Happy Labor Day!

Easy One-Skillet Chicken Parmesan

This is a recipe off of a rice box that my family enjoys, hope you will too.
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Ingredients Needed:
1 tbsp canola oil
4 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves(1 pound)
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 jar spagetti sauce OR half of my spagetti sauce recipe
1 cup water
2 cups Minute rice
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1. Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken and peppers, cover. Cook 4-5 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through, stirring peppers occasionally. Remove chicken from pan once cooked, cover to keep warm.
2. Add spagetti sauce and water to skillet, bring to a boil.
3. Stir in rice, top with chicken. Sprinkle with cheeses, cover, reduce heat, cook five minutes or until cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Sweet & Sour Chicken

Yet another Asian recipe my family enjoys.
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Ingredients needed:
1 tbsp canola oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 package frozen stir-fry vegetables
1 can pineapple chunks, undrained
1 can chicken broth
2 cups Minute rice
1/2 cup sweet 'n sour sauce

1. Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook five minutes or until completely cooked through.
2. Add vegetables, pineapple with juice and mix well. Stir in chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
3. Stir in rice, cover, let stand for five minutes.
4. Stir in sweet 'n sour sauce.

Enjoy!

Quick & Easy Chicken Stir-Fry

Now most of you know I don't particularly like most Asian food, but, I do have family that does and thus, am posting a few recipes for their benefit.
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Ingredients Needed:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cut into thin strips
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp canola oil
1 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup lite soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 package frozen stir-fry vegetables
2 cups Minute rice

1. Cook and stir chicken and garlic in hot oil in large skillet on medium heat, about 5 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked through.
2. Add water, soy sauce, sugar and vegetables, stir, bring to a boil.
3. Stir in rice, cover. Remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes.
4. Fluff with fork.

Enjoy!

Teriyaki Steak Skillet

Ingredients Needed:
1 tbsp canola oil
1 boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into strips
2 cloves garlice, minced
1 1/2 cups water
1/3 cup lite teriyaki sauce
2 cups Minute rice
4 cups small broccoli florets
1 large red pepper, cut into strips

1. Heat oil in large skillet on high heat.
2. Add steak and garlic; cook 5 minutes or until steak is cooked through.
3. Add water and teriyaki sauce; stir, bring to a boil.
4. Stir in rice, broccoli and red peppers; bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes; remove from heat.
6. Let stand five minutes, fluff with fork.

ENJOY!

Happy 4th!

Stuffed Peppers

This is a family favorite from my Grama Booth and I never quite get mine to be like hers, but, they are still delish!
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Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients Needed:
6 large green peppers
2 pounds ground beef or pork(or mix them)
2 cups Minute rice, cooked
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp minced onion
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato soup

1. Take tops and insides out of green peppers, wash and set aside in a 9x13 baking pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine raw ground meat, cooked rice, minced onion, salt and pepper.
3. Stuff each green pepper to the top with mixture.
4. Mix tomato sauce and tomato soup together in a bowl, pour over tops of green peppers.
5. Bake for 90 minutes or until peppers are tender and meat is thoroughly cooked.

ENJOY!

Happy Father's Day!

Flag Day

Happy Memorial Day!

Beef Lasagna

This is a recipe that I just threw together based on how my family makes lasagna. We don't usually measure, so like most of my recipes, its a guess!
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Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients needed:
1 box lasagna noodles
1 batch spaghetti/lasagna sauce
24 oz. Mozzarella cheese
parmesan cheese

1. Boil one package lasagna noodles.
2. Butter 9x13 cake pan. Layer noodles, sauce and mozzarella cheese until pan is nearly full.
3. Top off with parmesan cheese.

Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour. Let cool 5 minutes before cutting.

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Variations
You can use whatever meat you like, we just prefer beef. Some people also use ricotta or cottage cheese in place of or with the mozzerella, but not in my family.

ENJOY!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Chicken & Rice

This is a family favorite too. Never really had a recipe for it, so I made it up based off observing others make it or serve it.
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Ingredients Needed:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 packet dry onion soup mix
3 cups instant rice
onion Salt
Lawry’s Season salt
pepper
3 cups water
1 can Cream of Chicken soup

1. Pour dry rice into a 9 x 13 cake pan.
2. Mix onion soup mix, cream of chicken soup, and water in a large bowl.
3. Pour liquid mixture over rice and stir together.
4. Lay chicken breasts on top of rice/liquid mixture.
5. Season to taste.
6. Cover with foil and bake for an hour or until chicken is cooked all the way.

ENJOY!!

Cinco De Mayo!

