Beef Barley Soup

2 pounds beef  (I used round steak. Pick nicely marbled beef chunks)
salt and pepper
2 Tablespoons oil
10 cups water
3 mounded Tablespoons good quality beef base (like better than bullion)
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic
1 large potato, peeled and shredded, or diced
3-4 large carrots, peeled and shredded, or diced
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed

Generously salt and pepper beef (I didn't do this since I was cooking for gr grandpa. I didn't think the final product needed more seasoning). In a large stockpot, heat the oil over med-high heat. When it is very hot, add about 1/3 the meat. Brown for about 1-2 minutes, then turn to brown the other side. Remove to a plate when it is browned on all sides.  Repeat with remaining meat in 2 more batches.  If you add it all at once it will steam the meat instead of browning it--not what you want.

When all meat is browned, add all the meat back to the pot with 10 cups of water. Add 3 healthy tablespoons beef stock concentrate.

Add the chopped celery, onions, and garlic. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to med-low. Simmer for  about two hours with the lid on.

When the meat is tender and you can break it apart easily with a wooden spoon, add the potato and carrots.  Brings to a boil, then continue to simmer on low for another 30-45 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.

Add 1 cup of barley. Bring to a boil then reduce to low.  Cook for another 30 minutes, or until the barley is tender.

Slow Cooker Chicken Taquitos

This is a recipe I had at Jessica's. She pre-made them and froze them.  

They are delicious and the sort of thing your kids will love.

Ingredients;

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 (1 oz) taco seasoning packet

6 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

12 (6 inch) flour tortillas

1 Tablespoon butter, melted

salsa for dipping

Place chicken breasts in a slow cooker and cover with taco seasoning. Add cream cheese and water. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or 6-8 hours on low.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Shred chicken in your slow cooker with two forks, then add cheddar cheese. Stir to combine.

Place small amount of chicken mixture on tortilla, roll up, and place seam down on baking sheet.

Brush with melted butter, then cook for 8-12 minutes,until edges turn golden.

Serve with salsa.

Chicken Lombardy

I cooked this for Great Grandpa's dinner. It's very fast and easy and tasty. 

Kind of a weird picture, but it was good.

8 oz package fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter, melted
6 skinless boneless chicken breast
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup chicken broth (I used low sodium)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 green onions, chopped

Cook mushrooms in 2 tbsps butter in a large nonstick skillet over med high heat, stirring constantly, 3-5 minutes or just until tender. Remove from heat; set aside.

Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise. Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy- duty plastic wrap, flatten to 1/4 inch thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin. This is to help the chicken cook quickly and evenly.

Dredge chicken pieces in flour, cook chicken in batches, in 1-2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet (reuse mushroom pan) over medium heat 3-4 minutes per side or until golden. Place chicken in a lightly greased 13 x 9 baking dish. overlapping edges. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken and butter. Reserving pan drippings in skillet. Sprinkle mushrooms evenly over chicken in baking pan.

Add broth to skillet. Bring to a boil reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 stirring occasionally.  Stir in salt and pepper (I left out the salt and pepper and it was plenty salty with the cheese). Pour sauce over chicken. Combine cheese and green onion sprinkle over chicken.

Bake uncovered, at 450 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes until cheese melts.
-

Chicken Gravy for Hawaiian Haystacks

I love this gravy recipe from mom for Hawaiian Haystacks!
-Ash

1 quart chicken broth (no salt) I haven't seen a broth (I use better than bouillon) without salt. I have seen low sodium.
1/4 cup butter
5 Tbsp flour
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
4 oz cream cheese

Melt butter in large skillet over medium high heat. Add flour, salt, garlic powder, and thyme. Whisk until flour is lightly browned. Pour in the stock and whisk until thickened. A general rule of thumb is that when the gravy comes to a boil it has thickened as much as it's going to. Reduce heat to low. Add the cream cheese and let soften still whisking the gravy. When cream cheese is fully melted, whisk more vigorously to combine well. Serve hot.

Hawaiian haystacks:

Cooked rice
shredded cheese
chicken (we put right into the gravy)
peas
almonds
Chinese noodles
pineapple
coconut
cut up celery
tomatoes
avocado
green onions
pine nuts
Your welcome to add any other ideas.

Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

Kind of reminds me of the one pot Mexican quinoa that we have on the blog but a enchilada version. I'll add a picture next time I make it.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 (10-ounce) can mild enchilada sauce
• 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles drained
• 1/2 cup corn kernels, frozen, canned or roasted
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
• 1 Roma tomato, 

  DIRECTIONS:

  
  

  1. In a large saucepan of 2 cups water, cook quinoa according to package instructions; set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8×8 or 2 quart baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.
  3. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, enchilada sauce, green chiles, corn, black beans, cilantro, cumin and chili powder; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.
  4. Spread quinoa mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining cheeses. Place into oven and bake until bubbly and cheeses have melted, about 15 minutes.
  5. Serve immediately, garnished with avocado and tomato, if desired.

Snickerdoodle Blondies

This is a great dessert recipe when you are short on time. You most likely have all the ingredients in your pantry. And we think they are pretty good!  (I'll add a picture next time I make it)

Ingredients:

2 2/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup salted butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla

Cinnamon topping:
2 Tbsp white sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions
Combine the butter, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla. I used my mixer and it worked great!
Add in the dry ingredients. (Flour, baking powder, )
Spread in a greased 9×13 dish. The batter will be thick almost like a cookie mixture.
Combine the cinnamon topping ingredients and sprinkle over the top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until top springs back when pressed. Once it cools, it will harden more. cut into square like you would with brownies.

Grandma (Doris) Jones' Chocolates

This is the recipe Grandpa Jones made every year for Christmas. 

It's a family classic, so I'm giving it a 5 star rating

Take a cookie sheet and put 15 or 16 Hershey's chocolate bars in the bottom of a tinfoil greased with butter only. Put in the oven on warm until melted. Take a knife and spread it around evenly. Take out of oven. (Great Grandpa has also used good quality milk chocolate made for melting.)

In a big pan, bring to a boil:

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups of white Karo Syrup

1/2 lb. of butter

After it boils, add

1 more cup of heavy cream

dash salt. 

Boil 1/2 way between soft and hard stage. Takes about 1 hour to make the caramel. Add nuts. The Joneses traditionally used Brazil nuts, but you can use whatever you like.

When it is finished, pour the caramel over the chocolate that has been melted in the pan.

Put 15-16 more Hershey's chocolate on top of caramel and return to oven to melt.

Submitted by Chris