Honey Glazed Honey Corn Muffins

Had these with some chili, they were yummy, especially with honey butter.

Honey Corn Muffins

1 Cup corn meal
1 Cup all purpose flour
3 teaspons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg well beaten
1 Cup milk
1/2 Cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, and corn meal.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients: egg, milk, melted butter, and honey.
4. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and beat until smooth, but don't over mix.
5. Bake in greased muffin pans at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes

Honey Glaze:
For a sweet glaze, mix together 2 tablespoons honey to 1 tablespoon warm water. Brush on top warm muffins and allow muffins to sit for 5 minutes to dry.

Honey Butter

1/2 Cup salted butter
1/2 Cup honey

1. Place butter in small bowl.
2. Slowly add honey until butter reaches desired consistency.
3. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Super Chunky Chicken Soup

I have been trying to "experiment" with some new meals lately (trying to change up the routine). I wanted to make a chicken soup, but didn't find a recipe I really liked, so I winged it (note to self, winging it not always a good idea).

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cans chicken broth
1 Cup chopped carrots
1 Cup chopped celery (about 3 medium stalks)
4 medium potatoes (white, yukon gold, or red baby are best) cubed
1 1/2 cups uncooked seashell pasta
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 chicken bouillon cubes
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

1. Place chicken breasts in a large stock pot (or other large pan) and cover with hot water (about 1 inch above the chicken).
2. Boil chicken for about 20-30 minutes.
3. Remove chicken, and shred with forks.
4. Pour water from pan into separate bowl.
5. Place chicken, veggies, and seasonings in stock pot.
6. Pour both cans of chicken broth into stock pot.
7. Measure out 2-3 cups of water from the bowl (the chicken stock from boiling the chicken breasts), and add to stock pot.
8. Bring soup to boil over medium heat.
9. Bring heat down to low, and let soup simmer for 20-30 minutes (until veggies and potatoes are tender).
10. Serve Hot!!

This turned out better than I had expected, and was pretty good. I might add some more garlic and salt if I made it again. You can also add other veggies if you want.

We served with some nice soft wheat bread (which I did NOT make, bought it at the commissary, but it was delish).

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

I don't know about everyone else, but my kids love mac and cheese! I am not a fan of the boxed kind (too many memories of the broke college student days), so I decided to try out a homemade bake version.

Bake Macaroni and Cheese

8 oz Macaroni (elbow is easiest, but you can be creative)
1/4 Cup margerine or butter
3 Tablespoons of Flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 Cups milk (for even creamier mac and cheese you can use evaporated milk)
2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 Cup grated parmesean cheese
Topping:
1/2 Cup bread crumbs
1/4 Cup grated Parmesean cheese
1 1/2 Tablespoons melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Boil macaroni for about 10 minutes.
3. Melt margerine in sauce pan.
4. Add salt, pepper and flour, mixing until smooth.
5. Add milk slowly, stirring until mixture reaches smooth consistency.
6. Cook over medium heat until it thickens and begins to boil.
7. Lower heat and add cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup of parmesean, stirring until smooth and all cheese is melted.
8. Drain macaroni (do not rinse).
9. Place macaroni in 3 quart baking dish and pour cheese mixture over it.
10. Stir until macaroni is well coated.
11. Mix bread crumbs, 1/4 cup parmesean, and melted butter until mixture is crumbly.
12. Sprinkle crumb mixture over macaroni.
13. Place dish in oven.
14. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

**Choose your cheese: the sharper the cheddar, the stronger the taste. You can also go for a white cheddar, for a different look.

**You can add some onion or leeks for a more "grown up" taste.

No-rise Bread Sticks

1 pkg (1 Tbsp) active dry yeast
2 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 c. warm water
1/3 c. powdered milk
1 tsp salt
4 c. Flour

Roll into sticks. Sprinkle with garlic salt or Parmesan cheese (if desired). Bake at 400* for 15 minutes.

