Recipe Contest!

This last week, I have been trying to come up with some new ideas for recipes, but have found that I am still making the same dishes that I have for the past several years.  While hubby is loving the "same old, same old," I'm wanting something different, more exciting, flavorful!

I'm looking for some new dishes to try, and wanted to ask you all for your help! 

Here's how the contest is going to work:

In the comments section, I want you to post your recipe, or a link to your recipe on your blog (if you link to your blog, be sure to link back here so people will find you at the contest!).

For every recipe you post (Enter up to 5) you will receive one entry into the drawing.  The prize for the drawing is going to be the book Making A Home: Housekeeping for Real Life by Better Homes and Gardens.  This is the copy of the book that I have used to help me reclaim my home!  The book is out of print right now so it is incredibly hard to get a new copy.  But!  Because this is such a wonderful book, I would really love to pass it on to a fellow reclaimer!

In addition to the drawing, I will be going through EACH of the recipes and trying them all!  I will post a photo of the completed dish, and talk about it on the post!

The recipes can be for anything - breakfast, appetizer, soup, bread, dinner, dessert... you name it.  Just share it!

The deadline for the drawing will be this Friday, February 1st at 6pm CST.  At that time I will draw a winner and announce it on the blog!

Good luck and thank you for sharing your recipes!! :)

Comments

[debra]

Jalapeño Poppers- low carb
25 fresh jalapeno peppers
14-16 ounces cream cheese
2 (16 ounce) packages bacon

1. Cut stems off of peppers and cut them all in half longways.
2. Remove seeds from peppers.
3. Fill each pepper with cream cheese (do not mound- keep even with the top of the pepper)
4. Wrap 1/2 slice of bacon around each pepper half.
5. Place on baking sheets and place in 375 degree oven for 20 minutes and 4-5 minutes under broiler until bacon is fully cooked.
6. Remove and serve when cooled.
7. Enjoy!

Low carb Buffalo Chicken Wings

Chicken wings
eggs
louisiana hot sauce
parmesan cheese
pepper and cayenne pepper

crack several eggs and add a generous amount of hot sauce- this batter should be red from the sauce.
in a pie plate take about 1 cup of parm cheese and add generous amounts of pepper and cayenne pepper.
Dredge the wings through the egg batter then coat in parm cheese mixture. put on a cookie sheet. Do this for all wings ( you may have to make more egg batter or parm cheese mix- but it is better to have to make more than to have wasted excess batter and parm cheese). preheat oven to 350. cook for 1 hour(I cook 2 trays worth and rotate them for even cooking) I put under broiler for a few minutes to ensure crispiness. These are delish! and totally low carb. they are crispy like deepfried buffalo wings. you could even do it with chicken tenders.

[Amanda Fuentes]

Pizza casserole:

1 can pop and bake biscuits
Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
3-4 cups of pasta tossed w/ tomato sauce (or jarred spaghetti sauce)

Spread the biscuits in a casserole dish. Spoon the pasta (I like bowties) and tomato sauce over the biscuits and top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 for about 14 minutes. Enjoy!

Super easy and my kids love it!

[TastyYarns]

2 c pureed orange squash (can be found frozen for super-convenience - 1 package)

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp butter

2 c milk

1/2 package cream cheese

a couple big spoons ricotta cheese

1/4 c parmesan cheese

1 c cheddar cheese

nutmeg

salt

pepper

16 oz macaroni

bread

Cook macaroni according to box directions. Undercook juuuuust slightly. Drain and put in cake pan.

melt the butter, put in the flour, let that sizzle for a wee bit until you have a thin paste. Add milk while stirring (whisking preferable) Stir in thawed squash. When everything’s all hot again, add in cheese (amounts are only a starter - I change those bits up all the time. Cream cheese for tanginess, parm for bite, ricotta for creaminess, cheddar for flavor). Once everything is melted, season with a healthy pinch of nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour cheese over macaroni. Carefully stir everything together. (If you have a dishwasher, do this step in the pot. I do it my way to get cheese on as few dishes as possible.) Crumble bread on top - a great step for helpful small fingers. Bake at 350 for 1/2 hour.

[Crystal]

Mmmm! This is a great idea. I'll quiz hubby when he gets home on what he likes that I make the best. I'll be back with some recipes. ;)

[Aviva]

Well this one is pretty much same old same old around my house. But every time I make it for a potluck everyone RAVES about it and wants the recipe. So here ya go...

