Sneaky Chef vs. Deceptively Delicious

This entry has been a LONG time in the works.  Thanks to my brother Chad for giving me two of my favorite cookbooks ever for Christmas.  Both books, Deceptively Delicious (hereafter referred to as DD) by Jessica Seinfeld, and The Sneaky Chef (hereafter referred to as TSC) by Missy Chase LaPine, incorporate pureed veggies into everyday food.  Over the past few months I’ve made several recipes from each book.  Here are the results:

 

DESSERTS:

TSC:  Brainy Brownies:  a complete hit! 

Note:  Definitely add walnuts and use a 9” square pan instead of 9x13.

We all ate!

(blueberries, spinach, wheat germ, whole wheat flour, rolled oats)

 

DD:  Oatmeal Raisin Cookies:  Good.  We didn’t have zucchini, so Paul just substituted bananas for that portion, and they turned out fine.

We all ate.

(bananas, zucchini)

 

TSC:  Unbelieveable Chocolate Chip Cookies:  not real impressed, though Paul liked them.

Paul and Brooke ate; Jackie did not.

(wheat germ, whole-wheat flour, rolled oats, slivered almonds, white beans)

 

DD:  Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes:  O.K.  Too heavy.

We all had one, but one was enough.

(yellow squash)

 

TSC:  Choc-ful Cupcakes:  Awesome!  I dressed these up with some fattening frosting, so maybe I shouldn’t count this one.  But they were a tasty treat, and I don’t even care for cupcakes!

We all GRINDED!

(spinach, blueberries, wheat germ, whole-wheat flour)

 

DD:  Chocolate cake:  O.K.; a bit dry.  Beets are very detectable the next day!

We all ate.

(beets)

 

TSC:  Royal Ice Pops:  O.K.; a good alternative to sugary popsicles, especially since most kids just want something cold after being in the heat.  Messy and difficult for a little one to eat without a bowl.  Not entirely satisfying, but they were O.K.  Paul said they lacked flavor. Brooke loved it.

We all ate.  

(blueberry juice)

TSC:  Say Yes to Sorbet:  O.K.  Turned out to be a drink--literally.

Jackie drank.

(blueberries and blueberry juice)

APPETIZERS AND SIDE DISHES:

TSC:  Bravo Nacho Cheese Dip:  Not bad, but not raving about it.  Before long, the texture was dry.

Paul and Jackie ate; Brooke did not.

(carrots and sweet potatoes)

 

TSC:  No Doc Guac:  Not bad; spinach aftertaste, but it could be because I used canned spinach in the green puree instead of fresh or frozen.  Definitely preferred DD, but TSC is much more nutritious!

Jackie ate; Paul and Brooke did not.

(broccoli, peas, and spinach)

 

DD:  Avocado Spread (guacamole):  Awesome!  We love it!  Better than TSC, though less nutritious.

Paul and Jackie ate.

(avocado)

 

TSC:  Crispy No-Fries:  Even though I pulled the pan out before the full time was up, they burned and stuck to the pan.  Not recommended.  

No one ate.

(no sneaky ingredients, just not fried)

 

TSC:  Crunchy Corn Chips:  Great! 

We all ate!

Note:  book recommends cooking for 10 minutes on each side, but I had success only when I cooked for one side for 6 minutes and the other side for 3.

(no sneaky ingredients; just baked instead of fried)

 

DD:  Twice-Baked Potatoes:  O.K.  Jackie liked, Paul despised!!!  But he hates cauliflower.

Jackie ate; Paul and Brooke did not.

  

DD:  Rice Balls:  O.K.  Not worth the time, effort, and clean up. 

Jackie ate; Paul and Brooke did not.

(sweet potato and spinach OR butternut squash)

 

DD:  Mozzarella sticks:  Big disappointment.  Very messy—did not turn out at all.

No one ate.

(cauliflower)

 

MAIN DISHES:

TSC:  Fortified French Toast:  Good.  Very easy.  A bit sweet.  Even Brooke ate.

TSC II: Bonanza Crunch Muffins
Good. Easy. Everybody ate.

 DD:  Quesadillas:  Good; a bit messy.  I omitted the beans which may have affected the flavor for good or bad. Brooke LOVED these.  Paul and I definitely prefer The Sneaky Chef recipe; it's easier, tastes better, and is less messy.

