Sausage Balls

Shane's mom made these last year for the holidays, and they were so good.  In preparation for Thanksgiving we have been cooking and baking a lot, and these were at the top of the list.  Snacks are important in our household!

3 1/2 cups Bisquick
1 lb Cheddar cheese
1 lb (raw) breakfast sausage

Mix cheese & bisquick together, then add crumpled sausage and continue to mix.  Sprinkle with water until you can form balls.  We did walnut sized balls when raw, and they grew quite a bit when baked.  Next time I'd go smaller (not sure what nut is smaller than walnut, but bigger than pecan...).  Grease cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until lightly brown ontop.  [These also freeze very well, and then microwave easily.]

Chicken Spaghetti

This recipe is a great recipe to share with others, and enjoy with your family.  I originally got it from my sister, we all love it, and it is easy to freeze.  Warning: with the amounts given makes a double recipe.

8 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces
24oz spaghetti (I used over half wheat pasta, and no one noticed)
10oz package frozen mixed veggies (I added some fresh diced carrots, and celery as well, so really whatever you have on hand)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can Rotel, drained
2/3 of a 2lb box of Velveeta cheese
1/3 cup milk
salt to taste
optional: 2 4.5 oz cans chopped green chilies (I omitted these because I don't like green chili's)


Boil chicken in water until done (Use your biggest stockpot, you'll be happy later!).  Keep the water, and boil the spaghetti and frozen veggies together.  Cut up chicken into bite sized pieces and set aside.  When the spaghetti is done, let it sit in the water (about 15 minutes until most of the broth is absorbed.  Add chicken and remaining ingredients to spaghetti.  Toss gently until everything is well incorporated.

Depending on how many people you are feeding split into your baking pans.  (I generally divide this up into 3-4 pans, 8x8 size will feed 4 people).  If you are going to freeze any just wrap in foil and saran wrap, or put it in a large ziplock (I freeze 3 and we eat one the night I make it).  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  For frozen casseroles, I try to defrost it slowly throughout the day, then bake.

Nana Rolls

This is a precious recipe I hope to keep forever.  Growing up my Nana made rolls all the time, and I thought it was perfectly normal.  Little did I know they take some time and effort, and a lot of skill!  Our family loves making these and remembering all our good times at Nana's eating homemade rolls.

6 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 cups water
2 Tablespoons yeast (or 2 packets)
2 teaspoons Salt
2 eggs

Pour 1 cup boiling water over butter and sugar.  This needs to be done first so it can start cooling.  Let cool to room temp.  In 1 cup cold water add yeast.  Once the first mixture is cool add well beaten eggs and salt.  Then mix in yeast mixture and flour.  Mix well & knead.  Let rise for about 2 hours.  Punch down then make into rolls and let rise for about another 2 hours.  Bake rolls at 350F for 10 minutes.  This makes a lot of rolls, so it may be advisable to half the recipe unless you are making it for a crowd.

Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken

We made this for the second time today for our weekly crock pot Sunday.  I'll admit the first time I made it I had no clue how long you needed to cook black beans for and they were slightly crunchy.  This time however I boiled them for several hours yesterday afternoon while doing some other things in the kitchen.  Second time around was much better!  My sweet husband actually threw all of this in the crock pot before church, its that easy.  Five ingredients.

3 large frozen chicken breast (the first time I used 4 smaller...)
1 block cream cheese
1 can rotel
Small bag frozen corn (The bag I was using was 10 oz, and I didn't use all of it) [the original recipe called for 1 can of corn, drained]
2 cups cooked black beans (warning: this does not mean you should cook 2 cups of uncooked black beans, they GROW! I have a TON precooked beans now.  Oops.) [again original recipe called for 1 can of black beans, drained]


Place the frozen chicken breast on the bottom of the crock pot, and place the rest of the ingredients ontop.  I cooked for 4 hours on high and it was perfect when we got home.  The chicken will fall apart, and then we shred it. 

I like serving with rice as a filler, we just mix it all together [think delicious mush].  The first time we made it we turned the leftovers into a taco salad type meal with tortillas, lettuce and shredded cheese.  It would also be good mixed with the rice and served in tortillas.  The leftovers are equally as delicious if not more.  Yum! 

Thanks Larson Lingo for this great recipe!

Chicken Enchilada Soup

I adjusted a recipe I found online for enchilada soup.  Just fair warning if you see that title and like me, thought it would taste somewhat like enchiladas, it doesn't really.  It was really good, just not very enchilada-y :) 

1 package frozen corn (mine was 16 oz)
1 handful of chopped onion
1 handful of chopped celery
2 chicken breast
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can enchilada sauce
1 3/4 cups milk

Optional: shredded cheese, avocado, tortilla chips, sour cream, can of diced tomatoes, black beans.

Place the corn, onion, celery in crock pot.  Then place chicken breast on top.  Mix together the cream of chicken soup and enchilada sauce, then mix in milk.  Add the liquid mixture to the crock pot.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low heat for 6-8 hours.  The original recipe had listed the above optional items, but I forgot some of them and it was still very good.  Next time I think I will add a can of diced tomatoes and black beans from the start to make it more filling and delicious.  We topped with cheese and loved it.  (Serves 4 regular eaters)

Firecrackers

This recipe came from my sweet Nana, who always made these for us growing up.  I also found they were an extremely easy snack to send to Shane while he was at West Point. 

