Leftover Chicken

I often make chicken and have lots left over. I don't really want to reheat the chicken. I'd rather use it in another recipe. Here are several recipes to use your left over chicken:

Chicken Salad

3 cups cooked, cubed chicken
2/3 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup sweet pickle relish
1 bunch green onions, chopped
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
3/4 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

Combine chicken, celery, relish, onion and eggs. Toss with mayonnaise and chill.

Chicken Casserole

3 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 - 16 ounce package frozen broccoli florets, thawed
1 - 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups crushed cheese crackers

Combine chicken, broccoli, soup, water, mayonnaise and cheese. Mix well. Pour into casserole dish. Top with cracker crumbs. Bake uncovered for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Chicken and Stuffing

2 1/2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 - 6 ounce box of stuffing with seasoning packet
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups half and half

Combine stuffing mix, seasoning packet and butter. Mix well. Press into the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Allow to cool.

Combine chicken and cheese and spread over stuffing mixtures.

Beat sour cream and half and half until well blended. Pour over chicken mixture.

Reduce oven to 325 degrees and bake for 35 minutes.

Audrey :)

Alcohol Substitutions

Often, we see recipes calling for wine, brandy or liquor. For many reasons, lots of people prefer not to use alcohol. Here are some substituitions you can use:

Instead of beer, you can use chicken broth or beef broth

Instead of white wine, you can use apple juice or carrot juice

Instead of red wine, you can use 1/2 cup of grape juice with 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar

Instead of Kahlua, you can use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chocolate extract or substitute 1/2 to 1 teaspoon instant coffee in 2 tablespoons water for 2 tablespoons Kahlua

Instead of brandy, you can use water, white grape juice, apple cider or apple juice, diluted peach or apricot syrups

Instead of peach brandy, you can use syrup from canned peaches in heavy syrup; or peach preserves

Instead of sherry, you can use apple cider; non-alcoholic vanilla extract; coffee; or coffee syrup

Instead of amaretto, you can use almond extract

Instead of rum, you can use water, white grape juice, pineapple juice, apple juice or apple cider, or syrup flavored with almond extract

Audrey :)

Waffles, Pancakes and French Toast

My kids just love waffles, pancakes and french toast. They love to smear on peanut butter and syrup both.

We always freeze the extras so that they can have breakfast during the week. It's so easy to pop the waffles, pancakes and french toast into either the microwave or the toaster and within seconds the kids have a hot meal ready for them.

I'm told that husbands also love the "leftovers" as a quick breakfast before heading off to work.

Here are a few yummy recipes:

Blueberry French Toast

4 cups blueberries
4 eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1 loaf Italian bread, sliced 1/2" thick

Beat eggs, milk, vanilla and nutmeg. Soak bread slices until egg mixture is absorbed. Melt butter; add sugar, cinnamon and blueberries. Cook over medium heat until berries are soft and sugar is dissolved.

Grease a 9x13 inch pan. Pour in berries. Place bread on top, fitting tightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Banana Pancakes

2 very ripe bananas, mashed well
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
3/4 teaspoons salt
Salad oil
1 1/3 cup milk (for thicker pancakes use only 1 cup milk)
1 egg, slightly beaten

In large bowl, with fork, mix first 4 ingredients; add 3 tablespoons salad oil, milk, egg and mashed bananas and stir just until flour is moistened.

Preheat electric griddle or skillet as manufacturer directs. If you are using a griddle that does not have a non-stick surface, brush lightly with salad oil. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto hot griddle, making a few pancakes at a time. Cook until bubbly and bubbles burst; edges should look dry. Flip pancake and continue cooking other side until golden brown.

Pumpkin Waffles

3 eggs
2/3 cups milk
1/2 cup cooked pumpkin
2 cups Bisquick mix
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 cup salad oil

Mix together and cook on electric waffle iron.

Audrey :)

Making Meals Look Good

Even though our meals get eaten right away, we want to make sure that our family or friends are impressed with how good the meal looks and desire to eat what we made. There are a few simple things you can do to dress up your meals and make them look more desirable.

The first thing you can add is a little parsley. You can use fresh or dried. If you use fresh parsley just put a little next to the meal or even serve the meal on plates and put a little parsley on each plate. If you use dried parsley just sprinkle a tiny bit over the whole meal. If you're afraid that some people in your house will not like the "green stuff" sprinkled on their food, then you might want to just sprinkle it on ½ the meal until they get used to this new concept.