We all ate.

(butternut squash)

TSC:  Covert Quesadillas:  Loved them!  Kids loved them!  So easy!

We all ate!

(carrots and sweet potatoes)

 

DD:  Grilled Cheese Sandwiches:  O.K.; sweet potato very obvious.  Too oozy.

Jackie ate; Paul and Brooke did not.

(sweet potato or butternut squash)

 

TSC:  Guerilla Grilled Cheese:  Very good; preferred this sandwich over the DD one because TSC ingredients were more subtle. 

Brooke and Jackie ate!

(Carrots and sweet potatoes)

 

 

DD:  Chicken Nuggets:  Awesome!

We all ate.

(broccoli OR Spinach OR sweet potato OR beet)

 

TSC:  Quick Fixes for Tuna Fish Sandwich:  I’d die before I made this again.

Jackie ate and about gagged.  Had to go out to eat to wash the taste out.

(white beans)

 

DD:  Tuna Salad:  Good; Paul LOVES this recipe.

Paul and Jackie ate; Brooke did not.

(cauliflower)

 

TSC: 

Incognito Burritos:  Really good!  Truly tastes like Taco Bell’s!

Jackie ate; Paul and Brooke did not.

(zucchini and cauliflower)

 

DD:  Spaghetti Pie:  Good; my crust wasn’t crunchy for some reason, though the book says it’s supposed to be.  This dish was good, but for the effort and expense, I would stick with spaghetti and meatballs.

We all ate.

(broccoli and carrots)

 

DD:  Spaghetti and Meatballs: Good; Jackie wasn’t impressed with the sauce, but Paul loved everything about it.

We all ate.

(butternut squash and carrots)

   

TSC:  Magic Meatballs:  Delicious!  Baking really is almost as good as pan-frying and you can barely tell a difference.

Note:  I froze some and Paul detected spinach in the frozen batch.

We all ate!

(Broccoli, spinach, peas, wheat germ)

 TSC:  Undercover Crispy Ravioli:  Paul's favorite dish out of BOTH books!  

Paul and I ate; Brooke refused.

(Spinach, broccoli, and peas)

DD:  Burgers 1:  Paul really liked these; Jackie thought they were just O.K. 

We all ate.

(cauliflower OR carrot)

 

DD:  Burgers 2:  Paul says these are better than any restaurant burger; Jackie thought they were O.K. 

Note:  the shiitake mushrooms are quite expensive.

(zucchini and mushrooms)

 

TSC:  Bonus Burgers:  O.K.; Paul said they looked green, which deflated his appetite, and we both agreed the texture was too mushy. 

Paul and Jackie ate half a burger and threw the rest away.

(spinach and blueberries)

 

TSC:  Masterful Mac ‘n Cheese:  O.K.; definitely better with crunchy topping.  I used whole-what macaroni and the author suggests a wheat blend, so that probably made a difference.  Brooke took one look and REFUSED to eat.  This is a lot more expensive than the packaged (and much more fattening) mac and cheese.

Paul ate; Brooke and Jackie did not.

(zucchini and cauliflower)

 

DD:  Aloha Chicken Kebabs: The few that cooked evenly and thoroughly were very good; however, most cooked in a way that I wasn't sure was good enough to eat (I don't have a meat thermometer yet).  

We all ate the chicken we knew was good.  

 (pineapple and sweet potato)

TSC:  No Harm Chicken Parm:   Complete hit!!!

Note:  recommend using Heartsmart Prego instead of tomato sauce.

Jackie and Paul ate:  Brooke did not.

(broccoli, peas, spinach, whole-wheat flour, and wheat germ)

 

TSC: Packed Pizza Bagels:  DISGUSTING!!!  DISASTROUS!!!  AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!! 

NO ONE ATE!!!  The smell alone was enough for Jackie to wait until Paul took a bite. 

Paul took one bite and ran for the garbage. 

(carrots, sweet potatoes, white beans)

 

DD:  Tacos:  Super good!  Paul prefers DD, Jackie prefers TSC, but we both agreed that both recipes were excellent!  TSC is superior nutritionally.

We all ate!

(sweet potato OR carrot OR butternut squash)

 

TSC:  Total Tacos:  Excellent!  Paul prefers DD, Jackie prefers TSC, but we both agreed that both recipes were excellent!  TSC is superior nutritionally.

