For beef stew: I forgot to say, if it's too runny you may add up to 1 cup milk, if it's too thin you may add corn starch and water, ours was a bit too thick, I should have added milk.

Beef stew

Ok, so this pic does not look good, but it tasted pretty good, I promise.

In crock pot add:
1 small can cream mushroom soup
1 small can cream cellery soup
1 package dry onion soup mix

Mix this together then add:

2 lbs stew meat, browned
2 cups chopped potatoes
20 baby carrots cut into 3rds

The recipe says to cook on high for 4 hours, then cook on low for 6, but I started out on high and after 4 hours my potatoes were starting to go a little mushy because they were over done, so I would recommend maybe cooking it on low for 6 hours, just go by what your crock pot does.

For the last 20 mins, add 1 cup frozen peas.

ENJOY, may serve with hard rolls.

Pork tacos

Pork Tacos
I have to give Kate all the credit for this yummy, EASY recipe. I got it from her.

Put a bonless, skinless pork roast in the crock pot with 1 c. picante salsa and 1 c. brown sugar.

Cook on low for 3 hours, take out, cut into 3rds, cook on low 2 hours, take it out shred it, and cook for 1 more hour.

It's ready to go, you can serve it in taco shells or tortillas. Put your favorite toppings on it, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, etc.

I put a spoon of white minute rice under my meat, you may put refried beans, black beans, etc. under it if you would like, or just eat it plain.

Also Kate deep fries her corn tortillas in veg oil and a little bit of garlic salt. This is very good, but it is also good on tortillas just warmed up or baked if you want to go the more healthier route.

ENJOY!!!

Jim's Pancakes

Ok I haven't attempted any of these yet, but I came across this today and thought I would share in case any of you are feeling ambitious. Jim's Pancakes

Creamy Corn Chowder

I know I haven't posted in a while - I am truly hopeless! Anywho - I had to take a soup to our ward Halloween party the other night and I ended up trying out this one on our best bites. Creamy Corn Chowder Recipe It was a hit! Came home with an empty crockpot! I doubled the recipe for the party which filled my medium sized crockpot. I just now realized that I forgot to add the garlic - but it still tasted great! According to the comments on the website it can be frozen and eaten later - the consistency just looks a little different. I'll have to try that next time. Also I had to add a little cornstarch to the soup to thicken it up a bit, but that may have been due to doubling it.

Don't forget

To make Jack-o-lantern Pancakes for Halloween this year!

Fried Chicken

This isn't like a recipe that most people wouldn't have it's just something that's really easy that I forget about and need to make more often.

Chicken breast cut into chunks

(amount just depends on how many people your feeding. I used 2 in the pictures below.)

Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet

Dip chicken chunks into flour and then put in skillet

Season with Season Salt

And fry on all sides until cookied through.

After your chicken is fried make some chicken gravy to put on mashed potatoes-add some green beans or salad and you have a meal.

If you don't think you have enough grease left in to bottom of your pan just add a little bit of margarine. And then my mother in law taught me this.

Put 1/4 cup flour and 1 cup milk in a Mason jar and shake it up well. Then add that to your grease (this also works for brown gravy.

 Whisk it together until lumps are smooth. You may have to add more milk to get the right consistency...I probably added about another 3/4 cup to my pan.

And that's it your done. Easy Peazy!

5 cup salad

I love this recipe because I usally have everything on hand. And it's a fast easy salad if you have people coming over for lunch or dinner.

1 can Pineapple chunks drained

1 can mandarin oranges drained (or and orange cut up)

1-2 medium apples diced

1 cup sour cream

1 cup marshmellows

1 cup coconut

Wait a minute...I think that's 6 cups...but anywho...

I also add just a little powder sugar to sweeten it about 1/4 cup but you don't have too.

You can substitute any of the above for grapes, banana's, etc...

Easy Chicken Salad Sandwhiches

This is all you need!

 I wash and cut my grapes. Add a bag of freezer chicken or a can of canned chicken. Then add The dressing until I like the consistency. Mix together.... and put on pita's or bread. 

I LOVE them on pita's but didn't have any this day.

