This is a perennial favorite at all family gatherings. I like to make this up ahead of time and put all the ingredients in a gallon ziploc bag. This makes it really easy to toss. Right before serving, I put in the bowl (looks very nice in a glass bowl, since it is so colorful) and then pour the dressing over and toss.
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh broccoli, cut into florets
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1 C (4 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
1.5 oz real bacon bits
2-3 oz dried cranberries or cherries
1/4 C dried sunflower seeds
1/2 C sugar
1 C mayonnaise
2 T apple cider vinegar
In a small shaker (I love to use my Tupperware Quick Shake Container), combine sugar, mayonnaise and apple cider vinegar; mix until the sugar dissolves and mixture is smooth. Refrigerate until time to serve. I find that it is best to refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Place broccoli, red onion, cheese, bacon, cherries and sunflower seeds in a salad bowl (or gallon ziploc bag). Refrigerate.
Just before serving pour enough dressing over salad to coat and toss; be sure to shake the dressing first to ensure that it remains mixed. I generally have about 1/4 c dressing left.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Shredded Chicken Sandwiches
A couple years back, I decided for one of our family get togethers that instead of our usual sloppy joes, I would serve shredded chicken sandwiches. I could not find a recipe that I liked, so I experimented. The result is a definite crowd pleaser in my family. This is a frequent request and whenever I make this, I can count on my son to eat 5 to 6 sandwiches. The other great thing about this dish is that it cooks on low in the crockpot, so you can mix the night before, and then your biggest problem is remembering to put it on before you leave in the morning or while you are getting ready for your guests. Feel free to experiment with cheeses and seasonings. Depending on what I have on hand, I have added asiago cheese to the mixture as well. This is also a perfect way to use leftovers if you have leftover chicken from a previous meal. I hope your family enjoys!
Ingredients:
3 to 4 chicken breasts
2 T lemon juice
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 C sour cream
1/3 cup 1% milk
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp onion salt
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp pepper
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp season salt
Poach the chicken breasts. I have found the easiest way to do this is to clean and cut up the chicken into bite size chunks. Put into a 2 quart microwable bowl, add lemon juice and cover with water, so liquid is about 1 inch above the chicken. Microwave on high for about 8 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Let cool. Rinse and pat dry.
Shred or chop cooled chicken. I like to use my Pampered Chef Food Chopper, one of my favorite kitchen tools. Put into large crockpot.
Add cream of chicken soup, sour cream, garlic salt, onion salt, season salt, pepper, paprika, and parmesan. Mix well. Add 1/3 cup milk to make the mixture slightly creamy. Cook in the crockpot on low, at least 3 - 4 hours.
Ingredients:
3 to 4 chicken breasts
2 T lemon juice
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 C sour cream
1/3 cup 1% milk
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp onion salt
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp pepper
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp season salt
Poach the chicken breasts. I have found the easiest way to do this is to clean and cut up the chicken into bite size chunks. Put into a 2 quart microwable bowl, add lemon juice and cover with water, so liquid is about 1 inch above the chicken. Microwave on high for about 8 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Let cool. Rinse and pat dry.
Shred or chop cooled chicken. I like to use my Pampered Chef Food Chopper, one of my favorite kitchen tools. Put into large crockpot.
Add cream of chicken soup, sour cream, garlic salt, onion salt, season salt, pepper, paprika, and parmesan. Mix well. Add 1/3 cup milk to make the mixture slightly creamy. Cook in the crockpot on low, at least 3 - 4 hours.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Tortellini Soup
This recipe is an easy, crowd pleaser for potlucks and cold winter nights...and only takes 20 minutes to prepare and serve.
Ingredients:
1 T butter
2 cloves garlic
3 cans chicken broth
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 package cheese tortellini (can either be fresh or frozen)
1 package frozen chopped spinach
parmesan cheese
In a large stockpot, melt the butter. Finely mince or press garlic, and then add to the butter and saute, be careful not to burn. During this step, add 2 T of water to the spinach and microwave for 2 minutes on high, drain.
To the garlic, add the chicken broth, stewed tomatoes, tortellini, and spinach. Cook on medium high heat, until it starts to boil, then cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle parmesan cheese over soup before serving. This is great reheated, although sometimes you will need to add another can of chicken broth, as the tortellini absorbs the broth.
Ingredients:
1 T butter
2 cloves garlic
3 cans chicken broth
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 package cheese tortellini (can either be fresh or frozen)
1 package frozen chopped spinach
parmesan cheese
In a large stockpot, melt the butter. Finely mince or press garlic, and then add to the butter and saute, be careful not to burn. During this step, add 2 T of water to the spinach and microwave for 2 minutes on high, drain.
