Oven-Fried Chicken

This is a very basic, simple, and delicious recipe I found on the side of a cereal box, by Marlene Sorosky Gray. Highly recommended!

Ingredients:
3 1/2 lbs. chicken pieces - rinsed and patted dry
2 eggs
1/4 c. milk
2 1/2 c. crushed cornflakes
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
3 Tb. melted butter

What to do:
1. Position rack in upper third of oven. Preheat oven to 350*. Line a baking sheet with heavy foil and grease the foil.
2. In a pie dish or shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. In another shallow dish, stir together cereal, salt and pepper.
3. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture and then into the cereal mixture, patting with your hands to make the crumbs adhere. Arrange chicken on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with melted butter.
4. Bake until crisp and golden, 40-50 minutes.
Makes 4 servings

Chicken Enchiladas

A lot of people serve chicken enchiladas with a sour cream style sauce. Although I think that's yummy, I much prefer this version of chicken enchiladas with a tomato sauce base. My mother would make these enchiladas (using beef or chicken) all the time while we were growing up and I have always loved them. Now I make them for my husband and daughter who both equally love them. Even better - they're super easy!

What You'll Need:
1 pkg. tortillas (I get the burrito size ones)
2 cups shredded cheese (any flavor you prefer)
1 pkg. Enchilada seasoning (and the tomato paste/sauce and water to make it)
1 lb. cooked and shredded chicken

What You'll Do:
1. Preheat oven to 375*. Using a saucepan, follow the instructions from the envelope (I prefer Lawry's) to make the enchilada sauce.
2. In a bowl combine cooked and shredded chicken and 1-1/2 c. cheese.
3. Pour half the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Coat each tortilla in the sauce from the pan (refilling as often as needed). Then place 1/3 c. chicken/cheese filling inside. Roll up and place seam side down in pan.
4. Once pan is full pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
5. Bake at 375* for 20 minutes.

Microwave Baked Potatoes

Baked Potato Bar is a favorite at our house, but turning the oven on in the summer heat is not! So, here's a great way to prepare those baked potatoes without turning your home into a sauna.

What You'll Need:
Baking Potatoes
Butter (I use the low-fat kind or butter spray)
Saran Wrap

What You'll Do:
1. Wash each potato, removing all dirt and other bad spots.

2. Using a knife cut multiple slits on all sides of the potato.

3. Take a piece of saran wrap and spread a little (you don't need a lot) butter (or spray a little butter) in the center.

4. Wrap the potato up in the saran wrap, making sure that the butter is touching the potato.

5. Microwave for 5 minutes, turn over the potato and microwave for 5 more minutes. Remember that microwave times might vary due to size or the potato and wattage of your microwave. It also might require more time if you do more than one potato together.

6. Peel off saran wrap and enjoy with your favorite toppings!

Some of our favorite potato toppings are: Butter, Salt and Pepper, Cheese, Hard-Boiled Eggs, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cream of Mushroom Soup, Olives, Bacon, Ham, Turkey, Ranch Dressing, Salsa, and Sour Cream

Chicken and Rice Casserole

So easy and so yummy!

Ingredients:
1 box Rice-a-Roni Herb and Butter
1 c. brown rice
4 chicken breast halves, cut in strips
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 c. milk
3 c. water
1 c. shredded cheese
1 c. crushed cornflakes

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350*
2. In a 9x13 pan mix together the Rice-a-Roni rice and herb packet with brown rice, chicken strips, cream of chicken soup, milk, and water. Stir. (It will be very full.)
3. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 60 minutes.
4. Remove aluminum foil and stir. Spread layer of cheese over top and then layer of cornflakes on top.
5. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Crunchy French Toast Sticks

I originally discovered this recipe on allrecipes.com, posted by Pamplemousse. However, after reading some of the comments and suggestions made by others, I took the basic recipe and made it my own. So, without further adieu, here is the Brady family way of doing Crunch French Toast Sticks (which, by the way, are a huge hit in our home!).

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/2 c. milk
3 c. corn flakes, crushed
1/4 c. sugar
1 Tb. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (divided)
6 slices bread, cut into thirds
1-2 Tb. butter (enough to cook in)

Instructions:
1. Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, and 1/4 tsp. of cinnamon together in a dish. Spread the crushed corn flakes, sugar, and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon in another dish.

2. Dip each piece of bread into the egg mixture and then press gently into the cereal, turning to coat completely.

3. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook the coated bread sticks in the melted butter until golden, about 4 minutes on each side.

