Chicken

Beef

Kielbasa Sausage

Pasta

 

 

 

CHICKEN

Chicken (or Turkey) Rolls

1 cup of cooked chicken or turkey (shredded very small, sometimes I used canned chicken)
1/2  of 8 oz. pkg of cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. soft butter
1 Tbsp. sour cream
Dash of pepper
1-2 Tbsp. of green onions, chopped
1-2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls
1/4 c. melted butter
3/4 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
Mushrooms (optional - I don’t use)
1 pkg. or can chicken gravy

Stir together: cream cheese, soft butter (not melted), sour cream, and pepper.  Add chicken and green onions (and mushrooms if you like them).   Unroll crescent rolls and put a heaping teaspoonful of chicken mixture on each roll. Shape crescent into a ball around the mixture, closing any gaps.  Dip in melted butter and then coat with bread crumbs.  You may have leftover chicken mixture.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes on a greased cookie sheet.

**THIS IS MY FAVORITE COMPANY RECIPE, I DOUBLE IT AND IT MAKES A LOT.   I USUALLY SERVE WITH CHICKEN GRAVY THAT CAN BE DRIZZLED OVER THE TOP, AND MASHED POTATOES ON THE SIDE WITH THE REST OF THE GRAVY. 

 

 

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 thick slices cheddar cheese
6 slices ham (I use smoked ham Oscar Mayer lunch meat)
1 pint sour cream
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 tsp. lemon juice

Tenderize each chicken breast, then place one slice of cheese and one slice of ham on each piece of chicken and fold the chicken in half to enclose ham and cheese.  I usually secure with a toothpick.  Place folded chicken breasts in a casserole dish.  Mix the sour cream and soup and pour evenly over the chicken.  Bake at 300 F for 4-5 hours.  Can bake at 350 for 2 hours, but not quite as good.  I serve with baked potatoes the leftover sauce makes an excellent gravy on the potatoes.

 

 

 Chicken Fajita Marinade

¼ cup oil                                     
¼ c. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce                
1 tsp. sugar                                  
1 tsp. dried oregano                     
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients in a shallow container, then take out about ¼ cup to save for later.  Add strips of uncooked chicken and coat with remaining sauce.  Let sit for at least 3 hours.  When ready to cook, remove chicken from marinade and fry until cooked through, add sliced onions and bell peppers, fry, then pour the reserved sauce on and heat through.  I serve on small buritto style tortillas with a little sour cream and cheese.

 

 

Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole

4 cups chicken, cooked and shredded (can use canned chicken)
1 pkg. Fried Rice flavored Rice-a-Roni
1 can cream of chicken soup     
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup water
36 Ritz or other buttery crackers (one row)
6 Tbsp. melted butter
1 Tbsp. (or less) poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare Rice-a-Roni as directed on package, then spoon prepared rice into the bottom of an 11 X 7 inch baking dish.  Combine chicken, sour cream, water, and chicken soup.  Spoon evenly over rice.  Combine crackers and butter and scatter over the top.  Sprinkle with poppy seeds (I only use about half of what is called for).  Bake about 30 minutes or until crackers have lightly browned.

 

 

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

4 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 pkg. frozen broccoli (or same amount fresh)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup milk
2/3 cup mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip)
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 cups grated cheese
Dash of salt

Layer chicken in the bottom of an 11 X 7” baking dish.  Cook broccoli and layer on top of chicken.  Combine other ingredients and pour over chicken and broccoli.  Pat with butter.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.  Serve over cooked rice.  It usually needs a little more salt when served.

 

 

Chicken Tortilla Chowder

1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
1 can (10.75 oz) cream of chicken soup
1 can (10.75 oz) cream of potato soup
1 ½ c. milk
2 c. cooked chicken, cubed
1 can Green Giant Mexicorn
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
¼ c. thinly sliced green onions
4 flour tortillas (about 7 diameter), cut into ½” X 2” strips
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

In a soup pot, combine broth, soups and milk.  Add the chicken, corn, chilies and onions; mix well.  Bring to boil.  Add the tortilla strips.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until heated through.  Add cheese; stir just until melted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.  Makes about 6-8 servings.

**THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO USE LEFTOVER TORTILLAS FROM TACOS OR BURRITOS.  IT USUALLY FEEDS US FOR A COUPLE DAYS.

 

 

BEEF

Mel's Original Chili

6-8 inches of regular - not lite! - Polska Kielbasa sausage (MOST IMPORTANT! :o)
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1/2 onion- chopped, or 1 TBSP dried minced onion
1 or 2 - 15 oz. cans beans, drained - your choice, I usually use dark red kidney
1 can Campbell's tomato soup
2 small cans tomato sauce
chopped celery to liking
chopped bell pepper to liking
3 T. (or more) chili powder
2 cubes beef bouillon
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup water

Optional spices to add if you want (but not necessary):
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground cumin


Prior to making chili, freeze the polska kielbasa sausage so it is somewhat firm when cutting, it keeps it's shape and tastes much better.  When ready to make chili, slice the kielbasa into slices about 1/4" thick, then quarter the slices.  Fry in a frying pan until they look like they are getting black and burning.  Remove from frying pan and put them in a soup pot.  Fry the ground beef in the frying pan (in the sausage grease for added flavor), adding onion and 1 Tbsp. of the chili powder while frying.  When meat is browned, add to the soup pot.  Then add the rest of ingredients and mix.  You may need to add just a little more water if too thick, but don't add too much.  Then just cook on med-low heat for about 30 minutes, making sure to stir occasionally. You can also prepare earlier and let simmer in a crockpot.   Serve with shredded cheese and sour cream.