Beef Gravy (Swedish Meatball Gravy)

I am going to post this seperately as it was inside of the meatball post originally, but I thought it might be easier to find on its own too.
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Ingredients needed:
2 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
¼ cup cold water
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Pour beef broth into pan, heat to boiling.
2. In a gravy shaker, mix the flour with water until smooth.
3. Whisk flour mixture into warm gravy, and let simmer, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, until thickened slightly, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Pour over meatballs in slow cooker and let simmer.

ENJOY!!

Happy Administrative Professionals Day!

Spagetti/Lasagna Sauce

This is my recipe for sauce, just kind of made it up, trying this and that throughout the years.
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Ingredients Needed:
1 pound Italian sausage
15 ounce can tomato sauce
15 ounce can crushed tomato
3 tsp. Italian seasoning
Lawry’s season salt
onion salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. Tarragon
Dash of rosemary
2 tsp. sugar

1. Brown 1 pound Italian sausage, drain fat.
2. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Season to taste.
3. Let simmer for one hour on low heat.

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Variations
As usual, you can use whatever meat you like, in fact, when I double this recipe, I use a pound of sausage and a pound of ground beef, but you can use chicken or turkey, etc.

ENJOY!!

Beef Enchiladas

This is a recipe that I made up having watched others do it, so its my version and I never have complaints or leftovers!
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Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients needed:
2 pound ground beef
2-16 ounce cans enchilada sauce
1 -15 oz can of refried beans
12 flour tortillas
32 ounces shredded colby/cheddar (set aside half for later)
chopped lettuce
diced tomato
sour cream
salsa
onion salt/Lawry’s seasoning
chopped onion/olives

1. Brown ground beef, season with onion salt and/or Lawry’s, drain fat.
2. Heat enchilada sauce in large, wide skillet until lukewarm.
3. Dip flour tortilla in enchilada sauce, add meat, beans, cheese, roll, closing in
both ends so nothing comes out. Place in cake sized pan sprayed with
Pam. Repeat until you run out of meat.
4. Pour any additional sauce on top of enchiladas. Sprinkle cheese on top.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until cheese has melted. Top with
favorite toppings (lettuce/tomato/cheese/sour cream/salsa/onion/olives).

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Variations:
You can use green sauce if you like, I just prefer red. You can also substitute the meat to your
liking chicken, turkey, etc.

ENJOY!!

Zuppa Toscana(Italian Sausage Potato Soup)

This is a recipe I got from a girl at work. It is very similar to Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana.
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Ingredients Needed:
1 lb ground Italian sausage
1½ tsp crushed red peppers
1 large diced white onion
4 Tbsp bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic puree
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
¼ of a bunch of kale

1. Sautee Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
2. In the same pan, sautee bacon, onions and garlic for approxiamtly 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.
3. Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling.
4. Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Add heavy cream and cook until thoughouly heated.
6. Stir in the sausage.
7. Add kale just before serving.

ENJOY!!

Happy April Fools Day!!

Mock Chicken Pie

I thought this recipe was appropriate for today since it is April Fools Day. It is a family favorite in the Peaslee household.
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Ingredients Needed:
6 tbsp. butter
6 tbsp. flour
salt
pepper
3 cups milk
4 carrots, sliced & cooked
4 potatoes, cut in sm. pieces & cooked
1 can of tuna
1 can of peas
Bisquick dough - enough to cover casserole dropped by tablespoon

1. Make white sauce with melted butter, flour, salt, pepper mixed together. Add milk. Stir until thick.
2. Add tuna, peas, carrots and potatoes.
3. Pour into casserole dish.
4. Bake 30 minutes - temperature on Bisquick package.
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Variations:
You can use a bag of frozen mixed vegetables in place of the vegetables mentioned above. You can also use small canned biscuits in place of Bisquick.

ENJOY!!

Carmel(or is it Caramel?) Brownies

This is one of my favorite ways to eat brownies. Chocolate, carmel.........how can you go wrong? Right?
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Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients Needed:
1 box brownie mix
1 package carmels
3 tablespoons milk

1. In double boiler, melt carmels with milk.
2. Prepare brownie mix as directed on box.
3. In 9x13 cake pan, pour in half of brownie batter.
4. Pour carmel mix over brownie batter.
5. Pour remaining brownie batter on top of carmel mix.
6. Bake as directed on brownie box.
7. Let cool before cutting, the carmel will be gooey!
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Variations:
Some people like nuts in their brownies. If this is you, feel free to add 1 cup finally chopped nuts to brownie batter, it is your choice the type of nut! You can also add 1 cup chocolate chips to the batter. If you are a choc-o-holic like myself, there is no such thing as too much chocolate!

ENJOY!!

