Chicken Loaf with Giblet Gravy

Posted by Lori:Note: My sister, Kimberly, won't brag about the Pecan Pie Bars she posted a few days ago, but I will for her :). Her son, Blake, won 1st place out of all of the 3rd grade in his school with the bars, and he also won Grand Champion for the whole school. Way to go, Blake!
A few weeks ago I happened to think of this recipe of my mother-in-law's. It's something I had never heard of before I started dating my husband, but his mom made it quite often. I thought about it because it's something I had never seen before, and never have seen since, either. I thought about getting it from her some time to share with you.

Ironically, yesterday my mother-in-law emailed me this recipe - out of the blue! It was funny since I had just thought about it recently. She said her youngest son was wanting the recipe, and knowing about this blog, she decided to send it to me, too.

CHICKEN LOAF
1 Hen or 2 Fryers (Around 3-4 pounds)
2 cups bread crumbs
1 cup cooked rice
1/3 teaspoons paprika
1/4 cup pimento
4 beaten eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups broth
Salt to taste

Stew chicken & remove from bone. Cut into bite sized pieces.
Mix all together and bake in 10x14 pan at 350 degrees.
Serve with giblet gravy.

GIBLET GRAVY
For the giblet gravy my mother-in-law boils the giblet, heart. liver, & gizzard and some salt, then I use some of that chopped in small pieces, use some of the broth from that and some from chicken and thicken with flour and water, salt to taste. I also had a chopped boiled egg.

Have you ever heard of Chicken Loaf? I have to admit that when I first heard about "Chicken Loaf", I thought it sounded strange, but it was really good!
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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted by Donna:

This recipe originally came from Allrecipes, but I'm not sure how I came across it. I wasn't on that site looking for a pumpkin cookie. I think it came via another source. Regardless, I've had it for a while and wanted to try it.

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

2 cups sifted flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon (The recipe called for 2 tsp., but I don't like a strong cinnamon taste.)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. whole milk

1 T. vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup walnuts or pecans ( optional---I didn't add these; however, I think they would be great with them added. The only reason I didn't add them is because nuts are a no-no for me right now.)

Combine the pumpkin, sugar, oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon together. Dissolve the baking soda in the milk and add to the pumpkin mixture. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. (The first time I read this recipe, I thought there had been a misprint in the amount of milk, but it is the right amount. I wanted to mention that in case someone thought the same thing.)

Add the vanilla, chocolate chips, and nuts.

Drop by spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet or on parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes. My oven cooks slower, so it took the full 12 minutes for mine. The cookies should be lightly brown and firm.

They were so good right out of the oven. I will tell you, these are a soft cookie because of the pumpkin. My husband really liked them as well. The only negative thing he said was that it was softer than the usual chocolate chip cookie.


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Tiger Butter

Posted by Lori:
This is one of the easiest candies that can be made. It's simple and quick, but tastes great, too!

Tiger Butter
1 package vanilla almond bark
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Break almond bark in pieces and place in medium glass bowl. Add peanut butter. Microwave in 15 - 30 second intervals - stirring often to help with melting. In seperate microwavable bowl, melt chocolate chips. Spread almond bark/peanut butter mixture onto greased cookie sheet (one with sides). Pour chocolate on top and lightly spread mixture in swirled design with a fork. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or longer and then break into pieces. Store in airtight container.
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Pecan Pie Squares

Posted by Kimberly:

My son loves pecan pie, so for his school's Cookie Cook-Off this Friday, he is going to enter Pecan Pie Squares. I first made them for my holiday cookie swap last year and thought they were really good. Of course, Blake liked them because they are like a pecan pie, but my husband liked them too!

Pecan Pie Squares:

1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 taspoon vanilla
2 cups chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan. For the crust, in a bowl mix the cake mix, butter, and 1 egg. Measure out 2/3 cup of this mixture and reserve it for the topping. Pat the remaining mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together the reserved crust mixture, the remaining 3 eggs, the corn syrup, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in the pecans. Pour the mixture over partially baked crust. Increase the oven heat to 375 degrees and bake for 30 minutes, or until the cake is set. Let cool, then cut into bars.

My family thought these were great! We'll see on Friday if the judges for the Cookie Cook-Off think so too!!!! :) Pin It Now!

Cornbread Dressing

Posted by Lori:
My family spends Thanksgiving with my husband's side of the family and Christmas with my side, so I never need to make dressing for those two occassions. However, usually in January, I become hungry for turkey and dressing again. After unsuccessfully attempting to duplicate family dressing recipes, I decided to find a dressing of my own. Something simple and easy.

I found this recipe on the internet about six years ago. I liked the sound of it because it used packaged cornbread mix. Jiffy Cornbread is my favorite. I also liked the fact that it had garlic powder and cream of chicken soup - two of my favorite ingredients.

