Taste & Tell

Delicious Parmesan Chicken

2008-08-11T15:44:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 cups crushed Ritz crackers
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons garlic salt
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of plain yogurt
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 recipe Sour Cream Chicken Sauce (See below)

Directions:

Combine cracker crumbs, parmesan cheese, and garlic salt. Dip each piece of chicken in yogurt to coat and then in crumb mixture. Arrange in greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake at 350* for about 45 minutes. Top with Sour Cream Chicken Sauce, if desired. Serves 8.

Sour Cream Chicken Sauce

2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup sour cream

In a small saucepan heat soup and sour cream together over low heat, stirring frequently.

**This meal is best served with a side of chicken flavored rice! It is one of me and Jeff's favorites! Enjoy!!**

Victoria's Famous Peanut Butter Bars

2008-07-16T08:56:00.000-07:00

First part of ingredients then set a side:

3/4 cup of butter (1 1/2 stick)
3/4 cup of brown sugar
3/4 cup of sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup of peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Second part of ingredients:

3/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/3 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 cup of flour
1 1/2 cup of oatmeal

Directions:

Combine the two together in a large bowl. Grease a smaller cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 8 to 10 minutes (be careful because every oven cooks differently). Cook it until it is golden brown. Turn the oven off and sprinkle 1 package of chocolate chips until they are almost all the way melted. Take it out of the oven and spread it all over, to make it the second layer. Then put it in the freezer to harden. Once it is completely hard, then place the frosting on:

Frosting:

1 cup of powdered sugar
3/4 cup of peanut butter
Enough milk to make it a heavy cream

Once you have mixed that all together, spread it over the top! This is one of my favorite deserts so I hope you enjoy it!!! They are delicious!!! :)

Tator Tot Casserole

2008-07-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 lb. hamburger
2 cans of green beans
1 pkg. of tater tots
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of milk(pour milk into one of the cans of cream of mushroom soup til the top)
**You also can use cream of chicken soup as well, whatever you prefer**

Directions:

Cook your hamburger on a skillet until brown. Spray a casserole dish and place the hamburger on the bottom layer. Drain your green beans and place them over the hamburger as your second layer. Then place the tator tots as the top layer. You will then need to mix the 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup and 1 can of milk together until it is a runny substance then pour over the tator tots! Bake it at whatever degrees the package of the tator tot says and time! This meal can feed a lot! Enjoy!!

Fabulous Homemade Oreo Cookies

2008-07-15T10:43:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 pkg. Chocolate Cake Mix (Devil Food is the best!)
1 1/2 cups of vegetable shortening
4 eggs
2 Tablespoons of milk

Cream Filling:

1 pkg. cream cheese
2 2/3 cups of powdered sugar
3/4 cups of butter

Directions:

Combine the the four ingredients together. ( Its easier to mix just ONE cake mix then slowly blend the second package...it gets pretty thick and it makes it hard to mix with both). Then once it is all mixed together roll the dough into small balls and place it on the cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 to 10 minutes. While the cookies are baking mix the cream filling and place it in the fridge to cool off. When the cookies are done let them sit for a little bit so they don't fall apart. Once their cooled off, just scoop up how ever much you want between two cookies and make a oreo cookie! They are delicious, hope you enjoy!!

Caeser Salad

2008-07-14T19:19:00.000-07:00

-3/4 pound of bacon
-2 pints cherry tomatoes
-2 heads romaine lettuce
-1 cup freshly shaved parmesan

Dressing...
-1 tablespoon mayonnaise
-1 tsp. dijon mustard
-1 clove garlic
-1/4 cup lemon juice
-1 tsp. salt
-1/4 tsp. pepper
-3/4 cup olive oil
-1/4 cup grated parmesan

*mix all ingredients together. Try to prepare dressing it at least 3-4 hours before serving for better flavor. Refrigerate. Mix dressing with salad ingredients right before serving.

