Joyful Momma's Kitchen

Hawaiian Haystacks

2013-05-14T16:15:00.001-07:00

I had never even heard of Hawaiian Haystacks until browsing Pinterest. I looked at the recipe and as soon as I realized that the chicken gravy is made with the same base ingredients and the same method as the sour cream enchilada sauce that is on my famous White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce. Just different seasonings….

I continued on in the recipe to realize that there are about a Bazillion toppings to put on this. Whatever is in the fridge or pantry. Whatever is your fancy.

My girls loved that after I dished up their rice and chicken gravy, they could serve themselves their favorite toppings. Verity loaded up on cheese, pineapple, chow mein noodles, and cranberries. Nora stuck with cheese and tomatoes.

Hawaiian Haystacks

8 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp Kosher salt (1/2 tsp if using regular salt)

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

32 oz chicken broth or vegetable stock

2 tsp dry Ranch Dressing seasoning packet

1/4 tsp garlic salt

2 cups cooked shredded chicken

Steamed rice (enough for your family)

Topping Ideas

sliced green onions

black olives

pineapple

cranberries

almonds

tomatoes

cheese

sunflower seeds

mandarin oranges

chow mein crispy noodles

1. Cook chicken how you choose. I love to toss a few frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot. For this recipe I seasoned the chicken with dried minced onion, pepper, and dry ranch dressing mix. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Drain and shred. Set aside.

2. Place butter into a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir to melt. Slowly whisk in flour, salt and pepper until smooth and thick, about 2 minutes.

3. Slowly whisk in broth until smooth. Increase heat to high and whisk until thick, about 2 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream, ranch seasoning, garlic salt, and cooked chicken breast. Stir to combine well. Serve over hot cooked rice and top with all the yummies you can find.

Enjoy!!

Minnie Mouse Birthday Party {Success!}

2013-05-12T20:03:00.001-07:00

We had a great party for Nora on Saturday. She loves Minnie Mouse, so I knew right away what kind of theme we would have.

We had some Minnie Mouse balloons, a birthday banner, and some streamers on the banister. It was perfect. Few decorations and lots of fun.

These cupcakes were a cinch. I made the Oreo Cupcakes with Whipped Marshmallow Frosting Frosting and just added mini Oreos for ears and folded a piece of Fruit-By-The-Foot to be a bow. Really…..very quick.

The cake was nearly identical to the cake I made her last year. I have a cupcake shaped cake pan and I just added laminated circles for ears and a laminated bow. Nothing fancy here folks.

Nora was NOT shy. She dove right in a licked the frosting as soon as the candles were blown out.

This little girl was all dressed up in a Minnie Mouse dress and ready to have some fun.

She didn’t quite understand how to blow out the candles. However, she did make great “fish lips” and spit a little.

We have such beautiful little girls and each year that passes I am so thankful for my family. And lets give a big “high five” to my husband to stayed up late in the night to build her fancy new tricycle. He is the best.

New Recipes!

2013-05-11T02:47:00.001-07:00

Wow, talk about a kitchen break. I hope you all are ready for some new recipes. Here is what's coming:

* A new method of making laundry soap

* Tips to make boxed cake mix amazing

* Copycat recipe for Applebee's Blondies

* Chicken Piccata

We had the best time in Seattle and I will have a post about our trip soon. Thank you for being patient while I am slow with posting.

Happy Birthday Nora!

2013-05-11T02:41:00.001-07:00

I am sure I cannot put in to words the spunk that our little Nora has. She just has this vibrant way about her.

We have had a very busy 2 years with Nora. She has had a number of medical issues to contend with and she has always come out on the other side smiling. She is beautiful.

She has a funny little way about her and she makes THE BEST facial expressions.

She looks so much like Clint and is a little feisty like me. We love her strong will, but we have to point it in the right direction.

There is so much to celebrate on her second birthday! A healed hemangioma, resolved bone marrow failure, a diagnosis to get us going in therapy, and growth!!! She has really grown!

She fits right in with Verity and I......she is a talker. And, she has a lot to say. My favorite is when she doesn't want to do something (be all done, get clean diaper, change activities) she will say "no thank you" over and over. Her politeness nearly wins me over......