Cornbread Dressing

4 packages of cornbread mix (baked per directions and crumbled)
(*Note: 4 packages of Jiffy Muffin Mix will bake in a 10 x 15 x 1 inch jelly roll pan)
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3 cans chicken broth
1 stick butter, melted
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon sage
Dash of garlic

Mix all together in large bowl. Spray 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray. Pour dressing mixture into greased pan. Bake in 400 degree oven for 45 - 60 minutes or until lightly browned and moist in the middle.

I sometimes add the onion and celery to the cornbread when it first bakes. Also at times I have frozen half of the dressing in a smaller pan to cook at a later time....when the "turkey and dressing" cravings come again!

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Gene's Chili

Posted by Donna:

I previously posted a chili recipe back in June. I debated on whether or not to post this one because this is a family recipe. Family recipes are special, and sometimes hard to share. I've mentioned before that my parents were in the grocery store business. Daddy would sell his chili and barbecue out of the store. and quite often, people would pay him to make it for them. He told me he sent some to Australia one time. After making this last week, I finally decided to share his recipe.

4 lbs. ground beef (chili plate)

4 oz. chili powder

1 T. cumin powder

1 whole onion, chopped ( white or yellow)

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Put the meat, chili powder, cumin, onion, and garlic powder in a large pan. Cook on simmer for approximately 1-1/2 hours. Add salt when the chili is almost done--about an hour into the simmering. This recipe makes about four quarts. It's great to freeze and bring out on a cold day.

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Cinnamon Roll Pizza

Posted by Lori:
I've mentioned before that our usual Sunday morning before church breakfast is cinnamon rolls...most of the time out of a can. When I have the time, I occassionally make the YUMMY cinnamon rolls I posted on here earlier, but  a few weeks ago, I didn't have the time or ingredients to do those. However, I did have canned crescent rolls and I happened to think of this particular recipe for Cinnamon Roll Pizza. A friend sent me this recipe several years ago to be included in a camp cookbook I was helping put together. It's been a family favorite ever since.

Cinnamon Roll Pizza

2 packages refrigerated crescent roll dough
1 stick butter or margarine, sofened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll dough into rectangles and arrange on 15" round pizza pan or jelly roll pan (10 x 15 x 1). You may need to tear some of the dough to fit it into all of the gaps. Pinch seams together and flatten with fork. Spread on butter. Slightly roll edges to make a crust edge to keep the butter from running off. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on dough. Bake about 15 minutes or until golden. Add vanilla to powdered sugar. Add milk to powdered sugar a little at a time until the icing reaches desired consistency. Drizzle over "pizza". Slice into 16 slices with pizza cutter.

I get tired of making the same breakfasts day after day so am always excited to find something new. Maybe you are, too. My kids enjoy this pizza a lot. Of course they are always happy when I let them get by on a breakfast that doesn't include 100% whole wheat (which doesn't happen too often)!
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Oven Meatballs

Posted by Donna:

This recipe was given to me by a friend from our congregation several years ago. I haven't fixed it in quite a while. I know Larry wishes I would fix it more often because he really liked it.

1-1/2 lbs. ground meat (super lean)

3 T. chopped onion

2 T. chopped green pepper

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

1/2 cup regular rice

Mix this together and form the meatballs. Place the meatballs in a casserole dish that has a lid.

Sauce:

1 cup ketchup

3 T. wine vinegar

2 T. sugar

1 cup water

Pour the sauce over the meatballs. Cook the meatballs, covered , about 1-1/2 hours in a 350 degree oven. The sauce will thicken a little.

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Peanut Butter Bon-Bons

These bon-bons were the first candy I ever made after my husband and I got married. A church friend made them and I asked her to share the recipe. It appealed to me because of the peanut butter and chocolate combination - two favorites of mine, for sure!

1 pound margarine (4 sticks)
3 pounds powdered sugar
4 cups peanut butter
2 pkgs. chocolate chips
2 T. shortening

Melt butter in large saucepan. Stir in peanut butter until smooth. Leave in the saucepan or transfer to large bowl, then add powdered sugar, mixing well in between additions. Roll mixture into balls. Melt chocolate chips with shortening either over low heat on the stove top or in the microwave. Be careful not to burn the chocolate. Dip balls into chocolate using toothpicks and place on waxed paper to cool. (To cover hole from toothpick, swirl chocolate after removing the toothpick.) After the chocolate hardens, store bon-bons in refrigerator in airtight container.

This makes A LOT. You may want to half the recipe....or send the extras to friends (or to me!).
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Hodge Podge Soup

Posted by Kimberly:

With the weather getting colder, I get in the mood for soups. This soup is very hearty and really easy to make. It is perfect for the cold days ahead!

