Teriyaki Ramen Stir-fry

1 chicken breast, sliced or diced

carrots, broccoli, red pepper

2.5 cups chicken broth

2 T. brown sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. ginger

2 pkgs ramen noodles (100 g each)

Brown the chicken, add the veggies and stir-fry until done. Mix the chicken broth with the sugar, soy sauce and spices and add along with the broken up ramen. Cook 3-4 minutes until ramen is done and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Shortcuts:

- sometimes I completely eliminate the chicken

- I like using frozen veggies so that very little stir-frying time is required

- you can even omit both the chicken and the veggies so that you end up with just flavoured ramen noodles

Creamy Garlic Chicken

2-3 chicken breasts, sliced

salt & pepper

1/2 cup chicken broth

3/4 cup heavy cream

1-2 tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. parsley

sprinkle of pepper

Brown chicken in oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix the rest and pour overtop. Simmer until chicken is done and sauce is thickened. Serve over pasta.

Greek Salad Dressing

3 T. olive oil

1.5 T. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Baked Rice

Long-grain white rice or Calrose rice

water

salt

1 tsp. oil

Follow the directions on the bag of rice as to how much water and rice to use. Put water and rice in a casserole dish, sprinkle with salt, and add the oil. Bake covered for 40 minutes at 375 degrees, then fluff it with a fork before serving.

Homemade Croutons

4 old buns or slices of bread

Oil

Garlic powder

Italian seasoning

Salt

Cut up the buns into crouton-sized pieces, toss with oil and spices. Sprinkle generously with garlic powder, and use about 2 pinches each of Italian seasoning and salt. Spread in a pan and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. If the pan is very full, stir once while baking. Works well in the toaster oven.

Carol Cookies

2 cups peanut butter

2 cups icing sugar

4 cups Rice Krispies

1 T. melted butter

1.5 cups chocolate chips

a little more peanut butter to melt with the chocolate

Combine peanut butter, icing sugar, Rice Krispies and melted butter in a large bowl. Use a cookie scoop or drop by spoonful on parchment paper-lined pan. Chill for 1 hour.

After an hour, roll the cookies by hand into nicer balls. Chill for another hour.

Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter until smooth and coat cookies in chocolate. Place back on parchment-lined pan and chill until hard.

*I melted my chocolate and peanut butter together in a glass bowl placed on top of a small pot of simmering water. Then I dropped the cookies in one at a time and used a fork to roll them around and lift them out.

Oreo Cheesecake

40 Oreo cookies (439 g package)

1/2 cup melted butter

3 packages cream cheese

1.5 cups icing sugar

1 tub Cool Whip

Crush 25 cookies and mix it with the melted butter. Press into an 8x11 pan. Crush the remaining 15 cookies. Beat the cream cheese and icing sugar, add the crushed cookies, and fold in the Cool Whip. Spread on top of the crust, and refrigerate overnight.

Blondies

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup flour

1/3 cup butterscotch chips, chocolate chips and/or walnuts

Mix and spread into an 8x8 pan. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 or microwave on high 5 minutes.

Noodle Bowl

onions

carrots

red peppers

broccoli

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 1/2 T. brown sugar

1 T. oyster sauce

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ginger

300 grams pasta (any kind)

Throw this all together in a large pot or skillet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered until pasta is done and liquid is absorbed. Use whatever veggies you like.

Roasted Potato Halves

15 smallish potatoes

3 T. butter

1 1/2 tsp seasoning salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 T parmesan cheese

Wash the potatoes without peeling and cut them in half. Melt the butter and mix with spices and parmesan. Pour onto a cookie sheet and spread with a brush. Place the potatoes cut side down, brush the tops with the butter/parmesan mix around them, and bake for 40 minutes at 400 degrees.

15 potatoes exactly fits my cookie sheets. Adjust as necessary. You can be generous with the butter, and add more parmesan if desired.