We all ate!

(spinach, blueberries)

 

TSC:  Tricky Taco Soup:  O.K.; too tomatoey for us.  We even dressed it up with avocado spread (from DD), cheese, and sour cream, but it just wasn’t very good.

No one ate.

(carrots, sweet potatoes, white beans)

 

DD:  Turkey Chili:  Good, but needed more of a kick.

Paul and Jackie ate; Brooke did not.

(red pepper and carrots)

 

TSC:  Chocolate Chip Pancakes:  Unsuccessful.  Tried it twice.  Batter is thick, to say the least, even though I added extra milk both times.  The pancakes burned on the outside and were gooey on the inside, though I varied the temperatures.  Paul and the kids liked them, but they are very messy to turn, so clean up is burdensome.

Paul, Brooke, and Blaine ate; Jackie did not.

(whole wheat flour, wheat germ, spinach, blueberries)

 

TSC:  Popeye’s Eggs:  Good!

We all ate!  Spinach juice completely undetectable!

Note:  recommend using lowfat Cheddar instead of American cheese

(Spinach juice)

 

TSC:  Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins:  O.K.; some of my friends tried these and seemed to like them more than me.  

Brooke refused to eat.

(carrots and sweet potato)

DRINKS:

TSC:  Blueberry Milk:  Pretty good.  Brooke still prefers regular milk.

Brooke drank.

(blueberries)

 

 

TSC:  Earth Day Milkshake:  Really good!

Note:  Ours didn’t turn green (we had them on St. Patrick’s Day, so it was kind of a bummer), but then we added the least amount of juice suggested.

Paul, Jackie, and Brooke drank.

(spinach juice)

 

Extraordinary Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2  c. butter or margarine, softened

1 1/4 c. granulated sugar

1 1/4 c. packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp. vanilla

2 eggs

4 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 bag (24 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips (4 cups)

Heat oven to 350.  In large bowl, beat butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs on medium speed or with spoon until light and fluffy.  Stir in flour, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff).  Stir in chocolate chips.  

On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by tablespoonfuls or ice cream scoop 2 inches apart.  Flatten slightly.  Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft).  Cool 1 to 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.  

Optional:  stir in 2 cups coarsely chopped nuts with the chocolate chips.

Baked Lemon Chicken

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 c. seasoned bread crumbs

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

In a shallow dish, combine the butter, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Place bread crumbs in another dish.  Dip chicken in butter mixture, then coat with crumbs.  Place in a greased 9x13 pan. Drizzle with remaining butter mixture.  Bake uncovered at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until juices run clear.

No-Fuss Party Potatoes

1 10 ¼ oz. can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 8 oz. container sour cream

1 4.5-oz. can chopped green chilies

6 oz. (1 ½ cups) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend

1 (32-oz.) pkg. frozen southern-style cubed hash-brown potatoes

3 green onions, sliced

½ c. finely crushed taco chips

Spray 4 to 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.  In medium bowl, combine soup, sour cream, chilies, and cheese; mix well.  Arrange half of potatoes in sprayed slow cooker.  Top with half of sour cream mixture; spread evenly. Top with remaining potatoes and sour cream mixture; spread evenly.  Cover; cook on high setting for 3 ½ to 4 ½ hours. Garnish the potatoes with onions and crushed chips immediately before serving. 

Brown Spanish Rice

1 1/2 c. brown rice

4 tsp. chili powder

3 c. cold water

3 tsp. garlic powder

2 minced green pepper

2 diced onion

4 Tbsp. salsa

4 peeled and quartered tomatoes

4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Add all ingredients to Crock Pot.  Stir.  Cover and cook on low for 7-10 hours.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

8 red potatoes (skins on)

6 cloves of garlic, unminced

1 c. sour cream

4 Tbsp. chopped chives

Salt

Butter

Boil 9 sliced red potatoes (leave skins on) with 6 whole cloves of garlic for 8-10 minutes.  Drain and mash potatoes and garlic with sour cream.  Fold in chives.  Season to taste with salt and butter.

