Help | Author Jill Shalvis

August 26, 2009 | Filed under: Stuff

Update:
I am blown away by the response and the wonderful recipes! You guys ROCK!!! Thank you for coming through for me, can’t wait to try these out!!!

Original post:
Okay, I need your help. I’m tapped out in the kitchen and bored with my dubious cooking talents. So here’s what I’m thinking. I’m thinking that you can save the day. Do a hungry, overworked, underpaid author a favor and list me a favorite, relatively EASY dinner recipe?

My kids will thank you. Alpha Man will thank you.

My tummy will thank you.

P.S. I’ll draw names from all of you who post, and you can pick a book from my backlist OR an ARC from the October novella Kissing Santa Claus, which I just got in the mail today!

P.S.S. And for those of you whose last name is Shalvis, yes you are still in the dog house and will remain there until whoever stole my chocolate glazed donut replaces it. I NEED THAT DONUT.

Posted by Jill @ 1:00 am | Make a Comment

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limecello says:

Heh. A post right up my alley.
I really like http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chicken-piccata-recipe2/index.html
As usual, I tweak the recipe. Also, instead of butterflying the chicken breasts (I don’t want to lose a finger), I pound them flat. This is excellent for stress relief too. I just stick the chicken between two large pieces of saran wrap and go to town with a rolling pin. I also use less butter.
I like this recipe too, but I tweak it
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/crab-and-ricotta-cannelloni-recipe/index.html
Crab meat being expensive, I add in shrimp to make the crab go further. For some acidity I dice up tomatoes and bake with it on top. I’ve done it with or without the sauce. Without, I topped it with mushrooms, and green peppers and the remaining “stuffing.”

Fried rice is also relatively easy. Although I wouldn’t make it if you don’t have a rice cooker. (Stir fry cubed meat of choice, remove from pan, fry an egg (or more) in the same pan – break it up, add in frozen mixed vegetables/whatever else you want, toss in the rice, make sure there are no lumps. Add salt and pepper, or soy sauce to taste.

Or you know, grilling steaks is always easy and a big crowd pleaser.

I’ll stop now. It’s 4:08 AM so I should be sleeping, and now I’ve made myself hungry.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 1:08 am
limecello says:

Awe, my first comment is awaiting moderation. I only posted links to food network recipes- I swear!
Oh and I forgot, another food site I love – and the recipes you can search by rating: epicurious.com – much safer/reputable than just googling random recipes.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 1:09 am
lyncee says:

This is a great Mac & cheese recipe – easy and extra yummy!

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
6 slices French baguette
1 stick unsalted butter
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
4 1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese (18 ounces)
2 cups grated Gruyere (8 ounces)
1 1/4 cups grated Pecorino Romano (5 ounces)
1 pound elbow or shell pasta

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3 1/2-quart casserole dish. Make bread crumbs from the baguette in a food processor or blender. Mix the crumbs with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and set aside.

2. Warm the milk over medium heat. In a separate pan, melt the remaining butter until bubbly. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Then, still whisking, add the warm milk a bit at a time. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Remove it from the heat. Stir in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, cayenne, and cheeses. Set aside.

3. Cook the pasta until slightly underdone, then rinse it under cold water. Combine it with the cheese sauce and pour it into the buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle with the buttered bread crumbs and bake for about 30 minutes, until the mixture bubbles and the crumbs are brown. Let the dish set for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 6 to 8.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 2:02 am
Diane W says:

Jill-

I am a HUGE fan of my crock pot/slow cooker. It is really a dump and go. Many great cook books out there but I will give you the easiest recipe you will ever have. Soooo yummy!

*Boneless-skinless chicken breasts
*Your favorite BBQ sauce. I like Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ
*Cover the chicken with sauce and cook on low 4-5 hours.

Chicken falls apart it is so tender! Throw some potatoes in the microwave and make a salad and you have dinner. Cookies for dessert!!
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 2:23 am
Dru says:

My favorite recipe is having someone else cook and it’s called “Take Out”.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 2:41 am
Judy F says:

Jill, I wish I could help you in the cooking dept. But since its just me I very seldom make anything huge or time consuming. Nuggets or spaghetti work for me.

And on your donut I am shocked they still are alive
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 2:41 am
Stacy ~ says:

LOL. I follow the Dru way of cooking. No hassle, no mess, and it’s worth every penny, especially if it’s brought right to my door LOL.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 3:20 am
Frana says:

This is one of my favourite quick&easy recipes

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
400g can chopped tomatoes with herbs
1 tsp sugar
500g pkt pasta bows
100g can tuna, drained
cheese

1. Heat the oil in a pan, throw in the onion and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomatoes and sugar. Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Give it a good stir, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Cook pasta. Flake the tuna into the sauce and heat through. Drain the pasta, return to the pan and stir in the sauce. Serve with a generous grinding of cheese.

Buon apetit!
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 3:57 am
Cheryl S. says:

Something I just threw together the other night & my kids actually liked. I made a packet of Knorr Rice Sides (chicken flavor) following the directions on the packet. Drained a can of chicken breast & dumped it in a separate pan to heat it through while the rice cooked. Once the rice was done, I tossed it all together and called it good. Made a vegetable to go along with it and supper was ready 10 minutes later.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 3:58 am
Shannon says:

This is one of my favorites. It’s really quick and easy. It’s called “Mickey Mouses’s Chicken Casserole” (the recipe came from a disney cookbook!).

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Cook 2-3 cups noodles, drain
3. Mix together the noodles, 2 cups of cooked chicken, and 2 cans of chicken gravy
4. Place a few pats of butter on top of the mixture
5. Bake for 20 minutes, covered
6. Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes

And that’s it! Incredibly simple and tasty, too!
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 4:13 am
Cindy W says:

I love my slow cooker and try to use it about 2 days a week.

Chicken and Dumplings

INGREDIENTS
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (you can used boned breasts too)
2 tablespoons butter
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 onion, finely diced
(10 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces

DIRECTIONS
1. Place the chicken, butter, soup, and onion in a slow cooker, and fill with enough water to cover.
2. Cover, and cook for 6-8 hours on low. About 30 minutes before serving, Take chicken out, shred it and place it back in the slow cooker. Mix. Then place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center (usually 30 minutes).
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 4:14 am
Pat L. says:

Nice recipe – we get to share in some good food as well as a chance for one of your books!

The Mixture
Saute any meat of your choice – shrimp, scallops, sausage or chicken, etc. Add some salt, pepper and some garlic powder – all to taste.

Remove from pan and add fresh spinach, mushroom, sun dried tomatoes or whatever fresh veggies you have on hand.Add a little water and some chicken broth granules or some canned ckn broth. When tender add the meat. Serve over noodles or rice.

