Meaty Stuffed Shells

The first time I made this was when I was living with Rachel & Mark just after they got married. They got this recipe with a gift for their wedding (do you remember that, Rachey?). Well, I cooked it for them and the recipe has stuck in my head all these years and I've made it several times. Personally, I love the stuff - and it's one of Jason's favorite meals.

(Please excuse the messy picture. Jason plated for me and the picture was an afterthought - I was just excited to dig in!)

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 green pepper
1/2 lb Mozzarella cheese (or more if you like it super cheesy *yum*)
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce
1 box manicotti shells

Directions:

Cook shells as directed on package. Brown the hamburger and drain. Dice the green pepper and Mozzarella cheese (yes, I said dice the cheese - not shred) and combine in a large bowl with the hamburger. Using a spoon, fill the shells with the meat/pepper/cheese mixture. Spread a small amount of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 cake pan. Line the stuffed shells up in the pan. Cover shells with the remaining sauce. I usually have meat mixture left over so I just dump that on top too. Cover with cheese and cook at 350 until heated thru (about 15-20 minutes).

Cashew Chicken

**CASHEW CHICKEN**

1 Tbsp. oil
1/4 c. or more cashews
1 chicken breast half, cut in chunks
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 lb. Chinese snow peas
1/4 lb. fresh mushrooms
1/2 c. celery, sliced or chopped
1/2 c. carrots, sliced or chopped
2 green onions, sliced

1. In large nonstick pan, heat oil and stir-fry cashews on medium heat until lightly toasted. Remove cashews from pan with slotted spoon.
2. In same pan, stir-fry chicken until tender and no longer pink in center. Remove chicken from pan with slotted spoon. Remove pan from heat.
3. In a small bowl, combine chicken broth, soy sauce, cornstarch and sugar. Set aside. Return pan to heat.
4. Place snow peas, mushrooms, celery and carrots in pan and stir-fry 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in soy sauce mixture.
5. Add green onions and cook until well blended and thickened and add chicken.
6. Add cashews just before serving.

Makes 4 cups (serves about 1 person)

I made this for dinner tonight and it was DELICIOUS! I had to quadruple the recipe to feed everyone, but it worked out nicely. (If you are feeding 2 people double it, 3 people triple it, and so forth.) We left out the mushrooms. But other than that we followed the recipe spot on and it was SUPER easy! I was intimidated by the name of the meal "Cashew Chicken" sounds pretty fancy shmancy...but it was so easy and SO good! We put ours over noodles but everyone agreed it would have been better with rice. Anyway, this is a MUST TRY recipe!

CREAM PUFFS

3/4 C WATER

1/3 C BUTTER OR MARGARINE

3/4 C FLOUR

1/8 tsp SALT

3 EGGS

PRE HEAT OVEN 400 DEGREES

MAKES 6 (YOU CAN DOUBLE RECIPE)

In a small sauce pan bring water and butter to boil over medium heat. Remove from heat beat in flour and salt, all at once. Over low heat stir mixture until it leaves the sides of the pan. Remove from heat add eggs all at once. Beat until smooth and satiny looking. Place dough by large spoon fulls on ungreased cookie sheet. They will puff up so don't make them too big. Bake at 400 for 35-40 min without opening the door. Remove from oven and cool in draft free place. When cool cut tops push down inside of puff. Fill with your favorite pudding or ice cream. Put tops back on and frost with favorite frosting.

ENJOY!!!!

Red, White and Green Jell-o

I know all of you will remember this yummy desert that Mom use to make. This time of year you could substitute green jello for blue jello.

