Calico Bean Casserole

From Jen G.
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger
1 lb bacon (you can as little as 1/4 lb if you like)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 can pork and beans
1 can Great Northern beans, drained
1 can kidney beans. drained
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 T vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 T dry or prepared mustard

Instructions:

Brown the meats seperately. After the meats are cooked and drained, combine everything in a crockpot. Set the crockpot to low and cook for 6 to 8 hours. If you don't want to use a slow
cooker, you can bake at 300 for 90 minutes.

Jamie
Kentucky

Balsamic-Glazed Chicken and Bell Pepper Sandwiches

From MyRecipes (Cooking Light, July 2005)
Serves 6


Ingredients:

4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 1/4 pounds chicken breast tenders
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, divided
2 cups red bell pepper strips (about 2 medium)
2 cups vertically sliced onion (about 1 large)
2 (8-ounce) loaves focaccia bread, cut in half horizontally
4 ounces provolone cheese, thinly sliced
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt over chicken. Add chicken to pan; cook 1 minute on each side or until lightly browned. Add 1/4 cup vinegar; cook 2 minutes or until chicken is done and vinegar is syrupy. Remove chicken mixture from the pan; cover and keep warm. Wipe pan clean with a paper towel.

Return pan to medium-high heat; add remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Add bell pepper and onion; sauté 7 minutes or until tender. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 cup vinegar; cook 1 minute or until vinegar is syrupy.

Arrange chicken mixture evenly over bottom halves of bread; top with bell pepper mixture. Arrange cheese over pepper mixture, and sprinkle with black pepper. Top with top halves of bread. Place a cast-iron or heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; let stand 5 minutes. Cut each sandwich into 6 wedges.

Jamie
Kentucky

Fresh Herb-Coated Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Mushroom Gravy

From MyRecipes (Cooking Light, March 2005)
Serves 4


Ingredients:

Beef:
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks
Cooking spray

Gravy:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 (8-ounce) package presliced cremini mushrooms
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450°.

Combine first 5 ingredients. Coat both sides of steaks with cooking spray; rub steaks evenly with thyme mixture. Place steaks on rack of a broiler or roasting pan coated with cooking spray; bake at 450° for 8 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from oven; keep warm.

To prepare gravy, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 teaspoon thyme, mushrooms, and 4 garlic cloves; cook 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add broth and wine; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half (about 4 minutes).

Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Serve with steaks.

Jamie

Kentucky

Fake Orange Julius

From Robbie's Recipes
Serves 2


Ingredients:

6 oz can frozen concentrated orange juice
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
8 or more ice cubes

Instructions:

Pour all ingredients, minus ice cubes, into a blender. Blend and add one ice cube at a time, until smooth and the consistency is to your liking.

Jamie
Kentucky

Whole Wheat Bread

From Traci U.
Makes 4 loaves


Ingredients:

5 cups hot water
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cups rolled oats
4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. yeast
10 cups whole wheat flour (or you can use 7 whole wheat and 3 white)

Instructions:

Add all ingredients in a mixer in the order listed above, mixing as you are adding. Keep adding beyond the 10 cups of flour (usually 3 to 4 more) until dough pulls away from the side of the mixing bowl. Let knead 6 to 7 minutes. Lay on a floured surface and divide in to 4 loaves, do not tear, but cut with a knife. Shape and put in pans to raise until doubled in size. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

***I use my professional 5 kitchen aid with a 5 quart bowl and I almost ruined the motor trying to knead 13 cups of flour, so I will half this recipe next time and only make 2 loaves at a time. Hope that helps.***

Jamie
Kentucky

Chocolate Saltine Toffee

Ingredients:

1 box of Saltines
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 to 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I prefer milk chocolate over semi-sweet)

Instructions:

Foil and lightly grease a jelly roll pan. Line the pan evenly with saltines. Boil 1 cup butter and 1 cup brown sugar for 5 minutes stirring frequently while boiling. Pour evenly over saltines and bake in 350 degree oven for 5 minutes, watch carefully. Immediately remove from oven, put chocolate chips on top and frost after melted. Sprinkle with chopped nuts or toffee pieces, if desired. Refrigerate and break into pieces when hard. Tastes best when served cold.

Jamie
Kentucky