Recipes Straight from the Kowboys Home

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:50:00 +0000

The Menu:

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

The Original Recipe:
Who's into Pinterest? I am! I love it for the recipes, and the fact that I can save a recipe, and a picture, onto a "cloud" and not have to search all through my computer to find where I stored it! I found this recipe for Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken, and it's to-die-for. It was super fast to make, too. I thought it would be a pain to fry up the chicken first, and then bake it for an hour, but it really wasn't. I acutally turned up the temp. to 350, and stirred it every 20 minutes for an hour, and it was perfect! I also made extra sauce to serve with it since I made Jasmine rice to go along with this. It was delicious! I added some hot pepper flakes to my dish, too. Yum! I could just gorge myself on a dish like this one! This may not be authentic, but it is so delicious!

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken via Pinterest via Life as a Lofthouse blog

The chicken coating:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

salt + pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

The sweet and sour sauce:

3/4 cup sugar

4 tbs ketchup

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs. Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes.

Other Delicious Dishes like this one:

General Tso's
Asian Chicken Meatballs with Teryiaki Glaze
Perfect Potstickers
Salmon with Hoison Glaze
Shoyu Chicken
Stir Fried Shrimp
Hoisin BBQ Chicken

Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:35:00 +0000

The Menu:

Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese

The Original Recipe:
This recipe comes via Pinterest. I have made other baked spaghetti dishes before, but this one tops them as far as comfort food goes. Delicious! This will be a family favorite for a long time to come. I made the recipe as-is, and the crunchy onion topping just rocks!

Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese (Scooter's Spaghetti)

Pinterest via salad-in-a-jar.com

8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 pound ground beef
1 large can spaghetti sauce (26.5 ounces)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped green peppers (I usually omit or substitute red peppers)
1/3 cup chopped onions
8 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons milk
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
French Fried Onions (small can)
1. Cook spaghetti according to directions on the package. Cook to al dente, drain and set aside.
2. Brown ground beef. Drain excess grease. Add spaghetti sauce to skillet and heat.
3. Combine onions, peppers and butter in small glass bowl. Cover and microwave 4 minutes on HIGH until soft.
4. Add cream cheese and milk to vegetables and stir well. (If cream cheese is not soft, nuke it for 20-30 seconds to make it easy to spread.)
5. Using a 10 x 6 dish, assemble in the following order:
6. Thin layer of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.
7. Spaghetti
8. Cream cheese/vegetable mixture
9. Spaghetti sauce
10. Parmesan Cheese (amount subject to your own taste)
11. French Fried Onions (added during last 5 minutes of cooking)
12. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Top with French Fried onion and continue baking 5 more minutes. (This is the secret ingredient–don’t let them burn.)

5 Minute Chocolate Lava Cake

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:22:00 +0000

The Menu:

5 Minute Chocolate Lava Cake

The Original Recipe:
I ran out of chocolate candy!! I cannot live a day with out some type of chocolate crossing my lips. I did a quick search on what to make using cocoa powder, and this recipe came up. This is The-Most-Simple recipe you will ever make. It is so fast and easy! So much so, that I made it for myself for supper one night. Only 5 grams of fat! Nice!

5 Minute Chocolate Lava Cake

Ingredients

Cake

1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

stir-in

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa
3 tablespoons coffee, hot or cold

Directions

In a microwave-safe 2-cup measure, stir together a heaping 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder.

Add 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) milk, and a teaspoon of vanilla. Stir till smooth.

In seperate bowl, Mix 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon cocoa, and 3 tablespoons hot or cold coffee.

Pour into the cup.

Gently swirl it in; don’t mix thoroughly. Cook in the microwave for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, depending how powerful your microwave is. When done, it’ll look set on top, and kind of mushy around the edges. Turn the cake onto a plate. It’ll be layered with… well, let’s call it sauce. It’s actually semi-baked batter, but since there are no eggs in here, it’s fine. (it will be HOT! I just ate it right out of the bowl. Nothing fancy for me when it come to chocolate!)

Bacon Mushroom Swiss Meatloaf

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:29:00 +0000

The Menu:

Bacon Mushroom Swiss Meatloaf

I know, my pictures are horrible lately with this yellow light... I need natural summer light back!

The Original Recipe:
I bought some mushrooms on sale, and I needed to use them up. This meatloaf was so good. I loved the stringiness of the cheese and the bacon and mushrooms. OMG it was like a bunless hamburger. It doesn't have any sauces in it or on it (like ketchup), but I didn't think it need it. My kids did use bbq sauce and ketchup to dip though, but I thought it was perfect with out anything. I served it wtih Hasselback Potatoes.

