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Takeout Surprise

This is on my to-do list for Christmas Day, I think. Unless it's turkey... and this gets moved to New Year's Day

Pizza Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked egg noodles
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped

• 1 cup sliced pepperoni sausage
• 16 ounces pizza sauce
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Cook noodles according to package directions. I have rotini.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the onion, garlic and green bell pepper. Drain excess fat. Stir in the noodles, pepperoni, pizza sauce and milk, and mix well. Pour this mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes, top with the cheese, then bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2017 Allrecipes.com 
Printed From Allrecipes.com 12/16/2017

Maple Dijon Chicken

If you are busy or shopping, working on a stack of cards (I should be doing all three right this minute), your friends and families will love this easy recipe. I made it Sunday for my boys, and the reviews were raving!

Crock pot Maple Dijon Chicken.

In a regular or large crock pot:

Lightly spray or oil interior for easy cleanup.

Place chicken in bottom of crock pot. I used frozen chicken tenders, but the gurus call to thaw chicken first.  I used about 10 tenders or so. It really doesn't matter. Use whatever chicken pieces you prefer. 

Lightly salt and pepper as you normally prefer. We are a heavy on the pepper and light on the salt family.

In a small bowl whisk:

1/2 c. mustard. I used the kind with little seeds, whole grain. Any kind will be great.

1/2 cup maple syrup. I always use real. This recipe is paleo-friendly

1/3 cup water

2 T. finely minced garlic. I used the jarred kind in oil.

Pour mixture over chicken and put on the lid.

Here's the hardest part.

Cook on high 4 hours. 

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I made stove top stuffing. (I always add chopped onion and celery to the boiling liquid for this. I added a salad and a rough-chopped acorn squash sauteed with  secret sauce... (butter and pumpkin creamer cooked until thick...)

After the boys gobbled ate this and I sent the leftover chicken for my son's lunch, I hated to waste the sweet and sour broth, so I cooked a large half-head of cabbage and a package of carrots in it  for the meals during the week. Delicious!

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Chicken Delight

("Yes! Eat chicken! Not goose or duck!")

Last night it just seemed like Mom needed a perk me up... Being our family, that usually means something home cooked... I, on the other hand, had been on full blown cleaning mode in the pantry/laundry room... So I was fresh in the knowledge of what we had, I guess. I threw together (a la "Chopped") a Chicken dish that was yummy! Thought I'd share.

In big skillet... In about three T. Olive oil.... Sautè one chopped onion, 2 ribs celery chopped, I small can drained, sliced mushrooms, 1 small can drained, sliced water chestnuts, I small jar drained roasted red pepper, salt, pepper, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, and I large can chunk chicken.

You could add other things or leave something out... This would have made a good soup with some chicken broth... It would be good spooned over biscuits or toast... Or rice...

However...

I boiled about half bag of curly egg noodles. I partially drained them and mixed with sauce in big bowl! It was a little soupy last night but just fine. Today that extra soup went into those noodles!
P.S. I discovered a seasoning salt called Soul Food... It's rather yum.

You'll have to try this! Mom loved it!

Hugs and Whimsy!

This and that.......

So, recently my son joined a group of friends for a float trip on the Chariton River. Think they had sooo much fun!

Today I made a recipe for Paleo Stuffed Peppers. I may never go back! Instead of rice in the one pound of hamburger I used about a cup and a half of bagged coleslaw mix. And I chopped up a Granny Smith apple in tiny cubes... I added about a big teaspoon of my new spice called "Soul Food." It's a mix... Gotta go easy, but I love it in very small doses... Added about a fourth of a medium large can of tomato sauce to the hamburger mix... And two eggs. I mixed it with my hands, but not over much...

I had boiled the pepper halves in lightly salted water for three minutes... Put the mixture inside the peppers and covered with my remaining sauce (I added a scant tablespoon of soul food spice and a glug of true maple syrup.

Baked covered one hour at 350° and then uncovered until brown and bubbly.... Oh, my...

Had that, salad, sweet potato baked, crusty cheese bread (for non Paleo... And almond flour flatbread for Paleo).... and green bean bundles... They are easy and pretty, but... I like green bean casserole better. I made eight bundles. Snipped ends off 40 green beans and washed them. Boiled in lightly salted water about four minutes. Drained and added a couple tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper. Tossed. Wrapped in right partially cooked strips of bacon. Baked on oiled cookie sheet 24 minutes at 350°.

Hugs and Whimsy!

A delicious cookie bar.... Enjoy. My mom makes these for very special occasions...

Norma's Pink Frosted Maraschino Cherry Bars

          Layer 1

2 1/4 c. Flour
1c. Butter
1/2 c. Sugar

Mix three ingredients until crumbly.  Press into a 9  x 13 pan.  Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

          Layer 2

2 eggs
1/2 t. Salt
1/2 t. Vanilla
1/2 c. Cocoanut
1 jar maraschino cherries ( chopped and save juice)
1c. Brown sugar
1/2 t. Baking powder
1c. Pecans (chopped)

Mix all ingredients together.  Pour over crust.  Bake again at 350° for 20 minutes.


          Layer 3

1 T. Butter
1c. Powdered sugar
2 T. Reserved maraschino juice

Mix all ingredients together.  Spread over bars right after they have baked their second 20 minutes.  Let cool slightly, but cut in squares while still warm.

Holiday Icebox Oatmeal Cookies

Holiday Icebox Oatmeal Cookies 

Makes 6-8 dozen
2 c. margarine or butter, softened
2 c. confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. uncooked, quick-cooking oatmeal (I measure, then grind the oats in the blender)
red and/or green sugar crystals
In large mixing bowl, cream margarine and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.
Sift together flour, soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Stir well.
Stir in oatmeal.
Chill dough until firm enough to form into rolls. Shape into four rolls and roll in red or green sugar crystals. Cover with foil or plastic wrap. Chill until firm. (Or freeze at this point until needed.)

Slice into 1/4″ to 1/2″ slices and place on ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated 325* F oven about 15-20 minutes or until set and lightly browned.
From Country Folk Art’s magazine Quick ‘n Easy Home Cooking, p. 15, December 1995

From Christmas Notebook blog featured on side bar.