Apple Fritter Cake

Apples:

3 apples, chopped (I used 2 cups of frozen chopped apples)

1 T. sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cinnamon mix:

1/4 c. margarine

1/2 c. brown sugar

1.5 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp flour

Cake:

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Glaze:

1.5 cups icing sugar

3 T milk

1 tsp vanilla

Stir together the cinnamon mix. Chop the apples and combine with the sugar and cinnamon. Mix the cake, adding the apples last, and spread into a 9x13 pan. Drop the cinnamon mix on top by spoonful and swirl it in with a knife. Bake 35-40 minutes at 350. Let cool for 15 minutes before pouring on the glaze.

Coconut Crack

graham crackers

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup coconut

chocolate chips

 

Line a 9x9 pan with foil, and then with graham crackers. Melt the butter and mix with sugar and coconut. Spread onto the graham crackers and bake for 5 minutes at 425. Sprinkle on the chocolate chips and return to the oven for 1-2 minutes, until the chocolate chips melt and you can spread them with a knife. Cool completely, and break up into chunks.

Grandma's Ginger Raisin Cookies

3/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup raisins

sugar for rolling 

Roll into balls and roll in sugar. Flatten with a fork. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Creamy Tomato Pasta

1 T. butter

chopped onions

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 T. flour

3/4 cup cream

3/4 cup pasta sauce

Saute onions in butter. Add spices and flour. Stir and cook for a minute. Add cream and pasta sauce, bring to a simmer. Toss with pasta. Also works very well with Italian sausage tortelloni.

To make this a one pot meal or side dish:

Saute the onions and spices in butter, then add the pasta sauce, 2 cups of chicken broth and 200 g of pasta. Simmer until the pasta is cooked and the liquid is mostly absorbed, then add the cream mixed with 1 tsp. cornstarch. Keep cooking a few minutes until thickened.

Hashbrown Casserole

4 cups hashbrowns, frozen

chopped red and green peppers

chopped onions

cooked, chopped up breakfast sausage or bacon

1 cup shredded cheese

Mix these ingredients together and spread into a 9x13 dish.

10 eggs

1.5 cups milk

1.5 tsp salt

1 tsp parsley

pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

Mix eggs, milk and spices, and pour over the hashbrowns in the dish. Top with another 1 cup cheese. Bake for 45-60 minutes at 350, or until eggs are set.

(A half recipe makes an 8x8 pan, and a 3/4 recipe makes an 8x11 pan.)

Creamy Bacon Pasta

325-350 grams of pasta

2 slices of bacon, chopped (or more, I use 1/2 a pkg)

3/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

pepper

1/2 cup cream (I use 10%)

1/2 cup pasta water

Cook the pasta and reserve 1/2 cup water when draining. Meanwhile, cook the bacon. Once cooked, add the spices and keep warm on low until the pasta is done. Add the cream, pasta water and cooked pasta to the bacon. Turn up the heat again and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.

Chocolate Pudding Fudge

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup + 2 T. butter

1/3 cup water

1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding

3 cups icing sugar

 

Melt chips, butter and water in a large microwaveable bowl for 1 minute on high. Stir and repeat if needed. Whisk in the chocolate pudding for 2 minutes. Add the icing sugar, one cup at a time. Spread into an 8x8 baking dish lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until hard. Cut into small squares and keep refrigerated.

*This also works great with vanilla instant pudding.

Caramel Apple Pudding Cake

Cake: 

1 cup flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup milk

2 T. oil

1 tsp. vanilla

2 apples, diced

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

1 T. cornstarch

2 T. butter

1 cup hot water

Mix the cake and spread into a large oven-safe bowl or slow cooker. Combine sugar and cornstarch for the topping, spread over top. Melt butter in water and pour over top. Do not stir. Slow cook on high 2 1/2 hours or bake 35 minutes at 350. Let stand 10 minutes for the sauce to thicken.

Cinnamon Loaf

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup soft butter

2 eggs, well beaten

1 3/4 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. baking powder

Topping:

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 T. cinnamon

Combine sour cream and baking soda, then blend in butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour and baking powder. Spread half the batter into pan, cover with half the topping mixture. Add remaining batter and top with rest of topping. You can make this in a loaf pan or an 8x8 cake pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes at 350.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/4 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup chocolate chips

 

Roll into balls and place on pan. Do not flatten. Bake 10 minutes at 350.