Million Dollar Spaghetti

Love this recipe! So delicious and easy! Try it for yourself you won't be disappointed!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of Ground Beef
• 1 can of Spaghetti Sauce
• 8 oz of Cream Cheese
• 1/4 cup of Sour Cream
• 1/2 lb. of Cottage Cheese
• Whole Stick of Butter
• 8 oz. of Noodles
• Bag of Sharp Chedder Cheese (I don't always have this on hand so I just use what I have, which is normal cheese that my kids like to eat!)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Boil your noodles. Once they are cooked, drain them and set aside. While the noodles are boiling, Mix up the cream cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese with a blender (or in your mixer). Make sure that it is mixed really well.
2. Cook your meat. Once it is browned, drain it. Pour spaghetti sauce over the meat.
3. Take a few slices of butter and put that in the bottom of your casserole pan.
4. Layer HALF of your noodles into the pan. Next, Spread the cheese mixture over the noodles. Then put the other half of your noodles on top and put a few more slices of butter on the noodles.
5. Now pour the red sauce on top and spread that out. Place it in your oven and cook for 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes, take out the spaghetti and top it with cheese. Then put it back into the oven for another 15 minutes.
7. Enjoy!!

source: http://ashleykaitlin.blogspot.com

Classic Waffles

Aaron and I have been really into making things from scratch around here lately. So we have been making waffles from scratch. I love them a lot. It took the kids a couple tries to really get used to them after we switched from that boxed stuff, but now they love it too!

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons White sugar
2 eggs - separated
2 cups milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. preheat waffle iron to desired temperature.

2. In a bowl, separate the eggs. In the bowl with the yolks add all your ingredients and mix well. Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Add to the batter and fold in.

3. Ladle the batter into your waffle iron. Cook the waffles until golden and crisp. Serve immediately.



source: www.allrecipes.com

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

We love Chinese food at our house, and this is an excellent way to satisfy our craving right in our own kitchen, without pricey takout!  We usually serve this with Heather's Fried Rice, and egg rolls or potstickers from Costco.  It takes a bit of extra time and planning ahead to prepare, but it is sure worth every bite!

Chicken:
3-4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Sweet and Sour Sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
4 Tbsp. ketchup
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp garlic salt

Preaheat oven to 325.  Rinse chicken breasts in water and cut into bite-sized cubes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat and then dip in eggs.  Heat the 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook chicken until browned but not cooked through.  Place browned chicken in a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Whisk sauce ingredients together in a bowl and pour evenly over the chicken.  Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, gently stirring chicken every 15 minutes.

Chicken Enchiladas

Aaron's friend gave him this recipe forever ago, and I don't know why we haven't posted it until now! Anyway, the are delicious, you really should try them!

Ingredients:

3-4 Chicken Breasts - Cooked
1 Can cream of mushroom soup
1 Can cream of chicken soup
1 can chopped Olives
1 can diced green chilies
1-2 cups grated cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 can enchilada sauce
10 tortillas

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients and about half of the cheese
• Roll the sauce and chicken up in the tortillas
• Cover with remaining sauce and top with remaining cheese
• Cook at 350 degrees for about 1/2 hour - or until bubbly

Lasagna

So I decided that I really had to write this one down before I couldn't read the recipe anymore. I have made it so much that my recipe is really starting to show it. It's like that one page in a cookbook that is splattered and stained and the pages are sticky.... you just know that is the best recipe in the book. I hope you enjoy... because I know we will!

Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger

about 1/2 cup chopped onion (1 small onion)

Spaghetti Sauce (at least 28 oz.) - I usually use more

1 lb. Cottage Cheese

1 lb. Grated Mozzarella cheese

9 lasagna noodles

Directions:

Brown your hamburger and onion together. When meat is cooked add your spaghetti sauce to the pan and remove from heat. Set aside 1 cup of the sauce.

Spray the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Put a little sauce into the bottom of your pan. Place 3 noodles into the bottom of your pan.

Now layer your lasagna: 1/2 of the cottage cheese, then 1/2 of the grated cheese. then half of the sauce. Add 3 more noodles and repeat with the rest of your cottage cheese, grated cheese and sauce. Place 3 noodles on top and top with your 1 cup of reserved sauce. Top with a little extra mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for one hour

Creamy Tomato Soup

This soup is so delicious and easy to make! To go with it, we made "grown up" grilled cheese sandwiches on sourdough, made with Havarti and fresh basil. SO good!

