Parmesan Ranch Chicken by iheartnaptime

 

(This recipe turned out so well, that I made it again the next week!  I was surprised how moist the chicken was and very flavorful! This one will be on a repeat rotation for my family !)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, use rolling pin or meat tenderizer, pound them to even thickness , slice chicken in half if the breasts are too thick( I marinated them overnight in Italian dressing )

1/2 c. panko bread crumbs

1/3 c. grated parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp. dry ranch dressing

1/4 c. unsalted butter, melted

fresh parsley, optional

**Preheat oven to 375 F.

**In shallow bowl, stir 1/2 c. bread crumbs, 1/3 c. parmesan, and 2 Tbsp. ranch seasoning.

**Dip each piece chicken in 1/4 c. melted butter, and then roll in crumb mixture to coat.  Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

**Bake 25 to 30 min or until cooked through the center, sprinkle with parsley

**For extra crispy crust, broil for a minute or so after baking, make sure you keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn!

**Let chicken rest for about 5 minutes, which keeps the meat nice and juicy

 

Banana Nut Bread by Kelly Weikum

 This Bread! So far this is my favorite Banana bread which comes from my sister's friend Kelly - moist with the perfect balance of sugar and bananas!  

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. butter, softened - mix together until creamy

Add:

2 eggs

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

6  medium mashed bananas 

1 c. buttermilk

3 c. all purpose flour

1 1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional but I love walnuts in this)

2 tsp. baking soda mix until combined. 

** Preheat oven to 350 F. pour into 2 greased and floured bread loaf pans and bake for about 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.  

The Chewy Chocolate Cookie

 

This recipe I made in my single days, I had forgotten about it until I was going through my old recipes and found this.  I also made these in my young married years and we loved them as something different from the usual and these mix up in 5 minutes !

Ingredients:  

* 1 1/4 c. butter, softened

* 2 c. sugar

* 2 eggs

* 2 tsp. vanilla

* 2 c. all purpose flour (I had to add 1/4 c. to this as they flattened too much with only 2c. flour)

*  3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa

*  1 tsp baking soda

*  1/2 tsp. salt

*  1 c. finely chopped nuts (optional, I always leave this out)

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Cream butter and sugar in large mixing bowl.  Add eggs and vanilla; blend well.  combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda and salt; blend into creamed mixture.  Stir in nuts (if using).  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet or parchment lined sheet.  Bake at 350 F. for 8 to 9 min.  DO NOT OVERBAKE!  cookies puff up during baking and flatten when cooling.  Cool on cookie sheet until set, about 1 minute; remove to wire rack to cool completely.  Makes about 4 1/2 doz. 

Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast by Simply Happy Foodie

 

I haven't used my Instant Pot for this roast, but wow what a game changer!  This cooked up so fast, flavorful and so tender!  My whole house smelled a little like heaven!

Ingredients:

* 3-6 lbs. Chuck Roast, cut into 1 lb. chunks for even thickness ( like to use a rub on my roast before it's sauteed and this time I used Kinder's buttery steakhouse rub and I put it on before I cut the roast)

* 3 Tbsp. oil

* 1 small onion, chopped (optional, I didn't use it)

* 9 pepperoncini's, whole or chopped (I omitted these)

*1/2 c. pepperoncini juice from jar(I also omitted this)

* 3/4 c. beef broth (can use water)

* 1 (1oz.) packet dry Ranch dressing mix

* 1 (1oz.) packet Au jus ( or packet of brown gravy mix)

* 4 Tbsp. butter

For Gravy:

* 3 Tbsp. flour

* 3 Tbsp. butter, unsalted

( I just did 1/3 c. flour and added water to make a paste and then whisked it in the liquid to thicken it after the roast is cooked and removed)

Instructions:

1. Turn pot on sauté mode (normal). When display reads, "HOT", add the oil

2. When oil heats up, place meat in one layer into the pot and don't move it for 5 full minutes each side (don't brown for less than that - I made sure it had a light brown crusty topping all over)

3. Remove the meat to a dish and cover, wrap it to keep it warm

4. DEGLAZE THE POT: Add onion (if using) to pot and stir, add a bit of the beef broth or a small amount of water if there isn't enough moisture to loosen the brown bits from the bottom of the pot.  Stir, scaping the bottom of the pot until the bottom is free of the stuck on brown bits.

