Chicken Chow Mein

When I was in college - I would spend a lot of weekends with my grandparents and every time my mam-ma would make me chicken chow mein and her famous chocolate pie. I haven't had that in probably 15 years and all the sudden it's all I can think about. I have been craving it for weeks. My mam-ma passed away several years ago and neither my mom or I could find the recipe but we think this is pretty close.

2 or 3 chicken breasts
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
1 diced red pepper
1 4 oz can of sliced mushrooms (or fresh mushrooms)
1 can water chesnuts
1 can baby corn (I used half the can)
1 can bamboo shoots
Sesame Seed Oil
Soy Sauce
Chow mein noodles or white rice

Boil the chicken breasts. Save the chicken broth. In a large pan - put a tbsp or two of sesame seed oil over medium heat and saute all the vegetables for 10 minutes or so. Cut the chicken into small pieces and add in. Add 2 cups of chicken broth and soy sauce to taste (I added quite a bit). Leave on medium heat and cook another 10 minutes or so. Serve over chow mein noodles. (or white rice if you prefer).

Roast

One of my favorite meals and biggest comfort foods is roast, carrots and potatos. I've been making this for the last 15 years and I don't have a specific recipe - I am always changing and evolving how I make it in search of the perfect one!

The way I have made it recently that has turned out really great is :

I use rump roast - I heard that it's the most tender and it really is. It's never tough. I also use the small red potatos. And the small carrots.

I put all of that in the crockpot with a package (or two) of dry onion soup mix. Instead of water - I use beef broth to fill it up. You could dilute it with some water if that seems too salty.

I cook it for around 8 hours on low. This results in tender meat also!

You get a very moist roast with GREAT flavor.

In the past I used cream of mushroom soup but I like it this way much better.

Okra and Tomatos

I love okra - so I found this recipe and tried it out and it was really good! It makes a great side!

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, diced into small pieces
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chicken base (I didn't have this so just used a little chicken stock)
  
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 cups fresh okra, cut into 1-inch pieces (may use frozen, if fresh not available)
• Fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Cook bacon slightly. Saute onion and garlic with bacon until tender. Add tomatoes, chicken base, sugar and pepper. Stir well and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed. Meanwhile wash okra and remove fuzz if using fresh and cut into pieces. Add the okra and simmer until okra is done, about 20 more minutes (less if using frozen okra.)

Coca Cola Cake

This is a VERY rich and sweet dessert (and not low fat in way, shape or form) but it is SO good!

Ingredients for cake:
1 cup coke
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup butter, softenened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350. Combine coke and buttermilk. Beat butter at slow speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs and vanilla/ beat at low speed until blended.
Combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Add to butter mixture alternately with coke mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in marshmallows. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9 inch pan.
Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool for 10 minutes.
Pour Classic Coke frosting over warm cake. (Sprinkle with toated pecans - optional)

Classic Coke Frosting (the best part)
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup coke
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 16 oz pkg powdered sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter is melted. Remove from heat; whisk in sugar and vanilla. Use immediately.

Chicken Spinach Artichoke Squares

I made this recipe up the other night because I just happened to have these ingredients and was trying to use them all.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts cut in strips
Pkg of frozen spinach
1 can of drained artichoke hearts
8 oz sour cream
Parmesan cheese
Garlic salt (to taste)
1 can of crescent rolls

Heat olive oil in a skillet and cook chicken strips 5-7 minutes on each side or until done. Add in frozen spinach and artichokes and cook together 7-10 minutes. Add in sour cream, parmesan cheese (as much or little as you want), and garlic salt.
Heat oven to 350 degrees and open up crescent rolls. Put a small amount of mixture on each roll and fold up. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and cook 10-12 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

This is a favorite around here!

Ingredients:
1 pkg dark chocolate cake mix
1 pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
1 16 oz sour cream
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preaheat oven to 350. Grease a bundt pan. Mix together ingredients and pour in pan. Bake for one hour and then cool. Top with powdered sugar!

Chicken Enchilada Ring

Chicken Enchilada Ring

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chicken
1/4 cup chopped block olives
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 small can chopped chilies, undrained
1/2 cup sour cream
1 package taco seasoning
2 rolls of crescent rolls
1 small chopped tomato
1 lime (juice)
2/3 cup finely crushed tortilla chips



1. Chop chicken and add olives, cheese, chilies, sour cream and taco mix. Seed and chop 1 tomato and add 2 tablespoons lime juice; add to chicken mixture. Reserve 2 Tblsp. crushed chips and add remaining chips to mixture.


2.Unroll crescent dough and separate triangles. Arrange on round baking stone or cookie sheet making a circle with wide ends OVERLAPPING in the center and points toward outside. ( I did lightly spray oil on the cookie sheet I used). There should be a 5 inch diameter opening in the center.

3. Spread chicken mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle.

4. Bring points of triangles up and over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at the center of the ring.

Sprinkle with 2 Tblsp. crushed chips. ( I put shredded cheese all on top!)

5. Bake @ 375 for 20-25 minutes. Garnish with tomato and serve with salsa and sour cream.