Crunchy Asian Chicken Salad - Applebee's Copycat Recipe

I haven't been to Applebee's in a very long time, but when I did go, this salad is what I would order. I found this recipe recently in a Taste of Home magazine. The recipe can be found online, here. I made it recently, and it is very good. I candied the almonds using the method from another salad recipe on here, which adds a little more crunch to the salad; but you could skip that step, and leave them, as is. 

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Base Salad Mixture

4 frozen breaded chicken tenders (about 8 oz) - I used Tyson crispy chicken breast strips

1 (14-oz) package hearts of romaine salad mix, or just romaine lettuce

1 (14-oz) package coleslaw mix

Dressing  

1/3 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil (I did not have any, so I left it out)

Sprinkle on Top

1/4 cup crispy chow mein noodles (may be called hard chow mein noodles)

1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted (I candied - see recipe below)

1. Cook the chicken according to package directions, and let cool. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. You want the chicken nice and crispy. 

2. In a large bowl, combine the romaine and coleslaw mixes and toss together well. 

3. Prepare the dressing by whisking together all the ingredients together, until smooth. 

4. To serve, dish the salad mixes into individual bowls, and top with the cut up chicken. Drizzle with the dressing, and sprinkle on the chow mein noodles and almonds. 

Candied Almonds 

2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds

In a dry skillet, combine the sugar and almonds and turn burner onto medium to medium-low. Stir until the sugar is melted, and caramelizes and browns the almonds. Stir frequently. You want to have the burner on high enough that it will melt the sugar. Once it starts melting, the almonds will brown quickly, so keep a close eye on them. You may want to turn the burner down a little as they begin to caramelize. Place on a wax paper-lined plate and allow to cool. Break apart.

Peanut Butter-Filled Brownie Cups with White Chocolate Icing

I don't recall where I got this recipe. I actually found this as a draft in my posts, and decided to publish it. Sounds good, though. 

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3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1  1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons hot water
1  1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Prepare the filling (see the recipe below).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a small saucepan over very low heat. Let cool. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and butter until light. Add the eggs, water and vanilla and beat until well blended. Add the cooled chocolate mixture, beating until well blended. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt  and stir into the chocolate mixture until just blended.

Line 20 mini muffin cups with paper liners and spoon enough batter into each muffin cup to fill one-fourth full. Evenly divide the filling between all the muffin cups. Fill with the remaining brownie batter. Bake 350 degrees for about 18 minutes, or until brownies are just set when pressed with your finger tip. Cool. Frost the tops of the brownie cups (see the recipe below).

Filling
6 tablespoons peanut butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour

Mix together until smooth.

White Chocolate Icing
4 oz white chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
1  1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
hot water, enough to reach desired spreading consistency

Melt together the white chocolate and butter in a saucepan over very low heat. Stir in the powdered sugar, vanilla and hot water, stirring until smooth. Spread icing over cooled brownie cups. Let set.

Coconut Joy Candy Bars

 I collect cooking magazines, and my favorite time of year to do so, is in the fall and around Christmas time. I came across this recipe in a Better Homes & Gardens magazine for Christmas cookies, and it can be found online, here. 

Recipe is courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

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Nonstick cooking spray
3/4 cup salted butter, melted

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided (1 teaspoon for the base, and 1 teaspoon for the filling)

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted (instructions below)

Milk Chocolate Ganache (recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13" baking pan with heavy-duty foil, extending the foil over the edges so the cooled bars can be lifted out of the pan, Lightly spray the foil with cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter, sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract. Stir until combined. Now, stir in the beaten eggs and stir again, until incorporated.

2. In another bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until combined. Spread half of this mixture into your prepared pan. Bake 350 degrees until set, about 12 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

3. While the bars are cooling, for the filling, in a large bowl, add the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla, and the almond extract. Stir until combined. 

4. Carefully spread the coconut filling mixture over the chocolate layer and sprinkle with the toasted, chopped almonds. Bake 350 degrees for 20-35 minutes, until set. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. 

