Chicken Tarragon (or Rosemary)

I love making this dish, and I have my mother-in-law to thank for that. She introduced me to it, and it's a great go-to recipe for a dinner that looks great but doesn't take a ton of effort.

Ingredients

• 3 T butter
• 3/4 C chopped onions (I just chop up half of a medium-sized onion.)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (I use a few shakes of garlic powder.)
• 1 1/2 C diced chicken
• 1 1/2 C sliced carrots
• 1/3 C fresh parsley (if you have it; it'll work just fine if you don't)
• 3/4 t tarragon (or rosemary)
• 1/4 t black pepper (or to taste)
• 1 3/4 C chicken broth (1 can)
• 1 3/4 t lemon juice
• 1/2 pkg. pasta
• 2 T flour
• 2 T water

Directions

1. Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan; add onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute.
2. Add chicken, carrots, parsley, tarragon and pepper; cook until chicken is lightly browned.
3. Add 2-1/2 cups water, chicken broth and lemon juice; bring to a rapid boil.
4. Cook pasta according to package directions.
5. Blend flour with remaining 2 tablespoons water; gradually add flour mixture to chicken mixture, stirring until mixture is smooth and thickened.

I would suggest adding more salt if desired, as well as other spices. I've added more pepper, basil, Italian seasoning, etc., with success. Enjoy! :)

Sautéed Broccoli Florets

Ok, so I love broccoli. I was one of those weird kids that liked vegetables more than candy--even chocolate! I know, I know. I grew up eating broccoli with cheese or with butter and salt, but this recipe is different and fabulous. I never thought to add Parmesan cheese and brown sugar! When I saw this on allrecipes.com, I had to make it. Needless to say, the two vegetable-lovers (me and my husband) in the house loved it! I didn't change anything, which is weird because I always change about half the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 pound broccoli florets
• 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil. Fill a large bowl or pot with half ice and half water. When the water comes to a boil, add the broccoli florets using a strainer with a handle if possible. Allow the broccoli to cook for 1 to 2 minutes until just tender. Immediately remove from the boiling water, using the strainer or draining, and transfer to bowl of ice to stop the cooking process. Immerse the broccoli completely in the ice water for a minute or two. Remove and place in a dish that has been lined with paper towels. This part can be done up to two days in advance.
2. In a cup or small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese and brown sugar; set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Throw in the broccoli and season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir to coat the broccoli, then cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and dust with the Parmesan cheese mixture

Serves 6

So, this recipe takes about 25 minutes to make, which I know is a long time to make a side dish. This is what a reviewer on allrecipes.com said (paraphrasing): You could also sauté the broccoli with the spices over medium heat with the saucepan lid on--stirring occasionally, then add the cheese and brown sugar mixture, then turn the heat off and keep covered until steamed. It will be done in about 5 minutes, with no need to pre-steam.

I like pre-steaming, though, because it keeps the bright green color.

Oven-Baked Potato Wedges

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into eighths

Feel free to adjust spices as needed. Sometimes instead of garlic powder and salt, I just use garlic salt (about 1 1/2 teaspoons). Or you can use seasoning salt and omit the salt and powders in the recipe.

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Place, olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, salt, and potatoes into a resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag, then shake to coat the potatoes with the seasoning. Spread the potatoes over a baking sheet.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, take out, turn over potatoes (or just mix them around a bit), put back into oven until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 15 more minutes.

These are easy to make and a lot cheaper than the bagged french fries that you can buy at the store. We serve them with hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, pulled pork sandwiches, etc. They are really good. 

If you don't have a whole 30 minutes, you can boil the potato wedges for a little while (5 to 7 minutes), season them, then bake them in a preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Makes 8 servings

Adapted from this recipe at allrecipes.com

Lemon Bars!