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

K- so Amanda actually gave me this recipe a few years ago-but this is what I did with my leftover canned pumpkin from the pancakes. I only had a big can of pumpkin in my cupboard so I doubled it. But you can use a small can and one spice cake mix.

Anyway you just add a can of pumpkin to a spice cake mix and mix it together

(don't actually add the eggs and oil and stuff to the cake

mix like I did my first time...MIX only!!!)

then mix in a bag of chocolate chips.

Put on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 16 minutes

Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Bars

1 16 oz can pumpkin
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
¾ cup melted butter
1 cup nuts (optional)
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
Grease & flour 15” x 11” pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
Frosting:
3 oz cream cheese
3 cups powdered sugar
½ stick butter melted
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbls milk

I-HOP Pumpkin Pancakes

This Recipe is out of the Top Secret Recipes Cookbook

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

4 tbls melted butter or marg

3 tablespoons canned pumpkin

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

Use Electric mixer to blend ingredients.

Put these next items in a bowl and mix together

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground allspice

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and blend with mixer on medium speed until smooth.

Spray pan

Pour batter into 1/3 cup portions onto hot pan or skillet.

When batter stops bubbling and edges begin to harden, flip pancake. They should be brown. This will take from 1 to 3 minutes. Once flipped cook other side for the same amount of time until brown.

Makes 8-10 pancakes.

These are seriously so stinkin delicious! And this is the perfect time of year to try them! I would suggest 1 1/2-ing or doubling the recipe for more than 4 people. Hope you love them I know we do at our house!

I'll be posting a recipe later this week on what to do with your left over pumpkin...

Mom's Maple Syrup

My mom always made homemade maple syrup growing up and now I just can't eat store bought! It taste nasty to me. I just made batch last night for Pumpkin Pancakes. It is so so easy to make and is delicious!

4 cups Sugar

2 cups Water

2 tbls Brown sugar

1 tbs Karo syrup

In sauce pan bring ingredients to boil.  Then let simmer 10-15 minutes.

Cover with lid and let sit over night to thicken. Then add

1 tsp Maple extract

1 tsp Vanilla

Then I use a funnel and just pour it into and old "store bought" syrup container. If I have more syrup then fits in the container I just put it in a mason jar or something and use that first.

Mexican Hash

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can enchilada sauce

1 can diced chiles

2 lbs hamburger

(I use 1lb -  but I'm not much of a meat lover)

american cheese

(I use just normal grated cheese cuz I don't always have american)

tortilla chips

On the side: Sour cream, tomatoes.

Cook Hamburger, drain

Add soups, chiles, and enchilada sauce to hamurger.

In baking dish (9x13) layer chips, then hamburger mix, then cheese.

Repeat twice

Cover and bake on 350 for 25 mins.

This can always be halfed in an 8x8 and then I use the rest of my soups and chilis for chicken enchilada's later in the week.

Vegetable Cheese Soup

Vegetable Cheese Soup

Boil 12 cups of water and 12 chicken bullion cubes

Add two cups of chopped carrots and 2 cups chopped celery

cook until carrots and celery are tender

While your veggies are cooking, start making the rous:

melt 3 cubes of butter in a pan

add 1 and 1/2 cups of flour and whisk

bring it to a low boil and allow it to boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly

Add the rous to the boiling soup, whip until thick, then take off of heat

Put in 1 pound Velveeta cheese and melt

Add 1/2 a bag of frozen peas

Add 2 cups of cut up cooked chicken (I use two cans of my canned chicken from the last post, and add the juice too to add flavor).

* When cooking this soup stir often because it burns easily, and it makes the whole soup taste smokey if you burn a little on the bottom. Also, it makes A LOT!! I actually doubled this recipe so I could freeze some for meals, so these pics are the recipe doubled.

This soup is so so easy to make, and is SOUP-er (ha ha) yummy, especially with rolls or sandwhiches.

Not a recipe, but....

