the kitchen

What a delight and sheer compliment to have another recipe requested!  Thanks Joy for asking!  it sure makes my heart smile. I searched and baked and read and compared a lot of zucchini bread recipes that would work well for baking them in a jelly roll pan (aka Cookie Sheet here in Idaho).  FINALLY, after  a lot of wasted flour, because let's face it, I had plenty of zucchini to spare, I found one. Even my wonderful neighbor was in on the process. I love using the cookie sheet because something magical happens.  The bread disappears faster.  Which is good.  There is something psychological with little kids and  the way food looks.  Okay, the same applies to adults. If the bread LOOKS like a brownie, all the better! So while this recipe can be made in regular bread pans, why bother?  You can have warm, delicious zucchini bread in under 30 minutes! Shall we? Zucchini Bread Serves: varies (make one Jelly Roll pan) Time: 10 m...

Fruited Chicken Salad 10+ servings Ingredients: 5-8 c cooked Bowtie Pasta, cooled 3-4 Chicken Breasts, cooked and diced, and cooled 2 cans drained Mandarin Oranges 2 cans Water Chestnuts, dice a bit Large Bunch of Grapes, halved Dressing: 1 c Mayo 1/2 tsp-1tsp Curry Combine  ingredients in a large bowl. Mix dressing ingredient well, then coat ingredients well by stirring well. Refrigerate before serving.  You can absolutely half the recipe, but it keeps really well in the fridge for several days, so I always make a huge bowl of it.  I apologize the ingredient measurements aren't spot on, but it's a very forgiving recipe, one that I just whip up and never really need exact measurements for. Warning: If your pasta and chicken isn't cooled really well, it will ruin the dressing, in a bad way. I recommend making your chicken well in advance.

Chewy. Coconut. Cookies. Coconut anything makes me smile, just so you know. Here's my own adaption from an online recipe. 1 c margarine 1 c brown sugar (packed) 1 c white sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 2 tsp coconut extract (optional, but oh so good!) 1 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 3 c flour 3 c coconut Optional: 1-2 cup pecans Cream sugar and eggs and such. Add the dry stuff. Bake until golden brown (8-10minutes) at 375*. 4-5 dozen depending on size.

Adapted from LaRue Pack Named by Kyle Larsen 6-8 c Mixed Greens 2 cans Mandarin Oranges (drain well) 1/2 c Cranberries 1 c Grapes (sliced in half) 1/3 c Pecans 1/4 c Diced Red Onion Bacon- crumbled (optional) Dressing: 1/2 c Mayo 1/2 c Honey 1/4 c Orange Juice 2 TBS Orange Peel Zest

MIX WELL: 4 cups Shredded Apples (Peel if you wish, de-core first) 1 c Shredded Carrots 1 c Coconut 1-2 c "Raisens" {you can be very creative with this portion.  And it's very forgiving whether you use 1 cup or up to 2 cups....but some options for ingredients in an amount and combination are: craisins, raisins, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, pecans, almonds, wheat germ, dried blueberries, or in my case, more coconut!  I have found that CHOCOLATE CHIPS, unfortunately, DO NOT taste so great with this recipe, but if you must, go for it. Just know you've been forewarned.} THEN ADD: 4 cups Flour (Wheat, White or a combination is fine.) 2 c Sugar 4 tsp Baking Soda (or 1 1/3 TBS) 1 tsp Salt 1 TBS Cinnamon 1TBS Cloves  AND LASTLY ADD: 1 1/2 c Oil 1/2 c Milk 1 TBS Vanilla 3 Beaten Eggs Fill greased or lined (reg or mini- although mini only bake for 12-14 min) muffin tins 3/4 full and bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes.

1.5 c Butter Flavored Crisco 2.5 c firmly packed Brown Sugar 1/4 c Milk 2 TBS Vanilla 2 Eggs 2 tsp Salt 1.5 tsp Soda 3.5 c Flour 2 c Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips Mix  in order and mix well, then bake for 7 minutes at 375*. You can add a cup of Pecans if you wish, but cut back the Chips by 1/2 cup. Let the cookies cool/continue to cook on the cookie sheet for 2 min before transfereing them. I let them cool on a brown paper bag, instead of on cooling racks most of the time.  Trust me, it's smart.

I cheat lots of times.  My Cheddar Chicken recipe comes from a chef I totally admire: Jamie at jamiecooksitup! Crispy Cheddar Chicken Jamie's picture of dinner. www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com Time: 15 minute prep + 45 minutes baking Yield: 7 servings Recipe from adapted from What's Cookin' Chicago via Pinterest   In RED , is what I use or have adapted: Chicken: 4 -8 large chicken breasts Depends on size of chicken breast I guess! 2 Only 1 sleeves Ritz crackers 1/4 t salt 1/8 t pepper 1/2 C milk No Milk , I just rinse chicken well. 3 C cheddar cheese, grated 1 t dried parsley Sauce: 1   14 ounce can cream of chicken soup 2 T sour cream 2 T butter 1/4 c water   1. Cut each chicken breast into 3 large chunks.  2. In a small food processor grind up the ritz crackers.  3. Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans. Toss the 1/4 t salt and 1/8 t pepper into the crac...