Chicken Casserole

I got this recipe from my friend, Mindy. My favorite thing about it is that it doesn't have cheese, one thing we need to eat less of--every recipe we like has cheese.

1 pkg Grandma's frozen noodles, cooked according to pkg directions
3 chicken breasts, cooked and cut in cubes
1 pkg frozen peas and carrots
4 sticks celery, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
small can of salted cashews
1 can (family size) cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 to 3/4 can chicken broth

Combine all and bake for 45 minutes.

Cinnamon Caramel Corn with Pecans and White Chocolate

One more popcorn recipe--again from Our Best Bites.



•12 C popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels)
•1 C roughly chopped pecans
•1 C brown sugar
•3/4 t cinnamon
•1/2 tsp. baking soda
•1 tsp. vanilla
•1/4 t salt
•1/4 C karo syrup (or honey makes a good substitution)
•1 stick real butter (1/2 C)
•3 oz almond bark (about 2 1/2 squares)
Method:


Preheat oven to 250 degrees
Place popcorn and chopped pecans in a large bowl and set aside.

Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a 4 C capacity microwave safe bowl. Mix well. Chop butter into chunks and place on top of sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup over the top of everything. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir to combine. Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Remove and stir and then microwave for 2 minutes more.

Remove from microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda. Stir to combine. Mixture will foam and rise. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and pecans and stir very well so everything is well coated.

Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined jelly roll pan. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread out on a large piece of parchment, waxed paper, or foil.

Melt almond bark according to package instructions. Drizzle over popcorn mixture. When almond bark is hardened and popcorn is cool, break into chunks and enjoy!

Triple Addiction Popcorn Treat

My sister-in-law shared this recipe at our annual family Labor Day sleepover and party last year. A good blend of sweat and salty.

2 bags of buttered flavored microwave popcorn
10 oz bag of Fritos corn chips
1 c mixed nuts
16 oz almond bark or white chocolate

Pop the popcorn and sort out the unpopped kernals. Add Fritos and nuts. Melt chocolate and toss with mixture. Cool and enjoy.

Homemade Butterfingers

I found this on Pinterest, my new favorite hobby (UUGHH....obsession!!). You should all join if you haven't yet!

It has only 3 ingredients. Sounded too good to be true (and I hate candy corn), so I had to give it a try.

1 lb candy corn
16 oz peanut butter
16 oz chocolate candy coating

Melt in microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and continue cooking at 15-second intervals until melted, stirring after each interval.

Stir in peanut butter. Spread into an 8X8" pan lined with parchment. Cool completely. Cut into squares and dip in melted chocolate. Lay on wax paper to set.

Creamy Garden Spaghetti

This is a Taste of Home recipe. One week we got mushrooms, zucchini, and broccoli in our Bountiful Basket, so this was a great recipe to make.

1/2 pound fresh broccoli, broken into florets
1-1/2 cups sliced zucchini
1-1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large carrots, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 vegetable bouillon cube or 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups milk
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

In a large skillet, saute the broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms and carrot in oil until crisp-tender. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, bouillon and thyme until blended; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Reduce heat to low; stir in cheeses until melted. Add the vegetables; cook until heated through. Drain spaghetti; Add to vegetable mixture; toss to coat. Yield: 4 servings.

Orange Julius--Healthy Version

I found this on the PYP blog post with school lunch recipes too. They just froze these in little containers and stuck them into their lunchboxes to thaw until lunchtime. I've made them so the boys could taste test them, but I haven't put them in their lunches to test that out yet.

1/2 c orange juice concentrate
1 c milk
1 or 2 bananas (I left these out--my kids hate bananas and can taste even the tiniest bit)
3-4 raw baby carrots
handful of pineapple
handful of frozen peaches
half apple cut into chunks
1 c vanilla yogurt
honey, optional

Blend until smooth.

Peanut Butter Balls

I found this recipe when looking for different things to put in school lunches. The kids like them and they are semi-healthy, so it's a win-win. I think they were on the Pinching Your Pennies blog.

Mix together:
1 c honey
1 1/2 c creamy peanut butter
2 c dry powdered milk
3 c quick or old-fasioned oatmeal, uncooked
1-2 T wheat germ or flax meal
1/2 c mini chocolate chips, optional

Form into balls with hands and freeze on a sheet lined with waxed paper. Store in a ziploc bag in the freezer. I just pop one into the boys' lunches and it is thawed by lunchtime.

Fudge Pecan Pie

1/2 c. butter or margarine
3 T cocoa
3/4 c. hot water
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/8 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
1 sm. can evaporated milk
1 1/2 c. pecans
1 9" pie crust shell, unbaked

Preheat oven & cookie sheet to 350. In saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir until dissolved. Add hot water & stir. With whisk, blend in sugar, flour, salt, vanilla & evap. milk. Stir until mixture is smooth. Add pecans, stir, and pour into pie shell. Bake 50 min. or until knife inserted 1" from edge comes out clean. Serve with Cool Whip if desired.

Cucumber Dip

This is yummy and easy--My favorite combination!

1 cucumber, diced very fine
1 c mayo
1 small carton cottage cheese (small curd)
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 t accent (a seasoning, kind of like salt)

Serve with potato chips. I tried it with several different kinds, and they've all been yummy.