So this isn't a recipe, it's just a suggestion, and a lot of you might already do this. My sister and mom and I just got done canning chicken, and it is the greatest thing ever!! It's the perfect time since it's caselot sale time and you can get chicken a little cheaper and in bulk. I've never canned my own stuff before, but all you do it buy the chicken, trim it and cut it up yourself and make an appointment at the cannery and go do it there. It's a little bit of a pain but having the chicken on hand is soooooo nice, and this chicken is really good (I am not a fan of store bought canned chicken) and is super quick to add to your meals. I bought 40 pounds and ended up with 23 cans.

Seriously, I can't reccomend this enough, it makes meals so easy, and it doesn't gross you out to eat it like store bought canned chicke, cause it's super tastey!! I love it in casseroles, soups, hawaiin haystacks, etc....

Fried Rice

Fried Rice:

Cook minute rice (however much you plan to fry) and let it cool in the fridge- it's best if it cools all the way.

When you're ready to fry it:
Thickly coat the bottom of your frying pan with veggie oil (it needs to be thick because you'll eventually fry the rice in it).
Fry small chopped up squares of ham and fresh diced green onions until browned. I just buy thick sandwhich or deli ham, and you can put as much of this stuff as you want, depending on how much you are making.
Once your ham and onions are fried, move them to the edge of the frying pan and scramble eggs in the oil (I use two.) When the eggs are scrambled you can mix everything together.
Add your white minute rice, and let the bottom fry, then stir and repeat for about twenty mminutes.
Add a little salt and a lot of pepper, and soy sauce (then when you eat it you can add more soy sauce to how you like it.).

I know this doesn't have exact amounts, but it's really just kindof how you want to do it. I just kindof guessed on everything when I first tried it and it worked fine.

This is super simple and not anyting exciting, but Shawn loves it and it's something different.

Get Your Man Bread Sticks

• 1-½ cup Warm Water
• 1 Tablespoon Instant Yeast
• 1 Tablespoon Honey
• 3-½ cups Flour
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 3 Tablespoons Butter for melting in the pan and more to put on top.
• Garlic Powder
• Garlic Salt

Mix all ingredients (except melted butter) in a large bowl or electric mixer and knead for three minutes. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread melted butter onto 2 cookie sheets. Roll out the breadstick dough about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick and cut into strips with a pizza cutter. Twist slightly if desired and place about 1/2-inch apart on the baking sheets.  Mix garlic powder with melted butter and brush over bread sticks. You can also sprinkle with basil, thyme, rosemary, or parmesan cheese. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes.
Bake for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees until golden brown. Brush more butter on top and sprinkle with garlic salt. So good!
 I got this recipe from my mother-in-law and even though I don't bake much, it's hard to mess these up. I heard somebody call them get-your-man bread sticks once because if you made them for a guy you liked, he would fall for you. I'm still working on the twisting part, but even when they're ugly they're still tasty. They're good the next day if you warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds, but hot and fresh out of the oven is best!

Raspberry Pretzel Salad

So unlike most of you I really am a hopeless mom when it comes to cooking, so I don't have a ton to contrubute but I've just been taking pictures of some things I've been making here and there that are really easy. One of my favorites is pretzel salad:

Crust: Mix two cups of crushed pretzels, 3/4 cups melted butter, and 4 T. sugar. Spread evenly into bottom of 9" by 13" sprayed pan. Bake in the oven on 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. Take out and let it cool completely.

Middle: Beat 8 oz. cream cheese, one 8 oz. container of cool whip, and 1 cup sugar together. spread evenly over crust.

Top: Boil 1 and 1/2 cups of water, and add 2 small boxes of raspbery jello mix- stir until dissolved. Add 1 and 1/2 cup of cold water, a bag of frozen raspberries and stir, then put in fridge. Watch the mix and when it gets a little wobbley but not fully set its ready to pur onto the rest of the salad (this is so it will still pour but so it's not so liquid like that it runs down to the crust and makes it soggy. I also make sure I kindof seal the edges with my middle layer to keep it from dripping down.) Put bak in the fridge until jello layer is completely set.

It doesn't look like much but it's yummy!!!

Lasagna

Cheesy bread:

Mix 3/4 cube of softened butter and a heaping teaspoon of garlic salt.

Cut a loaf of fresh french bread down the center long ways, and spread with butter.

