Chicken & Ramen Noodle Salad

Dressing:

½ cup salad oil

¼ - ½ cup sugar

¼ cup vinegar (half white vinegar & half rice vinegar)

1 tsp soy sauce 

Blend ingredients in food processor until emulsified and refrigerate.

Salad:

1 pkg cole slaw mix (white cabbage, red cabbage, & carrots)

1 pkg broccoli slaw

2 pkgs ramen noodles

5-7 diced green onions

¼ cup chopped cilantro

¼ cup butter (½ stick)

½ cup Tours Mix (mixed salad nuts)

Small pkg cashews

Chop onions & cilantro and mix w/ cabbage in serving bowl, refrigerate. Brown noodles and nuts in butter, sprinkle about ½ of one of the seasoning packets over the noodles and stir in. Set aside to cool.

Toss salad dressing with slaw mix and noodle mix.

NOTE:  Marinate 3 chicken breasts in an asian-type marinade, cooked and let cool.  Chop chicken into cubes and stir into salad.  This is good for a main dish.

Tom Perini Meatloaf

Since I'm in the mood to post poor man recipes :) here's another.
First let me say that growing up I was not a fan of meatloaf (sorry Mom); but since my sister told me to try this recipe, I now find myself fixing it for our family! I think the trick is in the bacon & bbq sauce...this ain't your everyday meatloaf!

Ingredients:
2 lbs lean ground round or chuck (I often pair this recipe down and only use 1lb)
1 lg baking potato grated (I've made it w/& w/0 potato--I've also used hashbrowns instead before)
1 medium onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic
2 C chopped fresh tomatoes (or a can of them drained)
1 red or green bell pepper, seeded & chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded & finely chopped (fyi--instead of this or the above 2 ingredients, I substituted in mild rotel)
2 tsp prepared mustard or 1tsp dry mustard
1 TBS worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
3-4 strips bacon
3-4 TBS picante sauce or tomato sauce or BBQ sauce!! (highly recommend the bbq!)

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients, except the bacon & sauce, in a large bowl.
Form into a loaf shape in a shallow baking pan.
Top with strips of bacon & the sauce
Bake at 350 for an hour (check to see if it's done, it may need to cook a little longer)

Beans & Rice, Rice & Beans...

With today's economy nothing like a cheap & easy recipe!
I got this literally off the back of a can of Westbrae Organic Chili Beans (found at SuperTarget) and now it is a staple meal in our home--it's cheap, easy, and pretty darn healthy.
(Sometimes I double this recipe) Hope you'll enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 C uncooked rice (white, brown, basmati, or jasmine, etc.)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C onion chopped
1/2 C green pepper, chopped
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
2 tsp (or less) chili powder
1 can Westbrae Organic Chili beans, drained (it's a pinto, kidney & black beans mix)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 C grated cheese

Instructions:
1. Cook rice according to pkg directions, set aside.
2. Saute garlic, onion, green pepper and spices in olive oil until onion is translucent, about 5 min.
3. Add remaining ingredients & heat
4. Serve over cooked rice
5. Top with grated cheese
6. Salt & Pepper to taste (it's also good topped with Louisiana type hot sauce)

Sherried Tomato Soup

This is another recipe from www.thepioneerwoman.com.
(Here is the direct link to the soup)

I made this tonight and although it wasn't cold outside, it was yummy and warm. We had french bread and salad with it and enough for lots of leftovers this week!

Sherried Tomato Soup

6 tablespoons melted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 46-ounce bottle or can tomato juice
2 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 to 3 Tablespoons chicken base (I didn't even know what this was, but it is right next to the chicken bouillon cubes at the store. I used 2 T.)
3 to 6 Tablespoons sugar (I used 5 T.)
Pinch of salt
Black Pepper
1 cup cooking sherry (I used about 3/4 cup)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
chopped fresh parsley (I used dried)
chopped fresh basil (I used dried)

Saute diced onions in butter until transluscent.

Add canned tomatoes; stir.

Add tomato juice, sugar, pinch of salt, and black pepper, and chicken base and stir. Bring to a near boil, then turn off heat.

Add in sherry and cream and stir.

Add in parsley and basil to taste, adjust other seasoning, and serve with yummy, crusty bread.

Chicken Couscous with Mushrooms & Spinach

I got this recipe off of the allrecipes website (I know, I know, traitor!) and altered it a little. My family seemed to enjoy it, so I think it's a keeper.
Small disclaimer: I've only made this recipe once and I was altering it from the one I found online, so I apologize if the steps below don't flow as well as they could...I think this is also the kind of recipe that could be made a little differently every time you make it, but these types of recipes are my favorite b/c they're usually quite forgiving. :)

Ingredients:
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into chunks
olive oil
minced garlic
1/2 onion chopped fine
box of original, plain couscous (make according to box directions...super easy)
box of chicken broth
sm pkg of sliced mushrooms (fresh, not canned)
1/2 a bag of washed spinach leaves
crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Steps:
1. Heat olive oil in a skillet with the onions and minced garlic(I think I used approx. 2 tsps) Cook until onion has softened and turned translucent
2. Cook the couscous according to box directions substituting in 2C chicken broth instead of the water it calls for
3. Cook the chicken in the skillet with the onions & garlic (I seasoned my chicken, like I season most everything with lots of s/p & garlic salt)
4. At this point I took the chicken/garlic/onion mixture and put it in a bowl to the side--I then sauteed the mushrooms & spinach leaves in the same skillet, using "I can't Believe It's Not Butter" spray, but you could use more olive oil or just regular butter or whatever. Saute until they are cooked down.
5. Add back in the cooked couscous & chicken and stir it all together
6. Serve it up in a bowl and top it with Feta cheese, if you're fan of this, (or Parmesan or whatever you prefer--it's also pretty good just plain)

Enjoy!

A Cookie Exchange Recipe

It's never too late to post your cookie recipe from our Cookie Exchange Party!!
Here's mine...

Betsy’s Cookies (a.k.a. "Sandtart Surprise")

2 sticks butter
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup pecans
1 pkg. Hershey Kisses

Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla. Add flour and pecans. Mix thoroughly.
Chill dough.
Work kiss in center of dough to make ball.
Bake 375 for 8 - 12 minutes.
Garnish with powdered sugar.

Side Notes: I made some of mine with pecans and then I tried a batch without...I liked them both ways, so it's just personal preference.
I also made a batch of mine and added green food coloring to the dough, then made another batch adding red coloring...that seemed to make them even more "holiday festive".

Mom's Easy Chili Recipe

In honor of the cold weather I thought I would post my mom's easy chili recipe. This is great served with pinto beans, cornbread, sliced onion, & grated cheese.
You could probably also put it over fritos or something and add a little sour cream to make it more of a chili stack-up thing...

Ingredients:
1 1b. ground beef (you may want to use 2 lbs to make it go further...adjusting the rest of the ingredients to taste)
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 small can of diced green chili's
2 TBS flour
1 TBS chili powder (adjust according to taste)

Steps:
1. Brown and season the ground beef (I usually just season it up w/ s&p, & garlic salt) Drain any grease after browning
2. Add approximately 2 TBS flour to the ground beef and stir it in
3. Add tomato sauce and then fill up the can with water and add that
4. Add the green chili's
5. Add approximately 1 TBS chili pwd (more/less according to how spicy you want it)
6. If it's too thick add more water ( a very little at a time)
7. Bring to a boil
8. Turn down to low and simmer until ready

This chili is usually better the day after you cook it--probably b/c the flavors have had time to set in.
Hope you enjoy!