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

This is a recipe I found on the web, tweaked a bit, and came to the conclusion my way is better! It is real similar to Suddenly Salad's Bacon Ranch pasta.
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Ingredients Needed:
1 package WackyMac rotini pasta
1# bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup Miracle Whip
1 packet dry ranch salad dressing mix
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper
1/2 cup milk, or as needed
1 large tomato, chopped
1 (4.25 ounce) can sliced black olives
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1. Boil pasta until tender, but firm. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Mix Miracle Whip, milk and seasonings together, set aside.
3. In large bowl, combine pasta, seasoning mix and remaining ingredients.

ENJOY!!

Vegetable Beef Soup

This is a staple from when I was growing up. I absolutely love when my Mom or Grama make it, but I do pretty good too.
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Ingredients Needed:
1 beef pot roast, cubed
10 cups water
4 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
½ bag baby carrots
1 small onion, peeled and sliced
½ cup celery, diced
salt & pepper
egg noodles
1 can tomato paste

1. Mix beef, water, celery, onion and seasonings in large pot. Season to your taste.
2. Cook for couple of hours on low-medium heat until beef is completely cooked.
3. Add in carrots and potatoes, cook 30 minutes.
4. Add in tomato paste.
5. Add in egg noodles, cook until tender.
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Variations:
You can use a beef soup bone for flavor if you'd rather not have the meat or just want a little bit of meat. Just simmer for couple of hours and remove before adding vegetables. You can also use rice or barley in place of egg noodles.

ENJOY!!

Tuna Casserole

This is a family favorite in almost any household. It is a quick, easy and inexpensive dinner to throw together.
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Ingredients Needed:
1 can drained tuna
Onion salt
Lawry’s Season salt
pepper
1 can of peas
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 bag egg noodles

1. Boil egg noodles until tender, but firm, drain and put back in pan.
2. Mix in all other ingredients.
3. Season to your taste.

ENJOY!!

Special K Bars

Ok, this recipe is well known, I got mine from a girl at work. Pretty much everyone I know loves these bars, but doesn't know how to make them, thus I thought I'd post.
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Ingredients Needed:
1 cup sugar
1 ½ cups peanut butter
1 cup clear karo syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
6 cups Special K
chocolate chips
Butterscotch chips

1. Melt sugar and karo syrup in microwave until it is at a rolling boil.
2. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla.
3. Stir in Special K.
4. Spread in 9x13 cake pan.
5. Melt 1/2 bag of chocolate chips and 1/2 bag of butterscotch chips together and spread on top.
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Variations:
Some make this with rice crispies and its good that way too.

ENJOY!!

Italian Pasta Salad

I sort of made up this recipe based off of having other peoples' pasta salad. I tweaked it to my specifications. I never have to worry about leftovers.
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Ingredients Needed:
1 bag WackyMac rotini pasta
1 sm box pepperoni, halved
4 oz. cheddar cheese cubes
1/2 can black olives, sliced
any assortment of veggies you like
1 bottle italian dressing

1. Boil pasta until tender, but firm, drain and rinse with cold water.
2. In large bowl, add pasta.
3. Mix in the remaining ingredients.
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Variations:
The veggies part can be anything you like, I personally like to use cauliflower, carrots, celery, green peppers, cukes and baby tomatoes. You can use any amount you like, I usually try to make it colorful. Cheese can be any flavor, though I prefer cheddar.

ENJOY!!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Thought I'd give you an extra recipe to go along with Valentine's Day! Enjoy! ********************************
Ingredients Needed:
16 ounces milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
1 pound fresh strawberries with leaves and stems
toothpicks and styrofoam board

1. Insert toothpicks into the tops of the strawberries.
2. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring occasionally until smooth.
3. Holding them by the toothpicks, dip the strawberries into the chocolate mixture.
4. Turn the strawberries upside down and insert the toothpick into styrofoam for the chocolate to cool.

ENJOY!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

This is a recipe I made up based on watching my Grama make homemade macaroni and cheese. I tweaked it to my tastes is all.
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Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients Needed:
1 pound cooked pasta
1 batch white sauce with cheese(see recipe below)
salt & pepper

1. Boil pasta, drain, set aside.
2. Spray a 9x13 cake pan with oil.
3. Add pasta to pan.
4. Stir white cheese sauce into pasta.
5. Season to taste.
6. Bake for 30 minutes.

White Sauce with Cheese
2 sticks butter
3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 pound cheddar cheese

1. Melt butter in pan.
2. Stir in flour and cook for about two minutes.
3. Add in heavy cream slowly to reduce lumping.
4. Add cheese, stirring until melted**.

