Oriental Green Beans

1 1/2 lbs green beans, trimmed
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbps. oriental sesame oil
1 tsp. granulated sugar
6 garlic cloves, minced

In a large pot, boil green beans until desired tenderness, then drain. In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, oil and sugar. Spray skillet with cooking spray and cook garlic for 30 seconds. Add green beans and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add soy sauce mixture and cook until they soak up most of the liquid, 1-2 minutes.

These are my favorite green beans! I take some short cuts, however. After I cook the green beans, I transfer them into a skillet and add all the other ingredients (I eliminate the sugar though) and use garlic paste instead. Cooks in a few minutes and are so yummy!

Crockpot Polish Sausage Stew

Polska Kielbasa (Polish Sausage), cut into bite size pieces
3-4 large potatoes, cubed
2 cans french cut green beans (or frozen pkg)
Seasonings

Put potatoes in bottom of crockpot, then sausage, then green beans. Lightly season, if desired. (I don't add any more salt, as the sausage is already salty). Cook 4 hours on high. Simple & Delish!

Sticky Chicken

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Dip 4 chicken breasts in eggs, then flour.
Brown in skillet on all sides then place in small casserole dish.

Sauce:
1/2 c ketchup
1c sugar
1/4c vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce

Pour sauce over chicken. Bake 45-60 min. Serve over rice. (or cook chicken all the way on stovetop and only bake for 10-15 minutes)

Made this tonight. Very much like "sweet & sour chicken". I will add brocolli or peas next time. I serve it over brown rice. Yummy!

Chicken & Bowties in Tomato Garlic Cream Sauce

1 lb. bowtie pasta (one 14 oz. box was plenty)
2 T. butter
1 onion, thinly sliced
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
28-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 pint whipping cream
1 c. frozen peas
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
2 lbs. chicken, cooked and cut into 1-inch strips

Heat 4 quarts salted water to boil. Add pasta. Cook according to time on pasta box. Drain; reserving ½ c. cooking liquid. In large pot, melt butter. Cook onion until soft (about 3 minutes). Add red pepper and garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, cream, and cooking liquid. Increase heat to high. Cook until slightly reduced (about 4 minutes). Stir in peas, salt, pepper, cooked pasta, and chicken. Cook until heated through. Serve in pasta bowls.

Made this tonight for the first time - yummy! Added a little more garlic and some parmesan on top though. Next time I might change the tomatoes for sun-dried ones or peas for broccoli for a twist!

Grammie's Sweet & Sour Meatballs

2 lbs. ground chuck
1 c. Italian breadcrumbs
1/3 c. parsley
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped onion (or onion powder, if desired)
2 Tbsp. soy sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients above, roll into small meatballs and place in large oven-proof dish.

12 oz. bottle Chili Sauce
15 oz. can Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
1 Tbsp. lemon juice, reconstituted
2 Tbsp. brown sugar (I add a little more)

Mix all of the above ingredients in a medium saucepan on high heat until it thickens. Pour over meatballs and bake for at least an hour.

Artichoke Cheese Dip

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (little shredded kind)
2 cans (14 oz.) artichoke hearts (squeeze out water and chop finely)
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon fresh dill (or dried if that's all you have)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour into an oven proof container. Bake for 30-45 minutes. Cooking time varies. Serve with bagel chips or something similar.

(Note: I use light cream cheese, mayo and sour cream and it comes out just fine!)

Crockpot Lemon Chicken

1 Whole Chicken
chicken stock (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp. rosemary (dried)
salt, to taste
garlic powder or paste, to taste

Place whole chicken in crockpot. Pour in chicken stock. Pour lemon juice over chicken. Rub chicken with rosemary, salt and garlic. Cook for 8 hours on low.

Spiced Pumpkin Bundt Cake w/ Citrus Glaze

I make this cake almost every year during the holidays. I am never able to find "Spice Cake Mix", so I substitute it with Orange Supreme Cake Mix and it's so good! I also messed up the first time I made it and added an entire can of pumpkin instead of only 1 cup, so I continue to add the extra pumpkin and it makes it extra moist and dense. I also use plain canned pumpkin, not pie mix, which works fine. I will post the original recipe for you however. Enjoy!

Cake:
6 eggs
2/3 c. oil
1 c. canned pumpkin pie mix
2/3 cup water
2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1 box moist spice cake mix
1 box moist yellow cake mix

Glaze:
yellow food coloring
red food coloring
1 pound powdered sugar
1/3 cup orange juice, no pulp
3 tsp. orange liqueur

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 12-cup bundt cake pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, oil, pie mix, water and pumpkin pie spice. Beat until well blended. Add the cake mixes and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack.

Glaze:
Combine 2 parts yellow food coloring with 4 parts red food coloring to make orange food coloring. Whish the powdered sugar, orange juice, orange liqueur and food coloring in a saucepan on low heat for 5 minutes or until the sugar melts. If the glaze seems too dry, add more water or orange juice to reach the right consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Aunt Barbara's Broccoli Cheese Casserole

This has been made in our family for years, thanks to my Aunt Barbara. She made it every Thanksgiving when we were growing up, and I took over making it for my family each Thanksgiving & Christmas for the last 6 years or so. I've also brought it to office parties, and it's always gone! This is one of my favorite things. Kids love it!

2 lg. bags frozen broccoli florets
1 lg. family size can cream of mushroom soup
1 pt. sour cream
3 eggs, beaten
2 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 sm. chopped onion
Breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all indredients in large bowl. Grease a 13x9 pan (or 2 smaller ones) and pour in mixture. Lightly sprinkle breadcrumbs on top. Cook for 45-60 minutes.