My Recipes

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

8 oz. uncooked spaghetti, broken into 3-inch pieces

3 cups cubed cooked chicken

1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup 2% milk

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese, divided

1 can (4 oz.) mushrooms stems and pieces, drained

1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1-1/2 teaspoons Montreal Steak Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Cook spaghetti according to package directions, Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the chicken, soup, onion, milk, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, mushrooms, peppers, mayonnaise, steak seasoning and basil.

Drain spaghetti.  Add to chicken mixture; toss to coat.  Transfer to a greased 13 x 9 - in baking dish.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted. 6 servings

Cola Pot Roast

1 (12 oz.) can cola soft drink

1 medium onion, chopped

8 garlic cloves, minced

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 (3 to 4 lb.) boneless chuck roast, trimmed

1 teaspoon fresh coarsely ground pepper

3 large carrots (about 1-1/2 lb.) cut into 1-1/2 in chunks

7 potatoes (about 2-1/4 lb.) cut into quarters

2 large onions, cut into eighths

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Garnish with fresh oregano or thyme sprigs

Combine first 5 ingredients and 2 tablespoons oil in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag.  Add roast, turning to coat.  Seal and chill 8 to 24 hours.  Remove roast from marinade; discard lemon slices, and reserve marinade.  Sprinkle roast with pepper.

Brown roast 4 minutes on each side in remaining 1 tablespoon hot oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Remove roast from skillet, and transfer to a large roasting pan.  Add reserved marinade to skillet, stirring to loosen particles from bottom.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Arrange carrots, potatoes, and onions around roast in pan; pour hot marinade over roast and vegetables.  Cover and bake for 4 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.  Transfer roast and vegetables to a serving platter.  Skim fat from juices in roasting pan.

Whisk together cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water in a small bowl until smooth.  Whisk cornstarch mixture into juices in pan; cook over medium high heat 3 minutes or until thickened.  whisking to  loosen particles.  Serve gravy with roast and vegetables.  Serves 6 to 8

Chicken Athena

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 oz. ea.) *
2 medium onions, chopped
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil) chopped
1/3 cup pitted Greek olives, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place chicken in 3 quart slow cooker.  Add the remaining ingredients.   Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until a thermometer reads 170 degrees.

I browned my chicken before I put it in the slow cooker.  The original recipe did not call for that, but I like a little color on my chicken.  It was great!


Slow-Cooked Pepper Steak

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. beef round steak
4 TBLS cooking oil
1/2 c. soy sauce
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. ginger
2 cans (16 oz) tomatoes with liquid, cut up (I use diced)
2 lg. green peppers, cut into strips
1 cup cold water
2 TBSP. cornstarch
Cooked noodles or rice

Cut beef into 3-inch x 1-inch strips; brown in oil in a skillet.  Transfer to a slow cooker.  Combine the next seven ingredients; pour over beef.  Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until meat is tender.  Add tomatoes and green peppers; cook on low for 1 hour longer.  Combine the cold water and cornstarch to make a paste; stir into liquid in slow cooker and cook on high until thickened.  Serve over noodles or rice.  Yield: 6-8 servings

This is really delicious.  The meat is so tender, it falls apart.

Tortilla Turkey Sandwiches

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 Tbls. mayonnaise

1 1/2 tsp. prepared pesto

4 flour tortillas (8 inches), room temperature

1 cup shredded lettuce

1/2 lb. sliced deli smoked turkey

3/4 cup chopped tomato

1 can (2 1/4oz.) sliced ripe olives, drained

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Co-Jack cheese

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, mayonnaise and pesto until blended.  Spread about 2 tablespoons over each tortilla.  Layer with lettuce, turkey, tomato, olives and cheese; roll up.  Secure with toothpicks.

Creme Brulee

1 extra-large egg
4 extra-large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for each serving
3 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the egg, egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the sugar together on low speed until just combined.  Meanwhile, scald the cream in a small saucepan until it's very to to the touch but not boiled.  With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the cream to the eggs.  add the vanilla and Grand Marnier and pour into 6 to 8 ounce ramekins until almost full.

Place the ramekins in a baking pan and carefully pour boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custards are set when gently shaken. Remove the custards from the water bath, cool to room temperature, and refregerate until firm.

