Aunt Mary Jane's Chicken Pasta Salad

  Growing up on a military base had it's advantages such as seeing new sites, making new friends, and watching your dad executing twenty push ups for him stepping on you. (OH, memories) A hard thing on any ARMY child is the cuisine changes. Living in Louisiana everything was seafood or spicy, and Texans can't get enough of their beef. Being from the mountains of West Virginia I missed our style of home cooking and I missed our families cooking even more. My mom knew how to cook a few dishes from home but not many due to her marrying my dad while in High School so she had moved around alot too. I remember mom used to write my Aunt Mary Jane letters telling her I wouldn't eat very much besides Burger King or spaghetti (I was 4, so give a girl a break!). So, what did Aunt Mary do? She gave my momma this recipe and "oh man!" did I gobble it up!

What You Will Need

• 1 lb of elbow macaroni
• 2-3 chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup of peas
• 1/2 cup of corn
• 1&1/2 cup of miracle whip (or mayo of your choice)
• 1/4 cup of mustard
• 1 T of Tabasco sauce
• 1 T of chili powder
• Water for boiling
• Ruffled Potato Chips or Doritos (Nacho or Ranch Flavored)
• 2 Pots
• cutting board
• Strainer
• 1 knife
• 2 spoons
• 1 large bowl

1.) Boil your chicken and pasta. (If you do this earlier in the day your pasta salad will be cold in the evening in time for dinner.)
2.) When pasta is done turn off and remove from heat. You can strain at this stage but we usually allow it to set and cool on it's own before straining.
3.) When chicken is cooked (usually takes 30-45 minutes) take it off heat and allow to cool so it can be handled.
4.) When chicken is cooled down cut into cubes.
5.) Strain your pasta, bra!
6.) Pour pasta into large bowl and add in mayo, mustard, Tabasco, chili powder, stirring in between each ingredient so everything is coated well.
7.) Add in chicken and stir in thoroughly. 
8.) Finally, add in vegetables and stir easy this way you don't squish your peas.
9.) Allow to set in your refrigerator until chill.
10.) Serve with chips for scooping.
11.) ENJOY!

Brinner (Dinner for Breakfast)

Fairy Mary's French Toast

• 6 pieces of bread (your choice)
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 3 T cinnamon
• 2t vanilla extract
• 1 T butter

1. In a baking dish sprinkle sugar and cinnamon in bottom.
2. Add in eggs and vanilla extract and whisk thoroughly.
3. Place bread in baking dish evenly allowing both sides at least 5 minutes to soak the egg mixture in.
4. Heat skillet over medium heat adding in butter.
5. When butter is melted add in french toast and brown on both sides.

Homemade Sausage

• tube of your favorite sausage
• 1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Place thawed sausage in bowl and work in egg.
3. Spray muffin tin with non sticking cooking spray.
4. Pack in sausage 3/4 full.
5. Bake 25-30 minutes.

Fried Potatoes

• 3 potatoes
• 1/2 c frozen peppers and onions
• 1 T garlic powder
• 1/3 c Crisco

1. Heat Crisco over medium heat.
2. Chop potatoes into small pieces. (peeling optional)
3. Place potatoes over heat and add in peppers, onion, garlic powder.
4. Cover until potatoes are tender.
5. Uncover and allow potatoes to brown.

Enjoy!  

 

Perfect Sides

Perfect Sides

Green Beans

What You'll Need

• one can of green beans
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1T butter
• small sauce pan
• wooden spoon
• optional-onion and/or garlic powder

Open a can of green beans 30-45 minutes before the end of your cooking time for the main course. Dump the can of green beans into a small pot (do not strain!), add 1/4 cup of water, and 1T of butter. If you like garlic and or onion put them in with your green beans. Cover and heat over low heat until all of dinner is done!

Green Bean Casserole

What You'll Need

• 2 cans of green beans
• 1 can of cream of chicken
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 can of dried onions
• colander
• baking dish
• bowl
• spoon
• whisk

1.)Preheat oven to 350.

2.) Open the cream of chicken and pour into bowl with milk.Whisk.

3.)Open the cans of green beans and strain out all liquid.

4.) Pour green beans into bowl of cream chicken and milk mixture.

5.) Gently stir. ( you don't want to mush or bruise your green beans)

6.)When beans are well coated pour into baking dish and spread evenly.

7.)Sprinkle on the dried onions evenly.

8.)Put in oven for 25 minutes until the dried onions are darker brown.

9.) DIG IN!

Mexicorn-(For Two People)

• 1/2 bag of frozen corn
• 1/3c frozen peppers and onions
• 2T butter
• 1t garlic powder
• small frying pan
• lid for frying pan
• wooden spoon

1. Heat pan over medium heat. Apply butter to pan.
2. When butter is melted add in corn, peppers, and onions. Sprinkle in garlic powder.
3. Saute slightly for 2-4 minutes.
4. Reduce heat and cover for 10 minutes.
5. Enjoy!

