Mystery Cookies

As I have stated before, I like reading Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swenson mystery series.  The books are fun and easy to read.  The added bonus is the author provides recipes.  I have found the recipes for watermelon cookies and pretzel chocolate chip cookies in her book.  This is another one of her reipes found in the Lemon Meringue Murder.

I made these cookies once and I remembered people raved about their taste.  They couldn't believe the secret ingredient in these cookies.  I do not know where I put my copy of the Lemon Meringue Murder so I lost the recipe.  This week I decided to google the recipe and got lucky.

These cookies are addictive!  I don't know how many cookies I ate after I baked two cookie sheets worth.  (The rest of the dough is in the fridge waiting to be baked.)

Mystery Cookies
www.murdershebaked.com

Stars of the recipe:

• 1/2 cup of butter, melted (2 stick)


• 3-1/2 cup of sugar


• 2 beaten eggs


• 1 can of condensed tomato soup (the secret ingredient)


• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon


• 2 tsp. ground nutmeg


• 2 tsp. baking soda


• 2 tsp. salt


• 2 cups of raisins (golden or regular)


• 2 cups chopped walnuts


• 4-1/2 cup of flour (does not need to be sifted)

Steps:

1. Melt butter in microwave.


2. Add sugar and then let it cool.


3. Mix in beaten eggs.


4. Add tomato soup and beat together.


5. Stir in cinammon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.


6. Add the raisins and walnuts.


7. Add flour 1 cup at a time until it is incorporated.


8. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.


9. Drop by teaspoons on a greased cookie sheet.


10. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes


11. Cool slightly.


12. Transfer to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

Makes around 10 dozen cookies.

Ranch Chicken Legs

I found this recipe right after hubby and I got married.  It was in our regular main dish rotation for a few years.  The ranch chicken legs were also a go to recipe for when I entertained family members.  During the past few years, I have made it infrequently.  So when I found chicken legs on sale, I decided to put it on our menu.

I love how simple this recipe is and how tasty the chicken is. 

Stars of the recipe:

• chicken legs (I would try to have 2 legs per person)


• 1/2 cup of bisquick (More if needed ~ really depends on the number of chicken legs.)


• 1 package of dry ranch dressing mix


• 2 Tbsp. butter

Steps: 

1. In a ziplock bag, place bisquick and ranch dressing.  Mix well.  Set aside.


2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.


3. Place butter in a 9 by 13 baking dish.  After the oven is done preheating, place the pan in the oven until the butter is melted.


4. Once the butter is melted, pull the baking dish out of the oven.


5. Dredge each piece of chicken in the bisquick-ranch mixture.  Make sure each piece is coated.  Place each chicken leg in the baking dish skin side down.


6. Bake at 400 degrees for 20  minutes.  Pull the baking dish out of the oven.


7. Flip the chicken and then bake for an additional 15 minutes.


8. Enjoy!

 

Chicken pot pie (Easy recipe)

I had a coupon for the new Philadelphia cooking creme and they were also on sale this week so I decided to try them.  Since I had never made a pot pie, I decided to try it using the cooking creme.  It ended up being delicious.  My hubby gobbled it up which is saying alot.  The Wee One and the Imaginative One did not like it.  They ate some of it but it was not their favorite.

Stars of the Recipe:

• 2 cups of cooked chicken


• 2 cups of frozen mixed veggies


• 1 container of Philadelphia cooking creme (I used the savory garlic flavor.)


• 1 ready to bake pie crust

Steps:

1. Mix the veggies, chicken, and cooking creme together in a bowl.


2. Place mixture in a 9 inch pie pan.


3. Place the pie crust over it.  Score the pie crust.


4. Place in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.


5. Enjoy!

I'm not endorsed by Philadelphia Cooking Creme.  I just enjoyed this product.

Menu Planning Monday ~ March 7, 2011

Last week, I found deals on red potatoes, roast, chicken legs, and steak.  Since the red potatoes were on sale for a dollar for 3 pounds, I decided to change up when I'm going to make the Italian chili and beef stew.  Wednesday is suppose to be rainy (again) so I'm going to make the stew then.  This week's deals are on ground chuck and chicken breasts. 

Monday - spaghetti with homemade sauce, corn, and crescent rolls

Tuesday - White Castle burgers, potatoe chips, and cucumber slices

Wednesday - beef stew with biscuits

Thursday - apple cinammon pancakes, eggs, and bacon

Friday - cheddar brats, fried potatoes, veggies

Saturday - leftovers

Monthly Menu ~March 2011

Week of February 28

• Monday - Dinner at Boy Scouts ~ We're having a buffet style dinner of roast and spaghetti.  Yumm-o!


