Easy Teriyaki Chicken

From the Kitchen of: Kristie kano

Ingredients:

2-4 Chicken Breasts

Salt and pepper to taste

½ Cup Soy Sauce

½ Cup Sugar

Pinch of ginger powder (or a couple of thin slices of fresh ginger)

Rice

Directions:

1.       Cut chicken into 1 inch chunks.  Salt and pepper the chicken.  Fry chicken in pan till cooked.

2.      While chicken is cooking. Stir soy sauce, sugar, and ginger together.

3.      When chicken is nearly finished, pour sauce over chicken till fully cooked and the sauce is warm.  Serve over rice

**Soy Sauce and Sugar are always equal parts.  If you are making dinner for more than 2, I would increase both of those and the amount of chicken made.  I always cook for leftovers because this is a great meal for lunch the following day.  We make this meal weekly because it’s extremely easy and beyond delicious.

PF Chang's Dali Chicken

From the Kitchen of: Emily Balling

Ingredients:

2 Yukon gold potatoes

3 chicken breast fillets

6-8 dry red chilies

1 tsp. of corn starch

3 tbsp. of hot sauce

3 tsp. soy sauce

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

2 tbsp. cumin

3 tbsp. rice vinegar

1 tsp. fresh ginger

1 cup chopped leaks

Salt to taste.

Directions:

1.      Cut the 2 Yukon gold potatoes cut up in thin slices then cut in half (so they looked like half-moons), toss the potatoes in 1 Tbsp. cumin

2.      Sauté them in a pan with some sesame oil and vegetable oil and some dried red chilies. Cook them in two batches and until they are somewhat browned and add leaks. Drain them on paper towels and salt to taste.

3.      Cut up 3 chicken breasts into cubes and season with salt, garlic powder, cumin, and onion powder to taste.

4.      Sauté the chicken quickly on high heat until just cooked. Lower heat to medium and add the chili paste mixture (recipe below) or the Sriracha hot sauce if you can find it at the store. Add the soy sauce and a tsp. of corn starch mixed into it, with rice vinegar and brown sugar. Throw the potatoes back in the pan and toss the mixture until nicely coated. Take it off when the potatoes and the chicken are done, approx. 6-8 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

From the Kitchen of: Alyssa Potter

Ingredients:

2 eggs

Desired amount of chicken (breasts or tenders)

Corn starch

Vegetable Oil

½ cup chicken broth

¾ cup sugar

1 Tbs. soy sauce

¼ cup catsup

3/8 cup vinegar

Directions:

1.      Beat eggs and dip chicken into egg and roll in corn starch.  Brown in vegetable oil on the stove. Transfer into oven safe dish.

2.      Mix chicken broth, sugar, soy sauce, catsup, and vinegar together.  Pour over chicken.

3.      Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  (Less time if using tenders)

Chili in a Biscuit Bowl

From the Kitchen of: Britlyn Case

Ingredients:

2 cups biscuit mix

2/3 cup milk

½ teaspoon ground red pepper

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium-size green bell pepper, chopped

2 (14 ½-ounce) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 teaspoons chili powder

Toppings: sour cream, sliced green onions

Garnish: green onions

Directions:

1.     Stir together first 3 ingredients. Turn dough out onto a surface sprinkled with biscuit mix. Shape into a ball, and knead 3 to 4 times. Divide into 6 portions.

2.     Invert 6 (6-ounce) custard cups several inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. (Or use an inverted muffin pan.) Coat outsides of cups with vegetable cooking spray.

3.     Roll or pat each dough portion into a 6-inch circle. Place each on a custard cup; press into a bowl shape.

4.     Bake at 450° for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly; remove biscuit bowls to a wire rack.

5.     Cook beef, onion, and bell pepper in a Dutch oven over medium heat until meat crumbles and is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomatoes, beans, and chili powder.

6.     Bring beef mixture to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes. Spoon into biscuit bowls, and serve with desired toppings. Garnish, if desired.

