Sunday's Recipe: Overnight Oatmeal

Weekday mornings in our house are anything but typical.  As many of you know my youngest son is 14 (soon to be 15...my leap year baby!) and is affected by mild Autism.  He has no concept and time whatsoever and moves quickly for no one!  His bus is scheduled to pick him up at 7 am....we have to get up at 5 am and on most days, I'm still rushing to get him out the door at the last minute.  So, in my attempt to make my mornings as stress-free as possible and allowing myself time to work with him, I've finally mastered "overnight oatmeal" in the crock pot. My first few attempts were a gooey mess but after realizing my slow cooker gets pretty hot even on low, I've made some necessary adjustments and this recipe is incredible!  And I place the left overs in small cup size containers and the boys have nutritious and filling snacks during the week as well!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup old-fashioned quick cooking oats (steel cut oats work well also)
• 2 cups milk or water ( I prefer to use water)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup finely chopped apple
• 1/2 cup raisins and/or dates
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or almonds ( pecans can also be used)

Directions:

Spray the inside of the crock pot with an non-stick spray.  Throw all ingredients inside and mix well.  Cover and cook on "warm" for 8-9 hours.  30 minutes prior to serving, turn crock pot to "low". Stir before serving. Makes approximately 7 servings.

*Originally, I tried this recipe on "low" for 8-9 hours only to discover my crock pot was just too hot.

And, you can always experiment with different fruits as well. I recently used dried blueberries instead of raisins and it was delicious!

Itialian Chicken and Potatoes

 Here's another one of my favorite crock pot recipes...perfect for yet another cold, snow weekend:

Italian Chicken and Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup Italian Salad Dressing

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

4 to 6 medium red potatoes, cut into wedges

Preparation:

Place chicken in bottom of Crock Pot. Sprinkle with half of the Italian dressing, seasoning, and grated cheese. Place potatoes around the chicken. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients.

Cook on low for about 6-8 hours, or until the chicken is done and potatoes are tender.

Serve with steamed green beans sprinkled with Italian seasoning and Ta..da...

 

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Following my reading of Daughters of the Dust by Julie Dash this past weekend, I was compelled to fix a pot of Gumbo and cornbread muffins. I found this recipe by Paula Dean (courtesy of FoodNetwork.com) and it was fabulous! 

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Ingredients

• 3 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons margarine
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic minced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 stalks celery chopped
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley, stems and leaves, coarsely chopped, plus chopped leaves for garnish
• 4 cups hot water
• 5 beef bouillon cubes
• 1 (14-ounce can) stewed tomatoes with juice
• 2 cups frozen sliced okra
• 4 green onions, sliced, white and green parts
• 1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked

Directions

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and remove. Add the sausage and cook until browned, then remove. Sprinkle the flour over the oil, add 2 tablespoons of margarine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown, about 10 minutes. Let the roux cool.
Return the Dutch oven to low heat and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons margarine. Add the onion, garlic, green pepper and celery and cook for 10 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, to taste and the 1/4 bunch parsley. Cook, while stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Add 4 cups hot water and bouillon cubes, whisking constantly. Add the chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add tomatoes and okra. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Just before serving add the green onions, shrimp and chopped parsley.

Burgundy Beef Stew with Herb Dumplings

With the forecast here calling for more snow, this is another great recipe to chase away the winter chills!

And it's another slow cooker recipe...time-saving, yet delicious!

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds beef boneless bottom or top round, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 medium carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices (about 2 cups)
• 2 medium stalks of celery, sliced (1 cup)
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (8 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
• 3/4 cup dry red wine or beef broth
• 1-1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard (dry)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Herb Dumplings (Below)

Directions:

1.  Mix all ingredients except water, flour, and Herb Dumplings in 3-1/2 to 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 8-10 hours (or high heat setting 4-5 hours) or until vegetables and beef are tender.  Mix water and flour; gradually stir into beef mixture.
3. Prepare Herb Dumplings.  Drop dough by spoonfuls onto hot beef mixture.  Cover and cook on high heat setting 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of dumplings comes out clean.

