Cajun Chicken Pasta

1 bag of chicken tenders or the amount for your family
chop in bite size pieces and cover with Tony's Cajun
seasoning (generously)

cook in pan with 2-3TBLS. of butter

meanwhile chop up 5 green onions 2-3 peppers(1green 1yellow and red)

spinach (optional but good)

in a bowl mix  cups light whipping cream with...
2-3TBL. of fresh basil torn
2 tsp. lemon pepper
1 tsp. salt I didn't use any the other seasoning is good enough
pepper

when chicken is done add in veggies and cook until soft then
reduce heat slightly and add cream mixture and little more Cajun seasoning
if it needs it, stir until the mixture thickens add a little flour if you need to
but don't let the cream boil. Serve with Angel Hair or linguine pasta. you can toss
a couple of handfuls of spinach in the warm pasta
Add fresh grated parmesan cheese.

This recipe is from Carly thanks it was very good. Sorry we ate before we
got a picture.

Sun-dried tomato artichoke Chicken

 Sorry we devoured this dish before I even thought to take a picture of it. I suppose that's how good it is! Enjoy, really simple but full of flavor!


1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or dried)
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bitesize chunks
1/4 cup flour
2 tbs cooking oil
1/2 white wine (I used chicken broth)
1 Tbs fresh or bottled lemon juice
1 can quartered artichoke hearts (drained)
1/3 cup julienne cut sun dried tomatoes
2 Tbs or so of grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat large sauce pan on medium high heat, add oil. Coat chicken with flour. Cook chicken until golden brown. Stir in chicken broth, reduce heat to medium-low, cook 2-3 minutes or until liquid is slightly reduced. Sprinkle lemon juice over chicken, add artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes. Cover and cook 3-4 min. Remove from heat, top with thyme and Parmesan. Serve alone or over any type of pasta. Also good with wild rice.

Some new RECIPES thank-you Carly

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Jess and Mia thought they were yummy:)

1/3 cup (3 oz.) cream cheese
1/4 cup green salsa
1 Tb fresh lime juice (1/2 lime)
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
3 Tb chopped cilantro
2 Tb sliced green onions
2 cups shredded chicken
1 cup grated pepperjack cheese
fajita size flour tortillas (or small corn tortillas)
cooking spray
kosher salt

Soften cream cheese in microwave for 20-30 seconds. Stir in green salsa,

lime juice and spices until well mixed then add cilantro and green onions.

Stir in shredded chicken and pepperjack cheese and combine well.

**this can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line cookie sheet with Silpat

(or tin foil, lightly sprayed with cooking oil).

Working with 3-4 tortillas at a time, briefly heat in microwave so they are more malleable and easier to work with. Spoon 2-3 Tb of mixture in a row across the bottom third of tortilla, keeping 1/2 inch away from edge. This makes it possible to roll it up very tightly. Place taquitos seam side down on cookie sheet, making sure they are not touching. Lightly spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and edges start to turn golden brown.

Beef and Broccoli

Cut steak against the grain very thin

Put into a bowl and cover with garlic powder and fill the bowl half way up with soy sauce

Let sit for an hour

Heat oil until very hot

Right before cooking add about a 3 tbs of corn starch or a little more (just until the beef is coated and the juice is mostly sucked up)

Place beef into hot pan turn down heat slightly and let sit

Meanwhile chop broccoli and throw it into a pot of boiling water and cover

Cook only until the broccoli is bright green then drain (this will only take a couple of min)

When beef is almost cooked all the way through with a spatula carefully flip the beef and let it continue cooking on the other side

When it is done remove it and put it on a plate

Throw the broccoli in the pan the beef was in a stir it to coat the broccoli with the beef drippings, this will help the broccoli soften a little more

Add the beef back in and stir carefully

Serve over hot lemon rice

Lemon rice

4 Tbs butter

2 cups basmati rice

2 lemons, with the zest grated

3 cups chicken broth

1 tsp salt

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

ground pepper to taste

melt butter in sauce pan, add the lemon zest and rice. Stir until rice is opaque about 5 min. add broth cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 20 min. when rice is done squeeze juice from lemons over rice and add salt and pepper.

