Homemade Stuffing

I hate homemade stuffing. HATE IT. Everyone tries to throw in chunks of who-knows-what into it. From cornbread with cranberries and pears to whole wheat with sausage and rosemary-yuck! I know, it is so silly, its all stuffing, but not to me. I always resort to Stove Top...plain, delicious stove top. This year for Thanksgiving I was bound and determined to make a good, PLAIN, homemade stuffing. I did it!!! I gathered recipes from family, my hubby's spicing technique, as well as some random advice from those around me, and made a delicious stuffing that I can't wait to make again! Even my sister-in-law who hates stuffing said it was the best she had ever had!

Homemade Stuffing

Printable Version

1 bag (about 8-10 cups) dried bread chunks

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup chicken stock

salt

pepper

poultry seasoning (don't go overboard with this)

sage

white pepper

Mix all of the above together with seasonings, to taste. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, then remove cover and bake for an additional 10-15 to crisp.

Japanese Chicken

Okay, I am going to tell you all: I NEED YOUR FAVORITE RECIPES! This is a go-to of Katie, my cousin...and she never shared it with me until last week! I feel so sad that you all have your favorite recipes and I may never, ever have the amazing chance to try them myself! SHARE THEM! SHARE THEM! 

Anyway, this was a super-easy, super-delicious meal! It is now going to be a go-to meal for me, I can't wait to make it again! Thanks Katie!

From: Katie

2 eggs

1 cup flour

6 Tbsp. sesame seeds(optional)

8 chicken breasts

3/4 cup soy sauce

2 cups vinegar

1/3 cup water

2 cups sugar

rice or rice noodles

Preheat oven to 350. Whip eggs, dip chicken in eggs then in flour. Mix the remaining ingredients to make a sauce, and pour sauce over chicken. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve over rice or rice noodles.(We did rice noodles, which I have NEVER tried before, and I will ALWAYS make them with the noodles, it was so different and delish!)

Frog Eye Salad

A classic, isn't it? I swear this is at every party with more than 15 people! It is a wonderful go-to recipe, and I have to admit, THIS recipe is one of the best that I have had. It has a couple extra ingredients that I have not seen in other Frog Eye Salad recipes...that must be what makes it so yummy! Careful, this recipe serves about 40 people!!! (Sorry about the picture...I am not sure how to make it LOOK appetizing, even though it is DELISH!)

From: Wendy

1 C. sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 3/4 C. pineapple juice(from tidbits below)
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Salt if desired (1 tsp.)
3 quarts of water
1 - 16 oz. acini de pepe pasta
3 cans mandarin oranges
2 cans pineapple tidbits
1 can crushed pineapple
1 carton cool whip (9 oz)
1 C. miniature marshmallows
1 C. coconut (optional)

Drain 2 cans of pineapple tidbits to make 1 3/4 C. juice.  Combine sugar and flour and salt in pan.  Beat in the two eggs. Then gradually stir in the pineapple juice.  Cook over moderate heat until thickened.  Add lemon juice. Cool to room temperature.  

Meanwhile, bring water to boil.  Add acini de pepe.  Cook at rolling boil until done.  Drain
pasta.  Rinse with cold water and drain again.  Cool to room temperature.  

Combine egg mixture and pasta.
Mix lightly but thoroughly.  Refrigerate overnight in airtight container.  

Drain mandarin oranges and crushed pineapple. Add remaining ingredients.  Refrigerate until chilled.  

Grandma's Rolls

Cody is going to KILL me for posting these...but he is not home so I am hoping that he doesn't see the new post! After my Grandma taught me how to make her TO-DIE-FOR rolls, I went straight to the computer to share the recipe with you all. When Cody saw what I was doing, he thought that I was crazy! "Why would you share your delicious roll recipe with EVERYONE?!?! They can be your signature!" Well, WHY WOULDN'T I? These are so yummy, and even though it has taken me a year to post them, I am doing it now, so that should count for something...hopefully you can forgive me! (Which I have no fear of because after you taste these rolls you will LOVE me! And my Grandma! Thanks Grandma!) P.S. This recipe makes about 70 rolls...I usually cut it in half.

From: Grandma Beverly

2 cubes of margarine

3 cups water

½ cup sugar

2 tsp. salt

2 beaten eggs

 

9 cups flour

2 Tbs of yeast

1 heaping Tbs. gluten

2 sticks butter, melted

 

Combine margarine, sugar, salt and 1 cup water and microwave until butter is ALMOST melted.

Add remaining 2 cups medium temperature water and stir well.

Crack and mix eggs with a fork in another bowl. Once mixed, add to the water mixture.

Add yeast and gluten, mix slightly.

Sift about 4 ½ cups of flour into the mixture and stir with a wooden spoon. Continue to add flour as needed. When dough becomes to sticky to stir, begin to knead while adding sifted flour up to 9 cups or until correct consistency.

Knead bread very well, about 5 minutes.

