SOFT SUGAR COOKIES

1 c sour cream
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
4 c flour
1 1/2 c sugar
1 tsp salt
1 c shortening

Beat together sour cream and baking soda. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together and cut shortening into flour mixture. Add cream mixture and mix well. Chill for 1 hour. Roll out 1/4 inch thick on floured board. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes, or until dry on top. Do not brown.

Once cooled, I use this frosting recipe. It's delish....found on the back of the C&H powdered sugar bag.

MOM'S STIR FRY

1/3 c soy sauce
1/3 c water
1/2 c sugar
2 Chicken breasts
Veggies (I used carrots, broccoli, snow peas, cauliflower, celery)
Sliced almonds or cashews (optional)
Oil

Saute chicken in 1Tbs oil in a frying pan until cooked through. Place chicken on a paper towel.
Steam veggies in water until barely cooked (should still be slightly crunchy).
Combine soy sauce, water, and sugar in a bowl.
Pour sauce on chicken and veggies in a frying pan and simmer on low with lid on for 10 minutes.
Add nuts right before serving. Serve over rice.

PARMESAN-GARLIC CRUSTED CHICKEN

I got this recipe from The Fuller's recipe blog and we tried it last night. First of all, it was SUPER easy and fast. Second, we LOVED it.

Ingredients

• 1 c bread crumbs
• 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese (I used shredded)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper (or Mrs. Dash - I used this)
• 4 chicken breasts
• 1/4 c basil (I will not use quite this much next time)
• 1/4 c mayonnaise

 - Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, garlic, oil, and Mrs. Dash in a large bowl

 - Combine basil and mayonnaise in a small bowl

 - Pat chicken dry with paper towels

 - Cover chicken with mayo mixture then cover in bread crumb mixture and place on a baking sheet

 - Bake at 425 F for about 20 mins

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This is the sweet and sour chicken recipe that I used to make at Gord and Jenn's house all the time back when we lived there. It was one of the few recipes I made that everyone loved and would actually eat. It is delicious!! Also- I always double the sauce recipe so we have extra to pour over our rice. Hope you enjoy- Love Nae

Sweet and Sour Chicken

from melskitchencafe.com

*Note: if you like extra sauce, double the sauce ingredients - pour half over the chicken and follow the recipe instructions; pour the other half in a small saucepan and cook the sauce on the stovetop at a simmer for 8-10 minutes until it reduces and thickens. Serve it on the side of the chicken.

*Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 large eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

Sauce:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons ketchup

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. While the oil is heating, cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Place the cornstarch in a gallon-sized ziploc bag. Put the chicken into the bag with the cornstarch and seal, tossing to coat the chicken. Whisk the eggs together in a shallow pie plate. Dip the cornstarch-coated chicken pieces in the egg and place them carefully in a single layer in the hot skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then flip each piece over to cook on the other side until nicely golden but not all the way cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl and pour over the chicken in the baking dish. Bake for one hour, turning the chicken once or twice while cooking to coat evenly with sauce. Serve over hot, steamed rice.

CREAMY GREEN CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

I got this recipe from my old roommate, Jeni Rawlins, way back at BYU. It is a crowd pleaser every time.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 small can green chilis
• 1 pkg of tortillas
• sour cream
• 1 big can green enchilada sauce 
• block of pepper jack cheese
• black olive (optional)

Mix shredded chicken, chilis and 1/4 can of sauce together in a mixing bowl. Pour enchilada sauce over bottom of pan. Put chicken mixture in a tortilla. Put 1 Tbsp sour cream and sprinkle cheese on top of chicken mixture in tortilla. Roll tortilla up and place seam side down in pan. You can fit anywhere from 6-12 enchiladas in a 9x13 cake pan. When finished, pour the enchilada sauce on top, making sure to get in between each one. Sprinkle cheese generously over top. Bake at 350 F for 45 mins. 

** I mix the cheese and sour cream in with the chicken mixture and then scoop it all into the tortilla at once. It seems a lot easier to me that was and the everything is mixed up well. 

mini APPLE PIES

Topping Ingredients

• 1/2 c firm butter
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1 c flour

Filling Ingredients

• 6-7 peeled and chopped (very small) Granny Smith apples
• 3/4 c sugar
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 tsp cinamon ( I am very generous with this)

Crust Ingredients

• 1 Pillsbury pie crust box (2 crusts are in a box)

With the lid to a mason jar cut out the bottom of the pies and put them in a greased muffin tin. Put all of the topping ingredients into a small bowl and cut with a knife until crumbly. Set aside. Make the filling last as you do not want it to sit. Mix gently all of the filling ingredients. Fill your pies (makes about 17-18) and sprinkle the topping on last. Bake at 350 F for 18-20 mins. 

CHEESE FILLED JUMBO SHELLS

1 pkg. (12 oz.) jumbo shells, uncooked
4 cups (2 lb.) ricotta cheese
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (I use dried)
¾ tsp. dried oregano leaves
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
3 cups (about 28-oz. jar) spaghetti sauce (I prefer marinara in this recipe)

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.  Meanwhile in large bowl, stir together cheeses, eggs, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper.  In 13x9x2-inch baking dish, spread ½ cup spaghetti sauce.  Fill each cooked shell with about 2 tablespoons cheese mixture.  Layer one-half filled shells in prepared baking dish; spread one-half remaining sauce over shells.  Layer remaining filled shell over sauce; spread remaining sauce over shells.  Sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese, if desired.  Cover with foil.  Bake 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Makes 8 to 10 servings.