Bacon Mushroom Swiss Meatloaf

Amy – amylz

All recipes - Yields: 6 servings

12 ounces chopped raw bacon

1 small white onion, chopped

5 button mushrooms, chopped

1 1/2 pounds extra-lean ground beef

1 egg

1/4 cup evaporated milk

6 ounces shredded Swiss

cheese, divided

1/2 cup corn flake crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Place bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat until the pieces are browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease. Stir in onions and mushrooms, and cook until soft. Remove from heat.

3. In a large bowl, stir together beef, egg, and milk. Stir in the onion and mushrooms. Mix in about 4 ounces of Swiss cheese, and all but 1 tablespoon of bacon. Stir in cornflake crumbs, and mix until well blended. Shape into a loaf, and place in a meatloaf pan.

4. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour. Drain fat, and sprinkle with remaining cheese and bacon. Return to oven, and bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Hasselback Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:27:00 +0000

The Menu:

Hasselback Potatoes

The Original Recipe:
These are floating around the Internet, so I decided to try them. They are good. I didn't find them all that spectacular as they have to bake, what seems like, forever. However, on a more positive note, my kids ate the whole potato! They really liked them! I can live with that. I found this on Pinterest via http://www.seasaltwithfood.com/2009/05/hasselback-potatoes.html I skipped the garlic (I didn't think my kids would like it.) and doused them in butter!

Hasselback Potatoes

Ingredients

6 Medium Size Potatoes

2 - 3 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

30 g Butter

Maldon Sea Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 220˚C (425˚F). Put the potato on a chopping board, flat side down. Start from one end of the potato, cut almost all the way through, at about 3 to 4 mm intervals.

Arrange the potatoes in a baking tray and insert the garlic in between the slits. Scatter some butter on top of each potato. Then drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Bake the potatoes for about 40 minutes or until the potatoes turn crispy and the flesh is soft.

I used Sour Cream mixed with Chives and Garlic to top mine. Yum!

Tilapia with Balsamic Browned Butter and Creamy Farfalle with Bacon, Tomato and Peas

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:25:00 +0000

The Menu:

Tilapia with Balsamic Browned Butter and Creamy Farfalle with Bacon, Tomato and Peas

The Original Recipe:

I am not sure how I came upon this recipe. I am so glad I did. I think it is one of my new favorites. My husband even said that I need to make this again. It seems a bit time consuming, but if you just follow the directions in order, it all comes together rather quickly. So good. I can still taste the fish with the brown butter/balsamic glaze. OMG so savory! The only thing, from the comments, that people mentioned was that the pasta seems to serve 8 (we even have leftovers and there are 6 of us!), and the fish serves only 4 (which I just made extra so that we all had a piece).

Tilapia with Balsamic Browned Butter and Creamy Farfalle with Bacon, Tomato and Peas
foodnetwork via Rachael Ray

Total Time: 1 hr 0 min.

Prep15 min.

Cook45 min.

Yield:4 servings .

Ingredients

Salt

1 pound farfalle, bow ties

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

5 slices center cut bacon, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 to 3 grated garlic cloves

1 bay leaf

12 white mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 can San Marzano tomatoes

4 (6 to 8-ounce) tilapia fillets

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 (10-ounce) box frozen peas

1/4 cup mascarpone cheese

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup basil leaves, shredded or torn

Directions

Heat a pot of water to a boil, salt the water and cook pasta to al dente.

Heat a deep large skillet with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add bacon and crisp 3 to 4 minutes. Add onions, garlic, bay leaf and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook until tender but not browned, 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, crush them up with a wooden spoon and simmer 15 minutes on low heat.

Season the fish with salt and pepper. Dust fish with flour and shake off excess.

Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook fish 4 minutes on each side.

While fish cooks, stir peas into sauce, return to bubble and stir in mascarpone cheese. Adjust seasoning.

Remove fish from skillet to a platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Reduce heat to medium and add butter to pan. Brown butter, 2 to 3 minutes, stir in balsamic and simmer 1 to 2 minutes to reduce by half. Pour the brown butter and vinegar over fish.

Drain pasta, toss with sauce and wilt basil into pasta.

Serve fish with pasta alongside.

Crazy Crust Pizza Dough

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 13:28:00 +0000

The Menu:

Crazy Pizza Crust Dough

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

The Prebaked Crust

The Original Recipe:
I didn't have any yeast to make pizza dough so I searched for an alternative. I found this recipe on Allrecipes. I did change it a bit after reading some reviews. My way will be after I post the original.

