Cheesy Chicken and Potato Casserole

                                          
I don't know why, but I have never put chicken with potatoes in a casserole before. Well, I'm not really a casserole kind of girl, really.  However, tonight's crock pot dinner was a total revelation!!! This dish is super easy to prepare, and even more easy to eat! Move over mac and cheese!

Cheesy Chicken and Potato Casserole
                                          by Erin Taylor

1- 30 oz. package shredded or cubed hash brown potatoes, frozen
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 C. sour cream
1 C. green salsa
1 C. shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp. Chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
3 C. cubed chicken

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours. Try to restrain yourself from eating the whole pot!

(this recipe was adapted from THIS recipe on Better Homes and Gardens website. I haven't made it yet, but with smokey cheese it's bound to be good!)

Grandma Evans' No No's

My grandma Evans used to make these delicious truffel-like candies. I asked her why they were called No-No's, and she said it was because you keep wanting to eat more and more, and you have to tell yourself NO NO! It's true! They are simply irresistable! And ridiculously simple! Below are 2 versions- my Grandma's recipe, and my adaptation... a little more decadent!

Grandma Evans' No-No's

1 large tub Cool Whip (NOT low fat!)
2 large (giant size) chocolate bars (Symphony bars are my favorite)
2 C. crushed Nilla wafers

Melt chocolate bars in microwave in 30 second intervals until smooth and creamy. Combine with Cool Whip and refridgerate for an hour or until stiffened. Scoop into balls and roll in cookie crumbs. Place on wax paper on a cookie sheet and freeze or refridgerate until more solid. Place in covered container and try not to eat them all immediately!

Erin's almond No-No's

1 pint heavy whipping cream, whipped stiffly
2 giant milk chocolate bars (Dove, or Symphony)
1 C. dark chocolate (Dove, or really good brand)
1 tsp. almond extract
2 C. chopped almonds

Melt chocolate in microwave in 30 second increments until smooth and creamy. Add almond extract. Combine with whipped heavy cream and refridgerate until stiff. Scoop into tablespoonfulls and roll in crushed almonds. Place on wax paper cookie sheet and refridgerate or freeze until firm. Keep in covered container.

Christmas Chocolate Orange Cookies

The other night I was desperate for chocolate chip cookies. I had found an old recipe I used to use several years ago entitled "The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever", so I tried them. The problem was I had no chocolate chips. However, I did have a dark chocolate orange (the kind you whack and unwrap), so I chopped it up in chunks and used that. Hello---- totally fabulous!!! My husband suggested I add coconut to the next batch, so I did and they were even MORE fabulous! So, here they are...

Christmas Chocolate Orange Cookies by Erin Taylor

preheat oven to 350 deg.

add in a mixing bowl and cream together:

1 C. granulated sugar
1 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. butter
1/4 C. Shortening
2 eggs
1/4 C. oil
2 tsp. Vanilla

Next, add:

3 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Finally, add the following and mix until combined, (but don't over mix):

1/2 dark chocolate orange (chopped into chunks)
1 1/2 C. milk chocolate chips
1 C. shredded coconut (optional)
1/2 C. chopped nuts (walnuts, macadamia nuts, or almonds)
1/4 C. dried craisins (optional)

  Spoon out large tablespoonfulls onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes until barely golden brown on top. Remove from oven and let sit a few minutes before transfering to cooling rack.

Eggs Elizabeth (cream cheese scrambled eggs)

Scrambled eggs... move on over! I had these eggs at a really nice restaurant in Yellowstone years and years ago and have recreated them with my own flair. These super easy, super elegant eggs will make your ordinary beakfast extraordinary!!!

Eggs Elizabeth ( by Erin Taylor)

6-8 eggs
1/4 C. water

Beat together and add:

4 oz. (1/2 block) cream cheese, softened.

Whisk together. The cream cheese will look more like cottage cheese when beaten in the eggs.

Heat large skillet. Spray with pan spray. Add 3 Tbsp. butter to pan and melt. On medium-high heat pour egg mixture in pan and scrape bottom and sides with spatula continuously until eggs begin to solidify and "scramble" together. Add:

dash of salt to taste.

As soon as eggs are no longer runny remove from heat. Stir it:

1/4 C. chopped parsley

Serve!

Super Easy Scones with Orange Honey Butter

Scones! Gotta love em, right? Well, with orange honey butter they're even better! Try em today!


Rhodes Scones

8 frozen Rhodes Texas Rolls, thawed

deep frying pan with 3" oil, heated.

