Recipes!

My favorite foods and recipes are the ones that include ingredients that I most likely already have on hand. I'm not into finding a great recipe that requires me to run out and purchase all kinds of items that I don't have, then it becomes 'not so great', and expensive. Aside from picking up fresh items such as meat or produce, putting something together from things you keep stocked in your pantry is smart and economical. Here's some of my favorites!

Easy Cream of Potato Soup
(As found in the Better Homes and Gardens Limited Edition CookBook, this is totally one of my favorites! Easy to make, I crave it on a cloudy day. Comfort food for sure, and who doesn't have potatoes in their pantry?)

Makes 4 servings. I double this recipe because I definitely like to have leftovers for later!

Ingredients:

5 medium potatoes - peeled, cubed and cooked
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chicken broth (canned, or from chicken bullion or, if you have chicken flavor ramen noodles in the house, use the flavoring packets from the package and save the noodles for later!)
1 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried dill (or your spice of choice)
Dash black pepper
1 cup milk

In a large saucepan, boil potatoes and onions about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Reserve 1 cup cooked vegetables. Blend remaining mixture as directed with 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Set aside. In same saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, seasoning, salt and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Stir in the reserved 1 cup potatoes, cook until heated through. If necessary, stir in additional milk to reach desired consistency. If desired, add additional seasonings to taste.





Quick Coffee Cake
(Passed down to me by my mother, who entertains many out-of-town guests, easy to throw together and serve warm, right out of the oven, with coffee)

Preheat oven to 350

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 tsp. baking powder

Prepare an 8x8 pan. Stir together dry ingredients, flour and baking powder, in separate bowl. In another bowl, combine sugars and margarine. Add egg and mix well. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk, blending well. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Topping:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. cinnamon powder
1/4 cup margarine, softened

Combine all ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of cake batter. Bake for approximately 20 - 25 minutes. Cool slightly and serve warm. Enjoy!




Poppyseed Chicken
(As relayed to me by Kayleen Marble, who herself has 5 children and is an exemplary example of 'frugalness' - she has taught me a thing or two!)

1 container sour cream (16 oz)
1 can cream of chicken or mushroom soup
Stir together in casserole dish and then add approximately 1 TB of poppyseeds to it.
Add cubed chicken – approximately 2-3 breasts of chicken

You can add any extras – I have had it with mushrooms before.

Top with Ritz cracker crumbs and bake in oven at 350 for about 20 minutes – the sides will be bubbly and the top will be brown.

Pour over rice.



Chicken Pockets
(Recipe also by Kayleen Marble)

1 pkg cream cheese – softened
1 cube butter – softened
Stir together and add salt and pepper (I also add some Italian seasoning)
Add cubed chicken to mixture

Take Pillsbury crescents and in each triangle, stretch out and put a spoonful of the mixture. Then wrap up so it is sealed. Each pocket, dip in butter and roll in Italian bread crumbs. Bake in the oven until they are brown ( about 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes)

I make gravy using chicken broth, flour or cornstarch, and water. Add a bit of salt for taste.




Make-at-Home Donuts

Here's what you'll need:

Refrigerated bisquit dough (in the tube)(do not use buttermilk or butter variety)
Oil (for frying)
Powdered Sugar & Milk (for the glaze)
Cocoa Powder (if you want chocolate glaze)
Vanilla

Heat the oil in a pan on a medium setting. Separate the pieces of bisquit dough on a cutting board and slightly flatten and with your fingers. Using the tip of a knife, or a very small, round, cookie cutter, cut circles in the center of the dough to create your donut shape. The circles will become donut holes. Carefully place the dough pieces in the heated oil and fry to a light brown on each side. Place on a cooling rack with a paper towel placed underneath to catch any oil drippings. For the glaze: In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 tsp. vanilla and 1 tbsp milk or orange juice. Stir in additional milk or juice until icing reaches drizzling consistency. If making a chocolate glaze, add 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder to the powdered sugar and only use milk, no OJ!





Peppermint Bark

(even though I don't keep white chocolate in my pantry year round, I always have it during the holidays!)

Ingredients:
nonstick cooking spray
12 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped (or chips)
1 1/2 lb white chocolate, chopped (do not use chips!)
1 package (7.5 oz) hard peppermint candies, unwrapped

Directions:
Spray a 10 by 15 in. rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Line with a piece of waxed paper, creasing the edges and corners to keep in place.
Crush candies. Use food processor, blender, or simply place candies in a resealable bag and crush into tiny pieces with a rolling pin (wrap a towel around bag before crushing so that candy doesn't pierce the bag). Separate tiny candy pieces from fine powder using a large sifter. Save the peppermint powder for a later time - stir it into a mug of hot chocolate and enjoy!
Place semisweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (not into) a saucepan of simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to prepared pan and spread almost to the edges with a spatula. Refrigerate for about 5 min. or until firm.
Melt white chocolate using same method as above. Spread on top of chilled semisweet chocolate.
Sprinkle white chocolate with crushed peppermint candies. Chill until firm, about 20 to 30 min. (No longer than 30 min. as crushed candies will begin to soften!)
Peel waxed paper away from bark. Break into pieces about 2 in. in size.
Store at room temperature for up to 1 week in an airtight container.

Turkey Noodle Casserole

Preheat oven to 375 deg.


Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. cooked, cubed turkey (or chicken, or tuna)
6 oz. egg noodles
1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder (or to taste)
3 - 4 tbsp. parmesan cheese
3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 small onion (grated or chopped)
1/2 c. peas (frozen or canned)
1 c. crushed plain potato chips


DIRECTIONS:
1. Use nonstick spray to prepare a 2 qt. casserole dish.
2. Cook egg noodles, drain, and toss with 2 tbsp. butter or margarine. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan, mix can of Cream of Mushroom soup, milk, sour cream,onion (I use grated because my kids hate the onion 'chunks' in their food!), garlic powder, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, and peas. Cook over low heatstirring frequently for 15 min.
4. Add cooked, cubed turkey. Combine mixture with cooked egg noodles.
5. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle top with crushed, plain potatochips.
6. Bake for about 25 min. or until heated through and bubbly.


WANT SOME HEALTHIER OPTIONS?
Try these substitutions:
Instead of Egg Noodles: "No Yolks" Egg White Noodles (made with egg whites - no cholesterol) or any brand of whole wheat or whole grain noodles
Cream of Mushroom Soup: Use the lowfat or fat-free version Parmesan cheese: Omit the cheese altogether, or use your favorite lite or fat-free version
Milk: Use skim milk, or for a creamier, healthier version, fat free evaporated milk (not condensed)
Sour Cream: Use light or fat free sour cream
Peas: Substitute or add any vegetable of your liking!
Crushed Potato Chips: Fat free and/or low-sodium crackers or dried bread crumbs