Headed Back To Seattle

2013-04-30T19:06:00.001-07:00

We are getting ready to take a girls trip to the Pacific Northwest! I love Seattle. I have such fond memories of it growing up and before last year, it was a place of excitement and fun. Then, Nora got sick and after a week in the hospital here in Montana, we were flown on the MedFlight to Seattle Children’s Hospital. Boy was that an adventure. My dad and husband drove the 16 hours through the night to get there before us. We flew first thing in the morning and that was a TINY plane.

Our first night in Billings (2 hours from home) was very calm and a very late night. They were doing testing and getting her hooked up for hours and I tried to get in touch with my family who would be able to bring the things we needed. At this point, we were expecting a 3 day stay to get her tummy cleaned out and settled.

Our first full day, Nora was playful and curious. We had some lovely family and friends bring toys for her and we got to check out the playroom on the pediatric floor.

That energy didn’t last long. What we didn’t know was that Nora was heading in to bone marrow failure (TEC). But we were all focused on her tummy issues and we were hopping that her blood work would normalize once we could come up with a solution to get nutrients in to her. Surgery in the morning……

Waiting for pipsqueak to wake from anesthesia. Thankfully, her IV was in her foot that day so we didn’t get all tangled in the night trying to get some sleep. We also learned that she needed more attention and specialties than she could get in Montana. A flight was arranged for us first thing in the morning. My dad and Clint left Billings in a hurry at about 10pm with the few things we had with us. My black t-shirt got LOTS of wear. Thankfully my aunt and twin sister took good care of us and went to Target and got us a few things to wear while we were in Seattle. At this point, we had NO CLUE how long we would be away from home. It was all very unreal and hard to wrap my mind around. I didn’t sleep that night, but Nora did.

The morning was beautiful for a flight…..if you have to have a MedFlight. She slept until we landed and I just tried to focus on not puking……nerves, no food, and flying in a tiny plane are a bit much.

My dad is super Papa. He found his way around Seattle and found a baby store to buy a stroller. He then pushed her around the hospital for hours while she napped. The hospital room was noisy and whenever we were able, she was in the stroller having a stroll around.

My husband describes Seattle Children’s Hospital as a cross between Grey’s Anatomy and a zoo. It was amazing! Truly! This was a neat giraffe that we walked by every day on our way to get coffee. Nora only got to see it twice, but she was so interested.

There is nothing quite as sad as seeing a 14 month old be placed with a feeding tube. Once it was in, it wasn’t so bad…..but it was a VERY exhausting night. My mom drove out and stayed the night with me in the hospital so Clint could rest a bit. My mother in love also joined us to help out. We were so blessed. My Step-Mom came and made us blankets, ran errands, and drove us anywhere we needed to go. The love that surrounds us is unbelievable.

The day before her first surgery in Seattle, we were given a 4 hour pass to leave the hospital and have some fun while we could. We crammed A LOT of fun in to that 4 hours. We went to the Pacific Science Center and then walked over to the Space Needle. Nora fell asleep and was wore out completely. But it was so so nice to get fresh air and a change of scenery.

My mother in love was there to help us the day of surgery. Nora is a bit “rough” coming out of anesthesia, so we were happy to get any help. She is the queen of calm.

We waited patiently in the pre-op room and then I was able to sneak a few pictures as they were wheeling her in to surgery. I was holding her as she was put under anesthesia. I think it must have been less scary that I was holding her and the last thing she saw before a “nap”.

After getting good results in cleaning out her little tummy and seeing some improvement in her blood work, the doctors decided that she was stabilizing and could continue to recover at home. It was a full 4 months before her blood work came back normal and her bone marrow started kicking back in gear. But, we are so thankful that there was healing and that we got to do it at home. We are blessed with health and happiness.

My sister and my mom are coming with Nora and Verity and I to Seattle for her follow up trip. It has been 8 months since we were flown over there and in a frenzy. I will be glad to go back just to follow up and learn more about her genetics. She has a connective tissue disorder and they did DNA banking when we were there to study it further. I am sure I will be flooded with information and I am looking forward to it.