Ingredients
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter, melted

4 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
5/8 cup lemon juice

Garnish: 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together 2 cups flour and confectioners' sugar. Blend in the melted butter. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light. Combine the sugar, baking powder and 1/4 cup of flour so there will be no flour lumps. Stir the sugar mixture into the eggs. Finally, stir in the lemon juice. Pour over the prepared crust and return to the oven.
4. Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until bars are set. Sift confectioners' sugar over bars as a garnish.
5. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Easiest Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients

• 1 cup strawberries, rinsed and sliced/chopped
• Powder lemonade mix
• 1/2 cup sugar*

Directions

1. Prepare as much lemonade as desired, according to package directions.
2. Add strawberries and sugar; stir
3. Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve

The lemonade is delicious, and it's fun to get little chunks of strawberry in your drink! Enjoy!

*Sugar isn't entirely necessary, but I like to use it for a little more sweetness.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter (or margarine)
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups chocolate chips



Directions
Mix together butter (or margarine) and both sugars until creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients, then add to cookie mixture and mix well.
Stir in chocolate chips.Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 min. Cool slightly in pan before removing to cooling racks.


A Few Notes:

Make sure the butter is soft but not melted in any way. (I would leave it to soften to room temperature instead of sticking it in the microwave.) Whole wheat flour can be substituted; I would only do half and half, though. You can easily decrease the chocolate chips, since 3 cups is a little much. I love these cookies, and I think I would eat all 36 cookies in the batch! :) Enjoy!

Makes 36 cookies

142 cal
6.3g fat
19.5 carbs
1.7g protein
(per cookie)

A huge thanks goes to my friend Aubrey for giving me this recipe. :)

Pan-Fried Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 7 pieces Or 8 Pieces Breakfast Chops (very Thin Bone-in Pork Chops) [Thicker work fine, too]
• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
• Cayenne Pepper To Taste (Can omit, but might be bland)
• ½ cups Canola Oil (Vegetable oil is fine)
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• Extra Salt And Pepper, To Taste

Directions

1. Rinse pork chops. Salt and pepper both sides of the pork chops.
2. Combine all dry ingredients. Dredge each side of the pork chops in the flour mixture, then set aside on a plate.
3. Heat oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add butter. When butter is melted and butter/oil mixture is hot, cook 3 pork chops at a time, 2 to 3 minutes on the first side; 1 to 2 minutes on the other side. (Make sure no pink juices remain.) Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining porch chops.

You can adapt the ingredients to the number of chops that you have. On the second recipe, if your chops are a bit thicker, cooking time may be longer than what is indicated. Just make sure that the pan doesn't get too hot. If the pan starts to smoke a lot, then the heat needs to be turned down a bit--not too low though, or it will take them forever to finish.

from pioneerwomancooks.com

Sesame Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 dash sesame oil
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicke breast meat - cubed (you can use more than this--I used about 1 1/2 lb.)
  

Sauce

• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 1/3 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce (regular soy sauce will do)
  
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon chile paste (or if you don't like it as spicy, a few dashes of red pepper flakes will work)
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup water

For Frying 

• 1 quart olive oil for frying (you don't really need a quart... I say about 2 cups, if you want to pan-fry, which I find easier. It's also less of a waste.
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Sift flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder into a bowl. Pour in low-sodium soy sauce, sherry, 2 tablespoons water, vegetable oil, and a dash of sesame oil; stir until smooth. Stir in chicken until coated with the batter, then cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, bring chicken broth, sugar, vinegar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, chile paste, and garlic to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Dissolve 1/4 cup cornstarch into 1/2 cup of water, and stir into boiling sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens and turns clear, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and keep sauce warm.
3. Heat olive oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to a temperature of 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. Drop in the battered chicken pieces, a few at a time, and fry until they turn golden brown and float to the top of the oil, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. To serve, place fried chicken pieces onto a serving platter, and pour the hot sauce overtop. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds to garnish.

Serve with Jasmine rice, and enjoy! We loved this recipe when I made it. It was splendid.

