Candied Poppyseed Chicken

Prep time: 45 mins
Serves: 6-8

This is a fairly rich dish, buttery with a little sweetness, so it is difficult to eat a lot of it at once. But I find myself going to the fridge to have a bite quite often, just like I do with dessert! It's absolutely delicious!

1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
4 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 roll of crushed Ritz crackers
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
1 1/2 Tbsp poppyseeds

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix soup, sour cream, and cooked chicken in a medium bowl. Place in a 13x9 baking pan. Combine crackers, butter, and poppyseeds. Spread cracker mixture over chicken mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

My sister-in-law, Whitney, made this back when we were doing a meal exchange and it was one of my favorite dishes. She got it from her sister-in-law, Ruth. Yummy!

Pernil

Prep Time: 4-5 hours
Serving: About 1/3 pound per person

I took this picture of my father-in-law seasoning the pork for me.  He is great at it!

1 picnic pork shoulder
Adobo:
1 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder or granulated garlic
1 1/2 Tbsp onion powder
1 1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven* to 300F.  Mix all ingredients for Adobo together and set aside.  Cut skin and fat from pork.  If the pork shoulder is extra fatty, cut as much fat as possible from the skin.  Set skin aside.  Using a steak knife or other narrow knife, stab the meat and move the knife to one side to make a hole and sprinkle some Adobo into the hole (see photo above).  Do this all over the meat.  Sprinkle Adobo all over meat.  Place meat on a rack in a large pan and cover with skin.  Cook for 4 hours or until a fork inserted in meat and twisted breaks meat apart easily.  Remove from oven and allow to sit for 20 minutes before slicing. If desired, crisp up skin under broiler.

Serve with Arroz con Gandules, tostones, and salad.

*I always cook pernil in my 18-qt Nesco roaster.  The pernil comes out so moist and tender and it doesn't heat up my house either!

We usually make a gravy to go with the pernil.  I put 1-2 cups of water into a saucepan and add the drippings that has most of the fat skimmed off and heat it over high heat.  Then I take about 1/2 cup cold water and whisk in about 1/4 to 1/2 cup flour.  Then, I slowly drizzle the flour mixture into the saucepan while whisking the water and drippings mixture.  Cook while stirring constantly until it starts to boil.  I carefully taste it and if it needs more flavor or salt, I add a crushed chicken bouillon to it and taste it.  I just add more water or flour/water mixture or crushed chicken bouillon until it tastes right and is the right thickness.

Grandma's Hot Cereal

Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
Serves: 1-2

My mother-in-law has made hot cereal this way for many, many years.  It reminds me of rice pudding because it is so rich and creamy.  She made oatmeal like this when we went to Puerto Rico to visit.  When she came to visit us a month ago, the kids requested it, so she showed Jonathon how to make it using cornmeal and they wrote down the recipe.

1 cup milk (or 1 cup water plus 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp dry milk)
1 cup water
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup cornmeal or 1/3 cup cream of wheat or 1 cup oatmeal
1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine milk, water, butter, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  While stirring constantly, slowly sprinkle in cereal.  Continue stirring constantly until mixture starts to get thick and bubbly.  Lower heat, stirring occasionally, until cooked to desired doneness.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

I love cornmeal made this way.

Notes:
I tried it without butter and I didn't like it as well.

10/5/2011 - For my family, I quadrupled the recipe and next time will try to speed up the recipe and cut the cholesterol by adding more cornmeal and less butter (one to two servings are in parentheses):
8 c water (2 c)
2/3 c dry milk (2 Tbsp + 2 tsp)
2 Tbsp butter (1/2 Tbsp)
1/4 c sugar (1 Tbsp)
1/2 tsp salt (1/8 tsp)
1/2 tsp cinnamon (1/8 tsp)
2 c cornmeal (1/2 c)
2 tsp vanilla (1/2 tsp)

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Pasta:
1 pound elbow pasta (or shells)
1 tsp salt
Cheese Sauce:
4 1/2 cups water
2 1/4 cups Magic Mix (click here for recipe)
3/4 tsp salt
4 cups (1 lb) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Cook pasta according to package directions, adding 1 tsp salt to boiling water. Drain.
In pot used to cook pasta, add water, Magic Mix, and salt, stirring constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and starts to bubble.  Add cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir in pasta; serve immediately.