1 Tbsp. reserved oil from sun dried tomatoes or olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup shredded caroot

4 cloves garlic, minced

2/3 cup sliced sun dried tomatoes packed in oil

2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 Tbsp. dried basil

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

3 ounces cream cheese (reduced fat, if you like)

GARNISHES: Grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil (shown in picture), optional.

Place oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and garlic, and cook for 3-4 minutes or until veggies are tender, stirring often.

Add sun dried tomatoes, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, sugar, salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. If you're using the red pepper flakes, add them now.

Bring soup to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cover pan and simmer for 30 mins.

Remove from heat; transfer soup to a blender (may need to do this in two batches). Add cream cheese. Remove center piece of blender lid to allow steam to escape, but place a paper towel over opening in lid to avoid splatters. Process for a few minutes or until smooth. (You could also just add the cream cheese directly to the pot, and use an immersion blender to combine, if you would like).

Add additional salt and pepper to taste and then divide soup among bowls. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of grated cheese and fresh basil if desired.

Serves 4-6.

Source: Our Best Bites.

Favorite Haws Family Pizza

We love pizza. However, takeout gets old, and this recipe tastes much better than some $5 hot-n-ready deal! What even makes this easier is that we make the dough in the bread machine, so you don't have to deal with kneading and rising! SO easy! This dough recipe actually came with our bread machine, and the sauce is another amazing miracle from "our best bites!" (you'll never resort to using bottled marinara sauce on pizza EVER again)!

DOUGH VARIATIONS:

1 Lb. recipe (Makes 1 thick or 2 thin crusts):

3/4 cup warm water
1 Tablespoon oil
1 Tablespoon sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon dry milk powder
2-1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon active dry yeast

2 Lb. recipe (Makes 2 thick or 4 thin crusts):

1-2/3 cups warm water
2 Tablespoons oil
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons dry milk powder
4-1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast


1 lb Whole Wheat Recipe (makes 2 thin crusts):

1 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons oil
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole wheat flour
1-1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon active dry yeast

Place all ingredients in bread machine in order listed, then select "pizza dough" cycle and loaf size if you have that feature. (If you don't have pizza dough cycle, just use "dough" cycle). Depending on your climate and elevation, check dough after 5 minutes of mixing. If dough looks dry and crumbly, add a tablespoon or two of water. If it looks too wet and sticky, add a tablespoon or two of flour).

When dough cycle is complete, turn out on a lightly floured surface. Divide and press onto a 12 inch pizza pan, raising edges. Top with sauce (Below):

PIZZA SAUCE:

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
6 ounces water (just use empty tomato paste can)
3 Tablespoons Garlic Bread Seasoning (see next post below)
1 Tablespoon sugar or honey
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Empty tomato paste into a bowl and add water a few tablespoons at a time, stirring constantly until combined. Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine, and allow to stand until ready to use. (Covers two average-sized pizzas.)

Finish pizza with mozzarella cheese and desired toppings and bake at 425 for 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown around edges.

Brown Bag Burritos

Another Taste of Home find! I have been looking for lunchtime solutions lately that are quick to fix, so when I have a moment to eat during the day, I don't just look blankly in the fridge, shrug my shoulders, and make myself another lame sandwich. These frozen burritos rock! I especially love them because I can take them to school with me in my insulated lunch pack, then microwave when I get there. They're ready anytime, and they're really tasty!!!

2 lbs. Ground Beef
2 Cans (16 oz. each) Refried Beans
3 Cups (12 oz.) shredded mexican cheese blend, or cheddar cheese
1-1/3 cups enchilada sauce
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
16 flour tortillas - 10 in. - warmed

Optional toppings:
shredded mexican cheese blend/cheddar cheese
sour cream
shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
sliced olives

In a dutch oven or large pot, cook ground beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Return to pan; add the beans, cheese, enchilada sauce, water, onion and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Spoon 1/2 cup filling off center on each tortilla. Fold sides and end over filling and roll up. Wrap individually in paper towels, then foil. Transfer wrapped burritos to a resealable plastic freezer bag. May be frozen up to 2 months.

To use frozen burritos:
Unwrap foil. Place paper-towel wrapped burritos on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes or until heated through. Serve with toppings of choice.

16 burritos.