Cheeses are another fun food to add to your dish to make it look fancy. You can use parmesan cheese for a light dusting. You can also use finely shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese depending on the dish. Just use a very small amount and you'll be pleased with the results.
Adding a candle or cloth napkins also adds a special flair to your meal. Also pay attention to the colors of the food you are serving. Is everything orange or yellow? Different colors and textures on your plate will also add some specialness to your meal that will have everyone smiling.

In all of this be sure to keep things simple. People don't need to have a bunch of food or lots of courses. Sometimes the most simple meals are the most pleasing to the eye and palate. Cooking can be fun and simple if you plan ahead and have everything you need on hand.

Do you want to know more about saving time in the kitchen? Grab your free report "Time Saving Kitchen Tips" at http://www.hjresources.com/freeck Heidi Johnson specializes in helping families find resources to simplify and improve their lives.

Audrey

Cooking Substitutions

Over the years, I've found several "cooking substution charts. This morning when I did a search, I found a website with tons of Italian recipes and a great chart. Their site is http://www.italian-cooking-made-easy.com/free-recipes.html

Here's the chart:

Arrowroot, 1 tsp ……………………. ¾ teaspoon cornstarch or 1 ½ tsp flour
Bread crumbs, 1 cup …………….. Cracker crumbs ¾ - 1 cup
Buttermilk, 1 cup ………………….. Vinegar or lemon juice tbsp added to warm
milk to = 1 cup, let stand 5 minutes.
Baking powder, 1 tsp ……………. Baking soda, ½ tsp + ½ tsp cream of tartar
Stock or Broth 1 cup …………….. 1 bullion cube + 1 cup hot water
Chocolate chips (semi-sweet) … ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder,
⅓ cup sugar and 6 tbsp butter or margarine
Cornstarch 1 Tbsp …………………. 2 T. all-purpose flour
Corn syrup, light, 1 cup ………… 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar,+ ¼ cup water
Corn syrup, dark, 1 cup ………… 1 ¼ cups brown sugar,+ ¼ cup water
Sour cream…………………………….. 1 cup yogurt or 1 tbsp lemon juice +
evaporate or plain milk to make 1 cup.
1 clove fresh garlic ………………. 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Gingerroot, 1 tsp grated ………. Dried, ground ginger, ¾ tsp
Fresh Herbs, 1 tbsp ……………… Dried herbs, ½ - ¾ tsp
Honey, 1 cup …………………………. Sugar 1 ¼ cups + ¼ cup water
Lemon juice, 1 tbsp ………………. Vinegar ½ tbsp
Milk, whole, 1 cup ………………... Skim milk, 1 cup + 2 tbsp butter or
½ cup evaporated milk with ½ cup water.
Mustard, prepared, 1 tbsp .…… Mustard, dry 1 tsp
Molasses, 1 tbsp ……………………. ½ cup honey or 1 ¼ cup brown sugar melted
Cooking oil, 1 cup …………………. Butter or margarine, ½ pound
Poultry Seasoning …………………. Sage ½ tsp, thyme ½ tsp, pinch of each:
marjoram, rosemary, nutmeg and pepper
Pumpkin Pie Spice, tsp …………. Cinnamon, ½ tsp, ¼ tsp ground Ginger, plus
a pinch of Nutmeg and Allspice
Light Brown sugar …………………. Granulated sugar ½ cup + ½ cup dark brown sugar
Dark brown sugar …………………. Granulated sugar ½ cup + 2 tbsp molasses or dark corn syrup
Tomato juice, 1 cup ………………. Tomato sauce ½ cup + ½ cup water
Tomato paste …………………………. Tomato sauce ¼ cup simmering to half volume
Vanilla bean …………………………... Pure vanilla extract, 1 tsp
Vinegar 1 tbsp …………………….... Lemon juice, 2 tbsp
Wine, 1 cup …………………………... Apple cider, chicken or beef broth, 1 cup
Yogurt, 1 cup ……………………….… Milk, 1 cup + 1 tbsp lemon juice,
let stand 5 minutes

Audrey :)

A Perfect Cup of Coffee

I read several tips on making a great cup of coffee at home:

1. Make sure your coffeemaker is clean. All parts should be cleaned regularly.

2. Use filtered water. Waters do taste different from the tap and through a filter.

3. Reheating coffee can make it bitter. You're better of to make 2 small post versus reheating the coffee from an older pot.

