CREAM CHICKEN

This is very quick and very good!

4 frozen chicken breasts

1/4 C. cooking sherry or wine

1 clove garlic, crushed (or 1/4 tsp. powder)

1 tsp. italian seasoning or herbs

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1/4 C. butter

1/4 C. cream or half-and half (opt.)

1 8oz. block cream cheese

steamed white rice

Place chicken in crock pot, then put seasonings, butter and wine over top. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours (until chicken is tender and shreds). About 10 minutes before serving, place block of cream cheese in pot along with a splash of cream or half-and-half if desired. Cover until cheese melts, then stir mixture and serve over rice.

thanks Traca Miller!

FLAT ENCHILADAS

This can be cooked in the crock pot, making it a great busy-night meal!

Ingredients:

3 lbs. lean roast (beef or pork)

garlic powder to taste

salt to taste

pepper to taste

dash cumin

1/8 C. cilantro, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

2-4 (7 oz.) cans chopped green chiles

2 (10 oz.) cans green enchilada sauce (Hatch if available)

corn or flour tortillas

shredded cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese

lettuce, opt.

chopped tomatoes, opt.

Directions:

Place roast, seasonings, onion, cilantro, green chiles and enchilada sauce in crock pot and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours, until meat is cooked and shreds. (Mixture should be very soupy; add 1/4 cup of water if necessary). Dip corn tortilla in green chile mixture and then place on plate. Add a spoonful of the sauce over the tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese. Continue layering tortillas and sauce, then cheese for 2 to 4 layers (depending on how hungry you are!). Garnish with lettuce, tomatoes and extra cilantro. This sauce also makes good burritos (just use same ingredients to stuff flour tortillas). For leftovers, add some diced potatoes to make a good soup.

Thanks Aunt Joy for this great recipe!

TYLER TACOS

We had these tacos while visiting our friends in Tyler, Texas and loved them! (Our friends and the tacos :) )

Ingredients:

corn tortillas

grilled chicken breast, sliced

cabbage, shredded

cilantro, chopped

avocado slices (or guacamole)

queso fresco

sour cream

salsa

lime wedges

Directions:

Grill chicken (with favorite seasoning such as salt, pepper, garlic, cumin and chili powder). Let meat rest, then slice fajita-style. Warm tortillas on griddle (can form taco shells by using a little cooking oil and heat until tortilla just starts to get crunchy, then form into taco shell shape before hardens). Layer chicken, cabbage, cilantro, avocado, sour cream and queso fresco in tortilla. Squeeze fresh lime juice over top. Serve with favorite salsa (tomatillo salsa is very good with this), rice and beans. This is especially good in summer. We also like to mix the cabbage and cilantro, then squeeze lime juice over the top and sprinkle with sea salt. It's a good side salad to Mexican dishes.

CURRIED CHICKEN SALAD

Ingredients:

2-12.5 oz. cans chicken

coconut milk (about 8 oz.)

1-2 tsp. curry (powder)

pineapple mango salsa

Directions:

Mix drained chicken and coconut milk together until desired consistency. Add curry powder to taste. Carefully fold in pineapple mango salsa to taste. (recipe under 'Appetizers and Beverages' category)

This is great in the summer...fresh pineapple and mango!

COCONUT CURRY CHICKEN

this is great as a soup, or served thicker over rice (adjust ingredients and quantities to taste)

1 med. onion

5 whole carrots

1 red pepper

1-2 C. sugar snap or snow peas

2-3 chicken breasts

chicken broth

1 can coconut milk (lite or regular)

1 T. red curry paste

1-2 tsp. curry powder (I like to use some of the hot curry)

Chop onion into bite-sized pieces. Place in large dutch-oven type pan and start to saute on medium-high heat (I use butter or coconut oil). As onions are cooking, clean and chop carrots then add to pan. (cook for about 2 minutes) Cut raw chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Add chicken broth to pan (about 1 cup, but more if using as a soup). Stir in curry paste and curry powder. You could also add some fish sauce if desired. Then stir in coconut milk. When spices have blended into milk and broth, place raw chicken pieces spread out in pan and stir lightly to cover them with liquid. Add chopped red pepper and snow peas on top (don't stir). Place lid on pan and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes (until chicken is cooked through). Pepper and peas should be slightly steamed, but still have some crunch.

inspired by Chelsea Yankie and Rachel Crawford

SHRIMP MARINADE

This is delicious! It is a great marinade for chicken too!