5. Spread the Milk Chocolate Ganache evenly over the cooled bars. Chill until the ganache is firm, at least one hour. Use the foil to lift the uncut bars out of the pan; then cut unto bars. 

6. Store the bars in an airtight container for up to three days. 

To toast the almonds

Spread the chopped almonds evenly in a shallow pan and bake 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes, stirring them once or twice during baking. Be sure to set a timer and watch them closely, so as to not burn. 

Milk Chocolate Ganache  

Pour one (11.5-oz) package of milk chocolate chips in a medium bowl, set aside. In a small saucepan bring 3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream just to boiling. (Watch carefully) Immediately pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips in the bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes, without stirring. After the 5 minutes, stir until smooth. 

Cheeseburger Sliders

I make these often, because they are very quick and easy to make, and are very good. The original recipe is found here, at the cookiesandcups.com website. Check it out, as these are supposed to resemble White Castle hamburgers, with the addition of sauteed, diced onions. I do not add those. Sometimes, I cut the recipe in half using one pound ground beef, depending on how many people I'm serving, but if I do decide to use two pounds of ground beef, I put extra filling on each slider bun, with a little extra filling at the end. I will write out the recipe the way I make it, because there are things I don't add, just out of preference. In the picture below, I used mini hamburger sliders, but I usually use King's Hawaiian buns. 

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12 slider rolls, such as King's Hawaiian 

1 pound ground beef (I usually use an 80/20 ratio)

1-2 tablespoons ketchup

1/2 to 1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1/2 of a one-ounce packet of dry onion soup mix

1/2 tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning

A couple tablespoons of water, optional

4-5 slices American cheese

Dill pickle slices, optional

1-2 tablespoons butter, melted

Sesame seeds, optional

1. Preheat the over to 350 degrees. 

2. Line a 9 x 13" baking pan with parchment paper. Cut the Hawaiian's buns in half vertically, and set the tops aside. When I make sliders with Hawaiian buns, I usually separate them individually, then cut in half vertically. I simply find it easier to do it that way, instead of trying to cut through them all as one whole block of buns. Sometimes I use mini hamburger slider buns, as seen in these photos. 

3. Brown the hamburger then drain the grease. Add the ketchup, mustard, dry onion soup mix, Montreal Steak seasoning, and stir together well, until the meat is well coated. I usually add a little water at this point and let it cook a few minutes to sort of rehydrate the onion soup mix. 

4. Spoon the meat mixture over the bottoms of the buns. Tear the American cheese into smaller slices, and place on top of the meat mixture. Since I am not a fan of a lot of cheese on these, I don't fully cover each sandwich, which is why I don't use more cheese for better coverage. Add pickle slices, if desired. Top each sandwich with the tops of the buns.

5. Melt the butter, and drizzle it over the tops of the buns, then lightly sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. Cover the entire baking pan with foil. Place the baking pan on a rimmed cookie sheet, to bake. I find if I skip this last step, the bottoms of the sandwiches get overdone. 

6. Bake covered, at 350 degrees, for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and sandwiches are fully warmed through. Remove the pan from the oven and keep it covered, so the sandwiches have an opportunity to "steam" a little. This last step is not necessary, it just depends on how soft you want your sandwiches. This step I presume, is to make them more like White Castle hamburgers. 

Moist Banana Bread

I've had this banana bread twice now at work, but it was made by someone else, so I was not able to get photos of it. It is very good, and went over very well both times. The recipe can be found here on Natasha's Kitchen website. She posts delicious recipes, so check out her website if you haven't done so yet. I've made several of her recipes, all with great success.

Photo is found on the Natasha's Kitchen website.

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3 very ripe bananas, medium/large in size

1/2 cup unsalted butter (8 tablespoons) at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs at room temperature, slightly beaten

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Optional

1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 x 2 1/2" bread loaf pan. 

