Category Archives: Kids Favorites

My kids favorite meals/snacks

Karinna’s Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole.

Several times a year I help my good friend, Karinna, to cook a luncheon at her church. We usually plan for 75-100 people. Karinna has a good selection of meals she chooses from; all made from scratch and absolutely delicious! Karinna has celiac disease so many of these meals are gluten free. This is one of those meals. When I make it for my family I dont always go with the gluten free option, depending on what I have on hand. I’ll note those changes in italics.

    Karinna’s Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

1 whole cooked chicken, bones removed, meat diced or shredded (rotisserie chicken is excellent, should have 5-6 cups)
1/2 pound very thinly sliced deli-style ham, rough chopped
1/4 pound thin sliced baby Swiss cheese

[For the sauce:]
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons gluten free or all purpose flour
3 1/4 cups milk
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper

[For the topping:]
6 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs or regular bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
Put cooked shredded or diced chicken on the bottom of the baking dish. Rough chop the ham and scatter it over the top of the chicken. Lay the Swiss cheese on top of the ham.
To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. When butter is melted, quickly stir in the flour to form a smooth roux. Do not brown! Once the roux is smooth and bubbly, slowly pour in the cold milk while stirring briskly to make a smooth sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Stir in the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, smoked paprika and white pepper. Bring sauce just back to a low boil and turn off heat. Pour sauce evenly over the casserole, being certain to get some of the sauce around the edges of the pan.
To make the topping: Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium sized microwaveable bowl. Heat it for 30 seconds at a time and stop once it’s melted. Take the bowl out of the microwave and stir in the panko bread crumbs, seasoning salt and crushed dried parsley. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
Bake casserole uncovered for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly throughout and topping has turned a light golden brown.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

Quick Summer Tortellini Salad

Posting for Mom so i can access this on my phone and make it myself, this is one of my favorite Summer Salads.

This is a quick delicious summer salad. Perfect for picnics, no need to refrigerate. A little sweet, a little tart, with a touch of fresh basil for a punch of flavor. You choose the tortellini and smoked sausage you like the most. Chop, chop, chop and you’re done! Enjoy.

Cook time: 5 Min  Prep time: 30 Min  Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

16 oz fresh tortellini
1 1/2 c swiss cheese
1 1/2 c summer sausage or salami
1 can(s) small black olives
1 1/2 c fresh mushrooms
4 green onions
2/3 c red wine vinegar
2/3 c canola oil
2/3 c sugar
1/4 c basil, fresh
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1. Cook the tortellini in boiling, salted water for 5 minutes. Rinse with cold water and cool.
2. In a large bowl combine, cubed sausage and cheese with chopped mushrooms, olives and minced green onions. Add the cooled tortellini and basil.
3. In a separate bowl combine the sugar, vinegar, oil, salt, garlic and pepper. Stir until thoroughly combined. Add to the pasta mixture. Adjust seasoning to taste.
4. Enjoy!
Originally Found: HERE

President’s Potato Soup

This is Laura Bush’s Irish potato soup recipe.  It’s a favorite of my family, but in the beginning, I enticed them a bit by calling it President’s Potato Soup….I mean who wouldn’t want to eat like the president of the United States (okay, don’t answer that!!!).  It is very simple, fairly quick, and delicious!!  Oh, AND CHEAP!

6 potatoes peeled and cubed (I had a few red potatoes that I threw in this evening, and I just left their skins on them)
1 Tbs oil (I omit this with my directions….see below)
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup onion (actually, I chopped up 2 whole onions and threw them in there….onions are good for you!)
1 12oz can evaporated milk (or 1 1/2 cups of milk)
1/2 cup butter (or margarine, if you must, but…..don’t!)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper (whatever!  do the salt and pepper to taste!)

Mrs. Bush’s directions: Place potatoes in a stockpot with enough water to cover.  Boil until tender, about 10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add celery and onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add potatoes.  Stir in evaporated milk, butter, salt and pepper.  Heat until just below boiling.  Serve immediately.

My directions (cuz you know how I am about following a recipe precisely!) Melt butter in large pot, add onions and celery and cook until translucent.  Add potatoes and just enough water to barely cover everything.  Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are tender (10-20 min).  Add milk, salt and pepper.  Heat until it’s hot enough.  Serve (no immediately about it…..they will come running!)

Eggs Pierre

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Okay, this is how much I truly love my SuperHero:

  1. That I even make this stuff (which, BTW, I confess to calling “Pukes Pierre)  I will admit, though, that since adapting the recipe a bit, it is starting to grow on me and I now will eat it when I make it (yeah, I used to eat sandwiches while everyone else had this)
  2. I am putting this on MY food blog after I’ve spent years berating it.  SuperHero just called me to ask for my food blog address for a co-worker, because she wants this recipe (yep, you read it right, this is for you Jauna!)

I actually used to tell my MIL that I was sure she just made it up as NOBODY had ever heard of it before.  It’s one of those “comfort foods” I think, for hubby, but I have discovered that he is the only Jajliardo “child” that is still getting served this stuff.  With the changes I’ve made, it is tastier and looks a whole lot less “vomitrocious” (yes, I said that!)  The sauce makes about 6 or 7 servings, and you just make as much sausage, eggs and toast as you want.

Pierre Sauce (make this first as it needs to simmer about 15 min.  You could also cook up the sausage at this time and then keep it warming in the oven on the lowest temperature)

1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup sesame oil (yes, use sesame oil, the flavors better AND it gives it better color than….well, than you know what)
5 Tbsp flour
3 cups chicken broth (or 3 cups water + 3 chicken bouillon cubes)
1/4 cup tomato juice
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste (not too  much salt!  there’s already saltiness to it)

Heat the oil in a sauce pan, add garlic and briefly cook it.  Add flour, mix well and heat until it get bubbly.  Add the remaining ingredients and cook over medium low heat for about 15 min. (don’t let it boil)

You can use either sausage in either the breakfast links or patties, cook them as directed on the package.