To the garlic, add the chicken broth, stewed tomatoes, tortellini, and spinach. Cook on medium high heat, until it starts to boil, then cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle parmesan cheese over soup before serving. This is great reheated, although sometimes you will need to add another can of chicken broth, as the tortellini absorbs the broth.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Baked Asparagus
Happy New Year to everyone. Hope 2012 is starting off well for everyone. Yesterday, my son did the Polar Bear Plunge for the second year in a row. While I do not see myself doing that any time soon, it does cause me to reflect on my life -- and resolve to take risks and try to live each day to the fullest.
My husband loves asparagus, the kids not so much, but they will begrudgingly eat this dish. Over the years, I have steamed asparagus, but was not always thrilled with the result. I have found that this is an easy, foolproof recipe.
Ingredients:
1 bunch asparagus, cleaned and trimmed
Extra virgin olive oil
1 T Mrs. Dash original
2 T parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 sea salt or kosher salt
Preheat oven to 375. For easy clean up, I layer a small brownie pan with foil and drizzle a little olive oil on the foil, before I put the asparagus in. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the asparagus (this is to taste, but I use about 1- 2 T). Sprinkle with Mrs. Dash, pepper, garlic salt, and sea salt and top with the parmesan cheese.
Heat in oven for 7 to 8 minutes, or until cheese lighly browns. Serve immediately.
My husband loves asparagus, the kids not so much, but they will begrudgingly eat this dish. Over the years, I have steamed asparagus, but was not always thrilled with the result. I have found that this is an easy, foolproof recipe.
Ingredients:
1 bunch asparagus, cleaned and trimmed
Extra virgin olive oil
1 T Mrs. Dash original
2 T parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 sea salt or kosher salt
Preheat oven to 375. For easy clean up, I layer a small brownie pan with foil and drizzle a little olive oil on the foil, before I put the asparagus in. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the asparagus (this is to taste, but I use about 1- 2 T). Sprinkle with Mrs. Dash, pepper, garlic salt, and sea salt and top with the parmesan cheese.
Heat in oven for 7 to 8 minutes, or until cheese lighly browns. Serve immediately.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Chocolate and Fruit Trifle
Happy New Year!! My hope for everyone is peace, health and joy in the new year for my family and friends. We are going to have our annual family dinner, crab legs and filet, before everyone heads out to celebrate. I cherish this special time,. The dessert we have with our meal varies, however, one of the often requested is the Chocolate and Fruit Trifle, one of Taste of Home's Fast Family Favorites. This scrumptious dessert layered with devil's food cake, a creamy pudding mixture, red berries and green kiwi is perfect for the holidays. With all of the fruit, we like to rationalize that this is perfect start to everyone's new year's resolutions. I like making it is a clear crystal bowl to show off the festive red and green. This defnitely needs to be made the day that you are serving it. Also, once you cut into it, it no longer looks appealing, but the leftovers are still delicious. I hope this becomes one of your favorites as well.
Ingredients:
2 C kiwifruit, peeled and chopped
Prepare cake batter according to package directions; pour into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean.
Cool cake completely. You will only need about half of the cake for this dessert. Cut up 1/2 of the cake into about 8 cups of bite-size pieces, and set aside. I save the other half in a gallon ziploc and we snack on that later, unfrostened.
In a mixing bowl, combine milk and water until smooth. Add pudding mix; beat on low speed for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Fold in the whip cream.
To assemble: spread 2-1/2 cups of pudding mixture in a 4-qt. glass bowl. Top with half of the cut up cake; sprinkle cake with 1 T orange juice. Arrange half of the berries and kiwi over the cake. Repeat the pudding, cake and fruit layer (saving some of the berries and kiwi for the topping, about 1/4 c of each). Top with remaining pudding mixture. Spread remaining fruit around the edge of the bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
1 package devil's food cake mix
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup cold water
1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding
2 cups whipping cream, whipped
1 T orange juice
2 C fresh strawberries, chopped
2 C fresh raspberries2 C kiwifruit, peeled and chopped
Prepare cake batter according to package directions; pour into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean.
Cool cake completely. You will only need about half of the cake for this dessert. Cut up 1/2 of the cake into about 8 cups of bite-size pieces, and set aside. I save the other half in a gallon ziploc and we snack on that later, unfrostened.
In a mixing bowl, combine milk and water until smooth. Add pudding mix; beat on low speed for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Fold in the whip cream.
To assemble: spread 2-1/2 cups of pudding mixture in a 4-qt. glass bowl. Top with half of the cut up cake; sprinkle cake with 1 T orange juice. Arrange half of the berries and kiwi over the cake. Repeat the pudding, cake and fruit layer (saving some of the berries and kiwi for the topping, about 1/4 c of each). Top with remaining pudding mixture. Spread remaining fruit around the edge of the bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Chicken Won Ton Wrappers
Years ago, I had a version of this at a friend's dinner party and thought that they were delicious. All members of my family agree, and they are now a staple at just about every family function. The beauty of these appetizers is that they are tasty and look great, yet are extremely easy to prepare.