Ingredients:

½ C. olive oil
¼ C. soy sauce
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. minced onion
1 tsp. parsley flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 T. chili powder
1 tsp. oregano

Directions:

Mix together all ingredients (use fresh herbs if possible). Pour over 2 lbs. raw, cleaned shrimp. Marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Place shrimp on skewers and grill about 3 minutes on each side.

PIZZA DOUGH

Mom used to make individual pizzas for our birthday parties. She would set out various toppings and let each friend "decorate" their own pizza. Then instead of traditional birthday cake, we'd have banana splits...again each person making their own culinary creation. Fun!

Ingredients:

1 pkg. dry yeast
1 ¼ C. warm water
2 T. oil (olive or vegetable)
4 C. flour
1 tsp. salt

Directions:

Dissolve yeast in water and stir in oil. Add flour and salt. Knead until smooth. Put in greased bowl and cover with damp cloth. Let rise until double. Form 2 equal balls and then gently pull into crust form. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. Then fill with desired pizza toppings and continue baking until cheese melts and crust is done.

Two of our favorites: sausage, green chile, sauteed onion, fresh mozzarella OR

fresh mozzarella, fresh sliced tomatoes, and fresh snipped basil or Italian herb mix

Makes 2-14 inch pizzas.

PICADILLO (Mexican beef filling)

My sister got this recipe from her friends at Rosa's

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
chicken bouillon (aprx. 1 T.)
garlic (aprx. 1 tsp.)
1 sm. potato, diced
½ med. onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced

Directions:

Brown meat on medium heat. Add seasonings to taste. Add potato, onion and tomato. Cover pan and simmer about 15 minutes (until potatoes are tender).

Use mixture as a taco or burrito filling, or for nachos, enchiladas…

from my favorite sister, Brenda!

SWISS STEAK

a Mark Stutler favorite

Ingredients:
1 large round steak, 1” thick
2 cans mushrooms (or fresh, washed and sliced)
½ tsp. garlic
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 C. water (plus more)
½ C. onion, chopped
½ C. green bell pepper, chopped*
½ C. ketchup

*can use combination of red and green peppers, and more if desired

Directions:
Cut meat into serving pieces. Cover with flour and place in heavy skillet. Add garlic, salt and pepper and brown. Pour in enough hot water to prevent sticking while cooking. Reduce heat to low-medium, cover and cook meat for 2 hours (will look like gravy). Add mushrooms, 1 C. water, onions, green pepper and ketchup and cook for 30 minutes. Remove lid and cook another 30 minutes (until juice boils down to a thick gravy). Serve over steamed rice. This recipe can be modified for crock pot. Add browned meat and remaining ingredients to crock pot and cook on low for aprx. 8 hours.

from Maxine Stutler

MEXICAN SPAGHETTI

my Granny used to make this often

Ingredients:

4 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 C. celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cans Rotel tomatoes
3 or 4-(8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
2 -4 oz. cans mushrooms, or fresh sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. lemon pepper
½ tsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. chives
2 tsp. parsley
bay leaf
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion salt

Directions:
Brown ground beef, onion, and celery. Drain excess fat. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer. Serve over spaghetti noodles. Freezes well.

from Granny Lee Lee

GREEN ENCHILADAS

"Mimi," a close Stutler family friend, always made these for them.
(and you can cheat and buy the canned tomatillos, but the real deal is pretty amazing!)

Sauce Ingredients:
12-15 tomatillos
4-6 jalapenos
2 cloves garlic
½ C. cilantro
1 tsp. salt
2 C. water
1 onion

Chicken mixture:
6-8 chicken breasts
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
4 C. water
1 C. celery
4 carrots, pared

Other ingredients:
2 C. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
18-24 corn tortillas
baking spray oil
2-4 (10 ¾ oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
1 C. sour cream
1 C. chicken broth (maybe more)
½ C. fresh cilantro

Bring to boil sauce ingredients, except for cilantro, for 10 to 12 minutes, cool and pour into a blender. Add ½ C. cilantro.

Place chicken mixture ingredients in large stock pot and cook on medium heat for 40-50 minutes. Cool chicken and shred.

Spray a skillet with oil and place each tortilla in pan until softened. Mix green sauce puree with cream of chicken soup. Add reserved chicken broth to make green enchilada sauce. Add sour cream to mixture.

