chicken Parmesan casserole

Ingredients

• about 4 cups of shredded, cooked chicken
• about 1 jar of marinara sauce
• 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• about 1 cup panko or whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• fresh, chopped herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, etc)
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Grease an 8x8 casserole dish with cooking spray.

3) Layer the chicken in the bottom. Dump in the marinara sauce and mix with the chicken. Next, top with cheese until all the chicken is covered.

4) In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, olive oil, fresh herbs and a dash of salt and pepper together.

5) Sprinkle the seasoned breadcrumbs on top.

6) Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden on top and bubbling on the sides.

Freezer Meal Directions: Put casserole together and freeze it before baking. When you're ready to cook it, let it thaw in the fridge over night. If it's still slightly frozen in the middle, you'll just have to cook it longer than the recipe calls for or defrost a bit in the microwave before baking. Cover it with foil if the top gets too brown in the oven.

crockpot chicken parmesan

Crockpot Chicken Parmesan from A Year of Slow Cooking
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 slices mozzarella cheese 24 oz jar marinara sauce

Pour olive oil in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place beaten egg in a shallow bowl. Mix bread crumbs, Parmesan, oregano, garlic powder, pepper, and salt in a second shallow bowl. Dip chicken breasts in egg and then in bread crumb mixture, coating both sides. Place breaded chicken in the crockpot and top each with a slice of mozzarella. Pour marinara sauce over chicken. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours

Crockpot Chicken and Gravy

You will need:
2 pkg dry chicken gravy mix
1 can cream of chicken
2 cups water
1 lb boneless chicken breasts
garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
rice, mash potatoes, or noodles to serve over


Directions:
season chicken (both sides) with garlic powder and salt and pepper. use very little salt as teh gravy mix and cream of chicken already have lots of salt.

in your slow cooker whisk together the gravy packets, soup, and water until smooth.
add the chicken. be sure they are covered in the gravy.

cover and cook on low for 6-8 hrs
once cooked break chicken up into chunks with a fork.
stir in sour cream (if using)
i think the sour cream adds a great creaminess to this. i would add it but its up to you.
then serve over rice, potatoes or noodles.

grilled chicken marinade

2  C (16 oz)  Coke or Pepsi

1/3 C soy sauce

1 T minced garlic

1/2 C brown sugar

1 T balsamic vinegar

1 T lime juice

6 chicken breasts

1. Combine all ingredients but the chicken in a medium sized bowl. Stir to incorporate well.

2. Place chicken in a large gallon sized Ziploc bag. Pour marinade over the chicken. Seal tightly and store in the fridge for 4-24 hours.

3. Discard marinade and grill until cooked through.

DIY Bisquick

6 cups flour 1/4 cup baking powder 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup cold butter

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large food processor*. Pulse until fully incorporated. Add in chopped cold butter and process until texture is like coarse crumbs. Place baking mix in a sealed container and keep in refrigerator. I would try to use it within 6 months, but in my house it would never last that long! You could try to cut the butter in the old fashioned way with a pastry cutter, but I HIGHLY recommend using a food processor it makes it SO much easier.

easy cherry pie

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) sugar cookie mix 1/2 cup butter, melted 1 egg 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 21 oz can cherry pie filling

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg. Stir in contents of sugar cookie mix pouch and melted butter. Keep mixing until thick dough forms. Remove 3/4 cup of dough to a smaller bowl and set aside. Press remaining dough into a greased 9x9 square baking pan. In a separate bowl, stir together cherry pie filling and almond extract. Spread over sugar cookie dough in baking dish. Break up remaining dough into small chunks and sprinkle over top of cherry pie filling. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Cool before slicing and serving. NOTE: you can use your favorite pie filling

Cream of Potato and Bacon

taste just like subways!!

you will need:
4-6 potatoes peeled and diced
1 can cream of chicken
1 can cream of celery
4 tbsp butter
6 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled
1 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

place all ingrediants in a large pot.
cook on low to medium heat
once it starts to boil turn down to low and let simmer until potatoes are cooked
stir once in a while stir so the potatoes dont stick to the bottom

NOTE:
you can add a bag of frozen veggie for something different
you can also garnish with cheese and bacon

crockpot candy

just made this and waiting for them to harden!! Cant wait to eat them!!

2 lbs (36 oz) salted dry-roasted peanuts

4 oz (4 squares) German's sweet chocolate

1 12-oz package semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)

2½ lbs white almond bark


1. Put the peanuts in the bottom of a 4-quart slow-cooker. Layer the chocolate over the peanuts, beginning with the sweet chocolate, followed by the chocolate chips, and then the almond bark. Set the temperature on low and cook for 3 hours. Do not stir the mixture. 

2. After 3 hours, stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth. Drop the candy into cupcake pan liners, using about 2 tablespoons per liner. Allow the candy to cool completely before removing the cupcake liners. Makes 30 to 40 pieces.

Crockpot Sloppy Joes

you will need:
2 lbs ground beef
1 small chopped onion
1 8oz can of tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2  cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp soya sauce
salt and pepper to taste
cheese slices
hamburger buns


Directions:
In a large pan brown ground beef with chopped onion. crumble and cook until no longer pink.
drain the excess grease.

put ground beef mixture into the slow cooker
add the rest of the ingredients (except hamburger buns and cheese)
give it all a good stir

cover and cook for 4-6 hrs

when ready to serve, toast your hamburger buns
place filling onto buns add slice of cheese to each and enjoy!!

NOTE: you can make this on the stove top just bring to a boil over medium heat simmer for 30 mins!

Sweet and Savory Meatballs

OH MY!! these were delish!!