Thanks for hanging in there and making it through this VERY long post.

Hershey’s Perfect Chocolate Cake

2013-04-27T18:09:00.001-07:00

100 recipes in 100 days!! Here is celebration recipe 100!

Not only am I celebrating finishing this challenge, but I also reached 10 millions views on my blog last week. Thus, a large cake. You know I love cake.

Thank you so much for reading along and encouraging me. And don’t you worry, I will still be posting several times a week. I sure love cooking……and even more than that, I love the eating.

Hershey’s Perfect Chocolate Cake

*recipe from Hershey’s*

2 cups granulated sugar

1 3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9 inch round cake pans

2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the first six ingredients (sugar through salt). Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water. The batter will be thin. Pour in to prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes. Allow cakes to cool slightly before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.

3. Frost with One Bowl Chocolate Frosting

One Bowl Chocolate Frosting

6 Tbsp butter, soft to room temp

2 2/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients and beat with an electric mixer.

Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread

2013-04-26T20:53:00.001-07:00

On my way to 100 recipes in 100 days. Here is recipe 99.

This was so easy and the perfect side for dinner. Woah! You don’t even need a bowl.

Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread

2 cans buttermilk biscuits

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 stick butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While oven in preheating, place a bunt pan with stick of butter in the oven to warm as oven warms.

2. Cut biscuits in 4 pieces each. Place cheese, seasoning, and garlic powder in a ziplock bag and shake. Add biscuit pieces and shake until coated.

3. Remove pan from oven and dump all contents in the pan. Bake 12-14 minutes until golden brown. Invert pan to remove and enjoy!

DIY Doughnut Bites

2013-04-26T19:49:00.001-07:00

On my way to 100 recipes in 100 days. Here is recipe 98.

Almost finished with the challenge! Thanks for sticking with me.

These are so easy to make. All you need is a can of biscuits and oil. Then pick your favorite doughnut “accessory” We chose cinnamon sugar, but I know they would be great in powdered sugar or dipped in chocolate or maple.

They frying part was a bit different than I expected. I am not from the south so I truly have no experience frying foods. This was a first for me. The key was to slowly heat the oil over medium and make sure to not get the oil too hot.

DIY Doughnut Bites

1 can refrigerator biscuits

oil for frying

cinnamon sugar topping for shaking

1. Pour oil in a frying pan to be about 1 1/2 inches deep. Slowly heat over medium heat.

2. Cut each biscuit in 4. Using tongs, drop on doughnut bit in the oil…..if it bubble and browns, the oil is ready. Let brown on both sides and remove with a slotted spoon to a large bowl with cinnamon and sugar mix. Shake to coat.

Taco Baked Potatoes

2013-04-24T19:41:00.001-07:00

On my way to 100 recipes in 100 days. Here is recipe 97.

This isn’t much of a recipe. Kind of just an inspiration meal for you. And my oh my! It is really good!

Bake potatoes in the oven and top with all of your favorite taco toppings. These are filling and so easy to make for a crowd. My girls like that they each got to serve their own toppings to make their own dinner.

Swedish Meatballs

2013-04-24T19:06:00.001-07:00

On my way to 100 recipes in 100 days. Here is recipe 96.

One of my favorite meals growing up was Swedish Meatballs. I am sure there is some “official” recipe, but this is the one my momma made, and we love it!

Swedish Meatballs

24-36 baked meatballs

egg noodles, cooked according to package

3 cans cream of mushroom soup

16 oz sour cream

1 can milk

1. Bake meatballs, and cook noodles according to package.

2. In a medium saucepan stir together soup, sour cream and milk. Heat through until hot. Serve sauce over noodles and meatballs.

Enjoy!

Chicken and Green Chili Pasta

2013-04-24T18:22:00.001-07:00

On my way to 100 recipes in 100 days. Here is recipe 95.

You all have seen the White Chicken Enchiladas. They are smothered in a green chili sour cream sauce. Oh momma homma!!

One of my lovely readers wrote me to tell me how she turned this in to a pasta dish. SO EASY!! Much faster to assemble than rolling the enchiladas and baking. This was great. And if I tell my girls we are having noodles for dinner, I am the world’s best mom.