Ingredients:
3 to 4 chicken breasts
2 T lemon juice
8 oz ranch dressing
2 T paprika
won ton wrappers
Tools:
mini muffin pan
food chopper
Poach the chicken breasts. I have found the easiest way to do this is to clean and cut up the chicken into bite size chunks. Put into a 2 quart microwable bowl, add lemon juice and cover with water, so liquid is about 1 inch above the chicken. Microwave on high for about 8 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Let cool. Rinse and pat dry.
Preheat oven to 375. Shred or chop cooled chicken. I like to use my Pampered Chef Food Chopper, one of my favorite kitchen tools. Once all chicken is chopped, add 6 to 8 oz ranch dressing and the paprika. You will want to add enough dressing so that the mixture is moist, but not so much that you have an excess of dressing.
Place one won ton wrapper into each mini muffin cup and add a heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Ingredients:
3 to 4 chicken breasts
2 T lemon juice
8 oz ranch dressing
2 T paprika
won ton wrappers
Tools:
mini muffin pan
food chopper
Poach the chicken breasts. I have found the easiest way to do this is to clean and cut up the chicken into bite size chunks. Put into a 2 quart microwable bowl, add lemon juice and cover with water, so liquid is about 1 inch above the chicken. Microwave on high for about 8 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Let cool. Rinse and pat dry.
Preheat oven to 375. Shred or chop cooled chicken. I like to use my Pampered Chef Food Chopper, one of my favorite kitchen tools. Once all chicken is chopped, add 6 to 8 oz ranch dressing and the paprika. You will want to add enough dressing so that the mixture is moist, but not so much that you have an excess of dressing.
Place one won ton wrapper into each mini muffin cup and add a heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Chicken Paprikas
Being part Hungarian, one our favorite dishes is Chicken Paprikas. One of the gifts that I received from my grandma for my shower was the Secrets of Hungarian Cookery, 180 Hungarian Favorites cookbook. The original recipe calls for the chicken to be fried and then cooked on the stove or in an electric fry pan. I have found it easier to bake in the oven, and have changed the recipe slightly to incorporate some Polish elements that my husband loves.
Ingredients:
1 onion chopped
1 T paprika
1 cut up whole chicken, or drumsticks and chicken breasts on the bone
1 15 oz. can chicken broth
1 15 oz. can stewed tomatoes
salt
pepper
8 oz. sour cream
1 T flour
Preheat oven to 375. Spray a roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken in the pan, add cut up onion, salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle 1 T paprika on the chicken and then add the can of stewed tomatoes and chicken broth. Bake for 45 min to 1 hour, until chicken is done. While chicken is roasting in oven, make dumplings (see below). As a side note, our family of 4 generally goes through a double batch of dumplings with dinner.
Remove chicken to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Strain broth and drippings to a saucepan, to use as a base for the gravy. Over low heat, add 1 tsp paprika and 8 oz. of sour cream. To slightly thicken the gravy, add 1 T flour. Whisk until smooth. Serve over chicken and dumplings.
Dumpling recipe:
1 C flour
2 eggs
1/2 c milk
1 tsp salt
Mix the above ingredients together. Either use a dumpling maker or scrape bits into a pot of boiling water. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often. Rinse with cold water and drain. Add 1-2 tsp of butter.
Ingredients:
1 onion chopped
1 T paprika
1 cut up whole chicken, or drumsticks and chicken breasts on the bone
1 15 oz. can chicken broth
1 15 oz. can stewed tomatoes
salt
pepper
8 oz. sour cream
1 T flour
Preheat oven to 375. Spray a roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken in the pan, add cut up onion, salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle 1 T paprika on the chicken and then add the can of stewed tomatoes and chicken broth. Bake for 45 min to 1 hour, until chicken is done. While chicken is roasting in oven, make dumplings (see below). As a side note, our family of 4 generally goes through a double batch of dumplings with dinner.
Remove chicken to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Strain broth and drippings to a saucepan, to use as a base for the gravy. Over low heat, add 1 tsp paprika and 8 oz. of sour cream. To slightly thicken the gravy, add 1 T flour. Whisk until smooth. Serve over chicken and dumplings.
Dumpling recipe:
1 C flour
2 eggs
1/2 c milk
1 tsp salt
Mix the above ingredients together. Either use a dumpling maker or scrape bits into a pot of boiling water. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often. Rinse with cold water and drain. Add 1-2 tsp of butter.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)