Archive for September, 2009

So I have a frozen cut up whole chicken that I plan to use for supper tonight. I had planned to make a grilled herb chicken with it but the weather has turned cold and I have no desire to fire up the grill.  I am also on a slow cooker kick at the moment. I looked through a few cookbooks  but nothing jumped out at me so I put the chicken still frozen in the slow cooker and dumped quite a bit of BBQ sauce on it. We will see in 8-9 hours if its any good.

What have you thrown together in your slow cooker on a whim?

Originally I was not going to post this recipe. I found it on another recipe blog and thought it sounded good but the flavor was not my favorite but my kids LOVE this. I mean both of them which is a big deal and so here it is.

Source: Simple Recipes I really like this recipe blog and plan to try a lot more of her recipes.

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups grated fresh zucchini
• 2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• Pinch salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
• 1 cup dried cranberries or raisins (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter. Sprinkle baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour, a third at a time. Sprinkle in the cinnamon and nutmeg and mix. Fold in the nuts and dried cranberries or raisins if using.
2. Divide the batter equally between 2 buttered 5 by 9 inch loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour (check for doneness at 50 minutes) or until a wooden pick inserted in to the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool thoroughly.

Yield: 2 loaves

I did add raisins but not the walnuts. I did not have unsalted butter so I used salted and left out the pinch of salt. The reason I don’t love this recipe was because of the nutmeg. It has grown on me, but I may play around with it next time I make it. I have another recipe that I love and will post it at some point. I also have a recipe that calls for pineapple so I might have to give that one a try as well. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my kids do!

Yes they taste as good as they look.  I have been having fun looking at other food/recipe blogs to get some ideas for my blog. In my search I came across this recipe and knew I had to try it. It was my week to make snack for Sunday School today so I thought it would be the perfect time to make it( you know you got a good recipe when you walk into the room and the first thing someone asks is who make the brownies). I was right everyone seemed to like them.

Source: My Kitchen Cafe A great recipe blog check it out!

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 sticks butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line dish with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on both long sides, then spray parchment.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl.

In another bowl, cream butter and granulated sugar with a mixer until smooth. Add 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla, and beat until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture. Increase speed to medium; beat until incorporated.

Reserve 1 cup of dough; cover, and refrigerate. Press remaining dough into bottom of prepared dish. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Bake until base is set and edges are puffed(the middle will not be fully cooked), 22-25 minutes (don’t overbake or this brownie layer will be too hard and crumbly). Let cool in dish on a wire rack.

Mix cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and remaining egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl. Spread over cooled base; crumble reserved dough on top.

Bake until filling is set, 25 to 30 minutes.

Let cool in dish on wire rack, then lift out using overhang. Cut into 24 squares. Squares will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

The only thing I will add to this recipe is to refrigerate before serving. Letting it cool down helps to set the cheesecake and adds to the flavor. I know I have not posted a lot of desserts yet. Mainly because if I bake it well I eat it(which my middle does not need) and time. I had a blast being in the kitchen all morning yesterday( I made some zucchini bread as well). My husband was great and kept the kids busy while I baked. This recipe did take a little more time because it needed to set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes but I used that time to get the zucchini bread going.  I definitely need to do more baking I will just send most of it with my husband and let the college students eat it.

Some baking tips:

1. If a recipe says to bake for 25 minutes set your timer for 20. Cookies,brownies and cakes can over cook and dry out very easily and its better to check them then to have a dried out cake.
2. Look over a recipe carefully. Baking soda and baking powder are different. I have made the mistake of forgetting one of these or using the wrong one and it ruined the recipe.

This is another recipe that is a favorite of mine at holiday meals. I make it now almost every time I make mashed potatoes. Its also another one I had to think about how much of what I was using so I could write it down here.

Source: Family

Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 45 min

• 10-12 medium size russet potatoes
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups sour cream
• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1-2 tsp salt
• 1/2 -1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika

Peal potatoes; cut potatoes into quarters. Cook potatoes in water for 15-20 minutes or till potatoes or tender. Drain and mash. Add sour cream, and cream cheese mix well. Add salt and pepper. Put mashed potatoes into a greased cooking dish and sprinkle paprika on top. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Yields: 6 servings

Baking the mash potatoes brings out the flavor of this dish. I always use my kitchen aid mixture to mash and mix this as well. You can also make this dish in the slow cooker. Just cook on low for 1-2hrs.

For some reason I have bad luck with Chicken and my slow cooker. I always seem to dry it out. But I keep trying. This recipe sounded good so I gave it a shot.

Source: Taste of Home’s Quick Cooking Annual Recipes Cookbook 2004

Prep time: 15 min. Cook time: 4-5 hours

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 oz each)
• 1 can (14-1/2 oz) chicken broth
• 1 can (14-1/2 oz) stewed tomatoes, cut up
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 medium green onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground mustard
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt or garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion salt or onion powder
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cold water
• Hot cooked noodles or rice

Place the chicken in a slow cooker. In a bowl, combine the next 11 ingredients; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 4-5 hours or until chicken juices run clear. Remove chicken and keep warm. Pour cooking juices into a saucepan; skim fat. Combine flour and cold water until smooth; stir into juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over chicken and noodles.

