Chicken Lo Mein

This was featured on Studio 5 the other day so I thought I would try it out. (http://studio5.ksl.com/)

We Loved it!

My husband is not a Chinese food type of guy, but this recipe is definitely family friendly for anyone. I agree that most people will like it.

Also, don't forget it is super fast and easy to make!

Pineapple Chicken Lo Mein

Ingredients:

• 1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened pineapple chunks
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 T minced fresh gingerroot or 1-1/2 tsp dry ground ginger
• 3 T canola oil, divided
• 2 medium carrots, julienned
• 1 medium green pepper, julienned
• 8 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained (this can be any kind of spagetti noodles)
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1 T cornstarch
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup of your favorite teriyaki sauce (I like Soy Vay Very Very Teriyaki)
• 1 T sesame seeds
• Cilantro, for garnish- optional

Method:

Drain pineapple, reserving 1/3 cup juice (discarding remaining juice or save for another use); set pineapple aside. In a large skillet, cook the chicken, garlic and ginger over medium heat in 2 tablespoons oil for 6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in the carrots, green pepper and pineapple. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in spaghetti and onions.

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, soy sauce, reserved pineapple juice and remaining oil until smooth. Gradually add to chicken mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in teriyaki sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds & fresh cilantro.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home 

Mexican Lasagna

I found this recipe this week and thought it sounded a little strange, but still wanted to try it.

This is my Great Taste For the Week! 

I was worried it wouldn't be liked, but my husband loved it!

A different way to serve Lasagna! 

Try it and see if you like it. *Note: can be cut in half if it needs to be.

Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. Ground Beef

1/2 tsp. Cumin

1 Tbsp. Chili Powder

1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp. Red Pepper

1 tsp. Salt to Taste

1 tsp. Pepper

1 16 oz. Can diced Tomatoes

10 -12 corn or flour Tortillas

2 cups Cottage Cheese, drained

1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheese

1 Egg

1/2 Grated Cheddar Cheese

2 cups Shredded Lettuce

1/2 cup Chopped Tomatoes

3 Green Onions, chopped

1/4 cup Sliced Black Olives

Avocado

Cilantro

Directions:

Brown your ground beef; drain thoroughly  and add the cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, red pepper, salt, pepper and tomatoes. Heat through. Pour half of the beef mixture in the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish. Mix the cottage cheese, Monterrey Jack cheese and egg together, put half of the mixture over the meat. Layer the tortillas and cover as completely as possible. Repeat these layers until all of your mixture is gone. 

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. After taking out of the oven, spread the top with sour cream. Make rows of cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and green onions across the top in a diagonal pattern. 6-8 servings

Great Taste Tuesday!

It is Tuesday!! Drum Roll please. 

I would like to share my great taste for the week with everyone!

This week it is Chicken Fajitas!

Made these for my husband and he loved them!

This is a super fast and easy meal and you will love them too!

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:
12 oz. Boneless Chicken Breast Halves
1/4 cup of Cooking Oil
1/4 cup Lime Juice
1/4 cup Water
2 Tbsp. Snipped Fresh Cilantro or 1/2 tsp. Dry Cilantro
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
1/8 tsp. Salt
Pepper
8 Flour Tortillas
1 Tbsp. cooking Oil
1 Medium Onion 
1 Medium Green, red, or yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup Chopped Fresh or Canned Tomatoes or Tomatillo's
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Salsa
Shredded Cheddar or Monterrey Jack Cheese 

Directions:
Place Chicken Strips in a plastic bag and set in a deep bowl. In another bowl stir together 1/4 oil, lime juice, water, 1 tbsp. Cilantro, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours, turning occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade; discard the marinade and set the chicken aside. 

Wrap the tortillas in foil. Heat these in a 350 degrees oven for 10 minutes to warm. Meanwhile preheat a large frying pan over medium heat; add 1 tbsp. oil. Cook and stir onion in hot oil for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the bell pepper strips and cook for 1 12/ minutes more or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove the vegetables form the frying pan. 

Add the chicken strips to the hot pan. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until they are tender and aren't pink. Return all the vegetables to the frying pan. Add the tomatoes or tomatillo's. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes or until they are heated through. Stir in the remaining cilantro. To serve, fill the tortillas with the chicken vegetable mix and if you desire top with sour cream, guacamole  salsa and cheese. 

My Gourmet Hamburgers!

This is my most favorite way to make hamburgers! 

All the best ingredients! 

Even if you don't like onions that much you will love these Hamburgers!

