Fried Rice

4 c. leftover rice well chilled and dried some
1/4 c canola oil
1 tbsp garlic
mixture of chopped veggies of your choice I use what is on hand
pkg onion soup mix
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 c water
chicken (optional) cooked and chopped or shredded
2 eggs well beaten

In a large skillet heat oil over med/high heat add the veggies chopped and allow to soften but not brown. Add the garlic and stir til it is aromatic, becareful not to brown. Add rice. Let it warm all the way through, breaking up hunks as you let it fry. Add the mixture of water, soy sauce and onion mix. Pour it through the whole mixture. When the rice has obsorbed the liquid nearly make a well in the center and add the eggs, let them cook and solidify a bit then mix them in the with rice . Keep turning and frying until it reaches a crispyness that you prefer. We like ours to have some crispy pieces. Serve hot! Depends on how much rice you have on how much this will serve.

Chicken and Dumplings Soup

2-3 c cooked and shredded chicken, turkey or other poultry
3 ribs celery chopped
3/4 a large onion chopped
1 tbsp garlic
1-2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp thyme
2 c buiscut mix
2/3 c milk
celery seed, thyme and celery salt to mix into dumplings
2-4 tbsp butter
2-4 tbsp flour
6 c chicken broth
1/2 c wine

In a large pot melt butter over med high heat. Add onions and celery and sweat do not brown. When they have cooked down and begun to soften add the garlic until aromatic but not brown. stir in the flour. Allow the flour, vegg, butter mix to cook a bit over the heat and get a little bubbly and peanut colored. Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pot. Slowly add the 6c chicken broth/stock. Bring to a boil adding the seasonings, salt, celery seed and thyme and chicken. Meanwhile mix the buiscut mix and milk with the seasonings until a dough forms. Mine was not wet at all and I just cut it into even portions. I don't remember how many, but it was quite a bit of dumpling goodness. After chicken has boiled for 10 minutes add the dumplings to the boiling mixture and allow to dip under the broth for a minute. Cook for 20 minutes covered, do not peak! Serve immediately! Yummy! I could eat about three bowls of this and the next day adding more broth stretches this into two meals s you can be sure I ate more than my fair share of servings!

Mom's Lemon Cookies

mom's version
One box lemon cake mix
One small bag of semi sweet choc chips or 1/2 bag of large
1 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1/3 water

Add all together except chips, add mire water if dough is too stiff. Add chips

Bake at 350 on slightly greased cookie sheet until done, about 10 min

my sisters version:
I just made them for a bake sale last week 1 box cake mix 1/2 half a bag chips 1/4 cup oil and 2/3 cup or so of water and water as needed to mix w/o getting too sticky , needs to be drop cookie consistency, bake at 350 for 10 min or until the edges are set, lightly grease the cookie sheets first. and two eggs :)

Gonna make me some for a cookie exchange! Yummy!!

Beef and Potatoes Quickie Supper

1 lb ground beef
1 pkg hot italian sausage (caseings removed)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup cooking wine
1 onion chopped
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 tsp thyme
3/4- 1 cup sour cream
sauteed mushrooms (optional)
2 cans sliced potatoes or 2 russet potatoes par boiled and sliced
2 tbsp butter
3tbsp wozzy sauce

Brown beef and sausage over med-high heat. Meanwhile in separate pan saute onions in butter til translucent(if adding mushrooms, they go in now too!). When the onions are softened and the butter is beginning to brown, not the onions the butter, add the garlic and saute but do not allow to brown. In crock pot--you can also do this in a large pot (which is much quicker and I was really busy today so I was using what I had to save time and have a hot meal ready when we all got home!) mix together the 2 cans of mushroom soup, wozzy, wine, thyme, and sauteed onions and garlic. Add the browned meats to the mixture (after draining the oil off of them!) and stir it all up. Put on low and let it simmer for 3-4 hours. then add the sour cream and mix thoroughly. Then add the potatoes and mix. Turn pot up to high and heat for about 20-30 more minutes or until hot throughout. Serve with homemade rolls, and a green vegg.

Chicken and Potatoes with cumin and chipotle

2-3 tbsp butter
1-2 lrge russet potatoes, baked and cooled
1 c chopped cooked chicken (roasted or baked chicken is best)
1/2 chopped onion
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chipolte chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. water
1/2 c cooking wine to deglaze the pan

melt butter in pan and add the chicken onions and potatoes. saute until browned on all sides. deglaze pan with white wine and water. add seasoning  and let simmer gentle for a few minutes until the flavors meld. this was SOO yummy! I love potatoes. I think you could also easily sub in bacon or ham for the chicken. A good green veg goes along perfectly!

Great Fab Find!!!

Original Recipe for Maple Glazed Pork Chops

But I tweaked it a little bit! Obviously!

8 boneless pork chops
3 tsps chili powder
1 tsp chipoltle chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 can chicken broth
1/2 c maple syrup (real!)
3 tbsps balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
about 3 lbs sweet potatoes
2-3 red onions chopped

I cut up the sweet potatoes and the onions and then got them to boiling on the stove. I then seasoned the chops with the chili powders and salt and then browned them in the oil. I then started the balsamic reducing. When the potatoes were done I mashed them with butter and some chicken broth. after the chops had browned I added some broth to the pan and covered and simmered for a bit. When they were done I removed the lind and drained the liquid off. I then finished the sauce with the maple, broth and a pat of butter. I then poured the sauce on the chops and served the chops and sauce over the mashed sweet potatoes/red onions, it was bangin'!!

Maple-Pretzle Pork

about 10 thin cut pork chops
1/3c - 1c pure maple syrup
1-2 c crushed pretzles or pretzle crackers (crush them very well)

Preheat oven to 375. In a bowl place the pork chops and add the maple syrup until covered. In a pie plate or a dish place the pretzle crumbs. Line a sheet tray with aluminum foil. Take the maple coated chops one at the time and dip them into the pretzle crumbs until fully coated. Place on the sheet tray. Bake for 20 minutes and then turn up the oven to 425 for around 5 minutes.