Chicken Pot Pie

1lb chicken cooked and cubed(I make stock with breasts and then use the meat from that)

1/3 c. butter

1/3 c. flour

1-1/4 c. chicken broth(I use the stock from above)

1-1/4 c. ½ & ½ creamer

Salt and pepper

1tsp thyme

1tsp marjoram flakes

½tsp parsley

Veggies (frozen/fresh or a combo. Whatever you like and as much as you want)

2 pie crusts (frozen Pillsbury, deep dish or reg. work great)

Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour. Stir constantly until mixture thickens and bubbles.

Mix chicken broth, ½ & ½ and spices. Stir this into flour mix, stirring constantly until thickens.

Add chicken and veggies. Mix

Spoon into pie crust, top w/ top crust, slit top to allow steam to escape and bake at 325° for 55 min. or until top is brown.

If you dbl. the recipe it will fill about 3 pies. Freezes great!

[Aviva]

Taco and Burro recipe to die for!

1/2 can refried beans(fat free)
1/2 can of corn
1/2 green or red pepper(or both) chopped
1/2 onion chopped
cooking spray, corn oil, canola oil, or veggie oil to grease pan
1 tblsp of ground cumin
1 & 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 lb ground beef(95% lean)
1/2 tsp salt
juice from one lime (optional)

Heat oil in skillet and saute onions til soft. Add corn, peppers and spices. Cook until corn starts to get golden or just a tad bit brown in spots(depending on your tastes). Set aside mixture and brown beef. Add mixture to beef and then add refried beans.

We used fat free tortillas and fat free sour cream and shredded cheese for burros. They were EXCELLENT!!!! Can be used for tacos.

[Aviva]

Black Forest cake (Absolutely my favorite!!!!!~Viv)

Ingredients:
1 chocolate cake mix (Dark chocolate is best)
1 c sweetened condensed milk
1 c cream of coconut (Or Pina Colada Mix)
1 can cherry pie filling
1 (8 ounce) carton whipped topping (Cool Whip, etc)

Instructions:
1. Mix cake according to package directions and bake in a 9X13 inch pan.
2. As soon as you remove from the oven, poke holes in the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon.
3. Pour the sweetened condensed milk and cream of coconut over the cake.
4. Make sure the milk& cream of coconut go down in the holes.
5. Refrigerate cake for 20-30 minutes.
6. Remove cake from refrigerator and spread the can of cherry pie filling on top.
7. Refrigerate again for 30 minutes and then spread the carton of whipped cream over the top of the cake.
8. Refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.

[Aviva]

CURRIED COCONUT CHICKEN (I use a lot more curry than called for. It is up to you how much you use. This is just a guideline.)

2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½” chunks
1 t salt and pepper, or to taste
1 ½ T vegetable oil
2 T curry powder
½ onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
1 (14.5 oz) can stewed, diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
3 T sugar

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium-high heat for two min. Stir in onions and garlic, and cook 1 min more. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 7-10 min, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear. Pour coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 30-40 min.

[Dj]

I've posted five different family favorites over here.

http://jacksonfour.com/?p=715

[Dani]

Hi! Love the idea of sharing a bunch of faves! I will post a few here, and link you in my last comment to a few on my blog

My Pumpkin Loaf

1 1/2 cups (210g) flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (1/4 L) pumpkin purée
1/2 cup (1 dL) olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup (1 dL) chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Sift together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda. Mix the pumpkin, oil, eggs, 1/4 cup of water, and spices together, then combine with the dry ingredients, but do not mix too thoroughly. Stir in the nuts. Pour into a well-buttered 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes until a straw poked in the very center of the loaf comes out clean. Turn out of the pan and let cool on a rack.

Makes one loaf.

[Dani]

This one is a huge hit in our house - friends request it when they come for dinner!

Balsamic-Glazed Chicken and Bell Pepper Sandwiches

Balsamic vinegar cooks down to a glaze that clings to the sandwich fillings, adding a hint of sweetness and a touch of acidity. Pressing the sandwich after assembling it conducts the heat from the chicken and cooked vegetables to melt the cheese.

4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 1/4 pounds chicken breast tenders
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, divided
2 cups red bell pepper strips (about 2 medium)
2 cups vertically sliced onion (about 1 large)
2 (8-ounce) loaves focaccia bread, cut in half horizontally
4 ounces provolone cheese, thinly sliced
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt over chicken. Add chicken to pan; cook 1 minute on each side or until lightly browned. Add 1/4 cup vinegar; cook 2 minutes or until chicken is done and vinegar is syrupy. Remove chicken mixture from the pan; cover and keep warm. Wipe pan clean with a paper towel.

Return pan to medium-high heat; add remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Add bell pepper and onion; sauté 7 minutes or until tender. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 cup vinegar; cook 1 minute or until vinegar is syrupy.

