This Lunch Lady CAN Cook!

Harvest Squash Soup

2011-10-04T14:07:00.000-07:00

1 small to medium butternut squash peeled, seeded
1 small onion chopped
2-3 stalks of celery chopped
2 large carrots peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons of butter
6 cups good chicken stock
1/2-3/4 cup half and half
salt and pepper to taste
Nutmg

Directions

Cut squash into 1 inch chunks. In a large pot melt butter, add onion, carrots and celery cook until softened.
Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 mins to 20 mins. Remove the vegetables and put into blender or use stick blender and puree. Return the blended squash to pot. Stir and season with salt and pepper and pinch of nutmeg. Add half and half and heat a little longer and serve with crusty bread.

Cream Cheese Almond Bars

2011-04-05T14:26:00.000-07:00

1 cup butter (softened)
2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
8 oz. Cream cheese (softened)
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp.pure almond extract

Frosting
1/4 cup butter (softened)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Milk or cream
1 tsp pure almond extract
Sliced almonds (optional)

Directions
Combine butter, flour, and powdered sugar, beat until well blended. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 cake pan. Bake for 20 mins at 350. Beat cream cheese until smooth, add eggs, sugar, and almond extract until well blended. Spread on top of crust and bake 15-20 mins more. Allow to cool before frosting.
Frosting:
Combine softened butter, powdered sugar and small amount of milk and beat until smooth. Add more milk if it is too thick or more powdered sugar if too thin. Add almond extact. Spread on top of the bars and enjoy!
These bars are so good! Perfect for graduation parties or heck anytime!

Macaroni Salad

2011-01-03T07:01:00.000-08:00

1-6oz. Pkg corkscrew pasta
3 cups cooked chicken chopped up
1 cup italian dressing
1 cup miracle whip
3 T sweet pickle juice
3 green onions chopped
1 cup celery chopped
Salt to taste
Mortons Nature Seasoning- few shakes

Cook pasta, drain and cool. Mix everything else together and add pasta.
And of course Enjoy!

Cornaroni

2011-01-03T06:50:00.000-08:00

2 cans of whole kernel canned corn
2 cans creamed corn
2 sticks of butter
2 cups uncooked macaroni
1 med jar of cheese whiz.

Put everything in a crockpot. Do not drain the corn!!
Cook in crockpot on high for 3 hours, stir and check noodles for doneness. You may want to turn down to low depending on how fast noodles are cooking.
This can easily be cut in half to serve less people. Serve as a sidedish. Maybe even think about adding bacon, hamburger or some other kind of meat.

Glazed Spicy Sweet Potatoes

2010-07-13T08:32:00.000-07:00

2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tsp ground allspice
1 Tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tsp ground Chiles (chipotle, cayenne)
about 2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut into slices about 1/2 inch thick
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, brush some oil into the baking dish. In a large bowl whisk together the butter, honey, lime juice, allspice, cinnamon and chiles until blended. Mix in potatoes and arrange the slices in a single layer in the baking dish and add salt and pepper. Bake for about 20-25 mins, or until tender and the sauce is caramelized.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

2010-07-13T08:26:00.000-07:00

2 Tbsp hot sauce (Franks)
8 green onions
4 cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp dried thyme or 2 Tbsp fresh
2 Tbsp ground allspice
2 Tsp cinnamon
1 Tsp nutmeg
1/2 Tsp ground cloves
2 Tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 lbs. chicken parts (boneless is best)

In a blender or food processor, puree all ingredients (except chicken) until smooth. Pierce the chicken with a fork all over. Put the chicken in a large ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the chicken, seal and marinate overnight. Remove chicken 30 mins before cooking. Chicken can for grilled, broiled or grilled on the stove top grill pan.

Mango & Avocado Salad

2010-07-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh orange juice and some zest
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
2 ripe Haas Avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
2 mangoes, cut along each side of pit and score each half into diamonds and spoon out of shell
1/2 red onion finely chopped
red pepper flakes, optional
Mixed salad greens

Make Vinaigrette- Whisk together the first five ingredients and set aside. In a bowl mix the salad greens and half the vinaigrette to coat. In another bowl, gently mix the avocados and mangoes with the remaining vinaigrette. Arrange greens and top with the fruits.

