Easiest dinner ever... Blasted Chicken and Sensational Rice

A friend of mine sent me the following recipes from the Everyday Cheapskate newsletter. She also sent me one for Hawaiian Chicken Salad that I'm looking forward to trying. I couldn't believe how tender and juicy this chicken turned out - everyone in my family (including picky Charlie) loved it! And another great thing is that I diced our leftover chicken before putting up the leftovers and used it later in the week for this recipe. I also used our leftover salad ingredients as some of the veggies - I love double duty foods! And, supposedly the meal below can serve your entire family for under $5 if you get the chicken on sale.

Blasted Chicken. Preheat oven to a very hot 450 degrees. You’ll need one whole thawed 3 1/2 pound chicken (I get mine for $.57 a pound on sale), salt and pepper. Remove giblets from cavity to be used another time. Rinse the chicken well inside and out, then pat dry with a paper towel. Set in a baking dish, breast side up. Do not tuck in the wings or tie it shut. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper all over the outside and inside, too. Bake at 450 degrees for 45 minutes. Don’t peek or you’ll blow the results. Remove and allow to sit for a few minutes. Cut apart with a big kitchen shears or a sharp knife. Hint: If your chicken is slightly larger, bake a few minutes longer.

Sensational Rice. Remove the outside layers from one onion and chop into small pieces. Heat two tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet and sauté the onion on medium heat until soft. Add 1 cup raw rice (any type but not pre-cooked or Minute Rice). Continue sautéing until the rice begins to brown, stirring constantly (about 10 minutes). Be careful not to burn. Quickly add 2 cups canned chicken broth, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes. Serves 4-6. Hint: If you start the rice as soon as you put the chicken in the oven, both will be done at the same time.

Spicy Potato Salad

This is one of those recipes I got from someone who doesn't measure things... She just gave me the ingredients, and I think I may have finally figured out the winning combination. Her potato salad is my favorite, and I attempted it tonight (for the 3rd time or so) with our grilled bbq pork chops and home canned green beans. Yum!

Cooked and cubed potatoes - approx 1 small bag
Boiled and chopped eggs - 2
Chopped zesty dill pickles - 4 spears
Chopped onion - 1/3 cup
Mayonnaise (Blue Plate) - about 1/2 cup - add more as needed
Salt
Pepper
Ground red pepper - add to your spice preference

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate.

Covered Burritos and Touchdown Taco Dip

We always have the most delicious food at Sit-n-Sews, and I've told the lady who cooks that she needs to provide recipe cards for people to take home :) Last week, we had Mexican food and of course, everything was super yummy! We had some chicken fajita salads (complete with fresh tomatoes from their garden and all the fixings), cheese dip and chips, the two recipes below, and tres leches cake for dessert. I think I'll make these burritos soon - they seem super easy!

Covered Burritos
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can refried beans
flour tortillas
Mexican cheese
1 can Hormel chili, no beans

Brown ground beef and drain; add taco seasoning and let sit for a few minutes. Stir in beans; scoop mixture into tortillas and roll tortillas, seam side down into 9x13 pan. Cover with cheese and then chili and bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes.

This is a Pampered Chef recipe, but I found it online on several sources.

Touchdown Taco Dip
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
1 can pitted ripe olives
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped (optional)
2 green onions, chopped (optional)
fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
tortilla chips

Directions
1Spread the refried beans in a square stone baker (or a 9-inch square baking dish).
2In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, taco seasoning, and garlic.
3Mix well with electric mixer.
4Spread cream cheese mixture on top of refried beans.
5Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top of cream cheese mixture.
6Sprinkle olives, tomatoes, onions and cilantro on top.
7Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.
8Serve hot with Tortilla Chips!

Mexican Dip/Casserole

So yummy and pretty healthy as well! We ate this last night with the Deans. This recipe can be doubled (as we did last night) and baked in a 9x13 pan.

Layer in a baking pan:
1 small box brown rice (or pour from a bigger box and guesstimate)
1 can black beans, drained
1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained (or not)
Veggies - your choice (olives, mushrooms, onion, green peppers, etc)
Diced chicken (we used rotisserie)
Shredded cheese

Cover dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Serve with chips, lettuce, tortillas, whatever you prefer. Top with salsa, taco sauce, sour cream, melted cheese dip, green onions, tomatoes, etc. So easy - you really can't go wrong here!

Chicken Salad

The weather has been SO hot lately, and it makes me want to do just about anything but cook! Chicken salad is a summer staple, and here are my two favorite recipes. Enjoy!

Chicken Salad
1 ¾ lbs chicken breasts, boiled until tender (drained and cut into chunks)
3 or 4 ribs of celery, cut into ½” pieces
1 cup walnut pieces
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup Honey Cup Mustard

Mix all ingredients, chill and serve. *This recipe is from the Blue and White Café in Mountain Brook. The secret is in the Honey Cup Mustard.

Mandarin Chicken Salad
6 chicken breasts
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp. garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste
1 11-oz can mandarin oranges, drained and juice reserved
½ cup chopped green grapes
1 ½ cups mayonnaise
20-24 croissants

Cover chicken breasts in water and cook until tender, about 1 hour. Cool, de-bone and chop chicken. Chill in refrigerator. In a bowl, combine chilled chicken, celery, walnuts, garlic salt and salt and pepper. Blend in reserved mandarin orange juice and mayo to desired creaminess. Fold in oranges and grapes. Slice croissants and fill with chicken salad mixture.

German Chocolate Dump Cake

I had this recipe at a sit & sew session, and it was absolutely scrumptious! I came home and looked it up and made it for a gathering the following night, and it was a huge hit then also. I can't remember which recipe I used, but these two sound about right. You will NOT be sorry you tried this cake!

Option 1:
2 c. pecans (I omitted)
1 sm. can coconut
1 pkg. German chocolate cake mix
1 stick butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 box powdered sugar

Butter a 9"x13" pan. Pack pecans then coconut in pan. Mix cake and pour over pecans. Melt butter, add cream cheese and powdered sugar. Pour over unbaked cake. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour.

Option 2:
1 German chocolate cake mix
1 c. chopped pecans (I omitted)
1 c. shredded coconut
1 stick butter
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 lb. confectioners sugar

Mix pecans and coconut together. Spread evenly in bottom of 9 x 13 cake pan. Prepare cake mix by directions on box, pour evenly over nuts and coconut. Heat butter and cream cheese in saucepan. Stir until melted (do not boil). Remove from heat; stir in confectioners sugar. Pour over cake mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until cake tests done with toothpick.

Beefy Pizza Casserole

This recipe is very similar to the Upside Down Pizza recipe I've posted previously, but I liked this one better. Someone brought this to us last night, as I'm recovering from surgery. It was very yummy and worth a try - very family friendly! I think you could use crescent rolls on top like my other recipe, as well.

Beefy Pizza Casserole
makes 8 servings
prep time 25 min cook time 12 min bake time 20 min
2 lbs ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
4 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, divided
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 (26oz) jar tomato and basil pasta sauce
2 cups (8oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (13.8 oz) can refrigerated pizza crust
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Cook first 3 ingredients and 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain well, and return to skillet.

Add 1/4 cup flour, stirring until blended. Stir in pasta sauce. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1 1/2 cupsz mozzarella cheese.

Unroll pizza crust, and place on top of cheese. (Tuck edges into baking dish, if necessary) Brush with olive oil, and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Bake at 425 for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown

An 11.3 oz refrigerated pizza crust may be substituted.