Dip each tortilla in green sauce and then fill with shredded chicken. Roll and place seam-side down in a 9x13” pan. Pour the remaining green sauce over tortillas. Sprinkle the top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees until cheese has melted. Serve with green salad, Spanish rice and beans. Yum!

SINGAPORE CURRY

I promise this one is good...be brave and try all the toppings too! (ok, I have to admit I skip the tomatoes myself)

Ingredients:
2 chickens (5-6 pounds)
1/2 C. margarine
6 T. flour
3 T. onion, very finely chopped
1 ¼ tsp. salt
4 T. curry powder
8 C. chicken broth
steamed rice

Toppings:
Peanuts, coconut, chopped tomatoes, diced pineapple, sliced bananas

Directions:
Cook, debone, and chop chicken. (You can use chicken breasts if you prefer. You won’t need as many pounds of meat because of the bones.) Over low heat melt margarine in large pan. Add flour and stir until smooth. (If mixture is too thick, add a small amount of broth.)
Add onions, salt, and curry powder, mixing well. Slowly add broth, stirring as you add it. Add chicken and simmer to distribute curry.
Serve over rice, with assorted toppings.

This recipe makes a huge amount, but it freezes well.

from Aunt Joy Cleek

CHICKEN TETRAZZINI

so not the healthiest...but tastes great and freezes well!

Ingredients:
4-5 lb. chicken
3 celery stalks, quartered
1 large onion, quartered
Salt to taste plus 1 ½ tsp.
½ C. butter*
½ lb. fresh mushrooms, washed and sliced
1/3 C. flour
1 C. heavy cream*
3 T. Sherry
1 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb. spaghetti, cooked according to package directions

Directions:
Cover chicken, celery, onion and salt with water and boil about 45 minutes, or until meat shreds easily. Reserve
3 ½ C. stock. Drain remainder and coarsely cut chicken. For sauce: melt butter (*can reduce amount to ¼ C.) and sauté mushrooms for 5 minutes. Stir in flour and chicken stock. Cook on low heat until thick. Stir in cream (*can substitute half and half or low-fat milk), sherry, 1 ½ tsp. salt and ½ C. Parmesan. Simmer 5 minutes.

Grease 4 qt. casserole dish and layer spaghetti, chicken and sauce (or mix all together and place in pan). Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 35 minutes. Sauce and chicken freeze well.

from Shelly Brantly

CHICKEN PARMIGIANA

don't worry too much about the exact measurements...the bought Italian bread crumbs are good to use too!

Ingredients:
1 jar spaghetti sauce (approx. 26 oz.)
1-8 oz. can tomato sauce
½ C. fine, dry bread crumbs
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 lb. total)
(I like to use chicken tenders)
1/3 C. finely shredded mozzarella cheese
2 T. grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix spaghetti sauce and tomato sauce. Lightly cover bottom of 12x7½ baking dish with part of the mixture. Set aside. Place bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Place egg whites in another shallow dish. Dip chicken in egg whites; then roll it in bread crumbs to coat.

Lightly spray an unheated large skillet with olive oil no-stick spray. Heat skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook about 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Transfer chicken to prepared baking dish. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce mixture. Sprinkle with cheeses.

Bake about 20 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink and the cheeses are melted and bubbly.
(I like to serve this over linguini.)

from Aunt Joy Cleek

ROASTED SQUASH AND PEPPER TART

Ingredients:
3 C. squash (yellow, pattypan or zucchini), cut up
2 red and/or yellow peppers, cut in wide strips
1 lg. sweet onion and/or fennel bulb, cut in wedges
2 T. olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 oz. Parmesan cheese
½ of a 17.3 oz. pkg. frozen pastry sheets (1 sheet), thawed
½ C. cherry tomatoes
2 T. balsamic vinegar
3 tsp. fresh thyme, snipped
1 C. creamy parmesan dressing (we like jalapeno ranch)
¼ C. sweet onion, finely chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat sides and bottom of 13x9x2” baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spread squash, peppers, onion wedges in pan. Toss with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, uncovered, 20-25 minutes or until tender, stirring once.

Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler, cut Parmesan cheese in thin strips. Set aside. On lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry to 13x9” rectangle. Remove baking pan from oven. Add tomatoes to pan. Toss vegetables with balsamic vinegar and half of the parmesan cheese. Spread vegetables evenly in pan. Lay pastry over vegetables, tucking in edges. Return pan to oven; bake for 15 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden.