Arrange chicken mixture evenly over bottom halves of bread; top with bell pepper mixture. Arrange cheese over pepper mixture, and sprinkle with black pepper. Top with top halves of bread. Place a cast-iron or heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; let stand 5 minutes. Cut each sandwich into 6 wedges.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 wedges)

[Dani]

I got this one in a recipe exchange a million years ago and it comes out great every time! Ive used tenders, breasts I just cut into chunks, whatever chicken I have on hand and it never fails!

Hawaiian Chicken:

2lbs chicken tenders (boneless skinless)
2 cups all purpose flour (1/2 cup reserved)
2 cups flaked baker's coconut
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, beaten
4 tbsp pineapple juice

Makes 6-8 hearty portions
Suggestion: for parties, these are a huge hit! We bake them with pre-soaked bamboo skewers in them (or you can add them after... it's just a bit messier)

Note: I choose to bake these in the oven on Silpat, but you can fry them with some veggie oil if you prefer!

Directions:
Rinse chicken well. With the 1/2 cup reserved flour in a Ziplock bag, coat the pieces lightly. Then dip into a mix of the 2 beaten eggs and pineapple juice combined. Then toss into a mixture of coconut/sugar/flour in a 2nd Ziplock baggie--- press to coat
Bake at 350 deg F on Silpat sheets for about 20-30 minutes

Serve with pineapple salsa, hawaiian fried rice and enjoy!

[Dani]

And finally, 2 of my very own cookie recipes!

My personalized snickerdoodles are here:
http://yeaiknit.com/blog/?p=539

and my very own ginger cookie recipe (cant find my blog post, so Im just pasting it here)

Ginger Snap Cookies
These are a mix of like 5 recipes from the net, I didn’t like any one of them on it’s own, so I mixed and matched and this is what happened =)

1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
granulated sugar, for dipping

1. In large bowl, mix brown sugar, shortening, molasses and egg.
2. Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, cloves and salt.
3. Cover and refrigerate *at least* 1 hour.
4. After chilling, heat oven to 375F; Lightly grease cookie sheet.
5. Shape the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls, then dip tops into granulated sugar.
6. Place balls, sugared sides up, about 3 inches apart on cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or just until set (Do not overbake!).
8. Remove from cookie sheet, and cool on wire rack.

Makes about 24 cookies

[sam lamb]

My husband and daughter have serious allergies between them (hers are dairy and eggs, his is poultry, yes, poultry) so it's hard to find meals we can all eat and get balanced nutrition from too. This is a simple pasta dish that might not sound exciting, but it has a fresh flavour and is a family favourite. I orginally found it in a British cookbook.

Pasta with Tuna and Tomato Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
796ml can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp dried basil
2 cups pasta (we use rice pasta)
small can of tuna in water, drained
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in saucepan, add onions and cook for a few minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, chili powder and sugar. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Stir, then reduce heat, add basil and simmer for 5 minutes (I always simmer longer).

Meaniwhile cook pasta according to directions. When the pasta is ready and drained, flake the tuna into the sauce and heat through. Remove from heat and combine with the pasta. Enjoy!

(Fun idea Kristin - thanks for letting em know about it!)

[Adrienne]

Here's a link to our favorite curry recipe. http://plannedpurlhood.com/blog/?p=163

I'm looking forward to trying many of the recipes already submitted!

[DonnaLynn0525]

I've really been craving fish for a few days, so tonight I'm going to make fish in a brown paper sack. Yes...fish in a brown paper sack. It is Chad's most favorite dish!

Ingredients:
-4 FRESH tilapia fillets
-4 small brown paper "lunch" bags
-1 bunch asparagus (If you don't like asparagus, use thinly sliced carrots)
-2 zucchini squash, cut into 2 inch strips
-1 onion, diced
-2 cloves garlic, diced
-2 tbsp paprika
-2 tbsp oregano
-1 tbsp salt
-1 tbsp black pepper
-1 tbsp red pepper
-3/4 cup olive oil

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
-Lightly oil a medium baking sheet and the bottom and sides of the paper bags.
-Distribute onion and zucchini in the bottom of each bag evenly.
-Mix garlic, paprika, oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a small bowl and rub each fillet with this seasoning mixture.
-Place tilapia fillets on top of the zucchini mixture. Distribute asparagus evenly on top of each fillet.
-Roll down the tops of each bag and oil them so that they will remain closed.
-Bake for 35+/- minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets. You want the fillet to be white and flaky.
-When you remove the baking sheet from the oven, VERY carefully transfer the entire bag to a plate. Be careful because sometimes the bottom of the bag falls out! Cut and pull away the bag and serve with brown rice or a thick slice of bread.

