sweet & sour meatballs

Another great slow cooker recipe! this one is good over rice or potatoes and smells yummy cooking. It's healthy too with the ground turkey! Give it a try!

Sweet & Sour Meatballs
2 pounds ground turkey breast
2 teaspoons salt-free garlic and herb seasoning or poultry seasoning
1 egg white
Salt and ground black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons dried thyme

In a large bowl, combine turkey, garlic and herb seasoning, egg white and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Mix well and shape mixture into about 32 meatballs. Place meatballs in bottom of slow cooker.

In a medium bowl, whisk together tomato sauce, broth, chili sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and thyme. Pour mixture over meatballs.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.

Cheesy spicy chicken penne pasta...

This is my version of my bloggy buddy Jenna's chicken spaghetti. It is so good and everyone loves it when I make it. It is wonderful for leftovers too. You should give this a try!

Chicken Spaghetti

7-8 servings of penne pasta, boiled in chicken broth leftover from chicken

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

4-5 tablespoon butter

1 (8oz) pk sliced mushrooms (can use canned)

1 lg onion, chopped

1 lg green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup chopped celery ( I leave this out)

1 (16oz) loaf Velveeta, cubed ( you could use a little more for more creaminess)

1 (10) oz can Ro-tel ( I use mild)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. chop boiled chicken.

3. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushrooms and next 3 ingredients; saute' 5 minutes or so or until vegetables are tender.

4. Add chicken, cheese cubes, and next 4 ingredients to vegetable mixture, and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and all ingredients are combined. Add pasta, and toss to combine. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

5. cover and cook on low for 10-15 minutes.

adapted from JennaG's chicken spaghetti recipe (thanks Jenna)!

taco meatloaf

This is a delicious version of meatloaf! I loved it the first time I tried it, as did my entire family. It gives the meatloaf a great new flavor and texture. Give it a try!

• 1 egg
  
• 1/2 cup sour cream
  
• 1/3 cup salsa
  
• 2 to 4 tablespoons taco seasoning
  
• 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
  
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  
• 2 pounds lean ground beef
  
• Optional toppings: sour cream, salsa, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, sliced ripe olives

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Pat into the bottom of a 3-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Top with sour cream, salsa, cheese, lettuce and olives if desired.

cheesy chicken empanadas

I made this recipe last night and have made a few changes to the original because, well, it didn't work out :o)... but once they were arranged to suit me, boy were they good. Give them a try!










Cheesy Chicken Empanadas

3 cups chopped, cooked chicken, about 4 to 5 chicken breasts
1 (8-ounce) package shredded colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cans small biscuits
canola oil
Water

I sauteed the chicken until done and tender in a small amount of olive oil and seasoned with salt & pepper, remove and chop. Add peppers to pan to saute. Mix all ingredients together and roll out each biscuit into a thin circle. (you will need flour :o) I used the cheap inexpensive biscuits that are in the brown cans, they usually come in a four pack and you might need more than 2 cans to use all the chicken mixture. Place a tsp. of chicken mixture in center of circle, moisten the edge to seal into a half circle crimping the edges with your fingers. Have hot canola oil in pan ready to drop them in. They cook pretty fast. Watch them closely turning when golden brown and remove when both sides are done.

These are really good!

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crockpot artichoke, chicken & olives ~ slow cooker thursday!

This recipe has some of my favorite things, artichokes, olives and chicken. . . it makes such a nice meal. You can use fresh artichokes too if you want to and if they are available. I didn't really find the need to use the cooking tapioca. You should give this one a try!

1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast halves and/or thighs
2 c sliced fresh mushrooms
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (8 or 9 oz) pkg frozen artichokes
1 c chicken broth
1 med onion, chopped
1/2 c sliced pitted ripe olives (or 1/4 cup capers, drained)
1/4 c dry white wine or chicken broth
3 tbsp quick cooking tapioca
2-3 tsp curry powder
3/4 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 c hot cooked rice

Rinse chicken & set aside. In a 3 1/2 qt crock pot combine mushrooms, undrained tomatoes, frozen artichoke hearts, chicken broth, onion, olives, & wine/broth. Stir in tapioca, curry powder, thyme, salt, & pepper. Add chicken. Spoon some of the tomato mixture over chicken. Cover & cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Serve with hot cooked rice. Serves 6.

Visit Sandra (sahm) for more recipes.

chicken fried rice

This makes plenty! It's a one-pot meal, is great to use up leftovers, and it tastes like you fussed. I got this from Kim and have made it many times. It's great to buy frozen egg rolls and serve as a side item. Everyone loves this and it is so easy to make. Give it a try!