Sprinkle mozerella cheese generously over the top.

Put on cookie sheet and bake on 375 for about 15 minutes then broil until cheese is melted.

Lasagna:

Brown a pound of ground beef ( salt, pepper and onion if you want)

Mix the following:

1 can diced tomatoes

2 or 3 8 oz. cans of tomato sauce (I like it really saucey, so i use three, but it's a lot!)

1 bottle of traditional Ragu spaghetti sauce

about half a cup of grated cheddar cheese (optional)

Your cooked hambuger

Then spray a 9" by 13" pan, and layer uncooked lasagna noodles and sauce. I start with noodles, then add sauce, noodles, sauce, noodles, and end with sauce. Spread a grated pound of mozzerella cheese over the top. Sprinkle with parsley flakes. Cover with tinfoil.

Bake on 375 degrees for about an hour, and enjoy!

Kids Conference Baskets

Here is something to share with the girls ya Visit Teach for General Conference this next weekend. The gift is actually more for their kids but as we all know happy, entertained kids are really a gift for mom! I found these baskets at the dollar store and filled them with some apples, yummy toffee apple dip (recipe below), pencils, crayons, and a copy of the Conference Booklets I mentioned in a earlier post for each kid. Hopefully it will keep them focused on Conference so their parents can enjoy it too! My friend did this and yummy!! I love this stuff now!

Have a great weekend!

TOFFEE DIP FOR APPLES

1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 (8oz) bag Heath toffee bits

Mix all ingredients together and serve with sliced apples or refrigerate till ready to serve. Makes about 3 cups.

Monster Munch

(pic from Our Best Bites)

Tried this recipe for "Monster Munch" from Our Best Bites Very tasty!! Just in time for Halloween!!

Monster Munch {Halloween Popcorn Mix}

Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 package Almond Bark (1 lb)

12 C popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels or 2 bags of microwave popcorn)

1 C candy corn

1 C dry roasted, salted peanuts

1/2 C Reeces Pieces

Pop popcorn and place in a large bowl. Much larger than you think you need. The largest you have. It will make mixing easier! Pour peanuts, candy corn, and reeces pieces on top.

Take a large knife and break up almond bark. Melt according to package directions. I just chop it up a little and microwave it in intervals until smooth and melted. Pour over popcorn mixture.

Stir until everything is well coated and then spread out onto waxed paper, parchment, or foil. Let sit until completely dry and then break up into clumps. Super Easy!

Glaze & Filling for Orange Rolls

You were eyeing those rolls from my last post and so I put those on here to!

If you want the roll recipe let me know... but here is the filling and glaze.

Orange Rolls Filling and Glaze

Filling:
2 Tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp orange rind (I use more)
1/2-1 tsp orange juice

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp orange juice
1/2-1 Tbsp grated orange rind
1 Tbsp melted butter

Brush filling onto rolls before rolling them up (and before they rise) so it's on the inside, then dip tops of rolls in glaze when rolls have cooled. Makes enough for 16-20 rolls.

Cajun Candied Salmon with Lemon Rice

 Last year at our girlfriends Christmas party we had this and wow!! That's all I can say!!! Soooooo good!! 

I thought I wasn't a fish person, but man I was wrong!! This was very tasty! 

Salmon
3/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp lemon pepper

2 Tbsp Paul Prudhomme's Blackened Redfish Magic Seasoning

1 cup pinenuts or pecans (I love pinenuts)

1/2 cube butter

enough Salmon filets to fill a 12" frying pan

Directions:

Put brown sugar on dinner plate, add lemon pepper and Redfish Magic. Mix well. Coat filets of both sides and put in frying pan in the melted butter. Cook on medium heat. Turn once and cook until sugar starts to thicken into a glaze. In a seperate frying pan melt some butter and 1/2 tsp salt, add pine nuts and cook on low. Heat until pine nuts start to brown. Add pine nuts to Salmon just as sugar thickens into a glaze and serve with lemon rice (recipe below).

Lemon Rice

2 cups long grain white rice

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tsp grated lemon zest

Directions:

Make rice on stove top or in rice cooker. When rice is done add lemon juice and zest. Salt and pepper to taste. Add parsley if desired.