Chocolate Lava Cake

2010-04-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
5 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons sugar
3.5 oz dark chocolate bar, like Ghirardelli
3 tablespoons flour
4 teaspoons good cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1/8 tsp. vanilla

Use 4-4 to 5 oz ramekins, butter very well!
In a bowl mix eggs and the sugar and whisk until light and fluffy. In another bowl melt chocolate bar and 4 tablespoons of butter in the microwave on low until just melted. Mix the chocolate mixture with the eggs and sugar mixture. Add in cocoa powder, flour, vanilla and salt, mix well and put into a Ziploc bag so it is easier for you to put into your ramekins. Chill for 30 minutes. In a 8x8 baking dish put in your ramekins and fill with hot tap water half way up the edges of the ramekins and bake at 425 for approximately 14-17 Min's, I found that less is more so to speak. This is basically warm chocolate pudding and you want to center to be creamy and the outside to be set enough so you can invert onto a plate. Dust with powdered sugar and maybe add your favorite ice cream or whipped cream and ENJOY!! I got this recipe from one of my favorite blogs. Foodwishes.blogspot.com/ I LOVE this and just needed to share. You don't need a special occasion to serve this so try it soon!!

Rueben Soup

2010-03-17T18:47:00.000-07:00

1 small onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 carrots, chopped
2 cups corned beef chopped
1 cup Swiss cheese- shredded
1 can chicken broth
1 can beef broth
1 can sauerkraut, drained
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. corn starch
2 tbsp. water
salt and pepper to taste
1 pint half and half
1/4 cup 1000 island dressing

In a fry pan saute onion,celery,and carrot until onions are translucent. Add soups and baking soda, mix corn starch and cold water together and put into soup mixture and bring to a boil for 2 Min's until soup has thickened. Add corned beef and sauerkraut, half and half and the cheese and dressing. Simmer until heated- eat and enjoy with rye croutons if you would like.

My Favorite Jalapeno Cheddar Bread

2010-03-16T13:56:00.000-07:00

3 1/2 cups of bread flour
1 pkt. dry active yeast,(2.5oz.)
2 1/4 tsp. salt, I use kosher
1 1/3 cups cold water plus extra just in case the dough does not come together
4-6 oz. cheese curds, I went to my co-op and bought the zesty cheese curds, you can use
whatever kind you would like.
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, minced
2 mini sweet peppers, like yellow, orange, red. You control the heat with this recipe
so use more jalapenos if you would like.

In a mixer with a dough hook, mix the water, yeast and salt, wait a few minutes until the mixture starts to foam, since we are not using sugar to help with activating the yeast the part of letting the dough rise will take sometime.
Add in flour and mix until a dough ball forms, not too sticky, if it is add a little flour, too dry add a dab of water.
Spray bowl with non-stick cooking spray and put the dough in bowl and put towel over the bowl and let rise in a warm area, at least 60 Min's until doubled. Once the dough has risen turn out on counter and with a rolling pin roll out into a rectangle, fold over 3 times width wise like a letter, tuck ends in and put back into bowl and so it can rise a 2ND time until doubled.
Finally after 2ND rise roll out again like before, however this time you will add the cheese and peppers like it's a pizza. Carefully tuck and roll the dough around the cheese and peppers and spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle on some cornmeal if you have it. Put the bread dough seam side down and cover with towel and let rise one more time. When I made this I started at 5 pm at night and I let it rise the 2ND rise overnight then finished it in the morning, it turned out wonderful!!
Preheat oven to 500 and bake for 20-25 Min's, also toss in a handful of ice cubes in your oven to create some steam. Let cool and slice and enjoy the goodness!!!!

Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole

2010-02-18T13:55:00.000-08:00

1 pound of pasta (I use penne or elbow)
2 cans tomato soup
1.5 pounds of hamburger
1 pound bacon cooked and chopped
1 small onion chopped and saute in the fry pan you fried the bacon in, drain most of
grease off.
1/4 to 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce, I use Sweet Baby Rays
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a large casserole dish with non stick cooking spray. Add all ingredients together except cheese. Bake for 30 Min's then add cheese and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly. This recipe is so easy and my family loves it!!!

Poor Mans Lobster

2010-01-25T09:40:00.000-08:00

6 cups water
1/2 cup salt- I use kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
1-2 pounds of Halibut
1 stick butter

Cut Halibut up into 1 inch chunks. In a saucepan add the 6 cups of water, salt and sugar and bring to a boil. Add the pieces into the water and boil until the halibut comes to the surface, that should be the same amount of time the water comes back to a boil after you add the halibut. Melt the butter and pull halibut from the water and enjoy with the melted butter.

