Arby's Grilled Chicken and Pecan Salad

2 1/2 c grilled chicken breast cut into small pieces
1 c sliced red grapes
1 c diced red apple
1 c chopped pecans
1/2 c chopped celery*  (we don't use)
1/2 to 3/4 c mayonnaise
1 T lemon juice (juice of one lemon)

1. In a medium sized bowl add diced apple and 1 T lemon juice. Stir lemon juice into apples, coating them well. This will help keep the apples from turning brown.
2. Add chicken through pecans. Mix well.
3. Add mayonnaise. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Allow flavors to marry in a covered bowl in the refrigerator for about 1 hour before serving.

In my opinion: Oh, I loved this. We put it on onion roll buns and served it with salad. This one goes on my favorites list.

Mario Batali's Braised Chicken with Potatoes and Tarragon

1 3-pound whole chicken (broken down into 8 pieces)

Coarse Salt

2 tablespoons Canola Oil

8 cloves Garlic (thinly sliced)

2 Cups Water

1 pound Halved Red Bliss or New Potatoes

1 tablespoon Dried Tarragon

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 red onion (sliced)

Preheat oven to 450.

1. Break down chicken into 8 pieces and season chicken with salt. Heat a large, heavy ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. Swirl in oil. Cook chicken, skin side down, until browned, about 5 minutes. Flip chicken, and push to side of skillet.

2. Add garlic and onion and sauté till golden. Add potatoes, tomato paste and season with salt. Add water to pan. Bring to a boil. Add tarragon to liquid. Return to a boil, then lower heat to a high simmer.     

3. Cook until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through, about 30-40 minutes. Serve immediately.

In my opinon: This was really good. I hope you have a BIG skillet, this was hard to squeeze in. Also, the directions never say to put it in the oven so we didn't. I guess you could assume that step 3 is to place this in the oven.

Crock Pot Cube Steak and Gravy

found on Pinterest

Family pack of cube steak
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope onion soup mix
3/4 c water
salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in CP. Cook on low all day. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

In my opinon: This was as easy as they come to make, you just dump it all in. My kind of prep! The flavor wasn't bad, just not anything I'm dying to make again. A friend of mine said her niece loved it and makes it often. Different taste buds, I guess.

Campfire Banana Boats from Pioneer Woman

8 bananas

1 bag caramel bits or caramels cut into bits (note bite-sized did not melt well)
1 bag chocolate chips
1 bag mini marshmallows (do not use large)
1 package original graham crackers, crushed into crumbs (make sure you use crumbs, I didn't and I regret it)

 1. Split the bananas lengthwise, but don't cut all the way through. The goal is to create a boat to hold the ingredients.

 2. Load the bananas 1/4 cup each of the caramel bits, chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Crumble 1 whole graham cracker onto each loaded banana.

3. Wrap individually in 8-by-10-inch squares of foil, and then place near the campfire to melt the candies. Open up and eat with a spoon.

In my opinion: These were pretty good, but after awhile, the warmth of the banana seemed gooey and distasteful to me. It was fun to try!


Repeated directions for printing ease.
1. Split the bananas lengthwise, but don't cut all the way through. The goal is to create a boat to hold the ingredients.
2. Load the bananas 1/4 cup each of the caramel bits, chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Crumble 1 whole graham cracker onto each loaded banana.
3. Wrap individually in 8-by-10-inch squares of foil, and then place near the campfire to melt the candies. Open up and eat with a spoon.

Paula Deen's Cream Biscuits

The first time I have ever made biscuits!

2 cups self-rising flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and cream until the dough forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a surface dusted with additional flour. Fold the dough in 1/2 and knead 5 to 7 times, adding just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to your hands. Gently roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness.
3. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter coated with flour, cut dough into biscuits. Place on baking sheet coated with cooking spray, leaving at least 1-inch between each biscuit.
4. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

In my opinion: These were so very simple to make, I just can't believe I hadn't tried to make biscuits sooner.

Served with mashed potatoes, my fried chicken, and sweet corn.

Chicken Ranch Mac & Cheese

I found this recipe on Pinterest

16 oz. dried pasta
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 package of bacon
1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 c. milk, any fat content
1 pkg. Italian blend shredded cheese; divided
1 c. Monterey Jack shredded cheese or Colby-Jack blend, divided
1 tsp. onion powder *
1 tsp. garlic powder *
1 tsp. dill *
1 tsp. salt *
pepper, to taste

*I used 2 T Ranch seasoning

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
2. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan, leaving some drippings in the pan.  Drain bacon on a paper towel.  Add chicken to drippings, increase heat to medium-high and saute until no longer pink.  Set aside.
3. Melt butter in the same pot you made the pasta in.  Whisk in flour.  Cook and stir 2 minutes.  Add milk to saucepan.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.  Boil for 2 minutes. 
4. Stir in most of the cheese.  (Reserve a handful of each cheese blend to sprinkle on top of casserole.)  Add spices and chicken and stir to combine.
5. Spray 9×13″ baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Transfer pasta to baking pan.  Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and reserved cheeses.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, until thoroughly heated.
In my opinion: This was good and I think I'll make it again one day, but not with 4 little ones who need my attention. This requires many steps and dirties many dishes.

