Chicken and Dumplings With Help From Bisquick

I clipped this Chicken and Dumplings recipe from a magazine years ago. It is the best one I've ever tasted. But I do cheat a little - I don't mess around with homemade dumplings - why bother when Bisquick is just as good?

Ingredients:

4 1/2 to 5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons paprika

1/4 teaspoon pepper

butter

1 cup warm water

Gravy -- 3 tablespoons flour

milk

Dumplings -- make according to Bisquick package directions

Instructions

Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry.

Into a gallon- sized ziplock freezer bag, add flour, salt, paprika and pepper; shake well.

Put chicken into bag and shake until well coated.

Place thin layer of butter in large Dutch oven. With heat set to medium, add chicken and cook until browned, turning once; drain, reserving fat.

Add water to Dutch oven; cover and simmer to 2 hours, or until chicken is fork tender and thoroughly cooked (adding more water if necessary).

Remove chicken to make gravy.

For gravy, in a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons reserved fat; blend in flour; cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.

Add enough milk to the reserved liquid from the Dutch oven to measure 3 cups; pour the 3 cups liquid into skillet; heat till boiling; boil and stir for 1 minute.

Place chicken in gravy.

Make dumplings (Bisquick recipe); drop by spoonfuls onto hot chicken. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes.

Uncover and cook for addition 10 to 15 minutes.

Cranberry and marshmallow fruit salad

You just might be able to get kids to eat this fruit salad; the marshmallow lovin' kids, at least.

Little tartness from the cranberry sauce - little sweet from the mini marshmallows.

Make this in under five minutes!

Ingredients

1 can (16 ounce) whole-berry cranberry sauce

1 can (8 ounce) crushed pineapple, drained well

1 can (11 ounce) mandarin oranges, drained well

1 cup miniature marshmallows

optional - 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

In mixing bowl, stir to combine cranberry sauce, crushed pineapple and mandarin oranges; fold in miniature marshmallows and chopped walnuts; transfer to serving dish. Store any leftovers in refrigerator.

Note -- This makes a nice fruit salad at Christmas time; instead of white miniature marshmallows, use green... you've already got your red from the cranberry sauce!

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Spend 15 minutes preparing this beef stew in the morning, place all ingredients in your slow cooker, go about your day, and come home to the inviting aroma of beef stew!

Ingredients

1 pound stewing beef; bite-sized pieces

2 medium potatoes, cubed

1 large onion, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 large carrots, sliced

1/2 cup green beans, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup corn, fresh or frozen

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 cups canned beef broth

1 envelope beef gravy mix

1 cup water

Directions

In a saucepan, stir together the beef gravy mix and 1 cup water; heat till slightly thickens; pour into slow cooker.

Add remaining ingredients with gravy.

Cover slow cooker; cook on low for 8 - 10 hours.

Try this beef stew over baking powder biscuits! Yum!

Fruity Popsicles

It's so easy to make your own fruity healthy Popsicles, there really is no reason to not do so! Keep these on hand for the kids - you'll know when they reach for one of these Popsicles they are treating themselves to something that is actually GOOD for them!

Following is two recipes that you can exchange with other fruits and fruit juices (one requires yogurt). Use Tupperware or Rubbermaid containers.

Banana Popsicles

3 cups pineapple-banana juice

1 small banana

By hand, mash the banana VERY well and combine with juice. Place in Tupperware or Rubbermaid Popsicle containers, leaving a small amount of space on top; cover with the Popsicle lid; freeze.

Fruity Yogurt Popsicles

2 cups vanilla yogurt

1 cup mashed raspberries

3/4 cup orange juice

Blend the raspberries in a blender; add vanilla yogurt and orange juice; blend a few more seconds. Pour into the freezer containers, leaving small space on top; cover and freeze.

Ridiculously Easy Raspberry Jam

Forget the complicated raspberry jam recipes! I've got the more simple version.

Raspberry jam is the easiest of jams to can, because you don't NEED Certo - jelly you do, so don't leave it out if you go on to make raspberry jelly!

You will end up with about 5 half pint jars of great tasting jam by following this recipe.

Before we get started, here's a huge time saver - NO hot water bath either! It's not necessary - trust me, I've been making jam for several years. Instead, do this - Just prior to pouring your raspberry jam into the jars, have the lids soaking in a bowl of REALLY HOT water. And if you have a dishwasher, have your jars steamy hot as well - WEAR OVEN MITS to remove them. The rubber on the jar lids will "plump" up from sitting in the hot water. Plumping rubber and hot jars will ensure all your jars to seal, so skip the hot water bath - this is much easier! But the timing has to be just right! JUST before pouring your raspberry jam into the jars, the jars need to be very hot, as well as the jar lids. Keeping this in mind, let's go!!

What you need:

Raspberries (black or red) rinse the raspberries and pulsate in food processor or blender for a few seconds. You need enough to measure 4 cups of pulsated berries - place the 4 cups into a large pot.