4 cups cooled, cooked rice
1 onion, chopped fine
4 chopped green onions
2 tbl minced garlic
1 to 2 cups frozen vegetables (anything works as long as it's in small pieces)
2 cups chicken (cooked and cut into small pieces)
Soy sauce to taste
Olive oil for the pan
A little sesame oil to finish

Saute the onion in olive oil in a large skillet. Add green onions, garlic, chicken and vegetables. Add rice when veggies are cooked. Stir in soy sauce. Drizzle a little sesame oil over the top, stir in, and serve.

**made this for dinner last night, served with egg rolls & it was delicious!**

***original recipe from Barb (mom's fridge). thanks Barb!***

Sopapilla Cheesecake

This is a fun thing to take to a brunch. It gets a lot of attention and it's so easy to put together! You should give this one a try. It is a great recipe!

Sopapilla Cheesecake

(2) pkg crescent rolls 1 tsp cinnamon
(2) 8 oz pkg cream cheese 3/4 stick butter
1-1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla

Mix together ½ cup of the sugar and the cinnamon. In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining one cup of sugar, vanilla, and cream cheese. Flatten one can of crescent rolls on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over flattened crescent rolls. Unroll second can of crescent rolls and spread over cream cheese mixture. Melt butter and pour over the second layer of crescent rolls. Sprinkle with all of cinnamon/sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

(recipe from Julia P. Stephens/recipe exchange)

spinach dip... favorite ingredient friday!

I make this spinach dip for a lot of family gatherings and it is always ... always said to be everyone's favorite and I end up writing the recipe down for people almost everytime. I made a double batch for 4th of july and my SIL took leftovers to work the next day. I got a call wanting the recipe again. I make it a little different than the box of soup mix suggests... I add cream cheese because I love cream cheese and it makes it thicker, and I exclude water chestnuts.


8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. mayo (can use light, don't use miracle whip)
8 oz. sour cream
one package knorr vegetable soup mix
5 chopped green onions
1 box (10 oz) chopped frozen spinach

Thaw, rinse, drain, and squeeze spinach. I like to sit the sour cream and cream cheese out so they are room temp. Mix cc, sc, and mayo with soup mix, stir in spinach and onions until well blended. Chill to blend flavors. Serve with crackers, veggies or a favorite of mine is to hollow out a hawaiian bread and cut the part you took out into chunks. YUM! (I usually sit a small bowl in the hollowed space so the bread doesn't get soggy).

spaghetti meal from Betty Gardner~

Here is an entire meal to serve to your family. Spaghetti is always a pleaser, especially for the kids! Thanks Betty for emailing this meal. You should give it a try!


Meaty Spaghetti:

2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 medium onions, chopped
2 pounds lean ground beef
3 (16 ounce) cans whole tomatoes
3 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
3 of the 6 ounce cans full of water
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf (remove before serving)
2 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked and drained
Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy kettle, sauté garlic, parsley and onion until tender, but not browned. Add ground beef; cook over high heat, stirring to break up meat as it browns. Crush tomatoes in a blender or with a potato masher. Add to Dutch oven with tomato paste, water, sugar, salt, oregano, basil, pepper and bay leaf. Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 45 minutes. Taste and correct seasonings, adding salt, pepper or more sugar if needed.

Serve over cooked spaghetti, topped with grated Parmesan or Romano.

(This makes a lot of sauce, but it freezes well.)

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Herbed Corn on the Cob:
6-12 Mini Corn on the Cob
4 tablespoons of fresh Thyme
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) Real Melted Butter

Place cleaned corn on the cob into a large pot. Cover with cold water. Omit salt from boiling process (it tends to toughen the corn). Bring just to a boil and then let the ears stand in boiling water a few minutes. Mix melted butter, salt, and thyme together in a serving dish. Lay corn onto serving dish and roll to coat with butter mixture. Serve immediately.

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Cheese & Rosemary Breadsticks:
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup grated Gruyere
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 (11-ounce) container refrigerated breadstick dough (or make your own!)
Finely ground sea salt, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with silicone baking sheets or parchment paper. In a food processor, chop the Parmesan, Gruyere and rosemary together until coarsely chopped. Set the cheese mixture aside. Separate the dough strips. Using a pizza cutter or a large sharp knife, cut each dough strip in half lengthwise to form thin strips. Working with dough strip at a time, coat each strip with the cheese mixture, pressing very gently. Twist each cheese covered dough strip and place onto prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with the salt, if you wish. Bake until the breadsticks are golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the warm breadsticks to a basket and serve.

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Fresh Lemonade:
6 lg. thin skinned lemons
About 8 c. water
1 c. (8 oz.) sugar
10-12 Maraschino cherries
2 tablespoons Cherry Juice

Roll the lemons on a hard surface to loosen the juice. Cut them in half and squeeze out the juice. Strain it into a large pitcher. Boil 1/2 cup of the water then add sugar. Stir until all sugar is dissolved. Add the mixture (called simple syrup) to the pitcher and also add the remaining cold water. Taste, and adjust the sugar or water. You may also need more lemon juice, it all depends on your individual taste buds. Add the cherries and juice for an extra special treat!

