Ramen Delight (Brig's Specialty)

Ingredients needed:

1 packet of Ramen Noodles
1 can of tuna fish
1/2 can of corn
1/2 cup of water

Bring the 1/2 cup of water to boil, then put in the ramen noodles and boil until they are how noodles are supposed to be, then reduce heat to medium and put in the corn, and the tuna, and the little flavor packet for the noodles and then stir it all up. I prefer Oriental flavor ramen or chicken flavored. You can use canned chicken instead of tuna fish but thats not quite as good or healthy.

Mackenzie wanted to make sure that she does not get credit for this delicious meal so this was posted by Chef B. Gomer. I know this is a bit of an advance cooking meal so if anyone needs help with it, I would be happy to assist.

Moroccan-style Brisket

A while back I posted this on my blog. I have since made it several times and it is always a huge hit that I thought it needed to become a permanent resident of the Arnett cooking blog. I promise you your house will smell so divine with this simmering away in the crockpot. Please don't be scared of the recipe it really is so easy and so good!

Moroccan Brisket
recipe: Robin Miller but adapted by Devry

1 large red onion, sliced into thin wedges
2 parsnips, chopped
2 pound boneless beef brisket
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch nutmeg
1 cup whole dried apricots
2/3 cup grape juice
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup couscous
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Arrange onion wedges and parsnips in bottom of slow cooker. Season beef all over with salt and black pepper. In a small bowl, combine coriander, cumin, cinnamon, garlic powder, and nutmeg. Rub spice mixture all over beef. Arrange beef (fat side up) over onions and parsnips in slow cooker. Arrange apricots around beef (I find that adding the apricots in just for the last couple of hours is best, if you put them in right at the beginning then they get too mushy).

In a small bowl, whisk together juice, vinegar, broth and honey. Pour mixture over beef and vegetables. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

Cook couscous according to package directions. Serve beef, vegetables and apricots over couscous. Pour over extra sauce from slow cooker and top with cilantro.

Honey-Glazed Chicken Stir-Fry

Honey-Glazed Chicken Stir-Fry

Start to Finish: 25 Min. Makes: 4 Servings

• 12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thighs
• 2 T honey
• 2 T vinegar
• 2 T Orange Juice
• 4 t soy sauce
• 1 1/2 t Corn Starch
• 2 T cooking oil
• 4 C cut up veggies (ie. broccoli, sweet pepper, onion, and or/ mushrooms)
• 2 C Hot cooked rice

1. Cut chicken into bite sized strips, set aside. For sauce, in a small bowl stir together honey, vinegar, OJ, Soy, and corn starch, set aside.
2. Pour oil into wok or large skillet. Heat over med. heat. Add veggies to wok; cook and stir for 3-4 min. or until veggies are crisp-tender. Remove veggies from wok. Add chicken, cook and stir for 3-4 min or until chicken is no longer pink. Push chicken from the center of the wok. Stir sauce, add to center of wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
3. Return veggies and stir about 1 min. or until heated. Serve over rice!!

That is it! So simply and yummy. Okay just in case you don't use the same abbreviations.

T = Table spoons

t = teaspoons

C = cups

OJ = orange juice

Try it and let me know how you like it. Feel free to share easy recipe's with me too. Just so you know I don't eat pork, lamb, sausage, veil, ferret, pigeon, etc. I stick with Chicken and beef.

Manacotti

Several months ago, Devry introduced me to Italian sausage spaghetti, which consequently changed Dave's and my dinner-life. The following is a combo-take on that and my mom's manacotti:

Filling:

Ricotta cheese
Mozzarella cheese
1 egg
parsley
oregano

Mix the above. (As for portions for the cheese...it depends on how much manacotti you're making. A little goes a long way.)

Sauce:

ground mild Italian sausage
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 sm. carton heavy whipping cream

Brown the sausage. Pour in spag. sauce and cream and simmer for a bit.

Cook your noodles. Don't worry if they break apart while draining. The cheese stuffing will keep the roll together. Pour a smidge of sauce into a baking pan. Stuff the noodles with cheese and lay them onto the pan. Cover in sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella. Bake @ 350 for 30 min or so.

Key Lime Pie

Makes 2 pies

I’ve served this pie for Mother’s Day activities in YW and RS many times. It’s a hit, and the easiest key lime pie ever. Light, great for spring and summer.