5. Add the pepperoncini's and their juice, beef broth, au jus and ranch packets, and butter.  Stir to combine.

6. Turn off sauté mode

7. Add the meat back into the pot.

-- the above steps are optional.  You can just add everything to the pot (except oil) and start pressure cooking it.  Browning the meat first gives an added depth of flavor.--

A.  Close lid and set the steam release knob to the sealing position.

B.  Press the pressure cook or manual button (or use dial) then the +/- button to select 60 minutes.  High Pressure.  It will take several minutes to build pressure.

C.  When the cooking cycle ends, let the pot sit undisturbed and count up to 15 min. (15 min. natural pressure release, or NPR)

D.  After the 15 min. NPR, turn off the pot and manually release the remaining pressure by turning the steam release knob to the venting position.

E.  When the pin in the lid drops back down, open the lid.

Make the Gravy:

1. remove the pot roast to a plate and cover

2. turn the sauté function back on

3. mix the flour and butter together until well combined (I used water instead of the butter)

4. when the liquid is starting to simmer, add the mixture to the pot, stirring well until thickened, if too thick, add water until desired thickness.  Then turn off the pot and add the roast back in. or serve separately.

BEST Potato Wedges Recipe by Creme De La Crumb

 

I just made these to go with our Sunday dinner and they were spectacular!  I had to make them again these are sooo good!

* 2 lbs. red potatoes, I used yellow potatoes **

* 2 Tbsp. oil

* 1 tsp. salt

* 1 tsp. smoked paprika, I only had regular on hand

* 1 tsp. garlic powder

* 1/2 tsp. onion powder

* pinch black pepper

---- I doubled the seasonings 

Dipping Sauce:

* 1/3 c. mayonnaise

* 1/3 c. barbeque sauce (your choice)

Instructions:

1. preheat oven to 450 F. Line large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2.** cut potatoes into wedges less than 1/2 inch thick on wide edge (I also peeled my potatoes, cut them and then soaked them in salt water for about 2 to 4 hours, then drained them)

3. In a large bowl, combine potato wedges and oil, toss to coat

( I just put everything including seasonings in a gallon bag, then put the potatoes in and just shake until thoroughly coated.

4. Stir together all the seasonings (if not putting them in a gallon bag) and sprinkle over the potato wedges and toss to coat.

5. Put on prepared cookie sheet making sure they are in a single layer and not overlapping, it's ok if some of them are touching

6. Bake 15 minutes.  Remove from oven, turn the wedges over with fork or tongs, and put back in oven for 15 minutes.  Potatoes should be browned and crispy on edge and fork tender.

7. Make dipping sauce and serve with them.

The Best Chicken Marinade by momontimeout

 

Honestly I have lots of marinades that I love and it takes a lot for me to find one better than what I have, but this one won me over!  It is one of the best I've used.  I've made it 3 times in one week! The flavors go so good together.  It doesn't disappoint! Enjoy!

6 chicken breasts or 3.5 lbs. cut up in serving size pieces ( I used chicken tenders in these pictures- it was faster )

For the marinade:

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 c. balsamic vinegar

1/4 c. soy sauce

1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce

1/8 c. lemon juice, fresh or from a bottle

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 tsp. dried rosemary

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. garlic powder ( I love garlic so I did 3)

**I put all the ingredients in a gallon size Ziplock bag, but you can use a deep dish, add chicken.

**Marinate 4 to 6 hours or up to 24 hours ( I did two days, I wouldn't do longer because it can be too strong)

**Remove chicken and put on barbeque and base with the leftover marinade a few times to give it a nice outside color and flavor, internal temp. should be 165 F. when they test done.  Chicken tenders don't take very long if you are using them. 

**comments in the section said they have used this marinade on steak or porkchops with good results, I haven't tried those yet

**also she said you can bake this at 400 F. for 18 - 22 minutes (Internal temp. 165 F.) baste as often as you can.

Swiss Chocolate Brownies

 

This recipe came from a recipe card subscription I got in the mail quite a few years back, I made them and they became a staple Sunday dessert or to surprise my guests.  I store them in the refrigerator --

Brownies:

1 c. water

1/2 c. butter

2 oz. squares of unsweetened chocolate, I like Bakers or Ghirardelli unsweetened chocolate bar

2 c. flour

2 c. sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. chopped walnuts, optional ( I don't use them)

Icing:

1/2 c. butter

2 oz. squares unsweetened chocolate

5 Tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

3 c. powdered sugar, DIVIDED

BROWNIES:

**In a saucepan, stirring with a whisk, bring water, butter and chocolate to a boil.  Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat; cool

**In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

**Add chocolate mixture and mix until combined.  Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla; mix again just until combined.

