Day 5 - Recipes

My favorite recipes...

I am not really much of a cook. I mean, I can follow a recipe really well but I tend to stick to a select few dishes that seem to work well with Dustin and Brooke. Here are some of my favorite recipes, all of which my mom passed on to me when Dustin and I got married.

Appetizer: Pepperoni Pinwheels

Now I'll be honest, when I make this I tend to stray from the recipe. I put more pepperoni and cheese in there, I don't do pizza sauce... but any way you do it this is amazing. And it has always been a hit when I have made them for Dustin's family.

Ingredients:
8oz can Crescent rolls
3 1/2oz pkg [32 slices] sliced pepperoni
1/2 shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup pizza or spaghetti sauce, if desired [I always leave this out]

Heat oven to 350. Separate dough into 4 rectangles; firmly press perforations to seal. Place 8 pepperoni slices on each rectangle. Sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons cheese. Starting at shortest side, tightly roll up each rectangle; pinch to seal. Slice each roll into 4 equal pieces. Pinch dough together on one side of each cut side to seal. Place seam-side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve pinwheels with warm pizza sauce. Makes 16 pinwheels.

Side Dish: Sweet Potato Casserole

This is to die for! No really, our family fights over the leftovers each Thanksgiving and I have made it a hit with some of our friends when I bring it as a side. It is like having a little dessert with the main course. I hope you have a lot of butter lying around!

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes [4 large] Hint: I buy canned yams and mash them with a hand mixer ;)
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teas vanilla
1/3 cup evaporated milk
6 tbs butter, melted
pinch of nutmeg

Mix all above together and put into a casserole dish. I use a 2 qt. size

Make topping- mix together
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans Hint: I buy prechopped pecans in the bag

Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture. Bake at 325 for 30 min. Double to feed a crowd.

Main Dish [I have two because I couldn't pick!]

Quick Chicken Divan

Really easy to make and a family favorite! It isn't the healthiest meal option but it has a lot of different tastes to it and Dustin and Brooke really like it. It is also really quick to put together and my go to meal on busy days since I normally have all the ingredients.

Ingredients:
16oz pkg frozen broccoli cuts
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
10 3/4 oz can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teas lemon juice
1/2 shredded cheddar
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
2 tbs butter, melted

Heat oven to 350. Grease 12 x 8 [2 qt] baking dish. Cook broccoli as directed on pkg; drain. Arrange broccoli in greased baking dish. Layer chicken over broccoli. In small bowl, combine soup, mayonnaise and lemon juice; mix well. Spread over chicken; sprinkle with cheese. In small bowl, combine bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over top. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30-25 min or until thoroughly heated. 5-6 servings. 1/6 of recipe = 370 calories.

Baked Chicken with Orange Soy Sauce
[I couldn't find a picture but trust me, it looks and tastes delicious!]

This is one of my favorite chicken dishes but I don't get around to making it to often. It has a great taste and there is usually enough leftover for lunch the next day! This is another recipe where I don't really pay attention to the measurements. I usually get everything out and just sprinkle it over the chicken until it looks right!

Ingredients:
4 chicken breast halves
1/2 teas each salt and celery seed
1/4 teas each ground ginger and hot pepper sauce [I use Franks]
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tbs butter
2 tbs soy sauce

Heat oven to 425. Place chicken in shallow baking pan and sprinkle with soy sauce, salt, celery seed, ginger, and pepper sauce. Pour orange juice over all, dot with butter. Bake in 425 oven, basting several times with pan juices, 45 min.

Dessert: Monkey Bread

I don't really make desserts very often unless we are going to someones house for dinner. Even then I tend to either pick up something nice at a bakery or make Funfetti cupcakes [my favorite!]. But one of my favorite desserts that happens to be in the book my mom gave me is Monkey Bread!

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter, melted
2 loaves Rich's bread dough, thawed [you can use Pillsbury dough as well]
Mix: 2 cups sugar with 2 tbs cinnamon [or until it looks/tastes right]

Cut dough into pieces. Dip pieces into butter, then in cinnamon sugar. Spray tube/bunt/loaf pan with Pam. Place coated dough pieces in the tube pan. Fill 2/3 full. Bake at 375 for 30 min or until brown and bubbly. Enjoy!