Hodge Podge Soup:

2 lbs. ground beef
1 1/2 cup yellow onion
1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
2 cans Ranch Style beans
3 cans minestrone soup
2 tsp. chili powder
1 can Rotel
garlic powder

Brown meat with celery and onions and drain. Add all other ingredients together and simmer until hot. See.... I told you it was easy!

This goes great with cornbread and freezes well, too!
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Dr. Pepper Cake

Posted by Lori:
Recently on my devotional blog, I posted a fun poll question: What's Your Favorite Soft Drink? It didn't surprise me that Dr. Pepper was the top rating soft drink.

This Dr. Pepper Cake is a light chocolate type of cake. I've seen mixes for Dr. Pepper Cake for sale in gift shops, but had never bought one. But, when I found the recipe for one, I knew my son, Jacob, would be thrilled. He was! And, since it had marshmallows in it, well....that was just an added bonus. That boy would live on Dr. Pepper and marshmallow if we would let him! (We wouldn't, of course.)

Dr. Pepper Cake
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups flour
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk (I used milk and vinegar)
1 cup Dr. Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients except Dr. Pepper and marshmallows. Blend at low speed for 1 minute, then beat 1 minute at medium speed. Add Dr. Pepper and blend well. Stir in marshmallows. Pour batter into greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake 40 - 50 minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes before frosting.

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 teaspoons cocoa
1/3 cup Dr. Pepper
4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup pecans, chopped (optional - I didn't add these.)

Combine all ingredients, except pecans. Beat until smooth, then sitr in pecans. Frost cooled cake.

As you can see, the marshmallows pretty much stayed on the top of the cake.  I asked the kids if they thought it would be better just leaving them out.  The three boys said "No!" They liked them.  My daughter said, "It had marshmallows?"  She didn't even notice.  This is a fun cake and the icing is great!  And, I think the marshmallows are just an extra bonus.

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Apricot Butter

Posted by Donna:

My last post was Honey Graham Bread. I mentioned that this post would be the Apricot Butter recipe that can be fixed to serve with it.

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened (I used butter.)

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup finely chopped dried apricots

1/4 tsp. grated lemon rind

Beat the butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients, beating until blended.

My husband liked the Apricot Butter more than just plain butter on the bread---which surprised me. I was anxious to see what the three people that I took the bread to thought of it. I talked to one of the ladies this afternoon while we were singing at the Assisted Living Center, and she told me she thought the bread was delicious. I was so glad she liked it.

*****I have also meant to tell everyone that the Key Lime Chicken recipe I posted several weeks back has become my favorite marinade for pork chops. I remember stating that I thought it would be good---believe me it is. Matter of fact, I like it better on the pork chops than the chicken.

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Easy Cinnamon Biscuits

Posted by Lori, but credit to Kimberly, too!
Several years ago, my kids and I were visiting Kimberly (my sister and "3rd Cherry Coke") and her family. She made Cinnamon Biscuits and we all thought they were great! Since that time, we've made them countless times. They're easy because they begin with canned biscuits.

Easy Cinnamon Biscuits

1 can of refrigerated biscuits
1 stick of butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
(See glaze option below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar until blended. Dip each biscuit in melted butter, then into cinnamon/sugar mixture until coated on all sides. (I leave off the butter at times. It doesn't coat the biscuits with the cinnamon/sugar, but it is still good.) Place on baking sheet or in dish and bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

Last May our PTO was feeding breakfast to the school faculty. I was concerned there wouldn't be enough food, so quickly tried to think of easy breakfast dishes. I thought of these cinnamon biscuits, but wanted to do a little something "extra" with them. I cut each biscuit in half and rolled it in a ball before dipping in the cinnamon/sugar mixture (left off the butter). Then, after baking them, I drizzled them with a powdered sugar/milk/vanilla glaze. Everyone wanted to know what those little balls were! They were gone in no time!
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Turtle Cheesecake

Posted by Lori:

I'll just begin by saying that I really, really, REALLY like cheesecake!  They are fun to make, too. I have one I usually make that tastes good, but I haven't gotten the crust just right.  I don't like graham cracker crusts myself, so try different things.  I found a brownie crust that I wanted to try.  So, last week I tried it and combined two other recipes to make this turtle cheesecake.  I made it for a school fundraiser and had lots of compliments on it. It tasted great, looked pretty, and was easy to cut. Cheesecakes are a little time-consuming, but they're sure worth it!

Crust:

1 brownie mix
1 egg
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix above ingredients together. Press into greased springform pan across bottom and up sides. Bake 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool.

Wrap springform pan in aluminum foil, as shown. (I'm sure you could wrap it before making the brownie crust; I just didn't think about it.)

