Watermelon Agua Fresca

Found this recipe that was easy to remember and easy to make!

Ingredients

• 2 c. watermelon chopped, seeded, no rinds
• 2 c. water
• 2 T. sugar (optional)
• Juice from half a lime

Directions

1. Blend ingredients in blender
2. (Optional) Strain pulp and chopped seeds
3. Serve chilled

Yields: 2 servings

Mexican Baked Hake Loins

Costco has Wild Caught Hake Loins on sale this month, and we were looking for a little variation on our typical recipe (oven baked with Great American seasoning).  I searched for a Mexican recipe and hit the jackpot with the following super easy and delectable recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 Hake Loins
• 1 c. Salsa
• 1 c. broken corn tortilla chips
• 1 c. Shredded/Grated cheese (cheddar tastes great)
• 1 Avocado
• Sour cream (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 deg. Fahrenheit
2. Defrost and pat dry Hake loins (try to extract as much water as possible without breaking them)
3. Place in lightly greased baking dish
4. Pour salsa over Hake loins, sprinkle cheese and broken tortilla chips
5. Bake on middle rack (uncovered) for 15-18 min (or until fish flakes apart)
6. Serve with sliced avocado and sour cream on top

Yields: 3 servings

Kristen's Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 cups chicken broth
1 recipe Enchilada Sauce
4 oz. can diced green chilis
2 large chicken breasts (I cut them into thirds width wise)
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 bag frozen corn

Place all ingredients in crock pot except the corn. Cook on High for 4 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return the chicken to crock pot and add corn. Heat through. (About 10 minutes.)
You can top with cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream, or avocado (a fav!).

Serves 4-6.
This is an amaingly easy recipe and full of flavor like we Anderson's like it!!!!!!!!!!

Chili Chicken Chowder

3 chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
2 cups frozen Hash Browns
3 cups Chicken Broth
3/4 tsp.Garlic Powder
1 1/2 tsp. Cumin
1 can Cream Style Corn
1 can Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1 (7 oz.) can chopped green chilis
3/4 cup half & half

Stir together all ingredients except half and half until combined in crockpot.
Cover and cook on High for 4-5 hours.
Stir in half and half and serve. Simple dish and delicious!

Easy Chicken Zucchini Bake

This was a very simple, quick, and tasty meal.  It was great served with rice. The recipe was discovered on SparkRecipes.

Ingredients

• 4 pieces of lean skinless chicken breast
• 1 cup raw Zucchini
• 2 tablespoons of any kind of shredded cheese (more never hurts)
• 1 raw onion
• salt
• pepper
• oregano
• (You may want to experiment with some different spices)

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 450
Cut Zucchini and Onion into slices
2. Arrange Chicken breast onto non-stick baking pan
3. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, and oregano
4. Sprinkle cheese onto chicken
5. Arrange sliced Zucchini so that it's covering the chicken
6. Arrange onions onto Zucchini (feel free to add some more seasonings or cheese on top of the veggies)
7. Bake for 30 minutes covered

Yields: 4 servings.

Heymee Haystacks

I made up the name for this. It goes back to when Josh always greeted my with "Hey Aimee" but he talked really fast and it became "Heymee." This is just a variation on Hawaiian Haystacks that takes 10 minutes to prepare

Ingredients

• Cream of Mushroom or Chicken Soup
• Can of Mandarin Oranges
• Can of Pineapple (any variation works)
• Canned chicken
• Minute Rice 

Directions

1. Boil the water for minute rice or cook regular rice (or reheat left over rice)
2. In a pot mix can of soup, all the mandarin oranges, half the juice from the can, a quarter of the pineapple and juice.
3. Mix on hi heat.
4. When rice is done, serve and enjoy!

Yields: 4 servings

Pasta Pie

This is a fast an easy recipe. If you cook everything at the same time you can finish in the microwave in just a few minutes or if you make beforehand stick in the over for probably 45-60 min (I've always done the microwave.)