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Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe:
1 cups butter
2 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 cup sugar
2.5 cups blended oatmeal
12 oz. chocolate chips
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 8 oz. Hershey Bar (grated)
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla

Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey Bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes about 5 dozen cookies. I divide the dough in half and bake one half and freeze the other for later!

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PAULA'S GERMAN CHOCOLATE PIE

I first had german chocolate pie from a pie shop and was hooked!
It is the best of pecan and chocolate pie!
It is always the favorite at a party or dinner.
You should give it a try!

PAULA'S GERMAN CHOCOLATE PIE

3/4 cup Sugar

1/3 cup Corn Starch

1/8 tsp. Salt

3 Egg Yolks

3 cups Milk

1 cup Coconut

1 (4 oz.) bar Baker's German Sweet Chocolate Bar - melted

1 1/2 tsp. Butter

1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla

Topping - see below



Put sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a cooking pan, stir.  Mix together
egg yolks and milk, stir.  Mix egg/milk mixture to dry ingredients,
stir.  Add coconut and melted German sweet chocolate bar, stir.  Cook
over medium heat until mixture thickens and starts to bubble, stir
constantly (I use a wire whisk).  When bubbling starts remove from heat
and add butter and vanilla.  Pour into baked pie shell.



Put a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the pie filling as this
will keep that scabby layer from forming on the pie while it cooling.
Set pie in refrigerator to cool.



Topping - You can make a regular meringue topping and it will be very
good I prefer the following.



Small carton of Heavy Whipping Cream

Powdered Sugar to taste



Put whipping cream in mixer and mix till stiff peaks form.  Add
powdered
sugar to taste.  Place on top of pie.



HINT:  If you put your mixing bowl and beater in the freezer for a
little while the cream will whip up much better.

crock pot meatloaf

This has become my favorite way to make meatloaf. It is just so easy to put it in the crockpot and leave it. It comes out so delicious and moist. The best part is your home will smell yummy all day long. You should try it!!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds ground beef

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup italian breadcrumbs or crushed crackers

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 small onion (diced)

1/4 cup water

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Form into a meatloaf shape that will fit into your crock pot. Cut a strip of foil and place under the meatloaf in crock pot. Cut it long enough to cover the bottom and sides of meatloaf. Place meat loaf in crock pot and top with an additional 2 tablespoons ketchup & chili sauce. Cover and cook on low for approximately 8 hours or high for four hours.

Note: This was delicious! everyone really enjoyed it.

Chicken Cream Cheese Enchiladas

This is such a delicious recipe! If you can't find the green enchilada sauce, you can always just use the red. I found the green to be a bit less tangy. My family loved this recipe, you should give it a try!

chicken breasts, cooked and chopped (2-3 cups)
can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. cream cheese
28 oz. green enchilada sauce
8 oz. cheddar cheese
15 flour tortillas

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, cream cheese, cream of chicken soup, 1/2 the cheddar cheese, and enough enchilada sauce to make the mixture moist.
3. Mix all ingredients well. Make sure the cream cheese is not clumpy.
4. In a large rectangular baking dish pour enough enchilada sauce to coat the bottom.
5. In each tortilla put approximatley 3-4 large tablespoons of the mixture.
6. Roll each tortilla and place into the pan.
7. Once pan is full, pour enough enchilada sauce on top to make sure each tortilla is covered.
8. Sprinkle remianing cheese on top.
9. Bake for between 25 and 30 minutes.
10. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.
11. Garnish with sour cream, lettuce, olives, etc .

Michelle'sTaquitos

I make these weekly! The kids love them. Matt takes them in his lunch a lot of days because they are quick and easy to eat on the run! I have played around with ingredients many times and they always come out tasting great. Give them a try!

INGREDIENTS:
1. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for brushing on the taquitos
2. 1 medium onion, finely chopped
3. 1 clove garlic, minced
4. 3/4 pound lean ground beef
5. 1 cup salsa, plus more for dipping
6. 2 teaspoons chili powder
7. 1/2 teaspoon salt
8. 1/4 teaspoon pepper
9. 10 (6-inch) flour tortillas
10. 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack
Sour cream

1. Heat the oven to 400°. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook them for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the beef and use a wooden spoon or a spatula to break it up while it cooks, until it is no longer red, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of the salsa, the chili powder, and the salt and pepper. Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
2. Place the tortillas on a plate and cover them with damp paper towels. Microwave them until warm and pliable, about 45 seconds. Top each tortilla with 1/4 cup of the beef mixture, spreading it to an inch from the edges. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the beef.
3. Roll up the tortillas and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet with the seam sides down. Brush the taquitos lightly with vegetable oil, then bake them until the filling is heated through and the tortillas are lightly browned, about 8 to 12 minutes. Serve them hot with sour cream and/or salsa. Serves 4 to 6.