Hope you enjoy.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 4:33 am
Wendy says:

Here’s a favorite of mine that really really easy…Taco Salad

Brown up a hamburger (I like ground chuck but use what ever you like)

Drain and let it cool, I usually put it in the fridge for an hour.

Once cooled add chopped up lettuce, shredded cheese, cherry tomatoes, crushed up Frito’s (yes that’s correct Frito’s)then add French dressing…mix all together and eat.

If you make enough it can last for a couple of days and I usually add more Frito’s and dressing to it so it stays moist.

Hope you try it and enjoy

Wendy
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 5:12 am
Pat L. says:

I forgot the pitted black olives! They add a nice touch if you like them. Sorry….
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 5:13 am
Natasha says:

I’m a beginner cook! I have no clue how to cook! I rely on recipes. Before I make anything, I have to make a trip to the grocery store. That’s how bad I am!

Here are two of my favorites:

1] Chicken: http://www.kayotic.nl/blog/?p=3708
This is so so so good and so easy! It’s almost ridiculously easy!

2] Pork Strips: http://www.kayotic.nl/blog/?p=3498
This is also very easy and tasty! I’ve tried this with chicken too and it tastes yummy!!

Hope you find something for dinner from all these posts! Bon Appetit!
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 5:13 am
Natasha A. says:

I am going to recommend a book for you. It has saved me numerous times. She is a fellow Canadian, who had something like 8 kids. She has a tv show on Food TV Canada, called Fixing Dinner. The cookbook is Cooking for the rushed – Life’s on fire. All of the recipes have a time to prepare. All of them are fairly easy. I have made probably 25 recipes out of the book so far, and I have only not liked 2! THAT is impressive for a cookbook!

http://www.cookingfortherushed.com/books/life.htm

She has other books but they are a bit more difficult.
One recipe: Easy meatballs – litterally take your ground beef, roll it into balls, and boil. When last one is thrown into water, time for 7 minutes. Take out of water and mix with your fav sauce (honey garlic VH sauce for me) have rice and a veg on the side.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 5:22 am
Linda Henderson says:

I know it’s not exactly soup weather yet but my oldest daughter loves potato soup and could eat it any time of year. It’s also very simple. I usually use a 5 quart pan for this. Cut up potatoes (I usually use at least 5 pounds) don’t cut to small or they will be mush. Boil until almost done then add noodles (I like krinkly noodles) as many as you want. I usually use at least half a bag. Finish boiling. Then add a stick of butter and two cans of cream. And of course you have to salt and pepper to taste. It’s a simple dish and you don’t have to stand over it. With the potatoes and noodles it’s really filling. Now it is definately not diet friendly.

Linda Henderson
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 5:55 am
ashley says:

Really easy – take chicken legs, roll in bread crumbs. Sprinkle (cover) with ranch seasoning (packets that also do salad dressing). Bake at 350 until done. I saw this one on TV and decided to try it. My kids actually thought it was good.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 5:56 am
Ashley says:

One of my faves thats easy is pizza casserole.
Just brown some hamburger meat and toss it in a dish with any type of cooked pasta (my preference is pene or rigatoni), pepperoni, pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, mozzorella and chedder cheese and pretty much anything else you like, cover and cook in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Then if you like uncover and add more cheese to the top and leave in for another 5 minutes or so. I like the stuff you can walk away from and let it cook itself!
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 5:58 am
DB in MD says:

Hello Jill -
First time commenter here. Love your blog! And your books!
This is my recipe for what I call Easy Crispy Chicken Cordon Bleu.

6 thin sliced boneless chicken breasts
6 slices deli ham
6 slices swiss cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 package Oven Fry Extra Crispy coating mix
parsley for garnish

Lay chicken breasts out flat. Top each breast with one slice of ham, then one slice of swiss cheese.
Roll up and secure with toothpick. Dip rolled chicken into egg, then cover completely with coating mix. Place in baking dish and sprinkle with parsley.
Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 5:59 am
Caroline says:

Due you like Tuna? Do you like pasta? Do you like cheese? Do you like sweetcorn? If you do then cook pasta, mix in the tuna and sweetcorn put it in a ovenproof dish, grate cheese, dump in on the top and put it in the oven to crisp off. (For extra moisture put a tin of tomatoes in as well (optional). Take care. Caroline x
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 6:21 am
Samantha says:

Here’s a healthy, easy recipe for ya Jill.

Greek Chicken
4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 green pepper diced
1/2 red onion diced
1 red pepper diced
1 lemon
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2-3/4 C Feta cheese, crumbled (your preference if you like more feta cheese)
oregano
salt & pepper

Place Chicken in 9×13 casserole dish. Pour olive oil over chicken breasts evenly. Mix all vegetables and crumbled feta chese in bowl and mix well. Place that mixture evenly over chicken breasts. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and oregano to taste. Cut lemon and squeeze juice over chicken breasts. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. For a side dish with this I make couscous. Hope you like it!
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 6:22 am
Ang says:

Sorry my husband does all the cooking…but when I have to provide dinner it is either “Hello Domino’s, I’d like to place an order”. (They even offer more than just pizza now.)or spaghetti and a salad.LOL

But there is a website I have started to get ideas from it is: http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen There are tons of ideas there!
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 6:35 am
Kate Hardy says:

A really lazy one, Jill? This involves half a bottle of wine (so you enjoy the other half with dinner *g*) – it’s a cheat’s version of beef in red wine (just steam some green veg to go with it).

500g of diced casserole steak (can substitute 500g of diced pork, trimmed of all fat; or 4 boneless chicken breasts)
half a bottle of red wine
1 tsp Marigold bouillion powder
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
3 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
1 onion, peeled and sliced
250g button mushrooms, washed and quartered
pinch of mixed herbs (to taste)
3 teaspoons of cornflour
1 tbs tomato puree
Put the meat in the bottom of a casserole dish.

Add the rest of the ingredients except the cornflour and tomato puree.

Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least an hour (longer for the beef or pork to help tenderise it).

Cook the casserole at 180 degrees C for about 80 minutes.

Mix the cornflour and tomato puree with a little wine and add gradually to the casserole, stirring, until to the desired thickness.

Back in the oven for 10 minutes.

Serve with jacket potatoes (put them in the oven at the same time as the casserole).
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 6:39 am
Trish says:

Easy:

1 lb skinless smoked sausage (Eckridge,Hillshire farms brands in our area)
Cup or two chopped celery
Cup chopped onion
Brown together in a splash of olive oil until veggies are soft

Add:
1 one lb box penne pasta (cooked)
cup or two of chicken broth

Add in any and/or all or whatever else you have on hand:

Cherry or grape tomatoes
Bag cole slaw mix
diced zucchini
green and/or red peppers
yellow squash

Cover and cook until the added veggies and pasta are hot, stirring often.

