Strawberry Tart

Tart Shell - this makes 2 - 11" tart pans or approx. 4 dozen mini tarts
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter (I used margarine)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. Almond flavoring (I used Imitation Almond Extract)
2 1/2 cups flour

Cream shortening and butter together. Add sugar, eggs and almond. Mix well. Add flour and mix until dough is stiff. Make sure you spray tart tins with Pam. Divide in two and press into tart pan. Make as thin as possible. If doing mini tarts, press small balls (about 1 TBSP) of mixture into tart tins.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 mins. or until dough is light brown. Cool on wire rack. Leave in tart pan for 5 mins before taking out. Don't leave in too long or they won't come out. (May freeze for several weeks).

Cream Filling - If making mini tarts use regular recipe. If doing 11" tarts 1 1/2 times the cream fillin grecipe)

1/2 cup Heavy cream - whipped (3/4 cup)
1 8oz pkg. cream cheese (1 1/2 pkgs)
1/3 cup sugar (1/2 cup)
1 TBSP Orange juice (1 1/2 TBSP) Not orange juice concentrate.
1 tsp. vanilla extract (1 1/2 tsp)
1/4 tsp. Almond extract (1/3 tsp)

In small mixing bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. In another small mixing bowl beat cream cheese adn sugar until smooth. Beat in orange juice, vailla and almond. Fold in whippped cream. Spread over crust.

Arrange galved strawberries on top of filling. Refrigerate 4-6 hours before serving.

Cheesy Enchiladas

This is my sister, Joy's, recipe.

Tortillas
1/2 lb. hamberger
Enchilada sauce mix (prepared)
Sour Cream
Cheddar Cheese

Brown hamberger. While hamberger is browning, mix up enchilada sauce mix.

Take tortillas, rip in half, dip in encilada sauce and layer on bottom of pan. Layer some hamberger, sour cream and cheese. Do same to next layer.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 mins.

Stuffing and Puff Pastey

A friend brought this dinner to me just after I had Jacob. I don't really have a name for it, but it is good and kids like it. I forgot to take a picture before we had started into it. I took two and don't know which I think shows it better, so I put both up. :)

1 pkg. Stove Top stuffing (prepared)
1 large chicken breast, raw, cut into bite size pieces
Broccoli (1 head is what I used cut into pieces)
1 sheet of Peppridege Farm Puff Pastery (not philo dough)

Sauce:
1 can of jellied whole cranberry sauce
3 TBS prepared orange juice

Put prepared stuffing into a 8x8 pan. Layer with chicken pieces, layer broccoli. Place sheet of Puff Pastery on top, covering it edge to edge.

Bake at 350 degrees 20-25 mins. or until golden brown

Mix cranberry sauce with orange juice until thinned out. Put on top of servings.

Penne withSausage and Broccoli Rabe

This is from the Kraft Magazine. When I made it I didn't know what broccoli rabe was--it is like a lettuce. I used regular broccoli instead and thought it was fine.

1 bunch broccoli rabe
12 oz. penne pasta
1 link (4 oz.) sweek Italian sausage(I misread the sausage lable and got spicy sausage instead--it worked fine for this also). Cut sausage into 1/4" thick slices
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for garnish

Heat large covered ssaucepot of salted water to boiling on high. Meanwhile, from broccoli rabe, trim any tough stem ends and discard. Cut broccoli rabe into 1-in. pieces and add to boiling water. Cook 4 - 5 minutes or until bright green and just tender. With slotted spoon, transfer broccoli rabe to large colander. Return water to boiling. Drain broccoli rabe, rinse with cold water, drain again. In same saucepot of biling water, cook penne as label directs.

Heat deep 12-in skillet on med-high until hot. Add sausage in single layer. cook 4-5 minutes or until it loses its pink color, turning to brown evenly. (Reduce heat to medium if browing too quickly.) Add shallots and garlic; cook 2 mins. or until tender, stirriing. Remove 1 1/2 c. water from saucepot with pasta; add to skillet. Heat to boiling sitrring occasionally.

Drain pasta and add to skillet with sausage. Stir in Parmesan, broccoli rabe, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Mix well.

Chicken lo Mein

This is from the Kraft magazine and is delicious!!! It looks better in their magazine than it does here, but I had some extra sauce that (visually) over powered it.

1/2 lb. spaghetti, uncooked
1/4 c. Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast cut into strips or chunks
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg. (16 oz) frozen bell pepper and onion strips, thawed, drained (I wanted to use fresh and that worked. The only issue I had is I don't think I put in enough peppers--I was guessing)
1/2 c. fat free reduced sodium chicken broth (I used Swanson's from a can--wasn't fat free, etc. and worked fine.)
1 TBS peanut butter
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 TBS chopped cilantro (I didn't have any and I thought it was fine)
2 TBS chopped Planters Cocktail peanuts.

Cook spaghetti in large sauce pan as directed on package

Meanwhile, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and garlic; stir-fry 3 mins. or until chicken is no longer pink. Add peppers, onions, broth and peanut butter; stir-fry 3 to 4 min. or until chicken is done.

