These are just some yummy recipes that McKenzie had asked for a while ago, and I am finally getting around to posting them.

Parmesan Chicken

4 chicken breast halves
1 cube butter
3 cloves garlic
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded cheese


Melt butter and minced garlic in a 9 x 13 baking dish in oven on 350 degrees. Mix together bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and cheese. Coat chicken in the butter and garlic and then coat in the cheese mixture. Put chicken back into baking dish. Bake in oven for about 20-30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside and juices run clear.


Green Beans with New Potatoes

8-10 servings
3 pounds fresh green beans
1/4 pound bacon, sliced
1/4 cup bacon grease
2 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed 2
to 3 teaspoons House Seasoning, recipe follows
12 small red potatoes 1 onion, cut into slivers
1/2 stick unsalted butter, sliced
Ground black pepper

Remove the ends from the beans. Snap the beans in 2 pieces, place into a colander, wash, and set aside to drain.

Meanwhile, in a large cast iron Dutch oven, lightly brown the salt pork in the bacon grease over medium heat, turning often, for approximately 10 minutes. Toss the green beans into the pot, stirring them with a wooden spoon to coat well with the pork fat. Add the broth and House Seasoning. Cook over medium-low heat, covered tightly, for approximately 30 minutes, or until the beans are half done.

While the beans are cooking, peel a center strip from each new potato with a potato peeler. At the end of 30 minutes, add the potatoes and onion to the beans; add 1/4 cup more broth, if needed. Cook, covered tightly, until the potatoes are tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes, periodically checking the pot to make sure a small amount of liquid remains. When the potatoes are tender, tilt the lid slightly, off to the side of the pot, and continue to cook until the green beans are wilted, approximately 15 minutes. While cooking, add the butter and season with pepper.

House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Pizza Lunch Bunch

The pizza lunch bunch turned out excellent! Thanks to all who came and brought other sides or pizza. I am so glad all of you came. I really enjoyed hosting it. I wouldn't mind doing it again sometime. Here are the recipes from my pizzas.

Pizza Crust

1 T. yeast
2 T sugar
1 cup warm water
2 ½ cups flour
1 t salt
2 T oil
¼ cup powdered milk

Mix yeast and sugar in warm water. Let it grow. Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Spread out on pan and bake at 475 degrees for 10-15 minutes.


Alfredo Sauce for Chicken Alfredo Pizza

1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp salt1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Melt butter in cream. Bring almost to the
point of boiling and whish in seasoning and cheese. Pour over one pound of fettuccine, cooked. (If sauce doesn’t thicken add about a teaspoon of corn starch). I also add 1-2 tablespoons of cream cheese to thicken and to make it a little richer, but it is optional.Makes 4 servings.

Fettuccine Alfredo

For my fettuccine alfredo I cook up some chicken to put on it. I also add cooked broccoli, caulilflower, and carrots, either steamed or cooked in a little olive oil. It turns out great. I love it. If you have extra sauce it makes great leftovers.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

Make crust (from above recipe) and alfredo sauce (also from above). Add cooked chicken, sliced onion, and minced garlic to pizza. Top with mozzarella cheese (1-8 ounce brick will be enough for the size of this pizza). Makes 1 cookie sheet size.


Best Basic Red Sauce
(Emeril)

You only need a quarter of this recipe for one pizza. You can also use it for spaghetti.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (1 medium yellow onion)
1 teaspoon minced garlic (2 cloves garlic)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups water
1 teaspoon sugar

Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, salt, basil, oregano and black pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Place the tomatoes in a large bowl and squeeze to break into small pieces. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, and sugar to the pot with the onions, and stir well. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally with a long-handled wooden spoon.

I doubled the amounts for the garlic, salt, basil, oregano, and pepper. Instead of the whole peeled tomatoes, I used diced. If you don't like chunky sauce (like Erik), then I blend it in the blender. Otherwise, you don't have to blend it.

Orange-Glazed Fruit Pizza

Thanks, Camille, for a great pizza lunch bunch!

CRUST:
1/2 c. butter
1 cup sugar, divided
1 egg
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 c. chocolate chips (optional)

In mixing bowl, cream butter, 3/4 c sugar and egg. After mixing well add flour, salt and baking powder. Mix and stir in chocolate chips. Press into ungreased 12" pizza pan. Bake at 375 degrees or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

FILLING:
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1 c whipping cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat cream and vanilla until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until stiff; set aside. Beat cream cheese until fluffy; fold in whipped cream mixture. Spread over cooled crust.

TOPPING:
Whatever you want! I used strawberries, kiwi, blueberries, and blackberries. You can do bananas, mandarin oranges, raspberries.... Spread over crust.

ORANGE GLAZE:
1/2 c orange juice
1/2 c sugar
2 tbsp quick-cooking Tapioca
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 c water
2 tbsp lemon juice

For glaze, in small saucepan, combine all glaze ingredients; bring to boil over medium heat. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool; drizzle over fruit. Chill for one hour before serving.

Chicken Parmesan Salad

I made this salad for the playgroup lunch the other day and it was very popular so I thought I would post it. It is so so simple to make, but so good. The amounts just depend on how much you want to put in and how much you make. Our family likes to eat it with good ol' potato chips.

Chicken, cooked and cubed
Romaine Lettuce
Noodles, cooked (I usually use wagon wheel or bowtie-something a little smaller)
Olives, sliced
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Ranch dressing (I use Marzetti, but any will work)

Mix all the ingredients together and toss.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Sally asked me to post this, so here you go! This recipe is SO easy and it tastes excellent!

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

2 Refrigerated pie crusts (I use the deep dish)
1 to 1 1/2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 can cream of chicken soup (can add one more depending on how runny or creamy you want it)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
(On all the spices, you can add more depending on flavor you like.)
1 cup diced potatoes
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup frozen peas
(I eyeball my veggies)

Boil diced potatoes and carrots until just tender. Drain well. In bowl, mix soup and spices well. Add cooked chicken, potatoes, carrots, and frozen peas and mix gently. Pour into one crust. Lay other crust on and pinch sides. Leave a little bit open for ventilation. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Easy, right??