on the menu this week...

easter feast: ham, red potatoes, asparagus, carrots and rolls dessert: lemon bunny cake
homemade pepperoni pizza
tacos
french dip sandwiches with green salad
kahlua pork with rice and cabbage and carrots

Award-Winning White Chicken Chili

recipe courtesy of Delee Cox

Ingredients:
1 lb. diced or shredded cooked chicken
1/2 of an onion, chopped (can be cooked with chicken)
1 14.5 oz. can chicken broth
1 10.5 oz. can cream of chicken soup
1 cup water
1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies, drained
1 11 oz. can mexi corn
2 15 oz. cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cream

Mix all ingredients, except sour cream and cream, in a large pan.
Simmer for 20 minutes to several hours.
Before serving stir in 1 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup cream.

This recipe always places in neighborhood chili cook-offs, hence the award-winning title.

Tilapia

Tilapia:
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet
Add 1/4 chopped onion and 1-2 cloves minced garlic
Add tilapia fillets and sprinkle with salt and pepper
Cook, covered, turning occasionally until flakey (about 15 minutes)

Creamy lemon dill sauce:
In a small bowl mix 1/3 cup sour cream, 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon dried dill weed and a 1/4 teaspoon salt
Spoon over the cooked fish when serving

Served with roasted red potatoes

Pesto

Prep:
Prepare pasta (spaghetti or linguine) according to package directions
Reserve 1/4 cup or more of the pasta water

Pesto sauce:
In a food processor blend 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (the real stuff), 3 tablespoons pine nuts, 3/4 cup basil leaves (fresh), 5 tablespoons olive oil, 3 cloves garlic
Add 1/4 cup of the water from the cooked pasta (before draining) and blend again

Toss with cooked pasta

Lemon Chicken

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet
Add boneless skinless chicken breasts
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, juice of 1-2 lemons and rosemary (a few dried leaves per breast or several fresh sprigs laid across pan)
Cook covered on medium heat, turning occasionally until done (about 20 minutes)

I usually serve this with pesto and green salad

Pasta al Forno

Ragu (Bolognese) Sauce:
heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil
add 1/2 chopped onion, 2-3 cloves minced garlic, 3-5 finely chopped carrots and 2 stalks finely chopped celery
cook a few minutes until tender
add about 3 pieces of bacon, diced and 1 package of mild Italian sausage (johnsonville is best)
break up sausage while cooking until no longer pink
add 14oz can of diced or stewed tomatoes and 1 8oz can tomato sauce
stir
salt and pepper
stir
add a bay leaf
simmer for 3-5 hours

Bechamel sauce:
heat 3 cups milk with 1 bay leaf and a dash of ground mace
in another pan, melt 1/2 cup butter
whisk in 3/4 cup flour
cook for a few minutes
combine with heated milk
whisk
salt and pepper

prepare 1lb. of short pasta (I use rigatoni) according to package directions and put in 9x13 in baking dish after drained

remove bay leaves from sauces
add ragu sauce and bechamel sauce to pasta
mix
cover with grated Parmesan cheese
cover with foil
bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes

enjoy...this is my favorite pasta dish

Orange Chicken

So delicious! Here's the link for orange chicken. The sauce made a lot so cut it in half or save some for another meal. I served it over rice with broccoli and a red pepper stir-fried in a little butter with salt and pepper.

Meatloaf

My version of Martha Stewart's Classic Meatloaf

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef chuck
1 lb. ground pork
3 slices white bread
1/3 cup whole milk
1 egg
1/2 chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
salt and pepper
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 1/2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp. vinegar
1-2 drops liquid smoke

Blend bread slices in food processor
Add milk to bread crumbs in a small bowl and set aside (stirring occasionally) for about 10 minutes
Mix tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, chili powder, vinegar, and liquid smoke in small bowl
Mix meat, egg, onion, garlic, bread mixture and 1/2 of sauce and salt and pepper
Line baking sheet with foil and form mixture into a long loaf on the prepared sheet
Spoon on remaining sauce
Bake at 400 for about 45-55 minutes
Let stand 10 minutes before serving

Macaroni and Cheese

Prep:
Cook 1lb. macaroni according to package directions
Rinse with cold water
Grate about 1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese
Grease 9x13 in. pan

Cheese Sauce:
Heat 4 tablespoons butter on medium heat
When melted add 4 tablespoons flour
Whisk
Add 2 cups milk
Whisk
Cook and stir until starts to thicken
Add cheese
Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Pepper to taste
Do not over-cook

Assemble:
Layer the macaroni and cheese sauce in the 9x13 pan
Mix
Cover with foil
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

recipe courtesy of Amy Dott Harmer

Put the following in a crock pot:

8 cups water with ¼ cup chicken bouillon granules or 8 cups of chicken broth

2 cups chopped carrots

2 cups chopped celery

¾ cup chopped onion

2 cans cream of chicken soup

¼ cup evaporated milk or ½ cup whole milk

2 cups of cooked, diced chicken

3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon lemon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

On the stove top in a pan make a roux (melt one cube butter and then wisk in ¾ cup flour)

Pour the mixture into your crock pot

Cook on low in the crock put for 3-4 hours

Add the noodles of your choice or homemade noodles just before serving

Rough Homemade Noodles:

Mix 1 egg

Add 2 tablespoons milk

Add ½ teaspoon salt

Add flour and mix with a fork until the dough is difficult to work with

Use your hand to knead flour into the dough until the dough is not sticky

Roll dough on cutting board or counter until very thin

Cut into strips with pizza cutter

Leave noodles to dry out (about an hour)

Cook in boiling salt water for 10 or 15 minutes

Double this recipe for chicken noodle soup

Noodles will continue to expand so, if using in a crockpot, add the finished (cooked) noodles the last 10 minutes

Chicken Alfredo

prep:
cook pasta (linguine or fettuccine) according to package directions
grill about 1 lb. of boneless skinless chicken tenders or breasts in a little olive oil with salt and pepper
cut chicken into bite sized pieces or strips after cooking

sauce:
melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium sauce pan
add 2 tablespoons flour
whisk and cook for a few seconds
add 1 pint of half and half
whisk
cook and stir until sauce begins to thicken
add 1 cup--be generous--of grated Parmesan cheese (the real stuff)
add 3 cloves of minced garlic
add a dash of nutmeg
salt and pepper

add chicken to sauce
serve over cooked pasta

Asian Chicken

Prep:
Marinate boneless skinless chicken breasts (thin is best) in the juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon and 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce for about an hour or longer
Pat dry
Mix 1/2 cup flour with salt and pepper in shallow dish
Beat 2 eggs and 1/4 cup water in another dish
Mix about 1 cup bread crumbs with about 1 tablespoon sesame seeds in another dish

Heat a few tablespoons vegetable oil and a few drops of sesame oil (optional) in a large skillet
Dip chicken in the flour, then egg, and lastly bread crumbs
Cook in oil on both sides until done (about 20 minutes)

Serve with brown rice cooked in chicken broth and steamed broccoli