Teriyaki Chicken

Last week while shopping at Sam's Club, I found some really great cookbooks. Not only are the recipes outstanding, but the illustrations are beautiful. I flipped through the pages of all four volumes and decide to buy my mom two of them for Mother's Day. I knew Mom would really like the new cookbooks and she would have lots of new things to make and post on them on here (and they I could have the recipes, too!)

At that same time I was also trying to decide what to cook for a teacher's luncheon (in Celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week). One recipe in particular, caught my eye: Teriyaki Chicken Barbeque. So, basically, I used Mom's gift before giving it to her!  I told her that today as she opened the gift. 

I used a huge shortcut in this chicken recipe for the teacher's lunch last week, but it was a favorite of so many of the teachers and I've had numerous requests for the recipe. I've told them that my version is so simple, I'm almost ashamed to tell them about it!  I'll share my version under the following the original recipe.

CHICKEN TERIYAKI BARBEQUE
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
2 cloves garlic, crushed

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6-8 pineapple rings
6-8 red or green pepper rings
2 tablespoons cornstarch, optional

Combine soy sauce, honey, and garlic. Reserve half of this marinade, covering the chicken with the rest. Refrigerate 6-10 hours. Drain marinade off chicken and discard. Cook chicken on the grill until almost done. Then place 1 breast, 1 slice of pineapple, and 1 pepper ring on top of a piece of foil. Spoon a small amount of reserved marinade on top. Seal foil and grill for 20 minutes more. If desired, make a sauce with reserved marinade by adding 2 teaspoons cornstarch to it, stirring over medium heat until smooth and thickened slightly.

MY SUPER-EASY VERSION OF TERIYAKI CHICKEN
1 package (use 6-8 breasts) frozen mesquite grilled chicken breasts (I used Member's Mark brand from Sam's Club. It is very good. I'm really picky about already cooked chicken and have never liked any in the past. It's nice to have found a good product with great taste.)
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
garlic powder (I used 1-2 teaspoons, but just sprinkled it in)
6-8 pineapple rings
6-8 bell pepper rings (I used green)

Place chicken breasts in large casserole dish. Pineapple and bell pepper can be added to the chicken or, what I did, since I was feeding about 50 people, was put them in a seperate container to cook - knowing that some would prefer not to have it at all. Pour marinade over the top of the chicken and some over the pineapples/bell peppers (if doing seperately). Cover dishes with foil and cook 350 degrees until chicken is thawed and heated thoroughly - probably 1 1/2 - 2 hours from frozen...less if thawed. PINEAPPLE/BELL PEPPER WON'T NEED TO COOK AS LONG IF DOING SEPERATELY.

Leftover grilled chicken would be great to use in this recipe. I didn't thicken the sauce, but that would be good to do, as well.
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Oven-Baked Chicken Fingers

Posted by Donna:
This has become a favorite meal for us. Even though Larry isn't too fond of chicken, he always compliments these.

This recipe is what I do for just the two of us---without any leftovers.

1 cup Panko crumbs

3 heaping T. grated Parmesan cheese

3 heaping T. shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

2 large skinless chicken breasts

a little garlic powder or minced garlic (to your liking)

Preheat the oven to 425 degress.

Combine the Panko crumbs, grated cheese, and shredded cheese. I put this on a paper plate.
Combine the olive oil and garlic in a bowl.

Flatten the two chicken breasts with a mallet to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the breasts into strips, about an inch or so wide. I usually get 6 - 8 strips, depending on the size of the breasts. Next, dip the strips into the oil/garlic mixture; then into the panko crumb/cheese mixture. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for about 20 minutes on each side. Some ovens may only take 15 minutes for each side. They should be a golden brown.

Serve with ranch dressing, ketchup, barbecue sauce, or honey mustard----or all by themselves. They're good regardless.
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Recipe for Stinky Shoes

Photo from http://health.kaboose.com/kids-health/older-kids-deodorant-skin-feet.html.

Posted by Lori:
This is a very different type of "recipe" but has become a favorite in our house (unfortunately!) lately.  I will not humiliate the offendant in the family, but I will say that it's not me this time.  This is a recipe to get rid of stinky shoes! My husband heard this idea on the radio recently and it has really helped with our "stinky shoe" problem.  YAY!