Pan Fried Sweet Onion Dip

2010-01-21T18:29:00.000-08:00

2 large sweet onions chopped
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup veg oil
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
cracked black pepper to taste
6 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup good mayonnaise (not miracle whip)

In a fry pan put in the butter and oil and heat to med, toss in chopped onions and cook until caramelized, this should take 20-30 Min's. Let this cool and mix in your with the rest of the ingredients.
Put on crackers, veggies, potato chips, whatever you want. Enjoy!!!

Teriyaki Sauce

2010-01-21T16:44:00.000-08:00

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
5 tbsp. brown sugar
1-2 tbsp. honey
1-2 tbsp. corn starch
1/4 cup cold water

Put all ingredients into a small saucepan and heat until blended, simmer for 5 mins and mix the corn starch and cold water together then mix into the saucepan to thicken. You could put in some red pepper flakes if you like it with some heat.

Benni Bee's Pasta Salad

2010-01-20T15:38:00.000-08:00

1 pkg. of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese- cooked as directed and cooled

Add any of the following:
-4 hard boiled eggs
-frozen peas
-finely diced carrots
-chopped sweet onion or green onions
-green and red pepper
-green olives
-diced firm tomato
-chopped celery

Dressing:
Kraft mayo
salt and pepper
a little vinegar
2 tsp. of sugar
yellow mustard
sweet pickle relish
sour cream

The dressing is suppose to be a little sweet, obviously use only amounts that you think would taste good to you. This recipe is from my elderly neighbor and she never gave me exact amounts, however I have made it several times and it always turns out great! Also it is very important to use Kraft brand when stated.

Julie's Buffalo Chicken Dip

2010-01-20T15:29:00.000-08:00

2-3 chicken breasts cooked, cooled and shredded
3/4 to 1 cup of Franks Red Hot sauce
2 packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup ranch dressing (I use blue cheese dressing)

Put all ingredients into a crockpot and set it to high until it is warmed then put the temp on low and serve with tortilla chips, celery, or crackers.

This is so good and I want to thank Julie for giving it to me!!

Crock pot Mushrooms

2009-12-27T14:13:00.000-08:00

3 lbs of mushrooms (button, baby Bella's, morels)
2 pkg of dry ranch dressing
1 cup milk
1 cup butter melted
1/2 cup white wine - optional
1/2-1 tsp. garlic powder
few shakes of Worcestershire sauce
few shakes of Franks Red Hot- optional

In a microwave safe bowl melt 2 sticks of butter, add milk and ranch dressing mix, mix well, add remaining ingredients. Put mushrooms in a large crock pot and pour on the ranch mixture and turn on high until the mushrooms are soft then turn on low, this takes about 2 hours. The mushrooms will disappear very quickly! My friend Chris gave me the recipe and I added a few things that I thought would be good in it, enjoy!!!

Chicken Pot Pie

2009-12-10T07:46:00.000-08:00

3Tablespoons of butter
3-4 T of flour
1 can of chicken broth or stock
half and half
2 celery stalks chopped
1/2 cup of carrots chopped
1 small onion
1 bay leaf
1 can of green beans or fresh
2 cups cooked chicken chopped
salt and pepper
1 ready made pie crust
1 egg- for brushing onto crust

Melt butter in a fry pan and saute the celery, carrots, onion and bay leaf for about 5 Min's. Add the flour and stir until absorbed, cook the flour for a min or 2, slowly add the chicken broth stirring until well blended. The mixture will be thick but shouldn't be too thick and gummy looking, if you find it is add more broth or some water. Stir in just enough half and half to get the consistency you like, it should resemble the chicken pot pie mixture you have eaten before, thick but creamy. Take out bay leaf, add chicken, green beans, salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven at 400, spray a pie plate with non stick cooking spray, pour mixture into plate, unroll crust and position over the mixture, crimp edges and with a knife cut 4 slits on the top of the crust. In a bowl crack egg and scramble, add a little half and half, brush the egg mixture onto on the crust to brown up nicely. Bake until golden, about 20-30 Min's. If the edges start to brown faster use some aluminum foil just around the edges. Be careful the pot pie will be really hot when you take it out, let cool for 5 Min's. Enjoy!!