Cover bottom of mixing bowl with about 3 Tbs. shortening. Place dough in bowl and turn to have shortening cover dough. Spread about 2 Tbs. more shortening on top of bread. Cover and let double in volume. ( If it is hot outside place in the sun for the first half of the time, then move to the shade. If it is cool, turn oven on 350 and count to 15 seconds. Shut the oven off in and put the dough in the warm oven to rise.)

When dough has doubled in volume, punch down.

Flour counter lightly and split dough into two balls by pinching in the middle. Cover half of dough and roll out the other half on the floured counter. You know that your dough is right if it squeaks when rolling out. Use a doughnut cutter and cut out circle that are about ½ inch thick. Follow below recipes for certain rolls:

For dinner rolls(shown above):

Dip top of circle in melted butter and wipe excess on 2 other circles of dough. Use a butter knife to press into the center until just before it cuts through. Stretch dough and fold where you cut with the knife, then pinch sides together. Place dough in half-circles in a deep, buttered pan very closely together. Allow to rise until doubled. Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 15 minutes or until you can tap on the top of the cooked rolls and they sound hollow. Flip out of pan and use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of melted butter on each roll. Allow to cool. 

For butter rolls(shown above):

Take 10 circles and roll each individually like a hot dog, very lightly until about doubled in length. Melt 1/3 stick butter in bottom of bread pan. Roll each elongated circle in butter then place in pan. Place them next to eachother until pan is full from side to side(about 10 rolls). Allow to rise until they reach the top. Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 15 minutes or until you can tap on the top of the cooked rolls and they sound hollow.Flip out of pan and use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of melted butter on each roll. Allow to cool.

For Clover rolls(shown above):

Do not roll out or cut with a doughnut cutter. Simply pinch off small circles and place 3 circles in each buttered cupcake tin. Allow to rise until doubled. Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 15 minutes or until you can tap on the top of the cooked rolls and they sound hollow. Flip out of pan and use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of melted butter on each roll. Allow to cool.

To freeze, wrap rolls in tin foil (about 8-10 per piece of foil) and place in freezer. Remove about 2 hours prior to serving to thaw and bake for 5-8 minutes at 350 prior to meal. This works GREAT!

Yield: about 70 rolls

Thank You Rhodes!!!

I just wanted to post and thank Rhodes! I made a previous post using Rhodes rolls, Stromboli. I loved how simple it made my meal to make and not to mention it tasted delicious. I was contacted by Rhodes to try out a few of their Warm and Serve rolls....and today I got this package in the mail! Can you believe it? It made my day. I can't wait to try them out...Thank you RHODES!

Rotini with Asparagus, Sage and Peas

My husband recently subscribed us to Food and Wine magazine. I was a little skeptical at first, simply because the food is very "rich", if you know what I mean. On the front of this month's magazine, there was a picture of this meal, and I am so glad that they featured it! We really enjoyed the multiple flavors for the garlic, peas, and asparagus. I added chicken to get a little more protein into the meal. We loved this healthy, quick meal and I will be making it again!

Adapted From: Food & Wine April 2009

1/2 pound whole wheat rotini

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

2 Tbs. EVOO

3 garlic cloves, miced

1 pound asparagus, cut into 1/2" lengths

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups frozen baby peas

1/4 cup heavy cream (I used skim milk)

2 Tbs. butter

1 Tbs. fresh sage

1/2 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the EVOO. Add chicken cubes and cook on medium until cooked through. Remove from skillet. With remains of EVOO, add garlic and asparagus and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the stock and boil over high heat until reduce dby half and the asparagus are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the peas and cream(or milk) to the skillet and boil over high heat until the sauce has thickened, 3 minutes. 

Stir in the rotini and cook until heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in butter, sage, and 1/2 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to bowls and serve right away, passing additional cheese at the table.

Skillet Chicken with Asparagus

I am so excited-we have not eaten pasta in 6 weeks! Now that our P90X diet has become a little more relaxed, we are able to eat whole wheat pasta, which we did even before the diet. This was a perfect meal to kick off our pasta dishes. I did adapt it to be quite a bit leaner, so if you want the original recipe, click here. This was perfectly creamy with delicious hints of flavor and a touch of cheese. I can't wait to make it again!

Adapted from: My Kitchen Cafe

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch squares
Table salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, minced
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 ounces ziti, penne, or thin spaghetti (we used whole wheat pasta)
4 1/4 cups water
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups asparagus, diced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes(optional)
3/4 cup skim milk
3/4 cup grated parmesan or asiago cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 1 minute without stirring. Stir the chicken and continue to cook until most, but not all, of the pink color has disappeared and the chicken is lightly browned around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the pasta, 3 cups of the water, and the broth. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is very thick and syrupy and almost completely absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the asparagus, and the remaining 1 1/4 cups water. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the asparagus turns bright green and is almost tender, 2-3 minutes.

Uncover and return the heat to medium-high. Stir in the milk, parmesan, and reserved chicken with any accumulated juices and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is cooked and heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with cherry tomatoes and serve, passing more grated parmesan at the table, if desired.

Serves 5-7.