We had this when Scott came to sunday dinner this was his second helping

so I guess it was good. We told him to stop and take a picture before it was gone.

Split Pea Soup- it wasn't yellow it was green split pea and was

very good Mia was turning up her nose then ended up going back 2 times.

I told her looks can be deceiving.

Chop bacon and or ham and cook in pot with a little olive oil

Add 3 cloves garlic chopped

Add 1 medium yellow/white onion chopped and a stalk or two of celery

Cook until fragrent

Add 1 quart chick broth or more…I usually just fill the pot half full and add more if I need to.

Stir in 1 bag of dried split peas

2 carrots shredded or chopped

cook med heat until peas are soft

put ½ of the mixture in the blender and blend until smooth

or use a hand blender right in the pot. add back to pot

cook five more min and serve you can add a dollop of sour cream

One Big Scone

This is a biscuit type scone. It was yummy and made by Yvonne and Aubrey

while they were visiting our house. We made it when Rochelle and family came.

Ingredients:

1 3/4c flour

3T sugar

2 1/2 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/3c butter (firm)

1 egg beaten

1/2tsp almond extract

1/2c whipping cream

3/4c frozen rasberries

White chocolate chips

(works best with frozen berries over fresh) (Don't over work the dough!)

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar baking powder, & salt. Cut in butter till fine. Make a well in the middle and add remaining ingredients mix together just to moisten. Pat onto a greased cookie sheet into an 8" inch circle.

Bake at 400* for 18-23 min.

Cut into 8 pieces.

Sprinkle with raw sugar.

Eggs for Coloring and more...

Yes this is a double post. It got posted here accidentally when

I was trying to put it on the family blog. But its food so its all

good right:)

Our last week with the kids here we decided we needed to color eggs

while everyone was here even though it was a week before easter.

Austin was back visiting on his way back to Cali for break, the kids

really love playing and chasing him around.

We had one and a half kids per teenager helping with the dyeing.
Hudson was very into it
Its serious stuff you know
The girls always want the pink and purple colors first
Everything's clean must have been before the dye got spilled
We made french toast on easter bread that was colored pink,

purple and yellow Max kept saying eewwww about it.
We also made pizza with eggs dropped on top then baked Its actually

very good. It was Ben's idea and know we always have to make one

like it every time. Jess calls it a breakfast pizza it has white sauce,

pesto, spinach, bacon bits, sundried tomatoes and you crack a couple

of eggs right on top before you bake it. Its Jess's favorite so it

must be good.

Comfort Food

Chicken Pot Pie Recipe from simplyrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS

Chicken and stock ingredients:

• 1 (3 1/2 pound) frying chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken then I didn't do any of this part)
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 small onion, halved
• 2 teaspoons salt
• cover with water and simmer 45 min. Strip chicken from bone
• and you can strain liquid and use as broth.

Pie crust ingredients: (I doubled mine It was enough for six small and

one bigger one, we did have a little extra and put it on the bottom of the

large one) jess requested more crust and Ella played with the leftovers.

By adding a few extra things and doubling the crust I made 6 small and

one bigger one. Everyone loved it and asked why don't we make it more!

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced into 1/2-inch cubes (best to chill cubes
• in the freezer for at least 15 minutes before using)
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening, chilled
• 3 to 4 Tbsp ice water
• Combine flour and salt(I had salted butter so I omitted the salt) in food processor. Add
• the chilled butter(important) cubes and pulse 5+ times to combine. Add the shortening
• and pulse a few more times, until the dough resembles a coarse cornmeal, with some
• pea sized pieces of butter. Slowly stream in ice water, a TBL at a time, pulsing after each
• addition. until the dough sticks together when you press some between your fingers.
• Empty the food processor. Place dough on counter. Use your hands to mold into a ball
• then flatten into a disk. Sprinkle with a little flour, wrap and refrigerate for a least
• 30 min, or up to 2 days, before rolling.

