Crockpot Chicken

This has been a staple in our house for awhile now. A basic recipe but always a hit and it couldn't be easier!

Crockpot Chicken

1 can cream of chicken soup
1-8 0z package cream cheese
1 package italian dressing mix
2-4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (I use frozen and don't even defrost!)

Mix these together with electric mixer and spread over chicken in crockpot. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. This is for frozen chicken, could be less if chicken is NOT frozen. Serve over cooked rice or noodles.

Breakfast Biscuits

My friend Abby just made some like this for dinner and it reminded me of some that we used to make growing up for breakfast. These are so great because they fit in your hand and kids love that. Also great for a husband running out the door! You can really put whatever you want inside but here is what I do...

Breakfast Biscuits

your favorite biscuit recipe (store bought or homemade, I used bisquick)
onion
bell pepper
bacon
eggs
cheese

Chop and cook bacon. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until just turning soft. beat eggs and add to bacon, onion, and peppers. Cook unitl eggs are done. Salt and pepper to taste. Flatten out one biscuit, add egg mixture and cheese and top with second flattened biscuit. Seal edges with a fork. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 or until biscuits are cooked and golden brown.

Chopped Chicken Salad

This is a great recipe, so flavorful and fresh. Do you ever have left over BBQ chicken that you don't know what to do with? Well, this salad will make you BBQ a few extra pieces just to be sure you have leftovers. Besides, once the chicken is cooked this is the easiest dinner you will make all week! Now what is not to love about that?

Chopped Chicken Salad

1/2 head iceberg lettuce
1/2 head romain lettuce
1/2 bunch cilantro
6-8 fresh basil leaves
2 green onions
2 tomatoes
1 avocado
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup frozen corn
2 pieces grilled BBQ chicken, cold
shredded jack cheese
ranch dressing
BBQ sauce
crushed tortilla chips

chop all the veggies and chicken. Saute corn in olive oil until lightly browned and let cool. Toss the first 11 ingredients together. Top with ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, and crushed chips.

Sugar Cookies

I am a sucker for a good FROSTED sugar cookie! I am always trying to find the perfect recipe, and I think I just hit the jackpot. My definition of a great sugar cookie is chewy, soft, moist, tastes great with or without frosting, and easy to make, as in NO REFRIGERATING. And this recipe accomplishes all of these. I don't know how it would be rolled out because I always just do drop cookies. I got this recipe off of allrecipes.com but used less flour than it called for.

Sugar Cookies

1 C butter, softened
1 1/2 C sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
2 3/4 C flour (I used 2 1/2 C)

Preheat oven to 375. Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and stir until combined. The dough is really thick and takes a while to get the flour mixed in, I stirred until it formed a ball and all the flour was incorporated. Place rounded teaspoonfuls (I used my cookie scoop that is probably more like a Tablespoon) onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the are light brown on the edges and look dry on top. Let stand on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing to cool on wire rack.
Ice, if desired, with butter cream frosting.

Butter Cream Frosting

1/3 C butter, softened
4 C powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
1/4 C milk
a dash of salt

Mix all ingredients to spreading consistency. Add sugar or milk to desired consistency. Add food coloring if you want to. Decorate as you wish.

P.S. I got a new camera, could you tell?! I am so excited, I can barely stand it!

Steak Rub

I am not a huge red meat eater but a good grilled steak every once in a while sure does hit the spot! This recipe is from my dear friend Abby. I love it because you rub it on and grill, no marinating, just great flavor. It is still so cold here that we just have to grill to prtend that it is warmer. My poor husband about froze to death cooking our steaks but oh it was worth it!

Steak Rub

4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon minced garlic
6 boneless rib-eye steaks, about 12 ounces each and 1 to 1¼ inches thick, trimmed of excess fat

1. If you are using a gas grill, preheat your grill on high until it reaches 500°F.
2. In a small bowl mix the rub ingredients. Lightly coat the steaks on both sides with oil. Massage the rub into both sides of each steak. Let the steaks sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling.
3. Grill the steaks over direct high heat (450°F to 550°F), with the lid closed as much as possible, until cooked to your desired doneness, 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare. Remove from the grill, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 6 servings

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

This is my all time favorite Whole Wheat Bread. My mom used to make this for us growing up and I love that the smell of this bread baking can take me back to such a wonderful time. I only hope my kids will have the same memories. This bread makes great toast, sandwiches and is AMAZING hot out of the oven with butter and honey. I love to make a big batch and slice and freeze it. I don't even buy store bought bread anymore, I guess I am spoiled!

Honey Whole Wheat Bread
(2 loaves)

1 1/2 T yeast
2 1/2 C warm water
1/2 C powdered milk
2 T sugar
1 T salt
1/4 C oil
1/2 C honey
2 1/2 C all purpose flour
5 C whole wheat flour
3 T Wheat Gluten (optional)*

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Combine sugar, oil, salt and honey in a seperate bowl and add to yeast water. Next add powdered milk. Add the all purpose flour and mix until smooth. Slowly add whole wheat flour until blended. Add Wheat gluten with flour. Kneed until smooth. Let rise until double about 1 1/4 hours. Knock down and shape into loaves. Put loaves into greased pans and let rise until double. Bake at 350' for 35 to 40 minutes.

*If you grind your own wheat you don't need the gluten. Also if you use soft white wheat berries and grind it to flour you can use all whole wheat.

Waffles and Buttermilk Syrup

This is my favorite waffle recipe. Once again my amazing sister in law Teresa gave me the recipe. I love it that every time I make these I think of the wonderful mornings we have spent sitting in her kitchen. Love you Teresa!

Waffles

3 beaten eggs
3/4 C oil
3 C milk
3 C flour
2 T Baking Powder
3 T sugar
3/4 t salt
Vanilla to taste

Mix all the ingredients together until smooth and cook on a hot waffle iron. We love to top them with fresh whipped cream, strawberries, and Buttermilk Syrup. This syrup recipe is from a great little place in Provo, UT called Maglebys Fresh. They have all you can eat french toast that is to die for with this syrup and fresh berries, yum!

Buttermilk Syrup

3 C sugar
1 1/2 C buttermilk
4 T Karos syrup
2 sticks butter
2 t baking soda
4 t vanilla

Mix together everything BUT the vanilla in a large pan, this thing expands like crazy because of the baking soda. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add vanilla. Serve warm. (I over cooked this once and it turned into great carmel for ice cream)