Ritzy Butter Chicken

2 eggs (beaten)
1-2 cups flour
4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 sleeve crushed Ritz crackers (see my tip below)
1/2 cup butter (cut into pieces)
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Place flour, eggs, and cracker crumbs in three separate bowls. Mix cracker crumbs with garlic salt and pepper. Dip chicken in flour, coating completely, then in eggs, and then in the cracker crumbs. Arrange in 9x13 pan. Place pieces of butter on top of chicken. Bake for 40 minutes or until no longer pink and juices run clear.

*To crush crackers easily, I keep the crackers in the sleeve and gently beat little by little with my rolling pin. Then I open the sleeve and just pour out the crushed crumbs!

This is easy and DELICIOUS!!

From Ashley's Kitchen

Frito Pie

Brown 1 pound of ground beef with one envelope of taco seasoning. Drain. Layer in small casserole dish:

Fritos
Meat
Cheddar cheese
Fritos

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. This will change your life.

From Ashley's Kitchen

The Best Potato Casserole

{Family recipe---AMAZING!!!}

20 oz. hashbrowns, thawed
1 stick margarine or butter
1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper
1 8 oz. container of sour cream
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups crushed cornflakes

Combine all in a bowl and mix well. Pour into a greased 9x13 dish and top with crushed cornflakes. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Done!

From Ashley's Kitchen

Tater Tot Casserole

{Actually it's not the Duggars'---another family favorite!}

2-3 cups frozen tater tots (no need to thaw)
1 cup chopped onions, sauteed in butter (I just use dry onion flakes)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small jar Cheese Whiz
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, browned and drained
1 can of water

Put tater tots in large baking dish. Pour meat and onions over tater tots. Heat soup, water, and Cheese Whiz. Pour over meat and onions. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until bubbly. I sometimes make this when I watch the Duggars on Tuesday nights in honor of them!

From Ashley's Kitchen

EASY Lasagna

1-2 pounds ground beef
3 15-oz. jars spaghetti sauce (I use only 2)
8 oz. UNCOOKED lasagna noodles
16 oz. cottage cheese (I always need more than this)
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown the ground beef in a skillet, stirring until crumbly; drain well. Stir in the spaghetti sauce. Layer the ground beef mixture, lasagna noodles, cottage cheese, and mozzarella cheese 1/3 at a time in a baking dish. Bake, covered with foil, at 350 for 1 hour.

This is wonderful because you don't have to pre-cook the noodles! This is also wonderful to freeze.

From Ashley's Kitchen

Mom's Beef Tips and Rice

1 lb. round steak, cut into 1" squares, or stew meat
1 can beef consumme
1/2 cup cranberry juice cocktail or grape juice
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 clove garlic (minced)
1/4 tsp. onion salt
2 tbsp. corn starch
3/4 cup water
cooked rice

Brown meat in skillet. Stir in consumme, cranberry juice, soy sauce, garlic and onion salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat, cover and simmer one hour. Blend in cornstarch and water. Turn up heat and stir gradually to thicken. Serve over rice.

From Ashley's Kitchen

Taco Soup

This is my mom's recipe and has been a family favorite for ages. I've seen other recipes out there, but here is a QUICK version that doesn't require too many ingredients or prep.

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 envelope ranch seasoning
1 can Rotel (tomatoes and chilis)--mild is recommended
1 can corn (I even use cream corn and it works great!)
1-2 cans of beans (I use 1 can of pinto beans)
3-4 cups of water, depending on your taste

Combine all together and heat on the stove until hot. Serve with sour cream, cheese, and tortilla chips. I can't tell you how delicious this soup is!

From Ashley's Kitchen

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

This is an absolutely delicious, EASY casserole! It's my mom's recipe, and I just had to share it with you.

2 cans French-cut green beans (drained)
1 can cream of celery
1/2 cup mayo (or to taste)
1 pkg. Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice (prepared as directed)
1-2 cans chicken (or fresh if you have it on hand)

Combine all together in a 9x13 casserole, and bake for 25 minutes at 350. DELICIOUS!!!

From Ashley's Kitchen

Chicken Artichoke Casserole

4 large chicken breasts, halved, boned, and skinned
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 can whole mushrooms, drained (I left these out)
2 tbsp. flour
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup cooking sherry (next time I'm going to use less)
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and halved (I used the marinated kind to add flavor)

Season chicken with salt, paprika, and pepper. Brown chicken in butter. Saute mushrooms in drippings in pan (if you're using them). Place chicken and mushrooms in casserole with artichoke hearts. Blend flour into pan juices; add soup and sherry. Cook until thick and pour over above. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 1 hour or until done.

*The sherry makes the sauce have a VERY STRONG smell as you cook it, but it evaporates pretty well once it's cooked. I'll still probably use less next time.

This was so easy and so good. It has a ton of flavor!!