Mexican Lasagna

I found this recipe at allrecipes, submitted by Alyce Voorhees. It did not disappoint! Yummmmmm!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes with juice
10 (6 in.) corn or flour tortillas
1 c. salsa
1 c. shredded cheese

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. In a large skillet brown the ground beef, and stir in the taco seasoning and tomatoes.
3. Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with half the tortillas. Spoon the beef mixture into the dish. Cover with 1/2 c. of the shredded cheese. Then layer the remaining tortillas over the cheese. Spread salsa over the tortillas and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
4. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

This recipe is from the Frei Family at Blogger Buffet. Very easy to throw together quickly with things already in the house.

Ingredients:
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 c. Milk
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese
1 1/2 c. Frozen Vegetables (any kind you want)
2 c. Cooked Cubed Chicken
2 c. Medium Egg Noodles, cooked and drained*
1 c. shredded cheese

What to Do:
1. Stir soup, milk, pepper, salt, Parmesan cheese, vegetables, chicken and noodles in 1-1/2 qt. casserole dish.
2. Bake at 400* for 25 minutes, or until hot. Stir.
3. Top with cheddar cheese. Cook for 3-5 more minutes, until cheese melts.

*You could really use any kind of noodles!

Spiced Up Pinto Beans

This recipe is a work in progress. My husband served his mission to Brazil, and he really misses all the great rice and beans he would get served daily. We are constantly trying different spice combinations to make the "perfect" Brazilian beans. If any of you out there have a good recipe for Brazilian style beans, please share.

Ingredients:
2 cans pinto beans (drain only one can)
3 cloves garlic
2 Tb. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
3 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. onion powder

What to do:
1. Saute pressed garlic in the vegetable oil until golden. Add all remaining ingredients.
2. Cover. Simmer 45 minutes.
3. Drain remaining water. Remove bay leaves.

Pretzel Jello Salad

Seriously, this stuff is so good, and I don't really even like jello! I got this recipe from Jenna Marie at Blogger Buffet. It's amazing!

Ingredients:
Pretzels (enough that, when crushed, can cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan)
1 cube Butter
1 c. Sugar, plus 4 tsp Sugar
12 oz. Cool Whip
8 oz. softened Cream Cheese
6 oz. Strawberry Jello
16 oz. Frozen Strawberries (sliced)

What to Do:
1. Crush pretzels in bottom of 9x13 pan. Melt butter with 4 tsp. sugar. Pour over pretzels and bake at 400* for 6 minutes. Cool in freezer.

2. Beat softened cream cheese, cool whip, and 1 c. sugar on med/low until smooth. Spread over COOLED pretzels. (Make sure to seal all the edges so the jello doesn't get into the pretzels).

3. Mix jello according to package directions. Stir in frozen strawberries. Let jello partially set (about 3-5 minutes) then pour over cream cheese mixture.
4. put in fridge and let set for 4-5 hours.

Chicken Broccoli Braid

This is my take on a recipe I found by Holly L.
at Creative Cook Book.

Ingredients:
2 c. cooked chicken, cut up
1 1/2 c. broccoli, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. salt
2 pkgs (8 oz.) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 egg, lightly beaten

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 375*. Mix chicken, broccoli, garlic, cheese, soup, mayo and salt together.

2. Unroll the packages of roll dough width wise on cookie sheet. Use a rolling pin or your hands to seal perforations. Use a pizza cutter to cut dough on the long sides into strips, 1 1/2 inches apart and 3 inches deep (there will be 6 inches in the center for the filling).

3. Spread mixture evenly over the middle of the dough.

4. To braid, lift strips of dough across mixture to meet in the center. Continue alternating strips to form a braid. Tuck end under to seal at end of braid. Brush egg over dough.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until deep golden brown.

Ranch Chicken

Found this on Blogger Buffet, posted by Shelly. It's really simple and good.

Ingredients:
3/4 c. crushed cornflakes
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 envelope Ranch Salad Dressing mix
1/2 c. butter, melted
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or use tenderloins)

Instructions:
1. In a shallow bowl, combine cornflakes, Parmesan cheese, and salad dressing.
2. Dip chicken in butter, then roll in cornflake mixture to coat.
3. Place in greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
4. Bake uncovered at 350* for 40-45 minutes, or until chicken is done.

Bubble Pizza

This is easy and yummy! I found this recipe posted by Lucy J. at Creative Cook Book. We made it for dinner last night, and LOVED it!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef or turkey, cooked and drained
15 oz. pizza sauce (I would use more if you have it)
2 cans (12 oz.) buttermilk biscuits
1 c. mozzarella cheese

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400*.
2. Combine beef and sauce; heat.
3. Cut biscuits into quarters and put in greased 9x13 pan.

4. Spread meat sauce mixture over biscuits and cook for 20 minutes.

5. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 5-10 minutes more (or until cheese is melted).