I top with a handful of shredded cheese.
This is quick, easy and really tasty. Tastes good the next day too.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 6:53 am
Terri says:

Easy and includes a vegetable so I feel like I am being a good Mom.
1 can crescent rolls
cooked broccoli (in a pinch I get frozen broccoli with cheese)
ham (in a pinch I use lunch meat sliced thicker and cut it up in bite size pieces)
cheese of choice (I like swiss and my kids like it with plain old American cheese slices.)

Place 6 crescent roll triangles on a cookie sheet with the corners touching. Squish 2 crescent rolls to fill the middle. Place broccoli, cheese and ham in the center. Pull the edges of the rolls up and over the broccoli, cheese and ham and overlap the the tops. Bake following the crescent rolls direction. I make 2-3 of these for my family for dinner.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 7:04 am
Rosie G. says:

Lots of good recipes here – should keep your family happy.

Here is one for quik spaghetti and tasty meatsauce:
1 – 1 1/2 lbs chopped meat – dont use the 90 or 93% percent lean – will be too dry

1 1/2 cup bread crumbs – any type you want – I prefer fresh white bread chopped done in blender

2 tsps garlic powder or chopped garlic – you can use chopped from jar if you go the real garlic route

1 tsp salt
dash black pepper

1/2 – 1 cup of Ital romano or parm cheese

2 eggs

Mix all together and break up in pieces with your hands and fry in olive oil til brown. Toss in your fav jar of tomato sauce or 28 oz can or so size of tomato sauce and heat for about 20 – 30 mins. Pour over your fav pasta, ravioli or whatever you like. You can add sauteed fresh mushroom too if that suits your fancy. It is like making meatballs without the rolling and fry each one.

Another variation is what I call dry macaroni
Just fry the chopmeat in olive oil without all the other ingredients. Add fresh garlic or garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. When brown toss over spaghetti, add plenty of grating cheese on top. A nice glass of wine on the side and you are good to go.

I also substitute cooked cauliflower for the chopmeat and everything else the same and toss over pasta. A hint – save the water from the cauliflower and cook the pasta in it. Gives it a bit more flavor.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 7:21 am
Kelly B says:

Hey Jill:

Just recently found your blog and have to say I am now a die hard fan! Of course I was always a fan of your writing…I just feel less lonely knowing I am not the only person in the world with the “Lucy Luck”.

A fellow co-worker and I are always trying to out do each other when it comes to cooking. Right now I am winning with my latest lazy cooking creation. In your honor I am calling it Jill’s Chicken.(And yes, that was very obviously an attempt to suck up. What can I say?)

You need the following:

2 lbs. chicken breast cut up to small bite sized pieces and sautéed or 1 package Tyson breaded chicken baked off in the oven as per package directions.

Sauce
2 jars apricot preserves or orange preserves
Brown sugar to taste
Soy sauce to taste
6 – 8 dashes of your favorite hot sauce

Scallions, cut on the diagonal
Frozen broccoli florets, defrosted
1 can mushrooms
Steamed rice, white or brown

Cook the chicken. Depending on which one you want to use either sauté with some olive oil or bake off in the oven per package directions. In a separate pan combine the sauce ingredients until you get a sweet taste you like. Remember it can be a little sweeter than normal since this is served over rice. After the sauce comes to temperature add the broccoli and mushrooms. Once the broccoli is cooked al dente (not mush) add the chicken pieces and coat with the sauce. Garnish with the scallions and serve over rice.

Voila, Jill’s Chicken. Enjoy.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 7:34 am
JackieToo says:

Okay. My brain is fried and I can’t think of any recipes at the moment even though I love to cook. I am more of a throw-stuff-together-and-see-what-happens cook. My mother called the results “concotions”.

Maybe the lady at http://busycooks.about.com/ can help or go here http://allrecipes.com/.

I think whoever stole the donut should have to cook supper!
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 7:37 am
Maureen says:

Today I am making a simple recipe that you put in the crockpot:
4 lbs. boneless pork ribs
1 cup French Catalina salad dressing
1 cup barbeque sauce
cut up the ribs into individual pieces. Mix the dressing and sauce together and pour over the pork. Cook on low for 8 hours. I serve them over brown rice but my son will put the pork on a roll.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 7:41 am
Hélène says:

Thank you for the recipes above ladies.
One of my favs, and easiest one is:

Crunchy Ramen Cabbage Salad

1 (3-oz) package of chicken flavor ramen noodles with flavor packet

Dressing:

2-Tbs red wine vinegar
2-Tbs seasoned rice vinegar
3-Tbs granulated sugar
1/2-tsp salt
1/4-tsp ground black pepper
4-Tbs cooking oil
1-tsp toasted sesame oil
1 ramen chicken flavor packet

Salad:

8-cups (1 head) cabbage, shredded, or a bag. (I like to mix Green, red cabbage)
1/2-cup slivered almonds, toasted
2-Tbs sesame seeds, toasted
1 (3-oz) brick ramen noodles, broken into 1/4 inch pieces – uncooked
To taste: – veggies (finely chopped red & green peppers, purple onion, or green onion, broccoli)

In a small saucepan, heat vinegar and sugar over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Stir in salt, pepper, contents of ramen chicken flavor packet, cooking oil and sesame oil. Stir until everything is well mixed. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine broken up ramen noodles and shredded cabbage. Mix well. Pour cooled dressing over the shredded cabbage mixture.

Sprinkle toasted almonds & sesame seeds on top of the cabbage salad.

I either serve this as a side salad, or with pieces of chicken, for a complete meal.

Enjoy.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 7:41 am
Tracy S says:

Easy Chicken Soup.

I start with about 20 c. of water (you can make as large or as small a batch as you want)

Add 20 bouillon cubes.

Cut up carrots and celery. Add to water.

When water is boiling, add boneless, skinless chicken breasts (too taste. I love the chicken so I use about 4-5)

Simmer for 1.5 hours. During the last half hour make egg noodles.

Remove chicken from pot, cut into chunks, put back into water, add noodles.

Easy, tasty chicken soup!!
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 7:42 am
cursingmama says:

How about my Chili http://cursingmama.blogspot.com/2009/03/when-im-feeling-chili.html

Or my Roast beef sandwiches? http://cursingmama.blogspot.com/2009/01/roast-beef-cursingmama-style.html
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 7:48 am
Fannie says:

There are so many good recipes listed, I will be trying a lot of them. My favorite go-to-in-a-hurry recipe is:

1 pd. ground beef
1 can french sliced green beans
1 can tomato soup
mashed potatoes

Brown the beef and drain. Put in the bottom of a casserole dish.Layer the green beans on top of the beef. Put the soup on top of that. Spread the potatoes on top.(the potatoes can be leftovers or even instant. Either works) Put in a 350 degree oven for about 30 to 40 min.Serve with bread and a salad and dinner is done.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 7:54 am
Trish says:

Oops … forgot to mention to cut the smoked sausage in bite sized pieces before you brown with celery and onions. Sorry
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 8:06 am
cheryl c. says:

There are some great recipes here that I plan to try out myself!