Fresh Peach Dessert

If there is any possible way to get your hands on some fresh peaches...RUN. GET THEM. AND MAKE THIS ASAP! 

Sorry I cant get the pictures smaller!! 

Fresh Peach Dessert

2/3 cup powdered sugar

3/4-1 cup butter

2 pkg. graham crackers; crushed

12-14 medium peaches; peeled & sliced

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 pt. whipping cream

Mix cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, & butter. Press into the bottom of a glass 9 x 13 pan. Reserve some of the crust to sprinkle on top. Whip cream and add a little vanilla and powdered sugar until set. Mix the sweetened condensed milk with lemon juice. Then place the peaches on the crust and pour the milk/lemon mixture on top. Spread the fresh cream on top and sprinkle with remaining crust.

*This is so light and fresh, but you have to share it or half it because it is best if enjoyed in the first 24 hours!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

This is an all time favorite of mine. My Mom made this every fall, and I now do the same. It is so good! It makes two regular loaves, or one regular and several small loaves to give away. If you make small loaves they bake quicker, so check them at 40minutes or so, the large loaf will still take at least one hour or more.


Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
1 cup shortening
3 cup sugar
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
2 cup pumpkin (Libby or other canned pumpkin)
Mix then add:
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 - 2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cup flour
1 pkg chocolate chips
Mix all together. Bake in greased loaf pans @ 350 degrees for 1 hour. (I find it takes over an hour, usually an extra 10 mintues or so, check by inserting a knife in the middle of a loaf). Cool on stove for about 10 minutes then move to wire rack, cool before slicing.

Crock pot chicken alfredo

In crock pot combine 2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 cube butter, and 1 pkg. good seasons Italian dressing (dry mix).
Cook 3-4 hours on low in crock pot, then take out chicken and cut it up, before returning chicken to crock pot add 8 oz reg cream cheese and 1 small can cream of chicken soup (I also add a little milk to thin it out).

Wisk out lumps, place chicken back in, and let it heat all the way through, serve over linguine noodles.

Ideas for side items, garlic bread and or salad

Marshmallow Fondant

Ok I actually saw this on another blog and really wanted to try it, and what do you know it didn't turn out too bad. I didn't exactly have the best cutting tools so my edges aren't too clean, but I will definitely work with fondant again. For the recipe and directions check out: http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2010/05/make-cake-series-making-and-coloring.html
Those are Thomas the Train cupcakes in case you couldn't tell. Total time probably took me like 3 hours. I made and colored the fondant the night before and then cut everything out the next morning. Like a said probably would have gone a lot smoother if I had proper tools and not trying to find cups a lids the right size to cut out my circles.

Peach Salsa

Thanks for letting me be a part of this blog. I'm excited to see what other hopeless moms are cooking.

I bought a box of peaches last week and thought I'd be brave and make something new so I found some tips on peach salsa here. I just used what was mostly in the basic recipe but guessed at the quantities and it still turned out delicious!

Basic Peach Salsa

2 ripe, but firm medium peaches
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup diced red and/or green bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon (or to taste) minced jalapeno pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste

For the tacos I just warmed some leftover chuck roast that I cooked in the Crockpot on Sunday, slightly fried corn tortillas in oil and threw it together with the salsa. It was a great way to use up some food in my fridge. My kids ate quesadillas and beans and gobbled up the Mexican rice.

Chicken parmesean

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cans stewed tomatoes (italian style)
1 ts. ground oregeno or basil
2 T corn starch

The recipe says to bake this but I use a pan on the stove top. Fry your chicken breasts untill done. Add 2 cans stewed tomatoes, also add oregeno or basil. bring to boil. I mix the corn starch with small amount of water. I then add it to mixture. Again, the sauce will thicken if at a low boil. Serve sauce and chicken over pasta of your choice (we like penne), sprinkle with parmesean cheese. May serve with garlic bread.

If you do not enjoy tomatoe chunks, don't make this recipe. ha ha:)

porcupine meatballs

Ok, so I don't have a pic, I am at work right now and have been a huge slacker on this blog, so I thought I would hurry and post one of my families favorite recipes.

