The Very Best Cashew Chicken

shared by Donna C.
Sauce:
4 chicken bouillon cubes
4 cups water
4 T. oyster sauce
chopped green onions
8 T. cornstarch
1/2 cup cashews
1/4 tsp. salt

1.Bring bouillon cubes and water to a boil (or use 4 cups prepared chicken broth)
2.Add cornstarch, salt and oyster sauce to 1/2 of the liquid solution.
3.Mix until smooth. Add to remaining mixture and cook.
4.Add chopped green onions and cashews (or serve separately)

Rice:
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups hot water
1 T. butter
1 cup long grain rice

1.Combine hot water, rice, salt and butter in microwave bowl with lid.
2.Microwave on high 5 minutes, then 50% power for 20 minutes.
3.Scramble 1 egg and cook, then mash. Add to cooked rice.

Chicken:
4 lbs. chicken breast
flour
4 eggs
1 cup milk

1.Wash chicken and cut up in small pieces.
2.Flour chicken and set aside for 15 minutes.
3.Dip chicken pieces in mixture of eggs and milk.
4.Let set 10 minutes; then dip chicken again in flour.
5.Cook in hot oil.
6.Serve over rice with the sauce.

Taco Soup

shared by Tera C.
Ingredients:
2 lbs hamburger
2 pkgs taco seasoning
1 small onion, chopped
2 cans Rotel
2 cans pinto beans
1 can shoepeg corn
shredded cheese, for serving
sour cream, for serving
tortilla chips, for serving

Directions:
1.Brown hamburger and onions, drain. Add seasoning as directed.
2.In a large pot, combine hamburger, Rotel, beans, and corn.
3.Cook on medium-low heat until heated through.
4.Serve over chips, topped with cheese and sour cream.
5.For a soupier soup, add a little water.

Meatball Sub Sandwiches

shared by Cori H.
(After Esther's birth, a church friend provided this meal for our family. She is a mother of four boys and thought this dish would be well liked by our 3 hungry boys. She was right...Isaiah immediately asked me to get the recipe! I have included my own personal recipe for the Italian meatballs, but I think you could use any recipe for the meatballs.)
Meatball Sub Sandwiches
Ingredients:
meatballs
hogie buns (My friend buys the 6 count hogie buns from Sam's Club for $3.68)
1 can pizza sauce (I've also used spaghetti sauce from Aldi)
mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:
1.Mix together ingredients for meatballs and cook. (either on the skillet or bake in the oven on broiler pan.)
2.Slice hogie buns in half, but not completely.
3.Spread hogie buns with pizza sauce.
4.Place meatballs in buns. (I was able to fit 6-7 meatballs per hoagie bun.)
5.Add a little more sauce on top of meatballs.
6.Generously sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top of sandwiches.
7.Broil or bake in oven for a few minutes. (enough to allow the cheese to melt)

Italian Meatballs
(I first made this recipe the summer David and Kevin drove out to California and back in three days. David asked that I prepare sandwiches, snacks and such in order to help them make the trip without having to make stops for meals. I made a double batch of these and thought they could serve for two "meals." David said they ate them before any of the other sandwiches and they only lasted for ONE meal! Needless to say, they are a favorite...in spaghetti sauce, or served with tator tots or served in hoagie buns as sub sandwiches.)

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (90% lean)
1 c. oatmeal (or 4 bread slices soaked in ½ c. water for 2-3 min.) (I always use oatmeal.)
2 eggs
¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 T. snipped parsley (I rarely have fresh parsley on hand, so I always substitute 2 t. dried parsley)
1 t. salt
¼ t. dried oregano
1 t. onion powder
dash pepper

Directions:
1.Combine ingredients together.(I use my hand mixer with the meat beaters attached.)
2.Form mixture into small balls.I use the Pampered Chef medium scoop & it makes 26.)
3.Brown slowly in 2 T. hot oil. (I usually place mine on a broiler pan and bake at 350 for 30 min.)

Bacon Baked Beans

shared by Kristin R.
Ingredients:
6 slices bacon
2 (16 ounce) cans baked beans
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup yellow mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored and diced

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Cook bacon in a large skillet or in the microwave until much of the grease has been released, but the bacon is still flexible. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
3. In a 9 inch square baking dish, stir together the baked beans, onion, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar and apple. Top with slices of bacon.
4. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bacon is crisp and beans are bubbling hot.