Crazy Crust Pizza Dough

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2/3 cup milk

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a rimmed pizza pan or baking sheet.

2.In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt, oregano and black pepper. Mix in eggs and milk; stir well. Pour batter into prepared pan and tilt until evenly coated. Arrange toppings of choice on top of batter.

3.Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until crust is set.

4.Remove crust from oven. Drizzle on pizza sauce and sprinkle on cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes

The Way I Made It My Own:
This was DELICIOUS! It was like a pizza made on a flat bread of pita or something. OMG so good! My teenager and his girlfriend loved it! I am not sure it would taste good with traditional pizza toppings though, and they agreed with me. That being said, I made Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza with this crust. Delish! I could also see making a Chicken Alfredo Pizza with this crust, or Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza or a Pesto Pizza with chicken, tomatoes, baby spinach and lot's of yummy cheeses.

Kowboy's Crazy Crust Pizza Dough

Ingredients

1 1/2cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/8 teaspoon garlic

1 tsp. baking powder

1 egg, lightly beaten

2/3 cup milk

Directions

.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a rimmed pizza pan or baking sheet.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt, basil, baking powder and garlic. Mix in the egg and milk; stir well. Pour batter into prepared pan and tilt until evenly coated. It will be a loose dough and you want to spread it out onto your baking sheet/stone.

Prebake the crust for about 15 minutes(or longer; it's your choice how dark you want the crust). The edges lifted up on mine, but it will be fine, I promise.

Take out of the oven and arrange toppings of choice on top of dough

Bake in heated oven for another 15 minutes or until cheese is melty and everything is heated through.

Pepperoni Pizza Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 13:05:00 +0000

The Menu:

Pepperoni Pizza Muffins

The Original Recipe:
I didn't have yeast to make pizza for Friday night, but I wanted pizza! I found this great alternative. Pizza muffins! My teenager and his girlfriend (*gasp! I am old enough to have a teenager--with a girlfriend!) said they tasted like the chedder biscuits from Red Lobster, but with pepperoni. I personally didn't think so, but that is a good comparison. I added a ton of pepperoni and 2 types of cheeses. It was stringy when I pulled it apart to eat it. YUM!

Pepperoni Pizza Muffins 4.8 from 6 reviews Print

Recipe type: Entree

Author: Crystal @ SimplyBeingMommy.com

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 23 mins

Total time: 38 mins

Pepperoni Pizza in a muffin.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup flour

• 3/4 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

• 4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

• 4 oz turkey pepperoni, diced

• 3/4 cup milk, 2%

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• 1/2 cup pizza sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and oregano. Whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni and let stand for a few minutes.

2. Stir the batter and divide evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, about 18 to 23 minutes.

3. Warm pizza sauce in the microwave for about 15 seconds or heat on the stove in a small sauce pan. Serve the muffins with the pizza sauce for dipping.

Cherry Kuchen Bars

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:53:00 +0000

The Menu:

Cherry Kuchen Bars

The Original Recipe:
I found these on the internet. OMG! They are delicious! It really whipped up in a short amount of time, too. I made these last minute, and they turned out great. I wish I could find more recipes that would taste so good in such a short amount of time! :)

Cherry Kuchen Bars

Yield: 32 bars

Prep: 25 mins Cool: 10 mins Bake: 350°F 42 mins

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 -21 ounce can cherry pie filling*

1 recipe Powdered Sugar Icing

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until well-combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Reserve 1-1/2 cups of the dough. Spread remaining dough in the bottom of an ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan.

2. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. Spread pie filling over crust in pan. Spoon reserved dough into small mounds atop pie filling.

3. Bake about 30 minutes more or until top is light brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Drizzle top with Powdered Sugar Icing. Cool completely. Cut into bars to serve.

From the Test Kitchen

Tip *Tip:You may substitute your favorite flavor of pie filling for the cherry pie filling.

Powdered Sugar Icing

Yield: Makes about 1/2 cup.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

3 - 4 teaspoons milk

Directions

In a small bowl combine powdered sugar, vanilla or almond extract, and enough milk (3 to 4 teaspoons) to make smooth and of drizzling consistency.