Source: Taste of Home

Meatball Soup

In recent months, we have discovered that Lilly has an obsession with anything that has meatballs. Spaghetti and Meatballs, Saucy Meatballs, Sweet n' Sour Meatballs, you name it. She asks for meatballs CONSTANTLY. Heather and I have even had to limit meatball related items to about once every two weeks, for our sanity's sake. Recently, we found this recipe in one of Heather's mom's Betty Crocker Cookbooks. Meaballs? Check. Slow Cooker? DOUBLE Check. Soup? TRIPLE Check. (I LOVE all things soup.) This was the easiest soup to make, and it was so good! You probably even have about 90% of the ingredients on your shelf already!

1 bag (16-oz) frozen Italian-style meatballs
2 cans (14-oz each) beef broth
2 cans (14-1/2 oz each) diced tomatoes with italian herbs, undrained
1 medium potato, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 teaspoon garlic pepper (none of this on our shelf. We ended up adding: a pinch of salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and a few cranks of freshly ground pepper)
1 bag (1 lb.) frozen mixed vegetables
shredded parmesan cheese for garnish

Mix frozen meatballs, broth, tomatoes, potato, onion, and seasonings in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until veggies are tender. Stir in frozen mixed vegetables, cover and cook on high for one more hour. Serve with parmesan cheese.

Serves 6

source: www.bettycrocker.com

Dijon-Crusted Fish

Yet another amazing, easy, quick meal! We bought some tilapia at Costco a while back when it was on sale, and we've been wondering what to do with it. Here's our answer!! It gets TONS of flavor from the creamy sauce and lightly crispy topping. Heather usually isn't much of a fish person, but this is so mild, we all love it!

3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. horseradish
4 tilapia fillets (approx. 5 ounces each)
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs (we happened to have Italian seasoned variety on hand)
2 tsp. butter, melted

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp. cheese, lemon juice, mustard, and horseradish. Place fillets on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Spread mayonnaise mixture evenly over fillets.

In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, butter and remaining cheese; sprinkle over fillets. Bake at 425 for 13-18 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Yield: 4 servings.

Source: Taste of Home Most Requested Recipes

Amazing 15 Minute Meal: Creamy Tortellini Marinara

Every once in a while, you happen to come across a meal that is a life saver that you can whip together in a hurry and avoid the dreaded "I don't know what to make fast, so lets go get McDonald's" nights. This is one of them that we made last night. Literally this comes together faster than it takes to get the kids to set the table. Toast up some garlic bread from the grocery store and open a bag of salad, and you've got a meal!

1 9-oz. package refrigerated cheese tortellini
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. butter
4-1/2 tsp. flour
1 cup milk
1 15-oz. jar marinara sauce
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
2 green onions, sliced - (we didn't have green onions on hand when we tried it, so we just threw in some dried minced onion).
salt and pepper to taste

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, saute the garlic in butter for 1 min. Stir in flour. Slowly add milk and bring to a boil. Add marinara sauce, cream cheese, green onions, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Serve over tortellini.

6 servings.

Source: Taste of Home June/July 2011

Chicken and Asparagus Kabobs

Well, we actually had a day of sunshine last week, so we took advantage of it and got out the grill. We decided to try out these awesome asian-inspired kabobs with a tasty dipping sauce. They were so good, we devoured them ALL before we had a chance to take pictures! So, next time we make them (most likely soon) we will plan on taking pictures BEFORE we eat rather than AFTER.

DIPPING SAUCE:

2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted*
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

KABOBS:

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt

In a small bowl, combine the dipping sauce ingredients. Cover the sauce and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

In a large ziploc bag, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, water, sesame oil, pepper flakes and ginger. Add the chicken; seal the bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours, turning occasionally. Drain and discard marinade. In a large bowl, toss the asparagus with olive oil and salt. On six metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread one chicken piece and two asparagus pieces.

Grill, covered, over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until chicken is no longer pink and asparagus is crisp-tender. Serve kabobs with dipping sauce.


*To toast sesame seeds: put seeds in a heavy ungreased pan and place over medium heat. Shake the pan occasionally until the seeds turn golden brown (about one minute). Remove from heat immediately and serve.


Yield: 6 kabobs

Source: Taste of Home Most Requested Recipes

Hamburger Noodle Casserole

This is an easy version of "Homemade Hamburger Helper." It doesn't take very long, and you know exactly what's in it, without having to worry about preservatives and additives, etc. You can even make this in a lighter version by using reduced fat or fat free cream cheese, ricotta, sour cream and cheddar cheese, as noted below. This makes a great weeknight family entree.