Filling ingredients:

• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, diced (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 3 carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk + 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• (I used the 3 cups stock 1 can cream soup and no milk)
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup dry sherry(omitted this you can adjust with stock)
• 3/4 cup green peas, frozen or fresh(I used a cup)
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley(i used 4 TBL)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 
  
• I sauteed the onion carrots and celery in butter I also added 3 potatoes
• and garlic of course, then added the flour cook a minute more then add milk
• or use chicken broth which I did. Then I added the thyme I had dried so
• I used that. I add the chicken and simmered 10 min. Mine was still a little thin
• so I added 1 can cream of chicken soup. Add the peas and parsley which I used
• more of salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Divide into separate
• ramekins or use one large ramekin or casserole dish.

Roll dough on lightly floured surface to a little less than 1/4 inch cut just larger then

the dish you are using tucking under extra dough. fork or press dough against edge.

Cut a 1-inch vent on small and 4 vents on large place on baking sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees-25 min or till golden and the filling is bubbling.

Let cool 5-10 min before serving.

Egg wash:

• 1 egg whisked with 1 Tbsp water

for top of crust

Diners Drive ins and Dives: Metro Diner in Jacksonville, Florida

Our last foody stop on our recent road trip to Florida

to see Heather and the gang We figured we would critique

this place after watching it on the show.

Food critics at the Metro diner
Lila and Holly waiting for the good stuff
Us with the cook/owner Mark Duvoli

We watched this segment on TV while at Heather's house

and decided to go check it out on our way to the airport

it was really good. The cook/owner came around and

chit-chatted with us. Real nice guy, good food and priced

well for your good sized portions. Come hungry! Heather

tried the french toast he demoed on the show, John had

a burrito, and I had an veggie omelet with crab cakes on

the side. All were good. When we were talking to the

owner about good bar-b-que stuff he said I'll bring you out

a smoked pastrami on rye sandwich I make and smoke the

pastrami myself. Well it was very good also. John wished

he had gotten the steak fry salad though, he forgot that was

one of the ones they highlighted. I'm sure everything is really

good though and worth stopping over and trying out if your

in the area.

He said his segment has been airing since september and everytime

it does his business increases 100%

Blueberry Whole Wheat Muffins

Ingredients
6 tbsp. butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus 1 tbsp.
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups blueberries

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a dozen muffin tin with paper liners. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, one at a time, and stir in the milk and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, sift the flours, baking powder, and salt. Stir it into the butter and sugar mixture. Gently toss the blueberries in the tablespoon of flour, then fold them into the batter. Fill the muffin cups almost to the top and bake for 25 minutes, or until light brown. Makes 12 muffins

VALENTINES DAY COOKIES

Grandma Doll's Valentine Cookie Recipe

Ella making this recipe for Valentines Day
Ingredients
1 Cup shortening
2 Cups sugar
2 eggs
1 Cup sour cream
1 Tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

4 tsp baking powder

4 1/2 c flour

1. Cream shortening and sugar,
2. Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla
3. Stir in remaining ingredients
4. Chill and roll out fairly thick
5. Cut in heart shapes

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes

* Stefani made these with Carly's kids, they were soft and yummy!

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with sweet potato

Since I have had a surplus of baby food these days-with Lila not eating as much as I anticipated. (she enjoys table food better, I don't blame her either) I've been trying to find ways to sneak it into our dinners, desserts...or just about whatever I can! I put a jar of creamed corn in our chicken noodle soup the other night. (you couldn't even tell!) I think it just made it have a richer flavor. Well I searched sweet potato cookie recipes on google and found a yummy chocolate chip oatmeal cookie with sweet potato. Aaron said they were some of the best cookies he's ever had! Because they stay moist, he hates hard cookies. So here is the recipe if you care to try them yourself. It calls for 1/4 cup of pureed sweet potato. In my case I just added 1 jar of baby food sweet potato, which is 4 oz., which is fairly close if not exactly 1/4 cup. Give them a try, you can't go wrong with cookies!

http://bakingbites.com/2009/10/sweet-potato-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Holly and Lila enjoyed them. We ate about half the dozen before they could even cool off!

(Holly I think was sneaking Lila bites while I was putting more dough on the pan, cause when I came back she had chocolate all over her face:)