Tip: Perfectly Shredded Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

The Menu:

Perfectly Shredded Chicken

The Original Recipe:
I found this on Pinterest. I don't have the link to the site that posted it. However, I read through it real fast and remembered this great tip. It is so much better than standing there with 2 forks and hot chicken, or even waiting until the chicken cools in order to shred it. If you're like me, I use forks, knives, or this other gadget I have that is like a fork, but with lots of spindles. I can never get my chicken perfectly shredded. This may use a bowl and paddle to wash, but it's totally worth it! You will not go back to unorganized shredding ever again.

You can make the chicken however you want. I am going to use my chicken for salads, so I marinated it in Italian dressing, brought the chicken to room temp. and seared it on each side, then covered it and let it cook through. I then deglazed the pan with a bit of water and dumped the whole lot into my mixer. This will work with bbq shredded chicken, chicken for soup, etc.

Tip: Perfectly Shredded Chicken

2-4 chicken breasts, fully cooked (you do not need to let cool and you do NOT need to cut up in advance)
1 Kitchen Aid Mixer with Paddle attatchment

Dump each (whole) chicken breast into mixer, turn on low until chicken starts to break apart and then you can turn it up another notch. In a few minutes you will have perfectly shredded chicken with none of the stress of hand shredding.

Pan Roasted Carrots with Thyme

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:49:00 +0000

The Menu:

Pan Roasted Carrots with Thyme

The Original Recipe:
I found this on the internet through Babycenter website. I am in love with finding new vegetable side dish recipes for my kids. These were quick to make, and I also used frozen (but thawed) carrots to roast. They worked out really well. I love how roasting caramelizes the carrots. Very tasty!

Pan Roasted Carrots w/ Thyme

Michelle (MMmom), inspired by Rachel (burns_toast)

8 carrots

1 1/2-2 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2-2 tsp fresh thyme or a few pinches of dried thyme

Cut the carrots in half. Halve again lengthwise. Then cut each piece in half or in quarters (lengthwise again) depending on how fat your carrots are.

Heat oil in a skillet large enough to place the carrots in one layer.

When oil is hot, add the carrots and season with salt and pepper. Pan roast over medium low for 20-30 minutes, until the carrots are tender and browned in spots.

If using dried thyme, add it the last 5 minutes of cooking. If using fresh add just before serving, toss, and heat through.

About 4 servings.

Baked Garlic Green Beans

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:04:00 +0000

The Menu:

Baked Garlic Green Beans

The Original Recipe:
Since the success of "Broccoli My Kids Like" I have been trying to find more recipes that my kids will like! Why not, right!?! I absolutely loved this recipe. My kids didn't like the vinegar so much. I think next time I make it, I will add balsalmic vinegar instead. I could also see using the Ritz cracker as opposed to the bread crumbs, too. This was very good. I will make it again.

Baked Garlic Green Beans

from Taste of Home

1 tablsp olive oil

1 ½ tsp. cider vinegar

1 tsp. dried minced onion

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ tsp. salt

Dash pepper

1 ½ cups frozen cut green beans, thawed

1 tblsp. Dry bread crumbs

1 tblsp. Grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. butter, melted

In a small bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the beans, toss to coat. Transfer to a greased 3-cup baking dish. Combine the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and butter; sprinkle over beans. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. 2 servings.

Home Made Junior Mints

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:12:00 +0000

The Menu:

Home Made Junior Mints

The Original Recipe:
Don't ask questions. Just make these. You will not be sorry.

Home Made Junior Mints

3 oz. cream cheese (I used Neufchatel)
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. peppermint extract
3/4 bag of Hershey's dark chocolate chips

Mix cream cheese (make sure it's room temperature), powdered sugar and peppermint extract. It will be dough like and maybe even a bit crumbly. Shape into small round balls and flatten with palms (they will look like Jr. Mints). Place on cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Melt chocolate on stove until smooth. Using toothpick stab mint in center and dip in chocolate to cover, tap on edge of pan if to thick. Refrigerate on wax paper until hardened. Enjoy!

*Junior Mints are my absolute favorite candy! These are sooo good. I can definitely sub. these for the real thing and not be disappointed!

Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix (Gift Jars)

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:56:00 +0000

The Menu:

Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix

The Original Recipe:
I made a small home made gift this year for some friends. I know I would love it if I had Sloppy Joe seasoning mix all ready made up so that I could just throw it together with some ground beef and Ketchup. I mix mine up every time we have sloppy joes, but these will be so handy for them! I am excited for them to try these!

other Home Made Christmas Gifts...

Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix (make 3 half-pint jars)

2 cups Chili Powder
1/4 cup paprika
3 tbls. dry ground mustard
1 tbls. cumin
1 tbls. onion powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
5 tsp. beef bullion
2 tsp. McKormick montreal seasoning (optional)
2 tsp. pepper
(You can add salt, but I leave it out in order for them to add their own)

Mix seasonings together. Store in airtight container.