**Pour into a greased 15x1 inch pan ( I use my jelly roll pan).  

**Bake at 350 F. for 20 - 25 minutes, or until it tests done I use a toothpick to check, although you need to make sure it isn't over baked or it will be dry!

** Cool for 10 minutes.

ICING:

**Melt butter and chocolate together in saucepan stirring with a whisk,  then put in a mixing bowl;

**Mix in 1 1/2 c. of the powder sugar

**Add milk and vanilla

**Add the rest of the 1 1/2 c. powder sugar

**Beat until smooth.  Spread over warm brownies. 

**Makes about 3 dozen brownies.

Michelles's Fruit Salsa

 

This is a fun recipe I got from Bunco and it's become a staple every New Year's party and Super Bowl party, it's one my family always request.

2 apples ( I like ones that have a lot of flavor, golden delicious or fuji)

1 c. strawberries ( I buy the frozen sweetened ones in the 12 oz carton)

(If you don't use the sweetened strawberries, for the sweet part you can substitute :

*1/4 c. orange juice

*1 to 2 Tbsp. brown sugar 

1 orange peeled and sectioned  can also use about 3 cuties

1 - 2 bananas

*use whatever fruit you like and how much you want of each, this is just an estimate of what I use

--I chop all this up small and serve chilled on cinnamon tortilla chips

For the tortilla chips:

Dip the top of a flour tortilla in water and lightly sprinkle cinnamon/sugar mixture on top, shake off excess cut into about 1 1/2 to 2 inch strips with pizza cutter or knife.  Place on pan ( I use a pizza stone and it doesn't stick to it) I also do about 4 to 5 flour tortilla's .

Bake 375 F. for 7 minutes, make sure they don't over cook! 

White Lasagna Soup (from the Recipe Rebel)

I was looking for a white lasagna soup recipe because my daughter can't have tomato based food.  This one had so many 5* ratings that I had to try it!  It was a hit with everyone I fed it to.  My friend who comes every week for lunch, said that I would have a hard time topping this one - not only was it delicious, it was quite fast and easy, at least compared to most of my soups.  I just made it a second time because we went through it pretty fast!

This recipe makes 4 servings.

2 Tbsp. butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3  cloves garlic, minced( I love garlic so I added 4)

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. red chili flakes ( I omitted this)

3 c. chicken broth ( I used 4 c. because the pasta absorbs the liquid)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts,  1 lb. (I used chicken tenders, its easier to shred

1/4 c. sundried tomatoes, chopped ( I think I like the ones in oil the best, just drain the oil and chop the tomatoes)

2 c. short pasta or break up lasagna noodles, I used fettucine noodles

2 Tbsp. cornstarch ( I did 3)

1 c.  (1/2 and 1/2) I actually used cream

1 c. fresh spinach (I did omit this since it's another thing my daughter can't eat)

**fresh Parmesan cheese for garnish  ( the recipe calls for mozzarella and Ricotta, I only used the Parmesan and it was wonderful!)

1. Melt butter in large dutch oven or soup pot, over medium heat.

2.  Add onion and cook, stirring until just starting to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.

3.  Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chili flakes - Cook 1 minutes

4.  Stir in broth.  Add uncooked chicken and sun dried tomatoes

5.  Increase heat to medium/high and bring to a simmer.  Cover and reduce heat to medium/low and cook for 12 - 15 minutes until chicken is cooked through - 165 F.

6.  In large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta according to package directions.

7.  Remove chicken from soup and shred with 2 forks ( I just broke it into pieces)

8.  In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/2 and 1/2 and cornstarch - stir into soup and cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened.

9.  Stir in chicken, pasta and spinach into the pot and heat through.

10.  Taste and adjust seasonings - I like to add garlic salt

**Serve with cheese 

Swedish Meatballs

 

This recipe I found on the internet by Art and the Kitchen- my husband really liked this one and loved that it was from scratched.  I served it with mashed potatoes, another good recipe!

1 lb. ground beef

1/4 c. panko bread crumbs

1/4 c. milk

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced ( I used 2 )

1 Tbsp. fresh Oregano or 1 tsp. dry oregano

1 egg

1 Tbsp. olive oil

5 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. flour

2 c. beef broth (warmed up)

1 c. heavy cream

1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

*** 

1. In small bowl combine panko bread crumbs and milk.  Let sit for 10 min. until bread crumbs have soaked up milk.

2. In large skillet heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil with 1 Tbsp. butter, medium heat

3. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 min. , add garlic and oregano and sauté for another 1 -2 min.