Corn/Bean/Chicken Salsa

From the Kitchen of: Laura Morrow

Ingredients:

Chicken Breasts (Depending on how many you are feeding)

2 Tbs. lemon juice

2 tsp. paprika

Can of corn

Can of Black beans

1 cup of salsa

Directions:

1.     Put chicken breasts in the crockpot and add lemon juice and paprika (just enough to cover chicken).

2.    Turn the crockpot on high for 2 to 3 hours (enough time for the chicken to cook all the way through).

3.    When chicken is cooked, shred it with a fork and add corn, black beans, and salsa. (You can change the amounts on these ingredients to what you prefer)

4.    Mix it all around and turn it down to low and leave it in the crockpot for 1.5 or 2 more hours

5.    After this, it’s basically done.  Now you can do a few different things.

A)   Wrap it up in tortillas and you can add cheese and lettuce.

B)    Eat it by itself!

C)   Or my favorite – Eat it as a dip for tortilla chips.

Slow-Cooker Carnitas

From the Kitchen of: Loni Andrus

Ingredients:

1 (6-8 pound) pork butt, also called pork shoulder

2 tablespoons coarse salt

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

8 whole cloves garlic, smashed

4 chipotle peppers (canned or dried)

1 cup tomato juice

1 cup orange juice

Directions:

1.    Trim excess fat from the meat and discard. Place all ingredients in the slow-cooker. Set to cook on LOW for 8 hours. Meat is done when it literally falls off the bone. When cool enough to handle, lift the meat from the juices and place in a large bowl. Remove the bone, then shred the meat.

2.    Skim the fat from the juices and keep as a medium for re-heating the meat.

3.    For carnitas tacos, reheat the meat and serve in corn tortillas with sour cream, cilantro, chopped red onion and lime wedges.

**Makes 20-30 taco-sized servings

***I have never used the chipotle peppers and I think it is delicious without. I usually do burritos with cilantro lime rice, black beans, and corn pico, chipotle style! This is an awesome summer meal!

Skillet Creamy Mac n' Cheese

From the Kitchen of: Heather Godfrey

Ingredients:

3.5 cups of water

1 (12 oz) can of evaporated milk

3 cups of macaroni

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. cornstarch

Hot sauce to taste

1.5 cups of cheddar cheese shredded

1.5 cups of white cheese shredded (like Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, etc.)

2 Tbs. of butter cut into small chunks

Pepper to taste

Red cayenne pepper to taste

Frozen peas and diced pre-cooked ham (Optional)

Directions:

1.    Bring 3 1/2 cups water, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, the macaroni, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring continuously, until the macaroni is tender and the liquid has thickened, about 9 to 12 minutes. I can't seem to ever get it to not burn on the bottom, so be sure to not mix the burned part in with the rest of the food!

2.    Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk, the cornstarch, mustard and hot sauce together in a small bowl, then stir into the skillet. Continue to simmer slightly thickened, about 1 minute. The hot sauce is really what gives the flavor, so don't be too shy with it.

3.    Off the heat but still hot, stir in the cheddar and white cheese, one handful at a time, adding water as needed to adjust the consistency of the sauce (I don’t need any additional water when I make it). Stir in the peas, ham, and butter. Season with salt, pepper, and red cayenne pepper.

** So my husband is definitely a 2 year old at heart. His favorite meal is any variation of macaroni and cheese. I love this recipe because it's (fairly) healthy, takes less than 30 minutes, and is sooo yummy.

*** It seriously is such a great fast meal! Yummy and makes a ton.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2009/03/skillet-creamy-macaroni-and-cheese.html

Chicken Poppers

From the Kitchen of: Lindsey goddard

Ingredients:

1 regular Cream cheese

4 chicken breasts

A few stalks of celery

1 package Pillsbury crescent dough

(You can also add nuts, mushrooms, or anything you like)

Directions:

1.     Cut up chicken in smaller diced pieces and cook

2.    Dice up the celery small

3.    Combine chicken, cream cheese, and celery into large bowl

4.    Lay out crescent dough triangles onto an oil sprayed pan

5.    Using your fingers or spoon, take small handfuls of chicken mix and put onto a piece of dough,

6.    Wrap the dough up around the mix and pinch dough together. (Makes about 8 hand sized chicken poppers)

7.    Bake for as long as the Pillsbury dough container says, usually only 12 minutes on 350 degrees just to cook the dough

**You can also add chicken gravy of some kind on top, and you have an easy yummy dinner! You can explore and add other things to your chicken poppers, hope you like the recipe! 