Turtle layer:
1 14-ounce package caramels
1 5-ounce can evaporated milk
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Unwrap caramels.  Cook caramels and evaporated milk in medium saucepan over low-medium heat. Stir frequently until caramels are melted. Reserve half of caramel mixture for top. Pour other half of caramel over brownie crust. Top with mini chocolate chips and pecans.

Cheesecake layer:
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 16-ounce container sour cream

In a large mixing bowl combine cream cheese and brown sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and sour cream until combined. Pour filling into crust and on top of turtle layer.

Baking Cheesecake:
I had never done this next part before, but tried it at several suggestions I had read.  It is supposed to keep the cheesecake from cracking.  Place the cheesecake in the middle of a large roasting pan (I didn't have one). There should be at least an inch of space between the cheesecake and the roasting pan edge.  Pour hot water around pan, up one inch on the sides of the springform pan.  (NOTE:  DO NOT USE A PAN LIKE I DID - DOUGHMAKERS BRAND.  The foil caused it to stain.)  Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees in a preheated oven. Remove cheesecake from water bath and allow to cool completely.  Run knife along edge of cheesecake and remove springform pan ring.

Top Turtle Layer:
Remaining caramel sauce
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Pour remaining caramel sauce on top of cheesecake.  Top with mini chocolate chips and chopped pecans.

Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving.

I laughed as I made this cheesecake because as I unwrapped the caramels, I ate three of them.  So, to make up for that, I took out one teaspoon of the evaporated milk.  I thought I should let you know that in case you have a thing for caramel like I do!
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Honey Graham Bread

Posted by Donna:

This recipe comes from an old Southern Living magazine. I tried it for the first time this week and really liked it.

2 envelopes active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 tsp. sugar
3 cups sifted whole wheat flour
1-1/2 cups milk ( I used 2% milk.)
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2-1/2 to 3 cups bread flour (sifted)

Combine yeast, water and sugar in a 2-cup glass measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes.

Beat yeast mixture, 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour, and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Stir in the remaining 1-1/2 cups wheat flour. Add the bread flour, 1 cup at a time, beating after each addition. Let stand 15 minutes.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and knead 8 minutes. Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease the top.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees) for 1 hour until the dough has doubled in bulk. It took my dough exactly an hour to do this. Punch the dough down, and divide it into 2 equal portions. Shape each portion into a loaf; place the loaves into 2 greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans.

Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes---until doubled in bulk again.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes; cover loosely with foil and bake 15 more minutes. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.

This bread turned out so well. It has just the right amount of sweetness. I ended up cutting one loaf into thirds and sharing it with three people from our congregation. I baked this two days ago, and it's still very moist. I was surprised that it wasn't heavy, as some breads can be. I do think kneading it for 8 minutes made a difference.

My next post will be the Apricot Butter that I made to go along with the bread.
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Potato Skins

Posted by Lori:
On the night before Thanksgiving my husband's family has a big get-together. It begins at the church building for the regular monthly singing night and ends at my in-laws house with food and games. Lots of food! Lots of games! And, lots of people - around 35-40!

Family members bring all kinds of foods, each have those they are "expected" to bring. Each year I cook a lot of appetizers for that evening.....oh, and sugar cookies (100 of them!). Now that my kids are older, they are big helpers and even have their "designated" appetizers they make each year to help me out. Our oldest, Lauren, has become the "Potato Skin" maker for this particular night. I make them for other things throughout the year...and especially from Thanksgiving through Christmas and on to New Year's.

These Potato Skins are something I began making many years ago. I had heard of them, but never eaten them, so I didn't realize they are usually fried. I just bake these and we think they're great!

Potato Skins

3 pounds of potatoes (I like the small ones...these were red, but regular are good, too)
1/2 stick melted butter
8 - 10 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2 - 3 cups shredded cheddar (or colby-jack) cheese
Sour cream, if desired
Salt
Pepper

Wash potatoes and place in foil lined 9 x 13 baking dish. Drizzle melted butter over the top.  Sprinkle with salt and cover with lid or foil.  Bake for 2 hours at 400 degrees.  (NOTE:  We think our oven is kind of slow...it's old!....so you might not need that long.)

Remove from oven and let set, covered, for 30 -45 minutes to cool down.  Slice in half lengthwise.

Carefully scoop out centers using small spoon, being careful not to go all the way through the skins.  I save the scooped out potato and make  potato casserole or potato soup.  Fill skins now or cover and refrigerate to fill when needed.

Sprinkle skins with salt and pepper.  Fill skins with shredded cheese and top with bacon bits.  Some people might prefer the cheese only so I usually leave some without if I'm taking it to a group event.  Now you can bake them or cover and refrigerate them until you need them.  Bake for 15 - 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serve with sour cream to dollop on top, if desired!