Just a word of advice: if you're like me and accidentally use 8-inch tortillas, instead of 6-inch, you'll need more than 1/4 cup of meat mixture to put on the tortillas (I used about 1/2 cup). You'll also need more cheese - 1/2 cup just doesn't cut it! And one more thing...in using the bigger tortillas your taquitos won't come out looking nice and thin like the picture above; they'll come out fatter, looking more like a burrito, but still good anyway!

KFC Twister and KFC Twister Sauce

These are wonderful! I think the special sauce you make with may really makes them taste like something you bought rather than made. I was really impressed with these and recommend using thin strips of chicken. My first batch were a little too big. You should try them! They are delish!

3 tablespoons plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
12 boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders
Olive oil spray
1 egg white
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1 1/2 cup bread crumbs
6 burrito-size (10-inch) low-fat flour tortilla
1 tablespoon KFC Twister Sauce (recipe below)
Shredded iceberg lettuce
2 Diced tomatoes

In a resealable plastic bag, combine flour, pepper, salt and onion powder. Shake to mix well. Add chicken. Shake to completely coat the chicken with the flour mixture. Refrigerate at least 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees
Lightly mist a nonstick baking sheet with oil spray.

In a small bowl, combine egg white and milk. Beat with a fork until smooth. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow dish.

Dip one of the chicken tenders into the egg-white mixture, being sure to coat completely. Allow any excess egg white mixture to drip off. Dip into the crumbs to coat completely. Repeat dipping a second time into the egg white mixture and the crumbs. Place on the reserved baking sheet. Continue with the second piece of chicken. Place, not touching, on the baking sheet. Lightly mist both sides with oil spray. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bake 5 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken. Bake 4 to 6 minutes, or until the breading starts to crisp, and the chicken is no longer pink inside.

Meanwhile, preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the tortilla in the skillet. Heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until warm.

Top the sauce-covered area evenly with the lettuce, tomato and chicken. Fold the bare end over the filling ingredients. Roll the tortilla tightly, finishing it seam-side down on the plate. One end of the wrap will remain open.


KFC TWISTER SAUCE

(Makes 1/4 cup, enough for 4-6 servings)

1/4 cup plus 1/4 teaspoon light mayonnaise
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar and pepper. Stir to blend well. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to one month.

FIF ~ Favorite 4th Recipes!

I love both both of these so much. That napa salad is so good I can't even tell you! People always request that I make copies of the recipe and I love love love the potato salad too. So will you!

Potato Salad

• 4 pounds red or new potatoes
• 6 green onion
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/2 c. chopped dill pickles
• 1 t. dill weed
• 3/4 c. light mayo
• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 1 T mustard
• 4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• salt & pepper

• 
  

clean, cube and boil potatoes until just tender. Add butter salt & pepper while warm. Chop green onions and pickles, add mayo, vinegar, veggies, mustard, and eggs. Season to taste with salt. Refrigerate to cool... serve & enjoy.

Pasta Salad

• 16 oz. pasta
• 1 c. black olives, sliced
• 1/2 c. green pepper, chopped
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 T Mayo
• 1 t. mustard
• salt
• oregano
• mrs. dash

• 
  

Mix well, season to taste. Serve cold.

Napa Cabbage Salad

• 1 (3 ounce) package chicken flavored ramen noodles
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted
• 1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
• 1 large head napa cabbage, shredded
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/8 cup white sugar

• 
  

Crush noodles, place them in a medium skillet and brown in butter over medium heat. Add almonds and sesame seeds. Stir often to prevent burning. Add seasoning mix from noodles and cool. Toss in a large bowl with cabbage and onions.

Prepare the dressing by whisking together the vegetable oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar. Pour over salad, toss and serve.

Visit Overwhelmed with Joy for more favorite ingredient friday recipes for the fourth of July!

breakfast casserole

I make this all the time now! I will put the ingredients together on a friday night and it is ready to pop in the oven Saturday morning. My favorite way to make it is with jalapeño cheddar bread from the walmart bakery. It just has more zip with the bread. It is yummy! You should try it!

Breakfast Casserole

9 eggs 1.5 cup half and half 5 green onions, chopped Salt and pepper Butter to grease pan 6 slices of garlic Texas Toast (frozen) 1 pound spicy pork sausage, cooked and drained of fat, bacon, or and ham 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese In a small bowl, beat the eggs until they loosen up. Add the half and half, and green onions. Mix well, highly season with salt and pepper and set aside. Butter a 12 by 10-inch baking pan. Line the pan with the bread, cutting and rearranging, if needed. Sprinkle the bread with the cooked sausage and cheese. Pour the egg mixture over the entire pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook covered for 25 to 30 minutes or until the egg mixture is set.

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