Here is a super-easy, yummy recipe that I used as a newlywed, and my family still likes it.

CHILI-FRITO CASSEROLE
1 pkg. of Fritos (crushed)
1 onion (chopped fine) OR 1/4 cup chopped onions
3-4 cans chili (any kind you like)

Layer ingredients in casserole dish. Repeat layers until dish is full. Cover top with shredded cheddar cheese. Cover with foil. Bake 20-30 minutes in 400 degree oven until cheese is melted and chili is heated through.

You can adjust the ingredient amounts according to taste and the number of people eating.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 9:25 am
D says:

Yum..these recipes sound great. I don’t think yu could go wrong with any of them. I’m not good giving out recipes, since I never measure anything. I was taught to cook by my southern mama. A dash of this, a pinch of that, you get the idea. But my family always love my baked chicken breast.(and since it was on sale last week I have lots in the freezer, this is what I’m making tonight) You simply drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, sprinkle on some rosemary and thyme, throw in the oven and bake until done. Serve it with a salad and (ok this part depends on what I have enough of in my pantry or my mood) potatoes, rice or favorite pasta dish(lol)Usually rice because it’s the easiest. good luck deciding on dinner tonight..
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 9:28 am
Kirsten says:

I am a one pot (all these recipes u can throw everything into one pot and let it simmer)sort of woman so my faves are:

http://www.spiceislands.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?RecipeId=516ed097-3791-410a-9b75-05bc2e1a31cc&PageId=0&Search=1&CategoryId=&SearchTerm=curried chicken u can use any meat u want with this recipe

White Bean Soup: 1 26oz bottle of favorite spaghetti sauce, two 15oz cans of chicken or beef broth, two cans great northern or navy beans, sweet pepper (if u like), 1 bag of tortellini or beef ravioli, and if you want it heartier u can add chicken or more beef

Taco Soup: (which can actually be more like stew) 1 lb beef browned with garlic and onion powder, 1 can black beans, 1 can kidney beans, 1 28oz can crushed tomato, 1 can 14oz or bag 16oz corn, 2 tbsp taco seasoning, 2 tbsp ranch dressing – I serve it cooled over salad, or warm like chili
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Patricia says:

Jill, This is my fave crock-pot recipe, which is healthy, easy & uses leftover meat. Cut up 3 stalks of celery, w/tops; 1 lg. onion; & 1 green pepper. Add 1-14.5 oz. diced canned tomatoes; leftover meat–I use leftover cut-up chix breast; add pepper & dash of curry powder. Cook all day on low. Serve over rice (I use Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice packet which cooks in 4 min. in microwave). Easy, healthy; serve with salad.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Kirsten says:

I forgot to add that I’ve also got a one pot option for things like garlic beef or chicken, cashew chicken, kung pao chicken if you are interested.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 9:50 am
SALLYE says:

PLEASE ANSWER THIS QUESTION FOR ME, YOU MADE A COMMENT A WHILE BACK THAT YOU ARE DIABETIC….. I ALSO AM A TYPE 2 DIABETIC AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH EATING WHATEVER SWEET YOU WANT. I AM ON A VERY STRICT DIET IN ORDER TO CONTROL MY DIABETIS AND ALSO TAKE MANY PILLS DURING THE DAY, HOW DO YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR DIABETIS????????????? BY NOT TAKING CARE OF IT???????????
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Eshani says:

Hey Jill,
This is a pretty yummy recipes that you can find on the olive garden web site under recipes =)

Ingredients
4 each (4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups flour, plus 1 tablespoon
1 Tbsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 lb fettuccine pasta, cooked according to package directions
5 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp garlic, chopped
1 red pepper, julienne cut
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 lb whole leaf spinach, stemmed
2 cups heavy cream
1 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

Procedures
Pre-heat oven to 350ºF.

MIX 1½ cups flour, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in the mixture, shaking off any excess.
HEAT 3 Tbsp oil in a large skillet. Cook chicken breasts 2 at a time over medium-high heat until golden brown and crisp (2-3 min). Add more oil for each batch as necessary.
PLACE cooked chicken breasts on a baking sheet and transfer to preheated oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
HEAT 2 Tbsp oil in a sauce pan. Add garlic and red pepper and cook for approximately 1 minute. Stir in 1 Tbsp flour, wine, spinach and cream and bring to a boil. Sauce is done when spinach becomes wilted. Complete by stirring in parmesan cheese.
COAT cooked, drained pasta with sauce, then top with chicken and remaining sauce. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese.
They also have some other delicious, easy recipes.
Hope you have a great, fuss-free dinner!
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 10:01 am
Jill says:

Sallye,
I control the diabetes by diet, though I’m sure it doesn’t seem like it with all my joking around about my eating habits. The truth is, I eat very healthily.

Most of the time.

I have discovered that by giving up all alcohol, and by eating throughout the day so that I’m never “empty”, I can “cheat”. I choose to cheat with cookies. So if I have eaten well, I allow myself two or three cookies every day, but that’s about it for the sugar intake.

As for the donuts, that is a very RARE infraction, and I have to give up the cookies to have it. I’d only eaten half the donut and was saving the other half.

ONLY SOMEONE BEAT ME TO IT!
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Lori says:

Here’s another easy-peasy chicken recipe for the crockpot. I love it because I’m ALWAYS forgetting to defrost the chicken, and for this one? Yup. Toss ‘em in frozen.

4 Frozen chicken breasts
1 packet dry italian dressing mix
1 14 oz can chicken broth

Toss it all in the crock pot and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Seriously. That’s it. It is so tender.

Serve it up w/rice, noodles, biscuits, whatever… and a salad and you’re good to go.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Samantha says:

Another slow cooker recipe, this one I always have supplies on hand for.

Beef Stroganoff
1 to 1 1/2 lbs stew meat
as much small diced onion as you like
sliced mushrooms (these are standard but we don’t eat them so I have no clue when to add them)
McKormick Hearty Beef Stew packaged mix
8 oz sour cream
3 cups beef stock
package of egg noodles (depending on how many people are eating you might need half or the whole package)

In the slow cooker add the stock, beef, stew mix and onion. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4. Right at the end start some water to boil the pasta. While the pasta is cooking (you want about a minute less than al dente) add the sour cream to the meat sauce.

You can serve it all mixed together, the noodles won’t clump that way, or as a sauce over the top.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 10:21 am
Jill D says:

This is very simple and very easy to throw together and you can do many varieties depending on what your family likes.

