Ann’s Barley Stew with Leeks, Mushrooms, and Greens

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 1/2 cups chopped leeks (about 2 small stalks; white and pale green parts only)

1 8-ounce container sliced crimini (baby bella) mushrooms

2 garlic cloves, pressed

2 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice

1 cup pearl barley

4 cups (or more) vegetable broth

1 bunch kale (about 8 ounces), trimmed, center stalks removed, leaves coarsely chopped (about 8 cups packed)

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add leeks; sprinkle with salt and pepper and saute until leeks begin to soften, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, and rosemary; increase heat to medium-high and saut* until mushrooms soften and begin to brown, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice; stir 1 minute. Add barley and 4 cups broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until barley is almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add kale; stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Cover and simmer until kale and barley are tender, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls as needed for desired stew consistency, about 10 minutes.

Lynette’s Sweet BBQ Meatballs

Put a bag of frozen meatballs in a crockpot on high and add one bottle of BBQ sauce with equal part grape jelly. Cook for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally.

Jami’s Chicken A La King

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms                                        1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup flour                                                              1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper                                                    2 cups milk

1 3/4 cups chicken broth                                               2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey

Lemon and Herb Seasoning to taste

In pan sauté mushrooms in butter until tender.  Blend in flour, salt, pepper, and lemon and herb seasoning.  Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is bubbly.  Remove from the heat. Stir in milk and broth.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Stir in chicken. (great with rice, noodles, or in chicken pot pie)

Shannon’s Honey Curry Chicken

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6-8) or chicken tenders (2.5-3 lb)
¼ c. butter or margarine
½ c. honey
¼ c. prepared mustard
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. salt

Place chicken in greased casserole dish. Melt butter in a pot on stove. Add other ingredients to pot and mix well, warm only, no need to boil. Pour mixture over chicken. Place in oven, bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear. Garnish with sautéed mushrooms (in butter, with salt and pepper) if desired.

Jessica’s Creamy Orzo

Ingredients

• 1 pound orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, juices drained
• 1 1/4 cups whipping cream
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Bring a heavy large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic, and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cream and peas. Add the orzo and toss to coat. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the Parmesan to the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Stir the pasta mixture until the sauce coats the pasta thickly, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to maintain a creamy consistency. Season the orzo with salt and pepper, and serve.

Kristen’s Marlboro Man Sandwich

Ingredients

• 1 whole Large (or 2 Small) Onions
• 2 sticks Butter (lots And Lots Of Butter)
• 2 pounds (to 3 Pounds) Cube Steak (tenderized Round Steak That's Been Extra Tenderized)
• Lawry's Seasoned Salt (or Similar Seasoned Salt)
• 1/2 cup (approximately) Worcestershire Sauce
• Tabasco Sauce, To Taste
• 4 whole French/deli Rolls (earthgrains Are Best!)

Preparation Instructions

Slice onions and cook in 1/4 stick butter until soft and light brown. Remove and set aside. Slice cube steak against the grain. Season with Lawry’s. Heat 2 tablespoons butter over high heat (in same skillet) until melted and beginning to brown. Add meat in single layer. Cook one side until brown, then flip and cook until brown, about a minute on both sides. Add 1/2 cup (at least) Worcestershire sauce, 5 to 6 shakes Tabasco, and 2 tablespoons butter. Add cooked onions. Stir to combine. Butter halved French rolls and brown in skillet. To assemble, lay bottom half of French roll on plate. Place meat mixture, followed by a spoonful of juice from the pan. Top with other half of roll, cut in half, and devour!

Sai’s Fried Rice

Ingredients

5 tbls cooking oil

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 onion, diced

1 chicken breast (sliced)

5 cup cooking rice

1 cup frozen mixing vegetable

5 eggs

2 tbl soy source

salt and peper

Directions

Heat a large heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet over high heat. When hot add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the chicken and cook stirring occasionally until lightly browned. Add the onions to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until onion is fragrant, Add the garlic about 30 seconds. Add the frozen vegetables. Cook until just defrosted but still crisp. Transfer contents of the skillet to a large bowl.

Return the pan to the heat and add 2 more tablespoons of oil. Add the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Stir the eggs constantly and cook until almost set but still moist, then transfer egg to the bowl.

Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining oil. Add the rice to the pan and use a spoon to break up any clumps. Season with salt and pepper and stir-fry the rice to coat evenly with oil. Stir all the ingredients together with the rice, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve.

Katherine’s Santa Fe Pizza

1 Boboli (or similar) pizza crust

1/2 lb hot ground pork sausage

1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

1 cup chunky salsa

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup shredded Cheddar-Jack cheese

2 TB chopped fresh cilantro

Sour cream (optional)

Cilantro sprigs (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 450. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet. Bake at 450 for 8 minutes; set aside.

2. Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain sausage, and return to skillet. Add peppers; cook 3 minutes or until tender. 

3. Combine salsa and chili powder; spread over crust. Top with sausage mixture and black beans; sprinkle with cheese. 

4. Bake at 450 for 6 minutes or until cheese melts. Sprinkle with cilantro. Cut into wedges. Serve with sour cream and cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Brooke’s Crustless Spinach Quiche (“Cheesy Eggs”)

INGREDIENTS

8 oz. cream cheese

1 cup milk

4 eggs or 1 cup egg substitute

1 cup cheese (Parmesan, cheddar, or Swiss), shredded

1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained

1 cup chopped ham

 DIRECTIONS 

 1. Combine cream cheese and milk in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until cream cheese is melted. Remove from heat.

 2. Add eggs, cheese, spinach and ham to cream cheese mixture.

 3. Bake in a greased pie plate at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until set.

Other Ingredients that I add if I have on hand: chopped tomatoes, mushrooms, green peppers

Christan’s Cashew Chicken

4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

½ c. cashews (more or less to your liking)

½  bottle of Iron Chef General Tso’s sauce

½ c. water

Combine Tso sauce and water in a frying pan. Then add chicken and cashews. Bring to a boil then simmer 5-10 minutes until sauce has thickened.

Serve over rice and with your favorite vegatable. (we usually do broccoli)

 serves 4-6 people

Jen’s Barcelona Chicken

What you need

 Garlic salt

Pepper

Olive oil

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces

I can Italian style diced tomatoes

3-4 cubes chicken and tomato flavored bullion cubes

half of a box of pasta, whatever kind you like best

half a bag of baby spinach (optional)

Make it

 Season the chicken with the salt and pepper, and then brown it in a skillet (that has a lid) with the olive oil. When it is browned (it doesn’t have to be cooked completely), add the can of tomatoes, reserving the can to add water to the pan later. Add the bullion cubes and add 2 -3 cans of water to fill the skillet. Bring this to a boil and then add the pasta, just laying it over the top. Turn the heat down so that it is just simmering, cover it with the lid and then cook for 20 minutes. When it is done, you may mix in the spinach if you want to add it. Delicioso!

Christa’s Chili

2-15oz cans Hormel chili (1 can with beans, 1 without beans)

1-32oz can Hormel tamales cut up

1 can of corn

1 can chopped olives

1 can petite diced tomato's

Heat on low in crock pot for 2 hours.  Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, torilla chips, and any other toppings.

Melanni’s Taco Soup

1 pound ground hamburger, browned

1 can diced tomatoes with sweet onion

1 can corn, drained

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 can green chilis (your level of spicy, I use mild)

1 can black olives, sliced and drained

1 1/2 cups water

1 taco seasoning packet

Heat all ingredients together in pot until boiling, lower to simmer and serve hot.

*serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, and cilantro!