*(You can test the taste by mixing some seasoning with some ketchup and heat through in the microwave. If it taste like sloppy joes then you are go to go! If you think it needs something else, then by all means, add that too! I had my husband taste this, and he picked up right away that it was sloppy joes. I was impressed!)

Instructions:

1 lb. ground beef
2 tbls. sloppy joe seasoning mix
3/4 cup ketchup

Brown ground beef in pan, add seasoning and ketchup. Stir to heat through. Serve on buns.

Weekly Supper Planning

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:43:00 +0000

The Menu:

Weekly Supper Planning

I just cannot keep up anymore. I have fallen behind on my blog, making new recipes, and just cooking in general! My schedule has changed for me since all of my kids are now in school this year. I have become so unorganized! I have been a stay-at-home mom for 10 years, and now that all the kids are in school, I have just let everything go. No more routines or schedules in the daytime. I have finally learned to relax a bit. Yay for the people around me, but boo for my household chores and duties. Yikes! I have also ventured into a part-time job recently, too, so I am going to try and do at least one crock-pot meal a week. Now, let's see how I prioritize my life with no kids at home and working part-time! I completely understand how you have little to no time to cook (nor do you want to) if you work. On the days I have been working, we have had grilled cheese and tomato soup, or something simple like that. Who wants to cook when you have been on your feet all day long? I really need to keep this meal planning going so that I can get out my crockpot and use it on those long work days. Ok, so here is a quick meal plan.

Monday- Creamy Orzo with Ham and Peas

Tuesday- Tuna Noodle Casserole

Wednesday- Chicken Spaghetti (I am going to try and turn this into a crockpot recipe. I am going to cook the chicken breasts with the soup, pimentos, green chilies, onion and s&p in the crockpot. When I get home I will add the sour cream and stir to heat through while the noodles cook on the stove (and the oven preheats). I will then mix everything together, pour in a 13x9 baking dish, cover with cheese and bake until cheese is melted. Sounds like a plan to me!).

Thursday- Roast with potatoes and carrots (in which I will be doing this in the crockpot)

Friday- Baked Penne Pasta with a side of green beans

The weekend will consist of some type of Pork Chops. I am not sure how I want to make them yet. I have contemplated between these two: Smothered Pork Chops or Ranch PorkChops and Rice and some type of veggie on the side. Then I also bought some Chicken legs and thighs to make one of my kids favorite meals Butter Baked Chicken with a noodle side dish and a veggie of course.

I am also hosting a Christmas party for our Ladies Book Group for Church. I am not making to much since we decided it should be a potluck. I usually make some sort of soup, but again, with working I am not in the mood to go all out, so I am making something simple and actually not that holidayish, but it will taste good!
Tortilla Appetizers, and my home made strawberry rhubarb sauce mixed with diced jalapenos poured over cream cheese. We use crackers to dip. Yummy. I had also made Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies to go along with their presents, but we kind of ate them all. The party was delayed from last Friday to this coming Friday, so I didn't want the cookies to sit there for over a week. If I can manage to find time I will make more for them. These are the BEST holiday cookies you will ever eat!

Ravioli with Sauteed Butternut Squash and Thyme

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:38:00 +0000

The Menu:

Ravioli with Sauteed Butternut Squash and Thyme

The Original Recipe:
I have had this in my "to-try" file for awhile now. I have mixed emotions with recipes like this only because, I think that I will love it, but I know my kids won't. I hate preparing 2 meals for one supper in order to try a recipe I know I will like. This recipe, however, was more uncomplicated than I had thought. I decided to make beef raviolis in a red sauce (I used my canned pizza sauce) for the kids, and then I made this dish for my husband and myself. Even though I did make 2 different meals, it was simple. I used prepackaged raviolis and just boiled them. This recipe came together so fast. I am blogging about it right after finishing my plateful, too. It was DELICOUS! This is the kind of meal I could eat at every supper time. It was quick to make and the taste was off the charts! I just wish the kids would try it! :)
*I did change a few things, but my notes will follow.

Ravioli with Sauteed Butternut Squash and Thyme Recipe

from Woman's Day Magazine Oct 2011, posted by Michelle (MMmom)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 medium butternut squash (about 1 lb), peeled and cut into 1/2-in. pieces

Kosher salt and pepper

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (used 3 large)

1 Tbsp small fresh thyme sprigs

1 16-oz pkg cheese ravioli (fresh or frozen)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 oz) (or can use blue cheese for a kick!)

