Curry Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

This recipe wasn't amazing but it was pretty good, just a little different than what I'm used to. I got it out of a new cookbook I received from a relative. I've found that most of the recipes in it are even more southern than I'm used to, haha. Most of them are covered in lots of creamy concoctions that overpower everything else but this one isn't too bad. :) I just made less of the cream stuff and more of the broccoli and rice!

4c cooked rice
3c steamed broccoli
2c cut up cooked chicken
1can cream of chicken soup
1c mayonnaise
1T lemon juice
1/2-1tsp curry powder
1 1/2c shredded cheddar cheese

Layer rice, broccoli, then chicken in a 13x9 casserole you've sprayed with cooking spray. Combine soup, mayo, lemon juice and curry then spread over chicken. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45min (until it bubbles and the cheese is melted).

Delicious Smoothies to Fight the Flu!

These smoothies are super tasty and great to have anyday, but they also have the added bonus of helping your immune system fight sickness! =]

*makes 2 glasses*
1c pomegranate juice (all I could find was cranberry-pomegranate juice but it was still great)
6oz vanilla yogurt
2T honey
1/2-1c ice (depending on how you like it)

Mix everything up in the blender, and you're done! So easy, and so delicious.

Baked Potato Soup

I got this recipe from a friend and it was soooooo good!

4lg baking potatoes (I used 5 lg of yukon gold)
1/2-1lb bacon slices
2/3c butter
2/3c flour
6c milk
3/4tsp salt
1/2tsp pepper
1-2 onions, finely chopped
5oz shredded cheddar cheese
8oz sour cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and prick potatoes, wrap in foil and bake 1 hour or until soft when squeezed. Cool slightly. Cook bacon and crumble. Melt butter in a large pot on low heat. Add flour, stir constantly 1 min until smooth. Whisk in milk and cook over medium heat, stirring 5-10 min constantly until thick and bubbly. Cut potatoes in cubes and scoop into mix. Add salt, pepper, onions, bacon, and cheddar. Cook over low until heated. Stir in sour cream and serve.

Mmmmm!!!

Stuffed Crust Pizza

I love this pizza recipe. After making this, delivery will never be the same. ;)

Honey Whole Wheat Crust (enough for 2 pizzas, I usually half it because 1 pizza is enough for 2-4 people):
3c. whole wheat flour
1/3c honey
1/4c. shortening
3tsp salt
2pkg yeast
2 1/4c very warm water
3-4c flour or bread flour

Pizza:
cornmeal
sticks of string cheese
can of pizza sauce
sliced pepperonni (or whatever toppings you want)
shredded mozzarella cheese

In large bowl beat whole wheat flour, honey, shortening, salt and yeast with mixer on low speed until well mixed. Add warm water. Beat on low 1 min and on medium 1 min. Stir in enough of the other flour 1c at a time to make dough easy to handle. Knead 10 min until dough is smooth and springy. Grease bowl with shortening. Place dough in bowl and turn to grease all over (I just hold the ball of dough and spread shortening all around it). Cover top of bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise 40-60 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray pan/sheet with cooking spray then sprinkle with cornmeal. Pat or roll dough into a large circle 1/4in-1/2in thick (it's easier if you roll it out on the pan/sheet). The dough puffs up while cooking so the thinner the better but it all depends on how thick you like it. Cut the string cheese sticks in half and arrange them around the outside of the dough circle. Roll edges of dough over cheese and seal well. Spread 1/2 the can of pizza sauce evenly over each circle of pizza dough. Top with the pepperoni or other toppings you want. Sprinkle cheese on top of that. Bake 15-17 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted/bubbly.

Cut the pizza into 8 slices, and enjoy!

Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Noodles

One of my favorite recipes!!!

6oz extra wide egg noodles
2-2 1/4lb roasted chicken
1lb. bag frozen peas
1/2tsp garlic powder
1 3/4c heavy whipping cream (you could also use whole milk or light cream)
1/2 slice of bread (or store bought bread crumbs)
3/4c. parmesan
thyme (optional)
2T. melted butter

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a big sauce pan, bring 6c salted water to boiling; add noodles and cook 10min or until tender, then drain. Meanwhile, remove chicken from bones; discard skin. Shred chicken. In saucepan combine chicken, peas, garlic and cream/milk. Heat through, then cover and keep warm. In blender process bread into coarse crumbs. Transfer to a small boal; add 1/4c of the parmesan and 2T melted butter. Stir noodles and rest of the parmesan into hot chicken mixture. Heat and stir until bubbly. Pour into casserole dish and top with bread crumb mix. Bake 5 minutes. Top with fresh thyme.

Note: you might want to try sprinkling bread crumbs and parmesan on top and then drizzling melted butter on top of that, rather than mixing it all together because then it comes out in clumps. Or perhaps I just didn't melt the butter enough...

This recipe is one of my absolute favorites. I'd eat it every day if I could, haha!

Lemon-Garlic Chicken (with mashed potatoes)

I was given a recipe from a relative for lemon chicken, so I decided to make the two other lemon chicken recipes I have and see which one I liked best. One turned out really bad, another turned out not so good either...The one that did turned out was just great! I've discovered that when creams or cheeses overpower the entire dish so that you can't taste anything else, it's not usually a good thing.

I think you'll love this Lemon-Garlic chicken recipe. Note: The longer you marinate, the better. One hour is just a minimum.

*Serves 3*
1/4c. lemon juice
2T. molasses
2tsp worcestershire sauce
4 garlic cloves, chopped or 1 tsp garlic powder (Note: the entire thing of garlic is a BULB and the little segments you pull off are the CLOVES, in case any of you were wondering. I had to learn this the hard way long, long ago, haha!)
2lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4tsp salt
1/4tsp black pepper
lemon wedges
fresh parsley sprigs

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a glass dish. Add chicken and let marinate at least 1 hour in the fridge, turning occasionally. (It's even better if you stab slits in the chicken with a knife.) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a roasting pan with cooking spray. Place chicken on pan; pour marinade on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 8-10 min, basting with marinade occasionally. Bake 8-10 min more without basting, until no longer pink inside. Serve with lemon wedges and garnish with parsley.

Mmm so good, especially with the loaded mashed potatoes!

Banana Pudding Supreme

I'm back! We went on a trip to TX at the end of January and I just haven't had time to post another recipe since then. I have quite a few recipes I'm excited to share with you all.

8oz pkg cream cheese
14oz can sweetened condensed milk
2c. milk
6oz pkg vanilla instant pudding
8oz pkg cool whip
4 bananas, sliced
12oz pkg vanilla wafers

Cream the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix milk and instant pudding in a medium bowl. Add this mixture to cream cheese along with sweetened condensed milk. Fold in half of the cool whip. In a large bowl, layer half the pudding, then half the cookies, then half the bananas, then the rest of the pudding, the rest of the cookies, and the rest of the bananas. Top with the remaining cool whip. Chill in the refrigerator before serving.

**Oh yeah! I added chocolate chips in the pudding too. :)))

Sooooo yummy!