Adapted from this recipe at allrecipes.com. The original recipe called for sherry, which I didn't have, and I don't think that I'll be going to a liquor store...ever! :)

Super Amazing Fantastic Banana Bread

Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 11/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 4-5)

If you like nuts/are not allergic to them, you may add 1/2 cup of walnuts to the dry mixture before combining. Dredging the nuts in the mixture will help them to not sink to the bottom of the pan.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan (or mini-loaf pans).
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas, vanilla, and vinegar until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan (until about 2/3 full)
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes (for 9x5; check at 45 for smaller loaf pans), until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Icing (Okay, so I know that this will sound really weird, but just trust me)

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp melted butter
• water
• powdered sugar

Directions

• Combine butter with enough powdered sugar and water to make a thin-ish icing. Spread over warm banana bread.

Remember, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me! :)

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup 
• 1 onion, finely diced (if you don't have an onion, a packet of onion soup mix works great) 
• 2 (10 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces 

Directions

1. Place the chicken, butter, soup, and onion in a slow cooker, and fill with enough water to cover. 
2. Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on High. About 30 minutes before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center, about 30 minutes (imagine that).

Marvelous Carrot Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup oil
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (eyeball it)
• 3 cups grated carrots (about 3 large carrots) Don't worry if you don't quite get 3 cups... it'll still taste great! :)
  
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces (1 normal pkg.) cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. 
2. Grate carrots!
   
3. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
4.  Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.

This carrot cake takes a little time, but it isn't really hard to make. It's so worth it in the end. This is probably the best carrot cake I've had, and that's not just because I made it. ;)

Just make sure that you have enough time to grate the carrots!


Adapted from this recipe at allrecipes.com

Rosemary Rolls

Ingredients

• 12 Rhodes Rolls (or any frozen rolls)
• 1 1/2 T butter
• 2 dashes rosemary
• Finely ground sea salt (I really love Real Salt) 

Directions

1. Prepare rolls according to package, but stop before you bake. Meaning--let them rise, but don't bake.
2. Because the rolls take a long time to rise, wait until they have completely risen before performing next steps.
3. Put butter and rosemary into a microwave-safe dish and microwave until butter is melted. Mix.
4. Brush risen rolls with the mixture, making sure to spread an even amount over each roll. 
5. Using about a teaspoon of salt total, sprinkle each roll with a bit of salt (probably a pinch).
6. Bake according to package directions, normally 350 degrees  for 30 min. or until golden brown.

I hope you enjoy these. I made these for dinner tonight, and they were a big hit with the husband! :)

Adapted from Buttered Rosemary Rolls at ThePioneerWoman.com. I basically just simplified the recipe and didn't add as much butter.

Crispy Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients
Vegetable cooking spray
2 cups croutons, crushed finely (or Italian-style bread crumbs)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten
1 cup pasta sauce (Prego is the best)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup flour


Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray. Place croutons in zipper plastic bag. Close and crush with rolling pin until crumbs form.
Dip chicken into flour then egg. Coat with crumbs. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet. Spray chicken with vegetable cooking spray.
Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Spoon pasta sauce over chicken and sprinkle with cheese.

Serve by itself or with a side of pasta. Great with spinach salad.

Japanese Zucchini & Onions

This is a good vegetarian option. :)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 medium zucchinis, cut into thin strips
• 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (okay to omit)
• ground black pepper

Directions

Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions, and cook 5 minutes. Add zucchini, and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Stir in teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, and sesame seeds. Cook until zucchini are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in ground pepper, and serve immediately.


You can double or triple this easily. Serve over Jasmine rice (it's really the best, but normal rice will do)

Whitney's Awesome Mashed Potatoes

Okay, so these are great, my husband loves them, and they are really easy. 