Press roll dough flat and shape with fingers into about a 4" diameter circle. Place in hot oil and cook on both sides until golden brown. Dust with powdered or granulated sugar for a fancy effect.  Keep warm in warm oven until ready to serve.

Orange Honey Butter

1 stick butter, room temperature
1 Tbsp. grated orange rind
1/4 C. honey

Mix all together and set aside in refridgerator for 15 minutes.  Spread over hot scones and try not to eat too many!!!! Delicious!!!!!

Apple Pecan Waffles with Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup

The basic waffle recipe is from Alton Brown. (my food hero!) However, I have tweaked it just a bit, and added my own ingredients to "gourmet" it up. Seriously, it doesn't get any more delicious than this on a Saturday morning!

Apple Pecan Waffles
Basic Waffle Recipe (Alton Brown)

1 C. all-purpose flour
1/C. whole-wheat flour, (I used reg. flour- makes the waffles a bit lighter and fluffier, but less healthy)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 whole eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp.unsalted butter, melted
2 C.buttermilk, room temperature
Vegetable spray, for waffle iron (I brush Crisco on the iron instead. Makes it a little more crispy.)

Erin's Add-ins:

1 C. chopped pecans
1 C. chopped dried apples
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions
Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions.


In a medium bowl whisk together the flours, soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In another bowl beat together eggs and melted butter, and then add the buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until combined. *add pecans and apples, cinnamon and vanilla* Allow to rest for 5 minutes.


Ladle the recommended amount of waffle batter onto the iron according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Close iron top and cook until the waffle is golden on both sides and is easily removed from iron. Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree F oven until ready to serve.
*Serve with Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup, and sprinkle chopped pecans and a few chopped apple pieces on top when serving.


Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup (by Erin Taylor)

in a saucepan, combine:
2 C. granulated sugar
1/2 C. corn syrup, light
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter
2 C. water
1 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of salt

bring to boil using a candy thermometer to the Syrup stage (or until it thickens- about 4 minutes). Remove from heat and add 1 tsp. vanilla.

Stir in 2 Tbsp. heavy cream just before serving (optional)

Keep left over syrup in refridgerator.

Ratatouille... Julia Child's Style... sort of!

I made Ratatouille last night with eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes from our garden! This recipe never fails to amaze me, how layering each vegetable (like a lasagna) and baking (which is different from most recipes which are done stovetop) can result in such a rich, deep flavored dish- and all from vegetables!!! I highly recommend this recipe as a main dish, or a delicious, healthy side! *note: though this recipe takes more time than just "throwing" everything in a pot, you are rewarded with full flavor when you take the time to make it correctly!

Ratatouille ( recipe from Julia Child, adapted by Erin)

1 lb. eggplant, cut in long slices or rounds (about 1/4" thick, 3-4" long)
1 lb. zucchini, cut in half, and then sliced lengthwise (1/4" thick, 3-4" long)
1 1/2 C. sliced onion
2 green peppers (sliced thinly)(optional, can be omitted if not available.)
1 lb (approx. 4 med.) tomatoes- peeled, seeded, and sliced
3 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. garlic, chopped
Salt
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 deg.

After slicing eggplant and zucchini, generously salt each slice and let sit for 10 minutes while preparing the rest of the vegetables. Remove moisture that has beaded up on the surface of the eggplant and zucchini with a paper towel, and wipe off excess salt. Heat large skillet. Brush each slice of eggplant and zucchini with olive oil and place on skillet. Lightly brown on each side, and set aside. In large skillet, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil and add onion slices. Cook about 10 minutes on med-high heat, stirring frequently until onions are soft and beginning to carmelize. Add green peppers, cover and cook another 5 minutes on medium heat. Finally, add tomatoes and cook until much of the liquid has cooked out- about another 7 minutes). Add chopped garlic and fresh parsley.

In cast iron casserole dish, (or glass baking dish if you don't have cast iron, and I don't!) place two large spoonfulls of tomato-onion mixture in bottom of pan. Spread to cover bottom. Next, place a layer of eggplant (sprinkle with a little salt) followed by a layer of zucchini (sprinkle with salt). Then, add a few spoonfulls of tomato mixture again. Spread evenly . Repeat with Eggplant,zucchini, and tomato mixture. Drizzle about 2 Tbsp. olive oil over top and sprinkle with a little salt.

Place, uncovered, in hot oven. After 20 minutes, pull out of oven and spoon juices from sides over the top. Return to oven and bake another 20 minutes. This dish will not have a lot of juices because they reduce during the cooking process. However, the flavors are all intensified through the baking process, and your final product should have a rich, dark color on top, and a very deep aroma.

Let sit a few minutes before serving.

Great as leftovers the next day eaten cold or hot!