One time I made these for a group of people and one of the 

guys in that group did not like onions. 

But he loved these!

Ingredients:
1 lb. Hamburger
1/3 Onion, diced very small
1 Egg Yolk
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Cheese Slices
Avocado
Tomatoes
Lettuce
6-8 Hamburger Buns
Butter
Ketchup
Mustard

Directions:
Make sure your ground beef is thoroughly thawed. In a large bowl mix your ground beef, onion and egg yolk all together. The egg yolk holds it all together. 

On a grill or a George Foreman grill your hamburger patty's. Salt and pepper as you're doing this. Melt the cheese on top right at the end if your prefer. Add butter to the inside of your buns and grill these also until they are lightly brown. 

When the Patty's are done add them to your grilled buns, add all of the other ingredients! You are ready to go. The avocado slices top it off and finish it!

Dutch Oven or Casserole Dish!

Great meal that tastes really good!!

Easy to make too!

Don't forget to enter yourself in our March Giveaway! Click Here.

Dutch Oven Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 lb. of Hamburger
1 medium Onion, diced
1 10 oz. Cans of Enchilada Sauce (Red or Green)
1 can of Tomato Soup (do not mix as labeled)
1 can of Refried Beans
1 cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese
6 Tortillas

Directions:
Brown the hamburger with the diced onion inside. Start with the refried beans and layer each item in a tortilla. Only use have of the cheese and save the enchilada sauce for the end. When each tortilla is filled place them in a sprayed casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and pour the enchilada sauce all over! Bake for 30 minutes on 350 in the Oven. Can be done in a dutch oven! Do this for 1-2 hours.

Note* This recipe can be doubled for a larger group.

For the One Who Is On the Go!

If you want quick and easy this is for you!

This is one of the fasted and easiest meals I have made for a while.

Great for a night when everyone is one the go.

It tastes delicious for something so simple!

Serve it with a side of vegetables and your meal is complete! Dinner tonight!

Quick Stroganoff!

Ingredients:
1 lb. Hamburger
1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 8 oz. Carton of Sour Cream
1 pkg. Wide Egg Noodles

Directions:
Brown your hamburger; drain the fat off. Pour the soup and sour cream in skillet with the hamburger and warm. Serve on top f or mixed with the cooked noodles. Top with grated cheese if you desire!

Scones for Dinner!

When I was younger my mother made these for one of my birthday parties. Everyone loved them! And they have been one of my favorites ever since. I don't know what the actual name for them are, but these are what I call Navajo tacos!

What I call a Navajo Taco

ingredients:
5 Rhodes Rolls
1 can of Chile
1/2 lb. Ground Beef
Shredded Cheese
2-3 Tomatoes
Lettuce
Vegetable Oil

directions:
Cut the rolls in two and let them rise for a couple hours. If they are frozen let them thaw first and then cut them and let them rise. Brown the ground beef and salt and pepper. Warm the Chile. 

Fill a small pot with about 1 inch of vegetable oil and get it very hot. After you have it very hot turn it down to medium low or it will burn the dough. Roll out your roll dough on a floured surface as big as you can get them. Fry them in your vegetable oil one at a time until both sides are lightly brown. These will make your scones. 

Dice your tomatoes and chop your lettuce. Place these on a plate. When you are ready to serve start with the scones on the bottom and pile everything else on top. These are delicious! Serves about 4. Double if you need to. Have butter and honey around for some treats on your scones!

Tex Mex Mac and Cheese

Want a taste of some good sausage mixed into a meal?

This Tex Mex dish is a great combination of meat, cheese, pasta and more.

Try this for a new and delicious taste. My husband really liked it!

ingredients:

• 12
  ounces Dried Rigatoni Pasta (3 cups)
• 1
  pound bulk Pork Sausage
• 1
  cup Onion, chopped
• 1
  16 ounce jar Green or Red medium-Hot Salsa
• 2
  8 ounce package shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 cups)
• Tomato wedges, sliced jalapeno peppers, and chopped fresh cilantro
• Salsa (optional)

directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking dish; set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. In large skillet cook the sausage and onion until meat is browned and the onion is tender. Drain the fat and return the sausage and onion to the skillet. Stir in the green or red salsa.
3. In a prepared baking dish layer half of the cooked pasta, half the sausage mixture, and half the cheese. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes. Top with tomato, jalapeno, and cilantro. If desired, serve with additional salsa. Makes 8-10 servings. Can be divided in half.

Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts
8 Tortillas
1 cup Cheese of your choice
Butter
Salsa
Tomatoes
Lettuce

Directions: 
Grill your chicken, season it with salt and pepper and cut into strips. Place a small amount of butter in your skillet. Place 1/8 of the chicken on one of the tortillas  Spread a little cheese over the chicken and fold over. Brown your tortilla just a little on each side. Serve with tomatoes, lettuce, and salsa! Cut the recipe in half if you need to.

Fruited Pork Loin

ingredients:
6 Boneless Pork Loin Chops, cut 1 inch thick
2 7 oz. packages of Mixed Dried Fruit
1 medium Red or Yellow Sweet Pepper, seeded and sliced
1 cup Bottled Barbecue Sauce

directions:
Trim the fat from your pork chops. Place the chops in a 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker. Add the dried fruit and sweet pepper to the slow cooker. Pour the barbecue sauce over all of it in the cooker.

Cover and cook on low heat for 4 to 4 1/2 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Transfer your chops to a serving platter. Skim the fat from the sauce. Spoon some of the sauce over the chops. Makes 6 servings.

Recipe Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

Main Street Special

Any picky eaters out there?

Here is a dish that my dad use to make when we were younger.

It was a tradition so I loved when he made it.

This is a dish that the meat and potato guys in your family will enjoy.

Simple and easy. Not any new things. Try it for dinner!

ingredients:
1 lb. Ground Beef
1 can Corn
6-8 Potatoes, Peeled and Sliced or 2 cans of potatoes
2 Slices of an Onion, diced
Salt and Pepper to taste

directions:
Brown your ground beef and set aside. Fry your potatoes with the onions until they are tender. When your potatoes are ready ad the ground beef and corn. (If you use canned potatoes they are ready so add them to the ground beef with the corn at the same time.) Salt and pepper to taste. Make sure everything is cooked and heated through and you are ready! If you want it with a sauce add a can of cream of mushroom sauce.

Fast and Easy Fiesta Stacks

It is Tuesday! Here is my favorite recipe of the week!

I thought this tasted so good when we made it.

It is fast, easy and very tasteful.

Work this into your budget and save a little money.

ingredients:
1 can of Re-fried Beans
1/2 cup of Salsa
1/2 cup of Sour Cream
2 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning
2 Chopped Tomatoes
2 Slices of an Onion, diced
1 can of Olives (optional) I like it without
4-5 Tortillas
2 cups Shredded Lettuce
2 cups Shredded Cheese

directions:
Combine your beans, salsa, 1/4 cup sour cream, and 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning. Mix these all well. Add the green onions and 1/2 of the olives. Mix gently. Place one tortilla on a baking sheet. Top the tortillas with 2 scoops of the bean mixture and spread evenly 1/4 inch around from the edge. Sprinkle with cheese. Repeat these. Repeat the layers of the tortillas with the bean mixture and cheese 2 or 3 more times. Top with a tortilla. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the to pis golden brown. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup of sour cream and the remaining taco seasoning together. Spread this evenly across the top. Sprinkle with your tomatoes, olives and lettuce. cut into wedges and serves with your salsa.

Avocado BLT Sandwhich

I love avocados and I love BLT sandwiches. Here is a combination to love!

 Ingredients:

·        1 Ripe avocado

·        2 tablespoons light mayonnaise or salad dressing

·        1 teaspoon lemon juice

·        1 garlic, minced

·        4 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and halved crosswise

·        4 romaine lettuce

·        1 tomato, thinly sliced

·        4 slices whole wheat bread, toasted

Directions:

1. Halve, seed, and peel your avocado. Transfer one of the avocado halves to a small bowl and mash with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. Stir the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and garlic in with your mashed avocado; set aside. Thinly slice the remaining avocado half.

2. Arrange the avocado slices, bacon, lettuce, and tomato on four of the bread slices. Spread the mashed avocado mixture over the remaining four bread slices; place on top of the filled bread slices, spread sides down.

Recipe Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Recipes

Barbecue Chicken Quesadillas

Tortillas and Barbecue Sauce.

They don't really sound like they go together do they.

But don't second guess it, try this recipe for yourself. 

My husband and I actually really really thought it tasted good!

ingredients:

Nonstick Cooking Spry

4 8 inch Flour Tortillas

1 cup of Shredded Cheese (your choice)

1 4 oz. can of Diced Chile's, Drained

1 18 oz. Tub of Barbacue Sauce

2 cups of Shredded chicken, cooked

1 cup Bottled Salsa

1/4 cup Dairy Sour Cream

directions:

Coat one side of each tortilla with cooking spray. Place, coated sides down, on cutting board or waxed paper. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the cheese over half of each tortilla. Top with green chiles and barbecue sauce with chicken. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently.