1 - 3oz pkg Lemon flavored Jell-O
1 - 3oz pkg Cherry, Raspberry, or Strawberry Jell-O
1 - 3oz pkg of Lime Jell-O
3 C. boiling Water
1 - 8oz pkg Cream Cheese, softened
1 - 8-1/4oz Crushed Pineapple with the syrup
1 C. Cool Whip, thawed
1/2 C. Mayonnaise
1-1/2 C/ Cold water

Dissolve each flavor of gelatin separately in 1 cup of boiling water. Gradually blend lemon gelatin mixture into softened cream cheese beating until smooth. Add pineapple and syrup and chill until slightly thickened. Blend in whipped topping and mayonnaise and chill until very thick.
Meanwhile, add 3/4 cup cold water to the red jello, pour into 9-inch square pan and chill until set but not firm. Add remaining cold water to the lime jello, chill until slightly thickened. Spoon lemon gelatin mixture over the red jello. Chill until set but not firm, top with lime jello. Chill until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight. Unmold and garnish with cut-up pineapple slices and maraschino cherries, if desired. Makes about 16 servings.

Orange Tapioca Jello Salad

An old family favorite. I made this for Easter. We took a big bowl to Grandma's party on Saturday and another big bowl to dinner at Jason's aunts house on Sunday. I love this stuff! It should be re-named: Orangie-Heaven in a bowl.

Ingredients:
3 cups water
1 sm pkg Orange Jell-O
1 sm pkg Cook'n Serve Vanilla Pudding
1 sm pkg Cook'n Serve Tapioca
1 can mandarin oranges (drained)
1 8oz container Cool Whip

Directions:
In medium saucepan stir together the first four ingredients. Bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool. Add the mandarin oranges and Cool Whip and stir thoroughly. Chill for several hours before serving.

I've heard rumors that this recipe has been tried with different flavors. Although I've never tried it myself, I bet raspberry would be phenomenal!

Lemonade Cheesecake

• 1 Pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
• 1/2 C. frozen Lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1 tub (8 oz.) Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
• 1 Graham Pie Crust (6 oz.)
• 1-1/2 cups sliced Strawberries
• 2 Tbsp Sugar

Beat the cream cheese until creamy. Add the Lemonade concentrate gradually and stirring thoroughly in between additions. Lastly add 2 cups of the whipped topping (I only had 2 cups in the 8 oz. tub so if you want some for the top, as seen in the picture, you may want to by a bigger tub).
Spoon the mixture into the pie crust and refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm.
Mix the sliced berries with the sugar and store in the fridge until ready to serve.

I used the lite cool whip and light cream cheese to make if lower in fat. It tasted delicious. I will be making it for Easter dinner with the Fife's. Enjoy everyone!!

My New Favorite Muffin

Jenalyn wanted to make banana muffins so I went searching online for a good recipe. As always, I searched on Recipezaar first and I found the mother of all banana muffin recipes!

Delicious - check.
Moist - check.
Healthy - check.
Chocolate - check.

What else matters?

So here you go...

(Why yes, those are Lightening McQueen cupcake liners. They were left over from Corbin's birthday.)

Low-Fat Banana Oatmeal Chocolate-chip Muffins

Ingredients

• 3 large bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup flour (you can use whole wheat for a change if you like)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (instant is fine)
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Add sugar to mashed bananas and mix.
2. Add beaten egg and mix.
3. In a separate bowl mix all dry ingredients.
4. Add dry ingredients to the banana mixture and mix well.
5. Mix in applesauce.
6. Add chocolate chips and Stir.
7. Spoon into medium size muffin tin (I use paper muffin cups so they won't stick) and fill 3/4's full.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350.

I used whole wheat flour and Grandma Sprague's home-canned applesauce. I tagged this recipe as Breakfast and Dessert because they really were that good.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchilads

Cheryl told me about these on Saturday at the Chile Verde class. I found the recipe on Good Thing Utah's website. I tried it out and they were so delicious I thought I would share.