[Debbie]

Hi, I thought I'd enter a really easy salad. Peel and shred 1 lb. of carrots, cut into thin strips fresh spinach (one bag). Toss with a little vinagrette or a little mayonaise. You don't need much dressing with this. My four kids eat this up. The carrots mask the taste of the spinach. I've even diced up fine two baby zucchini and tossed that in as well.

[Annette]

THis one is my NO FAIL recipe. I've been making this for about 8 1/2 years and it's always been a requested recipe for functions! Even if I don't win, I hope that you sincerely enjoy this!!!! :-)

Supreme Beef Casserole
1 lb ground beef
1 (16 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (5 oz) package egg noodles
1 c. sour cream
1 (3 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
6 green onions, chopped with tops
1 c. grated Parmesan

Brown beef in skillet, stirring to break into pieces. Drain off fat and return meat to skillet. Add tomatoes, sauce, salt, sugar, and garlic. Simmer for 5- 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook noodles and drain. In a bowl, combine sour cream, cream cheese, onions, and noodles. In a greased 2 quart casserole dish, pour a small amount of meat sauce. Cover with a layer of noodle mixture and then Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, topping with meat sauce. Bake in 350 oven for 35 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

[Tania]

Lasagna Soup

* 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
* 2 cups chopped onions
* 2 cups sliced mushrooms (fresh)
* 2 tablespoons minced garlic
* 4 cups chicken broth
* 1 can (15 oz size) Italian style tomatoes
* 1 can (15 oz size) tomato sauce
* 2 cups fresh chopped spinach
* 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
* 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
* 4 teaspoons thinly sliced fresh basil
* 1 cup mafalda pasta (or other pasta)

Directions:

Brown your meat. Add in onions and garlic. Then add in broth, tomatoes, sauce. Get the soup boiling. Add in the pasta. Cook until barely al dente. Add in cheeses and chopped spinach. Turn off stove. Pasta will finish cooking as it cools. This tastes like lasagna in a bowl! Serve with crusty garlic bread.

[Tania]

DH LOVES these!! Ok, so do I.

Black Forest Cookies

1 cup flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 pkg semisweet chocolate chunks
1 1/2 cups dried cherries

1.) Preheat oven to 350*. Line three baking sheets with parchment, set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt, set aside.

2.) Place chopped chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl over a pan a pot of simmering water, stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat, whisk in both sugars, then eggs until smooth.

3.) Whisk in dry ingredients just until combined. Do not overmix. Fold in chocolate chunks and dried cherries, press plastic wrap directly onto surface of dough, and refrigerate until firm, 30 to 45 mins.

4.) Drop mounds of 2 level tbsps dough per cookie onto prepared sheets, about 2" apart. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, just until edges are firm, but not darkening, 11 to 13 mins. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 mins; transfer to wire racks to cool completely

[Cheryl]

I originally posted this recipe on my blog Sunday, October 21. I'm not sure how to do a link, so here goes!

The World Famous Ball of Cheese
(named by my nephew John!)

2 8 ounce packages of cream cheese
1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch Salad dressing mix
(make sure it is the package that says to mix with
milk & mayonnaise, not the buttermilk one)
2 cups of sharp Tillamook cheddar cheese
8 ounces chopped pecans (place in a plastic bag and
crush in finer pieces)

Soften the cream cheese. Add 3/4 of the dry salad dressing mix (sometimes I go hog crazy and add the whole package). Mix so the dressing mix and cream cheese are well blended. Next add 2 cups of the grated cheddar cheese. This is more of a cream cheesy
cheese ball. If you want more cheese you can add more,
but it's pretty tasty with the 2 cups. Next form in to a ball (will be very soft) and roll in the pecans to
cover. Chill in the frig before serving with crackers.

[Felicia]

Come on over and check out my MIL's peach cobbler recipe. Its delicious! And I wrote it down in a hurry over the phone so the misspellings are pretty hilarious :)

http://fluffyflowers.typepad.com/fluffy_flowers/2007/07/peach-cobbler-r.html

[Crystal]

pumpkin nut muffins
Makes 24 (2pts ea on WW)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-grain wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
15 oz canned pumpkin
2 oz crushed Walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup ff buttermilk

350 degrees
sift together dry ingredients
beat together eggs, milk, melted butter, vanilla, sugar, and pumpkin.
Stir in dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in nuts.
Bake 20-25 min. or until toothpick comes out clean.