Ward Christmas Party - Family Pictures

Devin was asked to take family portraits at P1's Christmas Party. We sprayed painted a large piece of cardboard blue and attached many paper snowflakes that we had cut out.

We brought santa hats, reindeer antlers and red noses for anyone wanting to use them.

Sandy Guymon's "Little Smokies" Sausages

1 pkg "little smokies" sausage links
1/2 c. apricot-pineapple preserves
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. ketchup

Mix all together and heat in crockpot. You want the mixture to boil for a while and it will become think and glazes the sausages.

Tips from the FISH HEADS:
We always double this recipe - especially when having boys over for video game nights. Or I'll serve this over a bed of rice for dinner.

Crockpot Mac and Cheese

3 cups pasta, uncooked
3 TBS Butter
8 oz Velveeta Cheese, cubed
1-1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook pasta in salted boilding water for 5 minutes or until it is just under al dente. Drain and place in theslow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients to the pasta and stir until well combined. Cook on high for 2-3 ours stirring about ever 30 minutes. The pasta should still hold its shape and the cheese is completely cream. This makes about 6 servings as a side dish.

What did the Fish Heads think about this recipe?
We doubled the recipe since it we were using it as a main dish and it made a TON of food. So next time I'll only made a single recipe. The kids really liked it and ATE it! We did need to add more salt and pepper to it though - I'll increase it 1-1/4 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper next time....yes, we'll be making it again.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

This is a super fast dinner to make last minute. My tip - when you buy chicken breasts - don't freeze them first. Grill them up with salt and pepper and then cut them into pieces. Then put in a ziplock freezer bag and freeze. Then you can quickly dump the already cooked chicken into a frying pan and reheat them (no need to defrost them first).

1 pkg Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Shells
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can Campbells condensed Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen peas and carrots
2 cups cubed cooked chicken

DIRECTIONS:
Bake and cool the pastry shells according to package instructions. I usually bake mine for an extra 5 minutes to get the insides completely cooked.

Heat oil in skillet pan and cook onion until tender (if using chicken you've already grilled and froze I put the chicken in at this time).

Add all other ingredients and heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Serve in pastry shells.

French Toast - 2 different ways

FISHY FAVORITE FRENCH TOAST

Mix together:
eggs
add a teaspoon or so of vanilla
a few dashes of cinnamon
a few long splashes of milk

After you cook the french toast place the french toast in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Put in a 375-400 degree oven for 3 minutes and flip them over and cook for another 3 minutes

Top with syrup, fresh strawberries and powered sugar.



SPECIAL FRENCH TOAST

Mix together:
eggs
teaspoon of vanilla
a few splashes of milk
zest from one large orange
1/2 cup or more of orange juice

Honey Orange Butter:
Mix equal parts of honey and softened butter. Add fresh orange zest and refrigerate.

Roline's Broiled Salmon & Roasted Red Potatoes & Asparagus

I got this recipe from Roline Artist years ago at Enrichment Night. She serves this Salmon anytime she has company. This is one of the Fish Head's favorite meals!

I buy the large salmon filets from Costco. Cut into individual pieces and salt and pepper.

Place "pretty side" down on a sprayed broiling pan.
Broil for 4 minutes.
Carefully turn over.
Spread a very thin layer of mayo on each filet.
Sprinkle a spoonful of capers on each filet.
Broil for 1-2 minutes longer.

I usually make Roasted Red Potatoes and Asparagus with the salmon.



Clean and cut up red potatoes. Toss in olive oil, salt and pepper on a large cookie sheet. Arrange in a single layer and bake at 425-degrees for 15 minutes. Turn over the potatoes and scoot them to 1/2 the sheet. Wash and trip fresh asparagus. Toss in olive oil, salt and pepper and add to the other half of the cookie sheet (trying to lay in a single layer). Finish baking for 20 minutes or until tender.

Funeral Potatoes

32 oz bag of frozen shredded hash browns
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
2 cups Sour Cream
1 1/2 cup grated Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
2 cups finely crushed Corn Flakes
2 Tbs butter or margarine melted

Saute for 5-8 minutes:
1 chopped white or yellow onion
1 red, 1 yellow and 1 green bell pepper diced


OR use the following recipe (family preferred this recipe)
2 bags diced potatoes with onions and peppers
2 cans cream mush soup
1 can cream of chic soup (or 1 can cream and much and 2 cans cream of chic)

1 can cheese soup
16 oz sour cream
about 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt
McCormick's Steak Seasoning





DIRECTIONS:

Grease 9x13 baking dish and preheat oven to 350
In large bowl combine soups, sour cream, cheese, sauteed onions and peppers, and the 1/2 cup of melted butter.
Gently fold hash browns into mixture.
Pour mixture into pan.
Combine crushed corn flakes and the 2 Tbs. of melted butter and sprinkle on top of potato mixture.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Sausage, Tomatoes & Cream Pasta

Thanks Linda for our new favorite pasta recipe!

