Chicken Roll-ups

This is one of those dishes that looks and seems elegant (well, as “elegant” as I get! LOL) but is extremely easy.  I usually make it when I have company or need something to take to a potluck.  It even warms up well in the microwave.

I usually use sliced American cheese but you can use your favorite cheese or omit it altogether.  Same goes for the cheddar on top. 

I really like serving wild rice with this.  You usually have some sauce in the pan that you can either spoon over each roll-up or over the rice.  Any green veggie or salad goes well.  You really don’t need any bread or rolls since it’s already in the casserole.

For a lighter version, use low-fat items (soup, rolls, cheese, etc.).  If you want to make your own crescent roll recipe, you can.  I did this yesterday and I noticed it takes more liquid to keep it saucy.  I prefer using the canned rolls.

2-3 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 can crescent rolls 

4 slices cheese of choice (optional), cut diagonally to make 8 triangles 

1 can cream of chicken soup 

1 can milk (use the soup can to measure regular milk, not evaporated) 

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (4 oz.)   

Separate the crescent rolls, place a piece of cheese on top of each roll, add some chicken, roll up (depending on how much chicken you use, you may only be able to overlap the wide end with the point).  Place in a greased 11x7 casserole pan (spray with non-stick cooking spray), with the most open part down.  If you have extra chicken, you can place it loose around the roll-ups.  Heat the soup and milk over low-medium heat (stirring constantly—a whisk is great for this).  When it is warmed and smooth, pour over the roll-ups and bake at 350 for 25 minutes (or until rolls are browned).  Sprinkle with cheese and bake another 5 minutes or until melted.

Salsa

We love homemade salsa when we have fresh tomatoes from the garden!  I admit I've never tried this with canned tomatoes but I'm sure it would work.  

This would probably be considered "medium" heat.  Our favorite peppers to use are called "cow horns" (they're green, long, and look like a cow horn) from the farmer's market but I couldn't find them this year.  If anyone knows the "real" name for them or where I can find them locally, let me know.

I just made some today and I had about 3 cups tomatoes and used a mixture of jalapeno peppers (3 small ones) and hot banana peppers (3 or 4, I think).  My advice is start small with the peppers and add one at a time if not hot enough.  Also, I have noticed if you have leftovers (which we rarely do!), it tends to get hotter as it sits in the fridge.

I've never frozen this or canned it.  I wouldn't mind trying to freeze it but I'm uncertain if canning it the way I make it would work okay (I'm pretty careful when canning stuff).  So if anyone knows if it's safe, let me know (and how long to process in a hot water bath canner).

This is a thin salsa and has a more pink color than red.  I have wanted to try putting some tomato paste in it just to thicken it but honestly I keep forgetting to buy it!  And of course you can just chop everything instead of blending it as I do.

2 cups tomatoes (if super juicy, you may want to drain some of the juice out of it)
1/2 small onion 
2 fresh jalapeno (seeds and all)
splash lemon juice
garlic salt to taste

cilantro to taste (it's pretty easy and fun to grow!)

Blend ingredients in blender.

Mom's Meatballs

My friend Kelly Carr brought these to our house when Audrey was born. The other night, after I made MY recipe of meatballs, Austin informed me that he “really liked those meatballs that Kelly brought to us.” So…out goes my recipe and in comes Kelly’s! Here’s Kelly’s recipe. She said her mom used to make a huge batch and freeze them, for those of you wanting some freezer-friendly meals.

3 lb. ground beef
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
2 cups chopped or minced onion
2 cups quick oats
2 eggs
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tsp. garlic salt
½ tsp. black pepper

Mix together and form into balls. Bake on cookie sheets at 350 until done.

Sauce:

1 cup ketchup
1 cup BBQ sauce
2 tsp. liquid smoke
½ tsp. garlic salt

Mix together sauce ingredients & brush onto meatballs. Broil for 3-5 minutes.

Peanut Butter Cornflake Candy

I honestly don't remember where I got this recipe.  I do know it's easy and really yummy!  It's one of Austin's favorites.  I've had the same treat, made with rice krispies instead of corn flakes.  I've never done that but I would assume you use the same amount.  It definitely gives a different texture.  

