Chicken Stir Fry with Cashews

from Ball Family Cookbook p. 179

Ingredients:

1 tsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp oil
1 tsp honey
1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast cut into thin strips
 2 T oil
1 clove garlic, minced
diced fresh ginger
1-2 C vegetables (snow peas or green peas, sliced mushrooms, bite size broccoli, julienne carrots, green onions, whatever)
1/3 C chicken bouillon or broth
1/2 C cashews or peanuts

Directions:

1. In a small bowl combine cornstarch, soy sauce, 1 1/2 T oil, and honey. Add chicken; toss to coat well. Marinate at least 30 minutes.

2. In a large deep skillet or wok heat 2 T oil over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and ginger and stir fry for 30 seconds.

3. Add chicken; stir fry 1-2 min until no longer pink.

4. Add vegetables and broth; stir fry until vegetables are the texture you like.

5. Add nuts and stir fry x 1 min.

Serve with rice.

Pudding Brownies

from Ball Family Cookbook p. 381

Ingredients:

1 sm. instant chocolate pudding mix
1 3/4 C milk
1 pkg Devils Food chocolate cake mix
2 C chocolate chips (tried mint chips and they were great)

Directions:

1. Mix the instant pudding and milk.

2. Mix in dry cake mix.

3. Stir in chocolate chips.

4. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan. Spread mix evenly in pan.

5. Cook at 350 for the time it says on the cake mix.

Easy, fast, and good!

Mexican Soup (Refried Bean Soup)

from Ball Cookbook p. 51

Ingredients (makes 2-3 servings):
4 slices bacon, diced
3/4 C chopped onion
3/4 C chopped celery
1/2 C chopped green pepper
1 clove minced garlic
1 (16 oz) can refried beans
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp chili powder
dash hot sauce (or a few, optional)
1 can chicken broth
shredded cheddar cheese
chopped tomato
crushed tortilla chips
chopped cabbage (optional)

Directions:
1. Cook bacon in microwave or preferred method (recipe says to cook in pan and then use grease to cook onion and co., but this made too strong of a bacon flavor in my opinion).

2. Saute onion, celery, green pepper and garlic in a pan until tender

3. Add beans, pepper, chili powder, and hot pepper sauce.

4. Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Serve with toppings.

Funeral Sandwiches

from Sunday Baker

Super easy to make ahead and then cook quickly right before an event. Would be easy for a large group. Could try different cheeses and meat. A little sticky but definitely yummy. I couldn't find Hawaiian Rolls (now found them at Target), so just found some soft rolls at the store and they worked great.

{Funeral Sandwiches}

1 package of King's Hawaiian Rolls

1/2-1 lb. good ham deli meat

Swiss cheese, thinly sliced

1/2 c. butter, melted

3 T. worcheshire sauce

2 T. mustard

2 T. brown sugar

dash of onion powder

METHOD:

1. Cut the rolls in half and line the bottom of a baking pan with the bottoms of the rolls. Layer the ham slices, then cheese and place the top half back on.

2. Mix together the butter, worcheshire, mustard, brown sugar and onion powder. Pour the whole works over the buns, drenching each one. Cover tightly and marinade anywhere from 4-24 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes,uncovered,or until cheese is melted and bun tops are a bit golden.

Mom's (Jill's) Wheat Bread

The bread I grew up on and love that my mom got from Jill L.

Ingredients:
1 qt. Warm Water
3 T Yeast
1/2 C + 2 T Oil
2 T Salt
1 C. Powdered Milk
2 Eggs
3 C Whole Wheat Flour
8 C White Flour

Directions:
1. Beat 10 minutes
2. Rise
3. Form 4 loaves (could do in 3 in larger pans like mine)
4. Set 10 min.
5. Shape
6. Rise
7. Bake on 350 for 30 minutes.