For baked macaroni, use 5 cups water and bake in 9"x13" pan at 375°F for about 30 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.  Optional: crumble potato chips on top before baking.

Alfredo Sauce

Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Makes enough for 1 lb. pasta

1 stick (1/2 c.) butter
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat.  Add cream and pepper; stir frequently.  When hot, add cheese, stirring constantly until thickened.  Toss with 1 pound pasta* and serve immediately.

*I like fettuccine or penne.  Or try spinach fettuccine.

Variations:
Reduced-Fat:  Use 1-12 oz can evaporated milk plus 1/4 c. whole milk in place of heavy cream.

Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce:  Thoroughly drain a medium-size jar of roasted red peppers and puree with 1/2 cup cream or milk for 15 to 30 seconds in blender.  Add to saucepan with remaining cream or milk.

BBQ Ribs

This recipe was given to me from my mother-in-law.  They are fall-off-the-bones goodness!

Prep. Time: 4 1/2 hours

Serves: About 6

4 lbs. pork ribs

1/4 cup dry spices, divided*

1 cup white grape juice**

1 cup apple juice**

3/4 cup brown sugar, divided

1 cup barbecue sauce

Preheat oven to 300F.

Stage 1: Place ribs in a roaster pan with lid.  (My MIL uses stoneware, I use a Nesco roaster oven with a rack.) Sprinkle both sides of ribs with 2 Tbsp dry spices, cover and bake 1 1/2 hours.

Stage 2: Pour in the juices; cover and bake 1 hour.

Stage 3: Mix 2 Tbsp dry spices with 1/4 cup brown sugar.  Sprinkle over ribs; cover and bake 1 hour.

Stage 4: Mix 1/2 cup brown sugar with barbecue sauce. Pour over ribs. Bake UNCOVERED 45 minutes (if in a roaster, leave lid on).

For honey barbecue sauce: Mix 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce and 1/2 cup honey

*I like Chicken/Poultry Seasoning from Sam's Club

**Or use 2 cups of either white grape or apple juice

Tip:  Since this takes so long to make, make extra and freeze it before you do Stage 4.  When ready to use, defrost overnight in the refrigerator and do the last step that day.

Chicken and Vegetable Rice

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

I tried this for lunch today and the kids really liked it. It was so easy, too!

2 Tbsp butter

1 cup white rice

5 cups water

1 1/2 cups mixed freeze-dried or dehydrated vegetables*

3 chicken bouillon cubes (1 1/2 Knorr)

1/2 cup freeze-dried chicken, optional**

1/4 tsp pepper

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add rice and stir until coated. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir; cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

*Substitute 1 1/2 cups frozen or canned vegetables and reduce water by 2 1/4 cups.

**Substitute 1 can chicken or 1/2 cup cooked chicken or if FD chicken is omitted, reduce water by 3/4 cup.

Holiday Pancake Mix

Prep Time: 10 to 30 minutes

Makes: About 11 cups mix

8 cups white or whole wheat flour (I use ground soft white wheat)

3/4 cup shortening powder

3/4 cup dehydrated fat-free milk (if using instant, double the amount)

3/4 cup white or brown sugar

2/3 cup dehydrated whole eggs or dehydrated scrambled egg mix

1/3 cup baking powder

2 1/2 tsp salt

1. Mix the ingredients well and place in storable container (I use the back of a spoon to get rid of the lumps from the eggs or you can try sifting them). We recommend an empty #10 can (with lid) or a 120 oz. Snapware. (I use an 11-cup square Modular Mates from Tupperware.) Label and use within six months.

2. To prepare, add equal amounts of water to dry ingredients or to your preference (I make it a little thinner than I want since it thickens after standing a few minutes).

For a little variety, add to the batter: fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried blueberries or raspberries, sliced fresh or freeze-dried bananas, chopped apples and a dash of cinnamon, etc...

For topping ideas: try this or this.

I have been looking for a pancake/waffle mix that is comparable to the Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake and Waffle Mix. Or even a pancake recipe that is just as light and fluffy. Usually you have to separate the eggs and beat the egg whites until stiff. Too much work for me when I can buy Krusteaz. However, I have wanted the benefits of whole wheat in Krusteaz and so haven't been buying it. I found this recipe on the Emergency Essentials website and love it. It is just as light and fluffy as Krusteaz, but I can grind my own wheat and it's way cheaper! I made a few modifications or clarifications to the directions, but for the original, click here.