4. In large bowl, combine ground beef, the sauteed onion, garlic and oregano.

5. Mix in salt, pepper and egg combine until egg is mixed in.

6. Add bread crumbs to meat mixture and combine well.

7. Use a Tbsp. or scoop to make equal sized meatballs  Makes about 20

8. Reheat skillet used to sauté onion mixture, adding a bit more olive oil and butter if needed.

9. On medium heat, brown meatballs on all sides, carefully turning so they don't break apart.

10. Don't overcrowd skillet with meatballs, work in batches.

11. Transfer meatballs to baking sheet and keep warm in oven while making sauce.

12. Add 4 Tbsp. butter to skillet, when melted whisk in flour, cook until golden brown.

13. Slowly stir in heated beef broth, cook at temperature that keeps sauce at slow bubble.

14. Add in cream, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard, simmer until sauce thickens a bit.

15. Add meatballs into sauce, cover and simmer on low heat for about 10 min.

16. Serve with egg or broad noodles or mashed potatoes. 

Chocolate Frosted Brownies

 

( a neighbor lady brought these over a few years back , I ate the whole plate!  Well, I did freeze a few and ate one at a time, but when they were gone,  I couldn't stop thinking about them!  I had to have the recipe, and when I got the chance, she sent over the recipe with a fresh supply of brownies!  I am a brownie-a-holic I will confess.  I do hope to try this frosting on a homemade brownie as I think the frosting really makes it!)

**This recipe takes two bags of Ghirardelli  double chocolate brownie mix - the one with the chocolate chips in it,  ( the big box at Costco has the bags inside, so I would use two of the bags, or you can 1/2 the frosting and use one box that makes an 8x8 pan

Make up the brownie mix, making sure not to overbake!  

Frosting:

for a 9x13 pan ( 9x9 or 8x8 pan in parenthesis) :

** Melt 1/2 c. butter, add ( 1/4 c. butter)

     5 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa (2 1/2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa)

     5 Tbsp. milk ( 2 1/2 Tbsp. milk)  bring to a boil.  Remove from stove and add:

     5 c. powdered sugar (2 1/2 c. powdered sugar)

     1 tsp. vanilla  (1/2 tsp. vanilla) 

** Frost and let set up, this is so yummy and fudgy!  

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

 

( this is a dish I made for my Bunco group on March 2007, I thought I would try it again on April 2025, wow a lot of years ago! The chicken is tender and the sauce is very flavorful, we really enjoyed this!)

Makes 4 servings:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb.), I filet my chicken breast to about 1/4 ",  just don't use thick ones.

4 slices of baked deli ham

salt and pepper

1 c. grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese ( I used Swiss, and it was good, next time I'll try the Gruyere)

oil for frying chicken in

16 Ritz crackers, or any butter cracker, crushed coarse

1 c. heavy cream

1/2 c. dry white wine

1 Tbsp. minced fresh Tarragon or 1 1/2 tsp. dried

1.  Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heave oven to 475 degrees.  Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Brown chicken, about 3 minutes each side.  Transfer chicken to 13 x 9 inch baking dish, smooth side up

2.   For the sauce:  Add cream, wine,  2 tsp. yellow mustard, tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste to skillet and bring to simmer.  Remove pan from heat.

3.  Meanwhile, spread 1 tsp. mustard over each breast, lay 1 slice of ham on top,  and mound each with 1/4 c. cheese.  Sprinkle cracker crumbs over cheese, pressing to adhere.  Pour sauce around chicken without disturbing crumbs.  Bake until chicken registers 160 degrees, about 15 minutes.  Serve.  

Crispy Roasted Potatoes

(I'm not sure where I got this recipe from, so I can't give credit where credit is due. I enjoy a good roasted potato side dish, and this doesn't disappoint!)

 4 medium size potatoes ( can use Yukon gold or russet) peeled and cubed

Parboil potatoes -  boil  for 10 minutes in  large sauce pan of water that has salt added,  then rinse in cold water, drain. Put in bowl. 

Mix about 1/2 - 3/4 c.  mayonnaise**,  1 - 2 tsp. Dijon mustard,  your choice of seasoning salt to taste, 1 tsp. rosemary, 2 tsp. garlic powder(I'm always generous with this),  1/4 tsp. pepper- can add any seasoning you like, I like to play with the recipe to see which ones I like best. 

