Creamy Asparagus Pasta

I created this dish to replicate something I ate frequently at an American restaurant in Bangalore.

Creamy Asparagus Pasta
3 c. pasta
1 lb asparagus
1/2 can diced tomatoes
1/2 c. chicken broth
3 oz cream cheese
3/4 t. italian seasoning
1/2 c.cheese
grilled chicken
parmesan cheese
bacon! optional, I just came up with that.

Cook the pasta, adding the asparagus the last few minutes to cook.  Drain. Melt the cream cheese in the pan.  Stir in the chicken broth.  Add the seasoning, and stir the pasta and asparagus back in.  Stir in the cheese until melted.  Top with chicken and parmesan cheese.

Mini Meatloaves

Mini Meatloaves aka Meatloaf Muffins

1 lb ground beef
1 package StoveTop stuffing
1 c. water
mozzarella cheese
ketchup

Mix meat, stuffing mix and water until well blended.  Press evenly into 12 muffin cups.  Make an indentation in each and squirt 1 T. of ketchup on top.  Bake 30 minutes at 375 until cooked  Top evenly with cheese.  Continue baking 5 minutes to melt cheese.

BBQ Pork Sandwiches

BBQ Pork Sandwiches

1 pork tenderloin cut into four pieces
1/2 c. BBQ sauce
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. water

Simmer in a saucepan until tender, about 20 minutes.

Shred and serve on Hawaiian sweet rolls.

Sweet Green Bean Blobs

Sweet Green Bean Blobs

3 cans whole green beans, drained
1 lb bacon, chopped
1/2 c. melted butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 t. garlic salt

Dump everything onto a pan and bake at 350 for 45 min.

Chili Cheese Dog Casserole & Cornbread

This sounds gross, but for some reason, is really delicious.  Also, from scratch cornbread recipe, if I ever need that for anything else.

Cornbread Recipe
3/4 c. flour
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornmeal
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. 2 T. milk
1 egg
1/6 c. oil
1 1/2 T. butter

mix dry, mix wet, add and stir just until blended.

Chili Cheese Dog Casserole
1 c. green pepper
1/2 c. onion
1/2 c. celery
1 T. olive oil
1 pkg hot dogs, cut up
1 can chili with beans
1 T. brown sugar
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. chili powder
1 c. shredded cheddar

Put 1/2 cornbread mix in 9x9 dish.  Saute pepper, onion and celery in oil.  Stir in hot dog saute 3 min. Stir in chili, sugar, garlic powder, chili powder and heat through. Stir in 3/4 c. cheese. Spoon into dish.  Spread remaining batter on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake 350 28-32 min or until toothpick comes clean from cornbread.

Rapunzel Cupcake Cake

Sienna wanted a Rapunzel cake for her birthday. She tried to change her mind to a puppy cake, but Dalton had the idea to do Rapunzel's Palace Pets. So I ordered some Palace Pets as one of her gifts and surprised her with Rapunzel's friends on her cake.

It's a cupcake cake because we did cupcakes with her friends earlier and these were from the same batch. Basically the key to a cupcake cake is lots of frosting.

Liz's Salad

A friend from the ward brought us this salad when Sienna was born and at least one other time.  It's yummy.

Liz's Salad
1/2 head green leaf lettuce
1/2 head romaine lettuce
1 c. celery
4 green onions
1 avocado
1 apple
1/4 c. craisins
1/2 c. blue cheese
cooked chicken
candied nuts

Dressing
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/4 c. oil
1 T. parsleu
2 T. sugar
2 T. white wine vinegar

Crock Pot Ranch Chicken

This recipe was a hit, and it's a great one to double and freeze, or share with a friend.

Crock Pot Ranch Chicken
4 chicken breasts
Potatoes
Carrots
Green beans
1/4 c oil
1/4 c red wine vinegar
2 pkg ranch dressing mix 

Lemon Glazed Chicken

I've made this recipe several times. Kids love it. I love it. Any time I make dinner and don't sit down to a chorus of complaints, win

Lemon Glazed Chicken

1 1/2 lb chicken
Salt and pepper
Cornstarch
A little Sesame oil
Olive oil

Cut up chicken into bites. Season well with salt and pepper. Dip in cornstarch and fry in hot oil until lightly browned.

For the lemon sauce:
1 c chicken broth
1 t lemon zest
1/3 c lemon juice
2 T soy sauce
3 T honey
1/2 t ginger
2 T cornstarch

Whisk together. Add all the chicken back into the pan and add the sauce. Cook until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is cooked.

Potato Cheese Soup

I got this recipe for Potato Cheese soup from my neighbor. It's delicious and quick and easy.

1/4 c.  butter
2 1/4 c. water
4 c. potatoes, diced
2/3 c. chopped celery
3 diced green onions
6 T butter
6 T flour
2 1/2 c. milk
1/2 t pepper
1 t salt
2 c. cheddar cheese
1 can corn, drained
1 lb bacon, cooked extra crisp

Cook butter, water, potatoes, celery and green onions for about 20 minutes until potatoes are done.  In another pan, melt butter, add flour and slowly pour in milk. Heat until thick. Add seasonings and pour into potatoes. Add cheese, corn, and bacon. 

Sour Cream Banana Bread

1 1/2 c sugar
3/4 c oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 c mashed ripe bananas
3/4 c sour cream
1 1/2 t vanilla
2 1/4 c flour
1 t baking soda
3/4 t salt

Beat oil and sugar. Add eggs, mashed banana, sour cream and vanilla and beat until smooth. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to wet ingredients, stirring just until moistened.

Butter and flour just the bottom of two loaf pans. Divide mixture between and bake at 350 for 45 min or until toothpick comes out clean.