Thai Peanut Noodles

submitted by Michelle Moody


From: Our Best Bites
Ingredients:
1/2 c. chicken broth
3 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1-2 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce (1 is mild with a bite, 1.5 is medium, 2 is hot)
1 1/2 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
8 oz. Udon or linguine noodles
Chopped green onions
Chopped cilantro
2 limes, cut into quarters
Chopped peanuts
Instructions:
Cook noodles in salted water. In the meantime, combine chicken broth, peanut butter, chili sauce, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk until smooth and remove from heat. Toss cooked noodles with sauce and divide among 4 bowls. Sprinkle with green onions, cilantro, chopped peanuts, and garnish each serving with 2 lime quarters. Before eating, squeeze lime juice over noodles and stir to combine.

*If desired, you can add meat to this dish by stir-frying shrimp or very thinly-sliced chicken (partially freeze it first) in some olive oil with a couple cloves of garlic, some fresh ginger, some green onions, soy sauce, and a small squirt or two of Sriracha chili sauce.

Creamy Celery Soup

submitted by  Michelle Moody


INGREDIENTS
3 Tbsp butter, divided into 2 Tbsp and 1 Tbsp
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups sliced leeks, white and light green parts only
5 cups of chopped celery, and 1 1/2 cups of diced celery  (from one large bunch of celery or two small bunches)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon to 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, to taste
1/4 to 1/3 cup of cream
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh chopped chives or parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS
1. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a thick-bottomed 4 to 5 quart pot on medium heat. Add the diced onion, the leaks, and 5 cups of the chopped celery. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute more.
2. Add the chicken stock and bay leaves to the pot. Taste for salt and add salt. (If you are using unsalted butter and unsalted stock, you will need to add more salt than you expect, if not, maybe just a little salt will be needed.) Increase heat to bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover to maintain a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
3. While the soup is simmering, prepare the extra celery that will be added later to the soup. In a separate small sauté pan, melt 1 Tbsp of butter on medium heat. Add 1 1/2 cups diced celery to the butter. Ladle 1/2 cup of the simmering stock from the soup pot into the sauté pan. Simmer on low for 5 or 6 minutes to soften the celery. Set aside.
4. Remove the soup pot from heat, let cool slightly. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender, filling the blender no more than a third full at a time (keep your hand on the lid so the hot liquid doesn't explode). Return the puréed soup to the pot. Stir in the cream and the braised diced celery.
Taste for salt and add more if needed. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and chopped chives or parsley to serve.

From: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/creamy_celery_soup/

Gluten Free Blueberry Crisp

submitted by Marbree Hardee

Ingredients
4 cups blueberries (any fruit will work)

Crisp:
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup chopped raw pecans
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (why not?)

Instructions

1.Add blueberries to an 8x8 pan or a medium size casserole dish.

2.Add oats, pecans, almond meal, olive oil, maple syrup, and salt to a bowl. Toss to combine. Distribute crisp evenly over blueberries. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes, longer if the berries are frozen. Top with vanilla yogurt, whipped cream, or ice cream.
SOURCE: http://bakedbree.com/gluten-free-blueberry-crisp-2

My Chicken Thighs (from The One-Armed Cook)

submitted by Marbree Hardee

½ c.     honey-flavored mustard

¾ c.     vegetable oil

½ c.     honey

2 lbs.   boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 12-14 pieces)

 

1.     In a large resalable plastic bag, combine the first 3 ingredients, shaking well to mix.

2.     Add the chicken pieces; turn to coat with the marinade. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight, turning the bag occasionally.

3.     When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350°F.

4.     Coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Remove the chicken from the bag with tongs and pace skin side up in the pan. Discard the marinade.

5.     Bake for 50 min to 1 hour, until the chicken is tender.

6.     NOTE: the thighs can be prepared in the marinade and frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, defrost in the refrigerator, place in a cold oven , and bake at 350° for about 1 ½ hours.