For 2-4 people, use a glass 8x8 pan

Ingredients

• I box (8 oz) Cream cheese 
• Pasta (I use macaroni, but my friends use spaghetti, it will be fine with whatever noodle you have)
• 1 lb ground beef
• Spaghetti sauce 
• Mozerella Cheese (enough to cover the top)

Directions

1. Cook pasta
2. While the pasta is cooking, brown the beef. You can season it if you want. I never have and it's always tasted great. If you do want to season, I recommend oregeno or something that compliments your spaghetti sauce.
3. Soften the cream cheese and spread evenly on the bottom of the pan.
4. Drain the pasta, put the noodles on top of the cream cheese, the hamburger on top of that, pour spaghetti sauce enough to cover, then sprinkle the mozerella on top. (can refrigerate at his point and heat up later)
5. Put in microwave or oven until cheese is melted. 

Yields: 4 servings

Frozen Fruit Smoothie

A modified version of what Dad and Mom made for us.  Thanks for the inspiration, we now have one every day too!

Ingredients

• 2 c. frozen fruit (the blends and Sam's and Costco are perfect)
• 2 c. fruit juice (we prefer prepared orange juice from concentrate, apple is good, or you can use the juice from some opened canned fruit)
• 1 banana (essential to get a smooth consistency and flavor)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Yields: Enough for two adults and two very small kids.

Quick Salisbury Steak

This is super easy, and really great hearty flavor!!!! Aaron Kristen and I downed it, in just a few minutes.....




Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 pkg. dry onion soup mix
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 (10 3/4-oz) cans golden mushroom soup

Directions

Combine ground beef, soup mix and eggs in a large bowl; form into 4 patties. Place patties in an ungreased 13"x9" baking dish; cover with soup. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Serves 4.

YOU SHOULD DEFINITLY SERVE THIS OVER COUNTRY MASHED POTATOES. It enhances all the flavor. (just leave the skins on the potatoes when you mash them.

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbl olive or vegetable oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp. ground thyme)
• 1 tsp dried tarragon leaves (opt.)
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 2 medium yams or dark orange sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 8 pieces
• 1 large onion (cut into 8 wedges)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 chicken breasts (bone-in) or 1 whole chicken cut up

Directions

Heat oven to 425. In large bowl, mix broth, oil, salt, thyme, tarragon and pepper. Add vegetables and garlic. Toss to coat. Remove vegetables with slotted spoon to ungreased 15x10x1 inch ungreased pan.
Add chicken pieces to remaining broth mixture, turning to coat all sides. Place chicken pieces skin side down next to vegetables in pan. Drizzle any remaining broth mixture over chicken.
Bake 30 minutes. Stir vegetables and turn chicken pieces. Bake 30-40 min longer or until vegetables are tender and juice of chicken is clear.

Sloppy Joe's

Though the recipe doesn't call for BBQ sauce, it is still very good and very easy (you're basically making your own BBQ sauce).

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/4 onion
• 1/4 green bell pepper
• 8 oz. tomato sauce
• 1/4 c. catsup
• 1 tbsp. vinegar
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• salt, pepper, and chili powder to taste

Directions

1. Sautee onions and peppers and brown meat.
2. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
3. Simmer for 20 min. covered.
4. Serve on hamburger buns.

Frozen Taquito Enchiladas

Ingredients

• Frozen taquitos
• Enchilada sauce
• Grated cheese
• Sour cream
• Olives

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 deg F.
   
2. Line bottom of pan with single layer of frozen taquitos.
   
3. Top with enchilada sauce, cheese, and olives.
   
4. Bake for about 25 minutes and serve with sour cream.

Very easy and very tasty.

Grilled Chicken Salad Pitas

Blake and I have decided that living among Greeks and other Mediterranean cultures is pretty awesome -- they all make the best food! This isn't actually Mediterranean, persay, but it uses pitas from the fabulous Mediterranean grocery up the block from our apartment, so I figure that has to count for something.