• Family Favorite Meal - pinto beans and ham (already in the freezer), cornbread, raw veggies


• New Recipe Meal - ham, hoppin' johns, veggies


• Ethnic Night - crockpot pepper steak with rice, fortune cookies


• Easy Meal - Italian Beef Sandwiches (already in the freezer), chips, raw veggies


• Meat and Potatoes - Pork roast, baked potato, veggies

Week of March 7

• Family Favorite Meal -White Castle burgers, chips, raw veggies


• New Recipe Meal - Italian chili, rolls


• Ethnic Night - spaghetti with bolognese sauce, bread sticks, salad


• Easy Meal - apple cinammon pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon


• Meat and Potatoes - cheddar brats, fried potatoes, veggies

Week of March 14

• Family Favorite - homemade hamburger helper, veggies, biscuits


• New Recipe - Left-Over Turkey Potpie (using left-over chicken), left-over mashed potatoes, rolls


• Ethnic Night - Spaghetti carbonara, cheddar bay biscuits, salad


• Easy Night - bacon and egg quesidillas (from $5 dollar dinner Breakfast and Lunch cookbook,  hash browns


• Meat and Potatoes Night - chicken in the crockpot, mashed potatoes, green beans, Easy Rolls or Buttermilk biscuits

Week of March 21

• Family Favorite - pinto beans (in freezer), cornbread


• New Recipe - Bramble beans, veggies, cornbread


• Ethnic Night - spaghetti with homemade sauce, crescent rolls, salad


• Easy Night - sandwich buffet, chips, raw veggies


• Meat and Potato Night - ranch chicken legs, pasta roni, veggies

Week of March 28 (Spring Break for me)

• Family Favorite Meal - spaghetti pie, garlic bread, salad


• New Recipe Meal - slow cooker beef stew, biscuits


• Ethnic Night - tacos, Spanish rice


• Easy Meal - chicken nuggets, French fries, raw veggies


• Meat and Potatoes - pork chops, side dish TBA, veggies

Taco Crescent Bake

Another recipe, I found on Menus4Moms website.  It is easy to put together especially if you use taco seasoned ground beef that you have already cooked and then froze.

My picky hubby was surprised with how delicious this recipe was and how it didn't taste too tacoey (made up word).  He does not like some of the spices used in Mexican cooking especially cumin.  As a result, I make my own taco seasoning so I can adjust the amount of spices.  When I make the taco meat, I also adjust the amount of taco seasoning. 

Stars of the recipe:

• 
  
  a can of crescent rolls (I like the seamless one but the regular works just fine.)


• 
  
  2 cups of tortillas, roughly chopped, divided in 1/2


• 
  
  1 pound of taco seasoned ground beef


• 
  
  1 cup of sour cream


• 
  
  1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (We love sharp cheddar here but mild cheddar would be okay.)

Directions:

1. 
   
   In a greased 9 by 13 baking dish, unroll crescent roll and press onto the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides .  (If using regular crescent rolls, press all the seams together.)


2. 
   
   Sprinkle 1 cup of the crushed tortillas over the crescent rolls.


3. 
   
   Spoon ground beef over the crescent rolls.


4. 
   
   Top with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and remaining tortilla chips.


5. 
   
   Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.


6. 
   
   Serve plain or with additional sour cream or salsa.

This is linked up to Eat at Home's Ingredient Spotlight.

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

I like to make my own taco seasoning because I can adjust the amount of spices.  I also feel better about knowing what is exactly is in the taco seasoning.  Plus I use very little of the taco seasoning when I make tacos because I have a picky hubby especially with Mexican food.  A few years ago, I would rarely make Mexican cusine at home.  Instead I would go to restaurants to fulfill my cravings for Mexican cuisine.  I'm glad I can now make Mexican food at home.

Here is a recipe for Taco Seasoning that I found at the Copy Kat website

Stars of the recipe:

• 
  
  1 Tbsp. dehydrated onion


• 
  
  6 tsp. chili powder (I use a little less than that.)


• 
  
  5 tsp. paprika


• 
  
  4 1/2 tsp. cumin (I use about 2 tsp.  This is one of the spices that hubby does not like.)


• 
  
  3 tsp. onion powder


• 
  
  2 1/2 tsp. garlic powder


• 
  
  1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (I omit this spice.)

Steps:

1. 
   
   Combine ingredients and store in an airtight container.


2. 
   
   To prepare, brown 1 lb. of beef.


3. 
   
   Add 3 Tbsp. (I use about 1.5 Tbsp.) of seasoning and approx. 1/2 cup of water.


4. 
   
   Simmer until water is absorbed.


5. 
   
   Serve either in a hard taco shell or tortilla and with your favorite taco toppings.