Eggplant Parmesan

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 eggplant
  
• 2-3 eggs
• bread crumbs
• oil
  
• marinara sauce
• mozzarella cheese
• grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Peel eggplant and slice into thin slices.
   

2. Heat oil in pan on med/high heat. (entire pan should maintain a shallow pool of oil)

3. Beat eggs in a small bowl. Dip eggplant in eggs and then bread crumbs.

4. Fry eggplant until golden, flipping once halfway through.


5. Coat bottom of an 8x8 pan with sauce. Place a single layer of eggplant on top of sauce. Cover with sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan and mozzarella. Repeat this process for three layers off eggplant, ending with cheese on top.

6. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes.

* This is so simple to make. I think it is easier than lasagna and it tastes dang good!

Orange Chicken

Okay, not a good picture. It looks like dog poo BUT it tasted really good.
It didn't lack in flavor at all, in fact you will only need to use a tiny amount of sauce.
(I put on way too much)

DIRECTIONS:

Sauce:

• 1 1/2 c. Water
• 2 Tbsp Orange Juice
• 1/4 c. Lemon Juice
• 1/3 c. Rice Vinegar
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce

1. Pour into saucepan over med/high heat.

• 1 Tbsp grated Orange Zest
• 1 c. packed Brown Sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground Ginger
• 1/2 tsp minced Garlic
• 2 Tbsp. chopped Green Onion
• 1/4 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

2. Combine with sauce and bring to boil. Cool for 15 minutes.

Chicken:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3. Cut into 1/2 inch pieces & put into zip lock bag with 3/4 cup of sauce from the pan. Marinate in fridge for 2 hours.

4. Heat oil in pan.

• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Pepper

5. Combine ingredients in a zip lock bag. Add chicken (with marinade drained off) to bag and coat with flour.

6. Brown both sides of chicken in oil.

7. Reheat the sauce. Mix 1 1/2 Tbsp. Cornstarch & 1 Tbsp. water and add to the sauce to thicken.

8. Serve Chicken over rice and spoon on sauce (lightly).

Pretzel Hugs & Kisses

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• Snyder Waffle Pretzels
  
• Hershey Kisses (any variety- Milk chocolate, Hugs, Caramel or Dark Chocolate)
• M&M's (milk chocolate, dark, peanut, peanut butter- any kind!)
  
• Parchment paper
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 170*
2. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper and set pretzels in a single layer on parchment paper.
3. Unwrap Hershey kisses and set on top of pretzel.
4. Place in oven to heat the chocolate kiss until it is slightly softened and shiny. (about 5 minutes)
5. When you take it out of the oven, immediately top with an M&M. Pressing it down softly.
6. Cool in fridge for 10 minutes or until the chocolate hardens.

* These are so simple to make. They are really cute in a clear treat bag tied with ribbon and they can be made for any occasion!

Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup Butter (the real stuff)
• 1 1/4 cup Powder Sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/8 tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cream butter & pwd. sugar in mixer.
2. Beat in the egg & vanilla
3. Combine in separate bowl; flour, baking soda, cream tartar & salt.
4. Blend the flour mixture with the sugar mixture.
5. Set dough in fridge for 1 hour to chill.
6. Roll out dough & cut with cookie cutters.
7. Set on an UNgreased baking sheet and bake for about 9 minutes. Cool and frost!
   

* These cookies are so super easy to make and they make cute treats to give to family, friends, neighbors or Visiting Teaching!

Chicken Tacos & taco seasoning recipe!

Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the food before we ate it! I got this recipe from Alisha.

INGREDIENTS:

• Chicken breasts
• taco seasoning
• rice
• beans (black or pinto)
• lime juice
• tortillas
• Toppings; lettuce, tomatoes, cheese etc.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place chicken in crock pot with taco seasoning and little water. Cook on low for 4 hours. Shred chicken.
2. Cook rice and squeeze in the lime juice.
   
3. Stir beans into rice.
4. Serve on a tortilla with your favorite taco toppings!

TACO SEASONING:

• 2 Tbsp. Chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Onion Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Red Pepper flakes
  
• 1/2 tsp. Oregano
• 1 tsp. Paprika
• 1 tsp. ground Cumin
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 2 tsp. Pepper

-Combine seasoning and keep in an air tight container.

*This is Danila's recipe. I gave it a try last night and it was really good! Thanks for sharing your recipes Danila! From now on I won't be buying taco seasoning packets!!

Roast Beef Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:

• pot Roast (beef)
• 1 pkt. Dry Onion soup mix
• 2-3 beef bullion cubes
• 1 cup water
• French Bread
• Au Jus Gravy Mix (optional)
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place roast in crock pot. Combine water, bullion cubes and onion soup mix. Pour over roast. (you want the water to come to the top of the roast in the crock pot)
   
2. Cook on low for 6 hours.
3. Shred the meat and cook for another hour.
   
4. Spread french bread LIGHTLY with butter. Broil in oven for 6 minutes or until toasted. (it's good to toast the bread, so that the meat doesn't make it soggy)

* You can make up the Gravy mix to dip it in. It really tastes good, but we like it without the gravy too.

BLT + avocado

Not really a recipe, just a dinner idea.

I have always liked the real bacon and I had only tried turkey bacon a couple times and I didn't like it. Something about the texture that I didn't like. They had samples at Sam's club for the Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon and my boys were starving, so I let them have some. They kept wanting more, so I tried it and it was dang good! You can buy a pack of 3 for I think around $4 at Sam's. I am hooked on Turkey Bacon now and not going back! It is better priced, better for you and it tastes the same as the real stuff! Just spray a small amount of oil on the pan when you cook it up and you can eat it soft or crispy. Try it! You will be hooked to.

It freezes well too!