Ingredients (for 4 servings)

• 6 red potatoes, rinsed and cubed
• 2 T butter
• ~1/3 cup milk
• 2 dashes garlic powder

Directions

1. Put potatoes into a medium-sized pot; cover with cold water.
2. Bring potatoes and water to boil over medium-high/ high heat; boil for 12-15 minutes, until potatoes are tender (check for tenderness at 10 minutes, reduce heat to medium) 
3. Drain water from pot using a colander; put potatoes back into pot.
4. Add butter and start stirring/mashing potatoes with wooden spoon.
5. As butter melts, add milk slowly while continuing to mash potatoes.
6. When butter, milk, and potatoes are combined, add garlic powder; continue to mash until potatoes reach desired consistency.

If you desire to make more, use a bigger pot to accommodate more potatoes.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (16 oz.) can mixed veggies (any veggies that you want; we like celery, corn, potatoes & carrots)
• 1 (5 oz.) can chicken chunks (you can also cook one chicken breast yourself and cut into bite-sized pieces)
• If you cook your own chicken, I recommend Cavenders Greek Seasoning (you can get it at any grocery store) to sprinkle over the top
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup milk (eyeball it to make sure it isn't too soupy; use 2% or, if you don't have it, use less 1% or skim)
• salt and pepper (and any other seasonings) to taste
• 1 can refrigerated biscuits (any brand works; I use the store brand)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Lightly butter a 9 inch deep dish pie pan with melted butter; reserve some of the melted butter.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine mixed vegetables and chicken; cook until vegetables are tender. Fold in soup; mix well. Pour in milk and mix until smooth; mixture should not be runny. Add seasonings to taste. Bring to a boil.
3. Remove from heat and spread mixture into bottom of pie pan. Separate biscuits into layers and place gently on top of mixture. Drizzle remaining butter on top of biscuit layers.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

adapted from allrecipes.com

Pizzeria 712: Deliciosity

Okay, so "deliciosity" may not be a real word... but since we Americans like to coin new words all the time, I think I'm okay. ;)

I would just like to give a shout out to probably the best pizza place in Utah: Pizzeria 712. We went there last night for dinner, and the pizza was so good that I think I want to eat there all the time... Seriously! So, if you ever are in town and need a good place to eat and someone to eat with, call me and we'll do lunch or dinner or snack or...

Poll

Don't forget to vote on my poll! What kind of recipes do you want to see more of? Any suggestions? Let me know!

Thanks!

Super Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened (If you put it in the microwave, make sure that the power isn't set on high. Otherwise, the butter will melt completely, and your cookies will be flat. 50% for 30-40 sec. is good.)
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder (I use a little more than this...)
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 
2. In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. 
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. 

Makes a little over 4 dozen.

These cookies are no-fail for me! I have made them several times with no burning or any horrible consequences. They stay moist for several days, but just make sure that if you leave them out, put them in a Ziploc bag or something. These are amazing... I think I'm going to make some soon!

Think sweet thoughts! :)

Peach & Raspberry Parfaits

These are so delightful & refreshing. My mother-in-law made these to go with Sunday dinner. They were so good. She adapted it from a recipe found in a Family Circle magazine, and I don't know what she did completely, so here's my take on it after I looked at the original recipe

Ingredients (for 4 servings)

• 2 peaches, rinsed, pitted, and peeled
• 1 container raspberries, rinsed and dried
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 dashes cinnamon
• 1 container (6 oz.) lemon yoghurt
• 1/2 pkg. graham crackers
• whipped cream (which is really good on top but not necessary)

Directions

1. Coarsely chop peaches and place in a cereal bowl. Mix in sugar and cinnamon. Set aside in refrigerator.
2. Rinse raspberries and set aside
3. Crumble up graham crackers.
4. Layer ingredients in any cups that you have. I find that wine glasses work really well. Anyway, layer first the graham crackers, then fruit, then yoghurt. Repeat for 2 layers of each.

Hopefully that makes sense! If you have questions, let me know!!

Happy eating! :)