Chicken Broccoli Casserole

You've got to love it when one of your kids favorite meals has one of the most healthy veggies in it.  The awesome part is that the broccoli is one of their favorite parts of the meal.  This has been a family favorite for I don't know how long.  I know my mom made this for us when we were kids.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

2 to 3 lbs. chicken cooked

5 to 6 stalks broccoli steamed

4 cups cooked rice

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup sour cream

½ tsp. curry powder (or more if you like)

1 Tbs. lemon juice

Bread Crumbs

½ cup grated cheese (opt.)

Broil chicken and shred, partially cook broccoli and cook rice.  Mix together cream of mushroom soup, mayo, sour cream, curry powder and lemon juice.  Mix all together and put into a large casserole dish.  Sprinkle bread crumbs and grated cheese on top.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. 

Diet . . . WHAT ? ! ?

Trial and Error

I don’t know about you, but whenever I try to start a diet, my mind automatically starts screaming “Sugar!”  It is so loud that more than naught I cave in to its demands and sneak a treat that is way over what is allowed.   I remember several years ago going on a diet with my mom.  This diet was simple.  No Sugar.  Easy, right?  NOOOO!!!!  After just a few hours of starting this diet I went crazy.  I couldn’t find anything to eat that sounded good to me.  I have to admit I became a little over dramatic, and with a can of green beans in my hands I sat on the floor and cried.  Everything had sugar in it!  Even the can of green beans!  Well I can tell you how long that diet lasted.  It was over the same day it started.

Starting one again.

This time around I have chosen to fall back into Weight Watchers.  It has worked for me before so I knew I could do it.  The only problem this time is that I still have a bunch of left over Christmas goodies in my house. And who hasn't been on a sugar rush for over 2 months now?  My body is so used to the yummy sweets that it wants more.  Weight Watchers does have some yummy store bought treats that you can get for a reasonable amount, but there really isn't much out there.  While I was at Kroger’s buying some of these treats, I remembered my Mom’s Weight Watcher Ice-Cream Sandwiches.  When I was a young adult, still living at home with my parents, both my Mom and Dad were diligently plodding along doing Weight Watchers.  My mom put together these yummy ice-cream sandwiches that were only a few points.  Yeah!  Another treat!  So I got what I needed to make these yummy concoctions, put them together and stuffed my freezer with them.  I am now pretty confident that I can do this. 

Weight Watchers Ice-Cream Sandwiches

 
































So what are you waiting for?  Go make you some and let me know what you think.  

Zucchini Brownies

These brownies have always been a huge success with my family.  Although my kids hate zucchini, they love these.  My mom made this for our family when I was growing up and I have been making these brownies (which we have it as a cake) since my kids were little.  We just made them this past Sunday which was when we celebrated Brianna’s 6^th Birthday.

Zucchini Brownies

2 cups zucchini shredded

2 cups flour

1 ¼ cups sugar

1 tsp salt

1 ½ tsp baking soda

¼ to ½ cup cocoa

½ cup oil or apple sauce

½ to 1 cup walnuts (optional)

½ cup chocolate chips (optional)

Mix zucchini, oil, and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients and mix.  Do not beat.  Pour into a 13X9 inch greased pan.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350.  Batter will be thick. 

I like to spread chocolate butter cream frosting on top. 

Buttercream Chocolate Frosting

1 stick of butter

Powdered sugar

Vanilla (about 1 tsp)

Milk

3-4 Tbs. Cocoa

Whip butter.  Add some powdered sugar (I put about half the bag into the bowl) and vanilla. Mix.  I then add milk until it’s the consistency you want it.  If it gets too runny add more powdered sugar or too thick add more milk.  I then add about 3-4 Tbs. of cocoa.