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Caramel Brownies

Posted by Kimberly:

A couple of years after my husband and I moved to Lubbock, I went to Bunco at a friend's house from church. For dessert she served brownies. Let me just say that these were the best brownies I had ever eaten! Why, you might ask? Because they had caramel in the middle!!! Need I say more???


Caramel Brownies:


2/3 cup butter, melted
1 can evaporated milk
1 cup pecans, optional
14 oz. caramels (Do not use all of the caramels. Take out 10.)
1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1 pkg. German chocolate cake mix


Mix cake mix, soft butter, and 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Spread half of dough in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Cook for 6 minutes. Melt caramels in 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Pour over brownies. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and chopped nuts over caramel. Spread the rest of the dough over the top and cook 18 minutes. Do not overcook. (My recipe doesn't have an oven temperature, so I am guessing 350ish.)


This dough is real thick and has to be patted into the pan and on the top of pecans and chocolate chips.


This is one brownie - actually probably the only brownie - that ISN'T better served warm. Just a funny story to explain why..... Several years ago when I was still teaching, I raved about these brownies at school to the point that one teacher wanted to try them. So, I made some for her and her family and took them over to them as soon as they came out of the oven. The next day at school, I asked her what she thought. I could tell that she wasn't that impressed with them. I just couldn't imagine why! Well, the following day, she stopped me and said, "Those brownies were amazing!" What made the difference? The first day, she ate them while they were still warm and the caramel blended in with the chocolate. However, the second day, they were cool and that is when the caramel really stands out. Who knew???!!


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Fun Idea - Soup in a Bread Bowl

Posted by Lori:

Today was another cold-ish, wet day in southwest Oklahoma. We've had quite a few of them lately....perfect "soup" weather!

Years ago when I worked part-time in Altus (about 30 minutes away), I would go to a local bakery at noon and order their "Soup in a Bread Bowl". It was a sure way to warm me up on cold winter days, and the benefit of being able to eat the bread after eating the soup was extra fun! I haven't eaten soup like that in years, but last week, when I stopped by the grocery store (also in Altus), I noticed they were selling soup bread bowls. I picked up four of them - that's all they had - to use sometime this week. It worked out okay to only have four of them because my husband is out of town and I didn't want the bread anyway.

Soup in a Bread Bowl

These looked HUGE, but once the middles are out, it makes a perfect size to hold the soup.

Using a large serrated knife or bread knife, slice the top off of the bread - about 1/3 down from the top.

Using a smaller serrated knife, cut a circle around the bread about 1/2 inch from the edge.  Be careful not to go too low or you will poke a hole in the bottom of the bread.

Pull out the middle of the bread, leaving 1/2 inch in the bottom and all the way around.  I saved my crumbs and will give them to my mother-in-law to freeze for her Thanksgiving dressing.  I don't like to waste food!

I placed the bread on this large sheet pan and covered it all with foil, but you could wrap each bread bowl in foil individually, being careful not to smash them.  Heat them in the oven until time to serve.  I put the oven on warm about an hour before time to eat, but you could do a hotter temperature for a shorter amount of time.

Serve with your favorite soup.  I served my kids potato soup and a Mexican beef soup.  YUMMY!

The kids were soooooo excited about eating their soup out of the bread bowls. They didn't really like the bread itself (it didn't have much flavor), but they thought the whole concept was really neat. Plus, I took extra time to garnish each bowl and make it pretty for them, which they really thought was neat. Homemade bread bowls would be great. Maybe I'll try that....someday....:)
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Key Lime Pie

Posted by Donna:

For years I had heard of Key Lime Pie, and knowing that it was green absolutely turned me off completely. Green is my favorite color, but in a pie-----no, thank you. However, the year I retired from teaching, my mind was changed about the pie. A teacher friend was going to Weight Watchers at the time, and brought this pie to school for our team to try. To my shock, I really liked it. I fixed it several times for Larry and me. He wasn't that thrilled about it, but I enjoyed it very much.

1 small box sugar-free lime-flavored gelatin

1/4 cup boiling water

2 ( 8 oz.) containers key lime pie-flavored light yogurt

1 container ( 8 oz.) frozen fat free whipped topping, thawed

1 prepared 9" reduced-fat graham cracker pie crust (I couldn't find the reduced-fat graham cracker pie crust, so I used the regular.)

In a large heat-resisitant bowl, dissolve the gelatin in boiling water. With a wire whisk, stir in the yogurt. Next, fold in the whipped topping with a wooden spoon.

Pour the mixture into the graham cracker crust; refrigerate overnight, or at least for 3 or 4 hours.

I haven't made this in a while because it's been lost among all my "tried" recipes. I stumbled into it a couple of months ago and, as usual, wondered why I haven't made this. Of course, the answer is simple, I've become very lazy in my "golden years."