Yield: 4 servings

I was very happy with this recipe! I thought the chicken turned out great. The thing I did different was put the chicken in frozen. Maybe that is the key for me at least. I also think you can do more the 4 chicken breasts. There is plenty of sauce. I think 6-8 chicken breasts would work depending on your slow cooker size(I used a 3 quart).

With fall in the air I am starting to pull out some of my favorite cold weather dishes. This one is at the top of my list. Its easy smells so good while it cooks and tastes even better!

Source: Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook

Prep 15 min Cook Time: 4-6 hours

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 large onion, diced
• 28-oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 8-oz. cans tomato puree
• 1 or 2, 16-oz cans kidney beans, undrained
• 4-oz can diced green chilies
• 1 cup water
• 2 garlic cloves , minced or 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp. mild chili powder
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. pepper

1. Brown beef and onion in skillet. Drain. Place in slow cooker on Low.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients.
3. Cook on Low 4-6 hours.

Yields: 6-8 servings

What I do different. I only use 1-1/2 lbs ground beef I just think 2lbs is too much. If you like your chili really thick well by all means add the extra half pound of meat in. I also don’t add the full amount of chili powder. I have never seen a “mild” chili powder. I usually use around between 1-1/2 tbsp of chili powder. I also find it good to taste test to see if you want to add something. Also about half way through cooking if you can give the chili a stir and another taste test. I love to serve this with my homemade bread and some shredded cheddar cheese and taco chips. Yum Yum!!

Okay I just named my first recipe. Not something anyone really cares about but for me its pretty cool. This recipe is one my mom used to make. I don’t even know if there ever was a written recipe or if she just came up with it. Either way I have always liked it. So when I made them the other night I attempted to figure out how much of what I used so I could share it here.

Source: Family

Prep/cook time: 1 hour

• 2 medium or 1 large zucchini cut into wedges
  
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) butter melted

Mix the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese together and place on a plate or in a bowl. Dip the wedges in the melted butter and coat with the cheese and bread crumb mixture. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until the zucchini is fully cooked.

Yield: 4 servings

Is this healthy? No not really but man I enjoy it. My mom brought with her when my parents came to visit last week a convection oven that sits on my counter(LOVE IT! Will post about it soon I promise!) and so I used it to make these and they turned out better then ever before.

Sorry for the lack of recipes this week. Both my kids have been sick. I have some great recipes to share. I finally made my favorite chili and can’t wait to share that as well as a few others.

If you look at the bottom of each post you see 5 stars. If you try a recipe please come back and rate it. Even if you don’t like it. Also feel free to post how it turned out good or bad you will not hurt my feelings at all. I am always looking for ways to make recipes better. If you have a recipe you want me to try or another food blog or just anything cooking related send them to me here absfavrecipes@gmail.com .

Happy Cooking!!

Every one has that one favorite holiday dish that they look forward to every year. Mine is homemade bread stuffing. I love the stuff and I eat way to much of it every year. Of course now I don’t have to wait for a holiday to enjoy this dish but I still tend to save it for special meals. My parents are up for the weekend so I wanted to do Thanksgiving  now. I will say my mom made the stuffing because I had to go grocery shopping. This recipe is my great-grandma’s and its really not hard to make. You can stuff the bird with it or you can put it in the slow cooker. I used the slow cooker because I used the rotisserie for the Turkey and you can’t stuff it when you cook it that way.

Source: Family

This is for a 15lb turkey

• 2 1/2 loaves of bread(rip bread into small pieces) or bread cubes ( it takes a little less than 2 bags)

• 1 tbsp – sage

• 1 tbsp – salt

• dash of pepper

• 1 cup onion

• 3 cups of celery

• 3 eggs

• 1/2 cup of butter (melt the butter)

• 4 cups milk

Mix all ingredients except the bread cubes – together.  In a large pan mix the wet ingredients into the bread cubes. Don’t add it all at once – add a cup full at a time.  Sometimes there is a little extra left – but for a moister dressing I usually add it all.  I always end up mixing it with my hands – just seems to work better.

Grandma would start her turkey in a 400 degree oven for 2 hrs. – then turn it back to 350 for 3 hours.  I usually just put it in at 350.
12 to 16 lb turkey – 4 to 5 hours
16 to 20 lb  – 4 1/2 to 5 hours
20 to 25 lb – 5 to 6 hours
Add 30 to 45  minutes more to time for stuffed bird.

Yield: A crowd

For the slow cooker put stuffing into a 5 quart cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

We halved the recipe and made it in a 3 quart slow cooker. We only used one loaf of bread not 1-1/2. I also think its better with bread not bread cubes. You may also have to add more milk as your mixing. My mom added another 3/4 cup.