Mom's Oven Roasted Vegetables

2009-11-19T11:59:00.000-08:00

10-12 whole baby red potatoes
1 cup baby carrots
1 small red or yellow onion cut into wedges
2 small yams or sweet potatoes, quartered
1 small zucchini and summer squash, cut 1/2 inch pieces
1 red,orange, or yellow pepper, cut into strips

Marinade:
1/4 cup good olive oil
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, or oregano- use 1 Tbsp if using fresh
hefty tsp. of Lawry's seasoned salt
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper
whisk together
Preheat oven to 450, in a roaster or large pan combine all veggies together and drizzle 1/2 or little more of the marinade over the vegetables and toss to coat.
Roast uncovered stirring occasionally for 30 mins, check the Tatars for done-ness.
Remove from oven and drizzle with remaining marinade and toss, return to over for 15 mins more until the veggies are tender.
Makes 6-8 side dish servings, easily doubled if you use a large roaster. :)

Shrimp and Corn with Basil

2009-11-19T11:51:00.000-08:00

2 tbsp. butter
1/2-3/4 cup of frozen extra sweet corn
1 pound of raw shrimp, peeled
4 green onions chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil
for some richness use 1/4-1/2 cup of cream or half and half.
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a fry pan, add shrimp and saute for 3-4 mins until shrimp is almost cooked. Add in corn, onions, basil and continue until corn is heated. Add in the cream at this point and season and enjoy!

This serves 2 adults for a meal, or it could be used as a side dish.
Could also serve over rice and if you want to spice it up you could add in some Franks Red Hot sauce to you liking.

Dutch Baby

2009-11-19T11:45:00.000-08:00

1/3 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
4 eggs
pinch of salt

Using a 9x13 pan, preheat oven at 350.
Put pan in the oven with the butter and let the butter melt.
In a blender mix all ingredients together.
Pour the batter into the pan over the melted butter and bake for 30 mins.
It will get golden and come up the sides of the pan, but don't worry it won't overflow in your oven.
Serve with butter and any syrup you wish to use.
It is so good you may have to make more!

Eggnog Bread

2009-11-19T11:36:00.000-08:00

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter melted
1 cup good eggnog
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. or less of fresh nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350
Mix wet ingredients together in a bowl and in a separate bowl mix dry ingredients.
Combine the two together well.
Grease a large bread pan with non-stick cooking spray and for extra protection use flour too.
Bake in the oven for 45-60 Min's, test the bread like you would for a cake and check to see that it is done using a toothpick.
I have never tried this, but I bet you could even put the batter into muffin tins or use smaller bread pans to share with friends. Cooking times would change so you would have to keep your eye on it.
This is good with butter or on it's own, Enjoy!!

Mom's Popovers

2009-11-19T11:22:00.000-08:00

1 cup Milk
1 cup Flour
3 eggs
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. salt

When preparing this recipe use a blender, and you'll need a popover pan that you have sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray.
Preheat the popover pan in a 450 oven
Put all ingredients into blender and blend on med/high speed until all ingredients are incorporated. Let batter rest for 15 Min's or not, it's up to you.
Pour the batter evenly into each well, usually about 1/2 full, reduce oven to 425 and bake popovers for 20 Min's, then reduce again to 350 for another 20 Min's. I always use my microwave timer so I don't forget.
When time is up pull them out and enjoy while they are warm with butter, or what I like to do is mix honey into my butter, it just adds the right amount of sweetness.
Makes 6 large popovers

Russ's Bacon Wrapped Water-Chestnuts

2009-10-28T12:50:00.000-07:00

1 pound bacon, cut into thirds
2-3 cans of whole water-chestnuts drained
toothpicks

BBQ Sauce-

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons of white vinegar
3/4-1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon of worceshire sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes or more (optional)
few good cranks of fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350
Wrap the water-chestnuts with the bacon and use a toothpick to fasten, put on cookie sheet that has sides, bake for 25-30 mins until the bacon is cooked and slightly crispy. Meanwhile make sauce in a small saucepan and simmer 15 mins. When the water-chestnuts are done put them along with the sauce in a casserole dish and bake 10 mins more. If using a crockpot put everything in together and put on low until ready to serve, they will not last long so double the recipe!

Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

2009-10-28T12:32:00.000-07:00

1 cup frozen spinach, thawed, drained and chopped
2 cans artichoke hearts drained and chopped
1-8 oz. block of cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Hellman's Mayo
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
3 green onion finely chopped(optional)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
few quick turns of fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp. onion powder

For mixing all the ingredients up I use my Kitchen-Aid mixer, if you don't have one, mixing with whatever you have will do. Mix everything together except the spinach and hearts, once the other ingredients are mixed well toss in the spinach and the hearts and mix until well combined.
For serving I put this in a crock pot or you can hollow out a sourdough bread loaf and put the dip inside and wrap in foil and bake at 350 for 20-25 Min's.
Serve with cut up bread of any kind you like or crackers.