I haven't done this, but I'm sure the lime flavor could be switched out very easily to another flavor.

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New Orleans Potatoes

Posted by Lori:

This is recipe came from some friends of ours. It's delicious! Our friends are houseparents at a children's home where my husband also works (Tipton Home). This dish is something their boys always request for church dinners or at other times when we feed a group of teens.

New Orleans Potatoes

12 small new potatoes
8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces sour cream
1 stick butter
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
4-5 chopped green onion stalks
1 package bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
Black and cayenne pepper to taste
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and chop potatoes. Boil in large pot of salted water until tender. Drain and mash potatoes with electric mixer. Add cream cheese, sour cream, and butter. Mix until creamy. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and green onion. Add both kinds of pepper and salt, to taste. Spoon into a buttered 13 x 9 inch casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and dust with a small amount of cayenne pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

I'm sure you could make this dish early and refrigerate it until ready to bake, but of course the baking time would need to be increased somewhat.

You know what the best part of this recipe is? Where it says, "to taste". That means you get to sample the dish several times until you get the salt and pepper flavor just right! My son, Zachary thinks he is the "official tester" wherever potatoes are being made!
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Chicken Lasagna

Posted & Created by Lori:Years ago I found a recipe for chicken lasagna. I thought it sounded good, but didn't care for a lot of the ingredients it used. So, at that time, I began to create my own version of the dish. After a few years, I got it exactly how it seemed like it should be. Whenever I make this for any large group, it's always a favorite and have people ask for the recipe.

Chicken Lasagna
(This recipe is a 3cherrycokes' original recipe!)
2 1/2 pounds chicken
1 (26 ounce) family sized cream of chicken soup (regular or fat free)
1 can (14 ounces) chicken broth
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 - 6 ounce package (not jar, unless 100% real and fresh) grated Parmesean cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2-3 cups Colby/Jack Cheese, grated
9 noodles, uncooked (regular or whole wheat)

Place chicken (I use frozen chicken, but of course fresh is fine.) in large pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil with medium high heat. Cook chicken in boiling water for about 20 minutes or until no longer pink (I did hear a tip today about cooking chicken in broth instead of water, which would give it even more flavor. I'll be trying that soon!) Drain water off of chicken.

At this point I remove the small amount of fat from the chicken. Shred or chop chicken into small pieces and return to large pot. Add soup, can of broth, Parmesean cheese, garlic powder, and evaporated milk. Cook over medium heat until cheese melts. Stir frequently.

In 9 x 13 casserole dish, lay down 3 lasagna noodles. Sometimes I will break off noodles and place at the ends if there is too much space (depends on which casserole dish I use whether this is needed or not). With ladle or measuring cup, pour 1/3 of chicken and soup mixture over noodles. Top with 1 cup or a little less of Colby/Jack cheese. Place another layer of noodles over the mixture (also adding extra broken noodle pieces of needed). Add another 1/3 of chicken soup mixture, another layer of cheese. Repeat all three layers for one last time.

At this point you may bake the lasagna for 1 - 1 1/2 hours at 325 degrees or refrigerate it or freeze it to bake later on. If the lasagna seems to brown too quickly, cover it will foil and allow it to cook longer.

I serve this and the Beef Lasagna for several different functions throughout the school year. It serves a lot, it's very easy to make in advance and freeze, and most people seem to like it.

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Old-Fashioned Cornbread

Posted by Donna:
This recipe belonged to my Grandmother Nell. It's simple, quick, but oh, so good.

1 cup buttermilk
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda
1 T. oil
1 egg
2 T. sugar (optional) I like my cornbread without the sugar, but most of my family likes it with the sugar added. Grandmother's recipe did not include the sugar.

Before mixing the ingredients, pour 2 T. oil in the skillet and put it in a 450 degree oven. Let this get hot while you hand mix the cornbread ingredients. Take the skillet out and pour the batter into the hot oil and bake for about 20 minutes.

It is simple, as I said, but what a treat with a huge dollop of butter to go along with it--- or red beans, or stew, or black-eyed peas. Come to think of it, it's a treat with just about anything.
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Honey Bun Cake

Posted by Lori:

Well, my husband is continuing his recent baking hobby by providing his co-workers with a weekly treat of some sort. Today at noon he came home and made a cake for them to enjoy this afternoon. He said it got great reviews, so I decided to share it with you today. I'm thinking his co-workers must be really excited about his new hobby!

HONEY BUN CAKE

1 yellow cake mix
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, oil, eggs, and sour cream. Stir by hand until most of the large lumps are gone. Pour half of the batter into an ungreased 9 x 13 inch cake pan. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the batter in the cake pan. Spoon the other half of the batter into the cake pan, covering the brown sugar and cinnamon. Swirl the cake with a butter knife until it looks like a honey bun. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. While cake is baking make glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Pour glaze over the cake while it is still warm.