5 cups uncooked egg noodles
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce (we actually thought it looked a little dry when we made it the first time, so we added an additional 1/2 can or so.)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese (reduced fat or fat free if preferred)
1 cup ricotta cheese (reduced fat or fat free if preferred)
1/4 cup sour cream (reduced fat or fat free if preferred)
3 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese (more if you like it really cheesy. Again, low fat, if desired)

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook beef and garlic until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper; heat through. Drain noodles; stir into beef mixture.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and sour cream until well blended. Stir in half of the onions.

Spoon half of the noodle mixture into a 9x13 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with the cheese mixture and remaining noodle mixture.

Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 5-10 minutes longer or until thoroughly heated and the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with the remaining green onions.

Yield: Approx. 10 servings

Source: TOH Most Requested Recipes

Taco Chicken Rolls

Here's another tasty 5 ingredient fix for chicken! If you don't like the green chilies, you can replace it with finely chopped broccoli, or whatever you prefer.

1 cup finely crushed cheese-flavored crackers (Cheez-its, Goldfish, Better Cheddars, whatever).
1 envelope taco seasoning (about 1/4 cup-we buy this in bulk at Costco)
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 ounces each)
2 ounces Monterey Jack Cheese, cut into six 2 inch x 1/2 inch sticks (we just used plain ol' cheddar to avoid an unnecessary trip to the store - worked great.)
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies

In a shallow dish, combine cracker crumbs and taco seasoning; set aside. Flatten chicken between two sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap to about 1/4 inch thickness (we found the easiest way is just to whack with a rolling pin since we don't have a meat mallet). Place a cheese stick and about 1 tablespoon of chilies on each piece of chicken. Tuck ends of chicken in and roll up. Secure with a toothpick.

Coat chicken rolls with crumb mixture. Place in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. (Don't forget to remove toothpicks before serving!!)

Yield: 6 servings

Source: TOH Most Requested Recipes

Chicken and Dumpling Casserole

Heather and I love warm, rich comfort food on a cold, snowy winter night. On just such a night a while ago, we gave this recipe a try. Absolutely delicious. Heather especially loved it because she is a big fan of basil, and this recipe has a lot of it!

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 cups chicken broth
1 package (10 ounces) frozen green peas (we happened to have frozen peas and carrots on hand, it worked great.)
4 cups cubed cooked chicken

Dumplings:
2 cups bisquick
2 teaspoons dried basil
2/3 cup milk

In a large saucepan, saute the onion, celery and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, sugar, salt, basil and pepper until blended. Gradually add broth and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1 minute; reduce heat. Add the peas and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

For dumplings: in a small bowl combine bisquick and basil. Stir in milk with a fork until moistened. Drop by tablespoonfuls into 12 mounds over chicken mixture.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 minutes. Cover and bake 10 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted in a dumpling comes out clean. 6-8 servings.

Source: TOH Most Requested Recipes.

Breaded Ranch Chicken

This 5-ingredient treatment for baked chicken is a tasty change! Lilly declared it was officially her "new favorite chicken." We served it with Pasta Salad and green beans.

3/4 cup crushed cornflakes
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 ounces each) - for our small family we only made 4 pieces chicken and just discarded the extra breading.
1/2 cup butter, melted

In a shallow bowl, combine the cornflakes, Parmesan cheese and ranch mix. Dip chicken pieces in butter, then roll in cornflake mixture to coat. Place in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish and bake, uncovered, at 350 for about 45 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear. 8 servings.

Source: TOH Most Requested Recipes

Tex-Mex Chili

Yesterday it was FREEZING here in Pocatello with 50 MPH winds and a wind chill below zero. I wanted to warm up, so I went searching for a good chili recipe. This is what I found. It was EXCELLENT. It also makes a big pot, so I will also be enjoying some for lunch today. It's different because it calls for beef stew cubes (which we had a lot of in our freezer) instead of ground beef. This recipe also calls for slow cooking, but I didn't get it on in time for dinner, so I just simmered it on the stove on low for about 3 hours. Beware, this recipe is rather spicy, and I only used half the cayenne it calls for. Next time I may eliminate the red pepper flakes as well. But, if you like it spicy, here's your fix!