Preheat oven to 350. In a hot 10-inch skillet cook quesadillas, two at a time, over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Place quesadillas on a baking sheet. Keep warm in preheated oven for up to 20 minutes. Repeat with remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 3 wedges. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and green onion. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

Also, here is a menu planning tip that I would like to share with you: You've got to find out what works for you! Everyone is different so the same thing isn't going to work for everyone. I have tried a lot of things. Once I tried to plan my meals for 4 months at a time. Wow! That was a failure. So then I tried 1 month at a time and that didn't work either. I was seeing a trend that what I had planned a month ago didn't sound good to me on the actual day I was suppose to make it. 

I have finally figured out what works for me! I plan on a weekly bases and   this has been a success for my schedule. I usually go to the grocery store once a week - any more then that it gets chaotic. On the day I go before I leave I write down in my planner what main dish I want to make for each day of the week.  As I come across recipes during the week I either write them down or save the website I saw them on. This way I know where to find them. 

When I plan what meals I will make on which days I find them and look at all the ingredients. I make my grocery list from what I need from the recipes that I don't already have in my home. From there I add the main items like milk, carrots, eggs,  bananas, etc. This works great for me! From doing this it creates less stress for me because I know that I have all the ingredients I need for the week to make meals. It is even great when some nights you have leftovers. You can either use these for lunch the next day or even dinner again. What  ever recipe I don't use that week I know I have all the ingredients ready so if I want to use it for the next week!

Also, a great thing that has helped me is that if a recipe calls for 1 bottle of barbecue sauce or whatever it is (example: can of beans, ketchup, oatmeal) sometimes at the store I will buy 2 or 3 of this item. This will help build food storage little by little and you won't notice a huge change in your grocery bill. Then if you need it all of a sudden one day you don't have to make a trip to the store just to buy that one item.  

Find  what works for you. This has worked for me!

Turkey/Chicken Filled Stuffing Rolls

I made these for dinner last night and they were so good!

My husband said he never had ate anything like them before and really Thought they tasted good.

So here is a great dish you can make for dinner.

It uses chicken or it is a great way to use that leftover turkey you may still have in the freezer. They are very filling too.

Ingredients:
12 Rhodes Texas™ Rolls, thawed but still cold

8 ounces boneless skinless Chicken Breasts
1 tablespoon Butter
4 ounce of Cream Cheese
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Pepper
1 cup Herb Bread Stuffing
1 Egg, beaten

Directions:

Cut your chicken into 1-inch cubes and sauté it all in your butter. Let the meat cool. Mix the chicken, cream cheese, salt and pepper. Press rolls into 3-inch circles and divide the filling among 12 rolls. Pull edges together to seal. Crush herb bread mixture into crumbs. Dip each meat filled roll in the beaten egg and roll in stuffing crumbs. Place smooth side up in sprayed muffin tins. Bake at 350°F 20-25 minutes. Serve warm. Serves 12. 

*Note: You can use Turkey or Chicken on this recipe. Make as many or as little as you want just remember it takes about 1/3-1/2 cup of the meat mix for each roll. The Herb Bread Stuffing makes it taste really good on the outside!

Recipe Adapted from Rhodes Rolls Recipes

Saturday Night Pizza!

Here is your Saturday night dinner idea!

It is simple, easy and fun.

Change up your pizza for tonight and make it a little different 
and tasty for everyone!

French Bread Pizza

Ingredients:
1 loaf of French Bread
Pizza Sauce
Chopped Green Pepper
Pepperoni
Sliced Olives
Chopped Tomatoes
Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:
Cut your french bread in half lengthwise. Spread the pizza Sauce on the French Bread. Arrange your desired toppings on your sauce and sprinkle over them with lots of cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly
*Note: Other toppings you can use may be ham, sausage, pineapple, sliced tomatoes, mushrooms, etc.
* You can also use pre-made pizza sauce from the store if you like the taste of that better. 

Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:
8 oz. can of Tomato Sauce
1/2 tsp. Oregano
1/8 tsp. Cayenne
1/2 tsp. Garlic
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper

Directions:
Combine all of your ingredients in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Lower your heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Remember to visit our page on Facebook at Great Tastes Tuesdays and hit the "like" button to be entered to win for our sweepstakes drawing in January.

