a whole lot cheaper! Thanks to my sister-in-law for finding and tweaking the recipe.


* 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
* 1 teaspoon white sugar
* 1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

* 1/2 cup baking soda
* 4 cups hot water
* 1/4 cup kosher salt, for topping

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water.
4. When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is all shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt. (Some could be a cinnamon/sugar mixture)
5. Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, until browned.

Jeannie's vegetarian chili



* 1 (19 ounce) can black beans
* 2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 (16 ounce) can vegetarian baked beans
* 2 (14.5 ounce) can chopped tomatoes in puree
* 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 green bell pepper, chopped
* 2 stalks celery, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped (or just a little garlic powder)
* 1 package of chili seasoning
* a little hot sauce if you want

Put in slow cooker on high for two hours and then reduce to low for two or more. If it's not thick enough take a cup out and put it in the blender until smooth, then add back in slow cooker. Serve with Fritos.

Slow cooker country style ribs


4-5 pounds country style pork ribs (bone in or out)
1 large bottle of BBQ sauce
one lemon
one onion

Place half of sauce in slow cooker, add ribs. Add rest of bbq sauce and then layer onion and lemon on top. Cook on low 6-8 hours.

When serving, eat with lemon and onion. (The bitterness gets cooked away)

(Look for country style ribs on sale...have seen them as low as $1.29 a pound, great low cost dinner!)

Chunky Apple Cake

Found this recipe in one of those grocery store recipe books...you know, the ones you pick up, glance at, then usually put back... Sadly, this one had about 6 recipes that caught my eye, and the tantalizing title "Fall Baking." Who doesn't love Fall recipes? The smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, apples bubbling in butter and brown sugar....yum! Anyway, made it for Misty and Sean tonight, and we all loved it, so here it is:
Cake:
3/4 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1/4 c. applesauce
1/2 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 t. ground cinnamon
3 c. coarsely chopped peeled baking apples
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
Heat oven to 350. Spray and flour tube/bundt cake pan. In large bowl beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in applesauce and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and mix completely. Stir in apples and walnuts. Spoon into pan. Bake 50-65 minutes or until top springs back. Cool completely before frosting (remove from pan before frosting).

Frosting:
1/2 c. butter
3 1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 to 3 T. milk
Heat butter over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden brown. Remove from heat and gradually beat in powdered sugar. Add vanilla and milk until desired spreading consistency is reached. Generously spread over top and down sides of cake.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Blue Cheese Chicken Salad Wraps


Cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
Blue cheese dressing
diced celery
diced apples
quartered red grapes
salt & pepper
romaine lettuce leaves

Combine dressing and chicken, then add other ingredients. Wrap up in romaine lettuce leaf and enjoy!