Simmering Chinese Chicken

1 (4 lb) chicken parts (dark meat works best)
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. catsup
1/4 cup sherry, apple juice or orange juice
1/2 to 3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green onion, sliced
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. water
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Place the chicken in a 1 gallon freezer bag. In a bowl mix together the oil, water, soy sauce, sugar, catsup, sherry or juice, red peppers, garlic and onions.
Add the sauce to the chicken and seal the bag. Freeze.

To prepare, thaw the chicken overnight in the refrigerator.

Prep 1: Place the chicken in a 3 qt. casserole and cover. Microwave on high for 5 minutes then, for 15 minutes on medium high.
Turn the chicken pieces and return to the microwave for 15 to 20 minutes on medium high. Remove the chicken to a platter. Blend the cornstarch and the water and add to the remaining sauce. Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes or until thick. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the chicken and serve the sauce on the side. Serve with hot cooked rice and steamed broccoli.

Prep 2: This dish may be baked at 350°F for 1 hour, stirring once.

Prep 3: Put 1 1/2 Cups rice in the bottom of 9x13 pan, arrange pour sauce into measuring cup, add water to total 3 cups liquid. Mix liquid with rice, arrange chicken on top, bake at 350°F for 1 hour. Rice is a little spicy.

Prep 4: Grill

Chicken Fajitas

Chicken Fajitas

July Favorites

July Favorites
Mom's Chicken Enchiladas
Italian Turkey Burgers
Mini's Old Fashioned Mac & Cheese
Simmering Chinese Chicken
Spaghetti Sauce

May Favorites
Chicken with Plum Sauce
Mustard Stuffed Chicken
Asian Pork Marinade for the Grill
Chicken Fijitas

Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb hamburger browned

1 onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic chopped

1 can tomato paste

4 cups canned tomatoes

1 c. water (I use juice from the tomatoes)

1 Tbl salt

1 Tbl sugar

1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp all spice

1/8 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp thyme

1/3 cup chopped parsley

1 bay leaf

Brown hamburger, onion, and garlic. Add rest of ingredients and simmer for 45 min to an hour. I also sprinkle a little oregano and basil into the pot while cooking.

Label:

Defrost. Warm up and serve over noodles.

Mom's Chicken Enchiladas

4 portions chicken breast (about 1 lb.)
4 green onions, sliced
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (I use can of green chilies)
3 cans (10 oz. each) green enchilada sauce
8 corn tortillas
1 cup (or more) cheddar cheese, shredded (reduced fat for lower fat enchiladas)

Preheat oven to 350 and coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Boil chicken for about 15 minutes or until done. Let cool slightly, then shred by pulling apart with two forks. Set aside.
Lightly coat a skillet with cooking spray. Add green onions, cilantro and jalapeno. Saute over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add shredded chicken and 1 can enchilada sauce. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Pour the two remaining cans of enchilada sauce in a medium bowl and microwave until warm, about 2 minutes. Dip each tortilla in the heated sauce and fill with about 1/8 of the chicken mix. Add some cheese if you would like. Roll up and place, seamside down, in 9 x 13 dish. Continue until all the chicken mix is gone.
Pour remaining heated sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until enchiladas are heated through and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.
To make it look pretty you could serve this on a bed of lettuce and top with salsa, sour cream, tomatoes and olives. Enjoy!!!

Label: Thaw. Bake in 350 oven for 15-20 minutes.

Mini's Old Fashioned Mac & Cheese

For Libby Berret

Cook the following, drain and set aside the following:

4 C. Dry Elbow Macaroni
Only Cook to al dente, approximately 8-10 min. The macaroni will finish cooking with the cheese sauce in the oven.

