Chicken Noodle Soup

Fry two chicken breasts in butter.

Fill a medium pot half full of water and add the following:

Cut up carrots, celery, small onion, two bouillon cubes, cut up chicken.

Stir and boil until veggies are tender.

Add Noodles (Homemade or large frozen noodles from a bag)- I cook them first.*

Add one package of dry Chicken Noodle Soup mix.

Add 1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning.

Thicken with a little cornstarch if you like it thicker.

(If the soup isn't a pretty yellow color, add yellow food coloring.)

from Grandma Green

Chinese Chicken Salad

This recipe feeds 6 adults as a full meal (it makes a lot)

SALAD INGREDIENTS

3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced

1 head of iceberg lettuce, torn

1 head of redleaf lettuce, torn

1/2 package of wonton wrappers, cut into strips (about thirds) and fried*

DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

1 cup of canola oil (or less, Jill often uses about 3/4 of a cup)

3/4 cup of seasoned rice vinegar (found in the Asian food section)

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons pepper

1/2 cup of sugar (or less to taste)

4-6 green onions, cut into 2 inch pieces (Jill usually doesn't cut them)

Put all the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Then combine the lettuce, chicken, wontons. Right before serving add the dressing.

*To fry the wontons, warm up oil over medium high heat. Place a couple in and let them puff up and brown on one side for about a minute. Watch that they don't burn. Then flip them over with tongs and cook the other side. Remove and let cool on paper towels.

from Jill Hunter

Baked Manicotti

INGREDIENTS
Tomato Sauce
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (in juice)
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dried basil

Cheese Filling and Pasta
3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
16 no-boil lasagna noodles (I use the Barilla brand – apparently they are supposed to be the most similar to homemade pasta and I love them, both in this and in lasagna)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, basil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan chese, mozzarella cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs; set aside.

To assemble, pour 1 inch boiling water into 13 by 9-inch baking dish, then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on clean kitchen towels; discard water in baking dish and dry baking dish.

Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using soupspoon, spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto bottom three-quarters of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down. (You should be able to fit 8 manicotti in each row, allowing all 16 to fit in the dish). Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is completely covered.

Cover manicotti with aluminum foil. Bake until bubbling, about 40 minutes, then remove foil. Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 cup Parmesan. Bake until cheese is browned and bubbly, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

The manicotti can be prepared right up until the baking step then covered with a sheet of parchment paper, wrapped in aluminum foil, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. (If frozen, thaw the manicotti in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.) To bake, remove the parchment, replace the aluminum foil, and increase baking time to 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

From Emily Bylund

Fudge Cookie Bars

1 c. butter or margarine

2 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

3 c. quick rolled oats

Filling:

1 pkg. chocolate chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 Tbs. butter

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Sift together flour and salt. Stir in oats. Add dry ingredients to cream mixture.

In a sauce pan mix together chocolate chips, milk, butter, and salt. Stir until melted and smooth (over low heat). Add vanilla (and nuts).

Spread 2/3 oatmeal mixture in a greased jellyroll pan. Cover with chocolate mixture. Dot with oatmeal mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Lemon Cake

(uses 5-6 lemons)

Cake:

1 c. butter, at room temperature

2 c. sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1/3 c. lemon zest (about 4 lemons)

3 c. flour

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice

¾ c. buttermilk, at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Lemon Syrup:

½ c. granulated sugar

½ c. fresh lemon juice

Lemon Glaze:

2 c. powdered sugar

3 ½ Tbs. fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour two loaf pans or divide the batter into three 8” cake pans (line the bottom with parchment, this cake likes to stick).

Cream the butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time and the lemon zest.

In small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.

In another bowl, combine lemon juice, buttermilk, and vanilla.

Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with flour.

Bake for 50-60 minutes for loaf pans and 20-25 minutes for cake pans (until toothpick comes out clean).

Make the lemon syrup: Combine 1/2 c. sugar and 1/2 c. lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves.

When cakes are done, let them cool in pans for 10 minutes.