2. In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 

3. Mash the bananas with a fork, until the consistency of chunky applesauce, and add to the butter/sugar mixture along with the two eggs and vanilla, and mix until well blended.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until blended. Add to the banana mixture and stir until combined. If adding the walnuts and/or raisins, stir them in now.

5. Spread into the prepared loaf pan and bake 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use a butter knife to loosen the sides of the bread and remove from the pan onto a wire rack. Let cool completely. 

Applesauce Snack Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting

I have a weakness for cooking magazines, cooking blogs and websites. I love when the weather turns cooler in the fall, so I can start to bake. I haven't made this recipe yet, but it sure sounds delicious and reminiscent of iced applesauce bars I used to make when I was in my early 20s. I found this recipe in the November 2024 issue of Southern Living Best Fall Recipes, but it can also be found on their website, here.  See Note and link below for an alternative frosting.

 Photo is from the Southern Living website

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Cake

3 large McIntosh apples, about 1 1/2 pounds total), peeled and chopped (about 5 cups)

See link here, for substitutes for McIntosh apples

1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup canola oil

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon grated lime zest (from one lime)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons whole milk

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons hot water (optional)

Garnish (Optional)

Chopped toasted pecans

Directions

1. Prepare a 9" x 13" cake pan by spraying with a baking spray with flour, or you may just grease the pan with shortening and add some flour. Tap the bottom and sides of the pan to evenly distribute the flour throughout, and then tap out the excess flour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Place the apples in a medium-sized microwaveable bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and microwave on high until softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer the apples and any liquid to a food processor or blender, and puree until smooth, about 20-30 seconds. Cool about 10 minutes. You should have about 2 cups of pureed apples.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, ginger, cinnamon, lime zest, vanilla, eggs, and purred apples until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Add to the apple mixture and stir just until combined.

4. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake 350 degrees until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 28-32 minutes. Place on a wire rack and cool completely.

5. Prepare the frosting by melting the butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in the brown sugar and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Stir in the milk and return to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar and salt, until smooth and thickened. If the mixture is too thick, add hot water until desire consistency is reached. Spread frosting over the cooled cake and garnish with the toasted chopped pecans, if desired.

Note

If you desire a traditional icing, you can a vanilla buttercream frosting, such as this one, found here on the Sally's Baking Addiction website. She has wonderful recipes, and if you haven't checked out her website, please do so. 

Beef Noodle Casserole

This is another recipe I found in the magazine Delish Comfort Food. The recipe can be found on their website, here. I have not tried this recipe yet, but it looks awfully good. 

Photo is from the Delish . com website

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Serves 6 - 8

Kosher salt

Black pepper

12 ounces egg noodles

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound ground beef

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

8 ounces shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the egg noodles according to package directions, LESS one minute. (Essentially, you want to cook them al-dente.) Reserve one cup of the pasta water, and drain the rest. Add the butter to the noodles, and toss to combine. 

2. In another large pot over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, cooking until no pink remains, about 6 minutes. Drain the grease and season with salt. 

3. Reduce the heat under your cooked beef to medium and add the chopped onion and garlic, and cook until the onion is translucent, stirring frequently, about 4-5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, cream of mushroom soup, the heavy whipping cream, and about one-third of the shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese. Bring to a simmer and cook, adding 1/2 to 1 cup of the reserved pasta water until the cheese is melted and desired consistency is reached, about one minute. If needed, season with additional salt and black pepper, to taste. Stir in the cooked egg noodles. Pour all into a greased 9" x 13" pan and sprinkle with the remaining shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese. 

4. Bake at 350 degrees, until the center and edges are bubbly, about 30 minutes. Top with the chopped parsley before serving. 

Blueberry French Toast Casserole

French Toast is one of my favorite breakfast foods, and it is very easy to make it for a small crowd. It's simply put together in a 9 x 13" baking dish that is refrigerated for several hours or overnight, and then baked in the oven. I typically use almost an entire 1-pound loaf of French bread, and then make a custard. Sometimes I add fruit, other times, I don't. 

