Tag: family favorite

Cajun Chicken and Pasta

This is a new favorite recipe that I just recently found in the Penzey Spice Newsletter. It was contributed by Debbie Alexander. I really enjoyed the flavors and the ease of preparation. I did increase some of the spice amounts.

Cajun Chicken and Pasta
Cajun Chicken and Pasta

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
  • 2-4 Tablespoons Cajun Seasoning
  • 2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
  • 1 red pepper, cut into thin strips (can use green or 1/2 of each kind)
  • 6 large mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp minced lemon peel
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 8 oz broad egg noodles, cooked and drained. Other pastas work, but I really liked it with the egg noodles.

    • Instructions

    1. Place the chicken and the Cajun Seasoning in a plastic bag and shake to coat.
    2. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.
    3. Add the chicken and cook 5-7 minutes or until chicken loses it’s pink color.
    4. Add the peppers, onions, and mushrooms and stir for another 3-4 minutes.
    5. Add the half & half and the remaining seasonings and heat through.
    6. Serve the chicken over the cooked egg noodles or pasta.

    Bourbon Pecan Pie

    Pecans
    Pecans
    Pecan Pie is one of my favorite desserts and this is one of my favorite recipes for it. I like this recipe, because the addition of bourbon cuts the sweetness.

    Ingredients

    • 3 eggs,beaten
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
    • 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
    • 2 Tablespoons bourbon
    • 1/8 tsp salt
    • 1 cup chopped pecans
    • 1 unbaked 9 inch shell

    Directions

    Combine the first 7 ingredients, mix well. Place pecans in bottom of pastry shell. Pour the sugar mixture over pecans. Bake @ 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until set.

    Fantastic Fruit Pizza

    Fruit Pizza
    Fruit Pizza
    This is a really great dessert recipe, certainly a favorite recipe of mine. It is easy and refreshing and always a hit!

    Ingredients

    • 8 oz Cream Cheese
    • 3/4 cup sugar
    • 1/2 cup orange or apple juice
    • 1 pkg Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough
    • Sliced Fruit for toppings (strawberries, blueberries, peaches, raspberries, mango, etc)
    • 1 cup whipping cream, whipped
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 2 tsp cornstarch
    • 1/2 cup sugar

    Directions

    Slice cookie dough into 1/4 ” pieces. Lay them on pizza pan then press edges together to seal. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 min. Cream the vanilla, cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar then add the whipped cream. Spread over cooled crust. Arrange sliced fruit on top. Cook the orange juice, cornstarch, and 1/2 cup sugar until thick. Cool, then drizzle over fruit.

    Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice

    Here’s an old favorite family recipe that is easy to make and is a hit with the whole family.

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup raw rice
    • 1 can cream of chicken soup
    • 1 can chicken with rice soup
    • 1 can water
    • 1 pkg dry Lipton onion soup mix
    • 1 raw cutup chicken or chicken breasts, if desired. (I like to remove the skin to decrease the fat)

    Instructions

    Grease a 9×13 inch pan. Pour the raw rice evenly in the pan. Place the chicken on top of the rice. Combine all the soups and water together and pour over the top of the chicken. Cover pan with foil and bake @ 350 degrees for 2 hours.

    Fabulous Feta and Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad

    Fabulous Feta and Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad
    This recipe originally was from D’Amico and Sons, but I have modified it a bit. It can be a main dish salad if you add the chicken. I prefer it as a side salad without the chicken. It is fabulous, easy, and always gets rave reviews. Create your own unique flavor using flavored olive oils.

    Ingredients

    • 8 oz penne pasta, cooked
    • 3/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
    • 3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, cut in half
    • 3/4 cup Feta Cheese
    • 1/2 cup chopped parsley (sometimes I leave this out)
    • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    • Juice from 1 lemon
    • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 to 3 cups chopped cooked chicken (optional)
    • Salt and Pepper to taste

    Instructions

    In a large bowl combine all ingredients, adding olive oil and lemon juice last. Chill before serving.

    My Mom’s Best Meatloaf Recipe

    This is the meatloaf that my Mom always made and I think she probably got it off of the Lipton Onion Soup package. In fact it may still be there. I’ve tried many different meatloaf recipes, but this one is still my favorite and it is so easy.

    My Mom’s Best Meatloaf

    Ingredients

    • 2 lbs ground beef
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
    • 1 envelope onion soup mix
    • 1/3 cup catsup
    • 3/4 cup water

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    2. In large bowl, combine all ingredients.
    3. Shape into a loaf and place in a baking pan.

    Baking time (duration): 45 minutes or until done.

    Better than Dairy Queen Cake

    Ice Cream Cake
    Ice Cream Cake
    This is my family’s most frequent request for their birthday cake. Originally it was a “Peanut Buster Bar Dessert”, but my family liked it better without the peanuts and with different flavored ice cream. So if you want the Buster Bar dessert, just add a layer of Spanish peanuts on top of the chocolate and use vanilla ice cream.

    • 1 package Oreo cookies, crushed
    • 1/2 cup butter or margarine

    Combine and pat into bottom of 9×13 inch pan. Freeze for a couple of hours.

    • 1 can evaporated milk
    • 1/2 cup butter or margarine
    • 2 cups powdered sugar
    • 2/3 cups chocolate chips
    • 1 tsp vanilla

    Combine the above ingredients and boil for 8 minutes, let cool.

    Spread 1/2 gallon softened ice cream, on the frozen cookie crumb crust. My family likes cherry chocolate chunk. Use any flavor that goes with chocolate! Refreeze and then spread cooled chocolate sauce on ice cream.

    Freeze and top with cool whip and freeze again.

    Balsamic Vinaigrette from Creede Hotel

    Salad
    Salad
    I am vacationing in a cabin in Colorado. Today I went to the grocery store to buy food. I decided to make grilled chicken on salad greens for dinner. I always make my own salad dressings, but opted to buy bottled dressing instead of buying all the necessary ingredients to make my own. I prefer an oil and vinegar dressing, so I bought a bottle of Balsamic Vinaigrette made with extra virgin olive oil. I can’t believe that they bottle this stuff. The first ingredient listed was………….water, then vinegar, then olive oil, followed by soybean oil and corn oil!
    I decided to share my favorite vinaigrette recipe that I got from the Creede Hotel in Creede, Colorado. It is really my favorite and is so easy to make. Just remember to always use good quality oil and vinegar.

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    • 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
    • 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice (o.k., I do use bottled lemon juice sometimes)
    • 1 Tablespoon Honey
    • 1 Teaspoon Minced Fresh Garlic

    Directions

    Mix all ingredients and serve over fresh greens.

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    Grandma Tasher’s Homemade Navy Bean Soup

    Bean Soup
    Bean Soup
    This is an old family recipe that must be close to 75 years old. My Grandma made it and my Mom made it and she is now 87. I’ve tried other recipes, but always come back to this one. I think the shredded carrots give it the perfect color, great consistency, and perfect flavor. My Grandma gave me the recipe with very loose instructions. She just said to start it @ 1:00 to have dinner @ 5:00!

    • 1 piece of pork (I prefer a leftover ham bone)
    • 1 1/2 cups navy bean, sometimes I add part pinto beans
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 3 medium potatoes, diced
    • 4 pieces celery, diced
    • 4 or 5 grated carrots, grated
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • garlic powder or salt (I like lots of garlic)
    1. Cook the beans in about 2 to 3 quarts of water for about 1 hour.
    2. Add the pork and cook for another hour.
    3. Add potatoes, onion, and celery and cook for a hour.
    4. Add shredded carrots and cook for another hour.