From Ashley's Kitchen

Sesame Chicken and Noodles-CHRISTY

8 oz. uncooked spaghetti
1/2 cup fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup natural-style, reduced fat creamy peanut butter (I use Smuckers)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, divided
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (it DOES NOT make the dish spicy)
2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil
3/4 pound chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 tablespoon salt
2 cups matchstick carrots, chopped
1 bunch of green onions thinly sliced

Cook pasta omitting salt and drain.
Combine broth, peanut butter, 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds, and next five ingredents.
Heat oil in a large skillet over med high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with salt. Add chicken to pan, saute three minutes. Add carrots and onions, saute two minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in broth mixture.
Add pasta to pan, tossing to coat. Top with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Serves Four.

Cheesy Crescent Roll Chicken-CHRISTY

4 Chicken Breasts
1 can crescent rolls
1 10 oz. can cream of chicken soup (I use fat free)
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
3/4 to 1 cup cheddar cheese

Boil chicken breasts until done. Roll chicken breasts in individual crescent rolls and place in casserole (it may take two or three rolls). Combine soup, milk and half of cheese in a saucepan and heat until smooth. Pour mixture over crescent rolls and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Chicken and Dumplings-CHRISTY

5 tortillas (8 inch)
3 14 1/2 oz. cans chicken broth
Boiled Chicken cut into pieces
1/4 cup milk

Sprinkle tortillas with flour, boil broth and drop in tortillas. Cook about ten minutes or until tender. Add chicken and milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Boil to thicken. Remove from heat and let sit for fifteen to twenty minutes. Tortillas will turn into dumplings!

ALSO

I don't always use a whole chicken-I use four or five chicken breasts and just chop them up. This is healthier and easier!

I don't always use tortillas, the bags of frozen dumplings work just as well!

Spicy Chicken Ro-tel - From Heather

This recipe can easily be doubled or made a little milder by using the mild Ro-Tel Tomatoes. I also do not make the recipe with black olives because BJ does not like them.

Spicy Chicken Ro-Tel
3-4 chicken breast (I use frozen boneless skinless chicken)
1 lb Velveeta cheese
1 large can Ro-Tel Tomatoes
1 (16 oz) pkg spagetti (my mom liked to use egg noodles to have a different type of pasta)
black olives

Boil chicken. Cook noodles in stock. Cut up cooked chicken. Cut up Velveeta to help ensure it melting. Combined cooked noodles and chicken, Velveeta, and Ro-Tel. (There are two options from here. 1)Warm on medium heat until Velveeta is melted. OR 2) Put in pan and bake at 350 degrees until bubbly.

"Homemade" Crescent Ravioli--Ashley

This is so simple, but Kurt and I LOVE it. I got this from a church member in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Enjoy!

"Homemade" Crescent Ravioli

1 pound ground beef
1 15-oz. can spaghetti sauce
1 med. onion, diced (I use onion flakes)
1 can crescent rolls
4 squares American cheese (I use the shredded kind)
salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef and onion. Drain off grease. Add 1/2 the spaghetti sauce (retain other 1/2 for later use). Salt and pepper to taste. Open crescent rolls into 4 squares. Do not separate into triangles. Place 3 tsp. of the meat mixture onto each square. Fold squares over one time into a rectangle, and press edges together to seal. Put remaining meat mixture in an 8" baking dish. Place each square in the dish on top of meat mixture, and bake at 425 for 30 minutes. Tops of squares will brown---don't let them burn! Then place a slice of cheese on top of each square. Pour remaining 1/2 of spaghetti sauce on top and bake an additional 15 minutes. It will seem like they're going to burn, but if you cover them with cheese and the sauce, they won't.

This is not gourmet by any means, but it just tastes so good, and it takes no time. The recipe can be easily doubled. Keep posting recipes!!

Judy's Chicken--From Ashley!

My manicurist gave me this recipe to try last night, and it was delicious!!!

Marinade:
-1 bottle of Italian dressing
-1/4 cup soy sauce
-1/4 cup sugar

Mix this up together in a 9x13 dish and put the raw chicken breasts in it to marinate for an hour (give or take). While you're waiting, cook angel hair pasta (I used whole wheat). After the chicken has soaked awhile, get out a skillet and put a little olive oil into it, and cook the chicken til it is all the way done. Set chicken aside. Pour the extra marinade into the skillet and boil. Serve the chicken on a bed of pasta with the sauce drizzled on top. So good and so easy!! Great with a salad and bread. :o)

Baked Chicken Sandwich-CHRISTY

2 cups cooked chicken, cut in small dice
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
12 slices trimmed bread
6 eggs
3 cups milk
3/4 to 1 tsp salt
Almonds

Mix first three ingredients together and spread between slices of bread; place in 9x13 dish. Beat eggs, add milk, salt and pour over sandwiches. Let stand overnight. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Keep covered first 35 minutes, then remove cover, sprinkle almonds over top and continue cooking, uncovered, the remaining 15 minutes.