There are many versions of this sort of dish that can be found online. This one has intrigued me, since you lightly toast the cubed bread before adding your custard, I assume to prevent the bread from getting soggy once it's baked. I have not tried this particular recipe yet, but am posting it here so that I remember to try it in the future. I found this recipe in the Delish Comfort Food magazine, but it can be found here on their website. 

Photo courtesy of Delish . com

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Serves 8

1 (one-pound) loaf of unsliced challah bread, cut into 1" cubes (yielding about 10 cups of bread cubes)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup) 

3 (4" x 1") strips of orange zest (orange peel) (open link to find directions on how to so this)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

3 cups fresh blueberries (about 16 ounces) blueberries (about 16 ounces), divided (see step two)

Kosher salt

6 large eggs

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated if you are able

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar  (open link to see what that is)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for greasing the pan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. On a large, rimmed baking sheet, spread the bread cubes in an even layer, then bake 325 degrees, stirring halfway through, until the bread is lightly toasted, but not browned, about 10 minutes. Allow the bread to cool on the baking sheet.

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the maple syrup, orange zest and orange juice, 2 cups of the blueberries, and a pinch of kosher salt to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries have released their juices and only half of them are still intact, about 10 minutes. 

3. Transfer 1/2 of the blueberry sauce you just made into a small bowl, and stir in the remaining 1 cup of blueberries. Set this aside until you are ready to assemble the casserole. Transfer the remaining sauce into an airtight container, cover, and refrigerate it. You will serve this remaining sauce alongside the casserole at serving time. 

4. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9" x 13" baking pan. In a large bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs until well combined. Add the whole milk, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, nutmeg, 1/4 cup of the turbinado sugar and an additional 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt and beat until smooth. Add all of the toasted bread cubes to the bowl, toss them in the custard, and let them soak in the custard for about 5 minutes. 

5. Spread two-thirds of the bread mixture into your prepared baking pan. Spoon the 1/2 cup of your blueberry mixture that you had set aside evenly over the top of the bread mixture. Top with the remaining 1/3 bread mixture, gently pressing down into an even height. Scatter the 2 tablespoons of cut up pieces of butter over all, then cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10-12 hours.

6. To bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is preheating, let the casserole and the reserved blueberry sauce sit at room temperature. Before you bake it, sprinkle on the remaining 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar over the top of the casserole. 

7. Bake the casserole until it has puffed up, the edges are crisp, is golden brown in color, and is set in the middle, about 45 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes, before serving. Serve with the reserved blueberry sauce on the side. 

One Pan Tortellini with Sausage

 You can find this quick and easy one-pan recipe here at Salt & Lavender website. It comes together quickly and is delicious. You can use sausage links that you slice up, or use ground sausage, either mild or hot sausage, whatever suits your preference. 

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12-16 ounces of ground Italian sausage, either hot or mild

minced garlic, to taste

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 (9 ounce) bag refrigerated cheese tortellini, whatever variety you prefer - I use the Rana brand of 5-cheese

2 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach, trimmed of stems

salt and pepper, to taste

freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

1. Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat, drain the fat if there is a lot. 

2. Add the garlic, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, heavy cream, and tortellini. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, or until the tortellini is cooked through and the sauce has reduced. The sauce will thicken somewhat from the tortellini 

3. Stir in the spinach, and allow it to wilt. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. 

Chicken Noodle Casserole

I recently came upon this recipe from allrecipes.com. It's a simple, comfort-food type of recipe that is good as is, or can be zhuzhed up by adding additional seasonings and/or vegetables. I've made this a couple of times now. The second time around, I did not have cream of mushroom soup, so I used two cans of cream of chicken soup. I personally like it better with the cream of mushroom because it gives it a more complex flavor;  but either way, it is very good. You can use a rotisserie chicken, or poach chicken yourself using this recipe from Inspired Taste. 

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4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
6 ounces egg noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream

splash of milk, optional
salt and pepper to taste

Topping  
1/2 cup butter
1 cup roughly chopped buttery round crackers, such as Ritz 

(Plain breadcrumbs could also be used.)