4 sleeves Saltine crackers (do not use fat free, they don't soak up the oil, I have used half wheat successfully though)
1 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1 packet dry ranch dressing mix (about 1/3 cup)
3 Tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes (adjust according to how hot you like things)
1 1/2 teaspoons Garlic powder

Put the crackers in a container or zip lock.  Mix remaining ingredients together and slowly pour over crackers, mixing as you go.  Let sit, and turn bag for several hours.  

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

My family loves Chicken and Dumplings, and so I was excited to figure out how to make it in the crock pot.  It seems we have crock pot Sunday's at our house, since church goes a little later than normal.  My first attempt was yummy, Shane and I loved it, although it wasn't my Nana's original recipe, I will be making it again soon!

2 frozen chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
4 cans water
1 handful of frozen chopped onion
1 handful of frozen chopped celery
1 cube chicken bouillon
10 tortillas
Pepper to taste

I dumped all of this into the crock pot (EXCEPT TORTILLAS) and turn it on high for 3-4 hours.  Shane sliced the tortillas into 1 inch thick strips with a pizza cutter, so they were ready to go when we got home from church.  Right when we walked in the door I dumped the tortilla strips into the crock pot, and added water to make it soupy.  I also took the chicken breast out and cut them into bit size pieces, but shredding them would work also.  Let cook about 30 more minutes, or until tortillas are puffy.  Enjoy!

Banana Bread

I have made this banana bread (or muffins) twice now, and we've loved it both times.  Over the years I have tried several different banana bread recipes, and they never come out consistent, but this one does!
Thanks to Money Saving Mom I now have an easy go-to banana bread recipe. 

• 2 cups flour (I used 1 1/2 cups wheat flour & 1/2 cup white)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup oil (I used 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup vegetable oil)
• 1 cup raw sugar (I used 1/2 cup sugar, and some honey)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3-4 ripe bananas, mashed (I used 3 bananas)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 Tablespoons milk
• 1/2 cup to 1 cup chocolate chips (The first time I made this I used blueberries instead, the second time I used chocolate chips, although it would be delicious without either, or with nuts.)

Stir together dry ingredients. Beat together remaining ingredients.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and blend until just combined. Sprinkle chocolate chips in and stir.
Pour into greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for one hour and 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the bread comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
To Freeze:
Fully cool, slice (if you like) and wrap the cut loaf in plastic wrap and then in foil (or stick in a ziptop bag) and freeze for up to six weeks.
To serve: Pull out desired amount of bread and thaw at room temperature.

Whitney's notes:  I made 1 small loaf pan, and then the rest into muffins because they are easier to freeze, in my opinion.  Muffins also do not need to bake as long.  I also just freeze in a freezer zip-lock.  When we want to eat them, I microwave them straight out of the freezer, and they are great!

Pizza Crust

Pizza has become a favorite in our household lately.  Since it doesn't last long around here I have been doubling, or even tripling the recipe and freezing the dough.  Here is the recipe I modified off of the back of the pizza crust yeast package.

2 1/4 cups flour (I use at least half wheat, probably more)
1 envelope pizza yeast (although now that I bought regular yeast, I will try it next time)
2 teaspoons honey
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup very warm water
3 tablespoons olive oil (vegetable would work as well, olive oil is just healthier)
1 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

I use my kitchen aid and combine 1 cup of flour, yeast, and salt.  Then add water, oil, and honey, mix until well blended.  Gradually add the remaining flour until soft dough forms.  I change to my dough hook and let the mixer knead the dough about 2 minutes (add more/less flour here if needed so it is not extremely sticky).  Now either freeze the dough in a ball, or bake pressed flat onto pan.  400 degrees, about 10-15 minutes.  You want the pizza crust to be mostly done, and crust-like before you add the toppings.  If you freeze the dough get it out of the freezer by lunch time and let it sit on the counter and rise until you bake it that evening.

Squash Italian Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef (I'm sure ground turkey would work well also, I just can't find it here)
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Breadcrumbs
1 egg
salt
pepper
Italian Seasoning
1 yellow squash (just because this is what I had on hand, zucchini, or carrots would work too).


First cut up squash into small pieces (about quarter size), then I added a little water and microwaved it for about 2-3 minutes until it was very squishy, drain the leftover water.
Add everything into the kitchenaid mixing bowl and mix together.  For the seasonings I added more than I thought it needed, and they turned out great.  No perfect amounts, just more garlic and onion powder than the others.  For breadcrumbs, I used half of a hamburger bun because that's what we had, 1 piece of bread finely chopped would work too.  Then I just rolled them into balls (smaller than a racquetball, bigger than golf balls - they shrink) and baked at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.  I turned them once in the middle, but they'd be fine without.  This recipe yields about 13 good size meatballs.  Next time I am going to double this recipe and freeze half after they bake for our next spaghetti dinner.  Enjoy, we loved them!