Easy Key Lime Pie

2 graham cracker pie crusts (not the cheapo kind as it’s skimpy, better yet make your own)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (6 oz) can frozen limeade concentrate
1 (12 ounces) carton Cool Whip
drop or two green food coloring


Combine Sweetened condensed milk, limeaid and cool whip in bowl
Stir until thoroughly mixed.
Pour into 2 graham cracker crusts.
Let chill.
Filling will become firmer when chilled.

This is also good with frozen pink lemonade.

Kalua Pig (the one I served at Meg's Homecoming, and Christmas Eve, etc)

When I served in YW we had a camp cook (she was also my Laurel Advisor) who had her husband bring this up on the last night. It was divine. A couple of years later she served as my Education Counselor in RS and served this at our Birthday Social. I got the recipe from her and her husband threw in some real Hawaiian Sea Salt as they lived there for about 6 years. I have made it many times since, but usually in big proportions as it’s great for funerals (in place of tired ham), fam get togethers, dinners etc. It’s relatively cheap, goes a long way, and has a rich flavor. Oh, and it’s very easy. Everyone loves it.

Since I usually cook a lot at a time, I use my turkey roasting pan (with 2 big shoulder roasts) and cook it in the oven and turns out fine. I double the ingredients and cook it at about 270 for about 10-12 hours. If you are using the oven method instead of the crockpot, make sure you cover the pan with aluminum foil and then put on lid.

Kalua Pig

5-6 lb pork butt or pork shoulder roast (shoulder and butt are the same cut, btw)
Crushed garlic
Hawaiian sea salt (coarse)
¼ cup water
1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp. liquid smoke (we like Wright’s)

Score the meat with a sharp knife. Rub the pork roast generously with crushed garlic, and then generously with sea salt. Add ¼ cup of water to the crock pot, then add the roast. Pour the liquid smoke on top of the roast, and sprinkle pork with more salt (about a teaspoon or so.) Cook on low for 10-15 hours in the crock pot. The pork should shred very easily when cooked. Serve with rice or on rolls. Makes 12 servings.

Beef Burgundy (in a crock pot)

Lately I have been using my crock pot more due to trying to fit dinner somewhere in between other demands (like playing with Cate, the Society of Relief, and reading) I came across this little gem (from the Simple Dollar, btw) and tried it about a month ago. It's a keeper, as it has great flavor. Only caution is if you’re going to leave this on for more than eight hours, add an extra half a cup of water before you go. The biggest danger for cooking things in a crock pot longer than that is having the food dry out. I served it over noodles, but could use rice instead.

Beef Burgundy

2 slices bacon - cooked and chopped (again I used the Real Bacon Bits from Costco, as I'm lazy like that)

2 pounds sirloin tips cut into small cubes (one inch or so)

1 garlic clove (again, people get the Big Jar of minced garlic from Costco, fast, easy, and no mess and it keeps a long time in your fridge)
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 beef boullion cube, crushed

1 cup red wine (I used grape juice instead, duh)
2 tablespoons corn starch

2 tablespoons water

4 ounces fresh mushrooms

Chop up bacon and sirloin tips and cook them in a skillet for several minutes along with the garlic clove. While the meat is cooking, put everything else together except for the mushrooms, corn starch, and water in the crock pot and stir it.
Dump in the entire contents of the skillet, stir the mixture, and set it on low. Leave for work, churching, shopping, reading, etc Come home, mix together the corn starch and water, pour that in, add the mushrooms, and kick it up to high for 15 final minutes. Serve.

White Chocolate Popcorn

3 Pkg- Orville R. Movie Popcorn, pop and remove unpopped kernels.

2 C. (heaping) white molding chocolate. Microwave 1 min. on HI stirring every 20 to 30 sec.

Drop 4-5 drops of Pina Colada Flavoring into the chocolate and stir.

Pour mixture over popcorn coating well and enjoy.

Fried Pasta

My very first convert in the mission introduced me and my companion (the former Sister Harrison) to this divine dish. She cooked it for us one afternoon before our appointment. Mmm...I then introduced it to all of my companions and Sister Harrison did the same. Needless to say, it quickly made it's fame known around the mish. All sisters were chowing down on this delight. It's super quick and easy!