In a bowl combine the following:
6 C. Shredded Cheddar and jack blend cheese
1/4 C. Shredded smoked Gouda
1/4 C. Flour
Toss well to coat all the cheese with the flour

In a large saucepan combine the following:
2 Qts. Heavy Cream
2 C. Milk
1/4 C. Dijon Mustard

Place on medium heat and bring to a simmer. Slowly whisk in cheese mixture. Make sure that each hand full of cheese is thoroughly melted before you add the next hand full.

After mixture is melted add:
1 t. freshly grated Nutmeg
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place the cooked macaroni in a large bowl and pour in approximately 1/4 to 1/2 of the hot cheese mixture to thoroughly coat the macaroni. Store the leftover cheese sauce in small freezer bags in the freezer for quick and easy meals for future use.

1 C. Shredded Cheddar and Jack Blend Cheese
1 C. Bread crumbs (optional), Can top with crumbled bacon too (optional)

Put mixture in a casserole dish, top with grated cheddar cheese and optional bread crumbs.
Bake uncovered in oven 350 degrees until mixture is bubbly and bread crumbs are browned. Approx. 15 minutes.

Simmering Chinese Chicken

1 (4 lb) chicken parts (dark meat works best)
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. catsup
1/4 cup sherry, apple juice or orange juice
1/2 to 3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green onion, sliced
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. water
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Place the chicken in a 1 gallon freezer bag. In a bowl mix together the oil, water, soy sauce, sugar, catsup, sherry or juice, red peppers, garlic and onions.
Add the sauce to the chicken and seal the bag. Freeze.

To prepare, thaw the chicken overnight in the refrigerator. Place the chicken in a 3 qt. casserole and cover. Microwave on high for 5 minutes then, for 15 minutes on medium high.
Turn the chicken pieces and return to the microwave for 15 to 20 minutes on medium high. Remove the chicken to a platter.
Blend the cornstarch and the water and add to the remaining sauce. Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes or until thick. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the chicken and serve the sauce on the side. Serve with hot cooked rice and steamed broccoli.
Note: This dish may be baked at 350°F for 1 hour, stirring once.

April Exchange Info

We have more then 3 favorites this month, since the scores were all so close.

April Favorites
Ritz Cracker Parmesan Chicken
Breaded Pork Chops
Grandpa's Chicken
Sweet and Sour Chicken - Crockpot
Greek-inspired Phyllo Wraps
Chicken Enchiladas

Cost per meal $4.99
Cost for supplies $3.76

Chicken with Plum Sauce

8 chicken breasts
Marinate: 1 cup buttermilk
1tsp. worcestershire
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. soy sauce
Marinate overnight. Remove chicken from marinate and coat with mixture of 2 cups bread crumbs and 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds.
Place in baking dish and drizzle with 1/4 cup over top the chicken.
Bake covered for 40 min. at 350 degrees.
Plum sauce: 1 cup red plum jam
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp. horseradish
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
Heat and pour over chicken.

Label: Thaw chicken in fridge. Drizzle with 2-4 Tbsp. melted butter. Bake 350 degrees for 40 mins. Heat sauce in microwave or stove and serve over the chicken.

March Favorites

Sorry this is so late

Western Corn Chowder
Chicken Tostadas
Italian Turkey Burgers

Mustard Stuffed Chicken

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
8 pieces of bacon
1 T wholegrain mustard
1 c strong grated cheddar
1 c mozzarella or swiss - grated.
Season - salt and pepper, garlic salt, whatever your favorite seasonings are.

Heat oven to 350. Mix the cheeses with the mustard to form a sort of ball. Cut a slit into the side of each chicken breast - from one end to the other (as far as you can). Stuff with the mustard mixture. Wrap each stuffed breast with 2 pieces of bacon. Tightly enough to hold the chicken together. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Label: Thaw completely. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350.

Asian Pork Marinade for the Grill

1/3 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon dry mustard
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tsp ground ginger
1 ½ lbs pork tenderloin, cut into single serving pieces

Slice pork tenderloin and place in a gallon sized freezer bag. Whisk together all remaining ingredients (except pineapple) and pour over the pork in the bag. Seal tightly and freeze.

