Homemade Strawberry Jam

I've been asked by a couple of different people to put up the directions to make homemade strawberry jam. It's not hard at all - the most time comes from de-stemming the strawberries. But it's soooo good - well worth all the effort!!

You need:

Fresh strawberries
Pectin
Sugar
Water
Containers

Go to the store and buy Pectin. It’s usually found in the same aisle as the flour and the sugar (but no guarantees). There are instructions in the Pectin on how much sugar, berries and water you will need. Follow the instructions in the box, since it varies, depending on which brand of Pectin you get. I make the “quick and easy” freezer jam. You don’t have to cook the jam, so it cuts out on a lot of the time. Plus I like jam more than jelly, since I like fruit pieces in my jam. You guys can do whatever makes your heart happy.

I used a big mixing bowl full of strawberries.

I dump them in the sink and wash them – then cut off their stems.

Mash them with a potato masher – and follow the rest of the directions that came with your Pectin.

I use these plastic containers instead of canning jars – they hold more jam and they stack really nicely in our freezer – both good things, since we don’t have lots of room.

And wa-la! You have homemade jam that is delicious!!!

NaDell's Easy Cheesy Lasagna

NaDell’s Easy Cheesy Lasagna

Ingredients:
2 cups Ragu or other Spaghetti Sauce
2 cans (10 ¾ oz.) Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
(may substitute Cream of Celery or Mushroom)
2 ½ cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
¼ cup Milk
1 lb. Ground Beef
10 dry lasagna noodles

Instructions:
The best part about this is that you don’t have to cook the noodles before baking.
Mix Chicken Soup, Mozzarella Cheese, and Milk. Set aside. Cook Beef until browned. Pour off fat. Stir in Spaghetti sauce. Heat thorough. Add spices as you wish. Spoon half the Meat Mixture into a 9x13 pan. Top with 5 dry Lasagna Noodles and Chicken Soup Mixture. Top with the remaining 5 Dry Lasagna Noodles and the remaining meat mixture. Add more cheese, olives, etc. if desired. Bake at 400° F covered for 30 minutes, or until it starts to bubble up a little. Let stand 10 minutes to set up. Eat and enjoy!!!

Crockpot Chicken Soft Tacos

This is exactly my kind of recipe -- beyond simple, but definitely good.

In the morning, throw a few chicken breasts into the crockpot. Top with salsa -- a fancy kind, or just whatever is in your fridge. Cook on low for about 8 hours.

I don't like salsa, so I pour it into a separate bowl for my husband. Then I shred the chicken and throw it in a tortilla shell with sour cream, shredded lettuce and grated cheese. You, of course, can add whatever toppings you like. My husband drenches his in the salsa.

We made two large chicken breasts yesterday; we've made six large tacos from it and still have only used about half the chicken. It makes amazing leftovers -- I don't even bother to heat it up.

Try it and let me know what you think.

Chicken Marinade

This is the easiest chicken marinade ever. You need:
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
BBQ sauce (I use regular flavor, but you can get creative and use whatever you want)
Italian dressing

That's it. The ratio is 1:1. I use 1/4 a bottle of BBQ sauce and 1/4 a bottle of Italian dressing. Mix together and let the chicken marinate. You can use as many chicken breasts as you want - we usually make 4 or 5, so we can each have one and have some for leftovers the next day. You can use as much (or as little) sauce/dressing marinade as you want. If I've planned well, then I let the chicken marinate over night. But usually I'm not that on top of things, so I let them marinate for like 15 minutes before I am so hungry that I can't stand it anymore. We usually cook them outside on the grill, but they work great in a foreman grill too (in case it's too cold to cook outside). They cook fast, too, so if you're hungry, these make a fast and tasty meal.

I usually make some form of green salad and potatoes to go along (au-gratin, mashed, cheesy, baked - whatever you've got works) and WA-LA ... you've got an entire meal. Yummy!

Haystacks

At Sarah's request, here's a recipe for the chicken sauce

Super fast and easy:
1-2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
1/2-1 can water or milk
basil
oregano
salt
pepper

combine all and bring to boil. Boil 2-3 minutes. Serve over rice and top with your favorite toppings

More time, but better tasting:
chicken tenders
1-2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
1/2-1 can water or milk
basil
oregano
salt
pepper
sage

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low all day. Or, simmer for 30 minutes on the stove top.

Looking for Hawaiian Haystacks

I realize that this might be cheating, seeing as how we are supposed to be posting recipes … but I am going to do it anyways :) I used to have a really good recipe for Hawaiian Haystacks, but it seems to have disappeared. I’ve got no idea where it went … and I have been craving them for months now … so I am wondering if anyone has a good recipe for Hawaiian Haystacks? I know how to make them … it’s just the sauce recipe that I am missing. So if anyone has a good recipe, please post it! Thanks guys!

Chicken Enchiladas

What you need:

1. 1 Pound of Chicken
2. 1 can of Cream of Chicken
3. 16oz Sour Cream
4. 4 cups Cheese
5. Green Chiles (optional)
6. Tortilla

Boil Chicken. In another bowl mix together cream of chicken, sour cream, green chiles, and 2 cups cheese. Shred Chicken and mix it in with the blend. Save some of the portion to add at the end. Roll tortilla up and place in a 9x12 pan. Add the rest of the mixture on top. Add the cheese.

Bake 350 for 30mins or until cheese and melted on top.