1 lb hamburger browned and grease drained
1 pkg frozen broccoli (I use Green Giant Steamers chopped broccoli) you could also use california blend or any type of vegetable mix.
cooked rice or baked potatoes (enough for however many people you are cooking for
cheese sauce (I use Ragu cheese sauce)

Take a plate put your rice or potato on the bottom vegetable, meat and drizzle melted cheese sauce over the top. Instant meal! I usually serve with biscuits or some type of bread. The possibilities with this are endless from the meat you use to the vegetables. My family are deer hunters and we sometimes fry deer salami or deer bologna and use it place of hamburger but you could use chicken, shrimp just about anything. No one at my house goes “Oh Mom, not that again” when I tell them that is what we are having for supper.

Something for the crock pot that we do is slice potatoes and put in the bottom, brown cube steak cut up into serving size pieces then put them on top of potatoes take a couple of cans of cream of mushroom soup a little salt and pepper and dump on top of meat and potatoes. Let cook all day on low and your meal is ready to go when you are ready for supper. You can also put this in a 9×13 greased pan and cook for 1 hour @350 covered with aluminum foil.

Everyone enjoy, all of these recipes are making me hungry!
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 10:35 am
KAREN T. says:

How about a fast cream cheese pie: (You need a good dessert to go along with all these great recipes.

Heart’s Desire:
8 oz cream cheese softened (do not use low fat- it tastes good but is hard to cut if you dont use the heavy duty cream cheese bar)

3/4 to 1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 pint (1 cup) of heavy cream
1 9″ prepared graham crust

With electric mixer, beat cream cheese; add powdered sugar, vanilla and heavy cream. Beat til smooth. Pour into pie shell and refrigerate until firm, about 8 – 10 hrs. Garnish with strawberries or your favorite fruit. Serves 6-8.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Jana says:

Easy BBQ Bake

Layer a casserole dish with either canned biscuits or crescent rolls (rolled out flat and connected), brown some ground beef or turkey burger and drain. Mix with BBQ sauce of choice and pour over biscuits/crescent rolls, layer on some shredded cheese over that. Cover and bake until cheese is lightly brown and biscuit/crescents are done. About 30-45 minutes. Uncover to get the cheese a little more brown, if neccessary.

Easy peasy, and this from a gal who RARELY cooks stuff that isn’t prepackaged and microwavable. Took it to a church social and it was GONE.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Katie Mack says:

I’m a pretty lazy cook, so I like easy recipes. Here’s one of my most-used ones. I also highly recommend the book “Quick Fix Meals” by Robin Miller. She is awesome.

Pasta Casserole (no need to pre-cook pasta)

1. Add uncooked pasta (farfalle or bow-tie works best) to an ungreased casserole dish.

2. Add marinara sauce, a handful of mozzerella cheese, small chunks of uncooked sausage and stir. Use enough sauce so that all pasta is COVERED with sauce. Make sure pasta is evenly distributed and no pieces are sticking out above the sauce. (Any pasta that isn’t in the sauce will be crunchy.) Note: You do not need to add any water to the mixture.

4. Sprinkle top with as much/little mozzerella cheese as you want.

5. Cook at 350 degrees for approx. 45-60 minutes. Basically, until cheese on top is browned and sauce is bubbling.

Or you could just do something like Ultimate Baked Potatoes (microwave the potatoes) or Chicken Fajitas.

(P.S. Please don’t enter me in the drawing.)
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Veronna Drane says:

EASY Two Step Inside Out Chicken Pot Pie

1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cut-up
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup or Campbell’s® Condensed 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen vegetable combination (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)
8 hot biscuits, split

COOK chicken in nonstick skillet until browned, stirring often.

ADD soup and vegetables. Cover and simmer until done. Serve on biscuits.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Twitter Trackbacks for Help | Author Jill Shalvis [jillshalvis.com] on Topsy.com says:

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Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
JulieLeto says:

Jill, don’t enter me in the drawing, but here’s a quick recipe…

Picadillo

1 lb. lean ground beef
2 T olive oil (more or less)
Splash red wine
1 small onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped or minced
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 T tomato paste
1 can (medium) tomato sauce
salt, pepper, italian seasonings
Optional: mushrooms
potatoes

Brown the meat and set aside to drain. Saute onion, garlic, green pepper in olive oil. Once onions are translucent, add tomato paste and incorporate into mixture. Add wine. Stir in cooked meat. Add tomato sauce and then season with salt, pepper & seasonings. Cook on medium, covered, for about ten-fifteen minutes. Remove cover and cook a bit more. Add wine if it dries out too much.

Serve over white rice.

Can garnish with peas if the family likes them.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Carrie says:

I like to make a chicken pasta thing in the crock-pot.

Take some boneless skinless chicken breast and toss it into the crock pot with some spaghetti sauce. Cook for 5-6 hours on high. Remove the chicken and place in baking dish cover with mozzarella cheese and bake at 350 for 10 min. Serve over spaghetti.

It is really easy and yummy!
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Helen L. says:

Delish Chicken Cutlets
3 boneless ckn cutlets
2 eggs beaten
1 and one half cups of Ital. Flavored Breadcrumbs
Canola Oil
Mushrooms
2 tbs flour
water or white wine
chicken broth or the ckn cube in a jar or the granules (like them best – easier to dissolve)
1 or 2 pkts of Knorr Ckn Gravy

Dip ckn cutlets in the eggs, then in the bread crumbs. Fry in hot oil til nicely browned and put on paper towels to soak up some of the oil.

After all the cutlets are removed, saute the mushrooms a bit, then add the 2 tbs of flour and stir til mushroom are coated. Add some water or wine and stir. Add the broth or a few tsps of the ckn broth granules. Stir til thickened. Put cutlets back in fry pan and add prepared Knorr Chicken Gravy Packet(s) as directed and pour over cutlets. Stir a bit and cover and cook on low heat for about 20 mins. The gravy is to die for. If you have any white wine, you can add some of that too.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Helen L. says:

Important – make sure the ckn cutlets are thinly sliced. Or you can take the cutlets out of the freezer ahead of time or overnight and thinly slice them yourself to make several thin cutlets.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
catslady says:

This is really, really easy and everyone seems to love it.

Chicken (whatever kind you like)
honey mustard (or any kind you prefer)
French fried onions

Put mustard on chicken, sprinkle on the onions and bake. That’s it. Either add the onions on when almost done or cover with foil for a while. Making sure they don’t burn is the only thing that could possibly happen to this recipe.