Jamie Oliver Lasagne

From the Kitchen of: loni andrus

Ingredients for Bolognese Sauce:

2 slices of smoked bacon

2 medium onions

2 carrots

2 celery stocks

Olive oil

2 heaped tsps. Dried oregano

1 lb. ground beef, pork, or (even better!) a mixture of the two

2x14 oz. cans of diced tomatoes

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fresh basil (I usually use dried)

Ingredients for the Lasagne

8 oz. dried egg lasagna sheets (I use more)

4 oz. parmesan cheese (I use more)

2 ½ cups of crème fraiche or 2 ½ cups thick sour cream (I use sour cream as I have

     no idea what the other ingredient is)

1 large ripe tomato, sliced

To make your Bolognese Sauce:

Finely slice the bacon - Peel and finely chop the onions, garlic, carrots and celery-don't worry about technique; just chop away-Place a large casserole type pan on a medium to high heat-Add 2 lugs of olive oil, your sliced bacon, and the oregano and cook and stir until the bacon is lightly golden-Add the vegetables to the pan and stir every 30 seconds for around 7 minutes or until softened and lightly colored-Stir in the ground meat and the canned tomatoes-Fill one of the empty cans with water and add to the pan-Stir in a good pinch of salt and pepper-Pick the basil leaves and place in the refrigerator for later-Finely chop the basil stalks and stir into the pan-Bring to a boil-Turn the heat down and simmer with the lid askew for 1 hour, stirring every now and again-Take the lid off and cook for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally-Keep an eye on the sauce as it cooks, and if you think its starting to dry out, add a splash of water

To finish the sauce:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees-Remove the Bolognese sauce from the heat-Tear and stir in any larger basil leaves, keep the smaller ones aside for later-Have a taste of the sauce, and season with a little more salt and pepper if you think it needs it-Boil some water in a kettle and pour it into a large pan, then add your lasagne sheets with a drizzle of oil and blanch (slightly soften) for 3 to 4 minutes-Drain the sheets in a colander and carefully pat them dry with some paper towels to absorb any excess water-Finely grate the parmesan and stir most of it through the sour cream

To make your lasagne:

Spoon a third of your bolognese sauce into the bottom of a 9 X 13 dish-Follow with a layer of lasagne sheets and another third of your bolognese sauce, then dollop over a third of your sour cream-Sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and pepper and top with another layer of lasagne sheets-Spoon over the rest of the bolognese sauce and another third of the sour cream-Finish with a final layer of lasagne sheets and top with the rest of the sour cream-Scatter over the remaining parmesan-Top with some slices of tomato, scatter over the small basil leaves and drizzle with olive oil-Cover with foil and back in preheated over for 30 minutes-After that, remove the foil and cook for a further 20 minutes until the lasagne is bubbling and golden

***This recipe is awesome! It’s so rich and delicious with the sour cream plus anytime I use ricotta in anything I hate the taste of it. Maybe it’s because I buy cheap ricotta but I still hate it. Sour cream is a great replacement and is so rich! Jason's only complaint about this recipe is that it’s not ooey gooey cheesy like most lasagne. If you like things cheesy you can throw some mozzarella into the layers.

The bolognese sauce takes a while to make so if you can double it and freeze it for another time! This recipe is really quite easy to make it just takes a little time.

