Tuna Cakes

Back before we realized that all my stomach aches growing up were from fish, I would gobble this simple dinner idea. Adapted from the Better Crocker Cookbook, 1983.

• ~6-7 Saltine Crackers
• 1 6.5oz Can Of Tuna, Drained
• 1 Egg
• 1 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Teaspoon Mustard
• ¼ Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

1. Mix crackers, tuna, egg, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and salt.
2. Shape mixture into 3 firm patties, each about ½ inch thick.
3. Fry patties in oil over medium heat until golden brown on both sides, 4-5 minutes.
4. Dip in mustard 

 3 Servings

Easy-Peasy Roasted Whole Chicken with Vegetables A One-Pot Wonder!

My mom makes this for dinner probably every other week. Its an easy yummy dinner that doesn't take much time to put together.

• Large Roasting Pan
• 1 – approximately 5-6 pound whole chicken, rinsed and dried
• 2 - 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 Tablespoon dried Rosemary or Thyme
• 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
• 1 ½  Tablespoons Kosher salt, divided
• 2-3 teaspoons Paprika
• 1 whole sweet onion, chopped
• 2-3 whole carrots, peeled and chopped (or two handfuls of baby carrots)
• 1-2 ribs of celery, rinsed and chopped
• 4 medium potatoes (russet or Yukon gold), scrubbed and chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2. Spray your large roasting pan with PAM or other oil spray.
3. Place all your vegetables in the pan. Sprinkle with olive oil and salt, toss well to coat vegetables. Set aside.
4. Make sure your chicken has all the innards removed. Rinse and dry well. Separate the skin from the flesh of the chicken on the breasts and legs. Take half the butter and mush in the space, moving it all over the flesh. Take the other half of the butter and rub the outside of the chicken, all over.
5. Sprinkle Rosemary (or Thyme), salt, and paprika over the top of the bird.
6. Tuck the wings under the chicken. Take some of the onions, carrots and celery and place inside the body cavity. Tie up the legs (trussing, if you know how to do that. Otherwise, just tie the end of the legs together in a slip knot with kitchen twine.).
7. Place chicken directly on top of the vegetables.
8. Place in preheated oven on the middle rack and roast for 2 hours. Check the thigh or breast temperature, making sure it hits 165˚F. Take out of oven, and let rest for 5-10 minutes before carving. That way, the juices stabilize in the chicken.
9. Carve and serve with roasted vegetables and pour the jus of the chicken over the vegetables and chicken. YUMMO!
10. Second dinner from chicken: Save broth for a stunning chicken soup base. In a large pot, pour in left over broth with the carcass of the chicken and add 2-4 cups of water. Simmer on low heat for 1 hour. Remove bones and strain broth. Add 1-2 teaspoons dried dill weed. Add cooked chicken as well as noodles or rice. Cook through. Great for colds!

Krisanne Bosen's White Bean Soup

While in college, my roommate Jessica would make this soup. It was one of my favorite comfort foods. When we went to San Diego for our roommate Tammy's wedding, her mom had her yummy soup waiting for us after a long drive from Utah.

• 4 Boiled Chicken Breasts
• Sauté: 
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Med Onions Chopped
• 4 Garlic Cloves (2 tsp Minced Garlic)
• 2-4 oz Cans Chopped Green Chilies
• 2 tsp Cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
• Dash of Emeril Pepper (I use regular pepper)
• 3- 16 oz Cans White Beans
• 5 Cups Chicken Broth
• 3 Cups Monterrey Jack Cheese
• Sliced Avocado

Combine all ingredients except cheese and avocado. Simmer 10-15 minutes.
Cover with cheese and avocado.

Crock pot version:
Combine all ingredients (chicken can be raw) in crock pot. Cook on high 2 hours, low 4 hours.

Basic Fruit Cobbler Dutch Oven

To be honest, there are so many variations on what fruit to add, the combinations are endless here. Have fun and experiment.