Dried parsley

Using your favorite recipe for poaching chicken, cook the chicken and after cooling slightly, cut the chicken up. You can strain the broth and cook the egg noodles in the broth, or just cook in salted water. 

In a large bowl, combine both cans of soup, sour cream, and season with salt and pepper. If you would like a little thinner consistency, add a little milk. Both times, I added a little milk. Stir until well combined. Gently stir in the cooked chicken and cooked egg noodles. Spread into a greased 9x13" or two-quart baking dish. 

Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan and set aside. In a Ziplock plastic bag, roughly crush the crackers and add to the butter. You can either roughly crush the crackers, or finely crush. Stir gently, and spread over the chicken-noodle mixture. Sprinkle with parsley. 

Note: I double the topping, since I really like the crunch. 

Bake 350 degrees, for 30-40 minutes, until heated through, is bubbly, and topping is golden browned. 

Puffed Caramel Corn

I'm sure everyone has seen the recipe for caramel corn using Old Dutch Puff Popcorn ... It's even better when you use the Chester's Butter Puffcorn. The recipe is basically the same, but I think it has better flavor. 

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Ingredients

2 (3.25-oz) bags Chester Butter Puffcorn (click on link above to see what I'm talking about)
1 cup salted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup

Splash vanilla, optional

1 teaspoon baking soda (make sure your baking soda is fresh)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

2. Line a large baking sheet with sides with parchment paper and pour both bags of the puffcorn onto baking sheet, and spread evenly. I like to use a large roasting pan. It makes the stirring, easier. 

3. In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup together over medium heat until everything has melted. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Boil for two minutes, Remove from heat. Add a splash of vanilla, if using and stir well. Add the baking soda and stir well to combine. The mixture will foam up from the addition of the baking soda, so be prepared.

4. Pour over the puffcorn and stir very well to coat all the puffcorn evenly.

5. Bake 250 degrees for 50 minutes, removing from the oven every 10 minutes to stir puffcorn. 

6. Place a large sheet of parchment paper (may also use waxed paper if that is what you have) and spread puffcorn out on the sheet of parchment paper. Break apart the puffcorn as needed, so it is not all sticking together. Let cool completely and store in a large covered bowl, or in ziplock bags. 

The caramel mixture increases in volume by 2-3 times after adding the baking soda, so be sure you are using a large enough saucepan. 

Updated Easy Chicken Tacos

You can find my original post for these tacos here. These are delicious, and a favorite of my family. Keep a dish of chopped chipotle chilies with the sauce on the side to add to your own tacos, to amp up the smoky spice. I start with a rotisserie chicken, so they are made very quickly. I usually make one and a half to two times the sauce mixture that I allow to reduce by half. You want the sauce to be nice and thick, so that it coats the chicken well. You can serve this with lime cilantro rice, and fresh Pico de Gallo (Recipe below). The recipe for the rice can be found on my blog, here. 

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3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce
1/2 cup orange juice (not frozen concentrate)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided (See note below)
1 1/2 pounds of shredded meat from a rotisserie chicken
salt and pepper, to taste

12 (6-inch) flour tortillas, warmed
shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes

grated cheese

sour cream

In a skillet, melt the butter, then add the chopped chipotle chilies and cook in the butter until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the orange juice, Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 cup of the chopped cilantro. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and allow to reduce by half. Add the chicken and remaining chopped cilantro and stir well to coat all the chicken. Spoon mixture into a warmed flour tortilla, and top with desired toppings. Serve with chopped up chipotle chili peppers with some of the sauce. Serve with Lime Cilantro Rice, and Tostito chips with homemade Pico de Gallo on the side. Recipe is below.

Note on cilantro

You can cut up the cilantro with kitchen shears. There is no need to remove all the leaves from the stems, because they are tender enough that you can cut those up, too. I just don't use the thicker stems that just might be more tough. I toss those away. 