Label
Remove bag from freezer the night before and place in the refrigerator to defrost. Heat grill and cook pork for approx 5-7 minutes on each side until done. If desired when pork is almost done, grill pineapple slices as well (for about 2 minutes on each side). Serve pork with grilled pineapple on top

Trish’s Pork Tenderloin

(Here's a blast from the past - and one that ranked as a favorite. Thank you Jennifer for this delicious recipe! We liked that it was not only delicious, but beautiful as well.)


Trish’s Pork Tenderloin

1 Large Pork Tenderloin
1 8 oz. package of cream cheese
½ jar roasted red peppers
½ pkg bacon cooked and crumbled
1 pkg dried pesto seasoning (like Knorr or McCormic)
Spinach leaves (to taste)
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Paprika

Pound the tenderloin flat. Spread the cream cheese all over the top. Lay the roasted red peppers over the cream cheese. Sprinkle on the crumbled bacon. Evenly sprinkle the dried pesto seasoning over the roll. Arrange the spinach leaves all over the top. Roll the pork up and tie it shut with 3 or 4 lengths of kitchen twine. Rub the roll with olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper. Place in a greased baking dish, or onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees, about 60-90 minutes, or until pork is cooked through. Let stand 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

To cook from frozen: Defrost by enclosing in a paper grocery bag on your counter overnight, or in fridge over 24 hour period. Bake in a greased pan, 350 degrees for 60-90 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check center of roll. Needs to be 170 degrees in the center. Let stand 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

Chicken Fijitas

1 ld boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 green, red, or yellow bell pepper seeded and sliced
1 cup sweet onion sliced
1/4 cup lime juice

For Serving Day:
12 (6-inch)flour tortillas
8-oz (2 cups) grated cheddar cheese
1 cup salsa
Sour Cream

Preparation:
Slice onion and bell pepper. Cut chicken into ¨ù inch slices. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
Sprinkle chicken on all sides with cumin, chili powder and black pepper. Spray large skillet with cooking spray. Heat. Add bell pepper and onion; cook over high heat stirring constantly until vegetables are lightly browned. Add chicken, stirring constantly until chicken is no longer pink. Add lime juice; toss to combine. Cool. Put into labeled freezer bag. Freeze

To Serve:
Thaw completely. Reheat meat mixture in large skillet until heated through. Warm tortillas in microwave if desired. To assemble Fajitas, place an equal amount of chicken mixture onto center of each tortilla, an equal amount of cheese, 1-2 TB sour cream and 2 TB. salsa. Roll tortillas to enclose filling.

For Dee Bianucci and Leslie

Ritz Cracker Parmesan Chicken

8 chicken breast
2 cups plain yogurt
3 cups ritz crackers crushed
6 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
3 tsp. garlic salt
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
Mix crackers, cheese and seasonings together.
Dip chicken in yogurt then in the cracker mixture.
Place in baking dish or cookie sheet and drizzle with 4-6 Tbsp. butter.
Cover with foil for first 30 minutes and uncover for last 10-15 mins. to crisp up.
Bake at 350 for 40-45 mins. until juices run clear.

LABEL: Place on well greased cookie sheet or baking dish. THAW. Drizzle with 4-6 Tbsp. butter optional. Bake at 350 covered with foil for the first 30 mins. then uncover for the next 10-15 mins. until coating is golden and crispy. Test center of chicken to make sure it's done.

Grandpa's Chicken

GRANDPA'S CHICKEN

This was my dad's favorite so we had to give it his name....it was one of the first meals I ever learned to make as a kid :)

• 4-6 skinless, boneless chicken breast (they don't have to be boneless if you'd rather not - plus some in our family prefer thighs and legs so.....)
  
• 1 1/2 (1 ounce) packages dry onion soup mix (lipton is the best)
  
• 1 (10 fluid ounce) bottle Russian-style salad dressing (sometimes it's hard to find - I have substituted Catalina before but it's not as good).
  
