Baked Potato Pizza Variations

I've added a couple variations to this recipe:

You've got to give it a try!

Just click on the picture to find the recipe.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

It's time I post this recipe before I lose it again.  My sister Heather passed it to me over the phone one day when we were chatting.  She got the recipe from HERE.  So fast and easy!  And what's better...when you make it in the crock pot you get to smell it cooking all day!  Oh, I did add some corn to mine, too.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

3 frozen chicken breasts
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 c. salsa
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 can black beans (drained if you'd like)
1 can mild green chilies

Add everything to crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours.  Remove chicken after 8 hours and shred.  Return shredded chicken to soup and serve with cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips if desired.

Cheesecake

This is the cheesecake recipe I grew up with.  My Mom made it often.  My Dad always requested it for his birthday or Father's Day.  It has a yummy sour cream topping on top.  So delicious!

Cheesecake

Crust:
2 cups graham crackers, crushed
1/4-1/3 cup butter

Pat into sides and bottom of spring form pan.

Filling:
3 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat until smooth.  Pour into crust and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until set.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Turn oven up to 450 degrees.

Topping:
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix until smooth.  Pour over filling.  Bake another 5 minutes at 450 degrees.  Cool and refrigerate for half a day at least.

*Also makes 36 cupcakes.  Use 1 vanilla wafer in the bottom of each cupcake liner for "crust".  Bake filling for 15 minutes at 375 F.  Then add sour cream topping and bake 3-5 minutes at 450 F.

Homemade Beef and Noodles

Talk about comfort food!  This is it!  We grew up in Western Kansas in a small town close to our wonderful grandparents.  This was our favorite thing to have Gran Gran make for us.  She always made Beef and Noodles but after I left home for college at BYU I often turned it into Chicken and Noodles* just because I never had left over beef.  It is good either way but my favorite is Beef and Noodles because that's how Gran Gran made it.  I've made them with whole wheat flour, too, and they work great but are a little on the "tougher" side.  These noodles are thick and chunky and so good!  One batch makes more than you think!  The secret is to roll them out thin.  If you do decide to double the batch, make each batch individually.  They are much easier to handle that way.  It's cold and rainy here today.  I might have to make up a batch!

Homemade Beef and Noodles

4 eggs
2 1/2 to 3 cups flour

Beat eggs with fork until mixed.  Add flour to eggs until thick enough to roll out.  The drier the better!  You don't want sticky dough.  Do not add salt!  Roll out onto floured surface to pie crust thickness.

Roll up like a jelly roll.  Slice into strips 1/8"-1/4" thick (depending on how chunky you like your noodles.)  Unroll individually (I always leave a few rolled up for fun.  Those are the BEST!)

Drop into a very large pot of 2 quarts boiling water (or enough water to cover all noodles with an inch or two above.)  After they have cooked for 10 minutes make a broth.

Pour off extra water until you have enough to just cover the noodles by an inch.  Add 4-6 beef bouillon cubes (depending on how much water you have.)  Add 2 cans cream of mushroom soup.  Add small pieces of cooked beef or leftover roast beef.  Salt and pepper to taste.

*To make Chicken and Noodles:  substitute 4-6 chicken bouillon cubes for the beef cubes, use cream of chicken soup instead of cream of mushroom, and diced cooked chicken instead of beef.  Can add other veggies, too, if desired.

Apple Pudding Cake

This cake is from my Grandma.  It is sooo good!  Make sure you have some vanilla ice cream on hand!

Apple Pudding Cake

2 cups sugar

1 cup shortening (or butter)

3 eggs

3 cups flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup chopped nuts

4 cups finely chopped apples (don't peel)

2 tsp. baking soda, dissolved in a little water

Mix sugar and shortening.  Add eggs.  Add dry ingredients.  Mix and add nuts and apples.  Add soda mixture and mix.  Bake in a greased 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  To serve, top with ice cream and pour warm sauce over it all.

Sauce

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 cup canned evaporated milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Simmer sugar, butter, and milk until thickened.  Stir in vanilla.

Turkey Salad

This recipe is a variation of the Chicken Salad posted HERE.  I used leftover turkey and it was great!

Turkey Salad

Leftover cooked, cubed turkey
chopped green onion
red grapes, halved
sliced almonds
Mayo
Mrs. Dash-Garlic and Herb seasoning
salt & pepper to taste


Mix together and serve on bread, croissants, or over bed of lettuce.

