Strawberry Pretzel Dessert

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert

2 C Pretzels, crushed

3 Tbl. sugar

3/4 C. butter

Combine and press into a 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 7 min. at 400. Let cool.

1 8oz. package of cream cheese

1/2 C. sugar

1 8oz. container cool whip

Mix and spread over pretzel crust.

1 6oz. package strawberry jello

1 1/2 C boiling water

20 oz. frozen strawberries

Dissolve the jello in boiling water and add the berries. Pour over cream cheese mixture and chill. Cover with additional cool whip if desired. Cut into squares and serve.

Oh so yummy. Salty and sweet at the same time.

Ranch Style Chicken

Ingredients
½ cups Dijon Mustard
½ cups Honey
½ whole (juice Of) Lemon
½ teaspoons Paprika
½ teaspoons Salt
Crushed Red Pepper (optional To Taste)
6 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 pound Thick Cut Bacon
Bacon Grease
Sharp Cheddar Cheese, to taste
Canola Oil

Preparation Instructions
To begin, make the marinade. In a large bowl mix together ½ cup Dijon or country/grainy mustard with ½ cup honey, juice of ½ lemon, ½ teaspoon paprika, and ½ teaspoon salt and whisk until smooth. Sprinkle in some crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne if you like things a little spicy. Set aside.
Next, rinse the chicken breasts, place between two sheets of waxed paper and pound to around ½ to ¾ inch thick with a mallet. Next, add the chicken to the bowl with the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours.
While the chicken marinates, fry up some bacon. When finished cooking, reserve ¼ cup of the bacon grease and clean out the skillet.
When the chicken is done marinating, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the chicken from the fridge and pour off excess marinade. Heat half of the reserved bacon grease with an equal quantity of Canola Oil in the clean skillet over medium-high heat. When the grease is nice and hot add two or three pieces of chicken to it. Cook until brownish/blackish, about 1 to 1 ½ minutes per side. Remove chicken to a large baking sheet. If cooking many pieces of chicken, repeat skillet process and remove finished chicken to baking sheet. Place chicken in preheated oven and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from over.
Lay a few pieces of bacon over each chicken breast. Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese over the top of the chicken as generously as you like. Return pan to oven for an additional five minutes until cheese is melted and bacon is sizzling. Serve immediately.

Zippy Shepherd's Pie

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
5 carrots, chopped (I use canned carrots instead)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 pound ground sausage
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ketchup
3/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash. Mix in butter, finely chopped onion and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, mash and set aside. (I have never has success with this step, which is why I prefer to use the canned carrots. They dont require any cooking or mashing.)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.)
Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and cook until clear. Add ground sausage and cook until well browned. Pour off excess fat, then stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add ketchup and beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Spread the ground beef in an even layer on the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish. Next, spread a layer of mashed carrots. Top with the mashed potato mixture and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown."

Slow cooker Curry Chicken

Slow cooker Curry Chicken



* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
* 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
* 1 packet dry onion soup mix (such as Knorr® French Onion Soup Mix)
* 3 tablespoons curry powder, or to taste
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper, or to taste
* 3 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves -- trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
* 1 cup green peas
* 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

To Make:

1. Set the slow cooker to the High setting.
2. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the onion until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Set the onion aside.
3. In a large bowl, stir together cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, coconut milk, dry soup mix, curry powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Place the chicken into the bottom of the slow cooker, and pour the mixture over the chicken. Stir in onion, peas and mushrooms.
4. Cook on High setting for 1 1/2 hours, then reduce heat to Low and cook an additional 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Brisket

I made this for dinner tonight and it was very tasty! Costco sells brisket and although it was NOT 10 pounds like the recipe called for it still turned out great. There is nothing better in the world to me than tender, salty meat!

Ingredients
2 cans Beef Consomme
½ cups Lemon Juice
1-½ cup Soy Sauce
5 cloves Chopped Garlic
2 Tablespoons Liquid Smoke
10 pounds Beef Brisket

Preparation Instructions
Combine first five ingredients in large roasting pan (a disposable is just fine). Place brisket in the marinade, fat side up. Cover tightly with foil. Marinate in refrigerator for 24-48 hours. When ready to cook, place pan covered in foil into a 300-degree oven. Cook brisket for approximately 40 minutes per pound.
When fork-tender, transfer whole brisket to a cutting board. Remove fat, Slice against the grain and place slices back into the cooking liquid. Serve immediately, spooning juice over the slices. Barbeque sauce may be used, if preferred.
You may store pan in fridge for up to two days or freeze for use at a later date. If fat collects and hardens at the top, remove and discard.
Brisket is great with mashed potatoes, with the juice spooned over the top. It’s also great on a sandwich with melted cheese.

Italian Wedding Soup

So we had an Italian Christmas dinner this year and this was my assignment. We had never had it before but everyone really loved it and it will stay in my rotation from now on. Enjoy

Mini-Meatball/Italian Wedding Soup

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan in a slow stream
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground beef, or turkey or a mix of both
1 egg, beaten
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano, a couple of handfuls
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
6 cups chicken stock or broth
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups dried pasta, rings, broken fettucini or ditalini (I used whatever curly pasta I had in the cupboard)
1 pound triple washed fresh spinach, coarsely chopped [I buy baby spinach and don't chop it]

In a deep pot over medium heat add oil, chopped carrots, celery and onions and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cover pot and cook veggies 5 or 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the veggies cook, combine meat, egg, garlic, grated cheese, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg.

Uncover your soup pot and add broth and water to the pot. Increase heat to high and bring soup to a boil. When soup boils, reduce heat a bit and start to roll meat mixture into small balls, dropping them straight into the pot. You are making meat dumplings that will cook in the broth. When you are done rolling the meat, add pasta to the soup and stir. Cover and simmer soup 10 minutes. When pasta is tender, stir in chopped spinach in batches. When spinach has wilted into the soup, the soup is done and ready to serve. Adjust your seasonings. Serve soup with crusty bread or grilled cheese sandwiches.

Orange Julius

I hope this isnt too lame, but we love this easy, delicious beverage. This will be our family night treat tonight.

Orange Julius

1/2 C Milk

1/2 C Water

1/4 C Orange Juice concentrate

1/3 C sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Put all ingredients in blender with 5 ice cubes and blend.