Bring a pot of water to a boil, water should taste salty. Cook your pasta (however much you want. I usually use 12-16oz.) While the pasta is being prepared...
Chop several cloves of garlic (depending on your garlic taste--I use about 4 cloves)
Slice several (about 5-7) sundried tomatoes. (You can use the kind that come in the jar with oil--not my favorite, or you can use the packaged kind--which I recommend)
 Sautee garlic and tomatoes in LOTS of olive oil (extra virgin). Be sure to not let them get brown, you just want them soft.

When the pasta is done, drain it and throw it into the same saucepan as the garlic and tomatoes. Cook until slightly crunchy.

Then add dried Basil, a thick layer on top, then mix.

Use a good slice of cream cheese or goats cheese in the pasta...Stir and let it coat the pasta.


And finally, grate some cheese (of your choice--I prefer mozzarella) on top and Viola! Prepare your taste buds!! Mmmm...

Absolute Best Mexican Cornbread

I am a closet foodie. There I said it. You would'nt know by the frequency of meals I prepare for my family. But when I do I want it to be gourmet . Why waste the calories if it isnt fabulous. otherwise i can just have a diet coke and a candy bar. This recipe is the best cornbread ever. It is cake like and almost like Grandma Rose's Green corn tamales.

1 cup of butter
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1(15 ounce) can cream corn
1/2 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers, drained
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1.preheat oven to 300 degrees lightly grease 9x13 baking dish
2. large bowl beat together butter and sugar. beat in eggs one at a time. blend in cream corn, chiles, monterey jack and cheddar cheese.
3. in a separate bowl, stir together flour , cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. add flour mixture to corn mixture; stir until smooth. pour batter into prepared pan.
4. bake in oven 1 hour. until toothpick inserted into center of the pan comes out clean.

Then glaze with Honey butter . (melt 1/4 cup of butter and 1cup of honey in microwave)
Delish

Monday FHE

Last semester when ld had BYU students coming to our house once a month for FHE we discussed the possibility of putting together about 4 ready made home evenings. This is because we had on a couple of occasions been burned by, how shall I put it kindly, some of their unbelievable lack of preparation, as in reading one tiny scripture and then calling it a lesson.

We all sat around staring at each other awkwardly after that. So, being the supportive spouse, I put together a little computer file of ready made, on the spot, what to do in a pinch Home Evenings. As we never wanted that to happen again. Anyhoo, here is a little recipe/activity that I thought might be fun. Granted, we never used it for that group, but I had done it way back in the day when I was a student. I’m sharin’, just in case you need it in a pinch.

Scripture Cake (Spice Cake)

(You might read the scripture references to the fam and let them figure out what the ingredients are)

2 cups 1 Kings 4:22 (flour)
1 ½ cups Jeremiah 6:20 (sugar)
2 teaspoons Amos 4:5 (1 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp baking powder)
2 Chronicles 9:9 (spices – 1 tsp. cinnamon; ¼ tsp ground cloves, ¼ tsp nutmeg)
Pinch of Leviticus 2:13 (salt)
1 cup Judges 4:19, last clause (milk)
½ cup Judges 5:25, last clause (butter)
3 large Jeremiah 17:11 (eggs)

Note: may add ½ tsp vanilla, if desired.

Heat oven to 350. Grease sides and bottoms of 13 x 9 pan.
In a bowl combine 1 Kings, Jeremiah 6:20, Amos, 2 Chronicles and Leviticus.
Add Judges 4:19 and 5:25. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat two minutes on high.
Add Jeremiah 17:11 and beat two minutes more.
Pour batter into pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack.

Sunday Snackie

Usually on Sunday I try to have some munchies or snackies around as my chilluns' have enormous sweet teethies. You know, stuff like, Kit Kats, Italian Icees, Brownies, etc. Also, sometimes I need to take a treat around to someone in the ward. Well, that's how I justify making it. Anyway, my fav quicky treat to make is one Kathleen gave me years ago and one I published in the original Arnett Family Cookbook. I made it yesterday.

Carmel Corn

(I have made this recipe so much I can do it by heart. This is Brig’s fav. It’s soooo easy and it stays soft. But please only use real butter. It makes all the diff)

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup butter

Boil the above mixture just barely. Add ¾ teaspoon soda and stir. Pour over 2-3 batches of popcorn. ( I use microwave popcorn, because I’m so lazy)

Kathleen's recipe (and now mine too:)

Sunday Dinner at my house

I meant to post a pic of the tetrazzini before we all chowed down on it but I got distracted, besides everyone was hungry. I will do better next time, with the pic taking I mean.