1 (12 ounce) package bow tie pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes - optional
1/2 cup diced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce) can Italian-style plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped OR I just used crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage and pepper flakes until sausage is evenly brown. Stir in onion and garlic, and cook until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes, cream, and salt. Simmer until mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir cooked pasta into sauce, and heat through. Sprinkle with parsley.

Want HOT CRUNCHY BREAD?
Linda has this great tip for always having hot, crunchy bread ready. Buy the sourdough loaves of bread from Costco - they come two to a package in their bakery. Then stick in them in freezer - you don't need to rewrap it. Just freeze it as is. Then when you need a loaf of crunchy bread for dinner take one loaf of bread out of the freezer and set on the counter. Heat your oven to 350-degrees. When it is heated place loaf in oven for about 20 minutes or so. And before you know - hot, crunchy and yummy bread - even better than a restaurants! It turns you into a bread snob for sure!

Taylor's Yummy BBQ Ribs

Teresa Taylor let me borrow her yummy BBQ Rib recipe and great photos to share with you! These will quickly become your favorite way to make BBQ RIBS! Thanks Teresa!

Here's how it's done......

Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder all over your pork baby back ribs on a cookie sheet.

Stick it in the oven set at HIGH BROIL for however long it takes to get this nice golden crust. Maybe 10 minutes or so, depending on how high your oven rack it set. I think mine was set too low and it took a bit longer than normal.

Cut the ribs into pieces and stuff it into your crock pot, layering with your favorite bbq sauce. Our's is Sweet Baby Rays. My crock pot barely fits 3 full racks. As it cooks, they shrink a bit and the lid fits better. Just mess it with til you can get a good seal going.

After about 5-6 hours on low, you've got steaming hot ribs with meat fallin off the bone!

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Looking for a really yummy and easy dinner recipe? I've got it for you!

In a crockpot add:
6-8 chicken breasts (without bones)
1 bottle of BBQ sauce
1 yellow onion (sliced or cut chunky)

Don't forget to season your chicken with salt and pepper.

Put on the lid and let it cook on high 4-6 hours or on low all day long until the chicken can easily be pulled apart by a fork. This recipe makes a ton of food and the kids love it the next day for school lunches too. Give it a try. I made it again for dinner tonight and my family was SOOOO happy. I should give proper credit for this recipe - I got it from Carie Clark who originally got it from Chris Cooper. Chris had told me about this recipe a while ago and I had forgotten about it - her family likes to eat it on Sundays with sliced cheese and pickles.

Chicken Salad with Mango Salsa

Zollinger's Cafe Rio Chicken

1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic—minced
5 lbs chicken breast

Cook all together in a crock pot for 4 hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour.




Gustavo's Mango Salsa


1 c. diced yellow onion
3 red tomatoes (seeded)
2 cans mango, diced
1 c. crushed pineapple (drained)
2 T. lime juice
1 tsp. ginger, minced
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1/2 green and/or red bell pepper
1 bunch cilantro

Mashed Potato Casserole

1 box instant mashed potatoes
cream cheese
1 box frozen chopped spinach (drained/squeezed really well)

Spray 9x13 casserole pan. Spread mixture evenly in pan. Sprinkle with Paprika. Cover with tinfoil. Can be done the night before.

I like to make this at Christmas time - looks festive with the green spinach and red paprika.

I got this recipe from Kim Miller. She never added the spinach. I did (trying to get my family to eat more veggies)...and it worked. Sometimes I omit the spinach and add cheddar cheese and chopped up cooked bacon.

Kim's Yummy Crockpot Chicken

This a crowd pleasing recipe. Kim Miller even has made this for an ettiquette night for the YM/YW - that's where I got the recipe from 'cause the boys kept talking about the good dinner that night.

6-8 Chicken Breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 envelope Italian Salad Dressing

Cook on low all day. Then add 1 box of Cream Cheese at the end. Serve over rice.

My version of Kim's crockpot chicken (ensures me that I have plenty of leftover for Devin to take to work for a couple of days):

6 large chicken breasts (2 pkgs of 3 breasts each)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 envelope Italian Salad Dressing
2 box of cream cheese
McCormicks Steak Seasoning

Holly's Raspberry & Blackberry Mixed Green Salad

Mixed greens
Blue Cheese Crumbles
Pine Nuts
Fresh Raspberries
Fresh Blackberries (cut in half)
Red Onion (diced) - optional

DRESSING:
1/2 C Sugar
1/3 C Cider Vinegar or Red Wine vinegar
2T Lemon Juice
2T finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 C Veg Oil
2-3 tsp poppy seeds

I put everything in this order - reserve the poppy seeds until end before you serve....enjoy!