1 lb hamburger
1 cup minute rice
1 egg
1 T onion (I used dried onion).
salt and pepper to taste

Mix this all together and form into balls. In frying pan brown meat balls on all sides. In seperate bowl mix 1 can tomatoe soup and 1 1/2 cans water. Pour over meatballs. Cover meatballs, bring to boil. Let simmer for approx 20-30 mins. The liquid will thicken. (It can take a while for it to thicken, but as long as you keep it at a low boil it will). I like to serve with rice and a veggie. MMMM enjoy.

HAM, MUSHROOM & SPINACH STRATA

You might have seen this on my blog, But I LOVE this one, I signed on to sell Demarle just so I can get these molds, And I LOVE THEM, Really if you Hate cleaning your dishes, you would love them... I signed on just to get the kit and then it took off here so I made some good $ but then stopped when I was about 6 months prego, but cant wait to start it up again.... Sorry Im not trying to sell you on it, but they are sweet products! For us hopleless moms who hate to cook just because they have to clean up after...

This is delicious and a great idea for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning since you make it the night before. I got the recipe from my friend Alisha and the only change I made was adding some baby spinach. Thanks for sharing Alisha!

8 eggs
1 3/4 cups whole milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
5 slices dense French Bread cut into 1-1 1/2 inch cubes
1 lb ham, cubed (I had deli ham on hand so I just sliced that up and it worked great)
1/2 pkg sliced mushrooms
8 oz grated cheddar cheese
1/2-1 cup baby spinach leaves torn into pieces (optional)

note: I used a little less ham and added 1/2-1 cup of baby spinach torn into pieces

Beat eggs; add milk, salt and dry mustard. Stir well. Add next 4 ingredients, stirring well after each addition.

I put it in a 2 1/2 quart DeMarle (silicone bakeware) mold to bake, if you do it in something else you'll probably need to grease it. Refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes. Let stand 20 minutes before inverting onto plate (you'll only be inverting this if you use a DeMarle mold, you can just serve it out of the pan if you're using something else) Slice and serve.

Thai Lettuce Cups

Thanks for the invite Kim, I love to make lettuce raps, I do this one, and Inside Out Tacos, using all the stuff for tacos then crunching chips inside to give it the crunch..

(recipe and pic from www.sisterscafe.blogspot.com)

1 T extra virgin olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips (I usually chop chicken)
Salt and freshly, ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips (Again I like mine chopped:)
1/4 c. sweet chili sauce
1/4 c. honey
2 iceberg lettuce heads, cut into quarters and leaves gently removed to make lettuce cups (1 head is enough if you are making as a salad.)
1/2 c. honey-roasted peanuts, chopped (or whole, or crushed, however you like them)
Juice of 1 lime
1 handful basil, chopped (fresh is best but not essential)

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with one turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. (Or you can use Pam, and a little water when needed to save calories) Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook in the pan until golden brown on all sides. (you may want to drain off some of the liquid at this point)

Add in the red pepper and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add in the chili sauce and honey and simmer to reduce it and coat the chicken. To serve, lay the lettuce leaves on a platter. Scoop some chicken mixture onto each leaf. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, lime juice and basil.

OPTION: Turn the same recipe into a salad

NOTE: I prefer it without the basil

Chicken Pot Pie

I know I've shared this recipe before but we made it tonight and I figured I would post it anyways. It's one of Todd's favorites and will be great for these up coming chilling months.

Ingredients:
3/4 can of cream of potato soup
3/4 can of cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 C frozen veggies, thawed (I usually buy a frozen bag of peas and carrot mix and use 1/2 the bag)
1 1/2 C cooked chicken, cubed (I always use frozen boneless tenderloins about 4-5, if using breasts probably use 2)
3/4 C chicken broth, combine with 3 tbls. flour
Pie Shells (I use the refrigerated Pilsbury Pie Dough - you just have to unroll the dough - so easy!)
2-3 Small Potatoes, cut up quite small (about the size of a dice or a bit smaller)

I start by boiling my potatoes first (with some celery salt or just regular salt) and after they have been in there for a few minutes add my chicken into the same pot to boil. When my chicken is cooked I take it out and cube it. When potatoes are finished drain water and add all of the ingredients back into the pot and mix. Salt and Pepper, pretty generously a sprinkle or two won't do it. I also add another seasoning - just a Mrs. Dash table blend. Spoon into pie shell. (As seen in picture above).
Follow the directions on the pie crust box for baking. It usually takes a half hour or so. I would also recommend investing in a pie shield to keep your edges from getting burnt. About $5, I picked one up at Bed, Bath and Beyond because they didn't have any at Wal-mart.
Enjoy!