Visit our Shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/GreatTastesTuesdays for fun handcrafted gifts. And to come will be gifts for weddings, graduations, baby gifts and more.

Recipe adapted from Whats For Dinner

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Do you need an idea for dinner tonight?

This has been one of my favorites since I was little.

I don't know why but it just always tastes good to me.

It's quick to make and if your children don't like their broccoli 
this is a good way to get them to eat it!

Enjoy your dinner!

Ingredients:

2 pkgs. Frozen Broccoli or 1lb. of fresh

2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup

½ cup Sour Cream

2 cups grated Cheddar Cheese (optional)

1 Tbsp. Butter

4 Chicken Breasts (cubed)

½ cup of Mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

1 cup of Bread Crumbs (optional)

¼ cup of Milk

Directions:

Mix your soup, lemon juice, milk, sour cream, mayonnaise and grated cheese together. Cook your chicken breasts. Cook your broccoli until it is tender. Melt the butter and combine it with the bread crumbs. In a 9 x 13 inch pan, layer your broccoli, chicken and sauce. Place the buttered crumbs on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated. 

*Note: You can half them recipe if you need to and to make it even more filling I usually add 2-3 cups or more; depending on how many I am feeding; cooked pasta and mix it all together. You can also try rice. That just makes it more filling.

Also, look on December 4th 2012's recipe under the Strawberry Cheesecake pie. There are rules for our Sweepstakes we are having! Enter yourself to win - just make a comment on any of our recipes!

No Camping Needed!

Tin Foil Dinners

Who thinks Tin Foil Dinners are only for when you go camping?

This is such a fun and fast idea that tastes so great!

Once you eat this meal it seems like you would have spent a longer time preparing it - but

this takes about ten minutes tops.

The best part of it all is there's hardly any clean up! 

Who doesn't love that!

You just toss your tin foil and you are done.

This can be fun for everyone. 

Maybe you can even have fun with you kids and play like you are having an inside camp out! 

Ground Beef Tin Foil Dinners

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground beef

3 potatoes peeled and sliced

1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 can of Corn

1 cup chopped Onions

Salt and Pepper to Taste 

Chicken Tin Foil Dinners

Ingredients:

1 lb. Chicken

3 potatoes peeled and sliced

1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup

1 1/2 cups of Carrots diced

1 cup chopped onions

Salt and Pepper to Taste

*Note: When I make these meals the ingredients all kind of vary. So when you make them plan around how much your families eat and what they like and don't like.

Other vegetables to use could be: squash, peas, asparagus, green beans

Directions:

First what you do is use 2 layers of tin foil with the shiny sides placed for the inside. 

With the shiny inside this helps with the cooking process. 

Lay the foil on top of each other then spray with cooking spray so your food won't stick to it.

Always put the meat on the bottom because it takes the longest to cook. 

So, first place your ground beef or chicken on your foil.

I usually make a hamburger sized patty for the ground beef 

and then just do as much chicken as you want.

Salt and pepper your meat and season it how you would like it. 

Next, place your sliced potatoes and onions on top of the meat. 

(Usually plan more for big eaters and less for children and smaller eaters.) 

After, place your vegetables on top of your potatoes. 

You can do many vegetables or just one depending on how filling you want your meal to be. 

Last you put a scoop of your soup on top. 

I usually plan 3-4 tin foil dinners per can. 

Then you wrap up you sides, seal your dinner so no food is showing, 

and place these on a cooking sheet. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

And there you have it - a quick meal with hardly any clean up!

Christmas

Another Gift Idea: 

Still trying to figure out what to give some of your neighbors? Try this. Buy any dough at the store - this could be those refrigerated Nestle chocolate chip cookie dough's, Rhodes rolls dough, homemade dough or any you can think of and put a cute little tag on it that says:

"Everyone needs a little extra "Dough" at this time of year"

Have a Merry Christmas!

Love, The _________ Family 

Simple Decor: 

This is so easy. To spice up your living room just a bit wrap ribbons around your throw pillows so they look like they are wrapped. It is easy but makes the room a little more decorated!

25 Days of Christmas Countdown: 

This is a great idea if you have a mini cupcake tin. All you need to do is drill 2 holes on one end and tie a ribbon in it so you can hang it up. Next, cut out 24 circles that cover the 24 holes and place the numbers 1 - 24 on each of them. Fill each cupcake holder with either treats or something fun for each day. Then place the numbers over each with tape or something sticky. And enjoy! Just remove one each day until Christmas - and you can still use your tin afterward!