1/3 C. Honey
1/4 C. Lime Juice

2 tsp to 1 Tbsp Chili Powder
2 large cloves of Garlic, finely minced or 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 large Chicken Breasts, cooked and shredded
12 Corn Tortillas or Flour Tortillas
2 C. of Mexican Cheese Blend, shredded
1 14-oz can of Green Enchilada Sauce
1/2 - 3/4 C. of Heavy Cream
Nonstick Cooking Spray
1 Tbsp of chopped Cilantro, to garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the cooked and shredded chicken in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, place the honey, lime juice, chili powder and minced garlic or garlic powder. Whisk together thoroughly to combine. Pour this mixture over the chicken and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to marinate while you prepare the tortillas, 30 minutes or up to 1 hour, in the refrigerator.

Heat a large griddle till a drop of water skitters across (about 350 degrees F). Spray the surface with non-stick cooking spray or a oil it with a little bit of canola oil in between each round of tortillas. Heat tortillas about 20 seconds on each side till warm and flexible and some golden brown spots have appeared. Remove the tortillas from the griddle and keep them between a couple of paper towels until ready to use.

Spray the sides and bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish lightly with cooking spray. In a medium bowl combine the enchilada sauce and the heavy cream. Spread about 1/2 cup of the mixture in the bottom of the oiled baking dish. Add a large spoonful (about 2 tablespoons) of the chicken mixture to the center of each tortilla in a line. Cover the chicken with a large tablespoon (or big pinch) of cheese, then roll the tortilla up from one side to make a rolled enchilada - it will be more of an over lap on the seam side that rolled tightly. Place the enchilada seam side down in the baking dish starting at one end with the long edge parallel to the longest side of the pan so that you end up with two columns of six enchiladas each.

Repeat with the remaining chicken, cheese and tortillas. You will use about 1 1/2 cups of the cheese for the filling and set the remainder aside for topping the enchiladas in the pan. Add the remaining marinade mixture to the enchilada sauce and cream mixture, if desired. Pour this mixture over the top of all the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake the enchiladas for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and starting to brown on top. Serve with sour cream, black beans, and rice or a green salad for a great meal.

Lettuce Wraps

We had these at a friend's house on Saturday night. So delicious and low fat.

3 Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp chopped onions
1 tsp Garlic, minced
4-5 leaves iceberg lettuce
1 lb ground turkey

Special Sauce:
1/4 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Water
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
2 Tbsp Ketchup
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1/8 tsp Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Hot Mustard
2 tsp Water
1-2 tsp garlic and red chile sauce

Stir-Fry Sauce:
2 Tbsp Soy sauce
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Rice Vinegar

Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice, and sesame oil. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve.

Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.

Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.

Bring oil to high heat in a work or large frying pan. Brown ground turkey. Add garlic.

Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together.

Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple of minutes then serve in lettuce wraps with the special sauce either ladled over the top of the meat mixture or a small bowl for dipping the lettuce wrap.

We also took some of the special sauce and made stir fry noodles as well. You can saute your favorite vegetables while you cook rice noodles. Then add the rice noodles to the vegetables and add a couple ladles of the sauce and bring warm.

Avon Sugar Cookies

Avon Sugar Cookies

1 cup softened butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

Mix thoroughly butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Blend in flour and baking soda. Cover; chill 2-3 hours.

Heat oven to 375. Divide dough in half. Roll each half 1/4 inch thick onlightly floured clothcovered board. Cut into desired shapes. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 7-8 minutes or until light brown on edge. Yeidls approx. 4 dozen 2 -2 1/2 inch cookies. * If using self-rising flour; omit soda

Special Icing

1# confectioner's sugar

1 large egg white water

Beat confectioer's sugar into egg white, adding 1 tablespoon water or enough to produce a fairly thick frosting.

Crepes

...or Swedish Pancakes...or Norwegian Pancakes...doesn't matter what you call them, they are delicious!
3 eggs
1 1/4 C milk (or soy milk)
3/4 C flour
1 T sugar
1/2 t Salt

(Makes about 8 crepes) Combine all ingredients and mix well. Using a medium-sized pan on medium heat, pour batter into hot, buttered pan, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes on each side.