Remove cakes from pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or waxed paper; poke holes with toothpick and spoon the lemon syrup over them.

 Allow the cakes to cool completely.

Top loaf cakes with glaze OR lemon buttercream.

Lemon Glaze: combine the powdered sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth.  Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

Lemon Buttercream: 

1 1/2 c. butter (at room temperature)

5-6 c. powdered sugar

3 Tbs. heavy whipping cream

3-4 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

Whip the butter until creamy.  Add the powdered sugar 1/2 c. at a time alternating with cream and lemon juice.

Calzone

2 loaves frozen pizza dough or 1 loaf frozen bread dough

1 bottle pizza sauce

¾- 1 lb mozzarella cheese, grated

Toppings that you like: pepperoni, ham, sausage, peppers, onions, mushrooms, pineapple, olives.

Thaw dough. Roll out into a 10x16 rectangle. Spread sauce down middle of dough only. Add toppings (the more the better). Cut slits (about 8) on each side of dough and braid. Add more cheese on top. Cook about 350 for about 30 minutes, until done.

Bishop's Sauce for Ham

8 oz. Heinz 57 Sauce

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. dry mustard

2-3 Tbs. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients. Heat in microwave until sugar

dissolves. With ham fat side up, baste several times

during cooking time. Cover with foil or bake in a Crock

Pot. Bake at 225 to 250 for 8-10 hours, or in the Crock

Pot for the amount of time recommended on the ham

package.

Butterscotch Sticky Buns

15 frozen Rhodes rolls (or equivalent) cut in half

1 small box cook and serve butterscotch pudding

½ c. melted butter

1 c. brown sugar

¼ c. milk

Cinnamon to sprinkle with

Optional: ½ c. chopped nuts

Spray bundt pan with cooking spray, cover bottom with nuts. Place rolls around the pan. Sprinkle with butterscotch pudding powder. Combine butter, milk, and brown sugar and pour over rolls and butterscotch. Sprinkle cinnamon to taste.

Let rise over night.

Bake @ 350 for 30 min.

Dinner Rolls

1 Tbs yeast

2 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 ½ c hot water

4 ½ to 5 cups flour

½ c sugar

½ c butter

Dissolve sugar, salt, and butter in hot water. Beat eggs well and add to hot mixture. Add yeast and ½ c flour. Mix with water, add remaining flour by hand. Raise one hour. Beat down. Refrigerate overnight. Divide dough in half and roll/cut. Let rise 2-3 hours. Bake at 375 for 8-12 minutes.

[from Cami Clifton]

Apple Bread

3 cups flour

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

3 cups peeled, thinly sliced apples

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 ½ cups oil

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. Cream the sugar and oil. Add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beat well. Add dry ingredients alternately with the apples.

Spray loaf pans with non-stick spray and sprinkle with sugar. Pour batter into pans about half full and cook at 325 for 1 ½ hours for full-size loaf pans, about 45 minutes for mini loaf pans.

[from Shersti Pearson]

Grandma Green's Rolls

Dissolve:

4 ½ tsp yeast

2 Tbs. sugar

½ c. warm water

(Let sit for about 10 min)

Cream together:

½ c. shortening

½ c. sugar

Add 2 eggs (one at a time)

Then add 1 c. hot water and yeast mixture to sugar/shortening mixture.

Add:

2 tsp salt

4 ½ c. flour

Mix well.

Put dough in a clean greased bowl and let stand 1 hour.

Punch down and cover and set in fridge overnight (or for a few hours).

Roll out and cut with a round object (I use a cup) about 1/3 inch thick (they are not as good if you make them really thin). Dip half in butter and fold over. Place on cookie sheet. Line up rolls so they are not quite touching. Brush top of rolls with melted butter. Allow to raise for 2 – 2 ½ hours. (They raise about double their size)

Bake at 375 for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. (Allow a few minutes to cool, but then take then off the pan or the bottom gets soggy)

Makes approx. 4 dozen