Cream Cheese Cranberry Muffins

This recipe is from my sister, Amy.  She made them for us when we were visiting at Mom's house.  They are so delicious!  I believe they are from a Taste of Home magazine.

Cream Cheese Cranberry Muffins

1 cup butter, softened
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir into creamed mixture just until moistened.  Fold in cranberries and pecans.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.  Serve warm.  Makes 2 dozen.

Chicken Taco Ring

A variation on the traditional taco.  Serve with all of the taco toppings.

Chicken Taco Ring

1 lb. chicken breasts
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
Garnish:  sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa, chopped onion, chopped lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced olives

Spray cookie sheet.  Cook chicken breast in skillet.  Shred or chop cooked chicken.  Mix in taco seasoning and one cup shredded cheese.  Unroll both cans of crescent roll dough and separate into 16 triangles.  Arrange triangles on cookie sheet with short sides of triangles toward center and points facing out.  Overlap into wreath shape and leave about 5-inch round opening in center.  Lightly press short, overlapping ends of dough to flatten slightly.  Spoon chicken filling onto widest part of dough.  Pull end points back over filling and tuck under dough to form ring.  Filling will be visible.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with garnishes.

Shrimp Fried Rice

This is great as a side dish, under stir-fry, or as a main dish.

Shrimp Fried Rice

2 cups cooked rice or Minute Rice
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
2-3 green onions, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. butter
1 cup fresh salad shrimp
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 cup water

In large skillet, melt butter.  Add onion and saute until tender.  Add rice and saute.  Cook until mixture is slightly browned.  Stir in slightly beaten eggs.  Cook on low until eggs are done.  Stir frequently.  Add shrimp.  Mix water and soy sauce and stir into rice mixture.  Serve immediately.

Salmon Gravy Over Puffed Pastry

This is a recipe from my Grandma.  It was passed down for many generations  It was originally made by my Great-Great-Grandmother.  It is a pioneer recipe.  While it calls for smoked or kippered salmon, I often just use the canned variety.  I use one large can for this recipe.  Grandma always served it over English Muffins but it can also be served over toast or in this case, puffed pastry.  It is actually a breakfast recipe but can be served for any meal.  

Salmon Gravy

3 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. flour
1 can evaporated milk + 1 can water
salt and pepper to taste
1/2-1 tsp. dill weed
1 cup or more crumbled, smoked or kippered salmon (or canned salmon-remove all bones)

Melt butter in saucepan.  Whisk in flour.  Cook for one minute.  Add milk and water.  Whisk until smooth and bring to a boil stirring constantly.  Add dill weed, salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in salmon.  Serve over toasted English Muffins or toast.  Or cut sheets of puffed pastry into squares and bake as directed.  Serve Salmon Gravy over hot puffed pastry.

Chocolate Cherry Cake

This recipe is from my sister Heather.  It is super moist and the frosting is to die for.

Chocolate Cherry Cake


1 pkg. chocolate fudge cake mix
1 can of cherry pie filling
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Stir together by hand until blended. (Using a mixer will smash the cherries too much.)
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 min.
Cool for 1 hour and frost with the following frosting:

Frosting
5 Tablespoon butter
1 c. sugar
1/3 c. milk
1 c. *semi-sweet chocolate chips

In saucepan over low-med. heat, stir butter, milk and sugar until boiling. Boil for 1 minute. Take off burner and let set for 2-3 minutes then stir in chocolate chips.  (I have learned that stirring in the chocolate too soon, will cause the chocolate to separate because the mixture is too hot. Be sure to let it cool 2-3 min.) Stir until melted and satiny smooth. Spread on cooled cake.

*(Use a good chocolate chip brand. Hershey’s didn’t work for me, but Kroger works nicely and Ghirardelli.)

Pineapple Chicken

This is a recipe I got from Tory's mom.  It was one of his favorites growing up.  It's easy, tastes great, and feeds a lot of people.  Serve over brown rice.

Pineapple Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts, or you can use chicken tenders or a whole chicken cut up
1 can pineapple chunks or tidbits with juice
1 package of onion soup mix

Season chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Brown chicken in pan with olive oil.  Dice or shred and return to pan.  Pour onion soup mix over chicken.  Pour pineapple with juice over chicken.  Simmer till done.  Make gravy using juice/drippings.  Add 2 Tbsp. flour.  Whisk together over med. heat.  Add a cup of water.  Whisk until smooth.  Bring to boil and stir into pineapple mixture.  Add salt and pepper as desired.  Serve over brown rice.