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the squash, season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook, uncovered, tossing occasionally, until the squash is tender and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes more.

Meanwhile, cook the ravioli according to package directions. Transfer the ravioli to plates, top with the squash mixture and sprinkle with the Parmesan.

*NOTES: You can also add a broth & milk to make the mixture more "saucy." Make sure you use your pasta water in order to give it a thickness for the sauce. (I used a cube of vegetable bullion with 1/2 cup pasta water and 1/2 cup milk).

Potato and Bean Enchilada's

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 23:18:00 +0000

The Menu:

Potato and Bean Enchilada's

Sorry for the horrible picture... it just tasted way to good to capture before eating! :)

The Original Recipe:
I found the idea for this meatless meal on the internet. What a great meal to have after a huge heavy Thanksgiving supper the night before. The kids even liked these. I am very pleased with these enchilads, too. I could even see adding in some scrambled eggs, too. Or if you wanted to some meat, ground sausage would be good, too. So delicious and so simple!

Potato and Bean Enchilada's

5 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 clove garlic, minced
4 green onions, chopped with greens
1 red pepper, chopped
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 can black beans, drained (I used seasoned)
butter
1 cup cheese
1 large can enchilada sauce
8-10 large tortillas

Preheat oven 375 degrees.
Heat butter in pan, add potatoes, green onions, red pepper and garlic. Salt and pepper to season. Cover and cook potatoes until almost done. You don't want them smooshy. They need to hold their texture in order to stand out from the beans. Add beans and taco seasoning. Stir to heat through. On large tortilla place filling at one end, fold in sides and roll up. In 13x9 baking dish pour some sauce. Place rolled tortillas in baking dish side by side. Pour remaining sauce over all. Bake 10 minutes until crispy on edges, add cheese all over top and bake 5 minutes more to melt cheese. (*I also added in some jalapeno to my portion!)

Broccoli My Kids Like

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 02:21:00 +0000

The Menu:

Broccoli My Kids Like

The Original Recipe:
I found this on Babycenter's Cooking For Your Family Board. Those ladies just have all the recipes to share. I love talking about food. I found this recipe while looking through someone talking about side dishes. Now, as a side note, I have one son who hates pretty much all vegetables. It takes him hours (yes! hours.) to eat his supper almost every night. I do believe he has texture problems, but he also has a hate relationship with any type of vegetable that isn't corn. My other kids are wonderful about eating. So, this recipe was for everyone, but especially my one boy who doesn't like veggies. Now, you are probably wondering if he like them? He did!! He had 2 spoonfuls. Granted, he did make a face, but with a recipe named "Broccoli My Kids Like" I think he felt that he had to like them. He ate 2 spoonfuls, so I am not complaining!

Broccoli My Kids Like

Sharon -- GatorGrrrl

2 cups cooked, steamed broccoli (or a 10 oz package of frozen chopped broccoli cooked in the microwave)

1/2 stick of butter

2-3 handfuls of seasoned bread crumbs (I used crushed whole wheat Ritz crackers)

salt and pepper to taste (I used Mrs. Dash Table Blend)

Cook broccoli by steaming or in the microwave. Meanwhile heat butter in a medium skillet and heat to sizzling. Toss broccoli in butter and add seasoned bread crumbs. Toss well, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Gooseberry Patch Chicken and Dumplings

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:44:00 +0000

The Menu:

Gooseberry Patch Chicken and Dumplings

This is the time of year when lighting is terrible, and my pictures start to look
not so nice, but it tasted good. That's all that counts, right!?!

The Original Recipe:
I have a Kindle. I love my Kindle and all of the free books you can get from Amazon. I have the very first Kindle they came out with. I love that I am always the first to jump on a bandwagon of new technology, only to find out a year later, they come out with 3 different version (better versions) of the very first one. I do it every time. Oh well, I still absolutly love my Kindle. I also love all the free Gooseberry Patch cookbooks I can find for it. While browsing through Circle of Friends 25 Slow Cooker Recipes, I found this Chicken and Dumpling recipe for the crockpot. It was nice and comforting. I don't normaly make this easy of a dish, but you just cannot go wrong, here. The whole pot was empty by the time we were done.