*for the mayonnaise, you could use olive oil

Spread this mixture in with the potatoes, then: 

Spread potatoes on parchment paper make sure potatoes aren't overlapping

Broil for 10 minutes or until crispy. 

Enjoy!

Our Favorite Ham Glaze

 

(This recipe came from our piano teacher, Pat Ockey - it is a big hit we gave up the honey baked ham we used to buy - we will never go back!  This makes the ham very flavorful  sweet and juicy.)

We buy a Costco ham 8-9 lbs.

(it has a sugar packet with it)

Put whole cloves between the spiral cuts and on top ( I try to be somewhat liberally with it)

Put Ham in roasting pan

Preheat oven to 300 F.

For the Sauce: 

 

Dump 1 c. brown sugar in a large saucepan

Add : sugar packet (from ham) 

1/2 to 3/4 c. pure Maple syrup (can double or triple this amount-I usually don't)

1 Tbsp. Dijon Horseradish mustard

(Note: this last time we had about a 9lb ham and I 1 1/2 times the sauce, there seemed to be a lot of it and I didn't use all of it) 

Blend, and heat until warm.  Brush  warm sauce liberally on ham about 1/3 to 2/3  of the sauce on I try to put some between the layers being careful with the cloves in it.  

Bake 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or until warmed through) - usually take about 1 1/2 hours.  Take out of oven and brush more sauce drizzled over top, make sure this time its generous.  

**Enjoy!  

Spaghetti Bake by Amy does cooking

(I believe I found this online.  It turned out as a nice dinner and something different from the ordinary spaghetti dinner - we really liked it!)

1/2 lb. spaghetti noodles

1 lb. ground beef

8oz can tomato sauce

1 c. water ( 1/2 for spaghetti sauce and 1/2 for cheese sauce)

2 Tbsp. butter

1 c. evaporated milk

2 c. cheddar cheese, 1 c.  for sauce and 1 c. for  topping

1/4c.  fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1 pkg. spaghetti sauce mix

This makes a 9x13 inch pan.

Preheat oven to 375F.

1/2 lb. spaghetti  noodles - cook according to package- drain and set aside

1 lb. ground beef - brown, then stir in

1  (8oz) can tomato sauce 

1/2 c. water, 

1 pkg. spaghetti sauce mix

turn on low heat and simmer for 20 min.

In separate pan:  

 

 melt 2 Tbsp. butter - then whisk in 2 Tbsp. flour and cook about 2 minutes.  Slowly whisk in 

1 c. evaporated milk, 1/2 c. water, put on low heat and slowly add in 1 c. cheddar cheese and 1/4 c. fresh shredded Parmesan cheese and whisk slowly until melted.

To assemble:

*put 1/2 spaghetti noodles

*1/2 meat mixture - 

*all the cheese sauce

*rest of spaghetti noodles

*rest of meat mixture

*Top with 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

** Put in oven and bake 375 for 20 min. 

 

 

 

German Pancakes from tastes better from scratch

(I  was in my early 20's when I first had German Pancakes,  in  Rexburg Idaho .  My cousin's mother-in-law made them for us- I was living with my cousin and her family- I was hooked and have made them since- she used bread pans for individual servings, but lately I found this recipe that I like better than the one I was given)

* Preheat oven to 425 F

 *6 large eggs

 *1 c. milk

 *1 c. flour

 * dash salt

 * 1 tsp. vanilla

 * 5 Tbsp. butter

*  As the oven preheats,  take a 9x13 inch. ungreased pan and put 5 Tbsp. butter in it then put it in the oven just until it is melted.

* Place the eggs, milk, flour, salt and vanilla in a blender, blend until smooth. Pour in baking dish over melted butter

* Bake for 22-27 minutes or until edges are golden brown and puffy

*to serve sprinkle generously with powdered sugar and syrup 

** This is amazing with cookie butter, whipped cream and buttermilk syrup**

 

Big Boy Pork Chops

( I got this recipe from a magazine that used to come in the Sunday newspaper and finally made it and it turned out quite nice)

Marinade:

1/4 c. soy

1/4 c. red-wine vinegar

1/4 c. maple syrup

1 Tbsp peeled and finely minced fresh ginger

1 Tbsp. Asian sesame oil

4 center-cut pork chops, cut 1-inch thick

**Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl.  Coat the chops well and marinate, refrigerated, for 6 hours or overnight, turning once or twice. remove the chops from the marinade, scraping off any ginger.  Grill the chops over high heat for about 7 minutes per side, basting often with the marinade.  

serves 4