Can be made in a Bundt pan. If doing a Bundt cake, grease and flour the pan. Sprinkle some of the cinnamon/brown sugar mixture in the Bundt pan BEFORE the first layer of cake batter, as well as in between the two cake batter layers. Also, you will not need all of the glaze for a Bundt cake.

Because of the cool, rainy fall weather we've been having, this cake seems like the perfect treat. The cake is great at any temperature, but my husband says it's best warm.

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Chicken Spinach Tortilla Pizzas

Posted by Kimberly

I had already planned to post this recipe before my sister did her "Oroweat Sandwich Thin Pizza", which, by the way, I thought was a great idea! I have my own healthy version of a pizza that is very easy and filling. The best part about it, though, is that I don't have any guilt about eating it!!!!

Chicken Spinach Tortilla Pizza

2-4 whole wheat or whole grain flour tortillas

jar spaghetti sauce

1-2 cooked chicken breasts, cubed or shredded (I boil and shred mine.)

1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil

salt, to taste

grated mozzarella cheese

grated Parmesan cheese

Pour approximately 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil into a pan. Add minced garlic being careful not to burn. Cook for a minute or two and then add thawed spinach and chicken. Cook until well-blended and warm. Add salt to taste. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Place tortillas on cookie sheet and top with desired amount of your favorite spaghetti sauce. Next, add spinach and chicken mixture. (You decide how much you want on each pizza.) Top with mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake in a 450 degree oven until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Of course, you could add any topping you like. In our family, my husband prefers his with chicken only, and my kids prefer theirs on a regular flour tortilla with mozzarella and cheddar.

Enjoy!!!

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Taco Salad

Posted by Lori:
I grew up eating taco salad quite often and it is one of my families favorite meals. I like it because it's a quick and easy one-dish meal. All four of our kids like it, but the three boys don't like tomatoes at all. So, I just chop up the tomatoes and my husband, daughter, and I add them to our own bowls. 

TACO SALAD

1 pound hamburger meat
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Few dashes of salt and pepper
1 can ranch style beans (undrained)
1 head lettuce (I use half iceberg and half leaf)
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 bag tortilla chips
1 bottle Catalina dressing (I buy the large one, but you will only need 1/2 of it or less)

Brown hamburger meat with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper in medium skillet on medium-high heat.  Drain grease on paper towels.  Return meat to skillet and add can of ranch style beans. Simmer on low while preparing other salad ingredients. Chop lettuce into bite-sized pieces.  Place in large bowl.  Add cheddar cheese and tomatoes.  Crush 1/2 bag of tortilla chips in large ziplock bag.  Add to lettuce mixture and stir well.  Just before serving add meat and beans to lettuce mixture. Stir.  Pour dressing over salad and stir once more before seving.

I double this recipe for my family of six, but we do have some left over.  I used to throw it out if we had a little left over, but didn't want to waste it.  I decided to try to reheat it in the microwave and my husband and I both like it this way!  The meat heats quicker because of the fat content.  Although the lettuce gets warm, it still tastes good.  We do think that the leaf lettuce isn't as good when it's reheated as is the iceberg variety....probably because it's thin and more delicate.

A note about the dressing:  Last year the Catalina dressing changed to "new and improved".  I think it seems hotter now (peppery-hot) and don't like it as well.  My family doesn't notice the difference.  Most of the time I purchase the fat free.  It's more like the "old" Catalina, so I like it better.  Wonder why they change formulas like that?????? 

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Tiger Tea

Posted by Donna:

I tried this recipe for the first time this weekend. About three years ago, a family friend told me she fixed this beverage for a group of friends and that everyone really enjoyed it. For some reason last week I decided it would be fun to try it out; and since our daughter and her family were coming for the weekend, I thought they could tell me whether it was a keeper or not.


3 qt. water, divided
6 individual tea bags (I used green tea just because that's what I had on hand.)
3/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate
3/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup sugar

In a large pan, bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Remove from heat, and add the tea bags. Let the bags steep for 5 minutes. Discard the tea bags. Stir in the lemonade and orange juice concentrates, sugar and remaining 2 qt. of water. ( I tasted the tea after adding only 1-1/2 qt. of water and liked the taste without the full 2 qt. of water.) Either way is fine, though. Serve over ice. I also think this would be a very good hot tea.

We all thought it had a very good taste. Our nine year old grandson probably liked it more than anyone. It is something that I will definitely make again soon. The taste reminds me somewhat of the spiced tea mix that was so popular years ago that used Tang. I guess that's why I want to try it as a hot tea.