I wish I had a photo of these with the Pico de Gallo, but you can see just how fresh everything looks!

Pico de Gallo is a Mexican salsa consisting of fresh tomatoes, onion, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, and flavored with fresh lime juice (it must be the juice from a fresh lime rather than bottled, for optimal flavor), and then seasoned with salt and pepper, to taste. I find that it doesn't keep for too long in the refrigerator as it waters down, so don't make a huge batch of this. 

This recipe and photo are from the blog  Natashas Kitchen. 

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Pico de Gallo

1 pound (3-4 medium) diced tomatoes (see note below) 

1/2 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced 

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 lime)

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator. 

Note on tomatoes

I like to remove the pulp from the tomatoes, then cut into strips and chop. This keeps the salsa from becoming too watery.

Crockpot Italian Chicken

I got this recipe from a friend at work. I've made it numerous times, and have loved it every time. The cream cheese gives the gravy a very creamy texture, and the Italian Dressing mix, gives it loads of flavor. You can serve this over any kind of noodles - I like to use egg noodles; or you can serve it over rice. The recipe can be found at the Easy Chicken Recipes website. 

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Ingredients

6 small, boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 (0.7-oz) packets dry Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix (see photo below)
1 (10.5-oz) can Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup
1(8-oz) package cream cheese, cut into cubes
1/2 cup Low Sodium Chicken broth

Directions

1. Place the chicken breasts into the crockpot. Sprinkle one pf the packets of the Italian Dressing mix over the chicken. Turn the chicken over, and sprinkle with the other packet of dressing mix.

2. Spread the cream of chicken soup over the chicken.

3. Add the cream cheese cubes. 

4. Pour the chicken broth over all.

5.  Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours, or on HIGH, for 3-4 hours. 

6. Remove the chicken to a plate, and shred then return the chicken to the crockpot and stir well. 

6. Serve over noodles or hot cooked rice. 

In case you haven't heard of the Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix, see photo below. 

(Luke's) Taco Dip

I got this recipe from a coworker many, many years ago. It has just a few simple ingredients and was always a hit everywhere I took it. It was an absolute favorite of my son, Luke. Before he died, I made it for him often; so everytime I see this recipe, I think of him. 

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You can make as much of this, or as little of this as you'd like. You can make it spicier by using Hot Taco Sauce, or milder, by using the Mild Taco Sauce. You can add diced onion, and if you wanted it even spicier, you could add chopped jalapeno pepper. It is best to prepare this the day before serving. Below is the base recipe.

Ingredients

4 large Roma tomatoes

1-2 Green bell peppers, seeded and diced (You may add other color bell peppers, if desired)

1-2 (8-oz) bags of shredded Cheddar cheese (do not shred your own, otherwise it will clump together too much)

1-3 (8-oz) jars of Ortega Taco Sauce (I use the medium flavor)

Directions

Chop up your tomatoes. I like to remove the pulp inside, by cutting then in half and scooping out the center pulp and seeds. This way, the dip does not get too watery. Cut the tomatoes into strips, and then dice crosswise. Cut out the centers of the green peppers, and dice. Toss everything together into a bowl that has a cover. Add the cheese and taco sauce. Stir well. Cover and refrigerate overnight before serving, to soften the bell peppers and to allow the flavors to blend well. 

Serve with plain tostitos, or cheese-flavored doritos. 

Basic Vanilla Refrigerator Cookies (with variations)

My mom made dozens and dozens of cookies of all varieties, every year at Christmas. We would start early in the morning, and bake all day long. Us kids would give her a "helping hand"; but we were young and very may well have gotten underfoot, more than actually being any sort of help to her. She was a very good and patient mother though, and allowed us to help her make these dozens and dozens of cookies, every year.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, because it meant spending time with her, and it was something I looked forward to, a great deal. 