Let raspberries reach a full rolling boil - stir - allow to boil for additional 2 minutes.

Add 4 cups granulated sugar - stir - boil for additional 4 minutes - reduce heat to medium - skim off foam from surface.

Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice - stir - bring jam to a slow boil.

Got your lids and jars readyper instructions above? Then ladle the jam into jars (one at a time). Fill to 1/4- inch from top of jar. Wipe any jam that may be on jar's rim with damp cloth.

Immediately take a lid out of the hot water and place on jar - screw band on tightly.

Repeat for next jar.

Now just sit back and wait for the "popping" sounds which tell you they have sealed!

Cream Cheese and Strawberry Jam Muffins

Cream cheese and strawberry jam are a great duo - especially when placed inside muffins.

Enjoy these at breakfast with a tall glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee.

If you wish, after removing them from the oven, dust with confectioners' sugar.

Ingredients:

6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 egg
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup strawberry jam

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375° F.

In a bowl, using electric mixer, beat the cheese and the confectioners' sugar until creamy.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder.

In a third bowl (batter), beat on low speed, the egg, milk, brown sugar, butter and vanilla extract. Stir into the dry ingredients.

Spoon the batter into muffin cups - 1/2 full.

Top with approximately 1 1/2 tablespoon of the cream mixture; top 1 teaspoon of jam over top of cream mixture; spoon more batter over jam (2/3 full).

Bake for 20 minutes or until muffins tops are lightly golden brown. Cool in pan. Remove muffins and cool on a wire rack.

Tiny Meatballs Stroganoff

A little tweeking of my old Stroganoff recipe, I came up with this one today - tried it out on my son (and myself) for dinner tonight - it was a hit with both of us!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 egg
1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix, divided
1 (16 ounce) package wide egg noodles
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (16 ounces) container sour cream

Directions:
Mix together the ground beef, egg and 1/2 package Lipton onion soup mix (shake the soup mix envelope well before opening); combine ingredients well to evenly distribute the onion soup mix.
Shape the ground beef mixture into tiny meatballs (about 25-28).
Fry meatballs in skillet at medium heat until thoroughly cooked; remove with slotted spoon; keeping about 3 tablespoons meat drippings into skillet, discard the rest.
Over medium heat, whisk flour with beef drippings; add remaining onion soup mix, water, paprika and pepper, continuing to whisk.
When mixture begins to thicken, add mushroom soup; stir to combine and remove from heat.

Cook egg noodles according to package directions; drain.

Return soup mixture to medium heat; add sour cream and stir to combine; add meatballs; cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly - any longer than 5 minutes, your stroganoff will thin out. Remove from heat.

Serve over egg noodles.
* I didn't add salt to recipe, because for me there is enough salt in the Lipton onion soup mix.
* Fresh mushroom slices would be great added to this recipe also.

Zucchini Bread

The secret to making perfect zucchini bread is to squeeze most of the moisture out of the zucchini; after shredding (before measuring), place a handful of zucchini at a time in cheesecloth and squeeze the liquid from the zucchini; skipping this steps makes for soggy zucchini bread.

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/ teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 1/4 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups zucchini (about 2 med), shredded
Optional:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Shred and squeeze liquid from zucchini as stated in introduction; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and baking powder; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, using electric mixer, beat for 2 to 3 minutes at medium speed, sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla.
Add flour mixture to creamed mixture. Reduce speed to low and beat for 2 minutes or until well combined.
By hand, fold in zucchini, walnuts and raisins.

Spread into 2 (8x4) loaf pans that have been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Bake for 55 - 65 minutes, checking after 55 minutes for doneness - insert toothpick in middle of loaf - bread is done when toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes in loaf pans; remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches With Coke

In the morning, put pork tenderloin, a can of Coke and a bottle of your favorite BBQ bottled sauce into the crock pot. Tonight - enjoy delicious pulled pork sandwiches! Got the time to make a BBQ sauce better than bottled? Try my BBQ sauce - warm and combine all the following ingredients - you will use the can of Coke regardless if using homemade BBQ sauce or bottled.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup ketchup
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon meat tenderizer
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup bottled steak sauce

Directions:
In a saucepan, add all ingredients; cook over medium heat, stirring until sauce is well combined and warmed thoroughly.
Place pork tenderloin in crock pot.
Pour Coke and BBQ sauce over pork tenderloin.
Cover and allow to cook in crock pot for 8 hours.
Shred the meat, which will be easy to do after cooking all day.
Put the shredded pork into sandwich rolls and serve.

Gluten Free Pancakes

Begin your morning with a good-for-you, gluten free pancake. Just add all ingredients together in a blender and you're good to go!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal
1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:
In a blender, add all ingredients; blend until smooth.
Spray griddle with non-stick cooking spray.
Scoop batter (about 1/4 cup for each pancake) onto hot griddle (medium heat).
Cook until underside is golden brown; flip and cook until bottom is the same golden brown as top.