The menu:

• Chicken Tetrazinni
• Rigatoni (ordinarily I don’t fix two main courses but did so for B.Gomer as he doesn’t like mushrooms and the Tetrazinni had some in it. I know, I know, I spoil my chillun’s)
• Green Salad
• Three Bean Salad
• French Bread
• Mango Juice (with little frozen juice cups that I freeze in my muffin tins)
• Pineapple Cake I sorta made up (white cake, with whipped cream and ½ cup sour cream with little bit of powdered sugar and a can of pineapple)
• Strawberry Ice Cream (storebought, it wasn’t that good, and I forgot Megs doesn’t like Strawberry Ice Cream)


Verdict: I thought the Tetrazinni quite good, although the comment ‘we used to call this Tuna Noodle Casserole when I was growing up’ was quite unappreciated and belays an unsophisticated food palette. Really, ld, there’s a discernable difference. Hmmph!

At any rate here are the recipes. I am always looking for make ahead stuff because Sundays are busy at our house and I’m always flustered. If dinner isn’t mostly prepared before church, it ain’t happenin’.

Chicken Tetrazzini

Serves 8-10

9 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (but I used leftover roasted chicken)
2 ¼ teaspoons salt
1 ¼ teaspoons pepper
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, chopped ( I put onion in my food processor as some fam members won’t eat it if the chunks are too big)
5 cloves garlic, minced (I have a big jar of Costco’s minced garlic that I keep in my fridge, It’s the only way to go)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (I used 1 tsp. dried)
½ cup dry white wine (obviously, I didn’t use this, used broth instead)
1/3 cup flour
4 cups whole milk, at room temp
1 cup heavy whipping cream, at room temp ( I know, I know, you’ll wear this on your hips)
1 cup chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
12 ounces linguine or penne
¾ cup frozen peas (I put in about a cup and a half, as I really like peas)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves (I used dried)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup dried Italian style breadcrumbs (I used chopped up croutons that I mashed up with a 15 pound dumbbell as I ran out of breadcrumbs)

Preheat oven to 450 (yeah, that hot). Spread 1 tablespoon butter over 13 by 9 baking dish. Melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil in frying pan over medium high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until just cooked through, about 4 min. Transfer chicken to a plate to cool a bit. Coarsely shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and into a large bowl.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil to the same pan. Add the mushrooms and sauté over med high heat until the mushrooms became pale golden, about 12 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and sauté until onion is clear. Add the wine (or whatever you are substituting with) and simmer until it evaporates, about 2 min. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl with the chidken.

Melt 3 more tablespoons butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk, cream, broth, nutmeg, remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine or penne and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Drain. Add the linguine, sauce, peas, and parsley to the chicken mixture. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well blended. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. (Can assemble ahead to this point).

Stir the cheese and breadcrumbs in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta. Dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes.

________________________________

Baked Rigatoni

Serves 8-10

1 pound dry ziti pasta or rigatoni
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 (26 ounces each) jars spaghetti sauce (such as Classico or Barilla)
6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
1 1/2 cups sour cream
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.

In a large skillet, brown onion, garlic and ground beef over
medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350.

Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the
ziti, all the Provolone cheese and sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture,
remaining ziti or rigatoni, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture.
Top with grated Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.

We’re Up And Running

Here rellys, (that’s short for relatives) we’re in business. The Official anti-A.S.S. recipe/foodie blog. It works like this, if you have a recipe you wanna share, then email me your email addy and ld will add you on as an author/participator big wig with all the rights and privileges of posting. Such fun. We will all get to see what we’re having for Sunday dinner. Please share and anything goes. This is not a food snob site as I will be posting family comfort foods as well as fancy pants cuisine. Also, I will be posting (eventually) the whole Arnett Family Cookbook that I put together a long, long time ago. Dust off your recipes, o ye domestic diva rellys!

P.S. Don't forget to label your recipe by category (i.e. Main Dish, Dessert, Appetizers, Beverages, Salads, This 'n That, Breads and Rolls, Cookies, Cakes, and Candies...also your name) for future quick reference.