Nachos

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk, warmed
8-10 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
Tortilla chips
Jalapeno peppers
Beef, chicken, or pork (if desired)

Methods:
Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a saucepan.
Whisk in the flour one tablespoon at a time to avoid clumping.
Add the milk after the roux is smooth. Mix until the sauce has an even consistency.
Add the cheese and salt. After the cheese has melted, turn the burner to low, and allow the sauce to simmer for 10 mins.
Spread 1/2 of a bag of tortilla chips on to a large platter. Bake chips at 300 for about 10 mins.
Remove the chips from the oven and spread the cheese evenly over them. Enjoy.

BBQ Crock-Pot Chicken

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce (Sweet Baby Rays)
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 dash of kosher salt

Methods:
Trim chicken of excess fat and halve lengthwise. Set aside.
Add all sauce ingredients in the Crock-Pot and stir until well mixed.
Add chicken, try to coat it well with the sauce.
Cook on high for 3 hours. (More cook time will be needed if the breasts are whole)
Take the chicken our of the sauce and shred using two forks.
Replace it in the sauce and mix it all up to coat with sauce.
Crock-Pot can be kept on  warm or low for serving.

*if you find the sauce to be too thin, pour it into a sauce pan and reduce to desired thickness. 

Better Bisquick Pancakes

Ingredients:
2 cups Original Bisquick Mix
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs

Methods:
Heat cast iron or other heavy skillet or griddle over medium heat.
Whisk dry ingredients together, then whisk wet together, then combine stirring until just blended.
Grease cooking surface with cooking spray before each pancake.
Pour 1/2 cupfuls at a time, or 1/4 cupfuls for smaller cakes.
Cook until edges are dry. Turn, cook until golden brown and delicious.

Chicken, Rice & Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts
2 heads of broccoli
2 cups of brown rice
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups chick broth
1 tablespoon chick base (or bouillon)
3 oz grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Methods:
Wash and cube chicken breasts.  Cook in a large skillet, then set aside.
Prepare broccoli and steam until just tender. Do not overcook. Set aside.
Prepare rice according to packaging.
Pre-heat oven to 400.
While rice is cooking, melt butter in a large saucepan, over medium heat. Once butter is melted, add flour. Whisk to combine (it will be very dry, but try to get the flour as wet as possible).  Add seasonings.  Add milk slowly, whisking as you pour.  Whisk until completely combined and smooth.  Add chicken broth and base, whisk to combine and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Add chicken and Parmesan cheese to the sauce.  Meanwhile, grease a 9x13 casserole dish.  Layer rice, then broccoli, then chicken mix, and finally top with cheddar cheese.
Bake for about 20 mins until cheese is melted and bubbling.
Let sit for 5-10 mins, then serve.

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

(Needs final drafting)

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breast, sliced thin

3 quarts of chicken both

1 bag shredded carrots

10 stalks of celery, chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic

12 oz small pasta (orzo, elbow, etc)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or parsley 

Salt and pepper to taste

Methods:

Bring 2 quarts of stock to a boil. 

Carefully boil chicken in stock and remove when cooked through. Set aside to let cool, chop. 

Add celery and garlic, cook until tender. 

Add carrots and noodles, cook until noodles are al dente. 

Return chicken to pot and add seasoning and extra broth. Stir to combine. 

Know your Beef!!

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Cake:
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted

Topping:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
5 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Whisk dry ingredients together.
Combine wet with dry EXCEPT butter.
Slowly stir in the melted butter.
Pour mix into a greased 9x13 pan.
Mix topping ingredients together and pour on to batter.
Swirl topping into the batter with a knife.
Bake at 350 for 30 mins.
While warm, drizzle glaze over the cake.

Ham and Cheese Frittata

Ingredients:
1/2 bag of Ore Ida Frozen Southern Style hash browns
3 tablespoons oil
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup milk
1 cup + cubed ham
1 tsp salt
Fresh cracked black pepper

Methods:
Preheat oven on broil to 400 degrees.
Heat oil in 12" nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Prepare potatoes according to bag.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs and milk in a large bowl, add 1 cup of cheese, salt, pepper, and ham to the beaten eggs.
After the potatoes are done cooking, add egg mix to skillet and cook for approximately 5 mins until the bottom sets up.
Add remaining cheese to top.
Place the skillet in oven and broil until the top is set and lightly browned, about 5 mins or so.
Be sure to not overcook or the eggs will be dry.
Remove from oven and let set for 5 mins.
Cut into wedges and serve.

I would think sausage and or bacon would be an easy substitute for ham, just precook and cook prior to mixing with eggs.

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 egg

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract (if desired)

Methods:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Wedding Cake Cupcakes

White Cake:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose soft-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Paper baking cups
Vegetable cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milks, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in extracts.
Place paper baking cups in 2 (12-cup) muffin pans, and coat with cooking spray; spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely.

Wedding Cake Frosting:
1 cup butter
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 (16-oz.) packages powdered sugar

Prepare frosting. Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Beat at high speed 2 minutes or until creamy. Makes 3 cups.

Zucchini Pineapple Bread

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1.5 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup vegetable oil
1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
0.75 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
     -or 1 cup fresh
2 cups grated zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1.5 teaspoons baking soda
1.5 teaspoons baking powder

Methods:
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, mix oil, eggs, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Add pineapple and zucchini, stir.
Add flour mixture, stir.
Pour batter into two greased and floured loaf pans
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Cool on wire racks.

Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp mince garlic
1 tbs Sriracha sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 red jalapenoes, minced
1 small can of black beans
1 small can of whole kernel corn
1 large can of Macayo Green enchilada sauce
3-4 cups of Sargento 4 cheese Mexican
Small yellow corn tortillas

Methods:
Preheat oven to 350.
Cut chicken into chunks and cook in a large skillet with garlic.
When chicken is cooked through, shred it in the pan. I like to use a potato masher or a wooden spatula.
Add Sriracha sauce, chili powder, cumin, and a bit of salt and pepper.  Stir to combine.
Add red jalapeno.  Add drained and rinsed black beans and corn to the skillet.  Stir to combine.
Cook for 10 mins over medium heat.
Grease the sides of a 2-quart casserole dish.
Start with a bit of green sauce in the bottom of the dish, then a layer of tortillas.  (Double up the tortillas.)
Layer sauce, chicken mix, cheese, tortillas...repeat.
Finish the top with a final layer of sauce topped with a hearty portion of cheese.
Bake at 350 for 45 mins.  Rest for 5-10 mins before serving.
(I broil it for a bit after baking to make the cheese crispy and delicious.)

Brown Sugar Oat Muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Methods:
Preheat oven to 400.
In a medium bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In another bowl, beat the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.
Combine wet and dry ingredients until just moistened.
Fill greased muffin tins two-thirds full.
Bake for 15-20 mins or until golden brown and delicious.