Monday, November 16, 2009

Mom's Meatloaf

2 lbs ground beef
2 cups bread crumbs (3 slices)
3/4 cup onion, chopped
1 tsp mustard
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients. Bake at 400 for 50 minutes.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Microwave Rice Pudding

Taken from Adventures in My Freezer

Mix
dry ingredients in large (8 cup) microwavable casserole dish:
3/4 c sugar
2 tbsp corn starch
1/4 tsp salt

Add:
2 1/2 cups milk

Microwave
3 minutes on high. Stir. Microwave 3 more minutes.

Beat
1 egg. Add a little pudding to the egg, mix. Add egg to casserole dish. Mix well. Microwave 1 minute.

Add:
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups cooked white rice

Microwave 3 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Scalloped Potatoes

3 Tbls butter
2 Tbls flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
3 C milk
6 medium potatoes pealed & thinly sliced
2 Tbls diced onion

Make white sauce of first 5 ingredients. Place 1/2 potatoes in greased 2 qt casserole dish, cover with half onion and 1/2 sauce. Repeat layers. Cover and bake 350 - 1 hour. Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Doggie Treats

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons peanut butter

3/4 cup water

2 tablespoons brown sugar


Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Lightly grease one cookie sheet.
  2. Combine all ingredients and knead well.
  3. Roll into 1/2" balls, place on cookie sheet and flatten with a fork.
  4. Bake for 30 minutes and allow to cool.

Homemade Glass Cleaner

1/8 cup ammonia
1 cup rubbing alcohol
1/2 tsp dishwasher soap
fill 1 gallon jug with water

Skillet Chicken, Broccoli, Ziti, and Asiago Cheese

Taken from America's Test Kitchen

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs) cut into 1-inch squares
salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup)
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 ounces ziti
2 3/4 cups water
1 2/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 ounces broccoli florets (4 cups)
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped coarse (I left these out)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese, plus extra for serving
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (1/2 a lemon)

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 1 minute without stirring. Stir the chicken and continue to cook until most, but not all, of the pink color has disappeared and the chicken is lightly browned around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl and set aside.

2. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Add the ziti, 2 cups of the water, and the broth. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is very thick and syrupy and almost completely absorbed, 12to 15 minutes.

4. Add the broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, and the remaining 3/4 cup water. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the broccoli turns bright green and is almost tender, 5 minutes.

5. Uncover and return the heat to high. Stir in the cream, Asiago, and reserved chicken with any accumulated juices and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is cooked and heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing more grated Asiago at the table, if desired.

Crock Pot Coconut Peanut Curry Chicken


Ingredients
10oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks
salt & pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 cup light coconut milk
1/2 tsp coconut extract
4 tbsp peanut butter
juice from 1/2 lime
1 large scallion, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
additional lime wedges

Directions
Stir together the garlic, ginger, curry powder, coriander, jalapeno, coconut milk, peanut butter, and lime juice. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place in the crock pot. Pour the sauce mixture over, turn to coat, and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice with chopped cilantro, scallions, and lime wedges.

Note: if you have a large crock pot that tends to overcook small portions of food, place your dinner-for-two inside an ovenproof casserole dish with a lid. This will reduce the amount of food surface area exposed to the heat and keep your food nice and moist.