1 cup sugar

1 cup corn syrup 

1 ½ cup peanut butter 

5 cup corn flakes   

Bring corn syrup and sugar to a boil over medium heat.  Remove from heat, add peanut butter and stir together.  Add corn flakes.  Spread on wax paper to cool, cut into pieces.   You can drop them on wax paper in individual cookies if desired.  

Wheat Waffles

This is my favorite waffle recipe!  It’s a Better Homes cookbook recipe that I tweaked (an additional egg, less oil, etc.).  You can use all-purpose flour in place of the wheat flour if you desire.  We like them both ways but really prefer the wheat flour texture.   

I usually do it the “fast & easy” way.  Every now and then I whip the egg whites (as described below) and it does make a difference.  But honestly in the mornings I don’t need an additional step to anything! LOL   

1 3/4 cups wheat flour 

1 tablespoon baking powder 

¼ teaspoon salt 

3 eggs 

1 ¾ cups milk 

¼ cup oil (I use canola or light olive oil)

1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)   

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.  In a separate bowl, stir together eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.  Pour liquid into dry ingredients and stir just until combined.  Pour onto heated waffle iron (I use about 1/3 cup for my little round iron).  Cook until desired doneness.   

For fluffier waffles, separate eggs.  Add the yolks in with the milk and oil and stir into the dry ingredients.  Set aside.  Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold into the batter until incorporated (allow some small clumps of egg whites to remain).

Cheese Grits

This is a Paula Deen recipe with some modifications. The ladies in my Bible study LOVE them so when it's my turn to bring food, they know what it'll be!  I think they think I only know how to make this dish and nothing else.  LOL

1 cup grits (I use quick)
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
4 ounces cheddar cheese, cubed or shredded (1 cup shredded)
3 tablespoons margarine
garlic powder to taste (the recipe calls for 2 cloves crushed)

Bring water to a boil. Slowly add the grits while stirring and continue to stir 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook, stirring often, until the grits are thick and creamy. Remove from heat and stir in the salt. Add a large scoop of grits to the eggs and stir well. Stir egg mixture into grits. Add cheese and margarine. Stir until completely melted and combined. Stir in garlic powder. Pour into greased casserole dish. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

Fried Green Tomatoes

I thought I’d share my “recipe” for fried green tomatoes in case some of you non-southerners might not know how to make them.  It’s so incredibly easy!

Feel free to skip to the recipe but if you would indulge me…

I don’t really remember my mom making them much (though from the south, she didn’t cook southern food often) but I do remember my Grandma Bonner making them once.  Though she lived in CA most of her life, she grew up in Oklahoma.

During one of my visits with her, she decided that we would go visit one of her brothers (Uncle Bud or Kenneth…not sure which) who was going through cancer treatments.  As it is with most cancer patients, most food just didn’t sound good to him.  But he or someone who was helping take care of him told Grandma that he was craving fried green tomatoes.

So she acquired some green tomatoes and set to work.  I’ll never forget when he removed the towel from the plate.  He was clearly excited that she had made fried green tomatoes and after eating a couple, exclaimed, “I’m so glad you sliced them thick!  Just the way I like them!”

I don’t know how she made them (I was likely too young to help) but I will never forget her doing that for her brother. 

The type of green tomatoes is important.  You don’t want to use green ones that are on the verge of turning orange…they are too “mushy.”  You want to use the smaller hard green tomatoes.

green tomatoes, sliced to desired thickness

water 

self-rising white cornmeal 

oil (I usually use canola)   

Place the tomatoes in the water.  Drain.  Dredge in cornmeal.  Place about ¼ inch of oil in a skillet.  Heat on medium.  Place a single layer of tomatoes in the skillet and fry for several minutes, until brown.  Turn, fry until brown.  Drain on paper towels.  Salt/pepper if desired.   

You can freeze these before you fry them.  Place the coated slices in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.  Freeze completely, move to a ziplock freezer bag.  You can either thaw them completely or fry them at a little lower temperature frozen.  They are a different consistency than fresh but they do in a pinch during the winter when you need a taste of summer.