• 2 cups apricot preserves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
   
2. Place the chicken pieces in a casserole dish. Mix the soup mix, dressing and jam together - pour over the chicken.
3. Cover dish and bake (thawed) for 1 hour in preheated oven. Frozen would be more. 1 1/2 hours????
4. I'm sure you could crock-pot it too if you'd prefer.
   

Label: Bake thawed and covered at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Unthawed 1 1/2 hours. May also crock-pot if you wish (4-6 hours).

Our favorite side is funeral potatoes. But as much as I love you all I'm not making that for everyone in the group ;) Rice is good too.

Sweet and Sour Chicken - Crockpot

4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cubed or whole
1 cup ketchup
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup brown sugar

Mix ketchup, vinegar and brown sugar. Pour over chicken. Freeze in bag. Bake in crockpot on low 6 hours or in oven on 350 for about 45 minutes. Serve with rice.

Chicken Enchiladas

2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons of butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
10 flour tortillas
1 can of mild enchilada sauce
Green onions to garnish, chopped

Combine chicken and sour cream. Set aside. In another pan saute onions in butter until golden. Add onion, salt, and 2 cups of cheese to chicken mixture. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture into each tortilla. Roll up and place close together in pan. Pour can of enchilada sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle top with remaining shredded cheese.

LABEL: Thaw completely. Bake uncovered at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

Greek-inspired Phyllo Wraps

THIS RECIPE IS FROM MY GREAT SISTER-IN-LAW APRIL MCKAY ANDERSON. SHE IS FILLING IN FOR MELISSA R. THIS MONTH :) - MELISSA M.

Greek-inspired Phyllo Wraps

3 T olive oil
1 c onion, diced
2 t garlic minced
1 ¼ lb ground turkey
½ c red bell pepper, diced
2 T lemon juice
1 T oregano
½ t kosher salt
½ t cinnamon
½ t nutmeg
½ t pepper
¼ c scallions, chopped
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
16 sheets phyllo pastry
¾ c olive oil
Dill sprigs optional

Heat oil over medium heat, sauté onion 3 min. Add garlic; sauté 1 min. Stir in turkery and cook until browned (5 min). Add bell pepper, lemon juice and seasonings; cook 1 min. Remove from heat, spoon off any excess fat, and cool 5 min. Stir in scallions and feta.

Preheat oven to 425.

To assemble wraps: brush one phyllo sheet with oil; add a dill sprig, if desired. Top with second phyllo sheet; brush with oil. Spoon ½ cup turkey mixture on a short end, leaving a one inch margin. Fold sides over mixture, then roll. Place wrap seam side down on baking sheet lined with foil or parchment; brush with oil. Repeat with remaining turkey, phyllo, and oil.

Bake 15 minutes, or until browned. Let stand 5 minutes to cool.

Label- Place frozen wraps on baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper, then bake in a preheated 425 oven for 20 minutes, or until browned. Let wraps stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Breaded Pork Chops

4 large eggs
1 T + 2 t Dijon mustard
1 T + 2 t chopped fresh herb
8 bone-in pork chops (3 - 3 1/2 pounds)
2 c plain dried breadcrumbs
coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 c olive oil

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, mustard, and herb and let stand 15 minutes. Meanwhile, pound each pork chop (avoiding bone) between two pieces plastic wrap to a 1/4-inch thickness.

Spread breadcrumbs on a rimmed baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture onto another rimmed baking sheet. In batches, season pork chops with salt and pepper and coat in egg mixture. Gently shake to remove excess, then dredge in breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere. Freeze pork chops

Label: Heat broiler. Place a rimmed baking sheet in broiler to heat. For each frozen chop, combine 3 teaspoons oil; brush on both sides. Place chops on sheet and broil until both sides are deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.