Peanut Butter Fingers

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to watch Young Women’s Conference with the beautiful Young Women in our ward.  It was indeed a great blessing to listen to our Young Women leaders as well as from Elder Uchtdorf.  The talks focused on this year’s theme for our youth, “Stand Ye In Holy Places.”  As a Young Women Presidency we decided to watch the conference at one of our leaders’ home where we could enjoy dinner and dessert, then watch the conference together.  We decided on tacos which everyone loved.  I made the dessert, Peanut Butter Fingers.  Peanut Butter Fingers is one of my families’ favorites and I have always received lots of positive comments about them.  I did share the recipe at one time at a job I had years ago when we were putting together a work cookbook. Unfortunately the recipe I gave them got butchered by being combined with someone else’s recipe that was similar.  It took the best part of my recipe out in lieu of an easier option.  Well, after sharing my Peanut Butter Fingers with the Young Women I have had several requests for my recipe, so I am going to share it here where I know that no one can change it.  I wish I took a picture to add to this, but I didn’t think about it till after it was all eaten.  I had a few pieces left thinking I could take a picture of that, but of course, someone has gobbled that up.

Peanut Butter Fingers

This makes a full cookie sheet worth.

1 cup butter                                       1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar                           2 eggs

2/3 cup peanut butter                   2 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. salt                                            1 tsp. baking soda

2 cups flour                                        2 cups rolled oats

                Mix together butter and sugars.  Add vanilla, eggs and peanut butter and mix well.  Add salt, baking soda, flour and oats.  After all is mixed well press on cookie sheet.  (I use my hands to press on cookie sheet).  Bake at 370 for 10-15 minutes or until top is light brown.  Remove from oven.  While still hot sprinkle chocolate chips on top.  Let sit so the chocolate can melt.  When chocolate is melted use a spatula to spread chocolate all over the top. 

Frosting:   1 cup powdered sugar              2-4 Tbs. milk                      2 Tbs. peanut butter.

Mix in a ball with whisk until well blended.  The frosting should be a little runny.   Drizzle frosting on top of Peanut butter fingers and spread.  Let cool and then cut into bars and enjoy. 

Puffed Pancakes

Yummy Puffed Pancakes

This dish has been a favorite among my family since I married my wonderful husband, almost 12 years ago.  We used to make it every Sunday morning at my husbands’ request but have gotten away from that due to him being gone so much.  Needless to say, he is home this weekend and it is my youngest daughters’ birthday and for her birthday breakfast she wanted Puffed Pancakes. 

I usually do 4 times the recipe and use a 9-13 inch pan because I have a large family.  The original recipe is probably perfect for 2-4 people, depending on how much you eat. 

I wanted to take of picture of the finished product before it got cut into, but everyone was hungry and they didn't wait.

Puffed Pancakes (German Pancakes)

3 eggs

½ cup flour

½ cup milk

Dash of salt

2 tbs. butter          

Apples (peeled and cut up into small pieces and sprinkled w/ cinnamon sugar)                                                                                     

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix eggs, flour, milk and salt together till smooth.  Take apple mixture and mix into batter.  The apple mixture is optional but we love it and I refuse to make Puffed Pancakes if I don’t have any apples.  Place butter in pan and place in oven to melt.  Be sure to not place it in oven too soon, you don’t want it to burn.  Poor batter into pan overtop melted butter and bake for 20 minutes. 

While it is baking you have time to make homemade maple syrup.  Here is my recipie, but if you have one that you love you can use that.

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 tsp maple flavoring

In a sauce pan mix sugar and water.  Bring to a boil.  Add the maple flavoring while boiling.  Let boil for a little longer.  Enjoy!!!