To serve, spread 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly on the top of each ramekin and heat with a kitchen blowtorch until the sugar caramelizes evenly.  Allow to sit at room temperature for a minute until the caramelized sugar hardens.

Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris

Chinese Chicken Salad

1 pkg. chicken breasts, baked and diced
1 pkg. green onions, sliced lengthwise
2 Tbls. sesame seeds, toasted
1 head of lettuce, sliced thinly
1 pkg. wontons, sliced in strips and deep fried until crispy & golden
salt & pepper to taste

Dressing:
1/2 cup salad oil
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. sesame oil

Add dressing and wontons when ready to serve.

To bake chicken:  I put them on a baking sheet and spray with butter flavored Pam and sprinkle with Lawry's seasoned salt, bake at 350 for 1 hr.  Let cool and dice.


Fettuccine with Ham and Peas

2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 TBLS butter or margarine, melted
1/2 pound thinly sliced cooked ham, shredded
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
12 oz. uncooked fettuccine
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream
1/2 tsp. pepper

Saute garlic in 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Stir in shredded ham and peas.  Saute over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes.  Remove from heat; cover and keep warm.  Cook fettuccine according to package directions, omitting salt.  Drain well; place in a large serving bowl.  Add 1/2 cup softened butter, stirring until completely melted; add Parmesan cheese and sour cream, stirring gently to coat well.  Fold ham mixture into fettuccine mixture.  Add pepper; toss gently.  Serve immediately.  Serves 6

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

1 store bought roasted chicken
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced carrots
4 cans (14 oz. each) chicken broth
2 cans (10 3/4 oz. each) condensed cream of mushroom soup with roasted garlic, Campbell"s
2 teaspoons fines herbs
Salt and Pepper
2 cups egg noodles, cooked

Remove skin from roasted chicken and shred meat from bone.  Place chicken, onion, celery and carrots in a 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker.  Stir in broth, soup and fines herbs.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cover and cook on high heat setting for 3 to 4 hours or low heat setting for 8 to 9 hours.

When soup is done, stir in cooked egg noodles and heat through.  Adjust seasonings and serve.

* NOTE: Fines herbs are a classic blend of herbs that usually consists of chervil, chives, parsley and tarragon.  You'll find it pre-blended in the spice section of the grocery store.

This recipe came from Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Cooking 2.



I found this Beef Stew recipe in one of those little Pillsbury cookbooks you find at the checkout register at the store.  This was back in 1989, and I have been using it ever since.  It's DELICIOUS!

Oven-Baked Beef Stew

6 tablespoons oil
2 lb. beef stew meat, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
2/3 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon marjoram leaves
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2- 16oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2- 10 1/2oz. cans condensed beef broth
2 cups cubed peeled potatoes
1 cup celery
4 medium carrots, sliced
3 small onions, quartered
1 bay leaf

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Heat oil in 4-quart Dutch oven over medium heat.  Brown beef cubes in oil.  Add flour, salt, garlic powder, marjoram and pepper.  Stir in tomatoes and beef broth; mix well.  Bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently.  Add remaining ingredients; mix well.  Cover; bake at 325 for 2 hours or until meat is tender, stirring twice during baking.  Remove bay leaf.  6 (1 1/4-cup) servings.


Hot Beef Sandwiches Au Jus

4 to 5 lb. beef rump roast
1 1/4-oz. pkg. dry onion soup mix
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon oregano leaves
2 (10 1/2-oz.) cans condensed beef broth
12-oz. can beer
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
16 crusty French rolls, sliced in half

Heat oven to 300 degrees.  Place beef roast in 5-quart Dutch oven.  In medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients expect rolls; pour over roast.  Cover; bake at 300 degrees for 4 to 6 hours or until meat is very tender.  Slice or shred meat; serve on rolls.  Skim fat from juices, if desired.  Serve sandwiches with individual portions of meat juices for dipping.  16 sandwiches

TIP:  Beef roast can be prepared in a crockpot.  Place beef roast in crockpot.  In medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients except rolls; pour over roast.  Cover; cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or until meat is very tender.  I use 2 forks and shred the meat.  I, also, cut my rolls in half and butter both pieces.  Place under broiler until toasted.  I always prepare this recipe in the crockpot.  That way on a busy day, I can put everything in one pot and forget about it.