Italian Rollups

shared by Dara P.
Ingredients:
pkg of butter flake crescent rolls
pizza sauce
shredded cheese
Italian seasoning, to taste

Directions:
1. Unroll dough
2. Spread pizza sauce, cheese and Italian seasoning on dough
3. Roll up and cook a few minutes longer than directed on the can

Guy-Approved Meatloaf

shared by Kristin R. & Billi M.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 eggs
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
3/4 cup crushed crackers
1 cup crushed potato chips
3/4 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pinch cayenne pepper
6 slices bacon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine the beef, eggs, onion, barbecue sauce, cracker crumbs, potato chips, liquid smoke, ground black pepper, salt, garlic powder and cayenne pepper and mix well.
3. On a lightly greased cookie sheet, shape the mixture into a loaf. Lay the bacon slices across the width of the loaf so that the entire surface is covered. Cover the loaf loosely with foil.
4. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 1 1/2 hours.
(Note: if you have any leftovers, they taste great the next day in a sandwich)

Baked Ziti

shared by Jennifer H.
Ingredients:
15 oz. Ziti, cooked & rinsed (or penne or whatever else)
15+ oz ricotta (or cottage) cheese
16 oz Mozzarella cheese (or 2 handfuls)
1 egg, beaten
32 oz. Spaghetti sauce
¼ c Parmesan cheese (opt)
Italian seasoning

Directions:
1. Mix pasta, cottage cheese, Mozzarella cheese, egg and sauce.
2. Pour into sprayed 9x13” pan.
3. Top with Parmesan cheese (and more Mozzarella).
4. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Avocado Salsa

shared by Tera C.
Ingredients:
3 avocados, cubed
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 medium white onion, chopped
cilantro, sprinkle to taste

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Crockpot Spanish Rice

shared by Patty H.
Ingredients:
2 lbs. of ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 - 28 oz. can of stewed tomatoes
1 - 16 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. seasoned salt
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 cups uncooked rice

Directions:
1. Brown beef; drain well.
2. Put all ingredients in crock pot. Stir.
3. Cook on low 8 hours.

Baked Potato Fries

shared by Patty H.
Ingredients:
6-8 potatoes, depending on size (I have found that red potatoes taste the best with this recipe but it works on other types as well.)
2 T. olive oil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. chili powder
1 T. dried parsley flakes
optional: grated Parmesan cheese to taste

Directions:
1. Scrub potatoes and rinse under cold water. Pat dry.
2. Cut potatoes into wedges or thick steak fries (about 8 wedges per potato)
3. In a mixing bowl, toss potatoes in oil.
4. Mix dry ingredient thoroughly in a small bowl. Pour over potatoes and toss to coat.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
6. Spread potatoes in a single layer on an ungreased non-stick baking sheet (I just covered my baking sheet with a layer of foil which made clean-up a breeze.)
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until potatoes test done with a fork.(If you like your fries a little crispier, you can turn the heat up to 425 for the last few minutes of baking.)
8. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.
Note: This is very, very tasty and definitely worth making but the combination of spices seems to make the cooking aroma linger in the kitchen for awhile.

Sweet Salsa Meatballs

shared by Patty H.
Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 egg
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup brown sugar (no wonder they taste good, right?)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Form into walnut size balls using an ice cream scoop
3. Bake at 350 for approx. 40 minutes (I put mine on a roaster pan so the grease drips off. I also put about half an inch of water in the roaster pan. This really seems to help keep the meatballs moist. These could also be cooked in a skillet, turning as they brown)
4. These are tasty as they are but if you want to add some sauce, if you used a 16 oz. jar of salsa for the 1/4 cup, take the remaining salsa and mix another 1/4 cup of brown sugar with it. Pour it over the meatballs and let simmer a little while.

Zucchini Cake

shared by Cori H.
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup oil (can use 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup applesauce)
2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Mix dry ingredients.
2. Add all wet ingredients except zucchini. Mix
3. Add zucchini and nuts.
4. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 for 9x13 pan or 30 minutes at 350 for 10x15 pan.

Frosting:
4 T. butter, at room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix together and spread over cooled cake or bars.

Hamburger Soup

shared by Patty H.
Ingredients:
1 lb. hamburger, cooked and drained
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1-11.5 oz. can tomato juice
1-14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cans of water (the 14.5 oz. can)
1 cup elbow macaroni, cooked
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
3 T. ketchup

Combine all ingredients. Simmer for about 45 minutes.

Cheesy Spicy Chicken and Noodles

shared by Tera C.
Ingredients:
cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I boil mine)
1/2 block Velveeta, cubed
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cans Rotel
pasta, eyeball the amount to your sauce, cooked (I’ve used macaroni noodles and I’ve used spaghetti noodles. Both taste great.)

Directions:
1. In a large pot, mix together soups, Rotel, and cubed Velveeta.
2. Cook on medium-low until cheese is melted.
3. Add noodles and sliced or shredded chicken
4. Mix together and cook for 5-10 minutes longer.