A "Refrigerator cookie", or "Ice Box cookie" as they are also known by, is a simple cookie dough that is typically rolled into a log, wrapped in plastic wrap or waxed paper and refrigerated for a set amount of time. To bake, the cookie dough roll is cut into slices and baked on a cookie sheet. This is what sets them apart from "Drop Cookies", which is cookie dough that is scooped out of the bowl by a teaspoon or a cookie scoop, and dropped onto the baking sheet. 

This particular recipe is a basic cookie dough that you can then choose to add different ingredients to flavor them. What I remember making most often, are the Spice Cookies. We would press in  several  red hot cinnamon candies, on top of  the sliced dough, to amp up the flavor. I loved these cookies when I was a kid. This recipe brings back a lot of memories, and I can't wait to try it again.

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Basic Cookies

2/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and beat until mixed together. Divide the dough in half on sheets of waxed paper. Roll each half into a cylinder shape, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  Wrap each half in waxed paper and chill until firm, at least two hours. 

Heat oven to 425 degrees and cut rolled cookie dough, about 1/4" thick and place on ungreased cookie sheets, about 1" apart. Bake 425 degrees for 5-7 minutes, until light golden brown. Immediately remove from the cookie sheet and set onto a wire rack, to let cool completely. Store in a covered container. 

Makes 60-72 cookies

Notes

The rolled cookie dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or in the freezer, for up to 6 weeks. To bake from frozen state, follow the same directions above. May need to thaw slightly, or bake a little longer.

Variations

1. Spice Cookies  

To the flour, add:

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

2. Lemon or Orange Cookies

To the flour, add:

1 teaspoon of grated peel (using an microplane) of either fresh lemon or fresh orange

3. Coconut Cookies

Add 1 cup coconut at the end

Note: If using the spiced cookie variation, before baking, top each cookie with several of red hot cinnamon candies (see photo below). Bake as directed. 

(John's) Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

My son John, loves soft chocolate chip cookies; but I personally prefer them more chewy-crisp. He found this recipe online on the cooking blog Cakes by Courtney, made them and fell in love with them. They are very good, so bookmark this page. If you prefer the ingredients to be listed by weight, she does so on her blog. 

Photo courtesy of Cakes by Courtney blogpost

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Ingredients

1 cup butter, cold
1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs (may also use extra large eggs) at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups semisweet or dark chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream the butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the granulated and brown sugars, and beat until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and beat another several seconds to mix together.

3. Add the eggs, one at a time beating until well incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat another 30 seconds. 

4. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, 1/3 tp 1/2 at a time. Mix together until combined. 

5. By hand, mix in the chocolate chips. 

6. Scoop cookie dough into two-inch balls, and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are slightly golden brown. The tops may look soft, but still remove from the oven as they will continue baking on the cookie sheet once they are removed from the oven and cool on the cookie sheet. 

Snickers Bars

I found this recipe in one of those old church cookbooks, but I haven't made them in years. There is a note written on it stating that while they are a lot of work, it is well worth it because they are that good. 

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First Layer

1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup butterscotch chips
1/4 cup peanut butter

Melt together and spread in a buttered 9x13" pan. You might want to line the pan with parchment paper to make removal easier. Let cool and set.

Second Layer

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup milk

1 cup marshmallow creme

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup (or more) chopped salted peanuts

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, boil the sugar, butter, and milk for 5 minutes. Add the marshmallow creme, peanut butter, and vanilla. Pour over the first layer. Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts. Let cool.

Third Layer

30-40 caramels

1-3 tablespoons hot water

Melt the caramels in a heavy-bottomed skillet, and add the hot water. Stir until well blended. Pour over the peanuts.

Fourth Layer

Repeat first layer, spreading over the caramel layer.

Allow to set and cut into small bars. 

Tomato-Basil Soup

If you think you don't like tomato soup, try this recipe. It is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients; and very comforting on a cold winter day. I found this on Natasha's Kitchen. I've made it many times, and it is delicious. I've made some modifications to suit my tastes, so click on the link above to see the original recipe.