Drain spaghetti; return to pan. Add chicken mixture and soy sauce; mix well. Spoon into platter; sprinkle with cilantro and nuts.

I doubled the sauce mix and because I only made enough spaghetti for us to eat one night, had left over sauce and will use again over spaghetti or rice. Loved the taste!!

Tangy Honey Chicken

From: What's For Dinner By Jana Schofield

1/3 c. Dijon mustanrd
1/3 c. honey
1 TBS. dill spice
6 boneless chicken breasts (I used 4 and had a little extra sauce)
1 tsp. grated orange peel

Combine mustard and honey in a small bowl. Stirl in orange peel and dill. Place chicken on baking sheet lined with foil. Brush sauce on both sides of chicken. Bake at 400 for 20-30 mins or until no longer pink in center.

If I were to make this again...we liked the honey and orange taste together. I would either cut the Dijon in half or double the honey. It's all in what tastes you like. :)

Strawberry Whipped Sensation

4 cups fresh strawberries (I used frozen and thawed before I made this)
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whipped Toping, thawed
8 Oreo cookied finely chopped
1 TBS. butter, melted

Line 9x5 loaf pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Mash 2 cups of the berries in large bowl. Add milk, juice and 2 cups of Cool Whip; Mix well. Four into prepared pan.

Mix chapped cookies and butter. Spoon over Cool Whip mixture. Cover with ends of foil; gently press cookie mixture into Cool Whip mixture. Freeze 6 hours or until firm.

Invert dessert onto plate when ready to serve; remove pan and foil. Frost dessert with remaining Cool Whip. Slice remaining berries; Use to garnish dessert. Freeze left overs. Serves 8-10 people.

Catalina Crancberry Chicken

From the Kraft magazine

8 large chicken breasts
1 can (16 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 bottle (8 oz) Kraft Catalina dressing
1 env. onion soup mix

Place chicken in 2 (9x13) dishes. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Bake 30 mins. and serve over rice.

I made this following the exact directions (just using 4 chicken breast--too much sauce). If I were to make it again I would use 4 chicken breast, 1 can of the cranberry sauce, 1/2 bottle of dressing and 1/2 env. of soup mix for less sauce.

If I was making the full recipie again I would use the can of cranberry sauce, 2/3 of the dressing and still 1/2 env. of the soup mix. Jason and I liked the kick of the cranberry/dressing mix and the soup over powered it a bit for us.

Sweet and Sour Pork

This is good and serves about 5 adults with some left over. When I make again I'll take a picture.

2 lbs boneless pork cut into bite size piecies. (I usually buy pre cut servings of pork and use about 3 pieces. If you are doubling use 5-6 pieces)
1 TBS. oil
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups pinapple chunks (about one 15 oz. can) Keep juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 TBS cornstarch
3 TBS soy sauce
1/3 cup vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp peper
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 cut green pepper (I use 1/2 - 3/4 of a gr. pepper)
3 green onions, sliced

Cut pork into 1 inch cubes. Heat oil in large skillet (if doubling us a large stove wok--something with high sides). Add pork and stir-fry on medium high 5-6 minutes, stirring constantly until pork is no longer pink. Add water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 mins.

Drain pineapple, reserving syrup. Combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in pineapple syrup, vinegar, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Add to pork and stir until sauce thickens and boils. Add pineapple and veggies..cook 3-4 minutes. Serve over rice

Beef Noodle Bowl

8 oz. linguine, uncooked
3 cups broccoli cut up
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. beef sirloin steak, cut into strips
1/2 C. Kraft Zesty Italian dressing (Kraft recepie calls for 1/4 c. but I like more sauce)
1/2 c. teriyaki sauce (Kraft recepie calls for 1/4 c. but I like more sauce)
1 tsp ground ginger

Cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli and carrots to the cooking water for the last 2 mins. of pasta cooking time. Drain pasta mixture.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet. Add meat; cook until browned onall sides, stirring occasionally. Stir in dressing, teriyaki sauce and ginger. Cook until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.

Serve over pasta mixture.

Saucy Pepper Steak

This comes from the Kraft Food magazine

Prep: 20 min Total 35 min.

1 green bell pepper, cut into strips (I like bite size pieces and did it that way)
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips (I like bite size pieces and did it that way)
1 yellow pepper, cut into pieces
1 small onion cut up (Jason doesn't like onions so I left this out--was fine)
1 lb. well trimmed boneless beef sirloin steak, cut up
2 cloves garlic, mincd
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 TBS soy sauce
1/2 cup Kraft original barbecue sauce (I had some Bull's Eye in my fridge and used that)

Heat large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking sprayon medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and onions; cook and stir 6-8 minutes or until veggies are crisp/tender. Transfer to bowl and cover to keep warm.

Add meat, garlic and black pepper to same skillet; cook and stir 3 mins. Add soy sauce; cook 1 min. or until meat is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Add BBQ sauce; cook until heated through.

Serve over rice.