Bear Lake Donuts

So Bear Lake Fair has the BEST donuts in the world they are so delicious! It's what the cheerleaders do for their fund raiser and every year we order a dozen or two and I seriously eat a whole dozen myself!!! So apparently my mother in law helped them out one time and she feeled me in on the secret when I was there visiting in July.

(They really weren't exactly the same...but I'll take what I can get)

I swear they take like 25 minutes top.

Because today I promised my daughter we would make some donuts tonight-and really by the time night rolled around I wanted to beat her and send her to bed wanted to spend that quality time with her. It was getting late but I thought I could handle the 25 minutes. Honestly we really did have a fun time together and she went to bed with a tummy full of delicious donuts!

Maybe some of you already knew this and if you did good for you :)

Most of this will be shown thru pictures it's pretty easy to pick up on...

You can use jumbo or original size. And original flavor is best.

(I only had butter on hand tonight and it was just ok...)

Find something of good size to cut out donut holes. I used the lid from and empty salt and pepper shaker. My mother in law always uses the lid to her vanilla.

Make sure you fry them on a low heat or else they will be burning outside but be doughy inside

!BLICK!

Dip in glaze while still warm. I just used powdered sugar and water.

You can use whatever you want.

Eat and ENJOY!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ok! So this one is a favorite at our house- Super easy to prepare and cook. I also love to use this as a meal to take to another family! It's great to have an idea other than lasagna (haha Manda) and it also freezes great! And one batch is enough for a 9x13 or for two 8x8's that way you don't have to fix something different for your family you just do the two 8x8's and keep one for you. If you don't have to take a meal to anyone just half the recipe and make one 8x8 that's what we do and it is just the right size, we even still have some leftovers for lunch the next day! Ok so here we go...

2 cups cooked cubed ham

I don't often have ham sitting in my fridge I know you can buy packets at the store but I'm one of those people who doesn't plan ahead and never thinks to pick one up. Then one day I just had this idea and was like what the heck it's the same thing... so I use

Yep lunch meat...it doesn't matter what brand this is just what I had that day. And I pick up a handful of lunch meat grab my handy dandy kithcen scissors and cut into chunks..

Walla! Cooked cubed ham.

Sorry...now moving on...

2 cups cooked cubed chicken

Well wait a minute... who has time to sit and cook and cube chicken for crying out loud?! The inlaws will be here to eat in an hour and the house is still a mess! AAAAA

Enter

Yippee!! And let me just tell you this is an excellent recipe for canned chicken for those of you who don't like it's tuna-ish or brothy flavor this recipe hides that really well!

Sometimes I also like to use my freezer chicken...I will do a post on that sometime in the future! Seriously the best stuff ever, especially if you always have minimal time to prepare dinner.

Okay so now let's start over since that's all of my favorite little things I do with it to speed up the process.

2 cups cooked cubed ham

2 cups cooked cubed chicken

2 cups instant rice (can use regular rice- just use full amount of milk)

2 cups sourcream

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 tsp onion salt

1/2 to 1 cup milk

Croutons or stuffing for top layer

(Stuffing is our families favorite then you don't have to crush them)

Mix altogether except croutons.

I know it doesnt look that good but it is

Put in 9x13 pan. Crush croutons and sprinkle on top.

Cook at 350 for 45 mins to 1 hour Do NOT cook covered.

If reheated and it's really dry just add a bit of milk.

Don't forget Recipe can be halfed!

So yummy, so yummy, there's a party in my tummy!

Ok I'm a dork...I know.... I will be leaving now.