Monthly Archives: January 2017

Jan18

Chicken Spaghetti

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Chicken Spaghetti

This casserole is absolutely delicious!!  It makes a huge amount, so next time I make it, I am going to make the same amount, but put it in two 8-inch square pans.  I will fix one to eat and freeze the other for another time.

  • 1 cut-up fryer chicken
  • 1 pound thin spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 (4-oz.) jar diced pimientos, drained
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper
  • 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
  • 2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add chicken to a stock pot.  Cover with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 25 minutes.

Remove chicken from water using tongs or a slotted spoon and set it aside on a plate to cool.

Remove 2 cups of broth from the pot and set aside.

Bring the remaining broth back to a boil and add the spaghetti.  Cook al dente.

Drain the spaghetti, discarding the cooking liquid.  Set aside.  With two forks remove the chicken from the bones.  Shred or cut the meat into bite-size chunks.  Drain the pimientos.

Place the cooked spaghetti in a large bowl.  Add the cream of mushroom soup.  Add 2 cups of the cheddar cheese.  Add the onion, green pepper, pimiento and salt.  Then add chicken and broth.  Stir together well.

Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, and top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese.  Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until bubbly.

Serves 8.

“Prayer is an intimate conversation with our God.”

Jan18

Cranberry Eggnog Scones

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Cranberry Eggnog Scones

I had some extra eggnog leftover this year and decided to make these scones.  Very easy to make and will be done in less than a half hour.

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (10 oz.)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup heavy eggnog

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in mixing bowl.  Whisk to combine.  Cut in butter with pastry blender until it looks like course corn meal with a few slightly larger lumps.  Stir in dried fruit and mix in.  Add heavy eggnog and stir with spatula or fork till dough begins to form.

Pour out onto counter top and knead by hand till it comes together (it will be slightly sticky), only about 5 to 10 seconds.  Pat into a round about 1 inch tall, cut in 8 wedges.

Place onto ungreased  or Silpat lined baking sheet.  May brush with cream and sprinkle with sugar, if desired.  (I did both.)  Bake 12 to 15 minutes till light brown.  Cool on rack 10 minutes before serving.  May serve warm or at room temperature.  These freeze well.

You may also make these in the food processor.  Be careful not to over process.

Makes 8 scones.

“God wants to hear your heart.”

Jan14

Zuppa Tuscana

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Zuppa Tuscana

This sausage, potato and kale soup is a very close copycat recipe for Olive Garden’s Zuppa Tuscana.  It is so quick and easy to make and just “delicious”.  Now, I have to explain the spiciness of this soup.  I used mild sausage and put all the red pepper flakes and black pepper in.  Next time, I will use hot sausage and probably not put the pepper flakes and black pepper in, or I will use less.  I would say, you need to make it to your liking for the spiciness.  Even though it was spicy hot, both my husband and I loved it!  It is definitely a keeper.

  • 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
  • 4 cups half and half
  • 3 cups cubed potatoes
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups torn kale leaves (bite-size pieces)

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat.  Crumble sausage into pot;  cook and stir until browned, about 10 minutes.  Drain and discard grease.

Stir half and half, potatoes, chicken broth, milk, onion, oregano, and red pepper flakes into sausage.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.  Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.  Season with black pepper, stir kale into soup.  Simmer until kale is tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Serves 6.

“Christ’s ultimate sacrifice for us motivates us to sacrifice ourselves for others.”

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Jan9

Orange Marmalade Cookies

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Orange Marmalade Cookies

These are the famous cookies Helen Corbitt made at the Neiman-Marcus restaurant.  They are really delicious!

For the cookies:

  • 3 cups (15-oz.) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening or unsalted butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup orange marmalade

For the orange icing:

  • 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups (12-oz.) confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Either butter cookie sheet, line with parchment or use a silpat.

To prepare cookies, sift together flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl and set aside.

Place the shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on low speed.  Add the sugar and continue beating for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and mix well.  Add the reserved dry ingredients and the marmalade and mix thoroughly.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a small cookie scoop, drop the cookie dough onto the cookie sheet.  Transfer to oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cookies are light brown in color.

While the cookies are baking, prepare the icing.  Combine the orange and lemon zests and juices in a bowl.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on low speed.  Add 1 cup of the confectioners’ sugar and blend thoroughly.  Add the remaining 2 cups sugar, salt and the citrus juice mixture and blend until smooth.

Remove cookies from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.  When completely cooled, ice the cookies.

Makes about 36 cookies.

“God is our refuge in times of trouble.”

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Jan9

Black-Eyed Pea Dip

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Black-Eyed Pea Dip

This says it serves 12, but there were three people eating it and it really didn’t go very far.  So I would say you need to make a double recipe.  Comments were “it’s delicious” and “it needs to be spicier”.

  • 1 (14-oz.) can Black-Eyed Peas
  • 1/4 cup onion, chopped fine
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 8 slices jarred Jalapenos (I used mild)
  • 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 3 tablespoons salsa
  •  Hot sauce, to taste
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Drain black-eyed peas and partially mash, leaving some whole.  Add all other ingredients, stirring to combine.

Spread into a baking dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Serve with tortilla chips!

Serves 12.

“The promise of heaven is our eternal hope.”

Jan9

Best Biscuits Ever

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Best Biscuits Ever

These biscuits are so easy, and so delicious!  You can serve them in 20 minutes hot out of the oven.

  • 2 cups sifted flour (10 oz.)
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 cup cold (or frozen) butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 2/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place dry ingredients in food processor and pulse to mix.  Add butter and pulse till the butter looks like peas.

Dump into a mixing bowl (electric mixer is fine, if you don’t want to use your hands).  Add milk and honey and mix until it comes together.

Place on lightly floured surface (or silicone mat for easier clean-up) and knead several times to work the gluten.  Then pat the dough with your fingers to about 3/4 inch high.  Or you can go lower if you want more biscuits.

Cut them round or square with a biscuit cutter.  Don’t use a seesaw approach as that will reduce the rise.

Place about an inch apart on baking sheet covered with baking paper.

Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees or until golden brown.  Brush tops with melted butter.

Makes 12.

“Let’s thank God for His countless blessings.”

Jan9

Top Twenty Recipes for 2016

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  1. Rhubarb Dream Bars
  2. Tuna Burgers
  3. Purple Passion Punch
  4. Mile-High Rhubarb Pie
  5. Creamed Peas and Potatoes
  6. Classic Oyster Stew
  7. Dreamsicle Salad
  8. Famous Banana Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
  9. Wacky Cake
  10. Copycat Bob Evans Chicken & Noodles
  11. Creamy Baked Chicken Breasts
  12. Chicken Liver and Onions
  13. Super Simple Sugar Cookies
  14. Wash-Day Peach Cobbler
  15. One-Minute Chocolate Icing
  16. Beef Goulash Vegetable Soup
  17. Pizza Burgers
  18. Hamburger Soup
  19. Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
  20. Creamsicle Fluff or Strawberry Fluff

 

“Our strongest allegiance is to Christ, who gives us unity with each other.”

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