Homemade Pierogies 

• 2 bags of instant mashed potatoes (we use garlic and 4 cheese)
• 1/3c frozen peppers and onions
• 2 c boiling water
• 1 c chicken broth
• lasagna noodles
• tea kettle or pot
• baking dish
• wooden spoon
• lg bowl 
• aluminum foil

1. Boil water. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Meanwhile, Put both bags of instant potatoes into large mixing bowl.
3. When water is boiling add in water, chicken broth, and frozen peppers. Mix well.
4. Optional- boil noodles until tender or purchase baking noodles.
5. In baking dish layer noodles, potatoes, noodles, potatoes until you have at least 2 layers (noodles should be on top when finished).
6. Cover with foil and put in oven for 25-30 minutes. (or until noodles are tender)
7. EAT UP!

Mac N Cheese The Emily Keener Favorite!

What you'll need

• 1 small brick of Velveeta
• milk (there is no actual amount it depends on how creamy you prefer)
• 1/2 c sour cream
• salt and pepper
• your favorite kind of pasta (shells, elbows, etc)
• crock pot or pot too melt cheese in
• cutting board
• knife
• pot to boil pasta in
• colander
• bowl

1. Cut Velveeta into 1in cubes.
2. Put Velveeta, sour cream, milk, and salt and pepper into crock pot. Leave in crock pot until all is melted.
3. Meanwhile prepare the pasta of your choosing.
4. Put into bowl.
5. When cheese is all melted pour over pasta and stir thoroughly.
6. Enjoy!

   

Steak Fajitas

Sometimes stores have sales on Sirloin Steak, but in my area it comes in thin slice 3 slices per container. My husband has a very good appetite so what could I make that would make him happy? 

Steak Fajitas!

What You'll Need 

thinly cut sirloin steaks

1/2 bag of frozen peppers and onions

3 T Crisco or the equivalent of veg oil

tortillas (warmed in the microwave is best!)

Skillet

Seraded knife (cuts better in my opinion)

cutting board

wooden spoon

Toppings

tomato

rice (optional)

lettuce (optional, spinage is a healthier alternative and we use often!)

tomatos

sour cream

Steps

1.) Thaw out sirloin

2.) Meanwhile heat oil over medium heat.

3.) Add in peppers and onions.

4.) Use cutting board to cut steak into strips.

5.) When all streak is cut into strips place in skillet. I highly suggest that you do not put steak in skillet before all is cut because steak will not cook correctly (some will be done while others are raw)

6.) Cook until all steak is cooked thoroughly.
7.) Place tortillas in microwave to warm.

8.) Stack your fajitas as you want!

9.) CHOW DOWN! 

Fried Spaghetti

Don't know what to do with your left over spaghetti from the night before? Make it come alive and taste even better than before!

What You'll Need

Day old spaghetti

2 T butter

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/4 water (you may want to add more)

1 skillet

wooden spoon

Steps    

1.) Have skillet on medium heat.

2.) Place butter in pan, melt butter.

3.) Pour spaghetti into pan and add seasonings.

4.) Use wooden spoon to move spaghetti around. We often cut our spaghetti noodles into smaller pieces during this time.

5.) After a few minutes to bring spaghetti noodles back to life add in your water.

6.) Reduce heat and allow to cook thoroughly for 5-7 minutes.

7.) Serve and enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Ever get tired of having to pay super high prices on chicken nuggets that are processed and the chicken just isn't the same because of being overly processed? Well, here is a simple solution that my family just absolutely loves!

What You'll Need

3 Chicken Breasts

1 cup of ranch

1/2 cup of milk

1 egg

2 boxes of Shake-n-bake (we usually use the spicy buffalo)

cooking spray

1 large bowl

1 sharp knife

whisk or spoon

slotted spoon or colander

cutting board

cookie sheet

                                        Steps

1.) Thaw out your chicken. We usually pull ours out the night before and let it sit on the counter for 1 hour before putting back into the fridge.

2.) When your chicken is thawed you want to cut into 1 inch cubes. After your chicken is cut into pieces set aside

3.) Next, pour your milk, ranch, and egg into your large bowl and whisk together until well combined.

4.) Put your chicken into your 'ranchy goodness' and allow at least 4 hours to sit in the refrigerator. We generally do this over night so the chicken has more time to adsorb the deliciousness but we know some people need things done quickly. :)

5.) After your chicken has had time to sit in the mixture use your slotted spoon or colander to get the chicken out.
6.) Pull out your cookie sheet and spray. with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

7.) Open your preferred shake-n-bake and pour half into the bag that comes in the box.

8.) Put 5-6 pieces of chicken in the bag at a time and! SHAKE !!!!

9.) Pull your chicken out and place on greased cooking sheet (be sure to give each piece of chicken enough space to cook evenly). Continue step 7-8 until all chicken is coated.

10.) Place in oven for 35-40 minutes.

11.) ENJOY!