Rustic Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Rustic Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 c. water

1/3 c. butter, cut in small pieces

½ to ¾ c. milk

1 ¼ tsp. salt

½ tsp. black pepper

½ c. finely chopped green onions

2-3 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

Combine potatoes and water in slow cooker; dot with butter. Cover and cook on High for 3 hours or on Low for 6 hours or until potatoes are tender. Using an electric mixer on medium setting, whip potatoes until well blended.  Add milk, salt, and pepper and whip until well blended.  Stir in green onions and cheese, cover tightly and let stand 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend and cheese to melt.

Baked French Fries

1 large baking potato

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Preheat oven to 450.  Cut potato into wedges. Mix olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder and onion powder together. Coat potatoes with oil/spice mixture and place on a baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes in preheated oven. Turn over.  Bake for 20 more minutes.

Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese

6 lbs. potatoes (peeled or unpeeled)

8 oz. cream cheese (I use the kind with chives and onion)

8 oz. sour cream

½ c. milk

2 tsp. onion salt

½ tsp. black pepper

Cut the potatoes into large cubes and boil in salted water until tender.  Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese, then stir in the sour cream, milk, and spices.  Drain and mash the potatoes in the pot, then stir in the cream cheese mixture.  Spoon into a casserole dish or 9x13 pan.  You may cover it and refrigerate for 24 hours, or proceed to baking right away.  Bake covered with foil at 350 for 45 minutes.  Increase the time if the dish has been chilled.   (12 servings)

Funeral Potatoes

6 cups diced potatoes*

1 can (10 ¾ oz.) condensed cream chicken soup

1/2 soup can milk

1 cup sour cream

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1/4 cup grated onion (optional) **

salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons butter, melted

3/4 cup corn flake crumbs

Cook fresh potatoes or thaw frozen potatoes (see *note below). Place potatoes in a 2-3 quart casserole dish or a 9x13 cake pan.  Combine soup, milk, sour cream, cheese, and onion (see **note below) and salt and pepper to taste. If a saucier dish is desired, add 2-3 tablespoons additional milk. Mix well. Spread sauce over potatoes. Melt butter and combine with corn flake crumbs. Sprinkle crumbs over casserole. Bake uncovered at 350 F for 30-45 minutes or until hot and bubbly throughout.

Notes:* Use approximately 6-8 peeled, diced, and cooked fresh potatoes; or approximately 2 pounds frozen, southern style, diced hash browns (not shredded). ** Use 1 tablespoon dried onion or sauté 1/4 cup fresh chopped onion in 1 tablespoon butter until transparent.

Baked Potato Fans

4 medium baking potatoes

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

¼ tsp. garlic salt

¼ c. shredded cheddar cheese

3 Tbsp. snipped chives or sliced green onions

2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Scrub potatoes thoroughly with a brush; pat dry.  Cut potatoes crosswise into thin slices, but do not cut all the way through. Place potatoes in a shallow baking dish or pan.  Gently press potatoes down to fan slightly.  Combine melted butter and garlic salt; drizzle over potatoes.  Bake, covered, in a 350 oven for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake about 15 minutes more or until tender. Transfer potatoes to a serving platter.  Sprinkle cheddar cheese, chives, and Parmesan cheese.  Let stand about 5 minutes or until cheeses melt.

Auntie Verla's Lemon Cake

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

4 eggs

3/4 c. cooking oil

 3/4 c. water

1 pkg. lemon jello

 

Combine and beat all ingredients.  Pour into 9x13 greased, floured pan.  Bake 35-40 minutes at 350.  Upon removing from oven, punch holes in cake all over with a fork.  pour lemon icing over cake while still hot.

LEMON ICING:

2 c. sifted powdered sugar

juice of 2 lemons

Stir until well-blended.  

Note:  This is very good hot or cold.  If it is cold and you want to dress it up, top each serving with whipped cream and a cherry.

Quick ‘n Tangy Beef Stir Fry

SAUCE

½ c. French’s Worcestershire Sauce

½ c. water

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. cornstarch

½ tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. garlic powder

STIR-FRY

1 lb. thinly sliced beef steak

3 c. sliced bell peppers

1.    Combine ingredients for sauce.  Marinate beef in ¼ c. sauce for 5 minutes.  Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet or wok over high heat.  Stir-fry beef in batches 5 minutes or until browned.

2.    Add peppers; cook 2 minutes.  Add remaining sauce.  Stir-fry until sauce thickens.  Serve over hot cooked rice or ramen noodles, if desired.