Bacon Chicken Ranch Pizza

recipe from onecrazycookie.blogspot.com found on Pinterest

1 recipe pizza dough (I used a can of Pillsbury)
2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
7-8 slices cooked bacon, broken into pieces
1/4 cup onions, diced
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Pizza Sauce
1/2 cup ranch dressing (I used Ranch and sour cream dip)
1 Tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Roll out pizza dough into a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven.
 Meanwhile prepare sauce:
Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Cook until volume is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
*Optional: Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic to the butter and saute for a minute.
3. Spread sauce over the pizza.
4. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese over the sauce then add chicken, bacon and onions.
5. Drizzle the ranch on top.  Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese and bake for 15- 20 minutes or until crust appears done.

I started the recipe before realizing I had no Ranch salad dressing, but I did have Ranch dip so I spread this on the crust. Then I sprinkled some mozzarella and added the chicken, bacon, and onions. I drizzled the sauce over and topped with the rest of the mozzarella.

In my opinion: This was a delicious pizza. You could add fresh mushrooms or even artichokes. Yum yum!!

Roasted Ranch Potatoes

2 lbs small red potatoes , quartered
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 (1 ounce) packet hidden valley ranch dressing mix (seasoning and salad mix) ..You can now buy a big container of Ranch seasoning at Sam's.

1.Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Place potatoes in a resealable plastic bag and add oil, seal bag.
3. Toss to coat, add salad dressing mix and toss again until coated.
4.Bake in an ungreased baking pan for 35 minutes or until potatoes are brown and crisp.

serve with Simple Ranch Chicken Breasts

Simple Ranch Chicken Breasts

by Cooks.com

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs (plus some extra for pan)
3 tablespoons of Hidden Valley dry Ranch Dressing mix (you can now buy a big container of Ranch seasoning at Sam's).

1. Pre-heat oven to 375°.
Spray bottom of 9x13 baking dish with non stick cooking spray, then coat pan with extra bread crumbs.

2. Mix dry Ranch Dressing with the 1/2 cup of Italian bread crumbs, then coat both sides of chicken breasts with the mixture.

3. Place in pan and cook anywhere from 30-60 minutes, depending on your oven.

Serve with Roasted Ranch Potatoes

Turkey

Turkey (my family buys 10 lbs for now)
4 onions, 1 of them sliced into rings or slivers, the other 3 cut into chunks
full head of garlic cloves
2 sticks of butter, softened
lots of fresh rosemary, 1/2 c or more plus stems for cavity, chopped into little bits
lots of fresh sage, at least 20 leaves, plus full stems for cavity, chopped into little bits
salt & pepper
poultry seasoning
roasting pan
electric thermometer (invest in a good one with a 20% Coupon at Bed, Bath, & Beyond)

I make my basting butter the day before. My kids and I go pick the fresh herbs from the school where I used to teach. It has become a neat tradition. Then I chop the herbs into tiny bits and mix with the 2 sticks of softened butter. You can also use pressed garlic cloves and seasonings. Using a rubber spatula, I scoop the butter into the bottom of a baggie and with my hands, I smoosh the butter to the bottom and try to shape it into a log. Refrigerate overnight. Thanksgiving/Christmas morning, remove and slice into 1/4" disks to place under the skin of the turkey.

I saw on 'The Chew' where you can actually season and butter baste the turkey the night before so that Thanksgiving morning you can just fill the cavity and start the oven.

We buy our bird at least 5 days before Thanksgiving/Christmas. We put it in the fridge to start defrosting on Saturday before Thanksgiving (allow 24 hours for every 4 lbs). A 12 lb bird should take 3 days to thaw, but recommendations are to allow an extra day just to be sure. It's safe to keep a thawed bird in the fridge a day or two. If you find it still frozen TG morning, fill clean sink with cold water. Place bird in and change water every 30 minutes.