Cowboy Caviar

shared by Patty H. whose friend Joleen shared it with her
Ingredients:
3 cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1-4 oz. can chopped green chilies
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 cups celery, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, chopped
Fritos

Mix the following and pour over the vegetables:
2/3 cup white vinegar
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp. seasoning salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. mined garlic (can use garlic flakes)

Chill and serve with Fritos or tortilla chips. (Note: I just poured the Fritos right into the vegetables just before serving. AWESOME!)

Strawberry Trifle

shared by Tera C.
Ingredients:
• 1 box yellow cake mix, prepared (I use the butter recipe)
• 2 packages vanilla pudding
• 3 cups milk
• 2 tubs whipped topping
• Strawberries, sliced

Directions:
1.Bake the yellow cake as directed and let it cool completely. Cut into cubes.
2.Mix pudding and milk, let set in the fridge.
3.Layer all ingredients in this order: cake cubes, with strawberry slices around the outside, pudding, strawberries, whipped topping.
4.Repeat layers.
5.Top with any extra whipped topping.
6.Cover and set in the fridge at least an hour before serving.

Easy Frito Pie

shared by Patty H.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 can pork and beans, undrained
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. red pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper to taste
Frito chips
shredded cheese

Directions:
1. Brown meat and onion in large skillet. Drain.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except Fritos and cheese
3. Cook on medium-low heat until warmed through.
4. Serve over Frito chips.
5. Top with shredded cheese.

Sweet and Sour Ground Beef

shared by Patty H.
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 16-ounce package of frozen broccoli and carrots (I used Pepper Stir-Fry mixture)
1 T. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. pepper
8 oz. can pineapple tidbits in own juice; drain and reserve juice
1 T. vinegar
1 T. cornstarch
2 T. water
hot cooked rice
optional: cashews for sprinkling on top

Directions:
1. Brown ground beef in large skillet. Drain.
2. Stir in vegetables, brown sugar, ginger, garlic powder, salt, pepper, reserved
pineapple liquid and vinegar.
3. Blend well; bring to a boil; reduce heat.
4. Cover. Simmer 4-8 minutes until vegetables are crisp tender.
5. Stir in pineapple.
6. In a small bowl, mix water and cornstarch until smooth.
7. Gradually stir into hot mixture in skillet.
8. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened.
9. Serve over hot cooked rice.
Optional: sprinkle cashews on top.

Pepper Steak and Rice

shared by Patty H.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. beef round or sirloin steak cut into thin 1" strips (an electric knife works great for this; if you look carefully, you can sometimes get a bargin on meat already cut for fajitas which makes this recipe even easier)a little oil for browning meat
1 cup water
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp ginger
2 medium green and/or red peppers, cut into thin slices
1 T. cornstarch
1 tsp. sugar
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 medium tomatoes
cooked rice for 4

Directions
1. Cut meat into strips. Heat oil in large skillet. Add meat; cook turning frequently; cook about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in water, onion, garlic powder and ginger. Heat to boiling. Cover and simmer 12-15 minutes (round steak), 5-8 minutes for sirloin.
3. Add green pepper strips during last 5 minutes of simmering.
4. Cook rice (4-6 servings)(long grain for healthier; minute rice if you are in a hurry)
5. Blend cornstarch, sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Stir into meat mixture. Cook, stirring until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minutes. Reduce heat.
6. Cut tomatoes into 1/8ths and place on top of meat mixture. Cover and cook over low heat about 3 minutes more.
Serve over rice.

Easy Pasta with Chicken and Veggies

shared by Patty H.
Ingredients:
8 ounces (1/2 bag) corkscrew pasta
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (if you like it - I don't use it)
4 T. olive oil
1 16-ounce bag frozen mied vegetables (I like Sugar Snap Peas Stir Fry)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bit-sized pieces
1/2 cup chicken broth (use the no MSG type) (I also freeze the remainer of the broth in 1/2 cup portions in little zip lock bags for future use)
Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Prepare pasta as package label directs.
2. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a nonstick skillet coated with 1 T. of the olive oil, saute chicken over medium-high heat until it is no longer pink. Set aside.
4. Turn heat down to medium and add 2 T. of olive oil to the skillet. Cook the onion (and garlic) until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
5. Add frozen mixed vegetables; cover and cook 5-7 minutes.
6. Add chicken to the vegetables in the skillet along with the chicken broth. Warm through.
7. Drain pasta and toss with chicken and veggies. Drizzle with another 1 T. of olive oil.
8. Top with the grated Parmesan cheese.