South of the Border Burger

2 lbs. lean ground beef

3 Tbsp. Tabasco, divided

1 tsp. salt

½ c. mayonnaise

6 slices Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese (optional)

6 hamburger buns

onions

tomatoes

lettuce

Combine lean ground beef, two tablespoons Tabasco and salt in a large bowl and mix well; shape into 6 patties.  Combine mayonnaise with remaining tablespoon Tabasco sauce and mix well; set aside.  Grill hamburger patties to desired doneness; place cheese slices on burgers and continue cooking until cheese melts.  Spread mayonnaise on buns and top with burgers, onions, tomato, and lettuce.

America's Favorite Cheddar Beef Burgers

1 lb. ground beef

1/3 c. A.1 Steak Sauce or barbecue sauce

1 medium onion, cut into strips

1 medium green or red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 Tbsp. margarine

4 oz. Cheddar cheese, sliced

4 hamburger buns

4 tomato slices

In medium bowl, combine ground beef and 3 tablespoons stake sauce; shape mixture into 4 patties.  Set aside.  In medium skillet, over medium heat, cook onion and pepper in margarine until tender, stirring occasionally.  Stir in remaining steak sauce; keep warm.  Grill burgers over medium heat 4 minutes on each side or until done.  When almost done, top with cheese; grill until cheese melts.  Spoon 2 tablespoons onion mixture onto each roll bottom; top each with burger, tomato slice, some of remaining onion mixture and roll top.  4 servings.

Easy Baked Parmesan Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef

½ c. grated Parmesan cheese

¼ c. chopped fresh parsley

1 egg

1 clove garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 375.  Mix meat, cheese, parsley, egg and garlic. Shape into 12 meatballs.  Place in foil lined baking pan.  Bake 25 minutes or until cooked through.  (6 servings)

Hidden Valley Skillet Fajitas

1 packet Hidden Valley Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. water

1 ½ lbs. flank steak strips

3 c. assorted pepper and onion strips

4-6 (10-inch) flour tortillas, warmed

Optional fillings:  guacamole, salsa, sour cream

Combine seasoning mix, oil, and water.  Sauté steak in dressing mixture.  Add peppers and onions; cook until tender crisp.  Roll in tortillas with desired fillings.  (4 servings)

Chicken Nachos

1 pkg. flour tortilla shells (cut into 8 pie-shape sections)

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 can refried beans

1 can black beans

grated cheddar cheese

chopped green onions

chopped tomatoes

sour cream

salsa

guacamole

On a large cookie sheet pour very thin layer of vegetable oil. Dip each side of tortilla shell. Cover cookie sheet with cut and oiled shells.  Bake at 425 degrees for 3-5 minutes (Until they start to turn golden brown.)

Mix beans together.  Thin with chicken stock or plain water. Add taco seasoning to taste. Also add taco seasoning to shredded chicken.  Stack all ingredients, starting with tortilla shells, then beans, chicken, and cheese.  Warm up in microwave until cheese melts.  Add remaining ingredients, as desired.  Serves 6-8.

Classic Chicken Parmesan

 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded thin (about 1 ½ lbs.)

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 c. Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs*

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 jar (1 lb. 10 oz.) pasta sauce

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese (about 4 oz.)

 Preheat oven to 375.  Dip chicken in eggs, then bread crumbs, coating well.

 In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and brown chicken; drain on paper towels. In 11x7-inch baking dish, evenly spread 1 cup pasta sauce.  Arrange chicken in dish, then top with remaining sauce.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and, if desired, grated Parmesan cheese.  Bake uncovered 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.  (6 servings)

 To make bread crumbs, shred pieces of bread in blender or food processor.  To make Italian bread crumbs, to each cup of bread crumbs, add:

2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

½ tsp. dry oregano

½ tsp. dry basil

1 Tbsp. dry parsley

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. sugar

Store in plastic bag or airtight container in refrigerator for up to two months or until expiration date on cheese label, or freeze.

Parmesan Chicken Breasts

½ c. (2 oz) grated Parmesan cheese

¼ c. dry bread crumbs

1 tsp. dried oregano leaves

1 tsp. parsley flakes

¼ tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds)

2 Tbsp. spread sticks, melted

Heat oven to 400.  Spray baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Mix cheese, crumbs and seasonings.  Dip chicken in melted spread; coat with crumb mixture.  Place in prepared pan.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.  Makes 6 servings.