 

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

MEATBALLS
1 lb. ground beef
½ c. milk
½ c. saltine cracker crumbs
Onion salt to taste (I use a few shakes)
Salt and pepper

SWEET & SOUR SAUCE
1 c. ketchup
¾ c. brown sugar
¼ c. vinegar (or less)
Onion salt to taste

Mix together ground beef, milk, crackers, and seasonings.  Form into balls about the size of a large golf ball and place in bottom of a casserole dish.  Bake meatballs at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Meanwhile, mix all ingredients together for sauce.  (Can sprinkle a little salt and pepper in, but I don’t think it needs it. Also, don’t overdo the vinegar).  When the meatballs have about 10 minutes left, remove from oven, drain out grease, and pour the sauce over them.  Bake for the remaining 10 minutes.  Serve over white rice.

**TOM AND THE BOYS LOVE THIS RECIPE.  IT GOES A LONG WAY SO IT MAKES GOOD LEFTOVERS FOR THE NEXT DAY AS WELL.

 

Ann’s One Pot Soup

8 oz pkg egg noodles
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 can cream of mushroom soup
¾ cup milk
1/8 tsp. pepper
Salt to taste
1 tsp. dried parsley
8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened and cubed
1 can corn, drained (I prefer the canned corn over frozen in this recipe)

Brown ground beef and drain.  Add remaining ingredients except noodles and heat thoroughly.  Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.  Combine with meat mixture and heat through.

**THIS IS KIND OF LIKE A BEEF STROGANOFF WITH CORN, EXCEPT I THINK THIS HAS A BETTER TASTE THAN REGULAR STROGANOFF. 

 

 

KIELBASA SAUSAGE

WHEN I USE POLSKA KIELBASA I ALWAYS CUT IT UP AND FRY IT WHEN IT IS STILL PRETTY FROZEN , SO THE PIECES KEEP THEIR SHAPE.  I PREFER TO COOK IT UNTIL IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS BURNING.

 

Kielbasa Fried Rice

2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, diced (or onion salt)
3 large carrots, shredded
1/4 head cabbage, shredded
   *I just buy a bag of coleslaw, and use some of it to take care of the carrots and cabbage
4 cloves garlic, chopped (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
1 (16 ounce) package polska kielbasa sausage, cut into small pieces
3 cups cooked white rice
soy sauce to taste
2-3 scrambled eggs (optional)

Cook rice in a saucepan.  Fry kielbasa in a large frying pan until it looks like it is getting burned.  Remove and set aside.  Add oil, onions and garlic to frying pan and heat on med-high, then add carrots and cabbage. Stir for a couple minutes and then add kielbasa back in.  Cook and stir a couple more minutes.  Crumble rice into the skillet and stir.  Heat through, and stir in soy sauce to taste.  Can add scrambled eggs if you like them.  Cover and let sit on low heat for about 5 more minutes, then serve.

 

 

Kielbasa w/ Potatoes and Peppers

½ pkg. of polska kielbasa sausage
3 large baking potatoes OR 6 med red potatoes
1 Tbsp. oil
1 large bell pepper
¼ c. chopped onion (or a couple shakes of minced onion)
Dash of garlic powder

Dice potatoes, leaving skins on, and boil or microwave in a little water to soften them up a little.  Fry Kielbasa in a large frying pan until it looks almost burned.  Remove Kielbasa from pan.  Add oil, onion and garlic powder.  Stir on medium-high heat, then and add peppers and potatoes.  Fry until potatoes are getting brown.  Add kielbasa back in and stir.  Cover and cook on low for a few more minutes.

 

White Bean and Sausage Rigatoni

8 oz. Rigatoni or Penne noodles
1  (15 oz.) can white Great northern beans, rinsed and drained
¼ of a polska kielbasa sausage, sliced and fried (MOST IMPORTANT :o)
1 (14.5 oz.) can Italian style stewed tomatoes
1 c. or less spaghetti sauce
Sprinkled seasonings, such as basil and oregano
A few dashes of garlic salt to taste
Parmesan Cheese

Slice sausage when partially frozen, then fry until looks like it is getting burned, set aside.  Boil pasta in a saucepan.  While pasta is boiling, combine sausage, tomatoes, spaghetti sauce and seasonings in another pan and heat on medium to medium high.  Add beans to the mixture and then drain and add the pasta.  Mix and serve with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

 

 

PASTA

 

Creamy Fetuccini Alfredo

1 pkg Fetuccini or penne pasta
8 oz. cream cheese (softened and cubed)               
1/2 c. margarine                                          
¾ c. Parmesan Cheese
3/4 c.   Milk

Put softened cream cheese, butter, milk and Parmesan Cheese in a sauce pan and stir over medium heat until cream cheese is melted.  While you are doing this, boil the fetuccini or penne noodles and drain.  Then stir the noodles into the sauce and mix.  This is really good alone, or with grilled chicken and/or cooked veggies.  Tom likes it with chicken, broccoli and carrots.                                    

 

Four Cheese Manicotti

1 (15 oz.) container ricotta cheese                
8 oz. cottage cheese                                       
1 cup grated Mozarella cheese                     
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese               
1 Tbsp. oil
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp dried parsley

20 oz. pkg.Manicotti shells

3 ½ c. spaghetti sauce mixed with 1 cup water

Mix all top ingredients well and stuff into manicotti shells by putting the mixture in a ziplock bag and cutting of one edge.  Put half of the spaghetti sauce mixture in the bottom of a 13” X 9” pan and put the stuffed manicotti shells on top.  Then pour the remaining sauce over the top to cover completely.  Bake, COVERED, at 350 for 1 hour.