You will need:
Meatballs:
1 onion chopped
1 1/2 sleeves of saltine crackers
2 lbs of ground beef
3 eegs
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbs honey mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp soya sauce

sauce:
1/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup regular bbq sauce
1 cup brown sugar


1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Chop an onion up into fine pieces.
3. Pour 1 and 1/2 sleeves of saltine crackers into a gallon sized Ziploc bag. Crush the crackers with a rolling-pin
4. Into a large mixing bowl place the cracker crumbs, 2 pounds ground beef , 3 eggs, salt and pepper, 3 Tb honey mustard, 1/2 C ketchup and 1 tsp soya sauce. Get your hands down into the bowl and mix all of the ingredients together well.
5. Line 2 large cookie sheets with tin foil and spray it with cooking spray. Roll the meat into 2 inch balls and lay them out evenly on the trays.
6. Bake them in the oven for 20 minutes.
7. While the meatballs cook away, combine 1/4 cup ketchup, 3/4 cup  BBQ sauce and 1 cup brown sugar.
8. When the meatballs have a nice, crispy,  dark brown exterior take them out of the oven

and drizzle about 2 teaspoons of sauce over each one. Pop them back in the oven for 15 minutes to allow the sauce to heat through and get all sticky and marvelous.

Serve and enjoy!

Omelette in a bag

Omelette in a bag... what a cool idea!! 

check it out 

http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/2013/06/omelette-in-a-bag.html

Our world is changing

I have always believe that everything happens for a reason. I also believe that God brings people into your life for a reason. Time and time again I have question God why He does things. But I He always have His reasons. they always seem to teach you a lesson of some sort.

Marley was brought into our family in 2011. Jonathan and I had just decided to move in with each. We knew that someday we would get married and start a family. But we thought maybe we would start with a puppy. Brody and Zachary instantly fell in love with her. They began to call her their sister. She has been such a wonderful blessing to our family. Having a blended family is always hard. But I truly believe that Marley was sent to us to bring us together as a family.

One of the greatest blessings that I am so thankful to have is that we all got to be with Marley when she had her puppies. I know that seems very insignificant to most but its something I will cherish for the rest of my life.

I know get on with it.. you want to know about Marley.. Jonathan and I have been doing  a lot of talking and talking to people. I have been telling off people I don;t know even know. We had to weigh our pros and cons. Because we love Marley so much and her safety is the most important thing to us. We had to make the hardest decision of our lives. But our Marley will be going to live with a new family. I know that will love her and i believe they need her... like we needed her.

One blessing we got out of this is our new little angel... we have decided the only right thing to do is to keep one of her puppies. Marleys legacy will continue on. One thing I always wondered was what was marleys home like when she was a puppy? when was her birthday? just different questions like that. With the new puppy we know what her life was like. we know who was there to welcome her into the world, we know what date and time she was born, we know that she has been loved from the moment she was born, we know what food shes been on. We know that every member of our family is in love with her!
We would like to introduce Daisy. She was the runt of the litter. But she captured all our hearts from the moment she was born.


since my first blog post on May7th I have had over 2000 people visit my blog. I have had emails and phone calls from people offering nothing but love and support for my family. Total strangers stop us in town and have done nothing but offer support. We are so overwhelmed by everything. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.. we will forever be in debt to you all.

Can you please help my family

This is the hardest blog post I have ever had to write. I want it to be known I am not trying to blame anyone or trying to cause a mess for anyone. I don't want to start a huge discussion of who is  right or who is wrong. I am not blaming anyone.  I just want someone to help me and my family.

On April 2nd we welcomed 9 little angels to our family. I have been very careful who is around them and only let people who are approved by Marley near her pups.

A few weeks ago we were having a birthday party for my step son. I thought it would be better for Marley and everyone that I tied Marley in our back field. So the party started and everyone was inside playing with the puppies. After the party I sent everyone outside to play. As most of your know my house is small.7 kids in a small living room was not ideal! The kids went outside and one kid went towards marley and she bit him. I know that she was just defending herself. My heart breaks that this little boy was hurt. Never would I ever want this to happen.

According to the Bylaws in the Village of Doaktown when the dog catcher hears of a dog that has bitten or has tried to bite a person then the dog must be impounded. However according to the village impound means to put the dog to sleep. They are being very nice and not taking her away from her puppies until they are weened.

I am dead set against her being to put to sleep. She has made our family a family. Shes the centre of our family. She keeps me company while jons away working. Shes my guard dog.. doesnt let anyone in our yard without me knowing. She loves her brothers more than anything. She sleeps with me when Jons away... knowing that shes not allowed in the bed. She loves to go outside and play with her brothers. She thinks they are cool. She loves to go in the car. She is kennel trained. She doesn't chew. She is spoiled rotten.... shes the best thing that has ever to us.

I don't believe that a dog should be put to sleep because of an accident because she was scared. If you believe the same thing and feel that you have lots of love to give my little girl and have a  home for her could you please message me of facebook or call me at 625-1575

Thank you
The Storey Family

Carrot Cake Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 3/4 cup carrot cake mix
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, add the flour, carrot cake mix, baking soda, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine.
2. In a separate bowl add the butter and brown sugar. Cream together for a couple of minutes with a mixer.
3. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Scrape the bowl with a spatula if needed.
4. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
5. Add the nuts and mix until just incorporated. The dough will be soft.
6. Chill the dough completely for a couple of hours. This is essential so that the cookies do not spread too much.
7. Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
8. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 Tablespoon size balls and place on the cookie sheet. You want your dough balls to be taller than wider. These cookies do spread a lot so make sure you have plenty of room between the cookies.
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just turning golden brown. The cookies may appear to not be done all the way but will set up on the pan. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the pan.
10. For the Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix slowly at first until combined. Beat until fluffy. Frost cookies.