- fresh pitas, preferably, if you can swing a trip to New York, from the Mediterranean grocery up the block
- prepared chicken salad (see below)
- Swiss cheese
- leaf of green leaf or romaine lettuce
- sliced tomatoes
- dab of ranch dressing

Slice pita in half, cut open. Stuff with slice of Swiss cheese and chicken salad. Grill in a frying pan until the pita is satisfyingly crisp. Then, stuff with lettuce, tomatoes, and top with that dab of ranch dressing.

To make Lindsay's Famous "Fake It 'Til It Tastes Right" Chicken Salad, boil a piece of boned chicken breast until cooked through, then separate the good meat from the bones and skin. Shred chicken, and add mayo and pickle relish to your desired consistency.

Orange Julius

Orange Julius

• 6 oz. orange juice concentrate
• ¼ C. sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 10-12 ice cubes
• 2 C milk

In a blender add ingredients in order and blend on high until smooth

*adding a banana adds good texture and flavor. Add strawberries and peaches too!

Chicken Bundles

Chicken Bundles

Crescent rolls: (or just buy them)
½ C warm water
1 Tbsp yeast
¼ C margarine
½ tsp salt
1 T sugar
1 ¾ flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water in bowl with wire whisk. Mix in margarine, add salt, sugar, and flour. Roll out and cut into squares (or triangles)

Filling
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp butter, melted
¼ C. celery, chopped fine
1/3 can mushrooms, drained (cut small)
2 Tbsp onions, chopped fine
1 C chicken, cooked and chopped
Dash of salt and pepper

*there is a lot of flexibility to the filling. We added chopped almonds, craisins, and green peppers.

Mix together, put on dough, and then seal completely

Here’s the tough part. When copying down the recipe in class, I forgot to write down what temperature and time these cook at. When Jennie and I made them, we cooked them at 375 for about 15-20 minutes (I think). So, you might want to keep an eye on it. If you buy the dough at the store though, the packaging will have instructions so follow that :)

Sticky Buns

Sticky Buns

• 1 ½ C flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¼ C shortening
• ½ C milk
• ½ C brown sugar
• ¼ C margarine
• 2 Tbsp water

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles course meal. Add milk then knead 10-15 times. Roll out to ½ inch thick and cut with drinking glass.

Combine brown sugar, margarine, and water in round microwavable pan. Microwave for ½ - 1 minute or until margarine melts.

Leave mixture in pan and stir. Place biscuits on top of mixtures. Cook in microwave at 70% (important!! They WILL burn at 100%) for 4-5 minutes. Let set for 2 minutes.

*Also good to do is roll out dough thinly and sprinkle cinnamon and put slice almonds and/or raisons (any nut, dried fruit, or seasoning would work). Roll into a log and then slice so they are more like cinnamon rolls.

Easy Skor Bars

Saltine Toffee

• ½ C Brown Sugar
• ½ C butter
• ½ package saltines
• ½ package chocolate chips (or however many you want)

Preheat oven to 400° F. Melt butter and sugar together in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, DO NOT STIR. Spray an 8x8 inch pan with Pam, line bottom with saltines (crushed, or whole, both work). Pour sugar/butter mixture over crackers. Bake 5 minutes, remove and put chocolate chips over top and chill until firm.

Easy Donuts

We found this recipe in the "Fake It, Don't Make It" section of my Real Simple magazine and tried it out last night. So fast, so easy, and really, really good (so long as you don't let Blake burn the donuts).

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 8-count package large refrigerated biscuits (such as Pillsbury Grands) (or the equivalent in homemade biscuit dough)
  
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat (and yes, if the temp is any higher, the donuts will be crispy).

Place the biscuits on a cutting board. Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter or equivalent (we just cut out holes with a knife), cut a hole in the center of each biscuit, reserving the extra dough for "holes."

Test the heat of the oil by dipping the edge of a doughnut in the pan. When the oil is hot enough, the edge will bubble. Place 4 of the doughnuts and holes in the skillet and cook until golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain. Add the remaining oil to the skillet, reheat, and cook the remaining doughnuts and holes.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Gently toss the warm doughnuts in the mixture a few at a time. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: Makes 8 doughnuts, plus holes.