While the sauce is simmering (and the sausages are cooked), fry up some eggs with a little salt and pepper (however many you want) and cook your toast.  Place the toast on your plate, top with an egg, some sausages and then ladle the sauce over it all.

I would LOVE to have your comments on this!

Enchilada Lasagna

Quick, easy and OH so yummy!  This is a family favorite.  It serves about 12 people, but don’t let that stop you if you don’t have that many mouths to feed at once….this makes wonderful leftovers as well!

1-1/2 lbs ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce
1 to 2 tsp ground cumin
1 egg, beaten
1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) 4% cottage cheese
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend
8 flour tortillas (8 inches), cut in half
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1. In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, enchilada sauce and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, combine egg and cottage cheese; set aside. Spread a third of the meat sauce into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Layer with half of the cheese blend, tortillas, cottage cheese mixture and remaining meat sauce. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

3. Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

Servings: 12

Source: Originally published as Enchilada Lasagna in Taste of Home June/July 2010, p32

Chili’s Chicken Enchilada Soup

One Sunday after church, we went to Chili’s for lunch with some friends.  My friend highly recommended the Chicken Enchilada Soup, which my husband and youngest son then ordered.  Hubby gave me a taste of his and I thought it was pretty good, then, when my little guy ate his, he asked for seconds and raved about it for days!  So I knew I needed to find this recipe.  And voila!  CopyKat Recipes had it!
1/2 C. Vegetable oil
1/4 C. Chicken base
3 C. diced Yellow Onions
2 tsp. ground Cumin
2 tsp. Chili Powder
2 tsp. granulated Garlic
1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper
2 C. Masa Harina
4 qt. Water (divided) (I actually used 3 qts of water as we like a thicker soup)
2 C. crushed Tomatoes
1/2 lb. processed American cheese, cut in small cube
3 lb. cooked, cubed chicken
In large pot, place oil, chicken base, onion and spices. Saute until onions are soft and clear, about 5 minutes. In another container, combine Masa Harina with 1 quart water. Stir until all lumps dissolve. Add to sauteed onions and bring to boil. Once mixture starts to bubble, continue cooking 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. This will eliminate any raw taste from Masa Harina. Add remaining 3 quarts (here’s where I added only 2 more quarts rather than 3) water to pot. Add tomatoes; let mixture return to boil stirring occasionally.
Add cheese to soup. Cook stirring occasionally, until cheese melts. Add chicken; heat through. Makes 1 1/2 gallons or 16-20 servings.
Please note you must mix in the mesa harina into 1 quart of broth completely.  If you add the masa harina into the soup directly it will be difficult to mix in and may be lumpy.  If you feel 2 cups is too much masa harina I have made the soup with 1 1/2 cups successfully.
My family also asked for the “chippy things” that were sprinkled on top.  To make those, I cut several corn tortillas in half and then in thin (1/4 inch) strips.  I spread them on a cookie sheet, sprayed them a little Pam, and baked them at 475 degrees for 5-7 min (until crispy).

y.

Amy’s Veggie and Fettuccine Alfredo

So, I’m on the hunt for tasty low protein food…. food my family will actually eat too. I was desperate for something tasty from what I had on hand (as I had not shopped low protein….this is something we’re trying again for hubby) This was a HUGE hit so I thought I’d share

2 Tbs olive oil

2 onions, chopped (left in fairly good sized pieces)

1 1/2 tsp sugar (to carmelize onions)

1 bell pepper, chopped

3 carrots, julienned (or just slice them thin)

1 small can of mushrooms WITH their juice

1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp chicken bouillon (opt)

1/4 c butter

1/4 – 1/2 c flour

2 c half and half

1/3 c cooking sherry

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of nutmeg

1/2 c Parmesan cheese

fettuccine noodles, cooked

Heat oil in skillet. Add onions and after 3 min. add sugar. Cook until they begin to soften. Add peppers and cook about 5-7 min until softened and browned. Add carrots, mushrooms with their liquid, water and bouillon. Cover and cook 8 min until carrots are softened. Remove cover and continue cooking to evaporate liquid.

While noodles are cooking, melt butter in small saucepan. Add flour and mix with whisk, cooking for 2-3 min. Add half and half, sherry, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook, stirring continuously, until sauce thickens. Add Parmesan and mix in well.

Combine noodles, vegetables and sauce and serve. Yum! We had this with a side of salad. So good

Sleeping In Breakfast Casserole

Just because it says “sleeping in”, doesn’t mean you should not double check your alarm clock!!  I made this for the weekend catering for the AEF retreat staff….I was supposed to get up at 5:30 to get it going in the oven….I woke up at 7!!!!!  Yowza!!!  But people ate it later for lunches and snacks, so it was still enjoyed by all!!

Prep Time: 20 minutes + it soaks overnight while you sleep!

Cook Time: 1 hour

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

6 whole Onion Rolls

1 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese

1 8 ounces Cream Cheese

1 stick Butter

10 whole Eggs

2 cups Milk

1 teaspoon Chopped Chives

1 teaspoons Dry Mustard

1/2 teaspoons Salt

1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Get Cooking:

Generously butter an 9×13 baking dish.

Tear onion rolls into chunks and place them in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese, then tear cream cheese into small pieces and place over the top. Cut 1 stick butter into pats and place over the top.

Mix remaining ingredients and pour over the top of the dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, bake at 325 degrees, covered, for 45 minutes. The remove foil and continue baking at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

http://www.homewithmandy.com/2008/10/sleepin-in-breakfast-casserole.html