Or add a jar of salsa to chicken and bake. (you could add corn or black beans if you wish).
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Brandy says:

Wow, some of these recipes sound really good. I may have to try them! *G* All my recipes are altered from the ones I grew up with when I was young. I pared them down and made them more simple and used lower fat ingredients.
Chicken Paprika is a favorite around here. *G* I take 3 chicken breasts and place them in a pot with enough water to cover them I add in two bullion cubes and a 1/4 teaspoon of minced garlic. I also add in One tablespoon of paprika. Bring to a boil, cover and lower temp to a simmer for about 20 minutes. That should be enough time for the chicken to cook and soften. I take the chicken out, shred it and add it back in to the broth/paprika mixture. Bring back to a simmer and add one 16oz. container of sour cream (we use fat free or low fat). Make sure the sour cream is mixed in thoroughly. Now the mixture needs to be thickened. We use a bit of corn starch mixed. It should be to the consistency of chunky (because of the chicken) gravy. Serve over rice or egg noodles. (We use yolk-less egg noodles most the time.)
I like recipes that I don’t have to spend a lot of time with, or on. Now my hubs? He can make a Teriyaki cornish game hen……yum. (But good God does he make a mess in my kitchen!)
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Brandy says:

Um, should have mentioned the chicken breasts should be the ones deboned. Oops. *G*
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Nicole S says:

This Mac and cheese with chicken and broccoli recipe from Rachael Ray I make all the time for my family. I think it delicious. Has all four of my favorite things, pasta, cheese, chicken, and broccoli.

http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=174
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Jane says:

I get most of my recipes from the Food Network site and from the Kraft Foods site.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Allie says:

Am I the only vegetarian who reads this blog?

Don’t worry, this recipe is still useful to non-vegetarians. Just boil some chicken (or whatever you people do to it! ) and add it to the finished chili. I imagine there is some way to cook the chicken with the rest of the chili, so feel free to do that if you know how… My husband likes to grill his chicken on a little thingie.

Here is my favorite black bean chili recipe for the crockpot. Be sure you read all my notes, because I change the recipe quite a little bit.

Black Bean Chili (modified from Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Robin
Robertson)

1 small yellow onion, chopped (I use dried onion)
1 medium bell pepper, seeded/chopped (I use canned corn)
2 garlic cloves, minced (I use dried diced garlic)
2 tablespoons chili powder, more to taste
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 15.5-ounce cans black beans (I use 3 cans)
1 cup water (I leave this out)
One 4-ounce can diced green chiles, drained (I don’t drain it, and I try to find a bigger can)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper (I use Mrs. Dash – no salt)

Put everything in the crockpot. Stir. Turn on crockpot. In 6 hours you have dinner. The cookbook has some more directions but they don’t seem to change the taste.

(I serve this with garlic bread).
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Lori says:

Allie, I am also a vegetarian (so there are at least two of us!) but my husband likes the following:

Cook a box of mac & cheese just like normal

Brown hamburger with onion and bell pepper if you like it until done and drain fat
add 1 can of diced tomatoes
add 1 can of tomatoe sauce (large can)
(I add 1 small can of paste also)
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of corn (or frozen)
garlic, salt, pepper and chili powder to taste
heat through and add mac & cheese.

That’s it!
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Terri W. says:

In-a-Hurry Beef and Potato Hash

1 lb lean ground beef
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, defrosted
salt and pepper

In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef, breaking up with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Place in sieve to drain any fat; transfer to bowl. Stir in Worcestershire sauce.

Add oil to skillet; cook onion, green pepper and potatatoes, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes or until potatoes are golden. Add ground beef; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 2 minutes or until heated through.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Jeanne C says:

I heard a doctor talk about this recipe on TV and tried it on my family. They really liked it.

Place boneless, skinless chicken breats in crockpot. Cover with Cream of Mushroom Soup (doctor recommended light soup). Cover this with Salsa and cook.

Just before serving, sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Continue cooking until cheese is melted.

Serve with any side dishes your family likes.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Donna M says:

You have a lot of suggestions! My brain isn’t working right at the moment! I’ve had two days that were mostly stressful. Tomorrow I am headed to the coast to visit friends & stay the night. We are going on a hike which will be great for destressing!! Just seeing the ocean will make me feel better & I can see it from their deck. If I can think of a good, easy recipe I’ll send it to you! I love to cook but don’t necessarily need it to be quick & easy.

One suggestion for an easy meal is tacos, prepare whatever meat you want, chop tomatoes, green onion, avocado, grate jack or cheddar cheese and whatever else you like in your tacos. Each person assembles their own & adds salsa or any kind of taco sauce. Yum! I love tacos and almost any kind of Mexican food. Also burritos are super easy & I think quick & easy. Again your can put whatever you want in them

Good luck with something new to feed the family. You might want to check out some of Rachel Ray’s cookbooks. She does alot of easy 30 minute type meals.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
Sonya says:

Very cool! Love these recipes and can’t wait to try a few of them.

Here’s one I use when I’ve run out of time (most days), I’m starving (nearly always) and I totally don’t feel like cooking (again, nearly always). I have NEVER been a fan of meatloaf. Until I got this recipe.

1 lb of ground beef
1 egg
1 T. Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 c. ketchup
3/4 c. Perperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Dressing
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and shape into a loaf. Place in a pan large enough to add vegetables around it. Then add the following:

3 potatoes, washed and cut into chunks
1/2 lb baby carrots
1 stick of celery, cut into chunks
1 large onion, cut into chunks
1 can diced tomatoes with basil and oregano

Cover with aluminum foil and cook at 400 degrees for 1 hour.

It’s really easy and totally fabulous. Promise.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Sonya says:

Hmmm…that should be Pepperidge – not Perperidge.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Amy says:

I post a recipe a day on my blog, some are gourmet, some are relatively simple, some are written for my kids. Feel free to check it out! I am in the process of hooking my mom onto your blog and books. She is a HUGE romance reader!
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
tennismom mary g says:

When my husband asks me what I’m making for dinner, I say “reservations”. In our family I am the hunter-gatherer(shopping for groceries) & hubby is the amazing cook. Many times during the week we are rushing home from work to get to tennis. We can get sick of quick meals. We make extra of the wonderful meals that we make on the weekend & freeze them to warm up for the nights that we don’t have a lot of time. That’s our solution.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Marie says:

Here’s a yummy and really easy recipe for Shepherd’s Pie http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/000216easy_shepherds_pie.php
And there’s always great recipes on: http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
trish c says:

I’m out of this one Jill. I trained the husband to cook for us. The only time he gets a break is if I take him out to dinner. Did I mention he cooks all day long in a restaurant??? Poor man. Lucky me.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Jen R. says:

This is absolutely my go-to recipe. It’s amazing. Every time my husband goes out of town and I’m watching 6 kids all day long (child care) and then cleaning up and watching our two kids, I pull out the ingredients for this recipe.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/lemon-spaghetti-recipe/index.html

I. Love. It.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
shannon says:

My favorite quick recipe this time of year is bow tie pasta with fresh chopped tomatoes and chopped basil drizzled with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Some times I add in grilled shrimp or chicken. Sometimes I toss in some capers or olives or artichoke hearts but mostly I just do it plain because it is easy, takes less than 20 minutes and tastes good.
Posted on August 27th, 2009 at 12:51 am
MickeyMac says:

Here is a tasty fast dinner macaraoni salad.