This is so good-odd looking but turns out wonderful. It was served at one of my wedding showers and is something I like to make when company is coming for lunch.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup - KRISTAL

Best. Soup. Ever. And it's perfect for the fall and winter. It's a bit time consuming, but it makes a ton (3 qts.) so you can freeze some for later.

2T unsalted butter
2T extra virgin olive oil
4C chopped yellow onions
2T curry powder
5lb butternut squash (2 large)
1 1/2lb sweet apples, such as McIntosh or Gala (4 apples)
2t kosher salt
1/2t black pepper
2C water
2C apple cider or juice

Warm the butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.

Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into chucks. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Cut into chunks.

Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2C of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft (Chad had to cook it closer to an hour, but our pot wasn't quite big enough either). Process the soup through a food processor or with an immersion blender.

Pour the soup back into the pot. Add the apple cider/juice to make the soup the consistency you like; it should be slightly sweet and quite thick. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.

Thai Shrimp and Pork Ball Over Coconut Curried Rice - KRISTAL

Hi Ladies! This is my first post. ;) My husband does all of our cooking and he's amazing at what he does so I thought I'd share two of my favorite recipes of his. Enjoy!

This meal seems time consuming, but it really only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. And if you like Thai curry, you really can't beat it. I promise it's better than any takeout you could get.

16oz basmati or jasmine rice
4 scallions
3 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, 2 crushed, 2 chopped
4T tamari or soy sauce
1/4C cilantro leaves
1 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
Zest and joice of 1 lime
1lb shrimp, shelled and deveined
1lb ground pork
6T vegetable oil
1t ground coriander
1/2t ground cumin
1T curry powder
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 small carrot, peeled and grated
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1C chicken stock
1C canned unsweetened coconut milk

Cook rice according to the instructions on the container.

In the bowl of the food processor, combine the scallions, half the grated ginger, half the chopped jalapeño petter, the crushed garlic, 3 T of the tamari, half of the cilantro and basil, and the lime zest. Pulse for 30 seconds, scrape down the bowl, and then process 1 minutes, or until finely ground. Add the shrimp and pork and process until the shrimp are ground into small pieces and the mixture is well combined but not so fine that it becomes a paste - about 1 minutes.

Preheat a large nonstick skillet with 4T of the oil. With wet palms, roll the shrimp-pork mixture into walnut-size balls and add to the hot skillet as you go. Don't move the balls until they are brown on one side, about 2 minutes. Turn the balls and continue to cook, browing on all sides until cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes.

While the shrimp and pork balls and rice are cooking, start the coconut curry sauce for the noodles. Preheat a large skillet or soup pot over medium heat with the remaining 2T of oil. Add the coriander, cumin, and curry powder and toast the spices for about 30 seconds in the hot oil. Add the onions, carrot, bell pepper, the remaining ginger and jalapeño pepper, and the 2 chopped garlic cloves. Add a little more oil to the pan if it starts to look dry. Use a wooden spoon to scrape any spices that might be sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook the mixture for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the chicken stock, coconut milk, and the remaining tablespoon of tamari and bring it up to a bubble, then gently simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the lime juice and taste and adjust for seasoning with either more tamari or a little salt. Add the remaining cilantro and basil and toss to combine.

Spoon rice into bowl, add shrimp and pork balls, and pour the curry over both.

Enjoy!

Yummy Potato Soup--ASHLEY

This is my mother-in-law's own personal recipe! It is my FAVORITE, and so easy!

2 cups of cooked, chopped chicken (3 cooked chicken breasts or 1 can of chopped chicken)
1 can chicken broth
4 cups of cooked chopped potatoes
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups milk
1 pureed onion (my MIL does this in the blender but I just use a bit of onion powder)
1 T Dry Hidden Valley ranch dressing mix
2 chicken boullion cubes
1 T chopped garlic OR 1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper

Mix all together, heat, and enjoy! I usually put this in the crock pot (with the potatoes uncooked) and let it cook on low all day for when I get home. It is DELICIOUS!

9 can soup

one can of each:

hormel chili with beans
hormel chili without beans
whole kernel corn
diced potatoes
diced tomatoes
green beans
campbells's veggie beef soup
sliced mushrooms
veg-all

dump all in crockpot. do NOT drain!! stir a few times to combine. cook on low for a few hours.

we like to eat it with frito's. yum yum. this recipe makes a ton! and i mean a ton!! and there is no real way to cut it down so i usually try to share with a friend, and then i still have some left to freeze! it is a great quick meal to grab from the freezer!

and you can play with the ingredients some... we don't like a ton of green beans so since the veggie beef soup and the veg-all already has green beans we leave out the single can of green beans and have 8 can soup!

thanks to my friend and neighbor, jenny holloway, for sharing the soup with us and giving me this recipe!!!