Chicken and Dumplings

1 1/2 bnlss sknlss chicken breasts, cubed
2 potoates, peeled and cubed
2 cups baby carrots
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 10 3/4 cans cream of chicken soup (I used healthy choice campbells)
1 cup water
1 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. pepper

2 c. baking mix (Bisquick)
2/3 c. milk

Place chicken, potatoes, carrots and celery n a slow cooker; set aside. In medium bowl, combine soup, water, thyme and peper; pour over chicken mixture. Cover and cook on low setting for 7 to 8 hours, until chicken juices run clear. Mix together baking mix and milk; drop into slow cooker by large spoonfuls. Tilt lid to vent and cook on high setting for 30 minutes, until dumplings are cooked in center. Serves 8

Garlic Ranch Turkey Burger

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:35:00 +0000

The Menu:

Garlic Ranch Turkey Burger

The Original Recipe:
This recipe can be found over at http://wfdamy.blogspot.com. She has a plethora of yummy recipes! I used ground hamburger in this recipe instead of turkey because I didn't have any. I also had to leave it sit in the fridge overnight after I mixed it because my father-in-law showed up with a cousin, and we all had pizza for supper. These were super good. A tad salty, but still so flavorful. I would make these again in a heartbeat.

Garlic and Ranch Turkey Burgers

Amy - amylz

All Recipes - Servings: 4

1 pound ground turkey

1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix

1 egg

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce (I halved this and only used 1/8 cup)

seasoned salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.

2. Knead together the turkey, ranch mix, egg, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, and pepper in a bowl until evenly combined; divide into 4 equal portions and form into patties.

3. Cook on the preheated grill about 5 minutes per side for well done. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Cheeseburger Macaroni

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:57:00 +0000

The Menu:

Cheeseburger Macaroni

The Original Recipe:
I found this online at Babycenter.com. It's a great fast alternative to the boxed Hamburger Helper. It was a bit spicy with the Rotel, but my kids still ate it and loved it. It was so fast to put together, too. It says that it feeds 4, but we fed 6 with it, and I didn't even double it this time. I absolutely love all-in-one dishes like this! You will not be disappointed with all the flavor in this dish.

Cheeseburger Macaroni

OP: EliseaGrace'sMommy

1 lb lean hamburger meat

1 pkg taco seasoning

1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chilies (or petite diced tomatoes)

2 cups beef broth (or water)

1 cup elbow macaroni

Brown and drain hamburger meat. Stir in taco seasoning, Rotel, beef broth, and macaroni. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and cover pan. Simmer 12-14 mins until macaroni is tender.

Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce

2 Tablespoons butter

2 tbsp flour

3/4 cup milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking for 5 minutes until fragrant and light brown in color. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Whisk until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted. Add the salt and pepper to the cheese sauce. Pour the cheese sauce over the hamburger mixture. Stir gently to combine.

Serves 4

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:48:00 +0000

The Menu:

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

The Original Recipe:

This reminded me of Olive Garden's Chicken Scampi dish, which I LOVE!! Oh happy days! I cannot say that I would make it again, however. It was a bit of a lengthy recipe compared to what I am used to making. With 4 hungry boys and a husband, this was a big process for me. But, I am sure that if you make it, you will love it!

I didn't change to much, though. I will just make notes at the end of this recipe. I think it needed some more flavor, in all honesty. I kept adding salt, but it just wasn't enough (and I do not use a lot of salt in my dishes, ever). I think some chicken bullion cubes will add the extra "oomph" that it needed. So, see my notes at the end. Overall, this was a fantastic dish and so comparable to that favorite dish of mine.

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

(kassandra)

3 lb(s) Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 1/2 cup(s) Flour, plus 1 tablespoon

1 Tbsp Salt

2 tsp Black pepper

2 tsp Italian herb seasoning

1 lb(s) Penne pasta (*I used Linguine)

1 Tbsp Garlic, chopped

1 Red pepper, julienne cut

1/2 cup(s) White wine

12 oz Heavy cream

1 cup(s) Parmesan cheese, grated

Preparing the Chicken:

- Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, black pepper and Italian herb seasoning in a shallow dish. *I would add some garlic powder, or even use some chicken seasonings from McKormick.
*I cut my chicken breasts in half to make them flatter--or you could flatten/tenderize them. I think it makes it even better this way!

- Dredge chicken in the mixture, shaking off any excess.

- Sauté the chicken in batches, in a large, nonstick, ovenproof skillet - with enough oil to coat - over medium-high heat for about two to three minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crisp.

- When finished, transfer the skillet to a preheated oven at 350 degrees F. Cook for approximately 15 minutes or until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Preparing the Pasta:

- Cook pasta al dente (or according to package instructions).

- Drain and set aside until needed.