4. Use coffeemakers with a brew time between 5 and 7 minutes.

5. Grind your own beans. When coffee if ground and then put into a can it does lose some of its flavor.

And for those who like to dunk their cookies in their coffee, instead try these cookies, already flavored with coffee:

2 cups brown sugar
4 cups flour
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup nuts
1 cup raisins
1 cup cold strong coffee

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients with spice, soda and baking powder. Add to sugar, shortening mixture, alternating with cold coffee. When well blended; add nuts and raisins. Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees about 15 minutes. If you like chocolate chips, you can add those also.

Audrey :)

M&M's

I very seldom meet folks who don't like M&M's. My favorites are the peanut M&M's. My daughter loves dark chocolate and loves the Peanut M&M's.

I recently spoke to someone who ordered M&M's with inscription on them. I wanted to share some M&M recipes with my readers.

This is a just a "plain and simple" M&M cookie:

M&M Cookies

1 cup softened butter or margarine
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups mini M&M baking pieces
3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat over to 375 degrees. In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a seperate bowl combine the flour, baking soad and salt. Blend into creamed mixture. Stir in M&M's and nuts. (I personally don't care for nuts so don't add them). Drop by heaping tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto baking sheet. Bake for 9-12 minutes. Allow to cool for one minute thentransfer to wire rack.

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped up
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 3/4 cup mini M&M baking chips
sugar to roll balls in

Combine flour and baking soda. Set bowl aside.

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, butter and chocolate, stirring until butter and chocolate are melted. Remove from heat. Slowly stir in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture and blend well. Stir in M&M's and mix lightly. Refrigerate dough for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degree. Line cookie sheets with foil. Create one inch balls and roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Minty Shortbread Squares

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons mint extract, divided
3 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 cup M&M's mini baking bits, divided
1 - 16 ounce cnotainer prepared white frosting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a 15x10 baking pan. In a large bowl, cream togehter the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 teaspoon mint extract. In medium bowl, combine the flour and cocoa powder. Blend into creamed mixture. Stir in 1 cup of the M&M's. Press dough into prepared baking pan with lightly floured fingers. Bake 16-18 minutes. Cool completely. Combine frosting and 1 teaspoon mint extract. Spread frosting over shortbread and sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup M&M's on top. Cut into squares.

Chocolate Berry Squares

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup Mini M&M Baking Bits
1/2 cup seedless red raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 13x9 baking pan with foil. In a large bowl cream butter and sugars until light an dfluffy. Beat in egg and vanille. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt, blend into creamed mixture. Stir in M&M's. Reserve 1 cup dough. Spread remaining dough into prepared pan. Spread jan evenly over top of dough. Drop reserved dough by teaspoonfuls randomly over jam. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Should be light golden brown. Cool completely. Lift foil out of pan and cut into squares.

Audrey :)

Saving Money At the Grocery Store

Ok, this might sound funny, but I love working hard to save money at the grocery store. I really watch the sales at the stores here and try to buy only products on sale. If I have a coupon, it’s even better. This month’s Women’s Day Magazine offered several ideas for saving money on your grocery bill:

1. Add more days inbetween shopping trips. If you normally go once a week, see if you can stretch it to twice in three weeks or even every other week. I have a friend who only goes twice a month. She plans her list, buys what she needs for the two weeks and if they run out, they wait until her next shopping trip. I believe her ONLY exceptions are milk, bread, fruits and vegetables.

2. A few times per year, do NOT go shopping. Instead make a plan to use everything in your pantry and freezer. Even canned goods carry expiration dates. Use them up. We actually have fun once a month using only ingredients already in the house to make up new meals.

3. Plan your grocery lists around the items on sale that week at the grocery store. We get great deal here on both meat and chicken at different times. If I find them on sale, I stock up. We can often get salad dressings for $1. We just really watch the sales.

4. Use coupons. We subscribe to the Sunday only newspaper. We more than make our money back in the coupons found inside. If we use a coupon on a sale item, we often end up paying very little. Choose stores that double your coupons. I’ve never had my coupons tripled, but I do know others have told me they have markets that have certain days when they’ll triple coupons.

5. Look up and look down. Products are placed on shelves very strategically. You’ll often find items that cost less both up or down. The manufacturers put products at eye level that they want you to buy. You’ll also find generic items up and down versus at eye level.

6. Check brands and prices. For example, some times I’m better off buying a few small mayonnaise jars versus the large one. If the small one is on sale, the price per ounce is less than the larger jars. I’ve found this to be true with many items, including dairy products.

7. Use cash. Surveys show that those using credit cards and checks tend to spend 20 to 30% more. On a $100 grocery bill, you could save $20 or $30 by using cash.

8. If it’s not on your list don’t buy it. If you really want it, add it to next week’s list. If you still want it next week, go ahead and make the purchase. I always allow myself just one or maybe two things not on my list. Maybe something is on sale that I hadn’t noticed or maybe I decide that I really want something not on my list. But other than that one or two items, if it’s not on the list, we don’t buy it.

9. On those shopping trips where you’ve only come in for a few items, do not get a cart. If you truly only buy the two items, there is no need for a cart. I can not tell you how many times I went in for one item, grabbed a cart and ended up remembering all kinds of other things I needed. Leave the cart at the entrance.

10. If you live next to another city, check prices. Often the same store will have different price in different cities. Check prices. My mom and I will often make purchases for each other when we find something very much on sale in her city or mine, but not in the other city. An example is paper towel. She can often find it under a dollar with a coupon. She’ll buy enough for her and I both and save them for the next time I see her.

Enjoy these tips and the money you’ll save on your grocery budget by incorporating just a few into your routine.

Audrey :)

Making Recipe Changes in Baked Goods

In today's world, most of us are looking for ways to enjoy our favorite baked goods while keeping off those excess pounds. Here are several ideas:

1. Substitute unsweetened applesauce for oil when baking. Even though the applesauce is unsweetened, it has natural sugars which can then lead you to cut down just a bit on added sugar.

2. Substitute eggs whites for some eggs in recipe. So if a recipe calls for 4 eggs, use two whole eggs and two egg whites only.

3. If you're using an old recipe from your mother or grandmother, there might be more sugar than needed. Older recipes called for higher amounts of sugar. Try cutting out just a bit of the sugar called for.

4. Always decrease the amount of chocolate chips, nuts, etc in baked goods. This helps to greatly reduce calories.

5. Try reduced fat cream cheese, reduced fat sour cream and reduced fat cheeses. I wil often mix half regular and half reduced fat. This too cuts down on calories without giving up all of the taste.

6. When making frosting, cut out some of the confectionars sugar. It's very sweet and you don't need the full amount.

7. If you're adding frosting, make a thin layer instead of a thick layer. You'll still get frosting but in moderation.

8. Make your cookies small. Most folks will eat one or two regardless of size, so make them smaller.

Enjoy the baked goods, but with a bit fewer calories.

Audrey :)

Vegetable Tips and Hints

When you boil vegetables, save the water the vegetables were cooked in, in the freezer. You can use this broth to make vegetable soup or even tomato soup.

When you are cooking vegetables, boil those vegetables that grow above ground without a cover.

When cooking vegetables, add 1/4 teaspoon sale for every cup of water being used.

Do not soak vegetables after slicing. You lose much of the nutritional value.

To bake potatoes quickly, boil for 10-15 minutes first, then pierce the skin before baking.

Run onions under cold water before slicing to avoid tears when cutting.

And finally one of my kids favorite recipes:

Broccoli Kugel

2 pounds frozen broccoli
3 eggs
1 tablespoon onion soup mix
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup margarine (I always use butter)
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup non dairy creamer (I use half and half)
garlic powder
pepper
crushed corn flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 dish. Coat bottom with corn flake crumbs. Cook broccoli until very soft, drain and mash. Add the eggs, onion soup mix, garlic powder, pepper, and mayo, and mix together. Set aside.

Melt margarine, add flour gradually and stir. Add creamer and continue to stir on medium heat until it gets thick. Mix with the broccoli mixture. Pour the combo into the prepared pan, and top with more crumbs. Bake covered for 40-45 minutes, and then for crunchiness on top, uncovered for 10-15 minutes.

