Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Super Easy Stovetop Chicken Nugget Casserole


1Pkg. Stovetop stuffing mix
12-15 Frozen Chicken Nuggets* (or pre-cooked / Frozen chicken strips)
½ Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
1 Can Cr. Chicken Soup
½ Can Cr. Of Mushroom Soup (use the other half the next day in this recipe (chicken & mushrooms from Jess)
1/3 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Frozen Corn (or one can)
-optional: 1 Cup Frozen Peas – Or any type of frozen or mixed vegetables that you like


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare Stovetop as directed, while it is cooking mix together Cream of Chicken, Cream of Mushroom, sour cream, corn and other veggies if you choose.
Line up the chicken nuggets (or chicken strips) evenly in the bottom of a microwave safe 9x13 pan, pour mixture evenly over the top of them. Sprinkle cheese all over the top then top with Stovetop.
-I use a glass or stoneware - something that can be cooked in the microwave AND the oven.

To cook: put the dish in the microwave for 6 -7 min. then take it out and bake it for 8-10 min. in the oven.


Enjoy! serves 6


*If you don't want to use Chicken Nuggets you can use boneless skinless chicken strips and cook in Conventional oven for 25-30 min on 350 degrees.

The Ever Requested AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD


This recipe is one I got from my Neighbor Aimee... I received a start last year and we made it quite a few times... It's SO yummy!  I had to ask if anyone had one to share and lucky enough, my friend had the recipe!














Ingredients

  • 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • 3 cups white sugar, divided
  • 3 cups milk

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart container glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and let stand until bubbly. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle. Leave loosely covered at room temperature.
  2. On days 2 thru 5; stir starter with a spoon. Day 6; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Days 7 thru 9; stir only.
  3. Day 10; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Remove 1 cup to make your first bread, give 2 cups to friends along with this recipe, and your favorite Amish Bread recipe. Store the remaining 1 cup starter in a container in the refrigerator, or begin the 10 day process over again (beginning with step 2)                                                                                                                                                                                                                   HERE IS THE PAPER YOU CAN PRINT OFF TO GO WITH THE STARTS THAT YOU GIVE TO FRIENDS:







    Amish Friendship Bread
    *Do not use metal anything
    *Do not refrigerate
    *If any air gets into the bag, let it out.
    *It is normal for the batter to thicken, bubble and ferment.
    * Make sure you have all the ingredients below when it’s time to add them
    Day 1: This is the day you receive the batter - so do nothing.
    Day 2: Squeeze the bag to mix the batter.
    Day 3: Squeeze the bag.
    Day 4: Squeeze the bag.
    Day 5: Squeeze the bag.
    Day 6: Add 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of milk right into the bag, careful for any leaks or tears. Mix the contents by squeezing the bag.
    Day 7: Squeeze the bag.
    Day 8: Squeeze the bag.
    Day 9: Squeeze the bag.
    Day 10: Follow Instructions below:
    1. Pour the entire contents of bag into a large NON-METAL bowl
    2. Add 1 ½  cups of flour, 1 ½  cups of sugar and 1 ½  cups of milk.
    3. With a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients together.
    4. Measure out four (4) 1-cup starters into large gallon size ziplock bags. If you’d like keep one starter for yourself, and give the other three starters to your friends along with a copy of these instructions.
    5. Preheat Oven to 325 Degrees


    To the remaining batter in the bowl, add
    1 Cup of Oil (or ½ Cup Oil & ½ Cup Applesauce)
    1 Cup of sugar
    ½ teaspoon vanilla
    3 large eggs
    1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
    2 teaspoons of cinnamon

    1/2 Cup of milk
    1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
    ½  teaspoon Salt
    2 Cups of flour
    1 large Box (or 2 small boxes) of vanilla pudding (the powder stuff).









    In a separate bowl, mix ½ Cup of sugar and an additional 1 ½  tsp. cinnamon to create a cinnamon sugar mix.

    Grease two loaf pans (glass preferred but metal ok). Sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture into the bottom and on sides. Pour the batter into the pans. Sprinkle top with the remaining sugar and cinnamon mixture.

    Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
    Cool until bread loosens from pan evenly – about 10 minutes.  Turn out onto Cooling rack or serving dish.  Serve warm or cool.

    If you keep a starter for yourself, you will be baking it every 10 days.  The bread is very good and moist!  Only the Amish know how to create the “Starter”  so if you give them all away, you’ll have to wait until someone gives you one back.














Daves's Creamy Banana Bread A.K.A.: the best BB recipe ever!



Ok, I got this one from my Brother Dave, I had tried out many different recipes and there was just something about each of them that didn't work.
I was SO excited when he gave this one to me!  And just mixing the ingredients together I could tell it would be a killer recipe!  Enjoy! (BTW it'll make your house smell all yummy!  If you're trying to sell your house... bake this bread before your open house!)



Ingedients:
½ Cup (1stick) Butter 
1 8oz. Pkg Cream Cheese
1 ¼ Cup White Sugar
2 Eggs
3 Mashed Bananas
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Dry Ingredients:
2 ¼ Cups All Purpose White Flour
1 ½ tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Baking Soda
1 Pkg. Chocolate Chips (or any flavor) (Choc. Chips are optional... but come on... really?)
(Optional: add Nuts)

In microwave soften Cream Cheese & Butter - then cream these together. Slowly add White Sugar & beat until light & fluffy (about 2 min.)  Add Eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in mashed bananas and vanilla. (To mash bananas – I use a fork in a separate bowl – Or just throw them in with the mixture if using an electric mixer)

Add dry ingredients – mixing while adding them. ( I measure out the B. Soda & B. Powder and put them on top of my Four and add them in all together)  Mix until just moist. Stir in Chocolate Chips



For 2 Loaves:
Divide batter evenly between two greased & floured loaf pans (parchment paper on the bottom helps prevent sticking – if you still have trouble with it)
Bake 350° for 45 -60 min. (or until toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean)
For 24 Cupcakes:
Spoon batter into cupcake pans lines with paper cupcake liners.
Bake at 400° for about 20 min. (or until toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean)
TIPS: I use mini chocolate chips when I am making the cupcakes because the larger ones tend to sink to the bottom.  Also, usually just slightly over ripe bananas will give you a better flavor.


Enjoy!



Tuesday, January 12, 2010

My Passions are my Problems!

Have you ever heard the saying: Some people just work better when they are under stress.  I think this is somewhat true for me... maybe that's just a nice way of saying I'm a procrastinator! Either way, that's me!
Ok, a little bit about me (Sally)  I love to Blog and I love to try out new recipes (But they have to be easy, yummy & tried and true ones though). I also Love Crafting, photography - photo editing, cake decoratingreading to my kids and crafting with my kids...and for some reason planning large events. (call me crazy!)

I have 3 beautiful girls and a Uber hot hubby! :) Who LOVES his girls!
So I decided to combine everything I love to do and Blog about it... blog + Cook + Craft + Decorate + Design + Creativity & what ever else comes to mind!

I am an eclectic person and organization is not my strong suit, that combined with my creativity makes for a mess... sometimes. My poor husband will come home and can tell that I started a few different projects, recipes and played with the kids all day. (I have a problem with finishing things I start he he... I know you are laughing right now Ryan!) He usually ends up doing most of the Laundry because I can't focus long enough to get ALL of it done and put away! But he doesn't get mad at me, he just starts doing it!  
I love him for that!
I am pretty sure I have AADD (adult A.D.D. - if there is such a thing) With my "AADD" and 3 kids under 7 my home stays clean approximately 10 seconds, but it really does get cleaned daily, or at least every other day! LOL!
I need a sign that says:
My house was clean yesterday... Sorry You missed it!
I really do WANT to be organized and so sometimes I'll attempt to do a project that will "make everything better" but um.... did I mention I have a hard time finishing things I start?  Yeah, so that's my goal this year... to finish what I start!  If not for my sake... for my family's!  Good luck to me on that one!

So I hope you enjoy seeing all the different projects, recipes, ideas, and some of my favorite "other" things!
With me... what you see is what you get!  What ever I feel up to blogging about is what you are gonna get! But I will try to organize each topic so that those of you who DON'T have "AADD" will still be able to find what you are looking for... hopefully! :)