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Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter

Two (28-oz) cans crushed tomatoes, with their juice - preferably San Marzano (see note below recipe)

2 cups chicken stock or broth

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (you can also use about 1 tablespoon dried basil)

1 tablespoon granulated sugar, or more to taste

(Don't skip this, as it will help to combat the acidity of the tomatoes)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (You may use Half and Half, instead)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to put on top when serving

Additional salt and pepper to season to taste at the end of cooking time

Directions

1. In a non-reactive pot or enameled Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. 

2. Add the tomatoes with their juice, chicken stock, chopped basil, sugar, and black pepper. 

Stir together and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and partially cover with the lid and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Add 1/2 cup whipping cream and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Bring back up to a simmer, season to taste with salt and pepper, and turn off the burner. 

4. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped basil/

This is good with a grilled cheese sandwich.

Note: You can use whole tomatoes, but either cut them up small, or run them through a blender or food processor to make make a smooth sauce. 

Minestrone Soup

I haven't always liked Minestrone Soup, but I guess when I've tried it, it was a canned soup. Making it from scratch is a game changer. I found this recipe here on the Love and Lemons blog. Minestrone soup is typically a vegetarian soup, but I add a can of Swanson's low-sodium chicken broth because otherwise, there is not a whole lot of broth, once you add all the vegetables and broth. You can add more vegetable broth, beef or chicken broth, or leave it as is. Try to keep all your vegetables cut up about the same size.

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced small

2 medium carrots, chopped small

2 celery ribs, chopped small

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

Black pepper, to taste

3 garlic cloves, minced (I do not add garlic)

1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups white beans or red kidney beans, cooked, drained, and rinsed 

( I use a can of light red kidney beans, rinsed)

1 cup chopped green beans 

(You can use frozen green beans, or drained canned beans - I have used both, and either works)

4 cups vegetable broth (See my note above in the introduction about adding more broth)

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

3/4 cup small pasta, such as elbow macaroni, shells, orecchiette, etc.

Pinch of red pepper flakes, or to taste

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 

(I usually don't have fresh on hand, so I use about 1-2 tablespoons of dried parsley)

Freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving on top of soup

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium het. Add the onions, carrots, celery, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for about 8 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. 

2. Add the garlic, tomatoes, beans, green beans, bay leaves, oregano and thyme, and broth. Cover and simmer over low to medium-low heat for 20 minutes. 

3. Stir in pasta and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked through. This is the time to add additional broth, if that is what you want to do. You can sprinkle in more of the seasonings to adjust for the additional broth. Add the red pepper flakes.  Stir in the parsley flakes.

4. Serve soup with parmesan sprinkled on top and a crusty bread on the side.

Serves 4-6 ... more, if you add additional broth

Chicken and Rice Soup

This is a delicious soup  recipe that I found on iamhomesteader.com. It is comfort food at its best. I've made it several times, and is always a hit. I've made a few modifications to suit my tastes, but you can find the original recipe in the link above. The recipe calls for a rotisserie chicken, but you can make your own poached chicken. If I'm able to use that shortcut, I will.

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter

Yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)

2 large carrots, diced (about 1 cup)

2 ribs celery, diced (about 1 cup)

2 teaspoons garlic, minced 

( I do not like garlic, so I sprinkle in some garlic salt - I can tolerate the garlic salt better than the garlic powder)

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

(Optional, but it adds great flavor - you can use less)

6 cups chicken broth

1 cup long-grain rice, uncooked 

(I find this to be too much rice, so I add 1/2 to 3/4 cup uncooked rice)

2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded or cubed

Fresh parsley for garnish 

(I use dried parsley and it's just fine, because I never have fresh on hand)

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, add the oil and butter and heat until butter is melted.

2. Saute the onion, carrots, and celery until softened,  stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes. Add your garlic and if using fresh, cook approximately one more minute.

3. Add the basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, stirring until combined.

4. Add the chicken broth, and bring to a boil.

5. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the rice. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the rice is nearly done, but still has some firmness to it. 

6. Add the chicken and continue to cook until the rice is tender and cooked through. 

7. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.