Orange Juice Syrup

I learned this recipe from my mother-in-law. It comes together so fast and is always a crowd pleaser. 

1 c. orange juice

1 c. sugar

Combine and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. If you want it thicker, add ~1 Tbsp. cornstarch (dissolved in a little cold water). Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

 

Buttermilk Syrup

My sister-in-law made this for us years ago and we've been fans ever since. Don't let the buttermilk title fool you. It's made with buttermilk, but it tastes more like butterscotch. Yum! This freezes well so don't hesitate to make up a big batch, pour into smaller containers, and freeze so it's ready whenever you need it. :) The syrup gets quite foamy once you add the baking soda at the end, but a 2-quart saucepan should keep it from foaming over.

1 c. buttermilk

1 c. sugar

¼ c. butter

½ tsp. vanilla

Combine ingredients in a 2-quart saucepan, stir well and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 tsp. baking soda. The syrup will immediately foam up. You can serve immediately or let it cool, then refrigerate or freeze. 

Baked Bacon

 This is the only way to cook bacon, as far as I'm concerned. I learned this technique from Our Best Bites and I'll never go back. I manage to fit a pound of bacon on the baking sheet by scrunching it up a bit. It still bakes fine even if it's not flat. 

Turn oven to 400°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lay out bacon slices in a single layer, avoiding overlap. Place pan in oven (no need to wait for it to preheat) for about 12-15 minutes, 15-17 minutes for crispier bacon. Cooking time will also depend on the thickness of the slices. Immediately remove bacon from pan and place on paper towels to soak up grease.

When the bacon is cool, place the same paper towels used to drain the bacon right onto the baking sheet. They will soak up the grease. Then take the foil and wrap it up into itself. Toss in garbage.

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. 

Rice 'n' Black Bean Bake

I found this recipe in a Quick Cooking magazine years ago. I've made a few minor changes, but it's still quick and easy. (Click here to see original recipe and what I changed.) I needed something last minute for a Christmas gathering for Jeff's department a few years ago and people were asking for the recipe.

Two 15-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
One 15-oz. can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
8 oz. tomato sauce
8 oz. picante sauce or salsa
3 cups cooked rice
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
corn chips, tortilla chips, or flour tortillas

In a bowl, combine first 4 ingredients. Stir in rice, sour cream and 1 cup cheese. Transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350º for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve with chips or wrap in tortillas. 

Meatloaf with BBQ Sauce

This one is from my mother-in-law. The BBQ sauce isn't from a jar, but rather a combination of ingredients that give the meatloaf a yummy and tangy taste.

1 lb. ground beef
3/4 c. rolled oats
3/4 c. milk
3 Tbsp. chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and shape into a loaf. Bake about 10 minutes at 425º. Pour sauce (below) over and cook an additional 35 minutes at 350º.

Sauce:
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tbsp. vinegar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 c. ketchup
1/2 c. water
6 Tbsp. chopped onion

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Pour over loaf. Score loaf so that sauce will penetrate during cooking.

Rice-A-Roni Egg Fu Yung

To be fair, I haven't made this in years, but Jeff really loved it way back when. This was a perfect recipe in our lean years where money was tight, but it was fun to dress up an ordinary box of Rice-A-Roni into something super delicious.

One box (6.25 oz.) Rice-A-Roni Fried Rice
6 eggs
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup water
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 can (16-oz.) bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
1/4 c. sliced green onions
1/4 c. vegetable oil

Prepare Rice-A-Roni according to package directions. Cool. 

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, cornstarch and water to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Set aside. 

In a medium bowl, beat eggs with pepper and remaining soy sauce. Stir in cooled Rice-A-Roni, bean sprouts and green onions. In a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat, heat 1 Tbsp oil. Spoon 1/2 c. of rice mixture into skillet. Spread to form a 6-inch circle. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining rice mixture to form 8 patties, using remaining oil as needed. Serve with additional soy sauce or sweet and sour sauce, if desired.

Easy Chicken Divan

Mmmm. I LOVE this one! As written, this makes a 9x13 pan full. When there are just a few of us at home, I half the recipe and put it in an 8x8 pan. It'll easily feed 4-5 of us, but then there are no leftovers. :( This comes together easily and has such a yummy flavor!

Two 10-oz. packages frozen broccoli or 2 bunches fresh broccoli
2 c. sliced cooked chicken (or one 12 oz. can of cooked chicken)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 c. mayonnaise
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. curry powder (I usually add just a little extra...)
1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar (or medium. or mild.)

Cook broccoli. Arrange in a 9x13 baking dish. Put sliced chicken on top. Combine cream of chicken soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice and curry. Pour and spread over top of chicken. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes. Serve over rice or pasta or quinoa. 

Beef Pasta with Easy White Sauce

In my recipe collection, this is called "Vermicelli with White Sauce," but as you'll see, "White Sauce" is a stretch. A can of evaporated milk makes up the sauce which means it's super easy but surprisingly tasty. And I never use Vermicelli, usually opting for Angel Hair or whatever shaped pasta I have on hand.

1 can evaporated milk, 12 oz.

One jar Hormel dried beef, chopped

1/2 c. fancy shredded parmesan

pepper to taste

1 lb. pasta (vermicelli or any shape), cooked and drained

Pour evaporated milk over drained pasta in pan. Heat. Stir in beef and parmesan. Season with pepper. Top with more parmesan, if desired.

Spinach Stuffed Shells

This recipe makes a LOT - almost 2 full 9x13 pans. Half the recipe should still fill a 9x13 pan.

12 oz. jumbo pasta shells 
32 oz. spaghetti sauce (Prego traditional is a good choice)

Two 9 oz. boxes frozen creamed spinach

15 oz. ricotta cheese
1 pint sour cream
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook shells according to package directions. Spread a layer of sauce on bottom of pan. Cook the spinach and drain. Mix the rest of the ingredients together (minus sauce and 1/2 of mozzarella) then add cooked spinach to the mixture. Stuff the shells. Pour the rest of the sauce over the shells in the pan. Sprinkle top with remaining mozzarella. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes.