Sticky Lemon Chicken

1 lb. chicken

salt and pepper

4 T. olive oil

2 T. soy sauce

3-4 T. honey

1 head garlic, each clove sliced in half (I just used the minced stuff I bought in the jar)

1 whole lemon, sliced

1/4 - 1/3 c. water

1 T. thyme

1/4 c. fresh parsley or 2 T. dried parsley

In a large skillet pan, add the oil to med. high heat. Season the chicken well with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for about 5-6 minutes, turning each piece. Add the garlic cloves, soy sauve, and honey to the pan making sure to get all the chicken in the sauce. Continue to cook for 5 minutes. Add the water and lay the slices of lemon on top of the chicken in the pan. Put a lid on the pan and continue to cook for about 10-15 minutes. Season the chicken with thyme and parsley. Continue to cook until the chicken cooked through and no longer pink.

We ate this with rice and if you want it more saucey then double the sauce. I did and it was nice to put a little sauce on the rice. This is definetely a recipe that will become a regular on. It was so good. I loved that I could go out and use fresh lemons off the tree as well. It was great!

Turkey Chili

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground turkey
1 big can of crushed tomatoes
1 small can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 onion (white or red)
1 green pepper
2 jalepenos
1 spoonful of garlic
4 tablespoons of olive oil (divided)
1 1/2 cups of frozen corn
cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper

Directions:
1. Heat half of the olive oil in a pot and saute diced onion, green pepper, and jalapenos. Add in garlic.
2. Brown ground turkey. Season w/ cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
3. Add both cans of tomatoes to pot w/ the vegetables. Season w/ spices.
4. Add turkey to pot of tomatoes and vegetables.
5. Simmer on low for a few hours. Depending on how much heat you want add in a round of the spices every hour.
6. 15 minutes before serving add in the frozen corn.
7. Serve with shredded cheese and sour cream.

Oyako

This is a japenese dish that Ryan and I like to get at this little restaurant down here. A couple of weeks ago it sounded good, but we didn't want to go out to eat so I decided to try to make it. We were actually really surprised at how well it turned out. I have to admit...I was very nervous to make it! I found a recipe and since then have made it a couple of times and have had a chance to play around with it. It is a new favorite.

2-3 chicken breasts, cut into very thin strips (almost julienned)

1 c. chicken broth

2 T. sugar

4 T. soy sauce

green onions

garlic, optional (as much as you want)

4-5 eggs, beaten

Put the chicken broth in a skillet with the sugar, soy sauce and the garlic. Put the cut up chicken in the sauce with half of the onions. Cook the chicken through. Put the remainder of the onions in and the beaten eggs. Turn the burner down and let the eggs simmer in the sauce for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

You can add whatever veges you want to this. Carrots, cabbage, mushrooms, squash, zucchini...it is good with anything. Today I put a yellow squash and the cabbage in it and it was great. Serve over rice. ENJOY!

Homemade Spanish Rice

2 T. Olive oil

2 cups long grain rice

1 finely chopped onion

1 clove garlic, pressed (or garlic powder)

On medium high brown the rice, onion, and garlic in the olive oil for about 4 minutes or until onions are soft.

4 cups chicken broth/stock (homemade is the best! Make sure to check if the rice is a 2 parts liquid to 1 part rice or if it's a 1:1 and adjust accordingly.)

Simmer, then add:

1 T. tomato paste or 1 c. chopped tomato. (I used 1 drained can of tomato with diced chili .)

dash of Oregano

1 t. salt (If using store bought chicken broth, you can get by with a dash of salt.)

Simmer again then add to the rice and let simmer for about 15 to 25 minutes until all the broth is taken up.

Almond Poppysead Bread

Almond Poppy Seed Bread

Bread
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. bkg powder
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Glaze
1 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup sugar

Mix bread ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Poke holes in bread and pour glaze on immediately after removing bread from oven. Let cool.. Enjoy!

Yield: 2 loaves

Got this from the same friend. Hope you enjoy!

Harvest Pumpkin Brownies using your Food Storage...or Not

1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin
4 eggs (1/4 C. dry egg powder + 1/2 C. water)
3/4 C. vegetable oil (or 3/4 C. white bean puree)
2 t. vanilla
2 C. whole wheat flour
2 C. sugar
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
2 t. ground cinnamon
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
Mix wet ingredients (including the water needed for your powdered eggs but not the dry egg powder…remember you DON’T need to mix these before adding to your recipes) Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients. Pour into 9×13 pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool and frost with cream cheese frosting or dollop cinnamon whipped topping.

I got these from a High School friend and really want to try them. I would trust her that these are really good.

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Line 9x13 greased pan with 8 frozen Hash Brown Patties

Drizzle with 1/4 cup melted butter

Bake for 25 minutes

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees

Top potato crust with:

4 cups diced ham

8 oz. grated Pepper Jack cheese

8 oz. grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 large can of Diced Green Chilies

Mix together:

4 eggs

1 c. milk

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

Pour egg mixture over the top of the cheeses

Bake an additional 30-35 minutes

Serve with Salsa.

In Ryan's family it is tradition to do breakfast casseroles on Christmas morning.  Gayle wanted to try a couple new ones this year and we think we found the ones we will do every year.  They were amazing.  One of them we got from Annette (and I will post that recipe soon) and this one Gayle got from someone she works with at the school.  They were so good.  We did this one with sausage and I don't like sausage and I ate it.  I would recommend this to anyone.