Herb Dumplings:

Mix 1-1/2 cups Bisquick Original baking mix, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, and 1/4 teaspoon dried sage leaves, crumbled.  Stir in 1/2 cup milk just until baking mix is moistened.

Stay warm and Enjoy!

Weekend Brunch: Rasberry Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh rasberries (You can use frozen just drain well)

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon butter or margarine, softened

2 to 3 teaspoons water

1/4 teaspoon Almond extract

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 F. Spray 8 or 9 inch square pan with baking spray

In medium bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter, milk. vanilla, and egg with spoon. Stir in flour, granutlated sugar, baking powder and salt until moistened. Fold in rasberries. Spread in pan.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes.

In small bowl, mix glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over warm coffee cake. Enjoy!

I've also made this with fresh blackberries and lemon extract instead of almond...wonderful!

Chicken and Fresh Fruit Salad

 Ok, just close the drapes, pretend there isn't any snow on the ground and the temperature outside isn't below freezing. Now let's step away from all of those Christmas Cookies and make this really easy and fabulous salad, then sit back to enjoy a taste of sunshine!

Ingredients:

Steamed, Diced Chicken

Spring Salad Mix & Baby Spinach Leaves

Mandarin Oranges

Sliced Strawberries

Green Grapes, Halved

Dried Cranberries

Glazed Pecans

Crumbled Blue Cheese (completely optional)

Rasberry Vinaigrette dressing

I make this quite often during the summer months for a quick light meal and usually serve it with fresh baked muffins....cranberry-orange muffins are wonderful with this! But last night I just figured we could use a momentary escape from all the snow we've been getting...as well as all the Christmas Cookies we've been eating. 

~Enjoy~

Christmas Snowball Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter softened
1 cup powdered sugar (plus more for topping)
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans
3/4 tsp. salt
Preparation:Heat oven to 350 . Mix butter, 1 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla. Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until set but not brown. Roll in powdered sugar while warm. Cool. Roll in powdered sugar again.

Chicken And Corn Chowder

Well, we're bracing for another snow storm! You know when the weather forecasters talk about snow in "feet" rather than "inches" it's not a good sign! Another Lake Effect Snow Warning is in effect for our area from tomorrow night until Tuesday...or so.  But, I'm ready, I went to the grocery store and stocked up on the necessities and I have a list of snow day activities planned.  So bring it on Old Man Winter, we're ready for ya!
It's the perfect weather for our favorite Chicken and Corn Chowder recipe, so I thought I'd share with you as well.

This recipe is so easy and simple...and as an added bonus it cooks in the slowcooker! Easy, delicious, and time-saving...what more can you ask for?

CROCKPOT CHICKEN AND CORN CHOWDER

Ingredients

2 Cups Lumpy Mashed Potatos (Yes, that's right lumpy...it's ok this time)

1 can (10-3/4 oz) Cream of Chicken Soup

1Cup diced chicken

1 can whole kernel corn

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

1 can chopped mild green chiles

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup milk

Directions

Combine the soups, chicken, corn,potatos, chicken broth, bell pepper, chiles, salt, pepper and thyme in a 4- to 6- quart crockpot. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours. Add milk and cook for about 30 minutes longer, or until hot. Serves 4 to 6, and can easily be doubled for a larger crowd.

Candy Cane Cookies

During my travels through blogland yesterday, I discovered a Christmas Cookie Recipe Hop and thought I'd share this family favorite with you.

CANDY CANE COOKIES

Ingredients

• 1 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring
• 1/2 cup peppermint candy canes, crushed
• 1/2 cup white sugar for decoration

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine, white sugar and confectioners' sugar. Beat in the egg, vanilla and peppermint extracts. Combine the flour and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until well blended. Cover or wrap dough and chill for at least one hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Divide dough into halves. Color one half red by mixing in the food color. Roll a small amount of each dough into a 2 inch long worm. Roll them together in a twisted rope and curve the end like a cane. Place onto prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. In a small bowl, mix together the crushed candy cane and remaining white sugar. Roll hot cookies in the sugar mixture.