You can fill them with ANYTHING. I've had them with ice cream, pie filling, cottage cheese & fruit, but my favorite is yogurt. This morning I filled it with french vanilla bean yogurt and topped with frozen/thawed blueberries and powdered sugar. I think that is my favorite so far!

Heidi found a cream cheese filling that she likes to use, I imaging it's like cheesecake. I bet that's incredible too!

Feel free to share your favorite filling!

Baked Mushroom Chicken

Mom loves it when Mark makes this recipe especially in the dutch oven. Very, very delicious!!

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

¼ C. Flour
3 Tbsp Butter, divided

1 C. Fresh Mushrooms, sliced
½ C. Chicken Broth

¼ tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper

1/3 C. Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/3 C. Parmesan Cheese, grated

¼ C. Green Onions, sliced

Flatten each chicken breast half to ¼ inch thickness. Place flour in a resealable plastic bag; add chicken, a few pieces at a time. Seal and shake to coat.
In a large skillet, brown chicken in 2 Tbsp butter on both sides. Transfer to a greased 11-in x 7-in x 2-in baking dish. In the same skillet, sauté mushrooms in the remaining butter until tender. Add the broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook for 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced to ½ cup. Spoon over chicken. Bake uncovered, at 375 for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheeses and onions. Bake 5 minutes longer or until the chicken juices run clear.

Chicken Puffs

Do any of you guys remember Mom making these? I remember just loving them. Enjoy for old times sake!!

8 oz Crescent Rolls

8 oz. Cream Cheese
2 C. Cooked Chicken
2 Tbsp Butter, soft
¼ tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper
2 Tbsp Milk
1 Egg White

Blend cheese & butter until smooth. Add chicken, salt, pepper and milk. Separate crescent dough into 4 rectangles. Press together at seams. Top each with ½ c. of chicken mixture. Fold over and pinch ends together to form a pouch. Brush w/ egg white. Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Cheese and Broccoli Soup

I haven't made this for a long time but here you go Cheryl. Hope it brings back some good memories.

4 Potatoes cut into bite size pieces
2 cups water
2 teaspoons chicken bullion
Cook in a good size pot until potatoes are tender add
1 small bag of cut up frozen Broccoli
bring to a boil. You may add celery salt and onion salt if desired.
in small sauce pan over medium heat
combine
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. flour
when butter is melted and combined with flour add
2 cups Milk stirring constantly until thick
add
1 small block of Velveeta Cheese, cut into cubes, to the mixture
stir until cheese is melted then add mixture to the soup stirring until it is blended. Do not let the sou come to a boil after the cheese sauce is added.
Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

I can't believe we don't already have this recipe on here. It is such a staple for every Sprague household.

Bag Chopped Broccoli
4 Chicken Breasts (boiled and cut-up)
1 C. Mayonnaise
1/2 C. Milk
2 Cans Cream of Celery or Cream of Chicken Soup
1 C. Shredded Cheese
1/2 tsp. Curry Powder
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
3 Slices of Bread (optional)

Layer the broccoli in the bottom of a cake pan. Add the cut-up chicken on top. In a bowl mix mayo, milk, soup, cheese, curry powder, and lemon juice until well combined. Put the soup mixture on the very top and break up the pieces of bread on top (optional). I skip the bread and put more cheese on the top. My family likes to put the Chinese chow mien noodles on top of it. I just like it plain.

Lime Slush

Mom, does this sound like the slush you normally make?

11 cups water
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup limeade concentrate
2 liters lemon-lime soda, chilled
Lime slices, optional

Directions: In a 4-qt. freezer container, combine the water, sugar and limeade concentrate until sugar is dissolved; cover and freeze. Remove from the freezer several hours before serving. Chop mixture until slushy. Add soda just before serving. Garnish with lime slices if desired.