** http://www.jennylovesfood.com/?p=368

Cranberry Mandarin Chicken

From the Kitchen of:  Natalie Gregory

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I usually only use 2 if it's just my hubby and I)

1 16 oz. bottle of French/Catalina Dressing

1 16 oz. cranberry sauce (jellied or whole)

1 envelope of Onion Soup Mix

1 11 oz. can of Mandarin Oranges

2-4 cups cooked rice

Baking Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2.    Combine French dressing, cranberry sauce, and soup mix in a bowl

3.    Fold in Mandarin oranges (do not drain)

4.    Pour entire mixture over the chicken in a greased 9x13 pan

5.    Bake covered for 60 minutes; take chicken out and shred

6.    Mix chicken back into sauce

7.    Serve over rice

Crockpot Directions:

1.     Combine French dressing, cranberry sauce and soup mix in the crockpot

2.    Place chicken on the mixture

3.    Pour oranges over the chicken

4.    Cover and cook for 4-6 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low

5.    Remove and shred chicken; mix chicken back into sauce

6.    Serve over rice

*One of my favorite sides for this dish is the frozen stir-fry veggies fried up in a little oil in a pan

Once everything is in the crockpot, ready to go.

Ready to be served

Spanish Panic

From the Kitchen of:  Stephanie Jensen

Ingredients:

4 flour tortillas

1 cup cooked rice

1 cup crushed tortilla chips

1 lb. cooked hamburger

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 small can tomato sauce

2 cups shredded cheese

1 can black or pinto beans (drained)

1 can corn

½ bell pepper chopped

1 Tbs. taco seasoning

½ Tbs. Onion (optional)

Directions:

1.      Filling:  Simmer in pan rice, hamburger, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, corn, bell pepper, taco seasoning, and 1 cup cheese.  Warm through

2.    In greased pie pans (you will need 2) place tortilla flat in the bottom. 

3.    Add filling until about half full. 

4.    Sprinkle crushed tortilla chips.

5.    Then fill the pie pan to top with filling.

6.    Put another tortilla on top.

7.    Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

8.    Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Chicken and Biscuits Pot Pie

From the Kitchen of:  Briana godfrey

Ingredients for Buttermilk Biscuits:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cake flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. granulated sugar

½ tsp. table salt

4 Tbs. (1/2 Stick) unsalted butter chilled, cut into ¼-inch cubes

¾ cup plus 2 Tbs. buttermilk

Ingredients for Chicken Pot Pie:

1 ½ Tbs. vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped fine

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut crosswise ¼-inch thick

2 small ribs celery, cut crosswise ¼-inch think

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 Tbs. unsalted butter

½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1½ cups milk

2 to 2 ¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth

½ tsp. dried thyme

3 Tbs. dry sherry (optional)

3 to 4 cups (about 1 ¼ lbs.) shredded chicken

¾ cup frozen peas, thawed

3 Tbs. minced fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

1.      To make the biscuits: In a large bowl, stir the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar together. With a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter resembles course meal with some larger butter lumps remaining. Stir in 3/4 cup of the buttermilk with a fork until the mixture forms a soft, slightly sticky ball. If the dough is too dry, add a little extra buttermilk - 1 tablespoon at a time up to 2 tablespoons.

2.    Transfer the dough to a well-floured work surface and pull it together into a ball with your floured hands. Pat the dough out to 3/4" thickness and cut out 12 rounds with a 3-inch biscuit or cookie cutter. Transfer the biscuits to a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill until you're ready to use them. The biscuits can be made and kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in advance.

3.    To make the filling: Preheat the oven to 400° F. Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, sauté the onions, carrots, and celery until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer cooked vegetables to a bowl with the chicken; set aside.

4.    Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the same pot. When melted, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, chicken broth, and thyme. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer and let it simmer for 1 minute to thicken. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the sherry (if using). Turn off the heat and transfer the vegetables and chicken to the pot, stirring until the filling is well-combined. Mix in the peas and parsley. If the filling is too thick (you'll know), stir in the extra chicken broth, about 1/4 cup at a time up to 3/4 cup until the filling loosens up a little.

5.    Pour the filling into a 13x9-inch baking dish and bake for 18 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven (keeping the oven on and door closed) and top the filling with the biscuits. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

**http://www.smells-like-home.com/2012/11/chicken-and-biscuits-pot-pie/