Remove pan from oven; cool 5 minutes. Invert a 15x10x1” pan over pan with pastry. Carefully invert pans together; remove 13x9 pan. Transfer any vegetables that stick to finished tart. Sprinkle tart evenly with remaining cheese and 2 tsp. of the thyme. In small bowl, stir together dressing, onion and remaining thyme. Cut in squares. Serve tart warm or at room temperature with dressing.

PORK ROAST AND SAUERKRAUT

one of Mark's favorites...and super easy!

Ingredients:
1-2 lb. pork roast tenderloin
32 oz. sauerkraut (1-2 cans, adjust amount to taste)
salt and pepper

Directions:
For oven: Season roast lightly with salt and pepper. Cover with sauerkraut and wrap in foil. Place in 9x13 pan and bake at 300 to 325 degrees for 2-3 hours.

For crock pot: Place ingredients in pot and cook on low for 8 hours.

ROAST, POTATOES & CARROTS

Ingredients:
1-2 lb. lean roast (beef or pork)
3-4 med. potatoes
8 carrots
½ med. onion, sliced (opt.)
garlic
lemon pepper
sea salt

Directions:
Peel potatoes and cut into large pieces. If using red potatoes, clean and remove any bad spots. Clean carrots and cut into sticks.

Place roast in crock pot. Arrange potatoes, onion and carrots around roast (or if you love the carrots, add more and mash the potatoes instead). Season with garlic, salt and lemon pepper. Add soups if using, cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours. If making this for lunch, can place meat and seasonings on low overnight. In morning, add potatoes and carrots and continue cooking until lunch.

*you can add: 1 pkg. Lipton onion soup mix & 1-10 ½ oz. can beef consume soup. But it is really just as good and much simpler without these.

SESAME BEEF STIR-FRY

Ingredients:
½ C. brown rice, uncooked
½ lb. lean ground beef
1 T. toasted sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, sliced
1 C. broccoli slaw
1 C. napa cabbage, shredded
1 T. lite soy sauce
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions:
Prepare brown rice according to its package directions.
While rice is cooking, in a medium skillet or wok brown the ground beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Remove beef from the skillet, drain and set aside.
Heat sesame oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and green onions; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the broccoli slaw and cabbage; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add rice and soy sauce; stir-fry for 2 more minutes.
Return the cooked ground beef to the skillet with the rice and vegetable mixture and season with red pepper flakes. Stir ingredients until well combined and heated through, about 2 minutes. Makes 2 servings.

from Ashley Milford

LASAGNA

the red wine gives this recipe a great flavor!

Sauce Ingredients:
2 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 lb. ground beef
1-(2 lb. 3 oz.) can Italian plum tomatoes
1-8 oz. can tomato sauce
1-8 oz. can tomato paste
½ C. red wine
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
Dash hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)

Other Ingredients:
1 lb. lasagna noodles
2 C. cottage cheese
½ lb. grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb. sliced mozzarella

Directions:
Heat oil in large saucepan and add onion and garlic. Stir until onion is pale. Add beef and cook until brown. Add remaining sauce ingredients and cook over low heat for 1 hour or until thickened. Cook noodles in salted water and pat dry on paper towel (slightly undercook noodles). In separate bowl, mix cottage cheese and Parmesan.
Assemble: layer sauce, noodles, sauce and dot with cheese mixture. Cover with mozzarella cheese. Repeat until gone and end with mozzarella on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

from Maxine Stutler

GRILLED DOVE (QUAIL OR PHEASANT)

our kids even love these!

Ingredients:
dove or quail breasts, cleaned*
jalapeno peppers (whole or cut in half and seeded)
bacon strips, cut in half if desired
Italian dressing
garlic powder, to taste

Directions:
Place a pepper inside dove/ quail cavity. Wrap breast and pepper with a strip of bacon and secure with toothpick. Place dove in shallow pan and pour Italian dressing over them. Marinate for 4-6 hours. Sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper. Cook on grill until meat is just done and bacon is crispy.

*make “poppers” by removing dove, quail or pheasant meat from bone and cutting into bite-sized pieces. Place a jalapeno half and onion slice on either side of meat. Wrap with bacon, secure with toothpick and proceed with dressing, etc…

from Mark Stutler (love this guy!)