Chicken and Green Chili Pasta

1 lb penne pasta

3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded with cumin and onion (2 cups)

2 cups shredded Monteray Jack Cheese

3 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

4 oz diced green chilies

1. Cook pasta acoording to package, drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9X13 cooking pan.

2. In a mixing bowl, stir together chicken and cheese.

3. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter. Stir in flour to make a roux and let bubble for 1 minute. Slowly add in chicken broth and stir constantly. Let bubble and thicken for 10-15 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in sour cream and green chilies. Stir until well combined.

4. In 9x13 baking dish, layer pasta, chicken and cheese mixture two times. Then pour sauce over top. Do not stir.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.

Enjoy!

*Season to your hearts desire. This is a mellow recipe with lots of room to flavor it how you like*

Roasted Parmesan Asparagus

2013-04-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

On my way to 100 recipes in 100 days. Here is recipe 94.

There is no real recipe to this one. It is more just an inspiration for you. And it is a great way to enjoy some spring asparagus!

Clean and cut asparagus spears. Lay flat on cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and garlic powder. Roast at 400 until tender (cooking time will vary with asparagus size). Remove and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and return to oven just until cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies

2013-04-20T19:18:00.001-07:00

On my way to 100 recipes in 100 days. Here is recipe 93.

I hope you saved room for dessert. These cookies are so wonderful. I usually like my oatmeal cookies with raisins, chocolate chips, or craisins in them. These are ‘plain Jane’ and slathered in old fashioned icing. They have now hit the #1 spot on my cookie list.

Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies

2 cups old fashioned oats

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 cups powdered sugar

5 Tbsp milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray.

2. In a food processor, pulse oats until partly ground. You just want a coarse meal. Dump in mixing bowl and add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat together the melted butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add the eggs one at a time. Mix in the dry oat mixture and stir until well combined.

4. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 14-16 minutes until browned. Let cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before placing them on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

5. Once cookies are completely cooled, mix together powdered sugar and milk and pour over cookies. Let set to harden before storing.

Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Slices

2013-04-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

On my way to 100 recipes in 100 days. Here is recipe 92.

I saw this recipe floating around Pinterest and I am so glad I tried it. Thank you Our Best Bites for the yummy treat.

This will be a perfect thing to keep in the fridge to pull out for a quick BBQ summer dinner. Yum Yum!! And I liked it as a nice crisp snack.

Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Slices

3 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced

2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/2 cup water

3 Tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp minced red onion

1. Place cucumber slices in a colander sitting over a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat. Let sit for 1 hour refrigerated. Toss the cukes a few times while they drain. While the cukes are draining, prepare the marinade.

2. Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and red pepper flakes in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until it reduces to 1/3 cup (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and add onion. Let cool to room temp.

3. When the cukes are done resting and draining, pat them dry with a paper towel and then combine them with the marinade. Refrigerate until well chilled.

Enjoy!

Overnight Ham and Cheese Breakfast Enchiladas

2013-04-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

On my way to 100 recipes in 100 days. Here is recipe 91.

I have shared a few overnight breakfast meals with you. Who wouldn’t want to have breakfast ready to pop in the oven and serve hot. No need to pass out cold cereal and oatmeal everyday.

Overnight Ham and Cheese Breakfast Enchiladas

2 cups cubed and cooked ham

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

10 flour tortillas

1 1/4 cup half and half

4 whole eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp flour

salsa and sour cream for topping

1. In a medium bowl, stir together ham, green onions, and 2 cups of cheese. Spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop our cheese and ham mixture onto a tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in baking dish. Place all the enchiladas with the sides touching in the pan.

2. Whisk together the eggs, half and half, salt, and flour. Pour over tortillas. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

3. In the morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove and add the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over enchiladas. Bake for 10 minutes more.

4. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Sugar Pizza

2013-04-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

On my way to 100 recipes in 100 days. Here is recipe 90.

This is a quick treat. I had made the promise of dessert and Verity made sure I followed through. This little dessert took no time at all and Verity got to help me make it.