**may need to add a little more cream or milk if sauce gets too thick.
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Variations:
You can use whatever pasta you have on hand - shells, macaroni, bowties - anything but egg noodles works well. You can also use Velveeta or any flavor of cheese you prefer. You can use milk instead of cream if you are looking to trim some fat. Some people garnish the top with corn flake crumbs or bread crumbs, but it is not necessary.

ENJOY!!

Pea Soup

This is another family recipe from as long as I can remember. One of my favorites!
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Ingredients needed:
1 bag dried peas
1 ham bone(shank)
onion salt
pepper
Lawry’s season salt
10 cups water

1. Mix all ingredients in crockpot. Season to your tastes.
2. Cook on high for at least 6 hours. Make sure peas are soft.
3. Remove ham bone from soup, let cool off, then pick off meat and add back into soup.
4. Serve with any type of bread or cracker.
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Variations:
My grama likes to add diced carrots and cooked shell noodles, I prefer it the way it is written.
Both my grama and my mother make this on the stove. I prefer the crockpot cause you can throw it in and forget about it, but if you have time to cook it on the stove and watch it, it will cook faster.

ENJOY!!

Egg Bake

This is a dish that I tried to emulate from my sister-in-law Sharon's family. It doesn't quite come close to their version, Sharon says I probably don't add enough fat, but it is good. The entire Peaslee clan eats it up like mad and it is a great way to make breakfast on the weekend.
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Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Ingredients Needed:
3 dozen eggs, beaten
1/2 package shredded hashbrown potatoes
2 pounds breakfast sausage
8 ounces cheddar cheese
salt & pepper

1. Brown sausage on the stove top. Drain fat.
2. Spray a 9x13 cake pan with oil.
3. Add hashbrowns to pan.
4. Add sausage.
5. Add cheese.
6. Pour beaten eggs over all of it.
7. Salt & pepper to taste.
8. Bake for one hour.

**Depending on the oven, may need to bake a little longer. If eggs wiggle in the middle, its not done. You can use the toothpick test too.

Makes enough to feed about a dozen people.
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Variations:
You can make this with bacon or ham instead of sausage. You can use any kind of potato, I have used shredded hashbrowns, tater tots, hashbrown patties and o'brien potatoes. All work just fine. You can use whatever cheese you like too, I just prefer cheddar.

ENJOY!!

Italian Meat Balls

This recipe is my Grama Connie's. I have tried really hard to emulate her, but once again, when I make these, it is missing what I call "the Connie factor." Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does, there are never any leftovers!
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Italian Meat Balls
Ingredients Needed:
1 lb. ground beef
½ lb. ground pork
½ cup bread crumbs
1 egg
Pinch of minced dry onion
pinch of dry parsley

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl.
2. Roll into 1 inch round meatballs.
3. Brown them, but do not cook completely.
4. Remove from pan and place them in slow cooker.
5. Add spaghetti sauce and cook on low all day.
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Spagetti Sauce
Ingredients Needed:
15 ounce can tomato sauce
15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 tsp. Italian seasoning
Lawry’s season salt
onion salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. Tarragon
Dash of rosemary
2 tsp. sugar
1 green pepper
1 onion

1. Stir all ingredients together. Season to taste.
2. Add to crockpot and let simmer with meatballs all day.

ENJOY!!

Navy Bean Soup

This is a soup my Mom and Grama both make alot. I grew up eating it and have very fond memories. My Mom and Grama like to add drop dumplings to it, I don't care for those, so I eat mine just the way it is.
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Ingredients needed:
1 bag dried navy beans
1 ham bone(shank)
onion salt
pepper
Lawry’s season salt
10 cups water

1. Mix all ingredients in crockpot. Season to your tastes.
2. Cook for at least 6 hours.
3. Remove ham bone from soup, let cool off, then pick off meat and add back into soup.
4. Serve with any type of bread or cracker.

** May add dumplings or egg noodles if desired.

ENJOY!!

Taco Shells

This is another church/family recipe that has been around ever since I can remember. This is my preferred tortilla.
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Ingredients needed:
3 cups white/wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
½ cup shortening
approx. 2 cups lukewarm water

1. In medium mixing bowl, mix 3 cups of flour with 1 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. baking powder, ½ cup shortening.
2. Add approximately 2 cups warm water.
3. Mix dough until sticky.
4. Let set for one hour.
5. Roll dough into 2 inch balls, roll out, place on medium temp griddle, cook until shell starts to bubble, flip over, cook for another 15 seconds, then place in warmer. Repeat until all shells cooked.

Makes about 1 and 1/2 dozen shells.
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Variations:
As with the pizza dough, you can use straight wheat or straight white flour. I have grown up on half of each and like it that way best.

ENJOY!!

Happy New Year!!

Wishing you a very Happy New Year!

Be blessed!