Chicken Ribbon Satay

Chicken Ribbon Satay

4 boneless chicken breasts

Marinade
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 cloves minced garlic
2T lemon juice
2T brown sugar
3/4 t ground ginger
1/2 t crushed red pepper

1. Cut chicken into strips.
2. Place in ziploc.
3. Combine all marinade ingredients in saucepan.
4. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
5. Mix with chicken in Ziploc.
6. Marinate in fridge 6 hours or overnight.
7. Thread on skewers (a messy task, but worth it) and grill.

Outrageous Cookie Bars

I had some sweetened condensed milk I needed to use, and I found this recipe. It is delicious, and fun. Kids loved them.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

• 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi sweet chocolate chips

• 1 cup flaked coconut

• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

MELT butter in 13 x 9-inch baking pan in oven; remove from oven. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over butter. Stir well; press onto bottom of pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumbs. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts; press down firmly.

BAKE for 25 to 30 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I found a sweet and sour pork recipe a while ago, and then tweaked and changed it to my liking.

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Cooking oil
Rice

Sauce
1 8 ounce can pineapple chunks (with juice)
1/3 Cup of granulated sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon (or one cube) instant chicken bouillon

Breading
1 beaten egg
1/4 Cup cornstarch
1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
1/4 Cup of water
1/8 teaspoon black or white pepper
1/8 Teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

1. Cut meat into small pieces (make size to your liking, but no bigger than 3/4 inch cubes).
2. Heat cooking oil in deep skillet to 365 degrees Farenheit.
3. Cook rice.
4. In medium bowl combine breading ingredients and stir until smooth.
5. Dip chicken pieces in batter mix.
6. Fry chicken in hot oil (about one quarter of the batch at a time) for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until batter is golden.
7. Drain on paper towels.
8. While chicken is cooking, get out medium sauce pan.
9. Drain pineapple, reserving the juice.
10. Add enough water to the juice to equal 1 1/2 cups of liquid.
11. Stir in sugar, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, soy sauce, and bouillon.
12. Make sure mixture is well blended.
13. Heat over low-medium heat until sauce begins to thicken.
14. Be sure to stir occassionally so the sauce does not burn.
15. Once sauce is thickened, add pineapple chunks.
16. Serve chicken and sauce over rice.

**for a heavier meal, stir fry vegetables like carrots, onions, peppers, water chestnuts, etc, and mix with chicken and sauce.

Favorite Chicken Recipe

Okay, this week's request is for your favorite chicken recipe.

For those of you who may be new, we have already requested favorite pork and beef recipes (so feel free to post any recipes in those categories as well).

Happy cooking!

Grandma Olive's Russian Tea Cakes

This was always a staple at Grandma Olive's house for Christmas. They are delicious, and so easy to make.

Grandma Olive’s Russian Tea Cakes

1 pound butter or margarine, softened

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped

1. Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla in large bowl, until smooth.

2. Mix in flour, salt and nuts until well blended.

3. Place dough in airtight container, and chill in refrigerator overnight.

4. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees (F) or 180 degrees ( C ).

5. Roll chilled dough into 1/2 inch balls.

6. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

7. Roll baked cookies in confectioner’s sugar until well coated.

Green Chile Pork Soup

In response to favorite pork recipe.

My husband's favorite recipe of his mom's was a pork green chile- but her recipe was too complicated and time consuming for my liking- so I started looking for a simpler one. I found one that I've since played with and present in its "perfected" form here. You can used chopped pork or stewing pork for a spur of the moment making- but the "pulled pork" is our favorite. My husband says it has even surpassed his mom's recipe.

1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1-2 tsp minced garlic
1 med onion chopped
1-2 Tbsp Olive oil

1 jar "El Pinto" Green Chile Sauce (I've tried several jarred green chile sauces/salsas and this is our favorite- it comes in mild, medium, and hot- all are good for whatever heat preference you have)
2 cans chicken broth (or equivalent homemade stock)
1 can black beans
1 can white beans
1 tsp. Cumin

1 lb pork. cooked in crock pot in water then drained and shredded.

Sautee first four ingredients until onions are clear and soft. Add second set of ingredients, bring to boil and let simmer 10 minutes. Add pork.

We always serve with tortilla chips (Tostitos gold), shredded cheddar cheese and a bit of sour cream.