 

**I substitute boneless chicken breasts for the thighs because I prefer white vs. dark meat. You just have to bake a little longer because it is a thicker cut of meat.

Tailgate Breakfast Casserole

submitted by Anna Kaminski

~ This is a very quick casserole to make…and is super yummy! Jordan and I take the leftover casserole and use it to make breakfast burritos!

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:
• 3 eggs
• 1 lb. cooked sausage
• 1 ½ cups hash browns (diced or shredded)
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 can cream of celery soup (I know it sounds weird…but trust me it is SO GOOD!)
• 1 cup grated cheese
• Tabasco sauce to taste (optional)

Brown sausage and mix with hash browns in a large bowl. Combine soup, milk, egg and cheese (Add Tabasco sauce if you want it a little spicy!). Stir all ingredients together, and put in a greased, 13x9 pan. Cook at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until you can stick a knife in and it comes out fairly clear.

Baked German Pancake

submitted by Anna Kaminski

~ Family favorite breakfast – a German spin on your normal pancake!

Servings: 2

Ingredients
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ c milk
• 2 T butter, melted

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk eggs, add flour, salt, and whisk until smooth. Add milk a little at a time and whisk well. Whisk in butter. Heavily grease a skillet and pour batter into it. Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until browned. It will look puffy! Serve immediately with powdered sugar, syrup, honey, etc.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

submitted by Anna Kaminski

~ Quick and easy…and a healthier spin on your average spinach-artichoke dip!

Ingredients:
• 1 package of fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 individual container of plain greek yogurt
• ½ cup light mayo
• 1-2 cans of artichokes (your preference) drained and roughly chopped
• 1 pkg. Knorr Vegetable Dip mix
• Fresh Parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, and put in microwave-safe dish. Gradually heat/stir dip until spinach is wilted and warmed through. I microwave it for 45 sec. each time, and stir between heatings. Once warm, sprinkle some fresh Parmesan cheese on top. Serve with pita or tortilla chips, carrots, etc.

Helena’s Classic Macaroni & Cheese

submitted by Anna Kaminski

~ This is my mom’s recipe – what a great comfort food dish!

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:
Bread Crumb Topping
• 6 slices of white bread, torn into rough pieces (you can use wheat, leftover French bread, etc. – it all tastes great!)
• 3 T cold unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

Pasta & Cheese
• 1 lb. elbow macaroni
• Pinch of salt
• 2 T unsalted butter
• 6 T flour
• 1.5 tsp. powdered mustard
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 5 c milk
• 8 oz. Monterey Jack shredded cheese
• 8 oz. Sharp Cheddar shredded cheese

Pulse bread and butter in food processor until crumbs are 1/8 inch (10-15 1 second pulses). Set aside. Cook pasta in salt, drain and set aside. In large pan, heat butter over med-high heat until foaming. Add flour, mustard, and cayenne pepper, and whisk well for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to boil whisking continuously. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes or until thick like cream. Take pan off heat, and whisk in both cheeses and 1 tsp. salt until cheese are fully melted. Add pasta and cook over med-low heat stirring until mixture is steaming and heated through (about 6 minutes). Transfer to broiler safe 13x9 dish and sprinkle evenly with breadcrumbs. Broil until crumbs are deep golden brown 3 to 5 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, and then serve!

Spinach Artichoke Pasta Salad

submitted by Anna Kaminski

~ Rachel Ray recipe - this is a fresh, delicious dish to bring to a spring/summer BBQ!

 Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

• Coarse salt and fresh pepper to taste

• 1 lb. penne or other short pasta

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 3 T red wine vinegar

• Juice of 1 small lemon

• 6 oz. baby spinach, chopped

• 1 can artichoke hearts in water, drained & coarsely chopped

• 1 container of feta cheese, or freshly chopped mozzarella

• ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped

• ½ medium red onion, chopped

• ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain, and give time to cool. Combine olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice in the bottom of a large serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients plus the pasta to the bowl and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Baked Mac-N-Cheese

submitted by Nicole Anderson

Ingredients:

1 8 oz. package elbow macaroni

4 Tbsp. butter

½ cup bread crumbs

1 small onion minced

1 cup shredded Gruyere Cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 Tbsp. flour

¼ tsp. mustard

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 ½ cups milk

Directions:

Add pasta to boiling pot of water with 1 tsp. salt. Boil until just tender. Drain in colander. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2 qt. baking dish and pour drained noodles in. Melt butter in microwave and add breadcrmbs. Set aside. In a 1 qt. sauce pan, melt butter with onion, about 5 min. Add flour, mustard, pepper and 1 tsp. salt. Stir together with a whisk. Add milk; whisk until thickened. Remove from heat and add cheese. Pour cheese sauce over pasta in baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 minutes.

Crab Rangoon

submitted by Nicole Anderson

Ingredients:

1 can crab

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese

green onion

won­ton wrappers

Mix together and place about a quarter size amount in center of won­ton wrapper. Fold using 

egg into a boat or hat. Fry in vegetable oil until brown. Serve while hot with sweet & sour sauce.

Ham and Cheese Sliders

submitted by Nicole Anderson

Ingredients

• 24 white dinner rolls
• 24 pieces honey ham
• 24 small slices Swiss cheese
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup miracle whip
Poppy seed sauce:
• 1 Tablespoon poppyseeds
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 Tablespoon minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and miracle whip. Spread onto both sides of the center of each roll. Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss inside of each roll. Close rolls and place them into a large baking dish or heavy cookie sheet. Place very close together.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the poppy seed sauce ingredients. Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches. You do not have to use all of the sauce! Just use enough to cover the tops. Let sit 10 minutes or until butter sets slightly. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes or until tops are slightly brown and crispy. Serve warm. Note: Sandwiches can be assembled a day ahead and kept in the fridge ready to bake.

Ingredients

• 24 white dinner rolls
• 24 pieces honey ham
• 24 small slices Swiss cheese
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup miracle whip
Poppy seed sauce:
• 1 Tablespoon poppyseeds
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 Tablespoon minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and miracle whip. Spread onto both sides of the center of each roll. Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss inside of each roll. Close rolls and place them into a large baking dish or heavy cookie sheet. Place very close together.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the poppy seed sauce ingredients. Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches. You do not have to use all of the sauce! Just use enough to cover the tops. Let sit 10 minutes or until butter sets slightly. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes or until tops are slightly brown and crispy. Serve warm. Note: Sandwiches can be assembled a day ahead and kept in the fridge ready to bake.

Read more at http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/04/ham-and-cheese-sliders.html#daPWYZ0qW27usJ46.99

Tortilla Soup

submitted by Nicole Anderson

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

½ tsp. minced garlic (dry or fresh)

2 cans (14 oz.) chicken broth

2 cans (14 oz.) stewed tomatoes

1 C. salsa

2 Tbsp. dried cilantro

1 Tbsp. cumin

 

Add all ingredients to crock pot. Cook on high for 4­6 hours or low for 8­-10 hours. Shred chicken

and garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, tortillas, sour cream and fresh cilantro.

Buttermilk Syrup

submitted by Molly Miner

½ C. buttermilk
1 cube butter
½ tsp. soda
1 C. sugar
1 TB. Karo syrup
1 tsp. vanilla

Put all but vanilla in a pan. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Serve over your favorite sweet breakfast.

Eggs on the Golden Rod (breakfast)

submitted by Molly Miner

4 eggs
2 TB. butter
2 TB. flour
2 C. milk
salt and pepper to taste
Bread (to make toast)

Hard boil your eggs (this could take about 12 minutes). While the eggs are boiling make your white sauce. To do this melt your butter on the stove and then add flour to the melted butter. Stir butter and flour with a fork or whisk until it looks like paste. Add milk and whisk until smooth. Stay close to the stove and whisk/stir often. After eggs are done place them in cold water to cool them down. Peel and cut up eggs. Put eggs in stove mixture and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over toast.