Mix together:
Cooked macaroni – elbows, ditalini or whatever smaller version you like

a little mayo or ranch dressing – just enuf to coat and give some flavor

cut up cooked chicken pieces – Perdue or whatever brand is availabe in your area is great if you dont have any leftover

sliced black olives

some dried cranberriesa

a little bit of corn
Posted on August 27th, 2009 at 4:26 am
Wendy says:

Oops I forgot to mention in my previous post (#13) that you’ll need to add Taco seasoning to the browned hamburger.

Wendy
Posted on August 27th, 2009 at 5:32 am
Joanne V. says:

These recipes are all really tempting. Will have to print up this page.

Here is mine for Garlic Chicken
1 whole chicken cut up (you can double, triple the recipe as needed)

4 cloves of garlic chopped small or smashed in a garlic press which I am sure you have, Jill.

1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp oregano

Mix all ingredients but chicken and hold aside.
Put chicken in oven at 375 and cook til well browned.

Then pour over garlic mixture and scrape bottom of pan to get all the nice brown stuff mixed with it. Cook for about 20 mins more. Juice should be nice and brown. Serve.
Posted on August 27th, 2009 at 6:42 am
Kristina C. says:

Okay, so I’m a day late! My baby just started pre-school and then kicked me out of his class room! I’m heart-broken!!!!! This recipe looks like alot but it’s not!!!!

Slow Cooker Chicken & Ham Gumbo
1 1/2 LB Boneless/Skinless Chicken Thighs
1 TBSP. Oil
1/2 Cup Long Grain Rice
10 oz. PKG Frozen Okra
1/2 LB Smoked Ham (Cut into small pieces)
1 1/2 Cup coarsley chopped Onion and Green Peppers
2 or 3 10 oz cans Cannellini beans, drained (I used kidney and Black Beans)
6 cups chicken broth
2 10 oz cans diced tomatoes with green chiles (if you don’t like spicy use one regular diced and one with chiles)
2 TBSP fresh cilantro

1. Cut chicken into bite size pieces. Cook in oil in skillet until no longer pink. (I also cooked it in garlic, seasoned meat tenderizer and parsley) 2. Run hot water over Okra until pieces separate easily. 3. Combine all ingredients except cilantro in Slow Cooker. (Also, I added garlic, parsley and pepper to the whole pot.) 4. Cover. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Stir cilantro before serving.

It sounds like alot. But it isn’t at all! Just make sure you buy the chicken already skinless and boneless! LOL
Posted on August 27th, 2009 at 7:29 am
sls-rainey says:

I’m getting hungry. The donut sounds the best.
Posted on August 27th, 2009 at 7:42 am
Lynn R. says:

I’m going to have to tryout all of these great recipes. One of my favorite side dish is my mother’s macaroni salad.

1 pound of elbow macaroni (cooked)
1 large can of tuna fish
green olives; chopped (as many as you desire to taste)
chopped celery
mayonnaise (as much as you desire)
Salt and pepper to taste

It’s quick and easy. Hope you enjoy it.
Posted on August 27th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Ann says:

My favorite recipe:

Chicken parts – your choice (I use boneless thighs)
1 large jar of salsa/picante – your choice mild/med./hot
I can corn (drained)
1 can black beans – drained.

Place all in a crock pot, and cook on low for 4 hours or until chicken is done.

I serve it with cornbread but you can use brown rice (even the instant kind) or cous-cous, pasta, whatever.

The sauce makes a great soup if you take the left over chicken pieces and chop them up, stir in and serve with corn chips.
Posted on August 27th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Amy M says:

Ok, it looks like you have enough here to feed you for quite some time. But what the heck, I will give you one more. since I might steal some ideas from the other pots

Ingredients:
Chicken breasts (1 per person, or 2-3 if they eat like my hubby)
Teryaki marinade
Blue Cheese
Cherry Tomatoes

Cut a slit into the chicken breasts to make a pocket then put in a bag and pour the marinade in the bag and let the chicken hang out for a few hours or overnight.

When you are ready to cook, take the out of the marinade and stuff them with the blue cheese, then throw them on the grill until they are done. While the chickens are cooking, cut the cherry tomoatoes in half. Spray a pan with cooking spray, and throw in the tomatoes and cook them over medium-low heat until they are soft. Add a little salt and pepper. When the chicken is done, add the tomatoes on top.

Good eatin!
Posted on August 28th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Kathy from California says:

Late but I’ll still chime in (sorry).

1. Grilled salmon + asparagus. Get wild salmon hopefully from Costco, about 1.75 times as much as you’d typically buy. You can grill it plain, or marinate it with soy sauce, garlic, lime, bourbon, brown sugar, or store-bought teriyaki. Grill it on a gas or charcoal grill (or better yet get Alpha Man to grill it) along with twice as many asparagus as you’ll want. Also acquire fresh dinner rolls or bread. First night, serve grilled salmon, asparagus, and rolls hot. I usually add sliced fresh tomatoes and cottage cheese but I’m weird that way.

Then, second night, boil some pasta. I always use whole wheat and prefer fusilli. Flake the salmon and chop the leftover asparagus, then warm in pan. Add either julienned sun-dried tomatoes or pesto sauce plus Parmesan cheese (the real kind, NOT Kraft). Pour over drained pasta. Makes a lovely meal that doesn’t seem like leftovers.

2. My favorite easy winter dish is baked chicken with veggies. Put small potatoes, whole small mushrooms (trimmed and wiped), cubed onion, those easy cleaned mini carrots, and anything else that sounds good (I use chopped fennel or parsnips or bacon or turnips or all of these) in the bottom of a 13 x 9″ pan (I use glass). Drizzle very generously with olive oil (and I add that garlic that you can buy pre-grated but the stuff from California not the stuff from China). Put four chicken breasts, or two breasts and two thighs, atop your lovely veggie collection, skin side up. Cook at 350 degrees for about an hour. Makes the whole house smell good. Sometimes I make biscuits to go with this meal, and sometimes apple pie.