Our grandson told me to tell everyone that if you drink this Tiger Tea, you will grow a Tiger's Tail!!!!!!!!! I told him I would be sure and post his comment along with the recipe. So, if you're brave enough to try this recipe, just remember we warned you!!!!!!!!!! Pin It Now!

Pumpkin Pancakes with Caramel-Pecan Sauce

This weekend I attended the 30th Annual Ladies' Fall Retreat at Quartz Mountain Christian Camp near Lone Wolf, Oklahoma. Now, when you think of camp food, many of you might not think of "good" food; however, at QMCC, the food for the ladies' retreat isn't just good - it's great!

For breakfast this morning there were four choices of pancakes: plain, chocolate chip (or maybe M & M), blueberry, and pumpkin. There was regular syrup available, plus blueberry syrup, and then a special caramel pecan sauce. That caramel pecan sauce was sooooo good on top of the pumpkin pancakes.

PUMPKIN PANCAKES
2 cups Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake Mix (my favorite brand!)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 1/4 cups cold water
1/2 cup canned pumpkin

In medium bowl, stir together pancake mix, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Add water and canned pumpkin. Stir with a whisk until blended. Pour slightly less than ¼ cup batter per pancake onto lightly greased and preheated 375°F griddle (medium heat). Cook 1-1 ¼ minutes per side, turning only once.

CARAMEL-PECAN SAUCE
1 cup caramel topping
1 cup shredded coconut (optional)
1 cup pecans
a splash of milk

In a small saucepan on medium heat, toast nuts and coconut until lightly browned. Stir in caramel. Bring back to a simmer, remove from heat and add milk while stirring. Let sit while you make the pancakes and the sauce will thicken a bit.

I asked the "chefs" about the pancakes and they told me the ingredients. I found this recipe on the Krusteaz website to share with you. I didn't even notice the coconut in the sauce and others didn't either. In fact, many of us were surprised that it was even there! It would be fine to leave it out if you didn't want to use it. Enjoy!

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Oroweat Sandwich Thins Pizza

Posted by Lori:
Have you tried the new Oroweat Sandwich Thins? They are healthy, low fat, and low cal (100 calories for both pieces), but they also taste great. Their texture makes them seem very filling - much more so than just a regular slice of bread.

On Tuesdays our local grocery store sells mini pizzas for $1.99. A few times a month we order the pizzas for the kids and take them to school for their lunch. I guess last week when I was ordering theirs, it made me crave pizza, too, so I figured out a healthy variety for myself for lunch that day. The mini pizza was great!

OROWEAT SANDWICH THIN PIZZA

1 Oroweat Sandwich Thin (I used whole wheat)
2 tablespoons pizza sauce
2 slices Canadian bacon, cut in small pieces
1/4 c. shredded mozzarella (I didn't have low fat at the time.)

Seperate the sandwich thin into the two pieces. Spread 1 tablespoon pizza sauce on each piece. Top with Canadian bacon and cheese (or cheese and then Canadian bacon - depending on your preference.) Bake at 350 degrees on small cookie sheet for 10 - 15 minutes. TOTAL: CALORIES-215; FAT-6.5 grams (would be less w/low-fat cheese).

When these pizzas first came out of the oven I folded them in half to make them easier to eat walking around the house straightening up. The cheese caused it to stick together and it was so thin it made it's own little "pizza pocket"!

I first found out about these sandwich thins while visiting my sister, Kimberly in Lubbock, Texas. Unfortunately, when I got back to Oklahoma, I couldn't find them in our closest supermarkets. Since then I've found them about an hour away. Can you find them near you? If so, try these healthier mini pizzas!
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Meatloaf

Posted by Donna:

Whenever I ask Larry what he wants for a meal, his answer is always "meatloaf." He grew up eating it regularly; so, I guess that's where he developed his love for it. We have a very good Tea Room here in Altus that I enjoy. Larry swallows his pride and goes with me just because they always have meatloaf as a choice on the menu. I think that's why several of the men are more than happy to go there as well.

This is the recipe I always use when making this just for the two of us.

1-1/2 pounds super lean ground beef
1 egg
1 can Hunts tomato sauce
2 T. ketchup
Almost 1/3 cup of chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
8 crushed saltine crackers
salt/pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients together and put in a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour and fifteen minutes. Take the meatloaf out and cover the top of the meatloaf with the following sauce:

1/3 cup tomato sauce
2 or 3 T. ketchup
About 1/4 cup brown sugar

The measurements for the sauce are approximates. I always start out with the sauce, then do a handful of brown sugar and a couple or three squirts of ketchup. The best thing to do is add and taste to your liking.

Once the meatloaf has been covered with the sauce, place the meatloaf back in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

Larry's not big on leftovers; but, he loves meatloaf sandwiches. We never have any waste on meatloaf.


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