DIRECTIONS:
1. Open the bird (7 am at our house) and remove neck and giblets pack. Discard if you're not using them. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Gently slide your fingers between the skin and the meat, loosening the skin so you can place your butter disks inside. Do this all over the entire bird.
3. Place the butter throughout the turkey and pat it down a bit. Save some to rub on the outside of the skin or use oil. Salt and pepper the outside. We also use poultry seasoning.
4. Put one onion (cut into rings or slivers) onto the bottom of the roasting pan. Place the bird on top. Shove the other onions (chunked) and peeled garlic cloves inside the cavity. I also place any leftover herb branches. If possible, reclamp the legs.
5. Place the thermometer probe into the meatiest piece of the thigh, not touching any bone, and set it to 180 degrees.
6. Place the turkey in the oven.
7. If turkey is browning too quickly, you may loosely cover with a foil tent.

Last year our 11 lb bird took 5 hours.

Roasting times according to Better Homes and Gardens magazine at 325 degrees:
8-12 lbs......unstuffed: 2 3/4 to 3 hours stuffed: 3 to 3 1/2 hours
12-14 lbs...unstuffed: 3 to 3 3/4 hours stuffed: 3 1/2 to 4 hours

Click here for leftover ideas.
Click here for stuffing recipes.
Click here for pie recipes.

Skinny Greek Chicken for Crock Pot

by Skinny Crock Pot on Facebook
Total Time: 5 Hours

Ingredients:
1 Lemon, Juiced
4 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Cup White Wine
1/4 Cup Chicken Broth
1 tsp Dill
1 tsp Rosemary
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Whole Chicken, Broken into it's Respective Pieces

1.Add all the ingredients with the exception of the chicken to the marinade.

2. Mix up well.

3. Add in the chicken and coat all the pieces completely.

4. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours.

5. Serve over noodles with sauce from the slow cooker spooned over the noodles and a little feta and olives for good measure.

In my opinion: This was good. I love using a whole chicken, it save so much money and you can use the leftover chicken for other recipes.

Halloween Treats

My hubby made these hot dog mummies. Just cut strips out of crescent roll dough and wrap them around the dog. Bake according to directions.

Aren't these the cutest little juice boxes?

The best way to make these witch's hats is to use some icing to place a ring of icing onto the perimeter of the kiss and pressing it down on the the cookie.

Tahchin

32 oz Plain Non-fat yogurt
1 lg package (20 oz) saffron rice
6 servings instant rice
3-4 medium potatoes (peeled & thinly sliced-about 1/4")
3-5 large chicken breasts, enough to cover bottom of 10x13" baking dish.

Preheat oven to 350 and spray 10x13 baking dish.

1. Cook rice halfway (if using instant, follow directions and let sit on stove about 3 minutes).
2. Boil the yellow rice halfway and drain.
3. Boil chicken until just cooked through (8 minutes for thin chicken).
4. Spread yellow rice onto bottom of 10x13" dish.
5. Lay potato slices on top, placing thinner potatoes in the middle. 6. Place chicken on top of potatoes.

7. Mix yogurt and white rice in pot you used to cook the rice.

8. Spread white rice mixture over the chicken and cover with foil.

9. Cook for about an hour. Test doneness by stabbing potato with a thin knife.

10. If you have a serving platter larger than the 10x13, cover the dish with the upside down platter and invert. Otherwise, cut and serve from the baking dish.

Freezer to Crock Pot Beef Peperoncini Sandwiches by Krazy Coupon Lady

Since this is a recipe you can make ahead and freeze, buy double or triple of the first 3 ingredients. Make all at the same time, and freeze until you are ready to cook.

2 lb Chuck Roast- don't buy the cheap meat, it does make a difference
16 oz jar peperoncinis
1 packet Good Seasons Italian Seasoning (dressing)

Swiss or Provolone Cheese
Hoagie Rolls

1. Add all 3 ingredients into a Gallon Size Freezer Bag and put in freezer. When you are ready to cook this, put first 3 ingredients in Crock Pot and let it cook for 8 hours on low.
2. Shred meat and serve on rolls or hoagies with Swiss or Provolone cheese. Yum!

In my opinion: This was sooo good. I think I could eat it weekly. We will definitely need a bigger roast next time.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

from a friend who cooked this and stocked my freezer when I was going through a major transition

1 lb chicken cooked and shredded
1 c chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can green chile enchilada sauce
10 corn tortillas, quartered
1 c Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
2 T sliced jalapenos, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine chicken, broth, soup, and 1/2 of the jalapenos and mix until smooth.
2. Lightly coat a 9x13 baking pan (or 2 8x8)with nonstick spray.
3. Layer the bottom of the baking dish with 1/2 of the tortillas. Spread half of the chicken soup mixture on top of the tortillas and sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese.
4. Repeat layers. Top with enchilada sauce and the rest of the cheese and jalapenos.
5. Freeze or bake uncovered 30 minutes or until bubbly.

In my opinion: I loved this and am excited to have another freezer meal.