Chicken Pot Pie

2008-07-14T18:55:00.000-07:00

Chicken Pot Pie....
(serves 8 people)
-6 chicken breasts
-5 cups chicken stock
-1 and 1/2 sticks of butter
-2 cups chopped onions
-3/4 cups flour
-1/4 cup half and half
-2 cups carrots
-2 cups peas
-2 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. pepper

Biscuits...
(they go on top of the chicken pot pie)
-2 cups flour
-1 tablespoon baking powder
-1 tsp. salt
-1 tsp. sugar
-1 stick butter
-3/4 cup half and half

Directions

Rub chicken breasts with 3 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 375 degrees. Let them cool and break them into pieces. Boil the carrots. Let cool. Melt butter and cook the onions in butter over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Add flour to onions. Stir and simmer for 1 minute. Add chicken stock and half and half. Then add all remaining dry ingredients. (salt, pepper, peas, carrots, and chicken) Grease a 9 by 13 pan and pour ingredients into pan. put in the oven for 15-30 minutes at 375 degrees. (you might want to put a cookie sheet under the pan in case it drips)

While that is heating, make the biscuits! First combine all dry ingredients. (flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar) Add butter and mix with a beater on low speed until the butter chunks become the size of a pea. Add the half and half. Mix on low speed. Roll out until the dough becomes 1/2 inch thick. Cut out biscuits. (should make around 8 biscuits)

Take the chicken pot pie mix out of the oven and put the biscuits on top. Cook this for 20-30 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown.

Enjoy!!

BANANA BREAD HEAVEN

2008-07-14T08:06:00.000-07:00

Mix dry ingredients and set aside:
3 3/4 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda

Mix wet ingredients:
4 eggs
1 cup Butter-flavored shortening
1 cup buttermilk

Slowly add dry ingredients into wet ingredients, then...

... add and mix well:
3 tsp vanilla
4 mashed bananas

-- Grease and flour two large loaf pans (about 5x9), or one large cake pan (about 9x12)
-- Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar* mixture on bottom of pan(s)
-- Divide batter evenly between pans, or pour all into large cake pan
-- Heavily sprinkle cinnamon-sugar* on top of batter in pans
-- Bake for 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees (every oven bakes differently... adjust time and temp through trial and error)

* For my cinnamon-sugar mixture, I just eyeball about 1 part cinnamon to 6 or 7 parts sugar)

Better Than Anything Dressing...

2008-06-13T18:07:00.000-07:00

For all of you who love Cafe Rio....here is a little something that you just might enjoy! This dressing tastes just as good as the real thing!

Here is the recipe:

1 cup mayo
1 cup milk
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
2 tomatillos
2 seranno peppers (for less heat use just 1 pepper)
1/2 bunch of cilantro

Directions:

First, slice the peppers, and cut the tomatillos in quaters and place all the ingredients into a blender and process until smooth. Serve on enchilladas, burritos or salads!

Baked French Toast Casserole

2008-06-12T09:40:00.000-07:00

This recipe is DEADLY but DELICIOUS! If you're going for a more french toast, less bread pudding taste, you can use half the eggs, milk, and half-n-half. ENJOY!

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Maple syrup

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40-60 minutes (it turns out differently for me every time -- just watch it!), until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Creamy Homemade Alfredo Sauce

2008-06-07T19:31:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 cube butter-dont substitute margarine
2 Tbls cream cheese
3/4 C Parmesan cheese {The finely grated kind that comes in a canister thingy}
1 teas garlic powder {We added a little bit more}
pepper to taste

Directions:
Melt the cream cheese and butter. Add Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Stir with wisk. Slowly pour in the heavy cream. Add pepper to taste, stirring constantly over medium heat for a few minutes. Dont wait for it to thicken. Serve with noodles. Make sure you dont rinse the noodles after straining them. They loose the capacity to absorb the sauce, because the sauce thickens from the starch from the noodles.

Lowe Family Buttermilk Brownies

2008-06-07T17:24:00.000-07:00

BROWNIES:
1 cup margarine
1 cup water
1/3 cup cocoa

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
½ cup buttermilk
1 ½ tsp vanilla

Set oven to 350 degrees. Bring water, butter, and cocoa to a boil stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside.’

Mix flour, sugar soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add cocoa mixture and mix until well blended. Pour into greased
15 ½ x 10 ½ x 1 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes

*** Frost when brownies are still warm!

FROSTING:
Heat until warm, then remove from heat --
¼ cup butter
3 Tbsp cocoa
1/3 cup buttermilk

Add:
2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)