Twice Baked Potatoes

One of my kids would not complain if we ate these every day. Since the recipe starts with pre-baked potatoes, we usually have baked potatoes for dinner with chili, cheese, sour cream, etc. and then sometime in the next 2-3 days, we use up all the leftover potatoes using this recipe. But feel free to bake your potatoes solely with this recipe in mind. Microwaved potatoes work well, too.

4-ish medium baked potatoes, skin on

1/2 c. sour cream

1/4 c. milk

1/4 c. butter or margarine

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Bacon bits

        Start with pre-baked potatoes, cold or warm. Cut each potato in half the long way and scoop the pulp out of each half (try to salvage the skin in one piece). Mash the pulp with butter. Add milk, sour cream, cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well. Spoon back into the skins. Top with bacon. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. 

        Note: I spoon the potato mixture into small (~1 cup) oven-proof glass bowls, if needed, to compensate for any skins that don't survive the scooping out process.

Perfect Chicken

This is the yummiest chicken ever. We always make more than we need (we at least double the recipe every time) and then cut it up and use it in different recipes. Our whole family loves this!

2-4 boneless chicken breasts, with or without rib meat
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. paprika
2-3 T. olive oil

Method 1 (recipe as it was given to me):
Mix spices in a small bowl. Rub the seasoning into the chicken breasts. Pour olive oil into the bottom of a Dutch oven and heat to medium high. When nice and hot, add chicken to the pan (in batches if necessary). Cook 2-3 minutes per side. Add all chicken back to the dutch oven and place, uncovered, in a 350º oven for 25 minutes or until juices run clear. Let sit on a plate 5-10 minutes before cutting, shredding or eating.

Method 2 (What we do):
Mix spices and olive oil in a gallon ziplock bag. Cut fat off chicken and use a meat tenderizer to hammer it flat. Cut each breast in half, if desired. (Chicken tenderloins work great, too!) Place chicken in the prepared ziplock and coat with the spices. Grill on medium low about 8-10 minutes each side or until no longer pink in the middle. YUM!!!! Cut leftovers into chunks and use in chicken divan, chicken gnocchi soup, white chili, etc. 

Hawaiian Haystacks

These are always a favorite! They are not hard to throw together and they please even the picky eaters because they can top with whatever they like.

Chicken Sauce:

6 Tbsp. butter

6 Tbsp. flour

2 cans chicken broth (3 cups)

1 c. heavy whipping cream

Melt butter, remove from heat. Add flour and broth. Stir in whipping cream. Stir constantly over medium heat until it thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add some cooked chicken.

Serve over rice and top with your choice of toppings.

Topping suggestions:

grated cheese, pineapple chunks, sliced olives, sliced mushrooms (fresh or canned), sweetened flaked coconut, green onions, chopped fresh tomatoes, chow mein noodles, green peppers, hard boiled eggs, and slivered almonds.

(The sauce is definitely worth the effort, but if you don’t have time to make it, you can warm up a can of cream of chicken soup thinned with a little milk.)