Christmas Dinner Favorites

Christmas Joys

Evergreen boughs that fill our homes
With fragrant Christmas scents,
Hearts filled with the loving glow
That Christmas represents;

Christmas cookies, turkeys stuffed,
Festive holly berry,
Little faces bright with joy,
Loved ones being merry;
Parties, songs, beribboned gifts,
Silver bells that tinkle,
Christmas trees and ornaments,
Colorful lights that twinkle;
Relatives waiting with open arms
To smile and hug and kiss us;
These are some of the special joys
That come along with Christmas. By Joanna Fuchs
 

Christmas brings us all together where we love to share our favorite Christmas stories and past times, and for me my favorite Christmas Dinner treats.  I love gathering with my family on Christmas for a wonderful dinner.  My family for many years always gathered at my Grandparents home for her Christmas Ham and Funeral Potatoes (cheesy potatoes).  After my Grandparents were no longer with us we gathered at my parents home.  But those favorites that my Grandma would make for us were passed down to her children and grandchildren.  One of my absolute favorites is Frozen Fruit Salad.  My Grandma would make two pans every Thanksgiving and Christmas, one pan for everyone and one pan for me.  Yes, my grandma spoiled me. 

Here are 3 of my favorite holiday dishes.  What are your favorites?  I'd love for you to share them with me.    I hope you enjoy these as much as I do every year.

Frozen Fruit Salad

Mix together in sauce pan:

1 cup pineapple juice           4 eggs beaten

4 Tbs. lemon juice              pinch of salt   

1/2 cup sugar                                            

Bring to boil.  Cool.  Add;

6 oz. Cream Cheese         2 cups Heavy whipping cream

Mix together well until smooth.

Now Mix in Fruit.

1 large can crushed pineapple      4 medium apples finally chopped

1 cup finally chopped celery      1 cup mini marshmallows

anything else you want.   I like to add a can of fruit cocktail drained.

Freeze.

 
by: Margie Jones 

Orange Jell-O Salad

1 large pkg. cook to serve lemon pudding       1 large pkg. orange jell-o

Prepare both as directed.  Cool, mix together and pour into pan over can of mandarin oranges.  Let set overnight.                                                                                                                                                    

Topping

1 small pkg. instant lemon pudding.  (mix with 1 cup of cold milk)

cool whip                                                                                          

Mix together until smooth then spread on top of Jell-O. 

by: Irene Losee

Funeral Potatoes or Cheesy Potatoes

2 lb. bag of frozen hashbrowns (or 10-12 potatoes, baked, cooled, then shredded)

1/4 - 1/2 cup butter    

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cans Cream of Chicken or Mushroom soup

1 pint sour cream

1 lb. (or 1-1 1/2 cups) of shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 - 1 tsp. salt

pepper to taste. (opt)

Optional topping:

2 cups corn flakes, crushed    4 Tbs. melted butter

 paprika (opt)

Prepare potatoes if you don't have frozen hash browns.  Melt butter; mix with the soup, sour cream, onion (can sauté onion), cheese, salt and pepper.  Fold into potatoes.  Put in baking pan (9x13).  If topping is desired, crush corn flakes and mix in the butter and paprika.  Sprinkle corn flake crumbs over top.  Bake at 350 oven about 1 hour until hot and bubbly.  Serves 8-10 people.



Yummy Lemon Bars

Lemon Bars

One of my favorite treats was the Lemon Bars a friend of mine would make and  bring to work.   I never worried about making them because she was pretty regular about making them and sharing them with us.  It wasn’t long before our unit at work decided to put together a cook book and my friend shared her recipe.  Although the Lemon Bars she brought to work were perfect, I couldn’t get her recipe to work for me.  My Lemon Bars seemed to be lacking, so I changed just a few things and wa-la….Yummy Lemon Bars.  The trick is to use real lemon juice (fresh squeezed), but you can use bottled lemon juice and they will still be yummy.  I also had to change the cook times.  This recipe is doubled.  A special thanks to Jenae for sharing your yummy recipe with me.

Lemon Bars

Crust:

4 cups flour                                       2 cup softened butter

1 cup powdered sugar                  1 tsp. salt

Blend all ingredients together.  Press into a greased 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

Top Layer:

3 cups sugar                                     1 cup real lemon juice

8 eggs                                                            6 Tbsp. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

Mix all ingredients together with an electric mixer, pour over cooked crust.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Enjoy!