April 29: Southwest Chicken Chop Salad

I found this amazing salad while looking through blogs. 

2 cups diced rotisserie chicken
1 green pepper, diced
1 cup black beans
1 cup sweet yellow corn {canned or frozen and defrosted}
2 roma tomatoes, diced
4 scallions, washed and sliced {white and green parts}
1 large romaine heart, washed and chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, washed and chopped
2 just under ripe avocados, diced
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
for the dressing-
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tablespoon ranch seasoning
1/2 tablespoon taco seasoning
1/2 tablespoon lime juice {optional}
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a large bowl, stir all salad ingredients together, excluding the tortilla chips and avocado. In a small bowl, stir all dressing ingredients together until smooth. When ready to serve, toss salad with dressing then gently stir in avocado and tortilla chips.

February 16: Chili Verde Con Carne

This recipe comes from my mother-in-law.  It is a highly requested meal for family gatherings.

1 lb pork
1/3 c flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c oil
1 tsp cumin
1 28 oz can tomatoes
2 TB lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 beef bouillon
1/2 c boiling water
1 tsp sugar
1 medium onion
1 4 oz can chopped green chilies
1 green pepper, diced

Partially freeze pork and then cut in thin strips. Combine four and salt. Dredge strips and fry in oil, 1/3 at a time. Pour off liquid. Cut tomatoes into pieces and set aside. Add tomato liquid, lemon juice, and garlic to meat. Stir to combine. Dissolve bouillon in boiling water. Add to meat. Also add green pepper, onion and chilies. Cover tightly and cook slowly for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in tomatoes for 15 more minutes. Serve over rice.

January 6: Creamy Chicken Tacos

Great Crock pot recipe from "Jamie Cooks It Up."  This is so easy to put together. 

5 frozen chicken breasts
1 1/2 c salsa
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 1/2 TB taco seasoning
1 TB maple syrup
1 tsp lime juice
1 TB butter
1/2 c sour cream

Top with tomatoes, onions, cheddar cheese, lettuce and cilantro.

Spray the inside of crock pot with cooking spray and place the chicken inside. In a mixing bowl stir together all other ingredients except the butter and sour cream. Pour the sauce over the top of the chicken. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.  Take the chicken out of the crock and onto a plate. Shred it up and replace in the crock pot. Add the butter and sour cream. Stir it up. Cook for 1 more hour.  This can also be cooked on low for a total of 8 hours. 

May 4: Cheese Pilaf

This is one of my favorite recipes ever!

1/4 c brown rice
1/4 c barley
1/4 c rye
1/4 c millet

½ c butter                                             

2 medium onions, chopped                     

4 beef bouillon cubes                               

¼ c rice 

½ lb sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded                                                          

8 oz can mushrooms and liquid

1 c slivered almonds

Cook grains together as you would cook rice. Melt the butter in a skillet or medium saucepan. Sauté the chopped onions over medium heat. Dissolve the bouillon cubes in some hot water, and add to the chopped onions. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into 2-qt casserole dish, and cover tightly. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Add additional water if necessary. Serves 8

April 20: Funeral Potatoes

I need this recipe in my file for the several times a year I make it.

1 32 oz pkg frozen shredded potatoes
1 c sour
2 1/2 c Cheddar cheese
4 TB melted butter, divided
2 10 oz cans cream of chicken soup
salt and pepper
1 1/2 c corn flakes

Pour bag of potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Thaw in microwave if not already thawed. To the potatoes, add sour cream, cheese, 2 TB melted butter, soup and salt and pepper. Stir with wooden spoon. Pour corn flakes in a food processor and crush into crumbs. Add the other 2 TB melted butter to the corn flakes crumbs and mix. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and spread the potato mixture into it. Cover it with the corn flake crumbs, cover the pan with tin foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. 

April 8: Oven Rice

This was my mother's recipe.

1 medium onion
1 1/2 c uncooked rice, not instant
celery and green pepper, opt
1 cube butter
2 10 oz cans beef bouillon

Brown onion in butter. Stir all ingredients together and cover. Bake 1 1/2 hours at 350.

February 2: Garlic Mashed Potatoes

From my ward cookbook comes this yummy side dish.

3 lb potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 lg head garlic
3 TB cream or canned milk
4 TB butter
1/2 tsp pepper
Salt to taste


Cook potatoes until tender, approximately 20 minutes. While potatoes are cooking, peel the outer skin from the garlic and separate the cloves. Place them in a small saucepan; cover with water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until garlic is very soft, approximately 15 minutes. Drain and cool. Slip the skins from the garlic and combine garlic with the cream in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Mash the potatoes and add the pureed garlic, butter, pepper, and salt  to taste. 

February 28: Fresh Mango Salsa

Two of my favorite foods, mangoes and jicama, rolled into one great salsa.

2 ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped
* 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
* 1/2 small jicama, finely diced
* 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, washed, dried and chopped
* Juice of two ripe limes
* Sea salt

Combine the first four ingredients, then add the lime juice, stir thoroughly, and add sea salt to taste!

May 20: Corn Meal Muffin

From the Albers Corn meal box. This is a moist delicious corn meal muffin. 

Preheat oven to 350. Grease or paper-line 24 muffin tins.

Combine dry ingredients together.

Combine wet ingredients together.

1 ½ c flour 

2/3 c sugar

½ c corn meal 

1 TB baking powder 

½ tsp salt

1 1/4 c milk

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/3 c oil

3 TB butter, melted

Add wet mixture to dry mixture. Stir until just blended. Pour into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until centers spring back when touched.

April 14: Granola

My niece, Kaytlin, came to spend the night with us and brought some yummy granola that she and her mother made. Here's the recipe for it.

1 1/4 c flour
3 1/4 c oats
1 c pecans
1 heaping c almonds, raw
1 1/3 c sweetened flaked coconut
1.4 c flax seed (optional)
1/8 c oil
1/2 c water
1 c brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt

Pre-heat oven to 300. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, oats, nuts, spice and flax seed. Set aside. In a medium sauce pan heat oil, water and sugar until boiling. Boil until sugar is dissolved. Take off heat then add vanilla. Pour sugar mixture over flour mixture and let it sit without stirring for 10 minutes. Then stir until combined. Spread evenly in cookie sheet. Bake 45 minutes stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool and add 1 cup craisins.