Cinnamon Sugar Pizza

*From Chef In Training*

1/4 cup butter, cold

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

dash of salt

1/2 cup flour

1 can pillsbury cresent rolls

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut butter in to sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and flour to form crumbs.

3. On an ungreased cookie sheet, separate crescent roll dough into 8 triangles and sprinkle with crumb mixture.

4. Bake for 10-12 minutes unitl golden. Drizzle with glaze.

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp soft butter

1 1/4 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 Tbsp milk

Blend and drizzle over pizza.

Spring Veggie Penne

2013-04-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

On my way to 100 recipes in 100 days. Here is recipe 89.

The vegetables that are coming in to season now that it is spring, are some of my favorites. I really love good asparagus and peas are always a favorite of mine.

This dish is wonderful and light. Give it a try as a main dish for a night you decide to skip serving a meat.

Spring Veggie Penne

1/2 lb penne pasta

1/2 lb asparagus, chopped

2 zucchini, cut into matchsticks

2 Tbsp butter

3/4 cup grated parmesan

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

1. Cook and drain pasta. Reserve 1/2 cup water.

2. In skillet, cut asparagus and zucchini in butter over medium for 3 minutes.

3. Add pasta, cheese, peas, cream, and reserved cooking water. Stir in lemon juice and toss to combine.

Enjoy!

100 recipes in 100 days!

2013-04-15T20:04:00.001-07:00

Did you all notice a change in my last post?

I changed my challenge from 365 recipes to 100 recipes (because it is my challenge, I can do that)).

I am really enjoying this challenge but I will admit that it is getting quite expensive. Whoa! But, 100 recipes in 100 days is feat for sure.

Thanks for following…..more and more great recipes to come!

Weight Watchers Sesame Chicken

2013-04-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

On my way to 100 recipes in 100 days. Here is recipe 88.

I grew up eating lots of different meals out of Weight Watchers cookbooks and magazines. The thing I really like about these recipes (other than the healthy aspect) is how easy they are to prepare. Its like they were made for busy moms.

You can have this chicken as the main part of your meal with a few sides, or it would be really good in a wrap or as a salad topping for lunch. Very versatile.

Weight Watchers Sesame Chicken

1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into pieces

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 Tbsp whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp white vinegar

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the chicken broth, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce, and white vinegar together. Set aside.

3. In another bowl, toss the chicken with salt, pepper, and flour.

4. In a large pan, make sure it is oven safe, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken in one layer. Cook for 3 minutes on one side until seared and then flip and cook for another 3 minutes to sear the second side.

5. Turn off the heat and pour the chicken stock mixture over the chicken, stirring to combine.

6. Place the entire pan in the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Then toss with sesame seeds and serve.

Enjoy!!

Honey Lime Dressing For Fruit Salad

2013-04-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

On my way to 365 recipes in 365 days. Here is recipe 87.

Fruit salad is nothing original but the sauce on this fruit is just amazing!! Lime juice and honey. Simple and perfect.

Honey Lime Dressing

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup honey

1. Mix together lime juice and honey and pour over fruit salad. You can use all of it or just a portion depending on how much fruit you have. I made a VERY large bowl of fruit that served 12+ and this was the perfect amount.

Chicken and Spring Vegetable Lo Mein

2013-04-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

On my way to 365 recipes in 365 days. Here is recipe 86.

Its no secret that I love Asian food. But until recently, I have never tried to cook it myself. I usually would order in or go out to enjoy my favorites. I think it may be dangerous that I have now found two great recipes.

My daughters love any kind of noodles….so this was a fun dinner for them. I used chopsticks and they slurped their noodles. We all enjoyed it.

Chicken and Spring Vegetable Lo Mein

*found in Everyday Rachel Ray Cooking Magazine*

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp finely chopped garlic

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger

1 pkg dried Lo Mein noodles (8oz)

1 small head of cabbage, thinly sliced (3 cups)

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced lengthwise

1/4 lb shitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced

1/3 lb snow peas, trimmed and halved crosswise

1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp soy sauce

3 Tbsp dry cooking wine

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 cups cooked chicken sliced into bite size pieces

salt for taste

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat until simmering. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. turn off heat to skillet.

2. Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. Add the cabbage, bell pepper, mushrooms, snow peas, and carrot for the last 30 seconds. Drain the noodles and vegetables.

3. Turn the heat under the skillet back on to high. When onions sizzle, add the soy sauce, cooking wine and sesame oil. Let the mixture bubble for a few seconds. Add the noodles and vegetables. Toss well and cook stirring often until the mushrooms are fully cooked and the peppers are tender. About 3 minutes

4. Lower the heat to medium, add the chicken and cook, stirring often to heat through. Season with salt to taste.

Enjoy!

Amish Macaroni Salad

2013-04-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

On my way to 365 recipes in 365 days. Here is recipe 85.

Well, it happened….I had a computer glitch and lost some photos. So, there is no picture of this macaroni salad until I get the chance to make it again.

It is so yummy! It tastes just like the macaroni salad I grew up eating at church pot luck dinners. Add this to your weekend BBQ menu.

Amish Macaroni Salad

*Adapted from allrecipes.com*

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

3 hard boiled eggs, chopped

1 small yellow onion, chopped

3 stalks celer, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 Tbsp dill pickle relish

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup Miracle Whip

3 Tbsp yellow mustard

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 1/4 tsp white vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp celery seed

1/4 tsp pepper

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for 8-10 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside to cool.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, onion, celery, red pepper, and relish.

3. In a small bowl, stir together the mayo, Miracle Whip, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, celery seed, and pepper. Pour over the vegetables and stir in the macaroni noodles until well blended. Cover and chill 2 hours before serving.

Enjoy!

Sunburst Lemon Bars

2013-04-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

On my way to 365 recipes in 365 days. Here is recipe 84.

We’ve already discussed how much I love lemon. This is a twist on the original lemon bar that has a lemony glaze on top. Totally takes them over the edge! The crust is similar to a sugar cookie and the filling is wonderful. Try these in your lemon rotation if you are a citrus fan like me.

Sunburst Lemon Bars

*From Pillsbury, August 2005*

Crust:

2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 tsp fresh lemon zest

Filling:

4 eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp fresh lemon zest

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

*I used 3 lemons in this whole recipe*

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl beat flour, sugar, butter, and lemon zest on low speed until crumbly. Press mixture in to bottom of an ungreased 9X13 baking pan. Bake 20-30 minutes until light golden brown.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, flour, and baking powder until well blended. Beat in lemon juice and zest. Pour over warm crust and continue baking 25-30 minutes longer until top is golden brown and set. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

3. Once the bars are cooled, mix the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl and pour over cooled bars. Slice and serve. Store in refrigerator, but allow bars to come to room temp before serving.

Enjoy!

Hawaiian Slider Sandwiches

2013-04-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

On my way to 365 recipes in 365 days. Here is recipe 83.

We had these sandwiches for Easter dinner. Fancy huh?! We had just arrived home from vacation and although my sister and her husband were in town for the weekend, we knew we needed to do a casual dinner. Thank goodness my sis is so laid back and easy to please.

I prepared these sandwiches in the morning and let the delicious sauce soak in. Then, come afternoon, we were all set for baking. It’s the sauce that really puts these sandwiches over the top. And this recipe is a wonderful way to serve warm sandwiches to a crowd. Easy and appetizing.

Hawaiian Slider Sandwiches

*Found on Sunday Baker* www.sundaybaker.net

1 pkg Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

1 lb deli sliced ham

6 slices Swiss cheese

1/2 cup butter, melted

3 Tbsp Worcheshire sauce

2 Tbsp mustard

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp onion powder

1. Cut the rolls in half and line the bottom of a baking pan with the roll bottoms. Then layer on the ham and cheese and place the roll top back on.

2. Mix together the melted butter, worcheschire sauce, mustard, brown sugar, and onion powder. Pour mixture over all the buns. Cover, place in the fridge, and let soak in the good juices for 4-24 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes until cheese is melted and tops of buns are golden.

Enjoy!

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2013-04-09T21:13:00.000-07:00

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