Broiled Chicken, Avocado, and Papaya Sandwich

½ c. teriyaki sauce

14/ c. honey

2 tsp. olive oil

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 loaf (16 oz.) sourdough bread

1 large avocado, peeled and sliced

1 medium papaya, peeled and sliced

1 medium tomato, sliced

1/3 c. ranch salad dressing

½ c. cashews, chopped

1.  Combine teriyaki sauce, honey and oil in medium bowl; whisk to combine. Reserve ¼ c. marinade.  Add chicken to remaining marinade, turning to coat well.  Cover with plastic wrap.   Refrigerate at least 1 hour, turning chicken occasionally.

2.  Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Place chicken on broiler pan coated with nonstick cooking spray.  Broil 4-5 inches from heat 10-12 minutes on each side or until chicken is no longer pink in center, brushing occasionally with reserved ¼ c. marinade.  Set aside; cool.  Cut chicken into ½-inch-thick slices.

3.  Cut sourdough bread in half lengthwise.  Hollow out inside of bread halves, leaving ¼-inch shell. Discard extra bread.

4.  Layer chicken on bottom of bread shell.  Top with avocado, papaya, and tomato.  Drizzle ranch dressing over top and sprinkle with cashews.  Press down firmly and cut into slices.  

Taco Turkey Medallions

1 pkg. (1.25 oz.) Taco Seasoning

2 Tbsp. flour

1 1lb. fresh turkey or chicken, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces

1 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil

1 c. chunky salsa

2 Tbsp. honey

2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro (optional)

In large resalable food storage plastic bag, combine taco seasoning mix and flour; mix well.  Add chicken slices; seal bag and shake to coat.  Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken; cook until browned on both sides.  Add salsa, honey and any remaining coating mixture; mix well. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 5-10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center, stirring occasionally.  Sprinkle with cilantro.

Baked Salmon

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 tablespoons light olive oil

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

2 (6 ounce) fillets salmon

In a medium glass bowl, prepare marinade by mixing garlic, light olive oil, basil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley. Place salmon fillets in a medium glass baking dish, and cover with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator about 1 hour, turning occasionally.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Place fillets in aluminum foil, cover with marinade, and seal. Place sealed salmon in the glass dish, and bake 35 to 45 minutes, until easily flaked with a fork.

Marinade for Steak Kabobs

Beef tenderloin - Cut into kabobs, cubed.  (8 oz. per person)

Marinade:

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup white grape or apple juice

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 tsp ginger

1 Tbsp dry mustard

1 tsp pepper

1-2 Tbsp garlic minced or 4 cloves garlic

1/4 Tbsp sesame seeds

1/2 cup green or white onions

Soak meat 12-24 hours.

Put on broiler pan and broil 6-8 minutes each side.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

1 large onion, diced

1 c. carrots, diced

1 c. frozen peas

2-3 c. broccoli, c hopped

6 bouillon cubes

 

Roux:

8 oz. Cheez Whiz

¼ c. canola oil

¾ c. flour

3 c. water

 Boil onion, carrots, peas, and broccoli in 1 ½ c. water until tender.  (Do not drain water.) Add 6 bouillon cubes to tender vegetables and stir.  Set aside.

 In a separate pot, make the roux.  Put oil in and heat until hot.  Add the flour and stir (be careful not to burn).  Slowly stir in water with wire whisk.  It will be a thick consistency now. Add 8 ounces of Cheez Whiz and mix thoroughly.  Combine both vegetable and roux pots together; stir until heated.

Broccoli Cheese Chicken Soup

3 to 4 cups water

2 cubes chicken bullion

3 cups diced potatoes

1 cup carrots 

Celery

Onion

1 cup diced chicken or ham

Any other veggies - cauliflower/broccoli

Heat to a boil.  Cook until veggies are fork-tender; set aside. 

(If you use canned carrots they are already cooked so don't add them until the veggies are fork tender.)

 In another pan add:

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup flour

Heat mix until it is melted and a carmel color. 

 Add:

2 cups milk

1 pt half & half

Whip together until smooth.  Add 1 jar 15 oz Velveeta & mix together.  Add the other pan of veggies & water to cheese mixture.  Heat up and enjoy.