Audrey :)

Burning Calories

If you're anything like me, in addition to searching for wonderful recipes, you're also looking for ways to burn off the calories of those yummy calories.

I was flipping through the February edition of Women's Day and found 3 tips for burning off 175 calories:

Stroll through the mall and window shop for an hour. I wonder if we'll burn more than 175, if we make a purchase?

Walk the dog for 40 minutes. I have two dogs, I wonder if I'll burn more than 175 calories there?

Push a baby stroller for 40 minutes. I wonder if a baby needs to be in the stroller? For those who have twins, I wonder if you'll burn more than the suggested 175 calories.

And now a few tips from me:

Park your car in the furthest spots. Walk those extra steps to wherever you're going.

Don't buy what you don't want to eat. If you buy chips, you're going to eat them. If you buy cake, you're going to eat it.

Take stairs instead of elevators and escalators.

Enjoy the game today!!

Audrey :)

Treasured Memories

I'd like to thank Carrie Gamble for emailing me with her wonderful Valentines day article and recipes. Her article made me remember my own grandmother and the wonderful kitchen aromas when she was visiting.

A Recipe for Making Valentine's Day A Family Affair:

Create Traditions of Love & Treasured Memories
By Carrie J. Gamble

It was a fun and festive occasion when my grandmother cooked up Valentine's Day Dinner for her growing family of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It came at just the right time of year too – a celebration of “love” after weeks of long, cold, dreary winter days. It always seemed just about this time of year you felt desperately in need of signs of spring. Pink and red heart paper doilies and flowers could do the trick!

At grandmom's house it wasn't just about the dinner it was also about the decorations. We could always count on our spirits being lifted as soon as we'd arrive at the front door. Her pretty picture window would be decorated with the pink and red hearts. Upon entering her cozy home the aromas of comfort food filled the air: baked stuffed chicken, twice baked potatoes and fresh baked Feather Bed rolls to name a few. The table was set with the traditional red heart tablecloth. Our family Valentine's dinner always included individual heart shaped Jello molds and of course a heart shaped cake!

Wouldn't it be wonderful to start creating this kind of tradition for your own family? If you follow my grandmother's “recipe” on life, love and family it will bring yours closer together. It's fun to put together a holiday dinner! Why not get the kids involved with decorating and helping out in the kitchen? And like I said, this is the perfect time of year to do something fun and festive after all of those long gray days. Give your family a gift of immeasurable value – treasured memories to last a lifetime. Below are a few tried and true recipes to get you started.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Use Idaho potatoes and bake for about 1 hour until done. Before baking wash them and puncture a few times with a knife. When done slice the top off and with a teaspoon remove the inside and put into a bowl. After all the potatoes are hollowed out and insides are all in the bowl, add ½ stick (¼ cup) butter, salt, pepper and enough milk to make them fluffy. Mix well. Put back into the skins heaped up nicely and sprinkled with paprika. You can also add some Parmesan cheese. Put them back into the oven and re-bake at 350 degrees until hot. (about 15 minutes)

Fruit and Jello Mold

Take a 16 ounce can of fruit cocktail and drain, saving the juice. Prepare Jello as directed on package except use the fruit juice as part of the required liquid. Let Jello stand in refrigerator until slightly thickened. Add fruit cocktail by folding into the Jello. Put into Jello mold (you can use 1 large or small individual servings.) I like to use small heart shaped molds. Put back into refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours. Unmold by dipping the bottom into hot water for a few seconds. Serve on lettuce leaves. I like to use Butter lettuce, sometimes called Boston lettuce. You can change the color according to the occasion – red for Valentine's Day, green for St. Patrick's Day, Yellow for Easter.

For Topping: Make a mixture of 8 ounces of cream cheese, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and enough milk to make it the consistency of whipped cream. Place a spoonful on top of each serving. You may garnish with a strawberry or cherry.

This is a favorite holiday dessert. It looks very festive and is delicious!

Carrie J. Gamble is the co-author, editor and publisher of Grandmother's Cookbook, a collection of her own grandmother's best recipes. Details about the cookbook and more delicious recipes of Carrie's grandmother, Elizabeth Rose von Hohen, can be found on their website. Visit the site and download free recipes and “A Family Love Letter” chapter at http://www.grandmotherscookbook.com/.

Audrey :)