*I would add 1 chicken bullion cube, in the water the pasta cooks in.

Preparing the Sauce:

- While the pasta is cooking, heat 1/2 to 1 fluid ounce of oil in a sauce pan. Add the garlic and the red pepper and cook for approximately one minute. *I would use atleast 3 heads of garlic, smashed.

- Slowly add remaining one tablespoon of flour and stir to combine.

- Next add the white wine and bring to a boil for about one minute. Add the cream and bring to a boil.. Complete by stirring in the parmesan cheese. * I would also add 1 chicken bullion cube in with the wine (or instead of wine, use 1 cup chicken broth). Make sure you season with salt and pepper after you add the heavy cream.

Preparing Tuscan Garlic Chicken Entrée:

- Partly coat the pasta with the sauce, transfer to a large bowl (or individual dishes) and then top with the chicken, the remaining sauce and extra Parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy.

Kowboy's Party Dip

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:20:00 +0000

The Menu:

Kowboy's Party Dip

The Original Recipe:
I wanted a really quick throw-together dip for today. I came up with this dip version of a Beef and Onion Cheese Ball that I make. This is really good! I am glad I came up with an alternative! It still needs to sit awhile for the flavors to blend, but I could taste the awesomness of this dip right away.

Kowboy's Party Dip

1 pkg. dried beef, cut into pieces
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used the new kind made with olive oil)
1/3 cup sour cream (I used fat free)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3-4 green onions, chopped with greens
1/3-1/4 cup shredded colby/jack cheese (*optional)

Combine all in bowl. Let sit for an hour before serving (in order to let the flavors combine). Serve with your favorite dipping crackers.
*I did add some shredded colby/jack cheese into mine. I think it would taste great with out it, though. However, I wanted some cheese.

Pizza Tot Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 01:03:00 +0000

The Menu:

Pizza Tot Casserole

The Original Recipe:
Why didn't I ever think of this!?! This was super good. My one son said "Now this is a supper I like." So funny! I know I saw this on a blog somewhere, but I cannot find where. I just did a basic pizza as far as what toppings the kids like, but you can add more. This will be in our rotation from now on. Yum!

Pizza Tot Casserole

1lb. ground beef
1 jar pizza sauce
10-15 slices pepperoni, chopped
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 bag frozen tator tots
*additional toppings optional

Preheat oven 425 degrees. Crumble and brown the ground meat until done, add sauce, pepperoni and heat through. Pour into 13x9 casserole dish. Cover with Mozzarella cheese *(add any other additional toppings you would like such as mushrooms, green peppers, tomatoes, onions, ham, whatever you like on your pizza!). Top with tator tots covering top. Bake in oven uncovered for 30 minutes or until tots are crispy brown.

Pumpkin Crisp

noreply@blogger.com (4*KowBoys) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:38:00 +0000

The Menu:

Pumpkin Crisp

Finished Product! Yum!

Before Baking-Look at all that butter!

After Baking-Nice and golden brown

I let it cool a bit before I flipped it out. It held together Nicely

The Original Recipe:
It's that time of year again to start using pumpkin. This recipe comes from a long time school friend. She posted it as a note on facebook, and I just knew I had to make it in order to share at our church's weekly book group meeting. This is a sweet and highly fattening dessert, but it is so worth it especially when you get to share it with others. It's like a pumpkin pie with the most amazing crust ever topped with the most fantastic topping ever for pumpkin!!!

PUMPKIN CRISP

32 ounces of canned pumpkin

1 can evaporated milk (12 oz. can)

1 cup sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

3 eggs

1 box yellow cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)

1 and a half cups of chopped pecans

2 sticks of butter melted

TOPPING:

1 oz cream cheese

1 carton whipped topping (cool whip found in freezer aisle)

½ cup confectioners sugar

Mix together the pumpkin, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and eggs. Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 pan (I used a glass pan) lined with wax paper (this keeps the dessert from sticking to the pan).

Crumble the dry yellow cake mix over the pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle with chopped pecans, then pour melted butter over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Turn upside down onto a platter and remove the wax paper. Allow to completely cool. When completely cooled, cover with topping mixture and refrigerate.

*I subbed 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice for the 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. I used a 29oz. can pumpkin instead of 32oz. because I couldn't find that size. It worked out fine. Make sure you let it cool completely before putting the icing on.

Some other Pumpkin Recipes:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin Oatmeal Baked Pudding

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake (by Paula Deen)

Pumpkin Dip (to use with Apples or Graham Crackers)

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Bars (one of my all-time favorites!)