Enjoy!
Posted on August 28th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Laurie G says:

GRILLED ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES

1 medium onion, sliced 1 medium green pepper sliced ½ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons vegetable oil ¼ teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 8 slices sourdough bread 16 slices Colby-Monterey Jack or Swiss cheese, divided 8 slices deli roast beef ½ cup butter or margarine, softened Garlic salt, optional
In a large skillet, sauté the onion, green pepper, mushrooms and garlic in oil until tender; sprinkle with salt and pepper. On four slices of bread, layer two slices of cheese, two slices of beef and a fourth of the vegetable mixture. Top with the remaining cheese and bread.
Butter outsides of bread; sprinkle with garlic salt if desired. On a hot griddle, toast sandwiches for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

CALGARY STAMPEDE RIBS (From Taste of Home)

Ingredients:
4 pounds pork back ribs, cut into serving-size pieces 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon paprika 2 teaspoons each salt, pepper, chili powder and ground cumin
BARBECUE SAUCE:
1 small onion, finely chopped 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup ketchup 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 3 tablespoons lemon juice 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1-1/2 teaspoons ground mustard 1 teaspoon celery seed 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions:
Rub ribs with garlic; place in a shallow roasting pan. Cover and bake at 325° for 2 hours. Cool slightly. Combine the seasonings and rub over ribs. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
In a small saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook and stir until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside 3/4 cup. Brush ribs with some of the remaining sauce.
Grill, covered, over medium heat for 12 minutes, turning and basting with sauce. Serve with reserved sauce. Yield: 4 servings.

BREAKFAST
Blueberry French Toast Casserole

1 loaf French bread, crust removed, cut into 1 inch cubes 1 8 oz pkg cream cheese 1 c blueberries (fresh or frozen) 12 eggs 2 c milk 1/3 c maple syrup Blueberry sauce (recipe below)

Place half the bread cubes into greased 13×9×2 dish. Cut cream cheese into cubes and place over bread. Top with blueberries and remaining bread cubes. In a large bowl, beat eggs, add milk and syrup. Mix well and pour over bread mixtures. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover; bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 25-30 minutes longer or until the center is set.

Blueberry Sauce 1 c sugar 2 T cornstarch 1 c water 1 c blueberries 1 T butter

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and water until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium head and cook, stirring often for 3 minutes. Stir in blueberries and reduce heat. Simmer for 8 -10 minutes until berries have burst. Stir in butter until melted.
OR

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES WITH MACADAMIAS

Makes: 24 brownies Time to prepare: 20 minutes Time to cook: 35 minutes Maddy says: “Don’t even think about the calorie count!” You will need: 8oz (250g) unsalted butter, chopped 4oz (125g) good quality dark or bittersweet cooking chocolate, (around 60% cocoa content is best) chopped 14oz (500g) superfine (caster) sugar 4 medium size eggs 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract 8oz (250g) all purpose (plain) flour 1oz (30g) cocoa powder Pinch salt 4oz (125g) macadamias, chopped 4oz (125g) white chocolate chips 8oz (250g) good quality milk chocolate for topping, cut into small chunks Powdered confectioners sugar (icing sugar) to decorate

Method: Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C) or 325F (170C) for fan-assisted ovens. Spray the bottom of a rectangular cake pan, 13 x 9 x 2in (33 x 23 x 5cm) with cooking spray oil, then line with parchment paper (baking paper) so paper hangs over edges of pan. Heat butter in medium saucepan on very low heat until butter is half melted. Add chopped dark chocolate. Take off heat when chocolate is half melted, stir until completely melted and combine. Keep saucepan off the heat. Stir in sugar. Then add eggs, one at a time, and stir mixture until it is glossy. Stir in vanilla. Sift flour and cocoa together and add to saucepan. Mix until blended. Stir in nuts and white chocolate morsels. Pour mixture into prepared cake pan. Bake approximately 35 minute until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean. Take out of oven. Randomly sprinkle surface with chopped milk chocolate chunks and lightly press down. Return to oven for one minute. Take out of oven for the final time. Cool brownies in pan. Using edges of parchment paper, lift onto board. Cut into small squares and sprinkle with confectioners sugar to serve.

Maddy’s tip no.1: Pecans or walnuts also taste great instead of the macadamias. Maddy’s tip no.2: You can use milk chocolate chips for the topping instead of chopped chocolate. Maddy’s tip no.3: The brownies freeze well, but wait until they’re defrosted before sprinkling with the icing sugar.

HOLIDAY MASHED POTATOES

Ingredients: 6 medium to large potatoes, peeled 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, cut into cubes 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup sliced green onions 1 1/2 cups sour cream 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 slices cooked, crumbled bacon
Preparation Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender. Drain. Mash potatoes with remaining ingredients, except bacon. Spoon into greased, 2 quart casserole. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon. Serves 6. Can be prepared 24 hours ahead and refrigerated. Do not bake until serving time.

CHOCOLATE COCONUT PECAN BROWNIES
First,you take a regular brownie mix and prepare the batter according to package instructions. Pour half the mixture into a 9X9 inch baking pan. Next–and here’s where the magic really happens–you spread a generous helping of Duncan Hines Coconut Pecan Cake Frosting over your first layer of brownie batter. (It helps if you warm it in the microwave first.) And then you simply top it with the rest of the brownie batter and bake it at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Ooey-Gooey Turtle Bars from Pillsbury.com

Ingredients

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookies 1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups) 3 cups Fisher Chef’s Naturals Chopped Pecans 1/2 cup LAND O LAKES Butter 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1 jar (12.25 oz) SMUCKER’s Carmamel Ice Cream Topping 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (16 squares)

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F (325 for dark or nonstick pan). Press cookie dough evenly in bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch pan.
2. Sprinkle 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1 1/2 cups of the pecans over dough; lightly press into dough. Set aside.
3. In a 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Stir in brown sugar, caramel topping and graham cracker crumbs. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Pour over crust in pan; spread evenly.
4. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 1/2 cups pecans.
5. Bake 25 to 32 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown and pecans are lightly toasted.
Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes; loosen sides from pan, but DO NOT CUT. Cool completely, about 3 HOURS LONGER. (For firmer bars, let stand an additional 2 hours.) For bars, cut into six rows by four rows.
High Altitute (3500-6500 feet): Bake 27-34 minutes. Found at Pillsbury.com

Porch Swing French Toast

This recipe won First Place in the State of Wyoming Bed & Breakfast Recipe Contest.
Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons butter, 4 eggs, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup cream, 1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 Tablespoon grated orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch slices, 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Topping:

1/4 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions:

The night before, melt butter in a 9 x 13-inch pan and place bread in pan. Combine all ingredients and pour over bread. Combine topping ingredients, except for nuts. Spread topping over bread and sprinkle with nuts. Cover and refrigerate. The next morning, preheat oven to 350 F and bake 40 minutes or until golden. Serves 6.
Courtesy of Carole Eppler of Porch Swing Bed & Breakfast, Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Posted on August 29th, 2009 at 5:36 am

August 26, 2009 | Filed under: Stuff

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