Directions:
1. Remove stinky shoes from the offendant's feet - your own, your spouses', or your child's.
2. Instruct offendant to wash their feet with soap and water to remove odor.  Towel dry and maybe apply some freshly scented lotion.
3. Place stinky shoes in  plastic zip bag to lock in freshness odor.  
4. Place zip-top bag inside a grocery bag.
5. Tie up bag.
6. Place bag in the freezer overnight or 24 hours if extremely rank!
7. Remove fresh-smelling shoes. Discard bag or recycle, if desired.
8.  If you are a child, thank your parent for remedying your smelly shoe situation.

And there you go! A recipe for stinky shoes that is guaranteed to work!
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Recipes for Cinco de Mayo

Posted by Lori:
FYI #1:  Did you know that Cinco de Mayo is more celebrated in American than in Mexico?  I didn't either until I prepared a lesson about Mexico for Dr. Seuss Day!  You can read about this celebration at our elementary schoolhere.

FYI # 2:  Most people don't know that back in 1912, Hellmann's mayonnaise wasmanufactured in England. In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars ofthe condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico, which was to bethe next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York.This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise everdelivered to Mexico. But as we know, the great ship did not make it to NewYork. The ship hit an iceberg and sank, and the cargo was forever lost.The people of Mexico, who were crazy about mayonnaise, and were eagerlyawaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss. Their anguish was sogreat, that they declared a National Day of Mourning, which they stillobserve to this day.The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5th and is known, ofcourse, as Sinko de Mayo.

FYI #3:  The FYI #1 is TRUE; FYI #2 is FALSE, of course :).

Well, in honor of Cinco de Mayo, I've decided to list all of our Mexican food recipes.  Maybe you will want to have a Mexican Fiesta on this special day.  We have several, but there's no recipe listed for rice.  In my opinion, the Lipton Rice and Sauce Spanish variety can't be beat - plus it's quick and easy.  Ole'!

Sibyl's Mexican Dish
Mexican Hot Dog
Sopapillas
Ranch Style Refried Beans
Mexicali Crock Pot Chicken
Taco Soup (Weight Watchers)
Cherry Enchiladas
Bean Dip Appetizer
Cheese 'n Chicken Enchiladas
Restaurant Style Queso
Sopapilla Cheesecake
Mexican Casserole (by Donna)
Mexican Casserole (by Kim) These 2 are the same, but their ideas will be a little different.
Mexicali Chicken Casserole
Chicken Enchilada Soup

OLE'!

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Strawberries and Cream Twinkie Cake

Posted & Created by Lori:

(This is a 3cherrycokes' original recipe!)

Have you ever eaten "Twinkie Cake"?  Years ago I worked for an ophthalmologist, and for his birthday, I decided to make a Twinkie Cake.  The problem is, that I didn't decide this until late one night and we only have one convenience store in our small town that is open late (until 11:00).  We do have one grocery store, but it closes much earlier.  I sent my hubby to get Twinkies for me.  I needed 13 of them, so he had to get 14 of the two-per-package Twinkies.  That Twinkie cake ended up costing me $13.00, just for the Twinkies - not to mention all of the other ingredients!

Most Twinkie Cake recipes have crushed pineapple.  Most of our children don't like pineapple, so I came up with my own recipe, using things we all like.  It's definitely a keeper.  In fact, one of our sons has requested it for his up-coming birthday.  He said it's his favorite cake - EVER!

Strawberries and Cream Twinkie Cake

14 Twinkies (One box has 10, so you'll need 2 boxes)

2 small boxes (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding

2 cups milk

2 cans sweetened condensed milk

2 - 10 ounce containers of frozen strawberries in syrup (drained, but reserve juice if desired for topping)

1 cup sour cream

1 large carton whipped cream

Layer Twinkies in the bottom of 9 x 13 dish.  I turned the end ones upside down since the dish curved inward.

In mixing bowl, mix together 2 packages of instant pudding and 2 cups of milk.  Stir well until pudding dissolves.