1. Fruit (Choose your favorite):

• 2- 20oz Cans of pie filling
• 4-5 Cups Frozen/Fresh Fruit

• Peaches and/or Nectarines
• Berries- combination or single variety
• Cherries
• Pineapple (Think pineapple upside-down cake)
• Apricot
• Apples

     2.   Cake Mix- Usually Yellow or white but can use carrot or spice with apples.
     3.   1/4-1/2 C butter
     4.   1 can Lemon Lime Pop


Preparation:

1. Line dutch oven with aluminum foil.
2. Pour fruit on bottom. 
3. Combine cake mix and 1 can of pop. Pour on top of fruit.
4. Dollop butter on top (makes the top crispy)
5. Place 5-6 Coals on bottom and 12-14 coals on top. Cook for 1 Hour.

Variation:

• Instead of mixing in pop, you can substitute the 1/2 cup of butter into the mix. I like the pop/butter combo best.

Lemon Pesto Pasta

Here is a quick easy pasta to make for a light lunch or dinner. Please realize I normally only cook this for myself so I'm trying to think how much it would be for more than one person.

1 lbs Pasta of your choice (angel hair or linguini is best)
2 tbls Pesto
1/4 C lemon juice
1/4 C butter OR 1 tbls olive oil (I use either/or depending on my mood)
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

1.) Cook pasta to just before al dente. Drain pasta.
2.) Add butter/oil. If using butter, stir until melted. Add lemon juice, pesto and cheese until pasta is well coated.The pasta will soak in the lemon while it finishes cooking.
3.) Salt and Pepper to taste

Variation: Add Lemon pesto chicken chunks for a heartier meal.

Pesto Chicken

Here is a quick easy meal my mom likes to make. Serve with angel hair pasta and Alfredo sauce for a yummy meal people think you slaved over.

4 thawed chicken breasts or 8 chicken tenderloins.
4 slices provolone cheese
4 oz pesto (half a jar of classico Pesto)

1.) Preheat oven to 350°F.
2.) Arrange chicken on non-stick cooking pan.
3.) Place 2-3 tsp of pesto on each chicken breast. Cover with cheese.
4.) Cook for 20-25 min or until juices run clear. Reduce cooking time if using tenderloins.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

Has it really been that long since I last posted? Oops! Life has definitely brought some changes. After almost 10 years of wanting this recipe, I finally asked my cousin Pam for her Cafe Rio Sweet Pork. It is one of my favorites! Enjoy!

3.5 lbs Pork Roast 
1 bottle taco sauce (8 oz) 
1 Tbls cumin 
1 Cup brown sugar 
1 can Coke (not diet) 

1.)Place pork in crock pot and cover half of roast with water. Cook on high for 3 hours. 
2.)Add rest of ingredients to the pot and cook on low for 3 hours. The pork will cook for a total of 6 hours.

Great meat for burritos or taco salads.

Stuffed Shells

Stuffed Shells-half of the recipe

1 box of Jumbo Shells

1 16 oz Ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 garlic clove chopped finely or 1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp Parsley

1 tsp. Basil

1 Jar Prego Spaghetti Sauce

3 cups grated mozzarella cheese

2 tsp Oregano

Parmesan Cheese

1.      Preheat oven to 375°F

2.      Cook jumbo shells according to directions on packaging. Cool on wax or parchment paper.

3.      While noodles are cooking prepare ricotta cheese mixture by mixing ricotta cheese, egg, garlic, parsley and basil in a small bowl. Add 1 tbsp. Parmesan cheese. Add 2 cups of mozzarella cheese.

4.      Heat Spaghetti Sauce.

5.      When noodles are cooled enough to handle, open the shell (I find it easiest to press the top and bottom of the shell towards each other. This opens the shell up.) Fill shell with 2 tbsp. cheese mixture. You can freeze the shells at this point for an easy dinner later on.

6.      Cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan with about ½ of the spaghetti sauce. Line up shells on top of the sauce. Cover shells with remaining sauce then remaining mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and parsley on top. Cover with aluminum foil. Cook in oven for 35 minutes or until the shells in the middle are cooked thoroughly, removing foil for the last 5 minutes.

Roasted Red Potatoes

4-5 Med Red Potatoes-quartered

1 Med onion chopped

Garlic Salt

Rosemary Leaves

Olive oil/ Oil Cooking spray

Pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread potatoes and chopped onion evenly on cookie sheet. Spray lightly with oil. Sprinkle rosemary leaves, garlic salt and pepper to taste preference. Bake for about 45 minutes or until you can skewer potatoes with a fork.