3 pounds beef stew meat
1 Tablespoon Canola (or vegetable) oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cans (16 ounces each) Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
3 cans (15 ounces each) Tomato Sauce
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup water
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
3/4 cup salsa verde
1 envelope chili seasoning
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Optional garnishes:

Minced Fresh Cilantro
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

In a large skillet, brown the beef stew meat in oil in batches. Add the garlic to the pan; cook and stir for 1 minute. Transfer to a 6 qt. slow cooker. Stir in remaining ingredients (except garnishes). Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender.

Yield: 12 servings (1-1/3 cups each)

Source: Taste of Home

Slow Cooker Chili

We found this recipe and made it for our neighborhood chili dinner and trunk-or-treat over Halloween weekend at O.K. Ward park. It was excellent, especially because we just threw it in the slow cooker in the morning, and it just simmered all day while we got the kids costumes ready and did other things. Feel free to adjust ingredients to suit your family's tastes. For instance, if you like a spicier chili, add additional tabasco or a chopped seeded jalapeno pepper. Enjoy!

1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
3 (15 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans (I sometimes prefer to use a variety of beans in my chili. last time I used two cans pinto beans and one can kidney beans. It turned out great. You can also use small red beans or black beans if you like as well).
3 (14.5 ounce) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes (last time I made this we didn't have these on hand, I just used canned diced tomatoes instead, and added a little extra garlic. It came out perfect).
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 generous dash worcestershire sauce
1 generous dash tabasco
1/2 cup red wine or beef broth
1 to 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste, if desired*

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef, onion, and garlic until beef is evenly browned. Drain fat and season to taste with salt and pepper. In a slow cooker (ours is 5 quart size) combine the ground beef mixture, beans, tomatoes, celery, red bell pepper, and red wine vinegar. Season with chili powder, cumin, parsley, basil, worcestershire sauce and tabasco. Stir in tomato paste, if desired. Cook on high for 6 hours, or low for 8 hours. Pour in wine or beef broth during the last two hours.

*This recipe without the tomato paste makes a rather "soup like" batch of chili. If you prefer a thicker chili, add as much tomato paste as you would like to achieve your desired consistency. (2 6-ounce cans of tomato paste is perfect for our liking. . . not too thick, not too thin).

Yield: 8-10 servings

Source: allrecipes.com

Chicken Tetrazzini

I know that I am lacking in the picture department. It is just that by the time I actually get everything made, I don't stop to think about a picture! That's why, this month I am going to try harder to take more pictures of the new foods we make and then also pictures of the other foods. So of course, at this moment I don't have a picture of this delicious pasta dish. But believe me.... it's good!

Ingredients:

1 pkg. spaghetti (12 oz.)
1/3 C. butter or margarine
1/3 C. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1 can chicken broth (14.5 oz.)
1 1/2 C. half and half cream
1 C. heavy whipping cream
4 C. cubed cooked chicken
3 cans mushroom stems and pieces, drained (4 oz. each)
1 jar sliced pimentos, drained (4 oz.)
1/2 C. grated Parmesan Cheese

directions:

• Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile in a skillet, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add the broth, half and half and whipping cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 min. or until thickened.
• Remove from heat. Stir in chicken, mushrooms and pimentos.
• Drain spaghetti; add to the chicken mixture and toss to coat.
• Transfer to two greased 11X7 inch baking dishes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover and freeze one casserole up to 2 months. Bake second casserole uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
• To use frozen casserole, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover, bake 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through. Stir before serving.

source: FCCLA cookbook: A Little yummy for Your Tummy

Upside-Down Pizza

This is a delicious twist on pizza. Give it a try, your kids will love it!

Ingredients

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. Italian sausage
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 jar pizza sauce
1 can mushrooms
1 can olives, sliced
favorite pizza toppings (pepperoni, Canadian bacon, etc.)
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 C. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 can refrigerated crescent rolls

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.




2. Brown beef, sausage, onion and garlic in large saucepan over medium high hear. Once browned, drain fat and stir in pizza sauce.




3. In a 9X13 inch baking dish, spread a layer of sauce and pizza toppings. Top with 1/2 of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, another layer of sauce and pizza toppings and the rest of the cheese.




4. Top with crescent rolls, pinching seams together. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until rolls are golden brown.

source: A Little Yummy for Your Tummy cookbook put out by the FCCLA in Grangeville Idaho