Add 2 cans of sweetened condensed milk (I used Eagle Brand.)  Chill mixture in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Drain strawberries to remove juice. I was excited to use this tiny colander I got from a Secret Pal a few years ago. Little kitchen gadgets are fun (I'm easily amused!).

Add 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup whipped cream to chilled pudding mixture.  Blend well.

Stir in drained strawberries.

The mixture might be prettier if you added a few drops of red food coloring to make a light pink color.  I didn't add any, though.

Pour strawberries and cream mixture over Twinkies.

Top with a thin layer of whipped cream.  Your casserole dish or pan might be more square on the ends, allowing room for more whipped cream.  Mine was very full!

Chill several hours...or at least a little while!  It would probably be best to chill at least 8 hours, but in our family, nothing is going to chill that long without getting sampled!

Serve with reserved strawberry juice, if desired.  One of our children thought it needed more strawberry taste, so this leftover juice would probably satisfy their taste buds.  You might like it that way, too.

My original plan was to add some sliced bananas over the cream mixture, but I ran out of room.  I have a larger casserole dish that would allow room for that and there's enough cream mixture I would have to add anything else.  It would just be thinner.  Also, I would probably add 2 more Twinkies to the dish, as well, if made in the larger dish. You could add other fruits, as well.

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Back Burner Dinner

Posted by Donna:

This recipe has been around for many, many years. It will usually be listed as Hobo Dinner. I've fixed the Hobo Dinner many times when you wrap everything in foil---then bake it in the oven. I had to drum up a lot of nerve to make this when I saw that you don't discard the bacon grease. I don't do grease!!!!!! However, since you dilute it with water, I decided to go ahead a make it. The taste is wonderful. This version of the Hobo Dinner was in one of my mother's old cookbooks that was printed in 1986 by the Harmon County Extension Homemakers Council. Everyone was still cooking in grease back then.

There are no measurements--which really you don't need them. I did two patties and four pieces of bacon since I was feeding two people.

Back Burner Dinner

Bacon strips

Ground beef patties

Potatoes, sliced

Carrots, sliced

Onions, sliced

Green bell peppers, sliced

Salt (to taste)

Pepper (to taste)

In an 8 - 10 inch skillet, very lightly brown a layer of bacon strips. Do not drain. (Eek!!!!! This really killed me not to do this.) Put a layer of ground beef patties, a layer of sliced potatoes, a layer of sliced carrots, a layer of sliced or chopped onions and green peppers, salting and peppering as you go. Add enough hot water to just cover the top layer. Put a lid over it and set it on the "back burner" and simmer for at least one hour.

You don't have to use the back burner, as you know. I used my front burner; but it makes sense to use the back one while you prepare another sidedish, if desired. I did simmer mine for exactly one hour. Forty-five minutes would have been fine for mine.

Everything will be cooked to the very, very soft stage. The flavor of the watered down bacon grease is wonderful. You can taste the right amount of bacon seasoning in all the ingredients. I felt like I needed to go walk about five miles to get that grease out of my system. I will definitely make this again----after I have my cholesterol checked and see that it is within normal limits.

I knew Larry would like it because of the peppers and onions. I love the old cookbooks. Those cooks knew what was good and knew how to cook.



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A TIP FOR WASHING SPUDS

Are you baking potatoes for a large group? Instead of washing them one by one, wash them in the dishwasher. Place potatoes in the top rack and wash - without detergent, of course. Some sites suggest the top rack only, but at church fellowship meals, we use the bottom rack as well, without a problem. If you have a quick rinse feature, that would be best.

Here's a funny story about dishwasher-washed potatoes:
Several years ago my niece was in charge of a college retreat to be held at the church's college building. She washed the potatoes and wrapped them in foil a few days before the event. When she got ready to begin baking them, she happened to unwrap one of them and saw that it had molded!

So....the moral of this story is if you don't intend to use your potatoes immediately, do not wrap them in foil, but allow them to dry completely. My niece had to make a flying trip to the grocery store, then hand wash all of the newly purchased potatoes and get them into the ovens quickly.  But she and her college friends had a good laugh about their predicament!
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